May 2, 2024 • 43 mins
Looking at the first round QBs in the NFL draft and why Michael Penix Jr. might be special
The 49ers will have decisions to make at WR
Guest: T. J. Houshmandzadeh
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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, Tower three Lives. It's The Herd wherever you
may be, and however you may be listening things for
Megan as part of your day. I thought Paul Pierce
was interesting. He thinks Aunt Edwards is going to be
the next star. He said, he's relatable, his game is dynamic,
he's a handsome kid, he's good on the mic. His
team is winning. But there is this line. Is he
gonna be Dominique or is he gonna be Michael? Michael
(00:48):
wanted to be the star, Magic wanted to be the star.
Kareem did not. But some of it is do you
want to embrace it? My guess is Aunt Edwards more
than Wendy would really want it. Plus Wendy seems number good.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I'll sit down.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
You know we touched on this last night, but this
whole face of the league discussing like, let's be real,
Steph Curry never was considered to be a face of
the league guy until like twenty fifteen, twenty sixteen, Like
that came out of nowhere. Guys come out of nowhere
in the NBA, like Jokic, Nobody had him as a
face of the league or Ben VP three three.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Out of four years.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
He's we knew Steph in college. His dad played in
the league. He had a spectacular game, and he was
one A in terms of likability. He was in a
big market. The Warriors are a big brand. They were
winning championship.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
He was like heard no no before he won titles.
Like it was like Steph, he wasn't close to the
face of the league. So usually guys come out of
like Patrick Mahomes came out of nowhere to be the
face of the NF.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
It happens. The NFL's bulletproof, like they don't need one.
I mean, it's like far left and Brady left and
Manning left. The ratings went up, like they their thing
is they just can't make a big mistake like the
Kaepernick situation. The numbers went down. The NFL has these
abc D markets depending on if you're a city viewer
or and it hurt their C and D market. A
(02:04):
lot of people thought it was political, and so the
NFL is just trying to avoid they're like a major corporation,
a big lawsuit. That's what the NFL wants to They
they don't need to grow to the sky. If they
have three percent growth every year, it's huge money. And
you know, the NBA tends to be as popular as
their star of international soccer English Premier League, that's like
(02:28):
the NFL. People watch Liverpool Manu It doesn't matter. Now
you can be more popular if you get you know,
Rooney at his prime. But the bottom line is the
NFL and the English Premier League they'll never be unpopular.
And then you get leagues that are culturally in a
bad spot. Cricket they called that the national pastime in
(02:50):
the UK. It's too slow. People don't watch it. Baseball
is struggling with that. Young kids aren't watching it. But
then you get in the NBA, where it's a global sport,
never been better, but its domestic popularity is based on
how popular is their star. So Magic and Bird you
had left Coast Rice Ghosts. It was so I know,
(03:12):
I go old school. I grew up in the seventies
when everybody was pretty good. The Sonics won a title,
the Warriors won, the Washington Bullets won, Elvin Hayes, West Unseld,
Kevin Greevy, Phil Scheneier, blah blah blah. So that's the seventies.
The Blazers, but there was no Fred. The league was
in big trouble in the seventies. You had a cocaine issue.
They were get the NBA Finals run tape delay, and
(03:34):
then David Stern, a Marketer, came in and shoe deals
and its magic and its bird so and then hands
off to Michael and so it had about a twenty
year run where it was like damn, this is popular,
and then they lost half the audience.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Again, like we could do a dissertation on this.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
The timing of Jordan leaving right at the inception of
the Internet taking off. Yeah, you know, streaming was not
even their cell phone were just like the timing of
Jordan leaving lined up perfectly. I don't think the NBA
lost as much audience, because again, that's just one metric.
If you want to look at social media as a
metric for whatever that's worth, Lebron has more followers than
(04:13):
like the top fifteen NFL players combined. Like he's just
he opens his mouth says something and it's a global story.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
But it's weird people. I've always said the NBA is
like sushi, You're either into it or not. The NFL
is lasagna or pizza. Everybody kind of likes it. Like
it may not be your favorite sport, but everybody kind
of likes pizza.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
The NBA is not.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
They're more political than other leagues. They lean into polished
out a bunch of people. There's a connection to hip
hop that may not connect with all Americans. So the
NBA is tends to be a love it or you're
ripping it league. Now you and I love watching the playoffs,
and I grew up with the league, so I've always
loved it. I do think sometimes they get too political.
I'm comfortable with that. A lot of Middle America is not.
(04:58):
I get it. I'm not judging. I don't have a
problem with the BLM and what it didn't sit well
with a lot of people, what ebvs. But the difference
is what the NBA is going through a fascinating thing
right now, So they're going to get paid a fortune.
So the cable, you know, properties, they got to survive.
And so here comes NBC making a huge offer for
(05:18):
the NBA to steal it from TNT. I think TNT
does a great job with it, but steal it from it.
So the NBA is going to make double it. And
then here comes the streaming giants Amazon to pay for it.
So the bottom line is all the people who roll
their eyes of the NBA, NBA players will be making
one hundred million a year within four or five years.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
So funny, all I see on social media is oh
the NBA. Nobody watches the NBA.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Nobody this.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
Amazon is going to get in bed with the league
as who mean they do, and they're going to get
content what for like six strands every night?
Speaker 5 (05:51):
Three?
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Do you think Howard Stern cares that he has half
the audience he used to and makes eleven times what
he used to. He doesn't care Howard's has been. He
made ten millionaire in FM radio. He just signed another
deal for one hundred and fifteen million dollars a year.
Do you think he carries he has half the audience.
(06:13):
The owners do not care if their ratings go down.
If NBC outbids, TNT and Amazon signs. They don't care.
Doesn't matter, it's content. The critics worry about these ratings,
you know what the owners care about, and the commissioner
cares about.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
The bag money. That's all I mean.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Yeah, Lebron doesn't care if you're watching. He wants a
rich league. So a lot of this stuff is just
it doesn't matter. The NFL has both huge social currency
and the bag in ratings, so it has all three.
But that's it. The lead in the country, like baseball's
got no social currency. People do not talk about it
in shows like this at all. But they got a
(06:52):
lot of money and a lot of volume. And the
owners are you know, take out the a's most ownership groups.
You know, they're happy they're in the sport. So you know,
you and I just you and I tend to be
We both like business. I'm not a businessman, but we
both like business.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
You have a business, well whatever, running a business.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Yeah, But I guess the point is, I've asked this
question before. If I could bet on four things in sports.
I remember, and these guys do a great job. Tony
and Mike at the other place, and they were bemoaning
the future of the NFL, And I'm like, you guys
are living in that little Northeast bubble. You've never been
(07:30):
to Texas. Football is going nowhere in this country. Go
to the South, Go spend a Saturday in the South.
Football's going nowhere. In left leaning LA, parents don't want
their kids to play football. My buddies are like, I'm
an outcast because I let my kids play football. Most
of the country's fine with it. So if you had
to bet on four things that are going to work
in sports in the next twenty five years, I would
(07:52):
go NFL, sports gambling, the World Cup in college football.
Those are impenetrable every now now the NBA as well,
I should say five.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Yeah, gambling.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
I just say sports gambling. It's not going backwards. It's
everybody's in bed, So let me do it again. A
five because we've seen boxing die, men's tennis in America,
we've seen stuffed horse racing, So I would let me
do it again. If I had to do it in order,
I would say NFL number one. Growth for twenty five years,
some level or plate or growth, sports gambling.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
How are you defining growth by.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
The way you're signing bigger contracts every time. So I
would say NFL one, sports gambling two, college football and
NBA and World Cup all feel the same. World Cup's
going nowhere, but it's all It's every four years, so
it's everything else to me has either a cultural issue.
(08:51):
You're losing young kids. You're gonna get desperate and go
to a platform nobody watches. I'll give you an example. MLS.
I like the MLS, I don't watch it as much.
They went Apple. I like Apple, I got all their products,
but the minute they took that money and went behind
a paywall, I don't watch it, there's no more incidental viewers.
So so MLS now has no incidental viewers they went.
If I went behind a paywall, I would drive my
(09:14):
most ardent fans, but I'd lose half the seventy five
I wouldn't get any casual viewers.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
But that's the Howard Stern model.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Right you go again. Howard's thing is he's not a league,
he's a dude. And once six is the first number
in your age, follow the money, you build your brand
until six is the first number, then you Howard didn't
need to be more famous. He didn't care about fame
at this now the MLS is different. That's that's a
(09:40):
business with you know, twenty some owners. That's a real
gamble to take that streaming money.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
They got fortunate when Messi came over.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
They did, but that's one team it is. They went
and took the streaming money. It has in my opinion,
nobody the casuals are all gone. So the NFL is smart.
They still understand the value of the networks. But they'll
play around with Amazon on Thursday night in the streaming
at Peacock streaming game. But they understand where their bread
is butt.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
But there's no competition for the NFL. There's no other
football leagues out there really that are at the level
of NFL. MLS is contending with legue im X. You
got Premier League like soccer leagues all around the world.
NFL like what are There's no other competition, So.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
There's no competition. Anti trust laws for baseball and it's
been decreasing in social currency forever.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
That's fair.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
They're working to speed up the sport. I had They
went to a Padres game and it was like two
hours and ten minutes.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Off they are games now are two hours thirty six minutes.
It wasn't long ago. They were three hour and nine minutes.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
That's that's a step.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
It took forever. But baseball's made the right moves. Yeah,
but I guess, I guess I don't know what started
this whole thing. I don't either, I don't really, but
I guess I know it started it. This idea like
NBA back to sushi. The NBA, you love it or
you're going to criticize it, And the truth is they're
going to get the money in ours. People ask me
(11:01):
all the time, will come up who decides what to
talk about? And I always say the same things. I
talk about two things. Urgency and stars. Baseball has neither.
NBA has stars, College football NFL have urgency when the
World Cup's going on, Urgency, a UFC huge fight, Urgency,
Phil Mickelson wins The Master's Urgency. The only topics I
(11:21):
talk about on the show. You got to be urgent
the game matters, or you have stars. Baseball doesn't have
enough of either. There's too many games and there's not enough.
Speaker 5 (11:30):
You know.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
A Rod was like oh a Rod to the Yankees.
I mean, I remember I can remember being in a
San Diego airport. I never forget this the old San
Diego Airport. The new one's beautiful, but the old one.
You'd come down the escalator to the baggage claim area
and there was a little bar to the left and
I was coming down for a weekend and I came
down the escalator and people were packed at the bar
(11:54):
and I'm like, it's two in the afternoon. People aren't drinking.
They're not the San Diego is not day drinking to
this level. And jose Conseko was up at the plate,
jose Canseco was batting, I think for the A's and
literally there were thirty people jammed. They weren't even drinking.
And I was like, that's what baseball lacks. A Rod
(12:15):
brought some of that. Mike Trout was great.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
So can they manufacture stars?
Speaker 1 (12:21):
I don't know, good, it's good.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
I think stars. I mean Taylor Swift. How to explain it?
She was born to be a star.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Caitlin Clark born to be a star.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
Some people just the game, the attitude, the likability, the relatability.
Sometimes factors. I mean women's basketball had been growing. I
don't think I don't think she would be nearly as
big if she played for Yukon. I think the fact
that she was big ten, middle of the country underdog,
she wasn't on a Yukon dominant team or South Carolina.
I think part of it was she was Hoosiers. That was, yeah,
(12:53):
she was. She was basically twenty twenty four Hoosiers. We
think of Iowa the heart of the country, farming, old school,
and here's this scrappy girl hitting thirty eight footers taking
Iowa in and it's just it was Hoosiers.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
There probably won't be a better sports story this year
than what Caitlin Clark did in the NCAA torment.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
There won't be a more stunning.
Speaker 4 (13:14):
Like it'll be a big deal, but I don't think
anything will top what Caitlin Clark did.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
They were beating every rating except NFL playoff games. Yeah,
preseason action is getting He's sold more jerseys than the
entire Dallas Cowboy football team. That that's not a shooting star.
That's like, oh, that's like the movie Armageddon. Here it
comes something going across the skyline. I don't remember the
(13:41):
last time. I remember, very very vaguely Fernando Mania in
the eighties. I think it was. I remember it, but
we didn't have the internet to this level. But I
can remember that was like on the National news Dodger
pitcher Lefty the number thirty four. That was a that
was like a wow, kind of a star out of nowhere.
(14:01):
Doesn't happen at all.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
I'll take your word for it. All the seventy stuff.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
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Speaker 2 (14:21):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
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FS one, and the iHeartRadio app for.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
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Comfort Navvian Jmack with the news.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
No, No turn on the news. This is the Herd
Line News all.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
Right, calling first up paper clips on the verge of elimination.
After last night's blowout loss to the Mavericks. Paul George
has a player option okay for next season, but could
potentially opt out and sign a MAX deal elsewhere. There
are reports that the Clippers don't want to give him,
excuse me.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
A max offer.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
Now, Kawhi, they did not give one, but Kawhi was like,
I'll take it. You know, I'm always hurt Paul George.
Who's a max deal apparently.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
Who's more dependable on the Clippers and who is more
available and who's closest to their prime?
Speaker 3 (15:21):
That would be Paul George.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
Then I would pay him.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (15:23):
So this is where it gets interesting. The Sixers have
a MAX slot available.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Yes, now that's really interesting. But he's an LA kid.
It's a winter league. He didn't want to playing field.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
Well, does he want to play with MAXI and em
beat in the East.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
No?
Speaker 3 (15:37):
Why not?
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Because he lives in La. He loves La. I don't know, man,
Let me ask you this. Find all the guys chewing.
I know you think it's political, it's not. Find all
the great athletes that say, you know, I'm in my prime,
let's leave La. They get traded. Matt Stafford chose La
lebron chose La Kawhi, Paul George, Mookie Bess.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
So you're saying, turn down the bag in Philly and
stay in La.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
Well, it's not like you're not getting a lot of
money in with the Clippers. Listen, once you get a
net worth over one hundred and fifty two hundred million,
how many cars do you?
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Again?
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Who cares?
Speaker 3 (16:10):
But I should also add the Orlando Magic.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Now that's an interesting one. I know it's East, but
it's a Winter League, it's Orlando weather, no state tax.
It's fan base is not relentless like Philadelphia's media. You
can hide behind the gates. The media is fairly toothless.
Orlando's an underrated market in terms of NBA. Like I
(16:33):
spent a lot of time in Orlando because I lived
in Tampa. Really it's you can hot first of all,
lakes every the Butler chain, lakes.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Everywhere, alligators everywhere.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
So winter park, no state tax, loyal fan base, but
not they're appreciative. Yeah, I get Jalen Suggs, Bomkaro Caro
has been amazing, And I think Orlando's an underwraty.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
I got a lot of family in Orlando. I was joking.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
I like it as it's just you can't go there
in like June, July, August.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Because it's oppressively humid and like one hundred.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
And I'm sure Paul George in his outdoor space won't
have a little uh you know, yeah, no, no, you're
a miss machine down there.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
I like to think the Knicks are in the mix.
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
I would go after Kevin Durant first, but Paul George
is gonna have suitors.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Interesting decision for the paper cliff. They also have James
Harden's impending free agency. We don't know what's up with Westbrook.
Speaker 1 (17:25):
Well, they're all putting a new arena, so they've got
to have a star. So my they're stuck with Kawhi
and I would retain Paul George, both good wing defenders.
I'd probably clean other stuff out. I don't know. I
like Terrence Man, you know.
Speaker 4 (17:39):
I think a hardened Kawhi Paul George trio is very nice.
For a big chunk of this season, that team looks
dangerous in the West.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
They're just not healthy now more.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Would you what do you say about the regular season?
They look like something a lot of people in the
regular seat. I'm just saying, I'm Paul. I'm thinking about
I'm Paul George. It's like I want to win games. Well,
I'm winning them with the Clippers, but the East is weaker,
no state tax. Orlando's a nice place to live. I mean,
Shaq left because he was so he was the biggest
guy in the league. Paul George could go hide there,
(18:08):
hang out. I mean, you're close to Miami.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
You want to be the two in Orlando or the
three in Philly.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
Two in Orlando.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
Wow, you've gone against Philly now, I like it.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
You've never you've been to Orlando. Have you ever been
a winter park?
Speaker 3 (18:22):
I have awesome briefly owned a house there.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
Yes, it's great.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
All right.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
Next up, amid the speculation the Niners would deal with one
of the receivers last week at the draft, doesn't sound
like they're gonna do that anymore. It sounds like they're
gonna go into next season with Ayuk and Deebo Samuel
on the roster. According to the latest report, the Niners
would only consider dealing i Uk if they got a
Godfather like offer or one that was too good to refuse.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Well, that ain't happening, and you know they.
Speaker 4 (18:48):
Did not land Marvin Harrison, Junior Malik Neighbors Roma. Dude,
that they didn't get any of those guys.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Colin, it's not the worst thing in the world. Your
quarterback's a seventh round pick on his rookie deal. You
can afford. You can debo this should this could be
that I.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Drafted two receivers. How do we know they don't want
to watch them in camp? Let me watch the guys
in camp.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Do you there's no point in getting a draft pick
for a yuk Now you're getting nothing to help your song? No?
Speaker 1 (19:15):
I mean you could get a draft pick and a player. Okay,
So I mean, like, for instance, anybody got you know,
their offensive lines, a little wonky center, right, you know,
can you give me a starting guard and a number
two draft pick? You know, if if one of these
two receivers can play, you're gonna make a decision. I
think they want to go to camp and see if
they can play.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
I don't know how.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
I don't understand how you have them below the Rams
in the NFC West. They have not gotten worse.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
I'll give you, but they haven't gotten better. The Rams
had a great draft.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
They lost Aaron Donald.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Did you see the Niners in the Rams play last year?
Speaker 3 (19:48):
Yes, Shanahan owns them.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
Be careful. I get McVeigh, I get the better offensive line,
I get the significantly more talented quarterback.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Who the vay Shanahan? You give him mcvady edge head
to head. It's been all Shanahan's Who's going?
Speaker 1 (20:07):
I know?
Speaker 3 (20:07):
He asked, I get it. He's got a Super Bowl?
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Wow? What to hash to count for something?
Speaker 3 (20:14):
Final story Pittsburgh. We have a wacky Pittsburgh Steeler story.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
I don't know what's going on here, but according During
Cam Hayward's podcast, because now.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
Every NFL player has a podcast.
Speaker 4 (20:26):
Running back Jalen Warren discussed his desire to return kicks
because there's new kickoff return rules this season. But the
interesting part was he said that Steelers special teams coordinator
discussed having justin fields.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
That's quarterback justin fields as a kickoff returner.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
Now, making it even more crazy is that the Steelers
signed Quarterrell Patterson the same day the NFL adopted these
new league rules.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
They're like, we gotta go grab kickoff or value. Let's
get Cord Patterson. What is justin fields? Is this just smoke?
Screen stuff. Is he joking? I mean, if I'm Justin Fields, I'm.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
Ticked off all the Chicago people that in Week thirteen
were still arguing he's the future. He has now apparently
been reduced to a kick returner. I'm just thinking I
wouldn't if I was Justin Fields. I'm like, I guess
you want to be a team guy.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
Just cut me now, Like I don't want any part
of that.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Well, I mean, what if you go to camp and
Russell's already been given the one. I mean, people can
say what they want. I didn't go to Pittsburgh without
some guarantees he's going to start, So you're on the bench.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
If I'm Justin Fields, I'm not worried about Russell Wilson.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
Let me say Pittsburgh picked him up. Here's the reason
why Justin Fields will be starting at quarterback for somebody
next year. It won't be the Steelers. They're gonna use.
You don't think Justin Field's is going to get a call.
Sixty six quarterbacks were used last year. I guarantee you
somebody's gonna call the Pittsburgh Steelers. And now they may
only get a five, but they only gave up a
(21:52):
six and they're a good drafting team. All right, Justin
Fields will start football games next year eventually for somebody.
Speaker 4 (21:59):
For wager Wednesday next week over under one and a
half starts for Fields with the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
Now under but over two and a half starts in
the league. Somebody's getting hurt in the first nine weeks,
and they're gonna get who's a better backup that would
be available? Who there isn't one.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
It's not bad.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
He is going to start in this league. Now we
have to guess who's gonna get hurt. No, but I
mean if I was a GM in my quarterback got hurt.
Pittsburgh's the first. I mean Justin Fields. Chicago did win
seven games, they had the number one pick because of Carolina.
They weren't terrible, they just couldn't finish games. There you go.
(22:39):
Are you done? Is official? J Mack with a news.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the Herd.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Line News eleven years in the NFL. TJ. Hushmanzada. You
know what he does. He works out with these guys.
He works out with all these players.
Speaker 5 (22:57):
You no.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
I was with Steve Kim this weekend from aer NFL
GM in Arizona and I asked him, I said, who's
the best run organization top to bottom? Owner He said Baltimore.
He said, that's how you're running organization.
Speaker 5 (23:09):
I'm right. I played with Baltimore, so in my time there,
I thought, Wow, if it gets better than this, it's crazy.
And so that good to hear that they do as
great of a job as I thought.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
So as a player, you felt supported.
Speaker 5 (23:22):
Oh yeah, yeah. I mean it's completely different when you
play for other organizations and then you go play for
the Ravens. Yeah. And I've told I've told him this.
I've told Harball this as well, like this is the
way they treat you and the way things, uh, just
the way they do things. It's just different.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
And you were were the Seahawks, which is a well
run team, but it didn't feel quite like Baltimore.
Speaker 5 (23:44):
No. I wasn't like Baltimore at all.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
No. Yeah, well that's why they keep winning.
Speaker 5 (23:48):
It's not a coincident.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
See Bashadi's down in Florida, stays out of it. He's
got his yacht up in the somewhere up in the Baltimore,
DC area.
Speaker 5 (23:56):
I heard it's supposed to be nice, but shot he's
a good dude.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
Maneah, good dude.
Speaker 5 (23:59):
Give one.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
You know we were talking about there are certain positions
in football, primarily wide receivers. So I've defended wide receivers
on this. They're the basketball players of football. They break
the huddle first. They're not terribly reliant on a blocker.
You have to throw them open. That's expected now in
the league. I don't care if he's open, throw him open.
(24:23):
They're often the best athlete, many of them could are
basketball players who play football. They're touchdowns are the most
spectacular in all the game. So I understand they get
a little gassed up sometimes receivers. There's a term diva receiver,
not diva center or diva guard. So I get it,
and I defend him. But I do think maturity matters.
(24:46):
You came in, you were a professional football player, and
then we see these guys that come in. They you know,
they get me a little gassed up. And whatever I heard,
I don't know Romadunze, but I got a text the
other day from a former NFL quarterback and he said,
you guys have no idea. He will walk into the NFL.
He will be Larry Fitzgerald. He could run the league
(25:08):
in ten years. I don't know Romadunze at all, but
you're kind of smiling when you say that. I don't
think he's as gifted as neighbors at LSU, but there's
a lot of variables in success at receiver. Why are
you smiling?
Speaker 5 (25:21):
Rome is just that type of dude. What do you mean?
He's just like he's just gonna do the right thing
all the time, not because he has to think about it.
That's just who he is. That's just who he is
as a person. But he's talented man.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
But you were smiling when I was saying that.
Speaker 5 (25:39):
Because I can see that being the case. Like, because
people have asked me, who do I compare him to?
I can't compare him to anybody, And the closest person
that I can get to is Larry Fitzgerald. But he's
faster and so like, there's really no his ball skills
are like Larry Fitzgerald. But he can run, he can
drop his weight, he has good quickness, and he's just
(26:02):
a good dude. And so every receiver, we all want
the ball, and some are going to demand it outwardly
verbally and let you know it. And then the quiet
ones they want the ball. They just going to make
sure your camera's not around when they yelling I want
the ball. And so with Rome and all the receivers.
(26:25):
But it's because I spent time with Rome, I knowing,
and he can be quite possibly the best receiver in
this draft, and this may be the best receiver draft
we've ever seen.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
So I've been defending Atlanta for a lot of reasons.
I said, in the NFL, if you have an extra
left tackle, quarterback, edge rusher, that's like a rich person problem.
That's like saying I paid a million dollars in taxes
this year. I don't want to hear about your problems.
So the Falcons have the best starting quarterback in their
division and probably the best talented, most talented backup in
(26:58):
the NFL. It's going to be clung weird the contract signed,
but I'll take it. But I don't want to be
as Carolina where I'm not sure I have one quarterback,
or the New York Giants. So let me ask you.
Because I think Mahomes came into this league and didn't
demand to play. I don't think Pennix. I think he'll
sit there for a year and be the good soldier.
(27:18):
I think by the second year at practice, he's gonna
be like, I throw a better ball. Do you foresee
any problems with Pennix, who right now probably throws a
better deep ball than Kirk. No, you don't think so.
You don't think they'll be problems.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
No, not at all. But I don't understand the people
that were up in arms about them drafting Pinnicks, Like
I don't understand how people get Oh, why would they
draft Pinnicks because Kirk Cousins is older and he's coming
off an injury. If Kirk Cousins is what the Falcons
hope he.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
Is, be a Bee, when will they ever.
Speaker 5 (27:54):
Be in a position to draft the quarterback like Michael Pennis?
Speaker 1 (27:56):
Thank you never, And if you move up, you'll have
to give up nine.
Speaker 5 (28:00):
And so if you have a chance to get him, now,
why wouldn't you. Kirk Cousins is going to play two years,
and if he's playing more than two years, guess what,
that's a great problem to have because that means we're winning.
And so what's the problem about them drafted Pinnicks? When
draft the guy and the hope he can help your team,
(28:21):
or draft the quarterback Pinnix is super town. I told
you this when I was on the show prior. I
didn't understand how people didn't think he was a first rounder.
Obviously that was smoking mirrors. Yeah, Pinnix can play, and
so if he sits a year or two years, great,
If he says longer than that, that means the Falcons
are winning ball games.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Yeah, and this was my argument that I think Atlanta
in that lousy division is going to win eleven games. Well,
now you're drafting twenty first, do you know how? And
next year's a bad quarterback draft. And so they're saying
I can see Atlanta sitting there at eight and thinking, Okay,
we love we're not going to get him. We love Jayden,
we're not going to get him. We don't like Drake,
(29:04):
and we don't fit with Bo and they don't love JJ.
I can see them saying, listen, Pennix was our two
or our three, and all of a sudden he's available,
and they're like, we don't want to overdraft Dallas Turner
and we don't know exactly what Kirk likes off the Achilles.
I thought this draft was a circumstantial draft that you
(29:26):
kind of waited and watched. I talked to Tom to
let's go with the Raiders, and He's like, we were
getting calls, we were making calls. He said it was
an active draft, and I think Atlanta got there and went, hell,
let's just take him. And the reaction is crazy.
Speaker 5 (29:43):
I didn't get it. I thought Penix was going to
be a Raider. I really did well.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
They wanted to.
Speaker 5 (29:47):
I told him, I said, y'all, bet not pass on Pennick.
I was telling him the days and weeks leading up
to the draft. I'm like, how bet not pass on him?
I'm telling you now. I told him multiple times. It's
a smart thing to do. In Pennix will succeed because
he's not gonna be forced to play. He's gonna learn
the system, and when he finally plays, they gonna say whoa.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
Okay, fit matters, you know this, like wide receiver or
running back. Adrian Peterson was gonna work everywhere.
Speaker 5 (30:20):
Yeah, okay, right, yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
Calvin Johnson worked in Creuddy Detroit. Quarterback is much more
fit in most cases, so bo Nick's people think it's
a reach, But I think in Denver, if you watched
the Oregon's offense, it was two reads, throw it he
completed seventy seven percent of his throws PAC twelve never
(30:42):
been better. It's like you don't have to love him.
That's Sean Payton's Sean wants you to run his play.
I think he works in Denver. Did you think it's
a big reach.
Speaker 5 (30:52):
No, Sean Payton wants a quarterback that gets the ball
out on time, with anticipation, accurately. That's what he wants.
That's what bo Nicks has done at Oregon. He transformed
himself because when he was at Auburn, he wasn't this guy.
He wasn't this guy at Auburn. He goes to Oregon
and he transformed himself as a player. I'm getting the
(31:16):
ball out quick and what you say, I can throw
it accurately. Look at my completion percentage and so I
have no problem with the pick. And also he's had
so many offensive coordinators, he has no problem learning the syss.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Crazy college.
Speaker 5 (31:31):
He's going to pick things up and he's going to
pick him up quickly. And so for me, I have
no worries that he'll be successful because he has a
coach that has always been successful with whatever quarterback that
he's played. Say what you want about Russell was. He
was having a pretty good year last year. He really was.
(31:51):
Every quarterback that has played for Sean Payton, whether it's
Drew Brees, Jaysom Hill, Jameis Wins, Teddy Bridge, they've had success.
Bow Knicks will have success.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
More with TJ in a second Live in La, It's
to Hurt.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays
and Noone Easter nine em Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 6 (32:14):
Hey, this is Tom Berducci from Fox Sports, MLB Network
and Sports Illustrated.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
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 (32:26):
It's the Book of Joe podcast.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
I can't wait for this, Joe.
Speaker 6 (32:28):
We're going to dive into what goes on in the
dugout and behind the scenes in Major League.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
Baseball, cars, wind whatever else we want to talk about.
Speaker 6 (32:35):
Yeah, well, there are no boundaries, right. Listen to the
Book of Joe podcast on the iHeartRadio app, on Apple
Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
Few people turned down Jim Harbaugh. I'm not going to
get into too many stories, but let's just say TJ.
Hushman Zada, who gets NFL offers regularly, Jim Harbaugh is
dialing you up now.
Speaker 5 (32:56):
I would say, I don't get NFL offers regularly. I'm
just on some things with the Chargers and I'll do
some things with them this offseason. OTA's in training camp.
Things like that.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
I had the executive in the league last year watch
our show and you were on, and texted me do
you think he'd be willing to be a coach for us?
And I said, hey, he's got kids, he's You know,
your role right now is great, though you are kind
of becoming. You are known on the West Coast as
sort of the receiver guy. So Chargers call you, people
(33:26):
call you, and it's like, hey, we're gonna send our receivers.
Do you come to camp. So it's interesting about all
these receivers. They're all very, very good. I'm not doubting
that the Niners are in a fascinating place. So they've
got a lot of physical players and they demand a lot.
Devo's been hurt, Kittle's been hurt. Trent McCaffrey the IU hasn't,
(33:47):
so they have to start replenishing their skill people, because
they're great, but you can only ask McCaffrey to touch
that three hundred times. It's like a baseball pitcher. There's
only so many innings there. So they go get Counting
the kid out of Arizona in the fourth. They get
the kid out of Florida, Ricky pearsoon, and so it
does kind of signal they want to watch them in
camp and then maybe make some decisions on what they
(34:09):
can move. If you were the Niners and you had
to move one of those receivers, we talked about this yesterday.
I Yuk is the classic deep threat, but Purty's not
a big deep ball thrower. Deebo's better on a more
consistent basis for Shanahan, but he's expensive and gets beat up.
What do you do with your they're not keeping all
these guys.
Speaker 5 (34:31):
To me, when you see the Niners draft Pearsol in
the first round, Cowing in the fourth, and you know
both Deebo and I one of those will for sure
be gone after this year. If they show they can play. Yeah,
If Pearsaw and Cowing both show they can play in camp,
(34:53):
they're gone. I don't think they'll get rid of one
in camp because you have a chance to win a
Super Bowl. Believe they'll play with them during the season.
And ideally, I believe they would want to trade Debo
because they can get something for him, whereas I Yu
would be a free agent and you would just get
(35:14):
a compensatory third round pick. Maybe can you get a
two for Debo as opposed to a three compensatory pick
for Iu. That's what I foresee camp. Piersol and or
Counting both show that we don't need b A or Debo.
You can't get rid of them during training camp because
(35:35):
you are a Super Bowl contender. You can't get rid
of one of your best offensive players. I don't think
you can do that. That would really tear the locker
room apart. Gods would be pissed off if you do that.
They'd be angry.
Speaker 1 (35:48):
You know it is you deal with all these receivers.
We know that quarterbacks come in all shapes and sizes.
Do you when you look at all these wide receivers? Now,
are they better than ever?
Speaker 5 (35:57):
Oh man? The receivers are better than they've ever been
talked about, better than they.
Speaker 1 (36:03):
Ever one hand catches everywhere.
Speaker 5 (36:05):
Not even that. Man, Like the catching, they practice it,
they work on it more. You catch a ball or
try to catch the ball one hand to practice. When
I was playing, what man, the coach gonna go crazy
on you. So now it's just like par for the
courses whatever. But they have access to better training like
(36:26):
I'll have. I don't really train high school kids because
they're not as committed as they should be. But there's
times that I have. And so you got high school
kids training with NFL players and so they get around
the best in the world at an early age. That's
why they're better. You got college kids that are training
with the best players in the world at an earlier
(36:48):
time frame than when we were. I didn't train with
anybody in the NFL till I got to the NFL.
And these kids are getting that opportunity in college, which
in turn, I believe just makes them better.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
Yeah. So when you look at the draft, obviously like
Chicago's going to be a better football team. Yes, there are.
They built a roster he should succeed. What will you
see from Caleb Williams. We'll know if he's doing well.
(37:19):
Will there be anything that you see that you'd worry
about that. Will there be something in terms of his progressions?
What are you worried about? You know him? What would
concern you in the first six or seven games, because
we know if he's succeeding, we'll all see it. But
you would notice the little stuff that I wouldn't the
details that would concern you.
Speaker 5 (37:40):
I want to see how Shane Waldron puts this offense
together that compliments what Caleb does well. Shaye Waldrin comes
from Seattle, and they would we would say last year
the Seattle Seahawks had a better offensive collection of players
in a bay. Yes, offensively, they're very similar numbers points wise,
(38:04):
yards per game, and so why is that with what
Seattle had last year compared to what Chicago had last year?
Offenses were very similar points per game and yards per game.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
Had more talent, but Seattle had more talent.
Speaker 5 (38:20):
So why That's my point is should Seattle? Should they
have been better? And does that fall or Waldron or
is it Pete Currow being a defensive guy, he's kind
of button into the offense. It could be those type
of things also, and I would probably believe that is
the case. And if that is the case, I expect
Chicago with what they have finishing seven and ten last year,
(38:45):
I believe there'll be a wildcard team. I really believe it.
They have that much talent on the offense saying that
they'll be I believe there'll be a wildcard team. Defensively
they're better and offensively when you add Keenan, Allen, Cayleb Williams, Rome,
DeAndre Swift. What rookie quarterback is coming to this Nothing
(39:07):
we've never seen.
Speaker 1 (39:07):
Think about what Baker Kyler, Trevor Burrow, they all came
with a huge question. Like Trevor Lawrence got a college coach.
Burrow's offensive line was terrible. There's nothing on this offense
that you say to yourself, oh, that's an issue. Daniel
Jones had nothing but Saquon Like it's usually you've got
one reliable blank even Aaron Rodgers goes to the Jets.
(39:30):
Garrett Wilson's a kid. Everything else, Priest hauls off an injury.
Chicago's got everything.
Speaker 5 (39:35):
Three receivers run.
Speaker 1 (39:37):
Also, remember and remember Roma Dunzay, because of his maturity,
will not need to be ramped up.
Speaker 5 (39:45):
Rama's gonna be ready to go from day one. Yeah,
day one, ready to row it's exciting that'll be a
wildcard team.
Speaker 1 (39:51):
So when you were recently talking just do a little
horrible Jim Harbaugh thing. So you were recently with the
Chargers and talking to Jim. I've known people that have
worked with Jim, and it works everywhere. It worked at
San Diego, it worked with the Niners, that worked at Stanford,
that worked with Michigan. Every coach has a secret sauce.
What's Harbaugh's secret sauce?
Speaker 5 (40:15):
When I was attention to detail, I mean the meetings attendant,
everything is detail orient like. The meeting is just like,
this is what we're gonna do, This is how we're
gonna do it. This is what we like. Every little
detail matters. Team meeting, offensive meeting, position meeting in the
(40:35):
weight room, the walkthroughs, everything matters. We're not letting any
little small things slip through the crack. That's what I
gained from that is every little thing matters.
Speaker 1 (40:50):
I was told Eric Mangini told me this. He said,
Jim is not concerned at all. If you get bored
with repetition, he will do things a hundred times to
get it right.
Speaker 5 (41:02):
Yeah, but it's not like when you sit in the
meetings he's not one of those coaches that's yelling. And
this is how we're gonna do it. Y'all like it.
Justin you like this, all right, let's go like. He's
not one of those guys, like he doesn't go on
and on. And because he was a good player in
the league, because he had success everywhere he's been. As
soon as he walks in the room, respect and that's
(41:24):
how the players are approaching their preparation because they know
what he's accomplished. He doesn't have to do all of that.
It's respects soon as he stepped foot in the door.
Speaker 1 (41:33):
I'm so excited. I'm trying to temper my enthusiasm because
I'm viewed. J mac nick Wright calls me a charger Homer.
I think it's outrageous.
Speaker 5 (41:43):
But they're gonna be good, Kylin, Well, they're gonna be good.
Speaker 1 (41:47):
What did Harball tell you about Justin Herbert's record on
the points.
Speaker 5 (41:51):
Twenty seven and four? When you give up less than
twenty four points, I'll never forget it and meaning he
just said, and I just I've remembered it.
Speaker 1 (41:57):
So Harball's whole take is we're not giving up twenty
four to twenty five points a game? Do you give
up twenty three? Justin Herbert's twenty seven and four?
Speaker 5 (42:05):
That defense, that front four, front, seven to back end
with Derwin James. Derwin James is a leader of men.
Leave they follow him. He is the leader of that
defense and they follow him.
Speaker 1 (42:20):
Works hard, great senior man the same. So now what
what what your are you on to speak today? Yes, sir,
what would the rest of your day be?
Speaker 5 (42:30):
Like? Oh, today is a long day. My son has
basketball practice. We're with one organization. Now we're leaving that
organization and going to another one. And so yeah, no, no,
the whole team is going oh okay, yeah, yeah, we
we loyal to our coach and so you know, has
had a few little problems and so the entire team
(42:52):
is going from one org to another. But we're good though.
We're like they ranked the number three in the country.
Your son's team, Yeah, we're pretty good.
Speaker 1 (43:00):
It is he any good?
Speaker 5 (43:01):
Yeah? Yeah, he's pretty good right now. He's good. He's
tall and he moves very well for his height. Yeah, yeah,
he's pretty good.
Speaker 1 (43:08):
If you can work with j Max, he's short and doesn't.
Speaker 5 (43:10):
I'll come play j Mac league. I'm gonna dominate that league.
Speaker 1 (43:13):
You don't want to play in that league.
Speaker 5 (43:14):
Okay, thanks for the advice.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
It's beer, guts and gunners. That's what you should name
the league.
Speaker 3 (43:19):
Beer.
Speaker 5 (43:20):
I'm just watching his instagram and j mag he think
you a sniper from three point n.
Speaker 1 (43:26):
I don't think I know, buddy, Okay.
Speaker 5 (43:28):
But they all be wide open shots. I'm up on you.
Speaker 3 (43:31):
That's a good point. Maybe we should play one on one.
Speaker 5 (43:33):
I'll cook you, hey, if I play you as food,
your food from eating.
Speaker 3 (43:39):
I'm not a great one on one.
Speaker 1 (43:40):
I'm a great team player.
Speaker 4 (43:42):
All right.
Speaker 5 (43:42):
I like that. I like that.
Speaker 1 (43:43):
Enough of this nonsense see
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in
noon to three Eastern nine am to noon Pacific. Find
your local station for The Herd at Fox Sports Radio
dot com, or stream us live every day on the
iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
All right, Tower three Lives. It's The Herd wherever you
may be, and however you may be listening things for
Megan as part of your day. I thought Paul Pierce
was interesting. He thinks Aunt Edwards is going to be
the next star. He said, he's relatable, his game is dynamic,
he's a handsome kid, he's good on the mic. His
team is winning. But there is this line. Is he
gonna be Dominique or is he gonna be Michael? Michael
(00:48):
wanted to be the star, Magic wanted to be the star.
Kareem did not. But some of it is do you
want to embrace it? My guess is Aunt Edwards more
than Wendy would really want it. Plus Wendy seems number good.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I'll sit down.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
You know we touched on this last night, but this
whole face of the league discussing like, let's be real,
Steph Curry never was considered to be a face of
the league guy until like twenty fifteen, twenty sixteen, Like
that came out of nowhere. Guys come out of nowhere
in the NBA, like Jokic, Nobody had him as a
face of the league or Ben VP three three.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Out of four years.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
He's we knew Steph in college. His dad played in
the league. He had a spectacular game, and he was
one A in terms of likability. He was in a
big market. The Warriors are a big brand. They were
winning championship.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
He was like heard no no before he won titles.
Like it was like Steph, he wasn't close to the
face of the league. So usually guys come out of
like Patrick Mahomes came out of nowhere to be the
face of the NF.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
It happens. The NFL's bulletproof, like they don't need one.
I mean, it's like far left and Brady left and
Manning left. The ratings went up, like they their thing
is they just can't make a big mistake like the
Kaepernick situation. The numbers went down. The NFL has these
abc D markets depending on if you're a city viewer
or and it hurt their C and D market. A
(02:04):
lot of people thought it was political, and so the
NFL is just trying to avoid they're like a major corporation,
a big lawsuit. That's what the NFL wants to They
they don't need to grow to the sky. If they
have three percent growth every year, it's huge money. And
you know, the NBA tends to be as popular as
their star of international soccer English Premier League, that's like
(02:28):
the NFL. People watch Liverpool Manu It doesn't matter. Now
you can be more popular if you get you know,
Rooney at his prime. But the bottom line is the
NFL and the English Premier League they'll never be unpopular.
And then you get leagues that are culturally in a
bad spot. Cricket they called that the national pastime in
(02:50):
the UK. It's too slow. People don't watch it. Baseball
is struggling with that. Young kids aren't watching it. But
then you get in the NBA, where it's a global sport,
never been better, but its domestic popularity is based on
how popular is their star. So Magic and Bird you
had left Coast Rice Ghosts. It was so I know,
(03:12):
I go old school. I grew up in the seventies
when everybody was pretty good. The Sonics won a title,
the Warriors won, the Washington Bullets won, Elvin Hayes, West Unseld,
Kevin Greevy, Phil Scheneier, blah blah blah. So that's the seventies.
The Blazers, but there was no Fred. The league was
in big trouble in the seventies. You had a cocaine issue.
They were get the NBA Finals run tape delay, and
(03:34):
then David Stern, a Marketer, came in and shoe deals
and its magic and its bird so and then hands
off to Michael and so it had about a twenty
year run where it was like damn, this is popular,
and then they lost half the audience.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Again, like we could do a dissertation on this.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
The timing of Jordan leaving right at the inception of
the Internet taking off. Yeah, you know, streaming was not
even their cell phone were just like the timing of
Jordan leaving lined up perfectly. I don't think the NBA
lost as much audience, because again, that's just one metric.
If you want to look at social media as a
metric for whatever that's worth, Lebron has more followers than
(04:13):
like the top fifteen NFL players combined. Like he's just
he opens his mouth says something and it's a global story.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
But it's weird people. I've always said the NBA is
like sushi, You're either into it or not. The NFL
is lasagna or pizza. Everybody kind of likes it. Like
it may not be your favorite sport, but everybody kind
of likes pizza.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
The NBA is not.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
They're more political than other leagues. They lean into polished
out a bunch of people. There's a connection to hip
hop that may not connect with all Americans. So the
NBA is tends to be a love it or you're
ripping it league. Now you and I love watching the playoffs,
and I grew up with the league, so I've always
loved it. I do think sometimes they get too political.
I'm comfortable with that. A lot of Middle America is not.
(04:58):
I get it. I'm not judging. I don't have a
problem with the BLM and what it didn't sit well
with a lot of people, what ebvs. But the difference
is what the NBA is going through a fascinating thing
right now, So they're going to get paid a fortune.
So the cable, you know, properties, they got to survive.
And so here comes NBC making a huge offer for
(05:18):
the NBA to steal it from TNT. I think TNT
does a great job with it, but steal it from it.
So the NBA is going to make double it. And
then here comes the streaming giants Amazon to pay for it.
So the bottom line is all the people who roll
their eyes of the NBA, NBA players will be making
one hundred million a year within four or five years.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
So funny, all I see on social media is oh
the NBA. Nobody watches the NBA.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Nobody this.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
Amazon is going to get in bed with the league
as who mean they do, and they're going to get
content what for like six strands every night?
Speaker 5 (05:51):
Three?
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Do you think Howard Stern cares that he has half
the audience he used to and makes eleven times what
he used to. He doesn't care Howard's has been. He
made ten millionaire in FM radio. He just signed another
deal for one hundred and fifteen million dollars a year.
Do you think he carries he has half the audience.
(06:13):
The owners do not care if their ratings go down.
If NBC outbids, TNT and Amazon signs. They don't care.
Doesn't matter, it's content. The critics worry about these ratings,
you know what the owners care about, and the commissioner
cares about.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
The bag money. That's all I mean.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Yeah, Lebron doesn't care if you're watching. He wants a
rich league. So a lot of this stuff is just
it doesn't matter. The NFL has both huge social currency
and the bag in ratings, so it has all three.
But that's it. The lead in the country, like baseball's
got no social currency. People do not talk about it
in shows like this at all. But they got a
(06:52):
lot of money and a lot of volume. And the
owners are you know, take out the a's most ownership groups.
You know, they're happy they're in the sport. So you know,
you and I just you and I tend to be
We both like business. I'm not a businessman, but we
both like business.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
You have a business, well whatever, running a business.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Yeah, But I guess the point is, I've asked this
question before. If I could bet on four things in sports.
I remember, and these guys do a great job. Tony
and Mike at the other place, and they were bemoaning
the future of the NFL, And I'm like, you guys
are living in that little Northeast bubble. You've never been
(07:30):
to Texas. Football is going nowhere in this country. Go
to the South, Go spend a Saturday in the South.
Football's going nowhere. In left leaning LA, parents don't want
their kids to play football. My buddies are like, I'm
an outcast because I let my kids play football. Most
of the country's fine with it. So if you had
to bet on four things that are going to work
in sports in the next twenty five years, I would
(07:52):
go NFL, sports gambling, the World Cup in college football.
Those are impenetrable every now now the NBA as well,
I should say five.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Yeah, gambling.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
I just say sports gambling. It's not going backwards. It's
everybody's in bed, So let me do it again. A
five because we've seen boxing die, men's tennis in America,
we've seen stuffed horse racing, So I would let me
do it again. If I had to do it in order,
I would say NFL number one. Growth for twenty five years,
some level or plate or growth, sports gambling.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
How are you defining growth by.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
The way you're signing bigger contracts every time. So I
would say NFL one, sports gambling two, college football and
NBA and World Cup all feel the same. World Cup's
going nowhere, but it's all It's every four years, so
it's everything else to me has either a cultural issue.
(08:51):
You're losing young kids. You're gonna get desperate and go
to a platform nobody watches. I'll give you an example. MLS.
I like the MLS, I don't watch it as much.
They went Apple. I like Apple, I got all their products,
but the minute they took that money and went behind
a paywall, I don't watch it, there's no more incidental viewers.
So so MLS now has no incidental viewers they went.
If I went behind a paywall, I would drive my
(09:14):
most ardent fans, but I'd lose half the seventy five
I wouldn't get any casual viewers.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
But that's the Howard Stern model.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Right you go again. Howard's thing is he's not a league,
he's a dude. And once six is the first number
in your age, follow the money, you build your brand
until six is the first number, then you Howard didn't
need to be more famous. He didn't care about fame
at this now the MLS is different. That's that's a
(09:40):
business with you know, twenty some owners. That's a real
gamble to take that streaming money.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
They got fortunate when Messi came over.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
They did, but that's one team it is. They went
and took the streaming money. It has in my opinion,
nobody the casuals are all gone. So the NFL is smart.
They still understand the value of the networks. But they'll
play around with Amazon on Thursday night in the streaming
at Peacock streaming game. But they understand where their bread
is butt.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
But there's no competition for the NFL. There's no other
football leagues out there really that are at the level
of NFL. MLS is contending with legue im X. You
got Premier League like soccer leagues all around the world.
NFL like what are There's no other competition, So.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
There's no competition. Anti trust laws for baseball and it's
been decreasing in social currency forever.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
That's fair.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
They're working to speed up the sport. I had They
went to a Padres game and it was like two
hours and ten minutes.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Off they are games now are two hours thirty six minutes.
It wasn't long ago. They were three hour and nine minutes.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
That's that's a step.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
It took forever. But baseball's made the right moves. Yeah,
but I guess, I guess I don't know what started
this whole thing. I don't either, I don't really, but
I guess I know it started it. This idea like
NBA back to sushi. The NBA, you love it or
you're going to criticize it, And the truth is they're
going to get the money in ours. People ask me
(11:01):
all the time, will come up who decides what to
talk about? And I always say the same things. I
talk about two things. Urgency and stars. Baseball has neither.
NBA has stars, College football NFL have urgency when the
World Cup's going on, Urgency, a UFC huge fight, Urgency,
Phil Mickelson wins The Master's Urgency. The only topics I
(11:21):
talk about on the show. You got to be urgent
the game matters, or you have stars. Baseball doesn't have
enough of either. There's too many games and there's not enough.
Speaker 5 (11:30):
You know.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
A Rod was like oh a Rod to the Yankees.
I mean, I remember I can remember being in a
San Diego airport. I never forget this the old San
Diego Airport. The new one's beautiful, but the old one.
You'd come down the escalator to the baggage claim area
and there was a little bar to the left and
I was coming down for a weekend and I came
down the escalator and people were packed at the bar
(11:54):
and I'm like, it's two in the afternoon. People aren't drinking.
They're not the San Diego is not day drinking to
this level. And jose Conseko was up at the plate,
jose Canseco was batting, I think for the A's and
literally there were thirty people jammed. They weren't even drinking.
And I was like, that's what baseball lacks. A Rod
(12:15):
brought some of that. Mike Trout was great.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
So can they manufacture stars?
Speaker 1 (12:21):
I don't know, good, it's good.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
I think stars. I mean Taylor Swift. How to explain it?
She was born to be a star.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Caitlin Clark born to be a star.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
Some people just the game, the attitude, the likability, the relatability.
Sometimes factors. I mean women's basketball had been growing. I
don't think I don't think she would be nearly as
big if she played for Yukon. I think the fact
that she was big ten, middle of the country underdog,
she wasn't on a Yukon dominant team or South Carolina.
I think part of it was she was Hoosiers. That was, yeah,
(12:53):
she was. She was basically twenty twenty four Hoosiers. We
think of Iowa the heart of the country, farming, old school,
and here's this scrappy girl hitting thirty eight footers taking
Iowa in and it's just it was Hoosiers.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
There probably won't be a better sports story this year
than what Caitlin Clark did in the NCAA torment.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
There won't be a more stunning.
Speaker 4 (13:14):
Like it'll be a big deal, but I don't think
anything will top what Caitlin Clark did.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
They were beating every rating except NFL playoff games. Yeah,
preseason action is getting He's sold more jerseys than the
entire Dallas Cowboy football team. That that's not a shooting star.
That's like, oh, that's like the movie Armageddon. Here it
comes something going across the skyline. I don't remember the
(13:41):
last time. I remember, very very vaguely Fernando Mania in
the eighties. I think it was. I remember it, but
we didn't have the internet to this level. But I
can remember that was like on the National news Dodger
pitcher Lefty the number thirty four. That was a that
was like a wow, kind of a star out of nowhere.
(14:01):
Doesn't happen at all.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
I'll take your word for it. All the seventy stuff.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
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Speaker 2 (14:21):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and Noone easternn a em Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one, and the iHeartRadio app for.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
Hot water that never runs out. Go with a Navvian
at Tanklessmade Symbol dot Com fifteen year limited warranty Spalight
Comfort Navvian Jmack with the news.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
No, No turn on the news. This is the Herd
Line News all.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
Right, calling first up paper clips on the verge of elimination.
After last night's blowout loss to the Mavericks. Paul George
has a player option okay for next season, but could
potentially opt out and sign a MAX deal elsewhere. There
are reports that the Clippers don't want to give him,
excuse me.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
A max offer.
Speaker 4 (15:08):
Now, Kawhi, they did not give one, but Kawhi was like,
I'll take it. You know, I'm always hurt Paul George.
Who's a max deal apparently.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
Who's more dependable on the Clippers and who is more
available and who's closest to their prime?
Speaker 3 (15:21):
That would be Paul George.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
Then I would pay him.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (15:23):
So this is where it gets interesting. The Sixers have
a MAX slot available.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Yes, now that's really interesting. But he's an LA kid.
It's a winter league. He didn't want to playing field.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
Well, does he want to play with MAXI and em
beat in the East.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
No?
Speaker 3 (15:37):
Why not?
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Because he lives in La. He loves La. I don't know, man,
Let me ask you this. Find all the guys chewing.
I know you think it's political, it's not. Find all
the great athletes that say, you know, I'm in my prime,
let's leave La. They get traded. Matt Stafford chose La
lebron chose La Kawhi, Paul George, Mookie Bess.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
So you're saying, turn down the bag in Philly and
stay in La.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
Well, it's not like you're not getting a lot of
money in with the Clippers. Listen, once you get a
net worth over one hundred and fifty two hundred million,
how many cars do you?
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Again?
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Who cares?
Speaker 3 (16:10):
But I should also add the Orlando Magic.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Now that's an interesting one. I know it's East, but
it's a Winter League, it's Orlando weather, no state tax.
It's fan base is not relentless like Philadelphia's media. You
can hide behind the gates. The media is fairly toothless.
Orlando's an underrated market in terms of NBA. Like I
(16:33):
spent a lot of time in Orlando because I lived
in Tampa. Really it's you can hot first of all,
lakes every the Butler chain, lakes.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Everywhere, alligators everywhere.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
So winter park, no state tax, loyal fan base, but
not they're appreciative. Yeah, I get Jalen Suggs, Bomkaro Caro
has been amazing, And I think Orlando's an underwraty.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
I got a lot of family in Orlando. I was joking.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
I like it as it's just you can't go there
in like June, July, August.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Because it's oppressively humid and like one hundred.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
And I'm sure Paul George in his outdoor space won't
have a little uh you know, yeah, no, no, you're
a miss machine down there.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
I like to think the Knicks are in the mix.
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
I would go after Kevin Durant first, but Paul George
is gonna have suitors.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Interesting decision for the paper cliff. They also have James
Harden's impending free agency. We don't know what's up with Westbrook.
Speaker 1 (17:25):
Well, they're all putting a new arena, so they've got
to have a star. So my they're stuck with Kawhi
and I would retain Paul George, both good wing defenders.
I'd probably clean other stuff out. I don't know. I
like Terrence Man, you know.
Speaker 4 (17:39):
I think a hardened Kawhi Paul George trio is very nice.
For a big chunk of this season, that team looks
dangerous in the West.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
They're just not healthy now more.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Would you what do you say about the regular season?
They look like something a lot of people in the
regular seat. I'm just saying, I'm Paul. I'm thinking about
I'm Paul George. It's like I want to win games. Well,
I'm winning them with the Clippers, but the East is weaker,
no state tax. Orlando's a nice place to live. I mean,
Shaq left because he was so he was the biggest
guy in the league. Paul George could go hide there,
(18:08):
hang out. I mean, you're close to Miami.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
You want to be the two in Orlando or the
three in Philly.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
Two in Orlando.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
Wow, you've gone against Philly now, I like it.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
You've never you've been to Orlando. Have you ever been
a winter park?
Speaker 3 (18:22):
I have awesome briefly owned a house there.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
Yes, it's great.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
All right.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
Next up, amid the speculation the Niners would deal with one
of the receivers last week at the draft, doesn't sound
like they're gonna do that anymore. It sounds like they're
gonna go into next season with Ayuk and Deebo Samuel
on the roster. According to the latest report, the Niners
would only consider dealing i Uk if they got a
Godfather like offer or one that was too good to refuse.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Well, that ain't happening, and you know they.
Speaker 4 (18:48):
Did not land Marvin Harrison, Junior Malik Neighbors Roma. Dude,
that they didn't get any of those guys.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Colin, it's not the worst thing in the world. Your
quarterback's a seventh round pick on his rookie deal. You
can afford. You can debo this should this could be
that I.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Drafted two receivers. How do we know they don't want
to watch them in camp? Let me watch the guys
in camp.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Do you there's no point in getting a draft pick
for a yuk Now you're getting nothing to help your song? No?
Speaker 1 (19:15):
I mean you could get a draft pick and a player. Okay,
So I mean, like, for instance, anybody got you know,
their offensive lines, a little wonky center, right, you know,
can you give me a starting guard and a number
two draft pick? You know, if if one of these
two receivers can play, you're gonna make a decision. I
think they want to go to camp and see if
they can play.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
I don't know how.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
I don't understand how you have them below the Rams
in the NFC West. They have not gotten worse.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
I'll give you, but they haven't gotten better. The Rams
had a great draft.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
They lost Aaron Donald.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Did you see the Niners in the Rams play last year?
Speaker 3 (19:48):
Yes, Shanahan owns them.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
Be careful. I get McVeigh, I get the better offensive line,
I get the significantly more talented quarterback.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Who the vay Shanahan? You give him mcvady edge head
to head. It's been all Shanahan's Who's going?
Speaker 1 (20:07):
I know?
Speaker 3 (20:07):
He asked, I get it. He's got a Super Bowl?
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Wow? What to hash to count for something?
Speaker 3 (20:14):
Final story Pittsburgh. We have a wacky Pittsburgh Steeler story.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
I don't know what's going on here, but according During
Cam Hayward's podcast, because now.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
Every NFL player has a podcast.
Speaker 4 (20:26):
Running back Jalen Warren discussed his desire to return kicks
because there's new kickoff return rules this season. But the
interesting part was he said that Steelers special teams coordinator
discussed having justin fields.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
That's quarterback justin fields as a kickoff returner.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
Now, making it even more crazy is that the Steelers
signed Quarterrell Patterson the same day the NFL adopted these
new league rules.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
They're like, we gotta go grab kickoff or value. Let's
get Cord Patterson. What is justin fields? Is this just smoke?
Screen stuff. Is he joking? I mean, if I'm Justin Fields, I'm.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
Ticked off all the Chicago people that in Week thirteen
were still arguing he's the future. He has now apparently
been reduced to a kick returner. I'm just thinking I
wouldn't if I was Justin Fields. I'm like, I guess
you want to be a team guy.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
Just cut me now, Like I don't want any part
of that.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Well, I mean, what if you go to camp and
Russell's already been given the one. I mean, people can
say what they want. I didn't go to Pittsburgh without
some guarantees he's going to start, So you're on the bench.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
If I'm Justin Fields, I'm not worried about Russell Wilson.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
Let me say Pittsburgh picked him up. Here's the reason
why Justin Fields will be starting at quarterback for somebody
next year. It won't be the Steelers. They're gonna use.
You don't think Justin Field's is going to get a call.
Sixty six quarterbacks were used last year. I guarantee you
somebody's gonna call the Pittsburgh Steelers. And now they may
only get a five, but they only gave up a
(21:52):
six and they're a good drafting team. All right, Justin
Fields will start football games next year eventually for somebody.
Speaker 4 (21:59):
For wager Wednesday next week over under one and a
half starts for Fields with the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
Now under but over two and a half starts in
the league. Somebody's getting hurt in the first nine weeks,
and they're gonna get who's a better backup that would
be available? Who there isn't one.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
It's not bad.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
He is going to start in this league. Now we
have to guess who's gonna get hurt. No, but I
mean if I was a GM in my quarterback got hurt.
Pittsburgh's the first. I mean Justin Fields. Chicago did win
seven games, they had the number one pick because of Carolina.
They weren't terrible, they just couldn't finish games. There you go.
(22:39):
Are you done? Is official? J Mack with a news.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the Herd.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Line News eleven years in the NFL. TJ. Hushmanzada. You
know what he does. He works out with these guys.
He works out with all these players.
Speaker 5 (22:57):
You no.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
I was with Steve Kim this weekend from aer NFL
GM in Arizona and I asked him, I said, who's
the best run organization top to bottom? Owner He said Baltimore.
He said, that's how you're running organization.
Speaker 5 (23:09):
I'm right. I played with Baltimore, so in my time there,
I thought, Wow, if it gets better than this, it's crazy.
And so that good to hear that they do as
great of a job as I thought.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
So as a player, you felt supported.
Speaker 5 (23:22):
Oh yeah, yeah. I mean it's completely different when you
play for other organizations and then you go play for
the Ravens. Yeah. And I've told I've told him this.
I've told Harball this as well, like this is the
way they treat you and the way things, uh, just
the way they do things. It's just different.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
And you were were the Seahawks, which is a well
run team, but it didn't feel quite like Baltimore.
Speaker 5 (23:44):
No. I wasn't like Baltimore at all.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
No. Yeah, well that's why they keep winning.
Speaker 5 (23:48):
It's not a coincident.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
See Bashadi's down in Florida, stays out of it. He's
got his yacht up in the somewhere up in the Baltimore,
DC area.
Speaker 5 (23:56):
I heard it's supposed to be nice, but shot he's
a good dude.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
Maneah, good dude.
Speaker 5 (23:59):
Give one.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
You know we were talking about there are certain positions
in football, primarily wide receivers. So I've defended wide receivers
on this. They're the basketball players of football. They break
the huddle first. They're not terribly reliant on a blocker.
You have to throw them open. That's expected now in
the league. I don't care if he's open, throw him open.
(24:23):
They're often the best athlete, many of them could are
basketball players who play football. They're touchdowns are the most
spectacular in all the game. So I understand they get
a little gassed up sometimes receivers. There's a term diva receiver,
not diva center or diva guard. So I get it,
and I defend him. But I do think maturity matters.
(24:46):
You came in, you were a professional football player, and
then we see these guys that come in. They you know,
they get me a little gassed up. And whatever I heard,
I don't know Romadunze, but I got a text the
other day from a former NFL quarterback and he said,
you guys have no idea. He will walk into the NFL.
He will be Larry Fitzgerald. He could run the league
(25:08):
in ten years. I don't know Romadunze at all, but
you're kind of smiling when you say that. I don't
think he's as gifted as neighbors at LSU, but there's
a lot of variables in success at receiver. Why are
you smiling?
Speaker 5 (25:21):
Rome is just that type of dude. What do you mean?
He's just like he's just gonna do the right thing
all the time, not because he has to think about it.
That's just who he is. That's just who he is
as a person. But he's talented man.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
But you were smiling when I was saying that.
Speaker 5 (25:39):
Because I can see that being the case. Like, because
people have asked me, who do I compare him to?
I can't compare him to anybody, And the closest person
that I can get to is Larry Fitzgerald. But he's
faster and so like, there's really no his ball skills
are like Larry Fitzgerald. But he can run, he can
drop his weight, he has good quickness, and he's just
(26:02):
a good dude. And so every receiver, we all want
the ball, and some are going to demand it outwardly
verbally and let you know it. And then the quiet
ones they want the ball. They just going to make
sure your camera's not around when they yelling I want
the ball. And so with Rome and all the receivers.
(26:25):
But it's because I spent time with Rome, I knowing,
and he can be quite possibly the best receiver in
this draft, and this may be the best receiver draft
we've ever seen.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
So I've been defending Atlanta for a lot of reasons.
I said, in the NFL, if you have an extra
left tackle, quarterback, edge rusher, that's like a rich person problem.
That's like saying I paid a million dollars in taxes
this year. I don't want to hear about your problems.
So the Falcons have the best starting quarterback in their
division and probably the best talented, most talented backup in
(26:58):
the NFL. It's going to be clung weird the contract signed,
but I'll take it. But I don't want to be
as Carolina where I'm not sure I have one quarterback,
or the New York Giants. So let me ask you.
Because I think Mahomes came into this league and didn't
demand to play. I don't think Pennix. I think he'll
sit there for a year and be the good soldier.
(27:18):
I think by the second year at practice, he's gonna
be like, I throw a better ball. Do you foresee
any problems with Pennix, who right now probably throws a
better deep ball than Kirk. No, you don't think so.
You don't think they'll be problems.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
No, not at all. But I don't understand the people
that were up in arms about them drafting Pinnicks, Like
I don't understand how people get Oh, why would they
draft Pinnicks because Kirk Cousins is older and he's coming
off an injury. If Kirk Cousins is what the Falcons
hope he.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
Is, be a Bee, when will they ever.
Speaker 5 (27:54):
Be in a position to draft the quarterback like Michael Pennis?
Speaker 1 (27:56):
Thank you never, And if you move up, you'll have
to give up nine.
Speaker 5 (28:00):
And so if you have a chance to get him, now,
why wouldn't you. Kirk Cousins is going to play two years,
and if he's playing more than two years, guess what,
that's a great problem to have because that means we're winning.
And so what's the problem about them drafted Pinnicks? When
draft the guy and the hope he can help your team,
(28:21):
or draft the quarterback Pinnix is super town. I told
you this when I was on the show prior. I
didn't understand how people didn't think he was a first rounder.
Obviously that was smoking mirrors. Yeah, Pinnix can play, and
so if he sits a year or two years, great,
If he says longer than that, that means the Falcons
are winning ball games.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Yeah, and this was my argument that I think Atlanta
in that lousy division is going to win eleven games. Well,
now you're drafting twenty first, do you know how? And
next year's a bad quarterback draft. And so they're saying
I can see Atlanta sitting there at eight and thinking, Okay,
we love we're not going to get him. We love Jayden,
we're not going to get him. We don't like Drake,
(29:04):
and we don't fit with Bo and they don't love JJ.
I can see them saying, listen, Pennix was our two
or our three, and all of a sudden he's available,
and they're like, we don't want to overdraft Dallas Turner
and we don't know exactly what Kirk likes off the Achilles.
I thought this draft was a circumstantial draft that you
(29:26):
kind of waited and watched. I talked to Tom to
let's go with the Raiders, and He's like, we were
getting calls, we were making calls. He said it was
an active draft, and I think Atlanta got there and went, hell,
let's just take him. And the reaction is crazy.
Speaker 5 (29:43):
I didn't get it. I thought Penix was going to
be a Raider. I really did well.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
They wanted to.
Speaker 5 (29:47):
I told him, I said, y'all, bet not pass on Pennick.
I was telling him the days and weeks leading up
to the draft. I'm like, how bet not pass on him?
I'm telling you now. I told him multiple times. It's
a smart thing to do. In Pennix will succeed because
he's not gonna be forced to play. He's gonna learn
the system, and when he finally plays, they gonna say whoa.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
Okay, fit matters, you know this, like wide receiver or
running back. Adrian Peterson was gonna work everywhere.
Speaker 5 (30:20):
Yeah, okay, right, yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
Calvin Johnson worked in Creuddy Detroit. Quarterback is much more
fit in most cases, so bo Nick's people think it's
a reach, But I think in Denver, if you watched
the Oregon's offense, it was two reads, throw it he
completed seventy seven percent of his throws PAC twelve never
(30:42):
been better. It's like you don't have to love him.
That's Sean Payton's Sean wants you to run his play.
I think he works in Denver. Did you think it's
a big reach.
Speaker 5 (30:52):
No, Sean Payton wants a quarterback that gets the ball
out on time, with anticipation, accurately. That's what he wants.
That's what bo Nicks has done at Oregon. He transformed
himself because when he was at Auburn, he wasn't this guy.
He wasn't this guy at Auburn. He goes to Oregon
and he transformed himself as a player. I'm getting the
(31:16):
ball out quick and what you say, I can throw
it accurately. Look at my completion percentage and so I
have no problem with the pick. And also he's had
so many offensive coordinators, he has no problem learning the syss.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Crazy college.
Speaker 5 (31:31):
He's going to pick things up and he's going to
pick him up quickly. And so for me, I have
no worries that he'll be successful because he has a
coach that has always been successful with whatever quarterback that
he's played. Say what you want about Russell was. He
was having a pretty good year last year. He really was.
(31:51):
Every quarterback that has played for Sean Payton, whether it's
Drew Brees, Jaysom Hill, Jameis Wins, Teddy Bridge, they've had success.
Bow Knicks will have success.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
More with TJ in a second Live in La, It's
to Hurt.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays
and Noone Easter nine em Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 6 (32:14):
Hey, this is Tom Berducci from Fox Sports, MLB Network
and Sports Illustrated.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
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 (32:26):
It's the Book of Joe podcast.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
I can't wait for this, Joe.
Speaker 6 (32:28):
We're going to dive into what goes on in the
dugout and behind the scenes in Major League.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
Baseball, cars, wind whatever else we want to talk about.
Speaker 6 (32:35):
Yeah, well, there are no boundaries, right. Listen to the
Book of Joe podcast on the iHeartRadio app, on Apple
Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
Few people turned down Jim Harbaugh. I'm not going to
get into too many stories, but let's just say TJ.
Hushman Zada, who gets NFL offers regularly, Jim Harbaugh is
dialing you up now.
Speaker 5 (32:56):
I would say, I don't get NFL offers regularly. I'm
just on some things with the Chargers and I'll do
some things with them this offseason. OTA's in training camp.
Things like that.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
I had the executive in the league last year watch
our show and you were on, and texted me do
you think he'd be willing to be a coach for us?
And I said, hey, he's got kids, he's You know,
your role right now is great, though you are kind
of becoming. You are known on the West Coast as
sort of the receiver guy. So Chargers call you, people
(33:26):
call you, and it's like, hey, we're gonna send our receivers.
Do you come to camp. So it's interesting about all
these receivers. They're all very, very good. I'm not doubting
that the Niners are in a fascinating place. So they've
got a lot of physical players and they demand a lot.
Devo's been hurt, Kittle's been hurt. Trent McCaffrey the IU hasn't,
(33:47):
so they have to start replenishing their skill people, because
they're great, but you can only ask McCaffrey to touch
that three hundred times. It's like a baseball pitcher. There's
only so many innings there. So they go get Counting
the kid out of Arizona in the fourth. They get
the kid out of Florida, Ricky pearsoon, and so it
does kind of signal they want to watch them in
camp and then maybe make some decisions on what they
(34:09):
can move. If you were the Niners and you had
to move one of those receivers, we talked about this yesterday.
I Yuk is the classic deep threat, but Purty's not
a big deep ball thrower. Deebo's better on a more
consistent basis for Shanahan, but he's expensive and gets beat up.
What do you do with your they're not keeping all
these guys.
Speaker 5 (34:31):
To me, when you see the Niners draft Pearsol in
the first round, Cowing in the fourth, and you know
both Deebo and I one of those will for sure
be gone after this year. If they show they can play. Yeah,
If Pearsaw and Cowing both show they can play in camp,
(34:53):
they're gone. I don't think they'll get rid of one
in camp because you have a chance to win a
Super Bowl. Believe they'll play with them during the season.
And ideally, I believe they would want to trade Debo
because they can get something for him, whereas I Yu
would be a free agent and you would just get
(35:14):
a compensatory third round pick. Maybe can you get a
two for Debo as opposed to a three compensatory pick
for Iu. That's what I foresee camp. Piersol and or
Counting both show that we don't need b A or Debo.
You can't get rid of them during training camp because
(35:35):
you are a Super Bowl contender. You can't get rid
of one of your best offensive players. I don't think
you can do that. That would really tear the locker
room apart. Gods would be pissed off if you do that.
They'd be angry.
Speaker 1 (35:48):
You know it is you deal with all these receivers.
We know that quarterbacks come in all shapes and sizes.
Do you when you look at all these wide receivers? Now,
are they better than ever?
Speaker 5 (35:57):
Oh man? The receivers are better than they've ever been
talked about, better than they.
Speaker 1 (36:03):
Ever one hand catches everywhere.
Speaker 5 (36:05):
Not even that. Man, Like the catching, they practice it,
they work on it more. You catch a ball or
try to catch the ball one hand to practice. When
I was playing, what man, the coach gonna go crazy
on you. So now it's just like par for the
courses whatever. But they have access to better training like
(36:26):
I'll have. I don't really train high school kids because
they're not as committed as they should be. But there's
times that I have. And so you got high school
kids training with NFL players and so they get around
the best in the world at an early age. That's
why they're better. You got college kids that are training
with the best players in the world at an earlier
(36:48):
time frame than when we were. I didn't train with
anybody in the NFL till I got to the NFL.
And these kids are getting that opportunity in college, which
in turn, I believe just makes them better.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
Yeah. So when you look at the draft, obviously like
Chicago's going to be a better football team. Yes, there are.
They built a roster he should succeed. What will you
see from Caleb Williams. We'll know if he's doing well.
(37:19):
Will there be anything that you see that you'd worry
about that. Will there be something in terms of his progressions?
What are you worried about? You know him? What would
concern you in the first six or seven games, because
we know if he's succeeding, we'll all see it. But
you would notice the little stuff that I wouldn't the
details that would concern you.
Speaker 5 (37:40):
I want to see how Shane Waldron puts this offense
together that compliments what Caleb does well. Shaye Waldrin comes
from Seattle, and they would we would say last year
the Seattle Seahawks had a better offensive collection of players
in a bay. Yes, offensively, they're very similar numbers points wise,
(38:04):
yards per game, and so why is that with what
Seattle had last year compared to what Chicago had last year?
Offenses were very similar points per game and yards per game.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
Had more talent, but Seattle had more talent.
Speaker 5 (38:20):
So why That's my point is should Seattle? Should they
have been better? And does that fall or Waldron or
is it Pete Currow being a defensive guy, he's kind
of button into the offense. It could be those type
of things also, and I would probably believe that is
the case. And if that is the case, I expect
Chicago with what they have finishing seven and ten last year,
(38:45):
I believe there'll be a wildcard team. I really believe it.
They have that much talent on the offense saying that
they'll be I believe there'll be a wildcard team. Defensively
they're better and offensively when you add Keenan, Allen, Cayleb Williams, Rome,
DeAndre Swift. What rookie quarterback is coming to this Nothing
(39:07):
we've never seen.
Speaker 1 (39:07):
Think about what Baker Kyler, Trevor Burrow, they all came
with a huge question. Like Trevor Lawrence got a college coach.
Burrow's offensive line was terrible. There's nothing on this offense
that you say to yourself, oh, that's an issue. Daniel
Jones had nothing but Saquon Like it's usually you've got
one reliable blank even Aaron Rodgers goes to the Jets.
(39:30):
Garrett Wilson's a kid. Everything else, Priest hauls off an injury.
Chicago's got everything.
Speaker 5 (39:35):
Three receivers run.
Speaker 1 (39:37):
Also, remember and remember Roma Dunzay, because of his maturity,
will not need to be ramped up.
Speaker 5 (39:45):
Rama's gonna be ready to go from day one. Yeah,
day one, ready to row it's exciting that'll be a
wildcard team.
Speaker 1 (39:51):
So when you were recently talking just do a little
horrible Jim Harbaugh thing. So you were recently with the
Chargers and talking to Jim. I've known people that have
worked with Jim, and it works everywhere. It worked at
San Diego, it worked with the Niners, that worked at Stanford,
that worked with Michigan. Every coach has a secret sauce.
What's Harbaugh's secret sauce?
Speaker 5 (40:15):
When I was attention to detail, I mean the meetings attendant,
everything is detail orient like. The meeting is just like,
this is what we're gonna do, This is how we're
gonna do it. This is what we like. Every little
detail matters. Team meeting, offensive meeting, position meeting in the
(40:35):
weight room, the walkthroughs, everything matters. We're not letting any
little small things slip through the crack. That's what I
gained from that is every little thing matters.
Speaker 1 (40:50):
I was told Eric Mangini told me this. He said,
Jim is not concerned at all. If you get bored
with repetition, he will do things a hundred times to
get it right.
Speaker 5 (41:02):
Yeah, but it's not like when you sit in the
meetings he's not one of those coaches that's yelling. And
this is how we're gonna do it. Y'all like it.
Justin you like this, all right, let's go like. He's
not one of those guys, like he doesn't go on
and on. And because he was a good player in
the league, because he had success everywhere he's been. As
soon as he walks in the room, respect and that's
(41:24):
how the players are approaching their preparation because they know
what he's accomplished. He doesn't have to do all of that.
It's respects soon as he stepped foot in the door.
Speaker 1 (41:33):
I'm so excited. I'm trying to temper my enthusiasm because
I'm viewed. J mac nick Wright calls me a charger Homer.
I think it's outrageous.
Speaker 5 (41:43):
But they're gonna be good, Kylin, Well, they're gonna be good.
Speaker 1 (41:47):
What did Harball tell you about Justin Herbert's record on
the points.
Speaker 5 (41:51):
Twenty seven and four? When you give up less than
twenty four points, I'll never forget it and meaning he
just said, and I just I've remembered it.
Speaker 1 (41:57):
So Harball's whole take is we're not giving up twenty
four to twenty five points a game? Do you give
up twenty three? Justin Herbert's twenty seven and four?
Speaker 5 (42:05):
That defense, that front four, front, seven to back end
with Derwin James. Derwin James is a leader of men.
Leave they follow him. He is the leader of that
defense and they follow him.
Speaker 1 (42:20):
Works hard, great senior man the same. So now what
what what your are you on to speak today? Yes, sir,
what would the rest of your day be?
Speaker 5 (42:30):
Like? Oh, today is a long day. My son has
basketball practice. We're with one organization. Now we're leaving that
organization and going to another one. And so yeah, no, no,
the whole team is going oh okay, yeah, yeah, we
we loyal to our coach and so you know, has
had a few little problems and so the entire team
(42:52):
is going from one org to another. But we're good though.
We're like they ranked the number three in the country.
Your son's team, Yeah, we're pretty good.
Speaker 1 (43:00):
It is he any good?
Speaker 5 (43:01):
Yeah? Yeah, he's pretty good right now. He's good. He's
tall and he moves very well for his height. Yeah, yeah,
he's pretty good.
Speaker 1 (43:08):
If you can work with j Max, he's short and doesn't.
Speaker 5 (43:10):
I'll come play j Mac league. I'm gonna dominate that league.
Speaker 1 (43:13):
You don't want to play in that league.
Speaker 5 (43:14):
Okay, thanks for the advice.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
It's beer, guts and gunners. That's what you should name
the league.
Speaker 3 (43:19):
Beer.
Speaker 5 (43:20):
I'm just watching his instagram and j mag he think
you a sniper from three point n.
Speaker 1 (43:26):
I don't think I know, buddy, Okay.
Speaker 5 (43:28):
But they all be wide open shots. I'm up on you.
Speaker 3 (43:31):
That's a good point. Maybe we should play one on one.
Speaker 5 (43:33):
I'll cook you, hey, if I play you as food,
your food from eating.
Speaker 3 (43:39):
I'm not a great one on one.
Speaker 1 (43:40):
I'm a great team player.
Speaker 4 (43:42):
All right.
Speaker 5 (43:42):
I like that. I like that.
Speaker 1 (43:43):
Enough of this nonsense see
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