April 11, 2025 • 41 mins
Jason McIntyre fills in for Colin Cowherd questioning the Browns for signing Joe Flacco as a free agent, signaling they might pass on a quarterback in the draft
It's a great time to be a Lakers fan
Guest: Vanessa Richardson
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in
noon to three Eastern nine am to noon Pacific. Find
your local station for The Herd at Fox Sports Radio
dot com, or stream us live every day on the
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Oh it's Friday. What's
up everybody? Yes, I'm still here. Jason McIntyre in for
Colin Coward. How we doing today? I'm fired up. We
got some more breaking news, had some earlier this week, We.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Got some now. I'm joined by Alex Curry.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
Is that aqua turqoise? But you could go you could
go aqua. You're not far off.
Speaker 5 (00:48):
It can have many. It's a feel good Friday, Colin. Right,
fives are high today.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
You're bringing the heat. You're calling everybody.
Speaker 6 (00:55):
Ye'd get a donut this morning.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
So I'm kind of finding breaked last night sugar high. Yeah,
and it's Friday, you know, for.
Speaker 6 (01:03):
The weekend is here, and yeah, it's exciting, exciting, especially
for Lakers fans.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Great news, not so great news fans for the Kansas
City Chiefs. We'll get to that.
Speaker 6 (01:14):
Shortly, But I'm gonna start the show with the breaking news.
Like I said earlier, this week, we had Michael Malone
shockingly getting fired by the Denver Nuggets, and then this
morning I wake up to more breaking news.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
The Browns have signed Joe Flacco. And that is not
a joke.
Speaker 6 (01:29):
I know you're scoffing a forty year old j Mack
TikTok was not even around by the time Joe Flacco
entered the league.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Like, what are we doing here?
Speaker 6 (01:38):
What are the Browns doing? Ah, there's a method to
their madness. Cleveland is drafting second overall, and for the
longest time, I and many others had Shedure Sanders penciled
in for Cleveland.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Folks. The slide is beginning.
Speaker 6 (01:56):
It's starting to sound like Cleveland is not gonna Oh
Shador Sanders two in the draft, and they decided they
kicked the tires on Shador. I said, you know what,
We'd rather wait for Deshaun Watson's achilles to heal. We
signed Kenny Pickett, and now we got Joe Flacco as
our third option. They're not taking Chador number two overall.
I'm kind of short of stunned by this. However, let's
(02:19):
remember everybody watched college football season.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
It was a great season for Shador.
Speaker 6 (02:23):
Sanders seventy four percent completions really turned that Colorado program
around and made them relevant much of the season. We
would come on here Monday Tuesday and be like, man,
did you see Shador Cook? Did you see that comeback?
Did you see that ball placement to Travis Hunter? Shadoor
looks good, bro, That's all we were saying. Dion Sanders
(02:43):
was joking about steering his kid to certain programs or
steering them away from certain organizations.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
That's what the discussion was.
Speaker 7 (02:51):
Here.
Speaker 6 (02:51):
We are thirteen days to the draft and the Browns
decided we're good at quarterback.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
We don't need Shador at two. But it doesn't stop there.
Speaker 6 (03:00):
The New York Giants they interviewed Shador, they saw him
at the pro day.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Yeah, we're good.
Speaker 6 (03:05):
With Jamis Winston and Russell Wilson. Is that not a
little humbling for Shadoor?
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Like what? However?
Speaker 6 (03:15):
We had Dame Brugler, an NFL draft analyst, on the
show yesterday. Here's what he said about Shador going in
the top five.
Speaker 8 (03:24):
I think he can be an NFL starter. He's smart,
he's tough, he's poised, he's accurate, maybe not as accurate
as seventy four percent completions would lead you to believe.
I wonder about the way he likes to play. Does
he have the physical traits to get away with that?
In the NFL? The offensive line was bad, There's no
question about it at Colorado. But there are a lot
(03:44):
of times where he is running himself into sacks and
he's not making the right decision from the pocket. And
so there's things about his profile that really, I think
he can start in the NFL, But is he really
going to uplift everybody around me and carry a franchise?
That's my hang up where Okay, I like him, I
think you can start, But am I taking him top
five of overall? Because it's not just about if you
(04:06):
miss on him as a top five pick, It's okay,
you're passing on Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter, one of these
guys in the top five. So I wouldn't be surprised
if we're talking mid first round, maybe even in the twenties.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Wow.
Speaker 6 (04:19):
Well, at this point, it looks like the New Orleans
Saints at nine are kind of sort of the ceiling
for Shador unless you know, my Jets do something crazy
and decide to take him.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
But if you look at that, like.
Speaker 6 (04:31):
The Raiders are almost certainly not taking Shaudor unless this
has been a great immortal smoke screen from Pete Carroll
in company. Hey, we're signing Geno Smith, but what we're
gonna grab Shador as a developmental guy. And I say
this because folks, I had to look this up. Shadoor
has not thrown a pass since December twenty eighth, and
yet he's tumbling down draft boards, So what could it be? Well,
(04:54):
this is where it gets interesting. We know that teams
have whiffed on quarterbacks. Right the Panthers trade up for
Bryce looking like a whiff. Uh, Maserati mitched Trubisky going
ahead of Patrick Mahomes trading up the Niners for Trey Lance.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
What a whiff, you know?
Speaker 6 (05:09):
And you would go down those Josh Rosen was taking
like twenty some odd spots before Lamar Jackson teams with
on quarterbacks.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
It happens, But what.
Speaker 6 (05:18):
Is should what is Shador doing to make teams saying mmm,
I don't know. Well, he went on a show this
week and talked about meeting with teams, and I don't know.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
It sounds like Shador maybe turning teams off.
Speaker 9 (05:32):
When I go visit these toads and when I go
to do all these different parents, I ask room treating
without thinking how I feel, and some get offended. I'm
like it, some dope, you know, make some people company.
Some people, you know, invite that. So, uh, they know
what type of person, what type of player they're going
to get out of me. So I just have to
make sure you know what type of tooses, what type
(05:55):
of dynamic I'm gonna have with them.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Often. Yeah, I don't know about that.
Speaker 6 (05:59):
Should I saw some quotes where he said he wants
to come in and transform the organization.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Bro, don't tell me that. Show me.
Speaker 6 (06:06):
I'll give you the chance to show me if I
if you make it sound like you're worthy.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
But it sounds like Shador may be turning off teams.
Speaker 6 (06:13):
Now if you want to get sinister, Hey, he's doing
this because he don't like the Browns.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
The Titans are a bit of a dumpster fire the
New York Giants. Look at those teams.
Speaker 6 (06:22):
In the last like five years, they have not been
good at all, and Dion has kind of tickets to
pot shots. Is Shador trying to steer himself to a
certain team. We don't know, but I will say this
in his defense because I have thought I would go
Shadoor too. We've seen some quarterbacks tumble down the draft boards, right,
Dan Marino famously fell bad Hall of Famer, top ten
quarterback all time, Lamar Jackson fell to the end of
(06:45):
the first round, two time MVP already. And then there
was Aaron Rodgers who famously, when was in the green room,
people thought he was gonna go top three and he
tumbles down way down to the Packers.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
And that was humbling.
Speaker 6 (06:57):
And maybe there's a world where the draft humbles Sanders
and the twenty three year ago, twenty three year old
goes into say Pittsburgh or New Orleans or I don't know,
someone trades for him at the end of the first round,
and that kind of is the wake up call that
Schador Sanders needs. All Right, I'm gonna pivot to the
Kansas City Chiefs, a team I have a tumultuous relationship,
(07:18):
shall we say, with their fan base.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Right, it works this way.
Speaker 6 (07:21):
I say something in Sandy Area about the Chiefs, a
hot take, something that I believe in and they yell
at me and then laugh at me when the Chiefs deliver.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Funny thing.
Speaker 6 (07:31):
Though, haven't heard from any of those guys in Kansas
City since the Eagles flattened them in the Super Bowl.
I haven't heard from any of them. And if you remember,
we were in New Orleans for the show, I predicted
the Eagles could run away with it.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
It looked prescient.
Speaker 6 (07:44):
I got a lot of YouTube views and into her.
People were loving me for the Super Bowl prediction. Haven't
heard from the Eagles fans lately. So if that's some
NFL guys come on this week talk about gambling. Adham
turn off Chris Filica and the wheels started turning last
night when I started to drill down on the Kansas.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
City Chiefs and I I'll start with this.
Speaker 6 (08:06):
The off season is when you improve your roster and
fix issues plug holes. Have you guys seen the Kansas
City Chiefs offseason. They haven't done a damn thing. Their
biggest signing, because we know the offensive line is.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
A train wreck. It was in the Super Bowl.
Speaker 6 (08:23):
Then they traded Joe Tooney, who was a guard who
they moved outside. Their biggest signing was Jaylon Moore, who
fifth rounder out of Western Michigan, who was a backup
in San Francisco, a backup. Now he's behind Trent Williams,
which is kind of, you know, understandable. Trent Williams one
of the best left tackles in Lake but I think
(08:43):
he had five starts last season.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
That's it.
Speaker 6 (08:47):
He's going to be their new left tackle. This is
how desperate the Chiefs were last year on the offensive line.
They tried four different guys at left tackle. Tooney ended
up being the best at the end of the season,
but they moved off of him. He's now in Chicago.
So that's the biggest issue I've had with the Chiefs.
They have not improved at all. And you know, I
love Travis Kelce. Me and my family like Taylor Swift.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
We went to see.
Speaker 6 (09:09):
Taylor Swift in concert. I like Travis Kelce a lot.
He's a Hall of Famer. He's coming off his worst
season as a pro. He's thirty five turns thirty six
in October. Travis kelce career low three touchdown catches. If
you look, you could draw a direct line. It was
like basically his stock market on Monday, right down Travis
Kelce's career stats right down, folks, I like Kelsey.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Do you remember his last three playoff games last year?
It's a ghost invisible.
Speaker 6 (09:37):
Didn't do a damn thing. Showed well in the opener
against Houston. After that, nothing, non factor. He's the safety
valve for Patrick Mahomes.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
And I know what you're saying, we get receive rights back. Okay,
we'll wait.
Speaker 6 (09:48):
To see if there's a suspension. We'll wait to see
if you get in more trouble in the next five months.
But then I saw the really big issue with Kansas City.
So last year they went eleven in and oh in
one score games. Historic stuff. You don't see eleven and
zero in one score games. And the staff pointed out
to me this morning, Jay, it's not just eleven and
(10:10):
oh in one score.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
They couldn't blow out anybody. They had the.
Speaker 6 (10:13):
Worst point differential of a fifteen win team in NFL history.
But it gets better. Two teams in their division who
finished behind them, the Chargers in Broncos had a bigger
point differential than the Kansas City Chiefs. What's that telling
you that the Chiefs are unable to blow teams out anymore?
Because they don't have the horses. They're just not that good.
(10:35):
They do have, however, Mahomes and Reid arguably one of
the best quarterback coach combos after Belichick and Brady in
NFL history. That could only carry you so far. And
you guys, know, if you've gambled at all one score
games historically, flip year to year. Just a little tidbit,
the Denver Broncos went one in six in one score games.
(10:56):
So if the Broncos flipped that and are I don't
know four and three next year, three extra wins, they
might take the division. I think the Chargers are probably
gonna win that division this year. And what happens if
Kansas City goes from eleven to zero one score games
to I don't know four and seven. Oh now we're
wait a minute, now, we're looking at like an eight
(11:16):
or nine win team in Kansas City. And I'm not
saying they're in deep trouble, because obviously they're very good.
But if you look at the AFC, the worst teams
in the AFC are getting better. Tennessee is for sure
gonna get better with a rookie quarterback.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Cam Warton.
Speaker 6 (11:31):
The New England Patriots added Mike Vrabel, who's an excellent coach.
His record needs no introduction. They're gonna be much better
than New England Patriots. Coward loves them. He's starting to
commit to me that they're a playoff team. We know
the Raiders are going to be better with a real professional.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
Head coach in Pete Carroll, and I got a better
quarterback at Gino Smith.
Speaker 6 (11:48):
Here are the Chiefs opponents at home, little edge being
at Arrowhead. They have to face the Ravens, the Lions,
the Texans. Those are all playoff teams, the Colts who
were eight and nine, and the Eagles in come who
were playoff teams last year and met in the NFC Championship.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
That's a daunting schedule.
Speaker 6 (12:05):
Now on the road, they get a poo poo platter
of the Cowboys, Jags, Giants, like they should clean those up.
The Buffalo game obviously will be huge. Guys, I'm gonna
ask you, I'm gonna be real. You look at the
last three years, Kansas City has played ten playoff games.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
That's more than half another season. We see this in
the NBA all the time.
Speaker 6 (12:26):
When you make a run to the finals two three
years in a row, that following year.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
You're drained.
Speaker 6 (12:31):
The bodies are breaking down, the players are wearing down,
and it's very, very difficult to keep that sustainability going.
I'm making the call here. It's mid April, before the draft.
I don't think the Kansas City Chiefs are a playoff
team next year, and I don't think they're crater until
like a six to seven win team. But guys, nine
(12:53):
wins might not make the playoffs in the AFC. Nine
you're fine probably in the NFC, but nine in the AFC.
When you got the Patriots on the come up, Obviously
the Bills are going nowhere. We know the Ravens are good, Houston,
Texan CJ. Stroud, they'll win the division. I think the
Chargers win the division, and I think the Bengals, who
won nine games then still have you know, Joe Burrow
(13:15):
and Cowhurtz. Convince me the Patriots are a playoff team,
and I'll go Denver Broncos. Kansas City Chiefs missing the playoffs.
Go ahead, screen grab it, shave it, tag whoever you,
whoever the hell you want. I'm on record, April twenty
twenty five, Kansas City Chiefs no playoffs next season.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
So Alex, I decided to choose violence here early.
Speaker 5 (13:34):
On yew what I'm over here just shaking my head.
It's still the Kansas City Chiefs. There's still a dynasty. Yes,
they laid an egg in the Super Bowl, but it's
still Patrick Mahomes one of the greatest quarterbacks in our
game right now, and Andy Reid the best.
Speaker 4 (13:46):
Quarterback coach duo. It's fair what they have.
Speaker 5 (13:50):
The most experienced people still can't figure out a way
to beat them, especially in the postseason, unless you're the
Eagles and your defense just absolutely wins the championship.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
I just know that you're getting to the playoff disagreement.
Speaker 6 (14:01):
Okay, well, Maria ad Alex toss it on the fire
and not a log on the fire for when the
Chiefs fail.
Speaker 3 (14:07):
This upcoming next coming up next year on the show.
Speaker 6 (14:11):
So we know the Lakers are gonna probably win tonight
against Houston or Portland.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
They're gonna get the three seed. Who would you rather face?
The Warriors are the Clippers.
Speaker 6 (14:21):
This is not easy because one of those teams is
super hot, the other has Steph Curry.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
That's next year on The Herd.
Speaker 10 (14:26):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and Noone Eastern non a em Pacific on Fox Sports
Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 6 (14:35):
Yeah, you see that at the bottom of the screen.
How John moranp is impacting his NBA future. That's gonna
be a tough topic to talk about top of next hour. Yeah,
not a huge fan on what's going on with John Morant.
But let's let's go to the Lakers because we haven't
talked about them yet today fifteen minutes into the show,
and it just been such a banner week for the Lakers.
Banner month, banner, two months. It's as good of a
(14:56):
time to be a Lakers fan as ever. That being said,
there's two games left in the regular season pretty much
for everybody in the league and the Lakers.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
Based on you know, all the numbers that people.
Speaker 6 (15:09):
Have crunched and looked at the schedules and win probabilities,
it looks like the Lakers will open the playoffs against
either the Warriors or the Clippers. Now, you know, for
the longest time, I've called the Clippers the paper clips.
It's a terrible franchise who can never get their act together.
And yet when I asked our staff today, hey, we
(15:33):
got some Lakers fans and you who would you guys
rather face in the playoffs?
Speaker 3 (15:37):
The Clippers are the Warriors.
Speaker 6 (15:38):
Almost universally, everybody said the Warriors, and I was like,
what are you all crazy?
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Now?
Speaker 6 (15:45):
To be fair, the paper clips have been cooking of late.
They're one of the hotter teams in the league. But
you wouldn't have noticed because Lakers, Luca Nuggets implosion.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Here come the Warriors. The Rockets are quietly one of
the hotter teams in the league.
Speaker 6 (15:59):
Like the NBA, it's been a little wacky lately, so
people haven't noticed that the Clippers have been on fire. Yes,
that is Kawhi Leonard streaking down the court, healthy and
scoring and dunking. There's James Harden with the cross heasy
snatch plow like.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
James Harden is playing great.
Speaker 6 (16:16):
And I absolutely would rather if I'm the Lakers, face
those guys, James Harden, that choke artist. I would much
rather face him and Kawhi than anywhere near the Warriors.
Let me lay out the case for you, but I'm
gonna start here. I have to be nice to these guys.
Charles Markley won on Everybody's Favorite Show last night and
(16:38):
said that the second best team in the West.
Speaker 11 (16:42):
Is the Clippers might be the second best team in
the West. I don't think that's crazy, though. I'm when healthy,
when healthy, but they're healthy. Hey, Kawhi Leonard's amazing to me. Man,
I've never seen a guy never dude, never plays basketball.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Never and comes back like he played playing somewhere else.
Speaker 6 (17:10):
Just can't give Lebron and Luke at the credit, right,
He's just upset that the Lakers are great. The Lakers
undeniably the second best team in the West. Anything else
is just hot takey for the sake of being hot takeee. Okay, yes,
I'll give the Clippers a little more. Do Zubots and
there's some I don't really know how to pronounce his name.
He has been a revelation for the Clippers.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
I know he's been good in the last few years.
And he used to be a Laker, which kind of hurts.
But he's there's like a case for him to be
Defensive Player of the Year. He has been excellent.
Speaker 6 (17:38):
The Lakers don't match up great with him, and he
did I think had thirty four and sixteen against them
in a recent meeting. Others in Zubots occasionally, Kawhi, I'm
not really worried about anybody on the Clippers.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
That's the thing.
Speaker 6 (17:51):
Does James Harden scare you in the least? Guys, this
may surprise you, but when the lights are brightest and
James Harden's facing the Lakers this season, his splits. His
point per game average is the worst in the league
against the Lakers, fourteen point eight points per game. He's
destroying a lot of other teams, and then against the
Lakers he's just gagging. In the two meetings since the
(18:13):
Lakers got Luca. You love this, James Harden four for
fourteen shooting. James Harden five for twenty two shooting in
four games against the Lakers this year, and some of
those numbers are skewed because the Lakers at eighty James
Harden is shooting twenty six percent from the field and
twenty one percent for three. It's a tiny sample size,
I get it. But we've seen postseason after postseason James Harden.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
It just doesn't happen. He's not built for it.
Speaker 6 (18:39):
He's ready to go spend his summer in the strip
club throwing up money like it's just it's not happening.
James Harden in the playoffs, he falls apart. Now you
look at the Warriors on the other side of the coin.
I don't want to see Steph.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Curry if I'm the Lakers.
Speaker 6 (18:54):
If anybody Kawhi, Harden or Curry scares me most, it's Curry.
He's likely to go for forty or fifty, and it's like,
oh gosh, what are we gonna do. Golden State's small
ball matches the Lakers small ball and in that meeting
last week, and I don't you never want to go
too overboard on one game, but it was eight days
ago and Golden State's small ball game killed the Lakers. Draymond,
(19:18):
Jimmy Butler. I mean, Podzemski had a career game. He
won't do that again. But Jimmy Butler's a proven playoff pro.
James Harden, proven playoff flop. Jimmy Butler took the Heat.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
To two championships.
Speaker 6 (19:31):
Guys, Okay, I don't want to see Steph Curry Jimmy
Butler combo at its best.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
Now.
Speaker 6 (19:37):
There is a story out there that the Warriors are
looking worn down because they play a lot.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
Of small ball.
Speaker 6 (19:44):
And if you think back when they would go to
the death lineup with Draymond at center, and they would
like have Igodala play Curry and I don't remember.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Who the fifth guy was, but they would go small ball.
Speaker 6 (19:55):
But they would only use that in emergency situations. Fourth
quarter of a close game, down fifteen, we need a spark.
It wasn't like we'll go small all game. And now
they're trying to go small all game and they're they're
looking a little worn down.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
Like Draymond great.
Speaker 6 (20:09):
Defender, but can he play thirty eight minutes of center
for six games against whatever team you want? And that's
a little that's asking a little bit too much of him.
So the Warriors, I know, they have flaws, and the
Clippers obviously have flaws aka James Harden, But like, I
don't know, am I really that worried about Norm Powell, who,
by the way, is being great for the Clippers, having
(20:29):
a great year. And frankly, let's be real, Kawhi Leonard,
do you know if he's showing up next week or not.
You have to be honest with yourself, guys. I can't
look myself in the mirror if I say Kawhi is
gonna be there. Clippers are a major threat. I don't know,
nobody knows of Kawhi.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Like, is he gonna show up? Is he gonna be hurt?
It's so weird.
Speaker 6 (20:49):
In the postseason he'll be like, oh, he's got to
injured knees, only going to be like twenty minutes, and
then he's like.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
Out for the season.
Speaker 6 (20:54):
It's just it's wacky. So if I'm the Lakers, give
me the Clippers. I want no part of the Golden
State Wars. Let's go to Alex Furry with the news.
Speaker 5 (21:06):
This is the headline news shots fired today.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
James am I going off on you are, but.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
I like it. It's spicy. It's a spicy Friday.
Speaker 5 (21:14):
I don't think either is going to be a cakewalk,
Like they're both going to be tough matchups whoever the
Lakers face. But as you said, I the Clipper's achilles
heel has been their health. If they stay healthy, very dangerous.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
You don't want to face out, but that's going to
be it. It's can they stay healthy?
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Betty Simmons is come at the bench? Did you forget?
I forgot about that until this morning.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
They got a deep bench.
Speaker 5 (21:34):
All right, Well, let's start with Bill Belichick in North
Carolina because they got spring practices started.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
And it's still.
Speaker 5 (21:40):
Wild to think that Belichick is coaching a college team.
But watch him give some instructions to one of his quarterbacks, Dame.
Speaker 12 (21:48):
Think then we hit then we hit aut in cut,
and then we hit a That's how you move the
ball down the field.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
You've got to hit some of those plays. We were
still thirty.
Speaker 4 (22:00):
Sorry to left on the clock.
Speaker 9 (22:02):
All right, nice job.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
This is a new attitude Bill like that.
Speaker 5 (22:08):
It's a completely different energy and vibe than we got.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
And we saw with him in the NFL.
Speaker 5 (22:15):
And you have to remember, Bill's on a very short
list of one of the greatest coaches of all time
in the NFL, and now he's bringing that knowledge to
these young men in college.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
It's insane.
Speaker 5 (22:28):
They are so lucky to have a brain and a
mind like Bill leading this team.
Speaker 4 (22:35):
But he just seems happy.
Speaker 6 (22:37):
It's just different match the Carolina Blue I'm just noticing
it now.
Speaker 4 (22:41):
I did not, but we are twinsy.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
Well, listen, this is what.
Speaker 6 (22:44):
Happens when you date a woman forty five years younger
than you. You feel younger, you're spry, you've got more energy, right,
whatever it takes. But listen Belichick, and some of this
is probably for TV, right, Alex, aren't they doing some
kind of TV series?
Speaker 3 (22:57):
I'm sure.
Speaker 5 (22:58):
I'm sure he's going to be mixed up the whole time.
The fact that Bill's coaching in college, this is all
going to be documented and especially in the media age
that we're in now, like it's just going to happen.
So he's I think he We saw a switch once
he left the NFL and he started doing some media.
It was a different Bill we had never seen before, right,
because all we saw were the press conferences and it
(23:19):
was like serious, angry, gruff nothing. And then after I
was like, oh, you're kind of a funny guy and
you're really smart and like obviously one of the greatest
of all time to do what you do.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
So it's it's really cool to see this.
Speaker 5 (23:35):
This side of Bill. It's just going to be interesting.
What do you think Caroline is ceiling?
Speaker 3 (23:39):
Well, that's the thing.
Speaker 6 (23:40):
I'm looking at their schedules, So TCU to open, I mean,
I won't be easy, but it's at home Charlotte Richmond UCF.
Speaker 3 (23:48):
Yeah, I mean, assuming Belichick knows what he's doing.
Speaker 6 (23:51):
Yeah, you know, they do have Clemson they got to
come out here to Calum berserkly.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
But this schedule is very manageable, like Staffords rebuilding. Duke's
not great. Wake Listen, I can't be too hot takey.
Speaker 6 (24:03):
And say they're gonna make the playoff because I need
to see.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
I don't know what kind of talent they had.
Speaker 4 (24:07):
I mean, but it's Bill.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
It's Bill.
Speaker 4 (24:08):
We have like the best of the best leading you.
Speaker 6 (24:11):
Okay, it was Bill, and they had Cam Newton and
they couldn't get to the playoffs, and then they had.
Speaker 7 (24:17):
NFL.
Speaker 6 (24:18):
They got to the playoffs and got smacked and then
couldn't turn it around.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
I would bet on Belichick I would to do some things.
Speaker 5 (24:25):
I would too. I'm excited for him. It looks looks fun. Okay,
let's move to the NFL. The Panthers ended the season
on a high note, and for the first time since
twenty nineteen, Carolina will have the same starting quarterback, head coach,
and general manager in back to back seasons, and Bryce
Young talked about how important that is.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
He said, it's a privilege for sure.
Speaker 5 (24:45):
Obviously, the same staff and so much on the offensive
side is staying the same.
Speaker 4 (24:50):
So just for us to continue to build and grow.
Speaker 5 (24:52):
It's something that we really look forward to, but we
also know that there's work to be done, and just
knowing that the work is necessary to put in where
it's about that part too, just to grow and build,
it's encouraging. I wouldn't want this to be with any
other group. So we're excited for this year. It's just
crazy to think about. It's the first time they've had
the same head coach, quarterback, and general manager, like since
(25:16):
BC before COVID, Like that is wild to think about.
And again, like they didn't have a great season last year.
They went five and twelve, but those five wins came
towards the end of the season, and I remember the
season before they were the worst team in the league.
So there's there's been a little bit of improvement we
(25:36):
saw towards the end of the year last year, and
it's just something that you you hope now with the
consistency and having the same.
Speaker 4 (25:44):
Group back for those times.
Speaker 6 (25:47):
Last morning, bench I feel like they told him it
says since returning as a starter, So.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
I'm I think he was benched last season at some point.
Speaker 6 (25:55):
Yeah, he just he hasn't been great, But I'll say this,
I expected him to go out and like, hey, let's
spend some money in free agency, get some dudes.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
They didn't really do anything. Their top three.
Speaker 6 (26:06):
Receivers are Adam Thielen Legette and Cocher, the two young guys.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
Okay, like they're tight ends. He needs some guys, he
needs some skill position to you do.
Speaker 5 (26:16):
I mean, when you look at the division they're in
NFC South Bucks have won the last couple of years.
Falcons they're on the rise. I like Falcons with Pennox Junior,
and then you have Panthers and Saints, so it's it's
an easy third finish if you can kind of figure
it out. But I don't know, I don't know if
(26:36):
you're in a pass with Falcons.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
Young was bench for Andy Dalton last season. Yeah, yeah,
that's right.
Speaker 6 (26:41):
Remember they were like there was also some fourth downs
and they were gonna try to push push with him,
and they were like he's too small.
Speaker 4 (26:46):
He can't do no, no, you can't take that.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
Not great. I mean, listen, I'm rooting for Brice Young.
Seems like a nice guy.
Speaker 6 (26:51):
Yeah, it's just a tough uphill climb there, it is.
Speaker 5 (26:54):
But again, first time they've had consistency since twenty nineteen.
Good point, which is insane. Okay, let's end in Cleveland.
The Browns are bringing back a familiar face back into
the quarterback room. Joe Flacco is signing with the Browns
on a one year, four million dollar contract. Flaco one
comeback player of the Year with the Browns in twenty
twenty three and started the last playoff game the organization
(27:16):
played it, so they're running it back with popa Flacco,
and this move I think just solidifies the fact that
they're not drafting a quarterback with the second overall pick,
which kind of feels like they're leaning towards Travis Hunter.
But that quarterback room is now Deshaun Watson, who's coming
back from injury, Kenny Pickett, they traded for him from Philly,
(27:40):
and then they just signed Joe Flacco, son.
Speaker 4 (27:45):
Of None of those names sound wowie.
Speaker 5 (27:48):
And like a franchise guy, because we already heard ownership
say that we messed up and we made a mistake
on Deshaun Watson, so you already have that going in there,
and obviously he's coming off a couple different lower body injuries.
Haven't seen the prove it yet from Kenny Pickett. But
there were a lot of people who believed in him.
(28:08):
And does Flaco still have it? He's another couple of
years older from when they brought him back off the couch,
because he literally came off the couch. He said he
was at home, like watching games when he got the
call from the Browns and ended up winning Comeback Player
of the Year. But like if he still got it,
he still got it.
Speaker 6 (28:22):
So Cleveland had signed Miles Garrett. He has to be traded, yes,
and he basically the media was asking him, what's the
good quarterback? And he's like, I know what we're doing.
Speaker 5 (28:31):
So was that Flacco the whole time couldn't have been flat?
Is that what they're talking about? Or were they taking
someone else later in the draft that they believe in.
Speaker 6 (28:39):
The speculation in Cleveland was, oh, Kirk Cousin, They're gonna go.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
Get Kirk Cousins the draft of quarterback. But it's like,
Kirk Cousins ain't coming now, is he no picket?
Speaker 4 (28:48):
I don't think so. I don't think so.
Speaker 5 (28:50):
After Flacco and Flacka's way cheaper. Yeah, then Kirk Cousins
is going to be I.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
Don't even know.
Speaker 6 (28:56):
I Kirk Cousins is that much better than Flacco at
this stage, like we're.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
Just talking about it.
Speaker 5 (29:00):
He's also he's coming off the Achilles injury and also
when he came back last season, got injured again, so
we didn't fully see Yeah, we didn't see like a
healthy Kirk Cousins last year.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
So I don't know.
Speaker 5 (29:11):
It's an interesting move not I don't think what everyone
was expecting.
Speaker 6 (29:16):
A tough hed Alex Curry with the news.
Speaker 10 (29:21):
Well, that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the
Heard Line News.
Speaker 9 (29:26):
All right.
Speaker 6 (29:26):
Coming up next year on The Herd, there's one team
in these NBA playoffs that are starting next week.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
Nobody's talking about it. We'll talk about them next.
Speaker 10 (29:34):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon eastern non am Pacific.
Speaker 12 (29:39):
Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David and together we're
Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 13 (29:44):
You could catch us weekdays from five to seven pm
Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and
of course the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 12 (29:51):
Why should you listen to Cavino and Rich.
Speaker 13 (29:53):
We talk about everything, life, sports, relationships, what's going on
in the world.
Speaker 12 (29:58):
We have a lot of fun talking about the stories
behind them, stories in the world of sports and pop culture,
stories that well, other shows don't seem to have the
time to discuss.
Speaker 13 (30:06):
And the fact that we've been friends for the last
twenty years and still work together. I mean that says something.
Speaker 12 (30:10):
Right, So check us out. We like to get you
involved too, take your phone calls, chop it up. As
they say, I'd say, the most interactive show on Fox
Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive show on planetar. Be
sure to check out Cavino and Rich live on Fox
Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app from five to seven
pm Eastern two to four Pacific, And if you miss
any of the live show, just search Covino on Rich
(30:30):
wherever you get your podcasts, and of course on social media.
That's Covino and Rich.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
On The Herd.
Speaker 6 (30:36):
A special guest joining us, first timerer on the show,
covers the Rockets.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
This is kind of Rockets week on the Herd.
Speaker 6 (30:44):
We had Ryan Hollins on and now Vanessa Richardson covers
the Houston Rockets.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
Knows them as well as anybody, and.
Speaker 6 (30:50):
Listen, Lakers fans, No, we're playing Houston in the second round.
We're already past the Clippers or the Warriors. This Lakers
Rocketski series should be big. But we'll start with Houston,
which has been Vanessa one of better stories around the
league this season.
Speaker 14 (31:03):
It has, and I think if you ask the guys,
they're not surprised that they're having this level of success,
but it has been I think a wake up call
for the league that this young team is clicking the
way that they're clicking, that the veterans have made the
impact that they've made, and that Im Doka is doing
something similar to what he did in Boston.
Speaker 7 (31:21):
He's turning things around very quickly.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
It's been really exciting, has been amazing. Were you at
the game where he got into it with Curry a
little bit?
Speaker 6 (31:29):
It was I walked off, so were you close enough
to hear what was being said?
Speaker 14 (31:32):
You know, I cannot confirm or deny if I heard
him get into it with with Steph or Lebron James.
Speaker 7 (31:39):
Last year that was a thing too.
Speaker 14 (31:43):
But no, I mean this, that's the identity of this
Houston team right like they're not afraid of anybody. They're
not afraid you know, of any specific player, of any superstar.
And the funny thing about em is he won't even
call people like these superstars by their nicknames, like he
calls them by their last lap last name when I
interview him. So it's not Lebron, it's James, and it's
not Giannis.
Speaker 7 (32:03):
It's a tintakupo.
Speaker 14 (32:04):
So I think that no friends on the floor thing
is a real thing for the Rockets.
Speaker 6 (32:09):
No friends on the friends on the floor, that's his
like mantra, yep, that's good. Now listen and as you
can see, yeah, yeah, now listen. I know obviously you
cover the team, you're close with this Dylan Brooks stuff.
He doesn't seem to like anyone, and I get it.
He's kind of, you know, the tough guy, enforcer, tough
to he's a great defender, right, But do you think
(32:30):
sometimes that that can go too far and get he
gets in his own head getting in these one on
one battles with some players.
Speaker 14 (32:36):
I don't think it goes too far at all. I
think it's a motivator for the team. And he's been
the defensive head of the Snake as far as influencing
also tari Esan and a Men Thompson, and this Rockets
team is known for their defense, and I think that's
what makes it fun, right, Like they're old school Everybody
when they complain about the NBA, they say that the
NBA people just chuck up threes and they play offense
(32:57):
and no defense, and you know they're playing a you
ball Like the Rockets are the opposite of that. And
Dylan Brooks is a huge part of that. And so
I love what Dylan has done. And I'm going to
shock everybody when I say this. He's like a total
sweetheart off that sport. He's actually a really nice guy.
The villain thing truly is an on court persona. He's
told me that, he said it on camera and interviews,
(33:18):
So he's.
Speaker 7 (33:19):
A great guy.
Speaker 14 (33:19):
But that's an important part of the identity of this
Rockets team.
Speaker 7 (33:22):
Is Dylan Brooks.
Speaker 6 (33:23):
Interesting because Amen Thomson is a phenomenal defender. I don't know,
like do they have too many good players in that
Like in crunch time you need your five core guys.
The Lakers don't have eight great guys like the Rockets
have a much deeper team.
Speaker 3 (33:38):
How do they decide how to is it matchup reliant?
Speaker 6 (33:41):
Like what do you think they do down the stretch
because some of these guys may not end up playing
segoon is great, but is he going to be on
the court all the time?
Speaker 14 (33:46):
Again, say the Lakers, it's it's definitely match up reliant,
and it's also sometimes who's playing the hardest. Like Emay
will say that he's going to make sure that the
guys that are playing the hardest are playing at the
end of the game. So I think that it's a
rank that they're so deep. I don't mind the fact
that their team model. Let me tell you what their
team motto has been this year. Sometimes you sometimes meet
(34:07):
always us and they're okay with that. There are not
a lot of NBA players that would be okay with
a night where they only score seven or eight points
but their teammate absolutely goes off. I think the fact
that they're selfless and the fact that on any given
night it can be a different guy. I don't see
that as a disadvantage. I think it could be an
advantage in the playoffs.
Speaker 6 (34:26):
So if you look at the West at large, there
are some of those teams where like John Morant doesn't
get his he's.
Speaker 3 (34:31):
Gonna be upset, right.
Speaker 6 (34:33):
I am just curious, like, do you think the Rockets
storyline has been underplayed because of the Nuggets fired their coach,
the Grizzlies fired their coach, the Luca trade. They're almost
flying under the radar. Is it possible for a team
with what fifty something ond wins?
Speaker 14 (34:46):
They are flying under the radar, But they like that.
They're fine with not getting a ton of press, not
getting a ton of attention.
Speaker 7 (34:52):
And you know who's been a big part of that
has been Fred van Vliet.
Speaker 14 (34:55):
Fred has told the guys, you don't want all the
TV appearances, all the art goals, all the press releases, like,
we're fine flying underneath the radar and then surprising people.
Speaker 7 (35:05):
And I think that's what they've done.
Speaker 14 (35:07):
So it's not a team and it's not This isn't
a knock on like other teams or other superstars, but
this is not a team that needs all the attention,
wants all of the accolades. Like they're fine surprising people,
and I think that that's what they've done. They're not
surprised with their success, but they're fine with the fact
that that they are flying underneath the radar.
Speaker 3 (35:26):
So most teams have a clear leader.
Speaker 6 (35:29):
If you write, you know, we saw yo kids drawing
up plays in the huddle after they fire him alone. Yeah,
you know, Luca Lebron obviously, I look at this Houston team,
is Van Vliet the leader?
Speaker 3 (35:37):
Because I've had some hot takes on him.
Speaker 6 (35:39):
I like him, I said, I would prefer him to
like Kyrie Irving because Kyrie's about Kyrie.
Speaker 7 (35:43):
Fred van Vliet, it's about the team, It's about the team.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
Yeah, would you say he's the leader, like in the huddle.
Speaker 14 (35:49):
Who's Fred's and extension of the coaching staff. So I
would definitely call Fred the leader and one of the
leaders of the team. But they did a really good
job of bringing in veterans. Dylan Brooks is a leader.
Dylan Brooks leads by example and you're smiling, but but
he is truly he is absolutely a leader people a
lot of people like Jeff Green has been a huge influence.
(36:12):
Uncle Jeff has been huge for you know, Tari Jabari,
some of the younger guys.
Speaker 7 (36:16):
So I would definitely call Fred the leader.
Speaker 14 (36:19):
And he calms things down too, and so he's been
I mean his leadership, the role that the veterans have
played for the young guys. And the other part of
it though, is that the young guys have been receptive
to it and not all young guys are receptive to
that veteran leadership. But this team has been really open
minded and accepting the coaching style of Emay and buying
(36:39):
in which has been huge.
Speaker 3 (36:40):
It's interesting. You know, Steve, you didn't mention Steven Adams.
Speaker 7 (36:43):
I love Steven.
Speaker 6 (36:44):
So there was a funny video you posted on your
Instagram with Steven Adams grabbing some kind of sign.
Speaker 4 (36:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 14 (36:51):
So the Clippers have the fan wall into a dome,
very high school college students type concept. But they had
a sign of Dylan and one of Dylan's outfits actually
that he wore when he and Steven were both in Memphis,
a reference to the player haters ball shout out to
the Chappelle.
Speaker 4 (37:11):
Yes, oh, and so he.
Speaker 7 (37:13):
Had that sign and yeah, Stephen just took it and
rolled out with it. I mean, that's Steven.
Speaker 6 (37:20):
You know, Like, this is an interesting team because in
Texas you've had obviously, you know, Luca and the Masters
are very good. You've had the San Antonio Spurs have
had their runs. Houston seems like they're the best team
in Texas right now. And I don't know that it's close.
A lot of people thought Webbin Yama and the Spurs,
they would make the lead, they got the arm Fox.
It didn't quite work out Wemby obviously with the blood clots.
(37:40):
Do you think there's any pressure at Houston or is
there the whole they're playing with house money.
Speaker 3 (37:44):
They're fine.
Speaker 14 (37:45):
I think that they have very high standards for themselves
and I do think they're the best team in Texas
and it's not close. I think things eventually could click
for Wimby, you know in San Antonio, and I.
Speaker 7 (37:57):
Do feel awful for Maverick Stands.
Speaker 14 (38:00):
But at the same time, Rockets are in their division,
so you know, you don't, I don't hate what's going
on there. Yeah, I think the Rockets are the best
team in Texas and it's not close. And the thing
is they're only getting better, right, Like the young core
is only clicking more a men, Thompson is only becoming
a better defender. And you know, here the Rockets are
the number two seed. So it's been incredible to see
(38:23):
and I do think they're the best team.
Speaker 6 (38:24):
Is it weird slash annoying when you're covering the team
your fifty wins and you see maybe this show maybe others.
Speaker 3 (38:32):
Hey, Kevin Durant can save the Rockets sext. You're like,
wait a minute, wit can we at least see them
in the playoffs first?
Speaker 6 (38:37):
Because there is this idea that they don't have like
an alpha in the half court, like covering the team
being around them.
Speaker 3 (38:43):
They're not even thinking about that stuff.
Speaker 7 (38:45):
No, No, they're so young.
Speaker 14 (38:46):
They all believe in themselves and they all believe in
each other. And I look, I've been in NFL locker rooms,
MLB locker rooms, as have you. Anybody in this industry
has the chemistry and synergy that this team has. And
the fact that, again they're selfless, They're okay if they
only score five, ten points if their teammate goes off,
(39:06):
and that's not common in the NBA. So this team
has a lot of belief in themselves and in each other,
and they do really love each other.
Speaker 6 (39:14):
Last one on the Rockets. So Shengon is sometimes I
don't think it's fair. But compared to Jokic, cause he's
a little smaller and very skilled, is that putting too
much pressure on the young guy? What is he like,
twenty two years old?
Speaker 14 (39:27):
Yeah, he's in his fourth year. I think it's a
very flattering comparison. But what I like about Shngoon is
you know that's the typical idol becomes rival. You know,
when they play each other, it's been a great matchup
every time. I love what we've seen from Shngoon and
so look, I mean the corny and cliche thing would be,
I don't want him to be the next like Jokic.
(39:48):
I want him to be the first outbra in Shangoon.
But that is somebody that Albron has looked up to
and he's been very open about that. So anytime these
guys get compared to their idols and then they start
playing them and they're defending them, well, it's very similar
like a men Thompson and Lebron James. Like Lebron James
was a men's idol growing up, and a men held
Steph Curry three points on Sunday.
Speaker 7 (40:09):
So it is cool to watch.
Speaker 14 (40:11):
The young guys play their idols and not get intimidated
by them.
Speaker 6 (40:15):
On the gambling front, the Rockets are not even a
top five get to the NBA finals in the West. Right,
would you be shocked if the Rockets made the NBA Finals.
Speaker 7 (40:24):
I would not be shocked at all.
Speaker 14 (40:25):
They have beat the best teams in the league, with
authority repeatedly.
Speaker 7 (40:31):
They're winning in different ways.
Speaker 14 (40:32):
So they're playing in those games where they have to
win down the stretch, they're playing in blowouts, they're playing
in games where they have to come from behind. I
think there's a lot of value in that. So I
wouldn't be shocked. I think the rest of the league
might be, but I would not be surprised.
Speaker 6 (40:47):
The interesting thing is they actually match up pretty well
with the Lakers, for sure, with Thompson and Brooks. For
Luca and Lebron and Shengun would be a problem. Lakers
fans now are like ja Max settled down with five
have to prove does have a title in Toronto, took
down the Warriors.
Speaker 7 (41:04):
So does Jeff Green. Jeff Tuck to Jeff Green, Jeff getting,
I know you to give them their respect.
Speaker 3 (41:09):
Uncle Jeff Dennifer could probably use him right now. Right
by the way, were you surprised at the Malone firing?
I heard that.
Speaker 14 (41:17):
The way that the way that the league is now,
I'm not surprised. But yeah, the fact that he won
a championship two years ago, like with Taylor Jenkins, not
that he won a championship, but it's just so close
to the playoffs.
Speaker 7 (41:28):
Yeah, I'm not.
Speaker 14 (41:29):
I'm not surprised when somebody gets fired now, but the
timing is definitely interesting.
Speaker 6 (41:33):
All right, Vanessa richardson covering the Rockets. You host a
weekly show, Rockets All Access. Could be a long postseason
for you. No, no, Early, ken Kon.
Speaker 7 (41:44):
I know this, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
It's going to be exciting. Don't sleep on the Rockets
great stuff.
Speaker 6 (41:49):
Coming up next is John Morant trying to get himself
shipped out of Memphis.
Speaker 3 (41:53):
What the hell is with this new grenade celebration
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. Oh it's Friday. What's
up everybody? Yes, I'm still here. Jason McIntyre in for
Colin Coward. How we doing today? I'm fired up. We
got some more breaking news, had some earlier this week, We.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Got some now. I'm joined by Alex Curry.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
Is that aqua turqoise? But you could go you could
go aqua. You're not far off.
Speaker 5 (00:48):
It can have many. It's a feel good Friday, Colin. Right,
fives are high today.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
You're bringing the heat. You're calling everybody.
Speaker 6 (00:55):
Ye'd get a donut this morning.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
So I'm kind of finding breaked last night sugar high. Yeah,
and it's Friday, you know, for.
Speaker 6 (01:03):
The weekend is here, and yeah, it's exciting, exciting, especially
for Lakers fans.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Great news, not so great news fans for the Kansas
City Chiefs. We'll get to that.
Speaker 6 (01:14):
Shortly, But I'm gonna start the show with the breaking news.
Like I said earlier, this week, we had Michael Malone
shockingly getting fired by the Denver Nuggets, and then this
morning I wake up to more breaking news.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
The Browns have signed Joe Flacco. And that is not
a joke.
Speaker 6 (01:29):
I know you're scoffing a forty year old j Mack
TikTok was not even around by the time Joe Flacco
entered the league.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Like, what are we doing here?
Speaker 6 (01:38):
What are the Browns doing? Ah, there's a method to
their madness. Cleveland is drafting second overall, and for the
longest time, I and many others had Shedure Sanders penciled
in for Cleveland.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Folks. The slide is beginning.
Speaker 6 (01:56):
It's starting to sound like Cleveland is not gonna Oh
Shador Sanders two in the draft, and they decided they
kicked the tires on Shador. I said, you know what,
We'd rather wait for Deshaun Watson's achilles to heal. We
signed Kenny Pickett, and now we got Joe Flacco as
our third option. They're not taking Chador number two overall.
I'm kind of short of stunned by this. However, let's
(02:19):
remember everybody watched college football season.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
It was a great season for Shador.
Speaker 6 (02:23):
Sanders seventy four percent completions really turned that Colorado program
around and made them relevant much of the season. We
would come on here Monday Tuesday and be like, man,
did you see Shador Cook? Did you see that comeback?
Did you see that ball placement to Travis Hunter? Shadoor
looks good, bro, That's all we were saying. Dion Sanders
(02:43):
was joking about steering his kid to certain programs or
steering them away from certain organizations.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
That's what the discussion was.
Speaker 7 (02:51):
Here.
Speaker 6 (02:51):
We are thirteen days to the draft and the Browns
decided we're good at quarterback.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
We don't need Shador at two. But it doesn't stop there.
Speaker 6 (03:00):
The New York Giants they interviewed Shador, they saw him
at the pro day.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Yeah, we're good.
Speaker 6 (03:05):
With Jamis Winston and Russell Wilson. Is that not a
little humbling for Shadoor?
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Like what? However?
Speaker 6 (03:15):
We had Dame Brugler, an NFL draft analyst, on the
show yesterday. Here's what he said about Shador going in
the top five.
Speaker 8 (03:24):
I think he can be an NFL starter. He's smart,
he's tough, he's poised, he's accurate, maybe not as accurate
as seventy four percent completions would lead you to believe.
I wonder about the way he likes to play. Does
he have the physical traits to get away with that?
In the NFL? The offensive line was bad, There's no
question about it at Colorado. But there are a lot
(03:44):
of times where he is running himself into sacks and
he's not making the right decision from the pocket. And
so there's things about his profile that really, I think
he can start in the NFL, But is he really
going to uplift everybody around me and carry a franchise?
That's my hang up where Okay, I like him, I
think you can start, But am I taking him top
five of overall? Because it's not just about if you
(04:06):
miss on him as a top five pick, It's okay,
you're passing on Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter, one of these
guys in the top five. So I wouldn't be surprised
if we're talking mid first round, maybe even in the twenties.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Wow.
Speaker 6 (04:19):
Well, at this point, it looks like the New Orleans
Saints at nine are kind of sort of the ceiling
for Shador unless you know, my Jets do something crazy
and decide to take him.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
But if you look at that, like.
Speaker 6 (04:31):
The Raiders are almost certainly not taking Shaudor unless this
has been a great immortal smoke screen from Pete Carroll
in company. Hey, we're signing Geno Smith, but what we're
gonna grab Shador as a developmental guy. And I say
this because folks, I had to look this up. Shadoor
has not thrown a pass since December twenty eighth, and
yet he's tumbling down draft boards, So what could it be? Well,
(04:54):
this is where it gets interesting. We know that teams
have whiffed on quarterbacks. Right the Panthers trade up for
Bryce looking like a whiff. Uh, Maserati mitched Trubisky going
ahead of Patrick Mahomes trading up the Niners for Trey Lance.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
What a whiff, you know?
Speaker 6 (05:09):
And you would go down those Josh Rosen was taking
like twenty some odd spots before Lamar Jackson teams with
on quarterbacks.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
It happens, But what.
Speaker 6 (05:18):
Is should what is Shador doing to make teams saying mmm,
I don't know. Well, he went on a show this
week and talked about meeting with teams, and I don't know.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
It sounds like Shador maybe turning teams off.
Speaker 9 (05:32):
When I go visit these toads and when I go
to do all these different parents, I ask room treating
without thinking how I feel, and some get offended. I'm
like it, some dope, you know, make some people company.
Some people, you know, invite that. So, uh, they know
what type of person, what type of player they're going
to get out of me. So I just have to
make sure you know what type of tooses, what type
(05:55):
of dynamic I'm gonna have with them.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Often. Yeah, I don't know about that.
Speaker 6 (05:59):
Should I saw some quotes where he said he wants
to come in and transform the organization.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Bro, don't tell me that. Show me.
Speaker 6 (06:06):
I'll give you the chance to show me if I
if you make it sound like you're worthy.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
But it sounds like Shador may be turning off teams.
Speaker 6 (06:13):
Now if you want to get sinister, Hey, he's doing
this because he don't like the Browns.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
The Titans are a bit of a dumpster fire the
New York Giants. Look at those teams.
Speaker 6 (06:22):
In the last like five years, they have not been
good at all, and Dion has kind of tickets to
pot shots. Is Shador trying to steer himself to a
certain team. We don't know, but I will say this
in his defense because I have thought I would go
Shadoor too. We've seen some quarterbacks tumble down the draft boards, right,
Dan Marino famously fell bad Hall of Famer, top ten
quarterback all time, Lamar Jackson fell to the end of
(06:45):
the first round, two time MVP already. And then there
was Aaron Rodgers who famously, when was in the green room,
people thought he was gonna go top three and he
tumbles down way down to the Packers.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
And that was humbling.
Speaker 6 (06:57):
And maybe there's a world where the draft humbles Sanders
and the twenty three year ago, twenty three year old
goes into say Pittsburgh or New Orleans or I don't know,
someone trades for him at the end of the first round,
and that kind of is the wake up call that
Schador Sanders needs. All Right, I'm gonna pivot to the
Kansas City Chiefs, a team I have a tumultuous relationship,
(07:18):
shall we say, with their fan base.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Right, it works this way.
Speaker 6 (07:21):
I say something in Sandy Area about the Chiefs, a
hot take, something that I believe in and they yell
at me and then laugh at me when the Chiefs deliver.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Funny thing.
Speaker 6 (07:31):
Though, haven't heard from any of those guys in Kansas
City since the Eagles flattened them in the Super Bowl.
I haven't heard from any of them. And if you remember,
we were in New Orleans for the show, I predicted
the Eagles could run away with it.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
It looked prescient.
Speaker 6 (07:44):
I got a lot of YouTube views and into her.
People were loving me for the Super Bowl prediction. Haven't
heard from the Eagles fans lately. So if that's some
NFL guys come on this week talk about gambling. Adham
turn off Chris Filica and the wheels started turning last
night when I started to drill down on the Kansas.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
City Chiefs and I I'll start with this.
Speaker 6 (08:06):
The off season is when you improve your roster and
fix issues plug holes. Have you guys seen the Kansas
City Chiefs offseason. They haven't done a damn thing. Their
biggest signing, because we know the offensive line is.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
A train wreck. It was in the Super Bowl.
Speaker 6 (08:23):
Then they traded Joe Tooney, who was a guard who
they moved outside. Their biggest signing was Jaylon Moore, who
fifth rounder out of Western Michigan, who was a backup
in San Francisco, a backup. Now he's behind Trent Williams,
which is kind of, you know, understandable. Trent Williams one
of the best left tackles in Lake but I think
(08:43):
he had five starts last season.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
That's it.
Speaker 6 (08:47):
He's going to be their new left tackle. This is
how desperate the Chiefs were last year on the offensive line.
They tried four different guys at left tackle. Tooney ended
up being the best at the end of the season,
but they moved off of him. He's now in Chicago.
So that's the biggest issue I've had with the Chiefs.
They have not improved at all. And you know, I
love Travis Kelce. Me and my family like Taylor Swift.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
We went to see.
Speaker 6 (09:09):
Taylor Swift in concert. I like Travis Kelce a lot.
He's a Hall of Famer. He's coming off his worst
season as a pro. He's thirty five turns thirty six
in October. Travis kelce career low three touchdown catches. If
you look, you could draw a direct line. It was
like basically his stock market on Monday, right down Travis
Kelce's career stats right down, folks, I like Kelsey.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Do you remember his last three playoff games last year?
It's a ghost invisible.
Speaker 6 (09:37):
Didn't do a damn thing. Showed well in the opener
against Houston. After that, nothing, non factor. He's the safety
valve for Patrick Mahomes.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
And I know what you're saying, we get receive rights back. Okay,
we'll wait.
Speaker 6 (09:48):
To see if there's a suspension. We'll wait to see
if you get in more trouble in the next five months.
But then I saw the really big issue with Kansas City.
So last year they went eleven in and oh in
one score games. Historic stuff. You don't see eleven and
zero in one score games. And the staff pointed out
to me this morning, Jay, it's not just eleven and
(10:10):
oh in one score.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
They couldn't blow out anybody. They had the.
Speaker 6 (10:13):
Worst point differential of a fifteen win team in NFL history.
But it gets better. Two teams in their division who
finished behind them, the Chargers in Broncos had a bigger
point differential than the Kansas City Chiefs. What's that telling
you that the Chiefs are unable to blow teams out anymore?
Because they don't have the horses. They're just not that good.
(10:35):
They do have, however, Mahomes and Reid arguably one of
the best quarterback coach combos after Belichick and Brady in
NFL history. That could only carry you so far. And
you guys, know, if you've gambled at all one score
games historically, flip year to year. Just a little tidbit,
the Denver Broncos went one in six in one score games.
(10:56):
So if the Broncos flipped that and are I don't
know four and three next year, three extra wins, they
might take the division. I think the Chargers are probably
gonna win that division this year. And what happens if
Kansas City goes from eleven to zero one score games
to I don't know four and seven. Oh now we're
wait a minute, now, we're looking at like an eight
(11:16):
or nine win team in Kansas City. And I'm not
saying they're in deep trouble, because obviously they're very good.
But if you look at the AFC, the worst teams
in the AFC are getting better. Tennessee is for sure
gonna get better with a rookie quarterback.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Cam Warton.
Speaker 6 (11:31):
The New England Patriots added Mike Vrabel, who's an excellent coach.
His record needs no introduction. They're gonna be much better
than New England Patriots. Coward loves them. He's starting to
commit to me that they're a playoff team. We know
the Raiders are going to be better with a real professional.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
Head coach in Pete Carroll, and I got a better
quarterback at Gino Smith.
Speaker 6 (11:48):
Here are the Chiefs opponents at home, little edge being
at Arrowhead. They have to face the Ravens, the Lions,
the Texans. Those are all playoff teams, the Colts who
were eight and nine, and the Eagles in come who
were playoff teams last year and met in the NFC Championship.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
That's a daunting schedule.
Speaker 6 (12:05):
Now on the road, they get a poo poo platter
of the Cowboys, Jags, Giants, like they should clean those up.
The Buffalo game obviously will be huge. Guys, I'm gonna
ask you, I'm gonna be real. You look at the
last three years, Kansas City has played ten playoff games.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
That's more than half another season. We see this in
the NBA all the time.
Speaker 6 (12:26):
When you make a run to the finals two three
years in a row, that following year.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
You're drained.
Speaker 6 (12:31):
The bodies are breaking down, the players are wearing down,
and it's very, very difficult to keep that sustainability going.
I'm making the call here. It's mid April, before the draft.
I don't think the Kansas City Chiefs are a playoff
team next year, and I don't think they're crater until
like a six to seven win team. But guys, nine
(12:53):
wins might not make the playoffs in the AFC. Nine
you're fine probably in the NFC, but nine in the AFC.
When you got the Patriots on the come up, Obviously
the Bills are going nowhere. We know the Ravens are good, Houston,
Texan CJ. Stroud, they'll win the division. I think the
Chargers win the division, and I think the Bengals, who
won nine games then still have you know, Joe Burrow
(13:15):
and Cowhurtz. Convince me the Patriots are a playoff team,
and I'll go Denver Broncos. Kansas City Chiefs missing the playoffs.
Go ahead, screen grab it, shave it, tag whoever you,
whoever the hell you want. I'm on record, April twenty
twenty five, Kansas City Chiefs no playoffs next season.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
So Alex, I decided to choose violence here early.
Speaker 5 (13:34):
On yew what I'm over here just shaking my head.
It's still the Kansas City Chiefs. There's still a dynasty. Yes,
they laid an egg in the Super Bowl, but it's
still Patrick Mahomes one of the greatest quarterbacks in our
game right now, and Andy Reid the best.
Speaker 4 (13:46):
Quarterback coach duo. It's fair what they have.
Speaker 5 (13:50):
The most experienced people still can't figure out a way
to beat them, especially in the postseason, unless you're the
Eagles and your defense just absolutely wins the championship.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
I just know that you're getting to the playoff disagreement.
Speaker 6 (14:01):
Okay, well, Maria ad Alex toss it on the fire
and not a log on the fire for when the
Chiefs fail.
Speaker 3 (14:07):
This upcoming next coming up next year on the show.
Speaker 6 (14:11):
So we know the Lakers are gonna probably win tonight
against Houston or Portland.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
They're gonna get the three seed. Who would you rather face?
The Warriors are the Clippers.
Speaker 6 (14:21):
This is not easy because one of those teams is
super hot, the other has Steph Curry.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
That's next year on The Herd.
Speaker 10 (14:26):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and Noone Eastern non a em Pacific on Fox Sports
Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 6 (14:35):
Yeah, you see that at the bottom of the screen.
How John moranp is impacting his NBA future. That's gonna
be a tough topic to talk about top of next hour. Yeah,
not a huge fan on what's going on with John Morant.
But let's let's go to the Lakers because we haven't
talked about them yet today fifteen minutes into the show,
and it just been such a banner week for the Lakers.
Banner month, banner, two months. It's as good of a
(14:56):
time to be a Lakers fan as ever. That being said,
there's two games left in the regular season pretty much
for everybody in the league and the Lakers.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
Based on you know, all the numbers that people.
Speaker 6 (15:09):
Have crunched and looked at the schedules and win probabilities,
it looks like the Lakers will open the playoffs against
either the Warriors or the Clippers. Now, you know, for
the longest time, I've called the Clippers the paper clips.
It's a terrible franchise who can never get their act together.
And yet when I asked our staff today, hey, we
(15:33):
got some Lakers fans and you who would you guys
rather face in the playoffs?
Speaker 3 (15:37):
The Clippers are the Warriors.
Speaker 6 (15:38):
Almost universally, everybody said the Warriors, and I was like,
what are you all crazy?
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Now?
Speaker 6 (15:45):
To be fair, the paper clips have been cooking of late.
They're one of the hotter teams in the league. But
you wouldn't have noticed because Lakers, Luca Nuggets implosion.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Here come the Warriors. The Rockets are quietly one of
the hotter teams in the league.
Speaker 6 (15:59):
Like the NBA, it's been a little wacky lately, so
people haven't noticed that the Clippers have been on fire. Yes,
that is Kawhi Leonard streaking down the court, healthy and
scoring and dunking. There's James Harden with the cross heasy
snatch plow like.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
James Harden is playing great.
Speaker 6 (16:16):
And I absolutely would rather if I'm the Lakers, face
those guys, James Harden, that choke artist. I would much
rather face him and Kawhi than anywhere near the Warriors.
Let me lay out the case for you, but I'm
gonna start here. I have to be nice to these guys.
Charles Markley won on Everybody's Favorite Show last night and
(16:38):
said that the second best team in the West.
Speaker 11 (16:42):
Is the Clippers might be the second best team in
the West. I don't think that's crazy, though. I'm when healthy,
when healthy, but they're healthy. Hey, Kawhi Leonard's amazing to me. Man,
I've never seen a guy never dude, never plays basketball.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Never and comes back like he played playing somewhere else.
Speaker 6 (17:10):
Just can't give Lebron and Luke at the credit, right,
He's just upset that the Lakers are great. The Lakers
undeniably the second best team in the West. Anything else
is just hot takey for the sake of being hot takeee. Okay, yes,
I'll give the Clippers a little more. Do Zubots and
there's some I don't really know how to pronounce his name.
He has been a revelation for the Clippers.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
I know he's been good in the last few years.
And he used to be a Laker, which kind of hurts.
But he's there's like a case for him to be
Defensive Player of the Year. He has been excellent.
Speaker 6 (17:38):
The Lakers don't match up great with him, and he
did I think had thirty four and sixteen against them
in a recent meeting. Others in Zubots occasionally, Kawhi, I'm
not really worried about anybody on the Clippers.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
That's the thing.
Speaker 6 (17:51):
Does James Harden scare you in the least? Guys, this
may surprise you, but when the lights are brightest and
James Harden's facing the Lakers this season, his splits. His
point per game average is the worst in the league
against the Lakers, fourteen point eight points per game. He's
destroying a lot of other teams, and then against the
Lakers he's just gagging. In the two meetings since the
(18:13):
Lakers got Luca. You love this, James Harden four for
fourteen shooting. James Harden five for twenty two shooting in
four games against the Lakers this year, and some of
those numbers are skewed because the Lakers at eighty James
Harden is shooting twenty six percent from the field and
twenty one percent for three. It's a tiny sample size,
I get it. But we've seen postseason after postseason James Harden.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
It just doesn't happen. He's not built for it.
Speaker 6 (18:39):
He's ready to go spend his summer in the strip
club throwing up money like it's just it's not happening.
James Harden in the playoffs, he falls apart. Now you
look at the Warriors on the other side of the coin.
I don't want to see Steph.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Curry if I'm the Lakers.
Speaker 6 (18:54):
If anybody Kawhi, Harden or Curry scares me most, it's Curry.
He's likely to go for forty or fifty, and it's like,
oh gosh, what are we gonna do. Golden State's small
ball matches the Lakers small ball and in that meeting
last week, and I don't you never want to go
too overboard on one game, but it was eight days
ago and Golden State's small ball game killed the Lakers. Draymond,
(19:18):
Jimmy Butler. I mean, Podzemski had a career game. He
won't do that again. But Jimmy Butler's a proven playoff pro.
James Harden, proven playoff flop. Jimmy Butler took the Heat.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
To two championships.
Speaker 6 (19:31):
Guys, Okay, I don't want to see Steph Curry Jimmy
Butler combo at its best.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
Now.
Speaker 6 (19:37):
There is a story out there that the Warriors are
looking worn down because they play a lot.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
Of small ball.
Speaker 6 (19:44):
And if you think back when they would go to
the death lineup with Draymond at center, and they would
like have Igodala play Curry and I don't remember.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Who the fifth guy was, but they would go small ball.
Speaker 6 (19:55):
But they would only use that in emergency situations. Fourth
quarter of a close game, down fifteen, we need a spark.
It wasn't like we'll go small all game. And now
they're trying to go small all game and they're they're
looking a little worn down.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
Like Draymond great.
Speaker 6 (20:09):
Defender, but can he play thirty eight minutes of center
for six games against whatever team you want? And that's
a little that's asking a little bit too much of him.
So the Warriors, I know, they have flaws, and the
Clippers obviously have flaws aka James Harden, But like, I
don't know, am I really that worried about Norm Powell, who,
by the way, is being great for the Clippers, having
(20:29):
a great year. And frankly, let's be real, Kawhi Leonard,
do you know if he's showing up next week or not.
You have to be honest with yourself, guys. I can't
look myself in the mirror if I say Kawhi is
gonna be there. Clippers are a major threat. I don't know,
nobody knows of Kawhi.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Like, is he gonna show up? Is he gonna be hurt?
It's so weird.
Speaker 6 (20:49):
In the postseason he'll be like, oh, he's got to
injured knees, only going to be like twenty minutes, and
then he's like.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
Out for the season.
Speaker 6 (20:54):
It's just it's wacky. So if I'm the Lakers, give
me the Clippers. I want no part of the Golden
State Wars. Let's go to Alex Furry with the news.
Speaker 5 (21:06):
This is the headline news shots fired today.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
James am I going off on you are, but.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
I like it. It's spicy. It's a spicy Friday.
Speaker 5 (21:14):
I don't think either is going to be a cakewalk,
Like they're both going to be tough matchups whoever the
Lakers face. But as you said, I the Clipper's achilles
heel has been their health. If they stay healthy, very dangerous.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
You don't want to face out, but that's going to
be it. It's can they stay healthy?
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Betty Simmons is come at the bench? Did you forget?
I forgot about that until this morning.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
They got a deep bench.
Speaker 5 (21:34):
All right, Well, let's start with Bill Belichick in North
Carolina because they got spring practices started.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
And it's still.
Speaker 5 (21:40):
Wild to think that Belichick is coaching a college team.
But watch him give some instructions to one of his quarterbacks, Dame.
Speaker 12 (21:48):
Think then we hit then we hit aut in cut,
and then we hit a That's how you move the
ball down the field.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
You've got to hit some of those plays. We were
still thirty.
Speaker 4 (22:00):
Sorry to left on the clock.
Speaker 9 (22:02):
All right, nice job.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
This is a new attitude Bill like that.
Speaker 5 (22:08):
It's a completely different energy and vibe than we got.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
And we saw with him in the NFL.
Speaker 5 (22:15):
And you have to remember, Bill's on a very short
list of one of the greatest coaches of all time
in the NFL, and now he's bringing that knowledge to
these young men in college.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
It's insane.
Speaker 5 (22:28):
They are so lucky to have a brain and a
mind like Bill leading this team.
Speaker 4 (22:35):
But he just seems happy.
Speaker 6 (22:37):
It's just different match the Carolina Blue I'm just noticing
it now.
Speaker 4 (22:41):
I did not, but we are twinsy.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
Well, listen, this is what.
Speaker 6 (22:44):
Happens when you date a woman forty five years younger
than you. You feel younger, you're spry, you've got more energy, right,
whatever it takes. But listen Belichick, and some of this
is probably for TV, right, Alex, aren't they doing some
kind of TV series?
Speaker 3 (22:57):
I'm sure.
Speaker 5 (22:58):
I'm sure he's going to be mixed up the whole time.
The fact that Bill's coaching in college, this is all
going to be documented and especially in the media age
that we're in now, like it's just going to happen.
So he's I think he We saw a switch once
he left the NFL and he started doing some media.
It was a different Bill we had never seen before, right,
because all we saw were the press conferences and it
(23:19):
was like serious, angry, gruff nothing. And then after I
was like, oh, you're kind of a funny guy and
you're really smart and like obviously one of the greatest
of all time to do what you do.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
So it's it's really cool to see this.
Speaker 5 (23:35):
This side of Bill. It's just going to be interesting.
What do you think Caroline is ceiling?
Speaker 3 (23:39):
Well, that's the thing.
Speaker 6 (23:40):
I'm looking at their schedules, So TCU to open, I mean,
I won't be easy, but it's at home Charlotte Richmond UCF.
Speaker 3 (23:48):
Yeah, I mean, assuming Belichick knows what he's doing.
Speaker 6 (23:51):
Yeah, you know, they do have Clemson they got to
come out here to Calum berserkly.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
But this schedule is very manageable, like Staffords rebuilding. Duke's
not great. Wake Listen, I can't be too hot takey.
Speaker 6 (24:03):
And say they're gonna make the playoff because I need
to see.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
I don't know what kind of talent they had.
Speaker 4 (24:07):
I mean, but it's Bill.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
It's Bill.
Speaker 4 (24:08):
We have like the best of the best leading you.
Speaker 6 (24:11):
Okay, it was Bill, and they had Cam Newton and
they couldn't get to the playoffs, and then they had.
Speaker 7 (24:17):
NFL.
Speaker 6 (24:18):
They got to the playoffs and got smacked and then
couldn't turn it around.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
I would bet on Belichick I would to do some things.
Speaker 5 (24:25):
I would too. I'm excited for him. It looks looks fun. Okay,
let's move to the NFL. The Panthers ended the season
on a high note, and for the first time since
twenty nineteen, Carolina will have the same starting quarterback, head coach,
and general manager in back to back seasons, and Bryce
Young talked about how important that is.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
He said, it's a privilege for sure.
Speaker 5 (24:45):
Obviously, the same staff and so much on the offensive
side is staying the same.
Speaker 4 (24:50):
So just for us to continue to build and grow.
Speaker 5 (24:52):
It's something that we really look forward to, but we
also know that there's work to be done, and just
knowing that the work is necessary to put in where
it's about that part too, just to grow and build,
it's encouraging. I wouldn't want this to be with any
other group. So we're excited for this year. It's just
crazy to think about. It's the first time they've had
the same head coach, quarterback, and general manager, like since
(25:16):
BC before COVID, Like that is wild to think about.
And again, like they didn't have a great season last year.
They went five and twelve, but those five wins came
towards the end of the season, and I remember the
season before they were the worst team in the league.
So there's there's been a little bit of improvement we
(25:36):
saw towards the end of the year last year, and
it's just something that you you hope now with the
consistency and having the same.
Speaker 4 (25:44):
Group back for those times.
Speaker 6 (25:47):
Last morning, bench I feel like they told him it
says since returning as a starter, So.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
I'm I think he was benched last season at some point.
Speaker 6 (25:55):
Yeah, he just he hasn't been great, But I'll say this,
I expected him to go out and like, hey, let's
spend some money in free agency, get some dudes.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
They didn't really do anything. Their top three.
Speaker 6 (26:06):
Receivers are Adam Thielen Legette and Cocher, the two young guys.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
Okay, like they're tight ends. He needs some guys, he
needs some skill position to you do.
Speaker 5 (26:16):
I mean, when you look at the division they're in
NFC South Bucks have won the last couple of years.
Falcons they're on the rise. I like Falcons with Pennox Junior,
and then you have Panthers and Saints, so it's it's
an easy third finish if you can kind of figure
it out. But I don't know, I don't know if
(26:36):
you're in a pass with Falcons.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
Young was bench for Andy Dalton last season. Yeah, yeah,
that's right.
Speaker 6 (26:41):
Remember they were like there was also some fourth downs
and they were gonna try to push push with him,
and they were like he's too small.
Speaker 4 (26:46):
He can't do no, no, you can't take that.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
Not great. I mean, listen, I'm rooting for Brice Young.
Seems like a nice guy.
Speaker 6 (26:51):
Yeah, it's just a tough uphill climb there, it is.
Speaker 5 (26:54):
But again, first time they've had consistency since twenty nineteen.
Good point, which is insane. Okay, let's end in Cleveland.
The Browns are bringing back a familiar face back into
the quarterback room. Joe Flacco is signing with the Browns
on a one year, four million dollar contract. Flaco one
comeback player of the Year with the Browns in twenty
twenty three and started the last playoff game the organization
(27:16):
played it, so they're running it back with popa Flacco,
and this move I think just solidifies the fact that
they're not drafting a quarterback with the second overall pick,
which kind of feels like they're leaning towards Travis Hunter.
But that quarterback room is now Deshaun Watson, who's coming
back from injury, Kenny Pickett, they traded for him from Philly,
(27:40):
and then they just signed Joe Flacco, son.
Speaker 4 (27:45):
Of None of those names sound wowie.
Speaker 5 (27:48):
And like a franchise guy, because we already heard ownership
say that we messed up and we made a mistake
on Deshaun Watson, so you already have that going in there,
and obviously he's coming off a couple different lower body injuries.
Haven't seen the prove it yet from Kenny Pickett. But
there were a lot of people who believed in him.
(28:08):
And does Flaco still have it? He's another couple of
years older from when they brought him back off the couch,
because he literally came off the couch. He said he
was at home, like watching games when he got the
call from the Browns and ended up winning Comeback Player
of the Year. But like if he still got it,
he still got it.
Speaker 6 (28:22):
So Cleveland had signed Miles Garrett. He has to be traded, yes,
and he basically the media was asking him, what's the
good quarterback? And he's like, I know what we're doing.
Speaker 5 (28:31):
So was that Flacco the whole time couldn't have been flat?
Is that what they're talking about? Or were they taking
someone else later in the draft that they believe in.
Speaker 6 (28:39):
The speculation in Cleveland was, oh, Kirk Cousin, They're gonna go.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
Get Kirk Cousins the draft of quarterback. But it's like,
Kirk Cousins ain't coming now, is he no picket?
Speaker 4 (28:48):
I don't think so. I don't think so.
Speaker 5 (28:50):
After Flacco and Flacka's way cheaper. Yeah, then Kirk Cousins
is going to be I.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
Don't even know.
Speaker 6 (28:56):
I Kirk Cousins is that much better than Flacco at
this stage, like we're.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
Just talking about it.
Speaker 5 (29:00):
He's also he's coming off the Achilles injury and also
when he came back last season, got injured again, so
we didn't fully see Yeah, we didn't see like a
healthy Kirk Cousins last year.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
So I don't know.
Speaker 5 (29:11):
It's an interesting move not I don't think what everyone
was expecting.
Speaker 6 (29:16):
A tough hed Alex Curry with the news.
Speaker 10 (29:21):
Well, that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the
Heard Line News.
Speaker 9 (29:26):
All right.
Speaker 6 (29:26):
Coming up next year on The Herd, there's one team
in these NBA playoffs that are starting next week.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
Nobody's talking about it. We'll talk about them next.
Speaker 10 (29:34):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon eastern non am Pacific.
Speaker 12 (29:39):
Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David and together we're
Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 13 (29:44):
You could catch us weekdays from five to seven pm
Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and
of course the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 12 (29:51):
Why should you listen to Cavino and Rich.
Speaker 13 (29:53):
We talk about everything, life, sports, relationships, what's going on
in the world.
Speaker 12 (29:58):
We have a lot of fun talking about the stories
behind them, stories in the world of sports and pop culture,
stories that well, other shows don't seem to have the
time to discuss.
Speaker 13 (30:06):
And the fact that we've been friends for the last
twenty years and still work together. I mean that says something.
Speaker 12 (30:10):
Right, So check us out. We like to get you
involved too, take your phone calls, chop it up. As
they say, I'd say, the most interactive show on Fox
Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive show on planetar. Be
sure to check out Cavino and Rich live on Fox
Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app from five to seven
pm Eastern two to four Pacific, And if you miss
any of the live show, just search Covino on Rich
(30:30):
wherever you get your podcasts, and of course on social media.
That's Covino and Rich.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
On The Herd.
Speaker 6 (30:36):
A special guest joining us, first timerer on the show,
covers the Rockets.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
This is kind of Rockets week on the Herd.
Speaker 6 (30:44):
We had Ryan Hollins on and now Vanessa Richardson covers
the Houston Rockets.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
Knows them as well as anybody, and.
Speaker 6 (30:50):
Listen, Lakers fans, No, we're playing Houston in the second round.
We're already past the Clippers or the Warriors. This Lakers
Rocketski series should be big. But we'll start with Houston,
which has been Vanessa one of better stories around the
league this season.
Speaker 14 (31:03):
It has, and I think if you ask the guys,
they're not surprised that they're having this level of success,
but it has been I think a wake up call
for the league that this young team is clicking the
way that they're clicking, that the veterans have made the
impact that they've made, and that Im Doka is doing
something similar to what he did in Boston.
Speaker 7 (31:21):
He's turning things around very quickly.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
It's been really exciting, has been amazing. Were you at
the game where he got into it with Curry a
little bit?
Speaker 6 (31:29):
It was I walked off, so were you close enough
to hear what was being said?
Speaker 14 (31:32):
You know, I cannot confirm or deny if I heard
him get into it with with Steph or Lebron James.
Speaker 7 (31:39):
Last year that was a thing too.
Speaker 14 (31:43):
But no, I mean this, that's the identity of this
Houston team right like they're not afraid of anybody. They're
not afraid you know, of any specific player, of any superstar.
And the funny thing about em is he won't even
call people like these superstars by their nicknames, like he
calls them by their last lap last name when I
interview him. So it's not Lebron, it's James, and it's
not Giannis.
Speaker 7 (32:03):
It's a tintakupo.
Speaker 14 (32:04):
So I think that no friends on the floor thing
is a real thing for the Rockets.
Speaker 6 (32:09):
No friends on the friends on the floor, that's his
like mantra, yep, that's good. Now listen and as you
can see, yeah, yeah, now listen. I know obviously you
cover the team, you're close with this Dylan Brooks stuff.
He doesn't seem to like anyone, and I get it.
He's kind of, you know, the tough guy, enforcer, tough
to he's a great defender, right, But do you think
(32:30):
sometimes that that can go too far and get he
gets in his own head getting in these one on
one battles with some players.
Speaker 14 (32:36):
I don't think it goes too far at all. I
think it's a motivator for the team. And he's been
the defensive head of the Snake as far as influencing
also tari Esan and a Men Thompson, and this Rockets
team is known for their defense, and I think that's
what makes it fun, right, Like they're old school Everybody
when they complain about the NBA, they say that the
NBA people just chuck up threes and they play offense
(32:57):
and no defense, and you know they're playing a you
ball Like the Rockets are the opposite of that. And
Dylan Brooks is a huge part of that. And so
I love what Dylan has done. And I'm going to
shock everybody when I say this. He's like a total
sweetheart off that sport. He's actually a really nice guy.
The villain thing truly is an on court persona. He's
told me that, he said it on camera and interviews,
(33:18):
So he's.
Speaker 7 (33:19):
A great guy.
Speaker 14 (33:19):
But that's an important part of the identity of this
Rockets team.
Speaker 7 (33:22):
Is Dylan Brooks.
Speaker 6 (33:23):
Interesting because Amen Thomson is a phenomenal defender. I don't know,
like do they have too many good players in that
Like in crunch time you need your five core guys.
The Lakers don't have eight great guys like the Rockets
have a much deeper team.
Speaker 3 (33:38):
How do they decide how to is it matchup reliant?
Speaker 6 (33:41):
Like what do you think they do down the stretch
because some of these guys may not end up playing
segoon is great, but is he going to be on
the court all the time?
Speaker 14 (33:46):
Again, say the Lakers, it's it's definitely match up reliant,
and it's also sometimes who's playing the hardest. Like Emay
will say that he's going to make sure that the
guys that are playing the hardest are playing at the
end of the game. So I think that it's a
rank that they're so deep. I don't mind the fact
that their team model. Let me tell you what their
team motto has been this year. Sometimes you sometimes meet
(34:07):
always us and they're okay with that. There are not
a lot of NBA players that would be okay with
a night where they only score seven or eight points
but their teammate absolutely goes off. I think the fact
that they're selfless and the fact that on any given
night it can be a different guy. I don't see
that as a disadvantage. I think it could be an
advantage in the playoffs.
Speaker 6 (34:26):
So if you look at the West at large, there
are some of those teams where like John Morant doesn't
get his he's.
Speaker 3 (34:31):
Gonna be upset, right.
Speaker 6 (34:33):
I am just curious, like, do you think the Rockets
storyline has been underplayed because of the Nuggets fired their coach,
the Grizzlies fired their coach, the Luca trade. They're almost
flying under the radar. Is it possible for a team
with what fifty something ond wins?
Speaker 14 (34:46):
They are flying under the radar, But they like that.
They're fine with not getting a ton of press, not
getting a ton of attention.
Speaker 7 (34:52):
And you know who's been a big part of that
has been Fred van Vliet.
Speaker 14 (34:55):
Fred has told the guys, you don't want all the
TV appearances, all the art goals, all the press releases, like,
we're fine flying underneath the radar and then surprising people.
Speaker 7 (35:05):
And I think that's what they've done.
Speaker 14 (35:07):
So it's not a team and it's not This isn't
a knock on like other teams or other superstars, but
this is not a team that needs all the attention,
wants all of the accolades. Like they're fine surprising people,
and I think that that's what they've done. They're not
surprised with their success, but they're fine with the fact
that that they are flying underneath the radar.
Speaker 3 (35:26):
So most teams have a clear leader.
Speaker 6 (35:29):
If you write, you know, we saw yo kids drawing
up plays in the huddle after they fire him alone. Yeah,
you know, Luca Lebron obviously, I look at this Houston team,
is Van Vliet the leader?
Speaker 3 (35:37):
Because I've had some hot takes on him.
Speaker 6 (35:39):
I like him, I said, I would prefer him to
like Kyrie Irving because Kyrie's about Kyrie.
Speaker 7 (35:43):
Fred van Vliet, it's about the team, It's about the team.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
Yeah, would you say he's the leader, like in the huddle.
Speaker 14 (35:49):
Who's Fred's and extension of the coaching staff. So I
would definitely call Fred the leader and one of the
leaders of the team. But they did a really good
job of bringing in veterans. Dylan Brooks is a leader.
Dylan Brooks leads by example and you're smiling, but but
he is truly he is absolutely a leader people a
lot of people like Jeff Green has been a huge influence.
(36:12):
Uncle Jeff has been huge for you know, Tari Jabari,
some of the younger guys.
Speaker 7 (36:16):
So I would definitely call Fred the leader.
Speaker 14 (36:19):
And he calms things down too, and so he's been
I mean his leadership, the role that the veterans have
played for the young guys. And the other part of
it though, is that the young guys have been receptive
to it and not all young guys are receptive to
that veteran leadership. But this team has been really open
minded and accepting the coaching style of Emay and buying
(36:39):
in which has been huge.
Speaker 3 (36:40):
It's interesting. You know, Steve, you didn't mention Steven Adams.
Speaker 7 (36:43):
I love Steven.
Speaker 6 (36:44):
So there was a funny video you posted on your
Instagram with Steven Adams grabbing some kind of sign.
Speaker 4 (36:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 14 (36:51):
So the Clippers have the fan wall into a dome,
very high school college students type concept. But they had
a sign of Dylan and one of Dylan's outfits actually
that he wore when he and Steven were both in Memphis,
a reference to the player haters ball shout out to
the Chappelle.
Speaker 4 (37:11):
Yes, oh, and so he.
Speaker 7 (37:13):
Had that sign and yeah, Stephen just took it and
rolled out with it. I mean, that's Steven.
Speaker 6 (37:20):
You know, Like, this is an interesting team because in
Texas you've had obviously, you know, Luca and the Masters
are very good. You've had the San Antonio Spurs have
had their runs. Houston seems like they're the best team
in Texas right now. And I don't know that it's close.
A lot of people thought Webbin Yama and the Spurs,
they would make the lead, they got the arm Fox.
It didn't quite work out Wemby obviously with the blood clots.
(37:40):
Do you think there's any pressure at Houston or is
there the whole they're playing with house money.
Speaker 3 (37:44):
They're fine.
Speaker 14 (37:45):
I think that they have very high standards for themselves
and I do think they're the best team in Texas
and it's not close. I think things eventually could click
for Wimby, you know in San Antonio, and I.
Speaker 7 (37:57):
Do feel awful for Maverick Stands.
Speaker 14 (38:00):
But at the same time, Rockets are in their division,
so you know, you don't, I don't hate what's going
on there. Yeah, I think the Rockets are the best
team in Texas and it's not close. And the thing
is they're only getting better, right, Like the young core
is only clicking more a men, Thompson is only becoming
a better defender. And you know, here the Rockets are
the number two seed. So it's been incredible to see
(38:23):
and I do think they're the best team.
Speaker 6 (38:24):
Is it weird slash annoying when you're covering the team
your fifty wins and you see maybe this show maybe others.
Speaker 3 (38:32):
Hey, Kevin Durant can save the Rockets sext. You're like,
wait a minute, wit can we at least see them
in the playoffs first?
Speaker 6 (38:37):
Because there is this idea that they don't have like
an alpha in the half court, like covering the team
being around them.
Speaker 3 (38:43):
They're not even thinking about that stuff.
Speaker 7 (38:45):
No, No, they're so young.
Speaker 14 (38:46):
They all believe in themselves and they all believe in
each other. And I look, I've been in NFL locker rooms,
MLB locker rooms, as have you. Anybody in this industry
has the chemistry and synergy that this team has. And
the fact that, again they're selfless, They're okay if they
only score five, ten points if their teammate goes off,
(39:06):
and that's not common in the NBA. So this team
has a lot of belief in themselves and in each other,
and they do really love each other.
Speaker 6 (39:14):
Last one on the Rockets. So Shengon is sometimes I
don't think it's fair. But compared to Jokic, cause he's
a little smaller and very skilled, is that putting too
much pressure on the young guy? What is he like,
twenty two years old?
Speaker 14 (39:27):
Yeah, he's in his fourth year. I think it's a
very flattering comparison. But what I like about Shngoon is
you know that's the typical idol becomes rival. You know,
when they play each other, it's been a great matchup
every time. I love what we've seen from Shngoon and
so look, I mean the corny and cliche thing would be,
I don't want him to be the next like Jokic.
(39:48):
I want him to be the first outbra in Shangoon.
But that is somebody that Albron has looked up to
and he's been very open about that. So anytime these
guys get compared to their idols and then they start
playing them and they're defending them, well, it's very similar
like a men Thompson and Lebron James. Like Lebron James
was a men's idol growing up, and a men held
Steph Curry three points on Sunday.
Speaker 7 (40:09):
So it is cool to watch.
Speaker 14 (40:11):
The young guys play their idols and not get intimidated
by them.
Speaker 6 (40:15):
On the gambling front, the Rockets are not even a
top five get to the NBA finals in the West. Right,
would you be shocked if the Rockets made the NBA Finals.
Speaker 7 (40:24):
I would not be shocked at all.
Speaker 14 (40:25):
They have beat the best teams in the league, with
authority repeatedly.
Speaker 7 (40:31):
They're winning in different ways.
Speaker 14 (40:32):
So they're playing in those games where they have to
win down the stretch, they're playing in blowouts, they're playing
in games where they have to come from behind. I
think there's a lot of value in that. So I
wouldn't be shocked. I think the rest of the league
might be, but I would not be surprised.
Speaker 6 (40:47):
The interesting thing is they actually match up pretty well
with the Lakers, for sure, with Thompson and Brooks. For
Luca and Lebron and Shengun would be a problem. Lakers
fans now are like ja Max settled down with five
have to prove does have a title in Toronto, took
down the Warriors.
Speaker 7 (41:04):
So does Jeff Green. Jeff Tuck to Jeff Green, Jeff getting,
I know you to give them their respect.
Speaker 3 (41:09):
Uncle Jeff Dennifer could probably use him right now. Right
by the way, were you surprised at the Malone firing?
I heard that.
Speaker 14 (41:17):
The way that the way that the league is now,
I'm not surprised. But yeah, the fact that he won
a championship two years ago, like with Taylor Jenkins, not
that he won a championship, but it's just so close
to the playoffs.
Speaker 7 (41:28):
Yeah, I'm not.
Speaker 14 (41:29):
I'm not surprised when somebody gets fired now, but the
timing is definitely interesting.
Speaker 6 (41:33):
All right, Vanessa richardson covering the Rockets. You host a
weekly show, Rockets All Access. Could be a long postseason
for you. No, no, Early, ken Kon.
Speaker 7 (41:44):
I know this, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
It's going to be exciting. Don't sleep on the Rockets
great stuff.
Speaker 6 (41:49):
Coming up next is John Morant trying to get himself
shipped out of Memphis.
Speaker 3 (41:53):
What the hell is with this new grenade celebration
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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