Best of The Herd

Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Best of The Herd (May 19, 2025)

The Herd with Colin Cowherd offers listeners a comprehensive and engaging overview of pivotal sports narratives, blending expert analysis with Colin's signature opinions. This episode, titled "Best of The Herd," delves into significant discussions surrounding NFL quarterback contracts, the rising rivalry in the WNBA, strategic shifts in NBA roster constructions, and reflections on Colin's previous predictions. Below is a detailed summary capturing all key points, discussions, insights, and conclusions from the episode.

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1. NFL Quarterback Contracts and Team Dynamics

Colin opens the episode by scrutinizing the San Francisco 49ers' recent decision to guarantee quarterback Brock Purdy a substantial $265 million contract, averaging approximately $53 million per year.

Colin Cowherd [29:24]: "So I think Brock Purdy tends to be closer in talent to a Baker Mayfield 35 million a year than Josh Allen 55 million a year."

Colin expresses reservations about the valuation, comparing Purdy's perceived talent to that of other quarterbacks like Baker Mayfield and Josh Allen. He emphasizes the potential financial strain such hefty contracts can place on a team's salary cap, possibly overshadowing other pivotal team roles.

He further discusses other quarterbacks, highlighting his earlier skepticism about contracts offered to Trevor Lawrence, Dak Prescott, and Tua Tagovailoa, all of which he felt were overinflated at the time.

Colin Cowherd [30:03]: "I think Trevor Lawrence is overpaid. I said it at the Time, I think Dak, Prescott and Tua, I didn't like those contracts. I was right on both."

2. WNBA Rivalry: Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese

A significant portion of the episode focuses on the intensifying rivalry in the WNBA between stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Colin discusses a contentious game where a foul involving Caitlin Clark was controversially escalated to a flagrant foul, sparking debates about officiating standards and the competitive nature of women's basketball.

Colin Cowherd [22:50]: "I really think if you truly respect women's basketball, let them play. Sort of like guys..."

He argues that rivalries enhance the sport's appeal and viewership, drawing parallels to historic NBA rivalries that fueled fan engagement and media coverage. Colin emphasizes the importance of allowing physicality in the game, asserting that animosity and intensity are intrinsic to competitive sports.

Colin Cowherd [45:58]: "It's just sports. It's just sports."

Caitlin Clark's rise as a marquee player is highlighted, positioning her as a transformative figure for the WNBA, much like iconic athletes in other major leagues.

Colin Cowherd [30:46]: "She is Taylor Swift meets Tiger Woods. We said this last year the league just didn't quite know what it had."

3. NBA Final Four and Roster Construction Shifts

Colin provides an in-depth analysis of the NBA's Final Four teams, all of which are notably led by point guards—a unique trend in the league's history. He attributes this to changes in roster construction influenced by the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which discourages stacking teams with multiple superstars.

Colin Cowherd [13:44]: "So the Point guards who can score, Halle can score, Brunson can score, SGA can score, Ant can score. But it's the guards that not only can finish. And Brunson's become an A plus finisher, but can elevate others, elevate role players."

He discusses how teams are now focusing on versatile point guards with high emotional and intelligence quotients (EQ/IQ), capable of both scoring and facilitating, thereby fostering a more balanced and strategically flexible roster.

Adam Silver's role in promoting physicality and competitiveness in the NBA is also examined, noting its impact on game dynamics such as shooting percentages and overall pace.

Colin Cowherd [23:45]: "Adam Silver took over for David Stern. … He wants more physical basketball. What does physical basketball do? ... It's the lowest field goal percentage in like six NBA seasons."

4. Reflections on Predictions: Where Colin Was Right and Wrong

Colin takes a reflective turn, assessing the accuracy of his previous predictions across various sports domains.

• Brock Purdy's Contract: While Colin initially opposed the hefty contract, he acknowledges the 49ers' commitment but remains skeptical about its long-term value.

  Colin Cowherd [29:24]: "I would not have paid Brock Purdy in the 50 millions, but the Niners did."

• WNBA and Caitlin Clark: Colin reaffirms his earlier belief in Caitlin Clark's impact on the WNBA, noting her significant contribution to the league's popularity.

  Colin Cowherd [30:46]: "Caitlin Clark is so ... she's a once in a generation … talent and revenue stream."

• NBA Finals Predictions: He admits misjudging the Denver Nuggets versus Oklahoma City Thunder series, attributing the oversight to underestimating player performance and team depth.

  Colin Cowherd [31:26]: "I thought the Thunder would win the series based on depth and levers their coach could pull … I was wrong on that series."

• New England Patriots: Colin's prediction regarding the Patriots' performance improvements, bolstered by coaching and roster enhancements, proved accurate.

  Colin Cowherd [32:43]: "I said back in March they are the number one bet on my board to double their wins … they were favored in 11 of their 17 games."

• Tyrese Haliburton's Future: He praises Tyrese Haliburton as a pivotal figure in the NBA's evolving structure, predicting a significant role for him in shaping future team dynamics.

  Colin Cowherd [32:04]: "Tyrese Haliburton ... some of it's just petty … when you watch him play, you're seeing the future of the NBA."

5. Guest Insights: Jeff Schwartz on Quarterback Development

Bringing in external expertise, Jeff Schwartz, a former NFL player, discusses the importance of veteran mentorship in quarterback development. He critiques the Chicago Bears' lack of veteran presence to support Caleb Williams, highlighting how this deficiency contributed to the team's dysfunction.

Jeff Schwartz [36:19]: "That's how you learn watching film from veterans from guys have done it before."

Schwartz emphasizes the critical role of experienced players in guiding young quarterbacks, suggesting that the absence of such mentorship can hinder a player's growth and the team's overall performance.

6. Final Thoughts and Future Outlook

Colin concludes the episode by reiterating the importance of adaptability in sports strategies, whether it's in football, basketball, or women's leagues. He underscores the evolving nature of sports administration, player contracts, and league policies, advocating for a balanced approach that fosters both competitiveness and team cohesion.

Colin Cowherd [48:31]: "It's just sports. It's just sports."

He emphasizes that while intense rivalries and high-stakes contracts are integral to the modern sports landscape, maintaining the essence and integrity of the games remains paramount.

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This episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd serves as a thorough analysis of contemporary sports issues, offering listeners valuable insights into the financial, strategic, and cultural shifts shaping the future of major leagues. Whether you're a seasoned sports enthusiast or a casual follower, Colin's articulate discussions and reflective assessments provide a nuanced understanding of the dynamic world of sports.

Transcript

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Looking.

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio.

It is a Monday live in Chicago. It's the Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, thanks for making us part of your day. One hour from now Where Colin was right Where Colin was wrong we have a an emerging heated rivalry in the wnba. Brock Purdy got played. We have four NBA final teams, final four teams all led by point guards, which is unique. Not centers, not wings. But J Mac, I know you love Brock Purdy, so you're going to ride his his coattails a little today. That's fine with me.

[J. Mac]

I had to text you about the Brock Purdy deal over the weekend. Very excited. I'm officially taking Niners to the Super Bowl. Colin Niners, Bills.

[Colin Cowherd]

Lock it up. All right. Well, all right. Good luck with that. So Brock Purdy got 265, 100 million guaranteed. He basically 53 million a year, which is the area I worried about. Listen, I, I am willing to pay quarterbacks 50 to $55 million a year that lead their teams or that are the offense, not that quarterbacks that comply with it. Lamar Jackson with a great organization and a great coach, he gets hurt. Baltimore can't score. Tom Brady with Belichick, he leaves, they fall off a cliff. Jimmy Garoppolo got this roster to the Super Bowl. So my take is I like quarterbacks who initiate advantage, not benefit mostly from it. And I'm not saying he's a smart kid that doesn't move well. But it's like movie directors and movie stars in Hollywood. Spielberg and Cruise are filling the theater. Many people benefit being in their movies and some with a lot of talent. But again, Hollywood has a bit of a salary cap. Like there are budgets for movies and there are budgets for teams. So I think Brock Purdy tends to be closer in talent to a Baker Mayfield 35 million a year then Josh Allen 55 million a year. And I'm not saying Brock is the only quarterback I think is overpaid. It does appear that Trevor Lawrence is overpaid. I said it at the Time, I think Dak, Prescott and Tua, I didn't like those contracts. I was right on both. But you know, the critics say, well, Justin Herbert hasn't won a playoff game either, but I think most people in the league know he can deal. So here's what the contract tells me. It tells me that Kyle Shanahan has all the and Kyle Shanahan's looking at that contract and he's looking at a guy who's smart, coachable, moves well. They don't play in crappy weather where Brock Purdy's not been the same guy as he has been in more temperate weather. And he's good with it. But we all know the more you pay Tua and Dak, the less they have around him. Tua's O line would be a lot better if he made 35 million a year and Dak would have more weapons if he made 35 to 40 million dollars a year. So I've said this. The Niners didn't really attack their offensive in the off season. Trent Williams sprains a knee or an ankle. Cross your fingers he doesn't. And Brock Purdy is going to have to once again lead the team and initiate offense. You know, it's interesting. There's a guy that's going to get paid next. CJ Stroud. CJ Stroud went to a franchise that was a dumpster fire with a rookie head coach and a rookie coordinator and kind of a bad team and led him to the playoffs. And then last year, his top two receivers got hurt. Another receiver was in and out of the lineup. The offensive line was awful and he led him to the playoffs again and won a playoff game. C.J. stroud is somebody I would pay. Okay, Again, he is initiating. He is overcoming. Last year there was a great moment for people to judge Brock Purdy. He lost Christian McCaffrey. The team was banged up. How did he do? He was 1 and 6 against playoff teams. So again, I think a lot of people can drive this 49er car, right? Garoppolo drove it to the Super Bowl. I don't think there's a lot of quarterbacks could do what C.J. stroud's done in Houston. Rookie coach, rookie coordinator. O line in the tank, Tank Dell gets hurt, Stefan Diggs gets hurt, and he's won the division back to back. Now you can say, well, the division isn't good. Well, Brock Pie's best year was when Christian McCaffrey, by the way, was third in MVP voting. And the Rams and Arizona were both in Rebuilds. So we'll see. I wouldn't have paid it. I would wanted a more team friendly deal. He is now in the class of a lot of big money quarterbacks. Some Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, C.J. stroud. Next, I would have no problem paying others Tua, Dak and Purdy. I'm less comfortable. I've been right on Tua, I've been right on Dakota. I think I'm right on Brock, Purdy. We'll find out. But it does, it does signify who's running the franchise. Shannon's like, he doesn't make a lot of mistakes. He's coachable, he moves well enough if we can keep him healthy. The schedule is easy. I can win 1112 games with this guy. And there's. You can tell by drafts who's in control of the franchise. You can tell by contracts to quarterbacks who's in control of the franchise. I mean, Mike Tomlin is controlling the Steelers. How do I know they still don't have a quarterback. Right. There's no urgency for them at quarterback. That tells me Tomlin has all the power right now. All the Jews in Pittsburgh. Okay, so I think this is really interesting and one of the things we talk about, that we love about sports on this show is that there's a lot of cultural changes. Baseball's done a really good job to improve and, you know, kind of take advantage of some things and make the game faster and it's helped ratings and revenue. So the NBA got into a, you know, for a kind of a stretch, especially when LeBron would move around in Miami or Kevin Durant would move to the warriors, where you just had like three hall of Fame players and the medium sized markets or the unglamorous markets, the Memphis, the Portlands, you know, markets like that are like, whoa, whoa, wait a minute, that's not fair. And Adam Silver took over for the late David Stern and there are some things he had to eventually unpack. So I think what is interesting with the final four teams in the NBA playoffs, Knicks, Indiana, both led by high EQ IQ point guards. And the two best players for Oklahoma City and Minnesota are guards as well. Four guards lead their teams and especially in the East. Why, why, why is this happening? Because with the new cba, right, and all these aprons that punish teams, you can't stack your roster with Chris Bosh, LeBron and Wade with Kevin Durant, Steph and Clay in their prime. So what you're seeing is rosters with a lot of rotational B players. And so the Point guards who can score, Halle can score, Brunson can score, SGA can score, Ant can score. But it's the guards that not only can finish. And Brunson's become an A plus finisher, but can elevate others, elevate role players. That's what the league is now. And it's happened very quickly with a new cba. Once Boston has to unpack some of these guys, Horford will be gone, Porzingis will be gone. Jrue Holiday's gone there. We thought they had a bit of a two year head start. Grandfathered in cheat code. But they got new owners now. Maybe the owners sold because they saw the reality when they won that title. This is as good as it's going to get. The new norm in the NBA is roster construction and smart iq, EQ guards that can finish but can elevate all those B players. I mean, you look at Oklahoma City, SGA is your A. Everybody else really plays a role. You saw Caruso yesterday. How valuable? Look at Minnesota, it's ant, but Gobert doesn't score. Julius Randall's just now emerging as a 2. Mike Conley past his prime. Nas Reed, defender, athletic, undrafted. You start looking at all these teams now. Indiana's roster construction, OKC's roster construction. Minnesota great GM roster construction led by guards. Now the Knicks, interestingly, they play about six, seven guys and so we'll see how it plays out. I think Indiana should be a slight favorite over New York and I, I don't know what to make of Minnesota. OkC again. I think OKC home court advantage, that will probably matter in a game seven, but I think we're seeing a couple of moves in the NBA. So Adam Silver takes over for David Stern. He can't make all these moves immediately. It had become a three ball shooting league. David Stern was more willing to let stars accumulate in one spot. And Adam Silver said, I don't like it. This is going to be the seventh different champion in seven NBA seasons. That is Adam Silver's league. Adam Silver also either sent a memo or made phone calls and says, I want more physical basketball. What does physical basketball do? Physical basketball wears teams out. Notice the shooting percentage. The field goal percentage plummeted. It's the lowest field goal percentage in like six NBA seasons. Shooters are getting hit, shooters are getting leaned on. Shooters are having to defend. The scores are coming down. So the Knicks got a little fortunate here where the league moved into them. But I like what the league is now. It's more fair to more teams. The big Markets can still flourish. There's still places where stars want to go, there's still trades that will be made. But it's point guards scoring, yes, but elevating roster construction and B2B players around them. Here's SGA on what he sees with his team. And going forward, we can win no.

Matter the environment, no matter the type of game. It could be ugly, it could be pretty, it could be high scoring, it could be low scoring, could be a lot of free throws. It could be no free throws. Like, no matter what it is, we can, we can find a way to win. And I think that's, that's very important this time of year.

Yeah. And I also think this, when you allow more physicality, all these three point parade teams like Cleveland and Boston and Golden State, you allow more physicality. It's hard to be a finesse team when you're in a fist fight in a phone booth. And Detroit was physical and Houston was physical and the Knicks are physical and Minnesota can be physical. It's a big advantage. The regular season was pretty basketball. Fill your lanes, grab the three, nobody touches you. Shoot it, backpedal. That's not what the playoffs were. So I like. It's point guard led.

[Podcast Host]

It's.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's more physical. Fewer whistles, more twos over threes. And I like what I saw. So. J. Mack, I think, I think I like Indiana. Slight edge, probably OKC on depth. They get game seven at home. Do you have a strong, do you have a strong pull either way?

[J. Mac]

Yeah, I will go Knicks, Timberwolves in the finals. And I'm not just going opposite you. That's what I picked back in October. Oh, my podcast. I. I was bullish on the Knicks, obviously during the season. I backed off a little bit, but it could be a good final four. I am curious though. Seven final different champions in seven years. I thought you and I like dynasties because in the 20 teens, when it was the super warriors against the Super Cavs and the Super LeBron teams, the ratings were massive. And now when we see like Heat Nuggets, the ratings are like half that. So I thought we liked super teams in the final.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, remember the NBA got its $76 billion contract. Now it's up to the networks to make it work. The NBA, the players are happy, the coaches are happy, the owners are happy, and the commissioner's happy. Now that they have the bag, it doesn't matter about ratings. If people want to troll the NBA, go for it. I've always said this. Once you sell your house who cares what somebody does with it? It's not your house. The NBA got the money. They have an 11 year deal. It's not their concern if NBC can make it work. So. And Adam Silver's take was what he was always trying. He was much more concerned about the ratings. I knew that from the league office. They didn't like all this anti ratings talk. Now they don't care. They got their money. What they want is Adam Silver's bosses are owners. Half the league, half the owners were like, well, we can't get Katie, Stephen, Clay. We can't build a roster like Boston. We're not a huge marquee franchise. And so he had to, you know, that's, that's who his bosses are. So again, when the NFL signs contracts, it's up to Fox and CBS and Netflix. It's up to you to figure out how to make it work. Right? So the NBA, now the ratings talk, you know, let people, it doesn't really matter anymore. And to argue that it's not a successful league, it's a star driven league. Hockey struggles, they don't have them. Right? Like if you want to talk about leagues that struggle, NBA's got stars and it's international soccer. It's got plenty of stars and big brands. It'll always be okay in my lifetime.

Anyway, be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app.

[Podcast Host]

Looking to transform your business through better HR and payroll? Meet Paycor, a paychecks company. The powerhouse solution that empowers leaders to drive results. From recruiting and development to payroll and analytics, paycor connects you with the people, data and expertise you need to succeed. Their innovative platform helps you make smarter decisions about your most valuable asset, your people. Are you ready to become a Better Leader? Visit paycor.com leaders to learn more. That's paycor.com leaders. Summer is almost here and you can now get almost any anything you need for your sunny days delivered with Uber Eats. Now what do we mean by almost? Well, you can't get a well groomed lawn delivered, but you can get chicken parm delivered. A day at the lake? That's a no. A Philly cheesesteak? That's a yes. A nice tan. Sorry. A box fan? Happily, yes. What about a day of sunshine? Not happening. How about a box of fine wines? Yeah, that's happening. Delivery's on its way. Okay. How about some clear skies? Nope. Well, how about some french fries?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

So how about a freshly cut lawn can't help you there, but a barbecued prawn? Order it and it's on its way. Even throw in some paper towels. Clean up after the feast. So while you can't get fun in the sun delivered, don't worry because you can get pork buns delivered. Uber Eats can definitely get you that. Get almost almost anything delivered with Uber Eats. Order now. Alcohol in select markets. Product availability may vary by region. See app for details.

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[Colin Cowherd]

45 minutes from now Where Colin was right and where Colin was wrong. So I said this last year with the wnba. People just aren't used to the heated intensity of a great rivalry in the wnba. They're not used to it in the NBA. We had MJ and the Pistons. We had Bird and Magic. We had the Lakers in Detroit. We're kind of used to it. And so I think even the officials aren't quite sure what to do and how to act. Yesterday, as Caitlin Clark in Indiana hammered the Chicago sky, it was like four and a half minutes left in the third. There was A foul. It should not have been upgraded to a flagrant foul. It was a foul. And I really think if you truly respect women's basketball, let them play. Sort of like guys, many of the media themselves who consider themselves WNBA friendly are too often patronizing and pandering. Rivalries equal ratings. Sports is better with intensity. Animosity is part of it. It was a physical basketball play. This is okay. Who cares if Angel Reese doesn't like Caitlin Clark? It's not soccer. I don't need jersey swaps. Laimbeer couldn't stand an Isaiah couldn't stand mj. MJ still hates Isaiah. It made the documentary great. So the wnba, if you respect it and the league, the women are getting bigger and better. They're just the passing the ball, handling. It's a better League than 10 years ago. Caitlin Clark obviously is jet fueled to its popularity right now. The fever outdraw the injury. Indiana Pacers and the Pacers are really fun to watch, so. But I didn't think this was a flagrant. This is a basketball play and people just aren't used to it. So too many people are precious and pandering and projecting and they're polarizing. And Angel Reese got the best of Caitlin junior year of college. Then Caitlin got the best of angel senior year of college last year. They were both exceptional. Clearly Caitlyn's more popular. And yesterday the Indiana Fever. I mean, we're looking at like a Tiger Woods. That's what we're looking at here. Angel Reese is a good player. She's not a phenomenon. Tiger was, LeBron was, Taylor Swift is. Caitlin Clark is so. But the foul, to me it's like, just let him play. It wasn't a flagrant. It was just a hard foul. Here's Caitlyn after.

[Caitlin Clark]

I'm not sure what the ref saw to upgrade it. And that's up to their discretion. After watching the initial whatever happened during the play and then whatever happened after, you know, we watch a lot of basketball. You it's a take foul to put them at the free throw line or rather give up two points. You know, I've watched a lot of basketball in my life. That's exactly what it was. I wasn't trying to do anything malicious. That's not the type of player I am. So yes, wasn't anything like that. And I went for the ball. And that's clear as day in the, in the replay. You watch it, you know, it shouldn't have been upgraded.

[Colin Cowherd]

So they're not even quite sure how to officiate this rivalry. Take a deep breath. The women are adults. They can handle it. Basketball, college, pro, WNBA is all better when it's a little chippy, when there's real rivalries. Couple of scoops of animosity it is. Okay, take a deep breath. Even the officials now not quite sure how to handle it.

Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific.

[Steve Covino]

Hey, it's Steve Covino and I'm Rich Davis and together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You can catch us weekdays from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. And of course, the iHeartRadio app. Why should you listen to Covino and Rich? We talk about everything. Life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world. We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture. Stories that, well, other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends for the last 20 years and still work together, I mean, that says something, 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 planet Earth. Be sure to check out Covino and Rich live on Fox News Sports radio and the iHeartradio app from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific. And if you miss any of the live show, just search Kobe Noanrich wherever you get your podcasts. And of course, on social media, That's Covino and Rich.

[Podcast Host]

Looking to transform your business through better HR and payroll? Meet paycor, a paychecks company. The powerhouse solution that empowers leaders to drive results. From recruiting and development to payroll and analytics, paycor connects you with the people, data and expertise you need to succeed. Their innovative platform helps you make smarter decisions about your most valuable asset, your people. Are you ready to become a Better Leader? Visit paycor.com leaders to learn more. That's paycor.com leaders. Summer is almost here and you can now get almost anything you need for your sunny days delivered. When with Uber Eats. Now what do we mean by almost? Well, you can't get a well groomed lawn delivered, but you can get chicken parm delivered. A day at the lake? That's a no. A Philly cheesesteak? That's a yes. A nice tan? Sorry. A box fan? Happily, yes. What about a day of sunshine? Not happening. How about a box of fine wines yeah, that's happening. Delivery's on its way. Okay, how about some clear Skies? Nope. Well, how about some French fries? Yeah. So how about a freshly cut lawn? Can't help you there. But a barbecued prawn? Order it and it's on its way. Even throw in some paper towels. Clean up after the feast. So while you can't get fun in the sun delivered, don't worry because you can get pork buns delivered. Uber Eats can definitely get you that. Get almost, almost anything delivered with Uber Eats. Order now. Alcohol in select markets. Product availability may vary by region. See app for details.

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[Podcast Host]

Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just ask the Capital One bank guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that this podcast is his favorite podcast too. Oh, really? Thanks. Capital One Bank Guy, what's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capitalone.com bank capital1na member FDIC.

[Colin Cowherd]

Here we go. Our number two on a Monday. You know, J. Mac, I have discovered something in Chicago. I eat a lot more bread and I'm. And it's all good. I told my wife, can we mix in, I don't know, cantaloupe, some seafood? I'm eating a lot of bread and it's all amazing.

[Jeff Schwartz]

Oh boy.

[J. Mac]

You gaining some weight, huh?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[J. Mac]

Right before your big trip.

[Jeff Schwartz]

Yeah.

[J. Mac]

Putting on some pounds so you can look like a typical American over there?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I am. All right. We do it every Monday at this time. Colin is right, Colin is wrong. And there is, as always, plenty of.

Both where Colin was right.

Well, I'm somewhat vindicated. I broke the story a year ago that Caleb Williams and most notably his dad were a little uneasy and unsure about his son playing in Chicago. Excellent reporter Seth Wickersham also last week reporting the same thing. Listen, Caleb and his dad, looking at the history of the quarterback position had said this is where quarterbacks go to die. I was told the same thing. Caleb didn't want to push the nuclear button. He did not want to start his NFL career in controversy. So he complied. He went to the Bears. But it should be duly noted that all of his concerns about the Bears and chaos did come true.

Where Colin was wrong.

I would not have paid Brock purdy in the 50 millions, but the Niners did. I said, Listen, Tua and Dak, you'll become top heavy in the Dolphins and the Cowboys did listen, Kyle Shanahan is run the operation. He's a smart kid, moves pretty well, terribly coachable and let's be honest, when you give him time with the weapons like Kittle and Jennings, he's an accurate distributor of the football. I thought they'd push back. I thought they tried to get in the 40s, but he got closer to 55 million than 45 million.

Where Colin was right.

Caitlin Clark. It took a year, but the league has finally figured it out. The WNBA is going to televise at this point today all but two of her games and those may eventually get televised. She is Taylor Swift meets Tiger Woods. We said this last year the league just didn't quite know what it had. Right now the Fever are out drawing not only a good team in the Indiana Pacers, but a highly entertaining Eastern Conference finals team in the Indiana Pacers. She is a once in a generation not only talent talent but revenue stream. And the WNBA has finally figured it.

Out where Colin was right.

I thought the Denver Nuggets would push Oklahoma City to six or seven games. I did like the Thunder to win the series based on depth and levers their coach could pull. But the series, if you listen to odds makers, they thought it was going to be a landslide and I'm sorry, even the odds makers don't quite understand how good Jokic is. I thought yesterday by about mid to late second quarter they ran out of gas. Murray didn't do anything. Aaron Gordon was playing at about 70% but I thought it would be A close series.

And it was where Colin was wrong.

The New York Knicks, listen, after they won that first game coming back from 20 in Boston, I said they're not going to win. They're not going to win another game in this series. And I really believed it. But the physicality in the NBA playoffs benefited a lot of teams. I mean it made the Pistons more viable against the Knicks, it helped the Knicks, it helped the Pacers, it helps Minnesota. And Boston was a pretty team that was heavily reliant on threes and three point shooting has gone down significantly in these playoffs. I'm here for it. I like the layered style of play. The NBA is encouraging. But I was wrong on that series.

Where Colin was right.

I never got the hate for Tyrese Halliburton. Iq, eq, distribute controls, pacing. He can score, elevate others. He was voted most overrated player on an NBA Anonymous poll. Some of it's just petty, but I think when you watch him play, you're seeing the future of the NBA. The new CBA is not going to allow for stacked rosters. It's going to be point guard driven, elevating other B&B plus players. And I think Halliburton's as good as anybody at the league at that.

Where Colin was right, the New England Patriots.

I said back in March they are the number one bet on my board to double their wins and the over unders and or future bets came out last week. And lo and behold, the Patriots were favored in 11 of their 17 games. So listen, major upgraded head coach D line. They had 11 draft picks so I can only assume their depth will be better. I think they got a left tackle in the draft and Will Campbell. So I don't think there's any question the AFC is harder top to bottom than the nfc. But I think a coaching upgrade, Sean Payton proved this in Denver. Can be somewhere between three, four and six points per game. And if you had just given this team six to seven points more last year, they would have won 10 games.

Where Colin was right.

Well, now even ex Steelers, popular ex Steelers like Ryan Clark are sounding off about Mike Tomlin. I think Mike Tomlin's going to get votes for the hall of Fame. I think he's a great motivator. But Ryan Clark said last week his message has grown stale. Listen, it's an offensive league. This team can't figure out their offensive line for seven years. They're showing no urgency at quarterback. Who knows if Aaron Rodgers is going to be around. Even Pat Riley used to say it you get about 10 years to coach and then people players tune you out. I think Tomlin's going to get hall of Fame votes. But listen, Andy Reid, Bill Belichick, Pete Carroll, all time coaches have moved on or been moved out and I just feel like it's time in Pittsburgh.

One more herd. The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app search heard to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like.

Jeff Schwartz played in the NFL for almost a decade. Of course his brother is super bowl winner right tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs. He is now joining us live which we always appreciate him stopping by. Also host a Bear Bets podcast with our friend Chris Felica. So you know the Caleb Williams one of the comments off the Seth Wickersham book was there's nobody there watching film with me. So you tell me when you're watching film as a quarterback, is it a solo endeavor? Are there coaches always there? You tell me.

[Jeff Schwartz]

What I found interesting about that that comment isn't really about the coaches helping them. It says there was no veteran to help them. That's how you learn watching film from veterans from guys have done it before. Yeah, your coaches can help you but the coaches have to game plan if they meet on their own. And there are specific times when you do meet with them and they do work with you. But a lot of time when you watch film quote unquote like on your own, it's with a veteran when you're a young player. I mean Jordan Gross was, was my mentor. Give him a shout out. He helped me learn how to watch film, how to lift, how to prepare, how to do all those things. And when you look at the depth chart last year of the Bears, there was no veteran. Like that was a huge mistake of theirs that they didn't have someone just there not to compete with him for the job but just there. Hey man, here's how you prepare. Here's how you watch film, here's how you watch a pressure tape, here's how you watch a base defense tape. Here's what you do on Fridays, here's how you prepare on Saturdays. And of course Williams have to always do exactly what the veteran tells him to do. But it's a good sounding board. It's someone to talk to. Has been through the battles of NFL season there was no one there to do that with. So coupled with probably not understand that coaches might not watch as much film with you as you'd like is you have to find a different way to learn. And that's a way a lot of guys learn. And so that was surprising to me that I guess I hadn't thought about that then I wouldn't look back at the depth chart and there was no, no one there, no teammates to help him.

[Colin Cowherd]

Do his comments, they bother Boomer Esias and do they bother you? In retrospect?

[Jeff Schwartz]

They don't bother me. I do question sort of the timing of why they're out now, the book that's. It's not due till September, last I checked, it's the middle of May. Are people rushing out to buy the book today? Because the comments are out. So that's, that's kind of. I don't know why they're out today. But look, his dad I think ended up being right in year one. Lot of dysfunction, not great situation. So, you know, in the end his dad was right. Now obviously now you can change the course of, of the history of the Bears, right? You bring in Ben Johnson, you bring in the additions they've made to the offensive line and on defense and you can become the Bears first 4,000 yard passer and change everything. But I think up until now his dad has been right. I mean, his family's been right. It has been dysfunction. And look, I know they hope to change that with the Ben Johnson hire.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, it's funny the world we live in. I can like a player, but in a salary cap sport, you know, I don't worry about it in baseball. Pay Juan Soto what you want if you're Steve Cohen, but I didn't like the TUA deal or the Dak deal. And I feel the exact same way about the Brock Purdy deal. I like Dak and Tua at the right number now revenues go up maybe 53. Feels like 48 in two years. But I feel the exact same way. I've. I've called Brock pretty Jeff, the AFC TUA not as good in bad weather, little smaller than I'd love. Can struggle pushing the ball downfield again. It's a little windy or inclement and a couple injuries where one more. I'm not sure what I have. Do you feel that it's kind of like the TUA deal?

[Jeff Schwartz]

I feel like he's one of the quarterbacks that you have mentioned that needs a lot around him to elevate his team. Right. He's not a guy like an Allen Mahomes, Herbert Jackson, like we know that, right. That a guy that's going to elevate everyone around him if things are going well. He's going to play really good. The thing we don't talk about with the Niners and with some of these teams as well that sign these quarterbacks is how important it is to draft and develop when you play, when you pay someone this much money. The Chiefs have done it well, the Eagles, the Ravens, the Bills, of some extent, the Niners haven't. Go look at their roster right now, Colin. Find me the impact players they have drafted in the last five seasons.

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[Jeff Schwartz]

Not a lot of them. And that's what's going to hold them back is they have not drafted and developed and look, they lost multiple first round picks on the Trey Lance deal. So they have a first round pick for a couple years. Hard to draft impact players in the third, fourth and fifth round like successfully year after year. And they just don't have. So they're, they're, they paid Brock pretty much. They had to do, as you mentioned, like they had to, they had to do it. There was no option. But now you look at the roster and you think, okay, when Trent Williams is gone, when Kittle's older, when McCaffrey is older, when all these guys get older, where they pack players. Now last year's draft was good. I think so far they got a guard and Pierce I think will be good, but obviously was hampered first half of last year with playing time. The problem with the Niners isn't they paid Purdy. It's like the rest of the roster. Where's the young, impactful players?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, they're hoping Mikel Williams is that they're hoping the kid they got in the first round is that, you know, it's a couple of weeks ago we had, or a week ago we had the rookie minicamps. Now I am under the, I believe this, that Dylan Gabriel was a reach. I don't think he's an NFL quarterback of note. I think the front office of Cleveland, not counting the owner, wanted to draft a quarterback. So they get out of the Shador conversation. My buddy John Middlecoft mentioned this and then by the fifth round, the owner knocked on the door and said, go draft him. That said, I think Shedeur is going to win the job. I don't think he's great, but I think he's accurate. He moves well enough. Where do you land on that circus? I mean, it's Kenny Pickett, it's Gabriel, it's Shador, it's like, where are you on the Cleveland quarterback situation?

[Jeff Schwartz]

I feel like there's sort of two separate job applications, jobs happening right there's. Like the Flacco Kenny Pickett who's going to start like that's one competition, right? And the loser of that most likely is released. Okay. And then there's sort of like the Gabriel Sanders who's the primary backup. I don't think that at Gabriel Sanders camp, unless they are so good early in training camp are going to overtake sort of the Picket Flacco who's going to start competition. Right? Because look, those guys have experience. And I mentioned this when, when the draft happened. There's four quarterbacks that need reps. You have single practices now. You don't have two days and now even practices, you get every fourth day off and you have a load management day. Like there's just not enough reps calling. Unless Jader is that good early on, he's that much better than Flacco, which he probably won't be in practice. Right? Flacco has done this a long time now, so you basically would have to give him the job saying, hey man, we just see so much of practice. There's not a lot to see in games yet. We'll give him jumps. I think early on it's probably Flacco, Pickett, whoever wins that job and then the primary backup will just be the winner of the Sanders. Gabriel. I mean, look, Gabriel, I'm with you. I think he's a career backup, but he's going to look good in practice. Like you're going to have to basically lose that job in the preseason and I think you will. I think Sanders will play better than him. So I think that right now, I think Flacco starts by the year as a quarterback. At some point though, Sanders overtakes him and gets you. This Flaco gives you only so much. Right. There's not a lot of upside in that. Just sort of get you through the first couple of weeks, maybe feel good about your offense, get some wins here and there, don't make a ton of mistakes. Eventually that's going to run out. We saw it in India last year. They tried to bench Richardson for Flacco. Lasted like two weeks. So I think Sanders will eventually play, but probably not start the season. Number one.

[Colin Cowherd]

The. I was, I was talking about this. There's been these questions about, I'll circle back to Caleb Williams that there was a little bit of ego and I said, well, he was the first nil superstar, so I've defended him. And, and there was questions about Shadour not wanting to, to like, like, you know, his dad kind of leading the charge on so the last couple years we've had Caleb a little pushback on the emotion. Nil. Shadour Sanders drops in the draft. Dad's talking next year. We have Arch Manning and again the Manning family is American royalty now. I think it's interesting how they've handled it. They have never transferred, they've been, I mean he's making 6 million nil. Yeah, so. So I think the Mannings have because of dad, Eli Peyton, like they get the game, they get the quarterback position, right? Like just be a good sport, be a backup to Quinn Ewers. But you're a college football die hard. And I think I'm beyond the casual in college football. What do you make a year out? A year ago today, Quinn Ewers was a first round quarterback. Is Arch Manning, is the Manning name a bigger part of this than the talent? What do you see with him?

[Jeff Schwartz]

Yeah, well, we just, he hasn't played a ton of football yet. I mean when he's played the football there's obviously signs that he can mature into something that's, that's special. I think about this year in college football, it's the year the quarterback, I mean there's like eight quarterbacks right in the top of your head that could go number one. Now obviously they probably all won't be the ninth quarterback who goes first overall. But you look at, you look at Arch, you look at Club Nick and Nessmeyer and all these guys and I'm missing obviously a bunch of names here. Like there's going to be so many quarterbacks this year. It's going to be sort of like an ice cream flavor, right? Like you pick your favorite one and it might be different across different teams. Archers has to play more when you see more consistent play, just hasn't played right. Yours has been a starter, he's spot started. He's looked good in those moments. But look, when you spot start, teams don't have film on you. You know, it's the fifth, sixth, seventh game in a row you played where teams start figuring out, okay, well when he rolls to his right, he does this. When he looks left, he does that. Here's the offense that they've designed for him. What if we take that away? What's next? So in the glimpses we've seen, he looks like a very complete quarterback. Just needs to see a full season. He'll get a full year this year. A lot of people predict Texas back in maybe a championship game, winning the sec. He'll have his moments this year, Colin. They have a Hard schedule like they play at Ohio State and then they have Georgia as well. They might have Bama as well. Like they're, they're going to have an opportunity or he will have an opportunity to play the better teams in the country to show us whether or not he's good enough. Now, the last thing I'll say here, the NFL draft I think has gone away from what do you show me on Saturdays? And it's more what can you be on Sundays? So we might think a quarterback here and there doesn't have it in college, but teams look at his talent, his arm talent, his, his, his maturity, his, his mental capacity is his ability to, to see things, you know, happen in real time and say, we want that guy on our team. The college production doesn't matter as much. So this would be a fun year. There's so many quarterbacks this season. There could be seven, eight guys in the top two days.

[Colin Cowherd]

Jeff Schwartz, I want to leave you with this. And I said this last year. I got some pushback. I said it last week, is that people are hyperventilating. The first thing the WNBA did is they just didn't understand how popular Caitlin Clark was. I mean, again with Taylor Swift, you got 10 years if you're Ticketmaster to figure out how popular she was. Sometimes you just don't know how big of a star she is. So I'm not going to crush the league for that. But it was funny watching the foul over the weekend that got upgraded to a flagrant and I thought, God, the league doesn't know how to officiate this rivalry yet. It's like nobody quite knows how to handle it. What did you make of this foul? The flagrant, the talk after. What did you make of it?

[Jeff Schwartz]

I like competitors that are fiery. I've said this for many years now, like sports are emotional. It's okay if in the motion of a sport two grown adults yell at each other and are angry. I've never had a problem with it. I don't get the flag of foul system in basketball. I've never gotten it. That didn't look like a flagrant to me. They sort of deem like anything extra non intentional. That's a little bit hard as a flagrant foul. The thing that's so fascinating to me and I'm gonna steal this from, from Josh Pay because he came up with this, with this term in 2023 when Colorado started 3 0, there were a lot of people talking about Colorado and Dean Sanders that did not talk about cultural ever. And they Said things that were, well, a little bit different. And that's the deal on tax, he said. Right where it's people that don't really cover the sport, don't. They don't pay attention to the sport, but now are forced to talk about it because it's popular and they're on shows and they got to say something. It feels like right now we're like a WNBA tax, a Caitlin Clark injuries tax, where people are commenting about the sport, a don't watch it. They don't watch sports a lot. They don't understand sports. Like, to me, yeah, it's a hard foul. It happens in sport. Injuries got upset. She yelled at Clark. Like, that's. That's what happens a lot all the time. NBA, NFL, NHL. You watch NHL? What's hunting? They fight, like, all the time. They punch each other in the face. They get into it after a goalie gets hit. Like, so to me, that's sports. And there's nothing more or less than what happened during that play. But everyone has to talk about it because they want to talk about the popular thing that happened this weekend. So it's like, it's a tax on new fans having. There was. I've seen stuff where people said, Colin, that she should not play against a fever anymore. Angel, Reese, like, what are we doing? This is sports. They're passionate athletes who want one Fowler, one Yelder. Like, that's it. It's nothing more than that.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Basketball is not soccer. We don't swap jerseys. Animosity's okay. There's a history from high school, aau, College of the Pros, where teams don't love each other. I mean, it was. I covered UNLV and Duke. You remember this? You're old enough to remember this. I covered UNLV and Duke and the coaches loved each other, but there was a lot of good guy, bad guy. You know, the guys in the desert, they're the bad guys. The Duke kids are great. And there was a lot of animosity and in the end was like, it was great. A lot of those players ended up liking each other or playing with each other. And I think to Josh Page, who's a smart guy, to his credit, there's a lot of overreaction to what is just sports. That's all it is. It's just sports.

[Jeff Schwartz]

That's all it is. And I think, by the way, this is all great for the league. Like, I think they didn't realize what was coming with the last couple of years. But all this attention, more eyeballs I've never watched more wnba. Not not just Caitlin Clark. Like all of it more often now. Now some of that is a sports wagering of course, but nonetheless, like I've watched more of it. I know you have. Like we all have and it's good for league and they'll figure out sort of I think what the discourse should be when it comes to these two players.

[Colin Cowherd]

Jeff Schwartz, as always, buddy, I appreciate it.

[Jeff Schwartz]

Thank you. Take care bud.

[Podcast Host]

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