The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Best of The Herd (March 27, 2026)

Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Episode Theme: An in-depth take on college basketball’s financial landscape, the Big Ten’s dominance, the randomness of baseball dynasties, the evolution of coaching styles, and candid insights into the NBA playoff landscape – including special guest Mick Cronin, UCLA basketball coach.

Overview

In this episode, Colin Cowherd and guests dissect the most compelling storylines in college basketball’s postseason, especially the role of NIL spending, the rise of the Big Ten, and the unpredictability of college and pro sports. The discussion pivots to the nature of sports dynasties, coaching philosophies, and major players in the NBA. Throughout, the show balances analytics, colorful commentary, and insider knowledge, highlighted by a rich interview with UCLA coach Mick Cronin.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NIL Spending and Big Ten Dominance

Starts 03:28

• Parity in College Basketball: Colin analyzes how NIL (name, image, and likeness) spending has paradoxically benefited and failed big-spending programs.
  • “Of the five biggest spenders in college basketball NIL, four are gone. Duke is the only one left. Kentucky won a single game.” (Colin Cowherd, 04:18)
  • BYU, despite being the second-biggest spender, didn’t win a game.
• Smart Spending & Success: He equates NIL spending to personal finance:
  • “You can make a huge salary but what are your financial choices? ... Are you buying depreciating assets or accelerating assets? It’s just the same thing in the NIL.”
• Big Ten’s Strategic Advantage:
  • Multiple Big Ten teams (Purdue, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State) are in or close to the Final Four.
  • Some, like Iowa and Iowa State, “spend the least” and outperform expectations.
  • Purdue pays its own, and Illinois spends big on international talent.
• Conference Geography:
  • “The Big Ten is perfectly situated in the middle of the country... they are the super conference in college sports.” (Paulie, 07:50)

Notable Segment:

• [07:01] - Houston coach Kelvin Sampson on resource disadvantages:

  “We were poor when I got here and we’re still poor... Teams that have the best recruiting classes usually have the most money.” (Kelvin Sampson)

2. Randomness and Parity in Baseball vs. NBA/NFL

Starts 09:25

• Baseball’s Unpredictability:
  • “Baseball has a randomness that football and basketball do not. Michael Jordan did not have a series where he just couldn’t score... Ohtani in the playoffs... went one-for-eighteen.” (Colin, 10:01)
  • High-variance outcomes – the “secret sauce” of MLB – mean high and low payroll teams (like the Mets and Guardians) can both compete.
• Contrast with Basketball/Football:
  • NBA/football dynasties have less randomness; they require stars, wing defenders, coaches, and quarterbacks.
  • “In basketball dynasty, there’s not a ton of randomness... in football, if you don’t have the right coach and quarterback, you’re not really a viable team.” (Colin, 11:58)
• Yankees and Kentucky Comparison:
  • Both keep spending, but not always wisely; money is only part of the equation.

Notable Quotes:

• [13:08] Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts:

  “We have a certain standard of excellence and I think that even when you watch us ... how we play the game, run the bases, play defense – it matters.” (Dave Roberts)

3. Breaking Down the Top NCAA Teams and Tournament Drama

Starts 13:42

• Arizona’s Potential:
  • Viewed as possibly the “best team left,” with impressive size, bench depth, and NBA talent.
  • “Arizona’s depth of talent, big—you know they spend some money, four different first-round NBA guys.” (Colin, 14:12)
• Tournament Madness:
  • Discussion of the chaos in the Nebraska-Iowa game:

    “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pivotal play where a team had only four guys on the court. That was crazy.” (J Mac, 14:46)

  • Texas’s struggles:

    “You’ve got to hit your free throws... Texas offense in the first half was great, just couldn’t make any stops.” (Paulie, 15:39)

• Upcoming Marquee Matchups:
  • Izzo vs. Hurley (Michigan State vs. UConn); potential upsets and betting angles.

4. Duke Basketball’s Status and the Psychology of Dynasties

Starts 17:00

• No More "Hate Duke" Trend:
  • The lack of dominance means the polarizing “hate” has faded.
  • “You ever notice the polarizing teams are the ones that win it all... Find me the beloved dynasty.” (Colin, 21:00)
• Smart Wins:
  • Programs with coaching and organizational IQ find sustained success—Kentucky, Carolina lost legends and regressed; Duke thrived post-Coach K due to smart recruiting and steady leadership.
• Guest: Carlos Boozer’s Praise for Jon Scheyer: [23:40]
  • “He’s been able to implement and put his fingerprints on the program... basketball genius on how good of a coach he is.” (Carlos Boozer)
  • Overcame losing the entire starting five; still competitive at the top tier.

5. Luka Doncic, NBA Playoffs, and Usage Rate Debate

Starts 26:09

• Luka vs. Past Greats:
  • Luka’s regular-season scoring streaks rarely translate into playoff dominance due to defensive matchups and high usage rates.
  • “Last guy who led the NBA in usage rate and won a championship? Michael Jordan, twenty-eight years ago.” (Colin, 29:32)
• Defensive Exposures:
  • Playoff teams will “hunt” Luka; historically, high usage players like Doncic have postseason fatigue/issues.
  • “When Luka plays teams without elite scorers, we talk about his offense. Mark my word, we get to mid-May, that’s when the Luka questions start.” (Colin, 31:13)
• J Mac’s Takes:
  • Suggests zone defense experimentation by the Lakers, but doubts it will hold up in the playoffs.

6. Coaching Styles: Volume, Toughness, and Modern Sensitivities

Starts 34:39

• Debate on "Yelling" Coaches:
  • Colin and Paulie defend high-volume, demanding coaches (Izzo, Hurley) as effective.
  • “Accountability is going to be big till I leave... If that bothers people, God bless ’em. I love it.” (Tom Izzo, 35:37)
  • Referenced studies proving authoritative (not permissive) parenting/coaching is effective.
  • “You need about ten percent of jerk sometimes. Sometimes you gotta say stuff that’s hard on kids—they’re fine. They’re malleable.” (Colin, 38:17)
• Offensive NBA, Not Defensive:
  • Darius Acuff (Arkansas) praised for offensive game but acknowledged as not a great defender; NBA a “70/30 offensive league.”

7. Special Guest Interview: Mick Cronin, UCLA Head Coach

Starts 43:38

Inside Big Ten & Elite Teams

• No Surprises in the Big Ten:
  • “Fletcher Loyer, Trey Kaufman Ren, Braden Smith... in their four years, the Big Ten’s by far the most talented as it’s ever been.” (Mick Cronin, 45:05)
  • Purdue compared to Villanova—focus on retaining their own talent, high school development.
• Tough Coaching in the Transfer Portal Era:
  • “Players sign up for coaches that winning is the only thing acceptable... doing whatever it takes. Listening is the only thing acceptable.” (Cronin, 46:52)
  • Criticizes today’s clickbait outrage over tough coaches:

    “When you win, everybody loves you. When you lose, everybody crushes you. That’s just—if you can’t take the heat, you will not survive.”

Scouting Report on Michigan and Arizona

• Michigan’s Deep Roster:
  • “Lindenborg’s a lottery pick, Mara is incrementally better each year... Mere Johnson is Montrez Harrell, but taller... They have seniors. Roddy Gale off the bench would start anywhere in the Big Ten.” (Cronin, 50:05)
• Arizona's Physical Domination:
  • “Arizona’s got Krivos, Koha Pet, first-round pick... they just dominate you in the paint; they wear teams down... their constant pressure on the rim.” (Cronin, 51:50)

NCAA Tournament Anecdotes

• Nebraska’s Four-Man Lineup Miscue:
  • “They made a defensive substitution and two guys thought they were out... what bothers me is they were 98% going to lose anyway.” (Cronin, 53:26)

NIL Insights & Resource Disparity

• On UCLA NIL:

  • “I’d like about five more million, there’s my answer.” (Cronin, 55:11)
  • Recognizes varying NIL levels even among mid-majors, and how resource depth allows for risk and mistakes in roster construction.

• On Recruiting in the Portal Era:

  • “We’re still signing our own players all week. You gotta re-sign your own, get ready for the portal. As coaches, we have no say-so... you better embrace [change], or you’ll get left behind.” (Cronin, 57:32)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• NIL Wisdom:

  “It’s not saying money doesn’t matter, but it’s just like having a big salary – what are you buying?” (Colin, 05:31)

• On Dynasties:

  “Find me the beloved dynasty.” (Colin, 21:00)

• Izzo on Loud Coaching:

  “Accountability is going to be big till I leave.” (Tom Izzo, 35:37)

• Cronin on NIL Realities:

  “I’d like about five more million, there’s my answer.” (Mick Cronin, 55:11)

Important Timestamps

• [03:28] – Big Ten, NIL spending, and tournament surprises
• [07:01] – Kelvin Sampson (Houston) on recruiting with a small budget
• [09:25] – Baseball vs. NBA/NFL dynasties randomness
• [13:08] – Dodgers’ standard of excellence (Dave Roberts)
• [17:00] – The “Duke Hate” debate and dynasties
• [23:40] – Carlos Boozer on Duke’s Jon Scheyer
• [26:09] – Luka Doncic, usage rate & NBA playoff contenders
• [34:39] – Coaching styles: loud vs. soft, with Izzo, Hurley
• [43:38] – Mick Cronin interview: Big Ten analysis, Michigan/Arizona scouting, NIL honesty
• [51:50] – Cronin's breakdown of Arizona's style and Michigan matchup
• [54:51] – Cronin on NIL and UCLA’s recruiting challenges

Tone & Language

True to Colin Cowherd’s style, the episode is equal parts irreverent, statistically sharp, and conversational. There’s frequent use of analogy (“NIL is like personal finance”) and metaphor (“need 10% jerk”), and guests are invited to share unfiltered, insider perspectives – particularly Mick Cronin’s candid takes on NIL, coaching, and the Big Ten.

Summary

This episode of The Herd delivers a trenchant survey of college basketball’s evolution in the NIL era, celebrates the Big Ten’s rise, breaks down the psychology of sports dynasties, and examines the requirements of modern coaching in a digital, transfer-portal age. Through a blend of humor, personal anecdotes, and hard analysis, it’s a must-listen for sports fans seeking the storylines behind the scores.