Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – "Best of The Herd" (Released July 23, 2025)

The Herd with Colin Cowherd delivers a comprehensive and engaging exploration of the top sports stories of the day. In the "Best of The Herd" episode, Colin Cowherd delves into the current state of various sports teams, quarterback performances, recruiting strategies in college football, and even adds a touch of humor with satirical NBA movie pitches. Featuring insightful discussions with notable guests like James Franklin, head coach of Penn State, and Drew Allar, a prominent quarterback, this episode offers listeners a rich analysis of the sports landscape.

1. Assessing the Dodgers' Struggles and the Rise of Small Market Teams

Colin Cowherd opens the discussion by addressing the surprising downturn of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Once a powerhouse, the Dodgers have been inconsistent, with their bullpen issues and offensive struggles leading to a loss of momentum this season.

• Dodgers in a Tailspin: "Oh, everybody's afraid of the Dodgers. They're in a total tail spin. Bullpen imploded again last night. Nobody can hit. They've lost 10 of 13. Nothing going right for the Dodgers." (04:50)

Colin contrasts the Dodgers' challenges with the unexpected successes of small market teams, highlighting the Milwaukee Brewers and the Oklahoma City Thunder as examples of franchises excelling despite limited market sizes.

• Small Market Success: "The Milwaukee Brewers are tied for the best record. Small market Milwaukee. They have swept the Dodgers twice... the hottest team in baseball." (05:30)

• NBA’s Small Market Teams: "The Oklahoma City Thunder have the best GM and Sam Presti... potentially dominate the league." (06:10)

2. Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints: A Potential Downfall

A significant portion of the episode focuses on Colin's theory regarding the impending struggles of the Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints. He suggests that ownership dynamics and relationships within the organizations may be influencing team performance.

• Ownership Influence: "The circle of trust for Jimmy Haslam is the Manning family and Jimmy Sexton, Saban, Manning, Haslam, South. That's why... the Saints are going to be bad and the Browns are going to be bad." (12:00)

Guest Insight:

• Drew Allar Adds: "As far as how we've been pitching, how we've been playing defense, I think the offense is starting to kind of tick up, which is good." (07:09)

• James Franklin Questions: "Is there a world where Stefanski and the owner and the GM... can take a gap year?" (14:03)

3. Quarterback Performance and the NFL Draft

The conversation shifts to quarterback performances, with a spotlight on Drew Allar’s development and comparisons to legendary quarterbacks like Tom Brady. Colin emphasizes the importance of efficiency and decision-making in quarterback play.

• Efficiency Over Yards: "Bill Belichick... Tom Brady did such a great job of not allowing negative plays." (11:00)

• Drew Allar’s Progress: "He's showing all the signs. I don't know that there was a better landing spot... Keep your eye on Moe." (48:24)

James Franklin and Drew Allar discuss the impact of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) on college football recruiting and team dynamics.

• NIL Impact: "The transfer portal has got as much of an impact on that as anything." (34:23)

4. Penn State’s Recruiting Strategies with Coach James Franklin

James Franklin provides an in-depth look at Penn State’s successful recruiting strategies, contrasting them with larger SEC programs. He attributes their success to a strong team culture and strategic coaching hires.

• Recruiting Success: "We've been fortunate. Every defensive coordinator that's worked for me has had a top 10 defense." (38:03)

• College Town Advantage: "If you're looking for a college town... Everything revolves around the university and it's not just the football program." (36:19)

Colin and James discuss the balance between maintaining successful defensive strategies while integrating new coaching philosophies under Jim Knowles.

• Maintaining Success: "We're not asking you to come in and change what we do... He's done a really good job." (38:03)

5. Satirical NBA Movie Pitches

Injecting humor into the episode, Colin creates mock movie pitches for various NBA teams, playfully critiquing their roster compositions and championship aspirations.

• Los Angeles Clippers – "The Bucket List": "Their starting lineup would be 36 and a half years old." (44:00)

• Denver Nuggets – "Winners": "Allow Jokic to go from Joker to Jordan." (44:35)

• Houston Rockets – "Training Day": "Hard nose veterans brought in to carry a younger cast." (45:20)

• Golden State Warriors – "Taken Three": "Steph has to take all the threes." (45:40)

• Los Angeles Lakers – "LeBron, Get Out": "LeBron realizes this team is not his timeline." (46:03)

Guest James Franklin Reacts:

• Approval of Kanye's Pitch: "Man, that is excellent... Five stars on that bad boy." (45:51)

6. Final Thoughts and Future Forecasts

In the concluding segments, Colin emphasizes the significance of efficient quarterback play and hints at the potential of the upcoming NFL draft class. He reiterates the importance of team management and strategic decisions over mere financial incentives.

• Draft Class Potential: "This is the quarterback draft class if you need one... All in all, it's a stacked NFL quarterback draft." (51:24)

• Future Predictions: "Keep your eye on Drew Allar and Arch Manning... Arch Manning was playing backup. He's more talented than Quinn." (51:26)

Notable Quotes

• Colin Cowherd on AI Revolution: "I tend to be an optimist that it'll save all of us time. There's two ways to look at AI. You could be afraid of it. I am not." (03:30)

• James Franklin on Penn State’s Culture: "This is a place where football matters, the athletic department matters, the university matters." (37:33)

• Drew Allar on Offense: "The offense is starting to kind of tick up, which is good." (07:19)

• Colin on Quarterback Efficiency: "Being a quarterback is much more about being an accountant than an action star." (48:24)

• Satirical Movie Pitch on Lakers: "LeBron realizes in horror this team is not his timeline. Get out." (44:35)

Conclusion

"The Best of The Herd" episode masterfully navigates through pressing sports topics, from team performances and strategic theories to individual player development and recruiting dynamics. Colin Cowherd, alongside his guests, provides listeners with a thoughtful analysis sprinkled with humor, making complex sports narratives accessible and engaging. Whether you're a casual fan or a dedicated follower, this episode offers valuable insights into the ever-evolving world of sports.

For those who missed the episode, catch up on "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" by visiting the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform.