Best of The Herd

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – “Best of The Herd” (December 20, 2024)

The Herd with Colin Cowherd, hosted by iHeartPodcasts and The Volume, offers a compelling and opinionated exploration of the day's top sports stories. In the "Best of The Herd" episode released on December 20, 2024, Colin Cowherd and co-host Jason McIntyre delve into a wide array of topics spanning the NFL, college football, the NBA, and broader sports business dynamics. Below is a comprehensive summary of the episode, structured into distinct sections to highlight key discussions, insights, and notable quotes.

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1. NFL Analysis and Playoff Predictions

Justin Herbert's Stellar Performance

Colin Cowherd begins the episode with an in-depth analysis of Justin Herbert's performance in the Chargers' recent game. He praises Herbert's talent and leadership, drawing parallels to Patrick Mahomes:

Colin Cowherd [03:43]: “Herbert is so talented he got the legendary coach to come to him. Harbaugh said, yeah, get me to the NFL. I'll leave the powerhouse. I'm gonna go to him.”

Cowherd discusses Herbert's ability to perform under pressure, highlighting his scrambling for first downs and effective touchdown passes:

Colin Cowherd [03:49]: “He could only win by shootout. So when I hear this all the time. Well, a playoff game. Brock Purdy has four playoff wins... Context matters.”

AFC Playoff Picture Conclusion

The hosts assess the current state of the AFC playoff landscape, asserting that the AFC scenario is largely settled with most playoff teams already determined:

Colin Cowherd [73:11]: “I think the AFC playoff picture and here's what's funny, the NFL extended to 17 games. It's already done. We got three games left... The AFC is done.”

Jason McIntyre concurs, emphasizing the improbability of teams like the Colts or Bengals making unexpected playoff runs:

Jason McIntyre [14:27]: “You don't give Bengals, like no 20 chance.”

2. College Football Insights and Interview with Dan Mullen

Blazing Five Picks and Game Previews

Colin and Jason present their "Blazing Five" picks for the weekend's college football games, offering detailed predictions and reasoning behind each choice. Highlights include:

• Indiana vs. Notre Dame: Colin supports Indiana with a halftime advantage, considering the weather's impact on the game.

  Colin Cowherd [45:18]: “I really like Indiana's coach. I think Ohio State's a different team in good weather than Notre Dame in bad weather.”

• Clemson vs. Texas: Both hosts favor Texas to cover the spread, citing Texas's strong defense despite offensive challenges.

  Jason McIntyre [45:11]: “I like the Longhorns to cover. I don't know how Clemson scores.”

Interview with Dan Mullen

In a standout segment, former ESPN college football analyst and current UNLV coach Dan Mullen joins the show. They discuss various topics, including:

• Challenges of Coaching in the SEC: Mullen reflects on the pressures and criticisms faced by coaches in high-stakes environments.

  Dan Mullen [59:50]: “There's no one in the state of Ohio that wanted to win that game more than Ryan Day and put more into it.”

• Transfer Portal and Player Development: Mullen critiques the current transfer system, advocating for stability in player commitments to enhance development.

  Dan Mullen [64:39]: “I kind of wish they'd get rid of that [transfer portal window]. Establish your roster, show kids. I'm going to go to this school, I'm going to make a one-year commitment.”

• Future of College Football: He emphasizes the need for equitable resource distribution and a focus on player development over frequent team changes.

  Dan Mullen [67:02]: “The kids deserve some of that money... We can't get out of our own way sometimes.”

3. NBA Ratings Decline and Game Style Changes

Declining Viewership and Hollywood Influence

Colin addresses the NBA’s significant drop in ratings, attributing it to an overemphasis on entertainment akin to Hollywood, leading to dissatisfaction among traditional fans:

Colin Cowherd [23:09]: “The NBA is having their Hollywood moment. Hollywood is shrinking. Streamers have a lot to do with that and AI probably providing some discomfort as well.”

He critiques the league's shift towards excessive three-point shooting, arguing that it detracts from the game's fundamentals and appeal:

Colin Cowherd [23:56]: “LeBron nailed it. They got too many threes, and a lot of guys shouldn't be shooting them.”

Comparisons to Baseball's Adjustments

Drawing parallels with baseball's recent tweaks to improve the game's pace and excitement, Colin suggests the NBA should similarly refine its rules to regain viewer interest:

Colin Cowherd [24:13]: “Baseball said, we got to make changes. We got to change the menu. We got to be flexible.”

4. Controversy in the Jets Organization

Woody Johnson's Unprofessional Conduct

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to criticizing New York Jets owner Woody Johnson. The hosts discuss an incident from 2022 where Johnson publicly berated quarterback Michael White:

Colin Cowherd [27:07]: “Which is outrageous.”

Jason McIntyre [27:32]: “...Woody Johnson says, 'You should throw your helmet. You effing suck.' Which is very outrageous.”

They highlight the negative impact such behavior has on team morale and organizational reputation:

Jason McIntyre [29:54]: “I'll guarantee you. Take this to the bank. Vrabel's not touching this job. No shot.”

5. Player Performance Analyses

Jordan Love's Improvement

The discussion shifts to Green Bay Packers' quarterback Jordan Love, noting his recent surge in performance metrics:

Jason McIntyre [30:13]: “He's gone four straight games without a pick. Seven touchdowns in those games.”

Colin Cowherd [31:05]: “I think he's playing at a really high level.”

Micah Parsons' Contract Stance

Cowherd and McIntyre examine linebacker Micah Parsons' comments on his contract negotiations, questioning his willingness to take less money:

Jason McIntyre [32:00]: “But I don't know how they're gonna spend the money that you're not giving me.”

Colin Cowherd [33:05]: “I think Meg Garrett and T.J. Watt are better.”

6. Sports Business and Television Revenue

Impact of Streaming and Social Media

The hosts discuss the evolving landscape of sports broadcasting, emphasizing the shift from traditional TV to streaming and social media platforms. They argue that leagues must adapt to maintain relevance and viewership:

Colin Cowherd [78:37]: “The games have to matter. You can't make hockey, baseball, and NBA regular season matter.”

Television Deals and Financial Strategies

Colin critiques recent television deals, such as baseball’s partnership with Roku, suggesting they indicate desperation to boost viewership:

Jason McIntyre [80:25]: “They just got their new deal. They are flush with cash. It was what, a billion-dollar deal?”

Colin Cowherd [80:30]: “This is a business for these billionaires. This is a business for the leagues. More games equal more money.”

7. Closing Segments and Final Thoughts

Holiday Season Reflections

As the episode wraps up, Colin shares his excitement for upcoming college football playoff games, emphasizing the decline of the SEC's dominance and spotlighting teams like Texas and Notre Dame:

Colin Cowherd [77:26]: “What a weekend of massive college football. The College Football Playoff starts tonight.”

Future Forecasts and Season Outlook

He forecasts a challenging finish for the NFL season, critiquing the league’s expansion of the regular season and predicting limited playoff implications:

Colin Cowherd [77:26]: “The NFL extended their season and they're going to expand it to another game. That's why I don't like extending the NFL season.”

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Colin Cowherd [03:43]: “Herbert is so talented he got the legendary coach to come to him. Harbaugh said, yeah, get me to the NFL. I'll leave the powerhouse. I'm gonna go to him.”

• Jason McIntyre [14:27]: “You don't give Bengals, like no 20 chance.”

• Dan Mullen [59:50]: “There's no one in the state of Ohio that wanted to win that game more than Ryan Day and put more into it.”

• Colin Cowherd [23:09]: “The NBA is having their Hollywood moment. Hollywood is shrinking. Streamers have a lot to do with that and AI probably providing some discomfort as well.”

• Colin Cowherd [27:07]: “Which is outrageous.”

• Colin Cowherd [80:30]: “This is a business for these billionaires. This is a business for the leagues. More games equal more money.”

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Conclusion

In this "Best of The Herd" episode, Colin Cowherd and Jason McIntyre provide a thorough examination of current sports scenarios, blending insightful analysis with candid opinions. From dissecting NFL playoff outlooks and quarterback performances to critiquing the NBA's strategic shifts and addressing organizational controversies like those surrounding the Jets, the hosts navigate through complex topics with clarity and passion. Their conversation with Dan Mullen adds depth to the college football discourse, highlighting the evolving challenges and opportunities within the sport.

Listeners gain a nuanced understanding of the interplay between sports performance, business decisions, and cultural shifts affecting viewership and fan engagement. The episode serves as a valuable resource for sports enthusiasts seeking informed perspectives on contemporary sports issues.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jason McIntyre]

Hate so our team can regroup. We need to take a timeout against hate.

[Colin Cowherd]

Visit stand upto all hate.org to help. And join me in calling for timeout against hate by following what's up with Hate or posting the blue square emoji. Hey, so if I say Aflac, you probably think that famous duck. You should also think supplemental insurance. So that's like in football, what you'd call the second level of your defense. I mean, if there's gaps in your health insurance, Aflac's job is to help fill them. If you're sick or injured, Aflac can pay cash to help cover things your health insurance doesn't unexpected medical bills, even rent or mortgage payments. To learn more about how Aflac can help fill the gaps health insurance can leave behind, visit aflac.com what gift are you going to get that person that's impossible to shop for? Give the gift of sound JLab has the perfect gift for anyone with a variety of styles, sizes and colors. And they have products for under $100, under $50, and even under $25. I love that. Save up to 60% on select JLab products this holiday season on JLab look for the JLAB Blue Box at retailers everywhere or visit jlab.com today. Thanks for listening to the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports radio at noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. Thanks for listening to the Herd podcast. Oh, we got a good one. It's a Friday show. We're alive in Los Angeles. Can't wait to roll. Blazing Five in one hour. I got a couple college games in the Blazing Five today. Couple of heaters, baby, live in Los Angeles. It's the Herd. I'm telling you, last night was so great because my two of my favorite coaches in the world are Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh. Know both personally text both personally and and then you know I love Bo Nix and Justin her by the way. Just fun. I'm not going to get into what I said. I texted, I text Justin Herbert after the game last night. Just congrats. Hell of a performance, you know, blah blah blah. It was our first close game winning them forever. 1103 sitting there reading Justin Herbert text back. He's already in bed preparing for the next wow.

[Jason McIntyre]

Did you compliment him on that touchdown throw to Davis? What a fling that was. Oh my gosh, Herbert looking good.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, Herbert is so talented he got the legendary coach to come to him. Harbaugh said, yeah, get me to the NFL. I'll leave the powerhouse. I'm gonna go to him. So the first half was about Sean Payton, scripted plays with a rookie quarterback, short week on the road and they were great. Three touchdown drives. The second half was just about raw talent. It was about Justin Herbert and Harbot half letting Derwin James take over the halftime speech. Herbert's weapons, a converted defensive tackle, backup tight ends and running backs and a return specialist. His best receiver is a rookie and the top receiver talent. The first rounder last year is still figuring out how to catch in the second half though trailing. That's the hardest time to be a quarterback against a very good defense. Justin Herbert 11 of 16, 132 passer rating, scrambling for a huge first down in the second half. Both his touchdown passes to show you how depleted they are, to show you what Justin Herbert is working with. Both of his touchdown passes were the first career touchdown passes for the guys that caught him. There were shovel passes. There was a Mahomes moment late when they're Trying to eat the clock, remember that? And he scrambles off to the right and runs for a first down. It was very Mahomes like in the second half he was not 100%. They talked about it on the Amazon broadcast before the game. They talked about it during the game and that that was a real moment. The first half was about scripting. Sean Payton, rookie quarterback on the road against a good defense. Were putting stuff on paper and they were excellent. But then that stuff now, now the schemes are gone. I talk about this all the time. First half, it's a lot of coaching. Second half it becomes star players. And I thought that scramble by Herbert felt so much like Mahomes. And I've always heard this. Well, well, Colin Herbert has never won a playoff game. Matt Stafford did not win a playoff game until year 13. Context matters. He had to go get McVeigh and the Rams. Sorry. Justin Herbert as a rookie with a coach that got fired, set passing completions and touchdown records. As a rookie quarterback with the 32nd ranked offensive line in the league, how's Caleb Williams look behind a battle line? Herbert's was worse and he broke rookie records. His coach who got fired. Just think about Caleb's situation. Tire fire. Herbert set records. And oh by the way, he had the 28th ranked defense that year. So he was always trailing. He could only win by shootout. So when I hear this all the time. Well, a playoff game. Brock Purdy has four playoff wins. There is not a general manager on this planet. If you gave them Herbert or Brock Purdy would take Brock Purdy, not one. So I thought last night in that second half you were just watching an all time talent in contextualization matters with you one young quarterbacks. I mean Bo Nix get Sean Payton. Caleb Williams gets Matt Eberfluss. Funny, it looks different but Bo Nick still is in the lower ceiling limited department. Justin Herbert isn't. And oh by the way, the chargers had lost 11 straight games. Close games decided by three or less. Well, what changed last night? Finally Jim Harbaugh and great coaching can unleash talent. This is the same defense as last year. Same players and it's beat up. Why was it so bad at the end of last year and why is it so good now? Yeah, so for the Herbert doubters, I get it. You can talk about playoff wins. But if you didn't get it as rookie season when most of us did, if you watched that second half and didn't get it, I don't know how to help you. Yes, it was a team effort. Yes, the offensive tackles. Joe Alt has been a revelation at right tackle. Yes, lad McConkey. Derwin James is just unbelievable. Probably most talented guy. Yeah, Bosa was playing. Limpin playing about 70%. Yet Khalil Mack, by the way, a lot of people thought he was done three years ago. Khalil Mack's had two great years with the Chargers last couple years. Here's Harbaugh on the win. Just a total team effort by everybody. Defense, offense, special teams. You know, the guys, you know, just pull it down. It was, it was, it was phenomenal. The test and the challenge is how you're going to respond. And, and I knew how our guys would respond. Special group of guys. Just love our guys. Okay, now let's talk Bo Nicks and Denver. So Denver was considered a five and a half win team. And I said, I don't think they'll make the playoffs, but I'll take them for eight or nine wins. It was my favorite over bet every year. Last year it was the Rams. You find a team and you're like, yeah, Vegas is wrong. Two years ago, three years ago it was the Vikings and they won 13 games. Last year it was the Rams. This year I said, Denver's too good. You can't have Sean Payton. You got some really nice weapons though. Knicks played 61 college games. They'll be good. I did think last night was a really tough lift. Rookie quarterbacks on the road, division rivalry against Herbert and Harbaugh. I had the Chargers winning and they did so I thought he was very good on script and I think he's going to be really good. But in the second half, let's be honest, weren't thrown downfield much. The Denver defense had mistake after mistake and penalty after penalty. But Bo Nix's career is pretty clear. First two to three games as he was trying to catch up to the speed of the NFL game, there was a lot of turbulence. Since October he is fifth in the NFL and touchdown passes. And one of those receivers, a seventh rounder. Cortland Sutton Mims fifth. He's got more than Stafford. Jalen hurts, he's got more than Mahomes. So it's just perspective. Denver's going to be really good. But when Sean Payton took it over, they still have a zillion dollars in dead cap money. Here's the great news for Denver is they've lost to the Chargers both times close. They lost to Kansas City on a block field goal. The NFL and the NBA to some degree, but the NFL is a steps league. The first step is finding a franchise quarterback. Boom, they got it. The second step for this team is getting out from beneath the tonnage of Russell Wilson's dead cap money. After next year they're done with it. The fact that Denver and it looks like to me the AFC playoffs are done. I don't trust the Colts or the Bengals to win three straight games. So you watch two playoff teams last night. I think the Chargers are the better of the two playoff teams because of Justin Herbert. Both coaches hall of Fame. Both teams have an elite left tackle. Both teams need four to five more players in the draft. Neither team's a Super bowl team. They both feel like playoff teams. Denver in the first half, Chargers in the second half. But in the end you got your quarterback, you got your coach, you just resigned extended your left tackle. You got nice weapons. The dead cat money after next year is done. And I'm watching Bo Nix and I'm thinking this is as good as you're going to get as a rookie quarterback. They're not supposed to win games last night. They're not supposed to go on the road division game, short week against a Harbaugh and Herbert and win. You can have a good half. You're not going to win that game. Especially when your defense had multiple penalties on a huge drive. But if I was a Denver fan, I'd feel great about it. Here's Bo after frustrated. The difference in our two games with them has been seven points and you know, just got to find a way to get ball in the end zone one more time and it's. That's the frustrating part is, you know, the difference, the margin, errors, one touchdown. Listen, the, the biggest issue I have with Denver going forward and Bo Nicks is Mahomes and Herbert four times a year minimum. That's the problem. The problem isn't Denver side. They got their stuff figured out but Mahomes may be the best quarterback ever not named Tom Brady. And you watched Herbert last night shovel passes off balance, falling away, 25 yard touchdown passes, running limping Mahomes like that's the problem for Denver, something you can't really control. J. Mack LeBron talking yesterday. Harbaugh's kick yesterday at the end of the half was so Jim Harbaugh.

[Jason McIntyre]

Did you even know that rule?

[Colin Cowherd]

No. Well, Bill Belichick there was a. Something was done years ago. It was Doug Flutie briefly with Belichick or something. There was a story done years ago. Fluty used to practice that, you know, the Boston kid and Belichick, there was a story years ago that Belichick loved that play. So when they went for it, I'm like, oh, this is the Belichick thing. And if I would have told you There were two coaches in the last 20 years in the NFL that would use it, you'd say Belichick and Jim Harbaugh, they're both traditionalists, Right? They're both got their own authentic way to do it. So I, I, I never see it. I don't even, I don't think, I don't think I've ever seen it.

[Jason McIntyre]

It seemed like everybody was confused on the field, the telecast. I had buddies in the stad. What is happening? I, I did not know. I, I haven't seen that.

[Colin Cowherd]

So I knew there was a. There are. I don't know why I wasn't shocked by it, but I didn't really expect it. I don't think I've ever seen it.

[Jason McIntyre]

It felt like it had a kind of a big impact momentum wise.

[Colin Cowherd]

And I thought, there's no question it did. I mean, from that moment on, Chargers dominated it.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

So. Oh, here it is. My staff just said this Doug Flutie did a drop kick in 2006, and that was the first drop, 1941. So that's something different, I guess. Oh, that. I remember seeing the story about that and I was like, whatever.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah. But listen, I know you ruled out the Bengals a couple moments ago. You don't expect it. You know who they play next, right? Broncos in Cincinnati. So you win that game and then it's, oh, no big deal, Denver, you just got to beat, I don't know, Kansas city in week 18. You better hope the Chiefs are resting players in that one. Broncos could miss the playoffs. The Bengals, I gotta be here on staff, texting me last night. Bengals are alive.

[Colin Cowherd]

Sean Payton against that Bengal defense. They may drop the ball.

[Jason McIntyre]

The ball beyond the line of scrimmage, my friend. Thirteen completions at or behind the line of scrimmage.

[Colin Cowherd]

What is that? Listen, I look at the AFC playoff picture, I think it's done. I think it's done.

[Jason McIntyre]

You don't give Bengals, like no 20 chance.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, I look at the NFC playoff picture and I think the NFC west Now, I think McVay and Stafford are going to win in the division. I picked them before the season to win the division. I picked the Niners to start regressing. I didn't trust Arizona. I didn't know what to make of Seattle. You were higher on Seattle than I was. I just, I didn't know the coach.

[Jason McIntyre]

By the way, Geno's back at practice, so what looked like a bad injury. So it's not over for yeah, I.

[Colin Cowherd]

Think the NFC's got some wiggle room at the very bottom of it. You know, I wouldn't be shocked if Seattle got in and Washington didn't. But I think the Lions, Tampa Bay now because Kirk Cousins, Philly, the Rams, Minnesota, Green Bay feel pretty solid to me. You know, Washington, Seattle. I think Seattle's got, in my opinion, the better roster than Washington. I think Washington's got, to me, the better quarterback. And I think that means a lot. Maybe a better, you know, I'll just say that I think, I think Washington's got the better quarterback. I think Seattle's got the better roster. So that one I think is up for grab. I think the AFC is done. Anthony Richardson's not winning three straight and they have a Indy's got a better roster than Cincinnati and I don't think Burrow, I mean, burrows in this spot for a reason. You can't overcome the worst defense in the league. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. Hey, Steve Covino. And I'm Rich Davis and together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You can catch us weekdays from 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 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 Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcasts. And of course, on social media, that's Covino and Rich. This podcast is sponsored by PayPal. We've partnered with them to make this holiday season even better. With all the shopping, gifting and holiday prep my PayPal debit card is my go to for getting more out of my purchases. Here's how it works. I choose my monthly category Gas, restaurants, Apparel, Groceries, health and beauty or just for the holiday season, tech. And I earn 5% cash back on up to a thousand bucks in the purchases in those categories. Yeah, 5% cash back. This month I'm going to go with tech. It's my category. It's a no brainer, right? Everybody loves the latest tech gifts, so whether it's stuff for the fam or adding new gadgets to my personal collection, that cash back adds up fast. 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The original Louisiana brand hot sauce, the game day flavor changer flavor favors the bold. Available at a store near you. Oh, great stuff. Blazing 5. Going to include a couple of college football picks. Top of the hour. Jordan Schultz stops by this hour. Some NFL stuff on job openings. What a great Friday it is. What a great game last night. I want to talk about something that's kind of blown up as a big story. I think I addressed it Monday or Tuesday. Got a lot of play and the NBA ratings are down 50% since 2012. It's a thing. So the NBA in my opinion is having their Hollywood moment. Hollywood is shrinking. Streamers have a lot to do with that and AI probably providing some discomfort as well. So the NBA is having its Hollywood moment. There's. There's a big reshaping of Hollywood consumers in the NBA and in Hollywood, and the NBA is not exactly sure how it's going to land. I thought it was very interesting this week. Celtics head coach Joe Missoula was asked about watching the NBA games. He said, I don't watch him. Oh, I know there's many people blaming the media. There's many people blaming the nostalgia, the old heads. But I thought LeBron James was incredibly candid when he was asked about some All Star Game changes coming up. Listen to this. It's a bigger conversation. It's not just the All Star Game. It's our game in general. Our game is.

[Dan Mullen]

It's a lot of threes being shot.

[Colin Cowherd]

So it's a. It's a bigger conversation. Just the all star game. Yeah. OKC, Milwaukee, NBA Cup. Nobody watched 72 Threes. Don't blame the consumer. Now, JJ Redick, a former broadcaster and podcaster, he has the belief it's outside sources. It's not the league. It's those outside of the league that are to blame.

[Dan Mullen]

I don't think we, as and by we. I was part of it. We, as the sort of national partners, have done a good job of storytelling, of celebrating the game of.

[Colin Cowherd]

If I'm a casual fan and you tell me every time I turn on.

[Dan Mullen]

The television that the product sucks, well.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm not going to watch the product.

[Dan Mullen]

The league is more talented and skilled than it was 18 years ago when I was drafted.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's a fact.

[Dan Mullen]

There are more players that are excellent. There are more teams that are excellent.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know what that sounds like to me? The Hollywood crowd saying, you don't understand the art. Yeah, we get it. Your movies are too long and they don't relate to any of us yet. That's it, right? If the Dover Soul's not selling on the menu, take it off the menu. Put on more steak and chicken parm. Stop blaming the consumer. The storytelling. By the way, baseball's got more great players over the last 10 years than it's ever had. And it wasn't until two years ago the ratings went up. And it had nothing to do with storytelling. It had to do with Rob Manfred tweaking the sport. This is a game issue. It's not the media's fault. It's not. It's not the fans fault. It's not the old heads. LeBron nailed it. They got too many threes, and a lot of guys shouldn't be shooting them. The game's repetitive. J.J. redick says the game needs to be celebrated. No, it doesn't. It needs to be audited. Like Rob Manfred did to baseball. Baseball showing you the way. Is baseball storytelling now Better? No. Stars are in the right places. Stars are fun to watch. The game is faster. They got rid of that stupid defensive shift. Not about storytelling. People wanted to see stars and more base runners and more runs and more excitement. Rob Manfred purists didn't like it. Made changes. Boom. Back to back years, ratings up. If you change the three point shot, I think you should move the arc into the bench. And so people had to do mid Rangers. Our favorite player ever is Michael Jordan. Do you know that he didn't shoot threes? Our second favorite player ever is probably Magic Johnson. He didn't shoot him either. The best player, arguably ever is Kareem. He didn't shoot him ever. The best player in the 60s was Russell. Never took one. I'm supposed to now, suddenly, with all this in my brain about basketball. Want Wemby at 74 jacking up 13 threes a game? Stop blaming the consumer. Baseball said, we got to make changes. We got to change the menu. We got to be flexible. And by the way, Hollywood's done the same. They got rid of these niche independent weirdo films, pandering to these weirdos and said, you know what? How about the Avengers? How about John Wick? How about Tom Cruise? That's what the audience likes. That's art too, right? So I, I don't buy this. It's outside sources. It's just an easy thing. It's just like blaming the ex wife, you know, it's her. It's, it's, it's, it's the constant. It's the White House, it's the President, it's my brother, it's my boss. How about look in the Mirror? How about change the menu? J. Mac with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. You don't get the art.

[Dan Mullen]

You're right.

[Jason McIntyre]

We should give the people what they want. Just give them only superhero movies and redos from the 1980s.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's it.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah. Hollywood's dead anyways. Let's get started with the Jets. Oh, gosh, I'm sick of talking about this team. My favorite sports team. Total mess. So one of the stories yesterday in a big expose, bashing owner Woody Johnson was going back to, I believe, 2022, when they had a guy by the name of Michael White at quarterback.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

So after a loss, he was very Upset and he threw his helmet. Reportedly, jets owner, according to the athletic, Woody Johnson, said, you should throw your helmet. You effing suck.

[Colin Cowherd]

Which is outrageous.

[Jason McIntyre]

I mean, that's very outrageous. To have your teenage kid in the locker room handing out game balls like this is just. It's. It's pathetic.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's bad.

[Jason McIntyre]

Here's the real interesting thing. Where is this coming from? And why is Woody closing in on someone?

[Colin Cowherd]

No, no, I think it's. I think in my opinion, it's people who have been let go and are being marginalized, and they're like, yeah, I want you to know what we went through here.

[Jason McIntyre]

So.

[Colin Cowherd]

So when you fire. I always thought when I was doing local TV and I was like, not like I am now. Well, I was like, you know, kind of a journalist and was going to games and a lot and, like, doing reporting. I always looked for disgruntled employees, look for fired employees. So because they're. They're sitting out there often unemployed and being made to look bad, and they're getting blamed for everything. And those people have a right to say, no, here's what really happened. Woody Johnson does not deny this, by the way, that, that Mike White situation, that is outrageous to me, like an owner. By the way, the Spanoses are. Are in the locker room, you know, because their kids have worked forever. And, And I get it. Like, I, I do get the owner coming in after. I mean, if I owned a team, I'd want to watch the guys celebrate that for a win, too. But I can assure you Dean Spanos and the new Bronco owners aren't dog cussing players. Dean Spanos on that team for a long time. When he, when he let go of Anthony Lynn, a coach that wasn't working, that was one of the saddest days of his. He told me this. He said it was brutal. It was brutal for the family. Like, most of these owners don't do stuff like this. This is bad.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah. So, you know we own that soccer team in Mexico, right? So we're minority owners.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

I've been at games where we got blasted. 4, 0.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

You know, and you go in the locker room afterward, you sure as hell. I'm not talking to the players.

[Colin Cowherd]

They're.

[Jason McIntyre]

Everybody's upset and sad and depressed. And when you win, yeah, everybody's dancing. But I'm not like, taking a game ball and present. You're staying on the outside. Woody Johnson. This is really embarrassing, Colin. I go back to this. Like, if you're a GM or you're a head Coach. And you're reading all these stories, and they all are. Why on earth are you taking this job?

[Colin Cowherd]

Because the roster's good. You'll have Aaron for a year.

[Jason McIntyre]

You want to deal with this crap?

[Colin Cowherd]

I. No.

[Jason McIntyre]

I'll guarantee you. Take this to the bank. Vrabel's not touching this job. No shot. Absolutely not. V's not coming in here. Nobody smart wants to deal with this guy. You know who does? Desperate guys. Offensive coordinator who's like, pick me. Let me have my first job as a head.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's what they keep hiring. Correct coordinators, and it's going to fail miserably.

[Jason McIntyre]

Next up is Jordan Love. Boy, started the year kind of tough. Had some groin and knee injuries. But he has been on a bit of a heater lately. He's gone four straight games without a pick. Seven touchdowns in those games. He also has posted passer ratings over a hundred in each of his last five. Here's his coach talking about Jordan Love.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think this is the best ball he's played. Just when I look at all the little things, like I explained the other day, in terms of his ability to manipulate the pocket when he's under duress, getting the ball to his checkdowns or whatever it may be, I think he's playing at a really high level. Yeah, Greg Cosell likes him. I always lean on Greg Cosell on Thursdays. What's the film say? The film said Jalen Hurts last week was spectacular. And he likes what he's seeing with Jordan Love.

[Jason McIntyre]

Well, against Seattle, which has a very good second secondary.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, he was cooking. He was.

[Jason McIntyre]

And I think you got Jordan Love in our quarterback draft yesterday. It was a nice, nice job by you.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I got Herbert.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, Herbert is also a good, good pick.

[Colin Cowherd]

And Mahomes and I didn't have the first pick. Melman tell you something. You talk about a gm you want to sign to an extension, you're looking at him.

[Jason McIntyre]

Jordan Love. They have the Saints on Monday Night Football. They are two touchdown favorites.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, there's two. Two touchdown favorites. One of them's in my blazing five. I like both of them, but I chose the other one because there was a number I liked. Okay, there's. There's. There's two big. Big. Green Bay and Buffalo are. Oh, Buffalo, New England are huge favorites. The difference is I think New Orleans has some redeemable talent ones.

[Jason McIntyre]

One's a divisional matchup. Be careful with those. It's gonna be like 11 degrees in Buffalo. Those Lake effect wins.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Josh Allen doesn't shrink when it's cold.

[Jason McIntyre]

Final story is, oh, this is surprising to me. So the Cowboys spent big time for Dak Prescott. CD Lamb broke the bank. Both of them got massive deals. So now everybody's looking at Micah Parsons. Colin, I don't know why he would say this, but Parsons said he is kind of okay with not getting all of the money. Take a listen.

[Colin Cowherd]

I want to hear it.

[Jason McIntyre]

Okay. It would just be nice to be surrounded by good players, you know what I mean? Players that are going to help you win championships. To me, having 40 mil and being chipped every play and slid two with three, four people, I don't think that sounds fun. So to me, it's about keep making a difference. And obviously we're going to get Sam Williams back, we're going to get some others back. We'll see how it breaks down. But I want to keep as many guys as possible, however they're going to make that cap work. He's alluding to like not a hometown discount, but not being like the number one edge rusher paid, which, well, he shouldn't be.

[Colin Cowherd]

Myles Garrett and T.J. watt are better. I'm going to be honest with you. Khalil Mack, the last two years has been out of this world, so I don't think he should be the top paid outside guy. I don't pass rusher. I don't. I think the guy at Cincinnati is excellent. Hendrickson, I think Hendriksen's great.

[Jason McIntyre]

Well, now that I'm surprised. Did that take? Well, do you think CD Lamb is the best player in his position?

[Colin Cowherd]

No. No. But in an offensive league, he's their only redeemable high end weapon.

[Jason McIntyre]

So do you think Dak Prescott's the best? Obviously not.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, I wouldn't have paid him that. But I'm saying, Mike, if you're. You're asking me, edge rushers, TJ Watt is one. Bosa in San Francisco, Hendrickson in Cincinnati, Miles Garrett in Cleveland are right off the top four. And then you have a group of guys like Khalil Mack, oh, by the way, Max Crosby, there's about seven guys I would put ahead of Micah. I think Mike is in that 7, 8 space. Also. It's a state with no income tax. It's a huge brand.

[Jason McIntyre]

I mean, he's probably making money off his podcast.

[Colin Cowherd]

Absolutely.

[Jason McIntyre]

But I, I'm gonna go back to this. You're telling me he's okay watching the pay. Dak Prescott, top of the market. CD Lamb, top of the market. But for me, I'm not getting top of the Market. You don't think that's a little messed.

[Colin Cowherd]

Up near the top of the market? I think there's. I've said this about D. Wade for years. The fact that D. Wade went to Miami, never paid state tax, had Pat Riley as the gm, Spolstra mostly as the head coach, and one of the top owners, Mickey Harrison. There are times, there are value. Sometimes when he went to Chicago, I'm like, I know you're. I know you're from there, bro. But I would say, like, there are situations where being the Cowboy quarterback is better than being paid a little bit more to be the Cleveland Brown quarterback.

[Jason McIntyre]

So I. I would agree with that. However, I don't know how they're gonna spend the money that you're not giving me. So unless I like the Miami Heat, historically amazing, you know, you have.

[Colin Cowherd]

Again, that's a very fair point.

[Jason McIntyre]

Trust Jerry Jones.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's very.

[Jason McIntyre]

The right thing with the money you're not giving me.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, that's a very fair point. Tom Brady. For years. I said, for years when Brady was in New England and they. He kept giving up money, and I kept saying, where's it going? Because they don't have a receiver that can separate. Like, outside of Edelman, you're like, where are all the receivers? So I. It drove me nuts for years that Tommy gave up the money, and I'm like, where is it going? You're good at tight end, but you have be running backs. You have Edelman and B receivers. So I think it's fair. But I do think there are certain organizations. Manchester United, you're getting a lot of eyeballs, you know, if you're their striker. It's. I think there are organizations I would, you know, you can play for. The New York Rangers or the St. Louis Blues. New York Rangers, they got a rabid longtime fan base. Or Toronto Maple Leafs. And I think there's value in that.

[Jason McIntyre]

So I guess in closing, there was a lot of chatter about should they trade Micah, blah, blah, blah. Do you think Micah's like, whoa, I don't want to go anywhere. I'm willing to take less because I.

[Colin Cowherd]

Want to stay here.

[Jason McIntyre]

Don't ship me to Siberia or wherever.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right.

[Jason McIntyre]

And Mike is, like, kind of covered away.

[Colin Cowherd]

Who would take Micah? Who would over.

[Jason McIntyre]

I think a lot of people would take Micah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, no question. But who would overpay for him? A bad team, a poorly run team.

[Jason McIntyre]

Jacksonville.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, there you go.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

J. Macleanoos.

[Dan Mullen]

Well, that's the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

And thanks for stopping by the Herd live. I Just want to point this. I can't wait for Notre Dame host in Indiana tonight. That's in my blazing five picks. Last year, the Big Ten. The Big Ten stole the King crown from the sec. Michigan not only won the Natty, they played a, they played a PAC 10 team. They didn't have to play an SEC. SEC didn't even get to the championship this year. Alabama disappointed. Tennessee's a touchdown underdog to Ohio State. Carson Beck is not going to play in the playoffs for Georgia. So they're not winning a national championship. And it all rests on Texas. The new guy in the BL is the best team. And Texas, it should be noted, has some offensive struggles. The last three games I've watched, they're not moving the ball. So it's very, very interesting. Sources say today that Georgia's preparing for the College Football Playoff without their quarterback. So take them out of winning. And so the SEC's reign is slipping. The buzzards are circling. Texas, it appears, will be the only shot to win a Natty. So the playoff committee was very clear. They said we'll take a two loss SMU team over a three loss SEC team. And their reasoning was they're not that great this year. So I saw a story this week, boy, this one got a hurt. Alabama's athletic director tells the Tide fans to fight back and help fund the nil. So apparently, hey, everybody going to have another bake sale down in Tuscaloosa. Who's making the fudge? I'll do the ginger snaps, you do the chocolate chip. They're doing bake sales and raffles down in Tuscaloosa. Just saying if Tennessee gets whacked. Dark days ahead for the King. The King is being undressed by the boys up north. Joel Klatt yesterday on why even the SEC's most hopeful team, Texas, has a quarterback problem. As yours became more immobile with that banged up ankle. Then the, the level of stress on just the passing game and his ability to throw guys open went way up and, and he doesn't really do that. So because of that, there's a ton of stress on Steve Sarkeesian to scheme guys open for him. And when he faces good defenses, that's, that's tough. I just wonder to myself, like if they were struggling, how short is that leash on Quinn yours? I think it would be pretty short. Yeah, I agree with Joel Klatz. Boys up north, Oregon not going anywhere. Ohio State, Michigan, Washington will be good in a rebuild. Just what I see. Very scary times. But hey, here's the good news? People love bake sales. They love bake sales. Raffles, car washes, all available this weekend in Tuscaloosa. All right, Blazing Five Redemption time for Blazing Five. A flex at the top of the hour. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific. This podcast is sponsored by PayPal. We partnered with them to make this holiday season even better. With all the shopping, gifting and holiday prep, my PayPal debit card is my go to for getting more out of my purchases. Here's how it works. 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There has to be original Louisiana brand hot sauce on your game day food list. It's the perfect everyday hot sauce that complements every meal. There's a rich food tradition in Louisiana bringing bold peppery flavor with just the right amount of heat. Pigs in a blanket. Pigs not in a blanket. Spinach, artichoke dip. Artichoke spinach dip. Wings are wingier than ever with the original Louisiana brand wing sauce. Perfect for self appointed flavor experts. The original Louisiana brand hot sauce, the game day flavor changer Flavor favors the bold. Available at a store near you. All right, here we go. What a weekend of massive college football. The College Football Playoff starts tonight. Indiana at Notre Dame, Texas and Clemson over the weekend. Penn State's playing as well. Live In Los Angeles, it's the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. So, J. Mac, I've had a terrible year betting NFL. My worst ever. Most of the time I'm 55, 56%. But it's been a year in which favorites have done well. I tend to take dogs, so I've been off all year. That's. That's the breaks. Nobody cares. But I will tell you, today, I thought, I thought, thought the single best bet of the weekend was a college bet.

[Jason McIntyre]

Oh.

[Colin Cowherd]

And so I thought, I'm gonna open it up. I'm gonna give people an opportunity. It's a bet that you and I both agree with. Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

And it, it's never too late to turn it around. Cowherd you remember last year? I think you started. I mean, who could. Who remembers? And you turn it around so, like, you could do it, you know, finish strong, man. You know, it's not how you start, say finish.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. I like your optimism. So here we go on a Friday. My blazing five. That's a hot one.

[Dan Mullen]

Let's blaze it up.

[Colin Cowherd]

Fire it up. It's Collins Blazin 5. Sponsored by DraftKings. Indiana and Notre Dame. I like Indiana plus seven and a half. It's gonna be in the upper 20s, windchill in the upper teens. I don't think either offense is gonna be great. I think the game will be fast. It will be the run game eating the clock. Indiana is really well coached coming off their most dominant performance of the year, crushing Purdue. This is not Ohio State in Columbus. The weather will be a factor. It'll slow down both offenses. And Notre Dame's defense, By the way, USC got 560 yards against him. Could have won that game without pick sixes. The last two opponents that Notre Dame has faced have both had over 190 yards rushing. So Indiana's the sixth second highest scoring team in college football. I think it is a game with a lot of running. I really like Indiana's coach. I think Ohio State's a different team in good weather than Notre Dame in bad weather. I'll take the Irish to win, but I'm taking the seven and a half points. 27, 23 Fighting Irish, Clemson at Texas. Both J. Mac and I like the Longhorns to cover. I don't know how Clemson scores. I could argue, you know, are they really, you know, they don't really feel like a college football playoff team. Texas is 110 against everybody not named Georgia. Their offense is sputtered, but I think their defense could score. Against Clemson. Clemson's the only playoff team with three losses from a weak conference. 02 against SEC teams outscored 51 to 17 and again the Texas defense. That's why the their offense has been so conservative. They may not need to score more than a touchdown or two. I'm not sure how Clemson mounts long drives in this game. I'm going to swallow the 12 points. I think I'd prefer to see Arch Manning at quarterback. Texas wins 30 to 13, Rams and Jets at minus three. I'll take the Rams. First of all, the game means a lot more. This is a Jets team that had to fight like crazy crazy to come back and beat an awful, awful Jacksonville team. Also, I get Stafford and McVeigh coming off extra time because they played on Thursday. They control their own destiny. They need to win this game. No turnovers and no sacks last two games. The O line's finally healthy. By the way, they are 50 this year. When they don't turn it over the Jets. By the way, last four games, you know they're one score game. They keep it close. I think it'll be close. But the game means more. It's been a noisy, noisy week for the Jets. I'm going to take the Rams to win and cover 2723 49ers at Dolphins. I'm going to take the Niners minus one to win straight out. Here's my problem with Miami. People have figured them out. Tyreek hill has gone over 100 yards once in the last 13 games. Tua has not completed a passover 20 yards in the air before Thanksgiving. And the Niners are a bully. They're very good against teams that are below.500. They average 32 a game. They're coming off extra rest four zero against teams currently under.500. They remind me a little of Baltimore when you stack them up against a great team. The Niners have flaws. When they can bully an average team like Miami, they win. All lay the one point. Niners win 28 to 24. Patriots and Bills I don't like big favorites, but the Bills have won nine straight regular season home games minus 14. I'll lay the points. They've scored 30 plus in eight straight games. They don't allow sacks, so I don't think Josh Allen will be rushed. They've only allowed 13 sacks all year and they're outscoring their opponents at at home by 17 a game. The Patriots have lost four straight. They can't score. There's questions about the coaching. Listen, I get the best NFL team at home that protects their quarterback against a Gerard Mayo team that has gotten worse. Whatever they do offensively, people have figured it out. Point differential. I think the bills cover 30 to 13. Our draft draft king sportsbook. New customers bet five bucks. Get 150 in bonus bets. If your $5 bet wins, download the app. The promo code is heard H E R D when you sign up. Yeah, there we go. J Mac, if you want to look at the picks. I like the college games this weekend. I kind of. My take is I hate big favorites, but Green Bay and Buffalo are not only big favorites, they're playing really good football. And I think my favorite bet of the week is Texas minus 12. I don't know how Clemson engineers any offense in that game.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, I like them. By the way, have you seen the images from South Bend, Indiana? Snow, very cold. I got some buddies going to the game. They are fired up. I like Notre Dame. I'm excited. I can't wait for the playoff games. Yeah, Texas as well. I'm with you on that.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. So, I mean, Notre Dame, Indiana. I think people look at Indiana and I think it's being overplayed, that they're a fraud. Ohio State, good weather at home. That was a. That was a tough place for Indiana.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, this. First of all, it's not going to be as loud because people are going to be wrapped up. It is freezing. And again, this is a Notre Dame defense. I went to the game at the Coliseum. USC moved the ball.

[Jason McIntyre]

They got shredded through the air. Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. So. And also, I do think that Indiana is closer in talent to Notre Dame than they are at Texas or an Ohio State. I just, I felt watching that game we were two series in and I'm like, okay, this is big boy football. They don't have the players. The Buckeyes do. And Ohio State, by the way, does that to a lot of people, I don't think. But I think Indiana can play a Penn State, a Notre Dame, other teams that are good and compete.

[Jason McIntyre]

I wonder how much, like, the winter break comes into play, because a lot of colleges, you know, the kids are back off campus, they're not there. I don't know how juiced up these home stadiums are going to be. They're calling for a whiteout in Happy Valley. Is it going to be. Are all the students still there? Are they hanging out? Did they hang around after finals? Everybody usually wants to get out of Dodge. I don't know what this is going to be like. We've never seen this before.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, no, I mean and I, I think anytime you've never seen anything before, it makes it. I can't wait to watch it. And I'm going to the Dome at Cosm. Oh, I want to go watch it. I'm going to see what it looks like. By the way, if you've never gone to that thing, there's one in LA and Dallas, one coming to Atlanta, Detroit. If you've never been to that place in a snow game it's incredible to see what the players are going through and the officials. I don't know how you call a game. It is official in snow games. I don't know how you do it. By the way, I, I, I, I just, I want to show you something that's really. I like Jim Harbaugh a lot. I love the last night was so much about Jim Harbaugh going with the old school kick in that football game that hadn't happened since a 52 yarder by Paul Horning of the packers in 1962. So it was, you know, it was the end of the half and it was a fair catch and there was interference and a penalty and so there's a fair catch and you are allowed to do this. Now none of us have ever seen this thing before but now you are on that penalty, you can kick it from there. And the Chargers have one of the best kickers in the league and so they're like, all right, we're going to kick it before half. And there's a big difference. Being down 11 and being down eight. Okay, down eight, okay. It's a one score game and two point conversion. So Dicker the kicker, bang hits it. From that point on the Chargers dominated. And I thought it was a real glimpse of the culture that Jim Harbaughs created. It was, it was a banged up football team. You trail but they're opportunistic. They, they bring back an old school football play. And here, this is so classic. Here's Harbaugh after singing loud and proud like we've never sung it before. So he echoes out into the stadium, 1, 2, you know what to do. Or he's a jolly good fellow or he's a jolly good fellow or he's a jolly good fellow. Possibly have it better than I. He's a gym fluencer by the way. December 14th last season they gave up 60 points to the awful Raiders. This year they secured a playoff spot. 97% chance they make the playoffs. That's that game last night had Jim Harbaugh written all over it. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. This podcast is sponsored by PayPal. We've partnered with them to make this holiday season even better. With all the shopping, gifting and holiday prep, my PayPal debit card is my go to for getting more out of my purchases. Here's how it works. I choose my monthly category Gas, Restaurants, Apparel, Groceries, Health and Beauty or just for the holiday season, tech. And I earn 5% cash back on up to a thousand bucks in the purchases in those categories. Yeah, 5% cash back. This month I'm gonna go with tech. It's my category. It's a no brainer, right? 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See participating Genesis retailers for details. Visit genesis.com to see how Genesis can make your holidays even brighter. Details make the Holidays hey, y'all know the Aflac commercials, right? With the famous duck and the coaches. Great commercials. But did you know that Aflac is a leader in supplemental insurance? That's what the duck is quacking about. Helping cover gaps. So like, this is how I think of Aflac. Let's say you have an all pro linebacker. Anytime there's a gap in the defensive line, you know he's going to fill it, no problem because he's an all pro. Aflac does the same thing. If there's a gap in your health insurance, Aflac wants to better protect you by helping close the gap. You're sick, you're injured. Aflac can pay cash to help fill the gaps. Your health insurance can leave behind. You can use the cash, put it towards whatever you need. Rent, mortgage payments, medical bills. It's completely up to you. Look, life can be tough. Fortunately, Aflac is tougher. I mean, we're talking middle linebacker tough. To learn more about how Aflac can help fill the gaps health insurance can leave behind, visit aflac.com what's on your list of popular game day foods? Probably multiple dishes with the bold flavor of the original Louisiana brand hot sauce. You can't beat the original with a 90 year history of great taste and quality. Tailgate, house party, game day gatherings, whatever. Include real flavor sliders with the original Louisiana brand hot sauce. The beer cheese with that hit of Louisiana peppers. There has to be original Louisiana brand hot sauce on your game day food list. It's the perfect everyday hot sauce that complements every meal. There's a rich food tradition in Louisiana bringing bold peppery flavor with just the right amount of heat. Pigs in a blanket. Pigs not in a blanket. Spinach artichoke dip. Artichoke spinach dip. Wings are wingier than ever with the original Louisiana brand wing sauce. Perfect for self appointed flavor experts. The original Louisiana brand hot sauce the game day flavor changer Flavor favors the bold. Available at a store near you. Well I worked at ESPN last couple years a college football analyst. Mississippi State and Florida in the SEC knows high end football and now he's a coach at UNLV which has the best collection in the Mountain West Conference. And he knows Urban Meyer and Dan Mullen. They worked together years ago. He's now Joining us live. And I remember when the UNLV's facilities were in a dark, dingy place. And now it's sunshine everywhere for Dan Mullen. Good for you. Okay, I want to start with this. So I talked to Urban this week, and you know, the pressure of the sec, you know, the pressure of big football. And I've always said that Ohio State, Dan, is an SEC team. North. They're the only SEC team North. Ryan Day, bad performance. Do you like? So after a bad game at Florida, you know, at Florida and you get a month off, did it help you or hurt you? What should I expect from Ohio State off that stinker against Michigan?

[Dan Mullen]

Well, listen, it's going to help their performance in the end when they get on the field because they're going to be a little angry when they get out there, but it hurts. That is a long, miserable month of everybody telling you how awful you are. I mean, it's just like it's. I mean, it's just dreary. It's miserable. You got to find a way to motivate yourself and pick yourself up out of it in those situations, which is not easy to do as a coach. Listen, you know, fans are so critical of coaches. Like, you know, I mean, I think every person, Ohio probably thought Ryan just walked up and kicked their dog that was laying on the fly, you know, and they look at him that way. But no one's harder on themselves than the coaches. There's no one. I hate to say it for all your Buckeye fans out there. There's no one in the state of Ohio that wanted to win that game more than Ryan Day and put more into it. So I know he's awful about it. He's going to be ready to get back out there on the field. They need to pull themselves out of that misery.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, you had a job like that in Florida, and I want to pivot to the sec. So Carson Beck's not playing for Georgia. I don't think they can win a Natty without that. And. And I'll tell you, I think Texas. I love Texas, but offensively, they're so good. Defensively, they've gotten a little conservative offensively as a favorite, because I think Texas passes the eyeball test. Would you want to be Texas, where you're kind of. Kind of scuffing a little bit, but you're the. You got the best roster. Is that a place that's comfortable as a coach? Because you were a favorite in a lot of big games at Florida. Did you like being a Little bit of a dog or did you like being the big dog? Coming in with a chest out? They're both a lot of fun.

[Dan Mullen]

And listen, I spent a lot of time at Mississippi State and I don't think. I think we were the underdog about every single week in the sec, right. And that was a lot of fun. You have a little chip on your shoulder. I think you just adjust to both. And as a coach and you get your team to believe in that. It's hard when you're in Texas, hey, let's go really get that chip. You have to say, we have to play to our standard. We have to play to our talent level. We have to do the things that we're good. We have to be as good as we are supposed to do and perform that way every week. It's hard to play the chip on the shoulder card when you're at Texas. But I tell you what, as a coach, both are fun, both are great challenges to go do it, but there's no way they're going to get it. Texas has to go and they have to say, hey, we've played like a dominant team. When we played, people were better than when we played, people were equal to. We have not shown that. And there are two games against Georgia. You saw their offense didn't show up. You know, they're. They're throwing the ball. Were you watching these clips? They're throwing the ball down the field, scoring touchdowns. If you're going to play Georgia, you're going to play the big teams. You have got to hit explosive plays down the field throwing the football, and they haven't been able to do that.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, you're not going to get 13 play drives against the Georgia Bulldogs. So I was thinking about this tonight. If I was Marcus Freeman, I got the better roster. I'm at home. I'm playing in a blizzard. Yeah, Dan, I'd want to run that puppy. Eat the clock, get out of there. I do. I wouldn't want to get tricky. I got the better roster. I'm at home. Have you ever gone into a game and maybe not because of where you coached, where you're the favorite, you got the better roster. Weather can be a problem. Maybe it's raining sideways in Starkville. Notre Dame's in a weird spot tonight that the weather is not their ally, because by the way, Indiana can. They can run it. They're well coached. If you were Notre Dame tonight, with this weather you're facing, does it change the game plan? No.

[Dan Mullen]

Usually when you're the better Team you want to run more play so you know, you don't want to slow it down because the, if we have better players, better talent, the more plays we run on the field, the better opportunity our talented guys have to make something special happen. I do though, see with the weather and listen, Notre Dame, I know they're explosive, good players with better roster. They like to run the ball too. Listen, in TV terms, I don't see a fill coming in this game right now. This one's going to be over and it's going to be over fast. You better tune in early. This is probably going to go as fast as that Army Navy did because both teams are going to be, I think, run the football, be conservative and you know, might set football back. It's going to look like the, the four Horsemen might come out with another.

[Colin Cowherd]

Name in this one.

[Dan Mullen]

Like the 20s playing.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. So listen, I like the transfer portal and the nil. I do think everything needs to be managed. I think you need to have a cap with the NFL. I mean hell, the NFL's got a salary cap. I think you should have like a 16 to 17 million cap so the gap between Ohio State and Purdue doesn't become 40 million to 8. And I also think the transfer portal. I don't know exactly what you do. I think we're getting a little caught up. The truth is USC lost some good guys. They're going to find some good guys. I don't worry too much about it. Is there any, and I love the playoff. Is there anything that worries you from somebody who was coached in the sec, you've broadcast, now you're in the Mountain West. Anything worry you about all these changes in college football?

[Dan Mullen]

You know the great thing, being out of it for the last couple of years and not having to deal with the adjustments on a day to day basis. When you see it from the 10,000 foot view, I'm more comfortable coming back into it and having seen it and understand it. The second transfer portal window they have after spring practice. I kind of wish they'd get rid of that. Like you know what, establish your roster, show kids. I'm going to go to this school, I'm going to make a one year commitment. Like we're just here for a year. Coaches can manage their rosters. Players know they have a chance to develop. This is their team, the signing day. I think if they just tweak the calendar in college football, they can help it. Yeah, hey, the money kids, if they would, if they, if the NC would have tried to find a way and figure out how to pay the kids a long time ago would give them a little something. It would have helped. I mean, we might not be in this as crazy a situation as we are, but you know what? The kids deserve some of the money. There's a lot of money coming from all the different TV networks and the kids deserve some of that money. The opportunity to go make it. The other thing I think though, the hard one, that the message to give the kids and the message I'm trying to give to kids, come here. Don't forget about development at some point. You know, if you're going to a school, a different school every year for four years, when are you really learning the system? When are you learning to develop? When are you learning to go take that next step? I've coached quarterbacks my whole life. I don't want to. I want to have a quarterback that I can coach, develop and start learning. Graduate level classes, not just kind of. We're going to try to dumb it down because we have it for a year. You can learn a system. I want guys make sure guys understand you need to really spend time, develop yourself, learn your trait and not just be jumping around from one year to the next. But hey, that's the system. They're going to do it. I understand it. It's great. We had a bunch of players go to the Portal after our bowl game the other night that are going to look at opportunities here at unlv. But I mean, my phone's blowing up with guys that want to come play. You know, we have the opportunity. The great thing you said, the playoffs. I think we have a great path to the playoffs here at unlv. Look at, boy, we have beaten Boise in the championship game last year. I'm sitting on a buy right now. I'm going to be hanging out with you. We're having a good time in Vegas and we're sitting on a buy, going to watch, you know, smu, Penn State game tomorrow, see who we're going to play in the second round. So I love our path and, and I think college football is doing some things the right way. They just need to get everybody on the same page to tweak it to make it the best for the student athletes, the players, the high school kids coming in just put a little barrier around.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yep.

[Dan Mullen]

And. And just clean it up a little bit and get out of. We can't get out of our own way sometimes.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, I just saw the world's best fake punt at that UNLV win over Cal you were in a tennis. Best fake punt I've ever seen in my life. And I want to. I want to say you had a cushy job as a broadcaster. What did your wife say when you said, hey, I want to go back coach again? She.

[Dan Mullen]

She's like, what? Like what? I thought we were kind of retired with this broadcasting life, like, somewhat, you know, out of this world. And you know what? It's crazy. A lot of people say what's going on is, you know, I've had a lot of people call with interest, offer different jobs over the last couple years, and it was just something you said. I was enjoying broadcast and I was really enjoying tv. Somehow something about this job hit a spark in me.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Dan Mullen]

You know, I don't know if it's. We have great facilities here.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yep.

[Dan Mullen]

The Fertitta football complex. The family's done a great job, have given us fillies. We played Allegiant Stadium in an NFL stadium, one of the nicest stadiums in football at any level around the world. You're in a great market. Las Vegas, a great place to live, as you know.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Dan Mullen]

And, you know, we have so much going on. It kind of got me really excited. The path to the playoffs, I'm thinking. I think I'm gonna go have some fun. We're gonna go coach some ball, have some fun and. And have a good time and see if we can get ourselves to the playoffs and win a championship here at unlv.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. The weather's a little better than Bristol, Connecticut. No shot at the. My former employer. Hey, it's great seeing you. Say hi to the people at unlv. Fertitta family has been amazing in that community. Unbelievable family. Dan Mullen, unlv, the Mountain west, they got a little Columbia collective money. Thank you, Dan, for coming on the show. I do appreciate it. He did a great job.

[Dan Mullen]

Thank you.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yep, yep. Yeah, I did wonder when I saw him take that job, I thought. I bet his wife thought, okay, we're going to do the broadcasting thing. It. You know, and it's interesting about recruiting now. It used to be. It had to be on the road all the time. What's happened a little bit now with the collective? The players come to you. They come on your campus in the summer or spring. It's like, all right, what do you want to make? Here's what we have. It's a different ball game. J. Mac with the news. No, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news.

[Jason McIntyre]

You know, we like Texas a lot.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes.

[Jason McIntyre]

In the game this weekend. But there, the quarterback situation is really starting to get tricky. Well, Sark was asked about the Quinn Ewers, Arch banning stuff, specifically about this potentially being yours's last game is a longhorn. And Sark was not happy with the question.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, Quinn obviously needs to make a decision after this season is over, but if this ends up being his last game, no hypotheticals. I'm not doing hypotheticals. Next one, that. It's not a hypothetical thing. If this ends up being his life's game, can you talk about his impact and that he's had in the three years that he's been here? Has, has, or he has not had an impact? I'll answer the question as it pertains to his impact. Now, I'm not going to answer the question with a hypothetical. So do you want to rephrase the question? Yeah, I mean, it's. I get it. I'm not going to take your question, which hasn't happened, and give you an answer to frame for a column. It hasn't happened, so I'm not going to.

[Jason McIntyre]

But it might be his last game again. But by the way, there's chatter. There's Texas fans out there who think, listen, Arch is starting next year. If Quinn isn't ready for the NFL or doesn't get a high grade, he gonna transfer Colin and he's gonna be somewhere else.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, but let's wait until it happens. Why should I feed you a column? That's fair.

[Jason McIntyre]

I'm just saying, I don't know. I understand the question and I understand the non answer. Does that make sense? Is that, is that okay to say?

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't. I'm not blaming you for asking the question. I've always said in my entire career, when I ask questions, you have a right not to answer. And if you say, I'm not going to answer, I'm not going to reframe it and try to trick you, which the writer did. So my take is I, if I was Sark, I wouldn't have answered it either. I'd say, I'm not going to take that narrative and give you a column.

[Jason McIntyre]

What do you think about this?

[Colin Cowherd]

In fact, Sark said, would you like to rephrase? And the guy, the stubborn media guy, went back to it. I'm not going to give you a column.

[Jason McIntyre]

Well, where are you on this whole Arch versus yours?

[Colin Cowherd]

Like, Arch is the better quarterback. He's more mobile. I like him.

[Jason McIntyre]

Who's the better quarterback now?

[Colin Cowherd]

I think Arch Manning. Oh, but I've never been a Ewers fan. I. I don't think he's a first or second round pick. I think he's a fifth round. I think he's. No, I think he's. It's a lot of Kenny Pickett to me he's fine. He's a backup. I don't think he's a starter in the NFL. I don't. Oh my.

[Jason McIntyre]

That's a take.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, I didn't think Zach Wilson was a starter in the NFL. I didn't think Daniel Jones was. I didn't think Tebow was second overall. Can you believe I called those before they happened And I knew Sam Darnold was magic. Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

It just took six years to become. Let's go to the NBA. NBA fans, Knicks, Timberwolves, trade. Remember that in the summer massive Karl Anthony Towns returned to Minnesota last night. Former number one pick by the Wolves said after the game personally this game wasn't just another game and if anyone told you otherwise, that's a lie. Cat went off. He had 32 and 20. Didn't miss a three pointer. Anthony Edwards said that while he was mad his team lost, he was happy to see Kat do well. Nick's gonna blow out. Cat flexing.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, whatever.

[Jason McIntyre]

I've seen we are talking positive NBA and look at you.

[Colin Cowherd]

I've seen him play live four times. He's been great. Three of them. But when I need him in big spots, I've always had my question questions. I still contend he's part. He is part of a package that eventually goes after Giannis in Milwaukee. I believe that draft picks Carl Anthony Towns maybe OG is hot.

[Jason McIntyre]

Take summer get arriving early. I mean Arch banding better than yours. You don't you think yours right now. I think ours would be starting if you were better.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think there's a lot of politics involved. I think there's a lot of walking on eggshells to be involved. I think this is the bottom line is if Arch starts Quinn Ewers like I'm out of here then I don't have a backup quarterback I love now.

[Jason McIntyre]

Carl Ante Townsends is one of the best games of his career. I know, I know he's always been talented but 30 and 20 against his old team. It's kind of impressive in Europe. And you want to ship him to Milwaukee.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, I need to celebrate the NBA.

[Jason McIntyre]

NBA, baby. It's fantastic. Final story. Let's go back to the NFL. The Detroit Lions. It felt like three weeks ago they were the darlings of the NFL but the injuries. Oh my gosh destroying this team. A lot of people are starting to doubt the Lions, the line coming down against the Bears. But defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, he's got no doubts.

[Colin Cowherd]

We're 12 and 2 and the sky is falling. We're going to the playoffs. We're in the dance. We're in the tournament.

[Jason McIntyre]

Why in the hell is God on for us?

[Dan Mullen]

This.

[Jason McIntyre]

What, do we have to sit back and.

[Colin Cowherd]

And be sad? I mean, we didn't live to you guys. We let you guys do that. Our jobs to go play football. But why should we sit back and wallow and. And. And think the sky's falling? It's dumb.

[Jason McIntyre]

I like that. I kind of like that.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's good. He's good at the podium.

[Jason McIntyre]

He was a mouthy cornerback back in Jets.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I got no problem with I it, by the way. I don't know this. I'm just throwing it out there. How many former cornerbacks are NFL head coaches? Dion's obviously a college coach. It's a funny position that it's. It's a big personality position, so you'd think there'd be more, like college coaches that were corners. Has there been an NFL coach who was a great corner?

[Dan Mullen]

What was?

[Jason McIntyre]

Dan Kale? He was the tight end, maybe.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, he wasn't a corner.

[Jason McIntyre]

He was not a corner. It might have been like a. Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

He didn't look real twitchy.

[Jason McIntyre]

You're right there. There's some random positions out there, and.

[Colin Cowherd]

A lot of it's a big personality position. So I would think there'd be corners in college, because you gotta sell. I mean, Dion's a prime example. Big purse, charisma.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, you've got that Riz.

[Colin Cowherd]

That Riz. Is that what they call it? The Riz? Yeah. Oh, I like that. I haven't used that. I just started using mid and lit.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

So Riz is charisma.

[Jason McIntyre]

Use Riz on Christmas Eve, making the cookies. Don't bring that to my house on Christmas day. The kids will laugh at you.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'll tell you. I'll tell you. I'm gonna stand on business with a Riz.

[Jason McIntyre]

I don't know that that was said correctly, but we'll just let it slide.

[Colin Cowherd]

Who cares? I thought that was lit. All right. J. Mac with the news.

[Dan Mullen]

Well, that's the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

And thanks for stopping by the herd. Lie news, all sorts of stuff. It was great watching that game last night. I don't know about everybody else, but I was. I was watching that game last night. My takeaway was, oh, we're watching playoff Teams. If you go look at the AFC right now, the playoff picture, it's done. I love Burrow, but they're not winning three straight games and Denver's not losing all these games. So I think the AFC playoff picture and here's what's funny, the NFL extended to 17 games. It's already done. We got three games left and they're going to extend to another game. That's why I don't like extending the NFL season. We as the league has become more quarterback centric, teams separate faster folks. The AFC playoffs are done. They're all over. Anthony Richardson can't win three straight. Although I think they beat the Titans this weekend. Miami's to finesse. They're not winning three straight games. And I think you can give Joe Burrow an outside shot, outside 5% chance. But the NFL extends their season. What's the point? The AFC's done. We got three games left. Go to the NFC now. The NFC. I think if the Rams win this weekend and the Niners lost and Seattle lost, then it then it's starting to feel like it's done. So I think there's a little bit on the bottom of this. But we all know right now Atlanta, unless Penix comes up and lights the world on fire, Detroit, Philly, Tampa, Minnesota, Green Bay are in. So what is interesting is the NFL has expanded the season and they're going to expand it to 18 is the last four to five weeks of the regular season. 90% of the playoff teams are done. Don't you want. I've said this about baseball for years. Speed the game up. Check. Get rid of the defensive shift. Check. Lop off 40 games, get to 120 games, stop playing in cold winter weather. You want to get your season done by about October 5th because you start playing late October. Good luck with football.

[Jason McIntyre]

All right, hold on, hold on.

[Colin Cowherd]

Good luck.

[Jason McIntyre]

You want to lop off how many games from the baseball schedule?

[Colin Cowherd]

20 home games per team.

[Jason McIntyre]

Okay, 20 home. You think the owner is going to good?

[Colin Cowherd]

No, I don't think they will because they're all greedy. But my take is baseball got rid of their time issue, got me to watch more. They got rid of the defensive shift issue. Now they have to create at least a little scarcity, make the games matter a little. I've said this for years. If I was the NBA, NBA. I always felt 68 regular season games create urgency. First round playoffs, three game series. Second round series, five games, five give seven all a seven round first game, first round playoff series at one against an eight. I have no reason. I mean LeBron never even barely lost games against eight seeds are at play here.

[Jason McIntyre]

This is a business for these billionaires. This is a business for the leagues. More games equal more money. Pretty simple. More games in the playoffs equal more teams get money.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't have a problem with more teams in the playoffs. I have a problem as we have this phone. People are now on their phone more than watching tv. They're almost on streaming and social more than tv.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay. So the games have to matter. Hockey's regular season down, NBA regular season hemorrhaging. It's part of that is there's a lot of arguments. Some of it is as we are more distracted and we're all more distracted. You have to make the games matter. You can't make hockey, baseball and NBA regular season matter. The baseball ratings last year met the playoffs were huge.

[Jason McIntyre]

But again, but that's from the our perspective look on the inside. The owners are making money hand over fist. They don't care that ratings are down. It doesn't impact them. The only people who should care about the ratings are the TV broadcast partners.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right? Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

So if they got beef.

[Colin Cowherd]

But I will tell you this prime example baseball. Right now, Fox and ESPN are not opening up their wallets for baseball.

[Jason McIntyre]

That's when the discussions really well and.

[Colin Cowherd]

That'S when they're starting. I mean baseball signed a deal with Russia Roku this year. I'm not joking. It was $30 million. Each team got a million. I mean that, that is desperate. That's like embarrassing the NBA, it may be a business, but any business that's trending in the wrong direction, be careful.

[Jason McIntyre]

They just got their new deal. They are flush with cash. It was what, a billion dollar deal? I mean they got so much money, Colin, they're not really worried about this. I would not be shocked if you heard from the NBA.

[Colin Cowherd]

But remember here in the coming television, the, the television revenue in these sports is like 30% of it. Attendance is also.

[Jason McIntyre]

Also attendance is not really that big of an issue.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, if it again when businesses start to erode. Baseball attendance wasn't an issue then. About five years ago, it's an issue. Then three years ago it became a real issue. Now the television money's become again. Drip, drip, drip, drip is right.

[Jason McIntyre]

It's just like the cable people cutting cable. But I. Did you see what the Sun's owner did this with week?

[Colin Cowherd]

I loved it.

[Jason McIntyre]

Awesome. I think we should see more billionaires doing this for the teams you own.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. These NBA guys making all this money. Matt, what's the last name? Ishbia from Ishba. Basically said two dollar menu for food, for everything. I thought it was great.

[Jason McIntyre]

That's amazing.

[Colin Cowherd]

One of my favorite.

[Jason McIntyre]

Dude, bro. I went to the Chargers game.

[Colin Cowherd]

Do you know how much a beer.

[Jason McIntyre]

Costs at an NFL 14? No, 18 for one drink. And then like a three tacos are like 25. I mean, Colin, the prices are exorbitant. But again, it to these guys, they're business guys. They're making tons of money. That's all they care about.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think. I think there are lines in the sand. We're getting close to crossing and we're not Fans. All this TV streamer money is great. That's 30% of the revenue. The other 30%, before you get to marketing and merchandising and parking and sales and tickets and suites, it's. It's regular guys going to games, regular people going to games. So the TV money pays a lot of the bills. It doesn't pay all of them. It doesn't pay all of them. I'm partnering with PayPal. The holiday season is here and I'm going to save big with cash back offers in the PayPal app. It's easy. I browse deals from my favorite brands, save offers in the app and use PayPal checkout online. Really, really easy. Whether I'm buying gifts for my family or treating myself to something nice, I'm earning cash back and you can too. Don't just pay PayPal check offers in the app. For details and exclusions. Cashback earned is points redeemable for cash and other options, see PayPal rewards terms. This is Doug Gottlieb from All Ball with Doug Gottlieb. Listen, I'm gonna get serious for a minute. The hate in our country is getting out of control. In fact, it's sadly at an all time high. But it's gonna take all of us to stop it. I mean, we're all on the same team in this country. So let's take a break from our.

[Jason McIntyre]

Hate so our team can regroup. We need to take a timeout against hate.

[Colin Cowherd]

Visit standuptoallhate.org to help and join me in calling for timeout against hate by following OTs upwithhate or posting the blue square emoji. The flavor, the tradition and the spirit of carne asada lives on at Del Taco. Join the asada today with Del Taco's new limited time half pound chipotle carne asada steak burrito packed with sweet, spicy and smoky flavor wrapped up and grilled to perfection. The whole carne asada steak menu delivers the bold flavors you crave with epic burritos, loaded fries and street tacos starting at just $2.99 only at Del Taco. What's up everybody? Adnan Virk here to tell you about a new podcast.

[Jason McIntyre]

It's NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers.

[Dan Mullen]

Jason Immers here, And after playing 700.

[Colin Cowherd]

NHL games, I got a lot of dirty laundry to air out.

[Jason McIntyre]

I got a lot to say here too.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay? Each week we'll get together to chat about the sport that we love.

[Dan Mullen]

Tons of guests are going to join in too, but we're not just going.

[Colin Cowherd]

To be talking hockey, folks.

[Jason McIntyre]

We're talking movies, we're talking tv food.

[Colin Cowherd]

And Adnan's favorite wrestling.

[Dan Mullen]

It's all on le Table.

[Colin Cowherd]

Listen to NHL Unscripted with Vir and demers, the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Dan Mullen]

Catch Jon Stewart back in action on.

[Colin Cowherd]

The Daily show and in your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. From his hilarious satirical takes on today's politics and entertainment to the unique voices of correspondents and contributors, it's your perfect companion to stay on top of what's happening now. Plus, you'll get special content just for podcast listeners, like in depth interviews and a roundup of the week's top headlines. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.