← The Herd with Colin Cowherd
The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Colin Cowherd Podcast - March Madness Preview, Rodgers Decision Looming, 49ers Rebuild, Bears Trending Up?
00:58:28
Loading summary
Transcript129 lines
- [00:00]
Colin Cowherd
You can count on T Mobile to help keep you connected from big cities to small towns on America's largest 5G network. Switch the T Mobile keep your phone and they'll pay it off up to 800 bucks per line via prepaid card. Learn more@t mobile.com heap and switch up to four lines via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device credit service port in 90 plus days with device and eligible carrier and timely redemption. Acquired cart has no cash access and expires in six months with amex, there's.
- [00:37]
American Express
Always a new experience to explore. From curating the perfect vacation and chilling in the Centurion Lounge before you get there, trying out that new trendy restaurant thanks to Priority Notify with global dining access by Resy and getting straight to the action at the big Game with card member entrances at select venues. With AMEX Platinum, you can experience it all. That's the powerful backing of American Express. Terms apply access to the card member entrance not limited to the American Express Platinum card. Learn more at American Express.com/with AmEx what's up everyone?
- [01:07]
Greg Rosenthal
It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs, mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday, keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [01:37]
Jeremy Hobson
We live in a divided country, and our media couldn't be more polarizing. That's why we started the Middle with Jeremy Hobson. It's about bringing voices not from the extremes, but from the vast middle into the national conversation. Each week we hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country. And when you subscribe to the Middle, you also get an episode each week called One Thing Trump did that focuses on just one item. But from the avalanche of news, listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [02:08]
Colin Cowherd
The Volume all right, it's time for our our weekly hour with John Midkoff, who will eventually take some time off. He got married last weekend. Let's do a few minutes on March Madness. So the last three weekends, this is what I do. I sit around and watch streaming shows at night and I watch College basketball most of the day. It was pretty obvious if you watch college basketball, the SEC got 14 teams in. I had said this multiple times on FS1. It just looked different. I mean, the Big Ten didn't even look like the SEC. SEC is deeper, more athletic, better offensive teams, better scoring options. Michigan State's as good as any Big Ten team I saw this season, and they don't really have any shooters. They rebound, they defend. They have a great coach in Tom Izzo, but they'll struggle to score, you know, against good teams. I think the SEC is going to fly through this. I have Auburn winning the national championship. I think all these SEC teams are going to do pretty well in the tournament. Florida, Auburn are exceptional because they've played each other. I mean, Florida wasn't great at the beginning of the year. They've been on fire now a lot of times. The hottest team, it doesn't really translate, but I Watched Auburn play two or three times deep. Multiple guys that could give you 12, 15 points. Good coach, good size, aggressive. Houston is a very good basketball team, but I'll take a couple of SEC teams and Duke. I'll take Florida, Auburn and probably Duke. Cooper Flag will be healthy by the time the tournament rolls around. You know, it's. The difference is when you watch college football, last year, Ohio State, year before Michigan, year before that, Georgia, you get a real. The Joe Burrow LSU team. You can see the NFL. You can see all these players, you know, these 12 guys that are going to go to the NFL. Last year's UConn team, which went 37 and three, I picked them to win. That's the easiest pick I've ever made. That. That team looked a little bit like an NBA team. Big size, great versatility, huge physicality, didn't make a ton of mistakes. A guy that could coach in the NBA, Coach Hurley, that was a really good college basketball team. The best one and I've seen in years. I mean, even against Purdue in the national championship, not really that competitive. It's different this. You're going to see a lot of close games. I mean, I watch Houston play Arizona. Houston's. A lot of people are picking them to win the national championship. Imminently beatable, great defensive team. But I think if you watch college basketball because it's such a young sport and the really talented guys are one and done, so even the guys that are really special, many of them aren't developed offensively. But when you watch college basketball, it doesn't look like the NBA. The offense is often just Dump it down to the big guys, Purdue and Zach Edie. Just here's our big. Dump it down and. And it's going to dominate. So I'm going to go with the most athletic teams I saw. I'm going to go with the teams that played in the hardest conference easily. I mean, no conference has ever had 14 teams in it. I'm not going to, you know these people that are upset that North Carolina's got a play in game because they had a terrible record 1 in 12 against Quad 1 teams. They had some good out of conference wins before the season started. Not worth the argument. That used to be fun 10, 15 years ago arguing for that team to get in. But you know, if they win one game, that's probably the ceiling. And the team, you know, it just. I think we all kind of know the teams that have a chance to win. And I also think when teams are close, I like experienced coaches. You know, I like Rick Patino. I don't think Michigan State can win four games, but I like Izzo or, you know, coaches that have been in this spot before. That's an advantage. A lot of this stuff is going to end up being like 72, 70 and take the better coaches because I don't think there's a lot of teams. I mean, again, Cooper flag if healthy will be the best team in the tournament and maybe he's just good enough, you know, to just take them to six wins. But I don't, I don't have any strong conviction on it. Last year I took UConn and I thought that was. I mean, I watch UConn and Gonzaga and Duke a lot. Those are my teams. It was pretty obvious. They were just bigger and more physical and push teams around and that was an easy one. I'll go Auburn, but I have really no conviction. Somebody, I think SEC teams will play very well in the tournament. Okay, we bring on John Middelkoff three and out podcast Former NFL scout, newly married I just gave my pick. Auburn, the first time in school history, they're a number one seed. I was saying when you watch college football at the highest levels, you can see the NFL. You could see Ohio State's players. You're like, oh, those guys are going to be great NFL players. College basketball, it's really difficult. The best players do one and done. Do you watch a ton of college hoops?
- [06:52]
Greg Rosenthal
No, not really. I mean, I used to a lot growing up, but I would say over the eight to 10 years, I mean, let's face the product's been diminished I mean I dive in come Thursday, Friday. But Rutgers has two guys that are probably gonna go in the top five and didn't sniff the tournament. I how's that? This basketball, this isn't football. I mean these two guys on the court at all times and I checked their stats the other day, they both were good this year it's stuff like that that like you know, I grew up Allen Iverson, Shaq. Although the top guys played college basketball and it was awesome. You're a Tark guy. You know I'm a Fresno State guy when Tark went to Fresno State with Chris Heron. I love college basketball as a kid, but it's just, it's not really the same though. The Nil era, little, little bounce back with Cooper Flag and some of the guys recently.
- [07:39]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, I think it's hard to tell a 20 year old what college basketball was like 20 years ago. It's the only sport, the only sport that's less talented than it was 20 years ago. Boxing's probably the second because some guys who would have boxed went into UFC and it used to be you'd get Patrick Ewing coming back for a third year and Tim Duncan and Chris Paul. So it's just, I mean I always tell young people go watch Phi Slama Jama, go watch the highlights on YouTube. That's what College basketball. And they never won a Natty. There was a team that had Chris Mullen, Bill Wennington, Walter Berry, Mark Jackson at St. John's and did not win a national championship. Feistlamajama had the Clyde Drexler, Larry Michoud, Rob Young. I missed two or three guys, did not win a national championship. So it's just different. It's, it's like again Cooper Flag's great. If Cooper Flag came back two more years and they had three other NBA guys, that would have been Duke 20 years ago.
- [08:43]
Greg Rosenthal
There is talk about him coming back now. Wake me when that actually happens. I am fascinated though. And you and I talk so much college football during the fall and we both love it. And obviously the growth of the SEC over the last 10, 15 years, really the saving effect. Yeah, I could be wrong here, but I thought I saw on Twitter like 15, 20 minutes ago the SEC just set a record. Yeah, 14 teams and I've been fascinating. You know, when I got married last week in Tennessee, my brother and I and my brother in law, we played golf at Vanderbilt's golf course. We actually Peyton Manning was out there. Their clubhouse at the Vanderbilt golf course was as big as any clubhouse. Non like Olympic club I've ever seen. That wasn't even the own clubhouse at the golf course. The SEC money, because of the football programs over the last 15, 20 years, you know better than me. But when I think SEC basketball forever, Kentucky, and there was always, you know, Florida, Billy Donovan, now, I know they got 14 teams, but they got five or six that could, like, should win the national championship. I just thought Nate Oates had a quote that anything less than a Final Four, this Alabama basketball is a disappointment. So you at the gym, I was watching Tennessee Florida day. It was fantastic. Oh, how good is so the talent in the sec because of the football money, baseball, they dominate golf, they dominate basketball. They've been good. They have clearly taken another step, right, these last four or five years with the money behind it.
- [10:10]
Colin Cowherd
I watched Michigan, Michigan State and Michigan won the Big Ten tournament. I watched some of that. I've seen Purdue play. I've seen Michigan State play, you know, and I've seen, you know, Oregon play and UCLA multiple times. My takeaway is the Big Tens just. I mean, Michigan won the Big Ten tourney. I think they're a fifth seed. So it's the only sport where the conference championships have no impact often on the seating. So, no, I. It's just one of. I think for people that haven't been to the south, they may struggle. Like, I was talking to an SEC fan the other day, and he goes, we really can't compete with Ohio State and Michigan money. USC, now they're collective in football's 18 million. Oregon's is Sky's the limit. They can still kind of compete, but there are the Big Dogs, and the Big Ten are really at the top of the food chain. Texas being the obvious dominant. The minute they walked into the sec, that's the Rockefellers of that conference. They just have as much money as they need. But in the other sports, the Big Ten money gets funneled to football. But in the other sports, I watch actually a lot of Big Ten basketball over the last three or four weeks. It just doesn't look like SEC basketball. I watched Auburn play probably in January once, February twice, and I watched them here in March, you know, for 30 minutes each time. As you said, it's just athletes everywhere and deep. They have like eight guys that could give you double figures if the. If it was their night. So it's just different. And whereas in the Big Ten, football makes you a lot of money and some basketball teams do in the sec, baseball makes LSU a lot of money. Yeah, it's a. It's A different ball game. So. And I also think what you're seeing is in football, John, I think those Pac12 teams that moved into the Big Ten are fine. The weather argument's weak because your last game, usc, UCLA play each other at the end of the season. So the truth is, your last game is like, you know, November 17th, you may have a cold game at Penn State. It's really tough on the basketball teams. I looked at UCLA's travel schedule this year. You just. I mean, it's like. It's like, got an NBA feel. You're back across the country all the time. And that's where I think the Pac 12 teams are really those four teams that went into the Big Ten. I think in basketball, it's really hard for UCLA and USC and Washington and Oregon when you're playing multiple games a week. I don't think they'll have great impact in that conference for a while.
- [12:56]
Greg Rosenthal
Yeah, I saw Mick Mix had some great lines this year. One of his was like, they had went to, like, around the Statue of Liberty multiple times throughout the season. And all the Big Ten teams are complaining about coming out west. He's like, you guys are in zero degrees. You're coming out here to sunny Southern California at 78 degrees. Give me a break. You guys are having the time of your life coming out here. For us, it's more difficult. But that's what they all signed up for. The more money that comes along with it, that's where, you know, Texas and Oklahoma, the travel is clearly not nearly as prohibitive and difficult. I mean, all these people get to come home. Even the Big Ten. I mean, one. One problem, I think, for the west coast teams in basketball is they get stuck out there. You know, Guy Haberman calls games for the Big Ten. All the, you know, the core teams of the Big Ten go home after games and then go back to their opponent when they play two games in a week. That clearly isn't the case for usc. You know, ucla, Washington, Oregon, they're just kind of stuck. And that's just. Listen, this move was made for football, and basketball is kind of along for the ride here.
- [13:57]
Colin Cowherd
That's right. That's absolutely right. And I think UCLA and USC are both feeling it. Okay, let's do some NFL. You know, I had said this last year, I thought the Niners were going to start regressing. I thought they should have started the rebuild last year. They did it this year. They let Debo and Hufonga and Greenlawn, Chevarius Ward go. They have 12 draft picks, but it's a weak draft. So let's say you hit on six year draft picks. I thought last year was the first year in the last several. I just didn't think their defense was intimidating. I thought when Bosa was off the field it was weak. I thought you could kind of manipulate it. I said this. I think Darnold and the Seahawks have a chance to be really interesting. Where are you on the Niners right now? A lot of draft picks. I mean they didn't want to let Hufanga and Greenlaw go. Those are excellent, instinctive players. I mean now you're getting to a point now where you're really crossing your fingers with Christian McCaffrey and Trent Williams big time.
- [14:56]
Greg Rosenthal
I think every move in a vacuum is easy to justify. It's not. I mean Greenlaw was coming off a torn Achilles, came back for a half, he looked like Fred Warner Jr. And then couldn't play the rest of the season. Hu, Funga, acl, multiple injuries to it. Like all the, all the moves in a vacuum. Oh, let him go. You're not going to pay that much for banks. Trade this backup running back who's going to make $5 million on the totality though you go, that's losing a lot of guys like who are going to be your backups. I think they would have somewhat started it last year. It's much more difficult though when you have a team coming off being up late in the super bowl against the current dynasty. So you go, we are right there. All these guys are championship level players. I think their big mistake and where they got really rattled for a long period of time, The Niners, like 15, 20 years ago, they could extend the Patrick Willis's, the Frank Gore's, the Vernon Davis's relatively cheap. And they were great at it because Parag Marathe, their money guy is elite. He's like Howie Roseman, but he's not a gm. He just like runs the York's money and he runs their international soccer team.
- [15:59]
Colin Cowherd
Well.
- [16:00]
Greg Rosenthal
As the caps exploded players, I don't want to say it's the NBA, but they do have a lot more juice. When Jamar Chase says I'm not playing for anything less than 38, $40 million, like he's not really bullshit, like he's not taking a discount. The top guys have some juice. But now the middle tier guys, like they would have laughed at Brandon IU 10 years ago and they would have won, but they were kind of in no man's land. And their coach, you know who has a lot of juice didn't want to get rid of their best receiver and he took advantage of them and that really rattled them because they immediately regretted it. If they could do that all over again, they would have traded him before the draft. Instead now they're trying to trade him. He's got a ACL and an like he's untradeable for anything of value. And they're kind of in a weird spot. But the elephant in the room is the quarterback. And listen, Mike Silver has known the Shanahan family for 30 plus years and he's been reporting like they are telling everyone take a deep breath, we're cutting some costs and we got to kind of recalibrate because I think they saw what the Rams did these last couple years.
- [16:53]
Colin Cowherd
Yes.
- [16:54]
Greg Rosenthal
Now the difference is and look at, look at what the Bills did last year. I mean the Bills got rid of like half their big names. Well, Josh Allen's one of the greatest talents I've ever seen and Matt Stafford while older was right there with would be considered Josh Allen 10 years ago he just played for a shitty franchise. Like that's not Brock Purdy and we all know that. Look at the nfc, Colin. The two best quarterbacks you'd say, you know, I would say win wise and statistically would be Jalen and Jared Goff are on loaded rosters. Offensively like we would say you put either one of those guys on like the Jags or a bad team, it's going to be props. Purdy's the same thing. When he's on a good team he's proven he can be a really good player. But like if you're cutting costs and depending on some randos it's, it's just, it's a pretty scary. I, I do think they are going to low ball Brock Purdy and they're going to make this more difficult because they before it was just like hey Trent, what do you want? Which I don't have a problem with doing that to Trent. Yeah, but the two receivers, it's like you're not Jamar Chase and your team doesn't play like that. It doesn't make any sense. Like I get the Cowboys, they throw it to CD Lamb every other play. You know Brandon Iuk had a career year 75 but at the end of the day they do have a big time coach at a bad year. But he's proven to be really good and still a culture. They get Robert Sala back. I wouldn't count him out yet, but it's Going to be a lot of new names, Colin, and they're going to be very dependent on these. They have the 11th pick. Like you need a Micah Parsons. You need a, you know, look at the Eagles and the Cowboy. When the Cowboys got Micah or the Eagles got Devontae Smith, you're going to have to nail this.
- [18:20]
Colin Cowherd
Well, and also it. There are certain positions in football, running back, I think wide receiver, some say cornerback, where you can come in and make an impact pretty quickly. It's very instinctive. But where the Niners are drafting offensive line, maybe another tight end, you know, a play calling linebacker, a crucial safety in their defense. Those are hard positions to go college and pro. I mean, if you look at very few tight ends come into this league, Brock Bowers is a total outlier.
- [19:00]
Greg Rosenthal
Big time.
- [19:00]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, very good. Tight ends have struggled because the blocking assignments now are so, so difficult compared to college. So the Niners are asking players from College in the 12 draft picks to come into positions, replace excellent, instinctive, smart, veteran players. Forget just making tackles. I mean, Greenlaw is, I mean, he is. He and Warner are anchors and communicators and I think those kind of positions to replace. I have no problem. You know, it'd be one thing if they're replacing, you know, one corner, one running back. You get to the offensive line and Kyle Shanahan system, you're lost until Thanksgiving. That's a tough rebuild.
- [19:41]
Greg Rosenthal
Oh, for sure. Same with wide receivers. I mean, same with. Listen, even if they draft a defensive lineman with the 11th pick, Khalil Mack, who's one of the better players of his generation, I think at four and a half sacks his rookie year.
- [19:53]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah.
- [19:54]
Greg Rosenthal
Jared Verse last year, who came on toward the end, wasn't a dominant, dominant force all season long.
- [19:59]
Colin Cowherd
I covered Warren Sapp in Tampa. It wasn't until the end of his first year that he made an impact. Year two, he was fantastic. But this league, there are guys that can make impacts. But I don't see the Niners.
- [20:13]
Greg Rosenthal
Their schedule sucks. Their schedule's bad. They have a last place schedule and they get to draft really high in every round. I think one of the divisions they play is the AFC South. I mean, I would say even before this mass exodus, I still think 10 wins is very, very, you know, look at what the Rams have done these last couple years. I think sometimes when you are, as they say in most, you know, world industries onboarding players, I think McVeigh uses that too. It takes a little time and then you kind of catch fire. I mean, I think they what were they? One in four last year and two and three and six the year before. Now you don't want to make a living. It's you do that 10 times, a lot of times you're going to end up with seven or eight wins. But you start a little slow and then you peak. One thing is very, very key for the 49ers, I'd say two guys. Trent Williams got to be on the field. And if Christian McCaffrey is just healthy, which, who knows. I mean, he had multiple Achilles, he tore his knee. But he is a major, major wild card in the NFL going back to the Panther days. When he's on the field, he's one of the best players in the league. When he's off, especially with Kyle, he kind of derails their operation.
- [21:22]
Colin Cowherd
Who's scoring big in the NBA this season? You are all the new ways to get in on the action at DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NBA. Slams dishing the ball, cleaning the glass. Get behind your favorite players. Prop bets you can make on DraftKings. It's fun. The home of NB player props. If you're ready to place your first bet, make it really simple. Pick how many points your favorite player is going to score. Go to DraftKingsportsbook. They have an app. Download it. Make your pick. If you're a first timer, here's something special new DraftKings customers. All you have to do is bet five bucks. Get 150 in bonus bets instantly. So take it to the rack with DraftKings sportsbook. Every point counts. Download their app. Takes 90 seconds. Use the code Colin C O L I N to get 150 bones in bonus bets. Betting just five only on DraftKings. The crown is yours. Gambling problem. Call 1-800- gambler in New York. Call 877-8-HOPENY or text hopeny467-369 In Connecticut, help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boot Hill Casino and Resort in Kansas, 21 and over. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void In Ontario, new customers only. Bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance.
- [22:35]
American Express
For additional terms and responsible gaming resources.
- [22:37]
Colin Cowherd
See DKNG Co Audio.
- [22:40]
American Express
It's the last game of the season, and with Amex, you can save time with card member entrances at select venues and go straight to the action so you can catch every moment. That's the powerful backing of American Express Terms apply. Learn more@american express.com With AmEx, it's tax.
- [22:56]
Greg Rosenthal
Season and by now.
- [22:57]
Colin Cowherd
I know we're all a bit tired of numbers, but here's an important one you need to hear.
- [23:01]
Greg Rosenthal
$16.5 billion.
- [23:03]
Colin Cowherd
That's how much money in refunds the IRS flagged for possible identity fraud last year.
- [23:08]
Greg Rosenthal
Here's another 20%. That's the overall increase in identity theft related to tax fraud in 2024 alone.
- [23:15]
Colin Cowherd
But it's not all grim news. Here's a good number. 100 million. That's how many data points Lifelock monitors every second. If your identity is stolen, LifeLock's US based restoration specialists will fix it, backed.
- [23:28]
Greg Rosenthal
By another good number, the million dollar protection plan. In fact, restoration is guaranteed or your money back.
- [23:35]
Colin Cowherd
Don't face identity theft and financial losses alone. There's strength in numbers with Lifelock.
- [23:41]
Greg Rosenthal
Identity theft protection for tax season and beyond. Join now and save up to 40% your first year.
- [23:47]
Colin Cowherd
Call 1-800-LIFELOCK and use promo code iheart.
- [23:50]
Greg Rosenthal
Or go to lifelock.com iheart for 40% off. Terms apply.
- [23:57]
Jeremy Hobson
We live in a divided country.
- [23:59]
Colin Cowherd
I am a lifelong Republican with all.
- [24:01]
Jeremy Hobson
Kinds of different people.
- [24:03]
Colin Cowherd
You know, I'm a mother, I'm a grandmother.
- [24:05]
Jeremy Hobson
That's why we started the Middle with Jeremy Hobson. It's about bringing voices not from the extremes, but from the vast middle into the national conversation.
- [24:13]
Colin Cowherd
Anna, I'm calling from Las Vegas.
- [24:16]
Jeremy Hobson
Each week we bring together an all star panel. Mark Cuban, so great to have you on the Middle.
- [24:21]
Greg Rosenthal
Thanks for having me.
- [24:21]
Jeremy Hobson
Jeremy, Neil Degrasse Tyson, welcome to the Middle.
- [24:23]
Colin Cowherd
Thanks for having me.
- [24:24]
Jeremy Hobson
And hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country on the most important issues.
- [24:29]
Colin Cowherd
Hi, my name is Venkat. I'm calling you from Atlanta, Georgia.
- [24:33]
Jeremy Hobson
And when you subscribe to the Middle, you also get an episode each week called One Thing Trump did that focuses on just one item from the avalanche of news.
- [24:41]
Greg Rosenthal
We should be examining what our government.
- [24:43]
Colin Cowherd
Spends its money on and are these.
- [24:45]
Greg Rosenthal
Jobs necessary and what are we doing here?
- [24:47]
Colin Cowherd
But that doesn't seem to be what we're doing in this situation.
- [24:49]
Jeremy Hobson
Listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [24:56]
American Express
Hey, this is Mel Reed, LPGA Tour winner and six time ladies European tour winner. And Kira K. Dixon, NBC sports reporter and host. You forgot to say warmer. Miss America, by the way. And we've got a new podcast, Quiet please. With Mel and Kira. We are bringing you spicy takes on sports and pop culture, some golf haps and interviews with incredible people who have figured out how to make golf their superpower or just people we like, plus tales from the road and everything in between. By the way, golf isn't just for the dads, brads and chads. Yeah, it's actually life's cheat code. And we're not going to be quiet about it on or off the course. We're bringing on some of our friends like Michelle We Heather McMahon, Amanda Baliotis. So if you want to keep up with us and here is yap, tune into our new poll. Listen to Quiet Please with Mel and Kira, an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.
- [26:00]
Colin Cowherd
So I thought the team, you can tell who has the power in most organizations. McVeigh runs the Rams. I think Shanahan until recently had power on the draft. Andy Reid doesn't want it necessarily. Belichick did. Sean Payton does in Denver. You can tell the moves when coaches are making. Chicago clearly signaled that Ben Johnson's running the show for him to replace the entire interior line was telling Ryan Poles, you guys, your picks stink. And I thought, frankly, for the Chicago Bears, who I've been saying this for so many years, they're like, they're just a defensive culture for a guy to come in and spend money on guards and centers. I thought it was a real moment in the history of the Chicago Bears. I was like, wow, this feel. I mean, how many years have the Steelers been ham and egging it on their offensive line? Tomlin runs the show. I for the first time that I can remember, I really like the direction where the Bears are going.
- [27:07]
Greg Rosenthal
Well, I think sometimes when you get like the whiz kid, the great offensive coordinator, they just want to score points and they're thinking quarterback and wide receiver. Ben Johnson's pretty lucky that his welcome to stardom in the NFL started with the trenches. I mean, I mean, let's face it, the Lions really separated themselves with a dominant offensive line. So they go and trade for a guy. It's crazy. You and I talk about these young quarterbacks. By that second year, Thanksgiving, it's like you're on the clock, like your career is in trouble. It's like that now with free agency. The Rams signed Joe Jackson last year. Three years, $51 million. Less than a year later, it's like traded. I mean, these teams now the money and the cash bonuses seal it that not in a million years, I would say up till what, seven, eight years ago would have ever happened. Because no owner, it's like he's a good player and it's like, yeah, not a great fit. See you later. So they get a guy that they know the Falcon center is good. And you see Andy Reid's quotes on Tunis, like he's one of the toughest guys I've ever. We don't want to trade this guy. We just. There's money involved and we can't afford to keep him.
- [28:07]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, he had the best year of his career, arguably because he went to left tackle and was excellent.
- [28:12]
Greg Rosenthal
To me he's like his generation's Logan Mankins. I mean just a plug and play guy who could play multiple positions as a stud. The other thing is when you have a smaller quarterback, you know, non Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, the Flacco, that generation, all those guys were huge. You know, Carson, Palmer, Caleb. This generation is a little smaller. Well, Sean Payton dealt with one in that generation and they always invested in centers and guards. They had high because the pressure up the middle, it rattles him. He can't see where Peyton Manning and Tom Brady historically they had some pretty random guys. On some seasons when they had good teams playing center and guard, they get away with it. Smaller quarterbacks cannot. It hurts Purdy sometimes when they get in past situations and the guard and center get smoked. He's. He's swimming. He can handle the outside pressure because he can move around. Same with Caleb. He can move but up the middle you are screwed. So they, they, they could have. I know they've invested draft picks and some tackles but we'll see how good those guys turn out to be. But they went all in on the guard and center position because I think with a smaller quarterback it's really, really important to just neutralize. Think how many teams also have good interior pass rush now so that I, yeah, it was hard to. I mean that was a no brainer move by the Bears and Ryan Paul's pretty lucky that this, the way this all. He kept his job and he's still here and he gets to be a part of this.
- [29:28]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, I mean a couple years ago he whiffed on Vilas Jones and I was like oh dude, you could have called me and, and then the Chase.
- [29:35]
Greg Rosenthal
Even last year with Rome, I mean Rome was a pretty looking back. He should have taken an offensive lineman.
- [29:40]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, but Vilas Jones missed Chase, Claypool, miss Roma, Dunze. Not as good as we thought, you know. So again, I think you and I agree. I think the Bears are heading in the right direction. You just pointed out something, and I've been on this for a few years, that I think there's a duality to all the owners being billionaires and some being 10, 15, 20 billionaires. Is that number one. The downside is they are more willing to just fire people quickly. They're more impulsive than they've ever been when they were all worth 600 million. You're not just writing a 17 to 25 million dollars check to blow out a staff. You're just not doing it now. These guys will just blow out a $70 million staff. So who does that hurt? It hurts a young quarterback who has to have another staff. So, I mean, Caleb Williams, even though he upgrades staffs, it's a brand new system. So that's the downside. The upside, though, is when you make a mistake with personnel like Rams and Jonah Jackson, where it just didn't feel great, you can just move off it. And so, you know this, you know, you can never move off NBA contracts or baseball contracts. They're so guaranteed in the NFL now, if you make a mistake, guys just write checks and go, all right, big time. I mean, for the Bears to get Drew Dallman and Joe Tuney, Jesus, you have. You may not be Philadelphia or Detroit, but that's a top three interior O line in the league.
- [31:13]
Greg Rosenthal
Well, let's even use, I mean, the craziest example currently is his cousin's example. Now, I know Arthur Blank is probably. I don't know where he ranks, but he's not near the bottom when it comes to wealth. They're like, well, you're not going to shove us around. We're going to pay you 10 million for next year. Obviously, he's not going to be on the team next year and we'll eat it until we figure this out. But you are going to capitulate and you're going to give us a trade eventually, before the season starts. That never would have happened. I thought it was like, no, no human alive is going to give him $10 million guaranteed for next year. Cousin's going to win this. They will cut him. I thought he'd be cut, you know, Wednesday, Thursday, it's like, no, they just picked it up and he's still there. And we'll just have a staring contest. It's that. That never would have happened without the influx of cash. I thought this. When some of these deals are, I mean, Aaron Banks, the niners left guard got, I mean so much money. Milton Williams, who is obviously a really talented player, he never played more than 50% of the snaps for the Eagles, got $26 million a year.
- [32:12]
Colin Cowherd
No, Milton Williams got paid like Aaron Donald. That contract was. But again they had 200 plus million dollars and I think Milton Williams for New England like that, that contract is stupid. But again, it's not a great defensive tackle class and maybe it's just not. And so it's a great running back class, pretty good tight end class. It is. There's some offensive tackles, none of them elite, but I saw somebody saying they didn't think it was a great defensive tackle class. You know, I'm not watching defensive tackle tape. We don't have a Jalen Carter obviously, but I think like in New England's case, I'll give them a pass. I thought, to be honest with you, one of the strangest contracts to me was Cooper cup coat. John Snyder, GM of Seattle has almost never missed on receivers. Jesus, he's been fantastic with wide receivers. Cooper cup doesn't separate. I mean Sean McVeigh moves off a receiver. I mean they, they resigned Tutu Atwell because he gets open. They went and paid for older Devonte Adams because if you go look at the analytics, he gets open. Cooper cup doesn't get open at all. And so the Milton Williams contract I get because of Frable's trying to create, you know, it's a bad defensive tackle class. He's trying to get big. I mean a lot of linebackers, a.
- [33:32]
Greg Rosenthal
Lot of Milton Williams, 26 years old.
- [33:35]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, but the Cooper cup deal, when you look at the Sam Darnold contract, which could end up being just a one year, $37 million deal, if you look at the way it's laid out, do you think Darnold is a two to three year play in Seattle? Because the Cooper cup move is like, damn you, are you going all in on Samdy? What is this?
- [33:56]
Greg Rosenthal
Well, I thought the moment Gino was traded it was pretty clear and John Schneider doubled down. We tried to give him an extension. He wasn't going to play ball because he thought we were lowballing him and we were just not paying a guy $35 million giving you an extension, 100 plus million dollars. And I, you know what I'd say to John Schneider? That's the way to do it. That's good business. Well, you need a quarterback and ultimately like you said, Sam Turnle's not that much, not very expensive. No one is on his contract in the NFL, it doesn't really exist beside Baker last year and Baker clearly is very underpaid now. I don't think Sam Darnold is as good as Baker Mayfield. You know, I would take Baker Mayfield over Sam Darnold and obviously Sam benefited from playing with Justin Jefferson, who's probably a Hall of Famer. Jordan Addison's who's a star. It was a great situation. This situation, once they get rid of dk is not as impressive. And I don't blame them for trading DK. Like Steelers are going to give him 100. We can dive into that $150 million. But listen, quarter coordinators matter with some of these. You know, if you're going to, if you're going to buy a quarterback, especially $55 million guaranteed, Brock Purdy is going to get 150 plus. So you're. It's a tiny, tiny little number. And Clint Kubiak was with him in San Francisco with Kyle Shanahan and Brock Purdy. So they know him really well and they feel comfortable with it. I think the one thing all the Shanahan guys will tell you is I and you can't play like this every single game. But in theory, they go into the game, they want to run the ball and they only want to throw the ball 25 to 30 times. And of those 25 to 30 times, only ideally 8 to 10 are going to ask you to really be crazy good. A lot of these are going to be scripted in and out of your hand. It's a pretty easy scheme. It's why so many guys, you know, the Cousins, the Matt Schobs, the less talented. We saw him last year in a and obviously he had more weapons. But listen, the last two games were really bad. He played really well last season. It's my big issue with going all in on J.J. mcCarthy and we'll see. The Aaron Rodgers thing is still out there. J.J. mcCarthy never threw more than 22 touchdowns in college. He did not play like the way Kevin O'Connell and that offense wants to play. And I saw it with Trey Lance when the Niners got. You're a young player, usually you go to shitty teams. It's like I'll just. You get to win five or six games your first year. No big deal. It's like Shador Sanders gets drafted to the New York Giants or Cam Ward of the Titans. The win loss record isn't as important as how it looks. That is not going to be the case with J.J. mcCarthy. Right. If you don't win 11, 12 games, it's going to be a disaster. So replacing Sam Darnold is not really easy. Where I think that, listen, Gino's a solid player, but I do think he's being talked about a little differently than he actually is. Especially once you start talking 45, $50 million. Like I'd be out of the business too.
- [36:38]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, no, I mean, listen, Gino's 34, Sam's 27. So there is something to be said that Seattle's O line is not. It's not a top 10o line. And Sam moves well. And as they draft the O line, as it improves by Thanksgiving, Sam can move the chains with his feet. And I think that's some of it. They kind of look at it as Sam. If we're going to get a quarterback with this whole line, Geno and Aaron Rogers, they just don't move as well. Cousins doesn't move as well. Sam can buy us time as we develop our own line from this draft.
- [37:12]
Greg Rosenthal
But look at the other thing too. The last two years, who like Sam Darnold, Kyle Shanahan, Kevin O'Connell. The right guys are on them. They think really, really highly of them. And the Vikings, and I understand after those last two games they had a financial decision to make. They signed a lot of guys that they wouldn't have been able to sign them all right. Without they resigned the corner. They signed a couple offensive linemen, Hargrave, Jonathan Allen. If Sam Darnold's making 40 plus million dollars for him, they're not going to have attack the same off season. It's also why though, like, they're not dumb. They realize we go all in on this young quarterback. It's why they have to think about Aaron Rodgers, even if it is kind of crazy to everybody. Well, it's like J.J. mcCarthy could be a disaster. Kyle Shanahan's pretty good quarterbacks. Trey Lance would have derailed if he. Listen, no one rooted for him to get injured, but once he got injured, it saved their season because it was. He was not going to be able to function. Now everyone will go, well, look at JJ in that preseason game. It's like, well, the preseason is a pretty big jump to the regular season, let alone big Sunday night games against the packers and the Lions. Like, it's a different animal. That's the one thing Seattle knows now. Like, they get a guy who's been kind of under the ringer as a starter for a long time, so he has a ton of experience, but then played in real games all season long. Like Every game the Vikings played in last year was like, that was real. There was a lot on the line, especially as the season went on. So I thought the move was an easy one for John Schneider. I think it's pretty fascinating what the Vikings are doing.
- [38:36]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, you know, I want to throw this with Aaron Rodgers and the Vikings, the Steelers, you know, the Giants. Interested. So I've said before, the Vikings is the obvious choice. If you could do it, if you wanted one more year with their personnel and their coach. Giants 2 to me, Steelers 3. I'll get to that in a second. Second. But I went and watched a movie this morning at 11:40 called Black Bag. It was Steven Soderbergh who's done. He started with Sex Lives and Videotape years ago. Very heady stuff, very quirky plot twist. Fascinating guy. The movie's great. I love that hour 33. I mean, you're in and out of the theater. It's fascinating. Not a wasted scene, but as I was watching it, I was thinking as I walked out of the theater is that you can tell how smart an actor is by the directors and the choices they make for movies. Dumb actors end up in bad films and make bad choices. Tom Hanks did not make a bad choice for like 10 years. Now, I know Tom Hanks gets better scripts than the average guy, but even a movie like Big, you know, you're like, smart actors choose smarter roles. And I think this is the ultimate test for Aaron Rodgers. Hear me out. So of the teams that want him, Minnesota, Pittsburgh and New York, Pittsburgh's got the best overall roster. The best overall coach is probably in Minnesota. But here's something fascinating about the Steelers. So in five of the last seven years, and I think we both agree they draft and develop well, they got dudes. This is a real roster. Five of the last seven years, they've had at least a three game losing streak at minimum at the end of the year. And my belief is as the league has gotten offensively smarter and the culture has changed and defenses are limited, that Mike Tomlin is a rah rah coach kind of a motivator. That's why he's such a good as an underdog coach is that the rah rah stuff, it doesn't land or stick by Christmas on. It just doesn't. Players have heard it and that they're just not a sophisticated team offensively. They can't get the O line right which Andy Reid, McVeigh, Shanahan, Gary, Sean Payton, those guys within a year can fit. I mean The Denver O line sucked. Peyton got there. It was top eight, you know, his first year and that. I think if Aaron chooses the Steelers, I think it's a big brand, it's a good roster. You now have two high maintenance receivers who want the ball. By the way, DK Metcalf's the most penalized receiver since he entered the league. Temperamental. You have an O line that can't figure out. They have no sensibility for it. He's sort of an outsider in a kind of a tough blue collar city. He's an outsider. And if he chooses Pittsburgh, I really think it tells you a lot about Aaron. I mean, I would, I'll tell you, I would choose the Giants over Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh just lost their left tackle. They just lost Najee Harris. It's like the Giants have an excellent left tackle, an offensive coach. Aaron will have power. They have an elite weapon. And by the way, what they need is a running back. It's a great running back. Draft, it's hard to screw the running back. I mean, the Giants will take a running back somewhere early. So my take on Aaron is if he chooses the Steelers, he's passing on offensive coaches who clearly every rule advantage goes to that side. And I'm fascinated by the choice he makes because I'm, you know, you start hearing things. A lot of people think he's going to Pittsburgh. If you just wanted to play one more year, where would you pick and why?
- [42:32]
Greg Rosenthal
Well, I'd be begging. Are we factoring Minnesota in with these three or just the OSU? Yes, I would be begging Kevin O'Connell to let me be the starting quarter.
- [42:39]
Colin Cowherd
All right. Yes.
- [42:40]
Greg Rosenthal
And when I, when I see some of these reports that, you know, he needs 30, $40 million, like guys made $450 million. This is probably going to be his last season. Is he going to go out on the embarrassment that was the jets situation these last couple years? I, to me, the Giants thing is, I can't get with you there. Now I'm with you. I think the Steelers situation is a little overrated. I mean, they just, they happen to have Lamar Jackson, who's, I don't know, the most unique quarterback we've ever seen, and Joe Burrow, who when he's on might be the best quarterback in the league. I mean, you're not outdoing those two teams. And then Cleveland just resigned one of the greatest pass rushers ever. And for a weird organization, they are not easy to play. That division's really, really difficult. And I'm with you on the Steelers. I thought that that DK Metcalf trade was insanity. Colin, when you, when you don't have your quarterback to trade for DK Metcalf, when down the stretch of the season, obviously your offense had some issues but Russell did not play well, your defense was falling apart. You are not in the business of giving a guy $100 million guaranteed. Trading a second round pick, that's like what the Chiefs or Bills should do. Not a team that's barely getting into the playoffs and getting smoked the moment they get in. That was crazy. I thought that was the craziest move when you factor in money and a high draft pick. But I don't think the Steelers and the Giants are that good options. Like I see one, the Giants I don't think would make the playoffs with them. I mean the jets were a much better team and I think the Steelers situation would probably have some parallels, might look a little better but like the way this season, 9, 10 wins get blasted by the Ravens or Bills and.
- [44:20]
Colin Cowherd
By the way, last year, to my point, last year, to my point, the Steelers were an awful team down the stretch.
- [44:26]
Greg Rosenthal
I do think, and I would imagine, you know Kevin O'Connell, I don't think he's ever worked with Aaron. They're just having long conversations because they go, are we confident that we could win the division and win playoff games with J.J. mcCarthy? Because I'm telling you, I, we've seen it. I know you know this but like you could win just because this isn't the NBA. When you just put a great roster like guaranteed to make the playoffs in football, the cohesion and the quarterback plate. Sam Darnold threw 35 touchdowns last year. J.J. mcCarthy in 15 games that last year at Michigan threw 22. That's, he's never played like that. They did not. That's not. And Kevin O'Connell clearly is much more like McVeigh than Shanahan. He likes to throw the ball. I mean he's, that's his, you know, he wants to call 35, 40 passes a game. Even when Sam Darnold was getting smoked in the playoff games like Kevin run the ball, he just kept calling pass plays. So I'd be begging Kevin O'Connell, I think that roster, I would disagree with you on the Steelers. I think the Vikings have a better roster today. Now the draft, we'll see what happens. I mean I thought they had an excellent free agency drafting or I mean sign a couple offensive linemen, plug and play a guard in a center, a couple defensive linemen, I mean Their defense overachieved because Flores is such an elite coordinator.
- [45:36]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah.
- [45:36]
Greg Rosenthal
Now, so they bring in a couple more defensive linemen. I would imagine they draft defense, their offense stacked, skill wise. So, you know, it'd be, I mean, it'd be a little weird, right, if Aaron's career literally paralleled the guy that always drove him nuts. Far from going to the jets, then the Vikings. The Vikings. But, but that division. I think the one thing right now on paper, wouldn't you say the NFC north is the best division in all of football, with the Bears looking vastly improved?
- [46:02]
Colin Cowherd
Well, I think it's the best division in terms of personnel. I think the AFC west is the best division in terms of coaching with Peyton, Pete, Andy and Harbaugh. So those are the two best divisions. And I don't think it's, I don't think it's a coincidence. Well, I just. This, this, the south is such a huge college football region that both the NFC and the AFC south aren't very good. I've always surmised that college football is so big in that part of the country that you don't face the same level of pressure that you do on northern teams like New England, Boston media, Philly media, Baltimore media. You know, I mean, like cold weather, Pittsburgh, they live, they don't care about college football. They live for the NFL. These, these nfc, AFC south teams. You're like, we'll keep Todd Bowles again. If he coaches the Eagles, he'd be gone tomorrow 100.
- [46:59]
Greg Rosenthal
You know what's funny is probably like a year ago. Maria has a close friend who's really successful girl, UCLA grad, just crushed it. She's like 30 years old, she's got multiple properties. And she was, she was telling me this, she had this acronym, I forget exactly what it was, but it basically described high maintenance friends. And the moment you become a high maintenance friend in her life, she's got too much going on. She's got a young baby. She's out on you.
- [47:21]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah.
- [47:21]
Greg Rosenthal
If I would have told you four or five years ago that we'd be a week into free agency and people like Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, like, yeah, well, we'll get back to you here a little bit. It's crazy how. And I think both guys, if they reviewed, let's use Gino and Sam are viewed as low maintenance, good guys, everyone likes them, no problems. If both these guys were viewed as just normal humans, like a Drew Brees or. I know he's like super high gear, but I just mean like normal guys. I think they both would have been signed. They would had a bidding war for these guys because statistically they're still solid. They're clearly not as good as they once were. But it's like the first question. And I've been in these meetings, not necessarily with these individual players, but players like this, like, do we want to deal with this? Like, do we want. And their stardom is now bigger than their talent. That it's like, is this high maintenance worth the headache enough?
- [48:14]
Colin Cowherd
Look at DEZ Bryant disappeared. OBJ disappeared. Aaron Rodgers, Russell, not really interested. I think. And I'll throw this at you, I love the NBA, but there's some high maintenance. You know, these guaranteed contracts. I think the NFL people and I've had discussions with NFL people for my entire career. They often reference, dude, that's an NBA. That's an NBA idea. They make fun of the NBA and how much players and employees control the entire organization. Embiid. Everybody's hostage to Embiid. And I mean, you've heard GMs reference this before. Like they're. Aaron and Russell are getting into sort of like a little bit of NBA where you're like, this is a team sport. Like, this is about the group and the community. Not. I mean, when Aaron said, you know, there's that picture in Malibu where he's, you know, he's got the pod pods on. And I'm thinking, every guy, every NFL GM is thinking, listen, just make an effing decision, okay? Like, you're not married, you don't have kids, you're not doing much. You're golfing and you're reading Greek mythology like that to me. Listen, I've talked to two GMs, and they're like, you couldn't. I'm not interested in Aaron. And I'm like, yeah, but he's. He's still pretty good. And they're like that. Just. I mean, Aaron Glenn basically just said, we're just, no, thank you. And Aaron was actually pretty good down the stretch. This isn't a shot at Aaron. It's what I'm hearing from executives in the league. It's like, no, thanks.
- [49:55]
Greg Rosenthal
Well, I mean, look, look at the Titans. Their new GM is from the Chiefs. So he's spent his whole time around Andy Veach, Mahomes, Alex. The guy kind of in this weird position who's like the president, but he's also kind of got a scouting background, is a Packer guy. They have no interest. Even if they're going to take Cam Ward. Like, you guys get Aaron Rodgers, bring him to Nashville for a year, get a little buzz as you're building this new stadium. You haven't heard a peep. You know, it's like that's, it's crazy how think of the top quarterbacks in this, in the league, Patrick Mahomes. The only maintenance they ever have to deal with is his family. It's not him like he is, they don't even think about him. Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Herbert Burrow, I mean Burrow is kind of had to hold their feet to the fire. Just historically this organization. If you put Burrow in the Ravens or the Chiefs, he wouldn't be saying a peep. He's just scared that this owner is going to be cheap. Don't blame him. But I think the league, the star quarterbacks are just full of guys who are just you never. The season ends and it's like I don't know what Josh Allen's doing. He's just doing, he had a bachelor party at the Tiger woods thing in Orlando just with his buddies. And I think Aaron Rodgers and Russell, they're different personalities but I think they both check the same box of like I don't know if we have the energy and you're, and you're not good enough anymore for us to overlook that. Because if you put Aaron Rodgers on Minnesota, you know, pretty good team. Well. But I can also see it getting weird. Like are you sure that you're comfortable around with him with JJ in that situation? But I do think they're thinking long and hard. But these guys don't really have options. So they can just kind of wait it out and keep talking through it.
- [51:32]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, no, I think it's a reality that there's, there's, there's, the players now are richer sooner. I mean some of these guys now going forward, John, they'll come in multi millionaires out of college. So you're going to see, you're going to see two things. Guys retirement sooner and guys have a little more leverage sooner. And, and I think the fear on the NFL is we don't want to become pro basketball where basically the employees are, are running the team. You know like Kawhi showing up at 4:30 and saying yeah, I'm not going to play tonight. Like no we're not, we're not going there. And yeah, so I think were the.
- [52:07]
Greg Rosenthal
NFL benefits I, I do think it, it could get much weirder in the off season with the holdouts and the hold ins like that. That probably is, we're at the beginning of that but in the sport of football, unlike in basketball, these guys could play 365 days a year if they want to pick up games. You can play whenever. In football, the only time you can actually play a game is in the confines of the 17 weeks. And that's the fun part. What Ray Lewis say, you pay me Monday through Saturday, Sundays are for free. The games are really the fun part for the players. That's the problem with the NBA. You turn on the tv, you never know who's going to play. Even in the NFL, guy making 40, $50 million, he's still going to want to play in the games. Laramie, Tunsville. A lot of articles are coming out like, you know, he's kind of late to practice, doesn't always work hard. It's like, well, you don't know that if you just watch the TV because you're like, he's a good player. I'd want him on my team. So it's the NFL. Their weird stuff happens during the week when no one's paying attention. The games. It's like all the guys want to play.
- [53:05]
American Express
With amex, there's always a new experience to explore. From curating the perfect vacation and chilling in the Centurion Lounge before you get there, trying out that new trendy restaurant thanks to Priority notify with global dining access by Resy and getting straight to the action at the big game. With card member entrances at select venues with AMEX Platinum, you can experience it all. That's the powerful backing of American Express. Terms apply. Access to the card member entrance not limited to the American Express Platinum card. Learn more@american express.com With Amex, we live.
- [53:37]
Jeremy Hobson
In a divided country.
- [53:38]
Colin Cowherd
I am a lifelong Republican with all.
- [53:41]
Jeremy Hobson
Kinds of different people.
- [53:42]
Colin Cowherd
You know, I'm a mother, I'm a grandmother.
- [53:45]
Jeremy Hobson
That's why we started the Middle with Jeremy Hobson. It's about bringing voices not from the extremes, but from the vast middle into the national conversation.
- [53:53]
Colin Cowherd
Anna, I'm calling from Las Vegas.
- [53:55]
Jeremy Hobson
Each week we bring together an all star panel. Mark Cuban, so great to have you on the Middle.
- [54:00]
Greg Rosenthal
Thanks for having me.
- [54:01]
Colin Cowherd
Jeremy.
- [54:01]
Jeremy Hobson
Neil Degrasse Tyson, welcome to the Middle.
- [54:03]
Colin Cowherd
Thanks for having me.
- [54:04]
Jeremy Hobson
And hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country on the most important issues.
- [54:08]
Colin Cowherd
Hi, my name is Venkat. I'm calling you from Atlanta, Georgia.
- [54:12]
Jeremy Hobson
And when you subscribe to the Middle, you also get an episode each week called One Thing Trump did that focuses on just one item from the avalanche of news.
- [54:21]
Greg Rosenthal
We should be examining what our government spends its money on and Are these jobs necessary?
- [54:25]
Colin Cowherd
And what are we doing here? But that doesn't seem to be what we're doing in this situation.
- [54:29]
Jeremy Hobson
Listen to the middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio, Apple Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [54:35]
Colin Cowherd
Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia. I'm excited to share my podcast with you. Math and Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. This week I'm talking to the CEO of Moderna, Stephane Bonsell, about how he led his team through unprecedented times to create, test and distribute a COVID vaccine, all in less than a year. It becomes a human decision to decide to throw by the window your business strategy and to do what you think is the right thing for the world. Join me as we uncover innovations in data and analytics, the math and the ever important creative spark, the Magic. Listen to math and magic stories from the frontiers of Marketing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.
- [55:20]
American Express
Hey, this is Mel Reed, LPGA Tour winner and six time Ladies European Tour winner and Kyra K. Dixon, NBC Sports reporter and host. You forgot to say all my Miss America, by the way. And we've got a new podcast, Quiet Please with Mel and Kira. We are bringing you spicy takes on sports and pop culture, some golf haps and interviews with incredible people who have figured out how to make golf their superpower or just people we like. Plus tales from the road and everything in between. By the way, golf isn't just for the dads, Brads and chads. Yeah, it's actually life's cheat code and we're not going to be quiet about it on or off the course. We're bringing on some of our friends like Michelle Lee, Heather McMahon, Amanda Baliotis. So if you want to keep up with us and here is yap, tune into our new podcast, Listen to Quiet Please with Mel and Kira, an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts presented by Capital One, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.
- [56:21]
Colin Cowherd
And now for our next segment, whiskey business, brought to you by Green River Whiskey, the official whiskey of the Colin Cowherd Podcast. If you want to enjoy life's simple pleasures, reach for Green River Whiskey. Whether it's rye whiskey, single barrel bourbon, you're getting over a century of craftsmanship packed into every bottle. Hop on over to greenriverwhiskey.com and discover a legend in A bottle today. You know, as I. I was watching a clip of Jim Harbaugh and I had just had this discussion with Steve Keim about a week ago, two weeks ago, and I said if I was ever a gm, because he always jokes, he said, you're not a talk show host. You want to be a gm. And I'm like, you know, I, I like my job, but I would love to be a GM, you know, if I would have put 30 years into that instead of what I'm doing, who knows, you know, you don't know. But I, But I told him, I said I would overdraft the offensive line. And Harbaugh said this. And this is what Steve and I said. Jim put it more smartly. He said there's only one unit in a football field that doesn't rely on any other unit, yet every other unit relies on it. And he said it's offensive line. It makes your quarterback better, your running backs better, your tight end doesn't have to block as vigorously. Your wide receivers have more time to get downfield. It keeps your defense off the field if you have a great offensive line. And it was one of those things where when you go back to drafting Joe Alt over a wide receiver, the Bears went wide receiver and then this year had to spend a fortune on their offensive line instead of. The Bears probably should have gone o line instead of going with Roma Dunze. But it is interesting that the more the NFL, you know, changes and becomes an offensive league, we pay so much attention to quarterbacks. But I, and I made this pick the other day. I think the Chiefs are going to struggle, and I don't think they're going to win their division. I don't think in this draft class there's a starting left tackle good enough in their division to block Max Crosby or Khalil Mack or The kid number 15, Oklahoma bonito. But he know and it's really interesting, I think. I mean, right now, the three or four teams I like in the league all have great old lines. All of them. Philadelphia, Detroit. I thought the Rams finally got their act together. Offensive line, I think Buffalo's last year was better than people thought. I thought Denver's was better than people thought. I think Kansas City. I think we've just baked it in. John. They're not going 10 and 1 in close games next year.
- [59:09]
Greg Rosenthal
Yeah, I would agree there, but they did. Their offensive line was putrid this year on the, on the edges. And they were able to. What I mean, they were basically a 161 team. They threw the last game of the season. So when it comes to coaching, when it comes to quarterback play and most importantly their defense is going to be good. So like part of the reason they were winning all these games, because they could win 19 to 17, they weren't allowing many points. That that is not going to change now. The Chargers, the Broncos, you and I have been saying this. Anyone with common sense has been saying this. The worst their teams were going to be was last season. They're both going to be better. So if either Hufanga or Greenlaw play, that defense is going to be improved. And Denver's defense was awesome. When I saw DK Metcalf ask for a trade, a lot of people that covered the NFL were like the Chargers. It's like guys, do you think that Jim Harbaugh is going to trade a top whatever 50 pick and pay a third contract to this kind of out there wide receiver though very talented, kind of the poor man's modern day Terrell Owens type. It's different but I mean I think physically they have some to DK Metcalf. Are you guys nuts? And what does he do? He goes signs Makai Becton and he's. He's got a huge. I see yesterday he's got a huge smile on his face like have you guys not followed Jim Harbaugh's career since Stanford? This they might draft a wide receiver this year in the third round. I would expect tight end, D lineman, running back. Like it's Najee Harris. When I was living in the Bay Area, Najee was his senior year was one of the biggest recruits in the country. I think he was number one recruit.
- [60:36]
Colin Cowherd
He was number one and it was.
- [60:38]
Greg Rosenthal
Committed to go to Alabama. But Jim was recruiting him very hard. And I saw a clip that Jim at an Antioch. I think he went to the homecoming game. He announced their king and queen and so like that's who he's. Listen, I'm not the biggest Najee star running back, first round guy, but he is a solid runs downhill physical guy. Like that's how Jim wants to play. Jim wants to play a lot like this version of the Chiefs and clearly Denver. I think Sean would like to be a little more explosive down the field. But like that that division is going to be really physical and same thing with the. I mean we know how Pete Carroll. Why did he butt heads with Russell Wilson? Russell wanted to throw it 50 times a game. Pete wanted to throw it about 20 and play D and run the ball. So I think this defense is going to or this Division is going to look a lot like each other now. You know, if Rasheed Rice is healthy, Xavier Worthy came on. I do think the Chiefs offense could get more explosive. And I would also guess that they draft a running back. Yeah, I think all these teams in this division could draft running backs.
- [61:38]
Colin Cowherd
Yes.
- [61:38]
Greg Rosenthal
And if two of the four of them become stars, whichever ones those guys go to, like the next Jameer Gibbs or whoever, Nick Chubb, you know, you name it, those second round running backs hit for one of these teams could be the difference. If all of a sudden you tell me Denver has a version of Nick Chubb or, you know, Alvin Kamara on their squad, I'd be like, well, why couldn't they win 12 or 13 games? Same thing with the, with the Chargers. And maybe this is the year the Chiefs win. Two years ago when they won the Super Bowl, I think they won 11 games. So the difference between 11 and 15 is like a couple missed field goals and a couple of fumbles go your way.
- [62:10]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, the. Yeah, it's, it's. I thought, I thought Devonte Adams was obviously a great move for the Rams, but I thought Najee Harris, there were a couple of moves I loved offensively. I think Deebo Samuel to Cliff Kingsbury and Jaden is a sensational move for them at this point. He'll get tons of looks. And by the way, it will give Cliff another 12 offensive plays because Debo's such a unique player. And then I also thought, I thought, I thought Najee Harris, I'm like, remember a couple years ago when Kevin Donson wasn't going to start for the Steelers? McVeigh grabs him and he literally is the highest rated guard in the league. Najee Harris, with that Pittsburgh O line, everybody's like, almost a semi bust. Watch him with Harbaugh. Watch him be really effective with Harbaugh. I think of this all the time is I remember GM telling this years ago. He said, I used to love drafting Georgia guys when Mark Rick was there. Great recruiter. Didn't squeeze all the juice out of the player like you got. You know, these guys had a lot of upside. Nick Saban squeezes every ounce of talent out of guys. And one of the things I look at, John, when these offensive coaches like McVeigh will go and find wide receivers, he looked at Devontae and he thought Jetstaff last year was like third tier. He's like, Devonte is going to make 80 catches for us. So I thought, yeah, I mean, so I do think when you see these offensive coaches, they find Some of these defensive cultures and they find players and go get me that one.
- [63:54]
Greg Rosenthal
I think you look at the Eagles last year, Makai Becton this year they trade for that former first round pick from the Texans. Because now listen, you're not going to hit on them all. But the power of having good coordinators and now so many of the offensive ones are also the head coach. But you see it a lot when the star offensive line coach or the star defensive line coach, it's like buying a cheap stock and the guy a year later turns into a $12 million player you can't afford, but you bought low like you profited from it. And I think the best teams always have that ability. I also think the Washington commanders with Debo and with Tunzel, Tunzel not as much because he would get paid no matter what. You got Debo, he's in a contract years like Debo. If you ever want to make a even a. That's right, two year, forty million dollar contract again, you gotta slim down and give us all you got. And I think sometimes getting those guys motivated is a really big deal for these. You know, it used to be a guy going in their third contract, probably be like 34 years old. These guys are a little younger now. You know, they're 29, 30 years old. Sometimes on their third, you know, DK Metcalf.
- [64:55]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah.
- [64:56]
Greg Rosenthal
They're not as old as, you know, in previous generations. So sometimes these teams now with their cap space, these free agent classes after like the first 10 names, most of them like the average fans like who's that guy? You can take advantage of it with traits, overpriced guys and other teams. And Adam Peters really did that with Tunzel and Debo Samuel ton of cap space. But I'm not going to buy all these players and pay premiums on guys that aren't quite worth it like the Packers. Listen, I understand Aaron Banks has been a starter for the 49ers, but to give him that much money to be your left guard felt a little desperate to me as guard works just. We have seen some questionable guard contracts in recent memory and I understand offensive lineman more of a plug and play. It's a lot of money to pay a guy. You might be able to find just a plug and play starter in like a third round. And the packers historically have always been able to do it.
- [65:43]
Colin Cowherd
Yep. All right. John Middlekoff, former NFL SCOUT he is newly married now. Now, have you guys done the honeymoon yet?
- [65:52]
Greg Rosenthal
We just came home, we had work to do, Colin and we were in Nashville. We got there on Tuesday and most of our people got there Wednesday. So it was basically a honeymoon and a marriage or wedding for five days. I don't quite have the drinking ability in my younger days. But then we get home and obviously free agency's kicking off. She had changed to this luxury brokerage, so she's really busy and I realized you go on the honeymoon necessarily to go hang out and party just to kind come down and nice. But. So no, I think we're going to go to Costa Rica right before, I think, you know that last week you and I have been talking about the last couple of years, that last week, the preseason where the games are kind of over and there's nothing going on as college football. Her mom had won this trip. So we're going to Costa Rica I think for like six days, that last week of August, right before the NFL season. So we got a little time.
- [66:45]
Colin Cowherd
That's. That's a great place. I've had multiple friends go there. All of them absolutely. All of them absolutely loved it. John, as always, buddy, congrats on everything in your life and way to crush the day.
- [66:58]
Greg Rosenthal
Thanks, Colin. See you, buddy.
- [67:02]
Colin Cowherd
The Volume this is Nikki Glaser from the Nikki Glaser podcast. On a more serious note, I'm still thinking about that commercial with Tom Brady.
- [67:12]
American Express
And Snoop Dogg hating on each other.
- [67:14]
Colin Cowherd
Because when you listen to the reasons for hating someone or something, you realize just how stupid they really are. There is too much hate in this.
- [67:22]
American Express
Country and it's gotta stop.
- [67:24]
Colin Cowherd
So join us at iheart and standing up to it. If you see hate, speak up, call it out and you can learn more by following ot'supwithhate. You're a startup founder. Finding product market fit is probably your number one priority. But to land bigger customers, you also need security compliance. Obtaining your SoC2 or ISO2701 certification can open those big doors, but they take time and energy, pulling you away from building and shipping. That's where Vanta comes in. Vanta is the all in one compliance solution, helping startups get audit ready and build a strong security foundation quickly and painlessly. Vanta automates the manual security tasks that slow you down, helping you streamline your audit. The platform connects you with trusted experts to build your program, auditors to get you through audits quickly, and a marketplace for essentials like pen testing. So whether you're closing your first deal or gearing up for growth, Vanta makes compliance easy. Join over 8,000 companies, including Y Combinator and Techstar startups who trust Vanta for a limited time. Get $1,000 off vanta@vanta.com simplify. That's vanta.com simplify for $1,000 off.
- [68:32]
Greg Rosenthal
What's up everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you, with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft, listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
- [69:03]
Jeremy Hobson
We live in a divided country, and our media couldn't be more polarizing. That's why we started the Middle with Jeremy Hobson. It's about bringing voices not from the extremes, but from the vast middle into the national conversation. Each week, we hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country. And when you subscribe to the Middle, you also get an episode each week called One Thing Trump did that focuses on just one item from the avalanche of news. Listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.