Colin Cowherd Podcast - Nick Wright on Bill Belichick Coaching UNC, NBA Needs Two MAJOR Changes, “Noisy” Wide Receivers

Summary

Episode Summary: Colin Cowherd Podcast - Nick Wright on Bill Belichick Coaching UNC, NBA Needs Two MAJOR Changes, “Noisy” Wide Receivers

Release Date: December 12, 2024
Host: Colin Cowherd
Guest: Nick Wright
Platform: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume

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**1. Bill Belichick’s Surprising Move to North Carolina

The episode kicks off with a shocking announcement: Bill Belichick, the legendary NFL coach, will be taking the reins at the University of North Carolina (UNC) with a three-year, $30 million contract. Colin Cowherd expresses skepticism about Belichick’s fit in college football, citing his past NFL performance without Tom Brady and questioning his adaptability to the offensive-centric modern game.

Colin Cowherd [05:26]: "If he went to the Big Ten or the SEC, I think he'd get crushed. Do you think he has any success at Carolina?"

Nick Wright responds by highlighting the challenges Belichick would face in the ACC, drawing parallels to how other legendary coaches like Bobby Knight struggled with adapting to new cultural shifts within their sports.

Nick Wright [07:03]: "I think he's reduced to taking this job to set his son up for a job and can't get any legitimate offers."

**2. Comparing Coaching Legacies: Andy Reid vs. Bill Belichick

The conversation delves into a comparative analysis of Andy Reid and Bill Belichick, examining their respective coaching styles, adaptability, and long-term legacies in the NFL.

Nick Wright [16:52]: "Andy has coached Mahomes for six years, accumulated 90 wins, and has a coaching tree that's strong and diverse."

Colin Cowherd [18:14]: "If the CTE lawsuit had happened 10 years earlier, Andy Reid would have a couple more Super Bowls and would be viewed as the best coach."

They discuss how Andy Reid’s adaptability and diverse coaching tree give him an edge over Belichick, whose reliance on a strict system and limited personnel decisions have stunted his broader success.

**3. The State of the NBA: Urgent Need for Reform

Shifting focus to basketball, Colin and Nick express concerns about the current state of the NBA, identifying two major issues that threaten the league's future:

1. Load Management: Superstar players frequently sitting out games to manage their physical health, frustrating fans and affecting game dynamics.

2. Over-Reliance on "Noisy" Players: The NBA's popularity is increasingly tied to individual athleticism, such as dunking, which can overshadow team strategies and defensive plays.

Nick Wright [33:15]: "One is the load management superstars not playing, and the other is the NBA's popularity being based on individual athleticism like dunking."

Colin Cowherd [37:18]: "Every game looks the same, minimizing athleticism and strategic diversity."

They propose potential rule changes to enhance the game's strategic depth and fan engagement, such as adjusting the three-point line or incentivizing varied offensive plays.

**4. Baseball’s Evolution and Future Prospects

Colin advocates for a renaissance in baseball, attributing it to the decline of regional sports networks and the sport's increasing top-heavy nature due to financial disparities among teams. He argues that this shift could lead to super teams that drive both attendance and television ratings, similar to the dynamics observed in other major sports leagues.

Colin Cowherd [42:52]: "Baseball is getting intensely top-heavy, dominated by teams in wealthy markets like New York, Louisiana, Philly, and San Diego."

Nick Wright concurs, emphasizing that despite changes and challenges, baseball's inherent randomness ensures competitive balance, preventing any single team from dominating entirely.

Nick Wright [44:51]: "Baseball still is just random enough that a team like the Royals getting into the playoffs is exciting and keeps the competition alive."

**5. The Impact of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) on College Football

The discussion shifts to the NIL policies in college football, where players can now earn money from endorsements. Colin and Nick debate the long-term implications, suggesting that while it may retain top talent at elite programs, it could exacerbate financial disparities and influence player decisions based on monetary incentives rather than purely athletic aspirations.

Colin Cowherd [54:00]: "With NIL, Texas can spend 30 million while Purdue can only spend 2. It's widening the financial gap in college football."

Nick Wright [56:12]: "I'm curious how many players will choose to stay in college if they can earn more money there than in the NFL."

They predict a future where player decisions become heavily influenced by financial offers, potentially diminishing the overall competitive balance and integrity of college football.

**6. “Noisy” Wide Receivers: The New Norm in the NFL

Nick Wright brings attention to the rise of "noisy" wide receivers in the NFL—players who are vocal, often controversial, and command significant media attention. While these receivers are undeniably talented, their outspoken nature and off-field antics can create tensions within teams and distract from collective goals.

Nick Wright [60:45]: "Receivers like Devante Adams and Jamar Chase are brilliant players, but their noise can be disruptive to team chemistry."

Colin Cowherd [67:07]: "It's too much. Receivers are becoming divas from day one, unlike their predecessors."

They explore the balance between individual star power and team cohesion, questioning whether the league should adopt measures to temper the influence of such personalities to maintain focus on the sport itself.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Colin Cowherd [05:26]: "I don't see him being a huge hit in North Carolina. The advantage, it's a terrible conference. It's just, it's really bad."

• Nick Wright [07:03]: "Belichick is taking this because legacy and his son. And I get that he got the message."

• Colin Cowherd [16:52]: "Andy has coached Mahomes for six years, accumulated 90 wins, and has a coaching tree that's strong and diverse."

• Nick Wright [33:15]: "One is the load management superstars not playing, and the other is the NBA's popularity being based on individual athleticism like dunking."

• Colin Cowherd [42:52]: "Baseball is getting intensely top-heavy, dominated by teams in wealthy markets like New York, Louisiana, Philly, and San Diego."

• Nick Wright [56:12]: "I'm curious how many players will choose to stay in college if they can earn more money there than in the NFL."

• Colin Cowherd [67:07]: "It's too much. Receivers are becoming divas from day one, unlike their predecessors."

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Conclusion

In this episode, Colin Cowherd and Nick Wright provide an in-depth analysis of significant shifts within major American sports leagues. From Bill Belichick's unexpected move to college football to the urgent reform needed in the NBA, and the evolving dynamics of player roles in the NFL, the duo offers insightful perspectives on the future trajectories of these sports. Their discussions underscore the delicate balance between maintaining traditional values and adapting to contemporary challenges to sustain fan engagement and competitive integrity.

For listeners seeking a comprehensive exploration of these topics, this episode serves as a valuable resource, blending expert opinions with critical analysis to navigate the ever-changing landscape of sports.

Transcript

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Nick Wright]

So, well, I mean, listen, you obviously know the college game better than I do and. But I had a similar instinct, which is the question is can you win the ACC or hell, you know, can you come just make the ACC championship game? Like the ACC got two teams in the playoff this year. Right. Clemson and smu.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right.

[Nick Wright]

So like there's more than one. There's more than one path. I. My instant reaction was not really about how good he's going to be at North Carolina. It's about how shocking this is. And this is like, to me, at least, this is shocking. Colin, 11 months ago, you and I on TV and on the pod talked about should the following playoff teams, double digit win teams, fire their head coach to bring in Bill Belichick? The Dallas Cowboys, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Buffalo Bills, it was a if they collapse type of thing. When it looked like the season was going to go wrong. That was 11 months ago. For it to be us to narratively be there and now be. Because I think he's. Yes, he's taking this because legacy and his son. And I get that. But I also think he got the message. Buddy, you're probably going to be shut out of the NFL coaching search again. I assumed last year there would be a fight for Bill Belichick. Instead he got one interview in Atlanta and they passed on him for a different defensive head coach.

[Colin Cowherd]

And so who had been fired.

[Nick Wright]

That to me is who had been fired. Right. That to me is shocking. And you know, I, you, I don't want to say enjoy conspiracy theories because that's not it. But you enjoy kind of as I do. Like why thinking about why did this happen? What could be going on right behind the scenes. I do wonder how much poison was put in the ear of other NFL owners by Robert Kraft.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

Because for Belichick to truly believe no one is going to hire me, that to me is. That is shocking. Like truly, truly shocking to where he preemptively takes this North Carolina job.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. I think the message for Me in this Belichick reminds me of Bobby Knight, is that Bobby Knight was viewed in his prime as the best coach. He at times could be gruff, you know, mean spirited. In the end, could not grasp the new culture. Bobby Knight the one and done. You know, Belichick player empowerment rule changes which Andy Reid has seamlessly bounced through like multiple different cultural changes in the NFL. And then at the end, basically Bobby Knight was just trying to get his son a head coaching job. And nobody would offer this former genius a job no legitimate school would. And that's Belichick, is that now he's been reduced to. Now it's three years and $30 million. Like Bobby Knight, basically he's taking this job to set his son up for a job and can't get any legitimate offers. And I think here's the parallel is that Bobby was all about retaining power. And that was really at the heart of Bobby Knight's strength, his virtue and his hindrance late is that nobody wanted to hire Bobby because you had basically give total control to him. And that's Bill's problem. His personnel decisions are horrible now. He's had a couple of defensive hits. He hasn't drafted an offensive Pro bowl level player probably since Gronk. But it's the unwillingness of older successful men to relinquish any power, the need for control.

[Nick Wright]

So I do, at some point, because you're interested in this like I am, want to discuss how we think Belichick versus Andy is going to play out over the next three, five, 10 years. But before we go to that, one of the things that I like doing when I'm on with you is kind of, you know, I don't want to say straying from sports, but we go a lot of places. Does that worry you for you? And by that I mean because I think about it, which is like, man, so many legends across so many industries. The ending sucks. Yeah, like the I, I, the. I thought it was kind of unfair and I vocally defended him on the show. But I think about broadcasting that there was in, you know, in October, you know, there was a reigning chorus on social media of, you know who sucks? Al Michaels and Bob Costas. Yeah, what are those guys doing? And I'm like, you gotta be kidding me. These are like the legends of the industry. But Al was getting bad games and people didn't like the way Bob called baseball games, even though that's the way he's called baseball games forever. And I'm like, well, that's, that's not a Great ending. You brought up Bobby Knight. I, you know, most people don't get or don't execute Johnny Carson. And so when you see so many of these guys not figuring out an exit, like, what is. I'm not talking, like, you're not close to the end of your career, but you know what I mean? Like, it's. It bounces around in my head, like, why does nobody be. Why are people not okay leaving? Like, he's accomplished everything. He's got all the money. He seems to be happy socially. Like, I don't. I don't get it. And it's concerning.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, there. What did Johnny Carson have? Who had a great exit that the others didn't? Johnny Carson Productions. That's why I created the volume. I will manage and be an executive, not a broadcast.

[Nick Wright]

Run your own company.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, yeah.

[Nick Wright]

So.

[Colin Cowherd]

And I enjoy doing that. So I created the volume largely. So when networks are not interested, I will move into a management position. And I love that. In a production position. That's what I like to do.

[Nick Wright]

So why do you. But. So why do you think? Well, I think it was not on the board for Bill to be. Like, when I'm done with the Patriots, I'm just done. Like, I have six Super Bowls I made. I've made 20 plus million for the last however many years. Like, I'm 70 years old. I evidently want to date incredibly young women and travel. Like, why. Why is. What. That's fascinating to me. Like, why you wouldn't just call it.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. He probably doesn't have a ton of hobbies, although he does have a boat and he golfs, so he has enough. It's a good question. If Tom Brady would have left for Tampa and failed, I think he would have been more comfortable just saying it's over. We were great for each other, and we were never quite the same without each other. But Brady jettisons the Patriots, wins a Super bowl first year with Tampa, and.

[Nick Wright]

Then almost wins an MVP and is awesome and is better than he was his last couple of years in New England.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes. So I think that put that. And I don't think Bill would acknowledge that, but they are linked forever. Yeah, Montana and Bill Walsh are linked forever. And Bird and Magic on different teams are linked forever. And so I think when Tom left and succeeded, it puts. It raises doubt about a guy that had five years in Cleveland, four of them losing, lost in his first year with Drew Bledsoe starting and lost two years in a row. And kind of. I mean, Matt Patricia to offensive coordinator. It was a Bit of a tone deaf clown show. And so I think there's, I think that's part of it. I think we tend to, and this is incredibly unhealthy. We tend to compare ourselves to others. And I think it's just my journey is much more Johnny Carson, his production company and, oh, I've told you this before, my idol is Oprah. It's not a sportscaster. Right. So her production company and Carson's production company is much more attractive to me as an ending than it is broadcasting when I'm 74.

[Nick Wright]

So, yeah, I just, I, there's so many of. And you see it, I mean, you're seeing it. I feel like right now with Aaron Rogers.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

In a different way. And you see it with athletes more. And it feels different, I guess, because we're more used to it. And it's just like, okay, it's a young man's game. You're not a young man. But it, it just, I don't know if it's the fame, attention, money being all kind of addictive, but it is. Bill Belichick is probably going to be coaching in the fucking Pop Tarts bowl next year. And that's, that's, that's unbelievable. Like, that's really unbelievable. When this time last year I was discussing, should the Eagles preemptively fire Nick Sirianni to hire Bill Belichick? Should the bills fire Sean McDermott just to be the first to market for Bill Belichick? And I don't know, man. Like, now listen, somebody will dig this clip up in 30 years when I'm, you know, when I'm doing Fortnite play by play on Twitch because nobody else will give me a job. They'll be like, time comes for us all. But it is, it's, it's stunning. It's really stunning. And, and I just, I, when I first saw the report a week ago and shout out to inside Carolina dot com.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

Which beat everyone on this story by days every time. But when I first saw it, I was like, oh, so Inside Carolina.com is just as wrong as they can be and don't care.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

And then it's like, wait, they're meeting in Manhattan for five hours. Wait. He made a 400 page organizational Bible, like, oh, this is going to happen. And now it's happening. Which does bring me. So that, the Andy Reid thing. I don't think people realize how close it is. The Shula record. So Andy's at 296, Shula's at 347. Belichicks at 333. So Andy is 51 wins away. He has. Prior to this year. He had coached Mahomes for six years. They had 90 wins, regular season, playoffs those six years. That's exactly 15 a year. So if Andy coaches, you know, for three more years, he should be right there. And if he coaches for four, he'll have it. He's five playoff wins behind Bill. Yeah, he'll get that in the next, I would imagine, which is really remarkable.

[Colin Cowherd]

When you consider you. You'd think it would be 30 behind.

[Nick Wright]

It's remarkable. It's. And so that's. So he's going to. Unless he retires and he just signed a new five year, hundred million dollars deal. He's going to catch him in playoff wins and in regular season wins. Let's just say he doesn't catch him in Super Bowls. Let's be conservative and say the Chiefs only win two of the next four and then, and then he's done and he retires with five. Man, I think what's more compelling, the one more super bowl and that Belichick was 3 and O against Andy in the playoffs, which counts including a Super bowl or that Andy won divisions with four different quarterbacks at double digit win seasons with four different quarterbacks, made a Super bowl with a good but not great quarterback. And Belichick won, as you put it, 45% of his games across a decade of coaching. Plus when he didn't have, you know, one, they both had the two greatest quarterbacks ever. One, two, two, one. I think history is going to look more fondly upon Andy. Well, and you've been saying this for a year.

[Colin Cowherd]

I've been saying if the CTE lawsuit had happened 10 years earlier, Andy Reid would have a couple more Super Bowls and would be viewed as the best coach because things that were not only allowed but were promoted during many of Belichick's years. Vicious headhunting hits. They were promoted coming up Sunday.

[Nick Wright]

Jacked up.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Outlawed the minute the game was. The vicious, violent hits were outlawed, which they should have been. If you look at medical concerns 25 years earlier, that Belichick would have one or two or three and that Andy would have six or seven or eight. I really believe that. So I think what it comes down to is a timing. Jeff Bezos would have been really successful, but the Internet and the retail giant allows him to be beyond the greatest bookstore owner ever. He is the greatest global retailer ever. So I think the timing is a big part of life. And I think Belichick is the beneficiary of a league which allowed basically the rules favor because years ago, 30, 40, 50 years ago, what we considered great football was running backs and pounding hits and vicious tackles. And then you realized over time, wow, this is a bad look. We're losing lawsuits. What people really love is great quarterback play and offensive efficiency, and that's what drives the ratings. And so there's far more on television today, and the audience and the platforms are broader, yet the ratings are greater than ever. How is that possible? Because the game is more aesthetically pleasing than 30 years ago. If you watch an old NFL game, it's kind of boring. I mean, it's like four sets, seven plays. So as we have more options, it's one of the only sports where the ratings have skyrocketed over 25 years. And so the game now is its purest and most aesthetically perfect. And Andy dominates the league. In fact, he not only dominates the league, but he often embarrasses the league. I think the only other coach in the league that. That has the ability to quickly things great, Sean Payton. Now, Shanahan's great, but he gets very tied to his play sheet. He can struggle late in games. What Sean Payton's doing in Denver is, whoa, what is happening here in that division, like, with a thin roster that was picked to win five games. And remember, he went to the Saints. They were the aints. They were worse than the Jets. And first year, I think they got to the NFC championship. So, I mean, Sean Payton and Andy, the difference is one has Mahomes, one has Brees. Both great, one transformational, the best talent all time, but both great. So I think I do consider, you know, it's like saying Picasso or Monet, if Art only appreciated one for one time and another for another era. But I do think Andy's. I think when I look at Andy and contextualize both, I'm like his ability to win more ways with more unique teams and coaches. Belichick, by the way, almost always went back to the same coaches. He had a system, and it worked with one quarterback.

[Nick Wright]

Well, twofold. One is. And again, I don't know how much people weigh what was your coaching tree in their success. But Andy's coaching tree is like that to me is like when we talk about great coaches historically, and it's like, well, how much do you weigh that Mike Shanahan ultimately, like, his coaching tree is Kyle's, which is McVeigh's, which is the holy. Like, you know what I mean? Like, that's got away in his greatness. And so that that part of Andy's thing where Bill obviously most the guy who had the most success of his coaching tree is our friend Eric. And other than that it's a lot of like really damn like the people say Bill O'Brien but Bill O'Brien wasn't really his coaching tree as much or he went to college first. I guess he was the. Who's the person? Oh, varable Bill O'Brien is his coaching tree. Variable people assigned to him. But Vrabel never coached for him. Variable played for him, went to Ohio State and is now coached there. But the other point that I wanted to make was Andy did seem or does seem to guarantee you a floor that's like eight wins. And Bill we've seen on the front end, in the middle with Bledsoe and on the back end did not like Now I do. I think he's the greatest defensive mind ever. And I'm not trying to like shit talk a guy who's, you know, clearly right now is the greatest coaching resume ever. But when I do wonder and there's less thing I'll say on it. Would he have held out hope I'm going to get an NFL job if he was more convinced if I get Shula's record, I'm keeping it. Or did that not become as important when he's like hold on a minute. Yeah, so if I pass Shula in 2026 and then Andy laps me in 2027, what does it.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, what.

[Nick Wright]

You know what I mean? I what. Why does that matter as much?

[Colin Cowherd]

He wasn't getting great offers like Harbaugh got a Bosa, a left tackle and Herbert and a non meddling owner. That's a good job. Bill wasn't getting those offers. If Philadelphia was offered, I think he'd stay for six years because Howie Roseman, Jeffrey Lurie a great roster. But when you're getting bad offers then he could look at it and go so I'll be a loser in Cleveland, I'll be a loser in blank. And I only want New Orleans.

[Nick Wright]

Right, Right.

[Colin Cowherd]

But think about this. What if. Here's I'll cap it with this. Let's say Belichick and Andy Reid are music producers. One creates the greatest band ever, but in two or three other bands he bombs. Andy Reid has a great band but several other memorable quality bands as a producer and you'd go, well maybe, maybe the reason the one guy had the greatest band, he had the greatest lead singer. But this guy created multiple bands that are all time memorable musical acts and no.

[Nick Wright]

And no flops.

[Colin Cowherd]

No flops.

[Nick Wright]

The no flops matters to me. I talked to Wilds about this today and Wilds got angry with yep. Wilds. Like nobody cares about how many losing seasons a guy had. I'm like, well okay, maybe I was like. But they, they both coach for an insane length of period of time. Andy has three losing seasons and Bill has eight. Yeah, that is, that's not nothing. It's not everything, but it's not nothing.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right. It's.

[Nick Wright]

It's something there.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Adnan Virk]

What's up everybody? Adnan Burke here to tell you about a new podcast from iHeart podcast in the National Hockey League. It's NHL unscripted with Virk and Demers.

[Jason Demers]

Hey, I'm Jason Demers, former 700 game NHL defenseman turned NHL Network analyst and boy oh boy, does Daddy have a lot to say.

[Adnan Virk]

I love you. By the way, on NHL Network, we're looking for forward to getting together each week to chat and chirp about the sport and all the other things surrounding it that we love. Right?

[Jason Demers]

Yeah, I just met you today, but we're going to have a ton of guests from the colliding worlds of hockey, entertainment and pop culture. And you know what, tons of back and forth on all things NHL.

[Adnan Virk]

Yeah, you're still going to find out we're not just hockey talk. We get all kinds of random stuff on this podcast. Movies, television, food, wrestling, even the stuff that you wear in NHL.

[Jason Demers]

Now you wish you could pull off my short shorts, Ferkey.

[Adnan Virk]

That's sure to cause a ruckus. Listen to NHL Unscripted with Virk and demers and the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Questlove]

Good people. What's up? It's Questo, Questlove and Team supreme and I have been working hard to bring you some incredible episodes of Questlove supreme with guests you definitely don't want to miss. Now, one of the things I love about this Questlove supreme podcast is we got something for everybody, every type of music lover. We enjoy speaking to the people who were the face of some movements, some people you've seen on stage or TV or magazine covers. But we also love speaking to the folks who are making it happen behind the scenes and they paved the way for those that followed, you know, keystones to the culture. This season we've had some amazing one on one conversation like I'm PayPal, chatting up with hitmaker Sam Holland, Sugar Steve chatting with the legend Nick Lowe. And I've had pleasures of doing one on one conversations with Willow, Sonata, Maitreya, Kathleen Hanna and the rza. These are conversations you won't hear anywhere else. So make sure you go back and you check those episodes out. All right? Listen to Questlove supreme on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[NPR Up First Host]

Experiencing the news each day can feel like a journey with up first from NPR, though it doesn't have to be. Welcome to 15 Easy Minutes of breaking news, clarity on international and national affairs, and a casual tone that you can take in with breakfast. Begin your day informed, ready and refreshed. Begin your day with Up First. Subscribe to Up first from NPR on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

So let me throw this at you. This is not a baseball topic. We don't talk a lot about it, but it's fascinating to me. So I'm agnostic on many things. I'm kind of an agnostic personality, from religion to almost anything. I tend to be just sort of I weigh information and I pick the side I like. I don't have a lot of purity in me. Like I don't have a lot of loyalty outside of my wife and my children and friends. But so baseball comes out with this golden IT bat concept where basically you could Bryce Harper gets an extra at bat every game or an Aaron Judge. You don't have to use it, but you can in a critical situation. And purists are bothered by this. And I'm fascinated by what purists are holding onto. And I've heard baseball people say, oh, I'll never watch another baseball game, as if Sandy Koufax's historic run is diluted by a new golden bat at bat concept in 2024. It's almost like saying it's not perfectly analogous, but gay marriage ruins the sanctity of previous marriage. Well, if you had a great marriage for 40 years, what is that? What does it have to.

[Nick Wright]

But also, I will also say anybody that like, we've all come to terms with the guy that most people feel like, probably correctly, is the greatest baseball player ever played at a time when a lot of the greatest baseball players ever were not allowed to be in the league because they were black or Hispanic. And it's just like, hey, we know that's part of the record book.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right.

[Nick Wright]

We know, like there's people have an ability. Nobody with a brain looks back and is like, hey, I checked Terry Bradshaw stats dude sucked. Look, it's like no, it's like I know that's what the record but like those what the numbers are. But we all understand intuitively. Oh, that was a different era. So if we were to have a golden at bat ear and it's like holy shit. A lot of three home run games out of nowhere, it's like oh yeah, because they changed the rules. People are smarter than like we give them credit for.

[Colin Cowherd]

But that's what I'm asking. We had the cattle steroid era, so all the records, power records are meaningless and nobody really knows who took it. I mean seriously, it's like trying to figure out which rich people cheated on their taxes. How about we start with all of them, right? Like who knows? So my take is what are purists holding onto are these 48 year old men who still collect baseball cards. Like the idea. So the sport makes two changes. Both crush defensive shift eliminated and a pitch clock. Okay.

[Nick Wright]

Yep.

[Colin Cowherd]

So all of a sudden the defensive shift, more base hits. Well that's messing with the previous six, eight years.

[Nick Wright]

Right. And the thing closest to the golden at bat is the ghost runner. Ghost runner thing which you know, in made baseball cooler for the regular season. You don't want to put in the playoffs, that's fine.

[Colin Cowherd]

So what are purists holding onto that are outraged by a new concept? Well, I don't understand.

[Nick Wright]

I'm not the, the. I mean I understand them, I don't agree with them because ultimately what my, one of my fundamental beliefs that bothers I think purists, but it's not even a belief, it's just a fact. Sports are simply entertainment products.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right.

[Nick Wright]

That's all it is. We are part of the entertainment industry. We are in. We are fighting for attention and relevance in sports. And, and there is nothing inherently more valuable, moral, ethical, important to American professional football than American ultimate Frisbee. But one is the most valuable television property in the world and the other is something the best in the world at almost assuredly needs a real job because it doesn't pay the bills.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right.

[Nick Wright]

So why is that? Because people like watching one and don't care about the other. That's exclusively why.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

There is no other reason. And the idea that you have a birthright to people's attention. Go ask horse racing, go ask boxing, you don't you. And so all of these. So here's the real reason. I love the gold and a bad idea. I like baseball, I love basketball and I'm worried about basketball. I am Legitimately worried about the NBA because they have two massive issues that everyone knows is a problem, and I don't know that they have the stomach to address them for the change that's needed. One is one that's been talked about a ton historically, which is the load management superstar's not playing. Whatever it is. I will give a quick anecdote on why that's my thoughts on that. Then I'll get to the real thing. I was in LA for 72 hours over Thanksgiving because our son lives there and he couldn't. We brought Thanksgiving to him, essentially that Friday night Lakers thunder. And I'm like, you know what? My wife's grandparents are with us. They're 91 and 93. They love LeBron, have never seen him play. And I'm like, you know, what's the point of making money if you don't spend it on stuff like this? So I bought six tickets. Not courtside, but first row, behind courtside. Not cheap, right? But what I was like, it's a. I bought him at noon with full confidence. Well, LeBron's gonna play because LeBron plays. You know what I mean? Like, LeBron, did he get hurt last night? Then he's playing like, even though he's the oldest guy in the league. And if it were any other superstar, I would have. When my wife mentioned to me, should we do it? I would have said, yes, but let's wait until like 5:00 to find out. That's terrible for the business. The other thing that is getting a lot of attention is the NBA's. At its core, the NBA's popularity is based on. Is that dude flying? Holy shit. Like, did not. Here's another 35 footer. And strategically, just like the shift. Strategically was smart, but from a television product, it was a disaster.

[Colin Cowherd]

Everybody looks the same every game, every possession, every game looks the same.

[Nick Wright]

There's no different styles. There's no anything. And we're minimizing athleticism.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes.

[Nick Wright]

John Morant goes on the record is like, I'm done dunking. Anthony Edwards taking 13 threes a game.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's awful.

[Nick Wright]

Clearly a disaster. A disaster. And so when I say massive changes, what I mean is have a real conversation about, hey, dunks are also worth three now.

[Colin Cowherd]

Or this.

[Nick Wright]

I don't care what it does.

[Colin Cowherd]

Or this. Two suggestions. One, And I said this seven years ago on the air and had a graphic. Take out the corner 3. It's impossible to defend. Yes.

[Nick Wright]

Okay, agree. That should be done tomorrow.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. So it goes right into the bench. You Put it. You move it out about 6 inches.

[Nick Wright]

A real art.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yep.

[Nick Wright]

Make it a real art. Yes.

[Colin Cowherd]

And so that's just much easier to defend. You can be on players or. This would be my. This is something I've thought about as well. And I don't know, I think you could do this is that you get 15 a game.

[Nick Wright]

That's what I said.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Yes. Okay.

[Nick Wright]

Exactly right. Whatever the number is. That's the other thing.

[Colin Cowherd]

I was 15 again.

[Nick Wright]

I don't know.

[Colin Cowherd]

45 points, which is 40 points of your offense. 40% of your offense.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah. And. And by the way, you can still shoot them after that, but they're worth two. There's Kurt Goldsberry had the idea years ago that I thought was fascinating, which was you know how baseball stadiums, everyone picks their own dimensions. You got a green monster, you got the short porch. Yankee Stadium, Royal Stadium is cavernous. Kurt Goldsberry says each year every team draws their three point line. And if like no and the I. And I know that sounds ridiculous, but his point was some teams will be like, we don't have one. But that's not who we are. We're building a old school beat you up that. You know what I mean? Big, big man style. The, the Blazers when they had primed Dame Lillard might have been like, ours is from 37ft out because we have the one guy who can. And if that were the case, you would ha. You would know, man, I better be able to play a bunch of different ways, score a bunch of different ways because shit, tonight we're in Oklahoma City and there's no threes whatever. So I don't know the exact right answer. What I know is this. If the NBA does not make a massive change, it hurts. It is in huge trouble.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes.

[Nick Wright]

Because they have, they have still. They're still suckling off the teat of LeBron. Steph KD, your most popular.

[Colin Cowherd]

If John Moran and Aunt Edwards do not dunk the one of the. I mean the Jordan logo. If you really think of even Dr. J's highlights today. Connor Hawkins, when I was a kid, of course.

[Nick Wright]

What are we doing? And here was another question that.

[Colin Cowherd]

Let me throw this at you. I said this about the NFL. I said, can you imagine if the NFL only allowed the tush push and bombs? There's no intermediates, no bubble screens. It's just power running or bombs. That's the NBA. It's not as appealing.

[Nick Wright]

And by the way, the NFL, one year into the tush push was like, we're looking into banning yes. And it wasn't because of safety. It was because that's terrible tv. That's bad for our product. It's not exciting, it's ugly. And ultimately we're a TV show. And so I don't. The. I don't know the answer, but I do know that continuing down this path is disastrous. So I, I would love it if baseball did something drastic, because then I think there is you. The NBA would look at itself hopefully and be like, well, the NFL every year is like, hey, rule change. Figured out. Hip drop tackle. I'd never heard that term. Three years ago last year, it was the most dangerous thing that's ever happened in the sport. This year it's gone. Like, defenseless receiver, hit the quarterback low. Tom Brady, Tom Brady blows out his knee. They're like, massive rule change. You now no longer hit the quarterback low. Doesn't matter. Aaron Rodgers breaks his collarbone. They're like, hey, you can't fall on quarterbacks now either. Don't care if you don't like it. Baseball's making changes. The NBA is just like, can we interest you in a new All Star Game format? It's like, bro, that's not the issue here. And here's one other NBA question I didn't. I forgot who first posed this, but ever since I read it, I'm like, oh, that's interesting. Is there a single NBA player under 30 that is more famous than Caitlin Clark?

[Colin Cowherd]

No, no, there's not. There's not.

[Nick Wright]

That's a problem. That's a problem.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, are the. Okay, so this is something I said. So baseball, I believe I've said this on the air. I talked more baseball last year than I ever have. And I believe baseball is going to have. Let me lay this out. Is going to have a renaissance. And it's.

[Nick Wright]

I totally agree with this take, by the way.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, so number one, because the regional sports networks died, the bottom of the sport is now AAA baseball. And they cannot afford even good players they can barely afford. So it's getting very top heavy.

[Nick Wright]

I didn't think about that.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's getting very top heavy. That's great. Remember, networks don't care. They only televise seven teams and 30% of the revenue comes from networks. And you say, oh, it hurts attendance. But remember when you bring in all star teams, did you see how Ohtani, Betts and Freeman drove road attendance? So now you're going to have Lindor and Soto driving road attendance. Machado Tatis in San Diego, judge in Stanton. So you get a series of Five or six super teams. Well, when the Yankees had Jeter and a Rod, they led the league every year in road attendance and their own. So my take is the sport's getting insanely the gap now it's like the inequity of wealth in America. It's just widening and widening. So that's not a terrible thing because what's happening now is the only cities that can afford the big stars, New York, Louisiana, Philly and the richest of owners, the San Diego group has been able to monetize some retail outlets, the stadium. And so what's happening is, yes, it'll be dominated by six teams. TV networks don't care. They're almost overwhelmingly either the richest owners or the bigger cities. So I'm looking at the Dodgers and I'm like, do I really want the Joey Voto model or the Joe Maurer where you go to Seattle and nobody can. They can't afford anybody beyond Robinson Canoe. It's a bad product. So at least the stars now are joining other stars and people forget this. You know, when Jordan dominated the NBA, there were no other great teams. There were teams that could tackle them for several years, but when the Celtics and the Pistons aged, it was a bunch of Portlands, Utahs, they were just.

[Nick Wright]

Going through Reggie Miller and Rick Ewing.

[Colin Cowherd]

Great team Starks, but that team was so enlightening. And so it was such a star studded team. It drove attendance everywhere they went every night. It was just, it was SportsCenter, it was the lead. And so my take is baseball now. Let me fish. Baseball has this now. They have like all star teams, the NBA, Wemby, San Antonio, sga, Oklahoma, Jokic, Denver, Giannis, Milwaukee and Minnesota. Unlike baseball, they're in the wrong markets.

[Nick Wright]

Well, and the NBA just, just last year massively changed the rules proactively to make sure super teams can't exist anymore.

[Colin Cowherd]

Which mistake?

[Nick Wright]

Theoretically, right, Theoretically, you understand it. But ultimately probably a mistake. It gives cheap owners an out. Like, oh, what do you want me to do? Like it didn't. What Denver has done to Jokic's prime is they win a title and then each year they're like, let's lose this key player, let's lose that key player. And what do you want from us? Poor Guy had 102 points, 30 rebounds, 16 assists over two games. They only won one of them. Guy averaged 50, 15 and 8 over two games. One of their losses to the Wizards. So that, and here's the other reason why I don't think it's bad for baseball, because Even with everything you just said, baseball still is just random enough that a team like the Royals this year got made the playoffs, won around, stole a game from the Yankees. And it's like there's not going to be, you're not going to feel like, oh, you, you're. Oh, my season. I can't compete, like, because baseball kind of adding variance to the playoffs. I went into that Royals, Yankees series like, okay, we have two players who would play for them, but we got like a 40% chance of flipping them. Yeah, like, you know what I mean? This takes one good starting pitching night, one night and we could win. So I didn't feel like we were dead. And so, yeah, I, I found baseball this year. We talked more baseball on the show than ever before. Now, that was a very low bar because our previous high was zero. However, still, but still, like, it was. It's not like it was forced on us. It was exciting. It's like, yo, we have Judge Vers Otani in the damn World Series. Like, this is dope. And so I agree with you. And that's another reason the NBA should be worried. Like. And I, I don't know, man. I have my concerns about whether or not Adam Silver is a wartime consoliary or even knows there's a war going on. And I think he's super sharp at a lot of things and the right man for a lot of jobs. But right now I think you have to be willing to say we actively don't care about the record book because the other. If they wanted to. I'm going to one other thing. And I've said this for, literally, I said it for the first time at the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference seven years ago because I saw this train coming down the tracks. Because I'm like, my buddy Daryl Morey, I think is the smartest guy in the league and he clearly believes we should only shoot threes, free throws and layups. So eventually everyone's going to think this and then what's it going to do? And my solution then, my solution now is if you want to change nothing about the rules of the sport, then all you have to do is say, it's not threes and twos, it's fours and threes. Because now it's only a 33% premium. Now, you know what I mean? All those things. But there's two reasons they won't do that. One is people can't do math. People were like, what the fuck? Like, add four. And the other reason is it would ruin the record books. But you can't be worried about the record books.

[Colin Cowherd]

Can't.

[Nick Wright]

And baseball.

[Colin Cowherd]

Baseball purists are paralyzed by them. And it's insane.

[Nick Wright]

It's insane. Especially when, like, hey man, if your hall of Fame doesn't have Barry Bonds in it, like, what's the museum you're protecting anyway? And so, yeah, I agree with you 100%.

[Colin Cowherd]

Thursday Night Football is on. It's only on Prime Video. Best season yet. Packed with big rivalries and even bigger stars. Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreak, Kaylee Hartung. Every week, games you can't miss. Coverage begins at 7 Eastern with football's best party. TNF tonight. Thursday night Football tonight. If you're not a Prime member, no problem. Sign up. 30 day free trial. Cancel any time. Thursday Night Football. And it's on Prime Video restrictions apply. See Amazon.com amazonprime for details.

[NPR Up First Host]

As we gather together during this holiday season, let me share a gift that keeps on giving. Chase Freedom With Chase Freedom Unlimited, you'll not only experience the joy of 1.5% unlimited cash back, but also the freedom to create cherished memories with your loved ones. Discover the magic and learn [e-mail] and let this season be filled with love, laughter and the delight of extra cash in your pocket.

[Colin Cowherd]

Cards issued by JP Morgan Chase Bank NA member FDIC.

[Jon Stewart]

Jon Stewart is back in the host chair at the Daily show, which means he's also back in our ears on the Daily Show Ears Edition Podcast. The Daily Show Podcast has everything you need to stay on top of today's news and pop culture. You get hilarious satirical takes on entertainment, politics, sports and more from John and the team of correspondents and contributors. The podcast also has content you can't get anywhere else, like extended interviews and a roundup of the weekly headlines. Listen to the Daily Show Ears edition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Adnan Virk]

What's up everybody? Adnan Burke here to tell you about a new podcast from iHeart podcast in the National Hockey League. It's NHL unscripted with Virk and Demers.

[Jason Demers]

Hey, I'm Jason Demers, former 700 game NHL defenseman turned NHL Network analyst, and boy, oh boy, does daddy have a lot to say.

[Adnan Virk]

I love you, by the way, on NHL Network. We're looking forward to getting together each week to chat and chirp about the sport and all the other things surrounding it that we love. Right?

[Jason Demers]

Yeah, I just met you today, but we're going to have a ton of guests from the colliding worlds of hockey entertainment and pop culture. And you know what? Tons of back and forth on all things NHL.

[Adnan Virk]

Yeah, you're still going to find out. We're not just hockey talk. We're into all kinds of random stuff in this podcast. Movies, television, food, wrestling, even the stuff that you wear on NHL.

[Jason Demers]

Now you wish you could pull off my short shorts, Virky.

[Adnan Virk]

That's sure to cause a ruckus. Listen to NHL unscripted with Virk and demers and the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Questlove]

Good people, what's up? It's Questo, Questlove and Team supreme and I have been working hard to bring you some incredible episodes of Questlove supreme with guests you definitely don't want to miss. Now, one of the things I love about this Questlove supreme podcast is we got something for everybody, every type of music lover. We enjoy speaking to the people who were the face of some movements, some people you've seen on stage or TV or magazine covers. But we also love speaking to the folks who are making it happen behind the scenes and they paved the way for those that followed, you know, keystones to the culture. This season we've had some amazing one on one conversation like I'm PayPal chatting up with hitmaker Sam Hollander, Sugar Steve chatting with the legend Nick Lowe, and I've had pleasures of doing one on one conversations with Willow Sonata, Maitreya, Kathleen Hanna and the rza. These are conversations you won't hear anywhere else, so make sure you go back and you check those episodes out. All right? Listen to Questlove supreme on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[NPR Up First Host]

Experiencing the news each day can feel like a journey with up first from NPR, though it doesn't have to be. Welcome to 15 Easy Minutes of breaking news, clarity on international and national affairs, and a casual tone that you can take in with breakfast. Begin your day informed, ready and refreshed. Begin your day with Up first. Subscribe to Up first from NPR on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

One of the things I think that we, we both enjoy is the why. And I like the construction and deconstruction of parts of sports. So for years and years, and for years and years, you know, everybody howled that we needed to pay the college football players and because their careers are shorter than baseball and basketball and hockey players. I agree, like, let's pay these guys. And we have. And a lot of people don't like it. I'M never watching the game again. But the ratings go up. Protesters by and large have very little influence, are just throwing temper tantrums. Right. So, but I was going to throw this out there the other day. It is kind of remarkable now that college football, pro football has a salary cap. Right? Pro football has times that you can transfer slash go to free agency. College has neither. So the trains completely got off the tracks. So with the nil, my take is, listen, Texas can spend 30, Purdue can spend 2. Let's say the cap and Purdue will never get to it. But let's make the cap 17. Otherwise it's going to become baseball on HGH. Like you're not. Purdue is going to have no elite players. Texas will have 38. And there's always been an imbalance in college football. But let's put up some guardrail so all the kids get paid. But let's just say 18 because some schools now have broken through the 20. They're getting close to 28 and 30.

[Nick Wright]

And, and, and well, hell, BYU basketball just paid a kid 7 million bucks. It's, I mean so here's, so I have a different, here's the question I have. Are we approaching a time where non. Where there is. What's the good example for this? Not Ashton Gentee. He's going to be top 10 pick. If you are, you're like, hey, I'm the second best running back in college football.

[Colin Cowherd]

You stay there.

[Nick Wright]

I've checked my draft profile.

[Colin Cowherd]

No question.

[Nick Wright]

They say I'm a second third round pick. Well, let me check those contracts. That's 600 grand a year. Well that's crazy because nil at Michigan will pay me 3 million.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right.

[Nick Wright]

For real. Because running back in college football, you're still a star. Like you're the like so it, are there going to be. It won't happen with quarterbacks that are, you know, and I obviously like. But where guys that aren't. And by the way, I don't know that that's bad. That might be really good. And I think it'll be a fascinating thing I think where guys who are like wait, I can make more money staying in college.

[Colin Cowherd]

It will fortify college football because it's already happening now because I've talked to coaches who have said this is a discussion point for running backs. We can pay a 340, you can make 280. And you're not, by the way, you're not a 12 year NFL player, but you can be a legend at Blank University. And so it's happening right now. And I think it actually benefits college football. You're going to keep more players. It may be two players a roster, but if you're like a top receiver at a school at Tulsa and you're a six round pick and Tulsa's like, we'll pay you $800,000, well, you're making.

[Nick Wright]

350 in pro football and not guaranteed. And they're not guaranteed contracts. Like, I do think there's going to be real. I think it'll be fascinating when a player who is considered like, oh, wait, that guy, he's the number one safety in the draft. And the people are like, okay, he's gonna go late first, early second. And he's like, all right, well, I can wait on that. I'm. You know what I mean? I'm gonna stay here. And again, I don't think that's bad, to be very clear. I just think it's a fascinating dynamic. I also. So I, I wish I had the, the kid's name. But I did see a video. There was the first time I started to feel actually like uneasy about the nil stuff, was there was a kid in this latest signing class who. I'm gonna get it. I'm gonna get the proper nouns wrong. But just follow me on it. Let's, for the sake of argument, say he signed with Georgia. And at the announcement he made it very clear he was sad. And he was like, yeah, you know, I never thought I'd go be going here. My whole life, you know, I dreamed of playing at lsu. What? And again, I might have the George LSU part wrong. But school A, school B. Then I went and looked it up. The LSU in this offered him a scholarship, that he was a five star kid. But it was purely like. And I, what made me feel bad was I was like, was he making this decision or were like the adults in his family pressuring him? But it was clearly this place offered more money, so I felt like I had to go there. And I was like, oh, that kind of sucks. You know what I mean? Like, you always dreamt of playing for this college. You're 17 years old. And it's like, well, this place offering me 2 million, this place offering me 3 million. And my family is probably right. Like, I can't turn down $1 million, so I guess I'll go here. And that part of it did make it feel like that's not perfect. No, like, this isn't the, this isn't perfect. It's better than, to me, than it was. This is Better than the kids getting no money and everyone else getting rich. But we haven't quite found homeostasis here yet. The right way to do it.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's just the duality of everything. With more money, mo money, mo problems. This idea that there was this Valhalla, there was this perfect landing spot. It does not exist. I'll tell you something that's fascinating. Here's something I talk. I led my show with us today and unfortunately, I'm sure you probably didn't have time for it. You used to listen religiously, but those days are over. But the point being.

[Nick Wright]

No, I. That's just not true.

[Colin Cowherd]

So I led with this today. Debo Samuel. Brock Purdy comes out and says, you know, I love Debo and we'll get him the ball more. And I thought, oh, okay. So a year ago, nine months ago, running backs are dead in this league. The top five running teams now in the league are all playoff teams. The top six receivers, receiving yards. Six of the top 10 are on losing teams. And so it's. It's Devonte Adams. Cryptic messages. Jamar Chase is noisy. It's Malik Neighbors. It's Debo Samuel. It's Deontay Johnson. It's George Pickens.

[Nick Wright]

So it's even A.J. brown, by the way. On a good team. Everything was fine. And then he's like, I'm pissed. It's not fine.

[Colin Cowherd]

And I said we gave receivers for about two years the keys to the kingdom. But they are sports cars. They don't work well in the winter. You can't really drive them seven days a week. And running back, you've loved this take for and running backs, no, no, no. They're the suv year round groceries, soccer practice, date all weather. Actually. Always elevate the quarterback, always. Young quarterback, old quarterback. They're also great. They help you take leads and eat the clock and help you protect them. The receivers don't. They all block or they don't play. They're the grinders. They're the most running backs. Saquon Barkley, I want the ball more, but I'm sacrificing for the team. They never, you never hear a running back complaining. We're throwing it too much to the star receiver. And it's a classic example is that we gave. It's the NBA position of NFL wide receiver breaks the huddle first he's on his own. We gave you the keys for like two years. We immediately had a wide receiver bubble. Chiefs win without Tyreek Hill. You can argue they can spend money on defense. They're just a much better team now, more complete team. And in the end it goes back nine months ago we lamented the future of running backs. It is now in one season. Baltimore, Detroit, Green Bay, Washington. Here comes Isaiah Pacheco, the Rams, Kyron Williams. It is a running back quarterback league again in nine months.

[Nick Wright]

So, so that was. And I didn't see it coming this.

[Colin Cowherd]

Quickly, nor did I.

[Nick Wright]

But what I did wonder was I was like, okay, one of the things that happened to running backs was yes, the game changed, but the other it wasn't just that the game changed. It wasn't just your position isn't as valuable. It was there's too many B minuses. Meaning like there you could seemingly find a not great but a good running back anywhere. Practice Squad, 7th Round Undrafted Free agent like, and the reason for that was very obvious, which is our whole lives, the best athlete at 7 years old. Where'd they put him running back? Like, if it wasn't the quarter, like, it was like, oh, you're the best player on the team. We're going to, if we're, if it, you're either going to be a dual threat quarterback or the running back because we're going to hand you the ball a bunch. So in high school and college there were just too many good ones, which means teams are like, okay, I could pay X for a great one or basically nothing for a good one. So I'll do that. And what I wondered aloud was, are we about to see in a few years the same thing happened to receivers because now if you're a great athlete as a kid, they're putting you at receiver. It is seven on seven every damn year. In the draft this year there were 10 receivers taken in the first 40 picks. And then when we're like, hold on. The everybody thinks there are 25 top 10 receivers. Like, if you really put pencil to paper and it's like, okay, is he a top 10 receiver? Well, I don't know, man, because the Garrett Wilson thinks he is. Devonte Adams thinks he is. Tyreek Hill thinks he is. Jalen Waddle thinks he is. There's four just in the AFC East. And you keep going, does Terry McLaurin is. Nico Collins is Debo Samuel is. Brandon Iuk is. And I've even mentioned Tyree kill, Jamar Chase, AJ Brown, CeeDee Lamb a monitor. Like, there's all of these. It's like, well, they're 30 million a person but Brian Thomas Jr. Was the third, fourth receiver taken. So like, is there going to be the same type of correction where teams are like, no, I'm not paying 30 million for a receiver. There's six more great ones coming out in the draft. Like, I'm just not doing it right. So I saw that. I wondered if that was happening. I still think that's probably going to happen. The other thing that has happened this season is, and maybe I'm. Maybe this is just because I turned 40 and I instantly developed old man opinions. But Malik Neighbors being a diva receiver as a rookie, Infuriated.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, no, it's too much.

[Nick Wright]

And like, in a way, it's too much, man. Say, like, listen, I get that there's been a. We're allowed to be divas, so we kind of lean into it from the position. Got it. So be it. No problem. But TO and Ojocinco were not pains in the ass their first year in the league.

[Colin Cowherd]

They were just great.

[Nick Wright]

They weren't like, they were great. And then they.

[Colin Cowherd]

And then it developed over three or four or five years.

[Nick Wright]

Yes. Once they had pelts on the wall. I see. I'm like, man, everywhere I look like George Pickens, an awesome player, huge pain in the ass from day one. Pick Malik Neighbors. It took him eight games before he's like, why didn't I get the ball to her? Down 30 nothing. It's like, buddy, you're the best player on the team. I get it. But you. It's too early for this. It's too early. And so the. And then the AJ Brown thing really irritated me on a just a team level. It's like, man, there. There was nothing wrong. Everything. You guys are on a 10 game winning streak. You're. You guys are undefeated. When you play the seemingly. Everything's all good. The only public narrative should be, man, Saquon Barkley is going to break Eric Dickerson's record. And our defense is better than you idiots thought it would be. And then privately, if you want to be like, God damn it, so be it. But it's. That was like, A.J. brown, you. You're on your third contract.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

You just got paid again.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know what I think A.J. brown's issue is?

[Nick Wright]

What are we doing?

[Colin Cowherd]

Here's what his issue is. He was overshadowed by a star running back in Tennessee, Derrick Henry, and he's overshadowed again with a star running back. No great receiver has been.

[Nick Wright]

That's interesting.

[Colin Cowherd]

Overshadowed in his prime by the two best receivers over the last six years in the league. He's the guy.

[Nick Wright]

Oh, that's interesting. I didn't even think about that.

[Colin Cowherd]

He so he keeps going to places, going timeout. I get a good quarterback, not a great one. Tannehill, Jalen. I'm the best player on the team. And both become run centric. What are you doing to my career?

[Nick Wright]

What are you. Right, but. The But. The but here's the. Here's the thing about that but you keep getting paid any. Like, you keep getting top of the market deals.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, and. But, but money every time. You know, I'm not going to speak for anybody, but when people get raises, it's good for about three checks. And then you're like, I want the respect. Guys are driven much more by respect than they are money.

[Nick Wright]

I know that part. I totally agree with I. The. And I agree with you the Whenever like somebody loses a job or whatever and the reaction on Twitter is, ah, they're still getting paid or whatever. I disagree with that because the. For someone who has been AJ in this is going to sound like I'm contradicting myself, but I'll come around. He's been. He's not newly rich. He's been rich long enough that that's his normal.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

So the money doesn't really solve things. The point I'm making is I would understand it a little bit more if you were in a contract year. If it's like, yo, you're costing me money.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right.

[Nick Wright]

Because. But the Eagles preemptively paid him this off season early.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

And one of the reasons I would think you do that is to stave this off.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right?

[Nick Wright]

Like, hey, no matter how we have to run the team, you're going to know you've been taken care of. So even if this year your numbers are down, it's not costing you anything because we just paid you. So that's the reason I brought it up. Like, I do get why guys who are in contract years are like, yo.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, I mean A.J. brown is being selfish because also the NFL record book, nobody cares. It's not like baseball. It really isn't. Nobody cares about the NFL record book. We know Brady and Jerry Rice in Montana and Mahomes are all over it like in Breeze. So like a wide receiver, like, listen, we know you're great. If you get paid and you win a ring, it kind of solves everything.

[Nick Wright]

Well. And that's. And also, like, if there's anyone on the like, could you imagine and this is to your point, if after this last game, Saquon, out of nowhere in the locker room was like, yeah, I mean, listen, everything's great, but I'm really sick of Jalen sniping my touchdown. I should have 10 more. Like, how about we call a handoff at the one instead of the tush push? People would be like, you laugh because it's laughable to think of him doing it.

[Colin Cowherd]

But it's. We're used to receivers being ridiculous.

[Nick Wright]

We're totally used to it. 100% used to it. Like the. Yeah. I mean, I don't. I can't. I can't even. Bad ones. Kaderius, Tony, this dope. He's bouncing. He just wants to. He barely got on the field in Cleveland Fair caught up Hunt and taunted a guy. It's like you just have it in your DNA. Like, you just have. It's unbelievable.

[Colin Cowherd]

So this is. We got into a point. This was a topic on the show that was fascinating. And I've always said in my industry I work in, I don't know how to use all the levers in the control room, but I do know the words I can't say on the air. I understand the bible of my business. Business. And I also have an understanding, having worked for ESPN and fox, not to go after commissioners personally, although I can criticize them and have criticized all of them. There are certain things I know. I don't expect football players to know all the rules, but I'll give you three that drive me crazy. So the Cowboys block a punt against Cincinnati. And when a punt is blocked and goes past the line of scrimmage, it's a punt. You treat it like a punt. Do you blame the player or the special teams coach? Because special teams players are often guys who are inserted late.

[Nick Wright]

They actually play that guy. It was that guy who did it. It was his first NFL game.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay. You often are like a backup corner. You just got off the field. Now you're special teams. You're worrying about your assignments here, not your assignments there. So the other things that drive me crazy are. Tyreek Hill. I've seen this a few times. When you do the often used Dolphin backwards pass, like the bubble screen, and they. And the ball skips and they don't pounce on it. They don't understand it's a live ball. The other one is when a receiver catches the ball downfield and the DB moves past him, doesn't touch him, and people forget you have to touch.

[Nick Wright]

Okay. Yeah. Well, that's a college football relic.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay. Yeah, yeah. So there.

[Nick Wright]

Those are men.

[Colin Cowherd]

So all three of these. And I'm not a rule breaker, so maybe I'm more of a rule follower. It Drives me crazy when you don't know the basics of the game. Now Kyle Shanahan apparently forgot or didn't advise his team on the super bowl overtime rule which Andy Reid did. That's a coaching gaffe. But let me ask you, do you blame the coach or the player when a rule that can change possessions outcomes so players don't know it.

[Nick Wright]

So I'll go through each of your examples. The backwards pass thing, I, I think that play being such a prominent piece of so many teams playbook is one of the dumbest things that exists in sports. Like if, if it's there because your plan is a trick play, double pass, right. So be it. But if that is just a swing pass to not coach your guys. Hey guys, this must be executed. Forward is baffling because it's. You're gaining that you gain nothing strategically from it. That the yard difference between it being lateral or backwards versus forward. But the risk is oh, you could just pick it up and run for a touchdown versus it being an incomplete pass. So yes, guys should pounce on it. And I always think it's crazy when they don't. Also I don't know why so many teams love that stupid, you know, like pre wheel route backwards pass like what are you doing? That can end in disaster. I hate it. It's the opposite of the little shovel pass in front of you which is oh, even if you drop it, it looks like a fumble, but it's not. That's the opposite of that. Right. So that's first one. The not touching guys when they're down is to me not a coaching thing that is purely on the players. Like everyone knows once you get to the NFL you got to touch them sometimes guys, it almost seems like a vote. Like try to avoid hitting the guy. Like it's bizarre. The Cowboys thing on the punt.

[Colin Cowherd]

Special teams are quirky. They're quirky, they're different.

[Nick Wright]

And here's where I will blame the coach.

[Colin Cowherd]

I did. Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

So if you remember the Cowboys, who were they playing? It was the, it was one of the games they won. It was the insane game they almost blew and they, they. It went back and forth. Is it. Was it Wash. It was Washington. They give up the Hail Mary short Hail Mary. But then whatever it is, if you remember onside kick, they recover it and instead of going down run 30 yards for a touchdown which then gave Washington the ball down eight and a chance to actually beat him. When that happened, the coaches were celebrating and I'm like, oh, you guys are that guy who God love him. That was the wrong play. You were up one. There's a minute left. When you recover that onside kick, you go down and the game is over. You recovered it, scored. Now we got to go back on defense, and Washington almost beat him because of it. But the coaches all celebrated. You saw it on the sidelines, so what the hell do you expect? Two weeks later, a different special teams guy sees a bouncing ball and seemingly open air. I'm going to. I'm going to scoop this and go score. That's coaching. That, to me, is coaching, like. And so I don't blame that kid nearly as much as I blame the coaches in that spot, especially because this is an old man genie line. Don't ignore in victory what you wouldn't ignore in defeat. Like, I don't believe that the kid who recovered the onside kick and scored instead of going down got, you know, in trouble for it. I think he got attaboys for it. Which then signals to the team, hey, even if it's the wrong play, if I make it right, it's fine. And that's like the opposite of the Belichick thing of guys who, if they reached for the pylon, even if it was successful, got in trouble.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

Because it was like the risk reward here is not high enough.

[Adnan Virk]

Right.

[NPR Up First Host]

As we gather together during this holiday season, let me share a gift that keeps on giving. Chase Freedom. With Chase Freedom Unlimited, you'll not only experience the joy of 1.5% unlimited cash back, but also also the freedom to create cherished memories with your loved ones. Discover the magic and learn [e-mail] and let this season be filled with love, laughter, and the delight of extra cash in your pocket.

[Colin Cowherd]

Cards issued by JP Morgan Chase Bank NA member fdic.

[Jon Stewart]

Jon Stewart is back in the host chair at the Daily show, which means he's also back in our ears on the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. The Daily Show Podcast has everything you need to stay on top of today's news and pop culture. You get hilarious satirical takes on entertainment, politics, sports, and more from John and the team of correspondents and contributors. The podcast also has content you can't get anywhere else, like extended interviews and a roundup of the weekly headlines. Listen to the Daily Show Ears edition on the iHeartRadio Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Adnan Virk]

What's up, everybody? Adnan Burke here to tell you about a new podcast from iheart podcast in the National Hockey League. It's NHL unscripted with Virk and Demers.

[Jason Demers]

Hey, I'm Jason Demers, former 700 game NHL defenseman turned NHL Network analyst and boy oh boy, does Daddy have a lot to say.

[Adnan Virk]

I love you, by the way on NHL Network, we're looking forward to getting together each week to chat and chirp about the sport and all the other things surrounding it that we love. Right?

[Jason Demers]

Yeah, I just met you today, but we're going to have a ton of guests from the colliding worlds of hockey, entertainment and pop culture. And you know what, tons of back and forth on all things NHL.

[Adnan Virk]

Yeah, you're still going to find out we're not just hockey talk. We get all kinds of random stuff on this podcast. Movies, television, food, wrestling, even the stuff that you wear in NHL.

[Jason Demers]

Now you wish you could pull off my short shorts, Ferkey.

[Adnan Virk]

That's sure to cause a ruckus. Listen to NHL Unscripted with Burkin Demers, the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Questlove]

Good people, what's up? It's Questo, Questlove and Team supreme and I have been working hard to bring you some incredible episodes of Questlove supreme with guests you definitely don't want to miss. Now, one of the things I love about this questlove supreme podcast is we got something for everybody, every type of music lover. We enjoy speaking to the people who were the face of some movements and some people you've seen on stage or TV or magazine covers. But we also love speaking to the folks who are making it happen behind the scenes and they paved the way for those that followed, you know, keystones to the culture. This season we've had some amazing one on one conversation like M. Pill chatting up with hitmaker Sam Holland, Sugar Steve chatting with the legend Nick Lowe. And I've had pleasures in doing one on one conversations with Willow, Sonata, Maitreya, Kathleen Hanna and the rza. These are conversations you won't hear anywhere else, so make sure you go back and you check those episodes out. All right? Listen to Questlove supreme on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[NPR Up First Host]

Experiencing the news each day can feel like a journey. With up first from NPR, though it doesn't have to be. Welcome to 15 Easy Minutes of breaking news, clarity on international and national affairs, and a casual tone that you can take in with breakfast. Begin your day informed, ready and refreshed. Begin your day with Up first. Subscribe to Up first from NPR on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

I Think a lot of football axioms and truths are parenting, that if my kids does something dangerous and survives, I still, I still offer wisdom and will punish him sometimes. You could have been really hurt. Many of the truths in parenting are truths and coaching, and that is treat. You know, that's right. Right. Be respectful. Right. Right. Be nice to others. Treat others like you'd like to be treated. Be coachable. Don't cheat.

[Nick Wright]

Try to learn wherever you can. Like, respect people who've been there before and see what wisdom they have, all that stuff.

[Colin Cowherd]

Of course I, I use sports. I, I bet like once a day I will use sports, athletes as examples in my business life and my broadcasting career. I use it all the time with my kids. One of the things I've always said, I told my daughter this once. I said Michael Jordan was the best player, had the best marketing commissioner, loved him, had the best coach, was the best looking, was the most stylish, and watched the documentary. It was hard. It was incredibly difficult. That's for the most gifted with a commissioner that loved him. Nike, 100 years ahead of everywhere, the best agent. He still had an owner. He had a gm, he had goofy Dennis Rodman. He had teammates that did not play to his liking. And I use this all the time in life. There's a reason, there's like one Elon Musk, and there's a reason, like, there's a reason for Trump's success. He's just a goddamn fighter. Like him or not, he just doesn't sleep, he doesn't vacate. He's never vacationed. He's never had a vacation day. Like, life is hard. And one of the great, maybe the greatest asset any of us can have is not education, it's relentlessness, is that it is not linear for Jordan. It wasn't linear for Brady.

[Nick Wright]

Maybe you look at Brady and you're.

[Colin Cowherd]

Like the best coach, the best owner. So it's. And we're seeing now some pushback on how much academics matter. They obviously matter and they can separate people, but it is a relentlessness. A lot of people from Harvard don't succeed, and a lot of people from Eastern Washington have great lives. Right? So I think about how much of parenting is sports and how much of sports is life. And I use them, and I use the Jordan documentary with my kids multiple times.

[Nick Wright]

Well, and the other thing with the Jordan documentary is like, it. No matter, no matter how much success, money, fame, I, Jordan was at peak success, money, fame, and in 1993 was so seemingly kind of lost, sad and miserable, that he quit his sport to go do something insane. Which was like, the lesson for me on that is like, and now he had dealt with a. You know, his father was murdered and he was dealing with a personal tragedy, real stuff. And I think they were. But if you. In that documentary, Ahmad Rashad tells us he was talking about doing that before his dad got murdered. And so he was already. So the. One of the lessons for me on that is like, man, this. Some, some of the professional stuff or other stuff, if you have a hole in you or missing something or whatever, it's not going to fill it. Like, the only way to fix your issues or to, you know, feel joy or good about things or whatever is to really look at why you're not and going to do it. And so the idea that you can achieve your way out of your own stuff, you just can't. Because how many of that's right. Like the Jordan used to use the Jordan documentary like he is. And he. I don't think ever got there like that. People look at that Jordan hall of Fame speech. It's like the ultimate Michael Jordan thing. And I look at it as one of the saddest things in sports. Like, this is the guy who at the time was universally unambiguously accepted as the greatest ever, maybe the most famous person in the world at the time. Like him, the Pope, whoever, the President, like, the very, very short list, infinite, endless money. And at his final real public appearance as a basketball player, he just was a vindictive. Because whatever, whatever it was in him that fueled him, but that also was real hurt or pain.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's not solvable.

[Nick Wright]

He never addressed. Yeah, right. Or I. And I don't even know if I agree. It's not solvable. I don't think he ever tried to solve it. And so, like the. And then like, so you see these things and you're like, man, like, that ain't gonna do it for you. Like, if Michael Jordan ain't. Doesn't have it, like, that's not gonna. And so, I mean, you mentioned, you mentioned Trump. Trump, wealthy beyond anyone's wildest imaginations, did everything that, you know, he was always wanted, I think, kind of prove his dad wrong, did all that, then became president and just pissed all the time. Just, just like, nobody's got it worse than me. Everyone's out to get me, seem like legit, seemingly miserable. Like it just like. And so whatever. Like, some of it's. If you got. If you need to deal with something and you don't like it doesn't go away. It doesn't go away. Like, no matter what you achieve. Yeah, it's still sitting there. It's still sitting there waiting for you at the end of it. And so, yeah, like, that is that, that is the, the Jordan doc really crystallized that when you saw it, you're like, man, I don't think this dude's happy. No, he's rich, he's fam.

[Colin Cowherd]

Is.

[Nick Wright]

He's Michael Jordan. Doesn't seem happy and certainly wasn't during the process, so. Or whatever that's worth.

[Colin Cowherd]

Nick Wright, perfect. I don't like to exhaust every idea because I want to get you more regularly, but your, your career is bit between poker and your career and your podcast.

[Nick Wright]

Speaking of poker, going to the Atlantis Resort and Casino in the Bahamas for 36 hours.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, good for you.

[Nick Wright]

On, well, it's no vacation.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's.

[Nick Wright]

There's the biggest poker turn in the world's going on down there. So I'm going there Friday or Saturday morning, coming back Sunday.

[Colin Cowherd]

How much will you take?

[Nick Wright]

Oh, it's not, you know, I'll share this with you in the audience, not actually playing. It's, you know, it's a, it's a potential partnership meeting that I'm having down there.

[Colin Cowherd]

Good for you.

[Nick Wright]

So doing good for you.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes.

[Nick Wright]

But yeah, so the poker stuff's going good, show's going good. I miss you and we'll do this more often. I'm sure of it. I'll talk to you soon, brother.

[Colin Cowherd]

The Volume.

[NPR Up First Host]

As we gather together during this holiday season, let me share a gift that keeps on giving. Chase Freedom. With Chase Freedom Unlimited, you'll not only experience the joy of 1.5% unlimited cash back, but also the freedom to create cherished memories with your loved ones. Discover the magic and learn [e-mail] and let this season be filled with love, laughter and the delight of extra cash in your pocket.

[Colin Cowherd]

Cards issued by JP Morgan Chase Bank NA member fdic.

[Jon Stewart]

Jon Stewart is back in the host chair at the Daily show, which means he's also back in our ears on the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Join late night legend Jon Stewart and the best news team for today's biggest headlines, exclusive extended interviews and more. Now, this is the second term we can all get behind. Listen to the Daily Show Ears edition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Adnan Virk]

What's up, everybody? Adnan Virk here to tell you about a new podcast. It's NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers Jason Demers here.

[Jason Demers]

And after playing 700 NHL games, I got a lot of dirty laundry to air out.

[Adnan Virk]

Hey, I got a lot to say here, too, okay? Each week we'll get together, chat about the sport that we love.

[Jason Demers]

Tons of guests are going to join in, too. But we're not just going to be talking hockey, folks. We're talking movies, we're talking tv, food, and Adnan's favorite wrestling. It's all on le table.

[Adnan Virk]

Listen to NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers, the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Questlove]

People, my people, what's up? This is Questlove Man. I cannot believe we're already wrapping up another season. Of course, Love supreme, man. We've got some amazing guests lined up to close out the season. But, you know, I don't want any of you guys to miss all the incredible conversations we've had so far. I mean, we talked to Amerie, Johnny Marr, Eve, Jonathan Schechter, Billy Porter, and so many more. Look, if you haven't heard these episodes yet, hey, now's your chance. You gotta check them out. Listen to Questlove supreme on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[NPR Up First Host]

Experiencing the news each day can feel like a journey with up first from NPR, though it doesn't have to be. Welcome to 15 Easy Minutes of breaking news, clarity on international and national affairs, and a casual tone that you can take in with breakfast. Begin your day informed, ready and refreshed. Begin your day with Up first. Subscribe to Up first from NPR on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.