The Herd with Colin Cowherd Podcast: Prime Cuts - Massive NBA Gambling Scandal, Ohtani The Greatest Athlete Ever? Broncos’ Insane 4Q Comeback
Date: October 25, 2025
Host: Colin Cowherd
Featured Guest: Danny Parkins
Podcast Theme: Deep dives into headline-grabbing sports stories: An NBA gambling scandal, incredible feats by Shohei Ohtani, the Denver Broncos’ historic comeback, and shifting tides in the NFL and NBA.
Episode Overview
This lively and opinionated episode brings Colin Cowherd and guest analyst Danny Parkins together to discuss three headline sports topics:
- The alleged massive NBA gambling and poker scandal implicating Chauncey Billups and its ramifications.
- Shohei Ohtani’s mind-melting two-way NLCS performance — and whether he is the greatest athlete ever.
- The Denver Broncos’ wild fourth-quarter comeback, shifting dynamics in the NFL, and young quarterback development.
Cowherd and Parkins offer unfiltered takes, remarkable stories, and big-picture observations on integrity in sports, generational talent, and league evolution.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. NBA Gambling Scandal: Chauncey Billups Allegations
Timestamps: [04:10]–[22:43]
Main Topics
- Allegations that NBA coach/legend Chauncey Billups knewly participated in rigged poker games and possibly tipped gamblers as a coach about player lineups.
- Comparisons to Pete Rose, the risk of being banned from the Hall of Fame, and the nuanced dangers legal sports betting presents for the league.
- Context from historical scandals (Jerry Tarkanian era, Boston College fixing) and why regulation matters.
Insights & Quotes
-
On the gravity of the allegations:
“If it's proven that Chauncey Billups as an NBA head coach was proven to let gamblers know what he was going to do with his players… he’ll never be allowed around basketball again. It would be a startling fall from grace for one of the guys with a truly immaculate reputation...”
— Colin Cowherd, [06:22] -
On rigged poker games:
“The allegations about Chauncey Billups, that the dealer was in on it... if Chauncey Billups also knew, which is what they're alleging… he's a common criminal. It's the same thing as going into someone's house and robbing them."
— Colin Cowherd, [10:41] -
On regulation and sports gambling transparency:
"The way that these players got caught... is because it was legal. Like, the regulation is what allowed it to be caught on day one... So, like, the idea that it is happening more because of it — they're going to also catch it."
— Colin Cowherd, [14:08]“It is easier to gamble... it would also equally be naive to dismiss the barrier of entry to gambling being easier than ever before. Pretending like that does not have a causal link to an increased amount of problematic gambling behavior, primarily in young men.”
— Colin Cowherd, [16:43] -
Possible league responses:
- Cowherd and Parkins debate restrictions on prop bets (e.g., only allowing overs, not unders), noting this could limit manipulation and maintain market integrity.
2. Victor Wembanyama’s Explosive Breakout
Timestamps: [25:22]–[34:46]
Main Topics
- Wembanyama’s 40-point, 15-rebound, 3-block, 0-turnover game in 30 minutes, and why it’s historic.
- The awe and confusion experienced by veteran analysts watching Wemby redefine positional basketball.
- Comparison to LeBron James’ early dominance and recalibration of greatness.
Insights & Memorable Moments
-
On Wembanyama’s uniqueness:
“He shot a three-pointer, knew it was long, charges, and tip-slammed... his own missed three! We’ve seen that on free throws, but on a three-pointer, it was insane.”
— Colin Cowherd, [28:38] -
On modernizing defensive and offensive standards:
“The gap between Wemby and the second-best defensive player in basketball is the Atlantic Ocean compared to the gap between Jokic and the second-best offensive player.”
— Colin Cowherd, [33:49] -
On “best player” versus “most accomplished”:
“Basketball people and media... we... say Tom Brady is the best quarterback because he’s the most accomplished. Sure, he’s the GOAT, but best quarterback is not GOAT to me... That guy last night, he’s going to have a quadruple double this year.”
— Colin Cowherd, [32:34 & 34:07]
3. Broncos’ 4th Quarter Comeback & NFL Tier Talk
Timestamps: [34:46]–[42:03]
Main Topics
- The Denver Broncos’ shocking 33-32 win after trailing by 19 points, sparked by Bo Nix and Sean Payton’s adaptability.
- Breakdown of offensive adjustments, rookie QB management, and parallels to other NFL franchises’ fortunes.
- Kansas City Chiefs’ undisputed supremacy, roster balance, and what makes dynasty teams.
Insights & Quotes
-
On Bo Nix:
"All that college stuff I think’s paid off. Bo Nix has been in a lot of close games, college and pro."
— Danny Parkins, [40:10]“I would run the ball more. J.K. Dobbins I thought looked really good... Hu Funga, I mean, has to be one of the better off season pickups in the league. He made play after play today to kind of keep it close.”
— Guest Analyst, [39:15] -
On the Chiefs’ dominance:
“Kansas City... looks like the best team in the league. ...It’s a leadership league if you’re good at the top.”
— Colin Cowherd, [44:36 & 49:19]“Travis [Kelce] over the last month... he definitely looks way better than the guy that I thought was kind of over the hill last year.”
— Guest Analyst, [48:28]
4. Shohei Ohtani: The Greatest Athlete Ever?
Timestamps: [49:30]–[58:54]
Main Topics
- Ohtani’s NLCS performance: 10 strikeouts, 3 homers in the same game.
- Comparing Ohtani to past multisport/elite athletes: Carl Lewis, Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson.
- Ohtani’s athletic “impossibility”: elite pitching, power hitting, base-stealing, and cross-cultural star appeal.
- Dodgers’ culture, rosters, player development, and why stars want to join.
Insights & Notable Quotes
-
On Ohtani’s rarity:
“Babe Ruth did not pitch and hit simultaneously... For Ohtani to walk into this sport, to be a power hitter, to have that speed, to hit for average, to be a dominant ace... I think Ohtani is the greatest athlete I’ve ever seen."
— Colin Cowherd, [53:32]“You see that — if Shohei Ohtani was born in Los Angeles or Dallas, Texas... he’s probably a quarterback… he’s 6’5”, 210 pounds.”
— Guest Analyst, [55:16] -
Memorable moment:
“That's a Barry Bonds-level home run. On the cream in the clear with Balco. I mean that ... that was insane how far that ball. The Dodgers faces in the dugout all kind of had that vibe.”
— Guest Analyst, [56:48] -
On Dodgers’ culture and team-building:
“There’s a reason five star players want to go play for Ohio State or Georgia because you’re surrounded by better players... Ohtani had a terrible series until that game Friday. He couldn’t hit. So I think it’s like one of these things. ...Great players want to play for the Dodgers.”
— Colin Cowherd, [57:09]“You would say Ohtani and Mookie Betts... this got to be, when you talk about all-around games, the two most talented players that have ever played together.”
— Guest Analyst, [58:17]
Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)
- “If it’s proven... he’ll never be allowed around basketball again.” — Cowherd, [06:22]
- “He’s a common criminal... it is the same thing as robbing them.” — Cowherd, [10:41]
- “Prohibition doesn’t work. It doesn’t work with alcohol, it doesn’t work with weed, it doesn’t work with gambling.” — Cowherd, [16:43]
- “He shot a three-pointer... charges and tip-slammed his own missed three.” — Cowherd, [28:38]
- “The gap between Wemby and the second-best defensive player... is the Atlantic Ocean…” — Cowherd, [33:49]
- “That guy last night, he’s going to have a quadruple double this year.” — Cowherd, [34:07]
- “For Ohtani to... be a dominant ace... I think Ohtani is the greatest athlete I’ve ever seen.” — Cowherd, [53:32]
Segment Guide
- 04:10–22:43 – NBA Gambling Scandal: Chauncey Billups Allegations and Prop Bet Debate
- 25:22–34:46 – Wembanyama’s Historic Night and the Meaning of ‘Best Player’
- 34:46–42:03 – Broncos’ Comeback, QB Development, and NFL Parity
- 44:36–49:28 – Chiefs’ Dominance, NFL Team Tiers, and Organizational Hierarchy
- 49:30–58:54 – Shohei Ohtani, Athlete Comparisons, and the Dodgers’ Culture
In Summary
Colin Cowherd and Danny Parkins unpack the seismic NBA gambling scandal with gravity and candor, weigh the impossibility of Shohei Ohtani’s athleticism against sports history, and marvel at both Victor Wembanyama’s basketball singularity and the Denver Broncos’ unlikely heroics. The episode is a testament to how sports’ drama, evolution, and personalities keep redefining what’s possible — on and off the field.