Colin Cowherd Podcast - Should Bears Trade For Kyle Shanahan? New Aaron Rodgers Documentary, UFO’s, Clark/Reese The New Magic/Bird?

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd Episode Title: Should Bears Trade For Kyle Shanahan? New Aaron Rodgers Documentary, UFO’s, Clark/Reese The New Magic/Bird? Release Date: December 5, 2024

Hosts: Danny Parkins and Jon Stewart

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1. Should the Bears Trade for Kyle Shanahan?

Discussion Overview: Danny Parkins initiates a compelling debate on whether the Chicago Bears should pursue a trade for Kyle Shanahan, currently the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. He questions the rationale behind the Bears' potential decision, considering Shanahan's current challenges in San Francisco, including a lackluster record without key players like Christian McCaffrey and the uncertainties surrounding quarterback Brock Purdy.

Key Points:

• Shanahan’s Track Record: Despite leading teams to the Super Bowl with quarterbacks like Jimmy Garoppolo and Brock Purdy, Shanahan has struggled in San Francisco without top-tier talent.
• Bears’ Current Roster: The Bears possess a decent roster with potential quarterbacks available, raising questions about the necessity of trading for Shanahan.
• Organizational Dysfunction: Parkins criticizes the Bears' management for their inconsistent hiring and firing practices, suggesting that bringing in Shanahan could be a step towards stabilizing the franchise.

Notable Quotes:

• Danny Parkins ([05:26]): “Kyle Shanahan is smart. He has a losing record in San Francisco as a head coach without Christian McCaffrey... I think he takes the call.”

Conclusion: Parkins leans towards the Bears making the trade, citing Shanahan’s expertise and the potential revitalization he could bring to the team, despite current reservations about his recent performance.

2. New Aaron Rodgers Documentary and His Future

Discussion Overview: The hosts explore the release of a new documentary on Aaron Rodgers, delving into his personality, performance under pressure, and future in the NFL. They debate whether Rodgers remains an elite quarterback or if his recent struggles indicate a decline.

Key Points:

• Rodgers’ Performance: Stewart argues that Rodgers has fewer come-from-behind wins compared to legends like Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes, attributing this to his tendency to become tight under pressure rather than a lack of skill.
• Personality and Public Image: The discussion touches on Rodgers' off-field interests and how they may affect his on-field performance and public perception.
• Contract and Future Teams: Parkins speculates on potential destinations for Rodgers if the Jets decide not to retain him, suggesting teams like the Las Vegas Raiders might be interested.

Notable Quotes:

• Jon Stewart ([09:50]): “Aaron Rodgers, conversely, because of the Jared Cook completion down the sideline against the Cowboys... he’s actually dreadful.”
• Danny Parkins ([12:22]): “Aaron Rodgers won four MVPs. Some of Aaron Rodgers’ peak until Mahomes came along... his ability to be a big game hunter.”

Conclusion: While acknowledging Rodgers' past accolades, both hosts express skepticism about his current effectiveness as a clutch quarterback, questioning his fit in the evolving NFL landscape.

3. UFOs and Public Perception

Discussion Overview: Stewart and Parkins engage in a lighthearted yet analytical conversation about the rising fascination with UFOs, fueled by social media platforms like TikTok. They debate the credibility of UFO sightings and the likelihood of extraterrestrial life based on current technological capabilities.

Key Points:

• Skepticism vs. Belief: Both hosts express doubt about the existence of UFOs as extraterrestrial entities, attributing sightings to advanced military technology or natural phenomena.
• Media Influence: They discuss how entertainment and media shape public beliefs in UFOs, highlighting the role of movies and viral content in perpetuating these myths.
• Government Secrecy: The conversation touches on the possibility that governments might be withholding information about advanced technologies, contributing to UFO conspiracy theories.

Notable Quotes:

• Jon Stewart ([18:05]): “I do not believe any of this stuff. But I am fascinated when people go to the sky... the more they are away, the more they look like UFOs.”
• Danny Parkins ([19:12]): “I don't think it's an alien. I don't think it's a UAP... it's probably a military exercise of some kind.”

Conclusion: The hosts remain skeptical about UFOs being alien but acknowledge the intriguing nature of the phenomenon and its cultural impact.

4. The Rise of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese in the WNBA

Discussion Overview: Parkins and Stewart shift focus to the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), highlighting the significant impact of stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. They discuss how these athletes are transforming the league and attracting new fans.

Key Points:

• Star Power: Clark and Reese are seen as pivotal figures in increasing the WNBA's popularity, drawing parallels to iconic athletes like Tiger Woods in golf.
• Growth Potential: The hosts believe that with sustained performance and leadership from these stars, the WNBA could experience substantial growth in the coming years.
• Media Coverage: Emphasis is placed on how media attention and recognizable personalities are essential for the league’s expansion and acceptance.

Notable Quotes:

• Danny Parkins ([41:10]): “Caitlin Clark is creating women's basketball fans like Tiger Woods created golf fans.”
• Jon Stewart ([28:08]): “Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese has a magic bird feel to it. I think it's going to become... a decade long potential story.”

Conclusion: Clark and Reese are heralded as transformative figures who could significantly elevate the WNBA's profile and fanbase, drawing comparisons to legendary athletes in other sports.

5. Baseball’s Future and Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)

Discussion Overview: The conversation turns to Major League Baseball (MLB), where Parkins expresses optimism about the league’s direction despite challenges like the decline of regional sports networks (RSNs). He discusses potential changes in the CBA that could address financial disparities among teams.

Key Points:

• Revenue Gaps: The decline of RSNs has widened the financial gap between high-revenue teams like the Dodgers and lower-revenue teams, potentially affecting competitive balance.
• Proposed Solutions: Parkins suggests implementing a salary cap and floor to ensure a more equitable distribution of talent and resources across the league.
• Long-Term Outlook: While acknowledging the current inequities, he remains hopeful that upcoming CBAs will introduce measures to level the playing field, fostering more parity in MLB.

Notable Quotes:

• Danny Parkins ([32:49]): “Baseball’s in a good spot, so nobody likes their commissioner. Rob Manfred has stepped in a few times... attendance and ratings have benefited.”
• Danny Parkins ([34:54]): “I think there's going to be a mechanism to level the playing field through the next CBA. I really do.”

Conclusion: Parkins foresees significant changes in MLB’s financial structure through the next CBA, which could mitigate the disparities caused by RSN declines and promote a more balanced competition.

6. Media and Social Platforms: The Move to Blue Sky

Discussion Overview: The hosts examine the recent migration of media figures to the new social platform Blue Sky, exploring the motivations behind the shift and its implications for public discourse.

Key Points:

• User Motivation: Many on the left are transitioning to Blue Sky following dissatisfaction with existing platforms, seeking a space less influenced by recent ownership changes (e.g., Elon Musk’s acquisition of X/Twitter).
• Potential Challenges: Parkins expresses skepticism about Blue Sky’s ability to escape the negative behaviors prevalent on other social media, fearing it may replicate similar issues.
• Engagement Dynamics: The discussion highlights how algorithms create echo chambers, reducing exposure to diverse viewpoints and potentially exacerbating societal divisions.

Notable Quotes:

• Jon Stewart ([48:17]): “I think one of the forms of hypocrisy that really bothers me about the media is we criticize for a living and we can't take it.”
• Danny Parkins ([55:38]): “I am very skeptical of Blue Sky, like long term, us feeling like we are just, oh, we just found a new one. People, they'll be on X if it gets big and replaces X, then it will have the same problems that X has.”

Conclusion: While Blue Sky offers a new avenue for social interaction, both hosts remain cautious about its potential to solve existing issues within social media, anticipating that similar challenges may arise.

7. Reflections on Media Perks and Work-Life Balance

Discussion Overview: An unexpected yet insightful segment where the hosts reflect on the perks associated with working in media, such as free parking, smoothies, and other benefits, juxtaposed with their own experiences and perspectives on employee privileges.

Key Points:

• Employee Benefits: Stewart and Parkins discuss the sometimes overlooked perks of their jobs, like free parking and complimentary refreshments, and how these benefits impact their appreciation for their roles.
• Work-Life Balance: They share personal anecdotes about taking time off and the value of balancing work demands with personal well-being.
• Perception of Privileges: The conversation underscores how certain job perks can significantly enhance job satisfaction and loyalty.

Notable Quotes:

• Jon Stewart ([53:22]): “I tell my daughter, don't wake up looking for happiness. Have things to do. Follow your passions and what you're good at. You'll find happiness.”
• Jon Stewart ([53:48]): “It's the opinion business. You should be. But it's just a... it's a good, healthy thing to remember that. Like, we should celebrate the champions.”

Conclusion: The segment serves as a reminder of the tangible benefits that come with media careers, highlighting the importance of recognizing and valuing workplace perks as part of overall job satisfaction.

8. Election Analysis and Accountability

Discussion Overview: The hosts draw parallels between sports and political elections, analyzing why losing sides often fail to self-reflect and accept accountability for their defeats. They emphasize the importance of introspection and learning from failures.

Key Points:

• Lack of Accountability: Stewart criticizes both political factions for not examining their shortcomings post-election, likening it to sports teams that refuse to learn from losses.
• Complexity of Elections: Both acknowledge the multifaceted nature of elections, where diverse voter motivations make it challenging to pinpoint exact causes of defeat.
• Comparative Reflections: Using historical examples like Reagan’s charisma against Mondale’s weaknesses, they illustrate how personal brand and opposition strength significantly influence election outcomes.

Notable Quotes:

• Jon Stewart ([62:47]): “There is an inability by both sides when they lose to discover why they lost.”
• Danny Parkins ([60:42]): “Anyone who says they know exactly what happened right after an election is wrong.”

Conclusion: The discussion emphasizes the necessity for political parties and candidates to engage in honest self-assessment after elections to foster improvement and avoid repeating mistakes.

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Overall Summary: In this episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, hosts Danny Parkins and Jon Stewart navigate a range of topics, from strategic sports trades and athlete performances to broader cultural phenomena like UFO beliefs and social media migrations. They provide insightful analyses, blending sports acumen with reflections on media dynamics and societal trends. Notably, the conversation underscores the importance of accountability, both in sports organizations and political entities, while also celebrating the rise of influential figures like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese in the WNBA. The episode offers a balanced mix of skepticism and optimism, encouraging listeners to engage thoughtfully with the subjects discussed.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Danny Parkins]

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[Jon Stewart]

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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.

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[Danny Parkins]

No, you're not nuts. But I mean he's. You don't really trade with him. Right. Like the Niners trade. Yeah. So like the. Do the not because Kyle Shanahan maybe is interested in the exit. But are the Niners interested in it? Like, I would absolutely say the Bears get the 12th pick in the draft. Of course I would trade the 12th pick in the draft for Kyle Shanahan. Like, it's not even. Yes, of course. The guy, the guy took Jimmy Garoppolo to a Super Bowl. He took Brock Purdy to a Super Bowl. I'm thinking he could do wonders with Caleb Williams. Like, I want a known commodity. It would be amazing. I'd call the Rams and ask about Sean McVeigh. Absolutely. I hire an offensive coach, the most proven one that you can find to develop and stabilize for Caleb Williams. However, they have to go about getting that. I'd be all for the Niners situation is an interesting one. They still have a ton of talent on the roster. It's old and brittle and expensive. Like you said, I don't think it's a disaster. Like, I think if you asked a Vegas odds maker, hey, what are the preseason super bowl favorites for next year? I'd be shocked if the Niners were outside of the top six in terms of preseason odds. We don't know. Are they going to pay Debo? We don't know if Trent Williams is going to come back. But like they got a lot of talent still on that team and they had a freaky amount of injuries. So I don't know if he looks at it as dire as you do. I hope he does because the Bears have no evidence that they can just conduct a search and hire the right guy. They have no evidence of it. They used a search firm and had Ernie, of course he consult them on John Fox. And then they had a general manager draft Mitch Trubisky without telling John Fox that that was going to happen. And then they made John Fox coach Mitch Trubisky. Like it's so dysfunctional for so long in that hiring firing like 30,000 Foot View, part of the organization that if Kevin Warren and Ryan polls the president and GM go the trade for a coach route. They've never done it before, so I'm in for it. And then just one thing to your point, Chicago, I've said this to you before. It's unified by the Bears. The 85 Bears still have media deals. They still drink for free. Mike Ditka and I know he was a cult of personality, but I mean, the guy made tens of millions of dollars from merchandising. I mean, he was on ESPN for forever. He had cigars, he had wine, he had restaurants, he had video games. He had everything from being the coach of the Bears who won the Super Bowl. So every. It matters when you win a Super bowl. Everywhere but a parade in Chicago would be different than a parade in Los Angeles or Cincinnati. So I would think a lot of coaches who currently have jobs, not just Ben Johnson or Cliff Kingsbury. I would think a lot of coaches, if the Bears are in the market to trade for a coach, I think a lot of coaches would call their agent and say, hey, can I get on that list?

[Jon Stewart]

The so one of the things I like about this is the exploration of different things. So I'll ask you about UFOs later, but I want to start with this.

[Danny Parkins]

Hell yeah.

[Jon Stewart]

So a lot of times there's certain things I try to be careful of. Recency bias as a talk show host. Don't get hyperbolic on something because it happened today. Confirmation bias. Don't like something because I predicted it. And I think about those two all the time. Don't do that. Don't. That's what fans do. And I get it. I'm not a fan.

[Danny Parkins]

Right.

[Jon Stewart]

I'm not paid to be a fan. The other thing is don't let singular moments define somebody. So Matt Ryan in the super bowl had a really bad second half and people now think, you know, he was never clutch when the truth is he has 38 come from behind fourth quarter wins. He's actually not that far off. Brady, Mon, Montana, Elway and Mahomes as one of the great come from behind quarterbacks in the last. Well, I mean, at forever 38 ever. It's unbelievable. But you see the suit.

[Danny Parkins]

I did not know that that's a big number.

[Jon Stewart]

Aaron Rodgers, conversely, because of the Jared Cook completion down the sideline against the Cowboys in one of the great throws ever. I mean, it's up there with David Tyree and Eli. It's one of the great playoff throws ever. People view him as a great comeback quarterback. He's actually dreadful. He's got fewer than Ryan Tannehill, significantly fewer than Russell Wilson. Matt Ryan has 38. He has 22 this year. We've watched five or six times. He's not good. He gets very, very tight. And why would this be? He's so talented. And I have a lot of beliefs on Aaron Rodgers personality. But generally quarterbacks who are not good late, it's because they get tight. And I think Aaron has been elevated because of the aesthetic appeal. Marino had this. The aesthetic appeal of how beautiful he threw the ball, that he's never been a grinder and he's kind of an ad Libberg a little bit. He doesn't grind in the off season. He relies like Marino did on his aesthetic athleticism. The beauty of it, I mean he literally throws the ball and he's not on the ground like you ever seen those passes where his feet aren't touching the ground. And the truth is the prep quarterbacks, Brady, Matt Ryan was a legendary prep quarterback. Drew Brees, Mahomes, Russell Wilson, I mean Mike Tomlin saying today the dude loves football. You can't get him out of the cell at football. Is that Aaron has been the reason. It doesn't make any sense that he'd be great all the time. He's not a good fourth quarter quarterback and I think it's because that is grinder territory. Bo Nicks by the way is already classic grinder. Little smaller than you want, doesn't have the. He's already an outstanding fourth quarter quarterback. And so there's my take is, is that this Aaron Rodgers doc comes out and it's just very funny how we view him as this legendary late game quarterback and it's been on display this year with a dysfunctional organization. He's actually bad at it.

[Danny Parkins]

Yeah. So I would be very interested in actually parsing the data on like number of opportunities. Is it at all possible that Aaron Rodgers has had fewer than you would expect because he's so damn good and his team was always winning.

[Jon Stewart]

Russell Wilson in Seattle didn't trail much and he has 30% more.

[Danny Parkins]

Okay, yeah, fair. Fair enough. Rogers, you and I, I definitely fall for the aesthetic of it. Aaron Rodgers won four MVPs. Some of Aaron Rodgers peak until Mahomes came along. I would always say it was the best I'd ever seen and it was better than Brady and it was better than Manning. Not more accomplished or anything like that, but just Guy had a 45 touchdown, six interception season. Like it was. It was just stupid. His ability to be a big game hunter hunt for touchdowns, throw the ball down the field and not turn the ball over. Like Aaron Rodgers at his peak of his powers is still about as good as ever. And I think crazy influential like you mentioned Mahomes. Mahomes is a, a combination of the two. Right. Mahomes has the from the pocket Andy Reid extension, brilliant snap throw, diagnose everything football guy and then also can throw a ball horizontal to the ground basically like submarine style through three dudes and you're like I don't think. I think a robot made that throw. So like rock like Mahomes is stylistically I actually think Very similar to Aaron Rodgers, but he has this, like, weird combination of both, which is why he's the most talented to ever do it. I think that the explanation with the jets is simpler than that. I mean, the guy's old. One guy has been good at his age ever, and it was Tom Brady one ever. And Aaron Rogers has other interests, and the jets are really dysfunctional, and he's coming off of a very serious injury, and, you know, maybe the jets bring him back next year, but I wouldn't. If I were them, I'd eat the 49 million, spread it out over two years, and just be done with the nonsense in the circus and draft a quarterback and move on. And if they do that, can you name a team that would sign him? I said the Raiders, maybe.

[Jon Stewart]

Yes.

[Danny Parkins]

Like the. Like the rate the Raiders, maybe intrigue, tough division, have no shot to win it. You draft a quarterback, you sign Aaron Rogers. You hope that Rogers has the quarterback sit behind him and has, like, a Jordan Love situation, maybe. Do you have an organization that would pay Aaron Rodgers to play football next year?

[Jon Stewart]

Well, it's funny because Brady now is going to be part of the Raiders ownership group, so Mark Davis would rely on Brady's opinion on that. And I don't. I'm not gonna speak for Tom, but I don't think he holds Aaron in the regard that fandom does. I think Tom sees a guy that relied heavily on talent and didn't put Brady's obsessive Peyton Manning, Breeze's obsessive compulsion to work. I think within.

[Danny Parkins]

Brady has to be just disgusted that Aaron Rodgers has other interests. You hosted Jeopardy. You travel in the off season. You. You do experimental drugs. And by the way, that trailer, like, I'll watch the documentary, but that trailer of him saying I love science or I love silence while being mic'd up and filmed is one of the most unintentionally hilarious things ever. Like, buddy, you've got, like, a camera crew and a sound guy and you're mic'd up, but you're doing a darkness retreat. It's. It. It's just so. He's such a. Oh, he says enigma. I don't know. Or you're just a pseudo intellectual who loves attention and has a massive ego. It's just. It's so funny to me.

[Jon Stewart]

I want to delve into something that is so. I. Not that I was late to TikTok, but my wife, 15 minutes when that stuff came out. She's. She strolls it every morning. She's got recipes, and she's constantly sewing. Oh God, I saw this recipe. I gotta try it. And the dog videos. And she'll. I'll be playing wordle and I'll be reading, you know, CNN or York Times or whatever I'm reading and my wife is just. And she'll read that stuff, but she's scrolling, I mean, just through it. And so I don't know what it is, but. Oh, and I'm going to suggest to you what it is, I guess is that over the last three weeks I have just had this compulsion to go on TikTok. And I think it's the UAPs and the UFOs that I find it hysterical. I do not believe in them. I never have with the Hubble telescope and the other telescopes. If they were out there, we would see them. I'm not going to trust Clancy in middle of Indiana at night. 4 Heineken's Inn to tell me here are aliens. So people say things. They'll say it's incredibly arrogant to think we're the only people in the galaxy. I'm not saying that. I'm saying with the technology we have, I don't think Merle would spot it. I think our telescopes would and that I don't believe any of this stuff. But I am fascinated when people go to the sky, often in the flight line of a major airport and go look at that. And I'm like, yeah, I live near LAX. There's 40 of those puppies lined up. And the further they are away, the more they look like UFOs. Now tell me your stance on UFOs and this current. I mean, on TikTok, there's now like UFOs today. Thousand pictures come up, videos.

[Danny Parkins]

It was in the, it was in the news in New Jersey yesterday. Like carton on Breakfast Ball was like, did you see the UFOs over my house? I was like, no, I didn't. And he was like, oh yeah. And he showed me a news clip. And you watch the video and he's like, what do you think that is? I'm like, buddy, I don't know what it is, but I don't think it's an alien. I don't think it sucks. Like, I am not arrogant enough to believe that we're the only thing in the galaxy. But I'm also not arrogant enough to believe that I can explain it. And my cynical nature or distrust of whatever is like, it's probably usually like it's. It's like it's. The government doesn't tell us everything. Like it's probably US or China or a military exercise of some kind or what, you know what I mean? Like I, I don't know what it is. I'm not saying that people don't see things and I'm not at all claiming that we get the full story, but I don't necessarily think it's spot.

[Jon Stewart]

Yeah. So back before the stealth was created, I worked in Vegas. I worked in Vegas from like 87 to 93 or something like that. So we had a reporter, Dan Burns, and he kept getting these calls because he did like our aviation beat. Right. We had a mob beat, naviation beat and all that stuff. And Dan Burns was this great reporter and he kept getting calls about these triangular shaped lights people would see. And it was like a two year deal. And you know, then the Iraq war hit and the stealth was now part of our national discussion. Right. That nobody, nobody we had the word stealth. But stealth bombers, cnn, when they flew in and under the radar, well, they were testing them at Area 51among other places. So people, people weren't crazy, they were seeing things. But they wanted that to be secret. So I'm with you. I think our government is first of all drones. Well, you knew our government was going to create at some point super drones, like drones that you're not going to get anywhere else. I mean, you hear about the government, what they want to do with like the bitcoins and cryptocurrency and you hear stories from business people, entrepreneurs about what they wanted to do with AI in the Biden White House. Regardless of what side you are on the spectrum, they like to get their arms around stuff, fortify it, modify it and control it. That's what our government does, probably more than we're comfortable with. So I'm with you. I tend to think they're experimenting and they want to see how the public reacts. They want to see how visible it is. They want to see if they can hide it from the public. I think this has just happened my entire life.

[Danny Parkins]

Absolutely. I mean, Colin, my four year old has a drone. I mean drone technology has been around for a while. It was a big part of the Obama presidency certainly. And now like you can buy one for 40 bucks. So I think there's a bunch of stuff that the couple. What is it? Trillion dollar defense budget. My guess is they got some pretty cool toys like that occasionally Merle or Clancy or whatever sees and they're just not going to tell us what it is. But I also think we want to believe stuff and media works for a reason. And movies make hundreds of millions of dollars for a reason. Independence Day is a hell of a watch. Like, it's a great movie. You know, Alien versus Predator. There's a reason why it's a franchise. It's a fun story. We don't want to believe that. I got a mortgage and a wife and a couple of kids and you, if you're lucky, you get 80 years and then you go into the ground and there's nothing before us and there's nothing after us. And you know what I mean? We want to believe in extra cool stuff and there's a reason why Twilight and Stranger Things and Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings and all that stuff is so popular. It's fun to believe in things that are overwhelmingly likely not real. We just are. We're easily. We are. I don't blame people for believing in it. I guess this is my point because we are fed so much stuff to make it seem like a Game of Thrones. That dragon looks real. I'm sorry I don't know what a real dragon is, but I'm like, it looked real. We get inundated with a bunch of fantasy in a way where I understand why people want to believe in stuff.

[Jon Stewart]

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[Jon Stewart]

Done Jon Stewart is back in the host's 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 Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

I know you have a great affection for baseball and my first job out of college was a AAA baseball announcer. So I I wanted to be a baseball announcer and then the world changed and I football and gambling in Vegas and whatever. So. But I do think baseball. I'll start with this premise that baseball is going to go through a really good decade. The regional sports networks have died since Fox sold them and the bottom has fallen out of the Sport. The bottom 10 to 12 payrolls now needed that money and it's dried up fast. And so the gap between the haves and the have nots between the Dodgers, Yankees, Astros, Mets, Padres and the rest of baseball has gotten wider. And it actually helps baseball because where baseball drives its revenue a large degree of its television and if you can combine teams that become the warriors with KD star driven Philadelphia, New York, New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, it actually works for this sport. There's always been a competitive advantage. When the yes Network first exploded and other entities weren't making that money, the Yankees dominated the Hot stove league for 15 years and now it's some other teams and the Yankees. So I think the best players are on the biggest brands and in the biggest market. And it helps. Conversely, NBA ants in Minnesota, Wemby's in San Antonio, Jokic is in Denver, Giannis, Milwaukee. You know, Jalen Brunson's a nice piece, but in the end, with LeBron and Steph Curry aging, there's a markets matter, except for the NFL. So with that premise, baseball's in a good spot, so nobody likes their commissioner. Rob Manfred has stepped in it a few times, Danny, but he has been aggressive enough and his last two moves have absolutely worked, removing the defensive shift and the pitch clock. Attendance and ratings have benefited. So the golden at bat is being suggested. And obviously I've said this, I'm not sure if I've said it before, but baseball purists are a lot like the Quakers of religion. They're diminishing in numbers. Over my lifetime, we were all exhausted by their purity. And baseball purists very much are the sanctity of the game. But television now is the primary provider of revenue and they want more stars and they want faster games. And I gotta tell you, seeing Bryce harper for the second time in 12 minutes instead of the dugout is not a terrible thing. Now you're more purist than I am after. After my rant here. But I see the upside to it.

[Danny Parkins]

I know. I do too. So, okay, there was a lot there and it was really good. Let's start with the golden at bat and then we could work backwards. I like it. I don't know that it'll work. I don't know that it'll get passed. But my basic premise is I like sports and leagues who try stuff. When the NFC Championship game with the Saints happened and there was the terrible pass interference penalty and they made pass interference reviewable for the next year, I said at the time that that was going to backfire. I was like, that's not a good idea, making penalties reviewable. But I understood the thought process behind it. They did a trial for a year. It was a disaster. They went back on it, but I applauded them for trying it, even if I thought it wasn't going to work. The in season tournament, we'll see how big of a deal it becomes. But I like that they tried it. The pitch clock, as you mentioned, they finally tried it. Theo Epstein got really involved, made a bunch of recommendations. He backed it by data. He tried stuff in the fall league and the minors and independent ball, and they worked it up and they're trying it. And the rule changes are working. Trying stuff is a good idea. So I like the premise of it. I like thinking outside the box. I don't particularly care about the purists. And then I had our researcher at Breakfast Ball, Troy, he's excellent. Look into the data on it. And just to use the Dodgers and the Yankees, the teams that were in the World Series with the biggest stars, if you said eighth inning or later, tied or one run game, runner in scoring position, the Dodgers had that circumstance happen 138 times this past season. Ohtani came up to the plate 20 times. It's not enough when you compare it to Mahomes down six balls in his hand last two minutes. LeBron's got the ball in his hands. Aaron Judge came up in that spot eight times all year. Juan Soto came up ten times all year. So your biggest stars, your best players did not come up in the biggest moments all year long nearly enough. So that is a problem that is worth solving. I have no idea if the Baseball Illuminati will go for it, but I love the creativity. Here's a prediction for you and I you're more sourced than I am. You know, all the head honchos and more owners and all of that. But let's just call this an informed one. I think the next CBA in baseball is going to be ugly. The last couple have been because of the collapse of the RSN model and how much of the revenue is localized. Right. The Dodgers got the last great deal, so they have more money than everybody else. And then the vanity owners, the Steve Cohens of the world, the Yankees of the world, they can outspend everybody. The Cubs have a network, but they launched it late, so they don't make as much money from it as they would have if they would have launched it in 2011, 2012, 2013. I think we've got the best chance that we've ever had in the history of the sport to come out of the next labor negotiation. And it might be ugly. We might miss some games. We might miss a spring training. We'll see how ugly it gets. I think we might get a cap and a floor. I think there is a real chance that enough billionaires that are in smaller markets are going to say, guys, I understand we want stars in big markets, but we can't compete with no local media deal like the Fox Money is great, that the ESPN money is great. But if you guys are making, if the Dodgers are making hundreds of millions of dollars basically a year from their deal and the Twins and the Diamondbacks and the brewers and the Pirates and a third of the league at this point has their local media literally owned by mlb. The people that own those teams are still billionaires and their friends are. They're friends with the billionaires who own the rich teams with the good media deals. And the players I think are going to go through, you know, Corbin Burns will get paid, Soto will get paid. But I think we're going to go through enough free agent cycles where enough players are going to realize that the Dodgers can't sign everybody. They only can play one right fielder, they only can play one shortstop, that they are finally going to acquiesce and say, okay, it's in our benefit if the Pirates have to spend more and the Dodgers have to spend a little bit less. And then it will distribute the stars a little bit more evenly, which will go against your first point. But a cap and a floor, I think is a real chance to come to baseball in the next five years.

[Jon Stewart]

Yeah, I think you're paying attention to it. And of course working at Fox. Both of us now know about the regional sports networks, the RSNs. It is, it is one of the great exits in the history of business. Those were worth half as much an hour after the Murdoch sold them and 90% less two hours after they sold them. It was, and it was a 2 billion, $3 billion a year revenue for Fox. But the problem being there were about four major markets in the offing looking for new renegotiations and deals and the profits were going to diminish. And yeah, that's really, really hurt. The Kansas Cities, the Pittsburghs, the Seattles, highly punitive. They just can't afford. They can't even get in the running on. Sometimes second tier players. Forget Soto and Ohtani.

[Danny Parkins]

Yeah. And again, like the Cubs are a big market team that make a killing. That attendance and in stadium revenue matters in baseball more than any of the other sports. And it's not close because they have so many. Right. You've got 81 home games. So the Cubs are a big market team who do very well. But again, they launched the marquee network late. I'm not speaking out of school. This is well documented. They would admit to it. And so you would think broadcasting 150 Cubs games a year would be great business. It's good business, but it's not great. But it's not close to what the Dodgers get because of when they launched it, because the cable companies are not doing it in the same way that they are now. They're not willing to pay for it and cord cutting and all the reasons that are impacting the media landscape. So it's the inequity, I think, has grown. You're right. It puts stars in big markets, and in theory, that is good. But there's too many billionaires that own too many teams that don't have that deal that you don't want them to get out of the baseball business and not want to own the Twins or the Diamondbacks or the Pirates or the Brewers. So I think there's going to be a mechanism to level the playing field through the next cba. I really do.

[Jon Stewart]

The. As we do what we do for a living. Yeah, I've never been a real envious person, but as I've aged, there are some things in our business that feel like sometimes minutia, like doing shows in July. You know, last year for the first time, I took like three weeks off in July. I said, guys, it's.

[Danny Parkins]

By the way, thank you, because I hosted for you July 8th and 9th, and I think it changed my life. So please do that again.

[Jon Stewart]

So the reason July and August have gotten less interesting are cultural changes. I believe Sean McVay said, I'm not playing any of my good players in the preseason. And everybody said, you're nuts. You'll start off 08. And he started 8. Zero. And then everybody went, I think he's got it. And so now the preseason is utterly charmless. There is nothing interesting about it at all. Therefore, those three to four weeks and they've shortened it from four to three weeks, will probably be shortened to two weeks. And August is dead. It's regular season baseball. A lot of the, you know, as the gap between the good and the terrible and Major League Baseball widens, the races are settled. You know, the good teams are resting, pitchers and, you know, so it's a little minutia. So sometimes I think the audience thinks we do things just for ratings. Of course we do. Right. Ratings and revenue drive our entire existence. But I was. I was sitting the other day and I was thinking about the cyclical nature, and I took a calendar out and I thought, here are the busy times, here are the slow times. And I found, like, six weeks. If I could ideally take six weeks off a year, six to eight here, where they were. And one of the things that was interesting is that in my lifetime, only one sport has been created. Ufc. That literally becomes part of my life. I'm now watching ufc. I watch college pro, NBA, March Madness, golf tournaments, tennis. I watched all that stuff. Now, soccer is More popular. But I was watching the United States men's and women's national teams 25 years ago. I didn't care. So UFC is now the one created sport. A lot of it's just the force of nature, force of personality of Dana White, like renting an island during COVID Just it really sums up who he is. But I was sitting there and I said, you know what, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese has a magic bird feel to it. And I said, I Talked about it 10 times this year and I monitor my ratings. And the ratings people dug it. It was often my first or second highest rated segment. And I said, I think it's going to become, I never thought this in a million years. Hell, the teams don't make any money. Wnba. But I'm like, well, do I have to cover the league? No, I'm going to cover Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. I don't cover boxing, but about three times a year there's a fight in the 70s, 80s and 90s and you'd say, okay, here's Ali Foreman. Before I got into this business and, and I know a lot of people will push back and go, that's very PC. But outside of ufc, I am convinced that Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese will be a decade long potential story as long as both teams are viable. Is that a reach? Is that recency bias?

[Danny Parkins]

No, I don't think so. Listen, one of the all time great Colin Cowherd analogies is that you're in the omelet business, not the egg business. I love that line. I think it's so good. You're like, my job isn't to make you interesting. I talk about you when you become interesting. I loved that line from you. And so they are interesting. The data supports it and it has a lot of things. Listen, frankly, some of it's ugly, right? There's racial components, there's sexism components. Like some of the stuff that came back on it was pretty ugly. But at its core, I always say rivalries are awesome. Yeah, rivalry, that's why Steelers, Ravens, gets your juices flowing a little bit. Bears, Packers, Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, Cardinals, Celtics, Lakers, we like it, we like rivalries because I want less hate in the world and more hate in sports. And so like a healthy amount of hate is okay to me. Like I don't want there to be riots, but I wasn't like clutching my pearls over flag planting, you know, I'm like, it's kind of funny, like it's kind of funny that a two win team plants a Flag at midfield and then they push and shove and everyone goes the other way. When you're pepper spraying college kids, I'm like, that's ridiculous. And I understand that. I'm flirting in a gray area there. I'm advocating something. And then when it gets too far, I'm like, well, that's too far. Sorry. Call me a hypocrite. I like a little bit of trash talk in my, in my sports. I'm going to do something on Breakfast Ball tomorrow. I don't think taunting should be a penalty in the NFL on sportsman. Like conduct. Like you punch a guy, you spit in a guy's face. Fine. Unnecessary roughness, same thing. Delay a game, same thing. Taunting. Let them trash talk and figure it out. I'm cool with it. I'll make the case tomorrow on the show. That's a meandering way to get to Rivalries are awesome and Star power celebrity. It dates back to college. Familiarity. We know it. And then there's also this. And you could speak to this. You've been in the game longer than I have. People like to be a part of something that is growing, right? Like the World Series. The number was big. It was as good as it could have been. Yankees and Dodgers, Ohtani, Judge Soto, et cetera. But like, if baseball got that number 30 years ago, they would have been appalled. And so, like, the general trend of baseball is down in terms of ratings from where it was. The wnba, the arrow is going up. People like growth stories, right? How many companies have you invested in or Talked to their CEOs out there in California, where it's like, we don't even need to show profit. We just need to show that we're growth and more, more users and all of that stuff.

[Jon Stewart]

So I think that Netflix for years.

[Danny Parkins]

For almost all of them, for years, you know, like the line in David Fincher's the Social Network, like, don't. You're throwing a cool party. You know, $1 million isn't cool. You know, it is $1 billion. Like, don't, don't take an ad when you got on 100 college campuses. Wait until you're in a hundred countries and then do it right. Like, lose money, keep getting your funding and then cash in big at the end. So I don't know how big the WNBA can get.

[Jon Stewart]

That's right.

[Danny Parkins]

I don't. Like, I do have some skepticism on how big it can get as a whole. As a whole. League teams. Caitlin Clark not rooting for it, obviously, but like say she tears or ACL in The second week of the season. I think that'd be real bad for interest for the sport for that season. Right. I think it's carried by a very few pockets of stars right now. But will it be more popular in five years than it is today? Yes. Like it is clearly a growth enterprise and I think that that is also a really popular phenomenon. Like people like to be a part of something early in on the ground floor. I knew this band before they got on the Tonight. Yes.

[Jon Stewart]

Feel smart.

[Danny Parkins]

Yes. Oh, when, when did you sign up for Blue Sky? Like, you know what I mean? Like it's happening right now. We'll see. Maybe Blue sky will be a huge thing in two years. Maybe it will be like what was Blue sky again? But. So I don't know where it ends for the wnba, but I am absolutely positive Caitlin Clark will be a story 10 years from now. She will bring the league with her and that is good business because it's growth. Even if Yankees Dodgers outrates the WNBA championship. Like it's just one's going up, the other's going down. So therefore it, it is seen as a cooler thing to be a part of.

[Jon Stewart]

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[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.

I want to talk about Blue sky and I want to talk about the media in general. I'm not going to join Blue sky because you can't transfer your followers. There's what they call a bridge that can help it. But people are too busy to worry about my bridge and my followers. So if I could transfer all my followers, I don't even know if I would do it then. But I can't. And I have almost 2 million. So I'm okay with, I'm okay with X. But it's a bigger picture is that a lot of people on the left post election, I'm out of here and my take is, well, that's kind of precious and a bit convenient is that the truth is and Ethan Strauss discussed this recently in a column on Substack, everybody gets treated like shit on X. You got it. Pretty girls, ugly boys, everybody. I mean nobody's happy because people, most people don't have power and anonymously we all have more power. And a lot of people who are miserable and lonely, this is their time to flex. So let them just don't read it. But it's interesting. I think there's a responsibility to some degree we're all somewhat responsible for our happiness. I tell my daughter, don't wake up looking for happiness. Have things to do. Follow your passions and what you're good at. You'll find happiness, right? Like happiness will come to you if you just wake up. It's like grabbing a rainbow. I'm going to wake up and find happiness. There's nothing to grab. You have to seek other things that make you happy. That's happiness. And it really what's interesting about a lot of Hollywood and the left moving to blue Sky. It's like you just lost an election and there's an argument to be made. The primary reason was you were a bit out of touch with regular people. Well, a lot of regular people get a flex on X. And when you lost, they did. And you're saying, I don't want to deal with you and my. To me, I'm like, guys, you would have stayed if you won, stay if you lose, Stay connected to people, even if they can be angry and occasionally vile. Is one of the reasons I stay on X is to allow people to take shots at me, to allow people to whack a mole me because I'm wrong. And if I'm wrong, I don't have to read it. I can mute it. But I do think one of the forms of hypocrisy that really bothers me about the media is we criticize for a living and we can't take it. Oh, yeah, I hate that about us.

[Danny Parkins]

Yeah. That the last part of what you just said, I could not rubber stamp my agreement on more people. It's amazing what we get to do for a living. And, like, the fact that, like, if we get a wrong opinion thrown in our face and then people get defensive about it in our industry, I'm like, are you nuts? Like, we don't get fired for being wrong. Like, Matt Eberfloose just got fired. You know what I mean? Like, he's got to sell his house and move now. He'll be fine. I'm not asking you to, like, play a violin for the guy made millions and millions of dollars. He'll be fine. But still, like, there were consequences for him not being good. Like, there's not consequences for me being wrong about a prediction about the Philadelphia Eagles. Like, be entertaining. Own up to it. Keep it moving. Come back the next day. So I'm with you media people who deal, especially in the opinion space, who cannot deal with criticism. I think that's crazy. Now, obviously, there are lines that should not be crossed. Racial slurs, threats. Obviously, people of color get it worse. Women get it worse. This is all documented. I remember once there was a study, like, negative feedback outweighs positive feedback by 30 to 1. You don't call your cable company and said, cable's working great. Like, you call when there's a problem. So the discourse and the feedback is going to skew negative. So that's all of that part. The other thing about the thing about Blue sky is, like, so I squatted on a username I haven't posted once. I don't do anything. I'm just like, in case this becomes big. I don't want anyone else to be Danny Parkinson. Blue Sky. Right. So I. Right, I have my username, and I'm going to be in this at this point longer than you are. Right. Just by eight. I don't. I'm just trying to, like, I don't know where it's all going to go, but I'm trying to be prepared for where it does. My thought on the liberal move to Blue sky was I understood the desire to, like, form your own team and, like, consolidate your own team. But, like, it's a. It's not like a conservative can't sign up for Blue Sky. There's no prerequisite. So who's to say it's not going to turn into the exact same thing? And who's. And by the way, I'm not at all saying that the only people that are negative or nasty on X are conservative. That is not what I'm saying. But, like, if Blue sky gets big, a lot of people with diverse opinions and backgrounds and actions and intentions are going to be on it. And then the other thing is, aren't we bubbled and siloed enough? That was my big thing about it. We all are in our own feedback loop already. We all already have our own algorithms. And yeah, the 4U tab is clearly being influenced by the lunatic who bought X. But my Instagram reels. When I search how to Cast Iron a Ribeye, I then get way more Instagram reels about steak. Like, they're not. They're not made from nothing. And so I agree, like, leaving the place where the biggest public discourse on the Internet happens because you were upset with the result didn't feel like it would solve a problem. It felt like it would make you feel better as opposed to working towards solving a problem. So if you want to do it to feel better, fine. But I also. I don't really believe that most of these people are, like, gone for good. We're addicted to these things. Yeah, we are just addicted to them. I've checked my phone twice since this interview started. Like, it's hard. It's hard to put it down. You know, not interview conversation, but, like, it's just. So. I'm very skeptical of, like, Blue sky, like, long term, us feeling like we are just, oh, we just found a new one. People, they'll be. They'll be on X. And if it gets big and replaces X, then it will have the same problems that X has.

[Jon Stewart]

Yeah, no, I. The silo comment's interesting because I joke with my Wife, she just. Every time I start this conversation, like once a year, she said, stop it. I'll say to her, I get free parking in Los Angeles and a free smoothie every day at Fox. I did the math that. That's $7,200 a year. And she's like, I know what you make. That's the dumbest thing I've heard. And I've said. I always say to her, do you understand if I stayed at a company for 20 years, the value of free parking and free smoothies and oatmeal and coffee at a company? And she. And she said. I said, who gets that? And I often think about that little thing. By the way, I get my hair cut for free. Haircut, smoothie, coffee, parking. That sounds ridiculous. Do you know how many people, if you could sign up for that in the city, would literally fight over it? And I do. And I guess my point with my wife is I'm never going to allow those to be forgotten. If people got free parking in Chicago, they'd be like, honey, I just got free parking in Chicago.

[Danny Parkins]

That would be the greatest thing ever. Yeah.

[Jon Stewart]

Let's go to daily.

[Danny Parkins]

When I felt. When I filled in for you and they delivered that smoothie to the dressing room, I was like, I texted my wife, they asked for my smoothie order, and then it showed up. It was amazing.

[Jon Stewart]

We don't get.

[Danny Parkins]

We don't get free smoothies, by the way, @ FOX Sports 1 in New York, I've asked. We don't. We don't. We don't get free smoothies. You got to. You got to put in a good word for me out here. I need the free smoothie treatment from the LA offices.

[Jon Stewart]

Well, that silo comment is real because I tell my wife, it's easy to forget the stuff I get every day. A staff, like, it's just something that most people would fight over. A parking space in a major city could be $4,000 a year for parking.

[Danny Parkins]

Oh. Oh, yeah. Don't think that everybody who works on Breakfast Ball like that drives in producers or what. It's a huge thing for them. Right? It's like, it's very expensive to park in New York City. And, like, we're not on the Fox lot. But again, obviously, I'm not complaining. The job's amazing and the perks are amazing. But, yeah, you. It's good to have perspective outside of your bubble, and you made it about smoothies and free parking. But I would also say, like, there are very few people. There are a couple. I'LL admit that I'm like, I just want to mute you because I don't want to see, like, your intentionally divisive, mean spirited, racist, hateful rhetoric come into my timeline because it just. Oh, yeah, there's. There's just negative ROI on it. Right. Like, for mental health happiness, I'll go down a rabbit hole. It'll make me upset. And now I'm just angry. So, like, that was just. I've definitely done that with some people. Yeah. But I do try to understand people who disagree with me. I do try to read sites and people and feeds and interact with things that, like, challenge my worldview. Because it's a big, messy, diverse country and a big, messy, diverse, diverse world. Like, if you only consume all the stuff that you already agree with, what's the point?

[Jon Stewart]

Yeah.

[Danny Parkins]

You know what I mean? Like, I want, I want to learn, I want to understand. I want to hold the same one. Some gaps like it, it. I don't believe that, like, people who disagree with me are like, bad people inherently. I think some of them are, and some are at least motivated by some bad stuff. But, like, generally speaking, people want to be healthy, provide for their family, have happy, healthy kids, and, like, get along with their neighbors. So it's like, okay, let's try to understand each other and meet in the middle somewhere. So that's how I try to operate. But some people, man, you gotta mute. You gotta have a. About your day.

[Jon Stewart]

Yeah, no, no, I know you do.

[Danny Parkins]

I know you do. And we're, we're meandering here. This is a very abstract conversation.

[Jon Stewart]

But, well, so I like abs. That's why podcasts work.

[Danny Parkins]

No, that's true, that's true. I just, I'm. I, I don't know how much deconstruction of the election you've done as to, like, why it went the way that it did.

[Jon Stewart]

Oh, no, no, no, no, I. Believe me, I. So I'll throw this at you. When an election happens every four years, a federal election, I go to the losing team because all winners act the same. Cocky, condescending. Told you we were right. Yeah, I go to the losing side. So when Trump lost, I went to Fox News for three weeks. I don't watch a lot of cable politics outside of, like, election day or midterm day. So I went to Fox. So I went to MSNBC for three weeks and I told a friend, I said, I don't think MSNBC has bathrooms because nobody there is looking in the mirror. It's like a real problem. First it was Racism. And I'm like, no, Obama had two terms, could have won a third. Then it was misogyny. No, Hillary Clinton won the popular election. And what I found on msnbc. And again, I'm not taking sideshow. I don't watch a lot of either of this stuff. I think Steve Carneck, he's very good on election night, and so I lean toward him, but by and large, I don't care. Even though I work for Fox, I tend to be a moderate, socially left, fiscally right. But what I did find is there is. There's an inability by both sides when they lose to discover why they lost. And I'll, and I'll, and I'll give you. That's, that's my first take is it's. I'll give you an example, a sports example about the election. So every weekend in the NFL, there's three blowouts. Does that mean there's three great teams? No, no, definitely not. It means there's lots of crappy teams. There's a lot of average politicians, average candidates, average teams, average coaches. There's almost no great college football this year, 130 Division 1 teams. There's no great team, not one tennis, any one point. Federer, Djokovic, Nadal, in the whole world, three greats, a lot of goods. Serena, you know, Martina in her prime. That was one of two. Right? So my take on the election was if you go back to Reagan winning and he had like a record turnout, record support. Why? Because Jimmy Carter was one of our weakest presidents. And Mondale, when he ran against him, was a really, really weak candidate. And Reagan was charismatic. So it was as much about Reagan, whose first three years in office were not profound. He struggled, right. It took him a while, but it was about a charismatic personality who had been an actor. And really weak opposition. Trump. And it's as the total votes have come in, it's not the mandate many people subscribe to. But think about this with Kamala, even in California, never heard of her until the 2019 primaries, of which she had no coalition, didn't get any votes. And because of the emergence of TikTok and Biden's decline, he dominated the news cycle for three and a half years. She was invisible. They gave her the border. I'm not sure she went to it. She was invisible. Then Biden stubbornly was kicked to the curb very late in the process. She came in, and for three to four weeks, the primary issue was, where'd she go? So Trump has the biggest personal brand in America as a human Being she was largely invisible as a vice president, as they're prone to be. But the age and TikTok, Instagram, I mean, Biden was everywhere. And so this came down to she wasn't a terribly strong candidate and he had charisma in a brand. Even in high school elections, the popular good looking or the popular funny kid wins. Right. And so they gave her the border. That was it. She didn't do a good job with the border. That was the vice presidents get one thing to put their arms around, she kind of butchered that. So to me, instead of msnbc, just acknowledging she wasn't a great candidate, He's a big brand with a lot of bluster. Instead it was these branches of the tree and I'm like, oh, this is painful. That was my long winded take.

[Danny Parkins]

Yeah, I think that the, you know, anyone who says they know exactly what happened right after an election is wrong. Right. Like there's 150 million votes, people, genders, races, income, classes. They're not monoliths. They don't only vote for one reason. People generalize it. You've got to actually like crunch the numbers and the data and like come to conclusions. It takes time. I listened to the Pod Save America podcast with the Kamala campaign manager and like a couple of advisors and it was just infuriating. It was just, they were just complimenting themselves on how great they did and how task was. And listen, maybe it was impossible, maybe Trump was too big of a brand, People were feeling inflation too much. Biden was too unpopular and it was 107 days and she was a vice president for an unpopular president in a tough economy. And maybe it was impossible, maybe it was impossible for her to win in that timing, in that circumstance, but God, did they have a lot of like, well, we had to do this and we ran this and we raised a record amount of this and we had to define this and we got on this and we couldn't do everything and we tried to do this and it was because of this and we did. I was like, do you not have thumbs? Can you point a thumb? Can anyone point a thumb? I was just pointing fingers and it was just excuses. And we did this and I was so proud of this and they were so good at this. I was like, you weren't great because you didn't flip a single county. Stop telling me how great you did. Just take some accountability, take your loss, learn from it and move on. And so, you know, I hope they do. I don't think it's as doom and gloom as everybody else seems, I never do.

[Jon Stewart]

It's very cyclical. It'll go back and forth, back and forth.

[Danny Parkins]

The Reagan example is probably the most famous one. Right. Like 49 states. Like, it's it.

[Jon Stewart]

So.

[Danny Parkins]

Yeah, but, man, just a little bit more accountability would be nice.

[Jon Stewart]

Yes, a little bit more.

[Danny Parkins]

A little bit more accountability would be nice.

[Jon Stewart]

Yeah. But I do think it's much more fascinating to watch the losing side try to discover their issues. And it's fascinating to me how infrequently and how long it takes and how infrequently they do. And James Carville and Bill Maher, I think, have been closer to the reality of it. But it was just a lot of race and misogyny. And it's like, guys, mirrors. Look in them. Stop blaming the voters. Look in the mirror.

[Danny Parkins]

Yeah, I think there's a lot of that. And by the way, that's the thing that's true in sports, too. The most interesting story is often in the losing locker room. Who blew it? Who choked? Who's getting traded because of this? Who's getting cut because of this? Who's getting fired because of this? Like, there's. There's more. There are often more interesting stories and lessons to be learned from the losing side of a story.

[Jon Stewart]

I think almost always. In fact, when I do my show in the morning, I try not to be negative. So this morning I led with the 12 team college bracket, kind of defending the committee, being positive, defending the committee, Alabama choice. And then I went to the idea, which is kind of uplifting if you're a Bears fan, that let's go for it and get Kyle Shanahan. But I've had days. I had a day about two weeks ago where the first four stories, it was a Monday, and I was like, God, I'm just harping. And I remember, like, taking two of my stories early and just put them in the last hour. I'm like, God, I'm wearing me out after these first three stories. So I don't think we do.

[Danny Parkins]

But I. I think that that's actually a good sports media criticism. Like, I. I think that. I think that people have, like, gotten tired of the Chiefs on some level. Like, they're very popular. Like, the data doesn't say that, but I'm saying, like, it's almost become in vogue and they're playing close games. They're not as dominant this year, like, on field questions and criticisms of close games against Vegas and Carolina and all that is totally valid. I'm not Saying it's not, but we should strive to. And I try to and continue to try to. And we're 68 shows in or whatever. We are into breakfast ball, so hopefully I've got a long road ahead of me to, like, back up these words with actions. But, like, it's fun to appreciate stuff and be like, how cool was that? How great of a play was that? Like, we are watching. You're like, daniel Jones sucks. Like, I guess, but he's actually awesome. Like, he. He sucks compared to Patrick Mahomes. I don't want him to be my team's quarterback, but if he co. If he was the Syracuse football quarterback next week, they'd go on a run. They'd win a bunch of games. So I do think there's a little bit more room to. It's easy to talk about what's wrong with fill in the blank team as opposed to making it interesting of why the Lions are crushing everybody. Like, we just as a collective. I think we should try our best to, like, appreciate sports and celebrate them. Not that you can't be negative. Not that you can't take an ax to something or call for a firing. It's all fine and good. These guys get paid a bunch of money. It's. It's the opinion business. You should be. But it's just a. It's a good, healthy thing to remember that. Like, we should celebrate the champions. I. I get on stinking carton. Like, I'm like, you guys just. Like, you hate greatness. You're rooting against the Chiefs. Like, are you crazy? Like, Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes. These guys are unlikable in some way. No, they're awesome. They're historic. Like, we've never seen a 3pe. You don't want to see it. Why? I want to see it. I want to see. I want to see the greatness that I've never seen before. I'm not tired of it yet.

[Jon Stewart]

The only thing that pushes back on that for me is I feel bad for Buffalo. I'd like to see Buffalo win 1. Had Buffalo won before Kansas City went on this run. I'd love to see a three.

[Danny Parkins]

Listen, I called Josh Allen MVP before the year. I said he was the second best player in football before the year, and I picked him to win the division before the year when few people did. Like, I think he is. It is. So I think I said this on your pod a few visits ago. Like, he is so very clearly the closest thing to Mahomes. And that's not like a one year sample. The 18 interceptions last year did not change my opinion. Like going back to 2020 till now, it is very clear to me that it is Mahomes. One ALLEN two and so he will get one. I will root for the three peat this year. But part of that is also my mom's family's from Kansas City. I worked there. I was there when they hired Andy Reid. So part of that is like a personal tie and bias and Chiefs fans and Arrowhead and all of that. So, yeah, Josh Allen, Buffalo and those fans, that would also be an excellent story. Obviously, the Lions would be an excellent story. But I'm not, I'm not tired of the greatness yet from the Chiefs. I liked Tiger Woods. I liked Michael Jordan. I the, you know, Brady did get a little ridiculous to me. I will admit that. It's like the one. It was just, it's like, dude, you're winning when you're in your 40s.

[Jon Stewart]

Well, I even had LeBron and Brady fatigue.

[Danny Parkins]

Two decades is a little much.

[Jon Stewart]

Yeah, but Tiger, Tiger's 10 years. Go back and YouTube Tiger at the US Open. Pebble Beach. You could watch the entire final round if you had three hours. It's insane.

[Danny Parkins]

Listen, my dad didn't golf. And I love golf because of Tiger Woods. Like, I'm of that age, right? Like, I'm born at 86, so I'm 11 years old in 97 when he wins the Masters. Like, he was like, it was a phenomenon. It was Michael Jordan. It was, it was incredibly influential to watch that level of greatness. Like, it. Caitlin Clark is creating women's basketball fans like Tiger woods created golf fans. There's cult of personality figures and that level of dominance that I'll always be, that I'll always be Bones Jones. I hadn't bought UFC fights in a while. I love the UFC Bones Jones fights. I buy the card a hundred percent. Like, there's like, I, I am. I am attracted to greatness almost universally.

[Jon Stewart]

Danny Parkins, Breakfast Ball FS1. Good talking to you, buddy.

[Danny Parkins]

You said once a month. Anytime, buddy. You know that. I'm available anytime.

[Jon Stewart]

The volume. Thursday Night Football is on. It's only on Prime Video. Best season yet. Packed with big rival and even bigger stars. Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit, 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.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Danny Parkins]

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[Jon Stewart]

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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.