Hour 1 - It has begun

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – “Hour 1 - It Has Begun”

Release Date: March 20, 2025

Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
Episode Title: Hour 1 - It Has Begun
Description: The Herd with Colin Cowherd is a thought-provoking, opinionated, and topic-driven journey through the top sports stories of the day.

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Introduction

In this episode of The Herd, Colin Cowherd is absent, and Doug Gottlieb steps in as the host. The focus is primarily on the commencement of the 2025 NCAA March Madness Men's Tournament. Doug brings his extensive experience as a former ESPN and CBS NCAA tournament commentator, now transitioning into his role as a head basketball coach at Green Bay.

Host Background and Personal Reflections [02:23 - 04:30]

Doug Gottlieb opens the discussion by sharing his personal journey with the NCAA tournament, highlighting his unique position of no longer covering the tournament after 23 years. He reminisces about his childhood experiences watching games with his father and the emotional impact of legendary moments, such as the 1990 Final Four tragedy involving Hank Gathers.

Notable Quote:

"Watching Hank die was soul-crushing to somebody who idolized him and thought, I mean, he looked like a Greek God. I watched them play and they came out adorned in maroon uniforms with 44s everywhere... and then he made the free throw and there wasn't a dry eye in the place."
– Doug Gottlieb [02:23]

Evolution of College Basketball [04:31 - 10:15]

Doug delves into how the landscape of college basketball has transformed over the years. He contrasts the past with the present, emphasizing the increase in the number of Division I teams from about 200 to 364, leading to higher competition and more frequent upsets. He discusses the significance of amateurism's decline, player compensation, and the professionalization of college basketball.

Key Points:

• Expansion of Division I teams has intensified competition.
• The first 16 vs. 1 upset by UMBC has set a precedent for future unexpected outcomes.
• College basketball is in a hybrid state between amateur and professional, impacting player movement and program management.

Payroll Disparities and Competitive Balance [10:16 - 16:00]

A significant portion of the conversation centers on the financial disparities between high-major and mid-major programs. Doug argues that increased spending by top programs in conferences like the SEC creates an uneven playing field, making it challenging for mid-major teams to compete consistently.

Notable Quote:

"When they started the field of 64, there were like, I don't think there were 200 Division I teams. Now there are 364, 364. So if the top are the top four and they're used to competing against 200... now they're competing against 300, one would think the disparity was even greater."
– Doug Gottlieb [04:31]

NCAA Tournament Predictions and Upset Analysis [16:00 - 35:30]

Doug and guest John Fanta engage in detailed analysis of the upcoming NCAA tournament games, focusing on potential upsets and standout performances. They discuss specific teams like UC San Diego, Yale, and Lipscomb, evaluating their strengths and weaknesses against higher-seeded opponents.

Notable Quotes:

"I think UC San Diego will beat Michigan. I never trust a team coming off the Big Ten tournament championship."
– John Fanta [32:44]

"They got Hayden Gray, who's an elite defender. They're so balanced on the other end of the floor."
– John Fanta [32:44]

Coaching Changes and Their Impact [20:25 - 29:05]

The discussion shifts to coaching dynamics within college basketball, particularly focusing on Sean Miller's potential move from Xavier to Texas. Doug highlights the loyalty inherent in college coaching positions and the pressures associated with high-profile programs.

Notable Quote:

"Sean does have some loyalty. Sean got fired in Arizona and Xavier didn’t think twice and brought him back. That shows mutual loyalty."
– Doug Gottlieb [22:40]

John Fanta adds:

"He is one of the better coaches in the sport. I'd say he's a top 15 to 20 coach in college basketball."
– John Fanta [22:40]

Personal Anecdotes and Listener Engagement [35:14 - 43:55]

Doug shares personal anecdotes, including his experiences coaching and interacting with his family. The conversation takes a light-hearted turn as they discuss cooking techniques, specifically using an air fryer, showcasing the show's blend of sports analysis and personal storytelling.

Notable Exchange:

Doug Gottlieb: "I can make all the like fried chicken, fried fish, whatever, but like again, it's air fryer, so there's no oil."
Colin Cowherd: "If you're just calling it fried chicken because you've put it in the air fryer, or are we actually breading it?"
Doug Gottlieb: "No, you bread it. Yeah, you breaded."
– Doug and Colin [43:15 - 43:56]

NBA Updates and Notable Performances [41:12 - 46:08]

Transitioning to professional basketball, Doug highlights an extraordinary performance by Spurs' Sandru Mamukailash Vele, who scored 34 points in just 19 minutes—a historic achievement in the NBA.

Notable Quote:

"He scored 34 points going 13 of 14 from the field, 7 of 7 from 3 and only played 19 minutes. First player in league history to score 34 points in under 20 minutes played."
– Colin Cowherd [42:05]

Additionally, the sale of the Boston Celtics to Bill Chisholm is discussed, marking a significant change in NBA ownership dynamics.

Notable Quote:

"The reigning NBA champs have been sold to Bill Chisholm, a managing partner of Symphony Technology Group."
– Colin Cowherd [44:00]

Closing Remarks and Future Topics [46:09 - 48:34]

As the episode wraps up, Doug teases upcoming segments, including discussions on Aaron Rodgers' actions over the weekend and the potential impact on the NFL draft. He also acknowledges guest John Fanta's contributions and their shared enthusiasm for college basketball.

Notable Quote:

"We know what Aaron Rodgers is going to do this weekend, right? Like, you know the expression that tracks what Aaron Rodgers is doing and will do this weekend? Tracks. I'll prove it to you next."
– Doug Gottlieb [48:34]

Conclusion

This episode of The Herd provides an in-depth look at the current state of college basketball, the evolving dynamics of the NCAA tournament, and the broader implications of financial disparities among programs. Doug Gottlieb's personal insights, coupled with John Fanta's analytical prowess, offer listeners a comprehensive understanding of the tournament's potential outcomes and the underlying factors shaping the sport today.

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Notable Timestamps:

• [02:23] – Doug Gottlieb introduces his guest role and shares personal NCAA tournament experiences.
• [04:31] – Discussion on the expansion of Division I and its impact on competition.
• [16:00] – Analysis of potential NCAA tournament upsets with guest John Fanta.
• [22:40] – Conversation about Sean Miller’s coaching situation between Xavier and Texas.
• [32:44] – Predictions on specific team performances and potential upsets.
• [42:05] – Highlighting Sandru Mamukailash Vele’s historic NBA performance.
• [44:00] – Sale of the Boston Celtics to Symphony Technology Group.
• [48:34] – Teasing future discussions on Aaron Rodgers and NFL topics.

Note: Advertisements, social media promotions, and non-content segments have been excluded from this summary to focus solely on the episode's substantive discussions and insights.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

The 2025 NCAA March Madness Men's Tournament is back and this time it is bringing all the feels. The biggest event in college sports is here with games happening all day long and you don't want to miss a second of the heart pumping action. Catch all the clutch shots, big time plays, upsets, Cinderellas, Blue Bloods and more. Tune in to the NCAA Men's Division 1 Basketball Championship March 18 through April 7 on TBS, CBS, TNT, TruTV and.

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[Doug Gottlieb]

So party of two Right this way.

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[John Fanta]

Now let's get this party started.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Listening to Fox Sports Radio. Boom. What up America? Doug Gottlieb in for Colin this is the Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be making as part of your day. Thanks so much. I'm Doug Gottlieb and we can all get together and we're getting ready for the NCAA tournament. It's a weird one for me. Some of you may know I'm actually a head basketball coach at Green B. What you may not know is this is the first NCAA tournament in 23 years that I'm not covering for. I was ESPN for nine, I was worked there for 10, but nine covering the tournament and then CBS for five. And then since then, the last seven years it was Fox but, but also Westwood One. You know, I was at cbs, Selection Sunday, Final Four, etc and calling games the first weekend and you know, I've been with Westwood One as their studio host and going all the way to the Final Four. And now I ain't got nothing to do except talk to you. So I'm going to bore the hell out. No, I'm kidding. We're going to break down your brackets and tell you about the 12,5 upsets. And you know, I gotta, I gotta, I gotta. Listen, if you subscribe to my service, okay, you subscribe to my service. Listen, I got, I got four gold locked picks, okay? Gold lock picks. No, I just, it's interesting and you know, I, I, as a kid I watched it. My dad got me out of school, right? Whether it was Jordan Elementary, Lada elementary. Wait, there's more. McPherson Middle School, Junior High School, Santiago Middle School, Yoruba Middle School. That's right, three middle schools. And then Tustin High School. My dad would come get me out of school and we'd go down to, we go down to a sports bar in Costa Mesa and watch all the games. I think one time we went to Silky Sullivan's. That was in Fountain Valley. I don't know if that still exists. Anyway, from there I and I, we would go to the Final Four. And then even when I played at Notre Dame and we were bad my first year we still went to the Final Four. That was at, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. My year at Golden West College where I didn't play, where I technically red shirted. I watched my childhood best friend Miles Simon win a national championship in Indianapolis and then played in it three times at Oklahoma State and then covered it really after I got done playing overseas United two years where was overseas during the tournament. Actually three when I was overseas during the tournament. And since then I've been back in and I will tell you, more motivated than ever to have the full circle, right? Watched it, loved it, played in it, covered it. TV and radio on the floor, the Final Four in the national championship game. And now I want to coach in it. But I Can't. We weren't good enough and we got to build it and build it right. So you're stuck with me. But what I do think is fascinating is how, how much has changed in the landscape of the sport. Some of it still remains the same, there's still the Cinderella stories. And when we think of stories of our past, it's interesting. There's some of the greatest games or potential upsets or whatever weren't actually upsets, didn't actually happen. Like Princeton, Georgetown, Georgetown still won the game. Georgetown won the game. And then of course we started to see more and more upsets throughout our childhood into our adulthood. And what I thought would never happen, I truly believed in covering it. You would never see a 16 beat a 1. And the logic behind it was this. When they started the field of 64, there were like, I don't think there were 200 Division 1 teams. Now there are 364, 364. So if the top are the top four and they used to be competing against 200, 225, 230 and now they're competing against 300, one would think the disparity was even greater. But as luck would have it, an injury happened with DeAndre Hunter at Virginia and an upset of all upsets took place with umbc. And then I thought, well, we'll never have that again, only to have it happen again. But amateurism is gone. I don't want to call this professional basketball because though I get paid a salary to coach my team, to run my program, to make sure my kids go to class, you know, graduate, are academically ineligible, stay out of trouble, run practice, manage a whole basketball program. And look, college basketball players do receive compensation above that of a scholarship, above that of a grant aid. Let's kid, let's not kid ourselves. This is not professional. Right. If it was professional, you wouldn't believe the stories that take place don't happen in a professional world. You also don't get a chance to just leave one job with a contract and not have a buyout and not have a non compete clause going from job to job to job to job to job. So it's a mix of what we used to have mix in education which does get pushed to the wayside by so many people. And then you kind of morph professional basketball and AAU basketball and there you go. But here's what I wish would happen. It's not going to happen. But like Wofford takes on Tennessee, Wofford takes on Tennessee and there's some unique things that college basketball people know that I'm going to teach you here before the games tip off. I had a college basketball coach before I took the job. Tell me like, hey, ever notice handshake lines are a lot longer than they used to be? Well, what's that mean? Well, you know when Omaha takes on St. John's and Omaha's best player goes for 25 and 10 and they lose and he shakes hands with Rick Pitino or one of the assistant coaches, they go, is that your mom over there? Hey, hey, hey, hey, mom, how are you? How are you? Right? It doesn't mean there's poaching actually taking place, but it doesn't mean that it's not taking place. Right. Like literally mid major teams playing against high major teams. It's an active tryout. I kid you not. But what I'd love to have happen is when Wofford takes on Tennessee, them to flash up the sum total of the salaries of the players of each team. That would be amazing. Tennessee's coach by Rick Barnes. He's a friend. I think Rick's, Rick's a great dude. We were rivals. He coached at Texas when I was in college and I had heard he was a great dude. And he's even better than that. I do expect them to win this game. And Wofford has a big guy who shoots the ball underhanded, which if you watch me play in college, people did encourage me to try. So I'm always fascinated by it. But what I would love is if it comes down the stretch and they're under four minutes and say Spiro Adidas is calling, calling the game. Tennessee with a $4.2 million payroll. Take it on. Wofford with $135,000 payroll. It would make you it. You want to talk about David and Goliath, that's what you have. It's like equal punishments, right? If you're bad, it's hard to raise money to get players to get good. And even on bad teams, guys that go and put up their numbers, well, they go and they want to go somewhere else and fool somebody else and go get, and go get paid. And if you're good at the mid major level, you're going to lose all your players because people are like, man, they're good. Let's take them. That's how it actually works. Nonetheless, we still have a bracket and now the actual bracket games begin. But I do think that, and I said this on my show and I said it just so you know. I'm, I believe in congruent arguments. I thought the mistake of the College Football Playoff committee was, was balanced out by the NCAA basketball committee. What do I mean by that? It doesn't mean that every team that spent money is better than teams that don't spend money. Doesn't mean that. But the SEC has spent a whole hell of a lot more money than everybody else. And it's not just with the players, with the facilities, with the support staff, with the head coaches. It's all of it. All of it. And so it's not just about your specific team, but their path to success and their path to a record. Right. The flaw in the argument for smu, which spent a bunch of money to get into the ACC and then to field their team, or Indiana that spent a ton of money and had a soft schedule, but beat up on the Big Ten is not to say, hey, well, we spent money and look, you know, we got this huge payroll. You know, Indiana, what was like a $15 million payroll, which was a big, big amount. Now the difference is in the sec, in both football and basketball, every team you play, every team you play in basketball has a 2 to 4 or 5 million dollar payroll. Whereas when you're in the ACC, for example, they have teams with 3 and 4 million dollar payrolls, but they have teams that are about a million. And there is a, there's just a difference. And when you have, when you have a payroll that's a million dollars or whatever and you go all in on one or two players and all of a sudden one of those guys gets hurt or one of those guys isn't as good as the billing or maybe hasn't been able to level up to the acc. Now all of a sudden you don't have the depth to contend on a daily basis in your conference, even though you're better than most of the other teams because again, you have a million dollar payroll. Am I making sense? So I look, I, I still love the tournament. I grew up watching it. I can quote chapter and verse all of the different upsets. The moment that changed my existence as a basketball player wanting to do it happened about 30 minutes where I'm broadcasting from him, Doug Gottlieb. And for Colin, this I heard on Fox Sports radio and the iHeartradio app. We're broadcasting from Sherman Oaks, California at Long Beach arena where my dad for three years was an assistant coach under the great Tex winner at Long beach arena in. Was it 1990? It was 1990. Might have been 91. The first game. After Hank Gathers had passed away, Loyal Marymount took on New Mexico State. And I'll never forget it. You know, I'd watch the semifinals when Hank went down. I had known both of those guys from the pump basketball camp where I was a cat, I was a camper. And those guys played pickleball at Cal, at csun, Cal State Northridge, where we stayed at night. And they were godlike figures. And when Hank died, just, it was soul crushing to somebody who idolized him and thought, I mean, he looked like a Greek God. I watched them play and they came out in, in their. And everything was adorned in maroon uniforms with 44s everywhere. And when I saw Bo Kimble dribble three times with his right hand and switch it and shoot to his left hand to copy his fallen friend and teammate who kind of like the kid from Wofford, switched to shooting free throws left handed because he was so bad at shooting them right handed. And then he made the free throw and there wasn't a dry eye in the place. I was like, this is what I want to do. I want to play in it, I want to cover it, I want to coach it. So that emotion still exists. But let's not kid ourselves. We're in a weird place where like literally Tennessee has 40. I would, I would, I would guess at minimum 30 times greater salaries than that of Wofford tonight. 30 times. I'll check my math during the break. That's what I'll do. But I think I got that right. I may have over exaggerated, but I think I got it right. If you're somewhere like $4 million and they're somewhere in the, you know, 150 to 200, what is that ratio? You guys work that out. Coming up next in the Herd, John Fanta is going to join us. If you love college basketball, John is everywhere. He does play by play. He does reporting, he does sideline. The madness is about to tip off. I'm gonna, I'm gonna ask him what's one upset he sees happening today. That's next. I'm Doug Gottlieb. This is the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and.

[John Fanta]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Doug Gottlieb]

Alright, sweetie pie, buckle up. Good job.

[Colin Cowherd]

Or ring the bell on their bike.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Okay, kid, give it a try.

[Colin Cowherd]

Nice. Or remember their elbow pads.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Knees too. Okay. Yep. There you go.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Doug Gottlieb]

What up with you, Doug Gottlieb in for calling the herd on Fox Sports Radio. Iheartradio app. Watching Creighton, the Blue Jays take on Louisville. You do know that it's Louisville, which is weird, right? Because when you go to Louisville, they say welcome to Louisville, but everything is the Ville. Wouldn't it be the Vol if they pronounce it Louisville? I'm very, very confused. I don't know. Anyway, they're taking on Creighton. This is. It's in Lexington. One of the things that people make a big deal of is where the game is played. Oh my gosh. Home court advantage. Like, yeah, I mean, last night Xavier was playing in Dayton, which is 45 minutes from campus. A little bit different in terms of. I thought that was a legitimate home court advantage in their comeback win over Texas. But planning in your art on your arch rivals home floor against Creighton that travels well at like, at noon. It's not that big. What do the kids say? It's not that deep. It's not that deep. By the way, I've been hanging out my son here for the last couple days. I'm telling you, my vernacular is getting way better. Way, way better. Nothing more hip than when your son's 16. Happy birthday to my son, Hayes Gottlieb. Let's welcome in John Fanta, FOX Sports Radio, a FOX Sports college basketball reporter. He does play by play. You'll see him on field of 68. If you follow college basketball, you know about that podcast, which also you can view online. And he joins us now as the NCAA tournament kicks off. John, let me, let me ask you about last night. You know, you covered the Big East a ton for Fox and, and Xavier had a huge comeback win against Texas. And there's, there's several reports that Rodney Terry will be let go and additional reports that Sean Miller will be the next head coach of Texas. What, what, what have you heard in regards to the Texas situation?

[John Fanta]

Well, what we know and Doug, great to be with you on what is a holiday is that, is that Crystal Conti was very interested in Sean Miller the last time he was trying to hire a head coach. But Texas beat Xavier in the NCAA tournament, which was quite ironic in the Sweet 16. So then you weren't going to not keep Rodney Terry as head coach. Rodney had done his part to keep that job and it felt like the natural right move. But now there's an irony to these two paths crossing again. But Terry has not gotten Texas to a level that they believe they should be at, which I gotta say, Doug, for the last 15 years, Texas has been not achieving the level that they want to achieve in any sport because at Texas, they aspire at a football school to win national championships and everything. Well, to me, that's a you problem. Texas more you keep selecting these head coaches, some of which have been good, honestly. Now, the Chris Beard thing ended the way that it did for, for off the court reasons. But like, you know, Shaka Smarts found a proper home for himself in Marquette. There's a larger picture discussion. The point is, yes, Crystal Conti, if this search opens up, which I think it will, Sean Miller is number one on his list. Then it comes down to Sean making a decision. You know, he built a house in Cincinnati. So, you know, as, you know, build a house, you could sell it and then you take the Texas job and you get a ton of nil. And if, if that's what you want. And if that's what you're looking to do in your. In your career and go to the Southeastern Conference, then that's, that's what he's going to get. And he's one of the best. He's one of the better coaches in the sport. I'd say He's a top 15 coach in college. Top 15 to 20 coach college basketball. It's not, you know, top 10 to 12. He's that good. You know, we'll see. We'll see if, if Xavier giving him a chance and a new lease on life, if that plays a part at all. It's not. The Musketeers don't have money. They'll put up a lot of money to try to keep him. They just don't have Texas money.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Yeah, no, I mean, it's interesting because. Little backstory. John Fanta joining us here. I'm Doug Gotleyman for Collins the Herd. You go back to his fourth year at Xavier, fourth year at Xavier, and the Oklahoma State job was open. And Mike Holder, the then AD at Oklahoma State, asked me to reach out to Sean or at first he asked me, like, who would you hire? And I was like, man, I'd hire Sean Miller. So I called Sean and Sean said at the time, hey, listen, Xavier gave me a chance when. And this is the first time around. Xavier gave me a chance when nobody else would. So I'm going to stay here for five years. If you look at my contract, the buyout goes way down after my fifth year. That's. I told them I would stay at least five years. And so there was definitely loyalty there. I know it's a business where so many people think there's no sort of loyalty, but Sean does have some. And the fact that Sean got fired in Arizona and Xavier didn't think twice and brought him back, I think shows again their mutual loyalty.

[John Fanta]

But you know what else it is, Doug?

[Doug Gottlieb]

Yeah.

[John Fanta]

No stress. He has no stress at Xavier. None. You're never going to be under pressure like, yeah, they have standards. Yes. They want to make the Sweet 16. The program's never made a Final Four. If he ever got close to that, you know, he already is a, is a Xavier great for his multiple stints at the job. You go to Texas, Doug, you know what it is? You're going to win. You know, you're gonna contend for Final Four. You're gonna go deep in the tournament. You know, you go two years there and you haven't done that. Oh, well, he enters your three you know, there's pressure on now. There's. Texas is an unrelenting, pressure packed job. If you're at the football program, if you're at the basketball program. So if he wants that then, then they're gonna, and they're gonna back up the brink struck. Then that's, that's why you make the move. But you know, this is a guy who, you're right, he is loyal. I know how much pride he has to like to be in the Big east and go to New York City for the, for the conference tournament. And Doug, you know this well, that's not just some other event. Like he, he enjoys being a part of that whole equation. I. And only he can think and fathom what he ultimately wants to do. So. But there's no question he's at the top of Texas's list.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Doug Godleyman for Collins the Hurt, fox Sports Radio iHeartradio app. Of course you have John Fanta joining us. He's a Fox Sports Radio. I kind of every. Fox Sports kind of everything college basketball, right. Just kind of immersed himself in it. Great play by play guy. And of course he does some college basketball reporting as well as work with, with field of. Of 68. What did you think of. Of daring DeVries and he takes the Indiana job. And during his press conference he was like, look, they were really respectful of my season coming to, you know, my season and wait until it concluded. So it feels like this one had been done for a bit. Did that surprise you in any way?

[John Fanta]

It actually really surprised me because I can't tell you how many times I've heard, you know, an agent say, well, there's something to be said about going two years or three years before you take the next, next job. Now Indiana is an exception, right? It's not to me in 2025, you know, you've had to achieve major success in the last decade of 15 years. I don't put Indiana in blue blood tier A. I really do not.

[Doug Gottlieb]

What?

[John Fanta]

Not T. Come on, bro. No, man.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Well, hold on. Fantastic. Here's. Here's your issue. Here's your issue. Here's your issue, John. Here's your issue. Okay. You're kind of timeless, so people will be surprised. How old are you?

[John Fanta]

I'm 29. That's why Duke. No, it's Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Carolina are in tra. Indiana is not in the same classroom.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Well, again, so you're talking the super high major elite. Most people would put UCLA in that. Some people think not, right? I mean, because they have More titles than anybody else.

[John Fanta]

If you want to put tier B, that's, That's fine. But, like, if we're tearing this, the.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Different, the difference is if you, like, listen again. I'm becoming an old man. Like, become an old man. I am. Not yet. There's not a five next to my name just yet. Soon, but not yet. But when. I mean, it's Indiana. I mean, it, it is. It is still India. It's. You know what it is? It's Alabama football before they got Saban. Alabama football before they got Saban. And there will be a guy that will wake that place up. And whoever that guy is, if it's Darian, like, great, but somebody will wake that place up. Anyway, go ahead. I apologize. I apologize. Because I, I've heard that sentiment from other people, but go ahead.

[John Fanta]

No, I, I, I hear you. When you've made two final fours and 1987. That's. And, yeah, I mean, then we, Then.

[Doug Gottlieb]

We had to put you, we had to put UConn in any territory as well. Right. Like, you're trying. You didn't list Yukon. UConn's one, what, five national titles with three different coaches.

[John Fanta]

Connecticut is more so than Indiana. Connecticut would be in the pecking order with what they have done with 6 and 25 years is absolutely absurd. They're right there. They're ahead. Okay. Needless to say, I was surprised because you're in your first year on the job. I thought, you know, Darren was a really good hire for West Virginia. I love the hire. They're off to a really nice start. You know, their people are jarred by this, and they, they, frankly, they should be. I mean, I don't blame Darren for taking this job because I think, like you said, if he gets it back, that that place is that fan base, that brand, how they move the needle on television speaks for itself. It's next level. But it did surprise me just to hear just how transparent and how open it was that he had been engaging in conversations in his first year at another high major, big 12 job.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Yeah. Yeah. No, it's, it's, it's nutty. It's really, really nutty.

[John Fanta]

It is.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Who gets Iowa?

[John Fanta]

Well, you know, I think Ben McCollum is. It would be. There is at the top of their list. I also think there's a chance Ben. I know Ben's got the roots and whatnot. I know he's obviously done a great job at Drake, but I almost think not to slide Iowa here.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Come on, man. You're from Iowa. Okay. And you're. Obviously, he's going to bring Ben Sturtz with him, who's a star point guard. If you haven't seen him, he's fabulous. We played against them. He. He's awesome, right? Like.

[John Fanta]

No, I think it makes. I think it makes a lot of sense for both sides. It's going to be him. My only point would be, I think he's an absolute superstar and could get an even bigger job. It's a great win for Iowa. Yeah, well, I think it's a great win for Iowa. Like, if I were. If I were Villanova, I'd be calling Ben McCullough.

[Doug Gottlieb]

That's it. I don't think. I'm not sure it works there, but it's. It's. It is. What is. What is going on with Villanova? There was so much talk of Chris Collins. Their season's done, Nova's season's done. But Chris Collins is not the head coach. So what's going on, Nova?

[John Fanta]

Well, Porter Moser is the number one name right now, and obviously, Porter took Loyola Chicago to the Final Four. And, you know, at. Now at Oklahoma. He's got Connecticut tomorrow night, which is kind of an interesting backdrop considering he's going up against a big E school. But Jay Wright is, you know, he's still an active member of things that Villanova does. Of course he's going to be. And Eric Rodell, the new athletic director, comes over from Oregon. And Eric, you know, I think the way that they're looking at this is you can go one of two ways. You get somebody on the rise, but there's not a ton of those guys right now in the cycle on this crazy carousel. You also know, Doug, the next two days, a coaching hero could be born. That's why the madness is so amazing. It could change somebody's life in front of our eyes. But I think that they're looking at a veteran like the Collins, the Moser discourse. You know, the name that was outside the box was if Mick Cronin ever didn't pan out at ucla. But I think Mick's going to be at ucla. Some of the negativity of January and some of the discourse coming out of there was a little bit eye opening, but I don't think he's going anywhere. I think, you know, I think they're in a place where it's down to Moser. It's down. I mean, Collins is still in the race, I suppose. And don't sleep on Richard Patino. You know, I think that Rick. Rick is Going to try his best. If Ryan Odom's not at Virginia, which Ryan Odom's going to be at Virginia, in my humble opinion, if he weren't at Virginia would have been a slam dunk for villain over the Hiram. Watch out for Richard.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Yeah, I, you know, the one thing is, you know, if you're at the best job in the league, don't leave unless it's at the best job in the league. Right. Porter Mosher would leave because they don't have the money at Oklahoma for basketball that everybody else does. Whereas Nova does have the money. But for Richard Pertino, they have the most money in their league and it's a very powerful, powerful feeling. John Fantas our guest. I'm Doug Gottlieban for Collins the Herd. Fox sports radio iHeartradio app. Okay, who's going down? Right? Everywhere you go, I know everybody wants an upset. Fanta, give me your upset. I got friends texting me all the time like I need, I need your upset picks. Like, dude, I'm. If it's a horizon league or mid major, like I can tell you everything about them. I can tell you a lot about UC San Diego because we studied them a bunch. But who do you think is most likely to pull off the upset in the next two days?

[John Fanta]

Well, I think that there's a guaranteed double digit seed winning in the South. In fact, I'll go with multiple double digit seeds. I think UC San Diego will beat Michigan. I never trust a team coming off the Big Ten tournament championship. There's a history of this and the nation's about to learn more about the player. You already know. Aniwoniwa Tate Jones. Kid averages 20 a game. He is a stud. But it goes beyond them, Doug. They've got Hayden Gray who's an elite defender. You know, they get up in you defensively and really guard. They're so balanced on the other end of the floor. And I just think Michigan's turnover problems, UC San Diego's at the top of the charts in turnover margins and I think it's a problem matchup there. I also really like James Jones and his Yale team again. You know, they pulled it off last year over Auburn. I know A and M can muck it up and can really make it a battle, but I think that's going to be a game and I think John Pool akitis, who is a stud for Yale, I think the Bulldogs are going to be in it. I have Carolina beating Ole Miss. That's not, that's not the trendy Cinderella Upset. But I could see Lipscomb. Watch out for Lipscomb. They got a kid named Jacob Agnese Savage that's averaging over 20 per game. And if you look at the Bisons and the style that they play, I think it could give Iowa State some problems. You gotta.

[Doug Gottlieb]

You have Iowa State also. Iowa State also doesn't have their point guard. You know, they don't.

[John Fanta]

And that's the big reason why is that Lipscomb has a top 75 offense. Iowa State doesn't have Keyshawn Gilbert. So, you know, that's something that I'm keeping an eye on. If Liberty were playing anyone other than Oregon, I would probably have taken Richie McKay's team. But I. Doug, I respect Dana Altman way too much. I'm heading over to the arena after, after we talk for. For Purdue and High Point, and I think Alan Huff could give Purdue a run for their money this afternoon.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Yeah, and by the way, Purdue, High Point, they don't have Purdue money, but they actually have a lot of. A lot of money. And so they do. It's a talented roster. And Agnesevich is. He's from Sheboygan, so don't, don't. Don't start me with Wisconsin kids that are somewhere else that, that everybody. My donors like, hey, why don't you have him? I wasn't there. I wasn't here. I can't recruit guys that I would five years ago when I. Last three years when I wasn't here. Anyway, Fanta, I love catching up on radio. Can't wait to do it in person, hopefully at the Final Four. Thanks so much for being our guest.

[John Fanta]

You know, Doug, I hope you're not tied up against the brakes on, but I do want to say this to you. I respect the heck out of you for doing what you've done and taking the Green Bay job. And I also think it's really cool some of the things that you just did in year one, whether it be engaging with fans, you know, your. Your fan base, your community, and getting your kids to kind of see the bigger picture, I could tell that you're showing them the bigger picture of life. And I know it's hard as hell. And if I went on the sidelines, I don't even want to picture that because we wouldn't be any good. And so you. I'm rooting for you, man, and know that you've got a fan in me. And I think a lot of us, because we want to see this pan out. And I give you a lot of credit because I know it wasn't the easiest of year ones, but I could tell your kids never stop competing and that's what life's about.

[Doug Gottlieb]

No, I appreciate it. They did. They fought hard for us. And just know, November 3rd, we're opening at Northwestern. I believe that'll be available either Big Ten Network or FS1. Would love to have you on the call. You can. You. You can duke it out with Revson. You know, Revver's right down the street. One. One. One of you two got a couple. Got a couple potential. We're. We're talking with the Butler Bulldogs about playing in Hinkle. I was one of coaching in Hinkle as well.

[John Fanta]

I'm just imagining Dave Revson with boxing gloves and that kind of was funny to think about. Thanks, Doug.

[Doug Gottlieb]

All right, see if John. John. Fanta choice. Let's get to Ryan. No, we're not doing Ryan music with the news. We're doing Ryan music with news next. Okay. Did you guys see what Luca did last night? Did you? We'll discuss it next in the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific.

[Colin Cowherd]

Hey, it's Steve Covino. And I'm Rich Davis. And together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You can catch us weekdays from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio. And of course, the iHeartRadio radio app. Why should you listen to Covino and Rich? We talk about everything. Life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world. We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture. Stories that, well, other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends for the last 20 years and still work together, I mean, that says something, right? So check us out. We like to get you involved, too. Take your phone calls, chop it up, as they say. I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive show on planet Earth. Be sure to check out Cavino and Rich live on Fox Sports radio and the iHeartradio app from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific. And if you miss any of the live show, just search Kovino and Rich wherever you get your podcast. And of course, on social media, that's Covino and Rich.

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[Colin Cowherd]

Introducing Instagram teen accounts. A new way to keep your teen safer as they grow. Like making sure they always have their seatbelt on.

[Doug Gottlieb]

All right, buckle up. Good job.

[Colin Cowherd]

New Instagram teen accounts, automatic protections for who can contact your teen and the content they can see.

[Amartinez]

Hey, it's Amartinez. The news can feel like a lot on any given day, but you can't just ignore las noticias when important world changing events are happening. That is where the Upverse podcast comes in. Every single morning in under 15 minutes. We take the news and boil it down to three essential stories so you can keep up without feeling stress out. Listen up first from NPR on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Podcasts, it's the hurt Doug Alan for Herd. NCAA tournament underway. The Blue Jays and the Cardinals. Right, The Cardinals. I love the nickname thing. I love the nicknames. I'll be honest with you. What I don't know. High Points nickname. I'm gonna have to find that one out. They're pretty good. Creighton is beating Louisville 28, 21. That one I do have in my bracket. Pat Kelsey's done a great job. But I think that's. That's kind of a lame nickname there. From High Point. No offense to the High Point Panthers, but you got to have a better nickname than that, don't you? Panthers. What was tight? Well, all the Tigers taken. And Bulldogs. Right. Like I'm just. You're mailing it in. If you go, if you go. Tigers, Panthers or Bulldogs. Any others? Tigers, Panthers, Bulldogs. I think you're kind of mailing it in in terms of nicknames. There's no list of new nicknames that Timmy goes, you know. Hold on. Tigers. Tigers. Oh, it's gold, Jerry. Gold. Anyway, high points up 8, 5 on Purdue. I will say that. Like again, I think Allen Huss, who's does a fantastic job, he's another former Creighton assistant. But if Purdue were to Lose again early. Like, yikes. I don't. I know they got the national championship game last year, but like who? But it's hard. Anyway, let's talk some Lakers. We got a little football news. Let's get to Ryan music with the news. No, no, no, turn on the news. This is the herd line news.

[Colin Cowherd]

Doug, good morning. Good to be here with you. As you pointed out, high point, Purdue early in the first half, tight one.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Have you ever seen high points campus?

[Colin Cowherd]

I have not. To be honest, I'm not sure I know where High Point is.

[Doug Gottlieb]

High Pointe's in North Carolina.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay.

[Doug Gottlieb]

It is nice.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay.

[Doug Gottlieb]

It's. It's like a. It's like a country club nice. No, I'm serious. Like Google people. Google like what? You can go to school there. Like, yeah, yeah. It's crazy. Crazy nice.

[Colin Cowherd]

Wow. And in the other game, we have Creighton, Louisville.

[Doug Gottlieb]

I was there last year. I called their. The tournament championship. They lost at home, so I called Longwood won it. Longwood, another really nice campus, but.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh yeah, very nice, very nice High point.

[Doug Gottlieb]

The wood is very long, but high point is that campus is crazy nice.

[Colin Cowherd]

28, 21. About seven minutes into the first half with nine seed Creighton taking on eight seed Louisville. All right, here we go. Let's turn our attention from college basketball to pro basketball. We had some history in the NBA last night in the most unexpected way, maybe from the Most unexpected place. 34 points in only 19 minutes from Sandru Mamukailash Vele. That's right, of the spurs. Fourth year player comes off the bench, caught fire like nobody ever has in the history of the league. I will repeat that. He scored 34 points going 13 of 14 from the field, 7 of 7 from 3 and only played 19 minutes. First player in league history to score 34 points in under 20 minutes played. That's a heater, Doug.

[Doug Gottlieb]

That is a heater. Vinnie Johnson somewhere sitting up going like, that's the real microwave instead of the microwave. He can be the. The air fryer.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, seriously, the air fryer. Wow.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Just a quick update. My air fryer skills are amazing.

[Colin Cowherd]

Air fryer skills are amazing.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Amazing. Okay, amazing.

[Colin Cowherd]

So what does that entail?

[Doug Gottlieb]

I mean, I can make all the like fried chicken, fried fish, whatever, but like again, it's air fryer, so there's no oil. And then what I really do is there's a company, Malot Meats, and I have like a freezer full of, of like, you know, I'm a big hanger steak guy. Okay, I can take A frozen hanger steak. Salt it up, put it in there. 18 minutes later. Perfection, huh?

[Colin Cowherd]

Interesting.

[Doug Gottlieb]

I'm telling you, I'm. I'm all. My team wasn't any good, but my air fryer skills are elite. Elite.

[Colin Cowherd]

If. Okay, I want to go back to the fried chicken.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Yes.

[Colin Cowherd]

Now, are you just calling it fried chicken because you've put it in the air fryer, or are we actually breading it?

[Doug Gottlieb]

No, you bread it.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Yeah, you breaded. All right. Does anyone on earth not like fried chicken?

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm not sure. It's possible.

[Doug Gottlieb]

It's right. The only thing you don't like about fried chicken is it's cooked in oil.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm pretty sure the government puts you on a specific list if you say you don't like fried chicken because there are some suspicious things going on in life.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Okay, so as somebody who loves fried chicken used to make fried chicken, then I was like, that's really not good for you.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Even when you try and do the olive oil, which, you know, when olive oil gets hot.

[Colin Cowherd]

Why are you wasting your time?

[Doug Gottlieb]

Anyway, yeah, bread it up. You know, I got. I have. I got the whole thing going. I know how to do the whole mixture. Double dip that sucker, throw it in the air fryer again, crispy brown. I mean, the Colonel Sanders actually knocked on my doors. Like, I smelled some fried chicken. It was really good, like your recipe. I need it. All right, I'll buy it.

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I'll buy it.

[Doug Gottlieb]

First team, all air fryer team.

[Colin Cowherd]

First team all air fryer. Well done. Well done, Doug. All right. Sticking in the NBA here, a big sale. That's right, the Boston Celtics. The Grossbeck family has sold the Boston Celtics at a valuation of $6.1 billion. That's right. The reigning NBA champs have been sold to. Bill Chisholm. A managing partner of Symphony Technology Group is buying the Boston Celtics.

[Doug Gottlieb]

So tech guy bought it.

[Colin Cowherd]

Tech guy bought it. Largest sale of a sport in North America. Sports franchise in North America.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Nerds continue to run the earth. Undefeated team actually came home. Honey, I picked some of the store. What'd you pick up? Celtics.

[Colin Cowherd]

NBA franchise.

[Doug Gottlieb]

How much? 6.1 billion. What? Why? When we were kids. You're not that old, right? Those of us who are old enough, like everything was, be a doctor or a lawyer, right?

[Colin Cowherd]

Sure. Yeah.

[Doug Gottlieb]

That's who makes the money now. It's tech or finance. Definitely tech or finance. So the gross spec, didn't they buy it for like 300 something million?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. This. 2002, bought for 360 million.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Sold it for 6.1.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. That's pretty good.

[Doug Gottlieb]

That's not bad. Pretty good, Roi.

[Colin Cowherd]

I like that.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Pretty good, Roi.

[Colin Cowherd]

I, I, I personally would feel pretty good about that if that were me.

[Doug Gottlieb]

I, I think, I think so.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right.

[Doug Gottlieb]

You make a billion dollars, what do you do?

[Colin Cowherd]

Buy an island, probably. Because, like, that's what Larry Ellison did. He did like, he was just like.

[Doug Gottlieb]

We bought an island of horror. Hawaii. Yeah. He didn't just buy an island. It was like, he was like, oh, I'm gonna buy that little island. He bought one of the Hawaiian Islands, right? Like, 99 of the island.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't know, I don't know what the going.

[Doug Gottlieb]

He owns lanai, right?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes. I'm not sure what the going rate of an island is these days, but I think if I got a billion, I, I could probably figure out how to get one.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Colin went like, he kind of went ranch, right? He went ranch, definitely. Because when I think of Colin, I think ranch. Yeah. Look, I, I don't have, I got.

[Colin Cowherd]

Nothing against a ranch, but I'm, yeah. Give me, give me the water, give me the ocean. I don't need, I'll go, I'll go pet a horse, but I'm, I don't need to, like, take care of them. Sounds like a lot of work.

[Doug Gottlieb]

They are a lot of work. They're also a lot of mice.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Trust me. Yeah. And that's right. Music with the news. Well, that's the news.

[John Fanta]

And thanks for stopping by the Herd line news.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Doug. Ali be in for Colin. This is the Herd. Okay. Creighton continues to lead 3125 and High Point is up 11 to 9 on Purdue. It is also interesting that, like schools like Purdue, who went to the national championship game last year, like last year, they literally went to the national championship game, but we still hold it against them. The early tournament exits of the past, I mean, I guess rightfully so, right. You lose to it. St. Peter's is a, as a, as a one seed. It's interesting. You would think there's a recency bias, which, hey, here's the national runner up. They got their backcourt back. You know, they have, they have an all American inside as well. And yet just us as sports fans, all we can think of is another team lost. St. Peter's team lost St. Peter's and once upon a time they lost to Arkansas, Little Rock as well in the first round the tournament. All right, coming up next here in the Herd, we know what Aaron Rodgers is going to do this weekend, right? Like, you know the expression that tracks what Aaron Rodgers is doing and will do this weekend? Tracks. I'll prove it to you next. I'm Doug Gottlieb. This is the Hurt.

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[Doug Gottlieb]

This.

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[Amartinez]

Hey, it's hey Martinez. The news can feel like a lot on any given day, but you can't just ignore las noticias when important world changing events are happening. That is where the Up first podcast comes in. Every single morning in under 15 minutes, we take the news and boil it down to three essential stories so you can keep up without feeling stressed out. Listen up for From NPR on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Doug Gottlieb]

What's up everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs, mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Prohibition is synonymous with speakeasies, jazz, flappers, and, of course, failure. I'm Ed Helms, and on season three of my podcast, Snafu, there's a story I couldn't wait to tell you.

[John Fanta]

It's about an unlikely duo in the.

[Doug Gottlieb]

1920S who tried to warn the public that prohibition was going to backfire so badly it just might leave thousands dead from poison.

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Listen and subscribe to snafu on the.

[Doug Gottlieb]

Iheartradio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.