Hour 1 - Return of the back

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 1: Return of the Back

Release Date: December 11, 2024
Host: Colin Cowherd
Produced by: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume

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Introduction

In the inaugural hour of "Return of the Back," Colin Cowherd delves deep into the evolving landscape of American sports, particularly focusing on the resurgence of the running back position in the NFL, the dynamics within college football transfers, standout performances in the WNBA, and strategic moves in Major League Baseball. The episode features insightful discussions with former NFL coach Josh McDaniels and contributions from sports analysts J. Mac and Mark Sanchez.

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1. The "Wide Receiver Bubble" and Running Back Resurgence

Overview:
Colin Cowherd and his co-hosts explore the notion that wide receivers have been overvalued in recent years, leading to a "wide receiver bubble." They argue that rule changes in the NFL have temporarily inflated the importance of receivers, but the fundamental value of running backs is making a strong comeback.

Key Points:

• Wide Receivers as "High-Maintenance Sports Cars":
  Colin likens modern wide receivers to "flashy sports cars"—expensive but high maintenance and not always dependable throughout the season. He emphasizes that while receivers add excitement, they often require constant management to stay healthy and perform consistently.

• Running Backs as "The Cake":
  Contrastingly, running backs are portrayed as the essential components of a football team—the "cake" to the receivers' "icing." They are described as all-weather, economical, and low maintenance, bringing toughness and leadership to the team.

• Team Performance Correlation:
  The discussion highlights that six of the top ten wide receivers in the NFL are on losing teams, suggesting that mere receiver talent doesn't equate to team success. In contrast, running back-centric teams like Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Detroit, and Green Bay are experiencing strong performances.

Notable Quotes:

• Colin Cowherd ([04:50]):
  "Receivers have become once again flashy sports cars. Really expensive, high maintenance."

• John Middlekoff ([23:03]):
  "He [Brock Purdy] deserves something, but I think the team has a lot of leverage, too."

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2. College Football Transfer Rules and Coaching Decisions

Overview:
The episode critiques the current NCAA transfer portal system, particularly how it affects team dynamics and coaching strategies. Colin voices skepticism over the rumored move of Bill Belichick to the University of North Carolina, highlighting potential misalignments between Belichick's coaching style and the demands of college football.

Key Points:

• Belichick's Potential Move to Carolina:
  Colin expresses doubts about the success of Bill Belichick coaching at Carolina, citing Belichick's age, lack of charisma, and the mismatch between his coaching philosophy and the vibrant, youthful energy of college athletes.

• Transfer Portal Challenges:
  The discussion underscores the unfair advantage it grants to weaker programs, allowing them to poach talented players from stronger teams. Colin suggests implementing stricter transfer regulations to maintain competitive balance.

• Coaching Focus and Mentorship:
  Colin contrasts Belichick's perceived self-interest in possibly coaching his son with Deion Sanders' genuine commitment to mentoring young athletes, arguing that true coaching focuses on elevating all players rather than personal agendas.

Notable Quotes:

• Colin Cowherd ([14:15]):
  "I just don't buy it. I'm not sitting on the fence."

• Josh McDaniels ([29:47]):
  "If you want to transfer, great. You can't land anywhere until the season is over is reasonable."

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3. WNBA Spotlight: Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese

Overview:
The conversation shifts to the WNBA, spotlighting Caitlin Clark's exceptional rookie season and her rivalry with Angel Reese. Colin and John analyze Clark's dominance, her playing style reminiscent of NBA greats, and the dynamic between her and Reese.

Key Points:

• Caitlin Clark's Dominance:
  Clark is lauded for setting WNBA records in assists and points by a guard, drawing comparisons to NBA legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan in terms of her ability to handle physical play and demand respect on the court.

• Rivalry with Angel Reese:
  The episode examines the on-court and off-court tensions between Clark and Reese, debating the authenticity and competitiveness of their rivalry. Colin argues that Reese adds a necessary contrast to Clark's style, enhancing the league's appeal.

• Fan Engagement and Respect:
  Colin emphasizes the importance of respecting women's sports by appreciating the physicality and competitiveness without reducing the athletes to mere caricatures. He advocates for genuine recognition of their talents and contributions.

Notable Quotes:

• John Middlekoff ([25:35]):
  "The ultimate sign of respect for women's sports is to not pander and appreciate the fact that women's basketball is really feisty and physical like men's basketball is."

• Colin Cowherd ([27:16]):
  "Angel Reese is really good. She's a very good player. She's just not level."

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4. NBA Trade Rumors: LeBron James and Bronny

Overview:
Colin addresses sensational NBA rumors suggesting that LeBron James might request a trade that includes his son, Bronny James. He critically assesses the feasibility and authenticity of such a move, emphasizing the inexperience and current skill level of Bronny.

Key Points:

• Inauthentic Trade Speculation:
  Colin dismisses the rumor as inauthentic, pointing out that Bronny is not yet a viable NBA player and lacks the necessary skills and experience to warrant inclusion in a trade deal.

• Impact on Team Dynamics:
  He argues that prioritizing a familial relationship over team success undermines the competitive integrity of the league and places unnecessary pressure on young athletes like Bronny.

• Historical Context of Player Aging:
  Drawing parallels with other NBA players who have experienced late-career declines, Colin suggests that the narrative around LeBron trading for his son is unrealistic and lacks substantive backing.

Notable Quotes:

• Colin Cowherd ([21:22]):
  "Bronny's not an NBA player. He's not a primary ball handler. He's not a shooting guard. He's tiny."

• John Middlekoff ([21:40]):
  "So we have to stop pretending it's inauthentic. It's not. It's just not good."

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5. MLB Insights: Yankees' Bullpen vs. Power Hitters

Overview:
The episode critiques the New York Yankees' recent strategy of acquiring powerful hitters like Juan Soto, arguing that the team would benefit more from bolstering their pitching staff. Colin emphasizes the importance of pitching depth in countering dominant teams like the Dodgers.

Key Points:

• Pitching Over Power Hitting:
  Colin contends that the Yankees’ focus on adding power hitters is misguided, especially against teams with strong pitching like the Dodgers. He advocates for investing in elite starters to gain a competitive edge.

• Comparison with Recent Successes:
  Referencing the Dodgers' bullpen strength and playoff performances, Colin illustrates how effective pitching can stifle even the most formidable offensive lineups.

• Budget and Team Composition:
  He highlights the financial and strategic implications of signing high-priced hitters versus acquiring pitchers who can influence the outcome of crucial games.

Notable Quotes:

• Colin Cowherd ([35:35]):
  "You don't want to out hit the Dodgers. That's not it. That's not going to work."

• John Middlekoff ([35:36]):
  "The Yankees need more elite starters, not a $700 million power hitter."

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6. Football Strategies with Josh McDaniels

Overview:
Former New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels joins the discussion to share his perspectives on managing quarterbacks, balancing offensive play-calling, and adapting strategies based on team strengths and defensive tactics.

Key Points:

• Balancing Pass and Run:
  McDaniels emphasizes the necessity of balancing passing and running plays to keep defenses off-balance. He suggests integrating running plays to control the game's tempo and protect quarterbacks from relentless pass rushes.

• Quarterback Management:
  The conversation touches on recognizing signs of quarterback decline and implementing strategies to mitigate performance issues, such as reducing pass attempts against aggressive defenses.

• Adapting to Defensive Schemes:
  McDaniels discusses how offensive strategies must evolve in response to defensive adjustments, advocating for flexible play designs that can exploit weaknesses and maintain offensive efficiency.

Notable Quotes:

• Josh McDaniels ([41:11]):
  "I think you just try to find the balance... keep them involved early in the game."

• Colin Cowherd ([43:44]):
  "They [quarterbacks] start to hurt more. And we were talking about it... they're still doing the same thing."

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7. College Football Transfer Portal and Season Completion Concerns

Overview:
Colin and Josh McDaniels debate the NCAA's current transfer system, particularly focusing on how mid-season transfers can disrupt team cohesion and competitive balance. They advocate for restricting transfers until after season completions to ensure fairness and stability.

Key Points:

• Impact on Team Performance:
  Allowing players to transfer during the season can lead to weakened team rosters, especially for programs already struggling, while stronger teams might gain undue advantages through last-minute additions.

• Consistency in Rules:
  Restricting transfers to post-season periods would align with professional leagues' standards, maintaining organizational consistency and reducing intra-season disruptions.

• Coaching Stability vs. Player Freedom:
  The discussion highlights the tension between maintaining team stability and respecting players' autonomy, suggesting that order and structure should take precedence to preserve competitive integrity.

Notable Quotes:

• Josh McDaniels ([29:26]):
  "That's reasonable in any business."

• John Middlekoff ([31:35]):
  "Consistency... there's things you can't break. That's called organizational, you know, consistency."

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Conclusion

"Return of the Back" serves as a comprehensive exploration of pivotal shifts within major American sports leagues. Colin Cowherd, alongside his guests, provides compelling arguments for reevaluating player valuations, adapting strategic approaches, and instituting fairer systems within college athletics. The episode underscores the cyclical nature of sports dynamics and the importance of maintaining balance between individual talent and team cohesion.

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Notable Quotes from the Episode:

1. On Wide Receivers vs. Running Backs:
   Colin Cowherd ([04:50]): "Receivers have become once again flashy sports cars. Really expensive, high maintenance."

2. On Coaching and Transfers:
   Josh McDaniels ([29:47]): "If you want to transfer, great. You can't land anywhere until the season is over is reasonable."

3. On WNBA Rivalry:
   Colin Cowherd ([27:16]): "Angel Reese is really good. She's a very good player. She's just not level."

4. On MLB Strategies:
   John Middlekoff ([35:36]): "The Yankees need more elite starters, not a $700 million power hitter."

5. On Football Strategy Balance:
   Josh McDaniels ([41:11]): "I think you just try to find the balance... keep them involved early in the game."

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Final Thoughts

This episode of "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" provides listeners with in-depth analyses and thought-provoking opinions on current sports trends. By challenging prevailing notions and advocating for strategic adjustments, Colin and his guests encourage a reevaluation of how teams build their rosters and approach the game, emphasizing the enduring value of foundational positions like the running back.

Transcript

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[John Middlekoff]

Things people love. Thanks for listening to the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports radio at noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. Now let's get this party started. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Oh, here we go. It is a Wednesday. We are live in Los Angeles. It's the Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, thanks for making us part of your day. J. Mac we are packed today. Josh McDaniels, former, you know, legend in New England, Albert Breer stops by today. Some breaking stuff. Mark Sanchez stops by as well. And you know, for years and years I had talked about wide receivers. Chris Carter used to give me crap for this being overrated. I said, a football team's a cake. They're the icing there. It makes it better, but it's not essential to the cake. And then clearly, because of rule changes, receivers became more valuable. But about six months ago, you suggested that we could have. You've heard of housing bubbles. You said wide receiver bubble. And I think you were onto something.

[Colin Cowherd]

You think maybe, huh?

[John Middlekoff]

I think you were. So I want to start with that. Today, 49ers Brock Purdy, the quarterback, says, oh, I love Deebo Samuel the wide receiver. Here we go again. Another high maintenance wide receiver that the quarterback has to make sure he's happy, like A.J. brown in Philly. And Deebo and Malik neighbors earlier in the year with the Giants, and Devonte Adams with cryptic messages when he was a Raider. And I like Devontae, but CD Lamb is perpetually unhappy. And George Pickens and Deontay Johnson. Even Jamar Chase, who I love, made noise this year. Oh, by the way, the top five rushing teams, rushing teams in the NFL, Philly, Baltimore, Washington, Detroit and the packers are 48 17. Hey, receivers, we gave you a couple of years to be stars and you wasted it complaining. The world changes quickly. Nine months ago, all we heard is the media lament the future of running backs. Nobody wants to pay a running back. Running back saying nobody loves us. Today, power running football is back. Detroit, Baltimore, Green Bay. Wide receivers have become once again flashy sports cars. Really expensive, high maintenance. You buy one and you find out they're not great in winter months and they're not something you could drive every day. Meanwhile, there are running backs. All weather, power, economical, low maintenance. Grinders add toughness and leadership to locker rooms. Yes, occasionally you will get a running back that's got some flash. Kyron Williams of the Rams, Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley. But six of the top 10 wide receivers in the NFL, six of 10 leading in wide receiver yards, are on teams with losing records. Loud and losing. And once again, whether it's Philly or it's San Francisco or it's Dallas, it's this constant need. Look at me. Let's make sure the wide receiver is healthy. I don't get that with Saquon. I don't get it with Derek Henry. I don't get it with James Connor in Arizona. I don't get it with Walker in Seattle. They're grinders. Head down. You give me the ball, I'll produce, I'll block, I'll take on a rush end. I'll take on a Mike linebacker coming a million miles an hour to protect my quarterback. And I like Debo Samuel, but in six NFL seasons, he's only had two years of a thousand plus yards. Derrick Henry, seven straight seasons of a thousand plus yards. And whereas running backs, when they're good, make a quarterback's job easier, wide receivers, when they're good, often need to be constantly soothed and pampered and taken care of. I mean, the A.J. brown situation is ridiculous. Your team's on a heater. Saquon Barkley should be arguably mvp. And you want more targets, you're getting seven. Okay, we'll give you nine. And I like a lot of the receivers, but I always felt in this league that they were the icing to the cake. Saquon Barkley is the cake. Christian McCaffrey is the cake. Derrick Henry is the cake. And that doesn't mean I don't like wide receivers, but how many times do we see this? Winning teams having to make sure the wide receivers healthy. What's interesting about Debo, my favorite Debo is after the catch and when he plays running back. So when the receiver Debo becomes the running back, Debo, I like him more. So I think it's just a very interesting. The world changes quickly. And if you look at the teams now with power run games, always a quarterback's best friend. It's Baltimore, it's Philly, it's Detroit, it's Washington, it's Green Bay. Running backs are back, all weather, economical, tough. Quarterback's best friend. All right, so nobody wants any sportscaster to sit on the fence, right? Well, what's the point? You got to pick a side on stuff, right? And I'm just going to tell you when the story keeps coming out today that Belichick and Carolina are close to joining forces to be the coach of the Tar Heels. My takeaway and my opinion is it's eventually going to be a disaster. Let's start with this. He's 72. Yeah. And his personality is formed. He's got no charisma. He's trying on the other network, but he doesn't have any charisma. And college football. Dan Lanning, Big energy, good looking, confident young Sark, salesman. Saban, charming. Kirby, Smart. Likewise. Marcus Freeman. Good looking, cool. Jim Harbaugh, totally authentic, full of energy. Pete Carroll at usc. I mean, he hit you like a strong drink, man. He was coming at you 100 miles an hour chewing that gum. Good looking guy. I'm going to change your life. The players choose you in college football in today's nil. Bill's Patriot way. Hey, take a little less for the team. Yeah, that's, that's not, that's not happening. That, that's not happening. So that's the number one reason Belichick, in my opinion, seemed a little out of touch dealing with 27, 28, 29 year olds his last three years in pro football. Now he's dealing with 17 and 18 year olds. So that's the first part. The second part is, and this, this is true in a lot of universities, but it's really true at Carolina. The administration at Carolina right now is a little bit of a mess. Academics one side, sports on the other. This is a proud University that's rival is the academic power Duke. So they don't want to take a second fiddle to anybody. So North Carolina is serious about academics and there's a lot of pushback upstairs in the academic world to the sports world and the football program. And by the way, what's interesting is the top college football agent is Jimmy Sexton. He is a power broker. Why isn't he sending his best candidates to Carolina? Why are like second tier candidates backing out? Agents will tell you the truth where they send their people. If they start, if top agents in any industry start start sending their people to certain locations it or not sending people to certain locations, it tells you everything. Why isn't Jimmy Sexton send it all of his great clients to Carolina? Because it is a top 20, 25 job. So. And the third thing is I think it's all about Bill Belichick wanting to give this job to his son in like a year. I think he's going to get worn out a year in and say I want to give it to my son. Which by the way, I get it, I'm a dad, totally get it. But whereas Dion Sanders went to Colorado and he was about attitude, us noticing a program that was irrelevant swag, confidence. And I truly do believe that Deion Sanders really does care about elevating young men. To me, Belichick cares about elevating one young man, his son. And I get it, I really do. But that's not why you take a job, right? Like I think Deion to Colorado works because I think he's a. When it comes to Dion and what he really wants to do, he got the bag. He's the greatest cornerback of all time. He wanted to change some lives, including his son, not just his son. And so I don't buy it. I'm not sitting on the fence. Michael Irvin, who was so good yesterday on our show, the playmaker, former Cowboy, his thoughts on Belichick and Carolina. The current landscape of college football is a lot different than even when Jimmy was in college. You know, so much different back then. You know, Jimmy can really use the hammer to keep you in line. I just don't know if coach has the time to counsel and that's what it's going to take. That's what make Deion so great in college. He's really a mentor. Coaching coach is a coach that has forced a mentor. It's a lot, it's a lot dealing with kids in there. And I just think that's not what coach want to be doing. He wants to coach football. Yeah, college football has gotten harder for college football coaches in the last five to 10 years. I'd argue the NFL, though the owners are crazier and richer than ever, is easier because there's more really good quarterbacks and really talented offensive play callers and play designers. So for a head coach in the NFL, you don't have to be a wizard. Schematically, all sorts of very talented young coaches all over the NFL and that league has a pension for coaches. So it's a much better place to be an assistant than college football. This doesn't work to me. It may make headlines. It may feel right for about six games or six months. I don't think it works. J Mac disagrees. We have some stories today. I have two potential very unpopular opinions.

[Colin Cowherd]

Only two?

[John Middlekoff]

Only two today.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's gonna be tough to top yesterday's show, Colin.

[John Middlekoff]

It was very strong.

[Colin Cowherd]

One of the better Tuesday shows.

[John Middlekoff]

Well, you talked a lot, so I think you liked yesterday.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, no, that's what the people want. You gotta give the people combative. JMac versus coastal elite.

[John Middlekoff]

Colin yeah, it was something like that. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS1 and the iHeartRadio app apple cart is the.

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[John Middlekoff]

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[John Middlekoff]

So I'm hoping this story's not true, but it comes from an NBA website called Clutch Points and it says today sources close to the Lakers say that if James asked the Lakers to trade him and his name swirling around Trade deadlines in, like, February, they would work to define LeBron a deal where he'd rather be. But it is believed James would only go if Bronnie James, his son, would be part of the deal. So that's weak. I mean, the moment LeBron made playing with his son a priority, he probably punted on winning any more titles. So let's just be honest about this. Bronny's not an NBA player. He's not. He's not a primary ball handler. He's not a shooting guard. He's tiny. He's athletic, but everybody in the league's athletic. He's not an NBA player. So I basically, I totally supported LeBron again with his son in that moment, the first night they played together. Totally supported it. But we got to stop pretending here. This is getting Globetrotter level shticky. Bronny's not an NBA player. He's a G league player, and he's not a dominant G league player. He's not even a very good G league player. So. And he wasn't a very good college player on a. On a solid program. Not a great one. So, again, if Bronny and Bron were playing at the UCLA gym here, five minutes from where I sit, and it was August and we all had our iPhones out, that's awesome. But trying to force us to believe, like, this is a real thing, we got to stop pretending it's inauthentic. It's not. It's just not good. And listen, NBA stars have always aged strangely. Michael Jordan was on the Wizards. He was cranky and didn't get along with his Washington teammates. Melo was sending us random videos from gyms wherever, seeing if he could make another roster. Shaq was on three teams in three seasons. And LeBron's trying to make us believe that Bronny's an NBA player. He's a nice kid and he's athletic, but he's a 6:1 non point guard. They do not exist. That would be like saying a really super slow wide receiver. They don't exist in the league. And so, I mean, listen, I'm not trying to be mean, but have we gone from the decision to the delusion if this story is true? And I don't think the lakers should trade LeBron because the attendance is still good. He's the second best player on the team. He's a playmaker. And outside of Austin Reeves, they don't have another. So I think trading LeBron is ridiculous. But the Lakers have sort of allowed this and there's where we stand now. He's at the center of trade rumors, and it just feels terribly inauthentic. I can be okay with a moment, but not think it's a movement, right? There's a lot of moments I support. They don't need to be movements. And I think it's just inauthentic. To try to make this a package deal would be saying, hey, both are what another team wanted. And I think LeBron at this point has a very limited market. I don't think Bronnie has one at all. Just being real here. J. Mac with the news. No, no, no, Turn on the news. This is the Herdline news.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right, we have a big one. Thursday, Rams, Niners. The Niners, backs against the wall, losing. It's over. The Seahawks have a lead in the division and San Francisco, 6 and 7. Listen, it's been an injury plague season. Brock Pur says there's one way for San Francisco to play the rest of the year.

[John Middlekoff]

Where we're at now, it can't be. What is the end gonna look like? It has to be. We have to take care of business today and then tomorrow, and then when the game comes, take care of each play and drive and quarter. It's just being in the moment, man, and not looking too far ahead. And so with that comes, you know, playing together as a team and playing desperate because we don't have room to lose or anything like that. So this is where we're at. I like the niners close about 27, 24. I think this is their season, and I think it's really hard after you play Buffalo and play a perfect football game to duplicate it. For the Rams, they played as well as any team has played for three and a half hours this season. They were virtually perfect. Blocked punts, not missed tackles. I Mean, Matt Stafford, 7 on 7 drill. They ran the ball, they threw it deep underneath. No drop passes. I mean, the Rams put on a clinic on how to play pro football.

[Colin Cowherd]

I would agree. The Niners are the side here. You know what I like, though, is this leadership. We're hearing from Brock Purdy at the podium. Hat on. Forward.

[John Middlekoff]

I did like that. I did like that. I've said before, his intangibles are excellent. Off the charts. Hat straight ahead. Looking to the future.

[Colin Cowherd]

Are you getting. Are you getting to the point where you're okay paying him 40 mil a year?

[John Middlekoff]

Yes, I think. I think Brock Purdy deserves something, but I think the team has a lot of leverage, too.

[Colin Cowherd]

Explain.

[John Middlekoff]

Well, go to his last 12 starts and look at his record. Look at his record when he doesn't have Christian McCaffrey. Trent Williams is getting old so it would be better served to have a bigger, more mobile quarterback than a smallish quarterback. If I'm losing the best left tackle in a decade. A lot of things here that worry me.

[Colin Cowherd]

But he is so without the coming into the season, the greatest running back in the league. Yeah, he didn't play well. Boy, you know I'm not a good fighter with one hand tied behind my back. Colin and oh by the way, Trent Williams missing time now you got both out a you I mean Jordan Mason the backup running back who looked Jalen.

[John Middlekoff]

Hurts was almost an MVP without Saquon Barkley.

[Colin Cowherd]

Jalen Hurts lost AJ Brown for a game and they got destroyed by Tampa earlier this season.

[John Middlekoff]

Tampa is good. Tam is a pretty good team.

[Colin Cowherd]

This whole like look at his stats. Come on man, we're not going to do this, are we? You don't really want to pay Brock Purdy.

[John Middlekoff]

I am willing to pay him well below I would say Daniel Jones area.

[Colin Cowherd]

Kirk Cousins coming off an achilles got like 45. Is he getting that?

[John Middlekoff]

Kirk Cousins wins and has excellent. What does Kirk Cousins want? Kirk Cousins has. He will be in the NFL record book multiple times. For what? For stealing money completion percentage yards off.

[Colin Cowherd]

The top of your head. Give me the most memorable Kirk Cousins playoff victory.

[John Middlekoff]

Well, go the Miracle. The Minnesota Miracle was not him. Maybe, maybe I'm wrong.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't think that was him.

[John Middlekoff]

I think Case Keenum or something. Yeah, my bad. Kirk Cousins was in the vicinity that close.

[Colin Cowherd]

But Kirk Cousins like Brock Purdy had two game winning drives last year against your packers and your Lions in the playoffs.

[John Middlekoff]

Yeah, he was clutch. Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. That's the side people for Collins. Ready to move on.

[John Middlekoff]

He doesn't like talking about Brock Purdy.

[Colin Cowherd]

Next story. You're going to love this. Caitlin Clark has been named times athlete of the year. What a tremendous rookie season. Dominated the wnba. You could argue she should have been the mvp. Whatever. I'm not going to argue with that. Set in WNBA record for assists. Scored the most points by a guard in single season WNBA history.

[John Middlekoff]

And she plays really kind of an NBA game. Good handles step back three NBA shooting range. I mean she's really a clever, dynamic player and I unlike the rest of America am okay with some of the chippy play toward her because I think that is what Larry Bird faced and Michael Jordan faced. I think it's what Bryce Harper faced. I think the ultimate sign of respect for Women's sports is to not pander and appreciate the fact that women's basketball is really feisty and physical like men's basketball is. Let's not pander. She had to deal with the same stuff that all young stars getting tons of publicity had to deal with. MJ got Detroit tackled him for four years.

[Colin Cowherd]

That was a little different. That was the Jordan rules because he was utterly dominant.

[John Middlekoff]

Well, she roughed him up. Go look at her after the first 10 games, and guess what the league did.

[Colin Cowherd]

They basically made the Jordan rules go away because that wasn't good for the product.

[John Middlekoff]

After several years.

[Colin Cowherd]

After several years, but still, they were like, oh, slow to react. David Stern, rip.

[John Middlekoff]

Too many people in the media pander to women's sports. The ultimate respect is saying they belong. I did 10 Caitlin Clark segments, and I monitored all of them, and they all rated. Yeah, that's respect. Stop this whole feisty thing. Angel. Her and Angel Reese are rivals. They're both awesome. How.

[Colin Cowherd]

Wait, how are they rivals? Caitlin Clark's dominated her head to head.

[John Middlekoff]

Angela Clark's a much better rebounding records as a rookie. She's a different rebound. Well, she's a different player.

[Colin Cowherd]

She can't make a shot outside the lane. Well, there's no rivalry there.

[John Middlekoff]

Either can Giannis. Well, I mean, I'm not wrong either.

[Colin Cowherd]

What a title?

[John Middlekoff]

Like, come on. That's what I'm saying. But Angel Reese is part of this, too. You got Bird needed magic and vice versa. You need a rival. And I think Angel Reese is a different player. She's feisty. She's an interior player. Caitlin's a perimeter player.

[Colin Cowherd]

You could add disrespectful to Angel Reese. She's disrespectful to Caitlin Clark. You don't see Clark acting that way to Reese.

[John Middlekoff]

Well, there's an old saying you never want to punch down. And Caitlin is viewed as the super superstar. Angel Reese is viewed as the star.

[Colin Cowherd]

Angel Reese is really good. She's a very good player. She's just not level.

[John Middlekoff]

Well, that's not being mean. No, that's reality. I'm sorry. You know, if you.

[Colin Cowherd]

You guys want to dispute it, but, like, I. I just. I'm very curious what the. What the sophomore season is like. We talk about a sophomore slug.

[John Middlekoff]

I think she'll be fine.

[Colin Cowherd]

But also, do you expect, like, a pullback in, you know, ticket sales, no TV ratings, all that stuff?

[John Middlekoff]

Up, up, up, up, up. Ohtani's gonna not get less popular.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, Ohtani just won the World Series, so the Dodgers are At the top.

[John Middlekoff]

Aaron Judge gets more popular every year in New York. Mahomes gets more popular every year. Why is Caitlin Clark going backwards?

[Colin Cowherd]

So when the schedule comes out, do you want to go to Caitlin Clark?

[John Middlekoff]

I'd have no problem going if I can get a ticket.

[Colin Cowherd]

We know some people.

[John Middlekoff]

You may. I don't know anybody.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know people, but no. Caitlin Clark versus the LA Sparks. They got a good team. They just didn't play well this year. Injuries. Yeah. Maybe we'll go to a game out here in la. It's for hang out here in la. It's fun. Let's go to the final story and that is, how about this. In college football, Ole Miss is playing Duke in the Gator Bowl. Are you ready for this? Duke's quarterback, Malik Murphy, the kid who was at Texas, well, I think he was a five star recruit. He just set a Duke record for touchdown passes in a season. And he's not playing in the bowl game because he's in the transfer portal again.

[John Middlekoff]

So stupid.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, we'll talk about this in a second. Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin is not thrilled with the situation.

[Josh McDaniels]

You just think it's NFL, you know, get ready for the afc, NFC playoffs, postseason. And players are, you know, in free agency already.

[John Middlekoff]

So it's really poor system.

[Josh McDaniels]

But we just try to manage, manage the best we can through it and hopefully someday it'll get fixed.

[John Middlekoff]

Yeah, Lane Kiffin is right. It's ridiculous that you can transfer as you go into bowls and playoffs. Even the NFL has like boundaries on when you can do things. You have to. I don't have any problem transferring. Not during the season. When the season is complete, after the playoff and bowl system, then transfer for the next six months.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, so let me ask you this. The Gator bowl is not part of the playoff. It is an irrelevant exhibition football game. Nothing.

[John Middlekoff]

All bowls and playoffs have to be done before you get transfers. All bowls done. All playoffs done. Well, should you be at. Should you be able to trade players in the NFL? Well, Caroline is not in the playoffs. They can trade right now. Even though there's a playoffs going on. Everybody plays under the same trading rules, the same transfer.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think the trade deadline in the NFL, silly. They need to push it way back. Yeah. Why? Why shouldn't Carolina? Hey, our season's over. We're gonna tank. Yeah, we'll give up players. You want, you want them on the everybody playoff push?

[John Middlekoff]

Take them, take them off our season. Everybody has schedules. Our show is on a schedule. It's nine to noon Pacific. We Have a schedule. We have to show up at times. That's the way the world works. It can't just be, I'm gonna do what I wanna do when I wanna do it. That's not the way the world. Your kids have a curfew, your kids have school at a certain time, the buses come at a certain time.

[Colin Cowherd]

Totally different, unfortunately. Colin, let's say they expanded the playoff from 12 to 36 and the Gator bowl was in the playoff. Would this kid be transferring or would he say, shoot, we're in the playoff, we got a shot at the title.

[John Middlekoff]

If you looked actually at the College Football Playoff contract, it will never be 30, 16. It will expand to 14 at most, potentially in the next three years. It is a small playoff, there's a smaller number of bowl games. No transferring until everybody's season is complete. So therefore, you can't punish the good programs whose coaches are coaching games and give the lousy programs an advantage to be recruiting nonstop. Everybody has to play under certain guidelines. That's reasonable in any business.

[Colin Cowherd]

But hold on. Does the same apply to coaches? If this coach of Duke Cutcliffe all of a sudden wants to leave next week, he can leave. Bowl games happening, I don't care about.

[John Middlekoff]

A CEO is different than an employee for the structure and foundation of a $800,000 program. If somebody fires a coach like a player could quit a team, we're just saying he can't go to another one. Coaches come and go. They're not players. They're not even. Nick Saban is more valuable than any college player ever, right?

[Colin Cowherd]

But these guys going in the portal, they can't play in bowl games.

[John Middlekoff]

If you want to transfer, great. You can't land anywhere until the season is over is reasonable.

[Colin Cowherd]

That makes sense. But I guess the argument would be, well, wait a sec. It's an arms race if we all enter at the exact same time.

[John Middlekoff]

Even armed races between countries have treaties. Everything has rules, even war. There's NATO rules, there's wartime rules. Like there's things you can't break. That's called organizational, you know, consistency. J. Mac with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by the herd lie news. Here's an unpopular opinion. The Yankees didn't necessarily need Juan Soto. The Mets needed him more to be relevant. And oh, by the way, the Yankees yesterday went and signed left hander Max Freed from Atlanta. He's really good and he'll probably win more games than Juan Soto would have. I said this yesterday, Go spend your money elsewhere. Well, he's 30 years old and it's a long deal. That's called Major League Baseball. The way to beat the Dodgers is a top pitcher that can get out Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Ohtani. And Max Freed against Betts owns him. Mookie Betts is 2 for 30 against Max Freed and Freddie Freeman is 2 of 13. That's how you beat the Dodgers. Garrett Cole gave the Dodgers trouble. Nobody else on the staff did. They all got shelled. Power hitters didn't beat the Dodgers. Aaron Judge was irrelevant. Manny Machado, Francisco Lindor. The Yankees need more arms. Trying to beat the Dodgers with hitting is like trying to beat the KD Steph warriors at three point shooting. You're not going to. I mean, good God. The National League Championship Series MVP for the Dodgers was Tommy Edmond, who would bat eighth or ninth. You're not beating the Dodgers at the plate, but Garrett Cole in the two games he started was excellent and slowed them down. So this idea that Juan Soto, you got Stanton and you got Aaron Judge, you got more than enough power. If you decide Soto, you're not signing this excellent pitcher. Yes, he's 30 and yes, that's a long contract for a 30 year old. But let's be honest, baseball, everybody's signing eight year deals. So the Yankees need more elite starters, not a $700 million power hitter. By the way, Soto's contract would have been like double what Aaron Judge makes. That would have been a weird vibe in New York. You don't think that would have been a weird vibe? So I said this yesterday. You can look at the Juan Soto thing. Oh, this is terrible. I think he's a better fit with the Mets in the same, you know, side as the Dodgers. If you want to get to a World Series, the Mets may need Juan Soto. I don't think the Yankees do. They've got power hitters. What they need is more depth of pitching. You're not going to out hit the Dodgers. That's not it. That's not going to work. Here's Brian Cashman this morning on the MLB Network on missing out on Juan Soto, a great player from the Yankee standpoint. You no retreat, no surrender. We get back after it and find a way to, to put together a roster that our fans are going to be excited about and we think, you know, will take us a chance.

[Colin Cowherd]

Another.

[John Middlekoff]

We want to defend that American League title and get back in the World.

[Colin Cowherd]

Series and try to win it.

[John Middlekoff]

Yeah, I said yesterday, you just, you just saved yourself a lot of money. Get a better staff. Get a better. I mean, the Dodgers pitching staff was so deep in the bullpen, the Padres were red hot. The Dodgers threw a bullpen game and like eight different guys threw an inning and shut them out. They, they were winning bullpen games against elite teams in the playoffs. So. And you're not getting, I mean, if Max Muncie, Betts Freeman, Tommy Edmond, Ohtani, it's just an endless stream of elite hitters. You're not out hitting the Dodgers, all right, and you're not out shooting kd, Steph and the Warriors. There was ways to beat him that, wasn't it? All right, Josh McDaniels is coming up in studio. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific. This podcast is sponsored by PayPal. Now here's the kicker the PayPal debit card earns you 5% cash back in a monthly category of your Choice. Up to $1,000 of monthly purchases. So groceries, health and beauty, gas, apparel restaurants. On top of that, you can get cash back offers within the app from brands like DoorDash, Instacart, Sephora. This month, it's all about that apparel. I got a crazy schedule. I shop online a lot. Snag a suit here or there, fresh gear. 5% cash back adds up fast, and signing up is easy. Just Download the new PayPal app to sign up and you're ready to start earning cash back on your everyday purchases. Pay Smart, Earn cash back. Enjoy peace of mind with a PayPal debit card. Don't just pay PayPal terms and limits apply. See paypal.com rewardspal Cashback earned as points redeemable for cash and other options on up to $1,000 spend per month. The PayPal Debit Mastercard is issued by the Bancor bank pursuant to license by MasterCard International, Inc. And may be used everywhere. MasterCard is accepted as we gather together.

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[John Middlekoff]

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[Jordan]

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[Jon Stewart]

Stewart is back at the Daily show, and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into John's unique take on the biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondents and contributors, and with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups, this podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed, listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Adnan Virk]

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

[Jason Demers]

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

[Adnan Virk]

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

[Jason Demers]

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

[Adnan Virk]

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

[Jason Demers]

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

[Adnan Virk]

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

[John Middlekoff]

Six Super bowl rings, 14 years offensive coordinator, four years as a head coach. What a pleasure to have Josh McDaniels back. There's so many things today I want to touch on. I said this as that for years I was sort of like the cake is the quarterback, left tackle, the run game, the D line, the O line. Receivers are the icing. They make it fun.

[Josh McDaniels]

Yep.

[John Middlekoff]

But they're not essential. And then the rule changes and then they became more essential. But I'm looking at the resurgence of running backs. Baltimore, Green Bay, Detroit, Washington power teams. It's a cyclical league and in the last year and a half, something has happened where teams now are moving back to the run game. Why?

[Josh McDaniels]

Yeah, I think, I think in many regards it's the defense's response to those elite players on the outside. And when there's more safeties in the deep part of the field and less people down near the line of scrimmage, there's just less things you can do to get those guys the ball. And so the guy that's standing by the quarterback or behind the quarterback becomes more valuable because, honestly, that's the right thing to do. When there's a light box or a fair fight inside, you give those guys the ball and you can see there's. There's a lot of great running backs in this league.

[John Middlekoff]

Right.

[Josh McDaniels]

You know, I don't think they should be devalued, but, you know, based on how defenses are defending, you know, teams and offenses, I think they become more valuable.

[John Middlekoff]

As we're seeing right now, historically, receivers have been noisier and more verbal. I've always said they're kind of the pro basketball players of football. They break the huddle first. It's one on one. They're often the biggest, longest athlete. They want the ball, and I get it. But like in Philadelphia now, now we got an issue. We're red hot. We're clearly off the by. Josh, we're going to throw less, we're going to run more. The centerpiece is Saquon. It's working. How would you quiet the locker room? There are increasing stories. Brandon Ingram, Jalen, you know, Dak and DEZ had an issue, and Dallas, I thought, made the right decision. They moved Dez out. A.J. brown's really good. How do you quiet the noise in season?

[Josh McDaniels]

Yeah, I think, look, you have to tell them and show them. Honestly, showing them is more important than telling them that you're interested in getting them the ball. And the only reason you want them to have the ball is because they're going to help your team win more than any other player at that position. And there's certain guys like A.J. brown, and we just saw one game on Monday night with Jamar and CD and, you know, the Justin Jeffersons in the world, and these guys that are. They're elite players, they deserve to have the ball. As an offensive coordinator and the quarterback, you want to get them the ball, but there's also a lot of attention being paid to those guys. So, look, I think there's. There's a balance there, you know, between forcing it to them too much, where, you know, they're trying to take them out of the game. And now you're. You're just punting a lot, you know, and throwing a lot of incomplete passes. And not getting them the ball at all. And so I think you just try to find the balance, you know, keep them involved early in the game. I think that's important, is to get them involved right away. Just so they touch the football, they're in the flow of the game. And then the design of the offense, when you are throwing the ball, you know, it should go through those guys. It just should.

[John Middlekoff]

So there are decisions. Russell Wilson is. I would say there's a resurgence, but he was seen as a declining player in Denver. Kirk Cousins appears to be declining fast. Brady was remarkably able to stay at a high level, and his decline was very, very hard to see. If you're. I mean, you're like a master at this. This may not something that you would talk publicly about, but what would be the first thing you would see with a quarterback and think whisper to Bill or whisper to a coach? He doesn't have blank anymore.

[Josh McDaniels]

Yeah, I think. And we didn't see it with Tommy.

[John Middlekoff]

Yeah.

[Josh McDaniels]

You know, and he's rare, as, you know, I mean, like, very. The rare. Yeah. You know, to me, if you start to feel like they don't want the hits, you know, and the ball's kind of coming out maybe earlier than it should.

[John Middlekoff]

Beat early.

[Josh McDaniels]

Yeah, beat early. Because they just know what's about to come, you know, and hit them in the. In the chest or in the shoulder or, you know, those start to accumulate over time and they start to hurt more. And we were talking about it, you know, the NASCAR drivers that get a little older, that all of a sudden they start to fall down the leaderboard and they're still driving for the same organization. They're still doing the same thing.

[John Middlekoff]

They got four kids.

[Josh McDaniels]

Yes. Right. There's a little bit more to drive for or play for. And I don't even know that anybody makes those decisions consciously. I think it's almost a subconscious decision that your body makes for you that, you know, it may not want to go through this anymore.

[John Middlekoff]

Yeah. If you were in Chicago. So it's structurally, as an organization, on tilt. Give me the first thing. I'm Caleb Williams. You walk into the room. What is the first thing you do? Because he was struggling, ascending, plateaued, dropping. What's the first order of business to a talented young quarterback to get him right.

[Josh McDaniels]

You're talking about right now.

[John Middlekoff]

Caleb Williams walked in today.

[Josh McDaniels]

Today.

[John Middlekoff]

How do you get it back?

[Josh McDaniels]

What do you feel most comfortable doing? You know, just to ask you. Yeah. What do you feel most comfortable doing? Because the offense isn't going to be Very good. Doing things that I like if you don't like them.

[John Middlekoff]

Right.

[Josh McDaniels]

You know, and so I think the biggest thing you have to do is what's in his bucket that he feels really good about. And you start with that and honestly major in that. And then if you say, hey, I think there's a few things that would help us as a team if we could add these to your bucket. And then at that point you got to have the conversation. And I think he deserves to know why you want to do that. I think if we do this, that helps us get the ball down the field more. We can get this guy the ball if we do some of this. But I think to me it has to start with where he's comfortable. And look, these rookie quarterbacks, as we've seen, there's been flashes of great play from all of them and all of.

[John Middlekoff]

Them have had bad days.

[Josh McDaniels]

That's right. And they all. And some of them have hit like a little bit of a lull or a wall, if you will. And then you kind of got to get them back. And so I think to me it starts with what do you feel most comfortable doing on a play to play basis? Let's do more of that. Let's major in that and then see where we go from there.

[John Middlekoff]

So in any industry, if something's viewed as a high stress job and there's a lot, it could be a fighter pilot, could be an astronaut. The company usually gives you longer time to recover. Right. And so let's not perfectly analogous to football, but when you're the Chiefs and every game.

[Josh McDaniels]

Yep.

[John Middlekoff]

Is a one score, one possession game, is it possible that it does wear on you over the course of a season, that you need some layups in this league and they don't get any layups.

[Josh McDaniels]

Yeah, it can if you, if you're focused on just the result. I think if you're focusing on the process and that team knows on Monday when they watch the film that they're playing pretty good football. And right now, based on all of our injuries and the situation and circumstances that we have, this is the best we're going to do right now. You know what I mean? Not saying that we can't improve, but look, you know, the days of thinking you're going to go in there and score 40 every time. That's not right now. Yeah, that's not this team, you know, now when they had Hollywood and Rashee and you know, they were healthier and they lost Pacheco for a while and I mean, look, they've had to deal with a lot of things this year for three years.

[John Middlekoff]

Really?

[Josh McDaniels]

Yeah, they really have. And they played more games than everybody else.

[John Middlekoff]

Yes, too.

[Josh McDaniels]

So, look, that happens. That happened to us in New England, where you just. There's a. There's an attrition that takes over when you're the team that's playing the final game of the season. So I think, to me, I think they'll do a great job. And he does a phenomenal job always, but he'll keep it in perspective. You know, there's value in winning close games. They're going to have to win them in January in that fashion. And so I think his team is mentally and physically tough, and for that, I think there's a lot of positive.

[John Middlekoff]

Finally, we've seen Jordan Love of Green Bay and Jalen Hurts. Both staffs have said, we want you to throw less. So Jordan Love's getting in the 22 to 23 attempts. In fact, anytime he's thrown over, like, 30, 35, they're on three. And by the way, it works. And they have a great running back. Philadelphia Jalen at 34. We get loose at 24. We're great. When you add Tom, and even though Tom is the most efficient and productive quarterback ever, was there a number you looked at and you would be in game thinking, this isn't what I want. We're going too many innings here. Because Tom was obsessed to begin with. You know, like, Tommy would just throw at 50 if you let him. Did you go into games or. Over the course of a season? Okay, now we're in November.

[Josh McDaniels]

Yep.

[John Middlekoff]

Did you have a number as a coordinator?

[Josh McDaniels]

It depended on who we were playing.

[John Middlekoff]

Okay.

[Josh McDaniels]

You know, if you. If you go into the game and you say, listen, throwing the ball against Dwight Freeney and Mathis and that pass rush, you know, 52 times is not a good idea.

[John Middlekoff]

Right.

[Josh McDaniels]

We need to run the ball, you know, 28, 30, 32 times for us to feel better about controlling the game.

[John Middlekoff]

Right.

[Josh McDaniels]

That's different. There were times where we played, you know, the Baltimore Ravens, and we went into the game saying, you can't run. We're definitely throwing it 55 or more times. And I think the decision during the week and the comfort you get with it, and you tell the team, this is how we're going to try to run.

[John Middlekoff]

Would you tell Bill that?

[Josh McDaniels]

Yeah, well, he would. Yeah, he would tell me that, you know, like, I don't think we're going to make many yards running the ball this week, you know, and you say, okay, you know, well, how many is too many? You know, and you asked him that. 7. You know, so you're just, you just say, all right, we're going to put all our eggs in this basket. Now, you might design the offensive game plan a little differently, you know, maybe a couple less down the field throws and more screens or something else that are extensions of the running game but that stop the rush from becoming a big factor. But I think what these teams are after is complimentary football.

[John Middlekoff]

Right.

[Josh McDaniels]

Don't turn it over. Score, score points when we get our opportunities, give the ball to the back as much as we can. Create some big plays off the play action and then play good defense.

[John Middlekoff]

Yeah. Get a lead run games are great with the lead, not just trailing.

[Josh McDaniels]

That's right.

[John Middlekoff]

Great with a lead.

[Josh McDaniels]

That's right.

[John Middlekoff]

Love having you on, man.

[Josh McDaniels]

I love being here.

[John Middlekoff]

This podcast is sponsored by PayPal. Now here's the kicker. The PayPal debit card earns you 5% cash back in a monthly category of your Choice. Up to $1,000 of monthly purchases. So groceries, health and beauty, gas, apparel restaurants. On top of that, you can get cash back offers within the app from brands like Doordash, Instacart, Sephora. This month, it's all about that apparel. I got a crazy schedule. I shop online a lot. Snag a suit here or there, fresh gear. 5% cash back adds up fast. And signing up is easy. Just Download the new PayPal app to sign up and you're ready to start earning cash back on your everyday purchases. Pay smart, earn cash back. Enjoy peace of mind with a PayPal debit card. Don't just pay PayPal terms apply. See PayPal app cash back earned as points you can redeem for cash and other options. This card issued by the Bancorp and a person went to license by MasterCard International Inc. Join iHeartMedia Chairman and CEO Bob Pittman for a special episode of the hit podcast Math and Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing as he interviews the iconic and prolific Martha Stewart in front of a live audience in celebration of her 100th book. Did you ever think you were going to wind up writing 100 books? Yeah. You did? Yeah. It's just a minor goal. Listen to math and Magic on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jon Stewart]

Jon Stewart is back at the Daily show and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into John unique take on the biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondents and contributors, and with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups, this podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed? Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Adnan Virk]

What's up everybody? Ad Nan Burke here to tell you about a new podcast. It's NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers.

[Jason Demers]

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

[Adnan Virk]

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

[Jason Demers]

Tons of guests are going to join in too. But we're not just gonna be talking hockey, folks. We're talking movies, we're talking TV, food, and Ednad's favorite wrestling. It's all on Le Table.

[Adnan Virk]

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

[John Middlekoff]

The forces shaping markets and the economy are often hiding behind a blur of numbers. So that's why we created the Big Take from Bloomberg Podcasts to give you the context you need to make sense of it all. Every day in just 15 minutes, we dive into one global business story that matters. You'll hear from Bloomberg journalists like Matt Levine.

[Jon Stewart]

A lot of this meme stock stuff.

[John Middlekoff]

Is, I think, embarrassing to the SEC. Follow the Big Take podcast on the.

[Adnan Virk]

Iheartradio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.