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Colin Cowherd
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J. Mac
This one's for the food obsessed. For the phone eats first person. For the influencer who knows about a new spot before it's poppin. And for the person who's all in on dining out with Amex Gold. You can earn four times points at restaurants up to $50,000 and up to $100 back annually in statement credits on eligible purchases at US resi restaurants so you can get rewarded for eating what you love. That's the powerful backing of American Express. Terms apply. Cap applies. Learn more@americanexpress.com withamx introducing Instagram Teen Accounts.
Colin Cowherd
A new way to keep your teen safer as they grow. Like making sure they always have their seatbelt on.
J. Mac
All right, sweetie pie, buckle up.
Colin Cowherd
Good job. Or ring the bell on their bike. Okay, kid, give it a try. Nice. Or remember their elbow pads.
Adam Wainwright
Knees too.
Colin Cowherd
Okay. Yep, there you go. New Instagram Teen Accounts. Automatic protections for who can contact your teen and the content they can see. 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 herd@foxsportsradio.com 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. Here we go on a Tuesday, live in Los Angeles. It's the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening or watching. And I was watching at 3:45 in the morning. Fox Sports. You got it, baby. J. Mac, that's why you don't go out partying. You go to bed early so you can watch Dodger baseball. MLB Accident 3. It started at 3. I missed the first 40 minutes, but I was locked in after that. J. Mac, I see you got a haircut for the start of the baseball season. Start of the baseball season, Are you kidding me?
Nick Wright
That's it. By the way, did Ohtani homer?
Colin Cowherd
He had a couple of hits and a couple of runs. Dodgers are really good. Okay, let's just start with this. The Dodgers beat the Cubs. They're obviously not going to go 162 and oh, but 159 and three is on the table. This is a really good team. The minute the Cubs went to the bullpen. Nah, it's not going to work. No Mookie bets, no Freddie Freeman. Late scratch, no problem. But watching a Dodger game with Ohtani reminds me of when Tiger started taking over golf. And whenever there was a lull in the action, the director would just say, all right, let's just put it on Tiger. And even walking up the fairway, it was okay to watch him for 90 seconds every fairway. You were watching history. And that's what it feels like with Ohtani. Unfazed, always smiling. Game in Tokyo. Little bit of nerves? Nah. Infectious personality. So he's already got a World Series title. He's already got three MVPs in the bag. And unlike the Angels, he's on a stacked team, so you can't pitch around him. And he's leading off, which will force, yes, people in Los Angeles to show up to Dodger games early. Yamamoto, the starter, got the W for the Dodgers, but he's now in an all time roster. You can't pitch around him. And it's just there's a magnetism, transformational. And again, they didn't have Mookie or Freddie Freeman. This is going to be a tough team to face because if you go to your bullpen and it's not buttoned up, you're talking about five potential batters that could be hall of Famers and Ohtani at bats. And this is what's great for baseball, is that. And we've said this, you know, I grew up in a different time when there were the faces of baseball. It could be Johnny Bench, you know, for a time, you know, it could Be Mark Fidrich. It could be a quirky personality. Baseball's been dying for a face of the sport. Now, Aaron Judge is a big deal, but baseball's more regional than national. So you may just be like the face of the league. Hudson river east, if you're Aaron Judge. But I do feel like we talk about. NBA is always saying, well, you need a face of the league, and it can't be an international player. The minute Otani parked his car at Dodger Stadium, he was the face of Major League Baseball. Pacific Rim, Los Angeles and beyond. Never forget last year. Dodgers go to Yankee Stadium. All those blue hats, they lead Major League Baseball in road attendance. And being the face of a sport is something you cannot campaign for. Right. Like, it's a little bit like a nickname. You can't give it to yourself. It's got to come naturally. And I'm thinking, oh, boy, he's going to be nervous in this series. This is going to be a lot for him. It wasn't infectious. Unfazed, always smiling. Couple hits, couple runs. Dodgers want to know. Got good starting pitching. And here's the skipper after. I don't think I've ever seen Shohei nervous. You know, one thing I did notice.
Nick Wright
Is how emotional he got during the Japanese national anthem.
Adam Wainwright
That was really something.
Colin Cowherd
That was very telling, how emotional he was.
Adam Wainwright
I thought it was a good baseball game.
Nick Wright
I thought offensively, we control the strike.
Colin Cowherd
Zone, took our walks, got some timely.
Nick Wright
Hits, played good defense.
Colin Cowherd
Yeah. But it really is. We've talked about this a lot, about, does the NBA have a face of the league? And I felt forever when I watched Michael Jordan. Jordan was good looking. He was the best dressed. There were the earrings, there was the smile. He had a gate. The way he walked. Michael walked. Cool. Like he didn't have to ask for it. Like, Michael walked into the room. He was the alpha. And it didn't matter if Barkley, Magic and Bird were in the room. Michael was the alpha around all these great Dodger players. I mean, it's just. Ohtani is different. I mean, it. Language barriers irrelevant. Doesn't matter at all. The look, the size is so much bigger in person. And even around Major League Baseball players, you can see it. It's totally infectious. Dodgers want to know. Gonna be a lot of W's for this team. They play again tomorrow and It'll be on FS1, actually. So what I'm about to say about LeBron is not necessarily a criticism. It's actually part of sort of his legacy to me. LeBron's very calculated with everything his social media posts. So LeBron, remember, they face Boston and they played a good game and for the first half, then in the second half they kind of struggled and LeBron had a, like a growing tweak. And LeBron's like, see you guys, I'm going to head back to la. I'll see you guys in three weeks. Very calculated. So last night I watched the warriors against the Nuggets. And the Nuggets didn't have Jokic, and the Nuggets didn't have Jamal Murray. And the Nuggets completely controlled the game. I mean, they led the whole game at one point by 15, and there was no Jokic and no Jamal Murray. And my take watching is Steph Curry looks really tired. And this is where the Lakers have an advantage over the Warriors. So if, if LeBron's out, Luca and Austin Reaves are both play initiators. They can both drop 30 points. You would not be shocked. Austin's on a heater right now. If Steph takes a night off, I mean, the oxygen offensively for the warriors leaves the room. I love Draymond, I love Jimmy Butler. They don't. They're not offensive, dynamic machines. That's not what they are. What Jimmy Butler adds is all these intangibles and toughness and physicality and urgency. And Draymond is a catalyst and he's a rebounder and a defender. But if Steph's not on the floor, and he was last night, you take him off the floor. I said this before the Jimmy Butler moved. The warriors were boring without Steph on the floor. They've got good players. But Kaminga by himself, Jimmy by himself. I mean, you watch Jimmy Butler in Miami, just didn't matter. So LeBron is a 40 year old and he understands the value of a nap. So he gets a groin tweak, walks off the floor and he heads to la. He gets treatment every day, you know what I mean? He, he gets rest. He watches his son play high school basketball. He gets a mental reset, a physical reboot. That has always been the value of LeBron. The way LeBron looks at basketball is how can the player I'm going to play with, Chris bosh, could be J.R. smith, Kyrie Irving, it could be AD, Luka, Austin, Reeves. How do they make the game a little easier for me? So as I age, I have these brief six minute moments where I can take over the game. And that's calculated. And that's okay because he still remains one of the top six or Seven players in the league on any night he's the second or third best player. Some nights he's the best. Certainly some halves and quarters he is. But the warriors are different. When Steph sit and it's. If you start looking at the Warrior schedule now, they're going on a six game road trip and they are. This is a tired team. And Steve Kerr talked about it after the loss to Denver.
Adam Wainwright
He's been carrying us for, for a month. He's been amazing. He's tired.
Colin Cowherd
So we got to get him, we.
Adam Wainwright
Got to get him some rest. I just, you can see it. He doesn't have his, his energy right now, but he's exhausted right now. So we've got to, we've got to absolutely consider giving him a night and.
Colin Cowherd
Getting him rejuvenated for the sake of him and our, you know, the remainder of our games. But we'll see. It's not that LeBron isn't valuable, but this roster now, between the size of a Rui and a Jackson Hayes and the offensive initiation of Austin Reeves, yes, he can do it. And Luca lebron can sit out. Now the team's not as good. Obviously they don't communicate as well when LeBron is out. They're not as smart when LeBron's out. He's one of the smartest, greatest communicators along with Magic Johnson I've ever seen play basketball. But they can score points without LeBron. They can, they can get into the 1 20s. Golden State. Look at that six game schedule, Roadie coming up. I don't know where their offense is. It's, it's not. And by the way, I like Kaminga, but you can't, it's inconsistent. Love Butler, but he's not a huge scorer, a great shooter. It's not, it's not easy for him. Offense is work for Jimmy Butler. So they got a challenge on their hands because Steph looked tired. No Jokic, no Jamal Murray. And they, they, they just had no fight and no energy. As I'm sitting there watching thinking, okay, they'll go on a spurt. They get, they got no spurt in them. They didn't have it. So J. Mac Adam Wayne Wright stops by a Kyle Van Noy in studio. Nick Wright tomorrow. I hope you get up early tomorrow with the kids, have breakfast, watch a little MLB action.
Nick Wright
Listen, I got to get up early Thursday and Friday for the tournament, so it's going to be tough for me to pull a 3am Wake up to watch baseball.
Colin Cowherd
I did 3:40 the first couple innings.
Nick Wright
At fourth inning at that point. Because now they're speeding up.
Colin Cowherd
No baseball flies by.
Nick Wright
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Colin Cowherd
So. But the first 30 minutes, a bit blurry. I didn't watch the first inning and a half as a little, you know.
Nick Wright
Was that after like three pints last night? Celebrating St. Patrick's Day?
Colin Cowherd
No, that's not how I roll.
Nick Wright
Oh, really?
Colin Cowherd
Not with ensuing MLB action. I'm not out there just partying like.
Nick Wright
Dropping big vocabulary words here early. Hey, by the way, so you're Warriors.
Colin Cowherd
Yeah. Interesting.
Nick Wright
They beat up on a bunch of tomato cans and you were gassing them up like they're going to the finals and now they face a YIC list nuggets and lose. You should have been watching Austin Reeves cook last night. Oh my gosh. How good was Austin Reeves?
Colin Cowherd
He was good. He was good. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the iHeartRadio app.
J. Mac
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Colin Cowherd
This is so good.
J. Mac
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Colin Cowherd
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Nick Wright
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Colin Cowherd
Now you're heading in the wrong direction.
Nick Wright
And it sounds like your team's taking the lead.
Colin Cowherd
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Colin Cowherd
You're in good hands with Allstate.
Nick Wright
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J. Mac
Affiliates Northbrook, Illinois Introducing Instagram teen accounts.
Colin Cowherd
A new way to keep your teen.
J. Mac
Safer as they grow.
Colin Cowherd
Like making sure they've got the right.
Nick Wright
Gear for writing, knee pads check and helmet.
Colin Cowherd
Done.
J. Mac
See you, dad.
Colin Cowherd
New Instagram teen accounts, automatic protections for who can contact your teen and the.
Nick Wright
Content they can see.
Colin Cowherd
Welcome back. Adam Wainwright, former Major League baseball great will be joining us. Nick Wright, top of next hour, Kyle Van Noy stops by. So Mel Kuiper dropped his draft and like J. Mack, he's got Cam Ward going to Tennessee number one and the Giants picking Shador Sanders at number three. This idea that Shedeur Sanders is going to plummet in the draft makes no sense to me. The Giants are desperate for a quarterback right now. They're crossing their fingers, hoping Aaron Rodgers says yes. And Shador Sanders is the consensus number two quarterback in this draft. It's not like Daniel Jones when the Giants picked him six. Most people didn't think he was a first round quarterback. Shedeurs the second most talented quarterback in this draft and people get paralyzed by Shador Sanders being overrated. I think you're under visioned if you don't see what New York's going to try to do. Give you an example. When Steve Ballmer bought the Clippers for 2 billion, people screamed it was overpaid. Overpaying. Can't believe it. Overpaid. It's now worth five. He bought it cash and he said I'm never going to sell it, so what's it matter? He had 40 billion in the bank. He wanted it, he wanted the asset. If he'd gone down to 1.4 billion, somebody else would have it. He wanted it. In life, go get what you want. The Giants need a quarterback. They have a good left tackle, a great weapon, an offensive coach. They need a running back and a tight end. It's a great draft for both. It's a great draft for both, especially running back. So this idea of sitting around and waiting for Aaron Rodgers to give you an answer or just go get it, go buy it. And it reminds me of that Steve Ballbert thing. People just could not believe what he paid in. My take is are you better off fighting over $250 million and not getting it? If you want an NBA team about once every couple of decades a good, you know, piece of real estate becomes available in the NBA. LA is good real estate. Now they've got Narina, Steve's project and purchase. You didn't see the vision. He saw the vision. If, if Shador Sanders and you're an offensive coach for the New York Giants. And you're thinking, God, we can get a running back in this graph, the tight end at left tackle. And neighbors, it's a real offense. And if he hits, which I think he could, you're not going to care where he's drafted. And if he doesn't, it's New York. No city is whiffed on quarterbacks more in the last decade than New York. He'll just become another one on the conveyor belt of misses. But this idea that, oh, is it overrated? I don't know over who? I mean, Andrew Luck got criticized. Who's not overdrafted in the NFL at quarterback? I mean, Joe Burrow consensus. I mean, now it looks like Trevor Lawrence was overdrafted. Everybody. I mean, Jalen Hurts was underdrafted. But by and large, I mean, when Lamar came out, people thought that was overdrafted. Could he be a wide receiver? You can't worry about that. What's your need? Who's the best person at that position on the board? Go get him. J. Mac with the news. No, no, no, turn on the news. This is the Herd line news.
Nick Wright
All right, Colin, we're starting with the Lakers who destroyed the San Antonio Spurs. Now, the spurs did not have Wemby. They did not have De'Aaron Fox. The Lakers won by 14. Luka nearly had a triple double, didn't shoot it. Great, 5 for 20 from the field, but who cares? They won. Lakers also covered the first quarter again. I think that's 19:3 in the last 22. Something absurd we got. Our staff is just coming up with some great NBA stats. So this season, three players are averaging 25, eight and eight. One of them is Nikola Jokic. One of them is LeBron James. Do you want to guess who the other one is? We put it on the screen. Luka Luca, since joining the Lakers, you.
Colin Cowherd
Know, I, for years you thought I was anti Austin Reaves. And I said, no, he's not slotted correctly. I said, if he's your third or fourth best player that you can get to a conference final. Austin Reaves is now really showing his value, which is because I worried when they got Luka and LeBron. It's like, well, Austin's a play initiator. Where's the ball go? But LeBron, as he is prone to do very calculated growing tweak. Daddy's going home. Here comes a tough schedule. Well, now you're really seeing Austin Reaves value because I still contend Luka's kind of playing himself into shape. Yeah, Luka's Jump shot is off. He didn't quite have the legs. This is where Austin Reaves is really showing his value as a guy. When LeBron's off that can get 30 points, create offense. He's also like Luke and LeBron, great on the lobs. So Austin Reaves has really shown his value.
Nick Wright
Interesting coming around on old AR15. I will add that. So I'm on a text. I'm on many text chains, a couple basketball guys and one guy asked last night, Austin Reaves or Jamal Murray? And I was like, listen, I think it's Murray, but I'm just telling you, Colin, Austin Reeves has been amazing this season.
Colin Cowherd
Gets to the line, gets to the line.
Nick Wright
He could take anybody off the dribble. His handle is filthy. I mean, he's a great shooter. Colin, when LeBron is healthy, Lucas fully with the Lakers, you know, he's still getting to know his teammates, their tendencies well. And Austin Reeds is your three.
Colin Cowherd
How many teams in the league have three different guys that can initiate contact, get to the line and start the offense? Yeah, like, like Dallas. Now when you got rid of Luka, they got one.
Nick Wright
Now Dallas has.
Colin Cowherd
Huh.
Nick Wright
How many does OKC have?
Colin Cowherd
One. Huh?
Nick Wright
Lakers have three.
Colin Cowherd
You know, it's. It is a clear advantage. They thought Westbrook was going to be this a few years ago and it didn't work out that way.
Nick Wright
Austin Reeves, I'm just telling you this Lakers team, conference finals is the minimum. I think they can win the championship. It's gonna be tough to take down Boston, but I. Conference finals are bust for the Lakers. They look that good right now. All right, let's move on. This is interesting. College football programs across the country are canceling their spring games. Yeah, some of them are using this whole like, hey, why would I put my players on tape? They're just going to get poached in the portal. Well, Deion Sanders has a new idea. Take a listen what he thinks spring football should look like.
Colin Cowherd
Actually, I'd like to play against another team in the spring. That's what I'm trying to do right now. And I would like to style it like the pros. I would like to practice against someone for a few days, then you have the spring game. And I think the public will be satisfied with that tremendously. I think it's a tremendous idea. Yeah, I've told those personnel who should understand that it's a tremendous idea. He's totally right on this. For years, college football fans were very proud and they. They told you they didn't watch the NFL? Yeah, you do. College football fans do. A lot of NFL fans don't watch college. The numbers tell you that. So college becoming more pro is a really good thing. General managers, not this. There's a lot of hokey stuff in college football that hopefully they're getting out of. Bad schedules lopsided like in state rivalries that nobody cares about. This is another step toward making we're paying the players. Now it looks like the NFL at the top programs make it more NFL. I think it only powers college football and pro football.
Nick Wright
I'm going to get nerdy with you, but when I moved across the country to come here to Fox, we did the pros and cons list. I would like to hear your pros and cons list for this spring idea that Dion has where you're traveling and the Syracuse coach Fran Brown basically came out and said, hey Syracuse, we will travel to play Colorado.
Colin Cowherd
We'll do it.
Nick Wright
So you're pulling the student athletes out of school for a week, practicing for a few days and then playing a spring game. Give me your pros and cons to this cuz I think we're missing some cons here.
Colin Cowherd
Okay, so the pros are. Deion's point is do you really get better just playing yourself in practice? That's why pros do this. Also, why put too much on tape for people to see my players and poach them? The cons is why couldn't Colorado play Colorado State? You get on a bus and miss a day of class. Like it just doesn't mean that much Player baseball players in college don't even go to class. They all major in psychology. They're on the road the entire year. I mean, when you look at the convergence of the Pac 12 students in volleyball now playing Big Ten schools, they're missing more school than ever. So what in the spring you miss two day all these college kids, football, you miss the least school because you fly out on Friday and in college you can do your schedule. My son does it. He doesn't have classes on Friday. So the idea that, oh, they're missing so much class. Most college students, a lot of them especially like go home and see their parents or hey, go to their home. Yeah, they don't schedule Friday classes. So I don't worry about. I worry about baseball players in college never even going to class, doing everything over zoom.
Nick Wright
So a couple of cons. One of the big things that happens in the NFL with these scrimmages is fights. That's what we get. We get a lot of Them in August. You see, the players are amped up. They're going after one another. And, and I gotta be honest, college football. Deion's trying to build a brand here.
Colin Cowherd
Yeah.
Nick Wright
Brand awareness for Colorado football ends as soon as the season ends. So it's really only like four months. He's trying to give us spring interest in Colorado football, which I get. But what about the. With the potential for an injury. There's targeting in college football all the time. Or your quarterback stinks up the joint and now the fans are irate online for. For months. Are our quarterback stinks. We need to, we need a new quarterback. Like, I just think the downside here is probably too much for a lot of these programs. Would you agree or no?
Colin Cowherd
No, no.
Nick Wright
You have.
Colin Cowherd
Oh, oh my God. College guys getting into a fight with coaches watching your chaperones. So.
Adam Wainwright
So okay.
Colin Cowherd
I mean, I, I don't. College guys are at senior froggy getting into fights on Saturday across campus is all spring break.
Nick Wright
All right, Final story is the Chicago Bears have had a busy free agency. You love their offensive line pickups. They got a new weapon for Caleb Williams. His name Olamide Zakitis. He used to be for the Falcons. He's played other. Other teams. Here's what he says about Caleb Williams.
Colin Cowherd
He has all the talent that you need to be a top tier quarterback in the league. So a lot of it is just.
J. Mac
Going to be the mental aspect of.
Colin Cowherd
It and you know, kind of just slowing the game down. Yeah, they're gonna be fine. I don't think they're going to be great in September with a new coach and a new offensive line schedule. Could be. They won't be as good. They won't be as good as like Detroit and Green Bay in September. The question for them is going to offensive line get humming by mid to late October. The Bears will be a good football team next year. Don't be shocked if September is a little bumpy with three new offensive starters all in the same unit.
Nick Wright
So 68 sacks taken by Caleb last year. And just remember they're not all on the offensive line. A lot of that is him patting the football, dropping back and panicking. I'm just, he's. I don't know how you stamp that out of him. Hey man, you got to release the football. You got to just unload it quickly.
Colin Cowherd
Well, they had, they have a. They have a super clever offensive coach who is replacing a non clever defensive coach. So it's going to be a totally different playbook and a totally different culture.
Nick Wright
The scheme is just so different. Guys are going to be. Remember Detroit. You watch Detroit Lions games, dudes are open, tight ends, running backs, receivers, all the time. You don't see that in Chicago. You didn't see it as much last year.
Colin Cowherd
Well, Jim Harbaugh was talking this. I think it was this weekend, but I saw the quote and he said there's only one unit in football that helps everybody and everybody else depends on. And yet that unit doesn't need help of anybody else. They don't benefit from anybody else. And it's offensive line. The offensive line makes the quarterback the run game. The wide receivers have more time to break off their routes. The defense, it helps them because a good offensive line, Detroit Philly keeps the defense off the field and keeps you rested. But nobody else really necessarily helps the offensive line. So the Bears figured it out finally is if the O line's good, we're good. The defense is on the field less. Caleb can throw 22 times, not 34 times. The receivers have another half second in the route tree. So it's just, it's not hard to figure out. It is hard in the NFL to have a top 5 or 6o line and not make the playoffs. It's hard because it gives your defense rest. Everybody looks a little better off. Your running backs are B running backs. They kind of look A minus B plus when the O line's good. So the Bears at least figured out what unit to attack. J. Mac with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Herd made a big mistake yesterday. I. I picked Arizona to get, you know, into the Final Four. Yeah, probably should have picked Duke. Duke and Cooper Flag are consensus title favorites. They have three NBA players. They'll probably win it, you know, but you got to have some fun in life. So I would say this, though. The NBA should be crossing their fingers that Duke and Cooper Flag win the title. He's a huge name and Duke is the biggest brand in college basketball. He could be Zion Williamson without all the red flags. I think it's very possible. The NBA and they. I don't know if they know. This needs college football. So the NFL's always understood the value of the free marketing throughout the Saturdays in the fall that college football provides. These kids come into the NFL, they're microwave them. They are ready to be brands and sell jerseys. It could be overrated players. Tim Tebow, you know, or. Or it can be underrated players. People know who they are. So nobody cares about the G League. Honestly, parents and players and coaches trying to get to the NBA. Stop talking about the G League. It's about college basketball, which by the way, on average has much better coaching than the G League. So college football is free advertising. It feels like the NBA for the last decade has been fighting college basketball. So I mean, when's the last domestic player who came into the league from college with great promise and delivered? Anthony Davis. But he was sort of reluctant, you know, he went to a smaller market. I think Cooper Flagg has a chance to end up in Chicago and give us sort of a Magic Johnson, Larry Bird feel like, wow, this guy you fall in love with in March, oh, he's coming to the NBA to a big market. A Celtics, a Chicago, a Los Angeles. So the WNBA got, this past year, they got their Cooper flag, Caitlin Clark and the league, the WNBA wasn't prepared for it. I mean they're still, I'm not sure if they're prepared for Caitlin Clark. They butchered it, didn't put her on the Olympic team, gave her the hardest schedule in the league. But Caitlin Clark delivered. The league wasn't. They just couldn't handle it. Hopefully the NBA is crossing its fingers because this is what the league needs. I mean, look at the impact. But Jimmy Butler and Luka had going to big brands. Can you. The Bulls have led the NBA in attendance and I'm not. It could be like 15 of the last 18 years and half of those. They've been awful, unwatchable. The MJ years obviously great. The D. Rose years were a lot of fun. They've been bad. It doesn't matter. Sell out their game. So if a Chicago could get a Cooper flag from Duke, then you'd have Boston, New York, San Francisco, L.A. and when everybody gets healthy in Dallas, Dallas plus Chicago having really good higher end NBA teams. So you guys can all root for Drake and Grand Canyon. UC San Diego. I am rooting for Duke and Cooper flag. They have three potential lottery picks for Duke. But flags. The kid, he's got a little Jason Tatum. He's kind of good at everything. Is he great at any one thing? He's going to be a very good score. Runs the floor, can score down low, long, physical, can shoot. I mean he can really do anything. No red flags. I mean he, he is a walk into the league, 18 and a half points a game guy if you give him a team in which he can take some shots and get the ball in his hands. So I'm rooting for him. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon. Eastern, 9:00am Pacific. Hey, 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 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 Covino 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 Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcast. And of course on social media, that's Covino and Rich.
J. Mac
With amex, there's always a new experience to explore from curating the perfect vacation and chilling in the Centurion Lounge before you get there, trying out that new trendy restaurant thanks to Priority Notify with global dining access by Resy and getting straight to the action at the big game with card member entrances at select venues with AMEX Platinum you can experience it all. That's the powerful backing of American Express. Terms apply. Access to the card member entrance not limited to the American Express Platinum card. Learn more@americanexpress.com with Amex, you can count.
Colin Cowherd
On T Mobile to help keep you connected from big cities to small towns on America's largest 5G network. Switch the T Mobile keep your phone and they'll pay it off up to 800 bucks per line via prepaid card. Learn more@t mobile.com Keep and switch up to four lines via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device credit service port in 90 plus days with device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required. Card has no cash access and expires in six months.
Nick Wright
Some people just know they could save hundreds on car insurance by checking Allstate first. Like you know to check for the nearest bathroom first before the game starts.
Colin Cowherd
Now you're heading in the wrong direction.
Nick Wright
And it sounds like your team's taking.
Colin Cowherd
The lead checking first is smart, so.
Nick Wright
Check Allstate first for a quote that.
Colin Cowherd
Could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate.
Nick Wright
Savings vary, subject to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois.
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.
J. Mac
All right, sweetie pie, buckle up.
Colin Cowherd
Good job. Or ring the bell on their bike. Okay, kid, give it a try. Nice. Or remember their elbow pads.
Adam Wainwright
Knees too.
Colin Cowherd
Okay. Yep. There you go. New Instagram teen accounts. Automatic protections for who can contact your teenager and the content they can see.
Nick Wright
Tokyo Dome, the greatest show in baseball is back as Shohei Otani and the reigning champion Dodgers take on the Cubs. The MLB World Tour live from Tokyo continues tomorrow morning at 6am Eastern on FS1.
Colin Cowherd
You're sitting around on the east coast getting your kids ready for school. What is better than watching baseball? I'm a west coast guy. I got him at 3:45 in the morning. It was great. I turned it on television, made a coffee, thought, you know, even the cat was next to me enjoying it. So I thought it was great. I know it's expensive and Major League Baseball won't do it. What, what's, what's interesting about the Dodgers because Kershaw is still recovering, Dustin May will eventually be available to be their fifth starter. They have so much pitching. Ohtani has not pitched in over 500 days, so I guess he's going to pitch. But they've got Blake Snell, Yamamoto, They've got the 21 year old phenom Suzaki. They have so much pitching depth today. They didn't have Morgan, they didn't have Freddie Freeman and they didn't have Mookie Bets today and it didn't matter. So Ohtani apparently is going to pitch in May. They are, they are absolutely stacked. There is just not a major league baseball team when you, if you're a baseball fan forever. There have been teams that have been great. But even if you go back to the great Yankee teams, they had a lot of role players like Scott Brocius. They weren't all Jeter and Posada and Bernie Williams. Those were the young phenoms and Mariano Rivera. But there were a lot of role players for the Yankees. Dodgers don't have a ton of role players. They've got aces. I mean, Glass now was Tampa's best pitcher got hurt last year. So they had to use bullpen sessions against the Mets, the Padres and the Yankees in the World Series and still won. So. And by the way, you know, baseball's always been better when there's a villain. I mean, the Yankees were the evil empire for years. They didn't win in every year, but they would dominate the off season, which the Dodgers have done. But since the Dodgers got these new owners, the Royals have won a World Series, the Rangers have won a World Series. So they're not. They've only got two and one of them was in the COVID shortened year. So. But what they're doing. And by the way, the Yankees make over 100 million more dollars a year in annual revenue. So the Yankees have the money, the Dodgers do. In fact, more on an annual basis. But the Dodgers are all in. They're doing these kind of delayed payment contracts which are legal. When Houston was the villain of baseball, they were the villain because they cheated, which was not considered very redeemable. The Yankees were just sort of like New York, obnoxious, dominating, always winning late games in Yankee Stadium. The Dodgers are much more similar to the Yankees. They dominate off season and they're simply more committed. I mean, George Steinbrenner, you know, he bought that franchise, I think it was from like CBS or something, for $10 million and then poured money into the Yankees. That's what the Dodgers are doing. They're not worrying about making major profits year to year. They're worrying about dominating and creating a brand. And they're doing it. So also, is Adam ready to go? All right, he's ready. 18 years in the bigs. He is now joining us live, Adam Wainwright, FOX Sports baseball analyst Listen, it's early, but I got up at 3:45 in the morning to watch this and I was thinking about you this morning driving in. So they have so much depth with pitching, they don't even need Kershaw. Dustin May, now, Ohtani hasn't pitched in over 570 innings. You're a guy that liked to work into the sixth, you like to work into the seventh. A lot of all time greats like you did that. When you have so much pitching depth, do you go to a six man rotation or does that get into your head? Could you have too much depth of pitching if you're the Dodgers?
Adam Wainwright
First of all, you can never have too much depth. Second, I should say, first of all, thanks for having me on. Good to see you, Colin. Second of all, you should net. You can never have too much depth. Not ever, ever, ever. I mean, we had this conversation about the Phillies last year. Did they have too much depth? What did they possibly need. And then, you know, they had a lot of injuries coming down the stretch. You never have enough of it, and you never have enough starting pitchers. As soon as you think you got enough starting pitching, someone gets hurt. And then all of a sudden you're at that five number. You're like, man, if one more person gets banged up, which, by the way, is almost certain to happen, unfortunately, then you're in trouble. So, no, you can never have enough. Now, those guys look good. I watched the. The game back this morning while I was doing a little bit of gardening. That's retired life for you. But you know, what a cool opening day in Japan. Two Japanese starters started off, and one of my favorite guys, Imanaga, I know he's not the guy everyone's talking about right now, but Imanaga is the guy that I'm just fascinated by because he just doesn't.
Colin Cowherd
He.
Adam Wainwright
They don't barrel him up. Nobody can barrel this guy up. He hardly gives up any hits. But, no, you can't have enough pitching. The Dodgers last year, look, the Dodgers in the postseason, the big question was, did they have enough pitch? And luckily their bullpen was outstanding. So, no, you can't have enough.
Colin Cowherd
You know, it's interesting. I remember years and years ago, people talked about Japanese baseball was like AAA baseball, but every time the Dodgers bring a guy over, he's great immediately. And is that the quality is improved, or is it just the Dodgers are getting these transformational players? But it does feel like they come into the sport, they dominate. They're great in the clubhouse. They're quality guys. They're total professionals. I don't know. It just feels like maybe it's the Dodgers scouting and research and development. What's your thought on that?
Adam Wainwright
Well, they clearly have a great scouting, research, development department. Those guys are always.
Colin Cowherd
I mean.
Adam Wainwright
And think about where they draft, too. They never draft at the top of the draft. They never get the top 10 picks. They're always in the bottom five picks of the draft, and yet they find the gems every single time. So somebody up there is doing a great job. But I would say this about the Japanese brand of baseball, which is very good. They have incredible arms. You know, the big question for me is always, can these guys hit in the big leagues? It's never, can they pitch? We saw that at the WBC when we played against them in the final game and watched them all wbc. They just dropped in. I think they started. They pitched nine different pitchers against Team USA, and all of them were throwing 95 plus with a nasty split almost, except for a couple of them. And they throw those invisibles like Imanaga. So their arms, incredible. Very, very good, mechanically sound pitchers. They work really hard. They have, they have incredible arms. The question for me is never can they pitch? It's always can they hit? But their pitchers are amazing.
Colin Cowherd
You know, Yankees are interesting. So they lose Soto, John, John Carlos Stanton. Both elbows are trouble. Now you've got Garrett Coles out. So that's, I mean, that's a lot to digest. Do you think? I mean, I thought when they played the Dodgers, the two games where it felt like they were the Dodgers, even the equal was when Garrett Cole pitched and you're like, okay, we got a series here. Is it like when you. But you would look at all these, the dynamic players they're losing. It feels like a different Yankee team. It just doesn't feel the same. Can it be the same?
Adam Wainwright
Well, I mean, I would like in the, the, the Yankees this year to the Braves last year when they lost Strider and they lost Acuna. You know, it's not easy to lose two MVP caliber players and still continue on. And the Braves still had a pretty, pretty good run about it. When you lose Garrett Cole, that is a big hit to a starting rotation that was kind of maybe a little thin and starting pitching as it was.
Colin Cowherd
Yep.
Adam Wainwright
Um, but he's one of the best pitchers in all baseball, you know, proven it year in, year out. One of the biggest arms. And a couple of years ago I was thinking, oh, man, I hope he's not bad hurt, but if he is, he could go ahead and have that surgery. And this is not something I recommend to young players, but in the prime of your career, it's tough to, to go through like, you know, especially as hard as he throws the ball, it's really tough to go through 162 game season 32, 33, 34, start the postseason with a 60% ligament in your elbow can be really, really, really tough. You know, you're just kind of on borrowed time. I'm glad he's getting it fixed. I'm glad he got it fixed. I'm glad he's going to be back healthy next year. We're going to miss him this year in Major League Baseball. The Yankees will certainly miss him. And I can speak to Stanton too, man, because you know what? About an hour and a half ago, I got a shot for what they call tennis elbow and this elbow, my left elbow from playing the guitar too much and, and anybody. And let me tell you Something. I'm. I'm a. I'm a volunteer assistant coach on four teams right now. And hitting fungos with that elbow like that.
Colin Cowherd
It is.
Adam Wainwright
It sucks, man. So, Giancarlo, I feel you, buddy. I know you got it in both, but you're a big, strong fellow. You're gonna. He's gonna be fine. He's gonna look. But those things don't. Man, look. I got a shot in this three months ago, too. Like, it comes back. Can't get it to go away.
Colin Cowherd
Yeah.
Adam Wainwright
So I guess I'm gonna have to learn how to play the harmonica or something. But the Yankees.
Colin Cowherd
You know what?
Adam Wainwright
The Yankees are still going to be. The Yankees, they're going to miss their number one pitcher. Eric Cole's a top five pitcher in the major leagues when he's healthy. There's no question about it. He just hadn't been healthy for a couple years. They're going to miss Stanton's power in the middle of the order. I'm looking forward to seeing who steps up, though, in the middle of that order because they also lost Soto. That's another big loss.
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, there's no question about that. It's. But I will say Aaron Judge, like Ohtani, can go on a heater and he can carry that lineup. There's no question about that. Adam Wainwright.
Adam Wainwright
Oh, I took a lot of heat from Yankee fans, which was. And I don't say this lightly, and I don't say this very often, the Yankee fans were correct. I was asked to name the top five players in baseball, and I didn't put judge in there because they asked me to be kind of argumentative. Is a. Is a word, maybe.
Colin Cowherd
Yes.
Adam Wainwright
So. But, you know, Aaron is so great. He's so great. He's so talented, and he can carry a lineup by himself.
Colin Cowherd
Adam Wainwright, great seeing you. We called him late this morning. I appreciate it. Get back out to the Garden, man.
Adam Wainwright
I appreciate it, guys. Hey, I'm looking forward to Sandy Alcantara coming back. That's what I'm looking forward to. Sandy and Acuna, those are my two guys I want to watch that are coming off injury. There's going to be difference makers.
Colin Cowherd
Thanks, Adam. All right.
Adam Wainwright
Thanks, guys.
Colin Cowherd
All right. Mets also have Juan Soto. That's a huge story. But the Yankees have major injuries going into the season. Dodgers picked up their first win on the season. They play again tomorrow on FS1. Nick Wright, top of next hour. By the way, Nick's not gonna like it, so I. I do a hurt hierarchy. Just. Okay. All the Coaching's done, All the free agencies done. What are the top 10 right now, teams, rosters in the NFL? I think Kansas City's got a problem, and I think one of the problems is in division with the Chargers and Najee Harris as Joe Alt comes back now for his second year as an tackle. The second year with that culture building in Los Angeles. If you ever look at Jim Harbaugh, that's that second year when they really start to pop. And the third year, they get better and better and better. So what he did first year to second year, I think you're going to see an elevation of three or four more wins potentially. By the way, I saw this headline. Well, I'm going to save this for next hour. No, I'm not. Here's a headline. JMac, look at this headline. Can you imagine this headline with the Rams, the Steelers are stuck in quarterback limbo. If Aaron Rodgers rejects them, what's next? It's mid March. I mean, it's crazy to me. It's almost like Mike Tomlin views quarterback as just another player. He's like a defensive end who, you know, takes snaps. Can you. I mean, that's. That is the difference in this league between offensive coaches and defensive coaches. I said this about Ron Rivera 2 years ago when he was like, yeah, I don't know. Sam Howell's good enough. Time out. Good enough to what? He's not good enough to keep your job. What. What are you doing? The idea that the Steelers are like, hey, we could get Aaron Rodgers and if we don't, what do you do? Yeah, I mean, you can draft, you know, you can go and look at the draft and get a Jackson dart.
Nick Wright
It's interesting you say that because I saw the mock draft you posted on the screen earlier and they had Jackson Dart going in the top 10.
Colin Cowherd
I. Yeah.
Nick Wright
What on earth is that? Well, I mean, if that's, if that's how people view Jackson Dart, the Steelers should just grab him whenever they're drafted.
Colin Cowherd
Well, Jalen Milro's also mid to late first round. A lot of people think he may have dropped a second, I don't know.
Nick Wright
Over dart, but that's just me.
Colin Cowherd
Yes. Oh, would I. I watched Jackson Dart play six, seven times. I never thought he was a first round quarterback. I mean, he's lane Kiffin system. That's what I thought.
Nick Wright
Yeah.
Colin Cowherd
Good special. No, this is Nikki Glaser from the Nikki Glaser podcast. Have you guys seen this new commercial from Stand up to All Hate? It's basically Snoop Dogg and Tom Brady going back and forth with reasons that they hate each other. But then when you really listen to them, the reasons for the hate are just so stupid. I don't know. This. This commercial really got me. It's a strong reminder that hate in our country continues to be out of control. So join us at iHeart in standing up to it. If you see hate, speak up, call it out. Your voice is a powerful tool in this fight. You can learn more by following OTs. UpWithHate. We live in a divided country, and our media couldn't be more polarizing. That's why we started the Middle with Jeremy Hobson.
Nick Wright
It's about bringing voices not from the extremes, but from the vast middle into the national conversation. Each week we hear from ordinary Americans.
Colin Cowherd
From all over the country.
Nick Wright
And when you subscribe to the Middle, you also get an episode each week.
Colin Cowherd
Called One Thing Trump did that focuses on just one item from the avalanche of news. Listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia. I'm excited to introduce a brand new season of my podcast, Math and Stories from the frontiers of Marketing. I'm having conversations with some folks across a wide range of industries to hear how they reach the top of their fields and the lessons they learned along the way that everyone can use. I'll be joined by innovative leaders like chairman and CEO of ELF Beauty, Tarang Amin, legendary singer, songwriter and philanthropist Jewel. Being a rock star is very fun, but helping people is way more fun. And Damian Maldonado, CEO of American Financing. I figured out the formula. You just have to work hard, then that's magic. Join me as we uncover innovations in data and analytics, the math, and the ever important creative spark, the magic. Listen to math and magic on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up everyone?
J. Mac
Julie Swerbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.
Adam Wainwright
We're doing a new podcast together.
Colin Cowherd
Here we go. The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.
Adam Wainwright
Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life.
Colin Cowherd
All topics are fair game, right? Exactly.
J. Mac
And you'll never know who will drop.
Colin Cowherd
By to join us.
Adam Wainwright
Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.
Colin Cowherd
Listen to Energy Line with Nate and.
J. Mac
Jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts.
Colin Cowherd
Or wherever you get your podcasts.
The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Episode: Hour 1 - Steph Curry and the Warriors (Released March 18, 2025)
In this episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, the conversation traverses a wide array of sports topics, with a significant focus on Major League Baseball (MLB) and the NBA. Hosted by Colin Cowherd, along with contributors Nick Wright, J. Mac, and guest Adam Wainwright, the episode offers in-depth analysis, spirited debates, and insightful commentary on current sports events.
Timestamp: 03:24 - 06:20
The episode kicks off with a discussion about the Los Angeles Dodgers' recent victory over the Chicago Cubs. Colin Cowherd emphasizes the Dodgers' depth and the pivotal role of Shohei Ohtani in their success.
Cowherd highlights Ohtani's magnetic presence and his ability to draw fans:
Timestamp: 06:21 - 10:37
Adam Wainwright joins the conversation to delve deeper into the Dodgers' pitching prowess. He commends the team's scouting, research, and development efforts, particularly praising their ability to unearth talent from international markets.
The discussion touches upon the similarities between Ohtani and legendary sports figures, contemplating whether Ohtani could become the face of baseball akin to Michael Jordan's influence in the NBA.
Timestamp: 10:38 - 15:00
Cowherd draws parallels between Ohtani and Michael Jordan, focusing on their charismatic personalities and their roles as central figures in their respective sports.
This comparison underscores Ohtani's potential to elevate baseball's visibility and appeal, much like Jordan did for the NBA.
Timestamp: 15:01 - 20:17
Shifting to basketball, the conversation centers on LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers’ performance against the Golden State Warriors. Cowherd critiques Steph Curry's fatigue and contrasts it with LeBron's strategic game management.
Discussions also highlight Austin Reaves’s growing importance to the Lakers, praising his ability to initiate offense and contribute significantly when key players are resting.
Timestamp: 19:47 - 20:17
Nick Wright chimes in to advocate for Austin Reaves, considering him a pivotal player for the Lakers' championship aspirations.
Reaves is lauded for his versatility, defensive skills, and ability to score, making him an indispensable asset for the Lakers.
Timestamp: 21:10 - 25:12
The discussion shifts to the NFL, focusing on the New York Giants' urgent need for a quarterback. Cowherd critiques the undervaluation of Shedeur Sanders in the draft and draws an analogy to Steve Ballmer's acquisition of the Clippers, emphasizing the importance of seizing opportunities.
He advocates for the Giants to confidently draft Sanders, arguing against the notion that Sanders is overrated.
Timestamp: 25:12 - 34:14
The Chicago Bears' recent activities in the free agency market are examined, particularly their acquisition of Olamide Zakitis to bolster their offensive line for quarterback Caleb Williams.
The conversation delves into the impact of a strong offensive line on overall team performance, highlighting the interconnectedness of various units within a football team.
Timestamp: 38:12 - 45:06
Adam Wainwright returns to discuss the Dodgers' exceptional pitching depth and the significant contributions of Japanese players like Imanaga and other international talents.
He praises the Dodgers' ability to consistently find and develop high-caliber pitchers, attributing this success to the team's robust scouting and development strategies.
Wainwright also addresses concerns about Japanese pitchers adjusting to the MLB, defending their mechanical prowess and effectiveness on the mound.
Timestamp: 41:48 - 45:06
The New York Yankees' ongoing injury issues are scrutinized, particularly focusing on key players like Garrett Cole and Juan Soto. Wainwright expresses concern over the potential impact of these injuries on the Yankees' season prospects.
However, both Cowherd and Wainwright remain optimistic about the Yankees' ability to navigate these setbacks, citing standout performances from players like Aaron Judge.
Timestamp: 45:07 - End
As the episode nears its conclusion, Colin Cowherd teases upcoming discussions, including the evaluation of NFL team rosters and the potential quarterback issues with the Steelers. Additionally, he mentions future guest appearances and the introduction of a new podcast segment featuring Adam Wainwright and Julie Swerbinks.
Colin Cowherd [03:24]: "Watching a Dodger game with Ohtani reminds me of when Tiger started taking over golf."
Adam Wainwright [06:21]: "You can never have too much depth. Not ever, ever, ever."
Nick Wright [19:47]: "Austin Reeves has been amazing this season."
Colin Cowherd [25:12]: "He has all the talent that you need to be a top tier quarterback in the league."
Adam Wainwright [38:12]: "You can never have too much depth. Not ever, ever, ever."
Conclusion
This episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd offers a comprehensive look into the current state of MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers, the evolving dynamics within the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers, and pressing issues in the NFL. With expert insights from guest Adam Wainwright and lively discussions among the hosts, listeners are treated to a nuanced analysis of team strategies, player performances, and the broader implications for their respective sports. Whether you're a baseball enthusiast intrigued by Ohtani's impact or an NBA follower tracking the Lakers' championship chances, this episode delivers engaging and informative content.