Hour 3 - Chris Finch

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 3: Chris Finch Release Date: February 25, 2025
Host: Colin Cowherd
Guest: Chris Finch, NBA Coach
Platform: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume

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1. Historic NBA Regular Season Road Win

Timestamp: [02:33]

The episode kicks off with Colin Cowherd celebrating a monumental regular-season road victory in the NBA, praising Chris Finch and the T Wolves for orchestrating what he describes as "the greatest road win in the history of regular season NBA." The team overcame a daunting 20-point deficit entering the fourth quarter, ultimately scoring 41 points against the league's top-rated defense.

Colin Cowherd:
"It is the greatest road win in the history of regular season NBA. Last night, Chris Finch and the T Wolves. First time ever a team is trailed by over 20 entering the fourth and one. And you scored 41 points in the fourth against the number one rated defense." [02:33]

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2. Defensive Strategies and Coaching Decisions

Timestamp: [03:13 - 06:24]

Chris Finch delves into the team's competitive spirit and defensive strategies that fueled their comeback. He emphasizes the importance of competitiveness and the contributions of young players and rookies who injected energy into the game.

Chris Finch:
"We have a lot of competitors and our team's fighting... it was really the young guys, the rookies who brought us back into that game." [03:36]

Finch discusses employing a physical defense to disrupt the opponent's rhythm, referencing legendary coaches like Jerry Sloan to illustrate the philosophy behind their defensive approach.

Colin Cowherd:
"When you go into the fourth quarter, you... Belichick meets Andy Reid meets Red Auerbach." [03:13]

Chris Finch:
"We've decided to allow more physicality into the game... they're very physical defense, which... they've done a great job building their defense there. They swarm you." [05:36]

This segment highlights the tactical adjustments and mental fortitude required to overcome challenging game situations.

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3. NBA CBA Changes and Player Contracts

Timestamp: [08:10 - 10:37]

The conversation shifts to the implications of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) on team building and player contracts. Finch and Cowherd discuss the financial constraints teams face when signing star players like Julius Randle and Karl-Anthony Towns (Ant).

Colin Cowherd:
"But the new CBA, I mean here's my theory on the Luca trade..." [08:10]

Cowherd theorizes that the new CBA imposes significant financial penalties on teams towering star contracts, comparing player salaries to those of high-earning NFL quarterbacks to underscore the fiscal pressures teams endure.

Chris Finch:
"Now in the new CBA landscape, you really have to decide, like, you know, obviously who you're going to marry going forward. There's amazing talent." [09:33]

They touch upon the necessity for teams to pivot their strategies to accommodate substantial salaries while maintaining competitive rosters, leading to tough decisions like trading key players.

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4. Team Building and Player Relationships

Timestamp: [14:36 - 25:29]

Focusing on team dynamics, Finch discusses the integration of high-profile players like Jimmy Butler into existing team structures such as the Golden State Warriors. He underscores Butler's compatibility with the team's culture, his defensive prowess, and his ability to enhance team performance without disrupting the existing harmony.

Chris Finch:
"Jimmy has a high basketball IQ, he fits their basketball culture. He doesn't need the ball and when he has the ball, he's looking to make his teammates better." [14:36]

The dialogue extends to the challenges of balancing star players' egos and the importance of fostering an environment where all team members can thrive. Finch praises Butler's impact on the Warriors, highlighting his ability to elevate the team's competitiveness.

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5. All-Star Game Competitiveness and NBA Scheduling

Timestamp: [19:06 - 23:20]

The discussion transitions to the NBA All-Star Game, critiquing its current lack of competitiveness due to varying player motivations. Finch and Cowherd debate the efficacy of the All-Star format, suggesting that it fails to produce truly competitive matches when half the players are disinterested in competing seriously.

Colin Cowherd:
"Stars don't want to play it. There's nothing you can do." [19:06]

Finch proposes reimagining the All-Star Weekend to focus more on fan engagement and player interactions outside of the traditional game format, arguing that this could enhance the overall experience for fans.

Chris Finch:
"If you have half the players who don't want to compete and half that do, you know, you don't have a chance to have a competitive game." [19:06]

Additionally, they explore the idea of adjusting the NBA schedule to reduce the number of games, allowing for more spotlight moments on marquee matchups and reducing viewer fatigue from an overload of games.

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6. NFL Trade Requests and Combine Highlights

Timestamp: [35:05 - 37:05]

Shifting focus to the NFL, Cowherd and Finch discuss Miles Garrett's trade request from the Browns. Finch supports Garrett's value, suggesting that teams with late first-round picks, like the Buffalo Bills or Green Bay Packers, should consider trading substantial draft capital for Garrett due to his dominant performance and impact on the field.

Colin Cowherd:
"I would give up two firsts if I was the Buffalo Bills or Green Bay Packers because I'm drafting in no man's land anyway." [34:11]

They also touch upon the NFL's proposal to ban the "Tush Push" play, debating its feasibility and impact on the game. Finch expresses skepticism about the proposal's success, given the play's entrenched use by dominant teams.

Colin Cowherd:
"I think it's going to be a voting war, but I believe teams will ultimately decide to ban it." [35:32]

The conversation highlights the ongoing strategic evolutions within the NFL and the challenges of implementing rule changes in a league dominated by player trends and team preferences.

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7. Player Positions and Future Prospects

Timestamp: [38:07 - 43:13]

The episode concludes with a discussion on rising NFL talents, specifically Travis Hunter. Finch analyzes Hunter's potential, debating his optimal position and long-term viability in the league. While some advocate for Hunter as a cornerback, Finch leans towards utilizing him as a wide receiver to capitalize on his athleticism and market demand.

Chris Finch:
"I think he'll be a successful player and I think he's going to be a great highlight player. Like, he's just built for highlights." [39:06]

However, Finch cautions about the physical demands placed on dual-position players, emphasizing the importance of specialization for longevity and sustained performance in the league.

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8. Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts

Timestamp: [43:13 - End]

The final segment features a brief exchange between Colin and Finch, touching upon various lighter topics such as podcast promotions and personal anecdotes. This portion serves as a transition back to promotional content, ensuring that the focus remains on the core discussions highlighted above.

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Notable Quotes

• Colin Cowherd:
  "It's the greatest road win in the history of regular season NBA." [02:33]
  "But the new CBA, I mean here's my theory on the Luca trade..." [08:10]
  "Stars don't want to play it. There's nothing you can do." [19:06]

• Chris Finch:
  "We have a lot of competitors and our team's fighting... it was really the young guys, the rookies who brought us back into that game." [03:36]
  "Jimmy has a high basketball IQ, he fits their basketball culture. He doesn't need the ball and when he has the ball, he's looking to make his teammates better." [14:36]
  "If you have half the players who don't want to compete and half that do, you know, you don't have a chance to have a competitive game." [19:06]

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Conclusion

In this episode of "The Herd with Colin Cowherd," the focus predominantly lies on in-depth discussions about recent NBA developments, strategic coaching decisions, and the impact of the new CBA on team dynamics and player contracts. Additionally, insightful conversations about NFL trade requests and player positions provide a comprehensive overview of key sports narratives as of February 2025. Chris Finch's expertise as an NBA coach offers listeners a nuanced perspective on both basketball tactics and the broader implications of league-wide changes.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Chris Finch]

Now let's get this party started. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, sometimes you get lucky. It is the greatest road win in the history of regular season NBA. Last night, Chris Finch and the T Wolves. First time ever a team is trailed by over 20 entering the fourth and one. And you scored 41 points in the fourth against the number one rated defense. So I want. When you go into the fourth quarter, you. You were Belichick meets Andy Reid meets Red Auerbach. What did you tell. What do you tell a team you're getting housed against an excellent team? What did you tell your team?

[Chris Finch]

Well, I mean, first of all, I think you just. You have to have that competitiveness in you, you know, and we have a lot of competitors and our team's fighting and we've had a couple of comebacks like that. Not quite as big, but a lot of close games. Yeah, we've been in a lot of clutch games, but it was really the young guys, the rookies who brought us back into that game. And sometimes you just need that young energy. It's the third time we played Oklahoma City in four games. We played them the night before and so just they brought the juice and made a couple plays. And full disclosure, Colin, at about 10 minutes on the clock, we were down 19. I was almost going to pull the two remaining starters and then I thought, oh, let me just see what happens here over the next minute, minute or so. And then I think we got an and one and kind of cut it to 16. And then you think, well, maybe we'll see, you know, and it just kind of snowballed from there.

[Colin Cowherd]

By the way, Oklahoma City. Now let's play the clip. Chris, despite winning a little fired up after. He may be a little lighter in the wallet in a couple days. Here's Chris after the win last night.

[Chris Finch]

It's so frustrating to play this team because they foul a ton. You know, they really do. They foul. They foul all the time. And then, you know, you can't really touch Shay and it's a, it's a very frustrating thing and it takes a lot of mental toughness to try to play through it. And you know, we, we just eventually were able to get downhill and force, you know, force the issue ourselves and we're rewarded for it.

[Colin Cowherd]

So J. Mac has been on this all season. He has been on this all season. I defend sga, I defend Karl Malone, I defend James Harden. I don't think you get that whistle in the playoffs and I think that's problematic. You. Carl Malone didn't. Harden didn't. SJ won't. But there are players that do create contact. Luca, by the way, is phenomenal at it. But you obviously feel strongly about this. Were you sending a message? What was that for?

[Chris Finch]

I mean, first of all, I would. Thanks for bringing it to attention, everybody. But more to the point, it's like they're very physical defense, which is. I mean, they've done a great job building their defense there. They swarm you. And there is an adage when you're playing defense, like, hey, if we're physical and we're fouling all over the place, they're not going to be able to call them all.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's Jerry Sloan with the Jazz. The late Jerry Sloan.

[Chris Finch]

Yep.

[Colin Cowherd]

We'll just be so physical they can't blow the whistle all night.

[Chris Finch]

And. And. And all credit to the league. You know, about a year ago, they decided that they were going to allow more physicality into the game.

[Colin Cowherd]

Kind of liked it.

[Chris Finch]

We like it, too, and we're a defensive team and we benefit from that. But then. And when you have a player on the other end, Shay, who's so crafty and so hard to guard, and he. He's able to slow the game down in a way where everything's focused on him. So all the. All the contact is kind of accentuated. It is a very tough mental trap that you have to fight through with your players because you want to be able to match physicality when the game is physical, and you can't do it around a player like Shai because he's so crafty.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, there are certain players. YOK is one, SGA has one, and Luke is one. It doesn't matter what the pace of the game is. Yes, they played at their pace.

[Chris Finch]

Yeah. I mean, the guy selling popcorn. Selling popcorn at their pace.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, so Ant's an interesting player. What is so Ant. I was surprised today. I knew he was, like, top 10. He leads the NBA in three point shots made. What? And I've complained about this. I want Ant being dynamic. I also understand, like, Wemby shooting to me, too many threes, But I understand the game and the analytics. As a coach, what is the dividing line? The line in the sand on. Okay, I want you to shoot threes, but you can beat guys off the dribble and be dynamic. Do you fight with that?

[Chris Finch]

Well, I think I get asked this question a lot, like, what's the number of threes you'd like ideally, like, Anthony to shoot? I don't really have a number. I just want good ones. And he's done a. I think largely the ones he's taken this year are good. He came into the season trying to up his volume, because as crazy as it may sound, I think for the first time he gained full confidence in his shot. He's always been able to make it. We've always been preaching, hey, this is something you really do. You need to trust it more. And I think he started the season on such a hot streak that he kind of relied on it maybe a little too much. And then since Christmas time, he's really gone back to attacking more. I love his shot balance. Right now, he's attacking more. His free throws are up as a result, but yet he's still shooting good shots and making him at a high clip. So I think he's kind of mastered it right now. We've seen a few more of the Anthony dunks and spectacular plays going to the rim in the last month and a half.

[Colin Cowherd]

You didn't want to necessarily move off Cat, but it's the cba. It's the reality. So you bring in Julius Randle. A little ball centric for me, but he's a bit more of an initiator that can get ant good looks. Carl Anthony Towns isn't.

[Chris Finch]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

So it works out. Yeah. But the new cba, I mean, here's my theory on the Luca trade, and you tell me if I'm wrong. My theory is it was. It was different. When you pay a guy 35 million, so a billionaire goes, that's a lot of money. But, you know, quarterbacks, the NFL are making 60. If I got to pay a guy 75 million, now, it's like, that's more than Patrick Mahomes. That's. That's double Josh Allen. That's double what LeBron made in his prime. I'm going to consider everything. Conditioning's bad, bad defensive player. So I. I didn't buy it was just Nico, the gm. My take is this new cba, the stars won, but I think billionaire owners now are like, wait, wait, wait, wait. 75 billion is a number that is so punitive if the players hurt or isn't in condition. So my take is the players think they won the stars, but I think billionaires look at that number and think that is double Aaron Judge and they play twice our games. And that went into the Luca trade.

[Chris Finch]

Yeah, I would agree. I would agree with that. I think now in the new CBA landscape, you really have to decide, like, you know, obviously who you're going to marry going forward. There's amazing talent. Luke is an amazing talent, and that's their decision. I'm not going to comment too much on that.

[Colin Cowherd]

He'd been hurt a lot.

[Chris Finch]

Yeah. But I also think when you, when you get to this point with the, with these salaries, it really limits your ability to continue to construct teams around that star without it being further punitive. With the double apron and now just being able to escape those areas of the CBA to kind of readjust, which is what we had to do so we could continue to build around Anthony.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, you had to move Carl Anthony Towns.

[Chris Finch]

And so it's like the tax code right now. I mean, trying to figure out the tax code, it's so complicated. And a lot of these teams are now having to kind of pivot quickly to set themselves up for four and five years down the road, which is, you know, an interesting place to be when you're roster building.

[Colin Cowherd]

Be sure to catch live editions of.

[Chris Finch]

The Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the iHeartRadio app.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Chris Finch]

I'm Mark Seale.

[J. Mac]

And I'm Nathan King.

[Chris Finch]

This is Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli.

[Colin Cowherd]

The five families did not want us.

[Chris Finch]

To shoot that picture.

[J. Mac]

Leave the Gun Take the Cannoli is based on my co host Mark's best selling book of the same title. And on this show we call upon his years of research to help unpack the story behind the Godfather's birth. From start to finish.

[Chris Finch]

This is really the first interview I've done in bed.

[J. Mac]

We sift through innumerable accounts.

[Colin Cowherd]

35 pages isn't very much.

[J. Mac]

Many of them conflicting.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's nonsense.

[J. Mac]

There were 60 pages and try to get to the truth of what really happened.

[Jerry]

And they said we're finished.

[Colin Cowherd]

This is over. It only is not gonna work.

[Jerry]

You gotta get rid of those guys.

[Colin Cowherd]

This is that.

[J. Mac]

Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli features new and archival interviews with Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Evans, James Caan, Talia Shire and many others.

[Chris Finch]

Yes, that was a real horse's head.

[J. Mac]

Listen and subscribe to Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

I want to throw this at you that when before I kept saying about a month ago, just get Jimmy Butler with staff. I don't care what analytics say. He has the emotional intelligence, he'll work with Draymond and Steph and Kerr is that if you're a little squirrely or young, it won't work there and that he's intense, but it'll work. And it has worked. So I want you to talk about this. Julius Randle, by the way, has worked better than I thought with Ant. Yeah, I didn't think it would work. I thought he was too ball centric and I think Ant needs the ball. But it has worked. So I want you to talk about the warriors and Jimmy Butler. Butler has a reputation that he's tough. Everywhere he goes, he wins. What is it about him? Did you think the warriors, did you think it would work as well as it did?

[Chris Finch]

Yeah, I felt it would work. I did. I think, you know Jimmy high basketball iq, he fits their basketball culture. He doesn't need the ball and when he has the ball, he's looking to make his teammates better. Very intentional yeah, he's very intentional. He can get to the line, which is something that they struggled with, which helps you control games. And, you know, he's a perfect partner alongside Draymond because of the defensive flexibility, the toughness, the rebounding. And he will immediately understand, as we've seen, you know, how Steph plays and how to make, you know, how to kind of jive with that, with the playmaking. You know, he's just waiting to find Steph. He's a lot like Draymond in that way, but then when needed, he can step up and make a shot. And the admirable thing, not only does he win everywhere, his numbers go up in the playoffs, which you don't often see.

[Colin Cowherd]

Unheard of.

[Chris Finch]

Yeah. So we're done with them for the season. For that. I'm glad. Hopefully we can keep them behind us in this race coming down the stretch, but they are going to be a problem, so.

[Colin Cowherd]

And I like to ask you these Mass Macro League questions, and I'll get back to Ann Edwards at the end, but I thought JJ Redick had a moment this week, and he said the quiet part out loud, which is, we're going to run the offense through luka. I think LeBron wanted to run the offense through Adam, but he doesn't. He's not a playmaker. I thought when LeBron was in his prime, even Kyrie had to be off ball. LeBron was just the best player I'd ever seen. D. Wade relinquished it very quickly. Four practices in, you run the office and. But I do think JJ touched on something that people haven't said out loud, which is, no, it's we'll save you for your spurts. From somebody who knows the game on such a micro level. LeBron's always been a fascinating player because you'd love for him to play off ball, but he's so damn good at beating people to the basket. How do you think Luka LeBron will look going forward? Ideally, because sometimes your greatest gift is a burden. And I think LeBron, sometimes he is the ecosystem. Yeah. It just has to run through him. But when JJ said that, I was like, man, he said the quiet part out loud. Do you think it's problematic? How do you think it'll look?

[Chris Finch]

Well, I think sometimes when you're a coach, you have to say the quiet part out loud so there's clarity in your team, you know, and it's not always comfortable. You know, Luka's grown up playing with the ball in his hands his entire life, just as LeBron has, you know, and the key will be how they divide those minutes and they'll stagger them just enough so they all get their own usage. And I think we've seen early on when Luka tries to overly defer, you know, that's when he was. It's not his game and he was turning it over and he was a little bit uncomfortable. And I think that all comes from a good place. They're trying to accommodate each other right now. I think they'll all get to a point where they'll say, you know, I got to be me. But I do believe that because they're both so such exceptional passers and they're wired to make the right play almost all the time. That's why I love and really admire about LeBron is that he's. He makes the right play if it's always has, if it's a cut, if it's a pass, you know, if it's a drive or a run in transition, he's going to do it. And Luka's learned that too. You know, when he gets doubled, he makes the right play all the time. He doesn't force it anymore. And I think that kind of mentality gives them the best chance to be really successful with each other.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think the NBA has always been a players league since Spencer Haywood. Right. Like you can go back to where the players had a real say. I have no problem with it. And I like Adam Silver. I think he's very bright. He didn't want any more work stoppages. I think the money train is flying. But I do think sometimes he's a bit of a permissive parent. David Stern was a barker. He would not allow load management. This thing's gotten out of hand in my opinion. The players now make so much money that they have so much control. And again, I'm not bothered by it. That's who we go to watch. But I think the All Star game's a prime example. Stars don't want to play it. There's nothing you can do. You have ant. Ant is the most dynamic player in the league. Are there eggshells you have to walk on with a superstar player? They're not firing him. If you go on a four game winning streak, is it tough for you, Chris, knowing that you have one of the four seminal players in this league that people buy a ticket to watch?

[Chris Finch]

Well, I mean, it's, it's the reality of our league. You know, coaching is the ultimate middle management position in our league. So you have to have a Relationship with these guys, you have to understand, fortunately for Anthony, he's wired in the right way. He's highly coachable, he cares, he competes, he's about the right things. And you know, we all know that it's a players league and that's what's the beauty of it. And of course, these guys are amazing and people should come to watch them play all the time. You know, I do feel that, you know, with the All Star game, it's kind of gotten to a point where everybody's scratching their head. They don't know how to make it better. For me, I would just lean into the fact that it's an incredible fan fest weekend. There's a lot, there's a lot at stake. I do think if, you know, having been the coach last year there, the players did show up with a mindset or some of them are showed up with the mindset to want to compete. But if you have half the players who don't want to compete and half that do, you know, you don't have a chance to have a competitive game. So I do think like they're, they have to rethink that maybe they just like kind of go away from the game even and just have more events with more player interactivity with the fans, which is really what people want.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. You know, I think the NBA, I said this earlier, outside of the NFL, which is the English Premier League of the uk, is that everything's cyclical. I mean, boxing was huge. It's over. Tennis just had three extraordinary players all in their prime playing at the same time for 15 years. We'll never see that again. I mean, that you have to go back to like Connors and McEnroe and Borg. Yeah. And do you worry, do you worry, though, the league is getting international to a point where I guess I'll ask this. The league doesn't have a face of the league. Does it need one? Do you believe that would fix like Caitlin Clark, Literally one player from Iowa fixed a lot of the WNBA problems. I always say this in politics. The Democrats were lost, Obama showed up. Suddenly the conservatives were lost. Trump shows up. Now Democrats are the bottom line. Sometimes a singular personality changes the direction of a political party of a league. You know, pre, pre Magic and Bird, NBA was kind of a mess.

[Chris Finch]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Like they had a drug problem. If I said to you, let's solve this ratings problem, Chris Finch, what do you think it is?

[Chris Finch]

Yeah, I don't think it's a face of the league problem, Colin. I think there's a Lot of good stars. I mean, they're made know there may not be a supernova out there right now just to drag the league along. I do think that the game is in a great place in terms of its competitiveness. Games like last night, it looked like.

[Colin Cowherd]

Game seven of the Western Comp. I mean you guys were. It was incredibly intense.

[Chris Finch]

And, and there's so there's. You're never out of a game. I mean these games are wild. The variance in the league with the three point shooting and the pace and just kind of never out of the league right now that one thing I've said about the All Star game is like, we see such great spectacular plays from these guys going against each other every single night that you don't need to see it in an All Star game. You know, we see such amazing plays on a nightly basis. I do think there can be some thought into the schedule. I'm an advocate for less games same. You know, obviously people are going to have to give up money to make that work and for the betterment of the game. I think it's worth considering. You know, I might not have a job when I walk off this set, but. But I think that that's a way to kind of increase the. Not just maybe the participation of the league's best players on a nightly basis, but also to kind of draw focus to maybe three games a week as a nice rhythm. And we can look back and say, hey, what happened in the NBA this, this week? Because everybody's kind of played a bit of a balanced schedule. And I think that way we, you know, we can highlight some of the great plays. Sometimes when there's so many games, we can't watch them all, we can't see it all, and it becomes, you know, a little bit of white noise, if you will.

[Colin Cowherd]

So if I instead of asking you who's the best team in the league you've played? If I asked you, Chris, who would you. Not either conference. Who would you not want to play in a series?

[Chris Finch]

Well, I mean, Cleveland kicked their tail twice. I mean, I think they're, I think.

[Colin Cowherd]

Their, their efficiency is insane.

[Chris Finch]

Yeah. And they are complete. You know, there's a lot of good teams in the league, right. The west is just loaded top to bottom, but teams that I've been super impressed with when I 90s basketball, Michael Jordan and Kobe was not as clean as y'all think it was. Every great player, whether that's aunt Wemby Braun, you know, Steph, this, that, this, that, you know, they compare them to A month. Forty years ago, the rules weren't even the same. Nobody celebrates these new people. So why the would anybody want to be the face of this league? We're gonna get on. On every network for not being somebody from 40 years ago. Braun is one of the greatest players ever to play. Stephen Curry is one of the greatest players ever to play. Giannis is one of the great. Jokic. And, you know, we.

[Colin Cowherd]

Do.

[Chris Finch]

We talk about Michael Jordan, all this superstar era is over.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, clear shot. It appears to me, at Barkley inside the league. Does Barkley bother the players?

[Chris Finch]

I don't think so. No. I think. I mean, I would say most people thoroughly enjoy that show for what it is. It's part of the fabric of the NBA. It's. It's. It's irreverent. It's entertaining.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think it's a comedy show.

[Chris Finch]

Yeah. I mean, it should. They should have a disclaimer for entertainment purposes only. So. But I mean, it's. You know, it's. It's part of our league. I mean, it's. It's baked into our league, and we love that. But it's. I don't think it's bothered. There's some things here and there. I think it's gotten a little personal. It's added a little spice, you know, I know in the playoffs last year when they had Draymond on and he.

[Colin Cowherd]

Was going at Rudy, I thought Draymond was a little over the top.

[Chris Finch]

Yeah. But, you know, it added some spice, and it was fine. It all went away quickly. But no one's overly bothered by it.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay. J. Mac thinks it's the. It's the fall of the Roman Empire here. He just drives him crazy. I do think at some point that's a great line. I consider it almost is. Ernie is the ringmaster. It's got almost a pro wrestling feel to it. They make, you know, sexual jokes. It's like, there are certain shows that break all the rules. That's the show on TV that breaks all the rules. I mean, they swear. It's. It's innuendos about relationships. They're calling certain women in certain cities overweight. I'm like, this is totally inappropriate. And it kind of works.

[Chris Finch]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

So. And. And to your point, everybody kind of gets it.

[Chris Finch]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's great seeing you.

[Chris Finch]

Yeah. Appreciate it.

[Colin Cowherd]

You got.

[Chris Finch]

Didn't you.

[Colin Cowherd]

You got a technical, like, three weeks ago.

[Chris Finch]

I did.

[Colin Cowherd]

And you're not a real. You don't bark a lot.

[Chris Finch]

I bark a lot, Yeah. I just try to.

[Colin Cowherd]

Did you drop a Was it a word?

[Chris Finch]

Yeah, bozo.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, you called him a bozo.

[Chris Finch]

Yeah, bozo.

[Colin Cowherd]

You called it, ref. Okay, I'm the referee. What'd you say?

[Chris Finch]

I said you're a bozo.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's kind of what you would say before you. And he just teed you up for that?

[Chris Finch]

I think it was. I had been complaining for a lot.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, you'd been complaining for a while.

[Chris Finch]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

So did you drop a word before Boz?

[Chris Finch]

Might have. Definitely after.

[Colin Cowherd]

Great seeing you.

[Chris Finch]

I appreciate it. Thanks.

[Colin Cowherd]

Chris Finch off the craziest win NBA history last night, Come back on the road and beat okc. Back in a second. Live in la, it's the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of.

[Chris Finch]

The Herd, Weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific.

[Colin Cowherd]

Hey, Steve Cavino. And I'm Rich Davis, and together we're Covino and Rich on Fox. 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 Ko Vino Enrich wherever you get your podcast. And of course, on social media, that's Covino and Rich. All right, let's get into it. Virgin Voyages. This isn't just another cruise line. This is redefining what luxury travel means. First off, all in voyage pricing, over $1,000 in value, WiFi, tips, entertainment, even dining at specialty restaurants. It's all included. No nickel and diming, no hidden fees. It's clear, simple and honestly, how it should have always been done. And the cabins, let's just say they're not your standard hotel on the water deal. They've got private terraces, virgin red hammocks, views of the open sea. It's a reset button for your brain now here's what really sets them apart. No kids. That's right. Adults only. Everything. Food, entertainment, activities tailored to what you actually want and the destinations you're looking at the Caribbean this winter and for 2025, 2026, they're hitting places like North America, Iceland, the Mediterranean. It's top tier travel for people who demand the best. Virgin voyages isn't just a cruise. It's the future of adult vacations. Get on board. Book [e-mail] or contact your travel advisor. It's the last game of the season and with Amex you can save time with card member entrances at select venues and go straight to the actual so you can catch every moment. That's the powerful backing of American Express. Terms apply. Learn more@american express.com with AmEx you can count 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 heap 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.

[Chris Finch]

I'm Mark Seale.

[J. Mac]

And I'm Nathan King.

[Chris Finch]

This is Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli.

[Colin Cowherd]

The five families did not want us.

[Chris Finch]

To shoot that picture.

[J. Mac]

Leave the Gun Take the Cannoli is based on my co host Mark's best selling book of the same title. And on this show we call upon his years of research to help unpack the story behind the Godfather's birth. From start to finish, this is really.

[Chris Finch]

The first interview I've done in bed.

[J. Mac]

We sift through innumerable accounts. 35 pages isn't very much, many of them conflicting.

[Chris Finch]

That's nonsense.

[J. Mac]

There were 60 pages and try to get to the truth of what really happened.

[Jerry]

And they said we're finished, this is over.

[Colin Cowherd]

Not only is not going to work.

[Jerry]

You gotta get rid of those guys.

[Colin Cowherd]

This is that.

[J. Mac]

Leave the Gun Take the Cannoli features new and archival interviews with Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Evans, James Caan, Talia Shire and many others.

[Chris Finch]

Yes, that was the real horse's head.

[J. Mac]

Listen and subscribe to Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

I. I just. I just found out something that I cannot believe JMAC did Not put this in updates today. Well, you don't think it's a big story tomorrow?

[Jerry]

It's not that big. It's. I suggested a guest that we should invite on who, like Chris Finch is, and there's a story about Pete Carroll going to the combine, not flying first class because the Raiders are cheap.

[Colin Cowherd]

So he flew coach. Yeah.

[Jerry]

Like. Like, like me. Not like you, obviously.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, I fly coach regularly. Irregularly.

[Jerry]

But I fly in the 90s.

[Colin Cowherd]

Whatever. J. Mac with the news.

[Chris Finch]

No, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the Herd line news.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right.

[Jerry]

We do have some breaking news from the combine. It centers around Miles Garrett, the superstar edge rusher who has requested a trade from the Browns, citing his desire to win. Teams have been checking in on trading for Garrett, but GM Andrew Barry address the situation at the combine this morning.

[Colin Cowherd]

Understand the trade request and everything, but our stance really has not changed. You know, we can't imagine a situation where not having Miles. Our focus is. Is on, you know, building the team and, you know, again, Miles has got to be a big part of that. How many calls have you got? I wouldn't really touch on any conversations that I have with other teams. Just, respectfully, I don't think that's appropriate just for. For current and future business. But it's irrelevant to this situation because we're not interested in the big. Miles. Yeah. The question is, who would call with Miles Garrett? How about everybody? I mean. I mean, there's probably six teams that wouldn't. Philadelphia is loaded. They're going to call.

[Jerry]

So is this him being firm we're not trading him, or is this trying to gin up the price, get a bidding war going? Hey, we're not trading. I'm sorry. All right, well, what about. I can't imagine two firsts for a guy that's this age with this many injuries.

[Chris Finch]

Colin.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, boy. I.

[Jerry]

He's not a spring chicken, as they say.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's still unbelievably dominant. I think his body wears well over time. I really would have no problem. And I'm. I don't think I would say this about any defensive player since Aaron Donald. I would strongly consider again if I was a late first round team like Buffalo or. I'm going to. What? I'm going to be drafting late in the first round. I would give up two firsts if I was the Buffalo Bills or Green Bay packers because I'm drafting in no man's land anyway. No man's land in the NFL is drafting 20th down because you're out of first Round players even in a good draft by about 17 or 18. This year's got about 12. So no man's land. If you're the Buffalo Bills or Green Bay packers, you're drafting at 25, 27. I would absolutely give up two first for. For Myles Garrett. Absolutely. Dude. He is a. He will change. If you told me today, let's just take Green Bay. Green Bay has not had a consistent pass rush in forever.

[Jerry]

Yeah, but they have needs. Their offensive line was spotty this year called the draft.

[Colin Cowherd]

They don't have needs.

[Jerry]

You just said you're giving up two firsts.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, no, but they have a history, the packers do, of nailing third, fourth, fifth, sixth rounders for the offensive line.

[Jerry]

I mean. So you're a gambler, huh? You like to push all your chips.

[Colin Cowherd]

In the middle of the game. If I'm the Titans and I'm drafting top of the first, I'm not giving away two first first. But once you're a well run machine, Kansas city, you're drafting 30th every year.

[Jerry]

Kansas City's got some needs. I don't think that. I think the Eagles. I think your Eagles arguments the best. Hey, we've got a loaded roster. We don't have to pay anybody yet. We can give up maybe two firsts for Maz Garrett and. Oh my gosh, that is a terrifying defensive line. That would be phenomenal.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I think people, I, you know, I hear the New York Giants, they don't want to give up that first. First round pick for Matt Stafford. Well, it is a number three pick and if the Rams got that pick, they would, they would, I don't think they would draft a quarterback. I think they would keep. Keep going down, go get Aaron Rodgers and just fortify their roster. But when you're a good team, those first round picks, they just, I mean last year the Niners are picking like Ricky Pearsall and five minutes after the draft people are like, yeah, he can't separate. I mean that's, that's what you haters. I like Ricky Piersoll, but does he feel like a first round talent?

[Jerry]

Let's see next year when there's more playing time and he hasn't been shot in the offseason.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I know he had a rough start.

[Jerry]

All right, next story is yesterday we learned that an anonymous NFL team had sent a proposal to the league trying to ban the tush push. Well, now it's out there. It was the Green Bay packers who made the submission and GM Brian Gude Kunst confirmed it today. At the Combine.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I'm aware of it. We really haven't had very many discussions about it. I'm sure we will over the next few weeks as we head into the owners meetings, but. So I'm aware that we did, but.

[Chris Finch]

Really haven't had many discussions about it. We're not very successful against it, but.

[Colin Cowherd]

To be honest with you, I have not put much thought into it. It's been around for a while. We've used it in different fashions with our tight end. So, again, I think there'll be a lot of discussions about it. I got to kind of look at the. Some of the information as far as injury rates, things like that, to see, but we'll see. Listen, it's a automatic play, and the league hates those. They hated the pat. They didn't like the kickoff. The NFL gets rid of automatic plays. They just do. That's what they do.

[Jerry]

So here's the thing. They need 24 of 31 teams. Obviously, the Eagles are not going to vote for it to ban the play. That's 77%. Do you think 77% of teams in the league want to ban it?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Jerry]

No way. Well, first of all, Buffalo Bills tried it three times against the Chiefs, and it couldn't work. And now McDermott's like, yeah, we should try to ban the.

[Colin Cowherd]

First of all, there's a lot of envy in the world if the best team in football with the best gym and best roster is doing something nobody can stop. You'll get 24 votes in five minutes.

[Jerry]

Did they even use it in the Super Bowl? It was such a blowout. Like, I think this is a little overblown. You know what? Stop the damn play. Just stop it.

[Colin Cowherd]

How hard can it be?

[Jerry]

You got an entire off season to figure out how to stop the Tush push.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, it's. Again, I think it's easier said than done. I think leagues have a history of making moves to make the game more dynamic for its television partner. I mean, why. Why change the kickoff? Why change the pat?

[Jerry]

We're getting injured on kickoffs. The path was automatic and boring.

[Colin Cowherd]

So was the.

[Jerry]

You would leave the room for extra points. Oh, I got to go to the bathroom. Let me go get some chips. You're not leaving the room for tush push on 4th and 1. You're not doing that. You're watching, aren't you?

[Colin Cowherd]

Like, I. Well, I. Generally a fourth down, so I'm watching. I. I would be surprised if it isn't overturned. It'd be one thing if nine teams did It. Well, one does. And that one team's dominant.

[Jerry]

He's trying it.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, I think the Chargers tried it. The bill. I think teams try it.

[Jerry]

The Giants are the ones who tried it. Remember, Daniel Jones got hurt and the center got hurt. All these guys got banged up because they.

[Colin Cowherd]

I. You know what I think? I think it helps that you can want to ban it and use an excuse. Hey, I think it's unsafe for players. It's one thing if you, if you vote to ban it and you're only out is, well, we can't stop it. I can vote against it and go. I think it's really unhealthy for these young men in the NFL and we've got to protect our players. And they can sound very altruistic. That's a much easier no vote for me as a gm.

[Jerry]

You sound like a politician. Hey, you've got no evidence to back it up, but you're just going to say something and keep saying it and saying it until it becomes fact. Like, the Eagles run this play twice a game. Three times. Any injuries on the Eagles? I mean, they're running it. Anybody getting hurt?

[Colin Cowherd]

All I know is the safety of young men is my number one concern.

[Jerry]

All right, final story is the combine is really kicking off in earnest this week. Everybody's excited. Travis Hunter, considered one of the best in the nation last year, corner and receiver. The Athletics surveyed six NFL players asking them what position he should play after he's drafted. None of them picked wide receiver. Colin. Now it is only six guys. Tiny sample size. Three said corner. Three said both ways. I'm going to say Travis Hunter wants to play wide receiver. Receiver because he wants to get paid. And that's the position that gets you paid right now.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I. This. All this is. I mean, listen, if he goes to New England, he's obviously going to be the most dynamic athlete.

[Jerry]

So you think Vrabel's taken in?

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, I think he's going to be a successful player and I think he's going to be a great highlight player. Like, he's just built for highlights. But I think over the course of time, cornerbacks have to tackle bigger running backs and bigger tight ends and often bigger receivers. You got to take another 45 snaps on offense. Like, I just. I don't think it's built for the long haul. I think he'll be dynamic. I think his first couple years in the league, people will be like, this is amazing. But isn't. You want to get guys to a second contract and I just think you're it's asking a lot for a thin player on a perimeter player that defensively has to tackle in between the tackle players regularly. And I think it's a big ask to play both sides.

[Jerry]

Feels like Jacksonville's a great fit. No pressure. Is the number one receiver right out of the gate.

[Chris Finch]

Right.

[Jerry]

They got some skill guys. Trevor Lawrence, a quarterback. I think Jacksonville five makes a ton of sense for him.

[Colin Cowherd]

J. Mac with the news.

[Chris Finch]

Well, that's the news and thanks for stopping by. The Herd lie news Good to have.

[Colin Cowherd]

Chris Finch in today. So far today I've had gummy bear soup and Sour Patch Kids sandwich. We are rolling here as we have a stocked candy fridge right off the set. Chris Finch, Daniel Jeremiah both stopped by today. Daniel Jeremiah has Abdul Carter from Penn State. He did his 23rd combine and he said the first time he was there there were two reporters. The late John Clayton and Chris Mortensen were both there. And, and now it's like it's, it's a thing. The access is still limited, but the combine week is really known as deal week, is that, you know, people go now to make deals. The Rams front office and Matt Stafford's agent, you know, I'm being told they're going to try to make a deal. I don't think they'll get a deal done, but they're trying to lay the groundwork so, you know, people aren't. As you know, the sides remain reasonably amicable.

[Chris Finch]

Hey, it's Alec Baldwin. This past season on my podcast, here's the Thing, I spoke with more actors, musicians, policymakers and so many other fascinating people like writer and actor Dan Aykroyd.

[Colin Cowherd]

I love writing more than anything. You're left alone. You know, you do three hours in the morning, you write three hours in the afternoon. Go pick up a kid from school and write at night. And after nine hours, you come out with seven pages and then you're moving on.

[Chris Finch]

And actor and comedian Jack McBrayer.

[Colin Cowherd]

The most important aspect is the collaboration with people that I like, I trust are talented. That has been the most amazing gift to me about this crazy business that we've chosen. Meeting these people who have such diverse talents and you're able to create something together.

[Chris Finch]

Listen to here's the thing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey everybody, what's up? This is Questlove, and every year we do special programming in February for Black History Month. Now, it's especially important this year as we gear up for some new conversations so the team and I compiled some clips from the show that are worth revisiting. In Part one of the celebration of Black History Month, we're listening back to Moments with Chris Rock, Solange Prodigy, Ben Vereen, Jennifer Lewis, Angela Rye and Gina Yashore. Listen to Questlove supreme on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

Jon Stewart is back at the Daily show and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with.

[Chris Finch]

The Daily Show Ears Edition podcast.

[Colin Cowherd]

Dive into John's unique take on the.

[Chris Finch]

Biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports and more.

[Colin Cowherd]

Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondents and contributors, and with extended.

[Chris Finch]

Interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups, this.

[Colin Cowherd]

Podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else.

[Chris Finch]

Ready to laugh and stay informed? Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Are you hungry?

[Jerry]

Colleen Witt here and Eating While Broke.

[Chris Finch]

Is back for Season four every Thursday on the Black Effect Podcast Network. This season we've got a leg legendary lineup serving up broke dishes and even better stories. On the menu we have Tony Baker, Nick Cannon, Melissa Ford, October London and Carrie Harper. Howie turning Big Macs into big moves. Catch Eating While Broke every Thursday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app Apple Podcast Wherever you get your favorite shows, come hungry for Season four.