Hour 3 - Is it too much hype?

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 3: Is It Too Much Hype?
Release Date: April 7, 2025

Introduction
In "Hour 3 - Is It Too Much Hype?" of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, hosts Rick Bucher, Jason McIntyre, and Alex Curry delve deep into the latest happenings in the NBA and NFL, analyzing team performances, player impacts, and draft strategies. This episode offers insightful commentary on the NBA Finals, examines standout player performances, and explores key NFL Draft prospects, all while addressing the overarching question of whether the current hype surrounding these events is justified.

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1. NBA Finals Analysis

a. Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Game Overview
The episode kicks off with an in-depth analysis of the recent Lakers victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Rick Bucher expresses skepticism about interpreting regular-season performances as indicators for playoff outcomes.

Rick Bucher [03:30]: "Is that similar in that, hey man, that ain't happening in the playoffs. He's not hitting anything. Sorry."

b. LeBron James’ Performance
Discussion centers around LeBron James’ subdued performance, with Jason McIntyre noting the absence of his usual free-throw attempts and overall impact.

Jason McIntyre [03:47]: "He didn't go to the free throw line. Yeah. I don't want to say too much great stuff about the Lakers, but go ahead."

c. Luka Doncic and Oklahoma City's Strategies
Jason analyzes Luka Doncic's dominance and Oklahoma City's defensive challenges, emphasizing the team's need to adjust their strategies to counteract the Lakers' strengths.

Jason McIntyre [04:10]: "They made eight of their first 10 threes and you're talking about Oklahoma City Thunder, the best defense in the league. They're not making any adjustments."

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2. Player Spotlight

a. Impact of SGA in the Lakers Game
The hosts examine Sharife Gordon Adams (SGA)'s performance, particularly his free-throw difficulties, and its implications for his role in the team.

Rick Bucher [08:23]: "The free throw merchant SGA. No free throws. Did you see when he went baseline on Luka, kicked his leg out, got the whistle."

b. SGA’s Free Throw Merchant Comments
Jason defends SGA's overall performance despite his free-throw struggles, highlighting his scoring ability.

Jason McIntyre [08:48]: "He is a phenomenal player. And the fact that he didn't get to the free throw line, he still had 26."

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3. NFL Draft Insights

a. Travis Hunter's Rising Draft Stock
The conversation shifts to the NFL Draft, focusing on Travis Hunter’s ascent to being a top draft pick following Colorado’s pro day performance.

Alex Curry [30:08]: "NFL draft betting odds have shifted after Colorado's pro day. Travis Hunter is now the odds on a favorite to go second to the Browns."

b. Shador Sanders’ Draft Prospects
Shador Sanders' draft prospects are evaluated, with considerations of his performance and potential team fits discussed.

Rick Bucher [39:12]: "Jordan Schultz had a great take on Shador Sanders. Here's why he canceled his visit with the Titans."

c. Cleveland Browns' Draft Strategy and Aaron Rodgers Trade Speculation
The Browns' potential draft strategies are debated, including the impact of Aaron Rodgers' possible trade to the team.

Jason McIntyre [41:35]: "With Aaron Rodgers potentially coming to Cleveland, it changes the quarterback dynamics significantly."

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4. Retirement of Julio Jones

a. Career Milestones
The hosts celebrate Julio Jones' illustrious career, enumerating his achievements and records set during his tenure with the Atlanta Falcons.

Alex Curry [37:00]: "Julio led all players in receiving yards, set 10 franchise records, and surpassed Jerry Rice as the fastest player in NFL history to reach 12,000 receiving yards."

b. Hall of Fame Considerations
A spirited debate ensues on whether Julio Jones' career merits induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first ballot.

Rick Bucher [38:16]: "I would give him the vote. He was one of the three best receivers in the league."

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5. Other Sports Discussions

a. Kevin Durant’s Potential Moves
Speculation surrounds Kevin Durant's future in the NBA, with discussions on his possible destinations and the impact on various teams.

Jason McIntyre [19:18]: "Honestly, I don't know that I would bring him into Houston. Seems like a natural fit, right?"

b. Cooper Flag’s MVP Prospects
Cooper Flag’s emerging talent is highlighted, with Rick Bucher expressing high expectations for his future in the league.

Rick Bucher [20:13]: "I am irrationally high on him. I think two MVP awards in the NBA for Cooper Flag. That's real."

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6. Conclusion

The episode wraps up with final thoughts on the discussed topics, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of the playoffs and draft outcomes. The hosts encourage listeners to engage with upcoming episodes for more in-depth analysis and debates.

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Notable Quotes:

• Rick Bucher [03:30]: "Is that similar in that, hey man, that ain't happening in the playoffs. He's not hitting anything. Sorry."
• Jason McIntyre [08:48]: "He is a phenomenal player. And the fact that he didn't get to the free throw line, he still had 26."
• Alex Curry [30:08]: "Travis Hunter is now the odds on a favorite to go second to the Browns."
• Rick Bucher [38:16]: "I would give him the vote. He was one of the three best receivers in the league."
• Jason McIntyre [19:18]: "Honestly, I don't know that I would bring him into Houston. Seems like a natural fit, right?"

Conclusion
"Hour 3 - Is It Too Much Hype?" offers a comprehensive exploration of current sports narratives, blending statistical analysis with passionate discourse. Whether debating the merits of player performances or forecasting draft outcomes, Rick Bucher, Jason McIntyre, and Alex Curry provide listeners with nuanced perspectives that challenge prevailing narratives and invite deeper engagement with the sports they love.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Rick Bucher]

Gambling problem. Call 1-800-G GAMBLER in New York, call 877-8-HOPENY or text hopeny 467-369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boot Hill Casino and Resort in Kansas 21 Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario, new customers only. Bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG Co Audio. Wendy's is the official hamburger of March Madness, which means more deals for you and more burgers for your face. It also means we got a junior bacon cheeseburger or a double stack for $1 with an in app offer and a purchase. It's hard not to get excited when there's an offer of two of the freshest hot off the grill burgers that Wendy's makes. The Junior Bacon Cheeseburger with the fresh beef, applewood, smoked bacon, cheese, crispy lettuce, tomato and mayo and the hot and juicy Double Stack with two patties of fresh never frozen beef with cheese, ketchup, mustard, pickle, onion. The real champions of March Madness. Head to Wendy's app and grab a $1 junior bacon cheeseburger or a $1 double stack with an in app offer and a purchase for the freshest deal in fast food. Gotta be Wendy's.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Rick Bucher]

Now let's get this party started. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. All right, one of the great NBA analysts out there, Rick Bucher. Fox Sports NBA superstar Rick Nice little win for the Lakers in LeBron. It's crazy. I did the whole opening rant.

[Jason McIntyre]

Oh, I know. I heard LeBron. Trust me, I heard it.

[Rick Bucher]

And then Alex is like, oh yeah, LeBron didn't even do anything. I was like, that's right. He didn't go to the free throw line. Yeah. I don't want to say too much great stuff about the Lakers, but go ahead.

[Jason McIntyre]

What do you mean it's too late?

[Rick Bucher]

Go for it. Your thoughts on the Lakers smashing okc?

[Jason McIntyre]

Well, look, I always thought that they were legit in terms of being able to face them there still a lot of questions to be asked. It's just hard for me to know how much to take from this game because as I watched it, first of all, I saw the score before I watched it. I didn't watch it live. I saw the score. I was like, wow, now I have to watch it. And then as I'm watching it, I'm like, oh, they made eight of their first 10 threes and you're talking about Oklahoma City Thunder, the best defense in the league. They're not making any adjustments. They go down by 16, 18. They stay with the regular rotation. They're not closing out. They're not defending. They're not doing. They're not making any adjustments. Now, I don't want to take anything away from what the Lakers did, but it was a clear reflection of one team that is locked into its position and the other one that is still fighting tooth and nail to stay out of the play in and for the seating. So I think that's a lot of what you saw in terms of it being lopsided. But there are some elements that the Lakers present their size on the perimeter and how you're going to match up, how are you going to match up with Jokic and LeBron size wise? Yeah, Luca. And that remains to be seen. So I think there are some issues that, that Oklahoma City has to resolve, but they also, like, they didn't throw their best pitch at the Lakers defense either. And when guys did go, I'm like, oh wow, like he just went by Luka, he just went by Austin, he just went by LeBron. And so that all of that is going to play out.

[Rick Bucher]

So Thursday, Lakers lose to the warriors pod Zemski hits 8. 8 of 10 3. So is that similar in that, hey man, that ain't happening in the playoffs. He's not hitting anything. Sorry.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, no, look, once you get to the playoffs and you can really kind of drill down and you can say, okay, this is the thing this guy doesn't like to do. We're going to make him do it as opposed to. And then I. Part of it too is like, I don't know how serious. It was a meaningful game. I just didn't get the sense that the Lakers were like, we can win this game against the Wolves. We don't have to give them our A game. Like we can give them our A minus game and we still might get this done. And the warriors are on one right now. So it's taking something from these regular season matchups at this point and taking them as a referendum on how a seven game series is going to go, I think is very dangerous.

[Rick Bucher]

Yeah, I'm fairly certain last year the Suns beat up the Wolves in the regular season. I fell for it and then Minnesota smashed them and eliminated them. So I don't want to overreact. I will say I like Luca's accountability in that warriors loss. He was terrible defensively, offensively, I mean, and afterward he's like, that is an unacceptable performance. And I applaud that. That being said, this whole Lou Dort defensive player of the year, he couldn't check Luca yesterday. Shet had no chance. SGA JDub. I mean, if Luka, I think, I don't want to say Luka owns them, but he kind of sort of dominated them last year in the playoffs.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah. Yeah. Well, the, the trick for Oklahoma City and this is going to go to matchups is it's not about like just stopping the Lakers on when they're on offense, it's exposing their defense, it's making them play fast so that they don't have the same energy on the offensive Side of the ball, that's your offense being part of your defense, and we didn't see that in this game. But you got to make Luka work so that he's not just coming down and feeling as comfortable as he did. And then look, there's a great player. I'm sure he felt like he lost that warriors game because he was so off and everybody else was relatively on. I still, when it comes down to it, when we're talking about long series in the playoffs and we're asking luka, Austin and LeBron to play hard at both ends of the floor, are they physically going to be able to stand up to that? That's my given what they are, health wise. One game, I would take them against almost anybody in multiple seven game series with those three guys having to play as hard as they're going to have to play at both ends, that's where I think that physically they could start to break down. And if they lose any one of those guys, it's curtains.

[Rick Bucher]

All right, let's get one Thunder question out of the way. The free throw merchant sga. No free throws. Did you see when he went baseline on Luka, kicked his leg out, got the whistle. Lakers challenged it. And no foul. And SGA looked. Listen, Rick, at least three times he drove, but we don't have that highlight. But he missed the shot and is like looking at the ref like, where's the call? Zero free throws. Redick made it a point. Yeah, I see you smiling. I see you smiling. Rick, come on.

[Jason McIntyre]

This is not. Look, Nikola Jokic is my mvp far and away.

[Rick Bucher]

Agreed.

[Jason McIntyre]

All right, but that said, we were making way too much of this free throw Merchant thing. Like, that's his. That's the only trick in his bag. He is a phenomenal player. And the fact that he didn't get to the free throw line, he still, what, had 26.

[Rick Bucher]

I think 25 on 25 shots or something.

[Jason McIntyre]

Okay, all right, look, shot wasn't on. He's missing. Missing shots that he normally makes. I'm not. I'm not. Again, I'm not taking anything on his performance in this game as a reflection of what he'll do in the postseason.

[Rick Bucher]

All right, let's finally move on from the Lakers. We have to. Audience. Sorry. I know you want more Lakers content. Hey, what's going on with Russell Westbrook and the Nuggets? Lot of saltiness from Russ. He's hurting them. No, Jamal Marie matters. Okay, go ahead.

[Jason McIntyre]

Wait. Russ is no different than he's been all along and particularly when it comes to the media. Like, look, he could not have screwed up more ways the other night in whether it's fumbling the ball out of bounds. And then that was against the warriors, he looked awful. And then the previous game where he's missing the layup, he's fouling on the three, like just a series of errors. And then he goes, he ghosts the media and he takes great pleasure out of doing that. Like, you can tell he's, it's a game for him. And I, and I, look, I, this goes way back. Like, I remember being in the locker room and he had, remember, like he started the crazy outfits. I think he was the first guy that started doing really wild fits and going to the podium, right? And, and I was, for whatever reason, I was in the locker room early and he was going to the podium late and, and I can't remember now who it was that was next to him in the locker. But he goes, he goes. Watch them react to this. And he was, he was going out in some crazy outfit. And so it, it's a game for him. And you know, the reality is with the Denver Nuggets, you would think that when Jamal Murray is out, that Russell Westbrook is your point guard, he's your ball handler. They do not have anyone that I can completely trust with the ball other than Nikola Jokic when Jamal Murray is out. And that is the great Achilles heel of the Denver Nuggets. Nikola Jokic is playing the best basketball of his life, without a question, the best player in the league right now. Right? And you see where the Denver Nuggets are because the rest of that team has either flat flatlined or they're playing below what we've seen them play before.

[Colin Cowherd]

Be sure to catch live editions of.

[Rick Bucher]

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

[Colin Cowherd]

The finals are here. And the only thing for sure, it's the last time to bet on college basketball. This season been an amazing ride full of unexpected happenings. Maybe there'll be more. So get in on the action expected and unexpected with DraftKings sportsbook, live betting promos, exclusive content parlays. I love those. DraftKings is the ultimate college basketball destination for March. So are you ready to make your first bet? Check out the matchups and pick a team to win. It's that simple. First time. Here's something special just for you. New DraftKings customers bet five bucks to get 150 bucks in bonus bets instantly. So bet the unexpected with DraftKings sportsbook. You download the Sportsbook app. The code is heard. That's me. H E R D for new customers get 150 bucks in bonus bets. All you have to do is bet five bucks. That's it. Only on DraftKings. The crown is yours.

[Rick Bucher]

Gambling problem. Call 1-800- gambler in New York, call 877-8-HOPE NY or text hopeny 467-369 In Connecticut, help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boot Hill Casino and Resort in Kansas. 21 Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void. In Ontario, new customers only. Bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG Co Audio. We live in a divided country. I am a lifelong Republican with all kinds of different people.

[Alex Curry]

You know, I'm a mother, I'm a grandmother.

[Rick Bucher]

That's why we started the Middle with Jeremy Hobson. It's about bringing voices not from the extremes, but from the vast middle into the national conversation. Anna, I'm calling from Las Vegas. Each week we bring together an all star panel. Mark Cuban, so great to have you on the Middle.

[Jason McIntyre]

Thanks for having me.

[Rick Bucher]

Jeremy. Neil degrasse Tyson, welcome to the Middle. Thanks for having me. And hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country on the most important issues. Hi, my name is Venkat. I'm calling you from Atlanta, Georgia. And when you subscribe to the Middle, you also get an episode each week called One Thing Trump did that focuses on just one item from the avalanche of news. We should be examining what our government spends its money on and are these jobs necessary? And what are we doing here? But that doesn't seem to be what we're doing in this situation. Listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jason McIntyre]

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[Rick Bucher]

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[Jason McIntyre]

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[Rick Bucher]

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[Jason McIntyre]

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[Rick Bucher]

Create a system of trust.

[Jason McIntyre]

And it Works over time.

[Rick Bucher]

I'm Dan Roth, LinkedIn's editor in chief. On my podcast, this is Working, leaders like Jamie Dimon, Mark Cuban and Richard Branson share strategies for success and the real lessons that have shaped them. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Alex Curry]

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[Rick Bucher]

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[Alex Curry]

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[Rick Bucher]

I'm Diosa. I'm Mala, the host of Locatora Radio, a radiophonic novella, which is just a.

[Alex Curry]

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[Rick Bucher]

Tune in to locatora radio season 10.

[Alex Curry]

Now that's what I call a podcast. Listen to Locatora Radio Season 10 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Rick Bucher]

All right, you're Mr. Bay Area. You know the warriors as well as anybody. They had an amazing week.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yes.

[Rick Bucher]

Memphis Curry goes off. That went over the Lakers. Then they beat the Nuggets on the road. I saw some of that Friday night. Impressive. And then last night they go home and get body bagged by Amen Thompson IME Udoka, who was chirping at Curry. I'm sure you saw that. Listen, I don't. I'm not worried about the Rockets, but they put on a clinic last night on Curry. One of ten shooting three points.

[Jason McIntyre]

This is the best Jason McIntyre Day ever. Because everything in the present is like, oh, my God, hair on fire. I can't believe it went this direction. Right. Look, they just beat Memphis. The Lakers in Denver. Three wins, three big wins, three big emotional wins in four days. And now they're playing the Houston Rockets at home. There was. They were so ready to take a step down. And you're playing again against a young team, athletic team, physical team. They took advantage of that. But I'm not like, again, I'm not going to take this as a referendum on either team. Love the Houston Rockets. Love IME Udoka. Love that he chirps at guys. Like, he's still. He's still the same as he was as a player.

[Rick Bucher]

Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

I mean, he's done this with LeBron. He does it with Steph. If you just. I swear, if a reporter came in to the press conference and was acting soft, he'd probably say something. That's just the way IME Odoka is.

[Rick Bucher]

So, listen, I know there's a lot happening in the league with the west and the jumbled standings. Alex broke it down earlier. You had a good take during the commercial break. Like, I'm like, maybe the Lakers should be nervous about the Warriors. Should the warriors be nervous about.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

Houston.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

You know, should OKC worry about the Lakers? Like. And your take was. I don't want to steal it, but.

[Jason McIntyre]

I don't think anybody should be worried about anybody. Like, I feel like it's wide open and it really comes down to matchups and you've got what I mean, we're talking about. I'd throw the Clippers and the Timberwolves in, not necessarily as title contenders, but teams that could pull an upset. You look at that, and I mean, compared to the east, the east feels like a foregone conclusion. Never mind that you've got some teams with losing records that are probably going to make the playoffs in the east, and you're going to have some teams with some really impressive records that are potentially not ultimately going to get there. And that's where I. I just feel like you go down the board and it really is a matter of who is going to see who, when they're going to see them. Every single team has some sort of flaw or Achilles heel that if they get up against the wrong opponent is going to get exposed.

[Rick Bucher]

We saw the Phoenix Suns on the outside looking in. They're not mathematically eliminated, but they've lost six in a row. KD's hurt, blah, blah, blah. I know it's speculative, but this is going to be the summer of Kevin Durant again. Yeah, it's early. There's Houston as a potential landing spot. Some people are floating. The Knicks, I think cowherd is. I don't know. You want to give us an outside the box take on kd? I know it's tough to project what he's going to do because he's kind of a crazy person, but he could go anywhere. I don't know. Reunite with Kyrie in Dallas? I. I don't know.

[Jason McIntyre]

Honestly, I don't know that I would bring him into Houston. Seems like a natural fit, right?

[Rick Bucher]

They Got the picks.

[Jason McIntyre]

They have the picks and they need like a real bonafide go to score. I don't like. I like Jalen Green. I think if your aspirations are to play for a title you might need to. And you want to do it sooner than later, then you need to upgrade. I just the. His committed lack of relate leadership. His committed. I just want to hoop.

[Rick Bucher]

Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

And you play. You take a player of that talent and bring them into your team. It just, it screws up the dynamic and I love this dynamic of the Rockets. And yes, I do think they need to upgrade there but I wouldn't sacrifice that for a roll of the dice on a Kevin Durant.

[Rick Bucher]

That's a great point. We'll wrap up with Cooper Flag. I am irrationally high on him. Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

What does that mean? I mean the irrational part I totally get.

[Rick Bucher]

Yeah. Because I'm irrational. But the I. I don't mind the Kevin Garnett comparisons. Kevin, he's going to be better as a rookie than Kevin Garnett was, which is not saying much. He went high school to the pros. Cooper Flag of the year at Duke. That being said, over under one and a half MVP awards in the NBA for Cooper Flag. What?

[Jason McIntyre]

Come on, slow down.

[Rick Bucher]

I go over what I think he can win two mvp. Steve.

[Alex Curry]

Wow.

[Rick Bucher]

You'll get. Check around pick Scott.

[Jason McIntyre]

I need to look. Where's the producer? I need to be prepped when he's going to come with.

[Rick Bucher]

I got it right here in the NBA Comps for Cooper Flag. And I'm just extending the question. Come on. What's wrong? What?

[Jason McIntyre]

Look, I love, I love everything about Cooper Flag. My concerns about us internationally in terms of the way we play basketball and having guys that we can count on to still make us competitive in the international game. He answers a lot of that because he is. My comps for him are international because he has. Because he has. It's sort of a cross between Kirilenko and Tony Kukoc. He can play on the ball, he can play off the ball. He's got some grit. His basketball IQ is huge. But like I don't know if he has the individual game or he has that. Like, I don't think he's the scorer that KD is. Kd.

[Rick Bucher]

KD coming out of Texas. Kd. Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

Like, I mean I just. The thing that kind of scared me a little bit is when I see him go one on one with certain matchups at the collegiate level. He has to work really hard. You're talking about a guy who is is usually longer and a little more athletic than most of the guys that he's going up with.

[Rick Bucher]

Just reminder, Rick, he should be a high school senior. He's 18. He's not even, like, close to 19. He's like 18 and a half.

[Jason McIntyre]

I know, but here's the thing. When you have a guy that has the basketball IQ that he has and he already has, like, the fundamentals that he has, then the growth isn't the same as when you take, like, a Giannis Antetok Antetokounmpo who is wildly athletic but really not developed, and you bring him in at 19 and you're like, oh, like, if he learns how to play the game over, he's just going to skyrocket. Like, Cooper's already one of those guys that he's sort of a made man already coming in. So I don't like, he's going to get better. No question he's going to get better, but how much better is he going to say?

[Rick Bucher]

He could be maxed out or interesting.

[Jason McIntyre]

Now, listen, I'm not saying max. I'm not saying maxed out. I'm just saying, like, multiple MVPs.

[Rick Bucher]

I just think two. That's real.

[Jason McIntyre]

So you are on one today.

[Rick Bucher]

So I didn't. I. I just thought of this on the fly. I don't want anybody to freak out, but, like, there were stories about Kobe as a young guy going toe to toe with pros. We saw the video Cooper Flag at USA Basketball camp. Drew Holiday, Anthony Davis going at them. And the quotes coming out of there were like, this guy can play now in the league. He was 17. Here's a video like, face it up, A.D. yeah, let me splash a three in your eye. Just unafraid.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

I mean, the kid could do everything. Rick, I got to just say, when you hear about these high school guys doing this, torching NBA players, it's like, oh, snap.

[Jason McIntyre]

Okay.

[Rick Bucher]

I mean, pull up three. Look at this transition. Look at that. Just yamming on, folks.

[Jason McIntyre]

That's bam.

[Rick Bucher]

Out of bio. He's soaring over.

[Jason McIntyre]

Was there.

[Rick Bucher]

Was there in the post against Holiday Mouse in the house.

[Jason McIntyre]

So I. I'm watching this, and I'm watching the level of intensity from the national team, and I'm not quite seeing what I need to see. That's a lazy, slow closeout in the corner. Okay, so look, you're putting me in this position. I hate this. I love everything about Cooper Flag, and I hope you're right. I hope it is. But if I'm looking at what I'm seeing right now. I think he's going to be really, really good. I'm excited to see him play. Just what are you doing? You put the bar that high and then it's a disappointment. He can be a really, really good player. And he's like, yeah, but he's not a league mvp, I'm afraid.

[Rick Bucher]

We got a Michigan guy on staff, Martin, and I was like, you know you, I know you are a C. Webb guy. I love Weber coming out.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah. But speaking of guys who played well against the national team once upon a time in those scrimmages, Webber, phenomenal. Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

Didn't win an mvp.

[Alex Curry]

Nope.

[Rick Bucher]

I mean, I love C. Webb. I think Cooper fly skill sets. Like at least Chris Weber maybe better. I mean, he's bringing the ball up against pressure.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

Like, I, I don't know. I.

[Jason McIntyre]

No, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not. I love his. I love his skill set.

[Rick Bucher]

Can we do Rick every day? I just love chopping it up. We love going at it. We might have to revisit a Dame Lillard debate we had like two years ago. Probably not, but anyways. All right, Rick Bucher. Good stuff.

[Jason McIntyre]

Save it for the podcast.

[Rick Bucher]

We'll go to break it after that. Alex Curry with the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

Be sure to catch live editions of.

[Rick Bucher]

The Herd weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific.

[Jason McIntyre]

Hey, it's Steve Covino and I'm Rich Davis, and together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You can catch us weekdays from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio. And of course, the iHeartRadio 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 and 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 7 p p.m. eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific. And if you miss any of the live show, just search Koveeno and Rich wherever you get your podcast. And of course, on social media, that's Covino and Rich.

[Rick Bucher]

We live in a divided country. I am a lifelong Republican with all kinds of different people.

[Alex Curry]

You know, I'm a mother, I'm a grandmother.

[Rick Bucher]

That's why we started the Middle with Jeremy Hobson. It's about bringing voices not from the extremes, but from the vast middle into the national conversation. Anna, I'm calling from Las Vegas. Each week we bring together an all star panel. Mark Cuban, so great to have you on the Middle.

[Jason McIntyre]

Thanks for having me. Jeremy.

[Rick Bucher]

Neil degrasse Tyson, welcome to the Middle. Thanks for having me. And hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country on the most important issues. Hi, my name is Venkat. I'm calling you from Atlanta, Georgia. And when you subscribe to the Middle, you also get an episode each week called One Thing Trump did that focuses on just one item from the avalanche of news. We should be examining what our government spends its money on and are these jobs necessary? And what are we doing here? But that doesn't seem to be what we're doing in this situation. Listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jason McIntyre]

Ever wonder what it would be like.

[Rick Bucher]

To be mentored by today's top business leaders? My podcast, this Is Working can help with that. Here's some advice from Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan Chase, on standing out from the leadership crowd.

[Jason McIntyre]

Develop your eq. A lot of people have plenty of brains, but EQ is do you trust me?

[Rick Bucher]

Do I communicate well? You know, when you walk in a.

[Jason McIntyre]

Room, do people feel good? You're there? Are you responsive to people?

[Rick Bucher]

Do people know you have a heart?

[Jason McIntyre]

Develop the team, develop the people.

[Rick Bucher]

Create a system of trust.

[Jason McIntyre]

And it works over time.

[Rick Bucher]

I'm Dan Roth, LinkedIn's editor in chief. On my podcast this Is Working, leaders like Jamie Dimon, Mark Cuban, and Richard Branson share strategies for success and the real lessons that have shaped them. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Alex Curry]

Are your ears bored?

[Rick Bucher]

Yeah. Are you looking for a new podcast that will make you laugh, learn and say que? Yeah.

[Alex Curry]

Then tune in to locatora radio season 10 today. Okay.

[Rick Bucher]

I'm Diosa. I'm Mala, the host of Locatora Radio, a radiophonic novella, which is just a.

[Alex Curry]

Very extra way of saying a podcast. We're launching this season with a miniseries, totally Nostalgic, a four part series about the Latinos who shaped pop culture in the early 2000s. It's Lala checking in with all things Y2K 2000s. My favorite memory, honestly, was us having our own media platforms like Mundos and MTV. You could turn on the TV, you see Thalia, you see JLo, Nina Sky, Evie Queen, all the girlies doing their things. All of the beauty reflected right back at us. It was everything.

[Rick Bucher]

Tune in to locatora radio season 10.

[Alex Curry]

Now that's what I call a podcast. Listen to Locatora Radio Season 10 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Rick Bucher]

You have to be very careful with tradition because sometimes tradition is just dead people's baggage. I'm Jemele Hill, host of the sports.

[Alex Curry]

And politics podcast Spolitics. On this week's episode, I talk with comedian and CNN host Roy Wood Jr. About the lack of African American star power in Major League Baseball.

[Rick Bucher]

Baseball needs an Anthony Edwards, and I don't know who that could be. Mookie Betts is Steph Curry. He's exceptional and likable. Million dollar smile, that's important. But you also need chaos Negro. You need. So you think Anthony Edwards is a chaos agent? He told.

[Jason McIntyre]

He talked. Did you saw the clip of him talking to Obama?

[Rick Bucher]

He was talking to Obama like that was his little brother. Oh, yeah. You what you did. You killed bin Laden. That's what's up. Listen to Politics on the iHeartRadio app.

[Alex Curry]

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Rick Bucher]

Let's go to Alex Curry with the news. No, no, no. Heard on the news. This is the herd line news.

[Alex Curry]

I love a good debate like that. It makes for good tv. And I know you're going to love this because you love betting and odds. As you just mentioned the NFL draft betting odds have shifted after Colorado's pro day. Travis Hunter is now the odds on a favorite to go south, second to the Brown previous previously it was edge rusher Abel Carter was the betting favorite to go to Cleveland. So I think everyone knows Cam's going to go first overall to the Titans. So you got Browns at second right now. You got Travis Hunter minus 130, Abdul Carter at plus 100 and Shador Sanders at plus 750. So, I mean, Browns still need kind of figure out their, their quarterback situation. There were the rumors of the Kirk Cousins meeting trade when he was at Chipotle, things going down like that. But it just depends, you know, what, what are they, what are they putting a higher need for right now?

[Rick Bucher]

I think it's quarterback. It has to be quarterback discussion we had earlier. Everybody should take a Quarterback every year.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

That being said quickly on Abdul Carter. So again I was locked in on 12 year old girls volleyball all weekend. My daughter. But I did get sent a couple of items on Abdul Carter. We'll probably get to it tomorrow. Some not great stuff floating. It's not bad.

[Alex Curry]

Interesting.

[Rick Bucher]

Not great. Now it is smokescreen season so I don't know what to make of it. But I will say this. Travis Hunter 2 makes a lot of sense if you can then get, get a Milro if you like him or a Jackson Dart if you like him or Shador later. Browns trade back in because I don't think you can pay Miles Garrett to keep him and then not fix your quarterback situation.

[Alex Curry]

Well, the interesting thing was Miles Garrett like made it seem like he knew exactly what the Browns plan was when he signed. Like I know what we're doing and I like what we're doing. Well, what are you doing? What are you don't. You do not have a leader of this team right now. So it's, it's probably one of those.

[Rick Bucher]

Deals where the Browns are settled. They know what they're doing. They just have to put out all these smoke screens to keep everybody guessing. And they want. The league loves drama like not knowing everything at the top. I mean we know the Titans are going one Cam Ward. Yes. They had like an entire film crew at his pro day.

[Alex Curry]

Yes.

[Rick Bucher]

Not just for social media stuff.

[Alex Curry]

Like there's something big going on that's happening and they like they mutually canceled their meeting with Shador. So yeah, no that's happening. So it's just going to be interesting who the Browns going to go with. And I just say whoever picks up Travis Hunter, I hope they allow him to continue to be a two way player. Like be on the right side of history here because if it works out, that's incredible.

[Rick Bucher]

So you're pro. I want you playing offense and defense.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

Wow.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

Okay. That, that your spicy as takeout.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yes.

[Rick Bucher]

I am saving it for the third hour. I think that's a hot take.

[Alex Curry]

Okay, well, let's move to another team that needs a quarterback. The Steelers and Aaron Rodgers have been flirting all off season, but there's been no deal yet. And with that in mind, take a listen to Steelers GM Omar Khan open up about his draft strategy.

[Jason McIntyre]

Our goal is always to put ourselves in a position where we don't have to take a guy a specific position. And I feel like we've added some key pieces to what we're trying to accomplish and this draft is, you know, there's some really good players in this draft that can help us at various positions. And you know, we've been working hard at trying to make sure we set our board right. And there's more, more work to come. This is the next. Was it three or four weeks are going to be really important. But we're right in the middle of it and feel good about it.

[Alex Curry]

Nice mindset to have. But you also don't have the most important position on your team, Phil. You do not have a driver of your ship. Like.

[Rick Bucher]

Yes.

[Alex Curry]

Okay. There's been conversations with Aaron Rodgers but he has taken his time and, and he's going to like it's, it's. He was throwing with DK Metcalf at UCLA a couple weekends ago and we heard Tomlin say he's not worried about the timeline and what's going to happen. This is also a defensive led team. Defense wins games like Tomlin, one of the greatest defensive coaches. He's never had a losing season. But you don't have a course quarterback. You need a quarterback.

[Rick Bucher]

Yeah.

[Alex Curry]

And they have the 21st overall pick in the first round. So what do you do?

[Rick Bucher]

Let me ask, are you a proponent of take the best player available.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

Or draft a need. Because there's two ways to look at this. I'm curious your thoughts. Okay.

[Alex Curry]

Draft a need. Like you got. You gotta. What is your biggest need is?

[Rick Bucher]

Gaping hole at cornerback.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

We got to take the best cornerback on the board. But what if like I don't know, Ashton Genty or Travis Hunter still. I. I don't know. You know like do you just say that's a better player?

[Alex Curry]

I think that's different. If it's like a top five player that drops that low. Like how did this just fall into our lap? I think like adult and connect in the Lakers is an interesting. Like just that fell into his lap. It's like how did we get such a great player this low? You like, you take the best at that point available. But obviously it's a lot different in football. You need a quarterback and like you don't know what Aaron Rodgers is going to do. No one does. Like is he going to play? Is he going to retire? Is he going to be here? You are literally putting the most important position on his decision. And we know how much he drags this out.

[Rick Bucher]

It kind of sort of a little bit feels like they. You're right. They know what, what he's going to do.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

And they're not showing their hand. They're trying to play poker really well. Here. I just. You know, Rogers would be ticked if he signs.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

And then they draft a quarterback first round who falls to them. Yur. I doubt he'll slide that far. But what if he does?

[Alex Curry]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

Rogers is going to be livid. You don't need that. But Rogers is there for what, one year.

[Alex Curry]

But if anyone can deal with all those personalities, it's Tomlin.

[Rick Bucher]

Kenny.

[Alex Curry]

Yes, yes.

[Rick Bucher]

You got the wide receiver, the perpetually unhappy. And then you'd have Aaron Rodgers and Nick. I don't. We had the reports of Russell Wilson and the OC butting heads quietly behind the scenes last year. That guy has now butted heads with. Could butt heads with Aaron Rodgers. I. I don't know. That's just a lot to deal with. Like Alex, I like low maintenance. I don't want drama.

[Alex Curry]

But that's not what Mike Tomlin deals with. In the Steelers. They always have the drama queens and he somehow figures out a way to like rein them in and then when they go to other teams, you're like, how did he do that? How did he like keep everybody at bay? We don't know. Okay, let's. Let's switch gears to a legendary wide receiver, Julio Jones, who has officially announced his retirement. Julio was drafted by Atlanta with the 6 overall pick in 2011 and his 10 years as a Falcon. Julio led all players in receiving yards, set 10 frames franchise records and surpassed Jerry Rice as the fastest player in NFL history to reach 12000 receiving yards. I'm gonna name off some of his milestones. Two time first team All Pro, three times second team All Pro, seven time Pro Bowler, two time NFL receiving yards leader, NFL Receptions Co leader, NFL 2010's all decade team and all rookie team. So is Julio the big question a first pick ballot hall of Famer?

[Rick Bucher]

Oh, football's so tough. You know basketball, everybody kind of gets into the hall of Fame.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

Baseball hall of Fame is very numbers driven and, and debated on the surface. I thought Julio Jones was the best receiver in football for at least two seasons.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

Maybe more. He was first team opera like you said, twice.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

2015, 2016, three times. So from 2015 to like 2019 team.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

He was one of the three best receivers in the league.

[Alex Curry]

Yes.

[Rick Bucher]

Is. Is that enough to get you first ballot? I mean I guess it's like Carmelo Anthony was first ballot NBA hall of Fame and it's tough to compare but like he didn't want anything now I know it. On the global stage, he won the Olympics in college basketball. This is just Pro Football hall of Fame, right?

[Alex Curry]

Yes, Yes, I would.

[Rick Bucher]

I would give him the vote. I guess you got to see who he's up against, but you got to be hall of Fame.

[Alex Curry]

It's got to be a Hall of Famer. I think so.

[Rick Bucher]

I mean, I remember when he came out, it was him and AJ Green were the two guys, both from the sec. And Julio Jones had the better career. AJ Green was awesome, but, like, I'm a huge.

[Colin Cowherd]

Julio Jones.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

Seems like a great guy. The best story I heard about him, okay, the super bowl, they were facing the Patriots. Obviously, he was like, near the apex of his career. And he was approached with, like, all this, like, free marketing money. Just do these commercial social media ads. And he just was basically like, no, I'm focusing on the Super Bowl. This is free money. Right? Like, I'm talking, like high six figures. Just, yeah, come do that. And he's like, no, I gotta lock in on the Super Bowl. And I totally respected the man a lot for that.

[Alex Curry]

Interesting.

[Rick Bucher]

Good dude.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah.

[Rick Bucher]

Committed to his craft.

[Alex Curry]

Opposite these days.

[Rick Bucher]

Yeah.

[Alex Curry]

Opposite these days.

[Rick Bucher]

Very rare. Yeah. Divas. Yeah. Alex Curry with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by the herd lie news. We're going to go back to a quote from earlier. Jordan Schultz had a great take on Shador Sanders. Here's why he canceled his visit with the Titans.

[Jason McIntyre]

Cam Ward is probably going to go number one, which we've been saying for the last month or so. And secondly, it means that Shador Sanders actually had a fantastic pro day.

[Rick Bucher]

And why would they cancel?

[Jason McIntyre]

Because they saw everything they needed to see. If you look at where his ceiling.

[Rick Bucher]

Is, I think it's potentially two or.

[Jason McIntyre]

Three with Cleveland and New York, and.

[Rick Bucher]

Then you have New Orleans at 9.

[Jason McIntyre]

And then you have Pittsburgh at 21.

[Rick Bucher]

So there are some scenarios in which.

[Jason McIntyre]

He doesn't go in the top five.

[Rick Bucher]

That's possible is because he has been typecasted, fair or not, throughout this process, as not having maybe the strongest NFL arm. But what we saw in Boulder was.

[Jason McIntyre]

Was an added velocity 5, 10%, and that's going to help him when it.

[Rick Bucher]

Comes to the draft process. Jordan Schultz on Shedeur Sanders. So it seems like Cam Ward is a lock to go one to Tennessee. I don't think he's minus 10,000, but he's very, very favored to go number one two. Seems like now it's the wind is blowing toward Travis Hunter. 2. What does this mean for Shador? Does he go 3 to the Giants? Is he trying to steer his way to the Raiders at 6, I believe. And then of course there's speculation. What was the other nine to New Orleans? I don't, I don't know that that's a fit or he'd want to go there. Saints need a lot. Chiefly a quarterback with Cars struggling. I don't know. I guess I would still lean towards Shador going in the top five or six. I'm mystified that the Browns wouldn't take him too unless they have a play plan. Alex to say, hey, if we can get Travis Hunter at 2 and we know these other teams do not want.

[Alex Curry]

Shador, but you don't know that. Like, even if you think you know and teams tell you they they don't want it, like that's a smokescreen.

[Rick Bucher]

You think the jets would draft Sudor Sanders at seven because they made it clear they do not want to trade up. For sure they're not trading up.

[Alex Curry]

No.

[Rick Bucher]

I mean they just signed Justin.

[Alex Curry]

They just signed Justin Field like a young. They think he's going to be the future. He's a mobile quarterback quarterback. And this is kind of his like prove yourself you're a starter situation. But like Cleveland needs a. Cleveland needs a quarterback. And I think it depends like if that trade is. I don't know if they really want to try to go for Kirk.

[Rick Bucher]

There is the Kirk Cousins. I, you know, it's interesting listening to you and some of our guests today. I've got what I think is maybe a hot take tomorrow for the Browns at 2, but I gotta. I got a couple buddies in Cleveland who are hardcore dog pound fans. They have some takes. Yeah. Anyway, great start to the week, Alex. Let's go to manana.

[Colin Cowherd]

Hi everybody. This message is brought to you by the official Whiskey of the Herd with Colin Coward podcast, Green River Whiskey. As you know, we've been having some fun getting to know Green River Whiskey and we just learned they've launched their first advertising campaign in more than 100 years. You see, it seems the team from Green river in reviving the whiskey have accidentally also revived its resident ghost. So if you want to see the ghost of Green river come to Life, check out greenriverwhiskey on their YouTube channel or head on over to greenriverwhiskey.com here's to green River Whiskey. Raise your spirits. Product of Green River Distilling Company, Owensboro, Kentucky. Alcohol by volume varies by product. Greenriverwhiskey.com Please drink responsibly.

[Rick Bucher]

We live in a divided country and our media couldn't be more polarizing that's why we started the Middle with Jeremy Hobson. 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 from all over the country. And when you subscribe to the Middle, you also get an episode each week 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.

[Jason McIntyre]

In 1978, Roger Caron's first book was.

[Rick Bucher]

Published and he was unlike any first time author Canada had ever seen. Roger Caron was 16 when first convicted, has spent 24 of those years in jail, 12 years in solitary. He went from an ex con to.

[Jason McIntyre]

A literary darling almost overnight.

[Rick Bucher]

He was instantly a celebrity, he was.

[Jason McIntyre]

An adrenaline junkie and he was the.

[Rick Bucher]

Star of the show.

[Jason McIntyre]

Goboy is the gritty true story of.

[Rick Bucher]

How one man fought his way out.

[Jason McIntyre]

Of some of the darkest places.

[Rick Bucher]

Places imaginable.

[Jason McIntyre]

I had a knife go in my stomach, puncture my spleen, break my rib.

[Rick Bucher]

I had my guts all in my hands, only to find himself back where he started. Roger's saying is, I've never hurt anybody but myself. And I said, oh, you're so wrong. You're so wrong that one. Rod from Campside Media and iHeart Podcasts.

[Jason McIntyre]

Listen to GoBoy starting on April 9th.

[Rick Bucher]

On the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or.

[Jason McIntyre]

Wherever you get your podcasts.

[Alex Curry]

Are you hungry? Colleen Witt here and Eating While Broke is back for season four. Every Thursday on the Black Effect Podcast Network. This season we've got a 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 Howey turning Big Macs into of 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.