Hour 3 - Michael Irvin

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 3: Michael Irvin

Episode Information:

• Title: Hour 3 - Michael Irvin
• Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
• Release Date: December 10, 2024
• Description: The Herd with Colin Cowherd is a thought-provoking, opinionated, and topic-driven journey through the top sports stories of the day.

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1. Introduction and Segue into Main Topics

The episode begins with Colin Cowherd humorously addressing the listeners' need for entertainment, quickly segueing into the main content after bypassing advertisements and introductory remarks.

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2. Defending Cam Ward’s Leadership

Timestamp: [03:02] – [08:39]

Colin Cowherd engages in a robust discussion defending Cam Ward, addressing rumors labeling him as "edgy." He emphasizes Ward's leadership qualities and dismisses negative perceptions.

Notable Quotes:

• Colin Cowherd [03:02]: "I don't traffic in rumors, but I have a source told me he's an edgy kid. Some may be put off by that edgy. But like to your point, what does that mean?"
• Unknown Speaker [05:36]: "Cam Ward deserves to be number one, too. He's a hell of a quarterback."

Discussion Highlights:

• Leadership and Performance: Emphasis on Cam Ward’s consistent performance and leadership, drawing parallels to players like Patrick Mahomes.
• Character Defense: Countering claims that Ward's personality is a detriment, highlighting his ability to handle pressure and lead effectively.
• Team Dynamics: The speaker underscores the importance of Ward’s role within the team, asserting his indispensability.

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3. Philadelphia Eagles’ Offensive Strategies

Timestamp: [08:39] – [16:00]

The conversation shifts to the Philadelphia Eagles, focusing on quarterback dynamics, offensive strategies, and internal team tensions.

Notable Quotes:

• Michael Irvin [10:12]: "We need to take a time out against hate by following @whatsupwithhate or posting the blue square emoji."
• Unknown Speaker [12:19]: "We just played ball, man, when it mattered the most and we executed."

Discussion Highlights:

• Quarterback Utilization: Debating the Eagles' reliance on specific quarterbacks and the strategic allocation of passing targets.
• Player Relations: Addressing tensions between players like Brandon Graham and Jalen Hurts, advocating for mature, business-focused interactions.
• Offensive Efficiency: Critiquing A.J. Brown’s performance and its impact on the team's overall offensive effectiveness.

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4. Coaching Changes and Loyalty in the NFL

Timestamp: [16:00] – [24:52]

Colin and his guest delve into the importance of coaching in the NFL, specifically focusing on loyalty and potential changes within the Dallas Cowboys.

Notable Quotes:

• Unknown Speaker [20:12]: "Coach wants to coach football."
• Colin Cowherd [24:43]: "Hope's a big thing. Hope will dictate effort from everybody."

Discussion Highlights:

• Mike McCarthy’s Future: Speculation about McCarthy’s tenure with the Cowboys, emphasizing his loyalty.
• Coaching Impact: The critical role coaches play in team performance, beyond just player capabilities.
• Organizational Stability: The necessity for stable coaching to foster team growth and success.

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5. Sam Darnold’s Stellar Season with the Vikings

Timestamp: [33:00] – [42:21]

A focused segment on Sam Darnold’s impressive performance this season with the Minnesota Vikings and the implications for his future contract and team dynamics.

Notable Quotes:

• Colin Cowherd [34:56]: "Sam Darnold is someone that's just now getting into his prime. He's got at least five good prime years left."
• Unknown Speaker [35:23]: "Maybe it's situational, but let's pick a team and then say, would you rather have... Sam Darnold."

Discussion Highlights:

• Performance Metrics: Highlighting Darnold’s career-high stats, including 347 passing yards and five touchdowns.
• Contract Considerations: Debating whether the Vikings should franchise Darnold, trade him, or allow him to explore free agency.
• Comparative Analysis: Comparing Darnold's athleticism and potential to other quarterbacks like Geno Smith and Aaron Rodgers.

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6. Miami Dolphins’ Playoff Aspirations

Timestamp: [36:45] – [39:39]

The Dolphins' current status in the playoff race is scrutinized, including recent performances and future challenges.

Notable Quotes:

• Tyreek Hill [37:26]: "Everybody knew what was at stake at that moment. We know if we lose, you know, it's over."
• Unknown Speaker [38:09]: "This coming off the bye."

Discussion Highlights:

• Recent Victory: Celebrating the Dolphins’ overtime win against the Jets, crucial for their playoff hopes.
• Future Challenges: Assessing the difficulty of upcoming games against teams like the Houston Texans and the San Francisco 49ers.
• Team Strategy: Discussing whether the Dolphins need a strategic reset or to maintain their current approach despite challenges.

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7. Yankees’ Acquisition of Jordan Soto

Timestamp: [39:39] – [42:21]

A critical analysis of the New York Yankees' decision to miss out on acquiring Jordan Soto and the broader implications for the team's strategy and performance.

Notable Quotes:

• Unknown Speaker [40:38]: "They were offering Soto up to 700 plus million dollars... So you lost Soto."
• Colin Cowherd [42:01]: "They generate 100 million more dollars a year in revenue from attendance, television, and merchandise."

Discussion Highlights:

• Strategic Decisions: Evaluating the Yankees' strategy in prioritizing staff over high-profile player acquisitions like Soto.
• Team Composition: Arguing that the Yankees need more depth beyond star players to match teams like the Dodgers.
• Financial Implications: Critiquing the Yankees for not leveraging their financial power effectively to bolster their roster.

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8. Cowboys’ Special Teams Play and Coaching Accountability

Timestamp: [30:14] – [33:00]

Colin addresses the Dallas Cowboys’ recent mishaps in special teams plays, specifically a blocked punt, and the role of coaching in preventing such errors.

Notable Quotes:

• Colin Cowherd [31:03]: "This is the difference between elite coaching and average coaching."
• Unknown Speaker [33:02]: "No, no, turn on the news."

Discussion Highlights:

• Blocked Punt Incident: Detailed analysis of the Cowboys’ blocked punt and the ensuing penalties.
• Rule Clarifications: Explanation of NFL rules regarding blocked punts and live ball scenarios.
• Coaching Responsibility: Criticizing the coaching staff for inadequate preparation and reinforcement of special teams protocols.

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9. Conclusion and Guest Interaction with Michael Irvin

Timestamp: [25:05] – [37:00]

The episode concludes with an interaction between Colin Cowherd and Michael Irvin, who is preparing to deliver a commencement speech in Miami. They reflect on overcoming challenges and the importance of resilience.

Notable Quotes:

• Colin Cowherd [25:13]: "Michael Irvin, the great playmaker, always welcome on this show."
• Michael Irvin [25:32]: "It's part of all of our journeys. So it says we all got to go in them."
• Colin Cowherd [25:44]: "Great show today, the Herd."

Discussion Highlights:

• Personal Journeys: Michael Irvin shares insights about facing and overcoming personal and professional challenges.
• Leadership Lessons: Emphasizing the importance of learning from turbulence to guide future endeavors.
• Encouragement: Colin offers motivational words, reinforcing the theme of resilience and growth.

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10. Final Remarks and Sign-Off

Colin wraps up the episode by thanking listeners and previewing upcoming content, maintaining the engaging and conversational tone characteristic of The Herd with Colin Cowherd.

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Additional Notes:

• Public Service Announcements: The episode includes a notable PSA by LeVar Arrington advocating for a "Time Out Against Hate," urging listeners to promote unity and reduce societal hate.

Notable Quotes from PSA:

• LeVar Arrington [44:51]: "The hate in our country is getting out of control. It's at an all-time high. It's going to take all of us to stop it."

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Summary: In this episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, the discussions pivot around key NFL strategies, coaching dynamics, and player performances, with a special focus on Cam Ward's leadership and Sam Darnold's promising season. The conversation extends into MLB with the Yankees' strategic decisions and touches on broader societal issues through a PSA advocating against hate. Michael Irvin's presence adds a layer of depth, highlighting personal resilience and leadership. Throughout, Colin Cowherd provides insightful commentary, blending sports analysis with motivational discourse, making the episode both informative and engaging for listeners.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Doug Gottlieb]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Michael Irvin]

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[Unknown]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Thanks for listening to the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio and noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.

[Unknown]

Now, let's get this party started.

[Colin Cowherd]

You're listening to Fox Sports Radio, the playmaker. He is ready to go.

[Unknown]

You crazy college my dude, man. He's funny.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm just.

[Unknown]

You guys are funny, man.

[Colin Cowherd]

Listen, you got. You got a lot of connections. You're giving a commencement speech at Miami. I am now. Shadour is going to go number one in the draft.

[Unknown]

Yes. Yes. I love Shador. And, and, and he, and he deserves to be number one. He's a. He's a hell of a quarterback.

[Colin Cowherd]

But.

[Unknown]

But Cam Ward deserves to be number one, too.

[Colin Cowherd]

A lot of backyard football, there were. There was talk that maybe his personality cams in the cam.

[Unknown]

What? There's. What.

[Colin Cowherd]

There are people that are saying he's edgy and he's not for everybody.

[Unknown]

Listen, you know what? This, what trips me out, man. Every time we get to this place, all these other things start falling off people lips, you know what I'm saying? This man right here, this man has done a hell of a job showing you that he has the ability to do what he. Whatever you need him to do in any situation. Big arm, big arm, big player poised. You see. You see some Patrick Mahomes stuff in him, too. Nobody ever says that. Nobody ever says that. I see it in him also. And now all of this stuff is starting to come out. I don't know about who's saying all this stuff. I spent every weekend with him. Okay, so. So if a man's opinion is only as good as his knowledge based on the subject, Take ye what I say to thee over what they to the cause. They are just running a radio that's all they don't know what they're talking about. This dude's a great dude. A great leader. A great leader.

[Colin Cowherd]

You're edgy, so you may like edgy.

[Unknown]

Yeah. Ed, ed, edgy. What is edgy? What is edgy? First of all, in order to be edgy.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

Somebody had to put the line at edge and said if you go over this, you edgy. Who the hell put the line at edge to say I'm edgy and you not. I'm not into these things, man. I am not bound or strapped with these things that the world gets strapped with. I heard somebody say that Cam Ward was being greedy in the portal, right? Greed. Let me listen. Listen. In order for somebody to be greedy, that means someone else has set a line on what he is worth. So what they're really saying, these anonymous sources, what they're really saying is, oh, we, we thought he was worth this, but he came in all said did it I in greedy. And he wanted this really. But he showed you this year that he was that, that he was asking for the man's the highest trophy final.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's great.

[Unknown]

The man had a right.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't traffic in rumors, but I have a source told me he's an edgy kid. Some may be put off by that edgy. But like to your point, what does that mean?

[Unknown]

And it takes imitation. Let me tell you guys something. This, this, this is why. And I was just saying this to these guys, this is why I love these top quarterbacks. Yeah. A lot of times we wonder, yeah, you have physical skill set, you can play the game. But can you be, can you be in the game with the game as big as I don't know what, and still play at the level that you played the game when the game wasn't that big?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, it's.

[Unknown]

Can you play a certain way all the time no matter what? And I'm going to tell you the best thing about Shadow Sanders and a Cam War Shadow because he's Deion's son, he's been around it all his life. But Cam, because he's at Miami and all of this noise right now, all of this vibration, that mess right now is because of what he's done at Miami. So I'm telling you, these two guys, because of where they come from is what I like to call the already pressure cooked for the NFL, if you know what I'm saying. They better that pressure cooker and they know how to perform. And when people go in pressure cookers and know how to perform, people that don't know. Start saying, oh, he's too edgy. That's what I'm talking about.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, listen, I am sermon closed. I am glad. Case closed. Then you sold me. I just bring stuff I hear, right? I don't traffic in nonsense.

[Unknown]

Okay, I appreciate you not trafficking and nonsense. I said, see, that's what I talk about right there. Now that's a gift right there. Colin put that thing in the ether and disclaimed it at the same damn time. Do you hear me? Y'all say what you want to say. I love you, buddy. You so special, buddy.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, how about this? Okay, you see, I never looked at you as a diva. I looked at you. My take was you and Aikman and Emmett were the heart of it. And by the way, you wanted the damn ball.

[Unknown]

Right?

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay. And you were one of the only guys in your era that was like, I'll go over the middle and take shots. I don't care. So that doesn't bother me. What bothers me. And I also think receivers want the ball. That doesn't. It doesn't bother me.

[Unknown]

Right.

[Colin Cowherd]

I got a little issue with the Eagles with a quarterback that's not Aikman. And they've said, listen, we're. We're a Barkley led team. We're not going to give you 14 targets like Jamar Chase. We're going to give you seven. And they're winning, Mike. They've won like nine, 10 in a row. I don't love what A.J. brown's doing here. If the. If the stories are true from Brandon Graham where he and Jalen hurts. Okay, here's. Here's the Brandon Graham sound. I want you to listen to Brandon Graham.

[Michael Irvin]

I don't know the whole story, but I know that one is Charlie. And I mean, I Levin to be a little better with how he responds to things. And they was friends before this. It's like, man, but things have changed and I understand that because life happens. But we gotta. It's the business side that we have to make sure that we don't let the personal get in the way of the business. And that's what we got to do better as right now because we know it's the issue. Everybody's seen with some. Some things. But we need to be able to talk. Talk things out as men.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay? So. So it does. Again, I understand some noise. I forever defended Stefan Diggs, but I do think that it's very intentional. Michael, the staff of the Eagles think Saquon's how they're going to roll. That's their run team first, right? You tell me as AJ Have a point.

[Unknown]

Well, well, everybody has a point. But just because you have a point doesn't mean it's time to deliver it anywhere. And to everybody, AJ Has a point. There are things that are going on within the passing game that, that they, that they need to work on and they need to fix. And here's my thing, here's my thing, here's my thing. We have to look deeper into this. Why would AJ say this to us? Looked a little calculating, even the drop, like he knew he was going to do this if this continued. Said to the media now I talked about this yesterday. I said, I wonder who's he talking about. Is he talking to the quarterback or is he talking at the head coach and maybe or the play call or Kellen Moore, you guys gotta call some plays to get me some passes over here. Or is it his inefficient. If he see at the quarterback. You see what I mean? Who is he talking about now? This bro, this, this just told me who he was talking about. This just told me. So obviously is 1 in 11 that they have a problem. But the other problem that comes with that, if he is talking about it now on TV, do A.J. brown think. Does he think, oh, it's one plus his coach. Because I'm not even getting a call. And I understand from that perspective. Do you watch your mark Chase last night? They were throwing him smoke routes. It takes nothing to throw a smoke route. Nothing. That means you just run a little. I'm just standing. I'm gonna throw you the ball. You go run with it through. You can throw one or two of those. When he, whenever he has man to man coverage out there to start the game, to get him involved, I'm right on, I'm with him on what he's saying about that. Get me in the game so I can use my energy to help you instead of using that energy against you.

[Colin Cowherd]

Brady used to say that Tom liked to get his receivers going. So they were in the game.

[Unknown]

Right.

[Colin Cowherd]

Try to do that with you, right?

[Unknown]

Yes. And Troy. But Troy did that with me. But if Troy didn't, I would never do this. After we get a win. I don't mind. I want you to want the ball. I'd rather have you want the ball than not want the ball. I'd rather push, pull you back than try to say go out there and kick that damn ball. You see what I mean? I'd rather pull you back. I want all of that but I want you to know when and how to put that out. This is the reason I say 10 and 1 last year, then went 1 in 6. Something fell apart in that locker room. Something fell apart. We were one with your one week past that moment. Why are you bringing this back up? Which brings back up. Which opens back up the case for everybody to bring back that stuff.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

And now you got to deal with it all over again. When you're coming off a big win like that, it's just not the time. I love great fighters, but I love when you know who and when to fight. Fight. And that wasn't the time.

[Colin Cowherd]

Very well done. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app Apple Card is the.

[Unknown]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Unknown]

Well I always say now if this, this is, this has to be depending on what I see the rest of this year with Caleb Williams in next four games, five games, whatever we have left in the office coordinator right now that he has Thomas Brown. Because if I see any kind of real progress. And something I say, oh, let me write this out because a few games he looked pretty good and then he, you know, had a little slip of Caleb. So, so, so if I see that, then I got some leeway because I can go look at the Ravens and all of these guys and get that stability and have some form of stability with my young quarterback at least the same system so we can see growth from year one to year two. That's the biggest growth you got in the NFL. I don't necessarily want to start him back over with year one again in a whole new offense with a whole new system. So if I see great growth in these next few weeks, then I can do a defensive coach. I can go in that route to give you that stability. But if I don't, then I'm going to go an offensive coach so I can give him the total power over the organization because he and office of coach are connected and their success shall be connected and they'll have a different approach to that game.

[Colin Cowherd]

So you, the best coach you ever had is one of the few coaches in the history of football that was great at college and as a pro coach Jimmie Johnson. As you know, it's usually an either or situation. Some guys can't recruit, some guys aren't good enough scheme. Jimmy was good at both. He knew the personnel side, he knew the scheme side. So Belichick, now he's got a new man, he's got a young girlfriend, he's got a son coaching at Washington that he wants to be a coach. Does he really want a coach or is it about getting his son the job? Would you hire him? What do you expect? What do you make of this story?

[Unknown]

There's no doubt coach wants to coach, you know what I mean? And can coach. And one of the greatest coaches of all time. And no one can ever take that from coach. But you know, the current landscape of college football is a lot different than even when Jimmy was in college. You know, so much different back then. You know, Jimmy can really use the hammer to keep you in line now.

[Colin Cowherd]

Guys leave in a minute.

[Unknown]

What, man? I mean, you leave in a minute and you come down on these guys. So tough and hard guys is good in the portal. There is no problem with you'll be playing next year, you'll be playing. You know what I mean? When we were in school that you can. You're not going anywhere. And if you're not here, you're not anywhere. So if you're not here, you're back at the ghetto. Coach, I'm gonna do whatever you tell me. I'm not going back to the ghetto. You see what I mean? It's different now in these guys getting paid. I just don't know if coach has the time to. To counsel. And that's what it's going to take. That's what make Dion so great in college. He's really a mentor coaching coach is a coach that has forced a mentor. You know, a mentor coaching. This is his. This is his world. But a coach forced a mentor because you got to go and mentor those guys out of the porter before you even mentor them on the team. And all of these things, man, it's a lot dealing with kids in there. And I just think that's not what coach want to be doing. He wants to coach football.

[Colin Cowherd]

Finally, let's go back to something we discussed. Now, I think Deion has been successful for a lot of reasons. Colorado's a bottom 10, 15 job in the sport. He's made them relevant. He's putting guys in the pros. They may have the top two draft picks. He's made them cool. There's a lot of wins here. I didn't know how it would work. My take was we talked Colorado with Deion. I think he's been committed. I think he's been tremendous. I watched the Cowboys give away another game last night on some coaching snafus on the block punt. I just want to say I'm going to ask the question. You are friends with important people. Do you believe because you have said Dion would be interested. Jerry is more loyal than people give him credit for. If Dallas wins out, are we sure Mike McCarthy's gone? Jerry's loyal.

[Unknown]

Yeah, he is. He is. And I've heard Troy even recently talking about it and saying, you know, Mike McCarthy, he's not sure Mike McCarthy will be gone. And Jerry is loyal. And that's one of the best things I love about him. Trust me. Trust me. That's one of the best things that I love about him, that he is loyal, giving, loyal to a fault, loyal to a fault. And you know what I mean. But you look at what I'm talking about here. If you can find another good receiver, you can put them in this mix and you see what, what Rams are doing, what the Rams just did to a top team like the Bills, because they got that Cooper, Puka, Puka, Cooper thing going. You know, two number one receivers and a good back. And. And, well, let me tell you, when you have those two number one receivers, you can have an average Back a Rico Dow and still get real good traction because coverage is going to have to back the hell up.

[Colin Cowherd]

Nobody can cheat.

[Unknown]

We. You just talked about the Philadelphia Eagles and you gave it all to Saquon Barkley. But take them to beast off the end. Take, take, take ab out and you take Devontae Smith out and watch all them safeties drop down in that box. And you see Devonta Saquon gonna be doing the same thing he was doing in New York. Let's be real here, y'all. You see how this thing works? You know what I mean? These things have to work together. You can't separate them like that. So, yeah, Dallas can have a shot if they can find another number one receiver right now. But you gotta bring. And you gotta. The problem is if you keep Mike McCarthy, then you gotta go get me somebody that's so tough at what somebody else to give me hope that these things can be different. Nobody's saying Mike McCarthy is not a good coach. I'm just saying it. It dampens the hope when we do this again. That's interesting after seeing the results over the last 10, four years.

[Colin Cowherd]

Hope's a big thing.

[Unknown]

Hope's everything. Hope will dictate effort from everybody. I always say that hope dictates effort. Give me a little hope, you get a little effort.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know what? That's a great way to put it. And I am. I am glad that you cleared the air with these unsubstantiated ham ward rumors.

[Unknown]

And we won't be using that. We will not be a part of that clickbait mess. We would not. We would not be a part of that.

[Colin Cowherd]

Cleared it.

[Unknown]

I appreciate you giving me the room to clear there. I do.

[Colin Cowherd]

The great playmaker Michael Irvin, always welcome on this show. And he's getting ready for that commencement speech in Miami.

[Unknown]

Oh, yeah, get ready for that. I'm looking forward to.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, you're going to be great.

[Unknown]

You believe that? I get to do.

[Colin Cowherd]

I do believe that. Because if you look at your life, it has not been linear. It has had turbulence.

[Unknown]

Right, Right.

[Colin Cowherd]

By the way, you don't love turbulence, but you've encountered it.

[Unknown]

Right.

[Colin Cowherd]

And you've overcome it.

[Unknown]

And it's part of all of our journeys.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right.

[Unknown]

It's part of all of our journeys. So it says we all got to go in them. Let's go in and learn something to figure out what to do when we come out of them and where to go to. That's what we do.

[Colin Cowherd]

Michael Irvin, take a break. Back after this, be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific. This podcast is sponsored by PayPal. Did you know the PayPal debit card now earns you 5% cash back in the monthly category of your choosing. Groceries, health, restaurants, beauty, gas and apparel in up to $1,000 of monthly purchases. On top of that, you can get cash back offers within the app from brands like Doordash, Sephora and Instacart. It's like having a little extra in your pocket every month. I'm using PayPal debit card to earn 5% cash back on apparel. With my travel schedule, I'm on the go. Sometimes I have to buy clothes online. It's the new normal. Just sign up for the PayPal debit card through the new app and you're ready to go. Download the new PayPal app. Sign up Start earning 5% cash back today. Don't just pay PayPal terms and limits apply. See paypal.com rewardspal Cashback earned as points redeemable for cash and other options on up to $1,000 spend per month. The PayPal Debit MasterCard is issued by the Bancor Bank N.A. pursuant to license by MasterCard International, Inc. And may be used everywhere MasterCard is accepted. The human soul has a minimum daily requirement of entertainment, but listening to a podcast like you're doing right now? Yeah, that doesn't count. Welcome to the world of MGM Rewards where they have the greatest live shows on earth, the biggest names in sports, the best chefs on the planet and the most unforgettable nights of your life. This is all the entertainment you can handle and more. So book now and make the most of your vegas getaway@mgm rewards.com mgm rewards.com welcome to the show. It's football season and Uber Eats is dropping undefeated deals and all your game day favorites this week scored. Buy one get one free six piece boneless wings from Buffalo Wild Wings only on Uber Eats. Craving even more. We've got you covered with game day deals on pizza, burgers, tacos and more all season long. Uber Eats Official on demand Food delivery partner of the NFL. Order now for game day terms, taxes and fees apply. See app for details. What makes the holiday special are the details from Genesis and every little detail in a Genesis is another gift to you. Like during winter you'll be thankful for the available heated steering wheel and the available snow mode to help get you through the snowiest of snow days. And the available all wheel drive is helpful all year round, but especially during the winter. I mean. Genesis has put a lot of thought into the details. And of course, the best gifts are thoughtful ones like the available Nappa leather seating. Oh, speaking of gifts, you'll have plenty of room to haul around everything you've picked up for family and friends, no matter which Genesis you're driving. And with a lineup featuring SUVs, EVs, Sedans, something for everybody, experience the Genesis Signature event. And as one big final gift, Genesis is offering you a $1,000 bonus on select Genesis vehicles. The deal ends January 2nd. See participating Genesis retailers for details. Visit genesis.com to see how Genesis can make your holidays even brighter. Details make the holidays the Emirates NBA cup is here. You can win big Betting in on the action at DraftKings Sportsbook, the official SP partner of the NBA. All 30 teams split into six groups every Tuesday and Friday, playing for the right to advance to a single elimination in season tourney. It culminates in the NBA cup championship in Vegas. First time here's something special just for you. New DraftKings customers bet $5 to get $150 in bonus bets if your bet wins. So score big. Every point counts. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app. Put in the Code Herd H E R D. That's Code Herd for new to get $150 in bonus bets if your bet wins. When you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings, the crown is yours.

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[Colin Cowherd]

Lively show today. A lot of things going on. Cowboys last night mess it up. It's do we have that play I talked about this earlier. I want to address this one more time before I go to Herdline News that it's easy to always blame the players for not knowing the rules. I get that and they do account for a lot of the culpability. But I also think coaching matters and that especially players that are like sometimes special teamers and then their backups other were other places so that block punt. Let's play the blocked punt again by the Cowboys. All right, here's the punt by Ryan Rayco oh, got it. Ball is blocked. Got it. Oh, no.

[Unknown]

The Bengals are going to have the ball.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, no, you can't touch it. That did not just happen. That did just happen. So again, if you block a punt and it goes past the line of scrimmage, then it's just a punt and you have to stay away unless you get a clean look and nobody is around you. So there is no partially blocked punt. Once it's blocked and it goes past the line, special teams coaches have to constantly remind players it's a punt, treat it like a punt. There are other plays that happen a lot that drive me nuts. This one is very infrequent and it is a special teams play, but there are a couple of plays that drive me nuts in the NFL that happen all the time, virtually every weekend, and I just don't think there's any excuse for it. One of them is Miami does a lot of backwards passing to like a Tyreek Hill or a running back. And if a ball is thrown backwards, it's a live ball. Tyreek Hill has to know better. That is a live ball. Always assume it's a backward pass. If it's on the ground, get on it. Tyreek's been in this league too long to not know that. You have to just assume it's backward pass. The other one is when a receiver catches a ball and is not touched by a defensive back, he can get up and run. Here. Plaxico Burris forgot it was still a live play. That happens every weekend. So those I am less willing to give a pass to a special teams play because it's so infrequent. And you know, a lot of guys are sometimes part time special teamers. You bring them from the scout team. They're not regulars. But it is one of those things that all this stuff happens more frequently than you would suspect. And you can blame the player, but the coaches. This is the difference between elite coaching and average coaching. J. Mac with the news.

[Unknown]

No, no, turn on the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

This is the Herdline news.

[Unknown]

All right, let's start with Sam Darnold, who is just on fire right now. 347 yards passing, a career high against the Falcons, plus five touchdowns. Colin, it's weird. We're heading into week 15 and the Vikings have not had any discussions about a long term contract for Darnold. I know they did just draft JJ McCarthy, obviously, but Darnold is making $10 million on what's called a prove it deal. He's clearly proven it. I'm curious, what do you think happens to Darnold, who By the way, 68% completions, 28 touchdowns, career high and passer rating. Basically Kevin O'Connell has turned him into like a really good quarterback.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, Kevin O'Connell won a bunch of games with Kirk Cousins and won a game with Josh Dobbs with no practices. Yeah. So he's obviously a pretty magical coach. They brought in Daniel Jones and they have J.J. mcCarthy. That signals to me that's what they're going into camp with. But my take is do you franchise Darnold so you can trade him eventually? Do you just let him walk off an MVP level season? That would be very difficult for me. And I also think Darnold's somebody that he's just now getting into his prime. He's got at least five good prime years left. Daniel Jones is a project and I never saw him as a first round quarterback talent. I think he's a very good backup. JJ McCarthy is a first round talent. Many believe that. Most believe that. But he's coming off a second surgery for the meniscus. So I, I just would not want Sam to walk and go to a rival. But I think Kevin O'Connell is so confident in his abilities that he may be willing to do that. And the Daniel Jones acquisition signals that.

[Unknown]

Yeah, you mentioned the Darnold's having an MVP season. You know who was an MVP candidate last year? It was a small sample size. Kirk Cousins. Remember how he was cooking 18 touchdowns and five picks? He was putting up massive numbers before the Achilles injury. You start to Wonder, geez, can O'Connell do this with anybody? And if that's the case, I think you just let Darnold walk. Colin. The problem is where's Darnold gonna land? He's gonna probably get a Baker Mayfield type. 30 million dollar deal, maybe 35.

[Colin Cowherd]

Let's just assume the Raiders and the Giants take Cam Ward and Shedeur.

[Unknown]

Okay.

[Colin Cowherd]

Let's assume that the next best quarterback on the market is Sam Darnold. He's much more athletic, bigger, stronger than Derek Carr.

[Unknown]

Maybe it's situational, but let's pick a team and then say, would you rather have, I don't know, Aaron Rodgers? No, Drew, Not Drew. Why do I keep saying that? Derek Carr, Sam Darnold. Or what if the Falcons cut loose Kirk Cousins, the New York Giants.

[Colin Cowherd]

Sam Darnold is more athletic than Cousins, Aaron Rodgers and Derek Carr.

[Unknown]

Today, would you take Darnold over Geno Smith in Seattle?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yep.

[Unknown]

Wow, that's surprising.

[Colin Cowherd]

I thought that was, I think he's number one in the market after Shadur and Cam Ward. And then I think number four, maybe Jalen Milroe. Alabama Was it because Darnold's great or.

[Unknown]

Because Kevin Donald made him?

[Colin Cowherd]

The Giants and the Raiders are presumably going to get Shadur and Cam. They're good prospects. So those Giants and Raiders are done. The question becomes who's the best quarterback after the two college kids? Is it Jalen Milroe, Aaron Rodgers, Derek Carr or Darnold and their new coach.

[Unknown]

Are going to target a quarterback because it looks like it's over.

[Colin Cowherd]

Sam Darnold is a bigger, stronger, more athletic Derek.

[Unknown]

All I know is if they hire, let's just say the Saints hire Vrabel. I don't want to hear about Sam Darnold going to Vrabel and shining like he is now. Ok?

[Colin Cowherd]

He's not going for.

[Unknown]

He needs an offensive guy.

[Colin Cowherd]

I agree. And he doesn't get Justin Jefferson anywhere.

[Unknown]

Else or Jordan Addison or Hawkinson, you know, like I like Darnold. He's had a great season. I don't. I don't know. Next up is the Miami Dolphins, whose playoff hopes are alive barely after beating my Jets. Thank goodness they did that in overtime on Sunday, Miami's two games out of the final wild card spot. Tyreek Hill said after the game that their OT victory was definitely a win or go home situation.

[Tyreek Hill]

Everybody knew what was at stake at that moment. We know if we lose, you know, it's over. Our season is over. And unfortunately, like we got a lot of great guys on this team who don't want to end our season in January and watch other teams play because we have the capability, you know, to play with a lot of teams in this league. So we just played ball, man, when it mattered the most and we executed.

[Unknown]

So that's the good news, that they beat the jets in overtime. Here's the bad news. The rest of their schedule at Houston this week versus The Niners, at the Browns, at the jets. Those last two games are outdoors, cold weather. January, January and December 29th. Dolphins probably get eliminated this weekend.

[Colin Cowherd]

They I like Houston. I like Houston.

[Unknown]

This coming off the by.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, getting a little healthy. Coming off the by.

[Unknown]

What do you do? I wonder if Miami, do they need a hard reset or do you. Is this just like an Arizona? Hey, we got Kyler Murray. We're going to be competitive. We're not going to win the Super Bowl. Let's just do it.

[Colin Cowherd]

They don't need a hard reset. They do you move.

[Unknown]

Do you consider moving off Tyreek Hill.

[Colin Cowherd]

By the way, no, I think you do have to get into the draft. A quarterback every other year behind Tua. You can't go into a season with a bad backup quarterback situation. With Tua as your quarterback, shaky O line and Tua's got the concussion issue. That, that to me is unforgivable. That they have the worst backup quarterback situation in the league. I mean, again, that would be okay if you're Kansas City or Buffalo, that's okay if you're the Chargers and you have a big strong quarterback. If you have Joe Burrow, he's been banged up, you need a decent backup. If you have Tua, you need a good backup.

[Unknown]

So without Tua, when he went down against the Bills, they got smacked by the Seahawks. Smack by the.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, they have the worst backup quarterback situation.

[Unknown]

So that cost them the season.

[Colin Cowherd]

There's no question, okay, backup quarterbacks have value in this league. They're not. If you look at the order of importance in the league, take out coaches, quarterback, left tackle, edge, rusher, weapon. I think centers are way underrated to call the offensive line plays corners. Then all of a sudden you get into the next seven or eight. One of those is backup quarterback. If you have a quarterback with a history of injuries, like, you gotta have a dude that can win games.

[Unknown]

All right, real quick, the final story is the Yankees and Soto. This is interesting. GM Brian Cashman said Monday that despite missing out on Juan Soto, he was happy with the Yankees efforts to try to retain him. Depending on who you read, there are some reports claiming that what the hell held the Yankees back from landing? Soto was allegedly. They refused to offer Soto a free sweep for his family at every home game. The Mets did that. Now, the Yankees never gave a suite to Aaron Judge or Derek Jeter.

[Colin Cowherd]

They don't do that. Right?

[Unknown]

So they would not. They're like, hey, we're going to hold firm.

[Colin Cowherd]

So I don't. Let me just say this. I'm glad the Mets got him. I don't think when you have Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, you need more power. I think the Yankees should concentrate on the staff because the Dodgers won a World Series by being able to go to bullpen games only and win games.

[Unknown]

Right.

[Colin Cowherd]

And by the way, did you know the Dodgers did this offseason? They re signed one of the anchors of their bullpen.

[Unknown]

Smart.

[Colin Cowherd]

So remember, as good as Soto is, and he is great in four at bats, he's only going to get one hit. That's it. Well, well, that's what? No, he bats 300.

[Unknown]

I get it. But you're talking about losing one of the best young players in baseball. And if this sweet thing is legit, our guys did the math. It would. It would cost them for 82 home games, about $2 million at Yankee Stadium. So you lost Soto. A billion dollar organization lost Soto over a $2 million.

[Colin Cowherd]

Again, I've got.

[Unknown]

Not a great.

[Colin Cowherd]

I've got Stanton and I. When I watch the Yankees play in the American League Championship Series and the World Series, they look outmatched by the Dodgers. Like, not close. Once you got to like the. I mean, the Yankees are top heavy. Do they need to be more top heavy? If. When you look at a Tommy Edmond for the Dodgers that can literally go outfield to infield and be an MVP of a series, the Yankees don't have that. They're incredibly top heavy. The Dodgers are so deep. And by the way, The Yankees generate 100 million more dollars a year in revenue from attendance, television and merchandise. They generate 675 million a year. Dodgers are about 580 million a year. So my thing is the Yankees need three or four more players to become the Dodgers. Not just another great player.

[Unknown]

But that's the thing. Look, so they were, they were offering soto up to 700 plus million dollars. And you can't just say, okay, we didn't give it to him. We're going to spend money on these four guys.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, you can.

[Unknown]

Are there four guys on the market.

[Colin Cowherd]

That can recreate Soto? I would go to the bullpen and I would go get another strong arm in the bullpen.

[Unknown]

Okay.

[Colin Cowherd]

It doesn't have to be an either or. You don't have to say, we'll spend 600 million here or 600 there. You went after Soto. You didn't get it. Make the bullpen stronger. There we go. Jay Mackle, the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by the herd lie news. I think Yankees. Soto. I'm fine with the Yankees. They're going to make the playoffs again and be very good. I don't worry about them. Great show today, the Herd. This podcast is sponsored by PayPal. Now here's the kicker. The PayPal debit card earns you 5% cash back in a monthly category of your Choice. Up to $1,000 of monthly purchases. So groceries, health and beauty, gas, apparel, restaurants. On top of that, you can get cash back offers within the app from brands like Doordash, Instacart, Sephora. This month, it's all about that apparel. I got a crazy schedule. I shop online a lot. Snag a suit here or there, fresh gear, 5% cash back adds up fast, and signing up is easy. Just Download the new PayPal app to sign up and you're ready to start earning cash back on your everyday purchases. Pay Smart Earn cash back. Enjoy peace of mind with a PayPal debit card. Don't just pay PayPal terms apply. See PayPal app cash back earned as points you can redeem for cash and other options. This card, issued by the Bancorp N.A. pursuant to license by MasterCard International, Inc. The human soul has a minimum daily requirement of entertainment. But listening to a podcast like you're doing right now? Yeah, that doesn't count. Welcome to the world of MGM Rewards where they have the greatest live shows on earth, the biggest names in sports, the best chefs on the planet, and the most unforgettable nights of your life. This is all the entertainment you can handle and more. So book now and make the most of your Vegas getaway@mgm rewards.com MGM rewards.com Welcome to the show. It's football season and UberEats is dropping undefeated deals on all your game day favorites this week. Scored buy one get one free six piece boneless wings from Buffalo Wild Wings only on UberEats craving even more. We've got you covered with game day deals on pizza, burgers, tacos and more all season long. Uber Eats Official on demand food delivery partner of the NFL. Order now for game day terms, taxes and fees apply. C App for Details hey, what's up everybody?

[LeVar Arrington]

It's Levar Arrington here from up on Game and I need you to listen for a moment, all right? And get serious. The hate in this country is getting out of control. It's at an all time high. It's going to take all of us to stop it. I mean, think about it. We're all on the same team in this country, right? Let's take a break from hate so our team can regroup. We need to take a time out against hate. Visit standuptolhate.org to help and join me in calling for a timeout against hate by following @whatsupwithhate or posting the blue square emoji.

[Colin Cowherd]

What makes the holiday special are the details from Genesis, the warm touch of an available heated steering wheel room for all your gifts, your family and friends, and a festive holiday feast experience. The Genesis Signature event and as one big final gift, Genesis is offering you a $1,000 bonus on select Genesis vehicles. The deal ends January 2nd. See participating Genesis retailers for details. Visit Genesis.com to see how Genesis can make your holidays even brighter. Details make the holidays.