Hour 3 - Ric Bucher

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Episode: Hour 3 with Ric Bucher

Release Date: April 3, 2025
Host: Colin Cowherd
Guest: Rick Bucher, Fox Sports NBA Analyst

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1. Introduction to Tonight’s Highlight Game

[02:20] Colin Cowherd:
The episode kicks off with Colin Cowherd highlighting the night's marquee NBA regular-season game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. Colin emphasizes the significance of this matchup, likening it to a playoff atmosphere due to the high stakes and star power involved.

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2. In-Depth Analysis: Lakers vs. Warriors

[03:30] Rick Bucher:
Rick Bucher shares his preference for the Lakers, citing their superior matchup dynamics and chances within the Western Conference. He highlights the Lakers' star players:

• Luka Doncic (25 years old): Brings size and versatile play, making it easier for him to secure needed contributions.
• LeBron James and Rui Hachimura (6'8" and 6'9"): Their physical presence offers a strategic advantage over Warriors' stalwarts.

Bucher contrasts this with the Warriors, pointing out:

• Steph Curry: While a dynamic scorer, Bucher mentions concerns about Curry’s age and size impacting his performance.
• Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler: Although Butler adds veteran presence, the Warriors' offensive dependency on Curry presents a challenge.

Notable Quote:
"With the Lakers, it's Luka Doncic and LeBron James providing the necessary size and versatility, making them better equipped for a deep run in the Western Conference."
— Rick Bucher [03:30]

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3. Western Conference Standings and Team Prospects

[05:08] Colin Cowherd:
Colin expands the conversation to the broader Western Conference, discussing teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, and Denver Nuggets. He questions the Rockets' potential and praises the Thunder's depth.

[08:14] Rick Bucher:
Bucher offers a critical analysis of the Denver Nuggets, attributing their continued competitiveness primarily to Nikola Jokic's exceptional play. He expresses skepticism about the Nuggets' depth and management, noting:

• Stan Kroenke’s Management: Bucher criticizes owner Kroenke for not adequately replenishing the team, leading to reliance on key players like Jokic.
• Team Depth: The loss of key players such as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jeff Green has forced the Nuggets to depend on less experienced or luxury players.

Notable Quote:
"It's only because of Nikola Jokic and how he is playing right now that I even give them a puncher's chance at still being a contender."
— Rick Bucher [08:14]

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4. Eastern Conference Outlook: Celtics and Beyond

[12:50] Colin Cowherd:
Transitioning to the Eastern Conference, Colin predicts the Boston Celtics as frontrunners, praising their strategic management under Brad Stevens and Danny Ainge. He highlights:

• Team Composition: Emphasis on versatile players who can pass, dribble, shoot, and defend effectively.
• Comparison to Dynasties: Colin likens the Celtics’ potential dominance to past NBA dynasties like the Showtime Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs.

[13:59] Rick Bucher:
Bucher discusses the Celtics' potential, noting their ability to perform decisively on the road and their balanced roster. He questions whether they can sustain their performance throughout the playoffs.

Notable Quote:
"They have a Spurs feel where we’re not going to pay a ton of attention because they’re not a flashy team."
— Colin Cowherd [36:02]

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5. NBA Dynasties and Team Dynamics

[10:34] Jeremy Hobson Segment:
While primarily focusing on NBA discussions, the episode intermittently features promos and segments related to other shows like Jeremy Hobson's "The Middle" and the podcast "Bone Valley." These segments are acknowledged but remain secondary to the main NBA analysis.

[36:44] J. Mac Interaction:
Colin engages in a brief exchange with J. Mac, discussing the Celtics' strategic player acquisitions and their implications for team dynamics. They touch upon the importance of star players and team chemistry in sustaining a dynasty.

Notable Quote:
"They've got the best six-man, the best combo. And I think because they're like the Spurs, they don't have big personalities. We just... We're a little punitive on that."
— Colin Cowherd [36:47]

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6. College Basketball Predictions and Final Four Insights

[16:25] J. Mac:
In addition to NBA discussions, J. Mac provides insights into college basketball, particularly focusing on the Final Four predictions. Key points include:

• Duke vs. Houston: J. Mac favors Duke, praising star player Cooper Flag and highlighting Duke's disciplined playstyle.
• Florida vs. Auburn: He gives a slight edge to Florida due to their depth and backcourt strength, despite Auburn’s promising performances from players like Pettiford.

Notable Quote:
"I like Cooper Flagg; you can’t hold him down that long. He’s too good."
— J. Mac [33:12]

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7. Concluding Remarks and Final Predictions

[39:34] Colin Cowherd:
As the episode wraps up, Colin reiterates his predictions:

• Western Conference: Lakers advancing to the Western Conference Finals.
• Eastern Conference: Celtics maintaining their dominance and progressing deep into the playoffs.

[38:38] J. Mac & Colin Cowherd Interaction:
Both Colin and J. Mac express strong support for their chosen teams, emphasizing the importance of star players and strategic management in determining playoff success.

Notable Quote:
"I pick Duke, Auburn."
— Colin Cowherd [39:37]

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Key Takeaways:

• Lakers vs. Warriors: A pivotal game with the Lakers favored due to their star power and strategic advantages.
• Western Conference Dynamics: While the Lakers and Warriors are top contenders, teams like Oklahoma City and Denver Nuggets present additional challenges.
• Eastern Conference Dominance: The Boston Celtics are highlighted as a potential dynasty, with strategic management and a balanced roster giving them an edge.
• College Basketball Predictions: Duke and Florida are strong contenders for the Final Four, based on player performances and team depth.
• NBA Dynasties: Historical comparisons underscore the importance of star players and cohesive team dynamics in achieving sustained success.

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Closing Note:
Colin Cowherd and Rick Bucher provide a comprehensive analysis of the current NBA landscape, offering predictions and insights that cater to both casual fans and hardcore enthusiasts. Their discussions emphasize the significance of star players, team chemistry, and strategic management in determining the outcomes of pivotal games and playoff runs.

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This summary encapsulates the key discussions and analyses presented in the third hour of "The Herd with Colin Cowherd." For a more detailed exploration, tuning into the full episode is recommended.

Transcript

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[J. Mac]

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[Jeremy Hobson]

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.

[Gilbert King]

Something unexpected happened after Jeremy Scott confessed to killing Michelle Schofield in in Bone Valley Season one.

[Jeremy Scott]

Every time I hear about my dad, it's oh, he's a killer. He's just straight evil.

[Gilbert King]

I was becoming the bridge between Jeremy Scott and the son he'd never known.

[Jeremy Scott]

At the end of the day, I'm literally a son of a killer.

[Gilbert King]

Listen to new episodes of bone Valley Season 2 starting April 9 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[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 no 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. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. All right, tonight's the biggest regular season game, arguably of the NBA season. Lakers are playing the Warriors. It's an excellent matchup, both playing really, really well. Like LeBron's not quite what he was pre injury with a honeymoon period with Luca. Rick Bucher's joining us live, covering the league since 1993. Fox Sports NBA analyst so you know, it's I'll just ask you this. Who does the game feel bigger than you do get about a dozen regular season games a year where you can kind of sense there's like a playoff feel to them. This is going to be one of those games like, like, like, like. What if I had to say who wins tonight and why? Who do you like?

[Rick Bucher]

I like the Lakers. I like the Lakers as a matchup. I like the Lakers overall in terms of their chances in the Western Conference. You can point to a lot of different things, but it really comes down to the star player for each team, the go to player for each team. And with the Lakers, it's luka doncic at 25, 26 years old, and simply because of his size and the way that he plays, it's easier for him to get what he needs to get. I can't ignore Steph's age and size and the way the warriors work. It's just the degree of difficulty is much higher. And when I look at the Western Conference as a whole, there are a number of teams there with legitimate size that they're going to have to go through at one or both of these teams. And the Lakers are better equipped for that. When I look at their front lines, even though they both sort of play small at critical times. LeBron James and Rui Hatsumura. We're talking about two guys that are 6, 8 and 6, 9 versus Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler at 6'six and 6'seven and then offensively, the versatility of Rui and LeBron is just greater than what Draymond and Jimmy is. So it's not by a whole lot. And the synchronicity of these two teams and the chemistry can certainly change the dynamic. But overall, sizing up these two teams on paper, I just believe the Lakers are better equipped to make a run at at least the Western Conference finals.

[Colin Cowherd]

Golden State's interesting because they can still be kind of step dependent offensively. But Butler and Draymond, they've now got another veteran Butler and Draymond to get him be a catalyst and get him better looks. Whereas I feel like Luka could have a bad night and LeBron and Austin Reaves would be fine carrying you, is it? My take is they still feel Steph dependent offensively. Do you believe that?

[Rick Bucher]

Oh, 100%. 100%. What they got out of Jimmy Butler is another guy who helps them facilitate Steph getting what he needs to get. But overall, I mean, let's just look at this team. When you go, Steph Curry, who's the next most dynamic scorer on the team? The easy answer used to be Klay Thompson. And then let's go down the line, like, who is it? Who do you count on as being that counter scorer to Steph? And I think most people would probably say Jimmy Butler has come in and done that. He's upgraded that number two spot, buddy heel. Probably was that previously? Maybe Jonathan Kaminga on good days, but it was a debatable thing. But is Jimmy really that kind of score? He has been in the postseason, but he's been that when he's been the primary in the postseason. So this is the X factor here, Colin, which is that chemistry and the basketball IQ and the warriors ability to play their system and be greater than the sum of their parts is what has made them special in the past. Can they still capture some of that? Sure they can and would if they did. And the Lakers are still struggling with trying to find a balance between LeBron and Luka and Austin in terms of who's really going to run this at critical times, then that would tilt things in the warriors favor. But things equal, I'm still going to favor the Lakers.

[Colin Cowherd]

So when we look at the Western Conference standings, you know, there's, there's Oklahoma City and Houston are the classic talented young teams without a trophy. So they play their butt off in the regular season. I don't buy Houston as much. I think the Lakers the other night kind of showed. If you, if you really ratchet it up, it's a young team that can miss a lot of shots. I think the Thunder are too good and too deep not to win a couple of playoff series. But the real interesting team to me is, is the Nuggets. So whereas we both kind of acknowledge the Lakers and the warriors should pretty do pretty well unless they have to face each other in the first round. Denver has the best player on the planet, doesn't play with another All Star. They're not as deep as they were. They rested people last night. Where are you? Maybe they feel disrespected by SGA if he wins the mvp. Where are you now? In a team that I thought, after they won, I thought, are we looking at the Spurs? Are we looking at a big man dynasty? And they just don't feel. They just feel like they're not. They're bad defensively. Where are you on Denver?

[Rick Bucher]

It's only because of Nikola Jokic in the way that he's playing right now that I even give them a puncher's chance at still being a contender. Can their. Their depth of experience in the postseason, their collective depth of experience, can that win out potentially? I mean, we kind of say the same thing about the Lakers. That that experience, or maybe even the warriors, their postseason experience is what gives them an edge and why people believe that they can knock off the Houston Rockets or even possibly the Oklahoma City Thunder. I'm off on that, by the way. I'm not putting those two teams in the same camp. Oklahoma City did win a series last year. Depth wise, experience wise. We don't talk about it a lot, but they actually have more playoff game experience than the Memphis Grizzlies. And we never talk about their lack of postseason experience when we talk about their weaknesses. So the Nuggets, for me, you're right. And part of this is, if you look at Stan Kroenke, the owner, this is what he does. He did it with the Rams. He did it with the Avalanche. He's done it with the Nuggets. He will do everything. He'll push all his chips to the middle of the table in order to win a championship. But then he gets a little bit frugal or stingy, and they've quietly let a lot of key pieces go and haven't replaced them. So it's only because of Jokic and how he is playing and the matchup nightmare that he presents that I still believe they have a chance if Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray and Michael Pierre Porter Jr. Play their absolute best. But the difference from when they won that championship is now. Christian Brown's not a luxury. He's an essential. Peyton Watson has to give you quality minutes. They're relying on a lot of guys as a result of losing Kentavious, Caldwell Pope and Bruce Brown and Jeff Green, you know, proven veteran guys. Now they're relying on luxury items to be key pieces in the puzzle, and they just haven't demonstrated that they're quite ready to do that.

[Colin Cowherd]

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

[Jeremy Hobson]

We live in a divided country.

[Colin Cowherd]

I am a lifelong Republican with all.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Kinds of different people.

[Colin Cowherd]

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

[Jeremy Hobson]

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.

[J. Mac]

Anna, I'm calling from Las Vegas.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Each week we bring together an all star panel. Mark Cuban, so great to have you on the Middle.

[Rick Bucher]

Thanks for having me.

[J. Mac]

Jeremy.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Neil degrasse Tyson, welcome to the Middle.

[Colin Cowherd]

Thanks for having me.

[Jeremy Hobson]

And hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country on the most important issues.

[J. Mac]

Hi, my name is Venkat.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm calling you from Atlanta, Georgia.

[Jeremy Hobson]

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.

[Colin Cowherd]

We should be examining what our government.

[Wendy]

Spends its money on and are these.

[Colin Cowherd]

Jobs necessary and what are we doing here? But that doesn't seem to be what we're doing in this situation.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Gilbert King]

Something unexpected happened after Jeremy Scott confessed to killing Michelle Schofield in Bone Valley Season one.

[Colin Cowherd]

I just knew him as a kid.

[Gilbert King]

Long, silent voices from his past came.

[Jeremy Scott]

Forward, and he was just staring at me.

[Gilbert King]

And they had secrets of their own to share.

[Jeremy Scott]

I'm Gilbert King. I'm the son of Jeremy Lynn Scott.

[Gilbert King]

I was no longer just telling the story. I was part of it.

[Jeremy Scott]

Every time I hear about my dad, it's, oh, he's a killer. He's just straight evil.

[Gilbert King]

I was becoming the bridge between a killer and the son he'd never known.

[Jeremy Scott]

If the cops and everything would have done their job properly, my dad would have been in jail. I would have never existed.

[Gilbert King]

I never expected to find myself in this place. Now I need to tell you how I got here.

[Jeremy Scott]

At the end of the day, I'm literally a son of a killer.

[Gilbert King]

Bone Valley Season 2 Jeremy, Jeremy, I.

[Colin Cowherd]

Want to tell you something.

[Gilbert King]

Listen to new episodes of Bone Valley Valley Season 2 starting April 9 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And to hear the entire new season ad free with exclusive content starting April 9th. Subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

Usually, if you look at the history of the NBA, we rank dynasties higher if they have star power. We love the MJ dynasty. Showtime, Lakers, Shaq and Kobe and the Duncan ones. Like, yeah, there was a team down in Texas. They were pretty good. It didn't have a lot of sizzle. And I think we are. I think Boston's going to win this thing. I think between Brad Stevens and Danny Ainge, they have a couple of basketball savants. This is a roster full of guys that can all pass, dribble, shoot, and mostly defend. Mostly it is loaded. I mean, they got the best six man, the best combo. And I think because they're like the spurs, they don't have big personalities. We just. We're a little punitive on that. We NBA is an aesthetic league. We like our stars to be fun. You know, the 76ers with Dr. J, that's what we like. And I think they're. I think they're going to run through these playoffs. I think their ability to win on the road decisively is like MJ stuff, is like Kobe, Shaq stuff. That's. That's the difference between good and great. I think they're going to run through the playoffs. Du.

[Rick Bucher]

They could. They easily could. I mean, part of it is they've been on cruise control through this season, and everybody's questioning is that because they, you know, they know how much effort it's going to take to repeat in May and June. And so they realize, hey, we're probably going to win, so have to win some games on the road. It's not all that important. Important that we have the best record, then they're still going to have home court advantage in the first round. So there is some of that. The other part is to your point, like, who's their most dynamic player? Jalen Brown. Like, that doesn't. That doesn't really ring a bell. Really doesn't ring the bell if you're comparing him to a Kobe or a Michael or any of the other dynamic players. The question that I have, Colin, is are they going to be what you're suggesting? Are they going to be. Be the San Antonio spurs, where they win multiple titles over a long stretch, or are they going to be the Detroit Pistons, who were also formidable for years? I think they went to the conference finals like six years in a row, but only won one title. So are they going to be really good, but not necessarily dominant and go to that next level, or are they going to be the San Antonio spurs, where it's there. If they're not winning back to backs, they're consistently going back there. And honestly, I don't know at this point because of the way the league is changing and the difficulty in terms of keeping a team together for a long period of time. At some point, guys want to get paid or they want bigger roles, and it becomes difficult to hold together the same team for a long time.

[Colin Cowherd]

Rick Bucher, Fox Sports. Warriors, Lakers. A really big regular season. It's fun. I mean, you don't get a ton of these. This is a big deal. There's six or seven guys that. That are getting hall of Fame votes or inclusion. Like, this is a good one tonight. It'll feel like a playoff game. Teams at this point of the year, not playing starters or playing everybody. A lot of minutes. There's not a lot in between here. Teams are tanking, resting, or they're all in for a big seeding game. And that's what the ladders is, what this is tonight. Rick Bucher. Good seeing you, Rick.

[Rick Bucher]

You got it.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Watch this one tonight. J. Mac with the news. No, no, no. Turn on the news.

[J. Mac]

This is the Herd line news. Let's start with Joel Embiid. Colin, remember that guy? Haven't really talked about him all season. He's been out for the season since February due to knee issues. Apparently, he's gonna have arthroscopic surgery on that knee today to try to get him ready for next season. And the. The 76ers, who are very clearly tanking to keep their. Their pick, they just announced that Tyrese Maxey is out for the rest of the season with a finger injury. I saw. He only played 52 games. Poor Paul George. What a disaster it's been since he went to Philly. And Bean and George have only played 60 combined games this year. I mean, this is just as bad as it gets.

[Colin Cowherd]

They're the most cursed, beleaguered, good sports franchise in North America. Maybe the Toronto Maple Leafs. They always talk about them being cursed. Sixers just can't get the health right, the chemistry right. They just. I mean, they got. They've had so much talent the last four years, they just can't.

[J. Mac]

A lot of bites at the apple, too. They've had a lot of swings at top guys in the draft, and for whatever reason. Was it Michael, Carter, Williams?

[Colin Cowherd]

Maybe it was the bounce. If that Kawhi thing doesn't go in, maybe it changes the trajectory.

[J. Mac]

That's a good point. The Jimmy. That was the Jimmy Butler Team which was their best team.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. And maybe, maybe that bounce, if it goes the other way, it changes everything. Damn.

[J. Mac]

That's a. You got some decent takes today, Coward. Firing on all.

[Colin Cowherd]

Before I go on vacation. I bring the heat. I told you, I'm keeping it real this point forward.

[J. Mac]

Keeping it real. Okay. When keeping it real goes wrong, remember that. All right, let's go to the next story. The Celtics, they had been on a heater, won nine in a row. And then last night, lose to the Heat, you kind of got thumped. Now, they were without Drew Holiday, Porzingis, and Horford.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[J. Mac]

But Joe Missoula said no excuses.

[Colin Cowherd]

I mean, we're all pissed. I mean, we all hate losing. And that was my, that was my message, was it's a good reminder that losing still sucks. So I love the fact that no staff are miserable. The guys are pissed. No. Not happy about it, but, you know, we got to come back and do it again the next day. Yeah. Not. Not a great effort. But I don't, I don't. You know, they're.

[J. Mac]

They're going to, they're going to be locked into their.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, they're, they're. You know, you got three guys that play a lot. Don't play. It changes all the minutes and, you know, happens. And by the way, they're a weird franchise. Boston's great. They have a half a dozen clunkers a year at home. They're weird. They're. They're an unbelievable road team, which even a lot of the championship teams in this league weren't great road teams, but they have clunkers at home.

[J. Mac]

Well, some of that is the three point variance. You know, when you're. That's right, 53.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right. That's what it is, by the way. Yeah, that's what it is. They have these nights, even at home, they just are brutal.

[J. Mac]

By the way, I'm wondering, remember when your buddy Simmons would bash Missoula? Apparently he was calling him second row Joe because he's not like a front row. That's what he was saying on social media, I think. I don't follow him, but that's what I saw. And I wonder what he's saying now. Like, Joe Maul has been excellent as a head coach with the Celtics, has he not?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[J. Mac]

Won the title.

[Colin Cowherd]

He had a bumpy first year. I mean, the first year we. We kind of felt like he was getting worked in the playoffs. I think it was Spolstro worked him a little bit.

[J. Mac]

I mean, listen, I had a rough first year. On the show first couple listen settle down now. Celtics should bounce back fine. Final story Colin is. Oh boy. Falcons owner Arthur Blank added fuel to the Kirk Cousins trade rumors this week. Telling the media I think Michael meaning Penix does have a clean slate. He's the starting QB and everybody in the room understands that. That's pretty direct to Kirk. I think he'll do what his heart and his spirit allows him to do. I've never seen him as being a divisive individual. I don't think it's in him to be that way with certain personalities you might worry. I'm not really worried about that. Sounds basically like they know Cousins is gone and he's going to be shipped to likely Cleveland and it's going to.

[Colin Cowherd]

Be my Kirk Cousins. Just wait till after the draft. Just what's the hurry?

[J. Mac]

Well the Falcons botched it. They kept him past the deadline.

[Colin Cowherd]

What if a good team in camp loses somebody? Why? What is the hurry to sign if you're Kirk Cousins, what's the value on signing with a tire fire?

[J. Mac]

Well don't you want to get in the building, get to know the coaches, the offensive coordinator, he's been around.

[Colin Cowherd]

He knows how to complete out routes. He's fine.

[J. Mac]

Didn't show that last season with the Falcons.

[Colin Cowherd]

I would wait for the draft Kirk Cousins, talk to your agent, wait for the draft then you'll look at and go to a team. Oh maybe a team was looking to get Kyle McCord or Leonard or I mean you know, you just don't know what's going to happen. All of a sudden you get in camp, Garoppolo goes down, Rams are like you know what Stafford is banging his hand on a helmet away from we need a quarterback in LA now that's not gonna happen but I'm just.

[J. Mac]

Yeah it definitely won't happen but that's not a bad idea. Wait for a good offensive mind.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[J. Mac]

Although Stefanski's really good.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. The answer no is powerful. Powerful.

[J. Mac]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Everybody's just oh I see that sometimes you'll get an NBA job opening and the coaches should probably take a sit down and they'll get a job within two or three. Like in the NFL there's eight new coaches a year. NBA, there's seven new coaches a year. Say no once in a while. Wait for a better gig. You're not gonna forget how to coach basketball. I don't know. J. Mack with the news.

[J. Mac]

Well that's the news and thanks for stopping by the herd lie news.

[Colin Cowherd]

So yeah. Still can't get over Ohtani, man. And. And by the way, J. Mac's here all next week. He'll be crushing it. So hopefully J. Mac keeps it real, too. You know, that's. That's the thing. If I keep it real and he doesn't, the show is like Max Muncie at the plate. You're a little off.

[J. Mac]

Do you keep it real with the wife? How do I look in this dress? That kind of. That kind of real or.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, I. I keep it appropriate.

[J. Mac]

Oh, okay.

[Colin Cowherd]

Keeping it real at home is not always the. The best answer.

[J. Mac]

Yeah. By the way, when Keeping it Real Goes Wrong was a Dave Chappelle show not in Living Color. I mixed up my iconic comedy shows from. I know you watch both of those, right?

[Colin Cowherd]

I like Dave Chappelle.

[J. Mac]

That. That show was legendary. Oh, my gosh. Now, wait a minute. I forgot to follow up. White Lotus. Did you watch Episode?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, no, no, I'm. There's. I'm watching episode six flying out today. I'm watching that episode.

[J. Mac]

Okay, so no spoilers, obviously, but it sounds like you were not all in on the show. You don't.

[Colin Cowherd]

I like true crime. I like documentaries. True crime. And then I like Christopher Nolan, Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Steven Soderbergh. I like certain directors. All this. Now, I do think the acting that.

[J. Mac]

That Walter, he's really, really good.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, he's weird. He's like. He's like a younger Christopher Walken.

[J. Mac]

Oh, that's not bad.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's good in everything. Odd in absolutely everything, but he's good.

[J. Mac]

Yeah, well, sometimes you need to be uncomfortable, right? You need to come out of your comfort zone of true crime.

[Colin Cowherd]

And Christopher Nolan, Walter Goggins. Thank you, staff.

[J. Mac]

What's. What is this? I mean, this show's quite crazy this season.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, to me, it goes. They're trying a little too hard. Like, everybody's dysfunctional at the resort. Isn't there just a normal guy that wants to golf? You sleep in and have an occasional cocktail at 5. Like, everybody has to be the strangest person on the earth. It's a little much for me. All right, we wrap it up. Tomorrow's headlines. Today we got the Final Four. We got Lakers, Warriors. We got the Aaron Rodgers story. There's a lot out there that is unsolved. It's the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, Weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific.

[Steve Covino]

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 in the world of sports and pop culture, stories that, well, other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends for the last 20 years and still work together, I mean, that says something, right? So check us out. We like to get you involved, too. Take your phone calls, chop it up, as they say. I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive show on planet Earth. Be sure to check out Covino and Rich live on Fox Sports radio and the iHeartradio app from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific. And if you miss any of the live show, just search Kobeno and Rich wherever you get your podcast. And of course, on social media, that's Covino and Rich.

[Jeremy Hobson]

We live in a divided country.

[Colin Cowherd]

I am a lifelong Republican with all.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Kinds of different people.

[Colin Cowherd]

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

[Jeremy Hobson]

That's why we started the Middle with Jeremy Hobson. It's about bringing voices not from the extremes, but from the vast Middle east into the national conversation.

[J. Mac]

Anna, I'm calling from Las Vegas.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Each week we bring together an all star panel. Mark Cuban, so great to have you on the Middle.

[Rick Bucher]

Thanks for having me, Jeremy.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Neil Degrasse Tyson, welcome to the Middle.

[Colin Cowherd]

Thanks for having me.

[Jeremy Hobson]

And hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country on the most important issues.

[J. Mac]

Hi, my name is Venkat.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm calling you from Atlanta, Georgia.

[Jeremy Hobson]

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.

[Colin Cowherd]

We should be examining what our government.

[Wendy]

Spends its money on and are these.

[Colin Cowherd]

Jobs necessary and what are we doing here? But that doesn't seem to be what we're doing in this situation.

[Jeremy Hobson]

Listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Gilbert King]

Something unexpected happened after Jeremy Scott confessed to killing Michelle Schofield in Bone Valley season one.

[Colin Cowherd]

I just knew him as a kid.

[Gilbert King]

Long silent voices from his past came.

[Jeremy Scott]

Forward and he was just staring at me.

[Gilbert King]

And they had secrets of their own to share.

[Jeremy Scott]

Gilbert King, I'm the son of Jeremy Lynn Scott.

[Gilbert King]

I was no longer just telling the story I was part of it.

[Jeremy Scott]

Every time I hear about my dad is, oh, he's a killer. He's just straight evil.

[Gilbert King]

I was becoming the bridge between a killer and the son he'd never known.

[Jeremy Scott]

If the cops and everything would have done the job properly, my dad would have been in jail. I would have never existed.

[Gilbert King]

I never expected to find myself in this place. Now I need to tell you how I got here.

[Jeremy Scott]

At the end of the day, I'm literally a son of a killer.

[Gilbert King]

Bone Valley Season 2 Jeremy.

[Colin Cowherd]

Jeremy, I want to tell you something.

[Gilbert King]

Listen to new episodes of bone Valley Season 2 starting April 9 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And to hear the entire new season ad free with exclusive content starting April 9th. Subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

Folks, it's that time the old crystal ball arrives on set. Usually on Fridays, Thursdays, because we're doing Best of the Herd tomorrow. We got the final four NBA playoffs around the corner.

[J. Mac]

By the way, are you perturbed by the chalky final Four?

[Colin Cowherd]

No, I think it's great.

[J. Mac]

A lot of outrage, faux outrage, you know, that nonsense.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, there's no great games. You have to be careful about confirmation bias. There's a kind of a legendary college basketball sports better and he just got crushed in this tournament.

[J. Mac]

Oh, Alan Boston. Yeah, I'm familiar with his word. Yeah, crushed, crazy. But he was a good gambler.

[Colin Cowherd]

But he loves mid majors. He loves the little guy. And I think that sometimes it's confirmation bias. You're like, oh, the little guy, the little guy. Never forget in America, everybody it wants to eat the rich. Why do people play the lottery? They want to be rich. Let's not pretend like, you know, it's so it's a lot of it's just envy. And the same thing is for mid majors is, you know those coaches at mid majors privately, they'd rather coach at Kentucky and play with better coach, better.

[J. Mac]

Players, bigger nil budget. Of course.

[Colin Cowherd]

So the mid major's always been overstated. They, they're a little undervalued historically. But the nil has changed that. You know, the mid major guy gets good and here, you know, from Dayton or something and then all of a sudden, you know, Syracuse or UConn are like, you know what? You could be our third best starter or second best starter. So that's the way society works. People, talented people have options. I, I saw something the other day on TikTok where they were talking about an average looking man has to swipe 200 times on. What's that site?

[J. Mac]

Tinder.

[Colin Cowherd]

Tinder. To get one cup of coffee with a date.

[J. Mac]

What does a woman have to do?

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, it's, I didn't, I don't know that. But they said and of the four of the five times they get coffee, they won't get a second coffee. So I mean just things are easier when you have certain height, looks, talent. Well, the coaches want to coach the best players and players want to play with the best players. And so you know, the nil is a long time coming. So if you are a believer in paying college athletes, the same people that are upset about mid majors disappearing in March are also the same people that want athletes to get paid. Here's the way it works in America. The minute you pay college athletes, you're going to have a hierarchy very quickly and people are going to separate. You're going to find out your market value. And so you know that all the people that were fighting for the little guy to get paid he getting paid now a lot by Kentucky, not Dayton. So that's just the market speaking.

[J. Mac]

It's like in Major League baseball, a lot of these lower end teams, the owners that don't want to spend, they're essentially farm systems for the Yankees and the Dodgers and the, that's, that's how it's working in baseball. That's definitely what's happening. College football and basketball, all these small.

[Colin Cowherd]

Market baseball teams for years were propped up by the regional networks, which was the Fox business. When Fox sold it and other people couldn't run it like Fox, it dried up and it's hurt Pittsburgh and Cincinnati and Kansas City and the Mariners. So it's like the truth eventually comes out. The big gobble up the small and that's all that's happening with nil. The big and the bigger bankrolls are swallowing up the smaller bankroll. You see it in tech, you see it in every industry. All right, let's do it. Tomorrow's headlines today, what's the headline for Florida and Auburn to SEC hotbeds for.

[J. Mac]

Hoops these days two great SEC teams. Got some good news for Auburn. I'll report that just came out. The headline will be Join us for Crocktail hour. Gator shots go down easy. I have Florida taking down Auburn. However, it just was revealed that Auburn star broom, the big fella who is has been getting double doubles in like the first half. He practiced fully today. He will play Saturday in the final four. He missed practice the last two days. So there was Some concern. Remember the elbow and the knee. Now, Broom is an excellent player. I think he's like 23 years old. However, Florida has the depth, I think to handle. They got four guys that they can throw at the big fella from Auburn and I give a slight edge to Florida, the backcourt. But I will say my favorite player in this game is Pettiford, the lefty backup point guard, the freshman for Auburn. He is so smooth. I've been saying he's a lottery pick. A lot of people are like, no, no, you watch if he plays Clayton toe to toe. Clayton's a great Florida point guard. I think we'll hear Pettiford as a lottery pick. I think Florida narrowly escapes.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right, here's the. Here's a game that's going to be great. Tomorrow's headlines. Today, Houston and Duke defense against offense. What say you?

[J. Mac]

Yeah, remember after we did the Calcutta, I came on, I said, we got Duke. I'm a dude Blue Devils fan. I want a Cooper flag jersey. The headline. Well, hey, the Dukes of Hazard Cougars wave the white flag and that is flag. I got Cooper flag and Duke advancing. However, Colin, some of these analytics guys have put this in front of me. You got a stat. I don't know if it's out there. The top 25 defenses Duke has faced in the last month, zero. You have to go back to the Clemson game in early February for a top 25 defense. Duke lost that game, so they haven't played a good defense. Alabama don't play defense. Baylor does not play defense. Houston's the number one defense in the country.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, it's gonna be a close game.

[J. Mac]

This will be a test. There's a big divide. The spread is five.

[Colin Cowherd]

Colin, take the points.

[J. Mac]

However, Ken Palm, the number one analytics site, says this is a two point game. And there's another analytic site that says it as Houston by one. So there is a divide.

[Colin Cowherd]

The public will be potentially the best college basketball game, men or women of the year.

[J. Mac]

Yes, I think it will be absolutely phenomenal. I think Duke wins. I don't trust Houston in like clutch situations. They've played some, some tough games. They have an edge in the backcourt. But how you not riding with Cooper flag? Give me Duke.

[Colin Cowherd]

Tomorrow's headlines today. So who do you like? The national championship?

[J. Mac]

Duke, Florida in the Natty. A lot of people had this. You probably had it. Oh, no, you didn't have it in your breath because you didn't go chalky the headline. Well, hey, courtesy flush. Duke cleans the rim and cuts down The Nets. Listen, John Shire's done a tremendous job. They have an awesome team. They got three guys who could go in the top 20. The big seven footer in the middle, Cooper flag, and then of course Knipple, who's very good. I like Proctor, the guard. Colin. This is just a great basketball team. The one interesting thing is they are one of the youngest teams.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, that's why I didn't pick them to win it.

[J. Mac]

A lot of freshmen and sophomores and it's like, oh, that's tough going up against the grown men of Florida and the grown men of Houston. But I think Duke prevails. I just think Cooper Flagg is too good. You can't hold him down that long.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right, so big one tonight. Lakers, warriors, let's go. What's the headline going to be for the Western Conference? Tomorrow's headline today, the deep loaded Western Conference of the National Basketball Association.

[J. Mac]

So next couple weeks on the show are going to be wacky and I figure we get our NF NBA prediction out of the way in the West. OKCs won what, 63 games? How many is Denver? One. Don't know. The headline for the Western Conference will be Luca Tick Fringe. Lakers going off the rails on a crazy trade. I, I, I'm sorry. I think they're going to the Western Conference finals, Colin. I don't think anybody's standing in their way. Remember how they had like a 22 game sample size where they were the best defense in the league and then they kind of cratered and all of a sudden what? They're not that good folks. They played eight games in 12 days. They were exhausted due to the Back to backs. LeBron was hurt, Reeves was hurt. Everybody's healthy now, Colin, and I'm just telling you, this Lakers team, totally complete. We're having discussions during the commercial break about who's going to defend Austin Reeves like tonight and in the playoffs he is a tough matchup. You got Luka, Obviously you have LeBron. This is a great litmus test tonight against the warriors, apparently. Tickets. It's a tough, tough ticket to get in tonight. You probably could if you.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, I'm an influencer.

[J. Mac]

Yeah. So Lakers to the Western Conference finals for sure.

[Colin Cowherd]

Finally, tomorrow's headlines today, the more predictable Eastern Conference.

[J. Mac]

Yeah, it's, it was supposed to be Celtics and Knicks, but then the Cavs have come out of nowhere and they're a challenger. The headline in the east will he. I'd rather be a rich zingus than a poor zingus. Boston Bricks bank back to back. I. I just. I like Boston too much.

[Colin Cowherd]

Too many shoes.

[J. Mac]

I think they've gone through the. The motions a little bit at times this season. You know, like, hey, we just won the title. And I think that's enabled Cleveland to look better than they are. My Knicks. Brunson still not. He's not. Not back yet. They haven't matched up great with the Celtics. So I think Boston's the team to beat in the east, and I think they cut down the nets again this year.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I mean, it's. They have a couple of really, really sharp GMs, Danny Ainge to Brad Stevens, and there just haven't been a lot of misses. I mean, when, when, when, you know, some of this is Giannis. Giannis wanted a better running make with more offensive firepower, and they moved Drew Holiday. Milwaukee loved him for Dame. And Dame's defensive liabilities getting older, breaking down. And so they got Drew Holiday, which was an upgrade over Marcus Smart. They were good with Marcus Smart, Brown and Tatum. Now they're better than Porzingis. Had a great year in Washington. Nobody paid attention. Brad Stevens brings him over. He's a. He's a character issue. He breaks down. All I know is when he's on the floor and Horford's been slinging it for years. And now Peyton Pritchard.

[J. Mac]

Don't forget Derrick White. What a heist that was.

[Colin Cowherd]

They are just. They are. And I'll say it again. They. They've got a Spurs feel where we're not going to pay a ton of attention because they're not a flashy team. We love our Kobe Shack. We love our, you know, we love our Michael Jordan, Showtime, Lakers Jordan. We like our NBA champ to be flashy. In the 70s, the sonics were good. Washington, Golden State, they weren't flashy. Portland was great. That's it. And that's okay. It's not a criticism. In the NFL, we don't care if you're tough and physical like Baltimore, Pittsburgh. Well, you could be a Super bowl champ. NBA, we like a little flash or we don't give you the credit you deserve. I think. I think Boston stacked the fact that they are. They can go into any NBA arena. They could go into OKC in the final and win by 18. They are. They. Not many teams in the league can do that. All right, J. Mac, our. Yeah. Now, you have tomorrow off, and I have tomorrow off. Well, what do you. What do you got planned for the big weekend? You got three there.

[J. Mac]

I don't, you know, I gotta prepare for next week. I gotta put. Put some takes in the holster, get them ready, ready for action. Already cooking up some stuff. We'll see.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'll tell you what. Duke, Houston. That is one for the age.

[J. Mac]

It should be good. If Duke loses, I'll be kind of sort of devastated. Then it loses luster. Like, are you fired up about a Houston, Auburn final or Houston.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, I picked Auburn to win, so I would be.

[J. Mac]

Would be.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. You know, it. It's the thing about Florida and Auburn. Florida, as good as they are, they're one of those teams that can go to come down and give you four or five minutes of wasted possession, you know, and college teams do that a lot. Duke doesn't. Duke doesn't give you wasted possessions where, you know a Duke. They know what they are. They lean into what they are and they've got a sensational player. And that's what, that's really the difference of having a superstar in the NBA is. And that's what Milwaukee struggles with. Yes, Giannis is their star, but he's a liability at the free throw line. So do you always go to him late?

[J. Mac]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, Shaq without Kobe or D. Wade is. Is really a force, but you didn't want him at the free throw line and, and so. And that's why Duncan was great when he had Mano and Tony. Tony Parker, because they could hit the free throws and so that. That in college, Duke has the. Okay, let's let. We need three straight great possessions. You just give the ball to Cooper Flag and get out of the way. And even Auburn I like, but they have fewer of them because they have two guys that can get a bucket. Yeah. Is a lot of these college teams, like, even. Even the good teams like Florida or Houston, you can get into a little bit of. Man, we've gone four straight possessions. We have not gotten a good look at all.

[J. Mac]

The other concern with Duke is they haven't played a close game in a while. They haven't had, like, down to the wire. They had some earlier this year when Cooper flag was 18, and they ended up losing a couple of those. I think Kansas was one, but I. I don't really have concerns. I think they shoot. Free throw is great. One of the best free throw shooting teams in the country, like, should be fine.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. My. My guess is I'm going to go Duke, Auburn.

[J. Mac]

I'll go Duke, Florida.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right. Best of her tomorrow. Be safe. It's the herd.

[Jeremy Hobson]

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 the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Gilbert King]

Something unexpected happened after Jeremy Scott confessed to killing Michelle Schofield in Bone Valley Season one.

[Jeremy Scott]

Every time I hear about my dad is, oh, he's a killer. He's just straight evil.

[Gilbert King]

I was becoming the bridge between Jeremy Scott and the son he'd never known.

[Jeremy Scott]

At the end of the day, I'm literally a son of a killer.

[Gilbert King]

Listen to new episodes of bone Valley Season 2, starting April 9 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.