Hour 3 - Tomorrow's Headlines Today

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 3: Tomorrow's Headlines Today

Episode Information:

• Title: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
• Host/Authors: Colin Cowherd, Mick Cronin
• Production: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
• Release Date: March 27, 2025
• Episode: Hour 3 - Tomorrow's Headlines Today

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Introduction to the Transfer Portal Debate

[02:37] Colin Cowherd:
Colin opens the discussion by highlighting his concerns about the timing and impact of the NCAA transfer portal on the ongoing tournament. He emphasizes the need for improvements despite recent guardrail enhancements.

Notable Quote:
"They've got to get this thing fixed. I mean, the guardrails have improved, but it's still absurd that basically in the middle of this tournament, here come the transfer portal questions." – Colin Cowherd [02:37]

Mick Cronin on the Transfer Portal and NCAA Challenges

[02:53] Mick Cronin:
Mick expresses a pragmatic outlook on the transfer portal, advocating for positive action over complaints. He critiques the NCAA's current struggles and timing issues, acknowledging the organization's attempts to seek governmental assistance.

Notable Quote:
"If you don't like something, okay, then get a new job. Don't complain about your job. Shut the hell up. Just go get a new job." – Mick Cronin [03:35]

Impact on College Basketball and Team Dynamics

[04:22] Mick Cronin:
Mick discusses the immediate effects of the transfer portal, noting the large number of players entering and the subsequent adjustments required. He supports the notion of paying players, deeming it a long-overdue change.

Notable Quote:
"And as far as, you know, paying players, I mean, that's here to stay. And it should have come a long time ago." – Mick Cronin [04:36]

Analyzing Team Performances and Strategies

[05:27] Colin Cowherd:
Colin shares his predictions for upcoming games, particularly focusing on Arizona versus Duke. He outlines his reasoning based on player performances and team strategies.

Notable Quote:
"I picked Arizona over Duke for two reasons. Freshmen don't win the title. And Caleb Love, they're going to have to make shots. If he doesn't, they're not going to win." – Colin Cowherd [05:31]

[06:18] Mick Cronin:
Mick provides insights into Arizona's challenges, emphasizing the importance of Caleb Love's shooting ability and the team's reliance on defense to advance in the tournament.

Notable Quote:
"If Caleb Love doesn't make shots, they're not going to win." – Mick Cronin [06:37]

Spotlight on Rising Stars: Cooper Flag

[07:26] Mick Cronin:
Mick reminisces about discovering Cooper Flag, highlighting his defensive prowess and athleticism despite his limited shooting skills. He underscores Cooper's potential impact in the NBA.

Notable Quote:
"He's a fierce competitor. And he's a really, really great finisher and a special player." – Mick Cronin [07:34]

[17:04] Colin Cowherd:
Colin compares Cooper Flag to legendary players, suggesting that with more experience, Cooper could significantly enhance his performance.

Notable Quote:
"He's going to be a star in the NBA. That's what it's all about." – Colin Cowherd [17:19]

Conference Realignment and Its Effects

[09:12] Colin Cowherd:
Colin discusses the merger of West Coast programs like UCLA and USC with the Big Ten, predicting negative outcomes for sports like volleyball and basketball due to increased travel and scheduling conflicts.

Notable Quote:
"I said, it's not going to matter to football. They've got five road games. I said, it's going to hurt volleyball, basketball." – Colin Cowherd [09:12]

[18:01] Mick Cronin:
Mick reflects on the higher scoring nature of the Big Ten compared to the PAC 12, attributing it to both talent and the evolution of the game towards more three-point shooting.

Notable Quote:
"The game's evolved. There's more guys shooting the three. You know, you look at, you know, Dusty May brought with Michigan. They could really shoot the ball." – Mick Cronin [18:10]

Defense vs. Offense: Michigan State's Strategy

[09:27] Mick Cronin:
Mick analyzes Michigan State's potential to reach the Final Four, emphasizing the need for improved shooting and leveraging their defensive depth to overcome opponents.

Notable Quote:
"They have to execute because they don't have a guy they can just give the ball to that can just get you baskets." – Mick Cronin [09:41]

[10:35] Mick Cronin:
He further elaborates on Michigan State's reliance on defense and the importance of players like Chase Richardson and Tyrese Proctor in maintaining competitive play.

Notable Quote:
"Their defense is the key because they run off their defense." – Mick Cronin [10:35]

Tournament Predictions and Key Matchups

[29:00] Jason McIntyre:
Jason presents his predictions for the upcoming tournament games, focusing on potential upsets and the performance of freshman point guards.

Notable Quote:
"I have BYU taking down Bama. They could shoot the three as well as Alabama. This will be a track meet." – Jason McIntyre [29:00]

[30:02] Jason McIntyre:
He continues with predictions, highlighting Florida's depth and Maryland's struggles with foul trouble as factors that could influence the game's outcome.

Notable Quote:
"I think Florida's really, really good. They have four guys, six, nine or bigger who they can throw at the superstar Derrick Queen." – Jason McIntyre [30:02]

[33:49] Jason McIntyre:
Jason analyzes the Houston vs. Purdue matchup, favoring Houston's defensive capabilities over Purdue's offensive strengths.

Notable Quote:
"Houston's really, really good. Kelvin Sampson the last few years has had some awesome teams." – Jason McIntyre [33:49]

The Role of College Basketball in the NBA Pipeline

[22:26] Colin Cowherd:
Colin emphasizes the importance of college basketball as a feeder system for the NBA, advocating for the continued relevance of college programs in developing top-tier talent.

Notable Quote:
"I tell Adam Silver this. I love you, bro, but stop marginalizing college basketball. The coaching's better in college." – Colin Cowherd [22:26]

[23:22] Colin Cowherd:
He contrasts the intensity of college games with the NBA's later-season fatigue, positioning college basketball as more authentic and engaging for fans.

Notable Quote:
"March is a bad month for the NBA because it's juxtaposed all the college kids are playing like their life depends on it." – Colin Cowherd [23:22]

Closing Remarks and Future Discussions

[35:13] Jason McIntyre:
Jason encourages Colin to fully embrace college basketball topics, highlighting the depth and passion surrounding the NCAA tournament.

Notable Quote:
"This is the year to go all in Cooper Flag." – Jason McIntyre [35:13]

[36:02] Mick Cronin:
Mick reiterates the exceptional talent of Cooper Flag, underscoring his defensive skills and potential impact at the professional level.

Notable Quote:
"He's a fierce competitor. And he's a really, really great finisher and a special player." – Mick Cronin [36:32]

[37:20] Colin Cowherd:
Colin praises Cooper Flag's potential, likening his future success to that of legendary players and emphasizing his importance to the team's dynamics.

Notable Quote:
"He's going to be a star in the NBA. That's what it's all about." – Colin Cowherd [37:20]

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Conclusion

In this episode of "The Herd with Colin Cowherd," Colin and guest Mick Cronin delve deep into the current state of college basketball, focusing on the implications of the NCAA transfer portal, team strategies, and the future of player development. They provide insightful analysis on key matchups in the NCAA tournament, highlighting standout players like Cooper Flag and discussing the evolving dynamics of college conferences. The conversation underscores the enduring significance of college basketball in shaping the NBA landscape and the passionate investment of fans and analysts alike.

Listeners who missed the episode can catch future discussions live on Fox Sports Radio or stream on the iHeartRadio app by searching for "The Herd with Colin Cowherd."

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jason McIntyre]

Now let's get this party started.

[Colin Cowherd]

You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. When the transfer portal. They've got to get this thing fixed. I mean, the guardrails have improved, but it's still absurd that basically in the middle of this tournament, here come the transfer portal questions. And here was Mick after a loss.

[Mick Cronin]

It's 12:40am and our season just ended. That. That's it. You're gonna ask me about next year. Right now my biggest concern is how bad the seats are on the allegiant flight on that terrible plane that we're gonna have to fly home tomorrow. And is there any chance that Doug got me some hot food because I don't eat on game day. That I got something edible, by the way.

[Colin Cowherd]

I love that. Listen, I am for. Let's just start with this transport portal nil. Where are you today on that?

[Mick Cronin]

Well, you got to be positive about it. I've always. I learned this when I was young. Somebody told me, if you complain, you're never going to achieve. So if you don't like something, okay, then get a new job. Don't complain about your job. Shut the hell up. Just go get a new job. So it is what it is now I'm all for. And I have been guys getting paid like this. This should have happened a long, long time ago. And it's just right now the NCAA is on the run, trying to survive. Okay. Trying to get help from the government. So I'm of the opinion. Look, they're trying to figure all this out. They are. They really are. And everybody's talking right now. The problem is the timing right now.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right.

[Mick Cronin]

You know, okay, like this is our best time of year for you to. This is when you talk about college basketball.

[Colin Cowherd]

Three, four great weeks.

[Mick Cronin]

We don't need to be. Wait, we should be talking about the games, right?

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right.

[Mick Cronin]

Not that the portal opened Monday and 1300 guys are already in.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Mick Cronin]

So they got, you know, they got to adjust and roll and, you know, and fix all that. And I. I think there'll be adjustments to it, but as far as, you know, paying players, I mean, that's here to stay. And it. It should have came a long time ago.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. So I. I have 15 of the 16 teams.

[Mick Cronin]

That's impressive.

[Colin Cowherd]

J Max. Do you hear that?

[Mick Cronin]

That's impressive. How many you got?

[Colin Cowherd]

10.

[Mick Cronin]

Oh, see, because you went by the old model.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Mick Cronin]

And you're. See, the portal model eliminates the mid major.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right.

[Mick Cronin]

Because all their players are playing for us.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right. I'm for it. I want to watch UCLA with a stack roster.

[Mick Cronin]

And so is Mark Silverman. You know, I mean, look, the networks are all the network heads. He's your network head. They're all for. Yeah, all that stuff. All they need. Cinderella. No, no, no. The executives, they want Duke in Arizona.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, so now. But I'm going to get toasted here because I tried to outthink the room.

[Mick Cronin]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

I picked Arizona over Duke for two reasons. Freshmen don't win the title.

[Mick Cronin]

I heard you say that.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay. And secondly, Caleb Love, veteran, they got a seven footer playing. Well, you know, ucla. Well, can they beat Duke? And how.

[Mick Cronin]

Yeah, well, we played Arizona. Yes, and I. So they played Duke early in the year at.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's when that center wasn't as good.

[Mick Cronin]

Well, they. But they had crevis. Arizona did was their. Who was their starting center? He got hurt. Then Vassar started playing more, but crevass is 7:1, so. And look, Arizona didn't get off to a great start either. But winning at the McHale center is not an easy thing. And Duke went in there to Tucson and won.

[Colin Cowherd]

So you think Arizona's in a little trouble.

[Mick Cronin]

Look, here's the beauty of this tournament. You only got to win by one. Pressure's all on Duke and it's not a game. It's not the best of five or best of seven. So they only got to win by one. So. Yeah. Can they win? Sure. Especially I would say exactly what you said. If Caleb Love has. He has to make shots. If he doesn't make shots, they're not going to win.

[Colin Cowherd]

When's the first time you saw Cooper.

[Mick Cronin]

Flag my assistant Darren Savino and I in Orlando? He said, we got to walk over this court way in the back in AAU in the summer. So who were we doing what year? Four years. You know, he was going to be. Now, he skipped a year of high school, so he was gonna. He was. Had just finished his freshman year in high school. Yes. He. And I said, that's. Where are we going? He said this, there's a freshman from Maine. That's unbelievable. And you know, so you know, we're ucla. We gotta go. Show your face. We'll offer him a scholarship. And I'm like, the guy's in Maine. He's not gonna come to you. He goes, edwards, come on, we'll walk over here. And I was a whole. You gotta be kidding me. I mean, it was obvious. Really. Oh, it was obvious.

[Colin Cowherd]

Even as a. Even as a 13, 14 year old.

[Mick Cronin]

He defends, he's athletic, he blocks shots. There's nothing he shoots. He thinks. And he's a fierce competitor.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's got a little edge to him.

[Mick Cronin]

Oh, yeah, yeah. You Know, Jimmy Jackson and I were going on one of your shows here about, about. I said, you know, he's trying to compare him to Keith Van Horn and.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, he's better than Keith.

[Mick Cronin]

Yeah. And I. That's all respect to Keith. Yeah, yeah. But what I didn't get to say, we didn't have enough time. What if Cooper flag could play three.

[Colin Cowherd]

Years of college, 36 a game is.

[Mick Cronin]

Last year, and he was coming into the NBA then, then people would be saying, is this guy Larry Bird?

[Colin Cowherd]

That's a great take.

[Mick Cronin]

And that's the, you know, very you, you know how good you have to be like, like, look, none of those guys were ready. I mean, Wembanyama wasn't ready to make a team. No, not. You can't go make a team win when you're 18, 19 years old. You just can't do it.

[Colin Cowherd]

Can't get into the hotel bar.

[Mick Cronin]

No, you're not. J.T. daniels, who, who started 55 games in college. Yeah. Daniels, Jaden, that went to the Commanders.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Mick Cronin]

He started 55 games, which would be the equivalent of Cooper flag playing what, 100 and something college games.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right, right.

[Mick Cronin]

Give him 100 and something college games, then let him go to the NBA. But those day, you know, then it's Magic Johnson, it's.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Mick Cronin]

You know, it's Larry Bird, it's whatever. I mean, he's that good guys now.

[Colin Cowherd]

So I, I said this when the usc, ucla, Oregon, Washington merged with the Big Ten. I said, it's not going to matter to football. They've got five road games. I said, it's going to hurt. Volleyball, basketball. I said, those guys are toast because they're playing on Tuesdays and they got classes. I'm like, yeah, yeah. So you had to do the travel midweek travel. You also had Big Ten basketball. I, I watched me. I had izzo on. I said, you can't shoot a lick from three, but you score 80.

[Mick Cronin]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't know how, but you get there. So let's talk first about Michigan State, then, then the pivot into the Big Ten. When you listen, St. John's was trying to win a title without shooters. Can Michigan State get to the Final Four?

[Mick Cronin]

They can, but they're going to have to. They shoot it a little bit better, but they have stretches where they're awful. Like the first half against New Mexico. The difference is I, I think they're deeper than St. John.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes, yes.

[Mick Cronin]

And their defense, when they're, their defense is the key because they run off their defense.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, they get to 80 points. It's crazy.

[Mick Cronin]

Well, they didn't against UCLA, but they. They do. They got to 61. But. But you. So, again, that. That's all who you play now. You know, like. Like, we. We win our first round game by 25, and they say, well, you didn't make shots against Tennessee. No, no, no, no, no, we. We didn't. The problem was Tennessee. You know the problem.

[Colin Cowherd]

They're really good. Yeah.

[Mick Cronin]

Well, not. I mean, yeah, we didn't have our best night, but this because of them. So the matchups are the key in this tournament now for Michigan State, they have to play. They have to beat you on the backboard and shut you down and get out on the break if they don't do that. And they have to execute because they don't have a guy they can just give the ball to that can just get you baskets. They don't have an unguardable player. Their best offensive player is a freshman, Chase Richardson, who's done a great job.

[Colin Cowherd]

Good player.

[Mick Cronin]

He's done. But. But he's. To your point. I mean, he's. He's a freshman.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Mick Cronin]

And Cooper Flag's got Tyrese Proctor now making every shot in his third year. And, you know, he's got knipples, another top 10 pick. So Michigan State doesn't have that guy, but they got. They got that guy on the sideline now. Yeah, he's pretty good.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. So I said the best game I saw in the tournament was Yukon, Florida, and Florida super physical. And so is UConn.

[Mick Cronin]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

And I said, sometimes when you beat a team, they're actually the perfect team for your next game. And I think Maryland's in trouble against Florida because I think you. That's the first time in three months somebody went into Florida and pushed them around.

[Mick Cronin]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

And I was like, oh, they're going to benefit from UConn. I think Florida's really, really good.

[Mick Cronin]

I said it. I did the pregame show with your guys here for Duke, Illinois, and I said, I thought Florida was the best team back then. Very few. They play four centers. They just beat you to death. Now, somehow we were on the plane, so, you know, it's not like we had with the NCAA buying the plane. It's not like we were watching the Yukon floor Florida game. You know, it was all I could do to get a bag of pretzels.

[Colin Cowherd]

But by the way, FUBO is excellent if you want to use a few B O tv, it's excellent.

[Mick Cronin]

By the way, you got to have Internet, though, so. But any anyway, you know, I mean, look, we can't even get a seat reclines, but we're so when you're talking about UConn, I saw the rebounding. They rebounded with them. So my concern for Maryland and my Kevin Willard is one of my best friends in the world can queen and re stay out of foul trouble. That's a problem.

[Colin Cowherd]

Good luck.

[Mick Cronin]

Because they don't have any backups.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, that was St. John's issue. St. John's was a great second half team because that's the only time they.

[Mick Cronin]

Could play yes full and they beat you up and wore you down.

[Colin Cowherd]

But in the first half they couldn't get anybody in the foul trouble. They had no depth.

[Mick Cronin]

Well, they ran into a team longer and more athletic that they hadn't seen in the big east.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, one more herd. The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like.

[Jason McIntyre]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jason McIntyre]

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[Colin Cowherd]

This podcast is brought to you by Pfizer. Let's talk health. You may not know about pneumococcal disease, but if you're 50 or older, or 19 or older with certain medical conditions like diabetes, you're at risk. And it could turn your plans, big or small, into a hospital visit. So get vaccinated. It's one action you can take to help protect against pneumococcal pneumonia, an invasive pneumococcal disease. Keep enjoying everything you're looking forward to, even if it's just a podcast. Schedule a [e-mail] hi everybody. This message is brought to you by the official Whiskey of the Herd with Colin Coward podcast Green River Whiskey. As you know, we've been having some fun getting to know Green River Whiskey, and let me tell you, there's a ton of incredible stories to be told in its 140 year history. How's this? For example, Green River Whiskey was once the most advertised whiskey in the world, but just now they've launched their first advertising campaign in more than 100 years. You see, it seems the team from Green river in reviving the whiskey have accidentally also revived its resident ghost. And he's quite a character, spending his days reminding us to keep it simple, focus on the quality and have a little fun along the way. So if you want to see the ghost of Green river come to Life, check out greenriverwhiskey on their YouTube channel or head on over to greenriverwhiskey.com here's to green River Whiskey. Raise your spirits. Product of Green River Distilling Co. Owensboro, KY. Alcohol by volume varies by product. Greenriverwhiskey.com Please drink responsibly. Tires matter. They're the only part of your vehicle that touches the road, and they're responsible for everything acceleration, braking, steering and handling. Tread confidently with new tires from Tire Rack. Whether you know exactly what you want or you're looking for expert recommendations, Tire Rack makes it easy. You're going to get fast free shipping, free road hazard protection and convenient installation options, including mobile installation where they bring installation to you, your home, your office or anywhere in between. And of course, the best selection, including the full line of Falken tires. And they don't just sell tires, they test them on the road on their test track. Learn how the tires you want tackle evasive maneuvers, drive and stop in the rain, or just handle your everyday commute. Go to tirerack.comcolin to see their Falken test results. Tire Ratings Consumer Reviews Be sure to check out all the current special offers. That's tirerack.com Colin tirerack.com the way tire buying should be by the way, I've had my issues with Calipari. I think he's great for the sport. He's a program builder. He's got a great sense of humor. He's amazing at the podium. Dude can recruit. Arkansas is I'm going to tell you something. You talk there's underdogs and there's underdogs. I watched Arkansas St. John's I'm like.

[Mick Cronin]

They got NBA dudes, but they had the better players. That's the thing about the tournament.

[Colin Cowherd]

You can over Arkansas had the better.

[Mick Cronin]

Arkansas had the better players. You could overachieve in the regular season, coaching your schedule, you stay healthy. And some teams underachieve. They got injuries, they go through turmoil, but they come together in the tournament. And then your bad luck is if you play them and you overachieved, St. John's Arkansas underachieved.

[Colin Cowherd]

And they had injuries too.

[Mick Cronin]

And they had injured. Oh, they had injuries all year. All year and to multiple guys. But get Caliperi's credit, Coach Cal put them together, man, and they, they and look that not only did they start winning games, you got to start winning SEC games. It's tough, dude.

[Colin Cowherd]

That. That conference is.

[Mick Cronin]

It's crazy. Nothing since. Nobody's saying like it since 2011 in the Big east.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's crazy.

[Mick Cronin]

So. But look, I told my dad we were in Lexington and everybody in Lexington were there for the NCAA tournament. Hey, you know, the talk was Coach Patino, Coach Caliperi, my. Obviously my guys. Coach Patino, like, I think he's in trouble. Like, they got better players. Arkansas just. They ran into a team longer and more athletic.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Mick Cronin]

You know, and eventually if you can't shoot, it gets you. So I know that's like your concern with Michigan State.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Well, in college basketball, you have to be good defensively because with very few exceptions, most kids, they're not. It's. It's hard to be a great shooter. It's 17 years. Ray Allen didn't walk into the NBA. Ray Allen, he was athletic.

[Mick Cronin]

Reggie Miller.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, he was. No, he wasn't.

[Mick Cronin]

He didn't. He. He became a way better shooter. I mean, he was a way better pro than college player. Way better. Not even close. They went to the nit. They won the nit. His senior year didn't even make the tournament.

[Colin Cowherd]

So. Big 10 sec. We said on the show in January, I kept telling J. Mac, you got to watch an hour SEC basketball, dude. It's like these games are all close. The arenas are crazy. It's NBA dudes. It's. It's NBA length. Auburn, Tennessee, Florida, Big Ten, like Michigan's just big. Michigan State's doing it with defense. What was your first in this transition year? I think the football teams figured it out. It's more physical.

[Mick Cronin]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, those Big Ten teams are playing in cold weather. Ucla, usc. Not used to it. What is the transition for a West coast program playing Big Ten?

[Mick Cronin]

Well, look, the travel is what it is. I would say our conference was way more higher scoring than the traditional Big Ten.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right.

[Mick Cronin]

Way more like Illinois was a scoring.

[Colin Cowherd]

Stylistically coaching or just talent?

[Mick Cronin]

I think it's talent. The game's evolved. There's more guys shooting the three. You know, you look at, you know, Dusty May brought with Michigan. They could really shoot the ball. Coaches always push. Matt Painter is a great offensive coach. Brad Underwood's become a three point shooting guy. Kevin at Maryland, they. They shoot. They shot it. They had a Great team. Average over 80 a game. There was a lot of really good offensive teams. The coaching's great. The difference is the league is just deeper.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Mick Cronin]

Than the PAC 12.

[Colin Cowherd]

And you added the LA market. So you're going to get more LA.

[Mick Cronin]

The league is just, you know, it's, it's. I look I was a part of the old Big east in 11 said we're, you know, you can get better, but it's not. You got to get better than.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right.

[Mick Cronin]

You know, you know, it's harder to climb the ladder. You got to get better than. We finished fourth. So in our first year I was extremely proud of the guys.

[Colin Cowherd]

So you guys, you have an international coach on your staff and so you do some international stuff and everybody does. And I look at and if I said to you now we know the international players used to have a soft label. That's not the case anymore.

[Mick Cronin]

That's changed.

[Colin Cowherd]

I even Jokic's brothers, I don't want to mess with them.

[Mick Cronin]

No, you don't want them dudes.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, no, no. So the, the international players for years there was a Tony KU coach feel you can push around. You can't do that anymore.

[Mick Cronin]

Darko.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right.

[Mick Cronin]

Militant. Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Now tell me the difference between an 18 year old Serbian player that goes to UCLA and an 18 year old kid that played at, you know, Dominguez Hills are somewhere in la.

[Mick Cronin]

The skill level is different. All they do in Europe is, is.

[Colin Cowherd]

Train, shoot and pass and.

[Mick Cronin]

But they, they don't in European basketball. And you'll hear the NBA guys, they all started to speak to this that we, we got to make changes here because we're. Our system is tied to the scholastic system. So our player development system is high school basketball, middle school basketball. And that's not the case in Europe. It's you play club basketball. There is no soccer is the same way. So we're tied to the scholastic system. So then the state associations, they limit practice time. There's also by the way only one gym. So you got to share it with three. You got freshman jv, varsity, girls, boys, you got volleyball. You can't even get gym time. So it's a problem. So the skill level of the European is just way higher.

[Colin Cowherd]

And the academies and all of it.

[Mick Cronin]

Everything'S an academy, everything's a club. So there, there is no pickup basketball like J. Mac, Colin and Mick are not going to just play pickup. Everything they do over there is with a coach. There's no our, our even like college, we have hour restrictions, 20 hours a week in season. They don't eight hours a week out of season, they have no restrictions. None. So they're just more skilled because that's what they practice. They also practice how to set a screen and use a screen. Like that to them, that's like, you know, drinking water when you're 12 years old. Where. Now we get. Kids have never set a screen in their life. Like, you know, you're gonna have me screen. What do you mean? I had the ball. I just came up playing AAU.

[Colin Cowherd]

Like Tim. That's JMac.

[Mick Cronin]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's a classic domestic shooter. Never set a screen in his life. Or D the guy out.

[Mick Cronin]

Yeah. You test some guy's been a high school great player, and you tell me you get to college and he's going to set a screen. What are you talking about? Which is the advantage for, like, a guy like Steph Curry, played for Bob McKillop, so. But I mess with my NBA friends, Colin, all the time. Because, you know, you get more when you're at ucla. They all use our facilities. They're there.

[Colin Cowherd]

All you guys have great facilities.

[Mick Cronin]

Yeah. And they play there all summer. The NBA guys play in our men's gym. But they all, you know, the NBA guys complain like, these kids don't know how to play. They guess. Well, you draft them before we can teach them.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, you. Why does LeBron. Why did he choose Kevin Love? Remember, he could have had Andrew Wiggins. And that's nothing against Bill Self, but in the end, he was like, give me old guys. Yeah, give me J.R. smith from the Knicks.

[Mick Cronin]

Guys that know how to play.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right. They know how to play.

[Mick Cronin]

They complain about the young guys. Well, we can't teach them. They don't go to college anymore. Except if they do, they go for seven months. We're talking about the best talent.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, I tell. I told Adam Silver this. I love you, bro, but stop marginalizing college basketball. The coaching's better in college.

[Mick Cronin]

Yeah, well, look, you know, he's obviously a wildly intelligent man, but he tried to wipe us out with the G League. With the G League.

[Colin Cowherd]

By the way, I don't watch G League.

[Mick Cronin]

Nope, Nobody's watching that stuff, man. Let's be honest. You're never going to get rid of the pageantry of college sports in our country. Even with guys transferring every year, it's still great because people still want to watch their favorite school. And the kids play hard because there's only so many games. I mean, you know, even college basketball, regular season game in a Big Ten is World War Three. It's not, you know, in the NBA, you know, game 80, you know, game 72, guys are sitting out, guys are hurt. Guys are tired. Man.

[Colin Cowherd]

March is a bad month for the NBA because it's juxtaposed all the college kids are playing like their life depends on it. NBA guys are doing reduced minutes. And you can really see it as a consumer.

[Mick Cronin]

Oh, yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's like, wow, this is intense. By the way, if I'm your, if I run the ncaa, you're flying American. I'll get you comfort. You're not doing that stuff.

[Mick Cronin]

I mean, you know, just, it was our seventh trip back east for ucla. It was our seventh. So you asked earlier about the travel, but that is what it is. I think the biggest thing is the talent level. And like, look, the SEC had it this year and people were trying to write articles, Colin, about money, but they had more money. Now we all got money.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Mick Cronin]

Last year the Big 12 had a great year.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes.

[Mick Cronin]

I mean, but it's going to rotate around the three big leagues with the money.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Mick Cronin, this was fun.

[Mick Cronin]

That's always great.

[Colin Cowherd]

But I love when you come on the show. I could sit and talk college hoops forever. My guys on the staff have to listen to my 70s baseball nonsense this morning for a half hour, but they don't. These guys don't understand that. When I grew up as a kid, college basketball was better than the NBA until Jordan got there.

[Mick Cronin]

Yes, the NBA was in trouble.

[Colin Cowherd]

Bird and Magic were great, but that was two cities. The rest of the league was nonsense. It was like, then Jordan arrived and you're like, okay, now this is better than college. But this whole Cooper flag, you watch him, he's going to be a star in the NBA. That's what it's all about. That's what it's all. College basketball is such a great ally to the NBA. Put your arms around it. We got to go. Mick Cronin, ucla, they have great facilities. I love him on the show. Back in a second. The Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific. 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 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 Kovino and Rich wherever you get your podcast. And of course on social media, that's Cavino and Rich.

[Jason McIntyre]

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This is so good.

[Jason McIntyre]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Cap applies.

[Jason McIntyre]

Learn [e-mail] with Amex.

[Colin Cowherd]

This podcast is brought to you by Pfizer. If you're 50 or older, getting sick can keep you away from where you need to be. You don't want surprises like pneumococcal pneumonia or invasive pneumococcal disease. You're 6.4 times more likely to get pneumococcal pneumonia compared with adults 18 to 49. It's recommended that people 50 or older get vaccinated. Being sick could get between you and the people who rely on you. So schedule your [e-mail] hi everybody. This message is brought to you by the official Whiskey of the Herd with Colin Coward podcast, Green River Whiskey. As you know, we've been having some fun getting to know Green River Whiskey. Let me tell you, there's a ton of incredible stories to be told in its 140 year history. How's this? For example, Green River Whiskey was once the most advertised whiskey in the world. But just now they've launched their first advertising campaign in more than 100 years. You see, it seems the team from Green river in reviving the whiskey have accidentally also revived its resident ghost. And he's quite a character, spending his days reminding us to keep it simple, focus on the quality, and have a little fun along the way. So if you want to see the ghost of Green river come to Life, check out greenriverwhiskey on their YouTube channel or head on over to greenriverwhiskey.com here's to green River Whiskey. Raise your spirits. Product of Green River Distilling Co. Owensboro, KY. Alcohol by volume varies by product. Greenriverwhiskey.com Please drink responsibly. Tires matter. They're the only part of your vehicle that touches the road, and they're responsible for everything acceleration, braking, steering and handling. Tread confidently with new tires from Tire Rack Whether you know exactly what you want or you're looking for expert recommendations, Tire Rack makes it easy. You're going to get fast free shipping, free road hazard protection and convenient installation options, including mobile installation, where they bring installation to you, your home, your office or anywhere in between. And of course, the best selection, including the full line of Firestone tires. And they don't just sell tires, they test them on the road on their test track. Learn how the tires you want tackle evasive maneuvers, drive and stop in the rain, or just handle your everyday commute. Go to tirerack.comcolin to see their Firestone test results. Tire Ratings Consumer Reviews Be sure to check out all the current special offers. That's tirerack.com Colin tirerack.com the way tire Buying Should Be we do it on our final live segment of the week tomorrow. It's a best of Herd show. So we're watching college basketball. We'll be watching it on a flight tonight. You'll be watching it all weekend. We call it tomorrow's headlines today. What's the headline for Bama, number two seed against six seed byu who can shoot a little tonight?

[Jason McIntyre]

I'm curious if Mick Cronin thinks that this would have been like one of the highest scoring games in NCAA history. The total is enormous because nobody plays defense. The headline will be the Book of More Money. BYU Upset Worth Its Weight in Gold. I'm on BYU Moneyline with the points. I'm just not buying Alabama. I know they played the rigorous SEC schedule, but I haven't seen any defense played by this team at all. They have not looked that impressive in the tournament so far. I know they got the two wins, but BYU, man, they got the freshman point guard who's 6 9, starting to play like the lottery pick everybody thought he would be. They could shoot the three as well as Alabama. This will be a track meet. Could be first to 90 wins. And I think this is my biggest upset of the sweet 16. I have BYU taking down Bama.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay. I think Maryland love their last second when I think they're in trouble. Tomorrow's headlines Today, number one seeded Gators against a little surprising four seed Maryland Terrapins. What say you?

[Jason McIntyre]

How about that sweat from Florida against Yukon down late.

[Colin Cowherd]

Great game.

[Jason McIntyre]

Walter Clayton, by the way, unrated coming out of high school. You know, he started out low major and then worked his way up. He's a superstar. The headline for Florida Maryland will be get her done. Florida keeps tearapin up the competition. I have Florida winning this, I think kind of handily. Maryland's calling itself the Crab Five, you know, picking off the Fab Five because Maryland Crabs, I'm sure you know this. They have no bench whatsoever, Colin. They cannot weather any foul trouble. Florida, meanwhile, had foul trouble against UConn. They got four guys, six, nine or bigger who they can throw at the superstar Derrick Queen, the young kid who hit the game winner for Maryland. I just think the depth of Florida wins out. Guard play should be a push, but I like Florida here to win, perhaps comfortably.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, listen, I'll probably get baked on this. Tomorrow's headline today, my underdog in the tournament, number four, Arizona. I love their veteran point guard. They've got some size against the Dukes, who have the best player easily, probably easily in the sport right now. Duke.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, Duke is a heavy favorite. It looks like it could touch 10. Money coming in. Game day on the Blue Devils. The headline will be 6 foot 7 foot 8 foot dunk. Duke just won. They don't want to go home. I got to work on my singing. Clearly. But listen, I like Duke tonight. Obviously, we know I'm loaded up. I don't need to tell you again, this team is just so stacked, you know, defensively, they are an absolute force. Colin, you can't score inside against these guys. Now Arizona has no interior play anyway. They need to rely on Caleb Love hitting like six or seven threes, which he did at UNC against Mick Cronin's UCLA Bruins a few years ago. The guy's a good scorer. Arizona just doesn't have much. I had Jay Bilis on my podcast this week and he was talking about. He announced the earlier meeting. Duke, Arizona. And everybody was nervous. For Duke, with three freshmen in the starting lineup, it didn't really matter. Cooper Flagg took over. Unguardable. In like his fourth college game, Duke pulls away wins by double digits. I think they win tonight handily.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, I've got the Tennessee Volunteers getting to the Natty against Auburn. Tomorrow's headlines. Today falls Kentucky and SEC showdown.

[Jason McIntyre]

This might be the best game of the round. Now you have Tennessee going to the championship.

[Colin Cowherd]

I have them losing To Auburn by six in the Natty.

[Jason McIntyre]

So for some background, Kentucky beat Tennessee twice this year. And I know people are saying it's tough to beat a team twice.

[Colin Cowherd]

Tennessee is a good watch though.

[Jason McIntyre]

Tennessee's tough. As McCrona knows the headline will be. Hi, Jack Daniels. Tennessee whisks away Kentucky. I like Tennessee here. Interesting. In the two meetings against Kentucky, they could not shoot threes. Kentucky was like, have all the threes you want. They shot 43 threes in a game. They just couldn't make any of them. It was really bad. I think they were 3 for 18 in the second meeting. I think Rick Barnes, who we know has had a checkered history in March, I don't want to blast the guy, but he has had many, many disappointing losses and they were, they've been upset a lot. I think they get it together and pull, pull through. Against Kentucky, they don't need to shoot the three. They do have Lanier and Ziggler, great scores in the back.

[Colin Cowherd]

There are going to be a lot of athletes on the floor. These SEC teams. Yeah, it's athletes everywhere.

[Jason McIntyre]

This will be a last possession wins. Kentucky can be sporadic. They're hit and miss. They were really, really good in the last round. I think Tennessee wins a really, really good game here.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I like, I think I had Tennessee. I may have had them in the Final Four last year. When you turn Tennessee on in the regular season, they just jump off the television. They had Dalton connect. You're like, man, these guys are athletic. They get up, they play with pace, close games.

[Jason McIntyre]

Dalton connect against Zach Eady. Remember that last year, connected like 39. I mean, he's a bucket. Should be a good one tonight.

[Colin Cowherd]

Finally, tomorrow's headlines today, lastly, Houston and Purdue. Now Houston is going to lock you up defensively. Purdue's known more as an offensive program.

[Jason McIntyre]

Indeed. Now the key here is this is being played in a football stadium in Indianapolis, NRG where the Colts play. However, that's close to Purdue. Like a 90 minute drive, I would assume. You know, we'll have busloads of people coming from Purdue. They'll have a home court advantage. The headline will be per. Dude, where's my car? Boilermakers go up in smoke. I will ride with Houston. Houston's really, really good. Yeah, Kelvin Sampson the last few years has had some awesome teams. They keep getting unlucky. Shed got hurt last year against Duke. Yep, that was a killer for me. I had Houston going all the way. I just think their defense overwhelms Purdue a bit. And Purdue took down High Point and McNeese State. Yeah, those are low maintenance.

[Colin Cowherd]

And McNeese State off an upset.

[Jason McIntyre]

Winning the super bowl, basically.

[Colin Cowherd]

That was my favorite bet of the tournament. I couldn't get it up on DraftKings. I tried to get it up in the morning. Was Purdue over McNee State. Anytime a team upset somebody, they're so high for two days, the next game they're not ready to play.

[Jason McIntyre]

And Purdue smacked him. But again, it was like, you're beating McNeese State. They're not very good. Houston's defense is something Purdue hasn't seen. I just think they swallow the mirror and I think Purdue's in trouble. Give me Houston. Forget to get the W. We had.

[Colin Cowherd]

A good college basketball show today. You know, Ryan, we should do that. We should. We should put Mick Cronin, make sure we got the Cooper Flag rant and maybe even tomorrow's headlines today. Let's do, like a special edition for those that didn't turn in on our Thursday podcast. Do heavy college basketball today.

[Jason McIntyre]

You know, I'm. I'm. I'm impacting you here because I know you have not. I know you know the tournament, obviously, and you run lv, but, like, I've been pushing NCAA on you for years now, and you're, like, a little reluctant. This is the year to go all in Cooper Flag.

[Colin Cowherd]

Two years I have been all in on call basketball.

[Jason McIntyre]

Caitlin Clark last year.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right.

[Mick Cronin]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. So I'm not. I'm not against anything. You. You know what I am? I'm an opportunist. I look for big brands to do well because big brands get better ratings, more people care, and then some of those viewers will tune into our show. So if I'm anything, I'm a. I'm a big brand opportunist. I want the Dodgers and Duke. I want the big programs to win. More people care, and then more people have an opinion and watch opinion shows and listen to talk radio.

[Jason McIntyre]

What happened to you liking the underdog?

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, like, I never like the underdog. There's never been a day in my life I wanted to be an underdog.

[Jason McIntyre]

I consider myself a career underdog. So that's.

[Colin Cowherd]

Are you proud of it or. I am.

[Jason McIntyre]

Hell, yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

How many Brown guys do you think there are on TV talking about sports?

[Colin Cowherd]

Come on, bro.

[Jason McIntyre]

Come on. Honestly, I feel like I'm an underdog. That's why I root for underdogs and bet underdogs, though not always.

[Mick Cronin]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Why are you laughing? I'm speechless.

[Jason McIntyre]

Sometimes you look at me and you're like, this guy's such a knucklehead.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, so Mick Cronin was on. I asked him about Cooper Flag in the first. He's from Maine. I mean, if all the states to have the best high school basketball player in the last five years, he's up in Maine. Like, really? I mean, you think Florida, Texas, Cali, wherever. Nope. Here's Mick Cronin on Cooper flagadu.

[Mick Cronin]

I said, that's. Where are we going? He's. There's a freshman from Maine. That's unbelievable. And, you know, so, you know, we're ucla. We gotta go. Show your face, Wall for him. A scholarship. And I'm like, the guy's in Maine. He's not gonna come to you. He goes, that's where. Come on, we'll walk over here. And I was a whole. You gotta be kidding me. I mean, it was obvious. He defends, he's athletic, he blocks shots. There's nothing he shoots. He thinks. And he's a fierce competitor. What if Cooper Flagg could play three.

[Colin Cowherd]

Years at college, 36 a game his.

[Mick Cronin]

Last year, and he was coming into the NBA then. Then people would be saying, is this guy Larry Bird?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, he's really a special player. Probably has to handle the ball a little bit better at the pro level because the game is so fast. Like the NFL compared to college. It's just a F game. Got to make quicker decisions. But he's just a really fun player to watch. And again, he started the year at duke. He was 17 years old. So if you go back, you know, years and years ago, he would have been 22. And, I mean, if he stayed for even one more year in college, his numbers all go up 30%. He's a really, really great finisher and a special player. All right, tomorrow's Best of the Herd. Good stuff today. Rachel Nichols was money. Mick Cronin J. One of my favorite shows in a long time. Really good job, everybody. Be safe. Have fun. Watch the tourney. We'll see you Monday live in la. It's the Hurt. This is Nikki Glaser from the Nikki Glaser Podcast. Have you guys seen this new commercial from Stand up to All Hate? It's basically Snoop Dogg and Tom Brady going back and forth with reasons that they hate each other. But then when you really listen to them, the reasons for the hate are just so stupid.

[Mick Cronin]

I don't know.

[Colin Cowherd]

This. This commercial really got me. It's a strong reminder that hate in our country continues to be out of control. So join us at IHEART in standing up to it. If you see hate, speak up. Call it out. Your voice is a powerful tool in this fight. You can learn more by following oupwithhate. This podcast is sponsored by Talkspace. You know when you're really stressed or not feeling so great about your life or about yourself, Talking to someone who understands can really help. But who is that person? How do you find them? Where do you even start? Talkspace Talkspace makes it easy to get the support you need. With Talkspace, you can go online, answer a few questions about your preferences, and be matched with a therapist. And because you'll meet your therapist online, you don't have to take time off work or arrange childcare. You'll meet on your schedule wherever you feel most at ease. If you're depressed, stressed, struggling with a relationship, or if you want some counseling for you and your partner or just need a little extra one on one support, Talkspace is here for you. Plus Talkspace works with most major insurers and most insured members have a $0 copay. No insurance, no problem. Now get $80 off of your first month with promo code SPACE80 when you go to talkspace.com match with a licensed therapist today at talkspace.com save $80 with code [e-mail] in Mississippi. Yazoo Clay keeps secrets. 7,000 bodies out there or more. A forgotten asylum cemetery. It was my family's mystery. Shame, guilt, propriety. Something keeps it all buried deep until it's not. I'm Larison Campbell and this is under Yazoo Clay. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. We live in a divided country and.

[Jason McIntyre]

Our media couldn't be more polarizing.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's why we started the Middle with Jeremy Hobson.

[Jason McIntyre]

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.

[Colin Cowherd]

And when you subscribe to the Middle.

[Jason McIntyre]

You also get an episode each week called One Thing Trump did that focuses.

[Colin Cowherd]

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.