Hour 3 - Will Blackmon joins The Herd

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 3: Will Blackmon Joins The Herd

Episode Information:

• Title: Hour 3 - Will Blackmon Joins The Herd
• Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
• Release Date: February 27, 2025
• Description: In this episode, Colin Cowherd welcomes former NFL player Will Blackmon to "The Herd," where they delve into a variety of sports topics, ranging from underrated movies to intricate NFL dynamics.

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1. Welcoming Will Blackmon

The episode kicks off with Colin Cowherd introducing Will Blackmon, a former NFL player with 12 years of experience. The chemistry between the two hosts is evident as they engage in light-hearted banter before diving into deeper discussions.

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2. Underrated Movies Discussion

Timestamp [03:14] – [26:31]

Colin and Will transition into a conversation about underrated movies, sharing their personal favorites and debating their rankings.

• Colin Cowherd expresses his appreciation for classic sports films, stating, “Hoosiers is arguably the greatest sports movie of all time.”

• Will Blackmon introduces his list, highlighting “Dead Calm” as the number one overlooked movie, asking, “Have you ever seen Dead Calm?” (03:37). He later expands, stating, “40 year old virgin is the most underrated comedy of my life” (25:58).

• The hosts debate the merits of other films, with Colin suggesting “Rocky” and “Moneyball” as top contenders, while Will emphasizes his preference for “Moneyball” as the best sports movie ever, followed by “Rocky” and “Hoosiers” (26:25).

• They humorously critique comedies like “Caddyshack” and “Rudy,” showcasing their differing tastes but mutual respect for each other’s opinions (26:15 – 26:31).

Notable Quote:

Will Blackmon [25:58]: “40 year old virgin is the most underrated comedy of my life.”

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3. NFL Facilities and Free Agency

Timestamp [04:18] – [07:58]

The discussion shifts to the importance of team facilities in attracting free agents.

• Will Blackmon questions Cincinnati’s NFL team, stating, “I don't know how in the world Cincinnati got an F on food. I have no idea how bad the food is” (04:18).

• Colin Cowherd responds by emphasizing the overall vibe and facility quality: “It helps just in terms of like, just the vibe” (05:26).

• They reference personal experiences, with Colin recalling his time with the Cowboys: “When I worked with the Cowboys last year... Everything was awesome there” (05:37).

• The conversation touches on Green Bay’s facilities and market challenges, highlighting that good facilities alone may not be enough to attract top talent (05:46).

Notable Quote:

Colin Cowherd [05:26]: “It helps just in terms of like, just the vibe.”

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4. Raiders vs. Rams: The Matt Stafford Scenario

Timestamp [07:00] – [10:34]

A significant portion of the episode revolves around the potential acquisition of quarterback Matt Stafford by the Las Vegas Raiders and its implications for the Los Angeles Rams.

• Will Blackmon raises a hypothetical scenario: “If Brady took him skiing up in Montana. Does that matter?” (07:58).

• Colin Cowherd emphasizes Stafford’s prowess, stating, “...like Matt Stafford in terms of what they can do with the football. Just lights out” (08:06).

• They discuss the strategic moves of the Raiders hiring Pete Carroll to reset the team culture, with Colin asserting, “...you truly need someone who is going to come in there and completely reset the culture. And there isn't really anyone who does that better than him” (07:58).

• The dialogue also touches on the respect Stafford commands among elite quarterbacks, mentioning interactions with Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers (08:49).

• The conversation explores the potential impact on the Rams, highlighting Sean McVay’s relationship with Aaron Rodgers and the synergy they share.

Notable Quote:

Colin Cowherd [07:58]: “You truly need someone who is going to come in there and completely reset the culture. And there isn't really anyone who does that better than him.”

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5. NFL Combine Insights and Player Versatility

Timestamp [10:34] – [18:45]

Will and Colin delve into the intricacies of the NFL Combine, focusing on player versatility and the challenges of positional changes.

• Will Blackmon praises Travis Hunter from Colorado, noting his dual-threat capability as a defensive back and receiver: “Many people may not know this. You tried out a little receiver at Boston College” (11:13).

• Colin Cowherd shares his own Combine experience, highlighting the rigorous testing and unexpected challenges: “I had nothing left. The doctors crushed my shoulders. It was crazy” (12:27).

• The hosts discuss notable Combine performances, including Vernon Davis and Marcus Colston, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and specialization in player evaluations.

• They reflect on the differences between football and basketball in terms of player development and scouting, with Colin noting, “When you look at the Raiders going after possibly going after Stafford...” (12:45).

Notable Quote:

Will Blackmon [11:13]: “Many people may not know this. You tried out a little receiver at Boston College.”

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6. Sports Management and Front Office Dynamics

Timestamp [22:30] – [24:19]

The conversation shifts to the operational aspects of NFL teams, focusing on front office roles and decision-making processes.

• Will Blackmon questions the effectiveness of certain management strategies, saying, “He has to vet it through, you know, Mrs. Jerry Jones” (23:08).

• Colin Cowherd praises Will Clay’s evaluative skills within the Cowboys’ organization: “I think Will Clay, just in general, as in terms of what he does and what he knows, I think he's outstanding” (23:08).

• They discuss the hands-on approach of Jerry Jones in the Cowboys’ operations, illustrating the challenges of implementing strategic decisions within a high-involvement ownership structure (23:37).

• The dialogue underscores the importance of leadership and cohesive management in building successful teams.

Notable Quote:

Colin Cowherd [23:08]: “I think Will Clay, just in general, as in terms of what he does and what he knows, I think he's outstanding.”

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7. Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

Timestamp [26:31] – [37:21]

As the episode progresses, Colin and Will wrap up their discussions with lighter topics and final reflections on sports and media.

• They revisit the topic of underrated movies, reiterating their top picks and enjoying their differing viewpoints.

• The conversation briefly touches on the intersection of sports and media, emphasizing the importance of narrative and storytelling in enhancing fan engagement.

• Will Blackmon shares personal anecdotes, highlighting his versatility not just as a player but also as a wine sommelier, adding depth to his profile beyond the football field (30:00 – 37:21).

• The hosts encourage listeners to engage with their content across various platforms, promoting upcoming episodes and related podcasts.

Notable Quote:

Will Blackmon [37:21]: “I love writing more than anything. You're left alone, you know, you do three hours in the morning, you write three hours in the afternoon...”

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Key Takeaways:

• Underrated Media: Both hosts emphasize the value of overlooked films, fostering an appreciation for cinema that doesn’t always make the mainstream radar.

• Team Facilities Matter: Quality facilities and team culture play a critical role in attracting and retaining top NFL talent, influencing free agency decisions.

• Strategic Team Management: Leadership and cohesive front office dynamics are essential in shaping successful sports teams, as illustrated by the roles of Pete Carroll and Will Clay.

• Player Versatility: The NFL Combine serves as a pivotal platform for showcasing player versatility, with the ability to adapt to multiple positions being highly valued.

• Media and Storytelling: Effective storytelling in sports media can enhance fan engagement and provide deeper insights into the dynamics of the game.

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Conclusion: In this engaging episode, Colin Cowherd and Will Blackmon offer a multifaceted exploration of sports culture, blending discussions on underrated films with in-depth analyses of NFL strategies and player dynamics. Their camaraderie and diverse perspectives provide listeners with a comprehensive and entertaining take on the latest in sports.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Will Blackman]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Will Blackman]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Will Blackman]

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[Colin Cowherd]

I'm. Listen, I, I value some things you say and I'll go check out the Conversation.

[Will Blackman]

Okay, now, now, now, again, that, that's. I, I. Should I take it back? Top 100 movie of all time. Top 30 is too grand.

[Colin Cowherd]

Top 30 is way too grand.

[Will Blackman]

Yeah, that's way too much because you got to, you got to figure out it's about six. Kevin Costner. Top.

[Colin Cowherd]

Top 30 overlooked.

[Will Blackman]

Top. Oh, God. Top. Top 15 overlooked.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, there you go.

[Will Blackman]

Top 15. Overlook. Number one, overlooked all time. That's the voice of Will Blackman, radio audience. The number one overlooked movie of all time, Dead Calm with Billy Zane and Nicole Kidman. Have you ever seen Dead Calm?

[Colin Cowherd]

No.

[Will Blackman]

Oh, it is. Anybody here in the set seen Dead Calm?

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, you got nobody on the set.

[Will Blackman]

Oh, my God. It's one. You've seen it. Oh, okay. One guy got his act together. Okay. Will Black. So watch the conversation. 1974, Chinatown. Godfather 2 came out. Nobody, nobody talked about the movie. It's one of Hackman's great ones. Oh, okay. 12 years in the NFL. He's going to be on Speak later today. My buddy Will Blackman. Okay, so I want to start with this. The NFL PA comes out with a report card.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes.

[Will Blackman]

I don't know how in the world Cincinnati got an F on food. I have no idea how bad the food is. Does it matter how nice the facilities are? Does it matter how nice the plane is?

[Colin Cowherd]

It helps.

[Will Blackman]

Helps what?

[Colin Cowherd]

Maybe, maybe the Bengals are serving too much chili up there. That's probably what's going on here. It helps just in terms of like, just the vibe. Like when I worked with the Cowboys last year. That's a, it was a great place to go to. It was a great, great facility. Great food. Like, everything was awesome there. But in terms of like, free agent wise, Destin. It's more of like the destination. I don't think they. It's so much the facility. But I will say this though. When I was on the then Redskins and we signed Josh Norman, I remember he came into the building and Mr. Snyder overheard him saying, like, this locker room is terrible. Like Our locker room was. We did not have a good locker room. We had the same locker room that the Washington team had in 1992. It was the same locker room. And literally, apparently Mr. Snyder heard that we broke ground literally next day or sometime that week, and we had a new locker room.

[Will Blackman]

So it matters for free agents to.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, it does to an extent. I mean, if you're in a cool destination and you're getting your. Your bag, you're getting money. I mean.

[Will Blackman]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

At the end of the day, like, it is what it is. But we have great facilities in Green Bay. But people. No one really wanted to come to Green Bay.

[Will Blackman]

Yeah. Whether. Whatever. Small market. So Green Bay has good facilities.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I liked it when I was there.

[Will Blackman]

Yeah, I heard they, like. I heard Green Bay. I mean, they'll iron your socks like they. They treat players.

[Colin Cowherd]

It is. It is full service. I didn't pay for a car. I didn't pay for a cell phone. I didn't pay for dinner. Only thing I paid for was.

[Will Blackman]

What do you mean you didn't pay for dinner?

[Colin Cowherd]

Because you would be out to dinner and, like, a fan would. I got it. And you wouldn't know, like, undercover. They wouldn't tell you wouldn't know who it was.

[Will Blackman]

That's the Midwestern people.

[Colin Cowherd]

They're not flashy Packer fans. I can't say all Midwestern.

[Will Blackman]

Okay, how about this? I said this before. I know money matters.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes.

[Will Blackman]

Okay. You live in California. Rams say two years, 95 million. Thirteen and a half percent state tax. Vegas says three years, 150. No state tax. I'd have to go.

[Colin Cowherd]

You'd have to go.

[Will Blackman]

That's just too big of a gap. And I do think it matters. It's indoors. I'm not going to go to the Giants and play outdoors for a bad organization.

[Colin Cowherd]

We're not going to go through the Giants.

[Will Blackman]

But let me ask you. Money matters. And for rich guys, maybe it matters less. But I think the Raiders, I think hiring Chip Kelly and Pete Carroll is a win. I think it's a big deal.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's a win. Yes. No question. I will say this, too, with Sean McVay, like, he truly respects a player's value. You know, when I was there this past off season and we were discussing free agents, he was like, I like this guy, but I don't want to insult him by offering less than what he is worth.

[Will Blackman]

Right.

[Colin Cowherd]

And this is about a certain player. And so just knowing him, when he said that, I'm sure he was like, hey, Matt does deserve to Go get what he, what he, what he wants based on the market, he should go get it. It's going to be really hard for us to do to get what he, to give him what he wants money wise, but we would love to have him here, but it has to be at this number. And yeah, in terms of the Raiders, that was when that job became available. I outright was like, it makes too much sense for Pete Carroll. It makes too much sense because you truly need someone who is going to come in there and completely reset the culture. And there isn't really anyone who does that better than him.

[Will Blackman]

Do you think Brady taking him skiing matters? Does that have influence?

[Colin Cowherd]

Say it again.

[Will Blackman]

Tom Brady took him skiing up in Montana. Does that matter?

[Colin Cowherd]

I think that does matter. Yeah, of course. That definitely matters because a lot of the, a lot of like the OG quarterbacks, they truly respect Matt Stafford. Not just, not, not just his mind, but what he can do with the football playing against him twice a year. When I was in Green Bay, I mean I've been seeing those no look passes since, you know, the early 2000s. Like that's just what he did. And Aaron Rodgers was even on record mentioning like, hey, that dude number nine on Detroit, like the stuff he can do with the football. Like, like people I've seen and played against. Obviously you say Mahomes, you say Aaron Rodgers, you say Matt Stafford in terms of what they can do with the football. Just lights out. So I think, I think in terms of, yeah, if I was him, I definitely, if the Raiders off of that, I would go there.

[Will Blackman]

Yeah, I feel the same way. And okay, so now I have said this and I have been critical of your friend Aaron, but I said I thought Aaron, considering it was a suboptimal coaching staff in New York at the end of the year. I like Salah, but when he left I didn't think it was a very good staff. Aaron's last 10 games, he was good. He was very, very good.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right.

[Will Blackman]

I would have no problem saying, Aaron, we're going to bring in you for two years. First year, it's your team. We are going to draft a quarterback next year. But I think, forget the being humbled thing, I think Aaron played good football and I don't think he's as good as Matt Stafford now. But I would have no problem bringing Aaron Rodgers in on a two year deal. It's your team for a year. You may win it the second year, but we are going to draft a quarterback next year. Would you do that?

[Colin Cowherd]

You're saying any team no, no, I'm saying Rams. We're still on the Rams.

[Will Blackman]

Because I'm not going to go with Garoo if Stafford leaves. I'm gna. We're too good of a team. We have too many good players.

[Colin Cowherd]

We're still right there. And. And I think in terms of what Aaron wants and what the Rams need, that. That makes the most sense. That makes the most sense because they're. I mean, they're. There probably aren't too many minds like Sean McVeigh that Aaron respects, and I think. I think them two would be absolutely elite.

[Will Blackman]

So do I. Elite.

[Colin Cowherd]

Because especially what he did with LaFleur is the same offense. Right. And now you. Now you're with.

[Will Blackman]

Yeah. His brother.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes, his brother. Right.

[Will Blackman]

All right. No, I. You know, it. It. This sounds like one of these things. If. I always say, if you'd have told people before Kevin Durant went to the warriors, if you'd have told him, Kevin Durant's going to go to the warriors, it sounded ridiculous. This is not ridiculous. I think the Raiders have a slight lead over the Rams. I got a text about 20 minutes ago and they were like, you're on to something. I think the Raiders are very attractive, and I'm not. I'm not. The Rams have too many good players to ham and egg it. You got to go get somebody who can play.

[Colin Cowherd]

You got it? Yeah. Because again, you're still in it. And when I look at the Raiders going after. Possibly going after Stafford, you know, when. When Pete Carroll took over Seattle in 2010, he had a 35 year old Matt Hasselbeck. You know, obviously it was for one year, but they did go and get a quarterback in terms of Russell, and they end up signing Matt Flynn. Obviously, we know what happens with that. So I could see this being a situation where, like, you need. You need a quarterback now to get you off the ground and running whatever he's trying to build in Vegas.

[Will Blackman]

Okay, so the best athlete in this draft is Travis Hunter from Colorado. Plays DB and receiver. Many people may not know this. You tried out a little receiver at Boston College.

[Colin Cowherd]

Ain't no try out. Why was this tryout?

[Will Blackman]

I mean, they gave you.

[Colin Cowherd]

You said, you know, I took. I took the bait. I took the bait.

[Will Blackman]

They gave you a couple curl routes your senior year?

[Colin Cowherd]

No, I ran two routes. I ran a now route and a go route. I said I ran two routes.

[Will Blackman]

And did you have a few catches?

[Colin Cowherd]

I was all acc, where you been at? Do your homework.

[Will Blackman]

Well, I didn't. I didn't. I Didn't watch your.

[Colin Cowherd]

The only reason why I wasn't first team is because some bum named Calvin Johnson, he. Whatever, whoever it was, he.

[Will Blackman]

So you. You were a great db, and they ran out of scholies and they said, go play some receiver.

[Colin Cowherd]

We ran out of receivers, and I was a punt, returner, and they said, would you want to play receiver? And I said, absolutely not. And they asked me probably five times. And then finally I was like, you know what? Because I just saw the reports that I was one of the top DBs going to my senior year. So I was like, I'm not going to mess with that. And so I finally gave in. I was like, you know what? I knew I was going to get drafted eventually, and we were just trying to win more games and hopefully win the acc. So I went to receiver, ended up winning the X job, and then I ended up playing nickel as well. So I played. I was receiver, punt returner, kick returner, and nickel.

[Will Blackman]

Now, your reputation was you didn't like to go over the middle and get hit. That's what the sources tell me.

[Colin Cowherd]

Wrong sources. It was no need. Just give me the football now.

[Will Blackman]

Okay, so my take is you go to the combine when you went there, because obviously you showed people you flexed on both sides. Was it a conversation? I mean, because Travis can do both. You could have been an NFL receiver. Obviously, you're athletic enough. You're a punt returner, Which I know were the conversations like, well, here's what's crazy.

[Colin Cowherd]

So I finished my year, obviously, at receiver. Then I went to the Senior bowl as a defensive back, and then I went to the combine as a wide receiver. So I did all the receiver drills, and I was done. And I remember looking up and I saw. I think it was Coach Parcels raised his hand. He goes, he needs to do DB drills. And they go, DBs aren't till later in the week or have them do them now. So I was out there by myself, and a bunch of coaches stayed, and I did DB drills right then and there. And so now, prior to that, during the week, you know, you're meeting with coaches in the hallway and what have you. And I remember the Atlanta Falcons pulled me aside, and they were like, hey, man, we really like you at receiver. You know, you did some good things. And, you know, if you're available after the draft as a free agent, we'll probably pick you up. And so I'm thinking, like, I'm like, free agent.

[Will Blackman]

I was like, oh, no.

[Colin Cowherd]

I told everybody I'm a defensive back. If the Atlanta Falcons thinks I'm a free agent wide receiver, then I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna fight or trying to sell that I'm a receiver. And so I nearly, I just told everyone at the combine I'm a db. Because if Atlanta thinks I'm a free agent, then apparently no one thinks I.

[Will Blackman]

Want us to get some YouTube receiver video. Because all your college video that I've seen is you blowing people up.

[Colin Cowherd]

Then you. You looked up the wrong black man.

[Will Blackman]

I got action now with you multiple times. No, we never talk about your big receiver year.

[Colin Cowherd]

We don't really talk about football. We just, I mean, we talk about, like, food and life. Life.

[Will Blackman]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

We're actually friends. You know what I mean? Yeah.

[Will Blackman]

Be sure to catch live editions of.

[Colin Cowherd]

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

[Will Blackman]

You can count on T Mobile to help keep you connected from big cities to small towns on America's largest 5G network. Switch the T mobile, keep your phone and they'll pay it off up to 800 bucks per line via prepaid card. Learn more@t mobile.com heap and switch up to four lines via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device credit service port in 90 plus days with device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required. Card has no cash access and expires in six months.

[Colin Cowherd]

Make some noise for the greatest shooter of all time, Steph Curry. We went live from All Star Weekend for a new podcast called goat greatest of their era and we ranked our top five shooters from the 2000s.

[Will Blackman]

Peja 5 Dirk Ford.

[Colin Cowherd]

Peja is elite. Okay, okay.

[Will Blackman]

I'm mad him.

[Colin Cowherd]

I left him off my list, but I still like my list. You won't believe who Steph left off his list. That's so tough.

[Will Blackman]

That's why we have these conversations.

[Colin Cowherd]

Absolutely love it. Steph talked about what separates the truly elite NBA shooters. When you have a scouting report and you're on the list as not just a shooter, but we have specific rules for how we guard you. There's a fear factor that's associated with anytime you're wide open. Like, you might as well just count that and get on back on defense. Listen to Goat G O t e Greatest of their era on the iHeartRadio.

[Will Blackman]

App, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. So let me just say this. When the combine's fascinating, because I think what makes football players unique is they grow. There's a physicality to the league that they grow more slowly than basketball players. You can spot at 15 or 16 almost all the Nike knows who the best prospects are.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, right.

[Will Blackman]

You have no idea. In the NFL, a lot of these kids, nobody knew what Tom.

[Colin Cowherd]

In basketball, you're like, hurry up and finish your freshman year. Because we know. We're drafting.

[Will Blackman]

Yeah, football's different. When you go to the combine, go back to your combine. Give me two or three players that you looked at because you were obviously a dominant high school college athlete. Were there two or three guys you looked at and went the hell, like Calvin Johnson? Was he one? You just went, well, you saw him play in your conference, but I mean, are there guys at the combine that you knew instantly? Oh, he's a star in the NFL. Day one.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. I remember getting ready. Everyone's warming up for the 40 yard dash. And I remember I said, I went with the. I went with the receivers. And so I see who I played against. I seen Vernon Davis, like, he.

[Will Blackman]

Oh, I remember that.

[Colin Cowherd]

He starts getting ready. He's getting ready. And this is when Vernon, I mean, his highlight was him working out. That was his highlight tape. And he had his dreads and he was like, he lined up for his 40. And he looks at me, he was like, 4, 3, 6. And I'm like, yeah, right.

[Will Blackman]

He was a tight end.

[Colin Cowherd]

255, 6, 4. I'm like, four, bam. 437. I go, oh, my God. And for me, like, I know how athletic I was and I'm not easily impressed, but when I seen that man with that stature run a437, you know.

[Will Blackman]

I brought this up live two days ago or three days ago on the show J. Mac, I said one of the most memorable things I ever remember at the combine was Vernon Davis with a tight shirt. I don't think Under Armour. I don't know if they know they were a company yet.

[Colin Cowherd]

It was. Reebok was okay.

[Will Blackman]

He had a tight shirt on. And I'm like, I can see his six pack through his T shirt, bro.

[Colin Cowherd]

And then the other one was, you know how you do the receiver gauntlet drill? You have to catch football. Well, it was Marcus Colston for the Saints who went to Hofstra. Yeah, he didn't have any gloves. And I'm like, we got Jay Cutler throwing the ball, Tavares Jackson throwing the ball, like ripping the football. And I went through it and the, the laces ripped my gloves when I caught the ball. And he went through there. Just boom, boom, no gloves. And I'm just like, okay, that's a grown man. This is a grown man.

[Will Blackman]

You know, it's what's funny. I'm gonna go old school here. So I went to college at a university, Eastern Washington University. Used to be the home of the Seattle Seahawks camp. So the Seahawks were kind of a new football team. A little bit new, but, you know, everybody knew who they were. And it was Zorn and Largent. I go to camp one year, and I stayed for summer school. I was dating a tennis instructor. A long story.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't need to know that.

[Will Blackman]

Just, why did I do that? Why?

[Colin Cowherd]

Context didn't matter. I know. Exactly.

[Will Blackman]

Okay, whatever. It's, like, not. Not appropriate. So anyway. So anyway, I go to practice, and number 41 from Colgate is lighting up Steve Large and. Or thereabout, like. Like, elite players. And I go get the card. You buy it for, like, a buck. I'm like, who is Eugene Robinson? Yeah. Literally, first set, two picks, blew a receiver up, and I'm like. So it. It's funny about when you go and you play. So you go to the Green Bay Packers. And I've told people this all the time. You. A player, like, you can tell within two practices, like, who's the guy from Hofra, right? Who's the guy from. I'd never seen. At the time, I'd never seen Colgate's Ivy League. I'd never seen an Ivy League football game. So were you nervous at the combine?

[Colin Cowherd]

I was not nervous at all. I was. I was so excited because I'm such a fan of football. So I grew up, you know, watching everything, and I could not wait to go there. And I would say I was. I was nervous maybe for some of the interviews. Just because you heard all the crazy stories and what have you. The only thing I truly didn't like is, are the physicals straight. Violation. Violation. I had a. I had a. Like, a grade two, like, AC separation in my shoulder. And I'm sitting there on the table. There's all the team doctors around me, and one of them, you know, tested out my strength for my shoulders. Passed. Got to doctor four passed doctor five. I'm like, wait. I said, do all y'all need a strength test me? And they're like, well, we need to see for ourselves. I'm like. So by the time I got to team 29, done. So I ended up. I didn't bench press that that day because I couldn't. I had nothing left. The doctors crushed my shoulders. It was crazy. Or another doctor found out I sprained my ankle when I was like. I had, like, a hairline fracture when I was, like, 13. Yeah. Weird stuff.

[Will Blackman]

Yeah, well, the team doctors, I didn't love them back in the 70s, 80s, 90s. They've gotten better. There's always been. Remember the Chargers had that situation where Tyrod Taylor before punctured.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Will Blackman]

A little sketchy on that. Okay, so I think I've told you before, you've thought about doing coaching. I think you should go into the front office. I think you're more cerebral. You should go upstairs. You shouldn't go to college. No, life. You're that. You're the Niners gm. He and I go back and forth on this last year. Christian McCaffrey's not available. Trent Williams, banged up pretty, throws 12 picks, many ugly passer ratings in the 90s. I'm not paying him 50 large. I'm not doing it. I like him.

[Colin Cowherd]

What does he deserve?

[Will Blackman]

Well, what he's earned, in my opinion, is closer to Daniel Jones.

[Colin Cowherd]

He earned 50.

[Will Blackman]

Oh, come on.

[Colin Cowherd]

He earned 50.

[Will Blackman]

12 picks last year.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's not bad.

[Will Blackman]

He's not. It's not a Disney movie. I don't care. That he was drafted in the 70s.

[Colin Cowherd]

In the NFL is not bad.

[Will Blackman]

You would give him 50 large?

[Colin Cowherd]

50? You look at the list of the guys making 50, he's like, what would.

[Will Blackman]

You give Sam Darnold under 50? I would give. I think Sam's in the Baker class.

[Colin Cowherd]

Sam's definitely in the Baker class.

[Will Blackman]

Like 38 million.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's in the Baker class. He is the big class.

[Will Blackman]

You give. You give Brock Purdy 50.

[Colin Cowherd]

50.

[Will Blackman]

Look at that picture. You can't see it behind you. The hands are a little small. It drizzles. The ball comes out of his hand. It drizzles.50. God, that's a lot of money.

[Colin Cowherd]

It is a lot of money, but then he should have played horrible the past years. He's been there.

[Will Blackman]

Okay, I'm just. I'm just throwing it out there.

[Colin Cowherd]

I feel you.

[Will Blackman]

Okay, now. Now you work for the Cowboys.

[Colin Cowherd]

I did.

[Will Blackman]

It was some front office stuff, right?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes. I did both.

[Will Blackman]

What do you make of that operation? Right now? I want honesty. I want. Come on.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think. I think. I think Will Clay is outstanding. I think he is an outstanding evaluator, and I think he does a great job. Now, the only thing is he has to vet it through, you know, Mrs. Jerry Jones, like, that's who has final say. But I think Will Clay, just in general, as in terms of what he does and what he knows, I think he's outstanding, which is why he got some inquiries from other teams, right? Yeah.

[Will Blackman]

But there's a guy upstairs you have to deal with.

[Colin Cowherd]

You got it? You gotta.

[Will Blackman]

It's understood in the organization.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's understood.

[Will Blackman]

Did you see Jerry a lot?

[Colin Cowherd]

I did, yeah. He was everywhere. He was, he was full hands on, you know, he, he ran the personnel meetings. You know, he was there and he was. Yeah, he was very, very involved. And you knew it too, because you, you could be walking down the hall, grabbing a shake, whatever, and all of a sudden you see the chopper coming down, ran a practice field like we got a meeting, he's here. Oh yeah.

[Will Blackman]

Now does he talk? Like if he and Steven are in the room at the same time, who talks?

[Colin Cowherd]

Everyone speaks. Yeah. One thing, one thing from my experience, he. When Mr. Jones spoke, like everybody had a chance. He wasn't like talking over people. Now, I wasn't there during the entire season. I was there just the whole off season. But, you know, and being in there, like there are a lot of things that, you know, I agree with in terms of like personnel stuff that's going on. And so he just, again, it still has to run through him. But overall, like I said, in terms of being in that area, like McClay is great. I think he's great.

[Will Blackman]

All right. Do we ever find that YouTube video? It's like finding Bigfoot video. Some catches by you in the acc.

[Colin Cowherd]

You got a better chance find that than me finding the conversation.

[Will Blackman]

It's in 1974 was a great year.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's not what I played. No, I thought you talking about me.

[Will Blackman]

No, no, no. You were more closer to the early 80s. But the conversation was in a year of two great movies. Godfather 2, Godfather 3 I think stinks. But Godfather 2 is pretty good. In Chinatown with Jack Nicholson and so the conversation was overlooked.

[Colin Cowherd]

Should I start conversation around 6pm I.

[Will Blackman]

I would say this. The most underrated movie of my lifetime is dead calm. I'll tell you this. 40 year old virgin is the most underrated comedy of my life. That's the only comedy I've ever watched that gets better. Generally comedies have a great opening, 12 minutes and then they, you know, then it, then it sizzles. 40 year old virgins last 30 minutes are as funny and better than the first hour. That's an underrated movie. And the conversations. Top 15 Underrated Movies of all time. What's so funny? What are you laughing at? Do you have give me a movie you think is doesn't get the. The res?

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm not. You know what's tough? I'm not letting you say Mission Impossible. I'm Just not a. I'm not a crazy movie guy to have these arguments, okay?

[Will Blackman]

All right.

[Colin Cowherd]

I like what I like. And I'm not a crazy. I'm like a. You know, I'm. I don't know.

[Will Blackman]

You're a wine. Somalia.

[Colin Cowherd]

I would say, like Hoosiers isn't the best sports movie. It's Rocky.

[Will Blackman]

Rocky probably is the best sports movie. Yeah, yeah. Hoosier second. And that one with. What was the Miracle on Ice.

[Colin Cowherd]

That was a great one.

[Will Blackman]

Oh, my God. That speech in the locker room by Kurt Russell.

[Colin Cowherd]

That one. Move me.

[Will Blackman]

Caddyshack is four.

[Colin Cowherd]

Caddy Shack is. You're just trying to cause drama. How you gonna throw? Caddyshack at 4.

[Will Blackman]

No miracle. Nice. 3. Caddyshack at 4.

[Colin Cowherd]

Please don't say. Please don't, please don't say.

[Will Blackman]

Natural out's not believable. Nobody's hitting balls that blow up scores.

[Colin Cowherd]

And don't throw Rudy in there either. Don't either.

[Will Blackman]

I thought Rudy was overrated.

[Colin Cowherd]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Will Blackman]

See?

[Colin Cowherd]

We agree on something wholeheartedly.

[Will Blackman]

Yeah, I didn't think Rudy was that great.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, Rudy. Sorry.

[Will Blackman]

Oh. Oh. I cannot believe I whiffed. Oh, my bad. Totally. I totally screwed up. The best sports movie of all time is Moneyball. Rocky second, Hoosiers third. My bad. Money. You've seen Moneyball. I have. That's a very. That's area.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, it's grave. It's very nerdy. I just appreciate it, but Rocky.

[Will Blackman]

Okay, we gotta go now. We still couldn't find that Catching the Ball video at Boston College. We'll look it up. Couple of drag routes. You picked up a first round. Not much to see live in la. It's 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 Covino and Rich. You can count on T Mobile to help keep you connected from big cities to small towns on America's largest 5G network. Switch the T Mobile keep your phone and they'll pay it off up to 800 bucks per line via prepaid card. Learn more@t mobile.com heap and switch up to four lines via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device, credit service port in 90 plus days with device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required. Card has no cash access and expires in six months.

[Colin Cowherd]

Make some noise for the greatest shooter.

[Will Blackman]

Of all time, Steph Curry.

[Colin Cowherd]

We went live from allstar Weekend for a new podcast called Go Greatest of Their Era and we ranked our top five shooters from the 2000s. PAJA 5 Dirk 4 PA is a okay, okay. I'm mad him I left him off my list, but I still like my list. You won't believe who Steph left off his list. That's so tough.

[Will Blackman]

That's why we have these conversations.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes, absolutely.

[Will Blackman]

Love it.

[Colin Cowherd]

Steph talked about what separates the truly elite NBA shooters when you have a scouting report and you're on the list as not just a shooter, but we.

[Will Blackman]

Have specific rules for how we guard you.

[Colin Cowherd]

There's a fear factor that's associated with anytime you're wide open. Like you might as well just count that and get on back on defense. Listen to Goat G o t e Greatest of their era on the iHeartRadio.

[Will Blackman]

App, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, welcome back. Will Blackman. Actually, if you go and look up Will Blackman's highlights, he does have a remarkable he got a sideline route, came up cross field, ran for 50 yards. He's 1. He's one of the really good dudes out there and he is a wine sommelier. I have gone to dinner with him. He, he is an expert in many things. Really, really thoughtful guy. All right, here's Jay Mack on the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

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

[Will Blackman]

All right, let's start with NFL draft and that is the potential number One pick, Abdul Carter, has a stress fract. Sorry, A stress reaction in his right foot during tests yesterday. And he's going to have to make a decision on surgery. According to his agent, he's got two options. Do the surgery, have a screw inserted into his foot and then take eight weeks off before working out for teams, or bypass surgery and do his pro day. I don't know, Colin. This is a young guy, long career ahead of him. I say just get the surgery now. Cleaning up about working out for him.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Will Blackman]

And it's. Again, it's not the kind of draft that he's going to fall 13 spots. He's going top five for sure. Yeah. So it's just. You have to think about that stuff. I'd get it cleaned up. He's one of the very few. I mean, there's like six players in this draft I love. He's one of them.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Will Blackman]

Go watch him against Notre Dame. I mean, the guy was in the backfield every play. Yeah. I mean, he's just. He's a. He's a beast.

[Colin Cowherd]

We like Abdul Carter.

[Will Blackman]

Next up is. The NFL is looking for ways to tweak the rules all the time. Colin, this is an interesting one. League exec Troy Vincent said yesterday at the combine. It's time to rethink the overtime rule. So what they do in the playoffs is you. You have to have a winner, but in the regular season, you can have a. A tie. Among other changes, the NFL plans to use virtual measuring to determine first downs, which is not quite eliminating officials from spotting it. You remember, obviously, the really crappy Bills.

[Colin Cowherd]

Chief'S decision there in the playoffs, but.

[Will Blackman]

Overall, you like them when they're at the forefront of these moves.

[Colin Cowherd]

And.

[Will Blackman]

Yeah, I mean, I. I think, you know, certain. I. I've never liked something that we've never talked about on this show. I don't like that they don't have, like, a computer chip to figure out. Like tennis figured out, like a first down that we're sitting there, you know, a bunch of guys running onto the field. I think that's so rudimentary considering how much money's at stake. Buffalo, Kansas City play with Josh Allen obviously at the forefront. Look like they missed that. I mean, there was 13 minutes left, but it looks like they missed it. Should have been a first down for Buffalo, so I think they got to clean that up. I've always had a theory on overtime. Road team gets the ball first, take the coin flip out of it. Whoever scores first gets it. Road team, if you can, as a home team with 13 possessions when it'll force home teams to play more aggressively. Not settled for overtime. Road team gets the ball first. But, you know, overtime is something they've tweaked multiple times. So was college. It's obviously, you want it to end as fast as possible. You do not want another quarter of football. The players don't. The fans. We love college football. Yeah. But players get hurt more often, and it also has a way in the NFL, teams that play long overtime struggle the following week. 100%. Final story is Paul George. Colin, you will love this. So he has a podcast because everybody does. And after Monday's blowout loss to the Bulls, Paul George said the team is showing no signs that they will compete.

[Colin Cowherd]

And, you know, he's back to his.

[Will Blackman]

Podcast, but all of a sudden, he has now changed course. And yesterday he said he will be taking a hiatus from his podcast to focus on hoops.

[Colin Cowherd]

I know my goal when I first.

[Will Blackman]

Signed with Philadelphia was to bring a.

[Colin Cowherd]

Championship to these amazing fans here.

[Will Blackman]

I still remain positive about that, and that is still the case and where I'm coming from.

[Colin Cowherd]

With that being said, though, I want to let the podcast P family know.

[Will Blackman]

That after today's episode with Dwight, I plan to take a break from the pod, just to focus on getting my.

[Colin Cowherd]

Body right, getting mentally right, and, you know, help this squad make a push towards our goal to finish the season out, give ourselves a chance to be in contentions to compete for a championship.

[Will Blackman]

I watched the fourth quarter of that game last night. Nice W. Yeah, he's not. Look at this. How about this from our staff after a podcast? He actually plays better. Yeah. This season as a limited. Well, I think. I think this. Yeah, he's much better shooting after a podcast, I would say this. I don't think there's a correlation. I also think it doesn't get in the way. I think if Philadelphia was playing better, Philadelphia was playing as well as the Knicks, nobody would care. But I think it's the. It's the optics of it. You're not. You're not playing necessarily that great. The team's not. It's a little bit circling the drain. Cleveland, Knicks, Celtics have sort of pulled away from Philadelphia. There's a lot of turmoil, and so the optics are bad. I don't think it has any. Longest losing streak in the league right now with nine. I mean, Colin, they are really bad. I don't know if Paul George is going to be there next. I don't think he is. What's the point of sticking around. If it be going to be out, he's probably going to miss half next season at least. Right. If he gets surgery, it's, it's a disaster. How's your boy Daryl Morey doing?

[Colin Cowherd]

How's he holding up?

[Will Blackman]

Well, I think I check in on him now. I think they made a big bet and their bet was Embiid and he was injured before the extension and he's, he's hurt again. JNC Consulting have never been huge fans of Embiid. Obviously he's talented and we get. I have been in agreement. We should have, we should put JNC Consulting up. We should have a business card because actually we've been right almost. Daryl Morey could use it. You know, a lot of people couldn't, frankly. We don't. We have very reasonable rates. We're not gonna gouge it. J MACLE the news. Well, that's the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

And thanks for stopping by the Herdline news.

[Will Blackman]

In a wide ranging interview with Will Blackman, it was determined that Moneyball's the best sports movie ever. Followed by Rocky and then Hoosiers. Remember, the Titans actually is number one. Never seen it. I've never seen it.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm not going to talk the rest of the show.

[Will Blackman]

We got 13 seconds. Not much of a. You're not staking a claim too much there, pal. All right, Steve Sarkeesian, Will Blackman. Thanks for stopping by. We'll see you tomorrow. It's the herd. This is Nikki Glaser from the Nikki Glaser Podcast. On a more serious note, I'm still thinking about that commercial with Tom Brady and Snoop Dogg hating on each other because when you listen to the reasons for hating someone or something, you realize just how stupid they really are. There is too much hate in this country and it's gotta stop. So join us at iHeart in standing up to it. If you see hate, speak up, call it out and you can learn more by following at. What's up with hate?

[Colin Cowherd]

Make some noise for the greatest shooter.

[Will Blackman]

Of all time, Steph Curr. We went live from All Star Weekend.

[Colin Cowherd]

For a new podcast called Goat Greatest of Their Era. And we ranked our top five shooters from the 2000s.

[Will Blackman]

Paja 5 Dirk 4.

[Colin Cowherd]

Paja is a lie.

[Will Blackman]

Okay.

[Colin Cowherd]

You won't believe who Steph left off his list. That's so tough.

[Will Blackman]

That's why we have these conversations.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's why we love it. Listen to go G O T e Greatest of their era on the iHeartRadio.

[Will Blackman]

App, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

Mars. I'M Mark Seale.

[Will Blackman]

And I'm Nathan King. This is Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli. The five families did not want us.

[Colin Cowherd]

To shoot that picture.

[Will Blackman]

This podcast is based on my co host Mark Seals best selling book of the same title. Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli features new and archival interviews with Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Evans, James Caan, Talia Shire, and many others. Yes, that was a real horse's head. Listen and subscribe to Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's Alec Baldwin. This past season on my podcast, here's the Thing, I spoke with more actors.

[Colin Cowherd]

Musicians, policymakers, and so many other fascinating people like writer and actor Dan Aykroyd.

[Will Blackman]

I love writing more than anything. You're left alone, you know, you do three hours in the morning, you write three hours in the afternoon. Go pick up a kid from school and write at night. And after nine hours you come out with seven pages and then you're moving on. Listen to here's the thing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.