Podcast Advertiser/Host (3:29)

By.

Colin Cowherd (3:31)

Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day. Well, the story last night, and I think I've talked about this all summer long, is that LeBron has always been the best player on his team. Now, last year Luca was injured and put on some weight. So I believe on most nights LeBron was at least Luca's equal and many times he was better than Luka. So last night lebron made his season debut and it was a perfect night. Utah's the worst defensive team by a mile in the NBA. The Lakers had 16 layups and 74 points in the paint. No physicality. It was a home game, the healthiest the Lakers roster has been in years, and LeBron eased his way back into it. He didn't have the ball much in his hands. His passing was, as usual, exceptional. When Walker Kessler is out for Utah, they are so bad defensively. And LeBron appropriately did not insert himself into the offense much. In fact, the usage rate is what I want to see going forward. Luca had the ball 44% of the time. I'd be happy at 46, 47. Austin Reeves had it 25% of the time. LeBron had it 13 and it was all smiles. Do I think taking seven shots and having the ball in his hands 13% of the time? Well, I think LeBron's going to be happy with that in April. I do not. But LeBron is really smart. He's always calculated, he's always intentional, from the food he eats to the shots he takes. And the Lakers are a fun, well coached offense. A joyful atmosphere last night felt like an intense scrimmage. Utah's that bad defensively and LeBron's always been an incredibly adaptable player. Michael Jordan was not the late Kobe was not. Carmelo was not. LeBron's always been adaptable, but let's keep it 100. LeBron now, for the first time in his career, is absolutely the second best player on the team. He was better than D. Wade. He was better than Bosh, he was better than Kevin Love. He was better than Kyrie. He was better than A.D. all of them. And he was better than Chunky Luca last year on most nights. But I said all summer, skinny Luka is the best offensive player in the world. Skinny Luka last night had 37 points, could have scored more. It felt like something you'd see at the Y. He scored whenever he felt like it. Utah is atrocious defensively, and LeBron's calculated. He picked this week to come back. Why they play Utah twice. No physicality and a bunch of days off. So I will say this. J.J. redick has created. He is a really good offensive coach. This offense, the spacing's fantastic. It never gets jammed up. There's a. They really pass well. It's a very giving offense. But LeBron's never been a true Robin. He's always been Batman on almost every night of his career. So he not settling for seven shots. He not settling for 13% ball usage, but that's kind of where I'd like him at maybe 18, 20, 21%. That's not a knock on him. Luca is so dominant, and LeBron is so old. That's what it should be for the regular season. And I think it's a challenge. That's all I've said. I think it's a challenge. This is an offensive team. It's not like the Lakers were great defensively last night either. They trailed for, you know, three quarters and gave up a ton. But LeBron, he's intentional. He picked the right team. He picked the right night. Here's JJ Reddick after. Just thought he played with the right spirit. Very unselfish all night, you know, was a willing passer, didn't force it. Took his drives and his shots when they were there. You know, there's. The defense is going to pay attention to him, particularly when he has the ball in the post, particularly when he's putting pressure on the rim. And I just thought he made a lot of great decisions tonight.

Podcast Advertiser/Host (7:56)

Really good to.

Colin Cowherd (7:57)

Really good to have him back. One of the criticisms of LeBron has been, you know, on social media. He's very measured, he's very calculated. I don't see it as a weakness. I think he's smart. I think this country is very polarized. It's very punitive. If you say the wrong thing in a social media outlet. LeBron picked Utah twice. And look at the schedule right now. Lot of days off, Utah twice, perfect team, perfect night. Lakers healthy. But that usage rate. All I'm saying is this team is really running overwhelmingly and should through LUCA 1. And on some nights when Austin Reaves gets hot, feels his jumper, Austin Reeves too. Doesn't mean Austin's better than LeBron, but the way J.J. reddick's offense runs, Austin Reeves needs the ball too. Good win, though. All right, so the college football bracket came out. Everybody always gets worked up. Got a lot of football to go. The team that's really upset is the Miami hurricanes. Apparently their nine fans are furious because they are ranked 11th, Notre Dame is ninth and they beat Notre Dame Cane fans, all nine of you. College football has changed. Head to head matters. It's not everything. It's a thing. And timing matters more. Right? So Miami has two losses to unranked teams, bad teams and ugly losses in the previous format. And this format are always the worst thing. And timing matters. When do you lose? Notre Dame has not lost since September 13th. And when they lost, they lost the good teams. And they were very close. Go either way games. Okay, so college football now is a little bit like college classes. It's about midterms, but mostly it's about the final. It's not about your first test of the year. So Miami had a great opening line on their date and then 10 minutes later spilled ravioli all over their white dress shirt. They have not been good in a month and they've lost a couple of games in a month to unranked teams in that month. So take a deep breath. The committee is basically just saying yes right now based on the last six or seven weeks. Notre Dame's better than Miami. That's the way the NFL works. And remember, college football, the last two to three years is more like NFL football than it is like college football. 20 years ago, nil quarterbacks, now in college making three, four and five. I just heard last night about a tight end that's going to make two and a half million dollars a tight end recruit. The transfer portal, Well, I mean, the transfer portal might as well be free agency. Lane Kiffin was talking about that three years ago. And the College Football Playoff means you can be Ohio State and lose your last game to Michigan as a 20 point favorite and still win the Natty. So nobody's saying head to head doesn't matter. It's a thing, but timing matters. What did you do after the head to head matters? I mean, the Raiders beat the patriots in week one. How much does that matter today in the 14 team playoffs starting at about a month and a half, two months, how much does that matter? It doesn't really. In the first week of college football, nobody cares about Ohio State and Texas. Ohio State's number one not because they beat Texas in week one. They're number one because of what they've done after that. And Texas is going to miss the College Football Playoff. It's not because of that loss, it's the losses after Mario Cristobal, though not happy, still thinks we beat Notre Dame. We should be ahead of him. The number one criteria, anything is always said pet. That is, it's why we play the game, right? So I think that always has been and always will be the number one factor in the tournament. Whatever relates to whatever. So let's just extrapolate this and exaggerate this to prove my point. Let's say Miami had beaten Notre Dame and then lost five straight games and Notre Dame loses close to Miami and then blows out the next five teams. Do you really think a five loss Miami team should be ranked ahead of one lost Notre Dame team? Obviously, if anybody has an IQ above motor oil and salad dressing, no. So to prove a point, exaggerate the point. Obviously head to head is something, but it's close, it's go either way. It's a one handed catch. It's something, if not everything. And if I had to put 12 teams together today, I do think this morning Notre Dame slightly better. Okay, so there you go, J. Mack, I know you're feeling it for LeBron. I will say this. LeBron's always been one of the shrewder guys in the league. Last night he knew, he watched this team. I mean, he's watching the offense. And he and JJ Redick used to have a podcast. You know, they talked about this, you know, it was discussed. And I thought LeBron was very smart to just smoothly put himself in. He didn't want to get in the way of what the team was doing offensively. So did you notice last night what LeBron really concentrated on? His passing was unbelievable. He looked like Magic in the mid-80s. I mean he was no look pass. So LeBron was like, listen man, it's going to take about six games. And even Austin Reeves said after we had to tweak a few things here and there. But LeBron was smart enough to realize I'm going to Be the facilitator tonight. I'm going to be a. And he was. He was. He played defense. He was a real facilitator. He did not do ball usage. That was intentional.

Jay Mariotti (14:02)

Yeah. Even coming up the court, you could see he would just give it to Luca and get out of the way. He would go to the side, wait, see what was going on, move off the ball. Listen, man, I know you were hammering. Well, it's not going to work when he comes back. It is only Utah. But Colin, their offense was unreal last night. I mean, the passing, the cutting off ball movement. And they get like four days off. As you said before, the Jazz again. And if you look at the schedule after that, it's gonna be like an 18 and 6 Lakers team at some point.

Colin Cowherd (14:29)

Okay?

Jay Mariotti (14:30)

They're coming for OKC. I'm not even kidding. OKC is a juggernaut. I get it. They want to win 70 games, go for it.

Colin Cowherd (14:36)

Okay.

Jay Mariotti (14:37)

Just keep an eye on the Lakers, my friend.

Colin Cowherd (14:39)

All right. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. Hey, we're Covino and Rich, Fox Sports radio every day, 5 to 7pm Eastern. But here's the thing. We never have enough time to get to everything we want to get to. And that's why we have a brand new podcast called Over Promised. You see, we're having so much fun in our two hour show. We never get to everything, honestly, because this guy is over promising things we never have time for. Yeah, you blubber lips, blaming me. Well, you know what it's called? Over Promise. You should be good at it because you've been over promising women for years. Well, it's a Covino and Rich after show and we want you to be a part of it. We're going to be talking sports, of course, but we're also going to talk life and relationships. And if Rich and I are arguing about something or we didn't have enough time, it will continue on our after show called Over Promised. Well, if you don't get enough Covino and Rich, make sure you check out Over Promised and also uncensored, by the way, so maybe we'll go at it even a little harder. It's going to be the best after show podcast of all time. There you go. Overpromising. And remember, you could see it on YouTube, but definitely. Join us. Listen to Over Promised with Covino and rich on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Sophie Cunningham (15:51)

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Podcast Advertiser/Host (16:30)

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Colin Cowherd (17:28)

Available@Public.Com Disclosures in sports and in life, timing is everything. You can have the right talent, the right mindset, even the right team. But if you don't act at the right moment, the opportunity slips away. That's true on the field, and it's true when it comes to your health. If you or someone you care about is facing metastatic prostate cancer, there's a treatment called plavicto lutetium LU177 vapivotide tetraxitan it's not chemotherapy. It works differently by targeting PSMA positive cells including prostate cancer cells. Pluvicto is a prescription treatment used to treat adults with prostate specific membrane antigen positive metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer or PSMA positive MCRPC who have already been treated with hormone therapy and are considered appropriate to delay chemotherapy. Pluvicto involves contact with radioactivity which may increase the risk for cancer and cause fetal harm. Patients are advised to drink plenty of fluids, urinate often use contraception and talk to their doctor about how to reduce the risk of exposing others to radiation during and after treatment. It can also cause low levels of blood cell counts, kidney problems and infertility. If you experience weakness, pale skin, shortness of breath, bleeding or bruising more easily, an infection or changes in urination, talk to your doctor. Side effects include decreased blood cell counts, tiredness, dry mouth, nausea, appetite loss, joint or back pain and constipation. Here's the bottom line. This isn't just about treatment. It's about making the most of the time. You have time to be with the people who matter. Time to keep showing up for the moments that count. So if you or someone you love is in this fight, ask your doctor about PLU Victo because in sports and in life, the best players don't just react. They anticipate. They prepare. They act. Visit plavicto.com to learn more. That's P L-U-V-I-C-T-O.com Thursday Night Football is on, and it's only on Prime Video. This week, the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans collide in an AFC showdown. Coverage begins at 7pm Eastern with Football's Best Party TNF tonight presented by Verizon. Not a Prime member, not a problem. Simply sign up for a 30 day free trial. It's the Bills and the Texans Thursday at 7pm Eastern or only on Prime Video. Restrictions apply. See Amazon.com Amazon prime for details. I'm Robert Smith and this is Jacob Goldstein. And we used to host a show called Planet Money. And now we're back making this new podcast called Business History about the best ideas and people and businesses in history and some of the worst people, horrible ideas and destructive companies in the history of business. Having a genius idea without a need for it is nothing. It's like not having it at all. It's a very simple, elegant lesson. Make something people want. First episode, how Southwest Airlines used cheap seats and free whiskey to fight its way into the airline business. The most Texas story ever.

Jay Mariotti (20:26)

There's a lot of mavericks in that story. We're going to have mavericks on the show. We're going to have plenty of robber barons.

Colin Cowherd (20:31)

So many robber barons. And you know what? They're not all bad. And we'll talk about some of the classic great moments of famous business geniuses, along with some of the darker moments that often get overlooked, like Thomas Edison.

Jay Mariotti (20:42)

And the electric chair.

Colin Cowherd (20:44)

Listen to business history on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We were Talking about this yesterday, I had said before the season I picked the Denver Broncos to win the AFC West. And I said, the dynasty is over for Kansas City. They'll still win Super Bowls. They'll still be a playoff team. They'll still be good. But the dynasty part's over, and dynasties don't last. I mean, the Patriots had two dynasties, but in the middle, they had a stretch where they. They didn't win Super Bowls. Is that the Patriots dynasty? As we talked about yesterday, Mahomes has regressed a little. The last year and a half, the Patriots dynasty did not end because Tom Brady got worse. It ended for two reasons. Number one, Belichick took over personnel to too large of a degree. And the Patriots had five or six straight really, really weak drafts, especially on offense. They became a really slow team at tight end and wide receiver. That's not going to be a problem with Kansas City. Brett Veach is a great gm. He controls the draft, and Annie Reid didn't want to have any part of it. Secondly, the second reason the New England dynasty died was Belichick. Again, Tom got tired of dealing with grumpy, rigid Bill. He just didn't want to deal with him. So he told friends and teammates and his agent, a year out, I'm out of here. That's not going to happen. Mahomes gets along with Andy Reid. So the two problems that ended it in the NBA, dynasties usually end because of, like, ego or resentment. Kobe and Shaq. KD got offended by Draymond and the Warriors. Michael Jordan didn't like the front office or the ownership of the Bulls, so he went to baseball. It's different, different culture. It's more of a me culture. In basketball, it's more of a we culture. And Belichick's grumpiness, rigidity, and taking over personnel, I think forced Tom out. In the NFL, dynasties usually end because people get old and beat up. Joe Montana got old and Gronk and Edelman got old. I mean, Brady got old, but was remarkably fit. So I think Kansas City, what's happened is, and here's a truth about dynasties, you go look at that Seok dynasty, almost dynasty. You look at the teams that look like right now could win a couple of Super Bowls, like Denver and Philly. What do they have in common? They have six to seven great players, all in their prime. Kansas City's got one and a half. Trent McDuffie and Mahomes. Chris Jones and Travis Kelsey are way out of their prime. Rams have about six elite players in their prime. Stafford's the old guy, but still elite. Kyron Williams in his prime. Puka in his prime. Jared Verse just entered it. Kobe Turner, I mean, they the, the tight end, they just the, the safety they drafted out of Miami. That kid is good. Now the Philadelphia, Denver, Detroit struggling. But Detroit's got Panay Sewell and Amaran Saint, Jamar Gibbs, Jameer Gibbs Branch, Jared Goff still very much late prime. Kansas City's not, they're getting old. It's got a little, you know, Joe Montana, Edelman, Gronk getting old feel to it. So if they beat Indianapolis this weekend, it's a go either way game. I think I'd probably take the points in India Arrowhead. Although Kansas City's been a much better home team than a road team this year. But their biggest problem, it's not ego, it's not resentment, it's not lousy drafts, it's not the coach wanting to be gm. It's not resentment between quarterback and coach. It's none of that New England stuff. It's, they're getting old and they don't have enough good, elite players in their prime. Here's Andy Reid on their struggles. The guys, they get it.

Podcast Advertiser/Host (24:32)

I mean, some of these guys been.

Colin Cowherd (24:33)

Through some pretty good seasons and this one, this isn't like this one's lost.

Podcast Advertiser/Host (24:40)

So we just got, we got to.

Colin Cowherd (24:43)

Clean up a few of these things.

Podcast Advertiser/Host (24:44)

And, and the urgency level, obviously we need to make sure we take care of that now.

Colin Cowherd (24:49)

So if they beat the Colts this weekend and they've had a better home than road team, chances are I think they'll sneak their way into it. But it's really, if you go look at the history of the NFL. That's why I said about the 49ers. The Niners had about a three year run when Bosa was young and healthier. And then Kittle, and here came McCaffrey and then there was Debo and then there was Fred Warner and oh wow, Huang is getting really good, really fast. And then everybody got really old and guys got injured and guys got traded and guys get moved. So that's why I didn't like San Francisco this year. Wasn't the Coach, it wasn't McAffrey, it wasn't even Brock Purdy. It's, they don't have enough elite guys in their prime. And I don't think the Chiefs do either. J. Maclean News no, no, no. Turn on the news.

Jay Mariotti (25:38)

This is the Herdline news. All right, let's start with Thursday Night Football and Josh Allen. Josh Allen and the Bills visit the Texans. And Collins, did you know Josh Allen is tied currently with Cam Newton for the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback? If he gets one on Thursday against the Texans. Now, that defense is tough. We don't know if he'll get it. He will pass Cam Newton and be the leading touchdown rusher among quarterbacks in NFL history. Kind of staggering because Allen's still a young guy. He's got many years ahead of him.

Colin Cowherd (26:10)

How about this?

Jay Mariotti (26:11)

We got the list. Colin, I bet you can't guess who's third after Josh Allen and Cam Newton, who are tied.

Colin Cowherd (26:16)

Steve Young. No, hold on. Rushing touchdowns.

Jay Mariotti (26:21)

Yep.

Colin Cowherd (26:22)

Lamar. No, hold on, hold on, hold on.

Jay Mariotti (26:26)

You want a hint?

Colin Cowherd (26:28)

No, hold on. Not Steve Young. Not Michael Vick.

Jay Mariotti (26:33)

No siree Bob.

Colin Cowherd (26:35)

So not Lamar, not Michael, not Steve Young.

Jay Mariotti (26:37)

I like the guys you're Nick naming. They're really awesome quarterbacks. Okay, this guy must be spectacular.

Colin Cowherd (26:44)

Okay, so you have Cam one, Josh Allen two. Hold on, hold on, hold on. Give me a hint.

Jay Mariotti (26:54)

Rhymes with bush rush. That was bad.

Colin Cowherd (26:59)

Jalen hurts.

Jay Mariotti (27:00)

Colin, he's third. Jalen hurts already.

Colin Cowherd (27:03)

That doesn't. That doesn't shock.

Jay Mariotti (27:04)

He's got 61.

Colin Cowherd (27:05)

Well, the tush push.

Jay Mariotti (27:07)

Yeah, well, it's not only the tushbush. Basically the overarching theme here is, hey, man, it's a running quarterback era. You need your quarterback right now to be able to have wheels and be mobile. That's where we are. I know Brady wasn't mobile. You know, Steve Young was, obviously. But now your quarterback has to be dual threat. Josh Allen is elite, reigning mvp. And Jalen hurts obviously is on the come up.

Colin Cowherd (27:29)

You saw it with the Niners this weekend. When Purdy can move, it gives you about 25% more playbook. It just allows you to move the pocket, especially in the red zone where you can. I mean, that's. That's why you and I have said this, Bo. Nick should run more. Caleb should probably run less.

Jay Mariotti (27:46)

Bo Nix doesn't have Josh Allen's frame. Jalen hurts. Stocky.

Colin Cowherd (27:50)

Yes.

Jay Mariotti (27:50)

Josh Allen is thick. Bo Nix gets a hit and he could be down for the count. So, Colin, let me ask. Good question here. Best rushing quarterback of all time.

Colin Cowherd (28:02)

For an individual play. Lamar Jackson or Michael Vick? For one play. For one play.

Jay Mariotti (28:07)

Okay.

Colin Cowherd (28:07)

Yeah. I mean, if you just said I got to get 12 yards in a scramble, I think Lamar's first three years in the league, there was nothing like.

Jay Mariotti (28:13)

It because he's elusive.

Colin Cowherd (28:14)

Right? He's so fast. I would say for one yard, I'd take Jalen Hurts or Tom Brady. Yeah, Brady sneak and the tush push for 1 yard. I would take Brady or Hertz for one play to get a first down. I would take Lamar Jackson's first three years for one game.

Jay Mariotti (28:30)

You might take Josh Allen because he.

Colin Cowherd (28:32)

Can take more hits.

Jay Mariotti (28:33)

Unbreakable. Yeah. All right, next story. Colin, we got to go back to the Eagles here. Nick Sirianni was forced to address all the reports about Jalen Hurts, you know, being Carson Wentz 2.0. I think it's nonsense. Some Philadelphia Eagles players on social media historically have gone after the reporter who's claiming this. But anyways, here's Sirianni getting asked about the Eagles possibly moving off Jalen Hurts.

Colin Cowherd (28:59)

What are you doing to win? Help your team win football games and shoot. Find a way to help us win. I love his, you know, attention to detail, and I love his leadership, and I love his, you know, just his mindset of I'm going to do everything I can do to win this game. Sometimes that means handing it off. Sometimes that means me running it, you know, and sometimes that means me throwing it where I need to throw it. And he does a great job of leading this football team. Yeah, I mean, it's. I always feel like a quarterback. Like, for instance, if I was paying $60 million a year for Jalen Hurts, I'd be looking to move him. But what I pay Baker and say, hold on, why? Because he's not Josh Allen. And nobody in the world, including Greg Cosell, who watches every piece of film, thinks he's an elite. I mean, literally, he has Devontae Smith and A.J. brown, and nobody's really happy at wide receiver. So I'll pay four or five guys in this league, whatever the market. Bears a lot of guys in this. I mean, it's an interesting thing with Joe Burrow. Now, Joe Burrow is not available about every other year. What do I pay Joe Burrow? Okay, I mean, seriously, that. Now, is Joe Burrow a better thrower the ball than Jalen Hurts? Absolutely. But Hertz is available. Hertz is always there on Sunday. So, I mean, all of this stuff, there's about five guys that are always available and almost always great and can overcome, but I think Hertz falls into that. What's the number? Well, what is the number? If it's fairly reasonable, like Brock Purdy, the number's reasonable. If it was 22 million more a year, I'd move Brock Purdy. So everybody's got a number every. They always say everybody's got a price every Quarterback has a number, and there's about four guys on the earth. I don't care what they make, whatever it takes to get them in the locker room on Sunday, I'm for that number.

Jay Mariotti (30:54)

So, again, let's say this report is true. I'm. I don't believe it to be true. I don't think there's major problems with hurts. What if A.J. brown, this offseason, goes to the Eagles and says, hey, guys, I love you? I can't play with this quarterback. Trade me or trade him.

Colin Cowherd (31:09)

No, trade you. Trade the receiver.

Jay Mariotti (31:10)

Okay, thank you. Now let me take it a next step. Sirianni and Hertz have butted heads, reportedly in the past. What if Nick Sirianni does that?

Colin Cowherd (31:18)

Colin.

Jay Mariotti (31:19)

Hey, Howie. I need my own quarterback. I'm sorry. I want out. If you don't get me a new quarterback, then what do you do if you're the Eagles?

Colin Cowherd (31:26)

Well, it's not a good quarterback class, so I'd probably keep the quarterback. I can find Nick Sirianni. I can't find another starting quarterback that wins. 22 at 25 starts right out of college.

Jay Mariotti (31:36)

Yes, but you could play. Make a play for Mac Jones. You could go Kyler Murray. There's other guys out there.

Colin Cowherd (31:41)

Yeah, I'm just saying, like, yeah, those. Those guys come with limitations and baggage. Jalen Hurts has. Jalen Hurts is not a great pocket passer, but he's a lot of things I like. Tough, strong, available, durable, smart, good with a microphone team guy throws a pretty deep ball. I don't want to pay him Josh money, but he's a really good professional football player.

Jay Mariotti (32:02)

You like him, he. And you, like, wins. He's 27.

Colin Cowherd (32:04)

3. Yeah, and he wins close. And he wins on the road. And he beats good team. Philly beats good teams. There's no fraud in Philly. They may. They may be flawed. They're not a fraud.

Jay Mariotti (32:16)

Final story is the Minnesota Vikings and JJ McCarthy did not have a great game against the Bears. That was my one. One of my misses over the weekend. I. I thought McCarthy would play well here. He did not. Well, Kevin OConnell was asked about his starting quarterback. And I don't know. This doesn't sound great if you're JJ McCarthy.

Colin Cowherd (32:35)

We're all just looking for continued, you know, evidence of the growth that he can take some of the things he's working very hard on the practice field to make, you know, as the phrase I've been using with him. We gotta. We gotta start seeing this cement dry on some of the things that We've really worked hard to make football habits for him. From a fundamentals and technique standpoint. I would equate it to swinging a golf club and sometimes you swing it with your left foot on the ground, sometimes you don't. Sometimes you, you know, widen your stance. Really, you're never going to hit that golf ball the same way. And playing quarterback is about the variables that you can control. Listen, this points to how difficult finding a franchise quarterback is. I mean, privately, everybody I talked to in the NFL, like Drake May, I don't think anybody thought early year two, he'd be the most accurate quarterback and a great road quarterback. It's really hard. I mean, this guy played in the NFL. Kevin O', Connell, super smart. A lot of people like J.J. mcCarthy out of college. I didn't work for me, but I've been wrong before on guys. So it just points the Vikings raft, well, they're smart, they've got good offensive people, good eyes in the building. It's hard. It is hard. I always said if Mahomes ended up in Minnesota, not Kansas City, would that mean, I mean, Kansas City and Minnesota, my entire life have been well run organizations. The difference is Mahomes. That's the difference in organization. They both had good coaches, they both had stable ownership. They both had good drafting and good front offices. They both won playoff games, they both get to the playoffs. They're both respectable organizations. The difference is Mahomes. Put it on the Vikings. They would be a notch above historically Kansas City.

Jay Mariotti (34:23)

So I'm looking at the Vikings schedule. I think we would agree they're probably cooked this year, especially given the NFC Green Bay this weekend, then Seattle, they'll beat Washington. Dallas is no layup. You see Detroit and Green Bay there. They're not getting in the playoffs. Okay, so what do you do? Is this like a. Basically, hey, J.J. we need to see some stuff or we're going to be drafting the kid from Baylor, Sawyer Robertson in the fourth round this year. Like are we doing that? Are we already there with McCarthy after five games? We need to see a big, big leap.

Colin Cowherd (34:51)

No, I'd let him play the next seven games. Sit down as an organization and you know, I think Mac Jones, Mac Jones is in play, but I have no interest sitting J.J. mcCarthy. I want seven. I want to see the next seven games because he plays Green Bay's defense and the Seahawks defense.

Jay Mariotti (35:11)

Green Bay twice.

Colin Cowherd (35:12)

Yeah. So those are. Three of the games are against elite defenses. What if he split with Green Bay? What if he played great this weekend at Lambeau okay, so I am. I am where Minnesota is. We're probably not a Super bowl team. Let it play out. Give me every snap. It's not like Chicago last year where it was dysfunctional. This is highly functional. Right? The Bears today are functional. Last year they were dysfunctional. That hurt the young quarterback. Yeah. What's troubling is the Vikings are well coached, well run, well coordinated, well stocked, good tool belt. And it's not working. So you just play it out for seven games and then everybody can go to a room privately. They don't have to talk to the press and make a decision, raise their hands, thumb up, thumb down. No reason to sit him now. None at all. Totally agree. Jay Mack on the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by the herd lie news. So listen, I don't know about you guys, but I was watching a little Monday Night Raw wwe, not just the Cowboy Raider game. And did you guys see Cam Scatter with that thing? Apparently, a lot of Giant fans didn't like it, so we went and got the videotape. They didn't like him, you know, off a surgery, screwing around, horseplay at wwe. So I looked at the footage, and two things jumped out to me on the Cam Scatter Boo footage. Number one is, isn't it odd how one security guard is holding back five large men and there appear to be 84 punches thrown and none of them land? It's almost as if this is scripted. So I don't want my players who are young and Abdul Carter was there and a couple of giants were there, so it felt like team bonding for me. And I know a lot of you are getting. You're freaked out over this, but basically WWE is dancing with the stars, but more choreographed. Call it Dancing with some scars is what WWE is. So I don't have a problem with this. I don't need Scatter Boo to be home and miserable. That appears to be comedian podcaster Andrew Schultz. So that leads me to believe this is scripted. I don't think he would go and fight large men in tights. That's just how I view the world. So I don't. I don't make much of it. I've been to a couple of WWE events. They are fun. My son's not a wrestling fan. I've never seen him laugh more than when I took him to WWE and had great seats. I was sitting right in front of Bill Simmons. I had better seats than Simmons, of course. But the point is, I think we're all going to be okay with this. I don't want you guys freaking out. From the video it looks I mean either that or that one security guard holding back five grown men is if I ever need one, I'm hiring that guy because he does yeoman's work here. Really impressive. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific.

Sophie Cunningham (38:14)

This is Sophie Cunningham from Show Me Something. Do you know the symptoms of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA in adults with obesity? They may be happening to you without you knowing. If anyone has ever said you snored loudly, or if you spend your days fighting off excessive tiredness, irritability and concentration issues, it may be due to osa. OSA is a serious condition where your airway partially or completely collapses during sleep, which may cause breathing interruptions and oxygen deprivation. Learn more at don'tsleep on OSA.com this information is provided by Lilly, a medicine company.

Podcast Advertiser/Host (38:53)

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Colin Cowherd (39:52)

Disclosures in sports and in life, timing is everything. You can have the right talent, the right mindset, even the right team. But if you don't act at the right moment, the opportunity slips away. That's true on the field, and it's true when it comes to your health. If you or someone you care about is facing metastatic prostate cancer, there's a treatment called pluvicto lutetium LU177 vapivotide tetraxitan. It's not chemotherapy. It works differently by targeting PSMA positive cells, including prostate cancer cells. Pluvicto is a prescription treatment used to treat adults with prostate specific membrane antigen positive metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer or PSMA positive MCRPC who have already been treated with hormone therapy and are considered appropriate to delay chemotherapy. Pluvicto involves contact with radioactivity, which may increase the risk for cancer and cause fetal harm. Patients are advised to drink plenty of fluids, urinate often, use contraception and talk to their doctor about how to reduce the risk of exposing others to radiation during and after treatment. It can also cause low levels of blood cell counts, kidney problems and infertility. If you experience weakness, pale skin, shortness of breath, bleeding or bruising more easily, an infection or changes in urination, talk to your doctor. Side effects include decreased blood cell counts, tiredness, dry mouth, nausea, appetite loss, joint or back pain and constipation. Here's the bottom line. This isn't just about treatment. It's about making the most of the time. You have time to be with the people who matter. Time to keep showing up for the moments that count. So if you or someone you love is in this fight, ask your doctor about Pluvicto. Because in sports and in life, the best players don't just react. They anticipate. They prepare. They act. Visit pluvicto.com to learn more. That's P L U V I c t o.com Thursday Night Football is on, and it's only on Prime Video. This week, the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans collide in an AFC showdown. Coverage begins at 7pm Eastern with Football's Best Party TNF tonight presented by Verizon. Not a Prime member, Not a problem. Simply sign up for a 30 day free trial. It's the Bills in the Texans Thursday at 7pm Eastern, only on Prime Video. Restrictions apply. See Amazon.com Amazon prime for details. I'm Robert Smith, this is Jacob Goldstein and we used to host a show called Planet Money. And now we're back making this new podcast called Business History about the best ideas and people and businesses in history and some of the worst people, horrible ideas and destructive companies in the history of business. Having a genius idea without a need for it is nothing. It's like not having it at all. It's a very simple, elegant lesson. Make something people want. First episode How Southwest Airlines used cheap seats and free whiskey to fight its way into the airline business. The most Texas story ever.

Jay Mariotti (42:50)

There's a lot of mavericks in that story. We're going to have Mavericks on the show. We're going to have plenty of robber barons.

Colin Cowherd (42:54)

So many robber barons. And you know what? They're not all bad. And we'll talk about some of the classic great moments of famous business geniuses, along with some of the darker moments that often get overlooked, like Thomas Edison.

Jay Mariotti (43:05)

And the electric chair.

Colin Cowherd (43:07)

Listen to business history on the iHeartRadio.

Podcast Advertiser/Host (43:09)

App, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Colin Cowherd (43:15)

I'm watching some Lakers and I'm, I'm, you know, I'm watching some Bulls and I'm watching some Celtics and a warrior. Steph's great warriors aren't. Luka had 37 last night for the Lakers and he's just an, an unbelievable offensive player. Best offensive player on the planet. So Adam Silver and I've, and I've defended Adam Silver. When David Stern took over the NBA, the NBA was broken. There was a cocaine rumors, bankrupt teams, awful owners. It was awful. So David Stern wanted to put the name on the back of the jersey, you know, Jordans. He wanted to put it on the front. He wanted to sell the individual, he wanted the shoe companies involved. It was the right thing to do at the right time. And with that you had dynasties formed. Big markets did very well. Lakers and Boston and Chicago and Detroit. Big markets did very well. Adam Silver took over for David Stern and it was a different league. There was some resentment that the league was too top heavy. So I, I will defend Adam Silver on this. He has created the new cba. All these second and third. Third aprons. It. You can't. Owners are not willing to pay $100 million annually in taxes. And so seven years, seven champions. There's a lot of uncertainty going into the playoffs. Nobody's really sure, but I thought this morning as I was watching the Lakers last night, here are the six things that are not debatable. Everything else in the NBA is debatable right now, except these six things. Number one is the best play player is still Nicola Jokic. The joker for Denver is a scoring, passing, rebounding machine. I've never seen a big guy with this many skills. He's averaging 29, 13 and 11. And the only guy in the league to do it. He was the only guy last year to go 27, 12 and 9. He is on any given night, the best shooter from the perimeter, the best shooter mid range, the best low post player. And when he wants to play defense, he's not bad. Best player in the league is the Joker. It is not debatable. Second thing, the best pure score, Skinny Luca. Luca. First three years Skinny and Luca, now you can't stop him. I mean, he's six, seven and a half long all knees and elbows. He gets whatever he wants, whenever he wants. He's as good a shooter as Larry Bird, but quicker. There's just no weakness. He's actually, when he wants to be a good passer, but he shouldn't pass much because he's that good. He's just, you know, I said he's like Dirk Nowitzki, but stronger and quicker. Larry Bird, but quicker. He is the best offensive pure player on the planet. Luka number three is. Let's not even deny it. They're not even healthy now. OKC is the best team, folks. They're 8, 82 and 15 since the start of last season. Last year they won by an average of 13 points. They're deep, they're big. Hartenstein, Chadholm. They have physicality, they have an elite score. They've got a great number two. They're well coached. They have the Howie Roseman of GMs. OKC is the best team. The plate, number four. If you asked every GM next 10 years, who's the player you build around? It would be Wemby. Not the Joker Wemby. Every year his stats are getting better. Scoring, rebounding, shooting, efficiency. He is already the best shot blocker since the NBA started tracking it in the early 70s. 73, 74, the best shot blocker ever. Better offensively, I mean, there's no doubt. I'm not sure outside of LeBron and, and maybe Michael Jordan in my life, MJ, LeBron and WEMBY. If you asked every GM when all three of those players were like 25, 24, who would you build around? It's unanimous and I love the Joker. Number five is. And it's not close. The Western Conference is. It's not even the same sport. It's so much better than the Eastern Conference. Six of the last nine champs are from the West. The top three MVP favorites now from the west. Seven of the top ten MVP favorites are from the West. Offensively, it's a different conference than the East. Now again, if Tatum and Halliburton were around, it would be at least not quite as lopsided. But right now the west feels like the sec. About six years ago there wasn't even an argument. I mean, now they may be the best Big Ten's pretty good. Six years ago there was no argument. That's the west in the east now. And number six is. Steph Curry remains the best long distance shooter in the league. Even Luka, as great as he is, can't compare to Steph. Leads the NBA in threes, made this season, in fact, old Steph in the last five years has made 1621 threes. Number two has made 350 fewer. There is no question, there has never been a shooter this good from this distance. So everything else in the NBA to me is absolutely debatable. Except these six things. Jokic, the best player. Luca, the best. Pure score. Thunder, the best team. Wemby's. Who'd you build around for the next five to 10 years? The west is much better than the East. And when it comes to shooting threes, there's one guy in the league I want taking that final shot, and that is Steph. I thought this was interesting. I was J. Mac, do you have any thoughts on.

Jay Mariotti (49:02)

Well, real quick, Colin, look at. Look on the screen. All I see is Western Conference players. Indeed. What, is the east that bad? Well, I saw the Pacers. I just had to look up the standings. The Pacers are 1 in 13.

Colin Cowherd (49:14)

Yes, that. For those who question Halliburton's value.

Jay Mariotti (49:19)

Gosh.

Colin Cowherd (49:19)

I mean, Miles Turner left, but they traded.

Podcast Advertiser/Host (49:21)

Yeah.

Jay Mariotti (49:21)

Or they lost Turner.

Colin Cowherd (49:22)

So if anybody out there that doesn't get Halliburton, you don't get basketball. They're.

Jay Mariotti (49:28)

Knicks just aren't as interesting yet. Maybe. I mean, if they trade Carl Anthony Towns Giannis to the Knicks would be great for the league.

Colin Cowherd (49:36)

That's.

Jay Mariotti (49:36)

That's a little sad for the East.

Colin Cowherd (49:37)

Yeah. So I was watching. Yeah, I. I don't. I just keep my eye on what people are watching. I've always said you, the audience, the consumer, sort of drive this show. I pick you. You largely have a say in what we talk about. And I. I watch ratings. Baseball. The last two years, I've spent a ton of time on baseball. Why? The numbers have popped. The National League, the Phillies, the Mets, the Padres, the Dodgers, the Cubs, even the upstart Brewers. It's. It's interesting. I went a long time not talking a lot of college football because I thought it got very regional. It became Georgia Bama and Clemson, and that's just one tiny subset of the country. Right. So. But college football, now everybody was terrified. Transfer portal, nil. Playoff gonna ruin the college football season. Have you looked at the numbers? Both Networks, Fox and ESPN, both. The pregame shows up 20 some percent. And I. And I think, well, there's two things I can promise you. AI and college football. They're both going to grow. I know a lot of people don't like changes, but AI will broaden the economy, it won't wreck it. And college football, with the Playoff, the nil. The transfer portal. The ratings are incredible. It's popped. And I find myself, I mean, this weekend's a great example. I get Oregon and USC, so I get some old school Pac 12 football. But I thought it was great watching Iowa, USC last weekend and Oregon, Iowa the year before. And so I still get the old school Pac 12 that I love. I can still get Texas playing an old foe. But I don't know how anybody can argue college football now. There's just more big games. And to me, college football always had one or two primary issues. Number one was a big game shortage. And number two was if you lost a second game by mid October, your season was over. You're playing in the Alamo bowl now Notre Dame's got two losses. I think they're going to make the playoffs. Miami had big wins early. They may not. USC beats Oregon. They're probably going to make it. So I. And there was this fear that the little guy was just going to get suffocated by all the money of the nil. Well, it just so happens Ole Miss has a lot of money and Lane Kiffin is going to make the playoff. And Indiana apparently has enough money to pay for a star quarterback and a great head coaching guy. I look at college football right now. I remember when I moved off college football because I could look at the preseason rankings and it was like I knew Alabama, Georgia and Clemson, if Clemson had an elite quarterback, were going to be around at the end of the year. I feel like after Ohio State, anybody could be anybody in this college football bracket. I mean, big noon Saturday up 15%. More people are interested, more big games. And you know, I'm, I'm a West coast guy. I did not need to see California play Oregon State one more time in my life. I just, and I'm, I'm. I was a West coast loyalist. I just didn't need to see it. I've loved it. I think it's been fun. I think the west coast teams have helped Big Ten recruiting. I think the Pack 12 has made the Big Ten better at quarterback, a little bit smarter offensively, a little more clever. And I think the tradition of the Big Ten has helped the Pac12. It's forced USC to get bigger and go after more linemen, which they need to do without the Big Ten five years ago. So it just, you know, everybody's terrified of AI. College football is not going to be the same. I'm looking at the numbers. I find myself watching and enjoying more big games than my entire life. It's good football. Joel Klatz around the corner and if the playoffs started today and most of the teams in now are going to remain in, I'm going to go all the way through the playoffs today and who's going to win the Super Bowl? Pretty interesting matchups and thoughts next.

Sophie Cunningham (53:59)

This is Sophie Cunningham from Show Me Something. Do you know the symptoms of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, or osa, in adults with obesity? They may be happening to you without you knowing. If anyone has ever said you snored loudly, or if you spend your days fighting off excessive tiredness, irritability and concentration issues, it may be due to osa. OSA is a serious condition where your airway partially or completely collapses during sleep, which may cause breathing interruptions and oxygen deprivation. Learn more at don'tsleep on OSA.com this information is provided by Lilly, A Medicine company.

Colin Cowherd (54:37)

Ah, greetings from my bath festive friends. The holidays are overwhelming, but I'm tackling this season with PayPal and making the most of my money getting 5% cash back when I pay in 4. No fees, no interest. I used it to get this portable spa with jets. Now the bubbles can cling to my sculpted but pruny body. Make the most of your money this holiday with PayPal. Save the offer in the app ends 12:31 see paypal.com promoter points can be redeemed for cash and more. Paying for subject to terms and approval. PayPal Inc. And MLS 910457 hey there, Dr. Jesse Mills here. I'm the director of the Men's Clinic at UCLA and I want to tell you about my new podcast called the Mailroom. And I'm Jordan, the show's producer. And like most guys, I haven't been.

Podcast Advertiser/Host (55:18)

To the doctor in way too long.

Colin Cowherd (55:19)

I'll be asking the questions we probably should be asking, but aren't. Every week we're breaking down the world of men's health, from testosterone and fitness.

Podcast Advertiser/Host (55:26)

To diets and fertility.

Colin Cowherd (55:28)

We'll talk science without the jargon and get your real answers to the stuff you actually wonder about. So check out the mailroom on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your favorite shows. On an all new episode of iHeartRadio's Las Culturistas, Emmy, Golden Globe and Tony Award winner Sarah Paul spills on red carpet hacks.

Jay Mariotti (55:48)

We saw these pictures and we were like, what is the story with this.

Colin Cowherd (55:50)

She gets real about the inspiration behind her roles. Oh no.

Jay Mariotti (55:54)

There is no end to how people will behave.

Colin Cowherd (55:56)

And she puts hosts Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang on notice. I don't think so, honey.

Jay Mariotti (56:00)

I feel very, very triggered by this.

Colin Cowherd (56:02)

Open your free iHeartRadio app, search Las Culturistas and listen to the full podcast now.

Jay Mariotti (56:09)

This is the story of the One As a custodial supervisor at a high.

Sophie Cunningham (56:13)

School, he knows that during cold and flu season, germs spread fast.

Jay Mariotti (56:17)

It's why he partners with Grainger to stay fully stocked on the products and.

Colin Cowherd (56:21)

Supplies he needs, from tissues to disinfectants.

Sophie Cunningham (56:24)

To floor scrubbers, all so that he.

Jay Mariotti (56:26)

Can help students, staff, and teachers stay healthy and focused.

Sophie Cunningham (56:30)

Call 1-800-granger.

Jay Mariotti (56:31)

Click granger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done.

Sophie Cunningham (56:39)

This is an iHeart podcast.