THE HERD - Hour 1 - Drama coming out of Philly, the Lakers could be a serious contender

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: THE HERD - Hour 1 - Drama coming out of Philly, the Lakers could be a serious contender
Date: April 1, 2026
Host: Colin Cowherd
With: J. Mac (Jason McIntyre)

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Episode Overview

This episode focuses on two major sports narratives:

1. Emerging drama with the Philadelphia Eagles, particularly surrounding quarterback Jalen Hurts
2. The Lakers’ late-season surge and their prospects as NBA title contenders

Additional topics include a controversial MLB umpiring incident and candid discussions on trends in the NBA and MLB regarding player greatness, modernity, and nostalgia. The overall tone is candid, energetic, and heavy on opinion, with Colin Cowherd’s signature blend of humor, skepticism, and “windshield” — not “rearview mirror” — perspective.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Philadelphia Eagles Drama: Jalen Hurts Under Fire

• Sources & Rumors Become Reality ([01:21]-[06:19])

  • Colin reports that issues he’d flagged months ago are now confirmed by reputable sources like ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler:
    • Jalen Hurts is “tough to coach, not well-liked, stubborn.”
    • GM Howie Roseman is very aware of these issues.
  • Hurts reportedly resists scheme changes (“pushes back on coming under center”), changes play calls excessively, and is reluctant to “let it rip” against zone coverage.
  • Comparison to Russell Wilson’s final years in Seattle: The QB gets credit, others get blamed in losses.
  • Despite a talent-stacked offense, Eagles performed poorly last season (below the Saints in several offensive categories).

• The Blame Game and Protecting Reputations

  • “Truth comes out when people think their jobs are in trouble... That’s the way the game works.” (Cowherd, [03:45])
  • Coordinators and assistants, in particular, have motivation to speak out when scapegoated.
  • Derek Gunn (local reporter) confirmed that Hurts runs “his own game,” disrupting the timing and rhythm preferred by coaches.

• Organizational Implications

  • Eagles are historically aggressive about moving off QBs or head coaches, even after success.
  • The ongoing controversy may push big changes if performance doesn’t match expectations this year.

• Notable Quote:

  "It’s starting to feel very Russell Wilson in Seattle, where the quarterback who has critics is getting all the credit and the roster’s stacked... When they infrequently lose, the roster gets the blame, the quarterback doesn’t."
  — Colin Cowherd ([02:43])

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2. Lakers: NBA Title Contenders or Just a Great Story?

• Lakers’ Winning March & Playoff Matchups ([07:08]-[14:47])

  • Lakers went 15-2 in March, "clobbering" Cleveland in their most recent win.
  • Key to playoff success: matchups. Lakers would prefer to face the Houston Rockets (weak guard scoring/clutch play) rather than the Minnesota Timberwolves (whose strengths expose Lakers’ defensive weaknesses).
  • Lakers are “lopsided”: elite in half-court offense, clutch shooting, ball handling (LeBron, Austin Reaves, Luca), but known defensive issues remain.

• NBA Analysis and J.J. Redick's Take

  • Health and consistent roles have settled the Lakers’ rotation.
  • "Great styles make great fights" — the Lakers’ strengths align perfectly with Houston’s weaknesses, but Minnesota could expose LA’s flaws.

• Playoff Implications

  • The next 10 days are critical; who the Lakers draw will determine if this late-season run is “pure and truthful” or “fools’ gold.”

• Notable Quote:

  "The Lakers are a very unique offensive team... Masterful at getting into their offense late in possessions... Their strength is the Rockets’ weakness."
  — Colin Cowherd ([11:50])

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3. Jalen Hurts’ Future & Market Value

• J. Mac Responds to Hurts’ Situation ([15:24]-[16:19])
  • Acknowledges negative coverage but notes a “robust market” would exist for Hurts if he became available.
  • Lighthearted banter about Hurts’ advocates vs. skeptics.

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4. MLB’s Umpire Crisis & the Case for ABS

• CB Buckner’s Blunders Spotlight Human Error ([20:04]-[24:17])

  • Colin details a series of blown calls by MLB umpire CB Buckner.
  • Both managers laughed at a particularly egregious missed call in the Brewers game.
  • Data shows Buckner is consistently the worst-graded umpire over five years.
  • ABS (Automated Ball-Strike System) is praised as a necessary modernization.

• Notable Quote:

  "CB Buckner cannot be a major league umpire. If players can be demoted and managers fired, why can’t an umpire?"
  — Colin Cowherd ([22:25])

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5. NBA & NFL Quick Hits

• Knicks’ Troubling Skid ([24:17]-[28:38])

  • Knicks lose third straight by double digits; Josh Hart calls out team’s lack of effort and discipline.
  • Discussion about whether Jalen Brunson has been “figured out” and how roster construction (e.g., adding Giannis) could change the equation.
  • Knicks need a defensive anchor to protect Brunson’s weaknesses.

• Chargers’ Off-Season Moves ([29:15]-[30:47])

  • Jim Harbaugh and OC Mike McDaniel seen as a dynamic, ego-free duo.
  • Harbaugh is now a “sponge,” eager to learn from McDaniel’s offensive innovations.

• Ravens OTAs & Lamar Jackson ([31:48]-[33:43])

  • New DC Jesse Minter is unsure if Lamar will show up for voluntary OTAs; J. Mac and Colin debate the importance of leadership optics and changing coaches.

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6. Concerns for US Soccer & Pulisic’s Slump

• Performance Worries ([34:17]-[39:10])
  • U.S. Men's National Team loses 8th straight to European competition; Christian Pulisic hasn’t scored since last calendar year.
  • Significant issues: lack of goals, coaching uncertainty, no clear #1 goalie.
  • Colin: “If he’s not scoring, we’re not good.”

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7. Shohei Ohtani: The Greatest Baseball Player Ever?

• Rant Against Nostalgic Sports Comparisons ([43:51]-[50:11])

  • Colin asserts Ohtani is “the greatest baseball player of all time — it’s not close,” and mocks comparisons to Babe Ruth:
    • Ohtani: 22 1/3 innings scoreless, 36 straight games reaching base.
  • Today's athletes are better; time to let go of baseball’s “childlike” romanticism.
  • Similar points made about the NBA — today’s skill level far outpaces past eras.
  • Light banter and agreement from J. Mac about historical NBA and MLB comparisons.

• Notable Quote:

  "We can officially bury the Babe Ruth mythology... Ohtani is the greatest baseball player by a long shot ever."
  — Colin Cowherd ([44:41])

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• "Truth always comes out. And I think this year, Philadelphia has always been hyper aggressive on moves with quarterbacks and coaches. And I think enough guys have gotten fired, coordinators have gotten run out. They're talking now."
  — Colin Cowherd ([05:41])

• "The Lakers are a lopsided team. Their strength is the Rockets' weakness. The T Wolves’ strength goes right at the Lakers’ weakness."
  — Colin Cowherd ([13:30])

• "If players can be demoted and managers fired, CB Buckner cannot be a major league umpire."
  — Colin Cowherd ([22:25])

• "Ohtani is the greatest baseball player of all time. It is not close. We can officially bury the Babe Ruth mythology."
  — Colin Cowherd ([44:41])

• "Everything gets better with time, guys. Literally."
  — J. Mac ([50:53])

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Key Timestamps

• Eagles/Hurts Drama Deep Dive: [01:21]-[07:08]
• Lakers, Playoff Picture, & Matchup Breakdown: [07:08]-[14:47]
• Hurts’ Market, Sourcing in Journalism: [15:24]-[16:19]
• MLB Umpire/ABS System Discussion: [20:04]-[24:17], [39:10]
• Knicks’ Struggles, Brunson, & Roster Talk: [24:17]-[28:38]
• Harbaugh/McDaniel Chargers Segment: [29:15]-[30:47]
• Ravens OTAs, Lamar Jackson: [31:48]-[33:43]
• USMNT & Pulisic’s Slump: [34:17]-[39:10]
• Ohtani, Athlete Modernity, & Sports Nostalgia: [43:51]-[50:11]

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Summary Flow

The episode opens with Eagles drama and the authenticity of emerging rumors, segues into practical NBA playoff predictions with a Lakers focus, pivots through timely MLB controversy, touches on struggles in New York basketball and US soccer, then closes with an emphatic case for Shohei Ohtani as the new benchmark for baseball greatness. Throughout, Colin challenges nostalgia in sports and champions the argument that today’s athletes are superior.

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Final Take

A classic Herd hour: hard-hitting sports analysis, smart banter on the risks of outdated narratives, and a readiness to call out institutions (whether NFL head office or MLB umpiring) for failing to meet the modern moment.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete Disclosures [e-mail] Do you want to find a stress free way to buy your next car? Start at CarMax and shop your way. If you want to browse with confidence, get pre qualified online with no impact on your credit score and shop cars within your budget. From luxury cars to family rides, CarMax has options for almost every price range, including more than 25,000 cars priced under $25,000. So hey, want to get started? Just head to CarMax.com for details and get pre qualified today. Want to drive CarMax? Thanks for listening to the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio and noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. Now let's get this party started. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Oh, stories breaking. We are live in Chicago. It is the Herd. Wherever you may be and wherever you may be watching or listening, thanks for making us part of your day. Nick Ryden, an hour Lakers on a heater I told you all summer in August, do you remember I said I have a source inside the building in Philadelphia that I trust implicitly. Someday if I write another book, I'll put in, I'll put in the source on this. It'll be a good laugh for all of us. And he said Jalen hurts tough to coach, not well liked, stubborn. And Howie Roseman is very aware of it. Well, what do you know, People are talking Jeremy Fowler, ESPN it's finally coming out. The truth always does, I think, largely because there are butts on the line going into the season, including the head coach, Nick Ceriani. According to Fowler and multiple sources quote Jalen has pushed back on changes that would diversify the scheme, including when it comes to him coming under center more. He's shown a reluctance to let it rip, particularly against zone coverage. He diverts from the game plan. He changes play calls to what many feel is an excessive degree. This is exactly what I was told. And when does the truth come out? When people think their jobs are in trouble, when people get replaced, when people are somewhere get blamed for something and they're out of town, they move to another job, then they'll talk. So and this is a reporter that I trust. So this is what I was told is that it's starting to feel very Russell Wilson in Seattle, where the quarterback who has critics is getting all the credit and the rosters stacked and when they do infrequently lose, the roster gets the blame and the quarterback doesn't if you go back two seasons, Saquon Barkley carried the team. The offensive line was stacked and the defensive line was setting records. But it was Jalen Hirsch getting the tush push, super bowl mvp. Even though we now know over the last two years off buys, the Eagles want to throw less. So Barkley didn't get enough love. The D line and O line were dominating. But who got 255 million? Who's getting the commercials? Who's getting the magazine covers? It feels very. Russell Wilson in Seattle and GM Howie Roseman very reluctant, if you notice, to trade A.J. brown. I've been saying this for two years. I don't get it. Now. I do. A.J. brown, the general manager's like, yeah, that's not the issue. So the truth comes out. We're going into a season where if Nick. I mean, last year he was coming off a Super bowl win. Nick Sariani's job was not in jeopardy. But in Philadelphia, they move off quarterbacks and they move off head coaches that win trophies, that get the Super Bowls. So this is really, really interesting. And the Eagles, despite a completely stacked offensive roster, were below the Saints last year offensively. Yards per game, 24th, three and outs. Next to last in the league. Punts tied for 27. You can't do that with that old line. A.J. brown, Saquon Barkley, Devonte Smith. I mean, what is it about this thing about Jalen Hurts where he's always being protected? Look at those numbers. That's worse than the Saints who are starting a rookie quarterback. And never forget. Remember Derek Gunn, the Eagle reporter in November, went on Seth Joyner, the former Eagles show? He was way ahead of this. A month later, excuse me, several months later, I started hearing things. Then in August, I really heard stuff. But here was. Here was, you know, in August, I heard it in November, I'll get my month straight. Here is Derek Gunn, the Eagles reporter on Hertz. Those things are dissected on film during practice. Those things are talked about among the quarterback coach, the offensive coordinator, the head coach. It has been constantly discussed all season long. Yet when they transition to the field on a football game, he plays his game, not the game the coaches want him to play. When you look at a lot of quarterbacks, they're gonna sling it, they're gonna try to throw it through an eye of a needle. Sometimes you just have to take that chance. That's not his game. That's why he stands back there. A lot of times he's patting the ball, patting the ball, and it throws the timing of the offense off, the rhythm is thrown off. I don't think at this point they can, they can't get him out of. There you go. That's Derek Gunn. That's the article. So it really does have a Russell Wilson, Seattle feel where you've got a very talented guy who probably a better runner than a sit in the pocket guy and getting a lot of credit, getting commercials, getting the big contract, getting the love. And when they lose, it's not really his fault. Truth always comes out. And I think this year Philadelphia has always been hyper aggressive on moves with quarterbacks and coaches. And I, I think enough guys have gotten fired, coordinators have gotten run out. They're talking now. And never forget this. In pro sports, there's so much money, people protect themselves and their reputations. And when they get let go as a coordinator and they get all the blame, they start talking. That's the way the game works. Okay, so the Lakers won last night, clobber Cleveland 15 and two in March. And I know with J. Mack and I talked about this, first of all, it does seem like the Lakers play almost all their games at home. But I don't want to get into that only NBA team that played, you know, like 74 games at home and six on the road. Whatever, I'm not going to get into that. But they won again. They're red hot in March. So let's look at the Western Conference standings before we look at the highlights. The Western Conference standings, okc, Spurs, Lakers, Denver, Minnesota, Houston, Suns, Clippers, and you know, also Rans. Okay, here's, here's the key on this thing. Look at the T Wolves at 5 and the Rockets at 6, both 46 and 29. You do know who the Lakers want to play because the best matchup of any of these teams and you can go all the way down to the Warriors. Maybe the best matchup for the Lakers are the Rockets because the Rockets don't have a legitimate scoring threat at guard. Amen. Thompson's great, but he's not a refined offensive player. So that means Luca and Austin Reeves will not be attacked in the series. Which leaves Luca and Austin Reeves to spend their energy on the offensive end. You do not want to play Minnesota who clobbered the Lakers last year. Now LA's played them better this year, but a couple of the wins are in October. So Houston is the perfect team for the Lakers to play. And you saw it, you know, last night. The Lakers do a remarkable job to get into their offense. Why? Because LeBron Austin and Luca can all do it equally equally well. They're all great ball handlers. They're all play initiators. They're all good at creating foul shot opportunities. Lakers are half court offense as good as anybody in the league at getting into their offense and scoring clutch points. They've got like three point guards, all different dimensions. LeBron size, Austin Reeves grittiness and Lucas brilliance, especially in scoring. So the Lakers are a very unique offensive team. It's well documented their defensive issues. Houston has no true point guard. They're terrible in clutch situations. Third worst in the league. They're. They're third worst in the league in one possession games. I think the Lakers may be the best team in the league in one possession games. Lakers are great in clutch scoring. Rockets are not good in clutch scoring. That's all about who's got the ball, who's your quarterback. The Lakers have three, the Rockets have none. So Houston's a perfect matchup for the Lakers because clutch scoring matters in the playoffs. Getting into your offense late in possessions is key to the offense. Lakers are masterful at it. Meanwhile, the T Wolves are not a good matchup despite the Lakers having won the season series this year because ant forces Luka and Austin Reaves to spend so much of their energy on the defensive end in that series. Plus I think they have the better head coach in Chris Finch. So. So last night's fine March is amazing. My take is this 15 and 2 in March. If they play the Rockets that 15 and 2 is going to feel pure and truthful. But if they play Minnesota that 15 and 2 in March could feel like fools go like well what did I watch? What you're watching is a Laker team that is lopsided. Brilliant in a half court offense, majestic and clutch shooting. Maybe the best team in the league. Three pronged at initiating foul opportunities. Good looks, ball rotation. I mean they are just a lopsided team. Their strength is the Rockets weakness. The T Wolves strength goes right at the Lakers weakness. Stopping great guard scoring. Sga. Sga. Thank God the Lakers have Luka because if they had to guard him they'd be in big trouble. Here's JJ Redick on the win and March. It was a confluence of things starting with health. I think it's much easier when you have a consistent stretch of health to sort of not, not buy, not even buy in but settle in to roles and minutes and rotations. We never found that throughout the season. You know we, we've. This happens all the time. Great styles make great fights. Is a term that's often used in boxing. But when you have a team that is gifted in one area and incredibly lacking in another, the Lakers, who they play in that first round, that this last 10 days of the NBA season are going to be fascinating. They are a perfect matchup to beat the Rockets, yet the T Wolves could give them huge, huge problems. All right, J. Mac, I know you have for years been a Jalen Hurts advocate, devoted Jalen Hurts fan. What do you make of the story that is coming out? I talked about it in August, November, Derek Gunn. Now here we are in March, where again, when multiple coordinators take the hit for Jalen Hurts. And I'm not in any way saying they're a source, but you know how the game works. I remember years ago, I, I, I broke a story in Portland about Bob Whitsit being let go. The gm and the way I broke it was a former Blazer employee that Wits had fired. Right. Like that's the way to break stories. So whenever you see a team making multiple changes in multiple years, if you want to, if you wanna find a source, go talk to people who are gonna protect their, I mean, these are great jobs. They're seven figure jobs. They're gonna protect their reputation, they're going to protect their career. And there's been a lot of movement in Philadelphia and people are obviously talking to Jeremy Fowler.

[J. Mac]

Yeah, clearly it's not a great story, Colin. Doesn't look amazing for Jalen Hurts. It is interesting. This is the second quarterback we've seen in the last four months who a lot of negative stuff has come out about. Remember the Lamar Jackson story in the Baltimore Sun?

[Colin Cowherd]

Next thing you know, local reporters, maybe

[J. Mac]

it wasn't her son, but ended up Harbaugh gets fired. We'll see what happens. I, I'm a, I'm a Jalen Hurts truther. And, and I got you all hot and bothered before the show when I said there would be a robust market for Jalen Hurts should the Eagles want to move off of him. I just jotted down 13 teams who could be interested at the end of this season.

[Colin Cowherd]

But you can't, you can't count UFL teams. And I know you included seven teams in that league. Wow.

[J. Mac]

Wow. You are anti herz, anti purdy. I do like this little, little game we got going on. I like the underdog. You like the elites. Yeah. You love the favorites. The big guys.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Okay. Okay. So new technology is cool and it can be scary. People are talking about job displacement with AI this ABS system in baseball on several fronts. Is utterly fascinating. And last night, another regrettable moment by a singular umpire that is next in the Herd. 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, it's me, Rob Parker. Check out my weekly MLB podcast, Inside the Parker for 22 minutes of piping hot baseball talk featuring the biggest names and newsmakers in the street.

[J. Mac]

Whether you believe in analytics or the eye test, we've got all the bases covered. New episodes drop every Thursday, so do

[Colin Cowherd]

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[J. Mac]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Well, I almost feel bad for our radio audience for the next couple of minutes because you almost have to see this to believe it. New technology is both cool and scary. It creates new efficiencies. It's speeds up our life and it's scary. There's job displacement. So baseball creates the ABS system. I think it's great. Most people do. One umpire in particular has been exposed. CB Buckner. He had a terrible weekend in the Reds Red Sox series multiple times. He got corrected. It's bad and I don't mean to pick on him, but he butchered a call so badly last night in the brewers game and you will see this that both managers started laughing. And you know, managers don't laugh much, especially when their team gets screwed. Let's play what happened in Milwaukee last night. It is hard to unsee. Just watch Bowers. Oh, in and out of the glove of Williamson. Throws the first. It's wide. It's backed up by Fortes. That should be a base hit for Bowers. Runner did not touch first base and then was put out. So the call from CB Buckner is that Jake Bowers missed first base and then was tagged out. Not that he made a move to second base right and was tagged out. That he flat out missed the bag. And I think that is the horrendous goal. Where is CB Buckner looking?

[J. Mac]

He's not even looking at it.

[Colin Cowherd]

Why would he even say that?

[J. Mac]

CB Buckner was not even looking at the play.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm not sure what CB Buckner is looking at there. That's ridiculous. Well, I'm really excited for him to have the plate tomorrow. Everybody laughing at that call. I've never seen anything like that in my life. Here is. Here is Jake Bowers should be furious. Here he is after the game. You guys are trying to get me in trouble, man. I. I don't know. I don't. I don't know what happens. Just thankful. Thankful to get on base, okay, that I'm not trying to pick on him, but that professional sports is the best of the best. If players can be demoted and managers fired, CB Buckner cannot be a major league umpire. By the way, there's an online database that every day in the baseball season grades umpires. In the last five years, CB Buckner has been the worst in the sport. It's not fair to the players, it's not fair to the managers, it's not fair to the fans. And by the way, that database no longer just lives on the World Wide Web. Some obscure domain. It's all of us, every night are seeing it. National television, regional television. It's not personal. But listen, people age quickly. People get out of step. People are inefficient. But this weekend, CB Buckner had 26 missed calls. Six because of the ABS system, thank God, were overturned. That's still 20 missed calls in Saturday's game, not the weekend series. In Saturday's game. You know what? There's got to be. I mean, listen. Some jobs go away. I mean, AI reportedly, the Houston Astros are thinking of replacing the guy who bangs the garbage cans. AI is going to eliminate that job. So, I mean, some jobs just go away. But this is just. This is when the managers and the players are laughing like, that's, that's sad. Let's make a move. Baseball. J. Mac with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news.

[J. Mac]

Yeah, any, anytime. You know the names like readily know the names of officials and referees. Not great, Colin. Not great in any sport. All right, let's start with the NBA. Also not great. My Nick, Colin. They lost to the Rockets. Last night. Third straight loss. It wasn't particularly close. Something's going on. I was hoping this was just like a late season funk that they're in, but there could be bigger issues. They were down 14 to 1 from the jump.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[J. Mac]

Got back in the game, but then, you know, it wasn't close to the end. Here's Josh Hart calling out the team afterward. I just think we're not.

[Colin Cowherd]

We're not going in the right direction. We're not training upwards, you know, so

[J. Mac]

we got to figure it out. You know, it was three tough ones.

[Colin Cowherd]

We got another one tomorrow. You know, that's a must win for us. That effort, the attention to detail, the discipline was Was pretty embarrassing. So we gotta figure it out, make

[J. Mac]

sure we're all locked in, you know,

[Colin Cowherd]

mentally, to getting to where we want to go. Listen, they're not J. Mac, I think you're onto something. They're not just losing. They've lost three straight by double figures. And for Josh Hart, who's a smart kid, you know, he. Josh is not a guy that's going to pull punches. He is a. You know, this team's got some really. This is a high IQ team. You got Villanova guys everywhere. You got a veteran coach. For Josh Hart to come out and say that there is something wrong on the plane, in the room, camaraderie, chemistry. There is something, right. The Knicks have too much talent to be getting hammered like this.

[J. Mac]

So the easy guy to knock here is Karl Anthony Towns. He doesn't fit. And then there's the Giannis stuff. I do want to go a place. I don't think. Alex, you think I'll go. I love Jalen Brunson. I'm a huge fan of Jalen Brunson. He was extraordinary last year. Colin. Yeah, his numbers are a bit down this year. And. And you watch the way people are defending him. He's not cooking everyone like he was last year. Last year he was dominant. I don't know. I'm not saying the book is out on hurt on Brunson and how to slow him down, but it does feel like, hey, we don't care about the other guys. Go get yours. We're not letting Brunson beat us. And you know, that whole knock, he's a small guard, and sometimes small guards can't win championships. I just wonder. They're not going to move off him. He's not the problem, but it feels like he was their best thing going well and he's been shut down now.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, he's still great. Let's.

[J. Mac]

He's still great.

[Colin Cowherd]

Let's say this. Would you and I both agree that because of his size and he is incredibly ball centric, that he will age quickly? That he will. And you can attack him. So teams attack him. He needs the ball. And that has always been a problem in this league with high usage rate. You know, the last person to be a top high usage rate guy and win a title was MJ. He was number one in usage rate. It was like late 80s or something. What was it? What year was it? Not 91. 98. My bad.

[J. Mac]

98.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Jordan. 98. So my take here is that this is why the roster needs some reconstruction. This is why by the way, if Jalen Brunson had Giannis behind him. Well, so what if you pick on him. If you pick on him now, you get exposed. If you. If you pick on Jalen Brunson now, you will be productive on the offensive end because they don't have a defensive stopper, because they need Carl Anthony out there for most of the game because he's their second score. Right. But if you had Giannis behind him, so what? Go ahead and cook Jalen Brunson. They got a rim protector. Teams would attack the Knicks differently. So he gets attacked in the pick and roll. He gets attacked. Now you're going to play the Knicks differently if Giannis was on the court. That's why I think Giannis fits here. Brunson, you got about. Could I argue, you got three great years of Brunson left based on his style. Two or three really good years. That's what Giannis has.

[J. Mac]

It's a tough one. Listen, I think the Knicks are going to be fine. I'm not selling them. I do believe. Yes. I mean, I picked them to go to the finals before the season. I think it's still possible. I just don't know that. I don't know what's going on here, Kyle. Now, they've. They have played three playoff teams.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[J. Mac]

And they've lost them all. But you see a team like the Lakers doing the opposite, beating a bunch of playoff teams. So I. I don't know. It just doesn't. Not a great feeling in New York right now. Carl Anthony Towns on the trade block. We'll see what happens. Fun off season ahead. Let's move to the NFL. Colin, where Jim Harbaugh on the Chargers. They brought in Mike McDaniel as their OC I think you and I agreed this was probably the best coordinator hire. Yeah. So the pairing of interesting personalities, shall we say, makes for a fun combo. Harbaugh is recognizing the benefits of having him on staff already.

[Colin Cowherd]

Awesome. Awesome. With Capital A. Really been doing a lot of listening, a lot of learning, a lot of. A lot of leaning into how he sees football because it's. It's really brilliant and it's a. And it is what I really thought it was just a perfect combination of Mike McDaniel and Justin Herbert. No, I think, you know, this is what I love about Harbaugh. He's really grown so much as a guy and a coach. I mean, he's always had a certain dogma and belief, but I mean, for a guy like him to bring in Mike McDaniel, he's like, yeah, I'm just sitting, learning from him. I'm a sponge. I'm soaking it up. And the other thing about Harbaugh, there's no ego here. He loves Justin Herbert. When they lose Jim, Harbaugh feels guilty that he didn't get his Superman in the right spot because Jim's got the money, the legacy, the national championship. Only thing missing is a Super Bowl. And so you can sense with Harper, sometimes you get the coach and the quarterback who's taking credit. It's not always perfect. You know that Andy Reid. Andy Reid is very secure in his resume and legacy. He wants what's best for and for Patrick Mahomes. That's why this hire is great. I think there's a lot of head coaches that maybe would have been intimidated by Mike McDaniel's intellect and unique and creative offensive vision. Harbaugh's like, bring it on. I think this is going to be an absolutely a season for the Chargers.

[J. Mac]

Totally agree, Colin. You know us guys, we think we know everything. We can fix everything, solve everything. That's what guys do. But the smartest guys realize their weaknesses. And I would guess Harbaugh said, damn, we couldn't move the football in the playoffs this year or last year. I mean, Herbert had five picks last year against the Texans. We didn't do jack squat against the Patriots. I'm not touching the offense. I'm bringing in an offensive mind who's going to fix our offense. And it sounds like that's the game plan. Hey, McDaniel, this is your show. Run your stuff. Figure it out. I'm not going to meddle. That's what smart guys do. I think this is just a home run hire. I'm with you. I think Chargers are one of the best teams in the NFC heading into the season. Let's go to the final story. Colin, that's Jesse Minter in Baltimore. Very interesting timeline setup. Voluntary OTAs are approaching on April 6th. Will Lamar Jackson be there? Lamar has skipped a lot of voluntary work in the past. Here's Jesse Minter on what is going to happen next week.

[Colin Cowherd]

Lamar is really excited about what we have going on.

[J. Mac]

I think he's excited about opportunities in the offseason program.

[Colin Cowherd]

And again, we'll see on April 6th. You know, see who all walks in the door. What's that look?

[J. Mac]

What do you mean? He's like, lamar's excited about the off season. He's about it. We'll see if he walks in the door, like, again. Maybe I've never done OTAs. I don't know, but I can't envision a scenario where it's voluntary. You. You could be there or not. And your coach doesn't know if your star player, franchise player, most expensive player is even going to be there.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I don't.

[J. Mac]

Is there not something weird about that?

[Colin Cowherd]

Listen, Lamar's not always. Hasn't Lamar missed an OTA before? I don't think. I don't think it's necessarily his thing. I don't know.

[J. Mac]

Not his thing.

[Colin Cowherd]

I mean, it's a.

[J. Mac]

He's the most. He's the highest paid player on the team. He's the leader. He's the franchise guy. I know it's not his thing.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's supposed to bother me. It just doesn't.

[J. Mac]

Okay. What about Aaron Rodgers when he skipped the Jets? Remember, he just got to the Jets. Well, he skipped it to go to Egypt.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes, well, that felt different because Aaron was way out of his prime. They had a number one receiver who was a kid. You had an entirely different environment. I thought at that time you probably need new. You know, you had knew everything with the Jets. I'm like, bro, I'd show up to that one. Yeah. Lamar Jackson is the franchise. The team knows him. They're not going to change the offense radically.

[J. Mac]

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. They got a new head coach. They got a new oc like, what do you mean not. This is a total. They missed the playoffs like your leader, Colin. You just don't show up. One day I would. We're here looking around. Where's Coward? Oh, voluntary show he may not show up today. What? Really?

[Colin Cowherd]

You know what? That's not a bad suggestion out of the football season. Voluntary shows. I just, you know, I just call the guys upstairs. You know, guys, I'm in Egypt. May. I'll catch you next week. Okay. J. Mac with the news. Well, that's the news and thanks for stopping by the herd line news. We have a divine developing situation. Turkey qualified for our group last night. They're pretty good. So our group just got tougher in the World cup and Italy lost last night. Third straight World Cup. Italy not involved. There is no amount of Keante and Bolognese that will heal those wounds. But the bigger problem is we lost the eighth straight friendly to a European team. We lost to Portugal. We are currently 16th in the FIFA rankings and not that good. Mauricio Pochettino is our coach. There are those that say he is distracted. There are rumors in the soccer world that other clubs are very interested in him. And Christian Pulisic and Mauricio may not see eye to eye. We also have another issue. Pulisic is in a major slump. I looked it up this morning for both club and country. He hasn't scored this calendar year. So I, you know, I know a lot of the soccer purists. We've got more depth. If he's not scoring, we're not good. He is easily our most dangerous, lethal, skilled soccer player. And there is a gap between Pulisic and everybody else. We don't have anybody that skilled and creative ball on foot. He is it. So he is in a major slump. He's still young. What is he, 27? Is it a series of nagging injuries and small injuries he's had? But club and country, AC Milan, Team usa. He's not even getting assists. So is it the new system? Is it the coach? Is it nagging injuries? And we have not really. We failed to identify our top goalie. That's always been a strength for Team usa. Even when we were average, we were good in the net. We're not. So I don't know if it's injuries. Eight straight. Lost to a European team, lost two. Nothing. Can't score. So to me, we're. We're pretty close to panic time. We have two more friendlies coming up. Turkey's now in our group. May 31st. We are playing Senegal. It matters. Here's the coach. Still upbeat after the eight straight. Eight straight loss to a European team today. I think we compete really well. Like was against Belgium. First half and 20 minutes or 15 minutes on the second half. And in details, in small detail, I think we lose the game. I am more positive now than before because seeing the team compete, we have no far away. It's only details that we need to improve. So for his club, team, AC Milan, Pulisic has one assist since September. And for both the club and the country hasn't scored this calendar year. Not great. And I know we've got a lot. You know, it's like you can say what you want about a team has depth, a team hat. Pulisic is our guy. It's just different. He's by far and away our most creative playmaker. That doesn't put me in a great mood. Or CB Buckner. I mean, today is just the stories we have. We have an umpire that needs to be demoted. I mean, it's really, really bad. Can I just show that one? That is one of the craziest things I've ever seen. I'm trying to think. I mean again, there's bang, bang plays at first. I'm not saying umpiring is easy. I know. Watch this. Jack Bauer's foot stamps the bag. He lands on the bag and the umpire says, you missed it. And you can see, I mean, the players in good spirits. Just play the sound of it one more time for the audience. Bowers. Oh. In and out of the glove of Williamson throws it first. It's wide. It's backed up by Fortes. That should be a base hit for Bowers. Runner did not touch first base and then was put out. So the call from CB Buckner is that Jake Bowers missed first base and then was tagged out. Not that he made a move to second base.

[J. Mac]

Right.

[Colin Cowherd]

And was tagged out. That he flat out missed the bag. And I think that is the horrendous call. Where is CB Buckner looking? He's not even looking at it. Why would he even say that? CB Buckner was not even looking at the play. I'm not sure what CB Buckner is looking at there. That's ridiculous. Well, I'm really excited for him to have the plate tomorrow. Everybody laughing at that call. Yeah, that, that is, I mean, I, that Major League baseball is the best of the best and there's never been more talent. So the ABS system is, has illustrated lots of things how, how good these batters are on the fly, sensing the parameters of the plate. But this has been a bad weekend and you don't want it to get sad. And maybe we're there, but it's just, it's not working right now. Okay, I. I've got it. Did you see what Ohtani did last night? I mean it is. He's back to pitching, starting pitcher and going to the plate and it's just unbelievable. There. There's never been anything like this. Next, the hu. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd. Weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific service opens doors and at the American Military University, it can open doors for the whole family. If you have a loved one who served in the military, you may qualify for reduced tuition. AMU offers flexible online programs designed to fit your schedule so you can keep moving forward wherever life takes you. Learn more at amu.apus edu military open doors to the future for you and your family with the help of American Military University. Hey heard, listen up. Sports and steaks go hand in hand and true Nature Meats is delivering an incredible offer. They're pre cooked New York strip steaks are insanely tender, juicy and packed with rich beefy flavor that Melts in every bite. Ready in just four minutes. In a warm skillet, buy 10 New York strip steaks and get 10 free sirloin steaks. 20 steaks total up to 80% less than what high end steakhouses charge for these same premium cuts. And here's the best part. It comes out to about $7.40 per steak. Incredible value. With over 30 years supplying top restaurants, True Nature Meats delivers restaurant quality flavor straight to your kitchen, fast and easy. Only 250 promo codes will work, so this is extremely limited. Head to True Nature meats.com right now. Use the promo code. Free steak. That's true nature meats.com free steak. Don't miss out. This is a real deal. Hey, Donald. Really flying on that treadmill. I'm trying to run as fast AS T mobile 5G home Internet, Zach. Well, you better pick it up because

[J. Mac]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Really? How's this? T Mobile's faster than that, bud. Speed up. Plus they've got a five year price guarantee. Come on. Faster? How can I go any faster?

[J. Mac]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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Bethany Frankel from Just Be with Bethany Frankel. Most dog food is marketing, not nutrition. That is why Biggie and Smalls eat just food for dogs. Real 100% human grade food with ingredients I actually recognize. And yes, I do see the difference. Better digestion, healthier skin, more energy. Dogs that feel better. My babies, if you've been on the fence about switching, stop overthinking it. What's more important than your furry babies and their health? Go to justfoodfordogs.com right now and get 50% off your first box. No code needed. Just try it.

[J. Mac]

The college basketball crown is back. A premier postseason tournament featuring major conferences teams. The crown quarterfinals tip off tonight with Oklahoma, Colorado and Baylor versus Minnesota right here on FS1.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right, welcome back. So, you know, I'm not, I'm not a big romantic with sports. Like athletes are better. Coaching is better, the analytics. Baseball and basketball are so global. I know Everybody loves the 30 for 30s on the Knicks Pacer series. It was ugly. Basketball, it was a free throw shooting contest and it's just bad. What we're watching with Ohtani is unbelievable. He is the greatest baseball player of all time. It is not close. We can officially bury the Babe Ruth mythology. Babe on his sixth cigarette of the day as he would swat home runs off roofers and sandwich makers. We'll show some Babe Ruth video. We have to speed it up. Circling the bases or it would take four minutes. And only baseball does this. Bill Russell has 11 titles. We don't think he's Kareem or LeBron James or MJ. Hugh McElhenney and Red Grange were great running backs. We don't, we don't say Barry Sanders couldn't hang with these guys last night. Ohtani, six scoreless innings, gets on bases of batter. He's now, for the first time in a couple of years, he is now a full time go both way, pitcher and hitter. And he's absolutely remarkable. There's something though in baseball, it's almost a silly childlike romanticism where, you know, we want to talk about the good old days and, you know, I think it's disrespectful. I think the quality of baseball players now, the sport is so global, it's unbelievable. If Ohtani was pitching back during Babe Ruth's day, I've got a feeling he would throw a no hitter every outing. I know the soda jerk from Woolworths would give him trouble and maybe the part time milkman would draw a walk. The chimney sweeper would take him to a full count. I'm going to go with a guy who has now been an MVP three straight seasons. Think about this going back to last season. This is unbelievable. He has the longest streak of scoreless innings as a pitcher. 22⅓. And he's reached base in 36 straight games. Both of those are the longest active streak. We can just bury the whole Babe Ruth thing like it was fun. There's a candy bar. Babe Ruth, the grainy footage he called a home run. I get it. This is the greatest baseball player by a long shot ever. I mean, think of how great Clayton Kershaw and Freddie Freeman are. What if Clayton Kershaw could hit 320 or Freddie Freeman gave you eight scoreless innings two nights ago. So, I mean, it is just. I mean, listen, they did a movie about Babe Ruth, and he's a heck of an actor, but John Goodman played the part. Not John Hamm, John Goodman. Okay? So come on, let's stop romanticizing sports. Whenever I hear, oh, J. Mac has agreed with me on the NBA. If I have to hear about the 70s and 80s and 90s NBA, you had four guys on the floor in some of these eras that couldn't shoot. If you have a guy now that can't shoot in the NBA, one guy, a power forward, can't shoot. Nobody guards him. It's a huge disadvantage. You go to those Knicks teams, John Starks was their jump shooter. Go look at his field goal percentage from 20ft. I mean, he was a streaky shooter. But when I think of John Starks, I think of a small guy with hops who dunked at the iron. I think of an aggressive, aggressive attacking guy who could finish at the rim. I don't think of a guy that was smooth from the outside hitting threes. So here's Max Muncie on, you know, Ohtani doing it again last night. If he's, if he's able to do it the whole year, that's just a huge boost by pitching staff, which we already feel really good about. And, you know, I expect nothing short of almost sion out of him. He's got enough pressure already, but it doesn't seem to faze him at all. Think about this. Babe Ruth was in a singularly domestic sport. This sport now has the best players in the world. I mean, we all watch the World Baseball Classic. You're watching Venezuela, you're watching Italy. There is so much talent in baseball. If you've learned anything from the first hour, it's umpires have to be up to snuff. The players are too great, the games mean too much. There's too much revenue. You got to get the right umpires in. You know, I can feel bad for people. And let's, let's just stop looking in the rear view mirror with baseball, because what you're watching with Ohtani, he's the world's greatest athlete. Sorry. I mean, I bet if you threw that guy a five wood and a three iron, he'd be a scratch golfer. I mean, honestly, it's just insane how good he is. He's literally got the longest scoreless inning streak and the longest reach base streak. Either one. You'd be like, oh, my God, 36 games. He's reached base regular season. I Would imagine going back to this is going back to last season, regular season, just unbelievable. I know. J Mac, you like to go back in jets lore and talk about Joe Namath.

[J. Mac]

I love nothing more than Joe Namath talk. By the way, that, damn, that was one of your best rants. That was, I mean, honestly, did you have that script in him? Were you reading off a prompter that was so clean.

[Colin Cowherd]

I will admit sandwich makers is a line that I've been given before. I, I, no, it's just I, I, I've said this forever. I am much more of a windshield than a rear view mirror sportscaster is. And I think there and I understand baseball, the lore and the tradition, but you know, whenever I hear a talk show host doing baseball talk and having to revert back to guys that played in the 70s and 80s, and I'm not diminishing how great. Stan Musial and Bob Gibson, Carl Yastremsky,

[J. Mac]

great in their era.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I grew up in the 70s. I love Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, I love Joe Morgan, George Foster, Tony Perez. Those were all my favorite. My Johnny Bench was my favorite athlete growing up. Then it was Joe Morgan, Pete Rose.

[J. Mac]

But you realize the modern players vastly are better than they that they were.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's not even close.

[J. Mac]

And that's what I do with the NBA. And all these guys get angry at me. I'm like, guys, you know, Reggie Miller was an awesome player in the 90s. Reggie Miller can't hold a candle.

[Colin Cowherd]

Reggie Miller. If Reggie Miller played on the warriors in his peak, he would been their fourth best shooter. He could not catch and shoot like Clay and he couldn't shoot like Kevin Durant and he would have been their fourth best shooter.

[J. Mac]

People think we're haters because of that. That's just reality. Everything gets better with time, guys. Everything, literally.

[Colin Cowherd]

I've never seen a center like Jokic until Wemby. I mean, it's incredible. Like Wemby. Wemby's becoming Ohtani. We may be looking with Wemby by next year. Is it the greatest basketball player ever? Service opens doors. And at the American Military University, it can open doors for the whole family. If you have a loved one who served in the military, you may qualify for reduced tuition. AMU offers flexible online programs designed to fit your schedule so you can keep moving forward wherever life takes you. Learn more at amu.apus edumilitary open doors to the future for you and your family with the help of American Military University.

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[Colin Cowherd]

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