THE HERD - Hour 2 - Where Colin was right and wrong, Jaxon Smith-Njigba's record deal

Summary

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The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Hour 2 – Where Colin Was Right and Wrong, Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s Record Deal
Date: March 23, 2026
Host: Colin Cowherd with Jason McIntyre
Guest: Matt Hasselbeck

Episode Overview

In this engaging hour, Colin Cowherd explores the shifting landscape of college sports under NIL (name, image, likeness) rules, evaluates his takes from the past week through “Where Colin Was Right, Where Colin Was Wrong,” and delves into recent NFL moves—most notably the Seattle Seahawks’ record-setting extension for Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Matt Hasselbeck joins for in-depth NFL analysis, and the episode closes with buzzy discussions from March Madness, NBA outlooks, and the impact of money and culture across the sports world.

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Key Segments and Insights

1. March Madness Surprises & NIL Era Power Shifts

Start: [00:40]

• Colin notes a historical NCAA tournament trend: 8 of the last 9 champions have lost in the round of 32 or earlier the following year, with UConn as the lone exception.
  • “I guess I shouldn’t be shocked.” — Colin [00:40]
• Observes that large, wealthy universities (Big Ten schools specifically) are thriving in the NIL era.
  • “Six of the 16 teams left in this tournament are Big Ten.” — Colin [03:13]
  • Iowa (a middling Big Ten team) knocking out SEC heavyweight (Florida) exemplifies the shift.

NIL’s Impact:

• Schools with rich alumni and endowments can now openly leverage financial advantages in recruiting.
  • “The NIL is kind of what we thought it would do to the Big Ten, which has the wealthiest, well-heeled boosters out there.” — Colin [03:28]

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2. Where Colin Was Right, Where Colin Was Wrong

Start: [03:55]

• Right: NIL benefits major, wealthy schools and older, established coaches.

  • “Rick Pitino, Tom Izzo, Rick Barnes, Kelvin Sampson… now you get all the wisdom from the Izzos and the Kelvin Sampsons and the Caliparis.” — Colin [05:05]
  • College coaching now requires less hustle and more administrative savvy; experienced coaches have an edge in the portal era.

• Wrong: Underestimating the Lakers’ defense & LeBron’s late-career motivation.

  • “LeBron is going above and beyond what is necessary.” — Colin [04:27]

• Right: The value and growth of the World Baseball Classic.

  • “World Baseball Classic is massively undervalued as a property.” — Colin [06:34]

• Wrong: Overestimating Baltimore Ravens’ win total after off-season departures.

  • “Baltimore, to me, is an under bet.” — Colin [07:36]

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3. Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s Record WR Deal: Player, Culture, and NFL Business

Start: [09:08]

• Seahawks sign JSN to a record-setting contract extension a year early.

  • “There’s something about JSN’s demeanor and maturity beyond his route tree… one of the safest early signees in the league.” — Colin [10:31]

• Matt Hasselbeck agrees, highlighting Seattle’s intent and JSN’s maturity.

  • “I think they knew a year ago that they were going to do this deal.” — Hasselbeck [10:47]
  • “He’s top five ever in terms of what he’s done at his age in the first three years.” — Hasselbeck [11:24]
  • Both agree that JSN’s leadership and off-field comportment make him ideal for a big, early investment.

• Notable Quote:

  • “If I’m a GM… it’s not just talent. Do I know that I don’t get phone calls at 3 in the morning or that he’s good with coaches, he’s good with teammates?” — Colin [10:14]

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4. Free Agency, Culture Fit, and NFL Team Dynamics

Start: [13:13]

• Conversation pivots to the importance of “culture fit” over pure talent in free agency.

• Matt shares personal NFL experiences, likening big free-agent signings to real estate comparables—intangibles matter.

  • “When you do these contracts, it’s all about comparables. It’s very similar to selling a house.” — Hasselbeck [12:19]
  • JSN’s lack of “headaches” (maturity issues) increases his value relative to peers.

• On GM risk-taking and shifting league aggressiveness:

  • “The general managers in the league… are way more aggressive. I mean there’s just more deals done now.” — Colin [17:13]
  • Matt cites Bobby Engram and TJ Houshmandzadeh in Seattle as examples of how chemistry and role changes can affect locker rooms. [18:22]

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5. J.J. McCarthy and QB Confidence Battles

Start: [14:47]

• With Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz now on the Vikings’ roster, Colin and Matt discuss J.J. McCarthy’s shrinking window.
  • “I think when you bring Kyler in, I think it ends the JJ McCarthy thing or at least punctures his confidence some.” — Colin [15:17]
  • Hasselbeck sees parallels from his Seahawks career—veteran signings upping the stakes for a young QB.
    • “He’s almost out the door. Almost… I think this is an investment and a chance for J.J.” — Hasselbeck [15:41]
    • Tells how injury and opportunity created his own long-term shot in Seattle.

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6. NFL Offseason: Big Moves and Roster Chemistry

Start: [18:22]

• Hasselbeck and Colin discuss big free-agent splashes:

  • Tyler Linderbaum (center) as Colin and Matt’s favorite “culture fit” signing.

    • “That’s one of those ones that five, six years from now… what a big deal that was for me in my first year or two in the NFL.” — Hasselbeck [20:05]

  • Mike Evans: Still underrated, might be transformative in the right system (akin to Julio Jones in Atlanta).

    • “I think Mike Evans is one of the most underrated wide receivers to ever play the game.” — Hasselbeck [20:16]

• On the importance of leadership and chemistry:

  • “Chemistry with the guys you’re playing with is important as well.” — Hasselbeck [19:38]

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7. College Basketball: NIL Impacts and March Madness

Start: [29:34]

• NIL is democratizing “who gets good” in college sports; wealthier, academic powerhouses (Vanderbilt, Indiana) can now compete with football/basketball factories thanks to rich alumni and boosters.

  • “It's Larry Ellison, who now, I mean, literally owns like Paramount. Like, that's honestly what's happening here.” — Colin [31:49]
  • “I like the idea that schools with great education, wealthy alumni—they have a chance against football factories now.” — Colin [32:14]

• Women’s volleyball, football, basketball: new powers are emerging in unexpected places due to NIL funding.

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8. NBA Takeaways: Importance of Seeding, Late-Season Surges

Start: [32:25]

• Celtics lose to a depleted Timberwolves team; the Knicks are surging and challenging for seeding.
  • “Celtics are only a half game up on the Knicks for the two seed… so that's a huge loss for my Knicks who have peeled off six in a row.” — Jason McIntyre [33:39]
  • Colin downplays the impact, citing historical upsets even against MJ’s Bulls.

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9. NFL Draft and Rams Offseason Strategy

Start: [35:37]

• Pundits speculate Rams will prioritize offensive skill positions (Jeremiah Love, Carnell Tate) in the draft.
  • “What if there’s a world you can move up… put Jeremiah Love in your backfield as your finishing piece—as talented as Todd Gurley?” — Colin [35:46]
• Colin prefers an offensive tackle given Stafford’s age and protection needs.

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10. College Basketball Coaches Under Pressure: Spending to Compete

Start: [44:54]

• Mark Few’s legacy at Gonzaga, impact of staff changes on program performance.

  • “Gonzaga had three tournament wins. They have 45 since he arrived.” — Colin [45:26]

• Arizona, Kentucky, and UCLA all cited as programs under financial, recruiting, and fan pressure in the portal/NIL era.

  • “Open up the checkbook… and you can’t get precious and uncomfortable.” — Colin [48:31]

• Rick Pitino and Mick Cronin highlighted for maximizing results with less.

  • “Rick Pitino is as good as anybody that’s ever coached.” — Colin [47:19]
  • “I’d like about five more million.” — Mick Cronin (UCLA coach), on roster-building limits [48:28]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Six of the 16 teams left in this tournament are Big Ten—they have been 13 and 3 in the tournament. Iowa, a middle of the pack team, knocked off heavyweight.” — Colin [03:13]
• “LeBron spends plenty of time on the phone—you know, he is fully aware... it’s almost like an obsessiveness.” — Colin [26:05]
• “It is not only talent, it is culture fit. And it also is: does that contract change you?” — Hasselbeck [19:05]

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Timeline of Key Segments

• [00:40] NCAA March Madness Surprises/NIL discussion
• [03:13] Where Colin Was Right/Wrong (Big Ten, Lakers, WBC, Ravens, Vikings/QB traits)
• [09:08] Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s extension & NFL player management (with Matt Hasselbeck)
• [13:13] NFL free agency, team culture, locker room insight
• [14:47] J.J. McCarthy and Vikings QB room shakeup
• [18:22] NFL free agency: leadership, locker room, chemistry
• [29:34] College sports: NIL, shifting powers (Vanderbilt, Indiana, Nebraska)
• [32:25] NBA seeding, late season surges, Celtics/Knicks
• [35:37] NFL Draft: Rams’ strategy discussion
• [44:54] College basketball coach pressures (Mark Few, Tommy Lloyd, Mick Cronin), NIL’s impact

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Tone & Style Notes

Colin Cowherd’s delivery is casual, opinionated, and often self-deprecating. He mixes statistical insights with storytelling and banter, inviting guest experts and colleagues into the fray. The episode blends hard sports analysis with talk-radio flavor—sharp takes, open-ended questions, and the occasional ribbing of colleagues and sports figures.

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Summary Takeaways

This episode of The Herd spotlights the massive influence of NIL on college athletics, the evolving priorities of NFL franchises, and the ways in which culture and maturity override talent alone in both recruiting and free agency. Colin and guests continually tie individual player moves and coaching evaluations to bigger picture economic and social trends, offering both specific predictions and wider industry context. If you want a pulse check on how financial power now shapes outcomes in both college and pro sports, this is your hour.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jason McIntyre]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jason McIntyre]

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[Matt Hasselbeck]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jason McIntyre]

We're married. Me to a human, him to a bird.

[Matt Hasselbeck]

Yeah, the bird looks out of your league anyways.

[Colin Cowherd]

Only pay for what you [e-mail] Liberty

[Jason McIntyre]

Liberty Liberty Liberty

[Colin Cowherd]

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Now let's get this party started. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go. It's a Monday. It's our number two. I guess I shouldn't be shocked. Eight of the last nine NCAA basketball champs have lost in the round of 32 or earlier in the following tournament. The exception is that the UConn team, that great UConn team several years ago, but it caught me off guard. I filled out my bracket. I had a couple of red stripes before I filled it out, so it was a little choppy. You know, you go to the Caribbean, got those crudo, few red stripes. You know, a lot of vitamin D. I told J. Mac I overdosed on vacation. The good news, it was vitamin D. But you know, J. Mac, I will tell you, when you go on vacation, it puts things in perspective. And I've come to the conclusion that I like sports because I'm sitting there and it's 83 degrees and I'm like, give me a red stripe. I got to turn the tournament on Friday and it's great. I just, it is a lot of fun. All right. We call it Colin, right? Colin Wrong. We do it every Monday. And here we go where Colin was right. Well, I said the NIL is going to favor the Big Ten, major universities, rich alumni, massive endowments. Six of the 16 teams left in this tournament. Our Big Ten, they have been 13 and three in the tournament. Iowa, a middle of the pack team, knocked off heavyweight, SEC, heavyweight, FL. So the nil is kind of what we thought it would do to the Big Ten, which has the wealthiest, well heeled boosters out there, and they're spending money on their sports teams. Where Colin was wrong, well, the Lakers are on a nine game winning streak. LeBron's completely energized on the defensive end. I never thought this team could even be remotely elite defensively. And at least during this winning streak, they're top five, top six. So it's hard to get stars, older stars to play great defense on a nightly basis. But LeBron is going above and beyond what is necessary. Luke is playing like an mvp. And I'll take an L on this one. Where Colin was right. I said the nil would be great for older coaches. Rick Bottino, still alive. Tom Izzo, Rick Barnes, Kelvin Sampson. Why John Caliper? Why? Because college sports recruiting now is much more administrative and less hustle. Rick Pitino acknowledges he no longer recruits high school kids. He's not going to AAU tournaments. He's got no interest. He'll buy the best players. And I think that's great for the players because now you get all the wisdom from the Izzos and the Kelvin Sampsons and the Caliparis. I mean, it's always been a better coached sport than the G League, but now more so than ever. Where Colin was wrong, okay, in my blotchy bracket, I had Florida playing Michigan for the national title. And this to me was the biggest upset in the tournament. You know, Iowa at one point led early and I'm like, yeah, this ain't gonna last. And Iowa was kind of a middling Big Ten team, but they had just enough size to match up. They got themselves a fiery coach and, and my finals Gators finals team out where Collin was, right? I said about the World Baseball Classic. I said, I know I kissed up to my bosses. I said, I think it's the smartest thing we have bought at Fox Sports. And I said this when I worked at the other place. World Baseball Classic is massively undervalued as a property. I get patriotism, I get passion, I get big stars. Listen, Venezuela winning is awesome. I mean, you could just. They just came through the screen how much they cared about you. Got total buy in from Aaron Judge and Ohtani and Bryce Harper. This is one of those properties in sports. Maybe it's a little bit like, I don't know, the Little League, World Series or something that we, you know, you don't talk about it a lot as a property. I thought this was absolutely fantastic. You could just see the passion and the intensity coming through the television set where Colin was wrong. I don't get the Ravens having an 11 and a half over under win total. That's best in the league. They got a new unproven coach. I think he's good. A new oc. They lost the best center in football, maybe Tyler Linderbaum. You got the Max Crosby mess. You got the Lamar Jackson contract. I mean, you know, if Aaron Rodgers sticks around, Pittsburgh's pretty, pretty good. Joe Burrow's often the best quarterback Sunday in the league. I mean, you're gonna beat the Browns probably twice. But I don't. I think Baltimore to me is an under bet and that's nothing against Jesse Minter, but I don't know. Half these coordinators don't work as head coaches. I'll take an L on that one. Where Collin was right. Minnesota has not only signed Carson Wentz, but Kyler Murray Chase Daniel, quarterback turn Analyst said the second Kyler signed with Kevin O', Connell, J.J. mcCarthy's done. I always said about J.J. mcCarthy, he's got talent, seems like a good kid. He doesn't have a wow trait. And as much as I love Jim Harbaugh, when I asked him about him, he said, well, he's a winner. Winner's not a trait. Winner's what happens when you play at Ohio State in Alabama and a Jim Harbaugh college team. Winning is not a trait. Personality, arm mobility, toughness, those are traits. So I'll take an R on that one. Colin Right calling wrong on a Monday. And with that, Matt Hasselbeck, 18 years in the NFL, joins us, the former Seahawk great. I'll get to JJ in a second. I want to start with JSN. And I said, so Seattle had a lot of tough choices. They had to let go of some really good players and simultaneously they signed JSN to a huge contract and they do it a year before they had to. And I said an hour ago, I said, jay, a lot of young athletes get bad advice. If I'm a general manager and I'm going to set a record for a position, it's not just talent. Do I know that I don't get phone calls at 3 in the morning or that he's good with coaches, he's good with teammates. There is something to me, Matt, about JSN's demeanor and maturity beyond his route tree that that that make would make me comfortable just saying I'm going to pay him a year, year and a half early. I don't know if you noticed that when you were in the league. But I'm not shocked by this deal. I think he's one of the safest early signees in the league. To me,

[Matt Hasselbeck]

I would take it one step further. I think they knew a year ago that they were going to do this deal. I think him and Devin Witherspoon. I expect Devin Witherspoon to be the next guy. And you talk about, you know, if you're going to pay a guy, if you're going to pay him, you know, make him the highest paid player at his position, 100% you're talking about the elite talent on the field, but 100% you're also talking about, is this guy going to change? What's he going to be like once he gets paid? Is he still going to be the leader that we've seen him to be the last three years? And I think the answer is absolutely yes. With jsn, I mean, he's. To me, he's top five ever in terms of what he's done at his age in the first three years of his career. And I think they're going to get him for the prime of his career, which is wild to say considering how productive he's been so far already.

[Colin Cowherd]

So another receiver that I think is a huge talent, Puka Nakua. But he stepped in it a few times. McVay is a culture guy. That stuff drives him nuts. Like, he is not it. I mean, he is guys, we just. We don't step in it. And Puka's been dinged up. But now I think it puts a little heat from Puka's agent to the Rams is, well, look. Look at Puka's numbers. I mean, Puka's getting to Super Bowls. Do you think it puts the Rams in a little bit of a weird spot? Because unlike Stafford or unlike Darnold, you know, they're paying their quarterback more. What do you think the Rams are feeling this morning with Puka?

[Matt Hasselbeck]

Yeah, when you do these, when you do these contracts, it's all about comparables. It's very similar to selling a house. You know, this house on the market sells for this. This is the square footage, this is the price per square foot. And then you start talking about, well, you know, what do you like about this house versus that house? You know, this one's on a hill, this one's in the Valley, like, whatever the stuff is. And so, yeah, those little, I don't know, blemishes on your resume, so to speak, things that you've had to deal with. You're mentioning he Stepped in it a couple times. These are headaches. And I just think that, you know, the patience that you have for those. Those headaches, it's different for every player. If you're a really, really strong player, you got a lot of patience, and they're not a big deal to you at all. But then again, you know, I think when you can get someone as great as JSN on and off the field with no issues whatsoever, no maturity issues, you know, even when he's a young player, I think maybe the value goes up.

[Colin Cowherd]

So there was a trade, and I think I was still here. Maybe I wasn't. I, like Jalen Waddle, good player. But the Broncos gave up, like, a first, a third. And I'm like. I mean, I. A first and a third. I'm like, that. And I think there was another fifth, maybe. And I'm like. And it feels like it's a Sean Payton move. It's like Sean's like, we're getting him. I've got the juice in the building. Are you worried that Peyton maybe has too much influence over personnel and coaching? Did you like the move?

[Matt Hasselbeck]

No, because I trust Sean Payton, you know, and I think it's more of an indictment on what the Broncos probably feel about this year's draft class. And you got to remember, too, like, when you have a young quarterback, you don't always want to pair him up with a young receiver. It's kind of nice to pair a young quarterback up with a guy. That's a proven thing in the NFL. So I actually think this is a good move. And I think I'm probably biased, because when I think of Sean Payton, I think of who he. Who he and his offense has been when they have that number one receiver where, hey, if you're ever one on one with that guy. Green light. You know, I'm thinking, like, Michael Thomas. Like, if you're ever by yourself, take it. If not, I got a concept over here where we can play the, you know, our guys against your guys, right? But if it's ever one on one, that really, you know, that's passing game 100, 101. If you can get that with a quarterback that can deliver the ball, you're good. And that's what Sean Payton's done for a long time.

[Colin Cowherd]

So what I worry about with JJ McCarthy is because I do think he has talent. I think he can spin it. I think he's. He moves pretty well. When I watch him play, his confidence can ebb and flow. Drive the drive well. Now you bring Kyler in the building and Carson Wentz in the building. I'm like, okay, that's not, that's not it. That's not great for a young man's confidence. It does feel like he would be a little affected by that. Now Brock Purdy plays like he's Dan Marino. They bring Darnold in the building and J and Brock Purdy played better. Some guys are just like, hey, I like Brock Purdy is one of those guys. He thinks he's the best quarterback in the league. God love him. I think when you bring Kyler in, I think it ends the JJ McCarthy thing or at least punctures his confidence some. Do you like it?

[Matt Hasselbeck]

I mean, this is a sink or swim for him. He's almost out the door. Almost. And I've heard a lot of people say, oh, he's done in Minnesota. I disagree. He could be. But this reminds me a lot when I was in Seattle, like they traded for me. It was a big deal, I'm the guy. And I kind of fell on my face that first year. And they brought in Trent Dilfer, who had just won the Super Bowl. He was a veteran guy. They brought in other veteran guys. I was teammates with kind of like proven guys that weren't the long term answer either, probably. And that's kind of what you got here. You got Kyler Murray on a one year deal. Carson Wentz is back. He's a pro. I think this is an investment and a chance for J.J. mcCarthy. Hey, listen, man, you were not ready the first time around. You're probably not going to be our starter to start this season. It's probably going to be Kyler Murray, but you better be ready because this is the NFL and you probably will get another shot and you better be ready. You know, fortunately for me, Trent Dilfer, unfortunately for him, he tore his Achilles in the game against Dallas when Emmett Smith broke the rushing record. And I'm standing there on the sidelines wondering if I'm ever going to get a chance. I go back in that game, we win the game, I never look back. I'm the start of the rest of my career in Seattle and that, you know, 10 years in Seattle, ring of honor, all the stuff, but it almost never happened. I mean, I was one foot out the door as well. So I think JJ McCarthy in a similar way, he essentially is one foot out the door. But I'm not giving up on it yet. Now, if there's a team that wants him, the Vikings might say, hey, okay, fine, you can have him. But I do believe the Vikings would love for him to be the quarterback of the future. I just don't think it'll be week one.

[Colin Cowherd]

So about 33% statistically, that used to be the number of free agents hit, and a lot of them don't. Well, it's not because they're not productive or talented guys. It's because they don't fit into the culture. The GM loved the talent. The coach doesn't love the fit. And so we've got. This was a. It seems like the general managers in the league, Matt, over the last four or five years are way more aggressive. I mean, there's just more deals done now. And Most of the GMs that I have on my phone, a source, they're just go for it, guys. I mean, two. First for Sauce Gardner. You know, it's like, we're going for it. That's a big swing in terms of free agency when you were in the NFL and a new guy comes in and he's often paid more than somebody in his group. You know, he comes in, everybody loves him, everybody. The media, He's a star. Is a lot of the free agency stuff. Culture fit more than talent fit. Like, how does it play when a guy gets paid? And a lot of times you let guys in the building go, what's the messaging like and the fit like for players?

[Matt Hasselbeck]

I agree. I think it's actually a really big deal. I mean, I remember saying goodbye to one of my favorite teammates ever, a wide receiver at a Penn State, Bobby Ingram. That was my guy. It was like, third in Bobby Ingram to go. It was like, that was my guy. And the. The GM and the scouts decided to kind of quote, unquote, upgrade the position with the top free agent on the market that year, the wide receiver out of Cincinnati, T.J. hushmanzada. And T.J. is brash. I mean, he is brash, and he is full tilt. He's full tilt in practice, whether it's offense or scout team. He's stealing reps from the guys on.

[Colin Cowherd]

On.

[Matt Hasselbeck]

On scout team so he can go against the starting defense. He's spiking the ball in the end zone. It just was different. Like, I don't know how they did it in Cincinnati. That's not really how we did it in Seattle. And so it took a little bit. It definitely took a little bit. Not only for. To like to get to know tj, Just how competitive he was, but also, like to say goodbye to the Bobby Ingram, who was just, you know, he's an amazing coaching for the commanders now, he's an amazing guy. So it's not only talent, it is culture fit. And it also is. Does that contract change you? Some guys, when it's a free agent year, they ball out. They, they. It's like the best they, the hardest they've ever worked. Then all of a sudden they get paid and they relax a little bit. And so it's all of it. I think all of it matters. And then obviously chemistry with, with the guys you're playing with is important as well.

[Colin Cowherd]

Now, can you see this screen? Do you. Can you see this screen?

[Matt Hasselbeck]

Okay, I got it.

[Colin Cowherd]

Give me one guy on that list. If I said absolutely going to work, absolutely going to fit. It's just culture, talent, need. Give me a guy that you love. I know I got my guy. You give me the guy.

[Matt Hasselbeck]

I like a lot of these. And your guy's probably Tyler Lindenbaum.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes.

[Matt Hasselbeck]

And he's great. That's a long term one, though. That's one of those ones that five, six years from now you're going to talk to Fernando Mendoza and he's going to say, you know what? Yeah, yeah, yes to everything you're saying. But one thing that no one ever talks about is my relationship with my center and what a big deal that was for me in my first year or two in the NFL. Like that. That's. That's one of those for me, I think. Also I think Mike Evans, you know, I think there's been a little bit of shade thrown on that move a little bit. And I think Mike Evans is one of the most underrated wide receivers to ever play the game. I just, you know, I know it's hard. You know, he's down there in Tampa. They don't get the same amount of attention. He got a lot of attention when Brady was down there, but besides that, I just don't think that he's got the. Gotten the attention. And similarly to. We talked about Sean Payton having that backside guy, that one on one, take it anytime you want it. That's what Kyle Shanahan had in Julio Jones when Matt Ryan won the NFL MVP and really should have hoisted a Lombardi, except it was the 28 to 3 game. So to me, I think Mike Evans might be one if it clicks. With all those reasons that I was saying earlier about, you know, the TJ Hush Manzada, I think that that could be really special. And I think like tj, in a sense, I think that would have clicked. We just had a head coaching change and stuff like that. But so there's some things that are outside control. But you know, this is, this is the guess right. Every year is a different year. And this is what you're, you're wondering how these things, how these pieces are going to fit.

[Colin Cowherd]

I know why you like Mike Evans because if you sailed one, he's got a huge catching radius.

[Matt Hasselbeck]

Colin, I got to tell you, my first pass at an OTA with the Green Bay Packers, I'm all excited. I throw this dagger route. It's an 18 yard in route and I just, I sail it. I throw it way too high. I'm way too excited. The receiver came across the middle. He just caught it like without even flinching, made it look like it was a catch. It was like a catcher, you know, frame and a fastball that's a little too high. And it was just, I was like, wow, it's kind of nice to play with guys this talented. And that's what it's like playing with a great player.

[Colin Cowherd]

Matt Hasselbeck is always on a Monday. Good seeing you, bud.

[Matt Hasselbeck]

Great to see you too.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right. Yeah. So are you. How is your J. Mac? How is your bracket? Are you still crushing in this thing? Are you doing okay? You like, you like Arizona to win?

[Jason McIntyre]

Well, listen, I do kind of like Arizona, yes. But I will be honest with you. I am now a huge Duke and Michigan fan because we did. We bid on them in a Calcutta. Those are the teams we're backing. So I need Michigan a lot. And you know what, you mentioned Alabama. So the two. Michigan's only lost two, two games in the regular season. One of them, Wisconsin, just kept making threes. All Alabama does is shoot threes. So I have some concern. As for Duke, I'm terrified of St. John's Colin. I'm absolutely terrified.

[Colin Cowherd]

Rick Patino. Here's how good a coach Patino is. And it's not like Kansas is a great shooting team. No. So Kansas shot a better three point field goal free throw percentage. I mean, St. John's couldn't even hit their free throws. Kansas dominated more points in the paint, more rebounds, had nine blocks. St. John's couldn't shoot and St. John's one.

[Jason McIntyre]

Kansas couldn't inbound the basketball. I mean, you can't throw the ball in bounds. I was, I was. That was a crazy game. And, and Duke has a freshman point guard now going against that pressure. Boo Boozer's brother. And, And I'm like, I don't know, man. I'm worried about Duke. The line, by the way, is dropping in that game. Seven and a half. Now six and a half.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right, one more herd. The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search heard to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Hi, this is Jay. I'm the producer of the Paulie and Tony Fusco show. Usually in these promos, they ask you to listen to the show. I'm here to ask you, please don't listen to the show. The hosts are two absolute morons who have the dumbest takes on sports imaginable. Don't listen to this show so it can get canceled.

[Matt Hasselbeck]

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Colin Cowherd]

What the hell are you doing in our studio?

[Matt Hasselbeck]

Get him, Paulie. Ignore that fool. Listen to the Pauline Tony Fusco show on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's still moving. All right, two truths and a lie. Here we go. I went to college with college football coach Jim McElwaine. I began my broadcasting career doing play by play for the Las Vegas Stars, and I've been a Verizon customer for 15 years. Okay, I lied. All three are true. Verizon isn't as expensive as you think. In fact, if you bring in your ATT or T mobile bill to a Verizon store, they'll give you a better deal. That's right, a better deal on the best network with the most ways to save on plans, streaming and phone deals. So take that AT and T or T mobile bill to your local Verizon store today. Get a better deal and start saving based on root metrics. Best overall Mobile Network Performance US Second Half 2025 all rights reserve must provide recent consumer mobile bill in the name of the person redeeming the deal. Additional terms, conditions and restrictions apply. Pay around the corner and around the globe. Apple Pay is accepted at millions of places worldwide. Wherever you see the contactless symbol in stores or the Apple Pay button online and in apps. Whether you're checking out on iPhone or Apple Watch, just double click pay and be on your way. Add your debit or credit card to wallet and you're good to go. Pay the Apple Way terms apply. Grocery prices are skyrocketing, but true nature meats Texas smoked brisket delivers authentic flavor for under $6 per person. 30 years supplying the finest barbecue joints. Chances are you've already had their brisket. Old school smoky tenderness. Pre cooked and Ready.

[Jason McIntyre]

Heat in 2 minutes.

[Colin Cowherd]

Pile high for tacos or sandwiches. Restaurant level at home except exceptional taste, honest value. Visit TrueNatureMeats.com code Freemeat for 20% off free New York strip Texas smoked brisket and Mediterranean chicken with code free [e-mail] Support for the show comes from Public if you look at your investing app, what do you see? An Interface stuck in 1997 or something that looks modern but feels more like a casino than a place to build wealth. Public is different. It's the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build your portfolio for the long haul. Stocks, options, bonds, crypto. It's all there. But what really makes Public different is the technology behind it. Imagine starting your day with an AI summarized market briefing, getting clear summaries of earnings calls the moment they end, or turning any idea into an investable index just by typing a prompt. This is what investing looks like when the tools finally catch up. Go to public.com and earn a 1% uncapped match when you transfer your portfolio. Public Investing for those who take it seriously Ad paid for by Public Holdings Brokerage Services by Public Investing Member FINRA SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors SEC Registered Advisor Crypto Services by ZeroHash all investing involves risk of loss. See complete [e-mail] Disclosures Running a commercial plumbing or H vac company isn't easy. You're driving revenue, managing payroll, coordinating marketing, juggling projects and keeping customers satisfied all at once. You need software that keeps up. It's time to upgrade to ServiceTitan, the all in one solution built to help companies like yours run smarter, grow faster and scale with confidence. See how the most successful contractors are doing it today with ServiceTitan. Visit ServiceTitan.com to learn more. That's ServiceTitan.com Chris Broussard next hour, Matt Hasselbeck joining in some NFL news trickling in Lakers on an absolute heater. I do think it's interesting with LeBron and this is not a criticism, but LeBron spends plenty of time on the phone and you know, he is fully aware, you know, Michael Jordan later in his career needed, you know, he used to cut out articles and make sure, you know, you kind of create villains and create critics because it motivates you. I think sometimes you forget, you know, it's one thing if you're a pitcher in baseball and you're an older veteran pitcher. Adam Wainwright, Justin Verlander, you know, you're starting once a week, you got, you know, you got seven innings. You know, that's easy to stay focused. But you're, you know, you go on a six game road trip, you're lebron James, you're playing a bad team. What gets you up? You know, you can't go out in public if you're LeBron. I mean, you know, dark shades and going to movies with Luka Dontich. Good luck hiding from the public. So you sit around, wait for the game. And what gets you motivated? Playing in a city you don't want to be in. You miss your family, you miss your kids. So for LeBron James, I mean his. To be this into it, I mean there's, it's almost like an obsessiveness. Brady had it that it's just hard to quantify. Like some people just care so much. But it's really impressive. LeBron at this age is really, I mean it's, it's very much being like, what does the team need from me guy. You just don't get that from superstars in the NBA. You know, they'll take their shots. But you know, he has committed both ends of the floor right now and he deserves praise for it. J. Mac with the news. No, no, no, no, turn on the news.

[Jason McIntyre]

This is the Herdline news. All right, Kyle, let's go back to the tournament real quick. Saturday night, while you were boozing it up on island time, there was a hell of a game between Vanderbilt and Nebraska. Game of the tournament for sure. Colin. This half court shot went halfway down and out. Tyler Tanner, who is an unbelievable young kid at Vanderbilt, that kid has star written all over him. I've never seen a shot go halfway down from that distance and out. And it, I mean they win the game if that goes in. And that's gotta be an all time top five. March Madness Miss.

[Colin Cowherd]

Think about this. Nebraska, a football school, is suddenly really good in basketball. Indiana, a basketball school, is now great in football. A nil changes all sorts of realities. And the second thing is it shows how valuable coaching is at the college level, like in the NBA. How much does coaching matter? Well, it matters, but there's limitations. It's a star driven league. In college basketball and college football, the coach is your star, he's your quarterback. And you know, look at Indiana football and Nebraska basketball. It's, it's. I love the new landscape. You just have no idea who's going to get good. What booster steps up.

[Jason McIntyre]

Well, yeah, you just pick a Big Ten team, right? Big Ten Nebraska comes out of nowhere. And hoops. By the way, the Nebraska women's volleyball team was incredible. Drawing hundreds of thousands of fans, undefeated for much of the season. And then Vanderbilt. Remember the football, the quarterback, Pavia goes to the Heisman ceremony. And now Vanderbilt basketball is making runs in the NCAA tournament.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, Vanderbilt, a very wealthy private school whose graduates, on average, I think the median income is like 200 grand, which is the highest easily in the SEC. So it's not a shock in the NIL era that Vanderbilt is. Is going to be going forward able. I mean, all you Vanderbilt Commodore grad, this is your moment.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Some of this Nil stuff may not last forever, so this is your moment to commit and. And, you know, be good alumni.

[Jason McIntyre]

Bunch of CEOs, right. And I mean, I don't want to knock the sec, but you always talk about the guys who have a couple car dealerships, you know, and they're the big donors and Big Ten country. It's just they're built.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's Larry. It's Larry Ellison, you know, who now, I mean, literally owns like Paramount. Like, that's honestly what's happening here. You got billionaires in the Big Ten. You know, Mark Cuban can write a $15 million check, and it's not. He made more on dividends last month than that. So I just think it's a different reality. And I, I like the idea that the schools with, you know, great education, wealthy alumni, they have a chance against football factories now. I mean, how many. How many Alabama Natties do I need to see? It's awesome to see Indiana win one.

[Jason McIntyre]

Sure. All right, let's move on to the NBA. Colin. Bizarre result this weekend. The Boston Celtics lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves. And by the way, no Anthony Edwards bones Highland, they dusted him off. He had 23 points. And Jaylen Brown, not thrilled with the loss here. I'll tell you why this is a big, big deal. Right after the Jaylen Brown quotes, here we go.

[Colin Cowherd]

They're physical, they're quite shy. They definitely upped their level of intensity, and we didn't necessarily meet the challenge. So that's the story of the game all. So we got to be better.

[Matt Hasselbeck]

We got to be ready for that.

[Colin Cowherd]

And that's, you know, uncharacteristic of us. We, you know, usually our playing team and tonight in that sort of works. So it's a long season. Well, I can remember Michael Jordan. I could be wrong on this, but the Jordan Bulls go look this up. I remember them losing, I believe I'm right, to the expansion Toronto Raptors. I mean, I'm sorry, but it happens. Where the, you know, we've always seen these teams. You go down to Miami, you know, in the winter, in the NBA and all of A sudden it's like what happened? The guys didn't quite show up. That's because the guys were having a good time last night in South Beach. It happens.

[Jason McIntyre]

So this is why it's a big one. Minnesota's jockeying to stay out of the play in without Anthony Edwards. That's tough. But it's bigger in the east column. The Celtics are only a half game up on the Knicks for the two seed. The two seed would play the three in the second round and get home court advantage. So that's a huge loss for my Knicks who have peeled off six in a row and they're breathing down Boston's neck. So Boston had home court last year. It didn't matter. The Knicks beat him. Remember those shockers in the first two games? I do believe that the way these teams end the season is huge. Remember last year the Timberwolves column went 17 and four ahead of the playoffs. Steamroll the Lakers in the first round. So getting hot at the right time. Remember the New York Giants in the NFL come in as a wild card team, but they're hot. And then they go and win the Super Bowl. I think there's something to that, like late season hotness. Are you buying that?

[Colin Cowherd]

No, I'll tell you what I'm buying. The staff are amazing. Staff. The Raptors went 21 and 61 in their first season, 1996, including a one point win over the Bulls in late March. What is it today? Late March. Welcome to the NBA where teams that already kind of feel like they've got their seating close. Yeah, you're not, you're not getting the greatest effort.

[Jason McIntyre]

You're basically the bronzed version of Rain

[Colin Cowherd]

man when it comes to MJ scored 36 points and they couldn't beat the 21 and 61 Toronto Raptors.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah. Jordan beating up on a bunch of plumbers north of the border. Well done, Michael. All right, let's move on. Final story. Let's go to the NFL draft. Very interesting stuff. So I, you know, you put your stake in who you believe. I've been a long term guy on Daniel Jeremiah. He's often right. He's plugged in. Colin, keep an eye on this. He is speculating on the Rich Eisen show that. Keep an eye on the LA Rams potentially making a move on grabbing Jeremiah. Love the Notre Dame running back. Here we go.

[Colin Cowherd]

The most fun example is if, if we are the. Let me just run through this, this little scenario I was looking at the other day. So if you are, if you are the Rams, I Mean everything screams all in, right? I mean what they're doing screams. They're going for this thing right now. You're this close. You're a drop punt away. You've already gone out and you've got McDuffie. What if there's a world in which you can move up in this draft to go take Jeremiah Love to put in your backfield as your finishing piece to give you somebody that's as talented as Todd Gurley. What they had early on in the McVeigh years. Now I don't get that. They've got Kyron Williams had a great year. They just signed him. Blake Corum is a smaller but a nice off speed pitch. I don't really get that.

[Jason McIntyre]

So let me stitch a couple things together and following the breadcrumbs in draft season, super fun. So Jeremiah previously speculated Makai Lemon, remember usc? Oh, Rams and Makai Lemon. We just heard that the Rams were trying to maybe trade for A.J. brown. Remember that the rumor, hey, we move off Devonte, we get A.J. brown and now we're hearing Jeremiah Love. These are three high profile offensive guys. I believe the Rams clearly feel like the offense could use one last kick in the butt and it would be some sort of jet fuel in the form of Jeremiah Love. A.J. brown something. So my mock draft coming out Wednesday, I'm going to have an offensive skill player to the Rams false half of this battle for picking the mock drafts. Colin is following breadcrumbs and when you hear stuff like this, it like to me and you, oh, Rams, go get a swing tackle, get some insurance for Stafford. Doesn't sound like it sounds like skill position to me.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I don't know. I think when you have a 38 year old quarterback getting the tackle position, remember not only is Havenstein done, but the left tackle had blood clot issues. Dude, I'm, I'm taking, I'm moving up for a tackle.

[Jason McIntyre]

Well, I remember that Bears game. Remember that Bears playoff game. They couldn't. They struggled to move the football, did they not? I mean they needed overtime. They needed a Caleb Williams interception when DJ Moore cuts off that route.

[Colin Cowherd]

But Kyron Williams I think has had three straight years over a thousand yards. I don't think tight end, running back receipt. Now they need another receiver. Tutu Atwell's gone, Puka gets banged up. Devonte is like 33. I think they need a receiver. It's not a great, it's a good receiver draft, but it's a very good early offensive tackle draft. I don't know I, you know, again, I'm getting all these rumors. There's probably where there's smoke, there's fire. Daniel Jeremiah's very tied in.

[Jason McIntyre]

I mean, let's be honest. There aren't a lot of like, Carnell Tate's really good. I don't love Carnell. I do too. But he's not just a Jefferson Jamar Chase.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think physically Carnell Tate is. Dude, he is one of those rare guys that is a sophomore in college look like a pro athlete. I think Karnell Tate's great. I don't. I mean now, now again, Makai Lemon's very good, but he is not the game breaker. Carnell Tate, he's not physically Carnell Tate who can beat man to man coverage, whereas A Mai Lemon is more like deceptive yards after catch, strong hands, good return guy. Carnell Tate I'd move up for. Do you think Kyle Lemon I would not move up for. I just think he's terrific.

[Jason McIntyre]

So remember Broncos looked at the draft landscape, talked to guys at the combine, came back and said, let's go get Jaylen Waddle. Patriots similar situation. Let's go spend money and bring in Romeo Dodds. I just wonder if this receiver class is not as superstar.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, it's not great. There's one guy that is a. A wow trait guy. It's Carnell.

[Jason McIntyre]

Is he gonna put up Malik neighbors type numbers? Remember?

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't know, but I think he's much more durable. He's a much stronger athlete than Neighbors. I mean, I think Tate's like, you know, he's like Omaron St. Brown. Like, it's just like not much body fat. Like. Like a guy that's going to be in tremendous shape. Long, durable career. That's my take on it. All right, J. Mac with the news. Well, that's the news and thanks for stopping by the Herd lie news. And the other thing with the Rams, it's not a good tight end draft at all. There's one at Vanderbilt everybody likes, but the Rams played all that 13 personnel, which is one back and three tight ends. So there's not a tight end to. Last year was a great tight end draft. Colston Loveland Warren with the Colts. The kid that went to Cleveland's a stud. I think from. Is that the kid from Bowling Green? That was a good tight end draft last year. There's that Kenyan Sadiq from Oregon who is a. You know, most tight ends are six five and up. He's like six three. He's an. He's the kind of guy that would work in like, Baltimore. He's kind of a different player. I don't know if I'd move up for him, but he is, he is a. You can move him all over the field. He's a really interesting player in Chicago. It's 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. All right, two truths and a Lie. Here we go. I went to college with college football coach Jim McElwaine, I began my broadcasting career doing play by play for the Las Vegas Stars, and I've been a Verizon customer for 15 years. Okay, I lied. All three are true. A Verizon isn't as expensive as you think. In fact, if you bring in your ATT or T Mobile bill to a Verizon store, they'll give you a better deal. That's right, a better deal on the best network with the most ways to save on plans, streaming and phone deals. So take that AT and T or T Mobile bill to your local Verizon store today. Get a better deal. Then start saving based on root metrics. Best Overall Mobile Network Performance U.S. 2nd Half 2025 All Rights Reserve must provide recent consumer mobile bill and the name of the person redeeming the deal. Additional terms, conditions and restrictions apply. Security usually means extra steps and complications, but with Apple Pay Secure payments are simple. Your transactions are authenticated with face id, touch ID or passcode, so security is built in when you check out. Plus, your name isn't shared with merchants and they don't see your actual card number. Whether you're shopping in store, online or an app, protecting your money should be simple. Pay the Apple way. Terms apply. Life's non stop work Family workouts True nature meets New York Strip steak Richly seasoned, pre cooked perfection that melts in your mouth. 30 years supplying the finest steakhouses heat in 4 minutes. No stress, just nourishing joy. Head to TrueNatureMeats.com code free meat for 20% off plus free New York strip Texas smoked brisket and Mediterranean chicken with Code free [e-mail] Support for the show comes from public. Lately, the line between investing and gambling has started to blur. But let's be real, you can't build actual wealth on a coin flip. That's why Public takes a different approach. It's the investing platform where you can build a serious long term portfolio. Stocks, options, bonds, crypto. They have it all. But unlike platforms that basically just give you a buy button. Public provides actual context so when you see volatility in your portfolio, you aren't just staring at a chart, you're reading a helpful explanation about why the stock is up or down. You can even go deeper with the built in AI Research assistant. It's all about giving you the information you need to invest with conviction. Be right more often. Go to public.com and earn an uncapped 1% match when you transfer your investments. Public Investing for those who take it seriously Ad paid for by Public Holdings Brokerage Services by Public Investing member FINRA SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors SEC Registered Advisor all investing involves risk of loss. See complete [e-mail] Disclosures Running a commercial plumbing or H vac company isn't easy. You're driving revenue, managing payroll, coordinating marketing, juggling projects and keeping customers satisf all at once. You need software that keeps up. It's time to upgrade to Service Titan, the all in one solution built to help companies like yours run smarter, grow faster and scale with confidence. See how the most successful contractors are doing it today with Service Titan. Visit servicetitan.com to learn more.

[Jason McIntyre]

That's servicetitan.com Sunday the NASCAR Cup Series is on FS1. Catch the best of the best as they go full throttle at Martinsville. The green flag at the Paperclip flies Sunday at 3:30 Eastern with pre race action beginning at 2 only on FS1.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, one of the silliest things I saw this weekend is Gonzaga lost second round to Texas. Big brand, a lot of money. And it's like I don't know Mark Few, okay? So I went to college right next to Gonzaga, Eastern Washington University. We played Gonzaga, John Stockton. For the record, I was doing play by play on the college radio station, had 42 against us, okay? And they didn't get to the tournament. And when they did before Mark few, Gonzaga had three, three tournament wins. They have 45 since he arrived. Also, they used to they were a slightly better than a.500 team. They didn't have anybody, you know, outside of Stockton sniffing the NBA. Now it's an NBA factory and they win 87% of their games. The truth is he had a great assistant coach who was his primary recruiter and that guy left a couple years ago. He went to Arizona and now Arizona's stacked, Arizona's roster stacked. And Arizona's a great program by the, you know, it's, it's, it's what UCLA wants to be. I mean the truth is Arizona and to Me, Gonzaga are the two best west coast programs. UCLA may have the biggest brand, but they don't have the money. But Mark Fuse made the tournament 27 straight years. Mark Fuse, fine, but. And this is the same thing that, that happens to a lot of. Pete Carroll lost his best assistance at USC and he wasn't quite as good at the very last year and so, you know, don't make much of it. Here's the new coach of Arizona, Tommy Lloyd on the new nil and how it's changed everything. Parity is great for the game, but things change.

[Matt Hasselbeck]

And you know, I think once, you

[Colin Cowherd]

know, finances become part of it, you know, you know there's gonna be a, there's gonna be a breaking point for some of the lesser programs that just don't have the finances. And I think that's just a, just a obvious statement. Yeah, it's, it's, it really hasn't. I mean Kentucky still has a lot of money, but they, Mark Pope, who was good at byu, he's a smart guy. You know, they, they didn't, they didn't really have a point guard yesterday and they got taken to the woodshed by Iowa State and didn't play very good defensively. A lot of this, you know, this is why I say about Rick Patino. You're talking about an all time guy in Rick Patino. His team can't shoot and he gets the fourth team to the Sweet 16. I mean it's not like Kansas shoots great, but Kansas has the number one player in college basketball. Kansas shot a better three point field goal, free throw, more rebounds, three times the blocks, more points in the paint. And, and Rick Patino one Pino is as good as anybody that's ever coached. So you know, this stuff is, you know, that's why when Mick Cronin complains about nil money. Let's play the Mick Cronin bite like UCLA fans are like, let's get rid of Mick Cronin mixed a really good coach and he's not wrong here. But you know, I don't think there's any coach in college basketball that squeezes more juice out of his roster than, than Rick Patino. But this as people worked up about Mick Cronin at ucla. Big picture wise, third consecutive season not get into the second weekend in the tournament. I know different seasons, different reasons. But do you feel like anything needs to change with the approach roster construction or the way you're.

[Matt Hasselbeck]

Yeah, I have no right now I'm

[Colin Cowherd]

worried about tonight consoling the guys. We'll stay here in the front row. I'd like about five more million.

[Matt Hasselbeck]

There's my answer.

[Colin Cowherd]

Jim Alexander from the Orange County Register watching Tyler on the bench, not having. Yeah, you know, it's just not going to land at ucla. He's already kind of been warned behind the scenes. And you know the other thing about the nil college, you can't get too precious about this stuff. Too touchy feely. You want to win? Open up the checkbook. I mean it used to always be in college sports people would be like, well, you know, it's about the education. Do you understand that High Point University won a game in the tournament and they got 16,000 like applicants or 16,000 people interested in going to the university. This stuff works hand in hand. Alabama for years, their enrollment skyrocketed during the dynasty with Nick Saban. So if UCLA has always kind of struggled with that, well, we are an academic powerhouse. Open the checkbook. There is no advertising, which is, you can equate to what UCLA gets. Being on television with 7 million views. You're playing UConn like the Duke of the Northeast. You know how many free UCLA you know, mentions you're getting on the air. Open the checkbook. Plenty of money at ucla and what president at universities and admission directors have discovered. Not only do you get all this free advertising and exposure, but you get not only more students, but more elite students. Because what does 17 and 18 year old kids want to do? They want to have fun. I mean even the academic kids like J. Mac, who were kind of nerds that got good grades. He was still wearing dual earrings. He was still, I mean I wasn't an academic guy. But the bottom line is what does 17 year old kids want to do? They want to go to places where there's, there's like a social life. And so UCLA tends to get a little like USC has no problem just saying, hey, football matters to us. Clemson. Yeah. And by the way. And everybody goes, well, that's because UCLA is such a great school. Actually, USC has caught up to UCLA academically because of people have opened the checkbook. So if you get two and people, by the way, is Duke a great university? Yes. Yep, they're great in basketball. Is Virginia a great university? Yep, they're great in basketball. Is Michigan, Notre Dame? Are these great universities? Absolutely. Wisconsin's a great university. Do you want to win? Do you want exposure? Open up the checkbook. And you can't get precious and uncomfortable because Mick Cronin's like, we need more money. They do, yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

Well, they were able to get dent in the, in the portal.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

I'll tell you about off air the story about Mara, who they lost. That's a, that's a, that was a tough one for, for Mick. He's not thrilled but I think they're going to be fine. They showed well yesterday, but you're right, they got to spend the money.

[Colin Cowherd]

Academics were a powerhouse. Show me the money. Think Verizon is expensive? Think again. Anyone can bring their AT&T or T mobile bill to a Verizon store today and we'll give you a better deal. So bring us your bill, walk in, running pogo sticking teleport. If you can ride on the back of a rollerblading yak or fly in on the wings of a majestic falcon. Any way you can bring your AT&T or T mobile bill to a Verizon store today and we'll give you a better deal. On the best network based on routemetrics

[Jason McIntyre]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jason McIntyre]

Hi, I'm Julieann Moore. I learn a lot from every role, but some things stay with me more than others, like the impact of Alzheimer's disease. It's important to think about brain health now because there's so much we want to do.

[Colin Cowherd]

Acting early to protect brain health may help reduce the risk of dementia from

[Jason McIntyre]

conditions like Alzheimer's disease. Ask your doctor about your risk factors

[Colin Cowherd]

and for a cognitive assessment, learn [e-mail] this is a paid partnership with Lily. You won't see the engineer that slams

[Jason McIntyre]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jason McIntyre]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jason McIntyre]

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[Colin Cowherd]

you get its best.

[Jason McIntyre]

For J.D. power 2025 U.S. initial Quality Study Award information, visit jdpower.com Awards Awards based on 2025 model year. Newer models may be shown.

[Colin Cowherd]

Everyone deserves to be connected. That's why T Mobile and US Cellular are joining forces. Switch to T Mobile and save up to 20% versus Verizon by getting built in benefits that you leave out. Check the math@t mobile.com switch and now T mobile is in US cellular stores. Savings versus Comparable Verizon plan plus the cost of optional benefits, plan features and taxes and fees vary. Savings with three plus lines include third line free via monthly bill credits.

[Matt Hasselbeck]

Credit stop if you cancel any lines.

[Colin Cowherd]

Qualifying credit required. This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.