← The Herd with Colin Cowherd
The Herd with Colin Cowherd
THE HERD - Hour 3 - The World Cup is almost here, QBs on the NFL market
00:35:15
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- [00:00]
Colin Cowherd
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [00:02]
Alexi Lalas
Guaranteed Human
- [00:06]
Sponsor/Ad Voice
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- [00:35]
Alexi Lalas
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- [02:40]
Colin Cowherd
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
- [02:43]
Alexi Lalas
And with that, we are 100 days out. But for the record, the World Cup England, Spain, Germany, Brazil, Argentina Hasn't. Hasn't soccer always been top heavy? We're not watching the World cup with all the new teams for the bottom teams. For the record, the United States, currently 14th best odds in Vegas. Alexi Lawless, the soccer hall of Famer, been to a couple of World Cups, including ones on our soil. Let me start with that. Is that I listen. They're going to get out of the group stage. The groups, you know, they're a little. Because we're adding teams to the World cup, which I'm okay with. They're going to get out of the World cup stage their 14th best odds. And Nick Wright and I were talking about this about an hour ago. We said there is something about whether you're a boxer or a tennis player or a baseball team or a soccer team in the World cup, you're on home soil. You tell me, experienced it. Does it matter a little bit? Is there a sense of pride? I mean, Lake Placid's the greatest example of playing over yourself. You tell me, Alexi. Does it. Does it matter?
- [03:53]
Colin Cowherd
Well, greetings, Colin. Yeah, I think you hit the nail on the head here. There's nothing better than a World cup except one thing, and that is a home World cup. And there is a magic. And if you are able to harness that, then, man, you can do things that people don't believe that you can do. When it comes to this, when it comes to this summer, obviously we're hosting with our friends to the north, Canada, our friends to the south, but Mexico. But the majority of the games are going to be here in the United States. And from a U.S. perspective, I mean, there's a lot of synergy, there's a lot of stuff that's going on this summer, not the least of which is, by the way, the 250th birthday. What I feel is the greatest country in the world. So there's an opportunity here to celebrate. There's an opportunity for this U.S. men's National Team to catch some fire. We've just seen it happen with the hockey team. I think America wants to celebrate and they can use this summer and use the World cup to. To celebrate our country through the lens of a World cup you mentioned. I'm sitting here today because of the 1994 World Cup. It changed my life forever. But I saw what it can do to a country and culture and that same thing. And that same opportunity exists this summer for a whole nother generation. So when I'm walking down the street and people say, oh, my God, I remember 94 World Cup. It was awesome. It changed the way that I think about the game and everything that's fine and well, but hopefully there's a whole nother generation many years from now when I'm long gone, that looks back at the summer of 2026 and says, man,
- [05:10]
Alexi Lalas
that was a party.
- [05:11]
Colin Cowherd
That was a celebration. Whether you're into soccer or not, you come into that tent and you get infected, if you will, with, I think, you know, the greatest thing in the world, which is soccer. And by the way, once you're infected, sometimes it's very, very hard to get rid of.
- [05:24]
Alexi Lalas
Yeah, the. We're 100 days out. If I said to you, I think we both worry a little bit about, you know, who's going to be in goal, which has generally been a historic strength for Team usa. If I said to you, though, here is the one thing that I like about this team and I'm absolutely sure of, because generally speaking, I don't care if it's March Madness or the World Cup. You've got to have a foundational piece that every guy in that room, including the staff, knows works. What are you fond of most about this team that you can bank on?
- [05:58]
Colin Cowherd
Well, to your point about goalkeeping, no goalie, no party. And we just saw that when it came to, you know, the men's and women's Olympic hockey team, you got to have a goalie in there. As you mentioned before, we have a long history of great goalkeeping. Matt Fries right now, I think, is the incumbent. I think he's going to start, by the way, if he starts, he could possibly be the first, if I'm not mistaken, first Harvard man to start in goal for a US Team. Right, Exactly. Listen, it doesn't mean you're smart, but you went to Harvard, and all I care about is that you save the ball. Right? And so that's what he has to do. He's yet to prove it on a World cup stage, but I think he's going to be given the opportunity here. Look, I think a lot of people are going to point to Christian Pulisic, I think, is well on his way to becoming the best male American soccer player in history. And he's got to show up, and he often does for the U.S. but listen, you know, Kyle, we. You know, you talk about athletes nowadays, and a lot of times athletes will talk about brands, right? Back in the day, we didn't know what it was or didn't call it that, but, you know, we cultivated a brand. Certainly, you know, the way that I Looked and that kind of stuff, that was a brand, if you will. But for a lot of these players who are making a lot of money, who achieved a lot of fame and success elsewhere, this is a home World cup. And as I said, all of these people coming in, that's another opportunity for you to almost market yourself individually. I think a lot of people are going to be introduced, for example, to Christian Pulisic for the first time, and I want him to step up. I think he has the talent to be able to do it on a consistent basis. He's a quiet type of leader, but, you know, he speaks volumes on the field in terms of the big moments and his one on one ability.
- [07:27]
Alexi Lalas
So the final US Roster, is it may that it's announced? Do you do.
- [07:33]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah.
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Alexi Lalas
Is. Do you have a prediction? Maybe. Will there be any surprises?
- [07:39]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, I mean, I think that there are always surprises. And Mauricio Pochettino, the new coach, he doesn't suffer fools. And well, when he first came in, I was, you know, scratching my head at, you know, some of what it looked like, some madness. And now I've come around to, you know, there is a method to some of his madness. And, you know, in the, in the, in the vein of, you know, Herb Brooks or something like that, I think he recognizes that it's not about the best soccer players, it's about the, the best collection.
- [08:05]
Alexi Lalas
That's right.
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Colin Cowherd
Of players. And so I think that that is going to bode well for this team this summer. But let's be honest, okay. Going to World Cups from, from a men's team perspective, we've done that plenty of times. Winning groups, we've done that. We were a handball away possibly from going to a semifinal back in 2002. So we should expect more and I think it's fair to expect more from this generation. I'm not grumpy old man in this by any stretch of the imagination. I'm actually really, really proud of all of the resources and all of the opportunities that this generation has had. Another reminder, as the previous World cup, back in Qatar four years ago, it was the second youngest team at the World cup, our US team. So that team now has matured and you would expect here on our home soil for that to come to fruition.
- [08:46]
Alexi Lalas
Yeah, I mean, when we played Netherlands, it was very obvious they were an older, more experienced team, a more physical team. I do worry and I don't know, I worry a little bit about this is. I don't. I think our ball skills excellent. I think our speed Feels as good as it's ever been. I think we're allowed now to play more of an attacking style because we're a more talented team. I do worry about. I don't know if toughness is the right word. A grittiness. I think that's a more diplomatic word. Clinton Dempsey. And you sort of embodied that like, like, like you were just. You were feisty players. Do we have that component? Do you worry about that?
- [09:31]
Colin Cowherd
I do worry about it, and I think it's essential. I mean, you need look no further than, you know, look. If it bleeds, it leads in. In sports and in news, obviously, but, you know, nothing rallies the troops more than blood. I mean, we just saw it with, you know, broken teeth and blood and all that kind of stuff. You know, it kind of takes a deeper type of commitment, and these are incredibly skilled players. So I'm not saying that, you know, you have to be Neanderthal in the way that you approach the game, but there is a element of. Give it a name, whatever it is, grit, whatever you want to call it, that has been a hallmark of this team over the years. And that's what's enabled us, even at times where we weren't as skillful or as experienced, to get results. And so now if you marry the two, you hope that it's there, and you hope that we haven't thrown the baby out with the bathwater in terms of that good American grit that we have seen in the past. And if you get those two together, the sky's the limit.
- [10:24]
Alexi Lalas
Yeah, I. England, which is. They haven't won a World cup since the 60s, the mid-60s. I can remember my mom, when I was. My late mother, took me to England for a summer, and it was like 70, 1970. Ish. Netherlands was great, and England was great. Little did they know that would be the last time they'd win a World Cup. They have great hype and marketing. And do you buy England as a team that could win the World Cup?
- [10:54]
Colin Cowherd
Oh, Colin. Well, nobody's watching this, right? Or listening to this. I feel comfortable saying this to you right now. As much as it pains me, England's really good. Okay? And listen again on our 250th birthday, Colin, if we were to allow England to come to our shores and to win a World cup and for it to quote on, come home through our shores, I cannot abide anybody but England. You think the English are insufferable now when it comes to their soccer. Can you imagine if they were to win the World Cup? Here in the United States, the problem is, is that they are really, really good and they're, they're not sneaky good because it's still England and they're right below your Frances and your Spains and the, and your Argentinas. But man, they get on a roll and they start feeling could be, like I said, great for England but not so great for us. It's from a 1776 perspective.
- [11:50]
Alexi Lalas
So France has had great success in recent World Cups and what I've always found fascinating, the Italian culture was more of a defensive minded culture. What is it about the French soccer ecosystem that has globally elevated them and they've always been worthy, but in recent cops they've been extraordinary. Is it a coaching. What has elevated them?
- [12:22]
Colin Cowherd
Couple of things. It's a culture thing in terms of development. At a very young age, they recognize talent and they foster that talent. So now you have depth. Now that talent, while it may start in what you would call a much more development league, that is the Ligue league over in France, immediately, as soon as they start showing talent, they oftentimes move up to other leagues. And so if you go to the best leagues in the world, they are often populated by a lot of French players. You talk about diaspora and the way that they have integrated in all of the talent that has come over, even at times, talent that has come from, you know, different types of cultures. But there is a general understanding about how this France team wants to play. They've had a coach now for multiple cycles, so there's a consistency and they are, they are scary good. And it's not just Killian Mbappe from top to bottom. And as I said, they could probably field a couple of national teams and be incredibly competitive with both of them.
- [13:21]
Alexi Lalas
So Mauricio Pochettino is a coach that his history coming to our team was that he liked, he was good with young players. Well, we're a young team. There's also been some pushback within some of the, you know, I mean, listen, this is, this is big money, it's big visibility. There's one national team. What would you give him? And it's, it's a hard grade. What would you give him as a grade so far? What? What? Because I don't think the American consumer, outside of guys like you and the, you know, the soccer die hard, has much of a feel for him. Your vibe with him so far?
- [14:03]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, so so far, I mean, if I have to give him a grade, I'd probably give him a B, a solid B. But, but the reality is that I would give him an incomplete because nothing really matters. I mean, we will, you know, wring our hands and, you know, in consternation about the friendly games that we have. And he's bringing in this player and not playing this player and all that. But the reality is, all that he is going to be judged upon is what happens when that first whistle blows and then whenever that next whistle blows to finish off the campaign this summer. Keep in mind that this is a coach that's never coached internationally. This is his first international job. And it's a very, very different proposition when you are coaching internationally where you get the team sometimes two or three days at a time, as opposed to day in and day out where he has had most of his success. Yeah, it's difficult and, and this is. But having said that, I, I think that, as I said, there is a method to the madness. I do believe that he's brought in a, a ruthlessness that I think is a trait of many Argentines in terms of how they view the players and how they want their play to team. I also think he is adamant about the honor and the recognition of representing in this case, the United States, but your country, and that you need to feel more than just the actual kicking of the ball and the results. So when that anthem is playing, you put your hand over your heart. That has to mean something that then translates to your performance on the field.
- [15:28]
Alexi Lalas
Are he and Pulisic in a good space?
- [15:30]
Colin Cowherd
I think so, because I think he. I think they need each other and he certainly needs Christian Pulisic to do the things that he can do. But, you know, oftentimes the World cup works in funny ways and the soccer gods work in funny ways. And who we are talking about right now might not be ultimately who we are talking about when the World cup is, you know, finish. You know, you got a guy like Weston McKinney who I think a lot of Americans, again are going to see for the first time and are going to fall in love with. You got a guy, Chris Richards, who is a center back. I think, you know, his smile, but also his maturity now for still a young player. And we need a good defender. I think he is going to come to the, come to the fore. And then you have, you know, some players in mls, whether it's a Diego Luna out of Salt Lake or a Sebastian Berhalter who plays up in Vancouver, a Christian Roldan who's been around and plays for, for Seattle sometimes. And I think even this World cup there will be some surprises. In terms of who, who creates those magical moments that for many generations we remember.
- [16:29]
Alexi Lalas
Alexi Lawless, the Hall of Famer, Fox Sports soccer analyst Messi's 38 Ronaldo is LeBron like at 41. Messi pretty remarkable with Miami from, I mean first night was remarkable. At this point, do you give them a puncher's chance to break through? How do you feel about Messi and Ronaldo?
- [16:53]
Colin Cowherd
I, I, I mean I do just
- [16:55]
Alexi Lalas
because of how good they are.
- [16:56]
Colin Cowherd
However, history has not been kind to repeat or attempted repeats. Last time it happened was 58 and 62 with, with Brazil. So it's very, very difficult to do even in his, even with a, you know, arguably the goat for Messi and this wonderful Argentinian team and even in his new neighborhood and backyard here in the United States. But you wouldn't put it past him given the things that he's done. But as you mentioned, you know, Spain will have a say, France will have us will have a say. Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal licking his chops. Talk about depth. So be interesting to see also that dynamic. I know you talk a lot about LeBron and the dynamic and you know, how much is he going to play and is he going to start and if he doesn't start, he is it a problem for him and the team and how do you manage his minutes and do you say hey to one of the greatest players also with an incredible ego, you're not going to start this game? And how does he take, how does he take that? All of those different things are going to be part of the stories that we're going to tell all through these 39 days of the World cup this summer.
- [17:53]
Alexi Lalas
Great seeing you as always, Alexei.
- [17:55]
Colin Cowherd
You look wonderful, my friend.
- [17:57]
Alexi Lalas
Well, you know, we both have our hair still.
- [18:00]
Colin Cowherd
We're trying
- [18:03]
Alexi Lalas
to can't wait 100 days out and the final roster is announced in May. So you know, there'll be a, there'll be a twist, there'll be a turn. 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 Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington from the Odd Couple on Fox Sports Radio.
- [18:27]
Sponsor/Ad Voice
And in addition to hearing us live weeknights from 7 to 10pm Eastern, answered
- [18:31]
Alexi Lalas
on Fox Sports Radio, we are excited
- [18:34]
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- [18:37]
Rob Parker
That's right, you can now watch the
- [18:39]
Alexi Lalas
Odd Couple Live on YouTube every day.
- [18:43]
Colin Cowherd
All you gotta do search Odd Couple
- [18:45]
Alexi Lalas
FSR on YouTube again. YouTube just search Odd Couple FSR check
- [18:49]
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- [19:23]
Alexi Lalas
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- [20:11]
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Alexi Lalas
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- [22:23]
Colin Cowherd
No, no, turn on the news.
- [22:25]
Rob Parker
This is the Herd Line news. Not sure if you saw this, but Giannis returned last night. Colin had been on a bit of a sabbatical nursing a quote, quote, unquote injury returned. It was solid. 19 and 11. They got blasted by the Celtics by a billion. Celtics did not even play Jalen Brown, which speaks to how bad this Bucks team is. But hey, Giannis was just happy to be out there. Here he is talking about the performance.
- [22:50]
Alexi Lalas
I'm just happy that I'm on the court. Like it doesn't matter If I play
- [22:52]
Sponsor/Ad Voice
18, 20 minutes, 22, whatever.
- [22:55]
Alexi Lalas
Just happy that I'm out there. I'm just in there. Like a mindset that try not to take nothing for granted. Obviously did not play well tonight, but
- [23:06]
Colin Cowherd
at the end of the day, I'm
- [23:07]
Alexi Lalas
just happy that I'm out there being
- [23:09]
Colin Cowherd
able to, you know, help my teammates in any way that I can and just do what I love, which is play basketball.
- [23:15]
Alexi Lalas
Aww.
- [23:16]
Rob Parker
Nice guy. Hey, the best chance for them to keep Giannis is to miss the playoffs, get in the lottery and somehow win the lottery or get the second pick, right? If you get to Bansa, do you say Giannis, hey, we got a superstar here, potential. Do you want to stick around? Like that's their best bet, right? Short of that, I don't see why they're playing. Like, what's the point? I know he wants to play, but I don't care what you want. I want what's best for our team. Right.
- [23:43]
Alexi Lalas
Well, it should be noted Luca was upset when he was traded from Dallas, like he didn't want to be traded. And Giannis has talked about, but doesn't necessarily want to be traded and Jokic is loyal and we've talked about this. International players would rather stay with a team that drafts them. I mean that's, that is a reality is that there is something about this not being your home country and you come into this country and you feel a sense of pride and respect and I mean, we can talk about Giannis leaving, but they love him in Milwaukee. He is still a top 8, 7, 6 player in the league. And you know, I, I, it's funny. I'm here, I'm ready. He is great. I do think the Knicks are a fascinating team because the Knicks could give up draft picks a really good player in OG A Josh Hart, and he would solve their defensive issues. I mean, they had to let go of Hartenstein so they, they lost some defense there and they, Mikhail Bridges has been a nice piece on the wing defensively, but Cat and Brunson are liabilities. I do think not because it's a big market. I think New York does make sense. Yeah. And if I could get multiple draft picks and a player like OG a secondary player to make the salaries match, it's a pretty good haul.
- [25:06]
Rob Parker
Let me ask, you just said something interesting. Do you think it's a winning mentality or a losing mentality for Giannis to say I want to stay in Milwaukee, I want to stay here and win? Because I think of that as a losing mentality. Look what the team is around you, you have no chance. You could say we're going to compete. You're not sniffing the playoffs.
- [25:27]
Alexi Lalas
Well, I think, you know, it depends. I think a lot of old time basketball fans think less of you if you're mobile, which for me, I think everybody else in society is. I mean, if you got a better offer at a better law firm or you, you were a principal or a schoolteacher and got a better offer in a different district, you would take it. But there is a, there is a sense that, you know, you're in every other sport. We understand if you go play for the Dodgers, you want to play for a better team and have guys that are better hitting in front of you and behind you, you get better pitches.
- [25:59]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah.
- [26:00]
Alexi Lalas
In the NFL, if you're an offensive tackle, I'd rather have Mahomes Homes behind me than a scrub. But there is something about basketball that if you, if you're mobile and take advantage and you join, you know, it's so funny. Ohio State Buckeye fan loves when five star players join more five star players. There's something about college. We, we're okay with stacked rosters and, and we're okay a lot of the times with you know, a football or a baseball player going and joining a better team. But in basketball, well, Jordan, you know, Jordan, you know, he may have gone to the Wizards at the end but Kobe was a one team guy there. We look at basketball players. It's really weird that we look and think less of you that KD has bounced around or went to the Warriors. I mean he played with Harden and Westbrook. He couldn't get the ball in his hands enough like I got it.
- [26:50]
Rob Parker
Yeah, we're in lockstep there. Hey, let's stick in the NBA. This is a fascinating story, Colin. The Charlotte Hornets, who we don't talk enough about.
- [26:57]
Colin Cowherd
Right.
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Rob Parker
Would you believe that they're one of the best teams in the league since January 22, 14 and 3 the best record and they have the second best offensive rating in that time span. Okay, that's over a month. That's a significant sample size. Here's my angle that I love Colin. We banged on lamalo Ball for years. He's immature, he takes terrible shots, he's all about goofy one legged threes. Colin quietly Lamelo ball is growing up. I mean honestly, he's, he's got Khan Caniple, Brandon Miller and this team is starting to come together. I don't want to say that they're going to throw a scare into someone in the first round.
- [27:32]
Alexi Lalas
Ball now has two finishers on his roster. Yep. So is he growing up or. The reality is his passes get finished and he gets assists.
- [27:40]
Rob Parker
Well, I think it's a little bit of both. But he is now 24 years old. He came into this league as a young, I don't want to say punk, but he was a young guy who was very arrogant. And you talked culture earlier, Colin, about basketball culture, football culture. Sometimes it just takes five years. When you think about a lot of these college guys coming out in football, they're 23, 24, a little more mature.
- [28:00]
Alexi Lalas
That's, that is what's so amazing about the NBA draft. Like Con Knippel was a very good college player. I just looked this up. He's one of five players in the whole league averaging 18 plus and 40% from three. The others are Jokic, Durant and Jamal Murray. And then Con can apple. He's now, he's now the favorite to win rookie of the year. Like because you get drafted so young. I mean, you know, you have kids. The difference between like an 8 year old boy and a 10 year old boy is two different human beings. Yeah. The difference between like a 19 year old and a 22 year old.
- [28:36]
Rob Parker
Massive.
- [28:36]
Alexi Lalas
Is your brain's developing and your maturity is developing. Like some of these guys in the last two draft classes are like, wow, they are, they are getting much better, much quicker.
- [28:49]
Rob Parker
Yeah. And I'll just say this about Lamelo. This kid, he could play. I wanted to trade him. If they got Cooper Flag, they obviously kept him. Hornets fans were angry with me. They actually played Dallas tonight. Cooper Flag unlikely to play. So we won't get Knipple versus Cooper. And you're right, Con Cannipple is going to win Rookie of the Year. Mostly because the Mavs are tanking.
- [29:06]
Colin Cowherd
Right.
- [29:07]
Rob Parker
And they want, they want to get a higher pick. And Cooper Flag's not going to play. Let's wrap up Colin with Kyler Murray, the Arizona Cardinals quarterback. This, you know, you get a lot of speculative stories this time of year. Yeah, Colin, this is the craziest one I've heard. Apparently there's a report that maybe the Steelers could trade.
- [29:25]
Alexi Lalas
Wait for it.
- [29:26]
Rob Parker
Multiple picks for Kyler Murray. Now, not high value picks, not early round picks, but like a 2027, six, then a 2026, fifth later round picks for Kyler Murray. Okay. Do you think there's any chance anyone's trading for Kyler Murray?
- [29:45]
Alexi Lalas
Yeah, I think, I think A, he's talented and B, if you don't have to pay a full boat, why not?
- [29:53]
Colin Cowherd
Okay.
- [29:53]
Rob Parker
Would you convince Aaron Rodgers to come back or trade some later round picks for Kyler Murray?
- [29:59]
Alexi Lalas
No, I. With Pittsburgh, I'd play Will Howard.
- [30:02]
Rob Parker
Yeah, I'm with you on that.
- [30:03]
Alexi Lalas
Yeah, I play Will Howard. They're not comfortable with bottoming. That's not a knock on Aaron Rodgers. If I was Minnesota, I would go get Aaron Rodgers or Mac Jones in that Kevin o' Connell system. I think they'd both be really, really good. Yeah.
- [30:16]
Rob Parker
I wonder, do you think Mike McCarthy got maybe some kind of wink, wink assurances before taking the job? I mean, I don't think he went in and was like, get me Will Howard. I'm ready. I think, I wonder if they had like a plan whether it's Kyler, Kirk, Cousins, whoever.
- [30:32]
Alexi Lalas
And that's why Mike McCarthy, honestly, I mean, if you ask Mike McCarthy privately, he would never admit this. He wants to play Will Howard. He may go 5 and 12, he doesn't care. I mean, Pittsburgh doesn't fire coaches, right. Like he's got. He'll end his career as the Pittsburgh Steelers coach. Six years. Let's say it gets six, seven years. I mean, Mike's still with it, so I think if you asked him, he'd rather go with Will Howard and just say, guys, let's, let's give this kid a chance. Let's remember though, the owner in our running back room, our tight end room, it's, it's fine. Aaron proved this year, Pittsburgh's fine if you get the right leadership.
- [31:15]
Rob Parker
The problem is the owner has said we don't want to rebuild. We don't do rebuilds here. So there's a bit of headbutting there. Steelers are kind of fascinating. Colin, by the way, this Aaron Rodgers stuff to Minnesota is starting to pick up again. Remember, Kevin o' Connell apparently had liked him. So if, if Rodgers leaves the Steelers for Minnesota.
- [31:33]
Alexi Lalas
So Aaron in Minnesota is it is back on.
- [31:35]
Rob Parker
Well, not on on, but there's rumblings that, hey, Kevin o' Connell was the one that liked him. The GM didn't like Rodgers and now Rodgers is kind of a free agent. He's been very quiet. Have you noticed not a lot of Aaron Rodgers chatter out there in the the ether. Wonder if there's a behind the scenes deal going on somewhere
- [31:55]
Alexi Lalas
that's interesting.
- [31:56]
Rob Parker
We hear a lot of Kyler this week, right? A lot of tua. Well, a lot of this guy. Where's Aaron Rodgers?
- [32:01]
Alexi Lalas
I think we're, as of tomorrow, we're a week away from the start of free agency. So I mean, and for the record, you know, this, the official start of free agency deals feel like they're done three days out, right? So I mean, they're talking now. So I mean it's, it's, you know, I'll, it's a hill I've died on. I think Kyler's really talented. I think there's some commitment stuff. I don't want to pay him a ton of money, but I think you can win games with the right protection. I do J. Mac with the news.
- [32:33]
Colin Cowherd
Well, that's the news and thanks for stopping by.
- [32:35]
Alexi Lalas
The Herd Lie news in Chicago. It's the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am
- [32:44]
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- [33:15]
Alexi Lalas
all right, two Truths and a Lie. Here we go. I went to college with college football coach Jim McElwain, 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 and 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 in the name of the person redeeming the deal. Additional terms, conditions and restrictions apply.
- [34:04]
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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 uncanny capped 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 disclosures@public.com Disclosures Innovation is what
- [35:09]
Alexi Lalas
gets your business to the big leagues and Wasabi is designed to give every business a shot at competition break free from skyrocketing storage costs, unpredictable egress fees from old and top heavy legacy providers. You know the big guys. Wasabi is the world's hottest cloud storage company and the go to provider for professional and collegiate sports teams and leagues around the world. And here's why Innovation from Wasabi's AI enabled intelligent media storage Wasabi Air to the industry's only cloud storage service. With triple protection against cybercriminals, data deletion and ransomware, Wasabi has taken the lead in big league data storage. Remember, Wasabi is up to 80% less than the other guys and doesn't charge a cent for businesses to access their own data. Wasabi is a another championship story. Check them out free@wasabi.com Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage proud partner of the Volume Podcast Network. I was saying earlier today, between the draft and free agency, I mean, you're hearing Kirk Cousins and Tua and Kyler Murray. If you told me I'm, I'm, you know, I'm a gm, I'm looking around. Who are the five most acquirable quarterbacks? Age, cost, health, production, ascension. There's a story today that nobody's interested. There's no market on Mac Jones, which I find weird. To me, the best acquirable quarterbacks this year are Fernando Mendoza. You get the rookie contract for years. He's a big, strong, accurate kid. I love his spirit. I'd probably do Mac Jones. He's more seasoned than a lot of the guys like Malik Willis and Ty Simpson out there. He's inexpensive, at least for a year. He's 27 years old. He was the second most accurate quarterback in the league. Now, a lot of that's Kyle Shanahan, but if you've got a decent old line like Minnesota does, I'm interested. Malik Willis has a scarcity of starts. He's got six career starts. Really athletic, got a nice arm, not ideal size. I'd roll the dice on him. I. If I had to pay 28 to 30 million, I'd roll the dice. Somebody rolled the dice on Baker Mayfield in Tampa. It worked out. Ty Simpson, I think is draftable. Again, this is not as much. I love Ty, I think he's something there. But it's a Cousins to a Kyler. I'm not going to go there. And Aaron Rodgers. The downside to Aaron, he may just play for a year, but I mean, to me, these are the five guys that interest me. You know, Tua, I've said my piece. Kyler like him more than the market, but there's a lot of questions. Kirk Cousins, I think, you know, been there, done that.
- [37:51]
Rob Parker
Well, your guy Kyler Murray is going to be a little disappointed to not make the list. Let me just throw out a curveball and don't freak out. Okay? But there seems to be a market, a small one. For Anthony Richardson, who is one of these guys who has not shown anything, but he walks in the room to meet you, he's a big, strapping individual. Who the hell's tackling this guy? If we can just clean up a little bit of his mechanics and he goes from completing 50% of his passes to 60, you might have something. Is there any way Anthony Richardson cracks this list?
- [38:24]
Alexi Lalas
I go back to the Kyle Shanahan theory when Kyle Shanahan said, yeah, I can't make Trey Lance work. Kind of a warning sign. When Shane Steichen's like, yeah, I mean, Shane Steichen took Jalen Hurts to an MVP level.
- [38:41]
Rob Parker
Why do you say it like that? I mean, come on.
- [38:43]
Alexi Lalas
Geez. Well, I mean, there's.
- [38:44]
Rob Parker
Jalen hurts like he's some bum.
- [38:46]
Alexi Lalas
Well, but, no, but he's not an mvp.
- [38:49]
Colin Cowherd
He's not.
- [38:49]
Alexi Lalas
He shouldn't be the most valuable player in the league. Shane Steichen got Justin Herbert out of college, who not everybody was high on. They thought he was kind of, you know, stiff. And he broke. I mean, with an average O line, he shattered rookie quarterback numbers.
- [39:07]
Rob Parker
Yeah, that's fair.
- [39:08]
Alexi Lalas
So if. If Shane Steichen is telling you and I, yeah, I'm out. I'm going to overpay for Daniel Jones. I have a hard time saying I'm going to embrace it. And by the way, that. That's. I mean, I. Kyler Murray is the most talented quarterback on the market.
- [39:27]
Rob Parker
Timeout, timeout, timeout. What do you base it like, the most talented?
- [39:30]
Alexi Lalas
Elusiveness, elusiveness, accuracy, movement. I think. I think Malik Willis and Kyler are really unique. I think Fernando Mendoza is underrated. But, I mean, I know what I get with tua. I kind of know what I get with Mac Jones. You know, Anthony Richardson's got a lot of talent, but let's not go crazy here. In the NBA, you've got to be able to hit an occasional three or your reliability to your offense. I don't have to guard you in the NFL. If you're a quarterback, you got to be able to hit the 15 and under. Layups. He struggles. He struggles with the layups. So Steichen's like, I'm out. Well, they're desperate for a quarterback in the. And they're just moving off him. That's a huge red flag.
- [40:15]
Rob Parker
So. So if Kyler Murray so talented, what. What does it say about these five guys to be ahead of him?
- [40:21]
Alexi Lalas
Well, he's expensive and brittle.
- [40:22]
Rob Parker
Well, he's about to get cut by the Cardinals, right, Tua Is also not sniffing this list. I know, listen, he was health, no health issues last year of memory serves.
- [40:31]
Alexi Lalas
He's just nothing against the guy. But Mac Jones is cheap. Fernando Mendoza rookie contract. Aaron Rodgers is cheap, Ty Simpson's cheap and Malik Willis is team friendly. Every one of those guys on that screen has something I like. Mendoza's size and accuracy. Mac Jones accuracy and inexpense. Malik Willis electric athletically. Ty Simpson, I don't have to play him for a year. He's not going to cost me anything. And Aaron. Say what you want about Aaron Rodgers, the Steelers turnovers down, intelligence up. When he took the offense over, by
- [41:03]
Rob Parker
the way, I had to look this up. So Kyler Murray started at Texas A and M. Yeah, he played, but he didn't start much. Then transfers to Oklahoma. He really only started one season in college and did not quite pan out. The other guy that isn't on the list and again, you know, just rein it in here. But Joe Flacco was in Cleveland, has had some success. His coach from Cleveland landed where? Colin Atlanta. Atlanta has a quarterback with an injury. Do you think they roll the dice with Flacco? A proven and proven commodity for Kevin Stefanski?
- [41:37]
Alexi Lalas
Yeah, yeah. Flacco is, you know, his age keeps him off my top five. But I don't have a problem with Flacco. I don't. I think you know what's really interesting about this draft and tomorrow I'm going to give you my top 15 picks. I'm going to do. I do every year I do a who I would draft if I was GM of the team. It's not a prediction, it's not a projection. It is. This is who I would draft.
- [42:05]
Rob Parker
Can you give us a tease? Like what are you doing with the jets at 2? Just kidding. It's got to be Reese. Yeah, I'm excited about this.
- [42:11]
Alexi Lalas
If I was the jets at 2,
- [42:12]
Rob Parker
I would trade down or sell the team to me, you know, on pennies on the cheap and then I would, you know, make some. No, nobody's trading up to 2, though.
- [42:19]
Alexi Lalas
There's no point. I would say this Nussmeier late second round Cade club, Nick Drew Aller, the kid at North Dakota State, somebody. We know this to be true. If you go to the last 15 years, somebody is going to pop in the third, fourth, fifth round and it's probably going to be a guy who goes to a really smart offensive coach like let's say Cincinnati in the third round. Joe Burrows had some injuries and they go say we're going to get Nussmeier from lsu. Joe Burrow's got a connection to it. I'm throwing it out there.
- [42:55]
Rob Parker
Yeah.
- [42:56]
Alexi Lalas
Or let's say Kevin o', Connell, Minnesota, they draft Cade Klubnick in the fourth or fifth round. What's interesting about this draft is, you know, every time we say it's a great quarterback draft, that disappoints us. When we say it's a terrible quarterback draft, we end up finding a Dak Prescott. Somebody's going to hit. They may not be a star. Somebody's going to be a starting quarterback in the NFL for years in the second, third, fourth or fifth round at quarterback. That, to me, that's what's interesting.
- [43:24]
Rob Parker
H. Interesting.
- [43:26]
Sponsor/Ad Voice
Wow.
- [43:26]
Rob Parker
N. How many times did N get benched last season?
- [43:30]
Alexi Lalas
The situation was so distorted and off they went and hired Lane Kiffin and paid a pretty penny for it.
- [43:38]
Rob Parker
Interesting. So I'm excited for that. When are you debuting that? Tomorrow at the top of the show or.
- [43:42]
Alexi Lalas
Yeah, no, no, no. It's probably top of the second hour. It's. If I was gm, these are the. These are. I'm taking it home tonight and have it in the morning. This is who I would draft. Okay. First things first. Nick, right around the corner. Broussard. Kevin Wilde, 100 days out from the World cup, all fired up at Fox.
- [44:04]
Colin Cowherd
Think Verizon is expensive?
- [44:06]
Alexi Lalas
Think again.
- [44:07]
Colin Cowherd
Anyone can bring their AT&T or T
- [44:09]
Alexi Lalas
mobile bill to a Verizon store today and we'll give you a better deal. So bring us your bill. Walk in, run in, pogo sticking, teleport. If you can ride on the back
- [44:17]
Colin Cowherd
of a rollerblading yak or flying on the wings of a majestic falcon. Any way, you can bring your AT&T or T mobile bill to a Verizon
- [44:24]
Alexi Lalas
store today and we'll give you a
- [44:25]
Colin Cowherd
better deal on on the best network based on root metrics. Best overall Mobile Network Performance US Second Half 2025.
- [44:30]
Alexi Lalas
All rights reserved.
- [44:30]
Colin Cowherd
Must provide very recent postpaid consumer mobile
- [44:32]
Alexi Lalas
bill in the name of the person redeeming the deal.
- [44:33]
Colin Cowherd
Additional terms, conditions and restrictions apply whether
- [44:35]
Alexi Lalas
you want to maximize your performance or form healthier habits. This year, knowing what your body needs can help put you on the right path. With Quest, you can buy your own lab tests online@questhealth.com no doctor visit required for purchase. Quest has a huge selection of tests, including the new Elite Health Profile, a panel made for men and Women, and tracks 85 plus health markers affecting the heart, liver, kidneys, hormones, metabolism and immune system, delivering a ton of insights in one snapshot. For a limited time, save on select lab tests@questhealth.com with code herd10. That's herd10 at checkout. Terms apply. Imagine never buying gas again. EVs are as easy to charge as your phone and perfect for everyday life. Drive daily with confidence everywhere you go. Most Americans drive 40 miles a day. Most EVs are equipped with 200 to 400 miles of range. They've got fewer parts, fewer repairs and fewer headaches. With hundreds of new and used EV models available today, there's an EV to fit every lifestyle and every budget. I love my electric vehicle. It's easy. No more gas stations. The way forward is electric. Learn more atelectric for all.org Wasabi is purpose built to free your business from skyrocketing storage costs and fees from the big guys. Wasabi is the go to provider for professional and collegiate sports teams around the world. Check out Wasabi's AI enabled intelligent media storage. Wasabi Air to the industry's only cloud storage service with triple protection against cybercriminals. Wasabi driving innovation in data storage for up to 80% less than the other guys. Try for free@wasabi.com with Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage proud partner of the Volume Podcast Network.
- [46:25]
Colin Cowherd
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [46:27]
Alexi Lalas
Guaranteed human.