Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to three eastern nine am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the Herd at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.

Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to three eastern nine am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the Herd at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.

This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowver on Fox Sports Radio.

This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowver on Fox Sports Radio.

Here we go. It is a Wednesday, and there is actually a lot to talk about. It's the Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day, So Jmak. We learned again today that the NFL owners run everything. Doesn't matter what committees say, it doesn't matter what the commissioner says, it doesn't matter what coaches say. It is an owner run lead and we got another example of that today with a toush push.

Here we go. It is a Wednesday, and there is actually a lot to talk about. It's the Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day, So Jmak. We learned again today that the NFL owners run everything. Doesn't matter what committees say, it doesn't matter what the commissioner says, it doesn't matter what coaches say. It is an owner run lead and we got another example of that today with a toush push.

I think you and I are pretty much on the same page with it, right, We're fine with this.

I think you and I are pretty much on the same page with it, right, We're fine with this.

I don't love it, but here's the very latest. The NFL's Competition Committee said you should get rid of it. The NFL's Health and Safety Commission Committee said you should get rid of it, and the NFL owner said, eah, we're going to keep it. It was close. They needed twenty four votes to get.

I don't love it, but here's the very latest. The NFL's Competition Committee said you should get rid of it. The NFL's Health and Safety Commission Committee said you should get rid of it, and the NFL owner said, eah, we're going to keep it. It was close. They needed twenty four votes to get.

Rid of it.

Rid of it.

It was twenty two. I think Jason Kelsey, former Eagle Center podcaster, apparently spoke to owners and that, in my opinion, was the difference. They're not going to ban it for now. Hey, listen, clever coaches are like good accountants. They find loopholes schemes right to benefit their clients, and sometimes the league rules, Nope, we gave it to you for three years, We're not going to give to you for four. I've always said the NFL is a TV show, and the two things they really care about are entertainment and safety, in no particular order. They care about entertainment and safety, and to me, the tush push kind of violates both. It looks dangerous and it's ugly. Optics on TV aren't good. It's an ugly play, and it almost failed. Twenty two votes needed twenty four. I think Jason Kelsey, speaking on behalf of it, a very respective player who was not you know, some five star recruit. He was a grinder. He's classic NFL family. The Kelseys have been great for the league. He spoke, and I think he push pushed it into not being banned. I think his ability to create that play and to keep it from being banned. The Eagles have already posted it on social media, the push stays on. I'm a little surprised. I mean, we see this all the time. Remember years ago, Cam Chancellor would jump over the line and block kicks for the Seahawks, and the NFL felt it is a little dangerous. Looking now, there wasn't a ton of data that showed, you know, there was a lot of guys getting hurt. But the NFL didn't like it, and they said, I don't think so. The horse collar tackle they got rid of it. The kickoffs they look all funky now they think it's too dangerous. But I think what helps the tush push. There is no current data that a bunch of guys are getting hurt with it, although I'm not sure a bunch of guys were getting hurt when Cam Chancellor was jumping over a line to block a kick either, But there's no data that shows that it's hurting people. And the second thing is Jason Kelsey's powerful. He is respected. He made a plea to keep it, and I think it probably flipped one or two owners. So the Competition Committee, they and the Health and Safety Committee recommended the league ban it. We don't like it, and usually those recommendations get something banned. But in this instance the owners and they control it. They control Goodell's salary, Roger Goodell's trying to get a raise here. They control that, They control the length of the schedule. It's the only sport in America where the owners control the TV networks, not vice versa. They tell them what they will pay, and then they can they can blow those TV contracts up in the middle of them and renegotiate it if they want. The NFL owners are all powerful. You got a lot of NBA Baseball owners, NBA owners, MLS owners selling stuff. You own an NFL team, Just keep it, just keep it, and so the owners win again. Here's Dion Dawkins, great left tackle for Buffalo. His opinions are like a lot of players' opinions on it. You don't love it, but it's phil is what do we do with it? Here's Dean Dawkins.

It was twenty two. I think Jason Kelsey, former Eagle Center podcaster, apparently spoke to owners and that, in my opinion, was the difference. They're not going to ban it for now. Hey, listen, clever coaches are like good accountants. They find loopholes schemes right to benefit their clients, and sometimes the league rules, Nope, we gave it to you for three years, We're not going to give to you for four. I've always said the NFL is a TV show, and the two things they really care about are entertainment and safety, in no particular order. They care about entertainment and safety, and to me, the tush push kind of violates both. It looks dangerous and it's ugly. Optics on TV aren't good. It's an ugly play, and it almost failed. Twenty two votes needed twenty four. I think Jason Kelsey, speaking on behalf of it, a very respective player who was not you know, some five star recruit. He was a grinder. He's classic NFL family. The Kelseys have been great for the league. He spoke, and I think he push pushed it into not being banned. I think his ability to create that play and to keep it from being banned. The Eagles have already posted it on social media, the push stays on. I'm a little surprised. I mean, we see this all the time. Remember years ago, Cam Chancellor would jump over the line and block kicks for the Seahawks, and the NFL felt it is a little dangerous. Looking now, there wasn't a ton of data that showed, you know, there was a lot of guys getting hurt. But the NFL didn't like it, and they said, I don't think so. The horse collar tackle they got rid of it. The kickoffs they look all funky now they think it's too dangerous. But I think what helps the tush push. There is no current data that a bunch of guys are getting hurt with it, although I'm not sure a bunch of guys were getting hurt when Cam Chancellor was jumping over a line to block a kick either, But there's no data that shows that it's hurting people. And the second thing is Jason Kelsey's powerful. He is respected. He made a plea to keep it, and I think it probably flipped one or two owners. So the Competition Committee, they and the Health and Safety Committee recommended the league ban it. We don't like it, and usually those recommendations get something banned. But in this instance the owners and they control it. They control Goodell's salary, Roger Goodell's trying to get a raise here. They control that, They control the length of the schedule. It's the only sport in America where the owners control the TV networks, not vice versa. They tell them what they will pay, and then they can they can blow those TV contracts up in the middle of them and renegotiate it if they want. The NFL owners are all powerful. You got a lot of NBA Baseball owners, NBA owners, MLS owners selling stuff. You own an NFL team, Just keep it, just keep it, and so the owners win again. Here's Dion Dawkins, great left tackle for Buffalo. His opinions are like a lot of players' opinions on it. You don't love it, but it's phil is what do we do with it? Here's Dean Dawkins.

It's a very hard play for a player. It's a very hard play for a player. You know you're down there your head is down. You just have to kind of just drive your legs and hit three people at one time.

It's a very hard play for a player. It's a very hard play for a player. You know you're down there your head is down. You just have to kind of just drive your legs and hit three people at one time.

Like it's very hard thing to do.

Like it's very hard thing to do.

But it's so weird because we play a game of inches, right, Like what's the best player to get an inch? The tuch push, what's the best play to get a yard? Maybe a QB sneak And it's hard to take it out or it's hard to change it because it's so necessary in the game because sometimes you just need to fall forward and get the first down.

But it's so weird because we play a game of inches, right, Like what's the best player to get an inch? The tuch push, what's the best play to get a yard? Maybe a QB sneak And it's hard to take it out or it's hard to change it because it's so necessary in the game because sometimes you just need to fall forward and get the first down.

And to the Philadelphia Eagles credit, they do it well. I mean, Buffalo got to the AFC Championship and they looked unprepared when they had Superman Josh Allen trying to jump in the air and lean for a yard. It looked it really looked like they didn't practice it. Philadelphia practices it. They add decoys to it. I thought when Kelsey left it wouldn't be as successful it is. It does look a little dangerous, but so far, I don't think there's any data that shows that it is. And Philadelphia does it better than anybody else. That's their best argument. We created it, we do it better than everybody else. It's available to the entire league. Why are you banning it? As of now it survives, but it was close. And again I think Jason Kelsey highly respected him speaking to owners. Probably push pushed it in Okay, Game one of the Western Conference Finals is in the books, and it feels like the series is in the books. So Oklahoma City rolled through the NBA's regular season historically one by an average of twelve point nine points. That like Jordan's Bulls didn't do that. And then they rolled Memphis in the first round, and then they old Minnesota last night. The only team and actually only player to give him real trouble is Jokic. Nikola Jokich, the Joker gave him trouble. They even wore him down and Okase, like the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, are not really built on a player. They're built on a general manager. Howie Roseman GM of the Eagles, Sam Presty GM of the Thunder. They have built such insanely deep and flexible rosters. You think the coach is good, but is he necessary? They forced the Tea Wolves to only score from the outside. In fact, Minnesota only had twenty points in the paint. That's their lowest total, and there are big team since twenty fifteen. Julius Randall kept him in the game in the first half, shot the ball well, hit a bunch of threes. Once that dried up, the offense dried up. This is a team that they're not necessarily huge. But you ever watch a football team, like you'll watch college football when Alabama was in its prime and the defense was just crushing people, and you're like, do they have thirteen players on the field, Like it looks like they have extra players. Oklahoma City's defense looks like they're playing seven guys. So Jokic could get his, but Murray didn't get his, Porter couldn't get his. They just shut off lanes and avenues. And just think about this. So Oklahoma City against a much better West was thirty nine and thirteen. So they dominated the West. They were twenty nine and one against the East. See you're asking yourself, are the Pacers and the Knicks which starts tonight? Are they just playing for second place? So aunt Edwards didn't have a great night, didn't get a lot of shots. Sometimes invisible. I think he's gonna have to have four or five games where he scores thirty plus and I'm not sure you can do this. This is just the defense where a lot of these guys are are just entering their athletic prime, long, twitchy, fast, and Jokic is a great example. They really cut Jokic's passing lanes so the joke could score, but the passing lanes got cut down, and Jokich is a much more totally refined offensive player than Aunt Edwards. Here's what's scary. Oklahoma City's average age is twenty five for a team that won sixty eight games by an average winning total of thirteen points. So it it's by the second half. Once Julius Randall's threes didn't drop, this looked like a total mismatch. Younger, quicker, better defensively with a lot of levers to pull. Here's Aunt Edwards after.

And to the Philadelphia Eagles credit, they do it well. I mean, Buffalo got to the AFC Championship and they looked unprepared when they had Superman Josh Allen trying to jump in the air and lean for a yard. It looked it really looked like they didn't practice it. Philadelphia practices it. They add decoys to it. I thought when Kelsey left it wouldn't be as successful it is. It does look a little dangerous, but so far, I don't think there's any data that shows that it is. And Philadelphia does it better than anybody else. That's their best argument. We created it, we do it better than everybody else. It's available to the entire league. Why are you banning it? As of now it survives, but it was close. And again I think Jason Kelsey highly respected him speaking to owners. Probably push pushed it in Okay, Game one of the Western Conference Finals is in the books, and it feels like the series is in the books. So Oklahoma City rolled through the NBA's regular season historically one by an average of twelve point nine points. That like Jordan's Bulls didn't do that. And then they rolled Memphis in the first round, and then they old Minnesota last night. The only team and actually only player to give him real trouble is Jokic. Nikola Jokich, the Joker gave him trouble. They even wore him down and Okase, like the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, are not really built on a player. They're built on a general manager. Howie Roseman GM of the Eagles, Sam Presty GM of the Thunder. They have built such insanely deep and flexible rosters. You think the coach is good, but is he necessary? They forced the Tea Wolves to only score from the outside. In fact, Minnesota only had twenty points in the paint. That's their lowest total, and there are big team since twenty fifteen. Julius Randall kept him in the game in the first half, shot the ball well, hit a bunch of threes. Once that dried up, the offense dried up. This is a team that they're not necessarily huge. But you ever watch a football team, like you'll watch college football when Alabama was in its prime and the defense was just crushing people, and you're like, do they have thirteen players on the field, Like it looks like they have extra players. Oklahoma City's defense looks like they're playing seven guys. So Jokic could get his, but Murray didn't get his, Porter couldn't get his. They just shut off lanes and avenues. And just think about this. So Oklahoma City against a much better West was thirty nine and thirteen. So they dominated the West. They were twenty nine and one against the East. See you're asking yourself, are the Pacers and the Knicks which starts tonight? Are they just playing for second place? So aunt Edwards didn't have a great night, didn't get a lot of shots. Sometimes invisible. I think he's gonna have to have four or five games where he scores thirty plus and I'm not sure you can do this. This is just the defense where a lot of these guys are are just entering their athletic prime, long, twitchy, fast, and Jokic is a great example. They really cut Jokic's passing lanes so the joke could score, but the passing lanes got cut down, and Jokich is a much more totally refined offensive player than Aunt Edwards. Here's what's scary. Oklahoma City's average age is twenty five for a team that won sixty eight games by an average winning total of thirteen points. So it it's by the second half. Once Julius Randall's threes didn't drop, this looked like a total mismatch. Younger, quicker, better defensively with a lot of levers to pull. Here's Aunt Edwards after.

I definitely got to shoot boards to thirteen shots, but I'll say probably just get off the ball a little more. Play without the ball. I think that'd be the answer, because playing on the ball, he's going double and then sitting the gaps all day. They clogged the paint. That's what they do.

I definitely got to shoot boards to thirteen shots, but I'll say probably just get off the ball a little more. Play without the ball. I think that'd be the answer, because playing on the ball, he's going double and then sitting the gaps all day. They clogged the paint. That's what they do.

They don't got.

They don't got.

Massage down there, so.

Massage down there, so.

Hey, bankms not make a shot side this because every time I go to the Rams, like four people.

Hey, bankms not make a shot side this because every time I go to the Rams, like four people.

At the paint.

At the paint.

So yeah, I guess they just be cagged into paint. They put like five four bodies in a paint and make you kick it out. So just keep making the right play.

So yeah, I guess they just be cagged into paint. They put like five four bodies in a paint and make you kick it out. So just keep making the right play.

Now, here's the good news for Minnesota. They'll eventually go to go play at home where they're really good. Chris Finch and his staff have been excellent at shifting around to second and third gears and figuring out ways to get the most out of the offense. But if you watch the second half, they were just overwhelmed. Memphis got overwhelmed, the West got overwhelmed, the East beat him one time in thirty games. Oklahoma City looked really good led by defense. Of course, a SGA is excellent, he gets the whistle. But I think the core of this thing is the depth, the roster, construction, the aggressiveness of the defense. You know, generally in sports, a great defense slows down a great offense. If you were the Bulls a MJ, you had both. But this looked like a mismatch last night. In the second half, it looked really really ugly. All right, so jam something else came out this morning I love this so pff they do this every year they come out with a tiers of quarterbacks, and it was interesting. I've got a lot of thoughts on it. In my lifetime, there's always been one thing that's true with the quarterback position. And once again with PFFS quarterback rankings, they ranked everybody in the league. I think, once again, this happens since I was a kid. It happened during the Lway years, the Montana years, the Brady years, and now during the Mahomes years. There is something that always is the case and I'll talk about that coming up.

Now, here's the good news for Minnesota. They'll eventually go to go play at home where they're really good. Chris Finch and his staff have been excellent at shifting around to second and third gears and figuring out ways to get the most out of the offense. But if you watch the second half, they were just overwhelmed. Memphis got overwhelmed, the West got overwhelmed, the East beat him one time in thirty games. Oklahoma City looked really good led by defense. Of course, a SGA is excellent, he gets the whistle. But I think the core of this thing is the depth, the roster, construction, the aggressiveness of the defense. You know, generally in sports, a great defense slows down a great offense. If you were the Bulls a MJ, you had both. But this looked like a mismatch last night. In the second half, it looked really really ugly. All right, so jam something else came out this morning I love this so pff they do this every year they come out with a tiers of quarterbacks, and it was interesting. I've got a lot of thoughts on it. In my lifetime, there's always been one thing that's true with the quarterback position. And once again with PFFS quarterback rankings, they ranked everybody in the league. I think, once again, this happens since I was a kid. It happened during the Lway years, the Montana years, the Brady years, and now during the Mahomes years. There is something that always is the case and I'll talk about that coming up.

Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in newone Easter non am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.

Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in newone Easter non am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.

Really interesting thing happening. I'm going to get to it about fifteen minutes with college basketball. College basketball is getting some really good news. I'm gonna talk about that in fifteen minutes. Chris Simms will be around the corner as well. If you haven't heard, it was a very close voice, very close vote. The Tush push by a couple of votes has survived again Philadelphia. They created it. Their argument is it's not a loophole. It's just the quarterback sneak modified amplified, and the owners did not take the recommendation of you know, the Rules committee or the Health and Safety committee. They both said Bannett, the NFL owners close vote, said now we're going to keep it. We'll vote in it again next year. So this is interesting. PFF. They do this every year. They take every starting quarterback in the NFL, all thirty two ahead of the season, and they ranked them. They put them in tiers Tier one, two, three and four, five and six. I don't care about the middle bottom ones. So their Tier one, which I totally agree with, is Mahomes, Jackson, Josh Allen, and Burrow. I have no problem. That's what I would do. They're Tier two. I don't disagree with that, Jalen Hurts, Jaden Daniels, Matthew Stafford, Justin Herbert. They're Tier three, which is Jared Goff, Gino Smith, and brock Perty. I think C. J. Stroud is more talented than all those guys, although I think it's close. I do think it's interesting. Sam Darnold's in Tier five and in Tier three is Tua and Trevor Lawrence. I disagree with that. But again, in my entire life, I've always had this thing we've talked about. There's always about seven quarterbacks maybe eight, at any one time in the NFL, in any era that you just don't pick up the phone. Somebody calls with Elway, you're not picking up the phone. If you go back to Elway in his prime, there were seven or eight guys, you're not picking up the phone. John Elway, Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Jim Kelly, Steve Young, Troy aik Ben and Warren Moon. They were just really were to good players. There's no reason to get on the phone and initiate conversation like those are the seven guys. If you go to Brady's era, it was Brady and Breeze and Peyton Manning and Big Ben. I'd say Eli Manning, Aaron Rodgers and maybe Philip Rivers. Their GMS loved them. They won a lot of games, and they were highly productive, and you got him every week. I think right now, PFF got the eight right now. I CJ. Stroud is the one. To me. I think he either has to be the number one, tier two quarterback or he's darn close. I think he's really good He did pull back last year, but his offensive line was atrocious, he lost two of his three best receivers, and he still got into the playoffs and won a playoff game. So other than that, I've always felt it's about seven or eight guys at any one time in the NFL that are somebody calls about him, you're not really interested. I don't think Houston would take a call on CJ. Stroud. I think he is a Tier two guy, maybe barely, maybe the first guy out. We could argue that it doesn't really matter because historically the guys in Tier one and occasionally Tier two win all the Super Bowls. So I think PFF got it right and don't have a problem with any of the grades. I think clearly in the league. Now mahomes Lamar Josh and Burrell have separated, I don't think there's any question that's the first group.

Really interesting thing happening. I'm going to get to it about fifteen minutes with college basketball. College basketball is getting some really good news. I'm gonna talk about that in fifteen minutes. Chris Simms will be around the corner as well. If you haven't heard, it was a very close voice, very close vote. The Tush push by a couple of votes has survived again Philadelphia. They created it. Their argument is it's not a loophole. It's just the quarterback sneak modified amplified, and the owners did not take the recommendation of you know, the Rules committee or the Health and Safety committee. They both said Bannett, the NFL owners close vote, said now we're going to keep it. We'll vote in it again next year. So this is interesting. PFF. They do this every year. They take every starting quarterback in the NFL, all thirty two ahead of the season, and they ranked them. They put them in tiers Tier one, two, three and four, five and six. I don't care about the middle bottom ones. So their Tier one, which I totally agree with, is Mahomes, Jackson, Josh Allen, and Burrow. I have no problem. That's what I would do. They're Tier two. I don't disagree with that, Jalen Hurts, Jaden Daniels, Matthew Stafford, Justin Herbert. They're Tier three, which is Jared Goff, Gino Smith, and brock Perty. I think C. J. Stroud is more talented than all those guys, although I think it's close. I do think it's interesting. Sam Darnold's in Tier five and in Tier three is Tua and Trevor Lawrence. I disagree with that. But again, in my entire life, I've always had this thing we've talked about. There's always about seven quarterbacks maybe eight, at any one time in the NFL, in any era that you just don't pick up the phone. Somebody calls with Elway, you're not picking up the phone. If you go back to Elway in his prime, there were seven or eight guys, you're not picking up the phone. John Elway, Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Jim Kelly, Steve Young, Troy aik Ben and Warren Moon. They were just really were to good players. There's no reason to get on the phone and initiate conversation like those are the seven guys. If you go to Brady's era, it was Brady and Breeze and Peyton Manning and Big Ben. I'd say Eli Manning, Aaron Rodgers and maybe Philip Rivers. Their GMS loved them. They won a lot of games, and they were highly productive, and you got him every week. I think right now, PFF got the eight right now. I CJ. Stroud is the one. To me. I think he either has to be the number one, tier two quarterback or he's darn close. I think he's really good He did pull back last year, but his offensive line was atrocious, he lost two of his three best receivers, and he still got into the playoffs and won a playoff game. So other than that, I've always felt it's about seven or eight guys at any one time in the NFL that are somebody calls about him, you're not really interested. I don't think Houston would take a call on CJ. Stroud. I think he is a Tier two guy, maybe barely, maybe the first guy out. We could argue that it doesn't really matter because historically the guys in Tier one and occasionally Tier two win all the Super Bowls. So I think PFF got it right and don't have a problem with any of the grades. I think clearly in the league. Now mahomes Lamar Josh and Burrell have separated, I don't think there's any question that's the first group.

Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays and Noone Eastern nn AM Pacific.

Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays and Noone Eastern nn AM Pacific.

Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David, and together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.

Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David, and together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.

You could catch us weekdays from five to seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of course the iHeartRadio app.

You could catch us weekdays from five to seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of course the iHeartRadio app.

Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.

Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.

We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's.

We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's.

Going on in the world.

Going on in the world.

We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture, stories that well other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss.

We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture, stories that well other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss.

And the fact that we've been friends for the last twenty years and still work together, I mean that says something, right, So.

And the fact that we've been friends for the last twenty years and still work together, I mean that says something, right, So.

Check us out. We like to get you involved, to take your phone calls, chop it up. As they say, I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe the.

Check us out. We like to get you involved, to take your phone calls, chop it up. As they say, I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe the.

Most interactive show on planetar.

Most interactive show on planetar.

Be sure to check out Cavino and Rich live on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app from five to seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific, And if you miss any of the live show, just search Kovin on Rich wherever you get your podcasts, and of course on social media that's Covino and Rich.

Be sure to check out Cavino and Rich live on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app from five to seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific, And if you miss any of the live show, just search Kovin on Rich wherever you get your podcasts, and of course on social media that's Covino and Rich.

So Mac Brown coached at North Carolina, then went on to fame riches in a national title at Texas, and then they went broadcasting, and then they went back to North Carolina. They did a good job. He did a good job. He raised a lot of money. North Carolina got into bowl games. They put a lot of guys in the NFL, but it does a basketball school. So he retires his last year. I think he's six and six and Bill Belichick takes over. So they asked him about Belichick. And I'm not saying what he's saying is untrue, but I could see where the Belichick people, the Belichick camp wouldn't love what Mac Brown said when he was asked about Belichick with guitar.

So Mac Brown coached at North Carolina, then went on to fame riches in a national title at Texas, and then they went broadcasting, and then they went back to North Carolina. They did a good job. He did a good job. He raised a lot of money. North Carolina got into bowl games. They put a lot of guys in the NFL, but it does a basketball school. So he retires his last year. I think he's six and six and Bill Belichick takes over. So they asked him about Belichick. And I'm not saying what he's saying is untrue, but I could see where the Belichick people, the Belichick camp wouldn't love what Mac Brown said when he was asked about Belichick with guitar.

As far as North Carolina and Bill Belichick, now, he's arguably the best coach ever. They've committed money to it, they've helped them with academics, they've lowered those standards some so there's absolutely no reason that they shouldn't be successful. And anymore, they've changed the roster. I think they've signed maybe sixty something new transfers. So you've got a chance to succeed at the highest level, and I expect them to do that, and I'm proud for them.

As far as North Carolina and Bill Belichick, now, he's arguably the best coach ever. They've committed money to it, they've helped them with academics, they've lowered those standards some so there's absolutely no reason that they shouldn't be successful. And anymore, they've changed the roster. I think they've signed maybe sixty something new transfers. So you've got a chance to succeed at the highest level, and I expect them to do that, and I'm proud for them.

He may be right, but if you take out Notre Dame, there is no top twelve college football program, top fifteen college football program that can't get the best high schoolers in. When you talk about academics, you know they've lowered the standards. Notre Dame is different. They're a top fifteen program, and it's a tough school to get in, and it's a tough school to get through. Stanford, but they're not a top fifteen program. They've had stretches. Stanford's another program where you know there it's hard to get in. I've had coaches tell me at Stanford you can't keep eighty five guys on scholarship. They can't find enough players that academically qualify for Stanford. Did they lower academic standards at Carolina? My take has always been Carolina is one of those schools that if they want to get a player in, they'll get a player in. So I could see Belichick people at blanching at that a little bit. But I do think this is where I give Carolina a lot of credit is they realized, listen, in our conference, there is one big dog, and that big dog is Clemson, and how are we going to catch Clemson? Well, Clemson will not play the nil game. They're the only national power that's not interested in it. And I think Carolina smartly said Okay, they're not going to do it. This is a moment in time to catch the big dog Clemson in our conference. We're going to go completely pro model and go all in on nil. And this is a little bit what Oregon did with Chip Kelly. Mike Pilotti did a good job, but it was always Washington and USC with the big names in the conference. They you know, they had national championships, and Oregon said, how do we catch them? Well, Phil Knight, one hundred uniforms to get LA kids be cool. We're gonna be the cool program. We're not gonna like USC and Washington grab on this tradition. We have no tradition. We're gonna go one hundred uniforms and we're gonna go hire a guy in Chip Kelly. They don't huddle. Oregon stopped huddling for a long time. We're not gonna huddle it. I'll play every thirteen seconds. And it worked, and Oregon is still on top of Washington and USC. So to catch the big dog in the conference, you got to take big swings. And I look at Carolina and saying, hey, we got a moment in time here. Clemson's not playing the nil game. So let's go all in on nil, all in on an NFL model, all in on Belichick and Jordan Hudson too. So I respect what Carolina is doing. I think it's the only way to be a disruptor is to look at the leading models and do the opposite. This is interesting. The Buffalo Bills, I was just told in my earpiece, are going to do hard knocks. They've been selected. Now, usually you get boring teams, or dysfunctional teams, or chaotic teams or teams. That's why I hard knocks eliminates all the good teams. So Buffalo is actually fascinating. So this is a team that they're the only team I saw this yesterday, the Buffalo Bills, not Philadelphia, the only team to be favored in every game next year. So the Eagles face Buffalo at the end of the season, and right now, Buffalo's a one and a half point favorite in that game. You can bet it. So my takeaway on this is Buffalo. This sounds like a good problem. Buffalo's in a really tough spot. Josh Allen just turned twenty nine. He's audaciously ballented six six two fifty five or more and a great runner. He's in the middle of his prime and last season off his best season, the Kansas City Chiefs were the single most vulnerable Chiefs team since Mahomes arrived. O line issues, receiver maturity issues, health issues, and Kansas City still beat him in the AFC Championship. And when Sean McDermott got into those short yardage situations with Josh Allen leaping over, I've got to be honest, it looked like a defensive coach that was a bit unprepared on third and fourth and one calls. It was really bad. It was the opposite of the tush push. It looked unpracticed. And so here's the problem. Sean McDermott is a good coach. In fact, i'd say he's a good coach. Is he Mark Jackson to the Warriors where he's a good coach, a playoff coach, a smart coach, but not the championship coach. And if you look at the AFC now you've got Annie Reid, both are bass. Sean Payton's in it. Oh oops, Mike Vrabel just reappeared. So it's very easy when you watch one of those music shows to spot great and lousy. It's just not that hard. To see mediocre or bad or great? What do you do with good to pretty good? And it would be one thing if Buffalo had seven trophies. They're the one team in the National Football League who is now in its second run that's going to last over a decade, that's good enough to get there often gets there, and has no trophies. They're like the last I mean, it was one thing when the Cubs won a World Series, they were just bad forever, the lovable losers. Now Buffalo's had the Jim Kelly era, the Josh Allen era, where we're like, I think half those years they were the best team in the NFL and they got no trophies. So that adds to the tension in the city. If you got trophies, like the Packers or the Eagles. In the back room, it's a different vibe entirely. So how long is Dion Dawkins going to remain healthy at left tackle? I look this morning, Josh Allen's cap hit is going up. It's kind of the Sean McDermott dilemma where he's not bad, but I don't think he's great, but I think he's good to pretty good. And the Warriors moved off Mark Jackson, and it was a risk because Mark Jackson was a good coach. So you do get to a point with Buffalo. It's interesting that they're going to be the you know, the HBO Mac Show or the HBO show Hard Knocks. Usually it is a team with an outrageous personality at coach or at quarterback. McDermott's pretty muted, pretty intense. I do think Buffalo is interesting. But they're the own only team favored to win every game next year, and yet here we are. Do you really think Kansas City had its worst, most vulnerable team. Now they have blown out in the Super Bowl. This was their most vulnerable year, and now it's Peyton, Now it's both Harbas's. Here comes Rabel, and all of them have their quarterbacks. John Harbaugh's got his quarterback. Jim Harbaugh's got his quarterback. Sean Payton's got his quarterback. Mike Rabel. Drake may I think he's got his quarterback. Sean does too, but the pressure is really on him. By the way. Good news here, j mc. I know we're not supposed to talk about this, but I'm just reading this. What Pernielsen Live same plus same day data first two rounds of the NBA playoffs average four point two million viewers, three point three percent improvement versus a year ago. Great, wonderful.

He may be right, but if you take out Notre Dame, there is no top twelve college football program, top fifteen college football program that can't get the best high schoolers in. When you talk about academics, you know they've lowered the standards. Notre Dame is different. They're a top fifteen program, and it's a tough school to get in, and it's a tough school to get through. Stanford, but they're not a top fifteen program. They've had stretches. Stanford's another program where you know there it's hard to get in. I've had coaches tell me at Stanford you can't keep eighty five guys on scholarship. They can't find enough players that academically qualify for Stanford. Did they lower academic standards at Carolina? My take has always been Carolina is one of those schools that if they want to get a player in, they'll get a player in. So I could see Belichick people at blanching at that a little bit. But I do think this is where I give Carolina a lot of credit is they realized, listen, in our conference, there is one big dog, and that big dog is Clemson, and how are we going to catch Clemson? Well, Clemson will not play the nil game. They're the only national power that's not interested in it. And I think Carolina smartly said Okay, they're not going to do it. This is a moment in time to catch the big dog Clemson in our conference. We're going to go completely pro model and go all in on nil. And this is a little bit what Oregon did with Chip Kelly. Mike Pilotti did a good job, but it was always Washington and USC with the big names in the conference. They you know, they had national championships, and Oregon said, how do we catch them? Well, Phil Knight, one hundred uniforms to get LA kids be cool. We're gonna be the cool program. We're not gonna like USC and Washington grab on this tradition. We have no tradition. We're gonna go one hundred uniforms and we're gonna go hire a guy in Chip Kelly. They don't huddle. Oregon stopped huddling for a long time. We're not gonna huddle it. I'll play every thirteen seconds. And it worked, and Oregon is still on top of Washington and USC. So to catch the big dog in the conference, you got to take big swings. And I look at Carolina and saying, hey, we got a moment in time here. Clemson's not playing the nil game. So let's go all in on nil, all in on an NFL model, all in on Belichick and Jordan Hudson too. So I respect what Carolina is doing. I think it's the only way to be a disruptor is to look at the leading models and do the opposite. This is interesting. The Buffalo Bills, I was just told in my earpiece, are going to do hard knocks. They've been selected. Now, usually you get boring teams, or dysfunctional teams, or chaotic teams or teams. That's why I hard knocks eliminates all the good teams. So Buffalo is actually fascinating. So this is a team that they're the only team I saw this yesterday, the Buffalo Bills, not Philadelphia, the only team to be favored in every game next year. So the Eagles face Buffalo at the end of the season, and right now, Buffalo's a one and a half point favorite in that game. You can bet it. So my takeaway on this is Buffalo. This sounds like a good problem. Buffalo's in a really tough spot. Josh Allen just turned twenty nine. He's audaciously ballented six six two fifty five or more and a great runner. He's in the middle of his prime and last season off his best season, the Kansas City Chiefs were the single most vulnerable Chiefs team since Mahomes arrived. O line issues, receiver maturity issues, health issues, and Kansas City still beat him in the AFC Championship. And when Sean McDermott got into those short yardage situations with Josh Allen leaping over, I've got to be honest, it looked like a defensive coach that was a bit unprepared on third and fourth and one calls. It was really bad. It was the opposite of the tush push. It looked unpracticed. And so here's the problem. Sean McDermott is a good coach. In fact, i'd say he's a good coach. Is he Mark Jackson to the Warriors where he's a good coach, a playoff coach, a smart coach, but not the championship coach. And if you look at the AFC now you've got Annie Reid, both are bass. Sean Payton's in it. Oh oops, Mike Vrabel just reappeared. So it's very easy when you watch one of those music shows to spot great and lousy. It's just not that hard. To see mediocre or bad or great? What do you do with good to pretty good? And it would be one thing if Buffalo had seven trophies. They're the one team in the National Football League who is now in its second run that's going to last over a decade, that's good enough to get there often gets there, and has no trophies. They're like the last I mean, it was one thing when the Cubs won a World Series, they were just bad forever, the lovable losers. Now Buffalo's had the Jim Kelly era, the Josh Allen era, where we're like, I think half those years they were the best team in the NFL and they got no trophies. So that adds to the tension in the city. If you got trophies, like the Packers or the Eagles. In the back room, it's a different vibe entirely. So how long is Dion Dawkins going to remain healthy at left tackle? I look this morning, Josh Allen's cap hit is going up. It's kind of the Sean McDermott dilemma where he's not bad, but I don't think he's great, but I think he's good to pretty good. And the Warriors moved off Mark Jackson, and it was a risk because Mark Jackson was a good coach. So you do get to a point with Buffalo. It's interesting that they're going to be the you know, the HBO Mac Show or the HBO show Hard Knocks. Usually it is a team with an outrageous personality at coach or at quarterback. McDermott's pretty muted, pretty intense. I do think Buffalo is interesting. But they're the own only team favored to win every game next year, and yet here we are. Do you really think Kansas City had its worst, most vulnerable team. Now they have blown out in the Super Bowl. This was their most vulnerable year, and now it's Peyton, Now it's both Harbas's. Here comes Rabel, and all of them have their quarterbacks. John Harbaugh's got his quarterback. Jim Harbaugh's got his quarterback. Sean Payton's got his quarterback. Mike Rabel. Drake may I think he's got his quarterback. Sean does too, but the pressure is really on him. By the way. Good news here, j mc. I know we're not supposed to talk about this, but I'm just reading this. What Pernielsen Live same plus same day data first two rounds of the NBA playoffs average four point two million viewers, three point three percent improvement versus a year ago. Great, wonderful.

So ratings we're talking about for the NBAG or no, I remember yesterday you shut me down. You're like, oh, they got their deal, they're fine.

So ratings we're talking about for the NBAG or no, I remember yesterday you shut me down. You're like, oh, they got their deal, they're fine.

Who cares?

Who cares?

Well? Can two things be true? Yes? Of course they got seventy six billion. And baseball hockey and the NBA and the MLS regular season ratings going forward are never going to be great because we are an events society. We're more distracted, there's more content, there's more platforms. Hockey ratings regular season are awful. Baseball MLS? Where is MLS Apple?

Well? Can two things be true? Yes? Of course they got seventy six billion. And baseball hockey and the NBA and the MLS regular season ratings going forward are never going to be great because we are an events society. We're more distracted, there's more content, there's more platforms. Hockey ratings regular season are awful. Baseball MLS? Where is MLS Apple?

Where is hey as a songs or owner? Let's not disparage the sport.

Where is hey as a songs or owner? Let's not disparage the sport.

Let's be at two things are true. They got seventy six billion, and the league is fine.

Let's be at two things are true. They got seventy six billion, and the league is fine.

Well, listen, how about this? This ANEC data was what they like to call. There's a guy who works here, you know, he's a big Lakers fan, And I asked him, hey, would you think of the game last night?

Well, listen, how about this? This ANEC data was what they like to call. There's a guy who works here, you know, he's a big Lakers fan, And I asked him, hey, would you think of the game last night?

The free throw merchant?

The free throw merchant?

He said, I didn't see the game, Johnny, Obviously I'm talking about and he's like I had, I had my nephew's birthday party to go to, and I just wondered, Colin nationwide, if you you've got an invite on a Tuesday night versus checkout thunder against things like no, no.

He said, I didn't see the game, Johnny, Obviously I'm talking about and he's like I had, I had my nephew's birthday party to go to, and I just wondered, Colin nationwide, if you you've got an invite on a Tuesday night versus checkout thunder against things like no, no.

That's a legitimate question. You're not skipping Lebron, I don't. I think the increases in ratings will go now backwards for Minnesota, OKC. I think it will go backwards.

That's a legitimate question. You're not skipping Lebron, I don't. I think the increases in ratings will go now backwards for Minnesota, OKC. I think it will go backwards.

Well, last year it was Dallas and who was it? Dallas, Minnesota, which I don't think we're great rating.

Well, last year it was Dallas and who was it? Dallas, Minnesota, which I don't think we're great rating.

Well, that was Luca. Luca that helped Power three around the corner.

Well, that was Luca. Luca that helped Power three around the corner.

And I heard one more Heard. The Herd streams twenty four hours a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you like.

And I heard one more Heard. The Herd streams twenty four hours a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you like.

All right. He's a best selling author multiple times Jeff Perlman New York Times best Selling Offer. He's got the digital series press Box Chronicles on YouTube. I thought it was interesting today because there's a there's an untold documentary on Netflix on on Brett Farr. And he wrote a book years ago, Gunslinger, The Remarkable, Improbable, Iconic Life of Brett Farv, which I thought I'd said this at the time. When I read it, I thought I thought Brent Farv wasn't very nice to Aaron Rodgers, wasn't very helpful. It made me like Aaron Rodgers, regardless of what I think today. But it's a fascinating book. So I'm watching the documentary on him, which is, you know, hero worship for thirteen minutes, then they go after him. Jeff Pearlman, now joining us live, knows Brett Farb knows, the Packers knows Aaron Rodgers, so you know. So we were talking during the break. I've always had this theory, and I call it the Green Bay Quarterback theory. Is that Farv's a Southerner, Aaron Rodgers is a hipster out West, and they morphed into the same guy. Is that at the end they got needy, a bit precious, a little rigid, weird, and yet they're different personalities. But you have no owner. It's the smallest market. You can't go to the grocery store. You have to hide in a golf course. And it does affect you. You become literally bigger than life. As good as Matt Stafford is. Stan Kronky runs the show and soda is McVeagh when when FARV started to unravel, Jeff Pearlman, were you surprised by it or did you see things that made you wonder?

All right. He's a best selling author multiple times Jeff Perlman New York Times best Selling Offer. He's got the digital series press Box Chronicles on YouTube. I thought it was interesting today because there's a there's an untold documentary on Netflix on on Brett Farr. And he wrote a book years ago, Gunslinger, The Remarkable, Improbable, Iconic Life of Brett Farv, which I thought I'd said this at the time. When I read it, I thought I thought Brent Farv wasn't very nice to Aaron Rodgers, wasn't very helpful. It made me like Aaron Rodgers, regardless of what I think today. But it's a fascinating book. So I'm watching the documentary on him, which is, you know, hero worship for thirteen minutes, then they go after him. Jeff Pearlman, now joining us live, knows Brett Farb knows, the Packers knows Aaron Rodgers, so you know. So we were talking during the break. I've always had this theory, and I call it the Green Bay Quarterback theory. Is that Farv's a Southerner, Aaron Rodgers is a hipster out West, and they morphed into the same guy. Is that at the end they got needy, a bit precious, a little rigid, weird, and yet they're different personalities. But you have no owner. It's the smallest market. You can't go to the grocery store. You have to hide in a golf course. And it does affect you. You become literally bigger than life. As good as Matt Stafford is. Stan Kronky runs the show and soda is McVeagh when when FARV started to unravel, Jeff Pearlman, were you surprised by it or did you see things that made you wonder?

I actually think you make a really good point, which is it's this god complex thing that happens when you're a small market quarterback. You can't, like you said, you can't go anywhere. People treat you like a god, literally like a god. You are the king of the landscape, and at some point it's just unsustainable. Either you get old, you get hurt, you go somewhere else. Suddenly you're not treated that way. So you're Brett Favre. Suddenly you're in New York Jet, You're living in suburban New Jersey. You're part of this franchise. You don't know, you're by yourself, living in a hotel every day, and before you know it, you're sending Penis pictures to an employee of the team. Like I just think he got so used to being a certain way, deified, glorified. All of a sudden he's in a new situation and he doesn't have the maturity of the personal development to handle it.

I actually think you make a really good point, which is it's this god complex thing that happens when you're a small market quarterback. You can't, like you said, you can't go anywhere. People treat you like a god, literally like a god. You are the king of the landscape, and at some point it's just unsustainable. Either you get old, you get hurt, you go somewhere else. Suddenly you're not treated that way. So you're Brett Favre. Suddenly you're in New York Jet, You're living in suburban New Jersey. You're part of this franchise. You don't know, you're by yourself, living in a hotel every day, and before you know it, you're sending Penis pictures to an employee of the team. Like I just think he got so used to being a certain way, deified, glorified. All of a sudden he's in a new situation and he doesn't have the maturity of the personal development to handle it.

I just think that's the very short story of it all.

I just think that's the very short story of it all.

Yeah, so now let's let's let's go to Aaron. Uh. Aaron, I thought I've always thought bright. I think he's well read. I think he's interesting, he's a little iconic classic. I mean, he's a different cat. He clearly pushes back in authority. It could be the government, it could be vaccines, it could be the media. He pushes back in authority. That's okay. I am for that. Go back for the people that haven't read the book. And your books are fascining. The Walter Payton book I think had been lost in because you've done so much. That's a fantastic book. And he's the best running back I've ever seen, probably by far so during the air and far of stuff. When I read your book, I had sympathy for Aaron. I don't think Brett was nice to him. Are you surprised what he's sort of morphed into, which is kind of to a fault.

Yeah, so now let's let's let's go to Aaron. Uh. Aaron, I thought I've always thought bright. I think he's well read. I think he's interesting, he's a little iconic classic. I mean, he's a different cat. He clearly pushes back in authority. It could be the government, it could be vaccines, it could be the media. He pushes back in authority. That's okay. I am for that. Go back for the people that haven't read the book. And your books are fascining. The Walter Payton book I think had been lost in because you've done so much. That's a fantastic book. And he's the best running back I've ever seen, probably by far so during the air and far of stuff. When I read your book, I had sympathy for Aaron. I don't think Brett was nice to him. Are you surprised what he's sort of morphed into, which is kind of to a fault.

I do my own homework, guy, So it's interesting.

I do my own homework, guy, So it's interesting.

I think, I'm sure you've dealt with these people too.

I think, I'm sure you've dealt with these people too.

Every now and then in sports, you come across someone who believes from the beginning that he is the here's here, the smartest people in the room.

Every now and then in sports, you come across someone who believes from the beginning that he is the here's here, the smartest people in the room.

I am the smartest person in this room.

I am the smartest person in this room.

Nobody is intelligence his knee, and I feel like Rodgers has had that from a very young age. When he arrived in Green Bay, he really far was terrible man like terrible. I mean, there are moments of just like treating him like absolute crap. There was the humiliating time for Aaron Rodgers. It might sound kind of quaint in hindsight, is he takes his helmet one day, he puts it on a memorabilia table in the locker room. Everyone's signing Aaron Rodgers' helmet before practice. He's scurrying around, can't find his helmet. Someone says, that's yours. It's filled with signatures. He has to go to practice as a rookie bringing this signature filled helmet, and he's mortified, and he's humiliated. But I just think over time, especially being in a small Midwestern town surrounded by the Midwestern quaintness of Green Bay, I think Aaron Rodgers really started to believe I'm the smartest guy in the room.

Nobody is intelligence his knee, and I feel like Rodgers has had that from a very young age. When he arrived in Green Bay, he really far was terrible man like terrible. I mean, there are moments of just like treating him like absolute crap. There was the humiliating time for Aaron Rodgers. It might sound kind of quaint in hindsight, is he takes his helmet one day, he puts it on a memorabilia table in the locker room. Everyone's signing Aaron Rodgers' helmet before practice. He's scurrying around, can't find his helmet. Someone says, that's yours. It's filled with signatures. He has to go to practice as a rookie bringing this signature filled helmet, and he's mortified, and he's humiliated. But I just think over time, especially being in a small Midwestern town surrounded by the Midwestern quaintness of Green Bay, I think Aaron Rodgers really started to believe I'm the smartest guy in the room.

I know everything. I am very intelligent.

I know everything. I am very intelligent.

I know more than the coaches, I know more than my teammates, I know more than this fan base. And again if you can contain that. In Green Bay, Wisconsin, it's one thing you're treated as a guy, but once you go national, once you go to a different franchise, it doesn't really play out that well because people just see you as kind of a duche.

I know more than the coaches, I know more than my teammates, I know more than this fan base. And again if you can contain that. In Green Bay, Wisconsin, it's one thing you're treated as a guy, but once you go national, once you go to a different franchise, it doesn't really play out that well because people just see you as kind of a duche.

So I got to ask you, you know the Bus family. Well, you wrote the book on the Lakers Dynasty of the eighties and it's it's a fascinating book which got made into an HBO series and it's it's really it's one of those that you can't put down. It's I always knew Kobe was difficult. Then I read the book and I'm like, how did Phil Nutt go after him? It was just crazy. But you know the Bus family. And I've said this to a friend about a month ago. I said, Luca's got a little shack. I'm not sure how commited he is in the off season. I you know, I'm there are games he shows up where I think his mind is elsewhere. But he's good for the brand, he's good for merch, he's insanely talented. Knowing how the Bus family eventually made a decision to move off shack, do you think the kids have some of those same frustrations with Luca No that they literally had to call a meeting about his cardiovascular health after the year.

So I got to ask you, you know the Bus family. Well, you wrote the book on the Lakers Dynasty of the eighties and it's it's a fascinating book which got made into an HBO series and it's it's really it's one of those that you can't put down. It's I always knew Kobe was difficult. Then I read the book and I'm like, how did Phil Nutt go after him? It was just crazy. But you know the Bus family. And I've said this to a friend about a month ago. I said, Luca's got a little shack. I'm not sure how commited he is in the off season. I you know, I'm there are games he shows up where I think his mind is elsewhere. But he's good for the brand, he's good for merch, he's insanely talented. Knowing how the Bus family eventually made a decision to move off shack, do you think the kids have some of those same frustrations with Luca No that they literally had to call a meeting about his cardiovascular health after the year.

So it'd be impossible for me to put myself in Genie Bus's head.

So it'd be impossible for me to put myself in Genie Bus's head.

Obviously, I think numb one day obviously had to make that trade. Like you had to make that trade. You're getting a young superstar in his prime. The problem is, like you touched upon Luca. I don't even understand it. You make all this money and you're one thing. You need to be into shape.

Obviously, I think numb one day obviously had to make that trade. Like you had to make that trade. You're getting a young superstar in his prime. The problem is, like you touched upon Luca. I don't even understand it. You make all this money and you're one thing. You need to be into shape.

That's it.

That's it.

That's the biggest qualification of this job is you need to be in shape. And the thing about Shack that's interesting is when Shakers with the Lakers, until Kobe really gained some power and really really started calling out Shack behind the scenes for his lack of fitness. I don't think the family was particularly bothered by it because he Number one, he sold jerseys. Number two, he was charismatic. Number three, he produced, and I think Luca technically is the same thing. He does produce, he does sell jerseys, He is pretty charismatic. I think it's going to get really tricky once Lucas shows up a training camp thirty pounds overweight, once other teammates start calling him out, once you start hearing the whispers, because in this town in Los Angeles, whispers.

That's the biggest qualification of this job is you need to be in shape. And the thing about Shack that's interesting is when Shakers with the Lakers, until Kobe really gained some power and really really started calling out Shack behind the scenes for his lack of fitness. I don't think the family was particularly bothered by it because he Number one, he sold jerseys. Number two, he was charismatic. Number three, he produced, and I think Luca technically is the same thing. He does produce, he does sell jerseys, He is pretty charismatic. I think it's going to get really tricky once Lucas shows up a training camp thirty pounds overweight, once other teammates start calling him out, once you start hearing the whispers, because in this town in Los Angeles, whispers.

Traveled very quickly.

Traveled very quickly.

And if the Lakers start struggling and you have this star who's supposed to be great and he's on the injury list yet again, and he looks gey yet again, I just think, I don't know what their reaction is going to be, emotionally or mentally.

And if the Lakers start struggling and you have this star who's supposed to be great and he's on the injury list yet again, and he looks gey yet again, I just think, I don't know what their reaction is going to be, emotionally or mentally.

I just know they're going to be trapped yet again.

I just know they're going to be trapped yet again.

All these Laker fans who think we've escaped, we're awesome, we have Luca.

All these Laker fans who think we've escaped, we're awesome, we have Luca.

It's a little bit of fool's goal. Potentially.

It's a little bit of fool's goal. Potentially.

You're a New Yorker. Where did you grow up in New York?

You're a New Yorker. Where did you grow up in New York?

I grew up in a tiny town called Mayhopak, New York.

I grew up in a tiny town called Mayhopak, New York.

Okay, is that outside about.

Okay, is that outside about.

An hour north right outside in New York to the hour north of the city.

An hour north right outside in New York to the hour north of the city.

So I when I worked at the other place, I always claimed it wasn't a Yankee town or a Giants town. It's a Knicks town. Is that everybody loved the Knicks baseball and football opinions. And so when I watch Madison Square Garden, and I've said this on the air, I'm sorry. That's the best basketball city in the country. It looks different, it feels donald. So you tell you've been the Madison Square Garden plenty of times. It kind of a spiritual revelation for all New Yorkers. What are you going through as a true New Yorker right now?

So I when I worked at the other place, I always claimed it wasn't a Yankee town or a Giants town. It's a Knicks town. Is that everybody loved the Knicks baseball and football opinions. And so when I watch Madison Square Garden, and I've said this on the air, I'm sorry. That's the best basketball city in the country. It looks different, it feels donald. So you tell you've been the Madison Square Garden plenty of times. It kind of a spiritual revelation for all New Yorkers. What are you going through as a true New Yorker right now?

Well, the funny thing is, first of all, I just want to say I grew up. I was the one kid in my school who is a New Jersey Nets fan. So I was a big Hey give a coming a break man. I was a big Pearl Washington, Buck Williams, you know, Michael Quorn fan. But the Knicks owned you were one hundred percent correct the Knicks or the universal love of New York and the Rangers to a slightly less degree. And when it's pumping, when the Garden is pumping, when the team is playing, well.

Well, the funny thing is, first of all, I just want to say I grew up. I was the one kid in my school who is a New Jersey Nets fan. So I was a big Hey give a coming a break man. I was a big Pearl Washington, Buck Williams, you know, Michael Quorn fan. But the Knicks owned you were one hundred percent correct the Knicks or the universal love of New York and the Rangers to a slightly less degree. And when it's pumping, when the Garden is pumping, when the team is playing, well.

There is nowhere like it.

There is nowhere like it.

Madison Square Garden has always maintained its electricity, the air of excitement, the buzz when you had Patrick Ewing going, when you had you know, you know, Latrell Spreewell going. There's something about it that feels this and fierce. It's just something different. You don't get to go into Laker game or a Clipper game. You just it's something different, and it's an advantage the Knicks half that you're not going to get if you're the Pacers, or potentially in the finals if you go to Oklahoma City.

Madison Square Garden has always maintained its electricity, the air of excitement, the buzz when you had Patrick Ewing going, when you had you know, you know, Latrell Spreewell going. There's something about it that feels this and fierce. It's just something different. You don't get to go into Laker game or a Clipper game. You just it's something different, and it's an advantage the Knicks half that you're not going to get if you're the Pacers, or potentially in the finals if you go to Oklahoma City.

It's just something really.

It's just something really.

Raw, and it's kind of like this when you meet a New Yorker and they're like, yo, you got to go to this place and get a slice, and that guy sucks and blah blah blah. That's Madison Square Garden. It takes everything about New York and puts it in one building.

Raw, and it's kind of like this when you meet a New Yorker and they're like, yo, you got to go to this place and get a slice, and that guy sucks and blah blah blah. That's Madison Square Garden. It takes everything about New York and puts it in one building.

I don't know if you prepared for this, but I've been joking that if I don't get invited to the Belichick Belichick Jordan Hudson wedding, I'll be bitter because I'm the only American media member supporting the relationship. And I had this discussion last night. I said, Okay, if she was thirty six, would you be okay with it? If he was sixty four, would you be okay? I said, In the end, I'm not judging people's relationships as long as both people are here for it. Do I think there's a little bit of her as a wilful, young woman seeing opportunities. Yes, do I think Bill understanding she's his social stockbroker on the internet, and she's a beautiful young lady. They're both getting something out of it. It doesn't bother me, but I feel like I'm on a total island. Jeff Pearlman, what do you make of Jordan Hunts and Bill Belichick?

I don't know if you prepared for this, but I've been joking that if I don't get invited to the Belichick Belichick Jordan Hudson wedding, I'll be bitter because I'm the only American media member supporting the relationship. And I had this discussion last night. I said, Okay, if she was thirty six, would you be okay with it? If he was sixty four, would you be okay? I said, In the end, I'm not judging people's relationships as long as both people are here for it. Do I think there's a little bit of her as a wilful, young woman seeing opportunities. Yes, do I think Bill understanding she's his social stockbroker on the internet, and she's a beautiful young lady. They're both getting something out of it. It doesn't bother me, but I feel like I'm on a total island. Jeff Pearlman, what do you make of Jordan Hunts and Bill Belichick?

All Right, So I have a twenty two year old daughter, and if she came home one day and said, Dad, I want you to meet my new boyfriend. He's sixty five years old or sixty seven years old, I think I'd be a little troubled by this one. I don't they can do what they want. They're can sending adults. I think it's a little weird. I think her role is definitely weird. I'm sure North Carolina is secretly freaking out and thinking we didn't really I don't think we knew what we signed up for with this one. I think that's the big issue here, is like the sense of control that she seems to have over his affairs. If it was my daughter's boyfriend, I'd be freaked out. I would not be happy. As a spectator. People can do what they want.

All Right, So I have a twenty two year old daughter, and if she came home one day and said, Dad, I want you to meet my new boyfriend. He's sixty five years old or sixty seven years old, I think I'd be a little troubled by this one. I don't they can do what they want. They're can sending adults. I think it's a little weird. I think her role is definitely weird. I'm sure North Carolina is secretly freaking out and thinking we didn't really I don't think we knew what we signed up for with this one. I think that's the big issue here, is like the sense of control that she seems to have over his affairs. If it was my daughter's boyfriend, I'd be freaked out. I would not be happy. As a spectator. People can do what they want.

Okay, Yeah, no, I've said that before too. I wouldn't personally like it, but I do feel like, in a weird way, both are using each other for what it appears they want, and I don't like to be the moralist. That's not who I am. All Right, before we go, you have been writing a book for a year and you do six seven, eight hundred interviews. It's I don't know how you do it. It goes on sale in October on tupac'scor Only God can judge me the many lives of Tupac Shakur. Give me one revelation in the book, because you obviously had some sense of his music, of his iconic history, give me one revelation in the book that it was a jaw dropping moment for you.

Okay, Yeah, no, I've said that before too. I wouldn't personally like it, but I do feel like, in a weird way, both are using each other for what it appears they want, and I don't like to be the moralist. That's not who I am. All Right, before we go, you have been writing a book for a year and you do six seven, eight hundred interviews. It's I don't know how you do it. It goes on sale in October on tupac'scor Only God can judge me the many lives of Tupac Shakur. Give me one revelation in the book, because you obviously had some sense of his music, of his iconic history, give me one revelation in the book that it was a jaw dropping moment for you.

Oh, I would say the biggest one is Tupac Shakur. Everyone knows his ashes were sent off the Pacific in a ceremony in Maui, but Tupac's mother, Fenny Shakur, actually saved it and he's buried. I'm not going to say where, but he is actually buried beneath the grave site in a field in the most out of nowhere you would never think place ever with a tombstone and a headstone, and so Tubac Shakor who everythings was this cremated was actually actually has a burial site that I actually went to and stood at.

Oh, I would say the biggest one is Tupac Shakur. Everyone knows his ashes were sent off the Pacific in a ceremony in Maui, but Tupac's mother, Fenny Shakur, actually saved it and he's buried. I'm not going to say where, but he is actually buried beneath the grave site in a field in the most out of nowhere you would never think place ever with a tombstone and a headstone, and so Tubac Shakor who everythings was this cremated was actually actually has a burial site that I actually went to and stood at.

So that was kind of min So is it in California?

So that was kind of min So is it in California?

It is not in California. It is in the South.

It is not in California. It is in the South.

Wow, you just you just started something. Now everybody's gonna go crazy.

Wow, you just you just started something. Now everybody's gonna go crazy.

I know, I know, I know.

I know, I know, I know.

Yeah, I'm a Northwest kid. Jimmy Hendrix is buried up there. Okay, all right, Jeff Pearlman. The book comes out in October on Tubac. Only God can judge me. The many lives. Good scene again, Jeff, and good luck on the book.

Yeah, I'm a Northwest kid. Jimmy Hendrix is buried up there. Okay, all right, Jeff Pearlman. The book comes out in October on Tubac. Only God can judge me. The many lives. Good scene again, Jeff, and good luck on the book.

All right, thank you so much. Take care.

All right, thank you so much. Take care.

Yeah, the far of the Green Bay situation with Farvan Rogers, it is just different. I mean, Matt Stafford think about this, Think how great Matt Stafford is. And Stan Kronk and Sean McVay basically said, hey, here's the number, right, like, here's the number. I mean, Mahomes has done team friendly deals. Josh Allen is certainly just part of the bills fabric. I always feel like if you're far Or you're Rogers, you're a packer. But you're sort of living in a silo. You're you know, you're not beholden to an owner, you're not protected by anonymity in a vast North American city where you can hide. I remember years ago talking to a basketball player. He's a really nice guy, Damon Stottamar and he played in Portland for years. He was in one of the great high school basketball players in the history of the Pacific Northwest. And he played in Portland. And he said, you know, I actually love playing in Toronto. And I'm like, really, it's like, you know, three or four thousand miles away. He goes, I could hide. He goes, I can't hide in Portland. And so I think Green Bay is that times ten. I think I think it does change you when you are not just romanticized or appreciated, you are worshiped.

Yeah, the far of the Green Bay situation with Farvan Rogers, it is just different. I mean, Matt Stafford think about this, Think how great Matt Stafford is. And Stan Kronk and Sean McVay basically said, hey, here's the number, right, like, here's the number. I mean, Mahomes has done team friendly deals. Josh Allen is certainly just part of the bills fabric. I always feel like if you're far Or you're Rogers, you're a packer. But you're sort of living in a silo. You're you know, you're not beholden to an owner, you're not protected by anonymity in a vast North American city where you can hide. I remember years ago talking to a basketball player. He's a really nice guy, Damon Stottamar and he played in Portland for years. He was in one of the great high school basketball players in the history of the Pacific Northwest. And he played in Portland. And he said, you know, I actually love playing in Toronto. And I'm like, really, it's like, you know, three or four thousand miles away. He goes, I could hide. He goes, I can't hide in Portland. And so I think Green Bay is that times ten. I think I think it does change you when you are not just romanticized or appreciated, you are worshiped.