Thanks for listening to 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 Foxsports Radio dot com, or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. All right, here we go. It is a Thursday lockloaded, ready to roll. It's the Hurt wherever you may be, however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day today. We got a lot. Jordan Schultz and I went out for dinner last night, sharing insider secrets. Can't give all of those away. USA. Canada basketball Greg Berholters out of work. The men's national soccer team. Always blame the coach and for the players he got the asked Jalen Johnson to the Bears top of next Hour. Things are good. USA ugly to start the game again. Canada last night fell behind eleven to one. They're got to figure out how to play with Step.

Thanks for listening to 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 Foxsports Radio dot com, or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. All right, here we go. It is a Thursday lockloaded, ready to roll. It's the Hurt wherever you may be, however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day today. We got a lot. Jordan Schultz and I went out for dinner last night, sharing insider secrets. Can't give all of those away. USA. Canada basketball Greg Berholters out of work. The men's national soccer team. Always blame the coach and for the players he got the asked Jalen Johnson to the Bears top of next Hour. Things are good. USA ugly to start the game again. Canada last night fell behind eleven to one. They're got to figure out how to play with Step.

We're gonna get Anthony Edward's starting at some point.

We're gonna get Anthony Edward's starting at some point.

Can probably probably so. Canada got off to a good start and Canada is better than any team that the nineteen ninety two Dream Team faced. They're better. The basketball is so much better now than it's ever been. I mean, the game is incredible. Jason Tatum did not start last night. He's better than Scottie Pippen Offensively, It's not particularly close. It's a global sport. Everybody can shoot. Everybody can handle the ball. I mean, I'm watching Wimby. He's not on our team, but what that kid can do, chet Holmgrid at seven to two can do, it's incredible. The nine two Dream Team, Larry Bird was shot. He retired ten days after the Olympics. You had multiple guys on that team, multiple who could not handle the ball and who couldn't shoot. Anthony Davis on this team's a much better player than Patrick Ewing. Give me a break. Tatum's much better than Scottie Pippen. Lebron on right now is better than Magic was to me at thirty two or thirty three years old. Our young guys are Aunt and Halliburton. Their young guy was Christian Latner. Give me a break. This team is old men aging very gracefully. Katie Lebron and Steph Everybody shoots. Everybody can handle the ball. I mean, good god. Joe Lmbid average six assists this year for the Sixers, six assists. He's a center. The nineteen ninety two Dream Team was amazing, and a lot of people get to my age, they get gray hair and they love looking in the rear view mirror and they just romanticize everything. It's like if you want to wake up and listen to Stairway to Heaven from Led Zeppelin. It was awesome and it takes you back to a different time, but it takes two and a half minutes to get into the lyrics. Jimmy Page is on a riff and that was basketball back then, down to the center, founded on the floor, very little ball movement. It was a very position oriented game. You could do certain things as a forward, you could do certain things as a center. Players can do anything in everything. Now Wemby is seven to four handles it behind the back, passing, shot blocking three pointers. The world is different now and it's not a bad thing. Two things can be possibly true at the same time. The nineteen ninety two team beating Tunisia by sixty was amazing and a thing of beauty. But this team's bench has starters on that team, Scotty Pippen I covered him in Portland. Not close to Jason Tatum, Patrick Ewing's not nearly as good as Anthony Davis, Christian Lahner on that team, ant off the bench on this team. What are we talking about here? The flexibility? The bigs now can handle the ball and shoot back. Then centers had a range of about twelve feet to him. They'd pound the ball. That slowed everything up. That stuff doesn't last. You start looking at Dwight Howard's career. I mean, he's the line of demarcation. Dwight Howard, prodigy in high school, walks into the NBA about halfway in his career. He couldn't do anything. He couldn't back to the basket, couldn't do anything. That's what a lot of the bigs, almost all of the bigs were. Today's game is motion and angles and free flowing and speed, and everybody can handle the ball. I mean the Celtics won a title with an offense called five out. Everybody, including Al Horford, could sit in the corner and hit a three five out. You couldn't play that game. ESPN died thirty for thirties on the Knicks and Pacers. The series had one pure shooter, Reggie Miller. The Knicks had nine guys in the roster that couldn't hit an eighteen footer. They were tough guys, they were fun guys. They were physical. Even John Starks wasn't a natural shooter. He was their shooting guard. I mean, he was the guy in the per you would trust. I wouldn't trust it. So Michael Jordan's the best player to most of you, of all time. That's fine. I think Lebron does more better. Lebron's a much better version than Magic. And that's fine. And it's gonna take this team a long time to figure out you know, it's gonna take him a while to figure out Steph Curry. First four and a half minutes, they had a point. They got to figure out Steph Curry's style. But just look at the bench on this team so far. Look at the flexibility. It's positionless basketball. It's a thing of beauty. The game is global now. Guys come into this league from overseas. They are ready to play. They've played against twenty year old guys and they're seventeen years old. Here's Steve Kerr on the flexibility, the dexterity of this roster.

Can probably probably so. Canada got off to a good start and Canada is better than any team that the nineteen ninety two Dream Team faced. They're better. The basketball is so much better now than it's ever been. I mean, the game is incredible. Jason Tatum did not start last night. He's better than Scottie Pippen Offensively, It's not particularly close. It's a global sport. Everybody can shoot. Everybody can handle the ball. I mean, I'm watching Wimby. He's not on our team, but what that kid can do, chet Holmgrid at seven to two can do, it's incredible. The nine two Dream Team, Larry Bird was shot. He retired ten days after the Olympics. You had multiple guys on that team, multiple who could not handle the ball and who couldn't shoot. Anthony Davis on this team's a much better player than Patrick Ewing. Give me a break. Tatum's much better than Scottie Pippen. Lebron on right now is better than Magic was to me at thirty two or thirty three years old. Our young guys are Aunt and Halliburton. Their young guy was Christian Latner. Give me a break. This team is old men aging very gracefully. Katie Lebron and Steph Everybody shoots. Everybody can handle the ball. I mean, good god. Joe Lmbid average six assists this year for the Sixers, six assists. He's a center. The nineteen ninety two Dream Team was amazing, and a lot of people get to my age, they get gray hair and they love looking in the rear view mirror and they just romanticize everything. It's like if you want to wake up and listen to Stairway to Heaven from Led Zeppelin. It was awesome and it takes you back to a different time, but it takes two and a half minutes to get into the lyrics. Jimmy Page is on a riff and that was basketball back then, down to the center, founded on the floor, very little ball movement. It was a very position oriented game. You could do certain things as a forward, you could do certain things as a center. Players can do anything in everything. Now Wemby is seven to four handles it behind the back, passing, shot blocking three pointers. The world is different now and it's not a bad thing. Two things can be possibly true at the same time. The nineteen ninety two team beating Tunisia by sixty was amazing and a thing of beauty. But this team's bench has starters on that team, Scotty Pippen I covered him in Portland. Not close to Jason Tatum, Patrick Ewing's not nearly as good as Anthony Davis, Christian Lahner on that team, ant off the bench on this team. What are we talking about here? The flexibility? The bigs now can handle the ball and shoot back. Then centers had a range of about twelve feet to him. They'd pound the ball. That slowed everything up. That stuff doesn't last. You start looking at Dwight Howard's career. I mean, he's the line of demarcation. Dwight Howard, prodigy in high school, walks into the NBA about halfway in his career. He couldn't do anything. He couldn't back to the basket, couldn't do anything. That's what a lot of the bigs, almost all of the bigs were. Today's game is motion and angles and free flowing and speed, and everybody can handle the ball. I mean the Celtics won a title with an offense called five out. Everybody, including Al Horford, could sit in the corner and hit a three five out. You couldn't play that game. ESPN died thirty for thirties on the Knicks and Pacers. The series had one pure shooter, Reggie Miller. The Knicks had nine guys in the roster that couldn't hit an eighteen footer. They were tough guys, they were fun guys. They were physical. Even John Starks wasn't a natural shooter. He was their shooting guard. I mean, he was the guy in the per you would trust. I wouldn't trust it. So Michael Jordan's the best player to most of you, of all time. That's fine. I think Lebron does more better. Lebron's a much better version than Magic. And that's fine. And it's gonna take this team a long time to figure out you know, it's gonna take him a while to figure out Steph Curry. First four and a half minutes, they had a point. They got to figure out Steph Curry's style. But just look at the bench on this team so far. Look at the flexibility. It's positionless basketball. It's a thing of beauty. The game is global now. Guys come into this league from overseas. They are ready to play. They've played against twenty year old guys and they're seventeen years old. Here's Steve Kerr on the flexibility, the dexterity of this roster.

Can't go wrong picking a starting lineup, you know, with this group. So I think I told you guys the other day, I'm going to do something different the next two games. We're gonna just look at a few different combinations before we settle on anything. But we we wanted to establish Joelle early in the game, knowing Canada didn't have a lot of size. We wanted to play Bam and Anthony Davis together with the second group and see what that looked like.

Can't go wrong picking a starting lineup, you know, with this group. So I think I told you guys the other day, I'm going to do something different the next two games. We're gonna just look at a few different combinations before we settle on anything. But we we wanted to establish Joelle early in the game, knowing Canada didn't have a lot of size. We wanted to play Bam and Anthony Davis together with the second group and see what that looked like.

Listen, anytime a team of business, anything has multiple ways to beat you, multiple lineups, completely flexible, the depth, the roster, the ball handling, you know, the shooting. It's not close. It's just a free flowing game. You can love. Michael Larry Bird was shot. I think this team. I don't know how that team would defend him that plotting style. And I love Barkley and I love I love the old players. Two things gonna be true. But go listen to Stairway to Heaven. You were absolutely sure it was the greatest song ever. If you waken bake, maybe it still sticks. But for most of us, get to the lyrics, all right, So I think we're staring at the thing with Kitlyn Clark. So, Caitlyn Clark, and we all know this is that when you're a college player and then you come into the pros, the game's much faster and it's more physical, and so there's owa's bumps. But I tend to just look at your production. So Caitlyn Clark's production is incredible. She has now done four straight double double games points and assists fifteen points, twelve assists thirteen eleven, nineteen, thirteen, twenty nine, thirteen, last night incredible. She reminds me of Andrew Luck. Same city, doesn't have a lot of support. He comes in with terrible old lines, has to win by shootout. At the time, breaks the rookie passing record forty four hundred yards, twenty eight total touchdowns, goes eleven and five, and all anybody wants to talk about is there are a lot of interceptions. Yes, college to the pro the game is faster, the corners are better, but forty four hundred yards, you're looking at the wrong stuff. With Andrew Luck, his production with a terrible old line, forty four hundred yards, twenty eight total touchdowns all at the time rookie records. Anybody wanted to talk about that. The picks, yeah, eighteen picks. Yeah, he's not a veteran quarterback. Dude was a production machine with virtually no Pro bowlers. And that's Kitlyn Clark's turnover talk. All have heard, oh the turnovers with Kitlyn Clark. A. She's got the ball in her hands a lot. B she is a rookie, right, the game is faster. You know who also has a lot of turnovers? Players that play fast and loose. Lebron leads the NBA all time in turnovers. Steph Curry has a lot of turnovers. Luca has a lot of turnovers. Like, I've never banged on quarterbacks who throw picks if they're productive. Peyton, Manning, John Elway, Dan Marino, Brett Favre Go back to Joe Namath through a lot of picks. Tom Brady had picked sixes in the Super Bowl and one. Turnovers happen if you're a quarterback that plays with courage. My biggest knock on Aaron Rodgers has been if he throws an early pick, he backs off and plays say football, Brady, Peyton, Manning, Lway, Mahomes, do not let it rip baby, play fast and loose. You gotta have a short memory in the NFL, and you've got to have a short memory in basketball. If you play fast, Steph Curry can have back to back awful turnovers. He's going faster the next time down the floor, and that's what makes him Steph Curry. So I think with Caitlin Clark, and if you look at her numbers in the last ten games, she's not only good, she's getting better. She's catching up to the speed. She's getting much better, much more quickly. So if it's just it's one of those things, I will support quarterbacks who are highly productive and throw some picks. I'm not gonna support Daniel Jones who throws picks, but I will support Trevor Lawrence with some of his turnovers. He can be very, very productive. Josh Allen came into this league. He was a little wild, but he was wildly productive. Joe Burrow, Matt Stafford, they throw interceptions, they're great, like Mahomes is like historically unique. You get the production without the picks. He's the best quarterback ever after Tom Brady, who gave you the production with no picks. That's why those are the goats Joe Montana. Now is a different time. But Joe didn't give you a lot of picks. That's what separates great from you know, top two or three guys. Ever. But I'm okay with Farv and Burrow and Stafford, and I'm okay with Caitlin Clark's turnovers. She's good, she's productive. Double doubles are right now. In fact, I looked it up this morning. Caitlin Clark her production. She is second in the WNBA in assistans per game. By the way, not like she's got a lot of finishers on that team. So she's second in the league on a team without a lot of finishers. She's third in total threes made. When everybody in the league knows guard Caitlin Clark. If you're playing Indiana, it's not like she's got all star teammates who are taking off some of that. So you can turn the telescope. You're staring at the wrong stuff with Andrew Luck for years, you're staring at the wrong stuff. The turnovers don't bother me, and those will come down over time to catch up to the speed of the game. Interceptions over the course of time. Trevor Lawrence won't throw his many Caleb Williams for Chicago this year. My guest says, he's got some turnovers, you're too fewer. Year three. I'll find the light comes on, the game slows down, then he'll be fine, all right. Rachel Nichols, USA, Canada. You know, I just I didn't grow up in a traditional family. I mean, we weren't hippies living in tents in the backyard. But I didn't grow up in this highly traditional family. So I don't tend to embrace you know stuff. In the seventies and eighties and nineties, there were great Walter Payton's the best running back I've ever seen. I would defend it forever. That is the best running back. Power, speed, everything I've ever seen. Better than Barry, better than McCaffrey, better than Derrick Henry, better than Adrian Peterson. There are some things. Ted Williams hitting a baseball, Bob Gibson throwing a baseball. I'm not saying, guys, Kareem abdul Jabbar, you got to be kidding me. I mean the guy literally, Bill Walton is a college basketball player. Would be great today. It was great then, the late great Bill Walton. But a lot of this stuff is nonsense. You're grabbing on this to Larry Bird was shot your magic. The older Magic's not the older Lebron. Your bench got Christian Laytner on it. It's a whole different ballgame today, all right, first twelve minutes, Ready to go. Rachel Nicol stops VIY later this hour as well.

Listen, anytime a team of business, anything has multiple ways to beat you, multiple lineups, completely flexible, the depth, the roster, the ball handling, you know, the shooting. It's not close. It's just a free flowing game. You can love. Michael Larry Bird was shot. I think this team. I don't know how that team would defend him that plotting style. And I love Barkley and I love I love the old players. Two things gonna be true. But go listen to Stairway to Heaven. You were absolutely sure it was the greatest song ever. If you waken bake, maybe it still sticks. But for most of us, get to the lyrics, all right, So I think we're staring at the thing with Kitlyn Clark. So, Caitlyn Clark, and we all know this is that when you're a college player and then you come into the pros, the game's much faster and it's more physical, and so there's owa's bumps. But I tend to just look at your production. So Caitlyn Clark's production is incredible. She has now done four straight double double games points and assists fifteen points, twelve assists thirteen eleven, nineteen, thirteen, twenty nine, thirteen, last night incredible. She reminds me of Andrew Luck. Same city, doesn't have a lot of support. He comes in with terrible old lines, has to win by shootout. At the time, breaks the rookie passing record forty four hundred yards, twenty eight total touchdowns, goes eleven and five, and all anybody wants to talk about is there are a lot of interceptions. Yes, college to the pro the game is faster, the corners are better, but forty four hundred yards, you're looking at the wrong stuff. With Andrew Luck, his production with a terrible old line, forty four hundred yards, twenty eight total touchdowns all at the time rookie records. Anybody wanted to talk about that. The picks, yeah, eighteen picks. Yeah, he's not a veteran quarterback. Dude was a production machine with virtually no Pro bowlers. And that's Kitlyn Clark's turnover talk. All have heard, oh the turnovers with Kitlyn Clark. A. She's got the ball in her hands a lot. B she is a rookie, right, the game is faster. You know who also has a lot of turnovers? Players that play fast and loose. Lebron leads the NBA all time in turnovers. Steph Curry has a lot of turnovers. Luca has a lot of turnovers. Like, I've never banged on quarterbacks who throw picks if they're productive. Peyton, Manning, John Elway, Dan Marino, Brett Favre Go back to Joe Namath through a lot of picks. Tom Brady had picked sixes in the Super Bowl and one. Turnovers happen if you're a quarterback that plays with courage. My biggest knock on Aaron Rodgers has been if he throws an early pick, he backs off and plays say football, Brady, Peyton, Manning, Lway, Mahomes, do not let it rip baby, play fast and loose. You gotta have a short memory in the NFL, and you've got to have a short memory in basketball. If you play fast, Steph Curry can have back to back awful turnovers. He's going faster the next time down the floor, and that's what makes him Steph Curry. So I think with Caitlin Clark, and if you look at her numbers in the last ten games, she's not only good, she's getting better. She's catching up to the speed. She's getting much better, much more quickly. So if it's just it's one of those things, I will support quarterbacks who are highly productive and throw some picks. I'm not gonna support Daniel Jones who throws picks, but I will support Trevor Lawrence with some of his turnovers. He can be very, very productive. Josh Allen came into this league. He was a little wild, but he was wildly productive. Joe Burrow, Matt Stafford, they throw interceptions, they're great, like Mahomes is like historically unique. You get the production without the picks. He's the best quarterback ever after Tom Brady, who gave you the production with no picks. That's why those are the goats Joe Montana. Now is a different time. But Joe didn't give you a lot of picks. That's what separates great from you know, top two or three guys. Ever. But I'm okay with Farv and Burrow and Stafford, and I'm okay with Caitlin Clark's turnovers. She's good, she's productive. Double doubles are right now. In fact, I looked it up this morning. Caitlin Clark her production. She is second in the WNBA in assistans per game. By the way, not like she's got a lot of finishers on that team. So she's second in the league on a team without a lot of finishers. She's third in total threes made. When everybody in the league knows guard Caitlin Clark. If you're playing Indiana, it's not like she's got all star teammates who are taking off some of that. So you can turn the telescope. You're staring at the wrong stuff with Andrew Luck for years, you're staring at the wrong stuff. The turnovers don't bother me, and those will come down over time to catch up to the speed of the game. Interceptions over the course of time. Trevor Lawrence won't throw his many Caleb Williams for Chicago this year. My guest says, he's got some turnovers, you're too fewer. Year three. I'll find the light comes on, the game slows down, then he'll be fine, all right. Rachel Nichols, USA, Canada. You know, I just I didn't grow up in a traditional family. I mean, we weren't hippies living in tents in the backyard. But I didn't grow up in this highly traditional family. So I don't tend to embrace you know stuff. In the seventies and eighties and nineties, there were great Walter Payton's the best running back I've ever seen. I would defend it forever. That is the best running back. Power, speed, everything I've ever seen. Better than Barry, better than McCaffrey, better than Derrick Henry, better than Adrian Peterson. There are some things. Ted Williams hitting a baseball, Bob Gibson throwing a baseball. I'm not saying, guys, Kareem abdul Jabbar, you got to be kidding me. I mean the guy literally, Bill Walton is a college basketball player. Would be great today. It was great then, the late great Bill Walton. But a lot of this stuff is nonsense. You're grabbing on this to Larry Bird was shot your magic. The older Magic's not the older Lebron. Your bench got Christian Laytner on it. It's a whole different ballgame today, all right, first twelve minutes, Ready to go. Rachel Nicol stops VIY later this hour as well.

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

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

You're now entering the Noble Zone sponsored by Credible Great rates. None of the bull so these uh Hard Knocks has the Giants this year HBO available to stream on Max. These shows, in my opinion, are kind of played out because we have so much access on our phones now that you get so much behind the scenes stuff. But there are glimpses on these shows like Hard Knocks. You'll get about every episode or every couple episodes. Uh, you're gonna get a little moment, and sometimes the moment is a GM or a coach playing to the cameras they know the cameras are on. Joe Shane of the Giants did that a couple of times defending Daniel Jones. He's playing to the camera. It's nonsense. And then you get other moments where after a while, like at the NFL Combine, the general manager sort of You know, if you put a mic on me and I walked around LA for an hour and a half, I'd probably at some point forget I have a mic on. Now, if I was in my office knowing there's a camera on, I would never forget that. I'd see it, I'd know it. I'd watch the guys set it up. But sometimes you put a mic on these guys, they wander around and they just forget the damn MIC's on. And at the Combine, the Giants GM goes and talks to the Patriots who had the number three pick. Giants had a six Elliott Wolf, and it's pretty clear that the Giants wanted to draft the quarterback.

You're now entering the Noble Zone sponsored by Credible Great rates. None of the bull so these uh Hard Knocks has the Giants this year HBO available to stream on Max. These shows, in my opinion, are kind of played out because we have so much access on our phones now that you get so much behind the scenes stuff. But there are glimpses on these shows like Hard Knocks. You'll get about every episode or every couple episodes. Uh, you're gonna get a little moment, and sometimes the moment is a GM or a coach playing to the cameras they know the cameras are on. Joe Shane of the Giants did that a couple of times defending Daniel Jones. He's playing to the camera. It's nonsense. And then you get other moments where after a while, like at the NFL Combine, the general manager sort of You know, if you put a mic on me and I walked around LA for an hour and a half, I'd probably at some point forget I have a mic on. Now, if I was in my office knowing there's a camera on, I would never forget that. I'd see it, I'd know it. I'd watch the guys set it up. But sometimes you put a mic on these guys, they wander around and they just forget the damn MIC's on. And at the Combine, the Giants GM goes and talks to the Patriots who had the number three pick. Giants had a six Elliott Wolf, and it's pretty clear that the Giants wanted to draft the quarterback.

I'm just gonna go out there and just said, hey, before you do anything at three, just make sure you.

I'm just gonna go out there and just said, hey, before you do anything at three, just make sure you.

Let us know, just plan the scene.

Let us know, just plan the scene.

If you are going to move.

If you are going to move.

The pick, don't do it without at least giving us a call and nowhere less rebuddle.

The pick, don't do it without at least giving us a call and nowhere less rebuddle.

We're interested if you guys are going to do anything at three, like move out at all again. I don't tell me your plan or anything, but if you have any you know, eing clean, just just call me. Just call me if you're going to do anything now. Reportedly, Jordan reported this at the time that the Giants made an offer to the Patriots, including another number one pick, not only swapping the three in the six, but the following year's number one pick. So they wanted a quarterback. They wanted to go get Drake May and New England said, we can go either way here, but we're gonna keep him because we got Jacoby Brissett. So it's listen. Sports fans always think if you don't pick the team that you're against him. We're not against the New York Giants. We just don't think Daniel Jones is the guy. I talked about this with Caitlin Clark. Wildly productive, but she's got some turnovers. Very Andrew Luck. I'm okay with that with Daniel Jones. In fifty nine starts, I got sixty two touchdowns, that's it, and forty picks. It's not the picks that drive me crazy. In a passer rating of eighty five, Justin Herbert, who has almost the same number of starts, has double the touchdown passes, one hundred and fourteen, and he's got forty two picks. I can live with that, but it's the production. Justin Herbert gives you better completion, better pass rate. Ain't gonna give you one hundred and fourteen touchdown passes and run. For some it's not the picks, because when you have the wrong coach or a bad old line, and with the Chargers, you're gonna have picks. With Daniel Jones, you don't get the upside, but get all the downside. A little bit of my theme today. I can live with mistakes. Nobody's perfect. You see who's running for president. Both sides's the that's the position of president of the United States, not great choices. I can live with mistakes. I can live with picks. I can live in basketball with turnovers. But you got to give me an upside to it. If you're gonna be a rock star and trash the hotel room, you gotta be Guns and Roses and sell out the show at the Rose Bowl and give me one hundred and ten thousand people. If I'm the promoter, go ahead, trash the hotel room, trash the van that gets you to the Rose Bull. You gotta sell out the Rose Bull. And so it's pretty clear. It's pretty clear the Giants GM and the coach wanted to draft another quarterback. Here's Jordan with the news.

We're interested if you guys are going to do anything at three, like move out at all again. I don't tell me your plan or anything, but if you have any you know, eing clean, just just call me. Just call me if you're going to do anything now. Reportedly, Jordan reported this at the time that the Giants made an offer to the Patriots, including another number one pick, not only swapping the three in the six, but the following year's number one pick. So they wanted a quarterback. They wanted to go get Drake May and New England said, we can go either way here, but we're gonna keep him because we got Jacoby Brissett. So it's listen. Sports fans always think if you don't pick the team that you're against him. We're not against the New York Giants. We just don't think Daniel Jones is the guy. I talked about this with Caitlin Clark. Wildly productive, but she's got some turnovers. Very Andrew Luck. I'm okay with that with Daniel Jones. In fifty nine starts, I got sixty two touchdowns, that's it, and forty picks. It's not the picks that drive me crazy. In a passer rating of eighty five, Justin Herbert, who has almost the same number of starts, has double the touchdown passes, one hundred and fourteen, and he's got forty two picks. I can live with that, but it's the production. Justin Herbert gives you better completion, better pass rate. Ain't gonna give you one hundred and fourteen touchdown passes and run. For some it's not the picks, because when you have the wrong coach or a bad old line, and with the Chargers, you're gonna have picks. With Daniel Jones, you don't get the upside, but get all the downside. A little bit of my theme today. I can live with mistakes. Nobody's perfect. You see who's running for president. Both sides's the that's the position of president of the United States, not great choices. I can live with mistakes. I can live with picks. I can live in basketball with turnovers. But you got to give me an upside to it. If you're gonna be a rock star and trash the hotel room, you gotta be Guns and Roses and sell out the show at the Rose Bowl and give me one hundred and ten thousand people. If I'm the promoter, go ahead, trash the hotel room, trash the van that gets you to the Rose Bull. You gotta sell out the Rose Bull. And so it's pretty clear. It's pretty clear the Giants GM and the coach wanted to draft another quarterback. Here's Jordan with the news.

No no, no, turn on the news.

No no, no, turn on the news.

This is the Herdline.

This is the Herdline.

News all right on Brandon Aiyuk skip the entirety of the forty nine ers offseason program and is still looking to get his future sorted ahead of training camp, and in appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, George kittles that he's not concerned with Ayyuk's contract situation.

News all right on Brandon Aiyuk skip the entirety of the forty nine ers offseason program and is still looking to get his future sorted ahead of training camp, and in appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, George kittles that he's not concerned with Ayyuk's contract situation.

Being a forty nine Er and where like most of the contracts have gone, like I didn't get signed to like the second week of training camp. Diebo was pretty late, Bosa was late too, Bosa was the first week of the season. I was like, that's just how business has done out there. Well, like, I'm not concerned about it. I use a phenomenal football player, is a big part of our offense, and he's like one of the most complete receivers that I've ever played with.

Being a forty nine Er and where like most of the contracts have gone, like I didn't get signed to like the second week of training camp. Diebo was pretty late, Bosa was late too, Bosa was the first week of the season. I was like, that's just how business has done out there. Well, like, I'm not concerned about it. I use a phenomenal football player, is a big part of our offense, and he's like one of the most complete receivers that I've ever played with.

So I'm gonna assume that Iuk's going to be.

So I'm gonna assume that Iuk's going to be.

On our team. But by the time the season starts.

On our team. But by the time the season starts.

There's a lot more pressure this year on Kyle Shanahan than I think people realize. This has been the most talented roster in the league, probably for three years since they added Christian McCaffrey. This has been the roster of note in the league. Kansas City hasn't had the best roster, Philadelphia has been closed for a year, Baltimore has been good. This is the best roster and pretty soon you're gonna have to pay brock perty and Trent Williams and Kittle and Christian Deebo getting banged up, getting older. Like I think this is this is the year and if they underachieved, and I love Kyle Shanahan even he'll get pushedback. But I mean kind of look at this team and where like they're loaded, they're best players. Detroit and Green Bay are different in the NFC. The Rams are different. Their best players are overwhelming the old guys with a lot of miles on the odometer. And so I think this year for the Niners is really important.

There's a lot more pressure this year on Kyle Shanahan than I think people realize. This has been the most talented roster in the league, probably for three years since they added Christian McCaffrey. This has been the roster of note in the league. Kansas City hasn't had the best roster, Philadelphia has been closed for a year, Baltimore has been good. This is the best roster and pretty soon you're gonna have to pay brock perty and Trent Williams and Kittle and Christian Deebo getting banged up, getting older. Like I think this is this is the year and if they underachieved, and I love Kyle Shanahan even he'll get pushedback. But I mean kind of look at this team and where like they're loaded, they're best players. Detroit and Green Bay are different in the NFC. The Rams are different. Their best players are overwhelming the old guys with a lot of miles on the odometer. And so I think this year for the Niners is really important.

I think if you look at Rock Perdy and Brandon Ayuk to your point as well, Ayuk has really been his top receiver not named Christian McCaffrey. I mean Debo's tremendous. But Ayuk is that traditional X receiver. And if you go back to Week one last year, perty's coming off the elbow surgery.

I think if you look at Rock Perdy and Brandon Ayuk to your point as well, Ayuk has really been his top receiver not named Christian McCaffrey. I mean Debo's tremendous. But Ayuk is that traditional X receiver. And if you go back to Week one last year, perty's coming off the elbow surgery.

Who does the target against Pittsburgh?

Who does the target against Pittsburgh?

Eight targets, eight catches, one hundred and twenty nine yards, two tuddies for Brandon Ayuk NFC Championship. They're down seventeen to Detroit. Make that circus catch, Yeah, brings them back. Ultimately they go to the Super Bowl. Maybe it's not Justin Jefferson type of money, Colin, but ultimately I believe San Francisco wants Ayuk their long term. I think Ayuk wants to be there, and I ultimately believe not only.

Eight targets, eight catches, one hundred and twenty nine yards, two tuddies for Brandon Ayuk NFC Championship. They're down seventeen to Detroit. Make that circus catch, Yeah, brings them back. Ultimately they go to the Super Bowl. Maybe it's not Justin Jefferson type of money, Colin, but ultimately I believe San Francisco wants Ayuk their long term. I think Ayuk wants to be there, and I ultimately believe not only.

Will he, but he deserves to get.

Will he, but he deserves to get.

That type of money. Maybe a mon Ross, Saint Brown, you see Tyreek killing there somewhere along those lines.

That type of money. Maybe a mon Ross, Saint Brown, you see Tyreek killing there somewhere along those lines.

Big time money for a big time player.

Big time money for a big time player.

Yeah.

Yeah.

No, there's there's no question. And I think they drafted two wide receivers, so they're eventually gonna move off one of their receivers.

No, there's there's no question. And I think they drafted two wide receivers, so they're eventually gonna move off one of their receivers.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yesterday we heard from Justin Jefferson as he discussed he wasn't too surprised that Kirk Cousins left the Vikings in the same interview on the Retison Show, Jefferson also talked about what it's been like working with rookie JJ McCarthy so far.

Yesterday we heard from Justin Jefferson as he discussed he wasn't too surprised that Kirk Cousins left the Vikings in the same interview on the Retison Show, Jefferson also talked about what it's been like working with rookie JJ McCarthy so far.

They put JJ's locker right next to mine, just like how they did Kirk. You know, they want me to be that guy that JJ can always you know, talk to it at questions about and he's definitely that type of kid. You know, he definitely wants to ask questions. He wants to learn how to become a top quarterback. He wants to learn how to become you know, a problem in this league. But I always tell him, you know, don't really worry about the expectations. All you have to do is just carry yourself with confidence.

They put JJ's locker right next to mine, just like how they did Kirk. You know, they want me to be that guy that JJ can always you know, talk to it at questions about and he's definitely that type of kid. You know, he definitely wants to ask questions. He wants to learn how to become a top quarterback. He wants to learn how to become you know, a problem in this league. But I always tell him, you know, don't really worry about the expectations. All you have to do is just carry yourself with confidence.

Yeah, whoever quarterbacks Minnesota, you have to be productive. There's too many good players. This is on Sam Donald to JJ, whoever's taking the stamps. Like I've defended Sam Donald forever.

Yeah, whoever quarterbacks Minnesota, you have to be productive. There's too many good players. This is on Sam Donald to JJ, whoever's taking the stamps. Like I've defended Sam Donald forever.

That's your guy.

That's your guy.

It's not about his record. Sam has to be productive this year. He could go if he starts eight games and goes four and four, but it's really productive and they move on to JJ McCarthy. Donald will get another shot. It's like Baker Mayfield came to the Rams. Remember he had one practice, everybody went, then he had.

It's not about his record. Sam has to be productive this year. He could go if he starts eight games and goes four and four, but it's really productive and they move on to JJ McCarthy. Donald will get another shot. It's like Baker Mayfield came to the Rams. Remember he had one practice, everybody went, then he had.

That crazy comeback yep, and then all of a sudden, someone that's right.

That crazy comeback yep, and then all of a sudden, someone that's right.

That's right. The key for Sam Darnold is not about wins and losses. They're not going to win the division. But if Sam goes four and four and then they decide around Thanksgiving, we're gonna go to JJ McCarthy, which is what my guess they'd like to do. You know, give Sam up to Thanksgiving or maybe longer. It's not about winning for Sam. Can Sam do a Baker Mayfield where he finally gets a good offensive coach? You know, Baker gets Sean mcmay. Everybody's like it's a television game. Everybody's like, oh, Baker's pretty good. Baker kind of reboots the reputation. Baker grows up, he gets the right coaching, gets the money in Tampa. It's really interesting. I just saw Sam a week ago in Rhode Island. If Sam is productive, nobody's gonna hold the record against him in that division. And I think with their left tackle, tight end, running back, two wide receivers, head coach, I think Sam's going to be more productive than people think, and he will get another run remember Kyle likes him. NFL people like him.

That's right. The key for Sam Darnold is not about wins and losses. They're not going to win the division. But if Sam goes four and four and then they decide around Thanksgiving, we're gonna go to JJ McCarthy, which is what my guess they'd like to do. You know, give Sam up to Thanksgiving or maybe longer. It's not about winning for Sam. Can Sam do a Baker Mayfield where he finally gets a good offensive coach? You know, Baker gets Sean mcmay. Everybody's like it's a television game. Everybody's like, oh, Baker's pretty good. Baker kind of reboots the reputation. Baker grows up, he gets the right coaching, gets the money in Tampa. It's really interesting. I just saw Sam a week ago in Rhode Island. If Sam is productive, nobody's gonna hold the record against him in that division. And I think with their left tackle, tight end, running back, two wide receivers, head coach, I think Sam's going to be more productive than people think, and he will get another run remember Kyle likes him. NFL people like him.

Everyone's always like Sam Darnold. I think the beer question is when do they go If they go to J J.

Everyone's always like Sam Darnold. I think the beer question is when do they go If they go to J J.

McCarthy and you talk of week you saw the week, week five by I believe after.

McCarthy and you talk of week you saw the week, week five by I believe after.

The Jets two they j James. I think JJ needs to sit for a year. Yeah, yeah, I don't think he's Joe Burrow. I don't think he's.

The Jets two they j James. I think JJ needs to sit for a year. Yeah, yeah, I don't think he's Joe Burrow. I don't think he's.

Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna I just want to tell you this is a conversation I had with JJ.

Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna I just want to tell you this is a conversation I had with JJ.

Took some notes.

Took some notes.

I asked him about the thirty two runs in a row against Penn State. Uh, he was a Heisman candidate, Heisman favorite the week before.

I asked him about the thirty two runs in a row against Penn State. Uh, he was a Heisman candidate, Heisman favorite the week before.

Did that bother him?

Did that bother him?

No?

No?

I said, does it bother you that.

I said, does it bother you that.

People talk about you as a winner but you don't have the most Gaudi stats?

People talk about you as a winner but you don't have the most Gaudi stats?

No?

No?

He had Jim Harbaugh. Now he's going to go to Kevin O'Connell. At some point he will be the franchise. All this guy does is win, though he's just as a point of reference. He goes twenty seven and one at Michigan. He's he's the third highest winning percentage ever. He's he wins two state titles, in high school, a national championship.

He had Jim Harbaugh. Now he's going to go to Kevin O'Connell. At some point he will be the franchise. All this guy does is win, though he's just as a point of reference. He goes twenty seven and one at Michigan. He's he's the third highest winning percentage ever. He's he wins two state titles, in high school, a national championship.

At IMG, so he's about winning. Kevin O'Connell is someone that we've seen can can cater to and develop quarterbacks.

At IMG, so he's about winning. Kevin O'Connell is someone that we've seen can can cater to and develop quarterbacks.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I think it's only a matter of time.

I think it's only a matter of time.

Maybe it's not Week five, but Darnold, to your point, is going to get his shot. But at some point this season, Minnesota does have to go to McCarthy.

Maybe it's not Week five, but Darnold, to your point, is going to get his shot. But at some point this season, Minnesota does have to go to McCarthy.

Know, yeah, I think they will. I think about it. Get to Thanksgiving again. When you have an offensive coach, quarterbacks tend to develop faster with offensive coaches and offensive cultures.

Know, yeah, I think they will. I think about it. Get to Thanksgiving again. When you have an offensive coach, quarterbacks tend to develop faster with offensive coaches and offensive cultures.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Sticking in the NFC North, a Monros Saint Brown had an incredible season Colin, earning him a huge payday this offseason and Netflix's Receiver series. Saint Brown revealed that he actually tore his oblique quote off the bone early in the season, played through the injury, only missing Week six. Okay, Colin, When you think about tearing an oblique and then having an all pro caliber.

Sticking in the NFC North, a Monros Saint Brown had an incredible season Colin, earning him a huge payday this offseason and Netflix's Receiver series. Saint Brown revealed that he actually tore his oblique quote off the bone early in the season, played through the injury, only missing Week six. Okay, Colin, When you think about tearing an oblique and then having an all pro caliber.

Season, crazy, think about how impressive that is. I got to tell you something. I watched him in high school. I watched every snap he took at UFC. I've been blown away by how good he is. Blown Now part of it is Jared Goff with time to throw is really really good. But that kid's a worker. I saw, I saw him have a great freshman year at US Seed that I thought he kind of plateaued. I didn't think he had the speed to separate. And I'm like, he'll be a nice number two or three receiver in the NFL. Blown me away how good he is and shows you a lot about the staff, a lot about his sort of work ethos. But he has been He is a fourth round pick and he is an absolute number one. He's a dog.

Season, crazy, think about how impressive that is. I got to tell you something. I watched him in high school. I watched every snap he took at UFC. I've been blown away by how good he is. Blown Now part of it is Jared Goff with time to throw is really really good. But that kid's a worker. I saw, I saw him have a great freshman year at US Seed that I thought he kind of plateaued. I didn't think he had the speed to separate. And I'm like, he'll be a nice number two or three receiver in the NFL. Blown me away how good he is and shows you a lot about the staff, a lot about his sort of work ethos. But he has been He is a fourth round pick and he is an absolute number one. He's a dog.

They called him a fourth round pick who was too small, wasn't fast enough to don't have enough shorty air of quickness.

They called him a fourth round pick who was too small, wasn't fast enough to don't have enough shorty air of quickness.

He's a slot. He's done everything else.

He's a slot. He's done everything else.

He's incredibly productive. He deserves a lot of credit. But I also think Detroit, this is an offensive line that gives golf time to throw, and Jared's really good with time to throw, gives you a little gives you an extra step to get open.

He's incredibly productive. He deserves a lot of credit. But I also think Detroit, this is an offensive line that gives golf time to throw, and Jared's really good with time to throw, gives you a little gives you an extra step to get open.

Yeah, I would say that this season with Jamison Williams, who's apparently in great shape and this is year three. Now, yeah, you know, former top ten pick. That's a really fascinating one two punch when you consider Laporta, David Montgomery, Gibbs. Could they could be even better potentially offensively? Yeah, okay, so Colin. This has been a lot of soccer these last couple weeks. The US Federation parted ways with head coach Greg Burholter yesterday after the team's rough performance at Copa America, failing to get out of the group. Reports indicate the US has identified former Liverpool manager Y'reen Klopp as the top target for the position. They've made initial contact. Now, Klopp has actually rebuffed the sentiment that he could be the United United States national coach. What do you think about this?

Yeah, I would say that this season with Jamison Williams, who's apparently in great shape and this is year three. Now, yeah, you know, former top ten pick. That's a really fascinating one two punch when you consider Laporta, David Montgomery, Gibbs. Could they could be even better potentially offensively? Yeah, okay, so Colin. This has been a lot of soccer these last couple weeks. The US Federation parted ways with head coach Greg Burholter yesterday after the team's rough performance at Copa America, failing to get out of the group. Reports indicate the US has identified former Liverpool manager Y'reen Klopp as the top target for the position. They've made initial contact. Now, Klopp has actually rebuffed the sentiment that he could be the United United States national coach. What do you think about this?

Well, we always blame the coach. Yeah, you know, remember the red card in COPA against Panama, Tim Way, I got the red card and so Americans played a man down and we lost two to one to Panama. And that's that's the one that got him fired. Well, playing a man down for seventy five minutes is really hard, and so I think Berholter knows what he's doing. I think he got us into the round of sixteen with a team with nobody in their prime a draw against England. We weren't in the same class at their lens and not in the same class as is Argentina, and this is a very young team. Copa, for a lot of reasons, was a tough spot for our team that's more skilled in European. These are smaller fields, gritty COPA tournament, not built for US, and they didn't get a lot of quality shots on goal. But you know, listen, this is I've just learned. It doesn't matter if it's Bruce Arena, Greg Berhalter. It's got a sixty nine percent winning percentage, the best ever for any United States men's national team coach that has coached over like twenty matches. But but I understand everybody's like, well, this is the best team we've had. No, it's the most skilled team we've ever had, But we're still two years away from the World Cup and two years away from most of our young players moving into their prime. We have a young, young roster and Copa I thought was a bad fit for us our style, But that's life. I've just come to terms with soccer. Fans are never going to blame the player. It is always the coach because that makes us feel better. Like if we just changed the coach, we can beat Argentina. That makes us feel better instead of acknowledging we're not quite there yet. We're still really young.

Well, we always blame the coach. Yeah, you know, remember the red card in COPA against Panama, Tim Way, I got the red card and so Americans played a man down and we lost two to one to Panama. And that's that's the one that got him fired. Well, playing a man down for seventy five minutes is really hard, and so I think Berholter knows what he's doing. I think he got us into the round of sixteen with a team with nobody in their prime a draw against England. We weren't in the same class at their lens and not in the same class as is Argentina, and this is a very young team. Copa, for a lot of reasons, was a tough spot for our team that's more skilled in European. These are smaller fields, gritty COPA tournament, not built for US, and they didn't get a lot of quality shots on goal. But you know, listen, this is I've just learned. It doesn't matter if it's Bruce Arena, Greg Berhalter. It's got a sixty nine percent winning percentage, the best ever for any United States men's national team coach that has coached over like twenty matches. But but I understand everybody's like, well, this is the best team we've had. No, it's the most skilled team we've ever had, But we're still two years away from the World Cup and two years away from most of our young players moving into their prime. We have a young, young roster and Copa I thought was a bad fit for us our style, But that's life. I've just come to terms with soccer. Fans are never going to blame the player. It is always the coach because that makes us feel better. Like if we just changed the coach, we can beat Argentina. That makes us feel better instead of acknowledging we're not quite there yet. We're still really young.

But hasn't it felt like we haven't been quite there for the past.

But hasn't it felt like we haven't been quite there for the past.

Well, No, we pivoted out of the Clint Dempsey, Josie Alvitor, we pivoted out of that. We went young. All our guys now, all our best players are in Europe. We play a more European style. We want a wide field speed skill. That's not what COPA necessarily is.

Well, No, we pivoted out of the Clint Dempsey, Josie Alvitor, we pivoted out of that. We went young. All our guys now, all our best players are in Europe. We play a more European style. We want a wide field speed skill. That's not what COPA necessarily is.

But they don't create enough chances. They don't have the ho there.

But they don't create enough chances. They don't have the ho there.

Yeah, but maybe to your point, maybe they're more sophisticated and that nuance hurt them. In COPA, they didn't have the aggression or that we've talked about the grid of the South American teams.

Yeah, but maybe to your point, maybe they're more sophisticated and that nuance hurt them. In COPA, they didn't have the aggression or that we've talked about the grid of the South American teams.

They didn't have an enforcer.

They didn't have an enforcer.

Copa's got some lower world ranked teams and because of that, it's a grittier style. That's how they overcome their lack of skill. Not saying there aren't teams in that they do have skill like our you know, like right, but I'm not making excuses. When you get to the World Cup, FIFA regulations are forcing all these American stadiums. They'll be regulated through FIFA. That's why Stan Cronkey is like, I don't want to spend twenty million dollars to change so far to get the regulation feel right, and so in Kope didn't have that. Sure, and so I'm not making excuses here. I just think we're a very young team. Sure, we're almost European stylistically. Now, Coppa was a weird fit. We lost a game against Panama because of a red card playing a man down. But in fairness to the soccer fans who want Burholter out, we didn't. I don't think in Copa generate consistently enough really high quality shots on goal. And that's going to fall in the coach when you have players like Polisic, who's a brilliant all time gifted the United States athlete. Yeah, all right, Jordan with a news.

Copa's got some lower world ranked teams and because of that, it's a grittier style. That's how they overcome their lack of skill. Not saying there aren't teams in that they do have skill like our you know, like right, but I'm not making excuses. When you get to the World Cup, FIFA regulations are forcing all these American stadiums. They'll be regulated through FIFA. That's why Stan Cronkey is like, I don't want to spend twenty million dollars to change so far to get the regulation feel right, and so in Kope didn't have that. Sure, and so I'm not making excuses here. I just think we're a very young team. Sure, we're almost European stylistically. Now, Coppa was a weird fit. We lost a game against Panama because of a red card playing a man down. But in fairness to the soccer fans who want Burholter out, we didn't. I don't think in Copa generate consistently enough really high quality shots on goal. And that's going to fall in the coach when you have players like Polisic, who's a brilliant all time gifted the United States athlete. Yeah, all right, Jordan with a news.

Well that's the news, and thanks for stupping by heard line news.

Well that's the news, and thanks for stupping by heard line news.

People think I'm banging on our team. I think our team's really good. But I'll I'll give you an example, Like an NHL rink isn't the same as an Olympic hockey rink, Like the NFL hash marks are different than college hash marks. That stuff matters with the way your team plays, and I thought Coppa was not ideal for us what we are now stylistically. But uh, you know, I'm not sure we can get that guy from Liverpool either. Just because you want somebody doesn't mean you can get something.

People think I'm banging on our team. I think our team's really good. But I'll I'll give you an example, Like an NHL rink isn't the same as an Olympic hockey rink, Like the NFL hash marks are different than college hash marks. That stuff matters with the way your team plays, and I thought Coppa was not ideal for us what we are now stylistically. But uh, you know, I'm not sure we can get that guy from Liverpool either. Just because you want somebody doesn't mean you can get something.

Have a little pep from Man City. I mean, you got to get one of these guys. They're paying Burlt or something like two million bucks. It's gonna got it's gonna it's.

Have a little pep from Man City. I mean, you got to get one of these guys. They're paying Burlt or something like two million bucks. It's gonna got it's gonna it's.

A lot more to get one of those.

A lot more to get one of those.

I don't think money is our issue. I think delusions also likeations is our issue.

I don't think money is our issue. I think delusions also likeations is our issue.

Your point of a polistic too really good player, but should he not be your like third or fourth best player if you're going to try to really compete in a World Cup.

Your point of a polistic too really good player, but should he not be your like third or fourth best player if you're going to try to really compete in a World Cup.

Oh, I think will I think he can be your best player. I mean he didn't. You don't have to be Lebron to win a title.

Oh, I think will I think he can be your best player. I mean he didn't. You don't have to be Lebron to win a title.

You and you can have.

You and you can have.

I mean Boston won and their best player got out played by Jalen Brown in the conference finals in the finals.

I mean Boston won and their best player got out played by Jalen Brown in the conference finals in the finals.

I don't think we have enough quality now.

I don't think we have enough quality now.

I think we're I think our quality is pretty interesting and it's the first time in my life I felt that.

I think we're I think our quality is pretty interesting and it's the first time in my life I felt that.

And then played g Arena. That's another that was that we had.

And then played g Arena. That's another that was that we had.

So that had a lot to do with it. Listen, you get I don't love politics too much in my sports. I know politics in sports are you know the kind of well, it's a part of it, parallel universes. Right, Look, we understand that I don't like too much politics in my sports. But you know, if players stand for something, I get it. History, politics, sports, I get it. I mean there's some sports in politics and politics in sports. What's politics but fundraising and campaigns and races. It's got a sports vibe to do it as well. But you start to getting into these FIFA United States Men's National team soccer and the coaches and not also international soccer is a lot like the NBA. It is player driven there it is. The NFL isn't Soccer is NBA. These are star driven, player driven infrastructures. The NFL is not. It's about the shield, the coach, the owners. That's what the weak union in the NFL, well, strong union in baseball. In the NBA, it's a whole different ballgame.

So that had a lot to do with it. Listen, you get I don't love politics too much in my sports. I know politics in sports are you know the kind of well, it's a part of it, parallel universes. Right, Look, we understand that I don't like too much politics in my sports. But you know, if players stand for something, I get it. History, politics, sports, I get it. I mean there's some sports in politics and politics in sports. What's politics but fundraising and campaigns and races. It's got a sports vibe to do it as well. But you start to getting into these FIFA United States Men's National team soccer and the coaches and not also international soccer is a lot like the NBA. It is player driven there it is. The NFL isn't Soccer is NBA. These are star driven, player driven infrastructures. The NFL is not. It's about the shield, the coach, the owners. That's what the weak union in the NFL, well, strong union in baseball. In the NBA, it's a whole different ballgame.

Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Eastern not a em Pacific.

Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Eastern not a em Pacific.

Pally fools go ahead, with Tony Fusco. Yeah, as everybody knows, we're the hosts of the award winning Polly and Toni Foosco Show. Yeah, but instead of us telling you how great we are, here's how Dan Packrick described us when he came on our show.

Pally fools go ahead, with Tony Fusco. Yeah, as everybody knows, we're the hosts of the award winning Polly and Toni Foosco Show. Yeah, but instead of us telling you how great we are, here's how Dan Packrick described us when he came on our show.

Quick, knowledgeable and funny, opinionated.

Quick, knowledgeable and funny, opinionated.

What what are you doing?

What what are you doing?

Were interrupting our promo?

Were interrupting our promo?

Yeah, he wasn't talking about you. You took those clips totally of context.

Yeah, he wasn't talking about you. You took those clips totally of context.

Oh yeah, well after this promo, I'm gonna take you out and beat you.

Oh yeah, well after this promo, I'm gonna take you out and beat you.

Let me put this into context.

Let me put this into context.

Shut up.

Shut up.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Anyway, just listening to the Paully and Tony Fusco Show on iHeartRadio, Apple podcast oherever you get your podcasts.

Anyway, just listening to the Paully and Tony Fusco Show on iHeartRadio, Apple podcast oherever you get your podcasts.

Ye. Great to see Rachel Nichols again.

Ye. Great to see Rachel Nichols again.

Hello sir.

Hello sir.

You've been covering the NBA for nineteen ninety three thirty years.

You've been covering the NBA for nineteen ninety three thirty years.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I started and when I was in college. So I was in college at Northwestern in Chicago, and I had interned for the Washington Post and they called me up and said, do you want to be a stringer and just do some Chicago Bulls games for us? I think I got twenty bucks an article, which I would have probably don't tell anyone. I would have done it for free. I think I was nineteen years old and I went for twenty bucks. I would go to Michael Jordan's bulls and write up my story and.

I started and when I was in college. So I was in college at Northwestern in Chicago, and I had interned for the Washington Post and they called me up and said, do you want to be a stringer and just do some Chicago Bulls games for us? I think I got twenty bucks an article, which I would have probably don't tell anyone. I would have done it for free. I think I was nineteen years old and I went for twenty bucks. I would go to Michael Jordan's bulls and write up my story and.

Go to practices.

Go to practices.

So you probably know greenee. Yes, absolutely, we were battling him for the MK quotes. No.

So you probably know greenee. Yes, absolutely, we were battling him for the MK quotes. No.

One of my best old time stories is Michael Jordan, just that, you know, I started doing that and I was nineteen years old and younger than everybody and the only woman in the room alt at the time and all of that stuff. So we'd be a practice and you know, there's a scrum around the players, and I would always just sit there and take notes. But I didn't want to, you know, I was a little gun hi about asking a bunch of questions and kind of sticking my nose in. And I was the new person, and the third or fourth time, Michael just like looked around the group and he settled on me and he was like, do you even talk?

One of my best old time stories is Michael Jordan, just that, you know, I started doing that and I was nineteen years old and younger than everybody and the only woman in the room alt at the time and all of that stuff. So we'd be a practice and you know, there's a scrum around the players, and I would always just sit there and take notes. But I didn't want to, you know, I was a little gun hi about asking a bunch of questions and kind of sticking my nose in. And I was the new person, and the third or fourth time, Michael just like looked around the group and he settled on me and he was like, do you even talk?

Do you talk?

Do you talk?

Are you mute?

Are you mute?

And I was like no, I can talk.

And I was like no, I can talk.

I was, you know, again nineteen and terrified. And he's like, well, you better pull your weight and you know, start asking some questions otherwise you shouldn't be here. And I asked him a question and he deemed it good and he totally answered it. And he sort of made a point of showing the other guys that he would chat with me and stuff. And it made a big difference in terms of if Michael trusts you, there you go.

I was, you know, again nineteen and terrified. And he's like, well, you better pull your weight and you know, start asking some questions otherwise you shouldn't be here. And I asked him a question and he deemed it good and he totally answered it. And he sort of made a point of showing the other guys that he would chat with me and stuff. And it made a big difference in terms of if Michael trusts you, there you go.

He had a little power back then. Yes, exactly, influenced exactly. I can remember at the end of Michael's career, I didn't cover him. I was bouncing around the country doing other stuff. But when Michael Jordan would come to town, even in the Washington days, it was the lead story in local news. Oh, Michael's in town. So because a Nike was in Portland, Michael was in Portland a lot. So he'd be at a steakhouse. Yeah, he'd be you know, he'd be the Nike facility. It was a big story. It's really you know, there's a couple of athletes. I've said this, if Muhammad Ali would break the internet today, yeah, okay, if you go back in YouTube Muhammad Ali, Yeah, he was so lyrically gifted. He would go to press conference. I've said this before. There are YouTube moments with Muhammad Ali. First of all, it was good looking. It was funny. Yes, he would go on and do a ninety second two minute poetic rant and I'm like, where are the que cards? Right, I'm a broadcaster. I can't do that.

He had a little power back then. Yes, exactly, influenced exactly. I can remember at the end of Michael's career, I didn't cover him. I was bouncing around the country doing other stuff. But when Michael Jordan would come to town, even in the Washington days, it was the lead story in local news. Oh, Michael's in town. So because a Nike was in Portland, Michael was in Portland a lot. So he'd be at a steakhouse. Yeah, he'd be you know, he'd be the Nike facility. It was a big story. It's really you know, there's a couple of athletes. I've said this, if Muhammad Ali would break the internet today, yeah, okay, if you go back in YouTube Muhammad Ali, Yeah, he was so lyrically gifted. He would go to press conference. I've said this before. There are YouTube moments with Muhammad Ali. First of all, it was good looking. It was funny. Yes, he would go on and do a ninety second two minute poetic rant and I'm like, where are the que cards? Right, I'm a broadcaster. I can't do that.

Not off.

Not off.

And the other one is Michael Jordan didn't live in this world, this IG world today. It actually I think protected Michael to.

And the other one is Michael Jordan didn't live in this world, this IG world today. It actually I think protected Michael to.

Say he am very, very lucky.

Say he am very, very lucky.

He did not live in an IG camera phone world, no question.

He did not live in an IG camera phone world, no question.

Yeah, so last night I watched early, I went out to dinner with Jordan, I came home, I turned it on and we were awful for about five six minutes. Yes, what did ja make of that? We come back to when would you make of that?

Yeah, so last night I watched early, I went out to dinner with Jordan, I came home, I turned it on and we were awful for about five six minutes. Yes, what did ja make of that? We come back to when would you make of that?

Yeah? I mean, look, these are a bunch of guys shaking off the rust who haven't played they haven't played together. This was the first time this team played together, because remember all these World Cup events were a different team, basically a younger team. So there's nothing I didn't expect the fact that they played so well defensively, that they were great defensively from the start, and they played so well defensively throughout and with so much energy and effort. That's really what you wanted to see. And they completely delivered on that. Anthony Davis was asked after the game, if you guys just defend this way through the whole tournament, you know, how do you feel you guys will do. It's like we're unbeatable. And I think that's true. I think if they played with this defensive effort and energy, and then of course they're going to have crazy scoring to pour into the basket. I really do think that they have the best chance to win of a while, and they've had very good chances to win in the past.

Yeah? I mean, look, these are a bunch of guys shaking off the rust who haven't played they haven't played together. This was the first time this team played together, because remember all these World Cup events were a different team, basically a younger team. So there's nothing I didn't expect the fact that they played so well defensively, that they were great defensively from the start, and they played so well defensively throughout and with so much energy and effort. That's really what you wanted to see. And they completely delivered on that. Anthony Davis was asked after the game, if you guys just defend this way through the whole tournament, you know, how do you feel you guys will do. It's like we're unbeatable. And I think that's true. I think if they played with this defensive effort and energy, and then of course they're going to have crazy scoring to pour into the basket. I really do think that they have the best chance to win of a while, and they've had very good chances to win in the past.

Yeah, if Jason Tatum's coming off the bench, if Anthony Davis is coming off the bench. And I said this earlier, I loved when I was younger rock and Roll Stairway to Heaven LEDs up. If I listened to it today, I'm like, it's two and a half minutes of a riff by Jimmy Page. I'm like, can we get to the lyrics?

Yeah, if Jason Tatum's coming off the bench, if Anthony Davis is coming off the bench. And I said this earlier, I loved when I was younger rock and Roll Stairway to Heaven LEDs up. If I listened to it today, I'm like, it's two and a half minutes of a riff by Jimmy Page. I'm like, can we get to the lyrics?

Yeh.

Yeh.

And I do feel like the Dream Team. I mean, Larry Bird was shot, Christian Laitner's on the team. It was very position oriented basketball, ewing, you can't do this. Barkley was one of the only players that Charles could do everything. Yes, you know, transition low post Charles was one on one. This team's a lot of Charles. Everybody can handle the ball. And I and I say this respectively, two things can be true. The Dream Team was the coolest thing ever. Yes, this team's talent, I don't know, like it's I.

And I do feel like the Dream Team. I mean, Larry Bird was shot, Christian Laitner's on the team. It was very position oriented basketball, ewing, you can't do this. Barkley was one of the only players that Charles could do everything. Yes, you know, transition low post Charles was one on one. This team's a lot of Charles. Everybody can handle the ball. And I and I say this respectively, two things can be true. The Dream Team was the coolest thing ever. Yes, this team's talent, I don't know, like it's I.

Mean, look the Dream Team. Every NBA player on the Dream Team went into the Hall of Fame. I don't know if you're going to be able to say that about this team, right, And look, Tyre's Halliburt and Derek White, their careers are all ahead of them, so.

Mean, look the Dream Team. Every NBA player on the Dream Team went into the Hall of Fame. I don't know if you're going to be able to say that about this team, right, And look, Tyre's Halliburt and Derek White, their careers are all ahead of them, so.

We have no idea.

We have no idea.

But I'm I'm not sure you're going to be able to say that about this team. So the level of talent on that team the top of the top of it, and it just you know, Yes was barely there, but he was there in all the important ways. So I just I think that's a hard comparison to begin with, as you know, and then I the Dream Team to me is so iconic that what I've been saying about this roster is that it's the best since the Dream Team. Or yeah, and the eight roster was amazing too, So you can maybe hold those three teams up as the best the TSA has ever had.

But I'm I'm not sure you're going to be able to say that about this team. So the level of talent on that team the top of the top of it, and it just you know, Yes was barely there, but he was there in all the important ways. So I just I think that's a hard comparison to begin with, as you know, and then I the Dream Team to me is so iconic that what I've been saying about this roster is that it's the best since the Dream Team. Or yeah, and the eight roster was amazing too, So you can maybe hold those three teams up as the best the TSA has ever had.

So the Jalen Brown thing is so weird. Oh man, it's so weird. So first of all, and people, you know how it is if if you're marginally critical of like Jason Tatum, and I'm like, listen, the guy is great. But when I watched the Celtics Laton games, I always feel like Jalen Brown's the more alpha guy. Well it turned out to be true in the conference on the finals. That doesn't mean Tatum's not great, of course, love him as a player, love him on my team, Collaborative, smart, all that stuff. But when I defended Caitlin Clark getting on the Olympic team, I said, these Olympic teams after like the top six players, it's fit, chemistry, relationships, politics. How is Jalen Brown not on this teef and Derek White and Drew Holliday are Yeah.

So the Jalen Brown thing is so weird. Oh man, it's so weird. So first of all, and people, you know how it is if if you're marginally critical of like Jason Tatum, and I'm like, listen, the guy is great. But when I watched the Celtics Laton games, I always feel like Jalen Brown's the more alpha guy. Well it turned out to be true in the conference on the finals. That doesn't mean Tatum's not great, of course, love him as a player, love him on my team, Collaborative, smart, all that stuff. But when I defended Caitlin Clark getting on the Olympic team, I said, these Olympic teams after like the top six players, it's fit, chemistry, relationships, politics. How is Jalen Brown not on this teef and Derek White and Drew Holliday are Yeah.

I mean I don't quite see. I wouldn't have made that decision, is the best way I can say it. I understand. I do understand what TSA was doing. They wanted someone who could be that scrappy, dirty work sort of point of attack defender, and that's what Derek White is and Jalen Brown by the way, is an excellent defender, but Derek White's probably a better defender. And you know, there's talk they didn't say this out loud, but there's talk that sort of, oh, White's not going to be afraid to be the eleventh or twelfth guy and excuse me, eleventh or twelfth guy on the bench. You know, does Jalen Brown have an ego about that? I get all of that, but he's the Finals MVP. He's the Finals MVP. And unless you really believe that, man, having Derek White there instead of Jalen Brown when you're talking about skill sets defensively, are not this far apart. I don't know. I can't see that being the difference maker. I still think this team will roll. You're replacing Kawhi Leonard, so it's not you're placing a role player, right, You're replacing a star, So having another big name in there shouldn't be something you're afraid of unless it's the difference in winning the gold medal, and I can't see how it would be. You go with the Finals MVP as a sign of respect. He's earned it, sure, right, and to take a guy who's on his team but way down the level in the starting five than he is. As you point out, like, it's just I don't know, I would not have made that decision. Derek White will do great on this team. Derek White is.