The Herd with Colin CowherdColin tells you why he was right about the Warriors and wrong about Cooper Kupp
Matt Hasselbeck stops by The Herd to talk about the NFL draft, free agency, the Chicago Bears and more
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Welcome in at to our two and a Monday first one flew by. Thanks to Tom Izzo for stopping by live in Los Angeles. It's The Herd wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day. Later this hour, the best free agent signing that's not getting discussed. I think you'll love it and I'm really rooting for this guy, Colin Wright Colin wrong in a couple of minutes and the NCAA tournament. Listen last year was easy. You've con ended up thirty seven and three four NBA guys, physicality, size, guard, play. They were great, great coach this year. A lot of the best teams, Michigan's, Saint John's Houston. They're really defensive teams. The scoring does not come easy. So now now Duke, Duke scoring comes a little more easily, but I just I can't go it's not gonna be perfect. I do think coaching will matter. That benefits you know, Izzo, Mark Few, It's gonna benefit Rick Fatino. I think coaching will end up being big in this tournament because I don't think we have a dominant team. And I've watched as much college basketball in the last two or three weekends as I'm as I'm gonna watch, and so defense is the overwhelming story. Very few teams score easily or a lot. Tom Izzolm made a great point. They score, they just don't shoot threes to score. But they'll end up in the high seventies and eighties. They just they do it a little unconventionally. Their defense leads their offense. All right, here we go Colin right, Colin wrong.
Every Monday.
Where Colin was right, I'll take another right. On the Warriors now fourteen and two. Since Jimmy Butler arrived, they have the best net rating in the league. And when they made this move, I said, it's more more than just scoring. It's the fact that he's tough. He fits their ethos, he fits their mindset, and what's great about Jimmy Butler is completely unselfish player on this team. He's not taking a lot of shots, he's not taking a lot of threes, and he does not care playoff Jimmy. He has been absolutely great. And this was a move I had said a month before. Get him in the building. It will work.
Where Colin was raw.
I thought the historically perpetually frugal Bengals would not sign Jamar Chase and t Higgins, and they did, And reportedly Trey Hendrickson is now talking his reps to the team. Listen, will they be top heavy? Yeah? But the NFL owners all get a check for four hundred and fifty million dollars. This league is swimming in money. There's four great players on this team. Pay them. Everybody's swimming in cash. You see what they're paying coordinators. I mean, these owners have money to burn. I was wrong on.
This one, where Colin was right.
What a shocker. Aaron Rodgers is dramatic Minnesota now not sure if we're gonna go. Giants have offered him, but reportedly we're gonna draft a quarterback to or bring another one in. He was gonna have to battle for the job. So I've said this before you know, Aaron's his own guy. You're gonna get some noise in drama, and it has turned out. If I would have told you that either there is one quarterback who can't make up his mind, you would have guessed Aaron. Where Colin was raw, I thought Gino Smith to the Raiders, I don't have a problem with it. But reportedly he's gonna get forty to forty five million. That's a big contract. He's never won a playoff game. Last year, twenty one tens fifteen picks. Sam Darnold criticized him. All you want signed a team friendly deal and he's seven years younger and more athletics. So I don't have a problem with Gino Smith making them, you know, going to Seattle. I kind of like it for Pete Carroll, but I didn't think he had another forty five million dollar a year contracting it.
Where Colin was right.
I said a year ago the Niners should reboot. They waited a year, and now they're they're doing They're getting doged. Essentially, they're moving off all sorts of contracts, and I said they should have done it last year. Ward is now gone, green loss, smart, good player's gone, who funded excellent safety struggles with health has gone. I thought last year they got too old, too expensive, and increasingly too brittle. So this is what I said last year they should have done. They waited a year to do it.
Where Colin was wrong.
Little surprise, John Snyder signed Cooper Cup to that deal. His yards have declined four straight seasons. McVeagh moved off him because he couldn't get open. He's also missed eighteen games in the last three years. Now, Schneider has drafted and acquired receivers at a really good rate, so he knows his stuff. But again there's a forty five million dollars three years. Again, the league has so much money now they're looking for like a number two or three receiver. But I be honest with you, I didn't think. I didn't think he'd get that number. Where Colin was right. When Brian Kelly left Notre Dame, I said it because the SEC is all about commitment. And this weekend LSU doubled its nil money to eighteen million. A year after losing a recruit to Michigan and again Notre Dame. You have rigorous debates about academics at LSU what's it cost to winn a natty And that's not a knock on Notre Dame. I love them for who they are, but this is why he left, because you don't have to argue you lose a top recruit to a northern school. Suddenly they double the nil at LSU.
Where Colin was wrong.
Well, the Falcons kept their veteran quarterback on their roster, a little bit of a surprise after the way he played at the end of the year. I like Kirk Cousins. I didn't have a problem with a move. I thought his first half of the season was excellent and I thought that's what you would get for the two year contract. Kind of regressed whatever it was, lost his fastball. I would think it's Michael Pennock's time in Atlanta, but this move makes me question that and Colin Wright Colin wrong. On a Monday, Let's bring in Matt hasselback eighteen NFL season. So you know, it is interesting. I've said free agencies not just about the player, It's about the fit, and it's interesting. So explain the Sam Darnald over Geno fit as a former Seahawks. In fact, we have some video of you the last time you were a Seahawk and you look pretty cool. That's the last time they made a splashy quarterback move. But there, look at that there boy, look at Matt hasselbck Spry.
Look at the haircut.
I mean, quit on your hair before it quits on you all, you balding guys out there. I think that's the takeaway.
That was a great moment. That was a great That was a great moment.
And you know, I see a lot of similarities to me and that picture in that video right there, to Sam Donald and where he is. I played too early, you know, when I first got to Seattle, I played too early. He got benched and had to take a step back to take two steps forward in the second time around, I was ready.
Sam Donald, similar thing.
He was in a tough situation, didn't play very well on any of the teams that he was on, went and did kind of what I would call a red shirt ear in San fran and really came out swinging. He was on fire this year, had a great year. Still a young quarterback, though, and so I think they see a guy who's like twenty seven years old. He was really young when he came out and they said, you know what, we'll take this guy right now where he is over all of the other options out there, much younger than Gino, and I think they're excited about him.
I want to ask you about the Bears, because I mean Joe Tooney, I would take him on any roster. He's just terrific. Drew Dolman, the center is good. But offensive line, as you know very well, Matt, offensive line is the one unit in pro football where cohesion and chemistry is the game. And now veterans now no longer play in preseason football. So I look at that and I think Caleb's young new coach, new O line. On paper, it looks great, But this is not nineteen eighty eight, where like veteran O lines will play all four games of the preseason. That's not the way it works. What is a realistic gauge or prediction on when Dolman and Tooney and Jonah Jackson are hummon like a cohesive unit.
No doubt, Colin, You're right in a lot of ways. And listen, they're building this thing inside out right. Three offensive linemen, two defensive tackles, That's how they're building this thing. I would say this when I got to the Green Bay Packers.
We were as a rookie.
They were coming off of two consecutive Super Bowls. They knew how to practice when they weren't in full pads, like every practice felt like a game, Like you need to learn how to practice fast. And so when you have these you know, a center and two guards the inside, like you just learn how to pass off games. You learn how to step with the right foot, you learn how to communicate on the fly.
You get guys that are absolutely, without a doubt, going to be dependable, guys that are going to do their job.
And so therefore it takes just one more thing off of the quarterback in terms of redirecting, pass protection and all that kind of thing. O line calls that sometimes that you put on the on the quarterback. If you have a center, or if you have a center and two guards that can communicate, you can take that take that off of his plate. So I really don't think that the I think where we where we really lose on the preseason games is defenders proving that they can tackle.
That's where we really lose.
But I think the best O lines, especially the veteran ones, they can get their work done if they learn how to practice and practice fast and stay off the ground.
So I had said I thought the Niners should have rebooted last year. They did it this year. Here's what I worry about between Ward, the corner, Hafunga, the safety, Greenlaw, the linebacker. These are smart, instinctive players, and now you've got to go to the draft and replace them. I think sometimes we forget how important intelligence is in this league. Experience is in this league. I can I can go replace a back or a receiver. Do you worry about the Niners losing so much intellectual capital and experience on that defense.
Well, I would, except I think they play a pretty simple style of defense, where it's just say, we're going to simplify so you can play fast. My biggest concern, really Colin was on the offensive side of the ball.
When they lost Kyle Uschek.
And then he was able to come back on a different contract and get him back. I think that would have been a much bigger loss than people realize.
I mean, some teams don't even carry a full back.
If they do, he's like the last you know, he's the fifty third guy on their roster. But with this offense with what Kyle does offensely, you know, use Check's position. He's you know, and a lot of the guys on offense, but he's he's almost like another quarterback.
Out there defensively.
I think it's, you know, if you can go younger, cheaper, faster, and you believe in that scheme. I think that's where they're choosing to figure it out.
M hm. So we got into this discussion. Let's reportedly Minnesota saying we're probably gonna go with JJ McCarthy. So I had this argument last week, and this is great for you because you So I said, there's the Giants and the Steelers. I said, I would actually go Giants for three reasons. The Steelers lost their left tackle. I'm an old quarterback. I love the Giants left tackle. I get an offensive coach, and I get a coach on the hot seat who is going to go all in. Also, I get it, I get a young weapon. It's also a team that needs a running back and it's a great running back draft, and I think the Giants will take with the first GOP pick a run. And I'm like, I kind of like the Giant situation. Low expectations, Pittsburgh worries me Nausee Harris, who I think is underrated. Gone old line's been a mess for six years, lost their left tackle, defensive culture. I know everybody thinks I'm nuts, and I don't love either team as a quarterback, But if you were Aaron, what would you do?
I mean, it's hard not to like those wide receivers they have in Pittsburgh and that tight end and and to also, I think when you're an older quarterback, a guy with you know, much as much on your resume as Aaron Rodgers and as much as you're in your bank account, you don't want to be on a team that's not relevant in January. Like that's like, that's like the that's your biggest nightmare is like going to a team that's absolutely irrelevant basically what he experienced last year. So to me, I think being on a team that has a chance to be in the playoff hunt can tend for a super Bowl.
I think that's that's a huge thing.
And I'll also say this as a quarterback who switched teams late in my career, the last thing you want to do is learn a new playbook like a new language, you know, so as an example, right, like Aaron Rodgers is coming from this world where like a sprint out down on the goal line is probably called something like red left swap tight, close Z right sprint right, gu.
Corner half back flat.
Okay, that's simple to him because he's been speaking that language. If he goes to some other team or some coach that the language is not that language where he's getting in there like a like a freshman in college trying to like memorize a brand new thing.
Man.
At some point you're like, I think I might be too old for this, Like I I'd rather it's worth something to not have to redo that. And you know, so I think language is a part of it too, believe it or not.
Finally, we were talking about this earlier. My take has always been if you draft a guy and he delivers, pay m. I also think it sends a great message to the lawer. So Ceedee Lamb, Max Crosby, Miles Garrett, Jamar Chase. I know it's forty million for a receiver, but you drafted him. You got criticized for draft, and Jamar Chase, he's absolutely delivered. I think it's terrible for the fabric of an organization to let a first rounder who's delivered go am, I full of it. That's my take on this league is pay the guys who have delivered for you.
I'll add to that, pay him right away.
Like why wait? I remember being on teams we get our draft picks, you know, usually have like seven to ten.
Draft picks or whatever.
They come on your team, It does not take long for you to realize, like that's a guy, like we want that guy to That guy's a Hall of Famer, Like he's a Ring of Honor guy, Like we want that guy forever? Like why wait? Why wait till the price goes way up? I remember we drafted a guy named Lofa Tatupu. You know, everyone's like, I don't know, he's gonna be our backup middle linebacker this year? Like yeah, right, that dude was in three Pro Bowls in a row right away, one, two, three, Like why wait?
You know, like there's absolutely no reason to wait.
So I love that the fact that they were able to keep everybody together.
My critique would be.
You knew these guys were the kind of guys you wanted to keep, so figure it out way sooner.
Otherwise, Now, what do you do.
Now you've turned into like what the Indianapolis Colts were with Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. On the other side of the ball, they had Freeny and mathis like, now you need you need to figure out other guys that can sort of like help you, you know, accomplish your goal of raising a Lombardy because because that's really what these contracts are saying, Hey, you guys better go figure it out and help us raise Lombardi.
By the way, let me throw this out. When you're on a team and your team in free agency goes and buys players and Milton Williams to the Patriots signed an Aaron Donald deal, does it ever create That's why I worry about free agency. Does it ever create a little resentment when a d lineman comes in and gets sixtea percent more than the guy that's been there drafted and is a better player. You know?
The weird thing for me, like I'll use the Seattle Seahawks when when I was there as an example, like, you know, a lot of us had been there for the Seahawks, like giving up like broken bones, blood sweat, tears for the Seahawks and then all of a sudden, we would bring in free agents on Paul Allen's plane on their visits and whine and dinam and it was like, man, you would never whinding.
Dine us like.
And then those guys don't even sign with our team, they signed like with our rival, and it was just like this weird, Like you know this feels weird, man, Like, you know this, this feels really weird. I think the Seahawks over the years have done an amazing job of not making players feel that way. But I think there's other teams around the league that they know they get they get some of that stuff wrong. And I'm sure it's like it in every company, like take care of the people who are there giving it all, you know, giving it they're all for you, rather than like sort of like throwing a going away party for the person.
Who just quit on you. You know, it's like a weird doesn't make sense times.
Matt Hasselbeck great as always as free agency wraps up good, see anybody always all right Matt Hasselbeck's it's always It is true. You're bringing new people to a building and they may be good, but people look around and think they're getting that I didn't get that. We're not getting that.
Oh, I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't know. Always doesn't really resonate with me.
Here cowhard 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.
So, like we all know Joe Tooney and Drew Dolman interior line for the Bears, that's gonna work. DeVante Adams rams, that's gonna work. Like you know the stuff that's gonna work. I will tell you Naji Harris from the tone deaf offensive culture in Pittsburgh, the Harball watch it work. So Naji Harris is the only running back in the league behind a bad old line. Four straight years of at least a thousand yards rushing, number one high school back in the country, best back coming out of college, and he's been behind an no line that has struggled to find itself. And this feels like that show the American Pickers. You know those guys would go in, Remember they'd go in and they'd find an oil can and a bicycle and a guitar that Elvis Presley's dad used or something like that, and you'd all of a sudden you're like, oh, they sold it for a lot. Najie Harris may not be Sakwan Barkley. He's not that explosive. He's a really good player. They've been a good player since he was sixteen years old. And he went, I mean, think about this. The last six years the Steelers have been last in yards rushing yards per attempt. How is that possible. It's possible because they can't get the on line right. They haven't had a passing game to force teams to cheat. And I think this guy is going to be a thirteen hundred eight touchdown guy. And by the way, did you hear his press conference? He made it very clear that things were a bit out and dated in Pittsburgh.
It's a great, great room.
First of all. You know, even the facility is a is all great things.
Man.
This is a lot of a lot of things that they provide here and that you know, you take advantage of. And I was just telling them, I was like, man, it's not like this everywhere. Man, Like you know, this is this is this is a special thing.
Right.
He remind me of college at Alabama. You know, all the resources that they have, so you know, just getting the chance to take an opportunity, to take advantage of all this opportunities.
Is this a blessing?
And I was telling him that, I'm like, man, this guy have a great thing going on right now, you know, because it's not like this everywhere.
Yeah, Alabama Chargers, great new facilities. Pittsburgh not so subtle shot outdated their facilities and their offense. Watched the JK. Dobbins when healthy last year was very good for the Chargers and Najee Harris a better player. So this is the classic. You know. A couple of years ago, there was a guy named Kevin Dotson. He was a guard. He was not gonna he was scheduled. I read a story that he wasn't gonna start in Pittsburgh. Sean McVay took him, became the PFF number one rated guard for two of the last three years. Stabilize the interior of their on line. You find these outdated offensive cultures and these these offensive coaches Cherry Pick and no Dotson, Nausee Harris, this kid's gonna flourish. He is a really good player. Again in not SA kwan bark, They're not gonna run past you. But the fact that he's the only back in the league with a thousand yards behind an offensive line that can't get attack together. Watch him pop with the Chargers. J Mack with a.
News no no turns. This is the herd line news.
Not a bad call by you? How about this one?
Russell Wilson visited the Giants and the Browns last week, but did not leave with a signed The reports indicate he is ready to sign, but unfortunately both teams are waiting for Aaron Rodgers. So basically you're the backup option. You've been wait listed by Stanford. Russell Wilson, sorry to hear it, but however, Miles Garrett just digged a massive deal with the Browns and he has chimed in on adding Russell Wilson at quarterback.
Him and I had a little conversation at the Pro Bowl as well as you know here, and uh, I definitely think you'd be a bye bless as a as a leader, as a as a mentor to this young guy. So I a veteran leadership can't be understated. And I think he has definitely has some juice left at the position. No, Yeah, he's playing arm left. He's he's very smart and know he knows what he's capable of, so he'd be he'd be a bibeless.
Interesting verbiage there, if you want to read between the lines, he'd be a mentor and a leader to the young guys.
They have a quarterback on staff who's a veteran. I guess he wasn't that Deshaun Watson. Is that fair to say?
Or is that just Miles talking about Russ not thinking about Watson who's still on the roster.
Yeah, I don't know if he took a shot. Okay, did you notice he signed that new contract? Do you see Miles Garrett like he was a CEO there? He was all it was all professional and everything like that.
Our staff, you know, they're always working hard. They built out a graphic column of Russell Wilson last season versus the Browns quarterbacks.
It was a poo poo platter to say the least. Javis Winston's gone, dtr is gone.
I don't know what Applebee's Bailey's Appy's working at currently, but it.
Was a show that was it.
Russell Wilson would.
Clearly be a valuable asset to the Browns. I just don't think Watson has anything left.
Is that is that fair to say? Like the two Achilles surgeries?
Like it just so, it's just such an enigma.
It's a negative aura points at mystery.
I mean, he was literally clear to play by doctors and said, yeah, I don't want to play. I've never seen that happen with the quarterback. So I'm just out. I was never on the Deshaun Watson move. I'm I'm just it's not worth discussing. But let's move on as a franchise.
I know you wouldn't know how this fields, but try to get in Russell Wilson's shoes for a moment.
Hey man, we like you. We'll let you know.
They're waiting for Aaron Rodgers. You know, how does that make Russfield? Damn, I've accomplished a lot. I won a super Bowl. You know I've been too another one. I think I put up good numbers in Pittsburgh like he wants.
Yeah, that's that's It's not like that's never happened to me. You've gotten that, ladies before we all get we all get stack.
Before you were famous running right in Tampa.
No, I think it's just part of being a pro athlete. Like very few people, and like Tom Brady totally on his turn. John Elway, I mean even even Peyton Manning. Yeah, John Elway ended on his terms. Derek Jeter, did you know Kobe did? But a lot of times if it's Peyton Manning, it changed teams and John Elway comes down and said, will you take a paid cut? I mean, that's the reality of being a pro athlete mostly.
All right, let's move on to Oh, we have to talk about my Jets.
We won't be talking about him a lot this year, but they have just and Fields at quarterback.
He's taken over for Aaron Rodgers.
He has reunited Fields with his former Ohio State teammate Garrett Wilson, who is thrilled to be paired with Field once again. Biel spoke about the possibility of partnering up with Wilson. That would be awesome to link back up with Justin do that on the NFL level will be a dream come true.
That was before he was drafted.
So now they reunite after dominating at Ohio State and Garret Wilson's coming off a good season. Now listen, I talked about this on my podcast. But like Wilson had massive numbers, he's played three seasons. He's going to be up for a contract deal after this season. Yeah, are we going to look at the Justin Jefferson in those massive deals and be like, well, Garrett Wilson's the next tier.
You got to give him thirty five million years? What's happening.
Well, he's a very good player, and they don't have a lot of productive, reliable offensive players. So if you got to pay him, I would rather have Garrett Wilson on my team than not have Garrett.
Well, yeah, Garret Wilson.
Remember remember Justin Fields after a year, they'll probably not retain him, so they'll go get a rookie quarterback and my take his So the Garrett Wilson contract, you don't want him. You don't want to be like Bryce Harper where you trade DJ Moore and Bryce Harper's like, I got nobody to throw to. You want a rookie quarterback hunting for Bryce? Yet right, Like he's like, well who do I throw it to? That was a terrible mistake by Carolina. You want a rookie quarterback coming in and by the way, last year Caleb william comes in and the old line's terrible. You want a guy coming in like Denver where you got balls at left tackle. You have Courtland Sutton the number one. You want to give him some gifts to make it easier. So I have no problem paying Garrett Wilson. So the rookie quarterback's like, okay, we got the left tackle from Penn State. I got Garrett Wilson, I've got a running back guy Like, that's a great spot.
You want to go ahead and guess the Jet season win total?
Just humor me six seven, six, six and a half. I mean the over under will be six and a half. I'd probably take the under. I think they're gonna be about a six and eleven team six and eleven.
It sounds probably. I mean, they won what seven last year with Rogers seven with gar Zach Wilson.
New coach. You play real hard in September, you know you get that new coach energy?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
No. Final story Colin is to the NBA Lakers yesterday snapped a four game skid with a win over the sun Luka Doncic cooked thirty three, eleven and eight. He had forty five in his last game out. So Luca's on an absolute tear right now. I think he's had seven straight games over thirty points.
You know who also matters on this team, Jackson Hayes.
He does.
He returned and he was catching lobs.
They don't have. They don't have a lot of size in the interior, and he is an automatic six to eight points on lobs. The team's an interesting team. A lot of these role players who have been around the league for a few years are important, like Ruey. They miss Ruey, you know they missed Jackson Hayes. Look at the Lakers right.
Now, fifth in the West.
I'm not look at I mean, look at number two is one game up on the Lakers, who are fifth. Warriors have a tough one this week. I think they're playing the Nuggets. Is it that's our next game? Lakers still have a brutal stretch. Lebron's gonna be back in a week. I know it's about the Lakers, but could we just briefly, sons, did you see the bars?
I watched some of it. Did you see the boos?
Said?
He stood up and like.
They're moving off, Katie, I mean they're moving off.
You remember last time they had beef in the huddle and we were making out to be something and Kevin Durant's like, no, this is passion.
This is what it looks like.
I don't And there was another one Nicks over the weekend, Josh Hart going at it with Tip and it's like, I'm telling you, these old school coaches boutonholds are tids. It's stuff to not just it's not flying anymore. But the young guys, it's a different generation. I don't think you can coach guys like.
Well the old school way.
I also think it's okay for a coach and a player to bar Steve Kerz had run in with Draymond Green. I think it happens. Bill Jackson and Kobe had a dozen I'm.
Might hold on you just named title winning teams, well the Sons, and Boonholzer might not even make a p Well.
No, that's not going well. But I mean, I think I think the NBA is a hard lead to coaching because the players have guaranteed deals and Budenholzer, by the way, knows that Kevin Durant's out of there, so why should I back down?
No? I ran Bogle out after a year because they run Botenholder out.
It might take with Budenholzer. Budenholzer is like, you're going to be gone. I'm not going to create a culture where I let players walk all over me. So Budenholzer's like, ye, I'm a stand up Damn, You're going to be out of here anyway. I want all these guys to see me standing up to you, Like, then we're gonna get rid of you. I think boot and Olds at the play by Bodenholzer is I'm sending a signal to everybody not named Kad. Is that my show I'm running.
Kd's going through some stuff.
I got a buddy who posts a lot of stuff for the Phoenix Suns, and KAD went on his social media and responded, you know, calling him a clown and stuff. Durant's going through it right now. The Sons want to kick you the curve. I don't know what the market is for Kevin Durant. I'm just telling you it feels a little combustible in Phoenix with KD and Klinad.
I just I don't know who's gonna be like, we need to.
Get into Kevin Durant business after the season, Like Oh, I think he's gonna have a huge mark. Okay, Remember he went to Phoenix as the guy. He went to Brooklyn as the guy. This is not in Oklahoma City he was the guy. He's not. He's going to be your number two option. He'll he'll go to Like even if he went to the Knicks and Jalen Brunson, that's Brunson's team. He'll be off to the side dropping threes. But it's Brunson's team.
What if he goes to the Knicks for like, I don't know, Karl Anthony Town's in a first round pick and that's it.
I mean, Rudy Gobert, I would tell you if I was the Knicks, I'd take that in a second. I get Kevin Durant and I have to give up Kat in a first round picked. In one second, I would do that. I get a twenty six a night, a guy that's a willing defender.
Yeah, but if you're the Sons, you want more. I think you probably want the package from the it's a lot of picks.
You probably want OG mixed in there or something you're not.
I'm not doing Og and Karl Anthy Towns both young guys.
Kevin Durant's really good, like thirty.
Seven in this this fall?
Are you kidding me?
What has he done with.
Leon Last, Meek, Justin Verlander, Adam, Wayne Russ stop and a picture?
Compared to Kevin Durant, all you have to do is grab and shoot a basketball. That's all you've.
Gotta dosall, do you bear?
I'll give me a ten day with the son.
Let me say you something, Kevin. You really would be shocked if Kevin Durant, who's always been an impeccable shape, who's always ready to play, who all he does in the offseason is ball. You really wonder how he's gonna age. He's gonna if he stays away from ankle injuries. Kevin Durant could play for five more years.
It's five more first round exits in the playoffs.
Oh boy, to Kevin, I don't know why you and I don't talk. You're you're up here with a flamethrower. I would take Kevin Durant on almost any team in the league tomorrow. I'll take him.
But I'm not giving up a lot for a thirty seven year old ornary guy.
You wouldn't give up Karl Anthony Towns in her first round pick for.
For KD protected first baby job that GID one second.
Jalen Brunson, Og Michale Bridges, Kevin Garnett. Just why don't you just start scheduling the parade?
Right? Oh boy?
Wow, okay, all right, Well you're not going to catch Boston and Cleveland without a dude once.
He's gonna have to start getting off some guys soon.
If you're not going to catch those two teams, you need a dude. You need twenty six.
I think you need a new coach in New York.
So was the answer Jmack with the news.
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the Herd Line News.
JD this year. The staff just told me for threes. Yeah, yeah, three point shot. Kind of the only way you're beating Boston and Cleveland. You gotta get you got to get threes coming up our our our picks in the March Madness with Jack J Mack and I this kid, he's a wizard. You better listen than Jay Mack.
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As he leads the reigning champion Dodgers against the Cubs the MLB World Tour live from Tokyo tomorrow at six eight m the Eastern on Fox.
All right, so let's just give the audience. Now, we know you don't care about our brackets. And by the way, oh, Tony's gonna be leading off for the Dodgers. That's where he'll start the season. So let's give everybody. We're gonna give everybody our dark horse, and then our final four and then the national champ So I'll start my dark horse. He doesn't like this, I'm gonna take Arizona. I watched him play Houston. Henry Vasser's a center. He didn't play much around Thanksgiving against Duke. Now he's giving you twelve and six and hitting three pointers. They have Caleb Love. I thought they matched up really well with Houston, a team many people think can win it. They've got size. I think their coach, Tommy Lloyd that came from Gonzaga. They made the Sweet sixteen three of the last four years, and the guy they replaced as a coach could recruit. So I think now again this season it's a lot of matchups, and they would have to get through some pretty good teams. They are a four seed. They're gonna be I think they played. They were on fire in December. They've cooled off. But I'll take Arizona as my dark horse.
They don't shoot it from three well enough for me, two hundred and forty seventh in the country. My dark horse is the Texas Tech Red Raiders. The team then lost to Arizona in the Big Twelve tournament. However, Texas Tech was down their second and third leading scorers. Their coaches announced they will be back for the first round. I don't think they'll need them, probably a minute restriction. They got a favorable draw. Texas Tech will probably play Drake. I have them upsetting Missouri, and then again, I don't buy Saint John's. I know a lot of people love them. You were hyping with Colin. There's three hundred and sixty four teams in the country. Saint John's is three hundred and thirty eighth in threes. They cannot shoot.
The basketball, and I see them going down to Kansas.
I think Texa Tick kind of rolled through endSo playing Florida for a right to the final four.
All right, My final four is Auburn, Arizona, Saint John's and Tennessee. By the way, very few teams shoot the three. Michigan State doesn't, Arizona doesn't, Saint John's doesn't. So I think coaching and defense are going to be the key. Auburn's the number one overall seed. I watched them four times this year. Super athletic didn't play well necessarily down the stretch. I don't think that's that big of a deal. I think teams know they start, you know, playing for the tournament in the last five or six games. Again, multiple guys that could give you twelve to fifteen points in the game. I like the coach Arizona. I've talked about size and Caleb Love. Saint John's four losses this year by a combined seven points unbelievable. Coach, play good defense. Again, most teams in this tournament can't shoot the three. And then Tennessee that was hot at the end. Now, I watched Tennessee at one point and I thought they were the best team I saw last year. I thought they were great. I think they're better than last year. I think Tennessee Barn's been around good coach. Now they can shoot, they can hit some threes. So my final four again Auburn, Arizona, Saint John's, Tennessee. I don't know what to make a Michigan State. If I'm missing one here, it would be Michigan State. They don't shoot the three at all either, but I'm not gonna hold that too much against teams that don't.
Damn only one number one seed. That's impressive. You said people don't care about our rackets.
They do.
If you get chalky, and I'm about to get a little chalky, I'm sorry the audience haates that. I will go with Michigan State as a mild surprise. I like Florida a lot. Colin Man that that team is so frecking good.
You know, think one. I believe it is twenty They're twenty three and five against the spread in their last twenty eight games.
That's the best freak in the country by mile Duke. Obviously, Cooper flag coming back. They said he's clear to play in the opener. I don't think he'll play that much, if at all. And then Houston is my other team going to the final four.
I like this Houston Cougar is very.
Chalky a little chalking three number ones to go to your Auburn play real quick.
I like Auburn a lot.
Why don't I have them?
They got jobbed Colin Okay, opening round they're gonna win, But second round they will play Louisville, probably in Lexington, Kentucky. That crowd is gonna be like eighty twenty Louisville, right, super dangerous.
Now Louisville had.
To get by Crayton, which is good, but they're like they get like a home game in Lexington.
So twenty four of the thirty three games Auburn play, we're against teams that made the tournament. They have been in harsh SEC environments. That's one of the reasons I take like an Auburn is that their schedule, like these SEC teams, the SEC was so much better than the Big ten. So I think Michigan State's good. I mean, Auburn was playing against NBA dudes all year. So I think I have Tennessee and and by the way, a lot of people like Florida. I'll take Tennessee and Auburn to make it. Just because I talked to you about this two months ago. I started watching like January after the football season winding down Tuesday night, Wednesday night. I'm like, these SEC teams, dude, there's like six NBA dudes on the floor and the games are intent.
They got i think fourteen teams in the tournament, a record. So Auburn the other mild concern. They got a freshman point guard. I've been following him.
For a while because he was like a high school phenom who.
Was all over Instagram to Skid Pettiford, nasty crossover, you know three.
He had a brutal SEC tournament final when they got eliminated. He was like zero for nine to start, just a young guy and going up against a pretty damn.
Good Louiso backcourt. I'm worried about Auburn a little bit.
Calling.
So you have Auburn getting wide like doughnut.
I mean, listen, I'm a twenty bracket guy, so they'll probably ten of them all having go.
Did you have Arizona doing anything in any of your brackets?
Now, I know you have a buddy who's a big Arizona guy. At least I'm pretty sure. I'm just out not.
I may have a little intail on the CA. Yeah, I know.
Listen, there's there's some love for Arizona out there.
Sure.
I'm just surprised you're not all in on on Duke or is that we're about Gonzaga.
First of all, I'm so insulting is when he comes on the show and I, you know, I take somebody else in his bracket. I worry about Michigan State because the Big Ten wasn't very good. Yeah, and they don't shoot threes at all, So I just think they're I think there are other teams that play defense and don't but they don't just shoot the three at all. And I do think it's hard to come from behind in this tournament with four minutes left if you're not if you're playing a team that doesn't turn the ball over and you don't hit three. So I think Michigan State has to play a certain way to win. But I like Michigan State. I like them. They're gonna win multiple games.
What do we talk about the NBA playoffs?
The whistle, the referees, it's a lot tougher that's gonna hurt teams like Tennessee and Houston. I'm worried about Houston. Mark for you, your boy who I know watches the show. Remember he's referencing you in your magnesium.
They got a really.
Damn good chance to take down Houston.
I like you.
I like that you got Michigan State and his own there.
Yeah, I mean I like them.
If you're asking me what I want to be the final for, I wanted to be Michigan State, Saint John's Duke, and Tennessee.
I thought you say a dabb well.
I mean, I'm being shot there. It's just a website. Ken palm can I followed it yesterday. He's a top ten Gonzak is a top ten teams. I think they're like a low seed and Huston's got to play him the round two. I like Houston, but man, they play a brand that's like super physical and they get a lot of fowls.
Gonzach is gonna have it to you.
You and I should put our where you and I can put our brands out. There are our brackets.
Wherever you want to put them on the herd or whatever.
I mean.
You hit you and I don't like social media, right, I mean, I know you like it.
You're on it way more than I.
You don't follow me on Instagram. I don't devastated by that.
I don't follow you still know. I don't think I've ever gone to Instagram.
You'll take me out to dinner. We'll have what do we have? Beef stew Friday?
Oh so good?
It was really, I'm not kidding folks. Coward's got a guy beef stew and he still doesn't follow me on it.
I don't think I've ever been to Instagram. I mean, I know what it is. I know influence, Sir, I don't.
I don't.
I don't.
You don't know what that is?
Okay, No, I don't go to Instagram. I don't go to a lot.
I mean, I'm not you're a snapchat.
No, I go to TikTok like TikTok
