BEST OF THE HERD – Brock Purdy Leads 49ers to 6-0 | Herd Hierarchy: Chiefs, Bears & Bills | Nick Wright on LeBron & 76ers

0:00 Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio and noon to 3 Eastern, 9 a.m. to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the Herd at foxsportsradio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.

0:19 This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowherd on Fox Sports Radio.

0:27 Here we go. It's a Tuesday. Heard hierarchy in one hour. Pat Murphy, Brewers manager, is going to be joining us today. Nick Wright, Todd McShay, it is great to have you in. We are live in Chicago. It's the Heard, wherever you may be and however. You may be watching or listening. A lot of choices. Thanks for making us part of your day. Who you get compared to says a lot about you. And when Brock Purdy took over the Niners quarterback job, people said, well, he's better than Garoppolo. You got better mobility than Garoppolo. A little better deep ball arm than Jimmy Garoppolo, right? Now, who are we comparing Brock Purdy to? The best quarterbacks in the league. Now, does it help that Kittle's a first ballot Hall of Famer?

1:11 Shanahan's the only coach that regularly works. Sean McVay. And that last night, Christian McCaffrey had 26 touches. Too many, in my opinion. That helps. We all need good bosses, though. We all need help. Nobody lives on an island. Purdy now is directing this offense. This is not just about Shanahan.

1:29 This is about Purdy. They run more motion and more groupings than any offense in the league, and he does it without batting an eye. He is conducting the London Symphony here. And I love Justin Herbert, but he looks befuddled with parts of the same offense with Mike McDaniel.

1:49 Lost.

1:50 Not processing quickly. Sam Darnold said it years ago. Brock Purdy, he's the perfect quarterback for Kyle Shanahan. Real smart, don't see a lot of emotion from him, and processes at a completely different level. There was a time when Brock Purdy, I mean, let's be honest here. There was a time in the first couple years he was a product of the environment. But now the Niners are a product of his talent and processing. He is driving the bust here.

2:22 Quick thinking, quick release, knows when to scramble. Kid makes good decisions.

2:28 Period.

2:28 End of story. It feels very, it feels to me, very Brady Belichick. The first couple of years, Belichick did carry Tom. And then all of a sudden, end of year three, year four, year five, young people, especially more than old people, they can learn languages more quickly. My son can learn languages much more quickly than I can. OK, young athletes, young quarterbacks. You'll see these big, big leaps like Brady and Brock Purdy, who both had great coaches.

3:00 And yes, Belichick carried Brady for a couple years, but year three, year four, year five, Tom broke through. Tom rose above it. Tom won the nature versus nurture argument. And that's what you're seeing with Purdy. Kyle and Kittle and Trent and McCaffrey. First year, second, third, he was the last pick in the seventh round. And yes, Mike Evans and the talent and Shanahan help him. But he is now driving the bus. His decision making is so good.

3:30 And I'll give you a stat that proves that he rises above San Francisco's structure. That doesn't mean he's not great with it. But statistically, when the play breaks down, one quarterback in the league is better than Brock Purdy, Josh Allen. That tells you it's not just Shanahan. It's not just Kittle. First couple years, you know, I'm going to be honest with you. First couple of years, you're like, this is Shanahan. He made a lot of mistakes. His judgment, sometimes he was, you know, a little too relentless, a little too risk-oriented. I mean, his ball placement, his release, his judgment, his decision-making is absolutely great. He is threading the needle. So Brock Purdy's gone from beneficiary to breadwinner.

4:21 He's driving the revenue. That's a great pass right there. Now, Washington closed the gap late in the game. A lot of that is, let's be honest, you lead 23-3. You're at home. Washington's not much of a threat. It's hard to keep your foot on the gas. We're not being fair if we're going to keep just saying, well, it's Shanahan.

4:43 That's not fair anymore. Here's Purdy after.

4:47 Obviously, offensively and for myself, in the second half, it's It's tough just to do what we did.

4:54 Three and outs.

4:55 And I think there's some plays where I could have been better for sure and getting the ball out and whatnot instead of taking some sacks. But for our defense to do what they did, man, obviously, I know it sounds cheesy, but I mean, it's true. It's a team win. It takes a whole team collectively for four quarters. And so for our defense to do what they did at the end, man, that was really impressive.

5:14 No ego. All about ball. No ego. No nonsense. Okay, I've been on this for a long time. I know you're tired of it. I totally understand it. But you're now starting to see it in real time. Currently in the NFL, if you look at the standings, there is not a single defensive coach who is in first place. In fact, John Harbaugh was a special teams coach. Seven of eight offensive coaches lead their divisions. And in many instances, most instances, an offensive coach is in second place. Okay. Okay.

5:48 Dan Quinn, backward hat guy. Somebody told him to turn it around. He did. He's still coaching like a backwards hat guy. Last night, fourth down, second quarter. Jaden Daniels, this is basic math. It's not algebra. Threw it out of bounds. Did not know it was fourth down. I know you can beat up on Jaden Daniels. Five years of college, three years NFL. He's 25. He's got to know better. He lacks self-awareness. He doesn't play with any urgency.

6:17 And there's some lip reading going on with Dan Quinn. Dan Quinn tried to explain himself out of it. I don't know. He looks confused, befuddled. This is my knock on defensive coaches. They don't have the symmetry and the relationship with quarterbacks. This was Sean McDermott. Nobody said Sean McDermott was a bad coach. But remember that playoff game they got into and it was during the tush push was huge in the NFL and they didn't really have a fourth and one play. It was just, hey, Josh at six, six, try to leap over the line. It looked like they didn't practice or didn't communicate. This is the second week in a row. Remember, it was the Giants game. where they played with no urgency. They didn't

6:58 spike the ball. You can't have that. I'm sorry. I just don't think Brock Purdy and Shanahan are in back-to-back weeks ever going to look this lost in crisis. What do you want me to say on this? I've been on this for years. Offensive coaches, you get so many primary benefits. They're much better with quarterbacks. They speak the same language. The secondary benefits, they always help the offensive lines.

7:23 Top eight offensive lines, all offensive coaches. And I got nothing against Dan Quinn, but you've been coaching nine years in this league. Nine years as a head coach. You cannot be this bad with clock management, back-to-back weeks. You can buy since Cliff Kingsbury left, who, by the way, offensive guy was a head coach. It's all gone downhill.

7:41 We didn't see that in year one. OK, this thing is so bad. It's time for a cultural reset. Now, Dan Quinn says, hey, hey, I knew it was. They also burned a timeout, by the way. They burned a timeout late in the game. They're down a touchdown. They right here. They burn a timeout with a stopped clock. The hell are we doing here? Back-to-back weeks. Here's Dan Quinn on the fourth down saying, yeah, yeah, I knew it was fourth down. I definitely knew it was fourth down.

8:14 We were going for it. And I was thinking of whatever you're referring to. I was probably saying, like, with the illegal shit, there's not a penalty to go for a field goal. Like, it doesn't go, like. It's the turn on downs. I think somebody asked me, can we kick a field goal? It was by design that we were going to go. But I knew what happened. I think I was probably just commenting that I remember, at least on the headset, somebody asked me after a legal shift, like it was turnover on downs.

8:39 OK, I'm not going to call him a liar. He says it.

8:41 I believe him.

8:42 I think he was probably saying it was fourth down. Was it fourth down? I think he was probably saying it to Jaden Daniels. They made eye contact. I'll give him a pass on that. But after last weekend, it's not just about not knowing what down it is. It's like, come on, guys. This is a crisis league. This is not college football where you get like blowouts all September.

9:03 A lot of these games are decided. Even last night's game, which, by the way, was a blowout for three quarters, ended up getting kind of hairy, kind of getting close. So I just think not a single defensive coach leads the division right now. Now, there are more offensive coaches than defensive coaches, but I just don't see this happening on back-to-back weeks, all these missteps. I just don't see it happening.

9:29 And I'm not saying that Jaden Daniels isn't culpable. He's 25, but he played forever in college and pro. You have to have some sense of urgency. He just lacks self-awareness. But what really bothers me, he's just casual. Quarterback is not a casual position. Maybe punter or kicker is, I don't know. Quarterback, it's very rarely casual. It's a hard position, especially on the road. The Niners are well coached I'm not saying it's easy but I just don't think an old school defensive guy Dan Quinn you're not firing the quarterback I think it's time to move on I just don't think this is gonna work and this was McDermott Allen it's like everybody likes Sean Sean smart he's capable he's But there was a lack of communication. Hell, Belichick

10:23 and Brady never had dinner together. And I think you could get away with that a long time ago. I don't think it plays now. I think quarterbacks are higher paid. They have more control. They're more valuable. It's more of an offensive league. You've got to have really strong communication for moments like Washington has faced the last two weeks. Oh, J-Mac, that was... It was just a circus last night.

10:51 At least we at least we cashed some tickets with that with the dog in prime time. But that was that was not a great game, Colin, like watching it. I just didn't think like either of these teams look good. And Mike Evans goes down with the Achilles.

11:03 Well, San Francisco has some wide receiver cluster injuries. Now they're getting back Christian Kirk probably. In week seven, Mike Evans, by the way, will come back. DeMarcus, I think it's Robinson in two or three weeks. So they'll be fine. They've got Christian McCaffrey. My knock on them is that, okay, Christian McCaffrey had 26 touches. It's like guys. Yeah. It's like quarterbacks that throw 50 times. You feel great, man.

11:29 We're humming it. That's too many touches for Christian McCaffrey at this age.

11:33 They don't have anyone else to go to. You look at the targets. He's getting most of the target share. I'm just calling it right now. Falcons are beating the 49ers outright on Sunday. 49ers have a bye the following week. I think you just, hey, Mike Evans, take a break. Take the two-week vacation. I think the Niners lose. Again, I think they're very good, but calling these injuries... Like, I mean, Brock Purdy's throwing the guys I've never heard of.

11:56 Yeah, well, I'm not sure Shanahan's heard of them. I mean, it is no-name guys. Okay, we got a lot of stuff coming up. Nick Sirianni is also in trouble. This is the time of the year. We've said week six, week seven, week eight. Owners more impulsive than ever. Is Sirianni in trouble? That's next, live in Chicago. It's the Hurts.

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12:52 Subscribe, hit that thumbs up icon, and comment away. Here we go. These are not standings. The Packers, three straight wins. They're a rush offense. They're supposed to get Josh Jacobs back because they have no rush offense. We've said it for years. Jordan loves a real talent. He's got two deep threats. Their defense has held opponents to 17 points or fewer in all three games during the streak, and that's missing three starters. loves one of two quarterbacks with multiple touchdowns in every game passing and rushing josh allen is the other listen they were mired in a funk they are out of it i like their weapons i think their defense will get better green bay at 10 number nine listen denver keeps coming from behind to win

13:46 i like their roster bo nicks leads the nfl with four game-winning drives But he shouldn't have to come from behind every week. It's a testament to Sean Payton and their general manager. They're 15-2 in one score games. That's not supposed to remain. It's like fumbles. You don't recover all your own fumbles. For now, I can only put him at nine. It's an incredibly high floor because of their overall talent. And their two losses have come against the Niners and the Chiefs who are 11-0. So I put him at nine.

14:17 Number eight.

14:18 The Texans. I don't care that they're two and four. Seven and one over their last eight against division. I thought they played great against Jacksonville. CJ Stroud. You have to unsee the end of last year. He's played very, very well. Will Anderson leads the NFL in sacks with seven and a half. So they have an elite pass rusher. Again, teams get stuck. The Patriots got stuck. The Texans got stuck.

14:44 The Chargers may be stuck for the entire season. I buy into this coach. I buy into this quarterback. I buy into their, I think Marvin Harrison's going to work there at least much better than Arizona. I just like their talent. I don't care they're two and four. I have them an eight and I might have them under rank.

15:00 Number seven.

15:01 Listen, Jared Goff so far, 12 passing touchdowns, no picks. Once again, no defense, scintillating offense. Stop me if you've heard this before. Can you imagine if Buffalo and the Lions got to the Super Bowl? It would be 54-53. Last serve wins. You know, they get to the quarterback, which is hard to do to be a bad defense player.

15:24 And yet you get to the quarterback, but that's the Lions. I have them at seven.

15:29 Number six.

15:30 Well, for the third straight week, I have the Buffalo Bills at six. They're good on the road. They're good in one score games. I like this coach better than his predecessor. I don't know if you can get to a Super Bowl with this kind of secondary. They got to make a move at the trade deadline. Josh Allen's won 16 of his 21 starts in September and October.

15:49 So I've seen them be very, very good early in the season. Same with the Niners. But I just don't trust the back end of this. They're allowing 28 and a half points a game. Only one team has ever allowed that and made the playoffs. I think they've got to solve it. I think they have to make a move at the trade deadline. Bills at six.

16:07 Number five.

16:08 Most underrated team is New England. They're not flashy, but they're a top. I mean, Drake May is playing really well. The head coach and the OC are elite. Top seven in offense, top seven in defense. I mean, A.J. Brown will eventually be able to catch a football if you throw it to him. Three straight games. They're out of the mess. I have them at five.

16:31 Number four.

16:32 The Bears, they lead the NFL. Caleb Williams leads the NFL in completion percentage. Last year, it was the number one question. I mean, this kid is so coachable. Number one rushing offense. I mean, they've got a coach. I mean, after Shanahan, is there a coach, maybe Andy Reid, that you like in a big spot offensively on a big drive?

16:52 I couldn't believe how good they were early against Atlanta. And keep your eye on Kyler Gordon. He's a cornerback that's been hurt for years. He is a dude offensively. He had three sacks as a corner. We went and looked it up. We asked Claude. Who's the last guy that did that? Claude went, no idea. Claude, AI was like, we really don't know. We'll ask the newest.

17:15 Ai machine when it comes out i have the bears at four number three the seahawks they don't have a run game right now i love their coach their defense you know i love darnold but when he doesn't have a d when he doesn't have a run game he makes mistakes and sam right now price charbonnet are out now charbonnet is coming back so i think seattle will rebound there'll be a better football team number one total defense again they do a lot right But it's amazing.

17:41 Kenneth Walker leaves. Darnold throws picks. Kenneth Walker goes to the Chiefs. And suddenly the dynasty is reborn. Seattle at three.

17:51 Number two.

17:52 I don't know how good their defense is yet. I think it's good. But they're going to get tested here over the next couple of weeks. But I know this. Andy Reid is pivoted. I mean, this is the first time they've had a run game. This is the first time play action for Kansas City is a lethal weapon. It's helped Travis Kelsey. It's helped time of possession. It's the best overall coaching staff between Andy Reid and Spaggs.

18:15 There's not a lot I don't like. Lead the NFL in yards per drive and yards per carry. Those are the kind of numbers that Vegas loves. I think they're for real. The only thing I know is that Kansas City is the second best team in the league and the number one team is the number one team. Listen, last night, 23-3 lead, foot off the gas. 21 of their 22 offensive touchdowns have been scored by guys 30-plus.

18:43 That's my concern. They're old, expensive, and a little brittle. Third oldest team to start 6-0 in 40 years. So all I worry about, get me to Thanksgiving and let me look at the health. Right now they've got cluster injuries at wide receiver. Mike Evans should be back, but he's going to be hobbled all year. Christian Kirk may come back. Robinson may come back. I think it's very even right now. Jacksonville's my 11. But there's the herd hierarchy, and let's bring in. I feel really good about this one.

19:14 It's like the Texans. Well, they're two and four. These aren't standings.

19:20 Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays at noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific.

19:25 It's not what they are. Nick Wright, first things first, joining us live. He usually chews this up and spits it out. What do you make of it?

19:35 Well, I mean, I know it's not the standings, but the Jags being unranked and the Patriots being fifth when the Jags played the Patriots and won 35-6 feels a little. Unfair to the great people of Duval County and Trevor Lawrence. I also do fear that while you got to be, over the last couple years, the rightest man in America when it came to Sam Darnold, Your affinity for him might be coloring your Seahawks opinion a bit because you said when he doesn't have a run game, they're not going to have a run game. Like, listen, Zach Charbonnet should come back off Pup List sometime soon.

20:19 That should help a little bit.

20:21 But they the Seattle Seahawks prioritizing. bringing back Rashid Shahid, who is a nice player but a gadget player, over Kenneth Walker might have decided both conferences, Colin. Like, it might have taken them from a team that lost three games all of last year to a team that's lost three games already and given the Chiefs the biggest acquisition of the summer, and now we get to see two play three in Seattle this Sunday night. Now that is a very tough spot for Kansas City. I actually lean Seattle in that game, but the Chiefs obviously can win the game. I'm just a little worried about your guy Sam Darnold, and I think Bo Nix playing so terribly Thursday night, overshadowed A couple really bad Darnold mistakes that

21:14 do concern me.

21:15 A little bit.

21:16 So I was saying this. You can't fire a quarterback. So Dan Quinn's in trouble. Back-to-back clock mismanagement. They even burned a timeout off a clock stoppage late. It was egregious. But it is something. We talked about this last week. Jaden Daniels plays with a casualness I can't buy. Like, you can make mistakes. But, like, I'll defend a quarterback all day that makes mistakes because they're aggressive. They care.

21:43 When Brock Purdy, Sam Darnold, I mean, Elway threw mistakes. Marina, I'll always defend that guy. Andrew Luck. There's a casualness that's like, guys, this isn't Thanksgiving with the cousins. It's very difficult. I mean, again, I'm not letting Dan Quinn off the hook, but this feels almost like a personality trait, does it not?

22:04 Yeah.

22:06 This is the second straight week where you and I are totally aligned on something. I understand Dan Quinn seemingly forgetting the down and thinking they can kick a field goal and the lip readers there, you know, that's not a good look for him. But it is relatively... Teams move off coaches all the time. I'm actually a little surprised given the fact that they have a bye this week.

22:30 I thought Quinn would have been fired already. The fact that he hasn't maybe means because the division's so bad, they're going to give him time. But Jaden now, in consecutive weeks, has made such egregious game management mistakes, it's hard for me to get past. Throwing the ball into the first row on fourth down just can never, ever happen under any circumstances. The intentional grounding late, they could have stolen that game. They never got to take a pass into the end zone on their final possession in part because the tens, the intentional grounding. And I thought the Niners lost in the mix of it was, I thought the Niners let Jaden and Dan Quinn off the hook on what could have been an unbelievable finish to

23:22 the game. Because after the intentional grounding, the referee said, and the clock is going to wind on my whistle. And I was sitting there watching with six seconds left before the Niners took timeout. I'm like... Man, I don't know if anyone on the commanders knows what that means.

23:38 Like, they might stand there.

23:39 Calling audible, and the game just ends on them again. Like, I was ready for that, and that really does concern me about Jaden. He's obviously, you know, an injury risk. And then there's this, Colin. Since week one of last year, post-week one of last year, The Commanders.

23:59 Have won one game that Jaden Daniels has started.

24:02 Yep.

24:03 One.

24:04 Yep.

24:04 I mean, that's not good for a guy who was so promising as a rookie.

24:11 I said, you can't go cheap on coaches. It does not work.

24:16 Right?

24:16 It just doesn't work. uh shoddy was a a cheap hire chargers pre-harbaugh for years wouldn't spend money you got to spend some money on the head coach patriots did on vrabel bears that on bed johnson andy reed didn't come cheap like it just it matters yeah um nick seriani's opening press conference is without question the worst i've ever seen it's never got over it oh my god i called two people uh before the press conference i said who's nick seriani they're like He's not a great play caller. I don't think he's ready. So, by the way, like a lot of things in life, I said, any pilot can fly in 75 degrees and sunny. Fighter pilots, that's what the NFL is. It's a crisis league. And this is the classic, we all knew it would end.

25:03 It was just a matter of time. But what would his legacy be? Because he's got a championship. I mean, it's very weird. In 20 years, you're going to be like, who's Nick Ceriani? I mean, he's probably in big trouble. What do you make of him?

25:21 I mean, the resume is the resume. His winning percentage is that of an all-time great. He's been to two Super Bowls.

25:29 They make the playoffs every year.

25:30 And yet, if you hooked me up to a polygraph machine and asked me, do you think Nick Sirianni is an above-average NFL head coach, my answer would be no.

25:40 Yeah.

25:41 I don't... And.

25:43 I think it's a larger discussion. I think it is very clear Jalen Hurts and his camp, his agent, people around him, were not on the same page as the Philadelphia Eagles when it came to how this blood clot was dealt with, handled, reported on, all of it.

26:03 And if I'm Jalen Hurts, I'm livid.

26:06 I also think because this season's going to go to hell for the Eagles, sadly, that we've likely seen Jalen Hurts' final game with Nick Sirianni as the head coach. I think Hurts is going to be back next year. I would be surprised if Sirianni is. And people can say, oh, that's unfair if he loses his job and the quarterback got hurt. Andy Reid had had a winning record in 10 of 11 years. with Philadelphia, been to five conference championship games. They won four games. They got rid of him.

26:40 They brought in Chip Kelly, who had back-to-back 10-win seasons, then won seven games.

26:45 They got rid of him.

26:47 They brought in Doug Peterson, won a Super Bowl, then won a playoff game with Nick Foles again, then won the division the next year. They had a four-win season. They got rid of him. In Philadelphia, with Jeffrey Lurie and Howie Roseman, they do not give you ah, one bad season, what are you going to do? Reid had a four-win season and got clipped. Chip Kelly got fired after his first losing season. Doug Peterson got fired, three years removed from a Super Bowl after a four-win season.

27:17 Last year was disappointing for Philadelphia. If Sirianni can't with still... an excellent defense, and a hand-picked offensive coordinator, find a way to win some games, I gotta think Sirianni would be out. And let me add something briefly to that little prediction. I'm going to go ahead and guess a guy I think you like. Shane Steichen is the next head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. He worked well with Jalen.

27:48 He's been there.

27:49 They just fired Ballard. I can't imagine Steichen survives into next year, and I think that's who the Eagles would hire.

27:57 By the way, that is a great call because they loved him. The Chargers loved him when he left, but they couldn't keep him. The Eagles loved him. Okay, I want to end with this. As a proud Sixer season ticket holder... Yeah, that's right. It's hard to repeat in this league. Mitchell Robinson's gone for the Knicks, so if a cat got in foul trouble, maybe, you know, are they the right team in the front court? What do you are real... Because talent-wise, I mean... Philadelphia has got a lot of youth and a lot of alpha. What is a realistic LeBron James Sixer one-year experiment? Because I think it'll go to, let's say it's what? What's realistic?

28:39 Yeah, I mean, I just think... it'll go like every place he's been to goes, which is in year one, they'll make the finals and lose, and in year two, they'll win the championship, and it'll ride off into the sunset 25-year career. That's what I think's going to happen. He goes to Miami. They haven't won a playoff series since they won the title.

29:00 Year one, they're in the finals. Year two, they.

29:02 Win the championship. He goes back to Cleveland. They've had the number one pick of the draft. Three of the four years he's been gone. Year one, they're in the finals. Year two, they win the championship. He goes to the Lakers. They're off the worst six-year stretch in the history of their franchise. Prior to LeBron getting there, they had missed the playoffs 10 times ever, five times in 70 years.

29:24 And the five years before he got there, year one, he got hurt at Christmas.

29:28 Year two, they win the championship.

29:30 So I would imagine he'll go to Philadelphia.

29:32 It is hard to repeat.

29:34 They'll find themselves in the finals, probably come up short to Oklahoma State. city or San Antonio.

29:41 Yeah.

29:42 And then next year they'll just win the championship and it'll be 25 years, five championships, four different franchises. He led to a title and it'll be a quarter century in the league. And the final piece of the puzzle that makes historians from the future, look back and be like, Oh, Wait, they used to argue about who the best player of all time was? That was a debate? Was that before or after they were debating whether or not the world is flat or round? That's the category of debate.

30:13 It will be in. Like, did you know.

30:15 People used to believe? Like, oh no, they believed it. Some people made a whole career off simply saying the earth is round. Essentially, I'm saying, thanks to LeBron, I get to be Copernicus.

30:28 I get to be the guy that just.

30:29 Says the obvious truth about the universe. And my name will echo through history because it will be so clear from that point forward.

30:37 Yeah.

30:37 So that's what I think. And I got to go there Thursday. You know, I'm doing something. You might judge me for this. I know we have to go, but I'm going to take your time. So the home opener, they obviously play in New York tonight. But, you know, I do well, but I don't have Colin Coward money, so I can't afford tickets to that. Better off buying season tickets in Philly than tickets to one.

30:58 Game at the Garden banner night.

31:01 So Thursday is the Sixers' home opener.

31:05 Yes.

31:06 That game is a 7 o'clock tip. My TV show ends at 5, and then we do overtime.

31:12 That's 5.20.

31:13 The last Acela to Philly that would get me there in time for tip-off is 5 p.m.

31:19 Sharp.

31:20 So if the audience is wondering, am I pulling half a shift on Thursday and leaving mid-show to make.

31:26 The Sixers game?

31:27 I am.

31:28 I think it's what's good for the show. I think having me on the ground at the game, I think that's what's best for the show, for the network. I think the game's on a competing network. Maybe we get a little FaceTime of me and LeBron chopping it up before the game, a little free promo.

31:42 Who knows? But I'll be in my seats.

31:44 My season tickets Thursday night, fresh off the train after doing half a shift of First Things First. And that may or may not have been how I'm alerting the bosses that that's my plan. But the tickets are purchased. I've got to do it. So hopefully they're watching your show and they're OK with it because that's what's happening.

32:00 Deep background cultivating sources. This is something I believe in strongly as America's journalist. I'm America's honesty broker. You're America's feet on the ground journalist.

32:12 Yeah, absolutely.

32:13 You know, the more I think about it, Fox probably should have paid for the tickets. I'm out here explaining to my wife what this tens of thousands of dollars recurring charge is from the Philadelphia 76ers. I'm like, we bought season tickets, honey. We talked about this over drinks. Fox probably should have picked that bill up.

32:29 Yeah.

32:30 Maybe next year.

32:31 I'm on your side on that one. I'm rooting for you on that one because I got a few things I'd like picked up as well.

32:38 Yeah, you got a box of the Bulls or something with your name on it.

32:42 I already know.

32:43 See you, Colin. All right, Nick Wright. No, the Sixers are going to be a blast to watch. I don't know. I mean, I think I have said this before. is I think if you had just brought Jaden Daniels over with BJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey, you had a very good team, but you had like, okay, who's going to kind of run the show? LeBron's not doing it for money, and he's not doing it for anything other than winning.

33:04 He's not doing it for stats. Like LeBron, actually a guy that needs shots, having another guy that needs the ball, actually it's the rare circumstance. It's contrarian to like what you'd think would be true, which is another guy that needs the ball. But he's the right guy with this group of alpha males who need shot. They all need shots.

33:23 Jalen's going to want 15. Edgecombe's going to want 12. Tyrese wants 20. And LeBron's going to get 10. So they need shot. And Embiid, you know, in the 38 games he plays is going to need shots.