Best of The Herd
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In this Best of The Herd episode, Colin Cowherd reflects on the evolving landscape of college sports, arguing that the Big Ten's dominance isn't due to NIL or the transfer portal, but rather sustained revenue, ratings, passion, and quality—key indicators that make the conference's success sustainable. He contrasts this with the demise of past conferences like the Southwest Conference and Pac-12, attributing their collapse to structural and cultural shifts, not modern reforms. Cowherd also defends Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, dismissing knee-jerk criticism after a win over the Celtics without Jaylen Brown, emphasizing that roster deficiencies—not coaching—are the real issue. He explores draft rumors around David Bailey and Arvel Reese, suggesting insider leaks signal Jets' coaching instability. A standout segment features Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman, who shares his deep emotional connection to the program, his belief in player development and education, and his confidence in Notre Dame's future despite conference realignment. The episode closes with Stacey King, former Bulls player, discussing Chicago's enduring basketball loyalty, the impact of NIL on college talent, and a proposed reform to the NBA draft lottery to eliminate tanking by making teams earn their picks through late-season performance.
The Big Ten's dominance is driven by revenue, ratings, passion, and quality—not just NIL or the transfer portal.
Conference realignment is not new; past collapses (Pac-12, SWC) were due to culture, geography, and governance, not modern reforms.
Blaming coaches like Tom Thibodeau for Knicks' shortcomings ignores deeper roster issues like bench scoring and three-point defense.
Draft leaks often signal internal instability—when multiple insiders report the same rumor, it’s usually intentional.
Marcus Freeman values player development, education, and emotional connection over tradition, making Notre Dame resilient in a changing college landscape.
…and 2 more takeaways available in PodZeus
The Big Ten's Sustainable Dominance
“You can point fingers. It's not going anywhere because there are key indicators. You ever heard that saying before on the stock market? Key indicators. Let me give you four in college sports that are on fire. Revenues, ratings, passion and quality. Those are key indicators up, up, up, up, up.”
Defending Thibodeau and the Knicks' Roster Flaws
“You have a spending issue. I'm firing my broker. I'm firing my financial. You got no bench. It's a lopsided roster. You can't defend the three. You don't generate free throws. So, the Knicks roster has holes. Neither coach can solve them.”
Draft Leaks and Jets Coaching Instability
“People gossip. People are protecting themselves. So when I hear the David Bailey rumors, my take is it's probably true. Somebody in the building, you know, people are always looking to curry favor.”
Marcus Freeman on Notre Dame's Identity and Future
“If you can find a way to make them feel valued right in the role that they have currently, um, you're able to keep a lot of your players there.”
The Rise of College Basketball and the NIL Effect
Stacey King discusses how NIL has revitalized college basketball by attracting skilled international players and extending college careers. He argues that today’s college players are more prepared for the NBA, and the draft has regained value after the one-and-done era. He also critiques the NBA draft lottery system and proposes a reform to eliminate tanking.
“You can point fingers. It's not going anywhere because there are key indicators. You ever heard that saying before on the stock market? Key indicators. Let me give you four in college sports that are on fire. Revenues, ratings, passion and quality. Those are key indicators up, up, up, up, up.”
“You have a spending issue. I'm firing my broker. I'm firing my financial. You got no bench. It's a lopsided roster. You can't defend the three. You don't generate free throws. So, the Knicks roster has holes. Neither coach can solve them.”
“You take Scotty Pippen off that team. I don't care what anybody says. We don't win. They don't win six championships. We just don't.”
Host
Guests
Colin Cowherd
person
Notre Dame
organization
Big Ten
organization
Marcus Freeman
person
New York Knicks
organization
Tom Thibodeau
person
Chicago Bulls
organization
Stacey King
person
David Bailey
person
NBA
organization
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