Jason Timpf of Hoops Tonight joined me to break down what has become one of the most fascinating NBA Finals matchups we’ve seen in years: Knicks vs. Spurs.

Coming into the playoffs, I didn’t think there was a great team in the league. Now we’re down to two teams that I think are very good, but for very different reasons.

The result? A series that feels as close to a coin flip as we’ve seen all postseason.

Cowherd: The Knicks Are Better Than I Gave Them Credit For

I’ll admit it: I probably underestimated New York.

Knicks fans think I hate the team. I don’t. But it should be noted that two weeks before the playoffs, there were reports coming out of New York that chemistry wasn’t great and Mike Brown might get fired.

So forgive me if I wasn’t embracing them as the Shaq-Kobe Lakers.

But they’ve made tweaks. They’ve gotten better. And when I look at them now, I don’t see a good team anymore. I see a very good team.

What stands out is they’ve got a little bit of everything.

They’ve got a defensive center. They’ve got a highly skilled offensive center who can shoot, pass, and function as a hub. They’ve got a scoring, closing guard in Jalen Brunson. They’ve got Josh Hart, who’s a rebounding and defensive guy. They’ve got three-and-D wings. They’ve got big physical players like OG Anunoby.

They’ve got two of everything.

Even their younger players feel older.

They’re Villanova guys. People always say Villanova players come into the league with the IQ of a 34-year-old veteran. They’re mature players.

When I look at the maturity, the confidence, and the versatility, I look at New York and think: that’s a very good basketball team.

Timpf: This Matchup Is Completely Different Than OKC

I think this is where people are underselling the Knicks.

This series is fundamentally different from the matchup San Antonio just played against Oklahoma City.

Part of the reason Shai Gilgeous-Alexander struggled at times is because San Antonio had a bunch of 6’6 and 6’7 defenders who could put their hands on him and keep him from getting to the rim. It played directly into some of Shai’s weaknesses.

Brunson is different.

He’s smaller, quicker, and he moves around those big Spurs guards much more easily. He gets to his spots in a completely different way.

The other thing is all of those perimeter size advantages San Antonio had against OKC start to disappear.

Dylan Harper and Steph Castle were towering over Oklahoma City’s guards. That’s not going to happen against OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart.

The Knicks have bigger, stronger perimeter defenders than OKC did.

That’s one reason I think this series is much closer than people realize.

The Physicality Factor

One thing Colin brought up that I completely agree with is the physical nature of this matchup.

If I’m New York, I’m walking into Game 1 with a simple message:

Set the tone.

Bump people.

Push people.

Make this a physical series.

The Knicks are older. They’re stronger. They’re thicker physically than San Antonio.

And in the NBA Finals, referees generally aren’t interested in calling every little bump and grab.

That style benefits New York.

Cowherd put it well when he said this could become a test of how San Antonio responds to facing veterans who are going to make every possession uncomfortable.

Can KAT Actually Be the Answer for Wemby?

One of the more interesting tactical questions in the series is who guards Victor Wembanyama.

A lot of people immediately point to OG Anunoby, but I actually think Karl-Anthony Towns makes some sense.

You don’t have to beat Wembanyama vertically.

You have to beat him to spots.

You have to get underneath him, get physical, push him away from the basket, and force him into jump shots.

As long as Towns can stay out of foul trouble, he’s actually the type of player who can make Wemby work.

That’s not saying he’ll stop him. Nobody is stopping him.

But there’s a difference between making Wembanyama comfortable and making him earn everything.

Brunson’s Impact Can’t Be Ignored

The best player in this series is Wemby.

I don’t think that’s debatable.

But there are going to be nights when Jalen Brunson looks like the best player on the floor.

Brunson has been sneaky awesome all year.

There was a stretch after the In-Season Tournament where I was legitimately asking myself whether Brunson was a top five player in basketball.

What I also like is that he cut way back on the foul-grifting this season.

His foul rate fell off a cliff compared to last year, and I actually think that’s made him a better playoff player.

He’s not dependent on whistles.

He’s just making basketball plays.

And that’s why I could absolutely see games in this series where Brunson goes for 35+ points and everybody leaves talking about him instead of Wemby.

Cowherd: The Spurs Have the Best Player, But the Knicks Have the Veterans

Historically, having the best player matters.

The best player in this series is Wembanyama.

But New York has a lot of things going for it.

They’re older. They’re more physical. They’ve been through more playoff battles.

And they have a roster that feels incredibly synchronized.

I’ve said all year that the Knicks were good. Maybe that was my mistake.

Maybe they’re better than that.

Maybe they’re the best team this season.

When you really look at the roster, the depth, the defensive versatility, and the intelligence they play with, it’s hard not to be impressed.

Final Thoughts: This Feels Like a Seven Game Series

Neither of us sees a quick series. In fact, I’d be shocked if it ended quickly.

The Spurs have home court, the best player, and a level of poise that’s remarkable for a team this young.

The Knicks have physicality, experience, depth, and a roster that seems to have an answer for almost everything.

That’s why this feels like the definition of a coin flip.

Jason is going with the Knicks to win in six.

I also find myself leaning toward New York.

But neither of us would be surprised if we’re wrong.

That’s what makes this such a great Finals matchup.

On the latest episode of The Colin Cowherd Podcast, I was joined by former NFL scout John Middlekauff to break down some of the most intriguing NFL win totals heading into next season.

New England Patriots: 0/u 9.5 Wins

The Patriots are sitting at 9.5 wins, and that’s with the Jets and Dolphins in their division. Think about that for a second. That’s potentially 2-0 against the Jets and 2-0 against the Dolphins.

The Dolphins may have the weakest roster in the league right now. There are four wins baked in there already, and Vegas still doesn’t think New England has another six wins in them.

Middlekauff on the Patriots’ Outlook

I’ll say this about the Jets – they added a lot of good players in the draft. They just extended Breece Hall. If Geno Smith can just be capable in five or six games throughout the season, they could knock a random team off here and there.

But yeah, I would take the New England Patriots to finish with a 9 or 10-win season. Just to be safe, I’d probably hammer the under.

I do think the Vrabel situation is something that clearly has not gone away. There is an element where everyone is staring at you – it can become a weird scenario. Football’s a little different than basketball because the fans are not necessarily right on top of you, but there are going to be a lot of things yelled. It’s going to be a unique environment for the Patriots from an off-the-field standpoint.

Also, their schedule was easy last year – everyone’s gunning for you now. They just won the AFC, so no one’s taking you lightly anymore. Strength of schedule adds up.

So, I’d still go with 9 or 10 wins. Now, if Drake Maye takes another step and becomes Josh Allen 2.0, then I believe they go over. But I could see them being better in the big picture and not winning as many games.

Middlekauff’s Pick: Patriots Under 9.5 Wins

San Francisco 49ers: o/u 10.5 Wins

I’ll have to see the way the schedule shakes out this year. If I was playing it safe, I’d probably go 10-7, so I’d take the under.

As long as you’ve got Kyle and that coaching staff, they’re going to be pretty dependable. Remember, they split with the Rams and Seattle last year, so it’s not like they’re playing two bad teams in the division, but they’re comfortable playing those teams.

They went down last year and beat the Rams on Thursday Night Football with Mac Jones starting.

Now they get Seattle Week 1, which is obviously tough, but the Niners are used to playing in that environment. If you told me the Bears were opening the season at Seattle, that’s a brutal spot – super loud, great defense. It wouldn’t shock you if the Bears won 11 games and still lost that game by 10 points.

The Niners are just different in those spots because they’ve played in those environments so many times already.

So, I feel pretty comfortable saying they’ll be 10-7.

Middlekauff’s Pick: 49ers Under 10.5 Wins

Minnesota Vikings: o/u 8.5 Wins

Pretty interesting: in the best division in football based on record the last two years, despite the J.J. McCarthy situation, the Vikings are sitting at 8.5 wins. The Bears are at 9.5 with Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams, and the Vikings are still at 8.5.

Is that the ultimate tip of the cap to Kevin O’Connell?

They just went and got Jauan Jennings from the Niners, but that number feels like if the Vikings were in the NFC South instead of the NFC North, it would make a lot more sense. But 8.5 wins in that division feels like a huge vote of confidence in Kevin O’Connell.

Middlekauff on Why He’s Hammering the Vikings Under

Two years ago they won 14 games, right? And last year they won nine. I’m hammering that under.

To me, they’ve got five, six, maybe seven wins written all over them. They’re the last-place team in that division in my opinion. Now, like you said, it’s a tough division.

I think the Lions are going to be solid this year. To me, both the Lions and Vikings were basically 9-8 teams last season, but the Lions were clearly the better version of that. If I had to pick which team was better last year, I’m taking Detroit.

I think the Bears are going to be a playoff team again, and the Packers sneaky have a lot of question marks. You look at their roster and they’ve lost a lot of core guys from last year through trades and free agency. Then LaFleur came out at the owners meetings talking about “internal locker room problems.”

Middlekauff on the Packers’ WR Issues

Clearly, some guys weren’t all on the same page. I think he was probably talking about the offensive guys when he mentioned the locker room problems. If you looked at it, they let Doubs walk and they traded Wicks to the Eagles.

I think they had guys inside that wide receiver room who thought they were stars and wanted the ball more. When you look at the catches on that team, Tucker Kraft led them with like 55 or 60 catches. They didn’t have multiple guys sitting there with 70 or 80 catches.

Wide receivers are the icing on the cake. No matter how high-character they are, there’s still a little “me, me” involved. You start looking at a guy like A.J. Brown – if you stop getting the ball, frustrations start building.

The offense was a little weird last year, too. They were winning games bringing in Malik Willis and basically running quarterback option all game long, and it was working. In fairness to LaFleur, he was just doing whatever he had to do to win games.

But wide receivers want to run go routes and post routes.

I’ve always thought LaFleur is much more like Kyle Shanahan than Sean McVay or Kevin O’Connell. McVay and O’Connell are more like Andy Reid where they want to throw the ball. LaFleur, if Josh Jacobs is healthy, would love a 1,500-yard running back. He wants to run the football and control the clock. It’s not the most wide receiver-friendly offense.

Christian Watson honestly feels like the perfect fit because he’s content just getting paid a little money and running go routes.

Now they’re going to be very dependent on Golden taking a huge step forward this year. But Green Bay’s organization has kind of proven that every time you bet against them, they still find a way to stay in the mix.

So for me in the NFC North, I’d go Bears, Lions, Packers, then Vikings.

Middlekauff’s Pick: Vikings Under 8.5 Wins

Cincinnati Bengals: o/u 9.5 Wins

I’ve got one for you, though. I like this team a lot, and I thought the weekend they had was really good.

I think the Bengals are putting themselves in a really good spot right now.

On this week’s podcast, Danny Parkins joined me to break down some of our favorite NFL futures and win total bets heading into the season.

And honestly, one of the first numbers that jumped out to me was Dallas at 8.5 wins.

Cowboys Under 8.5 Wins

Dallas might be the easiest under on the board.

Last season, the Cowboys faced eight teams with winning records and went 1-7 in those games. Now they go from having one of the easiest schedules in football to one of the toughest. Nobody in the league has a bigger swing from easy to difficult.

And once you actually look through the schedule, it gets ugly fast. They’re facing good offensive coaches, quality quarterbacks, and a schedule full of potential shootouts. Meanwhile, the NFC East is going to be better across the board. The Giants should improve, and Washington with a healthy Jayden Daniels is going to be a real problem.

This number sitting at 8.5 feels dangerous because the public is always going to want to bet Dallas to go over.

Danny Parkins on Dallas’ Defensive Rebuild

Trips to Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, and Seattle make for one of the tougher road draws in the league.

And while Dallas clearly attacked its biggest weakness this offseason by investing heavily on defense and bringing in a new coordinator, there are still major questions attached to this team.

If the defense becomes league average and the offense stays healthy, Dallas absolutely has the ceiling to be one of the best offenses in football with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens. But those are still pretty big ifs.

Lions Over 10.5 Wins

Detroit to finish over 10.5 wins initially sounds aggressive until you actually look at the schedule.

The Lions have one of the easiest schedules in football, more home games than road games, and they addressed one of their biggest concerns by stabilizing the offensive line. I already trust the coaching staff, the front office, and Jared Goff. This feels like a team that’s built to stack regular-season wins again.

And remember, we’re talking about an 11-6 football team in a 17-game season. That’s not some outrageous projection.

Arizona, Miami, and Carolina are all manageable road games, and the overall draw sets up really well for them.

Danny Parkins on the NFC North Balance

Detroit, Green Bay, and Chicago all feel like teams living in roughly the same range this year, which is why there’s at least some hesitation betting any NFC North team to go over their number.

The division is simply going to be a grind every single week.

Bears Over 9.5 Wins

This Bears number is fascinating because I don’t really understand why Chicago is projected to finish a full game below Detroit and Green Bay.

Yes, there are obvious regression concerns. Chicago led the league in takeaways last season, won a bunch of close games, and got incredibly lucky with offensive line health. That probably won’t happen again.

The offensive line continuity alone is hard to repeat. Nearly the entire group played over 90% of the snaps last year, and now Drew Dalman is already out of the picture at center.

But this ultimately comes down to Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson.

We’ve seen this before with great quarterbacks in great systems. The second year in the system is usually when the leap happens. It happened with Mahomes. It happened with Lamar Jackson. And I think Caleb is set up for that exact jump.

The Bears have explosive young weapons all over the field. Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, and Colston Loveland all fit perfectly with what Ben Johnson wants to do offensively. I think Chicago genuinely believes it can become one of the best offenses in football this season.

Danny Parkins on the Bears’ Ceiling

The regression arguments are fair. Chicago probably won’t lead the league in takeaways again, and the number of fourth-quarter comeback wins is almost certainly coming down.

But even with that expected regression, this still doesn’t feel like an eight-win football team.

Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson feel like a special pairing, and the offensive ceiling is incredibly high. If everything clicks, Chicago has the talent to become a top-10 offense immediately, maybe even top five.

That offensive upside alone is enough to believe the Bears can get into double-digit wins.

Packers Under 10.5 Wins

Green Bay is one of the tougher teams to figure out because there’s still a lot to like.

I trust the Packers’ draft-and-development model as much as almost anybody in the league. Jordan Love has talent. The skill group is deep. But I do have questions defensively, especially with changes on the coaching staff and some uncertainty in the front seven.

And the bigger issue may simply be the division itself.

The NFC North is loaded with creative offensive coaches, improving quarterbacks, and legitimate playoff-caliber rosters across the board. There are no easy games anymore.

Danny Parkins on the NFC North Grind

Honestly, it’s not crazy to think last place in the NFC North could still finish with eight wins.

That’s how deep the division feels right now, and it’s why betting overs on teams in this division becomes difficult. These teams are likely going to beat up on each other all season.

Chiefs Under 10.5 Wins

Kansas City’s total is fascinating because they still have Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid, but the division around them finally feels much stronger.

The Raiders should be more competitive. Denver may quietly have the best overall roster in the division. And Justin Herbert finally has an offensive line.

I do think Kansas City fixed some offensive issues. Kenneth Walker is a huge addition. Josh Simmons helps at left tackle. And a healthy Mahomes obviously changes everything.

But there are still legitimate questions. Travis Kelce is older. Rashee Rice still comes with uncertainty. And defensively, they’re asking several young players to contribute immediately.

Danny Parkins on Betting Against Mahomes

It’s always dangerous betting against Andy Reid with a healthy Mahomes because Reid consistently gives Kansas City one of the highest floors in football.

Walker also gives them something they really haven’t had in years: a true difference-maker at running back. And if Rashee Rice stays available while Xavier Worthy continues developing, Kansas City absolutely still has the potential to become one of the most dangerous offenses in football again.

That’s why this feels less like a fade of the Chiefs and more like a belief that they’re probably closer to “really good” than completely dominant this season.

Jason Timpf of Hoops Tonight hopped on with me to dive into what feels like one of the most interesting, and maybe most overlooked, second-round matchups in the NBA Playoffs: Timberwolves vs. Spurs.

Cowherd: Are the Timberwolves Undervalued?

It’s interesting—Minnesota vs. San Antonio—and yet we’ve basically anointed this as a Spurs–Thunder conference. Maybe Denver sneaks in, but that’s the conversation.

But when you actually watch Minnesota, it doesn’t totally line up with that narrative.

This is a team that, if you dropped them into the East, would just fly through people. There’s so much size, and they’ve quietly put together another one of those seasons where you look up and think, what exactly are they? But they keep winning.

What stands out is their ability to get 20-25 point outbursts from players who aren’t traditional offensive players. Every sport has teams like this—where the roster just works. And when you really look at Minnesota, from the coaching staff to the bottom of the roster, it feels like we may have undervalued them for the last three years.

The Tim Connelly Effect

Tim Connelly deserves a lot of credit here.

People forget how athletic that Denver team was—KCP, Bruce Brown, Aaron Gordon at a younger, more explosive stage, Michael Porter Jr.—and there was a clear belief in size. You were basically rolling out 6’10”, 6’10”, 7-foot players across key positions.

Then he goes to Minnesota and builds something very similar—and in a lot of ways, constructs the team that ends Denver’s era.

That’s not nothing. That’s a real roster-building accomplishment.

Timpf: The Odds Say One Thing—The Games Might Say Another

When you look at the line, it’s pretty wide. Honestly, it’s almost as aggressive as the Lakers-Thunder series.

But this feels like a value spot on Minnesota.

Even if you lean Spurs, and I do, it feels close. This has all the makings of a six- or seven-game series.

Why Minnesota Can Make This Ugly

There are some real matchup dynamics here that favor the Wolves.

Start with Julius Randle. There are only a handful of players who have been able to give Wembanyama real problems one-on-one. Aaron Gordon is one. Julius Randle is another.

The reason is simple:

• Wings are too small
• Centers are too slow
• But a big, physical, bully-ball forward can get underneath him

When that happens, Wemby gets pushed into tougher jump shots.

Now layer in the rest of Minnesota’s defense:

• Gobert can sit back and protect the rim
• You can dare certain Spurs players to shoot
• Jaden McDaniels and their perimeter athletes can pressure guards

That combination means San Antonio is going to have to work for everything.

And when games get tight, that matters.

Close Games = Real Questions About San Antonio

If this turns into a series of close games, and it probably will, you start asking a simple question:

Do we trust San Antonio late? Not completely.

We’ve seen both sides of it this year. There was a game where Anthony Edwards had 55 and Minnesota still lost on clutch Wembanyama jumpers. There was another where Edwards got Wemby on a switch, drove right past him, and hit the game-winner.

That’s the series in a nutshell—back and forth, matchup-driven, possession by possession.

Experience Still Matters

Minnesota also has something San Antonio is still building toward: experience.

• Julius Randle has been in playoff battles
• Anthony Edwards has now been through multiple big series
• This team has conference finals experience and road wins

That’s not theoretical. That shows up late in games.

And it’s part of why this feels like a long series.

Timpf: Leaning Spurs

To be clear, there’s a reason to pick San Antonio.

The blueprint to slow Minnesota is out there. If you can pair:

• A rim protector
• With an athletic perimeter defender on Ant

You can create real problems.

We’ve seen that in previous playoff losses. And San Antonio has the pieces to replicate some of that.

The other big question: can Minnesota play without Gobert in key stretches? Because to really unlock their offense, they may need to pull Wembanyama away from the rim.

That chess match could decide everything.

Final Thought: This Series Is Being Mispriced

This is going to be a great series. And honestly, it’s being treated like it won’t be.

The odds suggest a gap that probably doesn’t exist. If anything, this is one of the better value opportunities on the board because Minnesota is good enough, experienced enough, and versatile enough to push this thing deep.

San Antonio might win, but they’re going to have to earn it.

Jason Timpf of Hoops Tonight joined me on the pod to break down what might be the most compelling second round matchup in the NBA Playoffs: Knicks vs. Sixers.

Cowherd: A True Coin Flip

When you look at this series, it’s fascinating because the strengths mirror each other. You’ve got Karl-Anthony Towns on one side – an incredibly gifted offensive player – and then Joel Embiid on the other, who’s simply better. More dominant, more impactful defensively, and capable of controlling the game on both ends.

Then you move to the wings. OG Anunoby is on a short list of elite two-way players in this league, and Mikal Bridges fits right into that mold. You could argue that gives the Knicks an edge on the perimeter.

But Philadelphia counters with speed. Tyrese Maxey is a blur, and the Knicks don’t really have someone who can consistently stay in front of him. Jalen Brunson, for all his offensive brilliance, isn’t giving you much defensively.

So this series lands in that uncomfortable middle ground – it feels like a coin flip. If Joel Embiid and Paul George are fully healthy, it’s easy to see a path where Philadelphia takes control, largely because of their ability to protect the rim.

Timpf: Slight Lean Toward New York

The edge for the Knicks comes down to smaller details. Home court matters. There’s a bit more depth on their bench. And maybe, most importantly, there’s more lineup flexibility.

Philadelphia is relatively straightforward – they’re going as far as Embiid, Paul George, and Maxey can take them. That’s their identity.

The Knicks have more ways to adjust. They can play big, they can go small, and they can shift defensively depending on the matchup in front of them.

The Embiid vs. KAT Battle

There’s also real history here. Embiid and Towns don’t like each other, and that matchup has consistently been one-sided. There was a recent game where Towns fouled out in just 16 minutes, with Embiid drawing several of those fouls himself.

But even in that game, the Knicks found a counter. They went small, put OG Anunoby on Embiid, spaced the floor, and pulled him into uncomfortable defensive situations late. That’s where things flipped.

The Real Chess Match

This series ultimately comes down to one central question:

Can Embiid dominate Towns enough to force Mitchell Robinson onto the floor?

Because if Robinson has to play heavy minutes, everything changes. Embiid can sit in the paint defensively, control the rim, and shrink the floor for New York’s offense. It becomes a slower, more physical game – exactly the kind Philadelphia wants.

On the flip side, if the Knicks can keep Towns at the five – even if it requires double teams – they can stretch Embiid out, attack him in space, and open driving lanes for Brunson and others. That’s where New York has the advantage.

That push-and-pull will define the series.

The Maxey Problem

Another layer to this is Tyrese Maxey. He’s been outstanding in this matchup, and the Knicks don’t have a natural answer for his speed.

If they help to contain him, it opens up easier opportunities for Embiid. If they stay home, Maxey has the ability to take over stretches of the game. It’s a difficult balance, and one that puts constant pressure on New York’s defense.

The Stakes for Philadelphia

There’s also a bigger-picture element here. Philadelphia has underachieved relative to expectations. They’ve cycled through stars, coaches, and roster builds – Simmons, Harden, and more – without breaking through.

Now, this might be their most complete and talented team yet.

And it all hinges on Embiid. When he’s healthy, he’s the best player in the Eastern Conference. Not just good – dominant in a way that few players can match. That alone makes Philadelphia dangerous.

Final Thoughts

This has all the makings of a classic Eastern Conference playoff battle: physical, methodical, and defined by adjustments.

It’s also the kind of matchup the league loves. New York and Philadelphia, two passionate fan bases, close in proximity, with real stakes and real history.

At the end of the day, it may come down to just a handful of possessions – or a single adjustment that swings the series.

I had Alan Shipnuck – author of Rory – on the pod and we went deep on McIlroy: where his game is right now, the weight he’s carried, and why he might be as dangerous as ever heading into this year’s Masters.

Alan Shipnuck on Rory’s Form and Mindset

He tweaked his back in the gym. He hasn’t played in three weeks. He comes in a little rusty and people have been kind of writing him off.

But watching Rory at Augusta these last few days, he is having the time of his life and he just looks so unencumbered. I really feel like he’s going to mount a spirited defense and be carried along by the goodwill of the fans.

Rory played the hardest round of his entire career on Sunday at the 2025 Masters, and I think he’s going to step up to the first tee and feel so much freedom and so much joy and so much pride that he did it.

In my mind, he’s almost made himself the favorite with this jauntiness that he’s carrying himself with. So, yeah, he absolutely has a great chance to to win. I would actually be surprised if he’s not there late on Sunday.

Colin Cowherd on Rory and LIV Golf

As you noted, he was the face of anti-LIV Golf.

Is that his childhood telling him to do that? Is it a handler? Is it just at his soul what the PGA Tour means to him?

Because it was certainly not a courageous stand, but it was a really defiant stand and one that other notable golfers did not make. Where does it come from?

Alan Shipnuck on Rory’s Values and PGA Tour Loyalty

Yeah. Rory has a very strong moral compass and his parents never let him get out of line on the golf course or in the classroom.

Like, his parents were tough on him. And at the same time, he was surrounded by love and support. He’s always been a kind of a black and white character. There’s right and there’s wrong.

And at the same time, he’s a traditionalist. He was raised in a different culture. There’s obviously the European tour – they venerate the players who have come before them and the institution of the European tour and the PGA Tour mean a lot to Rory. His legacy is built on these platforms and he has veneration for the old tournaments, the old courses, and the old time golfers.

LIV Golf came in and tried to tear all that down, and he was offended.

He had three years before LIV arrived – that was when the Saudis first began their incursion into professional golf. It was this European tour event called the Saudi International. The first one was held in the winter of 2019. It was only three or four months after Jamal Khashoggi was assassinated and dismembered by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The entire Western world was distancing themselves from the Saudis on a business level, on a professional level. The only friends they had ended up being in professional golf.

To make that first tournament a success, they paid unheard of appearance fees, from Brooks Koepka to Dustin Johnson to Patrick Reed to Bryson DeChambeau to Phil Mickelson.

They offered Rory millions of dollars and he said no. He said there’s a morality to it. I don’t want their money, and I want to be on the right side of history. And so he saw it in very stark terms. He never wavered.

They would have given him half a billion dollars or more to come to LIV Golf, but he was never even tempted because he felt like they were trying to destroy what his heroes had built – and he wanted to carry that legacy on.

And it will be a part of his story that Rory helped save the PGA Tour. He deserves that.

He earned that with his advocacy, with his diplomacy and the way he reshaped the tour into a much leaner and much more competitively interesting platform. They’ve made it more star driven. They funneled a lot of money to the top players and it stopped this exodus of guys to LIV Golf. That was Rory’s vision and he made it happen with his political capital.

Just like Nicklaus and Palmer birthed the PGA Tour in 1968, Rory helped save it – and that has meaning to him more than a bag full of money.

Colin Cowherd on Rory’s Popularity in America

All countries are provincial. Canadians want to see Canadians win when they watch the Olympics.

But when I watched Rory, it felt like he’s the most popular golfer on the golf course in America at a major.

Is that historically rare? Has there ever been anybody else from overseas that the American crowd views as an ally?

Alan Shipnuck on Rory’s Connection with Fans

Yes. And that’s insightful. I would say the only non-American who might threaten that is Greg Norman.

But definitely no – no one’s ever had it as long as Rory does.

Seve Ballesteros, for example, was this amazingly charismatic figure, but he was battling the PGA Tour. He was raging against the machine and he burned hot. He had this spikiness to him. Fans could appreciate the genius, but they never felt the connection like they do with Rory.

It’s because Rory’s flawed and there’s a fragility there, right? I think makes him so compelling.

When Tiger had a lead at a major, he just snuffed the life out of it. But Rory’s blown a couple and we love that.

With Rory, it’s a high-wire act while he’s juggling chainsaws.

And when you saw that final round at Augusta, it was not about the golf. It was not about birdies and bogeys. It was about the human condition. And that’s why it was so riveting.

People were not crying on their couches because he won the career Grand Slam. Like that’s cool, that’s a nice bit of history. But it was that he had conquered his demons and it was a much more relatable thing. That victory was about not giving up on your dreams, about not quitting, about believing in yourself.

And that stuff is something you and I and everyone can relate to no matter what we do for a living.

That’s why people were so moved by it.

Welcome back to the Colin Cowherd podcast.

Jason Timpf of Hoops Tonight joined me on the pod to discuss tonight’s NCAA Tournament National Championship game between UConn and Michigan.

Okay, let’s talk college basketball. It was a tough loss for you as a big Arizona guy, but this has been such a great season.

Personally, I picked Michigan to win the whole thing. I had them beating Florida, but I watched them a lot all season because I’m in Big 10 country. I probably watched them at least six or seven times.

I mean, they beat Gonzaga badly. Teams beat Gonzaga all the time – they just don’t blow Gonzaga out. They also don’t blow Arizona out. Like, Michigan is really good. If they’re hitting their jumpers, they could beat UConn by 15 or more.

And UConn is unbelievable in their own right.

Is Michigan an All-Time Great Team?

It’s funny when people ask, “Is this the best college basketball team ever?” This is when it helps to be my age.

No, they’re not a Top-10 team ever. They are a top three team in the last 5-10 years. There was a team that had Hakeem and Clyde Drexler that didn’t even win a national championship. I mean, you can go back and look at that Phi Slama Jama roster.

There was a St. John’s team that had Mark Jackson, Chris Mullin, Bill Wennington, and Walter Berry. Didn’t win it all either.

Michigan is what college basketball was in the 80s and 90s: old, big, and good players front to back, with a dominant center.

I mean, I watched the Ralph Sampson Virginia teams for years.

Cowherd’s Michigan vs. UConn Prediction

But I will say this – UConn is just physical. They make they make people pick up the dribble as much as any defense in the country. Teams are just constantly picking up the dribble on the perimeter. They get lost.

But Michigan has the power to push back.

For the officials on Monday night, this is going to be one of the hardest games to call. You could foul both teams out eight minutes in.

I like Michigan to win because of what Aday Mara has become – he was averaging five points per game for UCLA. Now he’s an offensive hub.

Timpf on Arizona’s Loss to Michigan

I was worried about that game from the beginning of the tournament when I saw that we were lined up with them in the semifinal because Arizona physically dominated everybody, all year long.

It’s not like an over-the-top size thing like Kevin Durant shooting over you or Nikola Jokic hitting hook shots. It’s like, we’re going through your chest over and over again. There’s not a lot of refined skill in their front line.

So I looked at Michigan as the neutralizing factor for that size, except all of their bigs are more skilled.

Mara is more skilled than Krivas. Yaxel Lendeborg is legitimately like if you took Rui Hachimura and put him back in college basketball right now. They also have Morez Johnson, who can shoot the ball and put it on the floor when needed.

Their bigs were every bit as big as they needed to be to match Arizona’s physicality, but then they also had the over-the-top skill that Arizona’s bigs did not have.

What really swung that game towards a blowout was how badly the perimeter players for Michigan outplayed Arizona’s perimeter players. Jaden Bradley ends up getting in foul trouble early. I didn’t like a couple of the calls that he picked up, but that ended up taking him out of the game. Brayden Burries started like 0-8 from the field. Like, he just couldn’t make a shot.

I thought Elliot Cadeau was kind of forcing things a little bit, but he was bringing a confidence to the game and generating a lot of shots – even though he had some misses and some turnovers.

Overall, he was bringing a verve to Michigan’s offense and it was working.

Timpf on UConn’s Path to Winning

UConn was killing Illinois by running Mullins that same double drag coming off the left side of the floor.

One of the reasons why that works is Illinois did not want to bring their bigs out. They had their bigs hanging back.

As long as he can shake free coming off those screens, he’s going to get that shot. He had a couple early in the game and he hit the dagger coming off the left wing that ended the game.

Mara is going to do the exact same thing. He’s going to be sitting back. One of the downsides with that front line on Michigan is they’re a little slow-footed. Hurley is going to put those dudes in the blender. If Michigan makes mistakes with their slow-footed bigs against that type of action, they’re going to get some clean looks.

It really comes down to if UConn can hold up physically enough on the front line, like if they don’t just get absolutely annihilated by Michigan’s size and if Michigan doesn’t quite shoot as well as they did against Arizona. Michigan shot insanely well in that game, like there was a magnet ball out there. It was very hard for me to watch.

But for UConn, if Michigan doesn’t shoot super well and Dan Hurley can put them in the blender and guys like Mullins can hit threes, I think they’ve got a really good shot at an upset.

Welcome back to the Colin Cowherd podcast.

I feel like this is an emergency podcast being that I live in Chicago and have Bulls season tickets, and Danny Parkins loves the Bulls.

He joined me on the pod to discuss this weekend’s NCAA Tournament games between UConn and Illinois, and Michigan and Arizona.

Colin Cowherd on Illinois vs. UConn

Hard Rock Bet has UConn listed at +2.5 against Illinois. Michigan is a 1.5-point favorite over Arizona.

Illinois is fascinating. They went heavy into the European market and Brad Underwood has built a team that is intentional, that is efficient, that’s got size. They’ve got Peja Stojakovic’s son, the Ivisic twins from Croatia and an under-recruited freshman guard, Keaton Wagler, who is impossible to defend at the college level.

I think they’re going to be a handful for UConn.

I think Illinois is better offensively. I think they have more weapons. I think they’re going to be really hard to defend.

I’d probably say Illinois is going to win it, but I think it’s a one or two-point game. I would take UConn with the points.

Colin’s Pick: UConn +2.5

Colin Cowherd on Arizona vs. Michigan

I went to the United Center because I wanted to see Michigan in person. They’re the best passing college team I’ve ever seen.

Watching Michigan live, you see different things. To go on a 21-0 run in the Elite 8 on a neutral floor is like, whoa whoa whoa.

Between Michigan and Arizona, we could have nine NBA players on the floor at the same time. This is why NIL is great.

I look at Michigan and I’m like, they don’t really have great guard play. But when it comes to passing, shooting threes, and size, they may have the best players.

I’ll take Michigan in this one.

Colin’s Pick: Michigan ML (-120)

Danny Parkins on the semifinals and status of Cinderella

I have some UConn futures that I’m just going to let ride, so I won’t be placing a bet on the other side of it.

The argument for backing UConn is that their coach is just much better.

Arizona-Michigan feels like the NFC Championship game to me. We knew the winner of Rams-Seahawks would win the Super Bowl.

I would be pretty floored if the left side of the bracket, the Illinois-UConn winner, beat the Arizona-Michigan winner. I think that Arizona-Michigan game is going to be all time.

And as someone who said after the opening weekend of the tournament that Cinderella was dead and that they’ve taken some of the madness out of March, allow me this opportunity to say these games have delivered.

The end is now much better than the beginning. The second weekend was so great. And this weekend in Indy should deliver the greatest semifinal matchup ever based on KenPom’s ratings between Arizona and Michigan. They’ll become the two highest-rated teams to meet in a semifinal, ever.

Then you’ve got Dan Hurley, who’s going for three titles in four years. And Illinois is a wildly talented, high-end offensive team that can score 90 points. It’s great – it’s so great.

On this week’s show, I was joined by David Ross to talk Cubs baseball, Wrigleyville, and the World Baseball Classic.

Anthony Rizzo will join us next – Rizzo and Ross, the lovable reunion. They’ll look back on the 10-year anniversary of the magical 2016 Cubs World Series win.

Cubs Outlook, Bregman Impact, and Opening Day Buzz

This Cubs team upgraded their staff, added Alex Bregman, and they’re favored to win their division – and should be. Milwaukee, just up the road, is becoming quite a rivalry. They’ve done a really good job there, constantly rotating guys in and out, and it’s going to be a good battle.

I’m excited about that staff, especially with Cade Horton for a full season – hopefully he can stay healthy. They’ve got some dudes up there in Chicago. And being around Bregman – this guy is up first thing in the morning looking at scouting reports, texting coaches, talking about tunneling, breaking pitches – he’s a baseball rat. That’s going to make everybody in that clubhouse better. They’re going to have a really good season. I’m pretty confident in that.

Why Wrigleyville Is One of a Kind

One thing I noticed my first summer in Chicago – I always tell people, if Wrigleyville were in Berlin, it would be a bucket-list destination for Americans. People who haven’t been don’t understand it. I’ve been six or seven times, going back to my ESPN days, and even recently for a Michigan-Northwestern football game. It’s as great as anything we have in America. It’s sort of like our Wimbledon. There’s nothing else like it.

It’s like an SEC football game in Baton Rouge: lightning in the air, 88 degrees, everyone sweating, you can smell bourbon in the stadium. There’s nothing like an LSU night game, and there’s nothing like Wrigleyville. They call it the biggest beer garden in Illinois on game days. It’s wild.

Kyle Tucker, Cubs Fans, and Superstar Expectations

Kyle Tucker, now with the Dodgers, was a Cub last season. One criticism from Cubs fans was that he didn’t seem to “love it.” But people show it in different ways. Major League Baseball is a long grind – spring training through the playoffs, nearly 200 games.

But Cubs fans are different. You go to a Dodgers game, it’s a lot of older fans. Wrigley is young – it’s a party every home game. Do you think it’s possible Kyle Tucker just wasn’t a great fit with the Cubs personality-wise, or is it just one of those things where he didn’t have a great year and people are going to pick on him? I mean, with the Dodgers, he may be their sixth-best player. He’s a really good player, but it felt like he kind of got beat up by the media and fans here.

David Ross on Kyle Tucker’s Cubs Tenure

I think everybody’s personality is a little bit different. I mean, he got off to such a great start, had a little bit of injuries in the second half that hindered his numbers, but he carried those guys.

I talk to Rizzo all the time – I was a backup. The reason why I got so much love, the “Grandpa Rossy” nickname, and leadership tag for that group was because I was responsible for catching Lester. It didn’t matter. I didn’t have to bring it every day. I brought my energy to other guys, making sure I was lifting them up. When you’re the middle-of-the-order bat, you’ve got to make sure you’re taken care of and you’re carrying the group. If your horses suck, the team’s going to suck. If the Mike Trouts and the Aaron Judges aren’t very good, the team’s not going to be very good.

Going back to Kyle Tucker and not knowing him very well, I do think he’s such a good fit for the Dodgers because like you said, they have stars, they have guys who are going to talk to the media. When you’re a guy that would rather be left alone and do your own thing, it’s easier to be the fourth or fifth guy. Kris Bryant went through a little bit of that early on – Rizzo would answer questions, Lester would answer questions, and KB just wanted to go play baseball. Some guys are just wired like that, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

But I think Chicago is so close to the players and so passionate about their teams that they want to see personality. They want somebody to either be pissed or show emotion. I got a lot of love for yelling at umpires all the time, and now Counsell doesn’t – it’s just different styles. I wish I wouldn’t have gotten thrown out of so many games.

Everybody’s a little bit different. I’m an emotional guy, I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I think it’s going to be great for this podcast. But I do think Kyle Tucker probably gets a little bit of that because people just want a little bit more from their superstars. When you get paid a lot of money, fans want a lot out of you.

David Ross on the World Baseball Classic Atmosphere

It did feel like every game was a playoff game. Even leading up to it, like our game against Great Britain, we’re supposed to pound them, 10-run rule them. It was a playoff atmosphere immediately in the middle of spring training, where normally there are guardrails. Mark DeRosa was dealing with teams and pitch counts, but these guys didn’t care – they wanted to throw, they wanted to go past limits.

And I know from the last WBC that Venezuela was the loudest game they had ever been apart of, and I can second that. Mexico in Houston was another one. The Dominican Republic game was incredibly loud, and it featured one of the best lineups ever assembled.

It was so loud in the bullpen I had to sit next to the phone because I couldn’t hear it ring if I was watching the game. I had to watch on the screen down there.

On this week’s show, I was joined by ‘First Things First’ co-host Danny Parkins to talk NFL futures and win totals.

Chicago Bears, 9.5 total wins. Is that the easiest bet of the offseason?

The Bears have added Coby Bryant, Devin Bush, Garrett Bradbury at center. Caleb’s going to get better in his third year. And by the way, they play the NFC South and the AFC East next season. They’re beating the Dolphins and the Jets.

Yeah, give me Bears over 9.5 wins.

Danny Parkins on the Bears’ Regression

The regression case is simple: they had seven comeback wins, they led the league in takeaways, and their left guard, center, right guard, and right tackle all played over 90% of the snaps. You’re going to have some offensive line injuries. And obviously the Dalman injury – you’ve already lost your center out of that equation. So it’s going to be a different offensive line, even if they’re bringing the other three pieces back.

But Caleb is going to be better. He just is.

Colston Loveland and Luther Burden were accelerating at the end of the year. Loveland became, what, the second-best tight end in football? I think so.

I think the Bears have an incredibly high offensive ceiling this year. I think they’re going into the year believing they can be the best offense in football. Now, probably a third of the league believes that – Dallas believes it, the Rams believe it, the Jaguars believe it – so I’m not saying I’m picking them to be number one offense. But they absolutely think they can be.

The schedule point is a good one. Caleb’s improvement in year two under Ben Johnson – year three in the league – this is the leap year. He got better every month last season as he learned the system. I can’t even imagine how big of a leap he could take from year two to year three.

You’re not going to hear me come on here and say I think the Bears are an eight-win team. No shot.