THE HERD – Hour 2 – What Happened To Caitlin Clark?

You know what needs more love? The assist. We celebrate the goal, but the build-up and the hands-off moments make it happen, on the pitch and in life.

We’ve watched everyone—USA, Germany, Argentina, England, France, Spain, Portugal—and the first week has been a show. Our top goals list lit up by Reyna, Balogun, Mbappé, and a vintage Messi turn felt like instant classics.

Joining me is Ethan Strauss. This USA opener felt different. Is soccer finally breaking through here in a lasting way?

It’s a new level, Colin. In 1994 the USA opener drew around nine million; Paraguay pulled roughly 27 million, which says we’re in a different country now, and it feels like a slow burn that just turned into a surge—are you ready to start mixing Liverpool into your picks?

Two things drive it: live sports rule TV, and the U.S. looks good with real European-club talent. Does our quality explain the jump?

Partly, yes. We’ve got good players at major clubs, Messi’s a household name, and streaming made the sport easy to follow—plus, your colleagues get real smart once they’ve got a bet down.

Jalen Brunson’s run was wild. What does his rise tell us about today’s NBA?

He’s excellent, but the takes swung from ‘inefficient’ to ‘best alive’ in a week. The deeper lesson is this parity era rewards teams with either a mountain of draft picks or stars willing to take less, and that last part makes players and writers a little uneasy but it’s real.

You can’t carry dead money now. What about the LeBron-to-Warriors chatter—would it work?

It’s a flashy idea that still feels odd given Steph and LeBron’s history. Ownership might chase it because options are thin, but I’m not sure the fan base—or Steph—truly wants it.

Caitlin Clark, Nike, and the WNBA—did they miss their window?

The shoe looks great but it arrived late, likely slowed by internal politics and competing promises. If the league and brand underplay her, the market follows, and she didn’t bulldoze the process either.

Appreciate you, Ethan. Back to the Cup—stars are shining, group-stage bangers stacked up with all-timers, and the week’s been phenomenal.

I’ve followed this sport forever, and this U.S. roster finally looks deep; I can circle a bunch of true difference-makers. I’m a cautious optimist turned positive after that opener.

Tyler Adams talked about what it felt like to play at home and the belief around this team.

Walking out in L.A. and feeling that support was new for me. We want to change how people view American players, and the belief in the group is real.

We’re easy to root against, but when we lock in, we usually compete. World titles are rare even for the giants, and we’re closer to that velvet rope than ever.

It’s the year of the underdog vibe. The ‘94 Cup helped birth MLS; the scene at SoFi was next-level.

Landing Balogun over England was a recruiting-style win that signals real momentum.

MLS keeps drawing icons, and this core of Adams, McKennie, and Pulisic is pushing the rise.

Switching gears—Deion on Shedeur raised eyebrows.

Deion was a great player, average coach and agent; I see Shedeur as an NFL starter in that middle tier. In today’s social world he could become a Tebow-level influencer even if the record sits around seven wins.

Fair, but will he notch a playoff win like Tebow did?

The media machine will amplify everything, so execs stay publicly supportive while they evaluate. I’d take a supplemental swing on Brendan Soresby if I’m Arizona or even Dallas, then stash and learn.

Quick Caitlin Clark note: the buzz and All-Star votes cooled, which shows timing and promotion matter as much as skill.

Social media is a funhouse mirror; soccer’s real audience is massive in big cities. Ignore the trolls and look at the numbers.

This feels like the surge moment for soccer. The question is whether you’ll keep it in the rotation after the tournament.

The Paraguay opener drew around 29 million, and a showdown with England would be championship-level TV. When it’s an event, timing barely matters—people show up.

And the goals help—three in the first half sells the sport fast.

Tournament expansion worked, the underdogs have teeth, and week one was a blast. Before we go, let’s give the assist its due, because the finish only exists thanks to the play before it.