Best of The Herd

We’re live in Chicago on The Herd with a packed day, and I opened by teeing up a debate sparked by Robert Horry’s visit: should LeBron get a Lakers statue?

Stars who transform franchises deserve statues where they made an impact, even across multiple cities, because it’s not only about titles, it’s about elevating the whole show.

The Lakers play by a different code; statues there honor lifelong pillars like Magic, Kobe, Kareem, and West, while LeBron felt more like a brilliant contractor and life raft than family, so a Crypto.com statue doesn’t meet that bar.

On quarterbacks, Kyler Murray is the high-ceiling reclamation bet; with Kevin O’Connell, Justin Jefferson, and that line in Minnesota, the elite traits outweigh size and focus worries, and he could hit ten wins.

Minnesota can land Kyler on a low deal, and the setup—O’Connell, invested line, Jefferson, Addison, Hockenson—mirrors what revived Sam Darnold.

Quarterback comebacks hinge on the right coach, not a star back or WR, and the Vikings give Kyler his best chance to flourish now.

Johnny Manziel joined to talk about mentoring Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia; what’s the message you’re giving him?

Diego was living the college‑star life before we met, so I told him to tighten up, carry himself with class, own mistakes, and be ready to answer hard questions; he’ll need to grind for a roster shot, not expect draft-day favors.

If you could redo one thing from your career, what would it be?

I’d delay the partying and lock in on building a foundation; I didn’t work hard enough in Cleveland, I accept that, and now I’m focused on using my story to help people.

Would a steadier franchise have changed your path?

Leaders tried to reach me in Cleveland, but I wasn’t ready; the wake‑up had to come from life, and that growth took years.

How do you see NIL and the transfer portal—opportunity or risk?

Players earning is good, but they need financial education and real guardrails; agents and tampering create chaos, and the portal can strand kids, even as NIL fuels true parity.

Austin’s a blast—did fun derail Texas, or was it something else?

Texas stumbled on key recruiting decisions; I’m into the new parity and think the Big Ten’s pulling serious weight right now.

You sound transformed—what got you here?

Therapy, faith, a better circle, and honest self‑work; I try to leave people with a positive interaction and a steadier presence.

Quick football check: what do you see in Fernando Mendoza?

He throws with zip, reads defenses well, and with patience in a rebuild and the right help, he can become very good.

Appreciate you, Johnny—door’s open anytime.

Thanks for having me; much love to the crew.

Johnny’s growth is real, and the college legend remains—he was electric at A&M, the rare guy even Saban couldn’t corral; long live Johnny Football.