1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:05,440 Speaker 1: This is ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports station. 2 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:10,440 Speaker 2: That is US. It's four minutes after three o'clock on Moleger. 3 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:15,360 Speaker 2: This is ESPN fifteen thirty. Thank you so much for listening. Hopefully. Hey, 4 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 2: you had a great weekend. B you had an awesome Easter. 5 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:20,960 Speaker 2: And see your week is off to a great start. 6 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:24,640 Speaker 2: Our week is off to a great start because we're 7 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 2: a Twin Peaks in Westchester. No, it's not football season. No, 8 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 2: it's not the Tony and Mo Football Show. Tony is 9 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 2: not here, although I wish he was because it's always 10 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 2: awesome being in his company. But we're here between now 11 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 2: and six o'clock. If you have been with us at 12 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:44,280 Speaker 2: any point over the last six years, this is the 13 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 2: home of the Tony and Mo Football Show. And can't 14 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:50,680 Speaker 2: wait to be back later on this fall. But you know, 15 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 2: there are occasions where I need a little bit of 16 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 2: a Twin Peaks fix. And I think since we started 17 00:00:57,360 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 2: doing the Tony and Mo Football Show at Twin Peaks 18 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 2: in twan that I have gotten my Twin Peaks fix. 19 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 2: Every single year in April, on the Monday of the 20 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 2: College basketball National Championship Game, which is obviously this year, 21 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 2: tonight as a Michigan and Yukon get set to play 22 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 2: as stoked for that Red's play tonight. Coming off a 23 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 2: series sweep in Texas, we have a lot of that 24 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:25,119 Speaker 2: to cover between now and six o'clock. Show previews available 25 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:28,840 Speaker 2: on Twitter at Moeger Thanks to shareffax Credit Union. Learn 26 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 2: about the benefits of shareffac's credit union membership by going 27 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 2: to shareffax dot org. But if you're thinking, you know what, 28 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:39,960 Speaker 2: I live in Westchester or the the Westchester area north 29 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 2: of Cincinnati, south of Dayton. I'm looking for a place 30 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:45,960 Speaker 2: to post up and have a great meal. Okay, check 31 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 2: that box year at Twin Peaks, I get a nice 32 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 2: cold beer. Well, obviously you could check that box here 33 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 2: at Twin Peaks, where there's tons of TVs and I 34 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 2: could watch the Reds game in a National Championship game. Well, 35 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 2: you could check those boxes here at Twin Peaks. All 36 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 2: you got to do is get here. We are here 37 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 2: till six o'clock Twin Peaks in Westchester, right off I 38 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 2: seventy five the Union Center Boulevard exit. Obviously we can't 39 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 2: wait to be here later on this fall, but it's 40 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 2: fun to be here today. It is gorgeous outside, although 41 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 2: a little cool, a little bit on the windy side, 42 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 2: but a very nice spring day here in Westchester. Great 43 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 2: data post up here at twin Peaks. In about thirty minutes, 44 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:27,919 Speaker 2: a guy who I think is a really cool job, 45 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 2: the official historian of ESPN, is going to join us. 46 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 2: There's a cool documentary on ESPN tonight about ESPN And 47 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 2: if you're a sports fan. As much as sports fans 48 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 2: love to talk about how much they hate ESPN, you 49 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 2: still watch it a lot, you still consume it a lot, 50 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:44,359 Speaker 2: still go to ESPN dot com, And so we'll chat 51 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 2: with him. Coming up in just about thirty minutes. We've 52 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 2: got some NFL Draft stuff to get to a little 53 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 2: bit later on some college basketball as well. We'll start, though, 54 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 2: with what the Reds did this weekend in Arlington. They 55 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,920 Speaker 2: got great pitching. The defense continues to be spectacular, the 56 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 2: bullpen work continues to be top notch. The Reds one 57 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 2: swept a series over the Rangers, a series in which 58 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 2: they scored a grand total of nine runs. Reet Louder 59 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 2: was terrific on Saturday. Chase Burns yesterday though, was electrifying, 60 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 2: showing a change up coming after hitters routinely hitting three 61 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 2: digits on the gun, not backing down. He was terrific. Now, 62 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 2: we've talked a lot about the red starting rotation with 63 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:32,919 Speaker 2: the absence of Hunter Green and Nicolodolo, and those are 64 00:03:32,919 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 2: big absences. And your guess is as good as mine 65 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 2: as to win Hunter's gonna pitch. Your guess is as 66 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 2: good as mine as to win Nick is gonna pitch, 67 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 2: and how or when the blister issue is gonna be rectified, 68 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 2: And we've talked about the fallout from that being the 69 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 2: fact that you're giving a heavy workload to dudes who 70 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 2: don't have a lot of experience. But whole boy, there's 71 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 2: a ton of upside and maybe we'll start to see 72 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 2: that with Brandon Williams in Beginning tonight, but a whole 73 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 2: boy with Chase Burns, like, there's legitimate, legitimate staff ace 74 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 2: potential with that guy. And I don't want to diminish 75 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 2: Ret Louder and his big league future, but it is 76 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:13,840 Speaker 2: so much fun to think about the high end of 77 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 2: some of these pitchers, and it's so much fun to 78 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 2: think about how good and deep the starting rotation could 79 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 2: be if guys like Burns and Louder realize their upside 80 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 2: this season. The most important part of this weekend though, 81 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 2: for me, was the fact that the Reds won three 82 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:34,720 Speaker 2: games in which they didn't hit a ton. The three 83 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:37,679 Speaker 2: homers on Friday, they win a game where they score 84 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:40,359 Speaker 2: all their runs via the homer. Home runs are cool. 85 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 2: Last year's team couldn't do that. They won the last 86 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:47,279 Speaker 2: two nights, winning two zip and two to one, scoring 87 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 2: a whopping four runs. Let's be honest, this may have been, 88 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 2: especially the last two days, a little bit of an 89 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:58,919 Speaker 2: extreme version of what the Reds are probably at certain 90 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 2: points during this season going to have to be. This 91 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 2: is a team that I think we all believe has 92 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 2: the capability of hitting more than its hit so far 93 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:11,480 Speaker 2: this season. It would help if they got more production 94 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 2: from the lead off spot. TJ. Friedel's not having a 95 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 2: very good year. By the way, It's worth pointing out 96 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:19,480 Speaker 2: Reese Hines, the reigning now International League Player of the Week, 97 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 2: has been getting some work in center field. Let's be honest, though, 98 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 2: as much as we love the acquisition of a Uhaneosuarez, 99 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 2: as much as we're all I think so stoked for 100 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:31,720 Speaker 2: what Sal Stewart's going to be able to do as 101 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 2: much as we're really hopeful that Ellie de la Cruz 102 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:37,360 Speaker 2: can have a quality season, and he's already hit three homers, 103 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 2: his base running the other night was a major reason 104 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 2: why they won that second game against Texas. The reality is, 105 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:47,160 Speaker 2: for most of us, this is probably not going to 106 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:50,279 Speaker 2: be a high end offensive team. Could be dead wrong 107 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 2: about it now. You know, as much as they struggled 108 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:56,080 Speaker 2: offensively last year, it's not like they were a league 109 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 2: worst offensive team. They weren't in the bottom third of 110 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 2: the league in runs score. They were fourteenth. But they're 111 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 2: gonna have stretches in all likelihood where they don't hit 112 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 2: a ton. Still got to find a way to win games. 113 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:09,279 Speaker 2: Tarren and I were just talking about this right before 114 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 2: we went on the air. You gotta find a way 115 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:13,159 Speaker 2: to win games where you don't have a very large 116 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 2: margin for air. How do you do that, Well, you 117 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 2: start with elite starting pitching. The Reds got that each 118 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 2: of the last two days. You continue with great bullpen work, 119 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:25,600 Speaker 2: and I think what I loved most about the game 120 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:29,239 Speaker 2: yesterday is the Reds had to manage the latter innings. 121 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 2: They had to get through the eighth and ninth inning, 122 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 2: the seventh eighth and ninth inning, despite not having some 123 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 2: of their I don't know, you might argue better bullets 124 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:41,239 Speaker 2: available in the bullpen, they had to throw Connor Phillips 125 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:44,840 Speaker 2: into a very high leverage situation against good hitters. In 126 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 2: the eighth inning, they had brock Burke. The brock Burke 127 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:50,920 Speaker 2: revenge game played itself out yesterday in Arlington. They used 128 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:56,040 Speaker 2: him in the ninth inning. Nick Cross spent time this offseason, 129 00:06:56,880 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 2: a lot of time this offseason trying to trying to 130 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 2: reshape the bullpen and trying to ensure that that there 131 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:06,680 Speaker 2: were more options for Tito laid in games, and so 132 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 2: far most of those options have worked out. I think 133 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 2: it's completely reasonable to wonder by the middle of the 134 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 2: season who's going to close, because I'm not entirely sure, 135 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 2: and I know there's a lot of folks, maybe you, 136 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 2: who share this opinion, not entirely sure that on a 137 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 2: team that's winning ninety games, which is kind of what 138 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:25,080 Speaker 2: the goal should be here, that Amelia Pagan is your 139 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 2: ninth inning guy. So who does emerge as that ninth 140 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 2: inning guy? Most of us, many of us least at 141 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 2: least believe the answer is going to be Connor Phillips. 142 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 2: But in the short term, they won these games with 143 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 2: terrific starting pitching, a lot of relievers pitching in high 144 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 2: leverage situations, which highlights the fact that Tito's got more 145 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 2: options back there than he's had. And also great defense. 146 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 2: Like I think a lot of us roll our eyes 147 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:56,160 Speaker 2: when we hear about you know how the Reds are 148 00:07:56,240 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 2: leaning in on great defense and I have issues and 149 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:02,640 Speaker 2: maybe you do as well with putting a guy to 150 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 2: corner infield position who's just not a good hitter and 151 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 2: keep Brian Hayes just statistically is not a good hitter, 152 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:15,280 Speaker 2: but he was acquired and he's on the team because 153 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 2: of his glove. He's got an elite glove. This team 154 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 2: so far this season, not only have they not made 155 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 2: an error, there haven't been many plays that I can 156 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 2: think of where they gave a guy an extra base 157 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 2: or they did something mentally in the field that doesn't 158 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 2: necessarily get registered as an error. But defensively, it's a 159 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 2: problem and it comes back to bite him. They've made 160 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 2: all the routine plays. They've made a handful of really 161 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 2: good plays. They haven't done anything dumb in the field. 162 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 2: This team, in its recent history, we've often talked about 163 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 2: this with the Reds widens or shrinks its margin for air, 164 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:54,200 Speaker 2: and at times with shaky defense, it is shrunk its 165 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:58,560 Speaker 2: margin for air. This year's team so far has widened it. 166 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:01,679 Speaker 2: They want a seeri this weekend where they didn't exactly 167 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 2: tear the cover off the ball. Yes they got great pitching. 168 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 2: Yes they struck out fifteen hitters yesterday. Yes they had 169 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 2: a lot of options in the back end of the bullpen. 170 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 2: But also they're not taking their already small margin for 171 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 2: error and making it even smaller because they're throwing the 172 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 2: ball all over the place or committing a bunch of 173 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:22,360 Speaker 2: mental mistakes in the field that can go a long way. 174 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 2: That can help you rip off five, six, seven, eight 175 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:29,200 Speaker 2: wins in a row, which this team didn't do last year. 176 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:32,280 Speaker 2: That can help you get through stretches where you're not 177 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 2: hitting a bunch. And to me, that's one of the 178 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:37,440 Speaker 2: big questions about this season. It's not so much are 179 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:40,240 Speaker 2: they gonna hit more. They're gonna hit more home runs 180 00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 2: this season in all likelihood than they did last year. 181 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:46,840 Speaker 2: I believe most of us think this team will score 182 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:49,959 Speaker 2: more runs per game, slightly at least more than they 183 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:54,480 Speaker 2: did last year. But can they win games when guys 184 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:57,079 Speaker 2: aren't hitting, when a handful of players are going through 185 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:59,959 Speaker 2: a slump, when a handful of players are maybe not available, 186 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 2: can they Can they find ways to win games when 187 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 2: offensively they're not at their best? And can they find 188 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:10,679 Speaker 2: ways to extend winning streaks because they don't shrink their 189 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:13,440 Speaker 2: margin for error, because they make all the right plays 190 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:16,319 Speaker 2: in the field, and because they could still win games 191 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 2: when maybe some relievers that they would love to use 192 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 2: in high leverage situations aren't necessarily available. This weekend they 193 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:27,080 Speaker 2: checked a lot of boxes. It's obviously very early. They've 194 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 2: played nine games. We'll see how this series in Miami 195 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 2: unfolds starting tonight. We'll see how the rest of the 196 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:35,079 Speaker 2: month unfolds. But what I took away from this weekend, 197 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:36,720 Speaker 2: and you can tell me if you agree or disagree 198 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:39,439 Speaker 2: at five win, three, seven, four, nine, fifteen thirty is 199 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:41,560 Speaker 2: I saw a team that at the very least was 200 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 2: capable of winning games where the margin for error is 201 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:48,560 Speaker 2: very small because the offense isn't very good right now. 202 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:52,120 Speaker 2: And that's that sounds harsh, but it's not untrue. The 203 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:55,480 Speaker 2: two games prior to the series in Texas, they scored 204 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 2: three runs apiece. It's not exactly like Dave were on 205 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 2: fire in that whole homestand with a split three of six, 206 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:04,520 Speaker 2: they've scored the second fewest runs in the National League, 207 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 2: yet they've won six out of the nine games they've played. 208 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 2: That is a statement about pitching. It's a statement about defense. 209 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 2: It's a statement about not making your margin for error 210 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 2: even smaller. And it would suggest this weekend that maybe 211 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:20,440 Speaker 2: this year's team is going to be slightly more capable 212 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 2: of winning games during longer stretches when the offense isn't 213 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 2: very good. We will see quarter after three ESPN fifteen thirty. 214 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:31,400 Speaker 2: You can send a tweet to this show to me 215 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:35,559 Speaker 2: at Mugger. Please follow thank you tweets that come your 216 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 2: way come your way thanks to Delta Dental. Delta Dental 217 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 2: is building healthy, smart, vibrant communities for all good at 218 00:11:42,920 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 2: Delta Dental, oh dot com. It seems hard to believe, 219 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 2: but we are closing in on being two weeks away 220 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:52,920 Speaker 2: from the NFL Draft, which I can't wait for. Paul 221 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:56,840 Speaker 2: Danner Junior joins us in studio tomorrow as we'll start 222 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 2: to dive through some Bengals draft options. Joe Goodbury liter 223 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 2: on this week. Looking forward to that as well. Bengals 224 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 2: are bringing in Jeremiah Love for a visit, which that's 225 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:10,680 Speaker 2: getting a lot of chatter online, which I'm here for 226 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:13,920 Speaker 2: got some thoughts on that this year. The National Title 227 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 2: Game is tonight with Yukon taking on Michigan. The transfer 228 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:21,320 Speaker 2: portal is about to open tomorrow. We've got college hoops 229 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:25,360 Speaker 2: to get to as well. Now, I said a lot 230 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 2: of really nice things about the Reds, and they deserved 231 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:29,600 Speaker 2: it because they swept the Rangers. You sweep a road series, 232 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 2: nice things get said about you. But the fun thing 233 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 2: about having a team that's in the hunt, and I 234 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:37,080 Speaker 2: think most of us expect the Reds to be in 235 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:40,040 Speaker 2: the hunt, is to discuss what we're about to discuss 236 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:43,920 Speaker 2: next at Twin Peaks in Westchester sixteen minutes after three 237 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:46,720 Speaker 2: o'clock on Moeger Glad You're with us today on ESPN 238 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:48,840 Speaker 2: fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports. 239 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:54,560 Speaker 1: Station ESPN fifteen thirty. Traffic from the. 240 00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:57,600 Speaker 3: UC Health Traffic Center. Considered becoming a living kidney donor 241 00:12:57,679 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 3: during Donate Life Month. The experts you see health can 242 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 3: answer all of your questions. The fight for life begins 243 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 3: with one step learn more at you sehealth dot com. 244 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:11,640 Speaker 3: Slash transplant right now. Seventy five North Bond from Mitchell 245 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:15,200 Speaker 3: Accident found that entrance wrap in traffic is merging early, 246 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:18,040 Speaker 3: so caution is advised. Seventy one northbound of writing a 247 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:21,440 Speaker 3: work crew on the shoulder and seventy five north Bob 248 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 3: Mitchell to town is about an eight minute drive. I'm 249 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:25,679 Speaker 3: Rick Shremp with traffic. 250 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:29,320 Speaker 2: Twin Peaks in Westchester today. This is ESPN fifteen thirty Monegger. 251 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:33,480 Speaker 2: I did two shows last week from Indianapolis. If you 252 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:36,920 Speaker 2: missed them, we had Jared Calhoun on the UC Coach. 253 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:39,160 Speaker 2: We had Jake Diebler on the Ohio State Coach. I 254 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 2: got a lot of really friendly correspondence about that too, 255 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 2: by the way, that was nice. Uh, Dray Carroll join 256 00:13:45,840 --> 00:13:48,800 Speaker 2: the show really quick because I got a lot of 257 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:51,240 Speaker 2: questions about those shows we did in Indie. First of all, 258 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 2: let me tell you that if you missed them, you 259 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:55,680 Speaker 2: can go listen to them right now or later tonight 260 00:13:55,760 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 2: or tomorrow on the iHeartRadio app. I pointed out some 261 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 2: of the low figures that we talked with, like Trey Carroll, 262 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:06,200 Speaker 2: who was terrific, and like Jared Calhoun, who actually like 263 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:09,800 Speaker 2: broke some news on our show about scheduling. By the way, 264 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:12,000 Speaker 2: a shout out to Scott Springer of the Inquiry for 265 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:15,360 Speaker 2: mentioning our show and his piece about what Jared Calhoun 266 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:18,280 Speaker 2: mentioned and including links to where you could listen to 267 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 2: the entire interview. That was nice. It was fun talking 268 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:24,960 Speaker 2: with Jared. It was fun talking with Jake Diebler. Now 269 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:28,000 Speaker 2: I had folks ask, well, why didn't you have Richard 270 00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 2: Patino on or why didn't you have Darren Horn on? 271 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 2: Or I would have been happy to talk to either. 272 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 2: We have great relationships with both. We talked to who 273 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:41,440 Speaker 2: they gave us that made sense for our audience. So 274 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:45,200 Speaker 2: we're in a room and they they roll through Jared 275 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 2: Calhoun and they go, well, Jared Calhoun would would make 276 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:52,160 Speaker 2: sense for the guy in Cincinnati, or Jake Diebler would 277 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 2: make sense for a station in Ohio. Those coaches didn't 278 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 2: go on the stations in Raleigh or Kansas City. To 279 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:03,640 Speaker 2: the best of my knowledge, I don't know why they 280 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:05,520 Speaker 2: didn't roll in some of the other coaches I have 281 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 2: been asked about. I also had somebody ask, why did 282 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 2: you interview Trey Carroll? Really? Really, By the way, like, 283 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:14,800 Speaker 2: I'm as big of a Bearcat fan as you will 284 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 2: meet Trey Carroll. The first thing that I'll think of 285 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:20,000 Speaker 2: when his name is mentioned decades from now is the 286 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:24,560 Speaker 2: Xavier beating UC and Trey Carroll hanging thirty on the Bearcats. 287 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 2: He was still awesome to talk to, Like, those are 288 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 2: shows where you just you can't please everybody, so I 289 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 2: tried try as I may. If you missed him, they're 290 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:39,720 Speaker 2: available on the iHeartRadio app or my page at ESPN 291 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 2: fifteen thirty dot com. But anyway, we did two shows 292 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:46,200 Speaker 2: from Indie last week, and then I was off the 293 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:50,280 Speaker 2: first three days of last week, and then prior to 294 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:52,960 Speaker 2: that we had opening Day. We had our show at 295 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 2: the Morelin Lockerhouse. I think I've done one show in 296 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:59,520 Speaker 2: studio in two weeks, which mean the down part of 297 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 2: that is I don't get a chance to see Tern, 298 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:03,960 Speaker 2: don't get a chance to interact with him one on one. 299 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:07,480 Speaker 2: But I like being out at places cool, being here 300 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:09,720 Speaker 2: at Twin Peaks in Westchester. We will be back in 301 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:13,520 Speaker 2: studio tomorrow and for the rest of the week. Reds 302 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 2: win three straight in Texas and that's the headline. And 303 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:19,440 Speaker 2: at the end of the day, get wins. They have. 304 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 2: I don't know what you define as the start of 305 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:26,160 Speaker 2: the season. I make it about the first twenty seven 306 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 2: games because I like to. I like to view it 307 00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:33,040 Speaker 2: through the lens of like six different twenty seven game stretches. 308 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 2: Twenty seven games has won sixth of the season. But 309 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 2: we have seen red seasons go up and smoke because 310 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:44,040 Speaker 2: they start one in nine or three and fifteen, or hell, 311 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:47,840 Speaker 2: four years ago, what was it three and twenty two. Well, 312 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 2: that doesn't seem like it's going to be a problem here. 313 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:53,200 Speaker 2: And they have won six of their first nine. Get victories, 314 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:57,200 Speaker 2: get like, just get victories. Play from a head to 315 00:16:57,280 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 2: the extent that you can win every series. Get victories. 316 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:05,359 Speaker 2: Get another one tonight. And it was fun watching him 317 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:08,960 Speaker 2: get a sweep yesterday. Nobody's really paying attention to standings. 318 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 2: The Brewers are off to a great start. The Pirates 319 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:14,360 Speaker 2: are off to a good start. The Cardinals so far, 320 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:17,359 Speaker 2: at least, haven't been as bad as advertised. The Cubs 321 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:20,640 Speaker 2: so far haven't been as good as advertised, but six 322 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 2: and three after nine games is a pretty good place 323 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:26,680 Speaker 2: to be. They do not score a lot of runs. 324 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:30,920 Speaker 2: They've scored twenty six runs in nine games, and I 325 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:34,679 Speaker 2: think I mentioned before that is the second fewest. Actually 326 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:38,760 Speaker 2: it's tied for the fewest in the National League. San 327 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:41,920 Speaker 2: Francisco has only scored twenty six they have played one 328 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:45,120 Speaker 2: more game. The Giants, for what it's worth, are three 329 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:49,919 Speaker 2: and seven, and Tony Vidello, the coach or the manager 330 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:52,399 Speaker 2: who got hired from Tennessee where he was their coach, 331 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 2: got kicked out of the game yesterday. This is probably 332 00:17:56,119 --> 00:17:59,560 Speaker 2: not a high ceiling offensive team, and so you hate 333 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:02,680 Speaker 2: to do this on April the sixth, but how do 334 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:06,640 Speaker 2: you not wonder what they're gonna do with the deadline? 335 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:11,199 Speaker 2: I joked about this last year with Tony and Austin 336 00:18:11,560 --> 00:18:14,879 Speaker 2: where it was brought up on opening Day, what are 337 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:17,280 Speaker 2: they going to do with the deadline? And the reason, 338 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:20,200 Speaker 2: at least for me, the reason I got exasperated with 339 00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 2: that was we're already doing this. When you're doing that, 340 00:18:23,359 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 2: it's an acknowledgment that our team is going to start 341 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 2: the season lacking something. And by the way, once we 342 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:31,679 Speaker 2: got to July, all we talked about was what are 343 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:33,119 Speaker 2: they going to do with the deadline, and as it 344 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:36,880 Speaker 2: turned out, to address the offense not that much. Rees 345 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:40,280 Speaker 2: Hines is off to a killer start in Louisville, named 346 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 2: today the International League Player of the Week. He's getting 347 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:47,919 Speaker 2: some run in center field, which may suggest that, you know, 348 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:50,959 Speaker 2: perhaps they're not thrilled with the work they're getting from TJ. Friedel, 349 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:53,200 Speaker 2: and maybe Resigns is gonna come up and play center field, 350 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:55,360 Speaker 2: or when they call Resigns up, they won him well 351 00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:58,879 Speaker 2: versed at a couple of different outfield positions. You can't 352 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:01,520 Speaker 2: watch his production, You can't kind of pay attention to 353 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 2: the way the season has started for Noelve Marte and 354 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:08,040 Speaker 2: not wonder when's Reese Hine's gonna get here. You also 355 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 2: can't help but be a little bit skeptical that whatever 356 00:19:11,119 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 2: offensive issues they have, Reese Hines is going to be 357 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:17,399 Speaker 2: the solution. This team at the start of spring training 358 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:24,399 Speaker 2: offensively offensively felt incomplete, deep to a degree, maybe the 359 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 2: deepest they've had since I don't know, twenty thirteen, because 360 00:19:29,359 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 2: dudes they acquired this offseason didn't make the team, and 361 00:19:32,359 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 2: guys who had great spring training results didn't make the 362 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:38,400 Speaker 2: team either, But still it felt like the entire offseason 363 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:43,960 Speaker 2: was kind of incomplete. Yes, they acquire ayu Haani Suarez, 364 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:47,240 Speaker 2: Yes they get some good bullpen arms, but it sort 365 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:50,200 Speaker 2: of felt like corner outfield, maybe even a bench bat, 366 00:19:50,280 --> 00:19:53,479 Speaker 2: like they could use one more guy. I don't know 367 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:56,920 Speaker 2: that Reese Hines stands a very good chance of making 368 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 2: us change how we feel. So what you can't help 369 00:19:59,840 --> 00:20:03,000 Speaker 2: but ask is who are they gonna get at the deadline? 370 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:07,680 Speaker 2: How can they survive between now and the deadline offensively? 371 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:11,359 Speaker 2: If what we've seen this weekend is a sign and 372 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:13,439 Speaker 2: what we've seen so far for the first nine games 373 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:16,120 Speaker 2: is a sign of a team not being great offensively, 374 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 2: the chances are we're gonna spend the next three and 375 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:20,439 Speaker 2: a half months wondering who are they gonna get that 376 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:22,520 Speaker 2: helps this team? And I think along with that, it's 377 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:26,120 Speaker 2: who are they gonna be willing to give up? And 378 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:29,160 Speaker 2: if they make a big trade, and I know this 379 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:32,600 Speaker 2: is deep into the distance, if they make a big trade, 380 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:36,240 Speaker 2: will they deal from an area of surplus? Meaning the 381 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:39,880 Speaker 2: starting pitching Twenty nine minutes after three o'clock five point three, 382 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:43,120 Speaker 2: seven four nine, fifteen thirty and eight sixty six seven 383 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:48,480 Speaker 2: oh two three seven seven six. Something extraordinarily interesting is 384 00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:52,840 Speaker 2: happening in college basketball today, and it's not the national 385 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 2: title game. We'll get to that coming up in just 386 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:57,880 Speaker 2: about fifteen minutes. But up next as a guy who 387 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:01,560 Speaker 2: has a very cool job, So we'll talk about his 388 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:05,480 Speaker 2: job and what he's putting on TV tonight. Next, we're 389 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:09,320 Speaker 2: at Twin Peaks in Westchester on ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports. 390 00:21:09,080 --> 00:21:14,960 Speaker 1: Station, Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty. Traffic from the. 391 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 3: UC Health Traffic Center. Considered becoming a living kidney donor 392 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:21,399 Speaker 3: during Donate Life Monthly experts at UC Health can answer 393 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:24,680 Speaker 3: all of your questions. The fight for life begins with 394 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:29,000 Speaker 3: one step. Learn more at UCHealth dot com slash transplant. 395 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 3: We have traffic sewing seventy five southbound Ronald Reagan high 396 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 3: Way to Norway Lateral seventy five north afteron Mitchell the crash. 397 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:38,840 Speaker 3: They're clear now we do have an accident down the ramp. 398 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:41,880 Speaker 3: Just reported seventy five south off ramped at Baromilk Pike 399 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:44,640 Speaker 3: in Kentucky by Rick Shrimp with traffic. 400 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:47,800 Speaker 4: This report is sponsored by Staples. 401 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:49,959 Speaker 1: ESPN fifteen thirty. 402 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:53,639 Speaker 2: Sure have twenty five for four o'clock. This is ESPN 403 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:56,160 Speaker 2: fifteen thirty on Moweger. Thanks so much for listening today. 404 00:21:56,160 --> 00:22:00,600 Speaker 2: We're broadcasting this afternoon from Twin Peaks in west Chester tonight, 405 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:05,120 Speaker 2: debuting on ESPN this. I had a chance to watch 406 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:08,720 Speaker 2: a screener of this this weekend and it's terrific. It's 407 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 2: a documentary called Sports Heaven, The Birth of ESPN. There's 408 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:16,399 Speaker 2: an accompanying audiobook that comes out tomorrow. Will throw links 409 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:20,560 Speaker 2: up to it. This is really good. And I say 410 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:23,960 Speaker 2: this because it's not like ESPN's story hasn't been told 411 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:26,640 Speaker 2: many times. So you're looking for things that you weren't 412 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:30,639 Speaker 2: that familiar with, stories you hadn't heard before, insight that 413 00:22:30,760 --> 00:22:34,959 Speaker 2: wasn't made available previously, and what you'll see tonight and 414 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 2: what you'll hear what the audio book I think is 415 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:40,720 Speaker 2: going to check all those boxes. This is being done 416 00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:43,640 Speaker 2: by Mike Saltis, who has a great job. He's the historian. 417 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 2: He's the official historian of ESPN. Spent years started at 418 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:51,119 Speaker 2: ESPN when he was a college intern in nineteen eighty, 419 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:54,720 Speaker 2: worked in the corporate communications department for decades, was a 420 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:58,879 Speaker 2: vice president and his show is airing tonight. He's a 421 00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:01,280 Speaker 2: Yukon guy, so he's sort of conflicted with the National 422 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:04,280 Speaker 2: title game this evening, but tonight at eight thirty, it's 423 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:06,040 Speaker 2: a great watch, and Mike kind enough to give us 424 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:09,480 Speaker 2: a few minutes. Mike, good afternoon, How are you wonderful? 425 00:23:09,480 --> 00:23:11,639 Speaker 5: Thank you for that intro, and I'm glad you enjoyed it. 426 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 5: And I guess my personal sports happened to have my 427 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 5: documentary against my husbands, so that's why we have the 428 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:22,359 Speaker 5: record button, so we'll be recording the documentary. And I 429 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:25,520 Speaker 5: got to watch the live live Yukon Championship. 430 00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:31,560 Speaker 2: I understand understand wholeheartedly. What does being ESPN's historian involve. 431 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:36,360 Speaker 5: Well, I try to preserve historical things that we have 432 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:41,000 Speaker 5: from press releases, told videos, to press releases, sorry to 433 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 5: press clips, and then try to celebrate the history where 434 00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 5: there's historical things that are relevant today, and then just 435 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:50,160 Speaker 5: help out as media. And there's other films that get 436 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:52,359 Speaker 5: done and people that do articles about things from the 437 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:55,760 Speaker 5: ESPN and the seventies, eighties, nineties. Either I know it 438 00:23:55,880 --> 00:23:57,880 Speaker 5: or I know how to find it pretty quickly. 439 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:03,720 Speaker 2: Before. It's not like ESPN's story hasn't been told. And 440 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 2: if you're a sports fan, you're you're at least I think, 441 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:09,639 Speaker 2: for the most part, somewhat familiar with the basics of 442 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 2: ESPN's origin. So what did you aim to sort of 443 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:16,679 Speaker 2: teach viewers and listeners about. 444 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:20,719 Speaker 5: Well, we started out with Bill Rasmuss, and our founder 445 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:23,720 Speaker 5: kept a diary in nineteen seventy and seventy eight seventy nine. 446 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:27,360 Speaker 5: It was really an amazing sixteen months where he went 447 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:30,760 Speaker 5: from being fired by the Hartford Whalers to launching ESPN 448 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:34,879 Speaker 5: and doing deals with all these major corporations and the 449 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:40,280 Speaker 5: NCAA and cable systems and Getty Oil and on Anheuser 450 00:24:40,359 --> 00:24:43,040 Speaker 5: Busch and did all that as a guy who had 451 00:24:43,119 --> 00:24:45,919 Speaker 5: just been fired, and we took his diary, but then 452 00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 5: we interviewed anybody that we thought was a key element 453 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:51,879 Speaker 5: to what happened at that point. That, of course is 454 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:54,000 Speaker 5: still alive because some of the people, with the passing 455 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:58,440 Speaker 5: of time have passed, but everybody enthusiastically wanted to tell 456 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:02,879 Speaker 5: their story and share what happened in that remarkable stretch 457 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:05,679 Speaker 5: that led to the ESPN that we have known and 458 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:06,720 Speaker 5: loved for decades. 459 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:13,560 Speaker 2: In your opinion, what was the most important development in 460 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:15,359 Speaker 2: ESPN's early history. 461 00:25:17,480 --> 00:25:21,080 Speaker 5: I think that the making the first show, the Sports Center. 462 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:25,200 Speaker 5: We launched on September seven, nineteen seventy nine. George Grant 463 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:28,320 Speaker 5: and Lee Leonard, two respected broadcasters to the first show, 464 00:25:28,359 --> 00:25:32,160 Speaker 5: and Sports Center then became immediately the flagship for ESPN. 465 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:34,959 Speaker 5: It was born out of necessity that they had to 466 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:37,720 Speaker 5: have something to fill in the gaps when sports go 467 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:42,240 Speaker 5: long or go short. They also contractually with the NCAA 468 00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:45,240 Speaker 5: at that era, the NCAA would not allow a pro 469 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:49,440 Speaker 5: sports event to happen next to a college event, so 470 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:51,840 Speaker 5: we needed something. If we had a pro event, even 471 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:56,120 Speaker 5: if it was professional slow pitch softball, we couldn't lead 472 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:58,200 Speaker 5: into a college event, so we needed a program to 473 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:01,320 Speaker 5: go in between. But Sports Center launches and then becomes 474 00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:05,160 Speaker 5: really the flagship for the company ever since, and led 475 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:09,399 Speaker 5: sports Center led to ESPN News and ESPN dot Com 476 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:11,640 Speaker 5: and all the things that we do on digital and social, 477 00:26:12,119 --> 00:26:15,680 Speaker 5: and that investment right out of the box was critical. 478 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:20,800 Speaker 2: From from your perspective sort of being in on the 479 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:24,320 Speaker 2: ground floor of ESPN. What is it like watching what 480 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:27,119 Speaker 2: the network and the company are going to have are 481 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:29,400 Speaker 2: going to go through this year with airing a Super Bowl. 482 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:35,439 Speaker 5: Yeah, that that's really quite a cap for for ESPN 483 00:26:35,480 --> 00:26:38,480 Speaker 5: to have the Super Bowl. There's there's plans to you know, 484 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:41,280 Speaker 5: really things have already started, but there's plans to to 485 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:43,600 Speaker 5: pump it up like it's never been pumped up before, 486 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:46,560 Speaker 5: from now through the through the kickoff, and the game 487 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:49,960 Speaker 5: will be on both ABC and ESPN and and uh 488 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:51,880 Speaker 5: they'll be an all cast and there'll be a lot 489 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:54,879 Speaker 5: of different elements. But to think that that, uh, you 490 00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:57,560 Speaker 5: know the network that started doing the NFL Draft when 491 00:26:57,560 --> 00:27:01,280 Speaker 5: it was on a Tuesday morning and Roselle compared it 492 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:05,639 Speaker 5: to paint drying. You know, now ESPN has has the 493 00:27:05,680 --> 00:27:09,400 Speaker 5: Super Bowl, so it really it really is a cap 494 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:10,680 Speaker 5: for the network. 495 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:15,159 Speaker 2: I think of as a kid growing up in the 496 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 2: eighties when you would watch ESPN, especially during the day 497 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:22,560 Speaker 2: there were monster truck pulls and professional wrestling and old 498 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:26,679 Speaker 2: car races and so was there was there a moment 499 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:29,439 Speaker 2: where you thought, you know what ESPN is about to 500 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:31,600 Speaker 2: go from that to eventually what it would become. 501 00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:36,840 Speaker 5: Yeah, a lot of us that worked here were early believers. 502 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 5: So there were some that this was before direct deposit, 503 00:27:39,920 --> 00:27:42,480 Speaker 5: that everybody would get their check from the Getty Oil 504 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:45,040 Speaker 5: company that owned us and run to the bank to 505 00:27:45,119 --> 00:27:48,120 Speaker 5: deposit it. That you know that it wouldn't it would 506 00:27:48,160 --> 00:27:51,879 Speaker 5: bounce otherwise. I always had a comfort in the idea 507 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:54,840 Speaker 5: of television sports, and also the fact that an oil 508 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:57,880 Speaker 5: company's check isn't going to bounce. But I believed all 509 00:27:57,920 --> 00:27:59,840 Speaker 5: along that there was a market for it. That it 510 00:27:59,920 --> 00:28:02,119 Speaker 5: was clear to me that being able to watch sports 511 00:28:02,119 --> 00:28:05,080 Speaker 5: whenever he wanted to watch it, and anybody that's younger 512 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:07,119 Speaker 5: is like, a course, that's kind of a no brainer. 513 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:09,920 Speaker 5: But at that point most people were cynical that it 514 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:12,359 Speaker 5: would work. It was like, now we watched sports on 515 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:15,160 Speaker 5: the weekend, what do we need this for? And boy, 516 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 5: it certainly turned out to be successful, and right out 517 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:20,760 Speaker 5: of the box, like March Madness. 518 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:21,560 Speaker 6: Was not what it is today. 519 00:28:22,040 --> 00:28:24,720 Speaker 5: You had the games on the weekends, but you know 520 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:28,520 Speaker 5: regional semi final games that weren't on television, And there 521 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:31,679 Speaker 5: ESPN before it's a year old, is showing Danny Ainge 522 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:34,280 Speaker 5: going the length of the court for BYU to upset 523 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:37,920 Speaker 5: Notre Dame in a gigantic game, and ESPN was there 524 00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 5: for it, and it kept growing. And then eighty seven 525 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 5: we get the NFL in nineteen ninety major League Baseball, 526 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:47,680 Speaker 5: and certainly by that point ESPN had become established. But 527 00:28:47,760 --> 00:28:51,760 Speaker 5: those those two things really flulidified everything. 528 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:55,200 Speaker 2: You talk about. The cynicism you know at the time 529 00:28:55,240 --> 00:28:58,320 Speaker 2: that this was going to work and take off. How 530 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:02,160 Speaker 2: close did it ever come to not working, to becoming 531 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:04,280 Speaker 2: a thing that ended up, you know, would end up 532 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:06,880 Speaker 2: being what it ended up not being, which was essentially 533 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:07,760 Speaker 2: a failed experiment. 534 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:12,160 Speaker 5: Yeah, it's the first few years ESPN was losing a 535 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:14,080 Speaker 5: lot of money. We had the good fortune that Getty 536 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:16,120 Speaker 5: Oil had a lot of money to keep us afloat, 537 00:29:16,160 --> 00:29:19,040 Speaker 5: but they weren't. They weren't looking to just to keep 538 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 5: losing and losing. I used to have to go down 539 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:25,720 Speaker 5: to the mail room to fax press releases to writers. 540 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:28,160 Speaker 5: That's how you distributed them back then. And one day 541 00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:30,840 Speaker 5: I go down there and I and I'm ready to fax, 542 00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:33,760 Speaker 5: but you couldn't bax and receive at the same time. 543 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 5: And there was a memo coming out from Getty wanting 544 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:40,360 Speaker 5: an analysis of whether they should cancel Sports Center. And 545 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:42,880 Speaker 5: I read this, I'm like, oh my god, are you serious? 546 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:47,520 Speaker 5: And fortunately it didn't happen, but it You know, when 547 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:49,280 Speaker 5: you're when you're losing the kind of money it was 548 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:52,560 Speaker 5: very expensive to put on sports television. When you're losing 549 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:55,040 Speaker 5: a lot of money, you know your parent company's going 550 00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:57,560 Speaker 5: to have patience for so long but you know, it 551 00:29:57,600 --> 00:29:59,800 Speaker 5: started to turn in the in the mid eighties and 552 00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:03,320 Speaker 5: then and then you know, has been profitable ever since. 553 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:09,920 Speaker 2: Over these decades. As you well know, ESPN is talked 554 00:30:09,920 --> 00:30:12,240 Speaker 2: about a lot. It's talked about a lot from the 555 00:30:12,280 --> 00:30:14,720 Speaker 2: perspective of people who do what I do for a living. 556 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:18,480 Speaker 2: Every sports fan has an opinion of ESPN, whether it 557 00:30:18,560 --> 00:30:22,440 Speaker 2: be the programming, the talent, the game coverage, the direction 558 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:25,560 Speaker 2: that the network of the company may be going in. 559 00:30:25,280 --> 00:30:30,760 Speaker 2: In your time with ESPN, which basically spans nearly its entirety, 560 00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:34,040 Speaker 2: what have been some of the more unfair criticisms of 561 00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:34,520 Speaker 2: the company. 562 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:38,000 Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean, it's good that it's good to be 563 00:30:38,080 --> 00:30:40,240 Speaker 5: talked about by people, even though that's a lot of 564 00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:43,400 Speaker 5: criticism because it indicates the leadership position that you hold, 565 00:30:43,480 --> 00:30:46,400 Speaker 5: which which you know everybody would would shry for. So 566 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:49,760 Speaker 5: we get the criticism. I think, I think a lot 567 00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:53,200 Speaker 5: of times and and this social media has really contributed 568 00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:56,800 Speaker 5: to this that people will talk about something they didn't 569 00:30:56,840 --> 00:30:59,440 Speaker 5: actually see and they're getting all mad about something that 570 00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:03,320 Speaker 5: didn't act happen, or they connect something that they see 571 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:07,720 Speaker 5: on social to oh ESPN did this. If N also 572 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:10,880 Speaker 5: kind of generically became this term of if somebody sees 573 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:13,440 Speaker 5: it on sports TV, they say, oh, ESPN did it. 574 00:31:13,480 --> 00:31:16,680 Speaker 5: I always loved it. When you know, somebody's criticizing ESPN 575 00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:19,600 Speaker 5: for something that happened on CBS, and it's like, okay, again, 576 00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:22,520 Speaker 5: that's that's kind of the leadership place that you hold. 577 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:26,480 Speaker 5: But for the most part, because it's gone on for 578 00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:29,960 Speaker 5: such a long period of time, all the research that 579 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:33,480 Speaker 5: our marketing department does, the fans for the most part 580 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:35,960 Speaker 5: like what we're doing and like ESPN, and that's how 581 00:31:36,280 --> 00:31:38,320 Speaker 5: ESPN has been able to expand into all these other 582 00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:42,040 Speaker 5: things and still be successful, but certainly not without critics. 583 00:31:42,080 --> 00:31:44,240 Speaker 5: But you know, I take that to be a good thing. 584 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:48,440 Speaker 2: Sports Heaven the Birth of ESPN tonight at eight thirty, 585 00:31:48,520 --> 00:31:52,440 Speaker 2: and accompanying book is out as well. My exalty is 586 00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:54,680 Speaker 2: it's awesome to have you go Luck to your husky tonight. 587 00:31:54,720 --> 00:31:55,560 Speaker 2: We appreciate the time. 588 00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:58,520 Speaker 5: Great, it's been a pleasure. Thank you for having me. 589 00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:02,080 Speaker 2: Thanks for coming on a quarter to four ESPN fifteen 590 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:04,200 Speaker 2: thirty that airs tonight at eight thirty. I watched it 591 00:32:04,280 --> 00:32:08,360 Speaker 2: yesterday morning. I got a screener, as we say, and uh, 592 00:32:09,240 --> 00:32:12,280 Speaker 2: it's really well done, especially if I don't remember. I'm 593 00:32:12,320 --> 00:32:15,360 Speaker 2: not old enough to remember the very very very very 594 00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:19,840 Speaker 2: early origins of ESPN, but the network that I grew 595 00:32:19,880 --> 00:32:22,840 Speaker 2: up watching in the eighties and early nineties like a 596 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:26,040 Speaker 2: lot of things dramatically different than the ESPN we see today. 597 00:32:26,080 --> 00:32:29,880 Speaker 2: Sports headlines our service to Kelsey Chevrolet, home of lifetime 598 00:32:29,920 --> 00:32:34,240 Speaker 2: powertrain protection and guaranteed credit approval from their family to 599 00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:37,640 Speaker 2: yours for life, kelseychev dot Com, Red's and Marlins first 600 00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:41,480 Speaker 2: to four Tonight in Miami, Brandon Williamson and Righty Jansen 601 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:44,760 Speaker 2: junk on the hill. Six forty excuse me, six forty 602 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:48,880 Speaker 2: is Tonight's first pitch on seven hundred WLW. You want it, 603 00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:51,600 Speaker 2: I got it for you. Your unsponsored Red starting lineup 604 00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:55,800 Speaker 2: Friedol McClain, Dela Cruz one through three. Sal Stewart plays 605 00:32:55,800 --> 00:32:59,920 Speaker 2: first base, Geno DHS, Spencer Steers and left field. Will 606 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:03,080 Speaker 2: Benson plays right. Stevenson behind the plate key Brian Hayes 607 00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:07,440 Speaker 2: playing third and batting ninth. Meanwhile, Tonight, Fox Sports thirteen 608 00:33:07,520 --> 00:33:11,680 Speaker 2: sixty has the NCAA Tournament National Championship Game. It's Yukon 609 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:15,920 Speaker 2: taking on Michigan. Official tip off time eight point fifty. Again, 610 00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:21,200 Speaker 2: you could listen to it live on Fox Sports thirteen sixty. 611 00:33:21,680 --> 00:33:26,080 Speaker 2: There you go, sports headlines and programming notes. We're here 612 00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:30,000 Speaker 2: at Twin Peaks in Westchester on ESPN fifteen thirty. Also 613 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:34,320 Speaker 2: significant development, Michael Malone, who coached the Denver Nuggets to 614 00:33:34,360 --> 00:33:39,600 Speaker 2: the twenty twenty three NBA Championship, is set to take 615 00:33:39,640 --> 00:33:42,040 Speaker 2: over as the new head coach at the University of 616 00:33:42,040 --> 00:33:49,000 Speaker 2: North Carolina, which is interesting and I am a fan 617 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:52,320 Speaker 2: of interesting. I don't know how successful it's going to be. 618 00:33:53,280 --> 00:33:59,840 Speaker 2: There's certainly something that would it's fair to be skeptical 619 00:33:59,880 --> 00:34:03,240 Speaker 2: that a guy who hasn't been in college basketball for 620 00:34:04,440 --> 00:34:06,840 Speaker 2: I think a quarter of a century taking a job 621 00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:11,440 Speaker 2: where the transfer portal opens tomorrow. There's reasons to be 622 00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:15,920 Speaker 2: skeptical that that's going to work. But I'm a fan 623 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:19,840 Speaker 2: of interesting, and that higher relative to some of the 624 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:21,960 Speaker 2: other names we had read about and heard about in 625 00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:25,680 Speaker 2: connection to the Carolina gig, pretty damn interesting. We'll spend 626 00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:29,000 Speaker 2: some time on that coming up in the four o'clock hour. 627 00:34:29,120 --> 00:34:31,680 Speaker 2: Do you believe the Bengals are where? I don't think 628 00:34:31,680 --> 00:34:34,760 Speaker 2: they are. We'll get to that next on ESPN fifteen thirty. 629 00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:40,719 Speaker 1: Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty traffic from the. 630 00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:43,960 Speaker 3: UC Health Traffic Center considered becoming a Living Kenney donor. 631 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:45,080 Speaker 4: During Donate Life Month. 632 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:47,480 Speaker 3: The experts ad you see health can answer all of 633 00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:51,280 Speaker 3: your questions. The fight for life begins with one step. 634 00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:56,160 Speaker 3: Learn more atuc heealth dot com. Slash Transplant Well seventy 635 00:34:56,200 --> 00:34:58,920 Speaker 3: one at Nord's bond Smith Edwards. The Norwind lad will 636 00:34:58,960 --> 00:35:01,279 Speaker 3: up to about a five minutes lay now thanks center 637 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:03,680 Speaker 3: blocks the right lane we're seeing, so down's to Dana 638 00:35:03,880 --> 00:35:07,759 Speaker 3: southbound seventy five between Ronald Reagan Highway and Norwood Land 639 00:35:08,080 --> 00:35:11,600 Speaker 3: and between Western Avenue and Brent Spence Bridgeay stop and 640 00:35:11,640 --> 00:35:14,719 Speaker 3: go at Milltown State Route Poort Dixie Highway. At mac 641 00:35:14,760 --> 00:35:18,600 Speaker 3: it's an overturned semi x shrunk with traffic this report. 642 00:35:18,680 --> 00:35:20,720 Speaker 2: Oh, you can watch hockey games here at Twin Peaks 643 00:35:20,719 --> 00:35:24,080 Speaker 2: in Westchester as well. That's where we are today. It 644 00:35:24,160 --> 00:35:28,920 Speaker 2: is beautiful outside and uh a great day to be 645 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:30,719 Speaker 2: out on the mount. If you're in the north part 646 00:35:30,719 --> 00:35:33,440 Speaker 2: of town swinging by Twin Peaks in Westchester, you can 647 00:35:33,520 --> 00:35:38,440 Speaker 2: watch Red's game to night Yukon and Michigan tonight as well. 648 00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:41,319 Speaker 2: And we'll be back here for the Tony and Moo 649 00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:44,360 Speaker 2: Football show later on this fall, splitting our time between 650 00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:49,240 Speaker 2: this location and the location in Florence, speaking of football, 651 00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:51,920 Speaker 2: where we're closing it on a little bit more than 652 00:35:51,920 --> 00:35:55,200 Speaker 2: two from the NFL Draft. Paul Dayner Junior is going 653 00:35:55,239 --> 00:35:59,560 Speaker 2: to be on our show tomor are definitely at. My 654 00:35:59,680 --> 00:36:03,040 Speaker 2: favorite day of the draft process is the day that 655 00:36:03,160 --> 00:36:07,839 Speaker 2: Dame Brugler's like five hundred page draft guide comes out, 656 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:11,320 Speaker 2: which is going to be on Wednesday, and I print 657 00:36:11,320 --> 00:36:13,799 Speaker 2: it from the radio station, which drives the people that 658 00:36:13,840 --> 00:36:16,640 Speaker 2: I work for nuts. Dane's going to be on our 659 00:36:16,680 --> 00:36:21,759 Speaker 2: show next week. There's news today about the Bengals that 660 00:36:22,120 --> 00:36:24,960 Speaker 2: Jeremiah Love in for a visit today. This according to 661 00:36:25,239 --> 00:36:30,319 Speaker 2: Ian Rappaport of the NFL Network, Love has visited with 662 00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:34,880 Speaker 2: three teams who have also have picks in the top ten, Cardinals, 663 00:36:35,640 --> 00:36:39,400 Speaker 2: the New York Giants, and the Tennessee Titans. You probably 664 00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:43,440 Speaker 2: know how good Jeremiah Love was at Notre Dame forty 665 00:36:43,440 --> 00:36:49,360 Speaker 2: two touchdowns nearly thirty five hundred yards from scrimmage, obviously 666 00:36:49,760 --> 00:36:52,320 Speaker 2: a huge reason why Notre Dame played for a national 667 00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:57,280 Speaker 2: title two seasons ago. Heisman Trophy finalists unanimous all American. 668 00:36:57,480 --> 00:37:03,000 Speaker 2: He was and is awesome, and you could have a 669 00:37:03,040 --> 00:37:05,680 Speaker 2: lot of fun thinking about what a player of that 670 00:37:05,800 --> 00:37:09,200 Speaker 2: caliber could do in an offense like the one the 671 00:37:09,239 --> 00:37:13,080 Speaker 2: Bengals have. I think what this comes down to, though, 672 00:37:13,200 --> 00:37:17,279 Speaker 2: is how you feel about best player versus most pressing need. 673 00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:23,120 Speaker 2: And I think I'm in the majority here where it's 674 00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:28,279 Speaker 2: usually like, take the best player, and obviously, if there's 675 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:31,920 Speaker 2: other needs you have to address, trust your scouting staff 676 00:37:31,920 --> 00:37:34,560 Speaker 2: and trust your front office to be able to use 677 00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:37,880 Speaker 2: the rest of the draft to address them. I just 678 00:37:37,960 --> 00:37:40,280 Speaker 2: don't know, though, and I will admit that I'm conflicted 679 00:37:40,320 --> 00:37:42,120 Speaker 2: about this because I know how good of a player 680 00:37:42,160 --> 00:37:44,560 Speaker 2: this is. We all do, like you watch college football 681 00:37:44,640 --> 00:37:46,759 Speaker 2: last year. Hell, for what it's worth, I'm lucky enough 682 00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:49,200 Speaker 2: to have a Heisman vote. Jeremiah Love got one of 683 00:37:49,200 --> 00:37:54,960 Speaker 2: my three Heisman votes. Are they really in a position 684 00:37:55,960 --> 00:37:59,719 Speaker 2: where with the tenth pick they could take an offensive 685 00:37:59,719 --> 00:38:05,120 Speaker 2: skill guy? And maybe the answer is it doesn't matter. 686 00:38:05,120 --> 00:38:07,880 Speaker 2: If he's the best player available on your board, you 687 00:38:07,960 --> 00:38:11,680 Speaker 2: take him, and there's a very good chance he will 688 00:38:11,719 --> 00:38:15,160 Speaker 2: be We'll see where he is in relation to Caleb 689 00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:17,560 Speaker 2: Downs or Ruben Bain or Sunny Styles or any of 690 00:38:17,560 --> 00:38:20,880 Speaker 2: the other guys that have been talked about before. I 691 00:38:21,080 --> 00:38:26,280 Speaker 2: just it feels like it feels like a pick of luxury. 692 00:38:27,360 --> 00:38:30,840 Speaker 2: And I will admit that this is not the maybe 693 00:38:30,840 --> 00:38:34,520 Speaker 2: not the best or most exact lens through it to 694 00:38:34,560 --> 00:38:39,399 Speaker 2: look at this, But could a team that wastorically bad 695 00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:43,680 Speaker 2: on defense A afford a luxury pick with the tenth 696 00:38:43,719 --> 00:38:48,040 Speaker 2: overall selection. B Have they done enough so far this 697 00:38:48,120 --> 00:38:52,200 Speaker 2: offseason on defense to kick the can down the sidewalk 698 00:38:52,200 --> 00:38:55,319 Speaker 2: a little bit more as it relates to continuing to 699 00:38:55,800 --> 00:38:59,000 Speaker 2: acquire players who play on the defensive side of the ball, 700 00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:02,520 Speaker 2: I just don't know that I feel great about the 701 00:39:02,560 --> 00:39:08,040 Speaker 2: proposition of taking a running back as marvelously talented as 702 00:39:08,120 --> 00:39:13,880 Speaker 2: Jeremiah Love is. It's hard to It's hard for me 703 00:39:13,960 --> 00:39:15,880 Speaker 2: at least, and you can tell me if you disagree, 704 00:39:15,920 --> 00:39:18,720 Speaker 2: but it's hard for me at least to get excited 705 00:39:18,760 --> 00:39:22,000 Speaker 2: about taking her running back when it still feels like 706 00:39:22,080 --> 00:39:25,560 Speaker 2: they have so much work to do on the defensive 707 00:39:25,600 --> 00:39:27,640 Speaker 2: side of the ball. That does not ignore what they 708 00:39:27,640 --> 00:39:30,760 Speaker 2: have done so far, and the players they have acquired 709 00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:34,240 Speaker 2: so far certainly feel like they have the capability of helping. 710 00:39:35,400 --> 00:39:38,920 Speaker 2: But oh boy, I just don't know. More on that 711 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:42,080 Speaker 2: later on, coming up on four o'clock. This is ESPN fifteen. 712 00:39:41,880 --> 00:39:44,959 Speaker 1: Thirty, Team thirty, Cincinnati's sports station. 713 00:39:46,640 --> 00:39:49,880 Speaker 2: All right, THAT'SUNDS four oh four. This is ESPN fifteen 714 00:39:49,920 --> 00:39:52,400 Speaker 2: thirty on bo Laggard. Thanks so much for listening. Hopefully 715 00:39:52,440 --> 00:39:55,520 Speaker 2: you've had an awesome Monday so far and a great 716 00:39:55,560 --> 00:39:59,480 Speaker 2: Easter weekend. We're here at Twin Peaks in Westchester. It's 717 00:39:59,520 --> 00:40:03,319 Speaker 2: not foot season, it's not the Tony and Mo Football Show. 718 00:40:03,400 --> 00:40:07,080 Speaker 2: We're not making this in every Monday thing all year long, 719 00:40:07,120 --> 00:40:09,880 Speaker 2: although who would argue with being able to do that. 720 00:40:10,600 --> 00:40:13,840 Speaker 2: But we're broadcasting today from a Twin Peaks in Westchester. 721 00:40:13,960 --> 00:40:16,680 Speaker 2: I am stoked to announce that they are back for 722 00:40:16,800 --> 00:40:19,919 Speaker 2: their seventh season hosting the Tony and Mo Football Show, 723 00:40:20,040 --> 00:40:23,440 Speaker 2: not just this location here in Westchester, but the location 724 00:40:23,560 --> 00:40:27,160 Speaker 2: in Florence as well. We love the folks at Twin Peaks. 725 00:40:27,320 --> 00:40:30,240 Speaker 2: The food is great, the atmosphere is awesome, the staff 726 00:40:30,320 --> 00:40:33,320 Speaker 2: is always amazing. Great place to post up and watch 727 00:40:33,560 --> 00:40:37,560 Speaker 2: the Reds tonight Yukon and Michigan tonight for the national 728 00:40:37,600 --> 00:40:41,160 Speaker 2: title as well, and the Masters this week, which is 729 00:40:41,200 --> 00:40:44,879 Speaker 2: going to be awesome. Twin Peaks is awesome and if 730 00:40:45,080 --> 00:40:47,680 Speaker 2: you're north of town out and about maybe just getting 731 00:40:47,680 --> 00:40:50,959 Speaker 2: off work, stop by Twin Peaks in Westchester. We would 732 00:40:50,960 --> 00:40:54,400 Speaker 2: love to see. We are here until six o'clock. Phone 733 00:40:54,400 --> 00:40:57,440 Speaker 2: calls coming up a little bit later on. You know, 734 00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:00,399 Speaker 2: one of the things we often talk about the show 735 00:41:00,520 --> 00:41:05,759 Speaker 2: is they're being room for multiple truths, and in life 736 00:41:05,840 --> 00:41:10,360 Speaker 2: there is usually in sports there is usually With the Reds, 737 00:41:10,360 --> 00:41:14,160 Speaker 2: there is they cannot be dead last in the league 738 00:41:14,160 --> 00:41:18,560 Speaker 2: and runs per game. Right now they have scored, along 739 00:41:18,600 --> 00:41:21,880 Speaker 2: with the Giants, the fewest number of runs per game. 740 00:41:22,840 --> 00:41:27,239 Speaker 2: If that continues, this season's not gonna take off. But 741 00:41:27,560 --> 00:41:31,240 Speaker 2: in a small window, you are gonna have batting slums. 742 00:41:31,480 --> 00:41:34,680 Speaker 2: You are gonna have stretches where the long ball doesn't 743 00:41:34,719 --> 00:41:37,120 Speaker 2: show up. It showed up on Friday they hit three 744 00:41:37,160 --> 00:41:40,520 Speaker 2: of them. You're gonna have stretches where individual hitters are 745 00:41:40,560 --> 00:41:45,040 Speaker 2: going through valleys, so to speak. It could be really hard. 746 00:41:45,320 --> 00:41:46,920 Speaker 2: You gotta find a way to win ball games. And 747 00:41:46,960 --> 00:41:49,359 Speaker 2: I think the encouraging thing about the first nine games 748 00:41:49,400 --> 00:41:52,319 Speaker 2: of the season is they've won games. You know, you 749 00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:55,560 Speaker 2: go back to the second game of the season, they 750 00:41:55,560 --> 00:41:58,400 Speaker 2: win that one three to two. I'm sorry. Their second 751 00:41:58,480 --> 00:42:00,520 Speaker 2: win of the season They won that one three to two. 752 00:42:00,840 --> 00:42:03,000 Speaker 2: The first game against the Pirates, they won that one 753 00:42:03,040 --> 00:42:06,520 Speaker 2: to nothing. They won three games in Texas this weekend 754 00:42:06,800 --> 00:42:09,279 Speaker 2: where they scored a grand total of nine runs. Now, 755 00:42:09,640 --> 00:42:13,600 Speaker 2: this is maybe a small version and an extreme version 756 00:42:13,800 --> 00:42:17,280 Speaker 2: of a larger problem. This team's offensive ceiling still seems 757 00:42:17,400 --> 00:42:20,920 Speaker 2: very very low. They're gonna score more, They're probably not 758 00:42:20,960 --> 00:42:23,359 Speaker 2: gonna score a ton this year. It just it still 759 00:42:23,400 --> 00:42:27,239 Speaker 2: feels like a limited team offensively. So can they do 760 00:42:28,040 --> 00:42:30,680 Speaker 2: a more extreme version of what they did last year, 761 00:42:30,760 --> 00:42:32,960 Speaker 2: which is get very good starting pitching? So far, the 762 00:42:33,000 --> 00:42:36,400 Speaker 2: answer has been yes. Chase Burns yesterday, I really do 763 00:42:36,480 --> 00:42:39,600 Speaker 2: believe needed to be seen to really be totally understood. 764 00:42:39,640 --> 00:42:44,400 Speaker 2: He was electric, he was aggressive, He was not afraid 765 00:42:44,480 --> 00:42:46,560 Speaker 2: of throwing it in the zone. He was not afraid 766 00:42:46,560 --> 00:42:49,200 Speaker 2: of throwing his fastball. He's added a change up which 767 00:42:49,200 --> 00:42:52,680 Speaker 2: looked great yesterday. Chase Burns was awesome on the heels 768 00:42:52,680 --> 00:42:55,719 Speaker 2: of Rat Louder and the start that he had on Saturday. 769 00:42:56,160 --> 00:42:58,319 Speaker 2: I think what I like most about this team though, 770 00:42:58,360 --> 00:43:04,680 Speaker 2: through the first nine games, is they're not They're not 771 00:43:05,239 --> 00:43:07,880 Speaker 2: shrinking their margin for error. I think this is important. 772 00:43:08,000 --> 00:43:10,200 Speaker 2: Something we've talked about a Ton on this show. You know, 773 00:43:10,239 --> 00:43:13,000 Speaker 2: for years we've complained about bad base running. I know 774 00:43:13,200 --> 00:43:16,080 Speaker 2: Ellie got doubled off third base late in the game 775 00:43:16,160 --> 00:43:18,359 Speaker 2: yesterday when the Reds were trying to extend the league 776 00:43:18,400 --> 00:43:20,600 Speaker 2: on a line drive. I'm not sure there's much here 777 00:43:20,640 --> 00:43:23,120 Speaker 2: or anybody else could have done about that. But for 778 00:43:23,160 --> 00:43:26,279 Speaker 2: the most part, base running has been pretty good. For 779 00:43:26,320 --> 00:43:29,600 Speaker 2: the most part, they've made all the plays in the field. 780 00:43:29,600 --> 00:43:32,480 Speaker 2: There are ways at looking at a team defensively that 781 00:43:32,560 --> 00:43:36,120 Speaker 2: go beyond the error column. But I would ask this, 782 00:43:36,280 --> 00:43:38,680 Speaker 2: and maybe this answer is out there and I just 783 00:43:38,719 --> 00:43:41,759 Speaker 2: haven't seen it. How many nine game stretches in franchise 784 00:43:41,840 --> 00:43:45,920 Speaker 2: history have the Reds played without committing an error? What 785 00:43:46,080 --> 00:43:48,360 Speaker 2: is the longest the Reds have gone into the season 786 00:43:48,400 --> 00:43:50,480 Speaker 2: without committing an error? And there's a very good chance 787 00:43:50,560 --> 00:43:53,160 Speaker 2: that stat has been reported or shared, and maybe I 788 00:43:53,360 --> 00:43:56,520 Speaker 2: just haven't seen it, But it's also thrown to the 789 00:43:56,600 --> 00:44:00,920 Speaker 2: right base, not giving up extra bases, not making mental mistakes. 790 00:44:00,960 --> 00:44:03,560 Speaker 2: For the most part, this team defensively has been terrific. 791 00:44:03,760 --> 00:44:05,840 Speaker 2: You add that to the options that it feels like 792 00:44:05,920 --> 00:44:09,160 Speaker 2: Tito has in the bullpen, and it feels like this 793 00:44:09,200 --> 00:44:12,319 Speaker 2: team is pretty well equipped. Right now to be able 794 00:44:12,360 --> 00:44:16,560 Speaker 2: to win games when they're not hitting. And you know, 795 00:44:16,600 --> 00:44:19,000 Speaker 2: you could argue they did that to a degree last year, 796 00:44:19,040 --> 00:44:21,600 Speaker 2: and so we talked about there being multiple truths. This 797 00:44:21,640 --> 00:44:24,279 Speaker 2: team has to hit more, can't finish dead last and 798 00:44:24,360 --> 00:44:27,560 Speaker 2: run scored and expect to win big. But you are 799 00:44:27,680 --> 00:44:29,640 Speaker 2: going to have to find ways to win games when 800 00:44:29,680 --> 00:44:32,839 Speaker 2: you're not hitting, and they've done that so far. They 801 00:44:32,840 --> 00:44:36,440 Speaker 2: did that this weekend in Texas. Chase Burns yesterday was 802 00:44:36,960 --> 00:44:41,400 Speaker 2: just terrific. We will talk about the search for a 803 00:44:41,520 --> 00:44:45,839 Speaker 2: closer who's not Amelio Pagon, fair conversation to have, fair 804 00:44:45,920 --> 00:44:48,359 Speaker 2: conversation to have about when it's going to be time 805 00:44:48,400 --> 00:44:50,839 Speaker 2: to call up resigns and what his role should be. 806 00:44:50,920 --> 00:44:53,400 Speaker 2: I mentioned it last hour. I believe we're going to 807 00:44:53,440 --> 00:44:56,879 Speaker 2: spend all spring and most of the summer wondering who 808 00:44:56,920 --> 00:44:59,399 Speaker 2: can the Reds add at the deadline and what will 809 00:44:59,440 --> 00:45:02,920 Speaker 2: it cost. But at the very least, because they've played 810 00:45:02,960 --> 00:45:06,200 Speaker 2: clean baseball, because they do have more options in the bullpen, 811 00:45:06,680 --> 00:45:10,360 Speaker 2: and because the starting pitching has given this team a lift. 812 00:45:10,680 --> 00:45:15,839 Speaker 2: Without Hunter Green and without Nick Lodolo, they've at least 813 00:45:15,920 --> 00:45:19,160 Speaker 2: charged out to a pretty good start after nine games. Again, 814 00:45:19,760 --> 00:45:23,200 Speaker 2: nobody is ignoring the offensive problems this team has. You 815 00:45:23,239 --> 00:45:25,800 Speaker 2: can't get league worst production from the leadoff spot like 816 00:45:25,840 --> 00:45:28,440 Speaker 2: the Reds are getting with TJ. Friedel right now, you 817 00:45:28,520 --> 00:45:30,880 Speaker 2: would like to see them, when they're not hitting the 818 00:45:30,920 --> 00:45:34,440 Speaker 2: long ball, find ways to scratch out more runs than 819 00:45:34,480 --> 00:45:38,279 Speaker 2: they did yesterday and on Sunday, or yesterday and on 820 00:45:38,360 --> 00:45:43,279 Speaker 2: Saturday in Texas. But I do think this team so far, 821 00:45:43,600 --> 00:45:47,880 Speaker 2: and maybe this is sustainable not having zero errors, but 822 00:45:48,040 --> 00:45:50,680 Speaker 2: just playing a brand of ball where they don't shrink 823 00:45:50,719 --> 00:45:54,160 Speaker 2: the margin for error by doing dumb things on the field, 824 00:45:54,440 --> 00:45:58,280 Speaker 2: by committing base running blunders, by giving away extra outs, 825 00:45:58,520 --> 00:46:01,440 Speaker 2: by giving away extra base that on top of the 826 00:46:01,480 --> 00:46:05,560 Speaker 2: starting pitching they have and so far what has been 827 00:46:05,680 --> 00:46:08,600 Speaker 2: for the most part, and again there have been exceptions, 828 00:46:08,680 --> 00:46:14,120 Speaker 2: good relief work, you know, like there's a lot to like. 829 00:46:14,719 --> 00:46:17,720 Speaker 2: I think it's completely reasonable to be concerned about Amelia Opagon. 830 00:46:18,160 --> 00:46:21,160 Speaker 2: I think it is completely reasonable given the velocity dip 831 00:46:21,200 --> 00:46:23,919 Speaker 2: that we're seeing from Tony Santion, to be a little 832 00:46:23,920 --> 00:46:27,399 Speaker 2: bit concerned about that as well. But I did love 833 00:46:27,440 --> 00:46:30,040 Speaker 2: the fact that they navigated the back end of the 834 00:46:30,080 --> 00:46:35,439 Speaker 2: game with brock Burke and Connor Phillips which I don't 835 00:46:35,480 --> 00:46:38,000 Speaker 2: know that anybody back in February or January was talking 836 00:46:38,040 --> 00:46:41,440 Speaker 2: about that being a recipe for success in low scoring games. 837 00:46:41,920 --> 00:46:46,000 Speaker 2: Eleven minutes after four o'clock college basketball National Championship Game 838 00:46:46,200 --> 00:46:48,799 Speaker 2: is tonight, you heard the news in the top of 839 00:46:48,800 --> 00:46:53,960 Speaker 2: the hour where the North Carolina is hiring Mike Malone, 840 00:46:54,320 --> 00:46:56,520 Speaker 2: who was the coach of the Nuggets in twenty twenty 841 00:46:56,560 --> 00:46:59,839 Speaker 2: three when they won an NBA title. He has spent 842 00:47:00,080 --> 00:47:05,000 Speaker 2: this season doing broadcasting work for ESPN and ABC. He's 843 00:47:05,040 --> 00:47:07,279 Speaker 2: now going to be the head coach at Carolina. I 844 00:47:07,320 --> 00:47:11,480 Speaker 2: have no idea if that's gonna work. There's something to 845 00:47:11,560 --> 00:47:16,440 Speaker 2: be said about the skepticism for a dude entering college 846 00:47:16,480 --> 00:47:19,680 Speaker 2: basketball who hasn't worked in it and having to get 847 00:47:19,760 --> 00:47:24,120 Speaker 2: right to work with the portal opening up tomorrow. But 848 00:47:24,239 --> 00:47:29,319 Speaker 2: it's interesting and I think now like there's so many 849 00:47:29,320 --> 00:47:33,840 Speaker 2: different discussions out there about the things that played college 850 00:47:33,880 --> 00:47:36,800 Speaker 2: basketball and how it's going to have to be fixed 851 00:47:36,960 --> 00:47:42,240 Speaker 2: and people no longer having a connection to the players 852 00:47:42,239 --> 00:47:44,759 Speaker 2: who play for the schools they root for. And I 853 00:47:44,840 --> 00:47:48,440 Speaker 2: thought there was an excellent piece of television on Saturday 854 00:47:48,440 --> 00:47:52,279 Speaker 2: on ESPN's Game Day about where we are in college basketball. 855 00:47:52,680 --> 00:47:56,719 Speaker 2: Where things are going in college basketball, and some tweaks 856 00:47:56,800 --> 00:47:58,960 Speaker 2: to the sport that could be made, but the reality 857 00:47:59,040 --> 00:48:02,680 Speaker 2: is this, the line between pro and college basketball, just 858 00:48:02,800 --> 00:48:07,239 Speaker 2: like the line between pro and college football has has 859 00:48:07,400 --> 00:48:10,920 Speaker 2: never been more blurred. You know, Jay Billis on Saturday 860 00:48:10,960 --> 00:48:14,600 Speaker 2: made headlines for saying the college basketball is professional basketball, 861 00:48:14,640 --> 00:48:17,560 Speaker 2: and there's there's nothing wrong with that. That's that's what 862 00:48:17,600 --> 00:48:21,680 Speaker 2: it is. They're being paid to play a sport. That's 863 00:48:21,719 --> 00:48:24,279 Speaker 2: why they're there. It's professional basketball. It's a different version 864 00:48:24,320 --> 00:48:28,640 Speaker 2: of it. You know, there's there is an academic component. Uh, 865 00:48:28,880 --> 00:48:34,120 Speaker 2: there's no union, there's no collective bargaining, but you know, 866 00:48:34,160 --> 00:48:37,800 Speaker 2: it's it's professional basketball. The line between pro and college 867 00:48:37,800 --> 00:48:41,400 Speaker 2: basketball has never been more blurred, which maybe makes the 868 00:48:41,520 --> 00:48:44,839 Speaker 2: jump from the NBA to college basketball easier than it's 869 00:48:44,840 --> 00:48:47,640 Speaker 2: ever been. I could tell you this, if I had 870 00:48:47,680 --> 00:48:53,120 Speaker 2: a choice between coaching an NBA team coaching a college program, 871 00:48:53,600 --> 00:48:57,760 Speaker 2: especially a college program with resources, I take the college 872 00:48:57,760 --> 00:49:04,160 Speaker 2: program with pros. I don't necessarily have to gravel at 873 00:49:04,280 --> 00:49:07,480 Speaker 2: sixteen and seventeen year olds to get them to come well, 874 00:49:07,600 --> 00:49:12,120 Speaker 2: to want to come play for me. The GM works 875 00:49:12,160 --> 00:49:17,160 Speaker 2: for me instead of vice versa. In most instances, there's 876 00:49:17,239 --> 00:49:23,920 Speaker 2: no salary cap, there's no collective bargaining agreement. There are rules, 877 00:49:24,160 --> 00:49:28,239 Speaker 2: but not as many. Like I think i'd rather coach 878 00:49:28,280 --> 00:49:34,600 Speaker 2: in college. Players are staying longer right Like I've I 879 00:49:34,640 --> 00:49:37,880 Speaker 2: am more dependent on older kids than college coaches have 880 00:49:37,920 --> 00:49:42,480 Speaker 2: ever been. High school recruiting is always going to matter, 881 00:49:42,560 --> 00:49:46,480 Speaker 2: but like I, I could spend more time relating to 882 00:49:46,560 --> 00:49:49,560 Speaker 2: kids who are twenty twenty one, twenty two, twenty three 883 00:49:49,600 --> 00:49:52,200 Speaker 2: years old than sixteen seventeen year old kids who are 884 00:49:52,280 --> 00:49:53,960 Speaker 2: trying to pick which college they're going to go to. 885 00:49:56,400 --> 00:49:59,880 Speaker 2: I don't have the NBA's weird and I think so 886 00:50:00,000 --> 00:50:05,520 Speaker 2: somewhat restrictive contract rules. I think i'd rather coach in college, 887 00:50:06,400 --> 00:50:08,600 Speaker 2: And I wonder, like how many coaches with an option? 888 00:50:08,640 --> 00:50:10,400 Speaker 2: And I don't know if Michael Malone didn't have another 889 00:50:10,480 --> 00:50:13,800 Speaker 2: NBA job open up that he may have gotten. I 890 00:50:13,800 --> 00:50:19,560 Speaker 2: don't know. I just I think the general state of 891 00:50:19,600 --> 00:50:23,080 Speaker 2: the game and the things that a lot of people 892 00:50:23,200 --> 00:50:26,160 Speaker 2: use to complain about college basketball. I think if you're 893 00:50:26,160 --> 00:50:28,879 Speaker 2: at a program, going to a program that has resources 894 00:50:29,680 --> 00:50:32,600 Speaker 2: could play in your favor as opposed to the league itself. 895 00:50:32,640 --> 00:50:35,840 Speaker 2: Where can we make our team better in free agency. No, 896 00:50:36,200 --> 00:50:39,399 Speaker 2: we've got cap issues, we've got bad contracts, We've got 897 00:50:39,840 --> 00:50:43,360 Speaker 2: Apron rules. There's rules that are more restrictive for player 898 00:50:43,440 --> 00:50:45,799 Speaker 2: movement than we've ever had in this league, at least 899 00:50:45,840 --> 00:50:49,560 Speaker 2: since it bought into free agency decades ago. I've got 900 00:50:49,560 --> 00:50:51,960 Speaker 2: a GM that I've got to work for. I can't 901 00:50:52,000 --> 00:50:56,960 Speaker 2: make my schedule like I'd rather coach in college. Not 902 00:50:57,040 --> 00:50:58,879 Speaker 2: to say that right now, it's simply a better game 903 00:50:59,440 --> 00:51:02,839 Speaker 2: quota For ESPN fifteen thirty, phone calls are coming up. 904 00:51:02,880 --> 00:51:06,480 Speaker 2: We'll spend a few minutes on what nobody wants coming up, 905 00:51:06,560 --> 00:51:08,919 Speaker 2: plus Brennan and Jones on baseball later on this hour 906 00:51:09,200 --> 00:51:11,640 Speaker 2: on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports. 907 00:51:11,320 --> 00:51:15,360 Speaker 1: Station Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty. 908 00:51:16,320 --> 00:51:18,680 Speaker 4: Traffic from the UC Health Traffic Center. 909 00:51:18,760 --> 00:51:21,920 Speaker 3: Considered becoming a living kidney donor during Donate Life monthly 910 00:51:22,040 --> 00:51:25,080 Speaker 3: experts at you See Health can answer all of your questions. 911 00:51:25,160 --> 00:51:28,799 Speaker 3: The fight for life begins with one step. Learn more 912 00:51:29,040 --> 00:51:35,160 Speaker 3: at UCHealth dot com. Slash transplantaventy one between Smith Edwards 913 00:51:35,200 --> 00:51:37,399 Speaker 3: and Norben lateral still being attended to. About a five 914 00:51:37,400 --> 00:51:40,600 Speaker 3: minute delay back to Dingham seventy one northbound on round 915 00:51:40,600 --> 00:51:42,640 Speaker 3: from two to seventy five. We got a crash on 916 00:51:42,680 --> 00:51:45,280 Speaker 3: that ramp. Thanks for the tip. Calm and Harrisentate race 917 00:51:45,840 --> 00:51:48,680 Speaker 3: accident here. Police are on the scene. By Rick Shrimp 918 00:51:48,800 --> 00:51:49,440 Speaker 3: with traffic. 919 00:51:49,920 --> 00:51:53,920 Speaker 2: This report heodcasting today from Twin Peaks in Westchester. It 920 00:51:54,040 --> 00:51:58,920 Speaker 2: is gorgeous outside Red's and Marlins tonight, six forty first pitch, 921 00:51:59,000 --> 00:52:03,120 Speaker 2: seven hundred W Well W. Brandon Williamson looking to improve 922 00:52:03,200 --> 00:52:07,680 Speaker 2: upon his season debut National title game tonight. You can 923 00:52:07,719 --> 00:52:11,120 Speaker 2: listen to it on Fox Sports thirteen sixty. Brendanman and 924 00:52:11,200 --> 00:52:16,000 Speaker 2: Jones coming up in just about thirty minutes. Right now, 925 00:52:16,000 --> 00:52:18,000 Speaker 2: we'll take a phone caller two five, one, three, seven, 926 00:52:18,080 --> 00:52:22,440 Speaker 2: four nine, fifteen thirty Mike, go ahead, well start the 927 00:52:22,480 --> 00:52:25,359 Speaker 2: week with you. You're on ESPN fifteen thirty. Good afternoon, Mike, 928 00:52:25,400 --> 00:52:27,000 Speaker 2: How are you well? 929 00:52:27,000 --> 00:52:30,280 Speaker 6: I'm very grateful, Thank you, Mom, very well, we can. 930 00:52:31,920 --> 00:52:32,640 Speaker 2: I did thank you. 931 00:52:32,719 --> 00:52:37,120 Speaker 6: First. I would first like to congratulate the UCLA Brulins 932 00:52:37,120 --> 00:52:44,280 Speaker 6: women's basketball team for nailing it against the Carolina Game cops. 933 00:52:45,000 --> 00:52:49,759 Speaker 2: Holy hell were they good yesterday? Uh. Corey Close is 934 00:52:49,760 --> 00:52:52,800 Speaker 2: somebody that I'm not that familiar with, but her team 935 00:52:53,160 --> 00:52:58,120 Speaker 2: was a wagon against South Carolina. It took me a 936 00:52:58,200 --> 00:53:01,799 Speaker 2: while to actually realize they actually played some basketball in 937 00:53:01,840 --> 00:53:05,440 Speaker 2: Phoenix this week, because I just thought that what happened 938 00:53:05,520 --> 00:53:07,919 Speaker 2: this week in Phoenix was about a handshake. I didn't 939 00:53:07,960 --> 00:53:09,959 Speaker 2: have actually played any basketball. I thought it was about 940 00:53:10,000 --> 00:53:14,240 Speaker 2: Don Staley versus Geno Oreama. But you're right, I didn't 941 00:53:14,280 --> 00:53:17,880 Speaker 2: watch the game from front to back, but UCLA yesterday, 942 00:53:18,520 --> 00:53:20,080 Speaker 2: I don't think it was a surprise that they won 943 00:53:20,120 --> 00:53:21,480 Speaker 2: the game. It felt to me like it was a 944 00:53:21,520 --> 00:53:24,920 Speaker 2: surprise that they won it as decisively as the Bruins did. 945 00:53:26,320 --> 00:53:32,479 Speaker 6: And virtually all seniors, which is exceptionally wonderful in my opinion. Yeah, yeah, 946 00:53:32,840 --> 00:53:39,080 Speaker 6: very very very commendable. I don't see any way that 947 00:53:39,320 --> 00:53:42,600 Speaker 6: Yukon covers this spread tonight at six and a half. 948 00:53:43,440 --> 00:53:47,680 Speaker 6: And I'll tell you why. If Arizona, which was a 949 00:53:47,760 --> 00:53:53,360 Speaker 6: high scoring team all year, couldn't barely break seventy against Michigan, 950 00:53:53,760 --> 00:53:57,160 Speaker 6: Yukon ain't gonna break seventy. I'll tell you that right now. 951 00:53:57,800 --> 00:53:59,480 Speaker 6: I'm all in on Michigan. 952 00:54:00,400 --> 00:54:02,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think for the most part, Mike, I am 953 00:54:02,640 --> 00:54:04,839 Speaker 2: as well. I think that the two things that I 954 00:54:04,920 --> 00:54:09,600 Speaker 2: wonder about our number one is Michigan. Doe for some 955 00:54:10,640 --> 00:54:15,799 Speaker 2: shooting regression. So this was a team, This was a 956 00:54:15,840 --> 00:54:19,399 Speaker 2: team that wasn't eight an extraordinarily high percentage three point 957 00:54:19,400 --> 00:54:22,880 Speaker 2: shooting team as the season unfolded. But they shot forty 958 00:54:22,920 --> 00:54:25,920 Speaker 2: seven percent against Saint Louis, They shot forty eight percent 959 00:54:25,960 --> 00:54:30,680 Speaker 2: against Alabama. They shot thirty seven percent against Tennessee. They 960 00:54:30,719 --> 00:54:34,400 Speaker 2: obviously were awesome from behind the arc against Arizona, shooting 961 00:54:34,719 --> 00:54:38,560 Speaker 2: forty four percent. For the season, it was about thirty 962 00:54:38,600 --> 00:54:41,960 Speaker 2: five percent. And so I do wonder like at some 963 00:54:42,040 --> 00:54:44,680 Speaker 2: point you do regress back to what you've been all 964 00:54:44,719 --> 00:54:47,000 Speaker 2: season long. So that could maybe open the door a 965 00:54:47,040 --> 00:54:52,080 Speaker 2: little bit for Yukon. And I think if Terris Reid 966 00:54:52,080 --> 00:54:55,440 Speaker 2: can put the the Huskies on his back, you know, 967 00:54:55,600 --> 00:54:58,160 Speaker 2: that's that's a problem. He has scored I think more 968 00:54:58,200 --> 00:55:01,720 Speaker 2: than eighteen and four of yukon five NCAA Tournament games. 969 00:55:01,719 --> 00:55:05,160 Speaker 2: He's played a ton, hasn't been in foul trouble. I 970 00:55:05,280 --> 00:55:07,680 Speaker 2: just I feel like they're gonna make him work harder 971 00:55:07,680 --> 00:55:09,560 Speaker 2: on defense than he's had to work so far in 972 00:55:09,560 --> 00:55:13,160 Speaker 2: this tournament. And I Michigan's front court has just been 973 00:55:13,200 --> 00:55:15,760 Speaker 2: a load. My guess is I'm with you. My guess 974 00:55:15,840 --> 00:55:18,399 Speaker 2: is they I don't necessarily think this game is gonna 975 00:55:18,440 --> 00:55:22,239 Speaker 2: be a blowout. But my guess is Michigan does cover 976 00:55:22,280 --> 00:55:22,720 Speaker 2: the number. 977 00:55:23,800 --> 00:55:27,279 Speaker 6: Yeah, that front line. Karen Reid is gonna get a 978 00:55:27,320 --> 00:55:31,520 Speaker 6: dose of some men underneath the basket, and that's what's 979 00:55:31,560 --> 00:55:34,600 Speaker 6: gonna happen to him, Like I believe, Yeah. 980 00:55:34,640 --> 00:55:38,000 Speaker 2: And and look, they they got to get a better 981 00:55:38,040 --> 00:55:44,000 Speaker 2: game from Caraban, especially from outside. I don't know though 982 00:55:44,040 --> 00:55:46,719 Speaker 2: that like you know, Solo Ball and Braylon Mullins. I 983 00:55:46,719 --> 00:55:49,920 Speaker 2: think what they had seven combined, you're gonna need that 984 00:55:50,920 --> 00:55:55,920 Speaker 2: plus what Caraban didn't get them against Illinois. And then 985 00:55:56,480 --> 00:55:59,359 Speaker 2: I think Reid's gonna defend Mara, who's got like three 986 00:55:59,440 --> 00:56:02,080 Speaker 2: or four inches on him. Because of just Michigan size, 987 00:56:02,080 --> 00:56:04,799 Speaker 2: He's gonna have to guard somebody bigger, and I think 988 00:56:04,880 --> 00:56:08,040 Speaker 2: that's gonna limit his offensive productivity. Again, I think the 989 00:56:08,080 --> 00:56:10,360 Speaker 2: wild card in the game and you have to account 990 00:56:10,400 --> 00:56:12,400 Speaker 2: for it. I think in a football stadium where shooting 991 00:56:12,440 --> 00:56:15,120 Speaker 2: can be weird. Although they were awesome against Arizona, again, 992 00:56:15,120 --> 00:56:18,560 Speaker 2: they've been a thirty four to thirty five three point 993 00:56:18,560 --> 00:56:21,160 Speaker 2: shooting team for much of the season. They've been well 994 00:56:21,200 --> 00:56:24,120 Speaker 2: above that here in these five games in the NCAA tournament. 995 00:56:24,920 --> 00:56:28,160 Speaker 2: If it regresses a little bit, Yukon's good enough to 996 00:56:28,200 --> 00:56:30,839 Speaker 2: take advantage. I don't think they're gonna be good enough 997 00:56:30,840 --> 00:56:33,799 Speaker 2: to win the game, but maybe then there's a world 998 00:56:33,800 --> 00:56:37,600 Speaker 2: where they cover. But my wagers on Michigan covering the number. 999 00:56:37,640 --> 00:56:38,960 Speaker 2: I got it at six and a half and I'm 1000 00:56:39,000 --> 00:56:39,640 Speaker 2: comfortable with it. 1001 00:56:40,760 --> 00:56:44,520 Speaker 6: Yeah, and I and I got Yukon. I got Yukon 1002 00:56:45,000 --> 00:56:47,560 Speaker 6: under sixty eight and a half. I got him under 1003 00:56:47,640 --> 00:56:49,839 Speaker 6: sixty eight and a half. They're not gonna play. They're 1004 00:56:49,840 --> 00:56:54,160 Speaker 6: not gonna bust seventy. There's no way. And Solo Bo 1005 00:56:54,200 --> 00:56:55,520 Speaker 6: evidently has singed. 1006 00:56:55,320 --> 00:56:57,919 Speaker 2: Up with that been in a boot. 1007 00:56:58,960 --> 00:56:59,920 Speaker 6: Yeah, that's not good. 1008 00:57:01,000 --> 00:57:06,719 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think I think also I think I think 1009 00:57:06,800 --> 00:57:09,960 Speaker 2: also with with I think also with Yukon is like 1010 00:57:10,040 --> 00:57:15,200 Speaker 2: they want to play slow. UCLA play slow, beat Michigan 1011 00:57:15,200 --> 00:57:19,800 Speaker 2: State play slow, Yukon beat them Duke in Illinois. Like 1012 00:57:19,960 --> 00:57:23,800 Speaker 2: we're talking about four teams here who are right around 1013 00:57:23,920 --> 00:57:27,800 Speaker 2: three hundredth and adjusted tempo in some cases above three hundred. 1014 00:57:27,840 --> 00:57:31,240 Speaker 2: Michigan is twenty second. So maybe they don't play at 1015 00:57:31,520 --> 00:57:35,000 Speaker 2: a racetrack pace, but they play fast, and I just 1016 00:57:35,160 --> 00:57:37,960 Speaker 2: I think it's personnel. It's a tough matchup. Tempo, it's 1017 00:57:38,000 --> 00:57:41,280 Speaker 2: a tough matchup. Size, it's a tough matchup. I don't 1018 00:57:41,320 --> 00:57:43,800 Speaker 2: really see getting to the free throw line. It's a 1019 00:57:43,840 --> 00:57:48,360 Speaker 2: tough matchup. I like Dan Hurley too. Yukon's on the 1020 00:57:48,440 --> 00:57:51,800 Speaker 2: verge of being a modern day college basketball at Dynasty. 1021 00:57:52,280 --> 00:57:54,960 Speaker 2: I just don't know in this game what plays in 1022 00:57:55,040 --> 00:57:55,800 Speaker 2: Yukon's favor. 1023 00:57:57,160 --> 00:58:01,080 Speaker 6: Yeah, I only either I own Danny's gonna need to 1024 00:58:01,280 --> 00:58:03,400 Speaker 6: have some of his magic, but I don't. I don't 1025 00:58:03,440 --> 00:58:06,560 Speaker 6: think it's gonna work tonight. Hey, I wanted to ask 1026 00:58:06,600 --> 00:58:08,600 Speaker 6: you this. I'm sorry. 1027 00:58:08,840 --> 00:58:12,040 Speaker 2: I'm bad. 1028 00:58:12,160 --> 00:58:16,880 Speaker 6: I'm sorry. I didn't see any big video of this 1029 00:58:17,040 --> 00:58:20,439 Speaker 6: Connor Griffin with the Pirates until the other day. Man, 1030 00:58:20,480 --> 00:58:23,920 Speaker 6: this guy looks like a linebacker. You see the size 1031 00:58:23,960 --> 00:58:26,000 Speaker 6: of his guns and his four arm. I mean, this 1032 00:58:26,120 --> 00:58:27,080 Speaker 6: guy is huge. 1033 00:58:27,160 --> 00:58:36,240 Speaker 2: Mo six foot three, two hundred and twenty two pounds. 1034 00:58:39,320 --> 00:58:41,720 Speaker 2: Is that all you had to say about that? Mike? No, 1035 00:58:41,800 --> 00:58:45,000 Speaker 2: I love Mike, Mike, Mike hung out. Oh there he is, 1036 00:58:45,000 --> 00:58:47,800 Speaker 2: go ahead. Sorry, No, I lost it for a second. 1037 00:58:48,080 --> 00:58:50,360 Speaker 6: Yeah, his arms were I saw him in the interview. 1038 00:58:50,400 --> 00:58:52,840 Speaker 6: I was like, damn, is this a football player or what? 1039 00:58:53,000 --> 00:58:57,000 Speaker 6: He looks Jack, Hey, I think you're what are we. 1040 00:58:57,040 --> 00:58:57,760 Speaker 2: Going to do. 1041 00:58:59,280 --> 00:58:59,720 Speaker 6: About this? 1042 00:59:00,440 --> 00:59:05,400 Speaker 2: Well with the Reds, Well, I think number one, they've 1043 00:59:05,520 --> 00:59:07,760 Speaker 2: they've got to get they've got to get more production 1044 00:59:07,800 --> 00:59:10,560 Speaker 2: from the top of the order, right, I mean, I 1045 00:59:10,920 --> 00:59:13,560 Speaker 2: think that kind of goes without saying that the bottom 1046 00:59:13,560 --> 00:59:15,920 Speaker 2: of the order. And I haven't done this, I know. 1047 00:59:16,000 --> 00:59:19,400 Speaker 2: I we talked about it on Friday. The first six games, 1048 00:59:19,480 --> 00:59:22,880 Speaker 2: the bottom of the order was nine for eighty one. 1049 00:59:23,440 --> 00:59:25,640 Speaker 2: I don't have in front of me what they've been since, 1050 00:59:25,720 --> 00:59:28,320 Speaker 2: or what they've been for the entire season, or what 1051 00:59:28,320 --> 00:59:32,240 Speaker 2: they've been in relation to the rest of the league. 1052 00:59:33,280 --> 00:59:36,479 Speaker 2: I think this is an extreme example. Like if you're 1053 00:59:37,200 --> 00:59:39,640 Speaker 2: I believe, for the most part, if you're a low ceiling. 1054 00:59:40,760 --> 00:59:43,040 Speaker 2: If you have a low ceiling in any one area, 1055 00:59:43,080 --> 00:59:47,080 Speaker 2: then you have a pretty low floor. So chances are 1056 00:59:47,120 --> 00:59:50,920 Speaker 2: this is not going to be an elite offense. So 1057 00:59:51,720 --> 00:59:55,960 Speaker 2: then when you go through hitting struggles, it gets exacerbated. 1058 00:59:56,760 --> 00:59:58,360 Speaker 2: You know, Like right now, the only guy that you 1059 00:59:58,400 --> 01:00:02,040 Speaker 2: would say is having a h ends it's very early, obviously, 1060 01:00:02,160 --> 01:00:05,160 Speaker 2: is Sal Stewart. Ellie has hit the ball out of 1061 01:00:05,160 --> 01:00:07,720 Speaker 2: the ballpark, which is refreshing, but there's not been a 1062 01:00:07,720 --> 01:00:09,840 Speaker 2: lot of meat on the bone. Beyond that, he still 1063 01:00:09,840 --> 01:00:14,200 Speaker 2: strikes out a ton. Matt McLean's overall production hasn't been there. TJ. 1064 01:00:14,320 --> 01:00:19,960 Speaker 2: Friedel has been frankly abysmal. Noelve Marte has been abysmal. 1065 01:00:20,440 --> 01:00:23,560 Speaker 2: Spencer Steer the home run on Friday not with Standing 1066 01:00:23,640 --> 01:00:27,760 Speaker 2: has been abysmal. Tyler Stevenson the home run on Friday 1067 01:00:27,840 --> 01:00:32,360 Speaker 2: not with Standing has been poor. Like it's a low 1068 01:00:32,480 --> 01:00:37,560 Speaker 2: ceiling offensive team. It's like years ago when the Reds 1069 01:00:37,560 --> 01:00:40,440 Speaker 2: had a really good lineup. I remember somebody calling the 1070 01:00:40,480 --> 01:00:44,560 Speaker 2: show to complain about Zach Cozart's production in the eighth spot, 1071 01:00:46,080 --> 01:00:49,560 Speaker 2: and I remember saying, like, if Zach Cozart goes through 1072 01:00:49,600 --> 01:00:53,080 Speaker 2: a slump, you know, let's say, over the course of 1073 01:00:53,120 --> 01:00:55,240 Speaker 2: a month, he has a bad month, he hits one fifty. 1074 01:00:55,800 --> 01:00:58,240 Speaker 2: If Joey Vado has a bad month, he hits two 1075 01:00:58,320 --> 01:01:01,800 Speaker 2: fifty because Joey Evado's better hitter. And I think the 1076 01:01:01,840 --> 01:01:05,760 Speaker 2: same principal lies to teams. If the Dodgers, with their lineup, 1077 01:01:05,880 --> 01:01:09,280 Speaker 2: goes through an offensive slump, they're scoring more than twenty 1078 01:01:09,320 --> 01:01:12,160 Speaker 2: six runs in nine games. If the Reds go through 1079 01:01:12,200 --> 01:01:15,440 Speaker 2: a collective offensive slump, they scored nine runs or they 1080 01:01:15,440 --> 01:01:18,160 Speaker 2: score twenty six runs in nine games. The good news 1081 01:01:18,200 --> 01:01:21,120 Speaker 2: is they've won six of the nine, but the rate 1082 01:01:21,160 --> 01:01:23,959 Speaker 2: at which they're scoring less than three runs per game 1083 01:01:24,600 --> 01:01:29,320 Speaker 2: is not sustainable. What you're hoping for is lle catches fire, 1084 01:01:29,640 --> 01:01:33,280 Speaker 2: McClain catches fire, Friedo gets on base a little bit more, 1085 01:01:33,720 --> 01:01:36,600 Speaker 2: and somebody in the back half of the batting order 1086 01:01:37,080 --> 01:01:39,520 Speaker 2: ends up going through a run of productivity. In the 1087 01:01:39,560 --> 01:01:42,360 Speaker 2: absence of all that, the offense is probably gonna look 1088 01:01:42,400 --> 01:01:45,160 Speaker 2: like it's looked over the first nine games. 1089 01:01:45,840 --> 01:01:48,800 Speaker 6: Can you believe I've heard this over the years. I 1090 01:01:48,840 --> 01:01:51,520 Speaker 6: know you got to go. Do you believe in this 1091 01:01:51,720 --> 01:01:55,160 Speaker 6: conjecture that sometimes as the season goes on, if the 1092 01:01:55,240 --> 01:01:59,600 Speaker 6: pitching is really good and the hitting is really bad. 1093 01:02:00,080 --> 01:02:08,080 Speaker 6: It developed some consternation in the dugout amongst the team. 1094 01:02:06,320 --> 01:02:09,360 Speaker 2: Human nature, how would it not right? Like we did 1095 01:02:09,360 --> 01:02:11,680 Speaker 2: this with the Bengals this year. We did this with 1096 01:02:11,720 --> 01:02:15,040 Speaker 2: the Bengals this year. Great offense, terrible defense, Like at 1097 01:02:15,080 --> 01:02:19,920 Speaker 2: some point, you know, at some point human nature dictates 1098 01:02:19,920 --> 01:02:22,360 Speaker 2: the guys on offense look at the dudes on defense, 1099 01:02:22,400 --> 01:02:27,480 Speaker 2: and with an amount of resentment or something and so 1100 01:02:28,040 --> 01:02:30,120 Speaker 2: and again it's nine games Like, if this is a 1101 01:02:30,240 --> 01:02:33,560 Speaker 2: nine game stretch in June, you go, Okay, they're not hitting, 1102 01:02:33,560 --> 01:02:35,280 Speaker 2: but they won six out of the nine. They've got 1103 01:02:35,320 --> 01:02:39,280 Speaker 2: to hit a little bit more. I view this a 1104 01:02:39,280 --> 01:02:42,560 Speaker 2: little bit more glass full or glass half full. They've 1105 01:02:42,640 --> 01:02:45,080 Speaker 2: survived the first nine games of the season without two 1106 01:02:45,080 --> 01:02:46,600 Speaker 2: guys who are supposed to be at the top of 1107 01:02:46,600 --> 01:02:50,560 Speaker 2: the rotation. It looks like they're capable of playing cleaner baseball, 1108 01:02:50,600 --> 01:02:53,200 Speaker 2: and they have found ways to win close games, found 1109 01:02:53,200 --> 01:02:55,600 Speaker 2: a way to win an extra inning game, found way 1110 01:02:55,600 --> 01:02:57,720 Speaker 2: to win you know, games where they're not hitting all 1111 01:02:57,760 --> 01:03:02,320 Speaker 2: that much, that's good. But yeah, man, offensively, they're gonna 1112 01:03:02,320 --> 01:03:06,000 Speaker 2: have to hit more. And sure, human nature would dictate 1113 01:03:06,400 --> 01:03:09,120 Speaker 2: if you go through a full season where you're asking 1114 01:03:09,160 --> 01:03:13,400 Speaker 2: the pitchers to do too much because the guys with 1115 01:03:13,440 --> 01:03:16,320 Speaker 2: the bat, I mean, the thing is like, they're not 1116 01:03:16,480 --> 01:03:19,200 Speaker 2: two separate units. So if you're a pitcher pissed off 1117 01:03:19,200 --> 01:03:21,080 Speaker 2: at your lack of production, well, those guys are still 1118 01:03:21,080 --> 01:03:23,480 Speaker 2: making place for you in the field. But sure, if 1119 01:03:23,480 --> 01:03:25,280 Speaker 2: you're on a team that has great pitching and they're 1120 01:03:25,280 --> 01:03:28,280 Speaker 2: not hitting and there's a limit to what your team 1121 01:03:28,400 --> 01:03:30,520 Speaker 2: overall can do. At some point, if you're a pitcher. 1122 01:03:31,080 --> 01:03:33,160 Speaker 2: You can't help, but look at the guys who are 1123 01:03:33,200 --> 01:03:36,000 Speaker 2: supposed to be providing run support with a side eye, 1124 01:03:36,000 --> 01:03:36,640 Speaker 2: so to speak. 1125 01:03:37,520 --> 01:03:40,920 Speaker 6: Yeah, and my buddy called me from Tampa today and 1126 01:03:40,960 --> 01:03:43,320 Speaker 6: they got that new roof on there. You know, they 1127 01:03:43,400 --> 01:03:46,360 Speaker 6: made that roof in Germany that got blown off in 1128 01:03:46,400 --> 01:03:50,000 Speaker 6: the hurricanes. They skipped it to China for the finishing touches, 1129 01:03:50,480 --> 01:03:52,920 Speaker 6: then brought it back to Tampa. And they did this 1130 01:03:53,080 --> 01:03:56,000 Speaker 6: all within a year. Mom, It's incredible. 1131 01:03:56,920 --> 01:03:59,880 Speaker 2: The hurricane knocked it off. The hurricane knocked it off 1132 01:03:59,880 --> 01:04:03,520 Speaker 2: with that was October of twenty four. Yeah, and they 1133 01:04:03,600 --> 01:04:07,440 Speaker 2: got it completed. It was completed like in November and December. 1134 01:04:08,520 --> 01:04:11,320 Speaker 6: Yeah, and they're ready to go and they redid the 1135 01:04:11,360 --> 01:04:14,560 Speaker 6: whole stadium. My buddy sent me pictures. It looks fabulous. 1136 01:04:14,560 --> 01:04:16,560 Speaker 6: So anyway, if you're down in Tampa, go to the game. 1137 01:04:16,800 --> 01:04:17,439 Speaker 6: Calcu later. 1138 01:04:17,600 --> 01:04:21,120 Speaker 2: Thanks well, all right, like thanks? Twenty eight away from 1139 01:04:21,640 --> 01:04:24,240 Speaker 2: five o'clock sports headlines are next where twin peaks in 1140 01:04:24,280 --> 01:04:26,160 Speaker 2: Westchester on ESPN fifteen thirty. 1141 01:04:26,160 --> 01:04:33,080 Speaker 1: Cincinnati Sports Station Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty. Traffic from the. 1142 01:04:33,120 --> 01:04:36,080 Speaker 3: UC Health Traffic Center considered becoming a living Kinney Donner 1143 01:04:36,200 --> 01:04:38,919 Speaker 3: during Donate Life Month. The experts at you See Health 1144 01:04:38,960 --> 01:04:41,960 Speaker 3: can answer all of your questions. The fight for life 1145 01:04:42,040 --> 01:04:46,040 Speaker 3: begins with one step. Learn more at guchealth dot com 1146 01:04:46,040 --> 01:04:49,960 Speaker 3: slash Transplant. We're seeing so down's on seventy one North 1147 01:04:50,000 --> 01:04:52,440 Speaker 3: between Smith Edwards and Normal lad Or two right lanes 1148 01:04:52,480 --> 01:04:54,960 Speaker 3: blocked with the accident at buy a seven minute delay 1149 01:04:55,080 --> 01:04:58,640 Speaker 3: and also the overturned semi Kixing Highway at mac Road. 1150 01:04:58,640 --> 01:05:01,560 Speaker 3: Police on the scene. We have seventy five SEW I'm 1151 01:05:01,720 --> 01:05:04,440 Speaker 3: southbound Bunner Ring and Highway to Norwin lateral and again 1152 01:05:04,480 --> 01:05:07,240 Speaker 3: from the Botec down to the friend Spence Bridge by 1153 01:05:07,320 --> 01:05:08,560 Speaker 3: Rick Shrimp with traffic. 1154 01:05:08,800 --> 01:05:10,680 Speaker 4: This report is sponsored by. 1155 01:05:10,960 --> 01:05:15,160 Speaker 1: Is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports station. 1156 01:05:16,040 --> 01:05:19,480 Speaker 2: Sports Headlines are a service at Kelsey Chevrolet, home of livetime, 1157 01:05:19,520 --> 01:05:23,160 Speaker 2: powertrain protection and guarantee credit approval from their family to 1158 01:05:23,400 --> 01:05:28,000 Speaker 2: yours for life Kelsey chef dot com. Red Send Marlins 1159 01:05:28,040 --> 01:05:31,880 Speaker 2: Tonight first of four in Miami for Cincinnati Brandon Williamson 1160 01:05:31,960 --> 01:05:36,640 Speaker 2: and Jansen Chunk six forty is tonight's first pitch Here 1161 01:05:36,640 --> 01:05:40,680 Speaker 2: the game live on seven hundred w wel W your 1162 01:05:40,800 --> 01:05:43,600 Speaker 2: unsponsored red starting line of for tonight Are you ready 1163 01:05:43,600 --> 01:05:49,240 Speaker 2: to get out your scorecards and your pencils. Fredo's and center, 1164 01:05:49,360 --> 01:05:53,240 Speaker 2: McLean's at second, Ellie's at short, Stewart's at first, Suarez 1165 01:05:53,320 --> 01:05:57,280 Speaker 2: is dhing, Spencer Steers and left field, Will Benson's in center, 1166 01:05:57,920 --> 01:06:01,080 Speaker 2: Tyler Stevenson is catching, and Key Bryant and Hayes is 1167 01:06:01,120 --> 01:06:05,920 Speaker 2: playing third base again six forty tonight on seven hundred WLWD, 1168 01:06:06,000 --> 01:06:08,880 Speaker 2: Bengals bringing in Notre Dame running back Jeremiah Love for 1169 01:06:09,000 --> 01:06:13,360 Speaker 2: a pre draft visit today. According to NFL Networks Ian Rappaport, 1170 01:06:13,440 --> 01:06:16,440 Speaker 2: college basketball Michael Malone is being hired as the new 1171 01:06:16,440 --> 01:06:19,040 Speaker 2: head coach at North Carolina. Malone won an NBA title 1172 01:06:19,520 --> 01:06:23,640 Speaker 2: with the Nuggets in twenty twenty three. Meanwhile, either Dan 1173 01:06:23,720 --> 01:06:26,680 Speaker 2: Hurley or Dusty Mabel win a college basketball title tonight 1174 01:06:27,120 --> 01:06:30,160 Speaker 2: as U contakes on Michigan tip off at ten till 1175 01:06:30,280 --> 01:06:35,280 Speaker 2: nine tonight on Fox Sports thirteen sixty. I would imagine 1176 01:06:35,280 --> 01:06:41,160 Speaker 2: that soon after the NCAA Tournament title game ends, we 1177 01:06:41,200 --> 01:06:46,800 Speaker 2: will get confirmation of something that was reported last week, 1178 01:06:48,320 --> 01:06:53,600 Speaker 2: which is, and I know this is a sports talk 1179 01:06:53,760 --> 01:06:58,120 Speaker 2: radio go to to the point of cliche, expansion of 1180 01:06:58,160 --> 01:07:03,240 Speaker 2: the NCAA Tournament. According to Ross Dellinger late last week 1181 01:07:03,320 --> 01:07:06,920 Speaker 2: Yahoo Sports. The men's and women's tournaments are expected to 1182 01:07:06,960 --> 01:07:10,600 Speaker 2: grow from sixty eight to seventy six teams in the 1183 01:07:10,640 --> 01:07:16,320 Speaker 2: near future, perhaps as soon as next year. According or 1184 01:07:16,400 --> 01:07:20,720 Speaker 2: under the proposed format expansion, gonna add eight additional teams 1185 01:07:20,760 --> 01:07:24,240 Speaker 2: to the current first four structure, so instead of there 1186 01:07:24,280 --> 01:07:28,640 Speaker 2: being four play in matchups, there'll be twenty four teams 1187 01:07:28,640 --> 01:07:31,240 Speaker 2: that will compete in a new opening round with twelve 1188 01:07:31,280 --> 01:07:36,120 Speaker 2: games played before the traditional first round begins. Dayton will 1189 01:07:36,160 --> 01:07:39,480 Speaker 2: remain a site, and apparently the latter another site to it, which, 1190 01:07:40,080 --> 01:07:46,080 Speaker 2: logistically speaking, you would have to Here's my question. With 1191 01:07:46,200 --> 01:07:52,480 Speaker 2: the exception of college football and college football playoff expansion, 1192 01:07:52,640 --> 01:07:57,560 Speaker 2: I think has been okay. It's not perfect. I don't 1193 01:07:57,560 --> 01:08:00,640 Speaker 2: think it needs to be expanded to sixteen, twenty four 1194 01:08:00,800 --> 01:08:03,520 Speaker 2: or thirty two, though it feels like that will happen 1195 01:08:03,560 --> 01:08:06,280 Speaker 2: at some point, expansion to the from the current field 1196 01:08:06,280 --> 01:08:09,000 Speaker 2: to something at some point. But I think it's been 1197 01:08:09,200 --> 01:08:14,000 Speaker 2: a net plus. And there's conference title games don't mean 1198 01:08:14,040 --> 01:08:16,600 Speaker 2: as much, and there are some regular season games that 1199 01:08:16,680 --> 01:08:20,040 Speaker 2: maybe don't have as much meaning, but the regular season 1200 01:08:20,120 --> 01:08:27,320 Speaker 2: is still meaningful. There is still a level of exclusivity 1201 01:08:27,439 --> 01:08:30,120 Speaker 2: with the twelve team field, you have to have an 1202 01:08:30,160 --> 01:08:33,840 Speaker 2: excellent season. The regular season still matters a lot. Those 1203 01:08:33,920 --> 01:08:37,800 Speaker 2: games still feel big, and I feel like every fan 1204 01:08:37,880 --> 01:08:40,679 Speaker 2: of at least a power for school feels like their 1205 01:08:40,720 --> 01:08:47,080 Speaker 2: team has access, legitimate access to the championship. So I'll say, 1206 01:08:47,080 --> 01:08:50,720 Speaker 2: with the exception of college football, has there been a 1207 01:08:50,840 --> 01:08:57,200 Speaker 2: sport that has expanded its postseason where it's worked, or 1208 01:08:57,240 --> 01:09:00,639 Speaker 2: where it's made you feel like the postseason product is better, 1209 01:09:01,320 --> 01:09:04,120 Speaker 2: or where it hasn't watered down the regular season. The 1210 01:09:04,240 --> 01:09:07,479 Speaker 2: NFL expanded the postseason field a few years ago to 1211 01:09:07,560 --> 01:09:10,599 Speaker 2: seven teams per conference. Now, I'm not talking about this 1212 01:09:10,640 --> 01:09:12,800 Speaker 2: from the perspective of, well, your team got in as 1213 01:09:12,840 --> 01:09:14,960 Speaker 2: a seven and wouldn't have gotten in as a six, 1214 01:09:15,240 --> 01:09:18,519 Speaker 2: and so it worked for you. As a general rule, 1215 01:09:19,040 --> 01:09:23,120 Speaker 2: Has that given us more good playoff games? Has it 1216 01:09:23,160 --> 01:09:27,080 Speaker 2: given us more good playoff teams? Has it not watered 1217 01:09:27,080 --> 01:09:31,400 Speaker 2: down a little bit the regular season? It has watered 1218 01:09:31,439 --> 01:09:33,800 Speaker 2: down the regular season. It hasn't given us a ton 1219 01:09:33,920 --> 01:09:38,240 Speaker 2: more great playoff games. It's fun that first weekend when 1220 01:09:38,240 --> 01:09:40,559 Speaker 2: there are six wildcard games. I'm the first to admit 1221 01:09:40,640 --> 01:09:43,759 Speaker 2: that I kind of like the Saturday through Monday structure 1222 01:09:43,760 --> 01:09:47,200 Speaker 2: because you get three days of NFL playoff games. But 1223 01:09:47,280 --> 01:09:49,880 Speaker 2: I feel like, for the most part, most NFL fans, 1224 01:09:49,920 --> 01:09:53,879 Speaker 2: myself included, have reacted to there being one more playoff 1225 01:09:53,920 --> 01:09:59,280 Speaker 2: game per conference with a shoulder shrug. With baseball, we've 1226 01:09:59,320 --> 01:10:01,680 Speaker 2: added a playoff now, I know, because they added a 1227 01:10:01,720 --> 01:10:04,000 Speaker 2: playoff team. The Reds got to make it last year, 1228 01:10:04,360 --> 01:10:06,320 Speaker 2: so now we have more playoff teams, we have more 1229 01:10:06,320 --> 01:10:11,160 Speaker 2: playoff series. Baseball playoff games used to feel special. Now 1230 01:10:11,560 --> 01:10:14,760 Speaker 2: those early round games feel like an extension of the 1231 01:10:14,800 --> 01:10:17,679 Speaker 2: regular season. The Reds played in the first round last 1232 01:10:17,760 --> 01:10:22,479 Speaker 2: year against the Dodgers. Do those really feel like playoff games? 1233 01:10:23,520 --> 01:10:26,760 Speaker 2: The water seasons more water, the regular seasons more water down. 1234 01:10:26,840 --> 01:10:29,559 Speaker 2: We have eighty three win teams making the playoffs. There's 1235 01:10:29,600 --> 01:10:33,080 Speaker 2: not a lot of special to that has expansion of 1236 01:10:33,120 --> 01:10:37,440 Speaker 2: the baseball playoffs made things better. The NBA hasn't technically 1237 01:10:37,520 --> 01:10:41,480 Speaker 2: expanded the postseason or the playoffs, but they have expanded 1238 01:10:42,000 --> 01:10:44,920 Speaker 2: the postseason because of the play in tournament. Now there's 1239 01:10:44,920 --> 01:10:46,439 Speaker 2: a part of me that does like the fact that 1240 01:10:46,479 --> 01:10:50,879 Speaker 2: we advance automatically to what are close to elimination games. 1241 01:10:50,920 --> 01:10:52,960 Speaker 2: In the first game of the play in tournament, but 1242 01:10:54,000 --> 01:10:56,080 Speaker 2: are there many great play in tournament games that you 1243 01:10:56,080 --> 01:10:59,879 Speaker 2: can remember? Hasn't made the regular season feel more special. 1244 01:11:00,080 --> 01:11:03,320 Speaker 2: Regular season in the NBA, everybody agrees, is too long. 1245 01:11:03,479 --> 01:11:07,439 Speaker 2: The league has a huge tanking problem. Adding postseason teams 1246 01:11:07,479 --> 01:11:11,639 Speaker 2: hasn't solved that by any stretch. We're not adding more 1247 01:11:11,720 --> 01:11:15,080 Speaker 2: good teams to the postseason. Is there a sport? And 1248 01:11:15,160 --> 01:11:17,479 Speaker 2: I think with the exception of college football, you could 1249 01:11:17,479 --> 01:11:21,560 Speaker 2: say this, is there a sport? We're expanding the postseason 1250 01:11:21,840 --> 01:11:24,960 Speaker 2: has made things better. I don't think the answer is yes. 1251 01:11:25,479 --> 01:11:28,759 Speaker 2: Baseball fans don't seem to love six teams per league. 1252 01:11:29,360 --> 01:11:33,160 Speaker 2: Regular season does feel watered down. I don't know what 1253 01:11:33,200 --> 01:11:35,960 Speaker 2: the ratings are for those added postseason games, but it 1254 01:11:35,960 --> 01:11:40,040 Speaker 2: doesn't feel like they really capture the country's attention. NFL 1255 01:11:40,040 --> 01:11:42,639 Speaker 2: playoff expansion seems to be met with a shoulder shrug. 1256 01:11:43,320 --> 01:11:48,080 Speaker 2: NBA postseason expansion hasn't extinguished that league's issues. I feel 1257 01:11:48,080 --> 01:11:50,320 Speaker 2: like the same is gonna happen in college basketball. We're 1258 01:11:50,320 --> 01:11:53,360 Speaker 2: gonna make the regular season less meaningful. We're gonna have teams, 1259 01:11:53,360 --> 01:11:55,879 Speaker 2: and I hate to say this, We're gonna have teams 1260 01:11:56,280 --> 01:11:59,639 Speaker 2: that have the profile of this past season's UC team 1261 01:12:00,240 --> 01:12:04,480 Speaker 2: making the NCAA Tournament. I love the Bearcats more than anybody, 1262 01:12:04,520 --> 01:12:10,120 Speaker 2: but come on, come on, there's no doubt in anybody's 1263 01:12:10,200 --> 01:12:13,719 Speaker 2: mind that these added playoff or added postseason, added tournament 1264 01:12:13,720 --> 01:12:17,360 Speaker 2: spots are going to go to relatively underachieving high major teams. 1265 01:12:18,080 --> 01:12:21,760 Speaker 2: I just like we've expanded the postseason nearly everywhere. I guess, 1266 01:12:21,760 --> 01:12:24,400 Speaker 2: with the exception of the NHL, we've expanded the postseason 1267 01:12:24,400 --> 01:12:27,240 Speaker 2: nearly everywhere. And again, I think college football so far 1268 01:12:27,760 --> 01:12:30,559 Speaker 2: it's worked. It does not need to be expanded more. 1269 01:12:32,520 --> 01:12:34,760 Speaker 2: I feel like, in no case beyond that, and no 1270 01:12:34,880 --> 01:12:37,040 Speaker 2: instance has it made the league, or the sport or 1271 01:12:37,080 --> 01:12:42,559 Speaker 2: the fan experience dramatically better. A quarter to five ESPN 1272 01:12:42,560 --> 01:12:45,639 Speaker 2: fifteen thirty, You're welcome the chime in at five, one, three, seven, four, nine, 1273 01:12:45,960 --> 01:12:48,920 Speaker 2: fifteen thirty. I will use the analogy I brought up 1274 01:12:49,000 --> 01:12:51,679 Speaker 2: earlier when it comes to the Reds and their offensive struggles, 1275 01:12:51,680 --> 01:12:54,600 Speaker 2: which they are winning through. Coming up at five oh 1276 01:12:54,760 --> 01:13:01,439 Speaker 2: five on ESPN fifteen thirty. Cincinnati Sports Station CINCINNATI'SES fifteen thirty. 1277 01:13:02,439 --> 01:13:05,720 Speaker 3: Traffic from the UC Health Traffic Center considered becoming a 1278 01:13:05,760 --> 01:13:09,080 Speaker 3: living kidney donor during Donate Life Monthly experts at UC 1279 01:13:09,240 --> 01:13:11,960 Speaker 3: health can answer all of your questions. The fight for 1280 01:13:12,120 --> 01:13:16,559 Speaker 3: life begins with one step. Learn more at UCHealth dot com. 1281 01:13:16,600 --> 01:13:20,519 Speaker 3: Slash transplant good news seventy one north after two seventy 1282 01:13:20,520 --> 01:13:23,759 Speaker 3: five accident clear from the ramp seventy one northbound between 1283 01:13:23,800 --> 01:13:25,960 Speaker 3: Smith Edwards and nor Wood lad All that crash now 1284 01:13:25,960 --> 01:13:28,960 Speaker 3: cleared as well. We do have two seventy five after 1285 01:13:29,080 --> 01:13:31,640 Speaker 3: Montgomery on the westbound side accident. Here is off on 1286 01:13:31,720 --> 01:13:34,120 Speaker 3: the right shoulder by Rick Shremp with traffic. 1287 01:13:34,360 --> 01:13:36,800 Speaker 2: Austin Reeves got hurt. Luka Danci is just going to 1288 01:13:37,040 --> 01:13:40,360 Speaker 2: Europe to figure out what's wrong with his hamstring. Mike 1289 01:13:40,400 --> 01:13:48,160 Speaker 2: Trout got hurt again. Nicolodolo's got a blister, Solo Ball's 1290 01:13:48,200 --> 01:13:52,120 Speaker 2: got a walking boot. There you go. Where's your answers? 1291 01:13:53,000 --> 01:13:55,479 Speaker 2: Anything on this show that you may have missed, Anything 1292 01:13:55,520 --> 01:13:57,679 Speaker 2: on this show that you heard and were like, damn, 1293 01:13:57,680 --> 01:13:59,519 Speaker 2: that was good, that was amazing. I want to hear 1294 01:13:59,560 --> 01:14:03,639 Speaker 2: it again. Well, the good news is we record everything. 1295 01:14:03,720 --> 01:14:07,439 Speaker 2: Sometimes the bad news is we record everything. So you know, 1296 01:14:07,479 --> 01:14:09,200 Speaker 2: it used to be in this business when you made 1297 01:14:09,200 --> 01:14:11,839 Speaker 2: a mistake or you did something that maybe you regretted, 1298 01:14:11,880 --> 01:14:13,760 Speaker 2: it just it went away now now we just we 1299 01:14:13,880 --> 01:14:17,840 Speaker 2: put it all up forever for posterity on the iHeartRadio app. 1300 01:14:18,040 --> 01:14:20,439 Speaker 2: Could also go to my page at ESPN fifteen thirty 1301 01:14:20,479 --> 01:14:24,400 Speaker 2: dot com. I enjoyed immensely chatting in Indianapolis last week 1302 01:14:24,439 --> 01:14:28,000 Speaker 2: with Jared Calhoun as we talked about the schedule, the portal, 1303 01:14:29,120 --> 01:14:32,080 Speaker 2: some of the things that you know he's walked away 1304 01:14:32,120 --> 01:14:35,240 Speaker 2: from with impressions of the program with the job is 1305 01:14:35,280 --> 01:14:38,120 Speaker 2: first week or so. Excuse me. We talked last Wednesday. 1306 01:14:38,520 --> 01:14:42,280 Speaker 2: If you missed that conversation, it is available belt free 1307 01:14:42,800 --> 01:14:46,080 Speaker 2: on the iHeartRadio app. Also chatted with Trey Carroll, the 1308 01:14:46,520 --> 01:14:49,160 Speaker 2: Xavier and four now former Xavier musketeer. He was in 1309 01:14:49,160 --> 01:14:53,439 Speaker 2: Indianapolis last week. Jake Diebler, the head basketball coach at 1310 01:14:53,479 --> 01:14:56,400 Speaker 2: Ohio State, also in Indie. We talked with him and 1311 01:14:56,640 --> 01:14:58,599 Speaker 2: so much more any of that you may have missed. 1312 01:14:58,640 --> 01:15:02,080 Speaker 2: We had Steve Cangelosi from Apple TV to talk about 1313 01:15:02,120 --> 01:15:06,960 Speaker 2: FC Cincinnati, which I don't think did anything on Saturday 1314 01:15:07,200 --> 01:15:12,679 Speaker 2: in New York against Red Bull New York to make 1315 01:15:12,760 --> 01:15:17,559 Speaker 2: anybody feel any better about the way the season has 1316 01:15:17,680 --> 01:15:23,240 Speaker 2: started so far, losing foward to in Harrison, New Jersey, 1317 01:15:23,280 --> 01:15:26,080 Speaker 2: to New York. Steve's interview was a terrific As always, 1318 01:15:26,160 --> 01:15:28,800 Speaker 2: That and so much more available on the iHeartRadio app. 1319 01:15:28,840 --> 01:15:32,599 Speaker 2: Podcasts of this show are a service of Long Neck's 1320 01:15:32,680 --> 01:15:36,720 Speaker 2: Sports Grilled. The Reds had a great weekend in Arlington, 1321 01:15:37,200 --> 01:15:41,599 Speaker 2: right by Jerry World. Three very well pitched games, three 1322 01:15:41,640 --> 01:15:44,360 Speaker 2: games where the Rats got good starting pitching and good 1323 01:15:44,360 --> 01:15:48,799 Speaker 2: relief work. A start yesterday from Chase Burns, which was terrific. 1324 01:15:49,280 --> 01:15:52,120 Speaker 2: Are they playing with fire by not scoring a ton 1325 01:15:52,160 --> 01:15:55,040 Speaker 2: of runs? We'll spend some time on that a little 1326 01:15:55,040 --> 01:15:58,880 Speaker 2: bit later on. And when you watch college basketball, there's 1327 01:15:58,880 --> 01:16:01,559 Speaker 2: something that you may have noticed that I have. We'll 1328 01:16:01,560 --> 01:16:03,960 Speaker 2: get to that coming up in the five o'clock hour. 1329 01:16:04,800 --> 01:16:07,680 Speaker 2: And Bengals are gonna have an interesting question when it 1330 01:16:07,720 --> 01:16:09,639 Speaker 2: comes to the tenth overall pick in the draft. We'll 1331 01:16:09,640 --> 01:16:12,719 Speaker 2: get to what the answer should be coming up as well. 1332 01:16:12,760 --> 01:16:15,680 Speaker 2: But right now here at Twin Peaks in Westchester, it's 1333 01:16:15,720 --> 01:16:19,200 Speaker 2: time for Breniman and Jones on baseball golf. Weather is 1334 01:16:19,840 --> 01:16:24,920 Speaker 2: ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati's sports station. And there you go. 1335 01:16:25,000 --> 01:16:28,679 Speaker 2: It's three minutes after five o'clock. This is ESPN fifteen 1336 01:16:28,720 --> 01:16:32,320 Speaker 2: thirty out O Edgar, thanks so much, for listening today. Hopefully, Hey, 1337 01:16:32,360 --> 01:16:34,719 Speaker 2: you had a great weekend, be you had an awesome Easter, 1338 01:16:34,840 --> 01:16:38,080 Speaker 2: and see your week is off to a terrific start. 1339 01:16:38,120 --> 01:16:41,080 Speaker 2: We are broadcasting today from Twin Peaks in Westchester at 1340 01:16:41,080 --> 01:16:43,479 Speaker 2: the home for one of the two homes of the 1341 01:16:43,680 --> 01:16:47,080 Speaker 2: Tony Moo Football Show, back again this fall for year 1342 01:16:47,200 --> 01:16:51,000 Speaker 2: number seven. It's obviously not fall, it's not the Tony 1343 01:16:51,040 --> 01:16:53,840 Speaker 2: and Mo Football Show, but we love coming out here 1344 01:16:53,880 --> 01:16:57,160 Speaker 2: occasionally during the course of the calendar, and we're here 1345 01:16:57,160 --> 01:17:00,160 Speaker 2: at the Westchester location till six o'clock. If you're looking 1346 01:17:00,240 --> 01:17:04,639 Speaker 2: for a place for tonight Reds game, National Championship game. 1347 01:17:05,040 --> 01:17:08,960 Speaker 2: Maybe this weekend the Masters, great food, awesome beer selection, 1348 01:17:09,080 --> 01:17:13,560 Speaker 2: great bourbon selection, terrific staff. It's a gorgeous day outside, 1349 01:17:13,640 --> 01:17:15,240 Speaker 2: so you want to be out and about you're in 1350 01:17:15,280 --> 01:17:18,600 Speaker 2: the north part of Cincinnati, stop by Twin Peaks in Westchester. 1351 01:17:18,680 --> 01:17:21,040 Speaker 2: If not today, maybe tonight. If not tonight, maybe some 1352 01:17:21,120 --> 01:17:24,799 Speaker 2: point this week or this coming weekend. This past weekend 1353 01:17:24,960 --> 01:17:28,959 Speaker 2: a great one for the Reds. They sweep the Texas Rangers. 1354 01:17:29,360 --> 01:17:33,240 Speaker 2: They win close games, they win low scoring games. They 1355 01:17:33,280 --> 01:17:36,320 Speaker 2: win games, three of them in Arlington, where they scored 1356 01:17:36,920 --> 01:17:41,880 Speaker 2: a grand total of nine runs. They're dead last. The 1357 01:17:41,960 --> 01:17:44,760 Speaker 2: Reds are in runs scored, yet they have a six 1358 01:17:44,800 --> 01:17:47,080 Speaker 2: and three record, headed to Miami for the first of 1359 01:17:47,120 --> 01:17:52,040 Speaker 2: four against the Marlins tonight. This is really good, and 1360 01:17:52,080 --> 01:17:56,639 Speaker 2: it's really good from a handful of different perspectives. Start 1361 01:17:56,680 --> 01:18:01,640 Speaker 2: with Chase Burns yesterday, Well, it's easy to do what 1362 01:18:01,720 --> 01:18:03,559 Speaker 2: a lot of us have done. And I'm raising my hand, 1363 01:18:03,560 --> 01:18:06,560 Speaker 2: which is to dwell on his relative lack of experience. 1364 01:18:07,280 --> 01:18:09,679 Speaker 2: But so far, the first two starts he has made, 1365 01:18:10,040 --> 01:18:12,840 Speaker 2: God doesn't look like a dude lacking an experience. He 1366 01:18:12,920 --> 01:18:16,760 Speaker 2: attacks hitters, he obviously has great velocity. He's tossed in 1367 01:18:16,800 --> 01:18:20,559 Speaker 2: a change up. He was terrific. He's been awesome in 1368 01:18:20,560 --> 01:18:24,200 Speaker 2: his first two starts. Ret Louder terrific on Saturday. What 1369 01:18:24,280 --> 01:18:29,000 Speaker 2: I loved about both outings is both guys pitched without 1370 01:18:29,040 --> 01:18:34,040 Speaker 2: a ton of run support. It's the starting pitching, it's 1371 01:18:34,360 --> 01:18:38,600 Speaker 2: the relief pitching. It's the depth of relief pitching. Yesterday, 1372 01:18:38,880 --> 01:18:41,200 Speaker 2: they don't have a meli opagun available. They don't have 1373 01:18:41,240 --> 01:18:44,880 Speaker 2: Tony Santina available, they don't have Graham Ashcraft available. I 1374 01:18:44,920 --> 01:18:47,479 Speaker 2: don't know if you really want to make the argument 1375 01:18:47,560 --> 01:18:50,360 Speaker 2: right now, that those are the Reds best three relievers. 1376 01:18:50,840 --> 01:18:54,200 Speaker 2: But how many times in recent history would you feel 1377 01:18:54,200 --> 01:18:57,280 Speaker 2: comfortable with the Reds winning a game, a close game, 1378 01:18:57,479 --> 01:19:01,200 Speaker 2: a low scoring game, when they didn't have arguably their 1379 01:19:01,240 --> 01:19:05,799 Speaker 2: best three relief pitchers available. They did it yesterday. Chase 1380 01:19:05,840 --> 01:19:10,000 Speaker 2: Burns obviously set the tone. Connor Phillips had a lot 1381 01:19:10,040 --> 01:19:13,280 Speaker 2: to do with it. Obviously using a brock Berk in 1382 01:19:13,320 --> 01:19:14,800 Speaker 2: the ninth inning had a lot to do with it. 1383 01:19:14,800 --> 01:19:17,160 Speaker 2: It feels like they have more bullpen options. They are 1384 01:19:17,160 --> 01:19:22,800 Speaker 2: not widening, or I should say, shrinking their margin for error. 1385 01:19:23,560 --> 01:19:26,040 Speaker 2: I talk about this all the time, perhaps to the 1386 01:19:26,040 --> 01:19:29,559 Speaker 2: point of annoyance the Reds in recent years. How often 1387 01:19:29,600 --> 01:19:32,360 Speaker 2: have we talked about them shrinking their own margin for 1388 01:19:32,600 --> 01:19:37,680 Speaker 2: error because of defense, or because of mental miscues, or 1389 01:19:37,720 --> 01:19:41,479 Speaker 2: because of base running mistakes. This weekend it felt like 1390 01:19:42,040 --> 01:19:45,960 Speaker 2: they widen their margin for error. They haven't made an error, 1391 01:19:46,240 --> 01:19:50,720 Speaker 2: an actual physical miscue in nine games. But it's not 1392 01:19:51,240 --> 01:19:56,599 Speaker 2: just that. Like the play that Sal Stewart makes where 1393 01:19:57,640 --> 01:20:02,280 Speaker 2: he gets Animo out at at second base on a 1394 01:20:02,280 --> 01:20:04,160 Speaker 2: ball that was kind of hitt in no man's land, 1395 01:20:04,400 --> 01:20:06,920 Speaker 2: that the Wyatt Langford bloop where he can't get it 1396 01:20:07,000 --> 01:20:09,680 Speaker 2: mclan can't get it, and Stuart very alertly picks up 1397 01:20:09,720 --> 01:20:12,320 Speaker 2: the ball, throws it to second. They get the force 1398 01:20:13,479 --> 01:20:16,720 Speaker 2: or base running where this weekend, you know, it's not 1399 01:20:16,960 --> 01:20:21,120 Speaker 2: just stolen bases, but it's Ellie having the ability to 1400 01:20:21,560 --> 01:20:23,719 Speaker 2: out tag up on a fly ball in the fourth inning, 1401 01:20:23,720 --> 01:20:27,360 Speaker 2: putting himself in scoring position, right. Stuff like that. It's 1402 01:20:27,400 --> 01:20:30,680 Speaker 2: Matt McClain stealing second after walking to lead off the 1403 01:20:30,720 --> 01:20:36,360 Speaker 2: eighth inning, setting him up to score like there's little 1404 01:20:36,400 --> 01:20:39,040 Speaker 2: ball or doing the little things however you want to 1405 01:20:39,080 --> 01:20:42,599 Speaker 2: put it. This team this weekend did it. This team 1406 01:20:42,760 --> 01:20:46,920 Speaker 2: this weekend won three games where offensively they were obviously 1407 01:20:46,960 --> 01:20:50,599 Speaker 2: not at their best. Is it's not a great prescription 1408 01:20:50,760 --> 01:20:54,400 Speaker 2: for success scoring nine games in a weekend series. You're 1409 01:20:54,439 --> 01:20:56,479 Speaker 2: not gonna sweep many of those. You're not gonna win 1410 01:20:56,520 --> 01:21:00,920 Speaker 2: many of those. But they have a lead. Least widen 1411 01:21:01,040 --> 01:21:04,280 Speaker 2: their margin for air a little bit by having more 1412 01:21:04,280 --> 01:21:09,040 Speaker 2: relief options, by playing clean baseball, by not making mistakes 1413 01:21:09,040 --> 01:21:11,800 Speaker 2: in the field, by not making huge blunders on the 1414 01:21:11,840 --> 01:21:16,280 Speaker 2: base paths, by being opportunistic on the base pass. Those 1415 01:21:16,360 --> 01:21:21,680 Speaker 2: things can be sustainable. We could talk about how sustainable 1416 01:21:21,680 --> 01:21:24,000 Speaker 2: it is to win six out of nine and only 1417 01:21:24,000 --> 01:21:26,800 Speaker 2: score twenty six runs. We could talk about the sustainability 1418 01:21:26,840 --> 01:21:29,400 Speaker 2: of Chase Burns looking as good as he's looked in 1419 01:21:29,439 --> 01:21:32,160 Speaker 2: his first two starts. We could talk about the sustainability 1420 01:21:32,200 --> 01:21:34,960 Speaker 2: of a rotation where right now you have three guys 1421 01:21:35,000 --> 01:21:38,640 Speaker 2: who are very short on experience, But what can be sustainable? 1422 01:21:38,680 --> 01:21:41,639 Speaker 2: And look, they're gonna make errors. You can tolerate physical errors. 1423 01:21:42,200 --> 01:21:44,400 Speaker 2: But if you watch this team over the first nine games, 1424 01:21:45,000 --> 01:21:47,519 Speaker 2: it's felt like mentally, it's felt like they've been in 1425 01:21:47,640 --> 01:21:50,760 Speaker 2: every play, had their collective heads in the game and 1426 01:21:50,800 --> 01:21:53,680 Speaker 2: every play. As little eagy as that might sound, they 1427 01:21:53,680 --> 01:21:55,760 Speaker 2: haven't done anything. They've been no big brain farts in 1428 01:21:55,800 --> 01:21:58,120 Speaker 2: the field or on the base pass. Sometimes great defense 1429 01:21:58,200 --> 01:22:01,559 Speaker 2: isn't measured solely by the error comm Sometimes it's making 1430 01:22:01,600 --> 01:22:04,240 Speaker 2: a play like the one that Sal Stewart made forcing 1431 01:22:04,320 --> 01:22:08,160 Speaker 2: the guy at second yesterday. Sometimes great base running isn't 1432 01:22:08,160 --> 01:22:11,000 Speaker 2: necessarily measured by the stolen base column. But it's taking 1433 01:22:11,080 --> 01:22:12,760 Speaker 2: an extra bag when you can get it, and it's 1434 01:22:12,800 --> 01:22:14,880 Speaker 2: not giving up more outs on the base paths than 1435 01:22:14,920 --> 01:22:17,519 Speaker 2: you need to. It's not crossing the line that exists 1436 01:22:17,520 --> 01:22:22,240 Speaker 2: between aggressiveness and stupidity. Those things can carry over. Those 1437 01:22:22,320 --> 01:22:25,960 Speaker 2: things are sustainable. Those things are what allow you to 1438 01:22:26,040 --> 01:22:29,759 Speaker 2: win when offensively you're not at your best. This team 1439 01:22:29,840 --> 01:22:33,639 Speaker 2: is not at its best offensively. This is gonna sound harsh. 1440 01:22:34,240 --> 01:22:37,120 Speaker 2: This is a low ceiling offensive team. Let's be honest. 1441 01:22:37,840 --> 01:22:40,720 Speaker 2: When the season started, which was just a week and 1442 01:22:40,720 --> 01:22:43,799 Speaker 2: a half ago, none of us talked about this team 1443 01:22:44,120 --> 01:22:47,120 Speaker 2: leading the league in runs scored, leading the division in 1444 01:22:47,240 --> 01:22:52,360 Speaker 2: runs scored, being overwhelmingly better than it was last season. 1445 01:22:52,400 --> 01:22:55,120 Speaker 2: There were things that we've hoped for. Better production for 1446 01:22:55,200 --> 01:22:58,400 Speaker 2: Matt McClain, a healthy and more productive season from Elie 1447 01:22:58,400 --> 01:23:01,200 Speaker 2: de la Cruz, a Rookie of the Year caliber season 1448 01:23:01,240 --> 01:23:04,360 Speaker 2: which right now we can check that box. From Sal Stewart, 1449 01:23:04,920 --> 01:23:08,080 Speaker 2: Gino Suarez hitting thirty five to forty home runs. But 1450 01:23:08,640 --> 01:23:11,200 Speaker 2: I think most of us looked at the overall roster construction. 1451 01:23:11,600 --> 01:23:13,839 Speaker 2: Most of us looked at the overall line of construction 1452 01:23:13,960 --> 01:23:17,120 Speaker 2: and said they should be better offensively. They're probably not 1453 01:23:17,200 --> 01:23:21,200 Speaker 2: going to be great. When you're not great, your slumps 1454 01:23:22,200 --> 01:23:24,479 Speaker 2: are worse than the slumps of a team that is great. 1455 01:23:24,520 --> 01:23:26,639 Speaker 2: I talked about this a little bit last hour. Take 1456 01:23:27,680 --> 01:23:32,160 Speaker 2: take an eighth place hitter and compare his slumps to 1457 01:23:33,040 --> 01:23:35,960 Speaker 2: a third place hitter. I used the example before that. 1458 01:23:36,160 --> 01:23:37,960 Speaker 2: Years ago, I got a phone call from somebody who 1459 01:23:38,040 --> 01:23:40,600 Speaker 2: was upset at the time at Zach Cozard's lack of 1460 01:23:40,640 --> 01:23:43,719 Speaker 2: productivity because for like a month stretch he was batting 1461 01:23:43,760 --> 01:23:45,479 Speaker 2: like a buck twenty five. And I'm like, look, that's 1462 01:23:45,479 --> 01:23:48,400 Speaker 2: an example of a not great hitter. Nothing against Zach, 1463 01:23:48,840 --> 01:23:51,360 Speaker 2: not great hitter going through a slump. It looks different 1464 01:23:51,360 --> 01:23:53,240 Speaker 2: than when a great hitter like Joey Vado goes through 1465 01:23:53,240 --> 01:23:56,160 Speaker 2: a slump. It just does. Joey has a bad month, 1466 01:23:56,360 --> 01:23:59,200 Speaker 2: he bats two forty. A guy hitting eighth has a 1467 01:23:59,200 --> 01:24:03,240 Speaker 2: bad month bats one twenty. That's an extreme example, but 1468 01:24:03,320 --> 01:24:05,400 Speaker 2: it's but it's an example. It's an example I think 1469 01:24:05,400 --> 01:24:07,880 Speaker 2: that we can apply to this team. When the LA 1470 01:24:08,000 --> 01:24:10,800 Speaker 2: Dodgers have a bad month, it's gonna look different than 1471 01:24:10,800 --> 01:24:13,280 Speaker 2: when the Reds offensively have a bad month. Maybe we 1472 01:24:13,320 --> 01:24:15,560 Speaker 2: could say the same about the Chicago Cups. Maybe we 1473 01:24:15,600 --> 01:24:18,479 Speaker 2: could say the same about the Milwaukee Brewers. The question 1474 01:24:18,600 --> 01:24:21,639 Speaker 2: coming into the season was and it still is there. 1475 01:24:21,680 --> 01:24:24,479 Speaker 2: It's only been nine games. When they go through those 1476 01:24:24,520 --> 01:24:27,800 Speaker 2: stretches where they don't hit, when they go through those 1477 01:24:27,840 --> 01:24:31,080 Speaker 2: periods where maybe the long ball dries Up, which it 1478 01:24:31,120 --> 01:24:33,599 Speaker 2: was cool to see him hit three on Friday when 1479 01:24:33,640 --> 01:24:36,120 Speaker 2: they've got guys who simply are not hitting. And if 1480 01:24:36,160 --> 01:24:38,120 Speaker 2: you look at this team right now, with the exception 1481 01:24:38,200 --> 01:24:41,600 Speaker 2: of Sal Stewart, pretty much nobody is hitting. Can you 1482 01:24:41,640 --> 01:24:44,400 Speaker 2: figure out ways to still win games? Can you figure 1483 01:24:44,400 --> 01:24:46,479 Speaker 2: out ways to still win games because you have high 1484 01:24:46,600 --> 01:24:49,840 Speaker 2: end starting pitching? This weekend, the answer was yes. Can 1485 01:24:49,880 --> 01:24:52,360 Speaker 2: you figure out ways to win games because you're not 1486 01:24:52,400 --> 01:24:55,360 Speaker 2: giving up extra outs, you're not making bone headed plays 1487 01:24:55,360 --> 01:24:57,720 Speaker 2: in the field, You're not shrinking your own margin for 1488 01:24:57,800 --> 01:25:01,759 Speaker 2: era on defense this week? This week, the answers were yes. 1489 01:25:01,800 --> 01:25:05,040 Speaker 2: Can they win games by nifty base running, taking an 1490 01:25:05,040 --> 01:25:07,920 Speaker 2: extra base when it presents itself, putting a little bit 1491 01:25:07,920 --> 01:25:10,479 Speaker 2: more pressure on the defense, doing things that you might 1492 01:25:10,520 --> 01:25:14,000 Speaker 2: not be as willing to do when everybody is hitting. 1493 01:25:14,040 --> 01:25:19,000 Speaker 2: They did those things this weekend. The question is when 1494 01:25:19,040 --> 01:25:22,080 Speaker 2: will things get better offensively? What will it look like 1495 01:25:22,200 --> 01:25:26,440 Speaker 2: when it does, And are there some early season performances 1496 01:25:26,880 --> 01:25:30,160 Speaker 2: that raise a red flag? I think to a degree 1497 01:25:30,200 --> 01:25:34,479 Speaker 2: there's a handful of them. Noelve Marte struggles would be one. TJ. 1498 01:25:34,680 --> 01:25:40,080 Speaker 2: Friedel's struggles would be one. Matt McClain struggles would be one. 1499 01:25:40,200 --> 01:25:45,040 Speaker 2: Now we are exceptionally early in the season. Tonight is 1500 01:25:45,160 --> 01:25:52,160 Speaker 2: game number ten, but you see the start that resigns 1501 01:25:52,280 --> 01:25:58,800 Speaker 2: is off to a Louisville. You heard the relatively lukewarm 1502 01:25:58,920 --> 01:26:03,680 Speaker 2: endorsement of Noel Marte this spring from Terry Francona. You 1503 01:26:03,800 --> 01:26:07,920 Speaker 2: watched Matt McClain last season. You understand that the Reds 1504 01:26:08,000 --> 01:26:10,879 Speaker 2: need better production from the leadoff spot. You do wonder 1505 01:26:11,520 --> 01:26:15,280 Speaker 2: what the team is currently constructed. How much longer is 1506 01:26:15,320 --> 01:26:17,640 Speaker 2: this team offensively going to be allowed to struggle the 1507 01:26:17,640 --> 01:26:21,559 Speaker 2: way they are before somebody says, okay, like we got 1508 01:26:21,600 --> 01:26:25,840 Speaker 2: to do something different. You also, and I joked about 1509 01:26:25,840 --> 01:26:28,559 Speaker 2: this at this time last year, You also can't help 1510 01:26:28,600 --> 01:26:32,479 Speaker 2: but wonder which names will we be talking about? Maybe 1511 01:26:32,520 --> 01:26:35,439 Speaker 2: the Reds going and getting at the trade deadline this 1512 01:26:35,520 --> 01:26:39,719 Speaker 2: year again, man, Like, they're not a less than three 1513 01:26:39,840 --> 01:26:42,560 Speaker 2: runs a game team. They've scored twenty six runs in 1514 01:26:42,720 --> 01:26:46,400 Speaker 2: nine games. They've won games to nothing, they've been shut out, 1515 01:26:46,479 --> 01:26:49,080 Speaker 2: to be fair, early in the season, you get Paul 1516 01:26:49,160 --> 01:26:52,840 Speaker 2: Skeins and you get Garrett Crochet Like that's not gonna help, 1517 01:26:53,320 --> 01:26:57,120 Speaker 2: but still it is a relatively low ceiling offensive team. 1518 01:26:57,800 --> 01:27:00,040 Speaker 2: And what has happened with this team offensively over the 1519 01:27:00,040 --> 01:27:02,920 Speaker 2: first nine games, I think is an extreme example of 1520 01:27:03,000 --> 01:27:05,599 Speaker 2: what this team can be when it's not at its best. 1521 01:27:05,800 --> 01:27:09,120 Speaker 2: Number one, how long will that continue? Forward? Number two? 1522 01:27:10,360 --> 01:27:13,840 Speaker 2: Are they gonna be okay until guys' bats wake up? 1523 01:27:14,080 --> 01:27:17,760 Speaker 2: And if the answer is yes, chances are it's gonna 1524 01:27:17,800 --> 01:27:20,000 Speaker 2: be yes because the starting pitching continues to be as 1525 01:27:20,000 --> 01:27:22,280 Speaker 2: good as it's been, because the bullpen work continues to be, 1526 01:27:22,320 --> 01:27:24,960 Speaker 2: for the most part, as good as it's been, and 1527 01:27:25,000 --> 01:27:26,960 Speaker 2: because they continue to make the plays they need to 1528 01:27:27,000 --> 01:27:29,680 Speaker 2: make in the field. On defense Number three, like, what 1529 01:27:29,720 --> 01:27:32,439 Speaker 2: are they gonna do to make this offense better? And 1530 01:27:32,479 --> 01:27:35,200 Speaker 2: in the short term, I guess those answers are more 1531 01:27:35,320 --> 01:27:38,560 Speaker 2: likely to come from within, But long term, for a 1532 01:27:38,680 --> 01:27:40,840 Speaker 2: team that I think most of us agreed months ago 1533 01:27:41,600 --> 01:27:45,640 Speaker 2: needed more than just a Juhanio Suarez and Jay J. 1534 01:27:45,760 --> 01:27:48,360 Speaker 2: Bleday who obviously hasn't played in a big league game 1535 01:27:48,439 --> 01:27:54,720 Speaker 2: yet and Dane Myers, what move? What move do they 1536 01:27:54,840 --> 01:27:58,720 Speaker 2: need to make? What move will they make? And by 1537 01:27:58,760 --> 01:28:01,160 Speaker 2: the way, will those two antswer be the same because 1538 01:28:01,160 --> 01:28:04,599 Speaker 2: at the trade deadline last year they weren't. But at 1539 01:28:04,600 --> 01:28:07,679 Speaker 2: the very least, I'd rather talk about how a team 1540 01:28:07,720 --> 01:28:10,240 Speaker 2: has overcome some of its own deficiencies than why a 1541 01:28:10,320 --> 01:28:13,000 Speaker 2: team is being sunk by some of its own deficiencies. 1542 01:28:13,680 --> 01:28:18,120 Speaker 2: And this weekend this team overcame its deficiency. They scored 1543 01:28:18,240 --> 01:28:21,760 Speaker 2: nine runs in three games they won each of them. 1544 01:28:22,160 --> 01:28:27,719 Speaker 2: Great defense, great bullpen work, pretty smart managing, some excellent 1545 01:28:27,800 --> 01:28:31,680 Speaker 2: starting pitching. Very good start to the season, despite the 1546 01:28:31,720 --> 01:28:34,400 Speaker 2: fact that the start of the season offensively hasn't been 1547 01:28:34,439 --> 01:28:37,000 Speaker 2: what we were hoping for. A quarter after five on 1548 01:28:37,240 --> 01:28:39,960 Speaker 2: ESPN fifteen thirty, We've got the Reds in Marlins tonight, 1549 01:28:40,080 --> 01:28:43,440 Speaker 2: first of a four game series with a Brandon Williamson 1550 01:28:43,479 --> 01:28:46,200 Speaker 2: whose first start of the season against Pittsburgh last week 1551 01:28:46,320 --> 01:28:49,840 Speaker 2: did not go well. Can that change tonight? And can 1552 01:28:49,960 --> 01:28:53,160 Speaker 2: one of these hitters have their bats wake up? In Miami? 1553 01:28:53,240 --> 01:28:56,960 Speaker 2: We have the college basketball National Championship game this evening 1554 01:28:57,200 --> 01:29:00,960 Speaker 2: Yukon and Michigan to discuss. I don't know that we 1555 01:29:01,040 --> 01:29:03,760 Speaker 2: have to spend any more time on handshake gate. I'm 1556 01:29:03,760 --> 01:29:09,439 Speaker 2: always amused. I'm always amused when a seemingly stupid story 1557 01:29:09,520 --> 01:29:13,360 Speaker 2: dominates the conversation. That happened in women's college basketball this weekend. 1558 01:29:13,880 --> 01:29:16,040 Speaker 2: And we've got the Bengals bringing in Jeremiah Love for 1559 01:29:16,080 --> 01:29:19,559 Speaker 2: a visit today, the outstanding running back from a Notre Dame. 1560 01:29:20,080 --> 01:29:21,920 Speaker 2: And in a world we talk all the time about 1561 01:29:21,920 --> 01:29:25,640 Speaker 2: the world of multiple truths, and like there's multiple truths 1562 01:29:26,040 --> 01:29:28,360 Speaker 2: that we could use, and talking about Jeremiah Love and 1563 01:29:28,400 --> 01:29:30,840 Speaker 2: the Bengals as well. We'll get to that a little 1564 01:29:30,840 --> 01:29:33,559 Speaker 2: bit later. On sixteen minutes after five o'clock, you can 1565 01:29:33,600 --> 01:29:35,680 Speaker 2: send a tweet to the show at Moeger thanks to 1566 01:29:35,760 --> 01:29:38,920 Speaker 2: Delta Dental. Delta Dental is building healthy, smart, vibrant communities 1567 01:29:38,920 --> 01:29:42,759 Speaker 2: for all. Good to Delta dentaloh dot com. Sixteen after 1568 01:29:43,040 --> 01:29:45,679 Speaker 2: five o'clock, We're at Twin Peaks in Westchester till six 1569 01:29:46,080 --> 01:29:48,760 Speaker 2: on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports. 1570 01:29:48,439 --> 01:29:54,840 Speaker 1: Station Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty Traffic from. 1571 01:29:54,680 --> 01:29:57,519 Speaker 3: The UCING Health Traffic Center. Considered becoming a living kidney 1572 01:29:57,560 --> 01:30:00,639 Speaker 3: donor during Donate Life Month. The experts a GC Health 1573 01:30:00,640 --> 01:30:03,679 Speaker 3: can answer all of your questions. The fight for life 1574 01:30:03,760 --> 01:30:07,719 Speaker 3: begins with one step. Learn more at UCHealth dot com. 1575 01:30:07,760 --> 01:30:11,360 Speaker 3: Slash transplant excellent. Tell them the live shoulder at two 1576 01:30:11,439 --> 01:30:14,840 Speaker 3: seventy five eastpaund After Reid Hartman T seventy five West 1577 01:30:14,840 --> 01:30:17,439 Speaker 3: spounderfter Montgomery, a right shoulder taking up with the crash 1578 01:30:17,479 --> 01:30:21,639 Speaker 3: and both shoulders affected to seventy five east after Alexandria Pike, 1579 01:30:22,280 --> 01:30:24,680 Speaker 3: and we have Dixie Highway at mac with that overturned 1580 01:30:24,680 --> 01:30:27,080 Speaker 3: semi rich Shripe with traffic. 1581 01:30:27,320 --> 01:30:31,040 Speaker 2: Is ZESPN fifteen thirty moegg or at Twin Peaks in Westchester. 1582 01:30:31,160 --> 01:30:34,599 Speaker 2: We are here until six o'clock. By the way, We're 1583 01:30:34,600 --> 01:30:37,880 Speaker 2: back here one more time this spring, the Friday of 1584 01:30:37,960 --> 01:30:41,960 Speaker 2: the NFL Draft, which will be the twenty fourth of April. 1585 01:30:42,200 --> 01:30:46,760 Speaker 2: Three weeks from this two weeks from this Friday. Two 1586 01:30:46,760 --> 01:30:49,400 Speaker 2: weeks from this Friday here at to Twin Peaks in Westchester, 1587 01:30:49,479 --> 01:30:52,400 Speaker 2: looking forward to that. Then back for the Tony and 1588 01:30:52,400 --> 01:30:55,439 Speaker 2: Mo Football Show later on this September, splitting our time, 1589 01:30:55,479 --> 01:31:02,240 Speaker 2: of course between the Westchester location and Florence location. Five 1590 01:31:02,200 --> 01:31:05,240 Speaker 2: point three seven four nine, fifteen thirty and eight six 1591 01:31:05,360 --> 01:31:08,840 Speaker 2: six seven oh two three seven seven six are our 1592 01:31:08,880 --> 01:31:11,920 Speaker 2: phone numbers. More on the Reds coming up in just 1593 01:31:12,000 --> 01:31:16,439 Speaker 2: a bit. The college basketball national title game is tonight. 1594 01:31:17,439 --> 01:31:21,280 Speaker 2: Uh this after a dud of a second game between 1595 01:31:21,320 --> 01:31:24,280 Speaker 2: Michigan and Arizona that so many of us were looking 1596 01:31:24,320 --> 01:31:29,519 Speaker 2: forward to. There's obviously and we've engaged in some of them. 1597 01:31:30,160 --> 01:31:34,840 Speaker 2: Some very good discussions to be had about the state 1598 01:31:34,880 --> 01:31:37,320 Speaker 2: of college sports. And I know there was an executive 1599 01:31:37,439 --> 01:31:40,120 Speaker 2: order from the President of the United States last week 1600 01:31:40,320 --> 01:31:44,040 Speaker 2: aimed at, you know, putting a limit on transfers and 1601 01:31:44,080 --> 01:31:47,920 Speaker 2: reigning in nil collectives, and there's a lot of things 1602 01:31:47,920 --> 01:31:49,920 Speaker 2: that could be said about some of the things that 1603 01:31:50,120 --> 01:31:55,479 Speaker 2: he pushed for in in his executive order. Every time 1604 01:31:55,520 --> 01:31:59,360 Speaker 2: I watch one of these discussions though, about why the 1605 01:31:59,520 --> 01:32:04,040 Speaker 2: sport is broken, like and I know this is not 1606 01:32:04,080 --> 01:32:06,360 Speaker 2: the first time I've talked about this, but I think 1607 01:32:06,360 --> 01:32:09,680 Speaker 2: of the TV ratings. TV ratings for the tournament have 1608 01:32:09,800 --> 01:32:12,960 Speaker 2: been awesome. Last year was the most watched Final Four 1609 01:32:13,000 --> 01:32:16,720 Speaker 2: in decades. The selection show this year was the most 1610 01:32:16,800 --> 01:32:20,919 Speaker 2: watched in fourteen years. One might argue that, well, gambling 1611 01:32:21,000 --> 01:32:23,280 Speaker 2: has a lot to do with that, and there's merit 1612 01:32:23,320 --> 01:32:26,840 Speaker 2: to that suggestion. But every time I hear that college 1613 01:32:26,880 --> 01:32:31,160 Speaker 2: basketball is broken, I go, well, fans do seem to 1614 01:32:31,280 --> 01:32:35,240 Speaker 2: like this version of it, because viewership ratings tell the 1615 01:32:35,439 --> 01:32:38,320 Speaker 2: viewership numbers tell the story. Ratings and revenue is key. 1616 01:32:39,439 --> 01:32:41,880 Speaker 2: It's interesting, though you watch like college basketball, and I 1617 01:32:41,880 --> 01:32:46,080 Speaker 2: was thinking about this in the Final Four on Saturday. 1618 01:32:46,320 --> 01:32:50,599 Speaker 2: If you watch these teams during a timeout or you 1619 01:32:50,640 --> 01:32:55,160 Speaker 2: watch them when they take the floor, college basketball staffs 1620 01:32:56,240 --> 01:33:01,160 Speaker 2: have never been bigger, like so there's more than there 1621 01:33:01,240 --> 01:33:03,920 Speaker 2: used to be, where it was a coach, couple of assistants, 1622 01:33:04,080 --> 01:33:08,200 Speaker 2: maybe a trainer, maybe a video person. Now it's like 1623 01:33:08,280 --> 01:33:10,439 Speaker 2: you watch some of these staffs and you can't help 1624 01:33:10,479 --> 01:33:12,960 Speaker 2: but wonder, like, what do all of them do? I 1625 01:33:13,000 --> 01:33:17,040 Speaker 2: went to a game this season at Udi Arena where 1626 01:33:17,120 --> 01:33:21,640 Speaker 2: Dayton played Saint Bonaventure, not exactly a blue blood, not 1627 01:33:21,720 --> 01:33:25,479 Speaker 2: exactly like they were playing North Carolina or Kentucky, and 1628 01:33:25,520 --> 01:33:28,080 Speaker 2: there wasn't enough seating in the bench area for all 1629 01:33:28,120 --> 01:33:30,479 Speaker 2: the people that Saint Bonaventure had on staff. And I'm 1630 01:33:30,479 --> 01:33:33,160 Speaker 2: sure some of them were students, but not all of them. 1631 01:33:34,240 --> 01:33:39,840 Speaker 2: So you have, like in college basketball itself, coach's salaries 1632 01:33:39,880 --> 01:33:42,519 Speaker 2: are through the roof, which awesome. I'm here for it. 1633 01:33:42,680 --> 01:33:46,400 Speaker 2: Get what you can get. More jobs are being created, 1634 01:33:46,439 --> 01:33:50,000 Speaker 2: there's more money funneling through these programs than ever before. 1635 01:33:51,160 --> 01:33:55,759 Speaker 2: Nobody has seen their earnings get cut. Everybody's making money. 1636 01:33:56,200 --> 01:34:00,479 Speaker 2: TV ratings are through the roof. Individual conferences are getting 1637 01:34:00,479 --> 01:34:04,400 Speaker 2: massive television contracts. Oh and the labor is getting paid 1638 01:34:04,439 --> 01:34:09,880 Speaker 2: as well, and fans are watching at record numbers. So 1639 01:34:09,920 --> 01:34:14,559 Speaker 2: who is this broken for, Like something's broken if like 1640 01:34:14,720 --> 01:34:16,960 Speaker 2: jobs are drying up or there's no money out there, 1641 01:34:17,080 --> 01:34:20,240 Speaker 2: people are getting laid off into sport like baseball's got 1642 01:34:20,240 --> 01:34:22,640 Speaker 2: a lockout problem, and lockout's coming in December. The thing 1643 01:34:22,680 --> 01:34:24,439 Speaker 2: that I hate most about it, aside from just not 1644 01:34:24,479 --> 01:34:28,000 Speaker 2: being able to watch baseball next year maybe is the 1645 01:34:28,080 --> 01:34:31,280 Speaker 2: owners are gonna be fine. Players for the most part, 1646 01:34:31,320 --> 01:34:35,599 Speaker 2: are gonna be fine folks working at for baseball teams 1647 01:34:35,640 --> 01:34:39,680 Speaker 2: and sales and marketing and social media and scouting and 1648 01:34:39,840 --> 01:34:42,720 Speaker 2: areas that are sort of not front facing, they're gonna pay. 1649 01:34:42,840 --> 01:34:44,720 Speaker 2: They're gonna pay the freight. They're gonna pay the freight 1650 01:34:44,760 --> 01:34:47,519 Speaker 2: with their jobs, maybe by getting furloughed that sort of 1651 01:34:47,520 --> 01:34:51,280 Speaker 2: thing that's not happening in college basketball. So, like I 1652 01:34:51,920 --> 01:34:54,200 Speaker 2: read and hear all the yelling and screaming about how 1653 01:34:54,240 --> 01:34:55,920 Speaker 2: this has got to be fixed. And this is not 1654 01:34:55,960 --> 01:34:59,120 Speaker 2: a political statement at all, because again, like what was 1655 01:34:59,160 --> 01:35:01,599 Speaker 2: in the president executive order, a lot of it is 1656 01:35:01,640 --> 01:35:04,000 Speaker 2: I think pretty basic common sense stuff that would be 1657 01:35:04,080 --> 01:35:06,760 Speaker 2: great if they were a part of college sports, and 1658 01:35:06,800 --> 01:35:09,960 Speaker 2: hopefully down the road will be But every time I 1659 01:35:10,000 --> 01:35:13,479 Speaker 2: hear that it's broken, I bring up the TV ratings 1660 01:35:13,520 --> 01:35:16,000 Speaker 2: and the attendance, and a lot of folks don't like that, 1661 01:35:16,040 --> 01:35:19,799 Speaker 2: so I'll add to it, like everybody in the sport 1662 01:35:20,000 --> 01:35:23,559 Speaker 2: seems to be making money. Jobs are being created, the 1663 01:35:23,680 --> 01:35:26,800 Speaker 2: labor is being paid, owned by the way. Fans seem 1664 01:35:26,840 --> 01:35:31,320 Speaker 2: to like this version of college hoops college football. So again, 1665 01:35:31,320 --> 01:35:35,559 Speaker 2: who's it broken for? It may require a little bit 1666 01:35:35,560 --> 01:35:37,639 Speaker 2: more work for you and I as fans to follow 1667 01:35:37,680 --> 01:35:40,120 Speaker 2: which players are on our favorite team, and it's a 1668 01:35:40,200 --> 01:35:42,759 Speaker 2: little bit more difficult to establish a connection with players 1669 01:35:42,800 --> 01:35:44,640 Speaker 2: who aren't there for three, four or five years at 1670 01:35:44,680 --> 01:35:46,920 Speaker 2: a time, Like I understand that, I actually kind of 1671 01:35:46,960 --> 01:35:51,040 Speaker 2: agree with that. But if it's so busted and so broken, 1672 01:35:51,400 --> 01:35:54,000 Speaker 2: like usually when a league is broken, teams aren't making 1673 01:35:54,040 --> 01:35:58,519 Speaker 2: money in college basketball, who's not making money? Because it 1674 01:35:58,520 --> 01:36:01,360 Speaker 2: feels like everybody is. And as the people in the 1675 01:36:01,360 --> 01:36:04,680 Speaker 2: sport make money, fans of it are tuning in at 1676 01:36:05,000 --> 01:36:10,160 Speaker 2: a record pace. Twenty eight after five o'clock, five, one, three, seven, four, nine, 1677 01:36:10,200 --> 01:36:15,040 Speaker 2: fifteen thirty is our phone number. Threads do not yet 1678 01:36:15,080 --> 01:36:18,080 Speaker 2: have a surplus, but they may that coming up. After 1679 01:36:18,120 --> 01:36:21,519 Speaker 2: sports headlines, We're here at Twin Peaks in Westchester on 1680 01:36:21,800 --> 01:36:24,120 Speaker 2: ESPN fifteen thirty. Cincinnati Sports Station. 1681 01:36:26,439 --> 01:36:31,320 Speaker 1: Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty traffic from. 1682 01:36:31,240 --> 01:36:34,080 Speaker 3: The UC Health Traffic Center. Considered becoming a living kidney 1683 01:36:34,080 --> 01:36:37,120 Speaker 3: donor during Donate Life Month. The experts at UC Health 1684 01:36:37,200 --> 01:36:40,200 Speaker 3: can answer all of your questions. The fight for life 1685 01:36:40,320 --> 01:36:44,280 Speaker 3: begins with one step. Learn more at UCHealth dot com. 1686 01:36:44,320 --> 01:36:48,960 Speaker 3: Slash transplant crash on both shoulders affecting two seventy five 1687 01:36:49,000 --> 01:36:52,120 Speaker 3: east bound after four to seventy one two seventy five 1688 01:36:52,160 --> 01:36:54,360 Speaker 3: east after read Hartman. The left shoulder bicked with a 1689 01:36:54,400 --> 01:36:57,519 Speaker 3: crash and DeLay's the boss teller and on State Route 1690 01:36:57,520 --> 01:37:00,479 Speaker 3: four Dixie Highway at Maullhauser that overturns semi still being 1691 01:37:00,520 --> 01:37:04,080 Speaker 3: cleaned up. And we have the sow downside Harrison between 1692 01:37:04,360 --> 01:37:07,920 Speaker 3: Hamilton Cleaves and Miami River Road because of structure fire. 1693 01:37:08,040 --> 01:37:09,479 Speaker 3: My brick shrimp with traffic. 1694 01:37:11,080 --> 01:37:15,880 Speaker 1: This is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station. 1695 01:37:16,840 --> 01:37:20,160 Speaker 2: Sports Headlines are a service of Kelsey sherver Lay, Home 1696 01:37:20,200 --> 01:37:25,160 Speaker 2: of lifetime powertrain protection and guaranteed credit approval from their 1697 01:37:25,200 --> 01:37:30,360 Speaker 2: family to yours for life. Kelseyshev dot com Redsendmarlins tonight 1698 01:37:30,360 --> 01:37:34,080 Speaker 2: in Miami. First of four six forty is Tonight's first 1699 01:37:34,120 --> 01:37:38,920 Speaker 2: pitch on seven hundred WLW Cincinnati coming off a three 1700 01:37:39,000 --> 01:37:43,639 Speaker 2: game weekend sweep of the Texas Rangers. Brandon Williamson and 1701 01:37:43,760 --> 01:37:47,680 Speaker 2: Jansen Junk on the hill this evening night game tonight Tomorrow, 1702 01:37:47,720 --> 01:37:51,479 Speaker 2: and Wednesday day game on Thursday, before the Reds come 1703 01:37:51,479 --> 01:37:54,960 Speaker 2: home to play the Angels on Friday night. Your starting 1704 01:37:55,000 --> 01:37:57,719 Speaker 2: lineup for this evening Are you ready? Are you excited? 1705 01:37:58,000 --> 01:38:00,320 Speaker 2: Do you have out your scorecard? Do you have out 1706 01:38:00,360 --> 01:38:03,760 Speaker 2: your pencil? Here it is stand by Fredol's in center 1707 01:38:03,800 --> 01:38:06,080 Speaker 2: field leading off, Matt McLean's in second base. Elie de 1708 01:38:06,160 --> 01:38:10,120 Speaker 2: la Cruz is playing shortstop and batting third, Sal Stewart 1709 01:38:10,120 --> 01:38:15,040 Speaker 2: at first you Hediosuarez is dhing. Spencer Steers and left 1710 01:38:15,040 --> 01:38:18,760 Speaker 2: field batting sixth. Will Benson and Wright, Tyler Stevenson and 1711 01:38:18,840 --> 01:38:23,439 Speaker 2: key Brian Hayes round out the Reds batting order. College 1712 01:38:23,479 --> 01:38:26,439 Speaker 2: basketball News according to twenty four to seven Sports, and 1713 01:38:26,520 --> 01:38:30,320 Speaker 2: there will be others. Seannabayev is hitting the transfer portal 1714 01:38:30,760 --> 01:38:34,200 Speaker 2: and now likely to leave the University of Cincinnati after 1715 01:38:34,240 --> 01:38:37,920 Speaker 2: one season. I was thinking about this this morning, not 1716 01:38:38,040 --> 01:38:41,439 Speaker 2: so much because of Sean, but Michigan plays for a 1717 01:38:41,560 --> 01:38:45,560 Speaker 2: national title that they are favored to win tonight. Cincinnati 1718 01:38:45,640 --> 01:38:48,520 Speaker 2: beat Michigan in an exhibition game back in mid October, 1719 01:38:49,320 --> 01:38:51,880 Speaker 2: and they won that game. The Bearcats did one hundred 1720 01:38:52,000 --> 01:38:55,800 Speaker 2: to ninety eight, and that game was streamed. I'm not 1721 01:38:55,800 --> 01:38:58,719 Speaker 2: sure if it was on television, but i remember streaming 1722 01:38:58,760 --> 01:39:01,479 Speaker 2: it because U S football was in Oklahoma City in 1723 01:39:01,520 --> 01:39:04,519 Speaker 2: that Friday night, sitting in my hotel room watching the 1724 01:39:04,520 --> 01:39:07,920 Speaker 2: Bearcats play against Michigan. It was awesome that they won 1725 01:39:07,960 --> 01:39:10,559 Speaker 2: that game. It was encouraging that they won that game. 1726 01:39:10,600 --> 01:39:12,840 Speaker 2: But the guy who stood out more than anybody else 1727 01:39:12,920 --> 01:39:17,559 Speaker 2: was Shawnabayev, who scored fifteen points. He made three threes, 1728 01:39:17,800 --> 01:39:21,000 Speaker 2: and he looked as good as advertised, and he looked 1729 01:39:21,120 --> 01:39:25,640 Speaker 2: to a degree, exactly like the kind of scorer, the 1730 01:39:25,760 --> 01:39:28,639 Speaker 2: kind of offensive player of the Bearcats have been lacking 1731 01:39:28,680 --> 01:39:33,080 Speaker 2: for quite a while. Unfortunately, his performance in a game 1732 01:39:33,120 --> 01:39:36,479 Speaker 2: that did not count may have been the high point 1733 01:39:36,479 --> 01:39:39,800 Speaker 2: of Shawn Abiah's freshman season of college basketball because as 1734 01:39:39,840 --> 01:39:44,360 Speaker 2: the season unfolded and there were injury issues on availability issues, 1735 01:39:46,160 --> 01:39:48,800 Speaker 2: but as the season unfolded, he ended up having more 1736 01:39:48,840 --> 01:39:54,960 Speaker 2: turnovers than three point field goals made and by the 1737 01:39:55,040 --> 01:39:57,439 Speaker 2: end of the year. In fact, I remember they played 1738 01:39:57,439 --> 01:40:03,040 Speaker 2: a game he missed about a month, and he was 1739 01:40:03,320 --> 01:40:07,680 Speaker 2: active for UC's last home game against Oklahoma State, and 1740 01:40:07,720 --> 01:40:10,560 Speaker 2: I remember when he got into the game thinking to myself, 1741 01:40:11,080 --> 01:40:16,680 Speaker 2: Oh yeah him. A disappointment. Was a disappointing season for 1742 01:40:16,760 --> 01:40:18,920 Speaker 2: UC basketball, top to bottom. And that goes without saying. 1743 01:40:18,920 --> 01:40:20,960 Speaker 2: If not Wes Miller wouldn't have got let go. But 1744 01:40:21,280 --> 01:40:22,960 Speaker 2: I don't know if there's a player on the team, 1745 01:40:23,000 --> 01:40:25,640 Speaker 2: and I certainly hope for the best for him that 1746 01:40:26,760 --> 01:40:31,439 Speaker 2: I hate to say. This was more underwhelming than Seanabayev. A. 1747 01:40:31,479 --> 01:40:36,479 Speaker 2: Shot selection was an issue, Obviously, shot making was an issue, 1748 01:40:36,640 --> 01:40:41,879 Speaker 2: and for the most part, a relative inability to impact 1749 01:40:41,880 --> 01:40:44,519 Speaker 2: the game on the offensive on the offensive end in 1750 01:40:44,560 --> 01:40:48,920 Speaker 2: any other way seemed to litter his would soon to 1751 01:40:48,960 --> 01:40:51,400 Speaker 2: be his one season as a UC Bearcat. Anyway, he's 1752 01:40:51,479 --> 01:40:53,479 Speaker 2: mid to hit the portal. There will be others it 1753 01:40:53,560 --> 01:40:55,559 Speaker 2: opens tomorrow. When I say there will be others, I 1754 01:40:55,640 --> 01:40:58,960 Speaker 2: mean more Bearcat players. The player who seems to be 1755 01:40:58,960 --> 01:41:04,000 Speaker 2: being talked about most frequently in terms of likelihood of 1756 01:41:04,120 --> 01:41:10,839 Speaker 2: staying is Keishawn Tillery. Who it was it was notable 1757 01:41:10,880 --> 01:41:16,440 Speaker 2: that he was at Jared Calhoun's introductory press conference. We 1758 01:41:16,479 --> 01:41:19,960 Speaker 2: will see mentioned the title game tonight, Michigan taking on 1759 01:41:20,080 --> 01:41:23,519 Speaker 2: yukon radio coverage on Fox Sports thirteen sixty. The game 1760 01:41:23,600 --> 01:41:25,960 Speaker 2: is going to tip off at eight fifty. A couple 1761 01:41:26,000 --> 01:41:28,640 Speaker 2: of years ago, the NCAA moved the tip off of 1762 01:41:28,680 --> 01:41:31,479 Speaker 2: the title game from nine to twenty, which it's been 1763 01:41:31,560 --> 01:41:33,400 Speaker 2: nine to twenty. It was nine to twenty when I 1764 01:41:33,479 --> 01:41:35,639 Speaker 2: was a kid. And I can tell you this because 1765 01:41:35,680 --> 01:41:43,280 Speaker 2: I remember being eight years old spring break of nineteen 1766 01:41:43,320 --> 01:41:49,400 Speaker 2: eighty six, visiting my grandparents and watching the Duke Louisville 1767 01:41:49,880 --> 01:41:54,439 Speaker 2: National title game, which Louisville won with Purvis Ellison and 1768 01:41:55,000 --> 01:41:58,839 Speaker 2: my grandfather rooting for Duke because he couldn't stand Louisville. 1769 01:41:58,880 --> 01:42:02,679 Speaker 2: I was a UK fan, and I remember it being 1770 01:42:02,720 --> 01:42:05,080 Speaker 2: a big deal that I was being allowed to stay 1771 01:42:05,160 --> 01:42:08,800 Speaker 2: up past eleven o'clock to see the conclusion of a 1772 01:42:08,840 --> 01:42:14,080 Speaker 2: game that started after nine o'clock. So, and then you 1773 01:42:14,160 --> 01:42:16,080 Speaker 2: get a little bit older, and admittedly like I'm at 1774 01:42:16,160 --> 01:42:19,759 Speaker 2: night owl, but a nine to twenty tip off time 1775 01:42:20,680 --> 01:42:23,840 Speaker 2: when the overwhelming majority of people in this country live 1776 01:42:23,920 --> 01:42:27,559 Speaker 2: in either the Eastern or Central time zones, It's be honest, 1777 01:42:27,560 --> 01:42:29,040 Speaker 2: didn't make a lot of sense. And I know it's 1778 01:42:29,040 --> 01:42:31,519 Speaker 2: a college basketball game, so it's supposed to be two hours, 1779 01:42:32,080 --> 01:42:34,639 Speaker 2: but nine to twenty tip offs relative to when World 1780 01:42:34,680 --> 01:42:37,720 Speaker 2: Series games begin or NBA Final games begin, that never 1781 01:42:37,760 --> 01:42:40,559 Speaker 2: made a lot of sense. So two years ago, I think, 1782 01:42:41,160 --> 01:42:43,120 Speaker 2: is when they moved it to eight fifty. And again 1783 01:42:43,280 --> 01:42:46,759 Speaker 2: I say this as an admitted night owl. Eight fifty 1784 01:42:46,840 --> 01:42:49,880 Speaker 2: seems late, So when will they move it to eight twenty? 1785 01:42:49,920 --> 01:42:53,160 Speaker 2: That's the question. Nonetheless, eight to fifty tonight, Michigan and 1786 01:42:53,240 --> 01:42:58,160 Speaker 2: Yukon on Fox Sports thirteen sixty. You don't have to 1787 01:42:58,240 --> 01:43:01,960 Speaker 2: ignore the Reds offensive issues, and you don't have to 1788 01:43:02,080 --> 01:43:06,320 Speaker 2: dwell on them. I think, like it is so early, 1789 01:43:06,439 --> 01:43:08,200 Speaker 2: and you know that, and I know that, and it's 1790 01:43:08,280 --> 01:43:12,479 Speaker 2: so redundant to say it's nine games. If the Reds 1791 01:43:12,520 --> 01:43:15,680 Speaker 2: go through a nine game stretch in July where they 1792 01:43:15,680 --> 01:43:18,680 Speaker 2: score twenty six runs and win six of them, like 1793 01:43:19,520 --> 01:43:22,240 Speaker 2: I think we're doing cartwheels. I do think, however, it 1794 01:43:22,320 --> 01:43:25,280 Speaker 2: is fair to wonder what is this team going to 1795 01:43:25,320 --> 01:43:28,320 Speaker 2: be offensively, because we still don't know. They could have 1796 01:43:28,360 --> 01:43:31,439 Speaker 2: scored eighty six runs in nine games, and I think 1797 01:43:31,479 --> 01:43:33,800 Speaker 2: we would say that's an outlier as well. I think 1798 01:43:33,840 --> 01:43:36,960 Speaker 2: it is fair to wonder what are these guys going 1799 01:43:37,000 --> 01:43:40,960 Speaker 2: to be offensively? I think most of us assume they're 1800 01:43:40,960 --> 01:43:43,559 Speaker 2: gonna hit more home runs. It was cool on Friday 1801 01:43:43,560 --> 01:43:45,160 Speaker 2: to see them win a game where they needed a 1802 01:43:45,200 --> 01:43:47,360 Speaker 2: long ball hit three of them. Stevenson with the big 1803 01:43:47,360 --> 01:43:49,759 Speaker 2: blow in the ninth inning helped them get that series 1804 01:43:49,760 --> 01:43:51,920 Speaker 2: in Texas. Off to a good start. But like, we 1805 01:43:51,960 --> 01:43:54,360 Speaker 2: don't know, we don't know what they're going to be. 1806 01:43:54,439 --> 01:43:56,800 Speaker 2: We don't know who's gonna have a great year, who's 1807 01:43:56,800 --> 01:43:59,360 Speaker 2: gonna have a down season, who's gonna have a surprising season. 1808 01:44:00,360 --> 01:44:03,960 Speaker 2: But if you were hoping, the answers would be they're 1809 01:44:04,040 --> 01:44:07,160 Speaker 2: going to be better than expected. The first nine games 1810 01:44:07,640 --> 01:44:10,479 Speaker 2: is not very encouraging in that regard. What I think 1811 01:44:10,560 --> 01:44:13,639 Speaker 2: has been encouraging is, like, I think the way they've played, 1812 01:44:15,360 --> 01:44:17,439 Speaker 2: the way they've played in the field, the way they've 1813 01:44:17,520 --> 01:44:20,559 Speaker 2: run the bases, the way they've deployed the relief pitchers, 1814 01:44:20,840 --> 01:44:24,280 Speaker 2: the starting pitching they're getting, Like Chase Parks is not 1815 01:44:24,320 --> 01:44:25,600 Speaker 2: going to be as good as he's been in his 1816 01:44:25,640 --> 01:44:27,839 Speaker 2: first two games, But I think these first two starts 1817 01:44:28,240 --> 01:44:31,400 Speaker 2: have been an extreme example of what he can be, 1818 01:44:32,040 --> 01:44:33,720 Speaker 2: and I think the fact that this team looks so 1819 01:44:33,800 --> 01:44:36,519 Speaker 2: much more buttoned up defensively. They will make errors, they'll 1820 01:44:36,520 --> 01:44:39,200 Speaker 2: make physical errors, there may be some mental errors. But 1821 01:44:39,560 --> 01:44:41,559 Speaker 2: for the first nine games, I think what has come 1822 01:44:41,560 --> 01:44:44,200 Speaker 2: to define this team for nine games, this team this 1823 01:44:44,360 --> 01:44:48,519 Speaker 2: year has been playing clean baseball, not giving up outs 1824 01:44:48,520 --> 01:44:51,040 Speaker 2: in the field, not giving up extra bases, being a 1825 01:44:51,040 --> 01:44:53,639 Speaker 2: little bit more aggressive on the bays pass, being smart 1826 01:44:53,960 --> 01:44:57,720 Speaker 2: on the bass pass that and having more options in 1827 01:44:57,760 --> 01:44:59,360 Speaker 2: the bullpen. You go into a game where you're not 1828 01:44:59,360 --> 01:45:02,280 Speaker 2: gonna have Pegan I'm on Santia or Ashcraft and figure 1829 01:45:02,320 --> 01:45:04,880 Speaker 2: out a way to win a close, low scoring game. 1830 01:45:05,520 --> 01:45:09,280 Speaker 2: That is a really good sign. Now you're waiting for 1831 01:45:09,320 --> 01:45:11,320 Speaker 2: the offense to come, and you're wondering when is the 1832 01:45:11,360 --> 01:45:14,080 Speaker 2: offense gonna come, And you're wondering, like if it doesn't come, 1833 01:45:14,120 --> 01:45:18,000 Speaker 2: who's not going to come? At the expense of Euhaneus 1834 01:45:18,000 --> 01:45:21,400 Speaker 2: Wuarez is going nowhere, and Sal Stewart was the one 1835 01:45:21,520 --> 01:45:23,960 Speaker 2: guy who is hitting is obviously not going anywhere, and 1836 01:45:24,160 --> 01:45:27,600 Speaker 2: Elie de mccruz is not going anywhere. How long is 1837 01:45:27,640 --> 01:45:30,680 Speaker 2: the leash for Noelve Marte? A question we asked two 1838 01:45:30,720 --> 01:45:33,679 Speaker 2: weeks ago, how long is the leash as the leadoff 1839 01:45:33,760 --> 01:45:37,559 Speaker 2: hitter for TJ. Friedel, How long is the leash for 1840 01:45:37,600 --> 01:45:43,760 Speaker 2: Matt McClain, And what level of defense do you have 1841 01:45:43,880 --> 01:45:48,479 Speaker 2: to get from Key Brian Hayes before you go like, dude, 1842 01:45:48,720 --> 01:45:51,880 Speaker 2: I need somebody who's not an offensive zero at third base. 1843 01:45:52,560 --> 01:45:54,840 Speaker 2: We don't know what this team is going to be offensively. 1844 01:45:55,520 --> 01:45:57,360 Speaker 2: We could have said that two weeks ago, we could 1845 01:45:57,439 --> 01:46:01,280 Speaker 2: say it now, but the early returns offensively aren't great, 1846 01:46:01,439 --> 01:46:04,719 Speaker 2: even if the record so far is pretty damn good. 1847 01:46:05,160 --> 01:46:09,080 Speaker 2: Sixteen away from six o'clock at Mulager On Twitter, this 1848 01:46:09,320 --> 01:46:11,840 Speaker 2: is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports. 1849 01:46:11,520 --> 01:46:15,280 Speaker 1: Station Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty. 1850 01:46:16,280 --> 01:46:18,639 Speaker 4: Traffic from the UC Health Traffic Center. 1851 01:46:18,680 --> 01:46:21,840 Speaker 3: Considered becoming a living kidney donor during Donate Life Monthly 1852 01:46:21,960 --> 01:46:25,000 Speaker 3: experts at UC Health can answer all of your questions. 1853 01:46:25,080 --> 01:46:28,719 Speaker 3: The fight for life begins with one step. Learn more 1854 01:46:28,960 --> 01:46:33,400 Speaker 3: at UCHealth dot com. Slash transplant crash on both shoulders 1855 01:46:33,520 --> 01:46:37,120 Speaker 3: affecting two seventy five east bound after four seventy one 1856 01:46:37,360 --> 01:46:40,000 Speaker 3: two seventy five east after read Hartman the left shoulder 1857 01:46:40,040 --> 01:46:42,760 Speaker 3: box with a crash and DeLay's the Boss Teller and 1858 01:46:42,960 --> 01:46:45,719 Speaker 3: on State Round four Dixie Highway at Mallhouser that overturns 1859 01:46:45,720 --> 01:46:49,280 Speaker 3: semi still being cleaned up. And we have the sotowns 1860 01:46:49,280 --> 01:46:52,839 Speaker 3: at Harrison between Hamilton Cleaves and Miami River Road because 1861 01:46:52,880 --> 01:46:54,000 Speaker 3: of a structure fire. 1862 01:46:54,120 --> 01:46:57,200 Speaker 4: My bricks shrimp with traffic the support Hawks tonight. 1863 01:46:57,360 --> 01:46:59,880 Speaker 2: New York is probably not going to get the two seed. 1864 01:47:00,680 --> 01:47:03,320 Speaker 2: They have a one game, one game lead over Cleveland 1865 01:47:03,479 --> 01:47:05,600 Speaker 2: for the four seed. I am terrified to play in 1866 01:47:05,600 --> 01:47:08,720 Speaker 2: the seventy six ers in the postseason. Want nothing to 1867 01:47:08,760 --> 01:47:11,280 Speaker 2: do with that. Nothing to do with that. You ask 1868 01:47:11,360 --> 01:47:13,760 Speaker 2: what's going on in the NBA, and I told you 1869 01:47:13,840 --> 01:47:16,360 Speaker 2: what I'll tell you is happening on our show tomorrow 1870 01:47:16,560 --> 01:47:20,880 Speaker 2: Paul Danner Junior. Now, our schedule the last couple of 1871 01:47:20,880 --> 01:47:25,000 Speaker 2: weeks has been a little janky. I think that's the 1872 01:47:25,320 --> 01:47:29,479 Speaker 2: word we're going with where Paul and I. We've moved 1873 01:47:29,520 --> 01:47:31,680 Speaker 2: him to a Monday one week, and then I was 1874 01:47:31,720 --> 01:47:35,400 Speaker 2: off on Tuesday off last week, and it'll be nice 1875 01:47:35,439 --> 01:47:38,080 Speaker 2: to settle back into a routine where Paul joins us 1876 01:47:38,120 --> 01:47:40,679 Speaker 2: every Tuesday, and God knows, there's a lot to discuss 1877 01:47:40,760 --> 01:47:43,000 Speaker 2: with some of the things that have happened so far 1878 01:47:43,080 --> 01:47:47,280 Speaker 2: in free agency, Katie Blackburn electing to not speak at 1879 01:47:47,320 --> 01:47:52,680 Speaker 2: the NFL's owners meetings, Which what would the harm have 1880 01:47:52,800 --> 01:47:55,720 Speaker 2: been in talking to the Bengals reporters who went all 1881 01:47:55,760 --> 01:47:58,080 Speaker 2: the way out there, what would the harm have been? 1882 01:47:58,400 --> 01:48:00,759 Speaker 2: They still could have done an availability back in June 1883 01:48:01,760 --> 01:48:04,280 Speaker 2: to obviously the draft and some of the possibilities Paul 1884 01:48:04,320 --> 01:48:06,960 Speaker 2: and I for an hour tomorrow. He's in studio three 1885 01:48:06,960 --> 01:48:10,000 Speaker 2: to four. We are looking forward to that as we 1886 01:48:10,400 --> 01:48:12,920 Speaker 2: fully start to dive into the draft. Joe Goodberry is 1887 01:48:12,960 --> 01:48:14,360 Speaker 2: going to be on our show later on this week 1888 01:48:14,400 --> 01:48:17,519 Speaker 2: as well. We're looking forward to that too, obviously. Jeremiah 1889 01:48:17,560 --> 01:48:20,040 Speaker 2: Love in for a workout, in for a meeting today 1890 01:48:20,040 --> 01:48:24,360 Speaker 2: with the Bengals, I should say, and like, of course, 1891 01:48:24,520 --> 01:48:28,120 Speaker 2: like to talk to every prospect. I just I can't 1892 01:48:28,160 --> 01:48:34,040 Speaker 2: get over the fact, like awesome prospect looks like he's 1893 01:48:34,080 --> 01:48:37,920 Speaker 2: going to have a hell of an NFL career. It's 1894 01:48:37,960 --> 01:48:40,240 Speaker 2: fun to imagine the possibilities with a guy like that 1895 01:48:40,360 --> 01:48:43,240 Speaker 2: in this offense. I just don't know that a team 1896 01:48:43,240 --> 01:48:45,519 Speaker 2: that has missed the postseason each of the last three years, 1897 01:48:45,520 --> 01:48:47,600 Speaker 2: in large part because of its defense, can use the 1898 01:48:47,600 --> 01:48:50,040 Speaker 2: tenth overall pick on a running back, and that is 1899 01:48:50,200 --> 01:48:55,080 Speaker 2: maybe a very sort of limited, short sighted, closed minded, 1900 01:48:55,520 --> 01:48:59,479 Speaker 2: maybe even antiquated way of looking at it. But they've 1901 01:48:59,520 --> 01:49:05,800 Speaker 2: had it feels like a mostly productive offseason, even if 1902 01:49:05,840 --> 01:49:08,160 Speaker 2: you can't help but wonder, like, dude, we're really doing 1903 01:49:08,160 --> 01:49:11,240 Speaker 2: this at linebacker. I don't know that they've had a 1904 01:49:11,280 --> 01:49:15,439 Speaker 2: productive enough offseason for us to look at Jeremiah Love 1905 01:49:16,560 --> 01:49:21,240 Speaker 2: instead of a defensive player. Now, I'm talking about this 1906 01:49:21,320 --> 01:49:26,360 Speaker 2: in very simplistic terms, not acknowledging that they have six 1907 01:49:26,600 --> 01:49:28,760 Speaker 2: or seven other picks they can make, and there's other 1908 01:49:28,800 --> 01:49:32,240 Speaker 2: areas where you can go find guys on defense later on. 1909 01:49:32,320 --> 01:49:35,639 Speaker 2: It feels like a luxury pick, and it's just doesn't 1910 01:49:35,680 --> 01:49:37,160 Speaker 2: mean that he's not going to be a terrific pro. 1911 01:49:37,280 --> 01:49:39,599 Speaker 2: Doesn't mean that if the Bengals drafted him, he wouldn't 1912 01:49:39,640 --> 01:49:43,040 Speaker 2: be a terrific rookie be a huge asset to this offense. 1913 01:49:43,080 --> 01:49:47,559 Speaker 2: It just for all in and for the purposes of 1914 01:49:47,600 --> 01:49:50,960 Speaker 2: repairing and rebuilding a defense that was had times last 1915 01:49:51,040 --> 01:49:56,360 Speaker 2: year historically awful. Tenth overall pick on the back just 1916 01:49:56,360 --> 01:49:59,200 Speaker 2: feels like something of a luxury will run this past 1917 01:49:59,240 --> 01:50:01,559 Speaker 2: Paul tomorrow, But they brought him in and that is 1918 01:50:01,640 --> 01:50:05,559 Speaker 2: not insignificant by any stretch of the imagination. I was 1919 01:50:05,960 --> 01:50:10,040 Speaker 2: watching earlier the reaction of a James Orpene on his 1920 01:50:10,120 --> 01:50:12,719 Speaker 2: YouTube channel. That is worth checking out as well, and 1921 01:50:13,160 --> 01:50:15,760 Speaker 2: we'll spend some time on that tomorrow too. Red's and 1922 01:50:15,800 --> 01:50:20,120 Speaker 2: Marlins are tonight. Brandon Williamson was not great in his 1923 01:50:20,520 --> 01:50:24,200 Speaker 2: twenty twenty six debut. Will see if that changes this evening. 1924 01:50:24,720 --> 01:50:27,920 Speaker 2: Red's looking for a fourth consecutive win. Red's looking to 1925 01:50:28,080 --> 01:50:32,559 Speaker 2: clinch a winning road trip and the college basketball national 1926 01:50:32,600 --> 01:50:35,880 Speaker 2: title game tonight. I've got Michigan by ten. I think 1927 01:50:35,920 --> 01:50:38,000 Speaker 2: the Wolverines win this game by ten points. We will 1928 01:50:38,000 --> 01:50:41,960 Speaker 2: see anything you might have misgo find on the iHeartRadio app. 1929 01:50:42,000 --> 01:50:44,080 Speaker 2: We want to thank the folks here are Twin Peaks 1930 01:50:44,080 --> 01:50:47,000 Speaker 2: in Westchester for having me today. We're back here two 1931 01:50:47,000 --> 01:50:49,759 Speaker 2: weeks from Friday, of course this fall for the Tony 1932 01:50:49,800 --> 01:50:52,679 Speaker 2: and Mo Football Show. Thanks to Mike Mills for producing 1933 01:50:52,720 --> 01:50:55,879 Speaker 2: on site. Thanks to Tarren Bland for producing back in Kenwood. 1934 01:50:56,320 --> 01:50:58,840 Speaker 2: Thanks to you for listening. Have a great night. We'll 1935 01:50:58,840 --> 01:51:00,479 Speaker 2: talk to you tomorrow. A three zero five from the 1936 01:51:00,520 --> 01:51:14,160 Speaker 2: studio on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station with iHeart 1937 01:51:14,200 --> 01:51:15,040 Speaker 2: everything you hear is