1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,560 Speaker 1: Official home for the Cincinnati Bengals, ESPN fifteen thirty. What 2 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:08,240 Speaker 1: what did they say in that commercial? 3 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 2: What? 4 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 1: Moeger, ESPN fifteen thirty, Thanks for listening. Hopefully you're enjoying 5 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:17,720 Speaker 1: your Presidence day. Hopefully you're enjoying a three day weekend. 6 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 1: Tony and Austin are But you know what, you know what, 7 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:24,439 Speaker 1: you know what. They're not good at that. I am. 8 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: You know what I'm good at compiling comp days. Baby 9 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 1: can't do load management in June. If you take a 10 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:35,239 Speaker 1: bunch of time off in February. Show rundowns available on 11 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: Twitter at moegar. Go watch it now. It's thanks to 12 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 1: share Facts credit Union. Share Facts credit Union branch is 13 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 1: not open today, but they'll be open tomorrow to uh so, 14 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 1: swing by your area share Fax credit Union branch and 15 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:51,280 Speaker 1: become a member just like me, or learn more about 16 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 1: the benefits of membership by going to sharefacs dot org. 17 00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 1: I just did it a few minutes ago. I just 18 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 1: did it a few minutes ago. I went to ESPN 19 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 1: dot com and I looked at bubble Watch, and there 20 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: the Bearcats is long shots. Now you might say, well, 21 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 1: there's a lot of teams in college basketball that are 22 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 1: listed as long shots. Not every team is listed, so 23 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 1: there they are. They have at least remained on Bubble Watch. 24 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: Now long shots means they don't have much of a 25 00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: chance because you know, they still have to go to Kansas, 26 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 1: and they still have to go to Texas Tech. Not 27 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:30,640 Speaker 1: to mention the other games they have, but they won yesterday. 28 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:33,319 Speaker 1: They won yesterday in a game in which they didn't 29 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 1: play very well, and over the last couple of years 30 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 1: they've kind of missed that right. One of the marks 31 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:41,680 Speaker 1: of a really good team is think back to if 32 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: you're a Bearcat fan, think back to some of your 33 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: most beloved, revered teams. One thing they were really good at. 34 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 1: They were good at this under Mick. They were good 35 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 1: at this under Hugs more than twenty years ago, playing poorly, 36 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 1: finding ways to win, playing poorly, sometimes at home against 37 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:01,880 Speaker 1: bad teams, and still making it not hurt their resume 38 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: by finding a way to win. They did that yesterday, 39 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 1: down by five points with less than ninety seconds to go, 40 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 1: on an afternoon where they were mostly I don't want 41 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:14,359 Speaker 1: to say dreadful, but they weren't as good as they 42 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:17,560 Speaker 1: need to be, and they were so bad that they 43 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 1: allowed a bad Utah team to hang around longer than 44 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,399 Speaker 1: they should have and be in a position to win. 45 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:27,840 Speaker 1: So as a result, that's three consecutive victories. I do 46 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 1: not believe and maybe this is just me. I don't 47 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 1: believe in giving points for playing hard that that doesn't 48 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 1: mesh with me, especially when it comes to this particular 49 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 1: program where it was such a built in part of 50 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 1: UC Basketball's DNA. But let's at least acknowledge this. A 51 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 1: week and a half ago, after Wes Miller's postgame comments 52 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:52,959 Speaker 1: went viral, there were folks who were like, dude, you 53 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 1: can't You can't keep around a coach who's crying in 54 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 1: the postgame show. By the way, it wasn't like he 55 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:01,360 Speaker 1: was bawling. He was emotional. He was emotional, and I 56 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 1: thought human And in the aftermath of that are a 57 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 1: lot of people, maybe you're among them, who thought this 58 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 1: is about to get nasty, this is about to get ugly. 59 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:13,320 Speaker 1: There were at that time eight games to go, and 60 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 1: it was fair to wonder is he going to lose 61 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:17,240 Speaker 1: the team? He's gonna keep the team, what's gonna happen? 62 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 1: Is he gonna lose his job? Is it time to 63 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: pull the plug? A lot of those things. They have responded. 64 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 1: They responded by playing, for the most part pretty well, 65 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,519 Speaker 1: certainly did the previous two games. And they responded by 66 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 1: at least not losing anymore. Is that going to be 67 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 1: good enough to keep them or put him in the 68 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: conversation to get an NCAA tournament been. Let's be realistic, 69 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 1: U see is not making the tournament this year. And 70 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: there's no one, no one within the sound of my 71 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: voice who wishes I'm wrong more than I am. But 72 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 1: at the very least, and maybe this doesn't matter to you, 73 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 1: and it's okay if it doesn't. But as much as 74 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: I don't believe in giving credit for playing hard, I'll 75 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 1: give a coach credit and a team credit for not 76 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 1: falling apart when it kind of felt like they were 77 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 1: on the verge of falling apart. It was a low 78 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: to college basketball weekend. Xavier beats a bad Marquette team. 79 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 1: They've shown some bounds back and ability often this season. 80 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 1: I was having a conversation earlier today with a let's 81 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 1: just say, a pretty significant Xavier contributor in terms of 82 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 1: money and tickets and some nil, and we were talking 83 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:31,919 Speaker 1: about the job that Richard Patino has done in his 84 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:36,040 Speaker 1: first season. And my take was is what it's been 85 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 1: all season long that I feel like Richard Patino has 86 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: gotten pretty much as much as you could ever get 87 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 1: out of that group of players. They've had some really 88 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:47,920 Speaker 1: tough losses. They've had some really tough losses that you 89 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 1: might be able to say that the coaching was culpable 90 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:55,279 Speaker 1: for those losses, but this is not necessarily a result 91 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:58,560 Speaker 1: of the way they played. And it got uncomfortable late 92 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 1: there against Marquette on saturd I believe, and I ran 93 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 1: this past this gentleman this morning and I said, I 94 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 1: feel like Richard Patino has squeezed as much out of 95 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:08,920 Speaker 1: that team that he has this year as he can. 96 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:12,479 Speaker 1: And I said, you know, you folks, as Xavier fans, 97 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 1: have to be pretty thrilled with the job that he's doing. 98 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 1: And he said to me, absolutely, we just got to 99 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 1: get him more money. We'll see, but Xavier does beat 100 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 1: Marquette on Saturday. Miami wins as well. We have talked 101 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:27,600 Speaker 1: more about Miami basketball over the last month than I 102 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:31,279 Speaker 1: think we have in the nearly nineteen years that I 103 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:35,039 Speaker 1: have done this show. Miami on Friday had the attention 104 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 1: of the country I think had the attention of the 105 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:41,919 Speaker 1: Tri State area. I got off work on Friday and 106 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 1: I met a buddy of mine for a burger and 107 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: a few beers, and we went to a place that 108 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 1: is not really regarded as a sports bar. It's got 109 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 1: two TVs in it, and they had the Winter Olympics on, 110 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 1: and at about five till nine o'clock, someone said, can 111 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:03,680 Speaker 1: you put the Miami game on? They were on ESPN 112 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:07,359 Speaker 1: on Friday, and by about nine point thirty, everybody in 113 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 1: this small establishment was watching Miami and Ohio University basketball. 114 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:14,599 Speaker 1: Now that might have been a byproduct of their not 115 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: being a ton of other stuff on, but it was 116 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 1: really cool. And I say this as a UC fan. 117 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 1: It was really cool watching people that I'm sure had 118 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:27,119 Speaker 1: no real vested interest in Miami basketball beyond that night's 119 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:30,040 Speaker 1: outcome and wanting to see whether or not they can 120 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:33,720 Speaker 1: finish the season undefeated. It was cool watching Miami basketball 121 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:36,599 Speaker 1: take center stage. It was cool on Saturday morning seeing 122 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:39,839 Speaker 1: Sports Center. I don't think they led with Miami, but 123 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 1: it was in the A block, to use an industry term, 124 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 1: and so it's snowballing. They've got a really tough test 125 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:50,159 Speaker 1: though tomorrow, and I agree with something that Chad said. 126 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:53,040 Speaker 1: We talked about this during quick Hits. I think Miami's 127 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 1: going to make the tournament if they finished the season 128 00:06:55,360 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 1: the regular season undefeated. If they lose a game, I 129 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:04,360 Speaker 1: don't know, man. I went to the Miami UMass game 130 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 1: a few weeks ago. U Mass provided a stiff chest, 131 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 1: a stiff test or a stiff chest, a stiff test 132 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: for the RedHawks that night, and that was in the 133 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 1: middle of a stretch where Miami wasn't playing great defense. 134 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 1: Miami's gonna have to play much, much, much better against 135 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 1: UMass tomorrow than they did in the game in Oxford, 136 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 1: but they beat Ou. They covered the spread. Now sixteen 137 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 1: and six this year, by the way, against the number, 138 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 1: which there's only three teams in college basketball with a 139 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 1: better winning percentage against the spread this year. What is 140 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 1: the clichede saying, By the way, it's not entirely accurate, 141 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 1: but it's out there. Good teams win, great teams cover. 142 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 1: Miami covered again on Friday. More on the RedHawks in 143 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,720 Speaker 1: just a bit. I saw a clip from Goodyear earlier 144 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:58,480 Speaker 1: where Terry Francona basically announced that Elie de la Cruz 145 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:00,600 Speaker 1: is not going to play in a one hundred and 146 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:04,720 Speaker 1: sixty two games. And this is a pretty big topic 147 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 1: because if you go back to last season, I'm gonna 148 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 1: do what I've done when talking about this a few 149 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 1: different times, I'm gonna do it again. But last year, 150 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 1: at the second half of the season, Ellie Dela Cruz 151 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 1: offensively and defensively wasn't a big factor, and we talked 152 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 1: a lot about the power drought. We talked about the 153 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 1: lack of offensive production, we talk about all the errors 154 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:29,760 Speaker 1: that he made at shortstop, and there was this instant 155 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 1: reaction to that where it was, well, wait a minute, 156 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 1: he's not one hundred percent. And then folks like me 157 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:35,719 Speaker 1: were like, yeah, that's cool. Can you give him a 158 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 1: day off? And then it was well, he wants to 159 00:08:37,280 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 1: play every game, and it's like that's cool, but he's 160 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 1: not playing well. Well, they need him out there. And 161 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 1: it's like, yeah, but they need him out there if 162 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 1: he's playing well. Right now, he's not playing well, well, 163 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 1: he's hurt, Well, then give him a day off. Well, 164 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 1: you can't, why because he wants to play every dame. 165 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:51,559 Speaker 1: We just went round and around and around and around 166 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:54,320 Speaker 1: and a round and it got so annoying. So this year, 167 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:57,720 Speaker 1: hopefully Ellie is healthy. But even if he is, Look, man, 168 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 1: I understand, it'd be cool if all these guys were 169 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:03,440 Speaker 1: Kyle Ripkin. They're not. It'd be cool if every time 170 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 1: he went to the ballpark you knew you were going 171 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:08,800 Speaker 1: to see a superstar. And nobody is saying that Ellie 172 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:10,960 Speaker 1: has to only play in like one hundred and twenty games. 173 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:13,600 Speaker 1: But it is going to make sense to give him 174 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:15,840 Speaker 1: the occasional blot, when it's going to make sense to 175 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 1: give him the occasional half blow, so to speak, by 176 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 1: letting him dh I do wonder and this is fair. 177 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 1: And I'll kind of default to Tito here because of 178 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 1: his resume and because of what he's accomplished, and because 179 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 1: I don't think he says things that he doesn't necessarily mean. 180 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:38,720 Speaker 1: But when push comes to shove and he's got Ellie 181 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:40,680 Speaker 1: telling him I want to be in the lineup, Ellie 182 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 1: wants to play every single day, is Terry Francona going 183 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 1: to be willing to tell him no? This look man, 184 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:51,080 Speaker 1: and uhaneos Ferez is going to make an impact, and 185 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:54,439 Speaker 1: I think we all believe a positive one and they 186 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 1: need contributions. They really could use Sal Stewart to live 187 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 1: up to the hype and be a bona Fide of 188 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: the Year candidate. And who's gonna hit in the two hole? 189 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:06,560 Speaker 1: And will they be better produced better than Red's two 190 00:10:06,559 --> 00:10:09,599 Speaker 1: hole hitters produced last year? And yeah, there's tons of 191 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 1: different things we could talk about when it comes to 192 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 1: the starting pitching. But still, this team is built around 193 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:22,120 Speaker 1: Ellie Dela Cruz making the leap, becoming a more refined, complete, 194 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:26,960 Speaker 1: consistent player. Like the Reds have to take a leap 195 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 1: as a team, right They won eighty three games last year. 196 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:33,920 Speaker 1: That's probably not gonna be good enough this season. They're 197 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:37,640 Speaker 1: going to take a leap, maybe across the ninety win threshold. 198 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:39,760 Speaker 1: If they do, they're a playoff team and I would 199 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 1: be willing to bet the division winner. How do they 200 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:47,080 Speaker 1: take a leap if Ellie Dela Cruz doesn't. We talk 201 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:48,480 Speaker 1: all the time about the things that have to go 202 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 1: better for this team. They've got to be better defensively. Oh, okay, 203 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:56,560 Speaker 1: that means your shortstop play can't be an unending adventure. 204 00:10:56,679 --> 00:10:59,200 Speaker 1: And last year with Elliott short it was how many 205 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 1: times last season and when a ball was hit to him, 206 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:04,960 Speaker 1: did you like hold your breath? And sometimes he would 207 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 1: do the spectacular and sometimes he couldn't even do the simple. 208 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:12,640 Speaker 1: That's got to be better. How you get better defensively 209 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,880 Speaker 1: if your shortstops not better defensively when your shortstop was 210 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 1: a mushroom trip last season. We want to see him 211 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 1: run more. Tito has talked about this, by the way, 212 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:25,599 Speaker 1: full squad workouts underway today and goodyear. We want to 213 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:30,040 Speaker 1: see him run more and maybe not completely resemble the 214 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:33,199 Speaker 1: twenty twenty three team which just ran at will, both 215 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:36,839 Speaker 1: stealing bases and taking extra bases. We want them to 216 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:40,000 Speaker 1: run more though, put more pressure on defenses, put more 217 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:43,880 Speaker 1: pressure on the battery, steal more bases. How does that 218 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:49,040 Speaker 1: happen if your fastest player doesn't run more. We talk 219 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 1: about them needing more pop in the batting order. Ay 220 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 1: U Haano Suarez is going to help, and hopefully Sal 221 00:11:56,760 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 1: Stewart helps. There's still no hitter on the team that 222 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:05,320 Speaker 1: has more potential to just put together a complete set 223 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:10,040 Speaker 1: of offensive numbers more than Ellie de la Cruz. You 224 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: want more pop. Start there. He can be aided by 225 00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 1: Gino hitting behind him. He certainly can be aided by 226 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 1: there being more guys on base in front of them. 227 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 1: But like we talk about all the things this team needs, 228 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: and there's other guys who are gonna have a lot 229 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:27,559 Speaker 1: to do with this stuff. But the guy that it 230 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 1: all comes back to pretty much every single time is 231 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:32,079 Speaker 1: Ellie de la Cruz. Last year's team was built around 232 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 1: Ellie de la Cruz being a superstar, and for a 233 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 1: variety of reasons that didn't happen. This year's team taking 234 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:43,560 Speaker 1: a major leap is still based on Ellie dela Cruz 235 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:48,600 Speaker 1: being a superstar. I don't think that's in question. What 236 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:51,880 Speaker 1: is in question is is he going to be up 237 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:54,439 Speaker 1: to the task? Five point three seven four nine fifteen 238 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:57,560 Speaker 1: thirty is my phone number? Eight six sixty seven oh 239 00:12:57,679 --> 00:13:03,079 Speaker 1: two three seven seven say seventeen minutes after three o'clock. 240 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:04,880 Speaker 1: We are all over the place today. We have a 241 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:06,920 Speaker 1: lot of guests later on this week. We are guests 242 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:11,560 Speaker 1: free today, which is uh, gives us you and I 243 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:13,960 Speaker 1: chance to talk about a lot of different things at 244 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 1: Moeger on Twitter. Thanks to Delta Dental, Delta Dental is 245 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 1: building healthy, smart, vibrant communities for all good at Delta 246 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:24,600 Speaker 1: dentaloh dot com. On on Friday, I read a blurb 247 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 1: about the Reds, and the author of that blurb this 248 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:33,880 Speaker 1: weekend turned into Cincinnati's latest Internet villain. We have found him, 249 00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:37,079 Speaker 1: and we're going to talk to him tomorrow at four o'clock. 250 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:39,720 Speaker 1: We'll spend a few minutes on that next on ESPN 251 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:44,960 Speaker 1: fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station, Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty. 252 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 3: Traffic from the UC Health Traffic Center. Around forty percent 253 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 3: of cancers are preventable. Lifestyle changes and screenings can make 254 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:57,800 Speaker 3: a difference. Call five one three five eighty five UCCC 255 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 3: northbound seventy five Town. The left two lanes are blocked 256 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 3: from an accident. About a fifteen minute delay as a result. 257 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 3: Back from Mitchell northbound seventy one approaching Martin Luther King. 258 00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:12,599 Speaker 3: It's a disabled metro bus onto the right shoulder and 259 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:16,559 Speaker 3: westbound State Route sixty three. Accident near seventy five. I'm 260 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:18,439 Speaker 3: at Eazelic with traffic. 261 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:21,600 Speaker 1: This ree Friday. He was terrific as always. We've had 262 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 1: Mike on this show for years, once or twice a 263 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 1: year during the college basketball season, and he's always nice 264 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 1: enough to not only talk to us, but you know, 265 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:38,080 Speaker 1: share his insight when it comes to area college basketball programs, 266 00:14:38,120 --> 00:14:41,200 Speaker 1: and you know, let's be honest, if I could get 267 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:43,440 Speaker 1: Mike to join me for forty five minutes, there's like, 268 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 1: you know, five or six other programs we could ask about. 269 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:49,800 Speaker 1: But there's always a UC focus is xavior focus typically 270 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:52,760 Speaker 1: a Kentucky focus. If there's time, you know, we try 271 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 1: to work in some of the area programs. I don't 272 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 1: know that in the time we've done this show that 273 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 1: I've even asked about the Miami RedHawks. And I don't 274 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:05,520 Speaker 1: think that's on me. I think that's a reflection of 275 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:08,520 Speaker 1: the program. They're not being a ton of interest, you know, 276 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 1: that sort of thing. On Friday, we led the conversation 277 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:14,720 Speaker 1: by talking about the Miami RedHawks, and I don't know 278 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:17,680 Speaker 1: how you don't. If you missed the entire conversation, you 279 00:15:17,680 --> 00:15:20,360 Speaker 1: can go listen to it right now. It's available on 280 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:22,920 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, which, by the way, when you go 281 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:26,200 Speaker 1: to the iHeartRadio app, do me a favor. You know, 282 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:27,840 Speaker 1: I don't ask for much, but when you go to 283 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, make sure you set this show in 284 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 1: this radio station as your presets. Since he three to 285 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:37,360 Speaker 1: sixty as well, thanks very much. Podcasts of this show 286 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 1: are a service of long Nex Sports Grill. By the way, Friday, 287 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 1: I also checked out the brand new Hebren location for 288 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 1: long Next. They've been in a Hebron for years. They've 289 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 1: moved from their old location to a new location. It's 290 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:53,560 Speaker 1: like right next to Connor High School and it is awesome. 291 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:55,480 Speaker 1: So go check them out when you get a chance. 292 00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 1: Wilder is still open, rich Wood is still open, and 293 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:02,880 Speaker 1: now a new location in Hebron. We also on Friday 294 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:08,520 Speaker 1: talked about this blurb from ESPN's Derek Carty. So there 295 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:11,920 Speaker 1: was a piece done on ESPN about baseball betting this 296 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 1: year over unders and the guy who who wrote the 297 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 1: blurb about the Reds is a dude by the name 298 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:22,760 Speaker 1: of Derek Carty who says the Reds will go under 299 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 1: eighty two and a half wins. Now, let's be let's 300 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:30,920 Speaker 1: be honest about this. That's plausible. I don't think that's 301 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 1: gonna happen now, full transparency. I have bet on the 302 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:38,920 Speaker 1: Reds to hit the over every year since twenty thirteen, 303 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: because even if they're not having a great year, I 304 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 1: want something to root for in September. They barely hit 305 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 1: the over last season, but they did hit the over. 306 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:52,360 Speaker 1: If you took over eighty one and a half, which 307 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:54,800 Speaker 1: is what I got him out, then you cashed a 308 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 1: winning ticket. Under eighty two and a half is what 309 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:01,000 Speaker 1: Derek says. Under eighty two and half might mean they 310 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:03,760 Speaker 1: finished with eighty two wins. Eighty two wins is one 311 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:07,480 Speaker 1: fewer than last year. It would be disappointing. I don't 312 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:10,760 Speaker 1: know that it would be that surprising, so that pick. 313 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:14,520 Speaker 1: While I don't entirely agree right now, I see a 314 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:17,040 Speaker 1: team that's good for eighty five or eighty six wins, 315 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:20,320 Speaker 1: it's not that far fetched. I think it would be 316 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:22,880 Speaker 1: far fetched if you said they're gonna win sixty six 317 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 1: and lose ninety six. Under eighty two and a half 318 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:28,439 Speaker 1: is not far fetched. But I think what grabbed a 319 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:29,960 Speaker 1: lot of people, and then we talked about this on 320 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:32,439 Speaker 1: Friday was his explanation and I will read it for 321 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:36,119 Speaker 1: you here. Derek wrote, my projections are not sold on 322 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:39,960 Speaker 1: the Reds being an average MLB team, mostly due to 323 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:43,840 Speaker 1: question marks and their rotation. Andrew Abbott has been one 324 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:47,320 Speaker 1: of the luckiest pitchers in baseball. Nick Lodolo's stuff declined 325 00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 1: after returning from injury last year, and Chase Burns represents 326 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:54,520 Speaker 1: a significant injury risk throw in a weak bullpen, and 327 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:57,440 Speaker 1: this pitching staff nearly cracks the bottom five of projected 328 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:01,679 Speaker 1: staffs in baseball. The bat x project seventy nine point 329 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:06,240 Speaker 1: four wins for Cincinnati, even after the addition of a 330 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:10,879 Speaker 1: Uhaneo Suarez. So Derek Cardi wrote that we read it 331 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:16,440 Speaker 1: on the air on Friday. Over the weekend, this particular 332 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:22,320 Speaker 1: blurb went viral, so much so that the author of 333 00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:25,479 Speaker 1: the piece, the author of the blurb himself, went on 334 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:30,840 Speaker 1: social media and wrote the following, Maya Kulpa, I like 335 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:33,639 Speaker 1: to apologize to Reds fans for calling their pitching staff 336 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:36,680 Speaker 1: nearly bottom five. I think I misread the data somehow. 337 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:39,080 Speaker 1: I still do not believe in Abbot and I have 338 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:42,119 Speaker 1: their bullpen projected below average, But my new stuff based 339 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 1: projections actually love Green and Burns and have their rotation 340 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: top five. Now this is an interesting near one eighty 341 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 1: for our guy Derek Cardi here, who in the earlier 342 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 1: blurb talked about nearly bottom five and Burns being an 343 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:02,600 Speaker 1: injury risk to He loves burns now and they're gonna 344 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:06,160 Speaker 1: be a top five rotation. So I'm interested in how 345 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:11,119 Speaker 1: he misread the data. I'm also interested in why he's 346 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:14,280 Speaker 1: not sold on Andrew Abbott, and I'm interested in why 347 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:18,880 Speaker 1: he believes the bullpen projects to be below league average. 348 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 1: By the way, time will prove if he is writing 349 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:24,719 Speaker 1: about these things. So I sent him a reply on 350 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:28,159 Speaker 1: Twitter and said, like, can we get you on the 351 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:31,160 Speaker 1: air to talk about this? Which was my original goal 352 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:34,200 Speaker 1: to begin with. I had no idea. I'm sure Derek 353 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:36,679 Speaker 1: didn't neither. I had no idea that this would just 354 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:39,720 Speaker 1: spread like it did on the internet, and like, let's 355 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:42,160 Speaker 1: be honest, there are some folks, including some folks who 356 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:45,160 Speaker 1: I like and know and follow, who went a little 357 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:48,080 Speaker 1: bit overboard and just hammering away at Derek Carty. So 358 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:51,520 Speaker 1: Derek was nice enough to write me back instantly. We 359 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:54,520 Speaker 1: communicated in my least favorite way of all time, which 360 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 1: is we DMD and he has agreed to come on 361 00:19:56,840 --> 00:19:59,679 Speaker 1: the show. He was not available today, He's agreed to 362 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:03,520 Speaker 1: come on show tomorrow at four o'clock. Now, it's not 363 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:06,560 Speaker 1: going to be a yelling match. So if you're thinking, like, hey, 364 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:09,120 Speaker 1: Moe's gonna yell at this dude, that's not what we do. 365 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:12,560 Speaker 1: We love to find internet villains. We also love to 366 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:16,159 Speaker 1: find people who kind of don't mesh with the consensus. 367 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 1: The consensus is, and I agree with the consensus. The 368 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 1: consensus is the Reds are gonna have a really good 369 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:27,600 Speaker 1: pitching staff, and Andrew Abbott has a chance to be 370 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 1: one of the major reasons why. And the consensus is 371 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:32,639 Speaker 1: the bullpen has a chance to be decent, in large 372 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:35,879 Speaker 1: part because of the guys they acquired from outside. And 373 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:39,439 Speaker 1: the consensus is, if the Reds are really good, the 374 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 1: starting staff is going to be a major reason why. 375 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:44,920 Speaker 1: And if the Reds aren't really good, the starting staff 376 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:47,679 Speaker 1: is not going to be a major reason why. So 377 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:50,840 Speaker 1: here's the hope. The hope is he is dead wrong, 378 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:54,520 Speaker 1: because if he's right, that's gonna be a problem because 379 00:20:54,920 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 1: it's impossible to imagine a world where the Reds exceed 380 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 1: expectations but the starting staff takes a step back. So 381 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 1: Derek Cardy is going to be on the show tomorrow 382 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:09,640 Speaker 1: at four o'clock and we're gonna have a fun, respectful 383 00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:14,080 Speaker 1: conversation and we're not gonna I mean, I'm not gonna 384 00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:16,000 Speaker 1: yell and scream at the guy. I'm going to tell 385 00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:17,720 Speaker 1: him that when I and I told him this, when 386 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 1: I first read that blurb. I read it on the 387 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:21,600 Speaker 1: air and thought, like, this guy's out of his mind. 388 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:24,440 Speaker 1: I am kind of curious as to how he misread 389 00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:28,520 Speaker 1: the data. I do appreciate the transparency. I do appreciate 390 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 1: the willingness to say, look like, hey, I got it 391 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:32,960 Speaker 1: wrong and put his name on it, which is something 392 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:35,920 Speaker 1: that not a lot of people do. It's certainly something 393 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:37,560 Speaker 1: that not a lot of people on the internet do. 394 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:41,520 Speaker 1: But he's going to be on the show tomorrow at 395 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:44,720 Speaker 1: four o'clock and he may not change her mind. He 396 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:47,600 Speaker 1: may change my mind. He may not change my mind. 397 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:51,640 Speaker 1: My guess is he doesn't. But how do you misread 398 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:54,920 Speaker 1: the data? Why are you not as high on Andrew Abbott? 399 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:57,879 Speaker 1: How did you go from Chase Burns being a huge 400 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:00,840 Speaker 1: injury risk to a guy that you're bullish on? And 401 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:04,879 Speaker 1: how do you go from starting staff nearly bottom five? 402 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:07,880 Speaker 1: Think about that, the strength of this team nearly bottom 403 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:09,760 Speaker 1: five to one that you think is going to be 404 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:11,359 Speaker 1: in the top five. Now, they may not be a 405 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 1: top five rotation, but they have a hell of a 406 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:16,199 Speaker 1: lot better chance of being a top five rotation than 407 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 1: a nearly bottom five rotation. And then I'm kind of 408 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:21,760 Speaker 1: curious as to his take on the offense too, which 409 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:26,760 Speaker 1: again having them go under the number is perhaps a 410 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:29,200 Speaker 1: reflection of his lack of faith in the pitching, although 411 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:31,879 Speaker 1: he is a reverse course on that, but also it 412 00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:34,199 Speaker 1: would demonstrate the fact that he is not all that 413 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:37,520 Speaker 1: bullish on the Reds offensively. So we're gonna get to 414 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:41,199 Speaker 1: Derek tomorrow at four h five, and I appreciate him 415 00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:43,600 Speaker 1: coming on. And I know a lot of folks who 416 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:45,840 Speaker 1: are Reds fans have called him names, and that's not 417 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:49,040 Speaker 1: what we do here. We're gonna have a civil, fun, 418 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:53,439 Speaker 1: adult conversation, kind of like the conversation we need the 419 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:55,760 Speaker 1: Bengals to have with Trey Hendrickson's people, which we'll talk 420 00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:59,520 Speaker 1: about in fifteen minutes on ESPN fifteen to thirty Cincinnati Sports. 421 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:03,960 Speaker 4: Station Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty. 422 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:08,200 Speaker 3: Traffic from the UC Health Traffic Center. Around forty percent 423 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:12,479 Speaker 3: of cancers are preventable. Lifestyle changes and screenings can make 424 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:15,760 Speaker 3: a difference. Called five one three, five eighty five UCCC 425 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 3: northbound seventy five after town he left. Two lanes are 426 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:23,080 Speaker 3: blocked from an accident. About a fifteen minute delay as 427 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:26,960 Speaker 3: a result. Back from Mitchell northbound seventy one approaching Martin 428 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 3: Luther King It's a disabled metro bus onto the right 429 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:34,080 Speaker 3: shoulder and westbound State Route sixty three. Accident near seventy five. 430 00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:35,440 Speaker 3: I'm at ezelic with. 431 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 1: Trafficking Cincinnati's sports station. Sports Headlines are a service of 432 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:44,680 Speaker 1: Kelsey Chevrolet, home of lifetime powertrain protection and guaranteed credit 433 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 1: approval from their family to yours for life kelseyshev dot Com. 434 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:55,320 Speaker 1: Red's going through their first full squad workout today in Goodyear. 435 00:23:55,359 --> 00:23:58,320 Speaker 1: They are mostly healthy, which is the best part of 436 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:01,879 Speaker 1: spring training right now, especially with the pitching. Nobody wants 437 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:04,760 Speaker 1: to acknowledge that because they're afraid of Jinx's, but remember, 438 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:09,119 Speaker 1: jinxes aren't real. The first spring training game will be 439 00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:12,880 Speaker 1: real on Saturday, Reds and Guardians in Goodyear three ten. 440 00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:17,840 Speaker 1: You'll hear that game live on seven hundred wl W 441 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:20,919 Speaker 1: College Basketball Miami up to a twenty second in the 442 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:25,800 Speaker 1: latest AP men's College Basketball poll. The RedHawks take on 443 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:30,200 Speaker 1: UMass in Mhurst tomorrow, Louisville twenty first. Kentucky falls out 444 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:32,320 Speaker 1: of the top twenty five after losing to Florida on 445 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:35,399 Speaker 1: the road on Saturday. Nonetheless, you can talk to UK 446 00:24:35,520 --> 00:24:37,880 Speaker 1: hoops on the Mark Pope Radio Show. That's at six 447 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:40,960 Speaker 1: o'clock as soon as We're done on ESPN fifteen thirty. 448 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:44,760 Speaker 1: Also later tonight, it's the NKU Coaches Show that is 449 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:47,600 Speaker 1: going to be at seven pm on ESPN fifteen thirty, 450 00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:51,919 Speaker 1: as well the Richard Patino radio show. The Musketeers Knocking 451 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 1: off Marquette on Saturday. That is tonight at seven pm 452 00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:59,600 Speaker 1: on the Double Nickel fifty five KRC NFL News. Miami 453 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:02,880 Speaker 1: Dolphins are clearing house. Tyreek Hill is going to be released, 454 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:06,879 Speaker 1: so is pass rusher Bradley Chubb. Women's hockey at the Olympics, 455 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:09,480 Speaker 1: the US beat Sweden five nothing to advance to the 456 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:14,120 Speaker 1: gold medal game. The Americans will play either Canada or Switzerland. 457 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:17,400 Speaker 1: That game is late in the first period. USA Network 458 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:20,680 Speaker 1: is showing that on tape delay like they're going to 459 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:23,199 Speaker 1: broadcast the game at four o'clock. It's already underway. So 460 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 1: do I have to do one of those things where 461 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:28,200 Speaker 1: I don't tell people to score? The US is not playing. 462 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:30,800 Speaker 1: The US is in the gold medal game. It's either 463 00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:34,239 Speaker 1: Canada or Switzerland. Canada's one in three and they're in 464 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:39,760 Speaker 1: a They're in a semifinal. Wow, Okay, well anyway, it's 465 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:42,959 Speaker 1: a school no goldhorns, and we only do that for 466 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:48,680 Speaker 1: the American Games, no goldhorn. But the US has wrapped up, Tarin. 467 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:50,840 Speaker 1: Were you here earlier today when that game was on 468 00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:55,399 Speaker 1: TV in the office? Yes? Did you hear the newsroom, 469 00:25:55,440 --> 00:25:58,840 Speaker 1: the people in the newsroom, the seven hundred WLW newsroom? 470 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:01,960 Speaker 1: Where did any I mean, God help us if something 471 00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:05,280 Speaker 1: big and breaking happened while the women's hockey game was 472 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:09,000 Speaker 1: on it sounded like me watching a UC basketball game 473 00:26:09,040 --> 00:26:12,399 Speaker 1: in there so and then I peeked in and watched 474 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:13,960 Speaker 1: some of it with him, and I really didn't feel 475 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:20,080 Speaker 1: all that welcome away from four o'clock. Mentioned Friday, Miami 476 00:26:20,119 --> 00:26:23,560 Speaker 1: wins beats Oh You in front of a raucous crowd 477 00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 1: at Malette Hall to improve to twenty five and zero. 478 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:31,280 Speaker 1: And then Travis Steele appeared on College Game Day the 479 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:34,399 Speaker 1: next day and made a promise that I wish he didn't. 480 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:41,960 Speaker 5: If you finished the season undefeated, win the MAC Championship, 481 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:45,119 Speaker 5: will you commit right now in the celebration, in the 482 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:49,520 Speaker 5: watch party, dining, the speedo being hoisted up and showing. 483 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:52,080 Speaker 1: Off your best dollar that would you do it? Travis, 484 00:26:52,119 --> 00:26:56,520 Speaker 1: would you commit to that right now? Done? It's done done. 485 00:26:57,560 --> 00:27:01,080 Speaker 1: A lot of people cheering that now, well this, I'm 486 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:03,800 Speaker 1: sure you know the backstory if you don't. The swimming 487 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:06,080 Speaker 1: and diving team at Miami has made a habit of 488 00:27:06,119 --> 00:27:08,800 Speaker 1: being in the student section for games and wearing their 489 00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:12,760 Speaker 1: uniforms which consists of nothing more than a speedo and 490 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:16,439 Speaker 1: a swim cap to a distract free throw shooters on 491 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:20,959 Speaker 1: the other team. Travis says he'll do the same. We Travis, 492 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:26,320 Speaker 1: we're rooting for your team. We don't need that. Maybe 493 00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:28,439 Speaker 1: you could talk them out of get Travis Beckham, get 494 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:29,639 Speaker 1: them on the show and talk them out of that. 495 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:31,960 Speaker 1: As somebody like that is. That is the high point 496 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:35,639 Speaker 1: of sports for me. Selection Sunday, the Selection Show. Even 497 00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:38,760 Speaker 1: acknowledging I haven't had the Bearcats in it in years, 498 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:41,640 Speaker 1: I still that is. Selection Sunday is my favorite day 499 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:45,040 Speaker 1: on the sports calendar. We like Travis Steele, we want 500 00:27:45,040 --> 00:27:47,440 Speaker 1: Miami to make it. We want Miami to advance once 501 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:49,960 Speaker 1: they do make it. But this is not something any 502 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:52,440 Speaker 1: of us needs to see. Nobody. That isn't going to 503 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:54,600 Speaker 1: help the ratings of that show. It's not going to 504 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 1: help Miami basketball. It's not going to help anybody, So 505 00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:02,640 Speaker 1: Travis on behalf of everybody with good taste, please rescind 506 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:11,240 Speaker 1: those comments. The Miami story is a great story, and 507 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:14,320 Speaker 1: it's not a story that anybody is talking about if 508 00:28:14,359 --> 00:28:18,320 Speaker 1: they are not undefeated. But the Miami story is an 509 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:22,680 Speaker 1: awesome story for reasons that go beyond the simple fact 510 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:26,360 Speaker 1: that they haven't lost a game yet. Like, if uc 511 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:30,520 Speaker 1: was undefeated at this point in the schedule. Number one, 512 00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:33,439 Speaker 1: I cannot imagine how obnoxious I would be. Number two, 513 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:36,919 Speaker 1: that would be cool as hell. And it would be 514 00:28:36,920 --> 00:28:39,320 Speaker 1: cool as hell if Kentucky was undefeated, or if Xavier 515 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:42,080 Speaker 1: was undefeated, or if Ohio State was undefeated. And I 516 00:28:42,080 --> 00:28:46,800 Speaker 1: can name pretty much every area school. Miami basketball this 517 00:28:46,920 --> 00:28:51,920 Speaker 1: century has been atrocious. I mean, if you just want 518 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:57,000 Speaker 1: to go back, let's kick it back to the beginning 519 00:28:57,120 --> 00:29:00,960 Speaker 1: of the John Cooper era at Miami, all right, let's 520 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:02,760 Speaker 1: do this. God rest his soul. The last year of 521 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:07,320 Speaker 1: Charlie Coles before he stepped down as Miami's head coach, 522 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:10,360 Speaker 1: they went nine to twenty one. John Cooper takes over. 523 00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:13,160 Speaker 1: They follow that up with nine and twenty two In 524 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:18,560 Speaker 1: the years since, thirteen wins thirteen wins, thirteen wins, eleven wins. 525 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:22,160 Speaker 1: Jack Owens takes over nice Man sixteen wins, fifteen wins, 526 00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:26,120 Speaker 1: thirteen wins, twelve wins, fourteen wins, twelve wins the first 527 00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:31,680 Speaker 1: year of Travis Steel, then fifteen wins. Like dormant, Dormant 528 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:35,280 Speaker 1: made an NCAA tournament in two thousand and seven because 529 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:41,800 Speaker 1: they they won having a ten and six regular season mark. 530 00:29:41,840 --> 00:29:44,240 Speaker 1: They won the MAC Tournament, got in as a fourteen seed, 531 00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:46,560 Speaker 1: and were dispatched very quickly at the end of a 532 00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:49,280 Speaker 1: season that saw them finish with an eighteen and fifteen record. 533 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:51,840 Speaker 1: Beyond that, since the turn of the century, since Wally 534 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:57,080 Speaker 1: Zerbiak left, they have been dormant for a very long time. 535 00:29:57,520 --> 00:30:01,080 Speaker 1: Not like dormant like seven seasons for you see, like 536 00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:04,760 Speaker 1: for basically twenty five of them to go from, and 537 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:08,200 Speaker 1: they were good last year. That part should not be ignored. 538 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:13,160 Speaker 1: Long dormant program. Now on February the sixteenth, hasn't lost 539 00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:18,280 Speaker 1: a game yet. That's what makes this story cool. What 540 00:30:18,440 --> 00:30:22,160 Speaker 1: makes it cool is the Travis Steel redemption. Sports fans 541 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:25,960 Speaker 1: love redemption stories. Sam Darnold at the Super Bowl right 542 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:29,480 Speaker 1: redemption story. I are a lot of us who wondered, 543 00:30:29,560 --> 00:30:31,320 Speaker 1: is Travis Steele gonna get a chance to be a 544 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:33,400 Speaker 1: head coach again when he was let go e Xavier 545 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:36,600 Speaker 1: A fair concern. Maybe to a degree, he wondered the 546 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:39,760 Speaker 1: same thing to make the most of a second chance. 547 00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:42,440 Speaker 1: And it's not like he got the second chance because 548 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:45,280 Speaker 1: you know, his first chance he did something illegal or 549 00:30:45,320 --> 00:30:48,240 Speaker 1: he did something that would bring embarrassment to Xavier. He 550 00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:52,000 Speaker 1: just didn't win enough games. So we love these redemption stories. 551 00:30:52,080 --> 00:30:53,960 Speaker 1: This is a cool redemption story, and by the way, 552 00:30:54,040 --> 00:30:55,680 Speaker 1: doing it in the backyard of the school that he 553 00:30:55,720 --> 00:30:59,880 Speaker 1: was coaching at before. And then there's the simple fact 554 00:30:59,880 --> 00:31:02,360 Speaker 1: that in this day and age of college basketball, we 555 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:06,040 Speaker 1: say we love teams where more players come back, where 556 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:08,080 Speaker 1: a lot of guys return from the previous season. A 557 00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:10,560 Speaker 1: lot of people, myself included, will say that one thing 558 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:14,520 Speaker 1: they don't love about college basketball now is it's harder 559 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:17,480 Speaker 1: to follow and harder to develop an attachment to the 560 00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:21,000 Speaker 1: players because they're not at any particular school for a 561 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 1: very long time. And I'm sure there are players on 562 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:25,000 Speaker 1: Miami's team this year who will be playing for other 563 00:31:25,040 --> 00:31:28,840 Speaker 1: programs next season. That's almost unavoidable. That is no indictment 564 00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:32,760 Speaker 1: against those players. That's no indictment against Miami University. But 565 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:35,280 Speaker 1: you have a program this year that is what we 566 00:31:35,360 --> 00:31:39,160 Speaker 1: say we want. Oh, and they're winning. Like I know, 567 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:41,200 Speaker 1: the conversation is going to be about do they or 568 00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:44,120 Speaker 1: don't they get in if they win every game and 569 00:31:44,160 --> 00:31:46,880 Speaker 1: lose a game in the MAC Tournament. But you're getting 570 00:31:46,880 --> 00:31:49,160 Speaker 1: some things here in sports, in college sports, with a 571 00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:52,320 Speaker 1: college basketball program that we say we absolutely love, And 572 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:54,720 Speaker 1: I'm not going to go down the road of going 573 00:31:54,760 --> 00:31:58,120 Speaker 1: after folks who have tried to discredit Miami University. Like 574 00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:01,480 Speaker 1: we all understand what their schedule is, like, we all 575 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:04,360 Speaker 1: get that. I agree with what Chad said, and I 576 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:06,760 Speaker 1: said this on Friday. I have a hard time believing 577 00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:09,160 Speaker 1: if they win every game and then you know, stumble 578 00:32:09,160 --> 00:32:11,560 Speaker 1: in the MAC Tournament, I have a hard time believing 579 00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:14,120 Speaker 1: the committee is going to go no. And by the way, 580 00:32:14,120 --> 00:32:16,840 Speaker 1: if you're a college basketball fan, would you rather watch 581 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:20,240 Speaker 1: Miami or would you rather watch a team that's lost eleven, 582 00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:23,280 Speaker 1: twelve or thirteen games in a high major and probably 583 00:32:23,320 --> 00:32:27,640 Speaker 1: finished with a losing record in their league. Like at 584 00:32:27,640 --> 00:32:31,040 Speaker 1: some point, you know, I believe and this is perhaps 585 00:32:31,120 --> 00:32:34,040 Speaker 1: not how the committee looks at things. It's not necessarily 586 00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:39,880 Speaker 1: the most deserving, but just as a as a product 587 00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:45,440 Speaker 1: that fans consume. I think Miami would get numbers relative 588 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:49,880 Speaker 1: to a team that lost eleven games out of a 589 00:32:49,920 --> 00:32:53,680 Speaker 1: power league. But regardless, like it's easy to say they're 590 00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:56,440 Speaker 1: a great story because they're undefeated. You could say that 591 00:32:56,480 --> 00:33:01,400 Speaker 1: about any school in the country. It program one awful 592 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:04,720 Speaker 1: for a very long time, and now the toast of 593 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:08,080 Speaker 1: the country, which is pretty cool. Fourteen away from four o'clock. 594 00:33:08,400 --> 00:33:10,560 Speaker 1: Your phone calls are coming up. In five point three, seven, 595 00:33:10,640 --> 00:33:13,160 Speaker 1: four nine, fifteen thirty. By the way, we made fun 596 00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:16,400 Speaker 1: of Jerome Tang, the coach at Kansas State who just 597 00:33:16,680 --> 00:33:20,360 Speaker 1: rolled his players under the bus after they lost to UC. Well, 598 00:33:20,360 --> 00:33:22,760 Speaker 1: he's out of a gig. It ain't because he rolled 599 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:24,719 Speaker 1: his players under the bus. We'll spend some time on 600 00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:27,600 Speaker 1: that in the four o'clock hour. Uh, the bet that 601 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:29,800 Speaker 1: you should not make when it comes to the Bengals 602 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:32,640 Speaker 1: in the four o'clock hour as well, and perhaps a 603 00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:36,160 Speaker 1: few minutes on something that was fixed, not because anybody 604 00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:40,120 Speaker 1: actually went and fixed it. That as well on ESPN 605 00:33:40,200 --> 00:33:44,960 Speaker 1: fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station sinfimily for the best for them. 606 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:47,400 Speaker 1: There's a part of me. If I was a Steelers fan, 607 00:33:47,480 --> 00:33:49,640 Speaker 1: I'd go, can we do that? But I'm not a 608 00:33:49,640 --> 00:33:53,520 Speaker 1: Steelers fan, and uh, you know what, I'm okay with that. 609 00:33:56,720 --> 00:33:59,120 Speaker 1: We got some Bengals stuff to get to in the 610 00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:03,320 Speaker 1: next hour. Five fifteen thirty, Mike, go ahead, you're on 611 00:34:03,560 --> 00:34:08,600 Speaker 1: ESPN fifteen thirty. Good afternoon, Mike. How are you. I'm good. 612 00:34:08,640 --> 00:34:10,759 Speaker 2: Thanks for working on President's Day. 613 00:34:11,080 --> 00:34:12,960 Speaker 1: You're very welcome, very well. Do you know what I liked? 614 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:15,399 Speaker 1: I liked. I like piling up comp days. I'm good 615 00:34:15,440 --> 00:34:17,280 Speaker 1: at piling up comp days. 616 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:20,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, you're saving a wall for the March madness. 617 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:25,040 Speaker 1: I know what you March madness and the spring and summer. Yes, yes, 618 00:34:25,640 --> 00:34:26,359 Speaker 1: well why not? 619 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:32,040 Speaker 2: You're you are so mich Golden nail a rascal. I 620 00:34:32,080 --> 00:34:35,000 Speaker 2: wanted to talk to you about the my favorite team 621 00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:39,040 Speaker 2: in college basketball this year, the Florida Gators, defending national 622 00:34:39,120 --> 00:34:43,520 Speaker 2: champions with a tremendous coach, Todd Golden, who never gets 623 00:34:43,560 --> 00:34:45,520 Speaker 2: talked about that. 624 00:34:45,640 --> 00:34:48,680 Speaker 1: I hear when they when they won, when they won 625 00:34:48,719 --> 00:34:51,600 Speaker 1: the national championship, nobody talked about Todd Golden. 626 00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:55,279 Speaker 2: Yeah, No, I'm talking about this year. Talking about this 627 00:34:55,400 --> 00:34:58,360 Speaker 2: year and they lost the player of the year with 628 00:34:58,440 --> 00:35:03,719 Speaker 2: Walter Clayton and which is a big deal. But they 629 00:35:03,800 --> 00:35:06,880 Speaker 2: still got a good backcourt with Boogie Plan and Zaviian Lee. 630 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:10,160 Speaker 2: They got the tremendous front court with Huff and Condon 631 00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:14,120 Speaker 2: and Chinnlu. They got a seven foot Warner, a senior 632 00:35:14,160 --> 00:35:17,279 Speaker 2: coming off the bench to handle hand lockson is his name, 633 00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:19,680 Speaker 2: I think, And then they got Colivers. And then they 634 00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:21,680 Speaker 2: got the best six man in the country, which is 635 00:35:21,680 --> 00:35:25,200 Speaker 2: the freshman CJ. Ingram. I think this team will repeat 636 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:26,840 Speaker 2: and win the NCAA Championship. 637 00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:29,480 Speaker 1: Yeah. And the thing for me the travels is and 638 00:35:29,840 --> 00:35:32,759 Speaker 1: you didn't necessarily see this to the degree that you 639 00:35:32,840 --> 00:35:35,960 Speaker 1: had in the previous games against Kentucky. But they've been 640 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:38,400 Speaker 1: so good on the defensive end. If you look at 641 00:35:38,400 --> 00:35:40,960 Speaker 1: what they did to Alabama, held them i think fifteen 642 00:35:41,000 --> 00:35:44,080 Speaker 1: points below average, held Texas A and L to a 643 00:35:44,120 --> 00:35:47,799 Speaker 1: thirty one percent shooting, held Georgia, a good offensive team 644 00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:51,040 Speaker 1: to less than thirty five percent shooting. They are so 645 00:35:51,320 --> 00:35:54,680 Speaker 1: good on the defensive end. They have only been a 646 00:35:54,719 --> 00:35:57,440 Speaker 1: handful of teams that over the last twenty to twenty 647 00:35:57,480 --> 00:36:00,640 Speaker 1: five years have held back to back Sea. The opponents 648 00:36:00,640 --> 00:36:03,520 Speaker 1: below thirty five percent from the field. Florida has done 649 00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:06,440 Speaker 1: that this year. Again, they weren't awesome on the defensive end, 650 00:36:06,480 --> 00:36:09,120 Speaker 1: but then you had a chance against Kentucky to see 651 00:36:09,600 --> 00:36:11,640 Speaker 1: all the things they could do on the offensive side 652 00:36:11,680 --> 00:36:13,520 Speaker 1: of the floor as well, which, by the way, they 653 00:36:13,560 --> 00:36:16,799 Speaker 1: hung on one hundred on Alabama, scored ninety five on 654 00:36:16,880 --> 00:36:20,000 Speaker 1: South Carolina, ninety eight on the road against a good 655 00:36:20,080 --> 00:36:23,520 Speaker 1: Vanderbilt team, scored out well on the road against Oklahoma, 656 00:36:23,960 --> 00:36:28,600 Speaker 1: and scored at pretty much the same sort of proficient 657 00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:31,200 Speaker 1: rate against Kentucky on Saturday. 658 00:36:32,160 --> 00:36:34,239 Speaker 2: Yeah, in the knock on them, well, Chad brought up 659 00:36:34,280 --> 00:36:36,319 Speaker 2: the knock on them where they don't shoot three, Well, 660 00:36:36,360 --> 00:36:37,719 Speaker 2: it doesn't appear they need them. 661 00:36:38,920 --> 00:36:41,880 Speaker 1: It doesn't really appear that they Yeah, I don't know 662 00:36:41,920 --> 00:36:44,120 Speaker 1: that it's a it should be a huge knock. I mean, 663 00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:47,759 Speaker 1: people say the same thing about Arizona, but it's it's 664 00:36:47,840 --> 00:36:50,880 Speaker 1: it is like Arizona. Arizona's now lost two straight games. 665 00:36:51,440 --> 00:36:53,600 Speaker 1: Texas Tech going there and winning that was a hell 666 00:36:53,600 --> 00:36:56,279 Speaker 1: of a game on Saturday. I don't know if it's 667 00:36:56,480 --> 00:37:00,000 Speaker 1: they don't shoot three as well, it's they don't shoot 668 00:37:00,120 --> 00:37:03,719 Speaker 1: a lot and so in a game that demands they do, 669 00:37:04,040 --> 00:37:06,840 Speaker 1: can they? And on Saturday for Arizona, the answer was no. 670 00:37:07,880 --> 00:37:10,080 Speaker 1: Could the same thing be the case with Florida? 671 00:37:11,600 --> 00:37:15,399 Speaker 2: And the thing with Florida the real caveat is there 672 00:37:15,520 --> 00:37:19,000 Speaker 2: number one in offensive rebounding the number two in defensive 673 00:37:19,040 --> 00:37:21,759 Speaker 2: rebound I mean, if doesn't get any better than that. Now, 674 00:37:23,360 --> 00:37:24,879 Speaker 2: So how are you going to deal with a team 675 00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:26,080 Speaker 2: like that? That's pretty tough. 676 00:37:26,960 --> 00:37:29,440 Speaker 1: You're gonna have to figure out ways to do things 677 00:37:29,480 --> 00:37:32,360 Speaker 1: to them with your offense that nobody else has figured 678 00:37:32,360 --> 00:37:32,960 Speaker 1: out a way to do. 679 00:37:34,440 --> 00:37:35,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I guess you've got to shoot a 680 00:37:35,880 --> 00:37:36,359 Speaker 2: lot of three. 681 00:37:37,520 --> 00:37:41,400 Speaker 1: We'll see, I mean, we'll see or you know. To me, 682 00:37:41,440 --> 00:37:45,160 Speaker 1: what's impressive about the best defensive teams is they play 683 00:37:45,239 --> 00:37:48,479 Speaker 1: defense without fouling. And granted I haven't seen every minute 684 00:37:48,520 --> 00:37:50,359 Speaker 1: of every Florida game this year, but they played great 685 00:37:50,400 --> 00:37:53,400 Speaker 1: defense without you know, piling up a lot of fouls. 686 00:37:53,719 --> 00:37:57,040 Speaker 2: Yep. The other thing I never bring up because I 687 00:37:57,080 --> 00:38:01,000 Speaker 2: know it makes people. Man, I've gotten better. It is 688 00:38:01,080 --> 00:38:05,200 Speaker 2: about my Dodgers. But I'm looking at his starting rotation. Well, 689 00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:09,480 Speaker 2: Roberts is already committed to a six man rotation. Hopefully 690 00:38:09,480 --> 00:38:13,480 Speaker 2: everybody stays healthy. They cannot have the disaster that they 691 00:38:13,480 --> 00:38:17,480 Speaker 2: had last year with nineteen different starters. That's not gonna 692 00:38:17,480 --> 00:38:20,480 Speaker 2: happen to get this year. But boy, if you look 693 00:38:20,520 --> 00:38:24,720 Speaker 2: at Yamamoto and show hey and Sasaki's back now from 694 00:38:24,880 --> 00:38:27,520 Speaker 2: getting put in the bullpen after his surgery and glass 695 00:38:27,520 --> 00:38:30,160 Speaker 2: now and smell, and then they got mhg In and 696 00:38:30,200 --> 00:38:32,480 Speaker 2: they got Gavin Stone, they got River Ryan, they got 697 00:38:32,480 --> 00:38:35,480 Speaker 2: they got a whole bunch of guys other than that. 698 00:38:35,600 --> 00:38:37,359 Speaker 2: And then you go to the bullpen and they got 699 00:38:37,520 --> 00:38:41,879 Speaker 2: Edwin Diaz and Tanner Scott and uh three or four 700 00:38:41,960 --> 00:38:45,080 Speaker 2: other oh well, three or four other guys. I don't 701 00:38:45,080 --> 00:38:47,120 Speaker 2: have their names up front. I don't. 702 00:38:47,320 --> 00:38:48,080 Speaker 1: I just don't. 703 00:38:48,280 --> 00:38:50,360 Speaker 2: And then you throw Tucker in the right field. I 704 00:38:50,360 --> 00:38:52,560 Speaker 2: don't know how anybody's gonna beat this team unless they 705 00:38:52,600 --> 00:38:54,400 Speaker 2: have injuries more. I just don't see it. 706 00:38:55,080 --> 00:38:57,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, And I think that's what everybody's rubb is right now, 707 00:38:57,680 --> 00:39:01,520 Speaker 1: right like it. It's there's this sense of inevitability. Now, look, 708 00:39:01,560 --> 00:39:04,520 Speaker 1: I mean, random things do happen during the postseason. Really 709 00:39:04,520 --> 00:39:07,080 Speaker 1: good Dodgers team have failed to get to the World Series. 710 00:39:07,600 --> 00:39:09,600 Speaker 1: They came within a few outs of not winning the 711 00:39:09,640 --> 00:39:12,080 Speaker 1: World Series last year. But if if you're to just 712 00:39:12,160 --> 00:39:15,520 Speaker 1: look at like rosters, I mean, compare them to anybody 713 00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:18,080 Speaker 1: else in the National League West, It's impossible to it 714 00:39:18,200 --> 00:39:20,719 Speaker 1: not impossible. It's really hard to imagine anybody but the 715 00:39:20,719 --> 00:39:23,920 Speaker 1: Dodgers winning. And if you were to handicap, you know, 716 00:39:25,080 --> 00:39:28,279 Speaker 1: if if you were to pick a team to win 717 00:39:28,320 --> 00:39:31,680 Speaker 1: the World Series, I don't know why you're picking anybody 718 00:39:31,680 --> 00:39:35,160 Speaker 1: but the LA Dodgers. Obviously that doesn't guarantee anything. There's 719 00:39:35,200 --> 00:39:38,279 Speaker 1: more teams in the postseason than ever before. Upsets do 720 00:39:38,440 --> 00:39:41,480 Speaker 1: happen in a short series. But if you if you 721 00:39:41,560 --> 00:39:43,120 Speaker 1: had to bet an amount of money that mattered to 722 00:39:43,120 --> 00:39:45,279 Speaker 1: you on one team to win the World Series, for 723 00:39:45,400 --> 00:39:47,759 Speaker 1: all the reasons you just outlined and so many more, 724 00:39:47,920 --> 00:39:50,640 Speaker 1: you would you would bet on LA. 725 00:39:50,719 --> 00:39:54,120 Speaker 2: And so many people criticize them, And I know you don't. 726 00:39:53,520 --> 00:39:55,880 Speaker 1: I don't. I don't know if it but seemed like 727 00:39:55,960 --> 00:39:58,719 Speaker 1: I don't know if it's criticizing the Dodgers as much 728 00:39:58,760 --> 00:40:02,000 Speaker 1: as it's criticizing the structure of the sport financially with 729 00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:05,040 Speaker 1: you and I have talked about a lot. Are there 730 00:40:05,080 --> 00:40:08,280 Speaker 1: people who resent the Dodgers. Sure, a lot of folks 731 00:40:08,360 --> 00:40:11,640 Speaker 1: just naturally resent the wealthy like, I get that, but 732 00:40:11,840 --> 00:40:15,520 Speaker 1: they're doing Everything they're doing is within the rules. So 733 00:40:15,640 --> 00:40:18,400 Speaker 1: I think there's two things to dislike. They're dislike the 734 00:40:18,480 --> 00:40:22,200 Speaker 1: owner who doesn't try to win at all costs, or 735 00:40:22,239 --> 00:40:25,240 Speaker 1: dislike the rules that give the Dodgers and a handful 736 00:40:25,239 --> 00:40:27,160 Speaker 1: of other teams such an advantage. But as you have 737 00:40:27,200 --> 00:40:30,920 Speaker 1: pointed out many times, having the rules tilted towards you 738 00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:34,640 Speaker 1: and giving you an advantage doesn't guarantee success. Just ask 739 00:40:35,080 --> 00:40:36,799 Speaker 1: the New York Mets, Mike, I got a run, man, 740 00:40:36,840 --> 00:40:37,439 Speaker 1: Thanks so much. 741 00:40:38,200 --> 00:40:40,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, and nasty Yankees. The Dodgers put seventy five to 742 00:40:40,680 --> 00:40:43,279 Speaker 2: eighty percent of their revenue back into the players, and 743 00:40:43,320 --> 00:40:46,480 Speaker 2: the Yankees put and that's why they don't win. Thanks Mode. 744 00:40:46,560 --> 00:40:49,200 Speaker 1: You're exactly right, Mike. Thank you very much. There you go. 745 00:40:49,239 --> 00:40:52,000 Speaker 1: There's your dose of Dodger talk for this week. Five 746 00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:55,920 Speaker 1: point three seven four nine, fifteen thirty. The request of 747 00:40:56,000 --> 00:41:00,160 Speaker 1: the Bengals that I will make should not be that difficult. 748 00:41:00,200 --> 00:41:04,640 Speaker 1: On ESPN fifteen thirty. This is Sports Center. 749 00:41:06,320 --> 00:41:10,719 Speaker 4: Indeed, un Christine Les unemployed. That was the one word 750 00:41:10,760 --> 00:41:13,360 Speaker 4: response by Tyreek Hill on his Instagram bio to is 751 00:41:13,400 --> 00:41:14,920 Speaker 4: Sudden released by the Dolphins. 752 00:41:15,120 --> 00:41:15,799 Speaker 1: It was one of a. 753 00:41:15,840 --> 00:41:18,680 Speaker 4: Series of moves made by Miami New Miami GM john 754 00:41:18,760 --> 00:41:22,080 Speaker 4: Eric Sullivan, saving the team's significant salary cap space. Hill 755 00:41:22,120 --> 00:41:23,480 Speaker 4: was a free agent for the first time in his 756 00:41:23,600 --> 00:41:27,000 Speaker 4: NFL career. A Dolphins decision now looms regarding quarterback to 757 00:41:27,040 --> 00:41:30,320 Speaker 4: a tongue baaloa I must see college hoops showdownloaded with 758 00:41:30,400 --> 00:41:33,920 Speaker 4: ramifications for a number one seed for the upcoming NCAA Tournament, 759 00:41:34,200 --> 00:41:37,400 Speaker 4: Number two Houston at number six Iowa State. The backcourt 760 00:41:37,480 --> 00:41:40,960 Speaker 4: likely the key to this marquee matchup, says ESPN college 761 00:41:41,000 --> 00:41:43,040 Speaker 4: basketball analyst Seth Greenberg. 762 00:41:43,160 --> 00:41:44,160 Speaker 1: Kingston Plumbing's reduse. 763 00:41:44,200 --> 00:41:46,640 Speaker 6: It was a daynanic Garden and get Blaine make plays, 764 00:41:46,680 --> 00:41:49,040 Speaker 6: finish at the ride, shoots the three they played through 765 00:41:49,120 --> 00:41:50,360 Speaker 6: him late in games. 766 00:41:50,840 --> 00:41:51,400 Speaker 2: We have ahead. 767 00:41:51,800 --> 00:41:53,879 Speaker 6: I State's got an elite on ball defender and killing 768 00:41:53,960 --> 00:41:57,160 Speaker 6: times us in both defensive. Teams that are connected defensively 769 00:41:57,160 --> 00:41:58,280 Speaker 6: either physical defensive. 770 00:41:58,280 --> 00:41:59,520 Speaker 1: Wait, they take you out of. 771 00:41:59,520 --> 00:42:02,000 Speaker 6: What you want with a backcourt pressure of Viole State. 772 00:42:02,239 --> 00:42:04,080 Speaker 1: Could they disrupt Houston? 773 00:42:04,120 --> 00:42:06,000 Speaker 6: And they can Houston disrupt Iowa State. 774 00:42:06,239 --> 00:42:09,600 Speaker 4: Cougar Cyclones nine Eastern ESPN US Women's Olympic hockey team 775 00:42:09,640 --> 00:42:12,239 Speaker 4: beat Sweden five ZIP is onto the gold medal game. 776 00:42:14,239 --> 00:42:16,640 Speaker 1: Hey, it's Evan Cohen coming up Tuesday. The Cowboys intend 777 00:42:16,680 --> 00:42:19,680 Speaker 1: to franchise tag George Pickens. I'll tell you why their 778 00:42:19,719 --> 00:42:21,960 Speaker 1: best option is trade him away. 779 00:42:22,360 --> 00:42:24,320 Speaker 6: It's unsports fan like six am Eastern right here on 780 00:42:24,520 --> 00:42:26,800 Speaker 6: ESPN Radio, ESPN two, an ESPNU