1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:04,120 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg Business of Sports. COVID has been so 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:08,039 Speaker 1: devastating and to see thirty eight thousand people of Funway Park, 3 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:11,960 Speaker 1: it was really emotional and rewarding. From the business side, 4 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: from ticket sales to jersey sale, the revenues are up. 5 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:17,599 Speaker 1: Everything was really good as well as solids there. I 6 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:20,639 Speaker 1: realized that at the beginning of nineteen would be a 7 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:23,720 Speaker 1: very unique opportunity in terms of a lot of contracts 8 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:25,439 Speaker 1: being up at the same time and a lot of 9 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: sighting young wrestlers being available to go out and start 10 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:31,479 Speaker 1: a wrestling company. The country is finally deeply getting the 11 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 1: memo about how amazing the sport is. I think the 12 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: sky's a limit for MLS. Bloomberg Business of Sports from 13 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Radio. Hello, Welcome to the Bloomberg Business of Sports podcast. 14 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: We're here every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday talking to you 15 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:49,640 Speaker 1: about some of the biggest things that's going on in sports. 16 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 1: You know what's big because it's Wednesday. This is championship 17 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:58,240 Speaker 1: week for many people in fantasy football, and we have 18 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: the experts here, Damien's ass Hour and Rich Truman and 19 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:06,319 Speaker 1: I have to let you guys in in the semis 20 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: sas and Truman were together, they butted heads. Rich. I'm 21 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 1: gonna let you comment on who you want. Thank you, Mike. 22 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 1: Let's just let's just say it's not championship week for 23 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 1: Damien Sass. Hey. Look, it was a well deserved win 24 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:27,559 Speaker 1: for Rich Truman. He made a phenomena pickup. He picked 25 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 1: up the ravens QB I mean off of Waivers, I 26 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 1: mean I didn't even see it coming, started him in 27 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: a superplex and beat me badly. Well done, Ritch, It's 28 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:39,200 Speaker 1: well deserved this year. And now Rich Truman faces Bob 29 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 1: Bragg and it's this is gonna be It's gonna be 30 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:44,039 Speaker 1: a heck of a matchup. I want to see how 31 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 1: this plays out. Good luck to you. Well, let me 32 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: just mention one thing for all you fantasy players out there. 33 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:53,400 Speaker 1: You have to check the late scratches before the game. 34 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: Because Bob Bregg advanced because his opponent played two players 35 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 1: who were scratched for the Cardinals last week. Otherwise the 36 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:04,640 Speaker 1: other gentleman would have advanced to the finals. So for 37 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: the oods you playing fantasy, you have to make sure 38 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: you log into computer in ninety minutes before the game 39 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 1: when they announce the inactives and that was a cass 40 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 1: mistake for the gentleman on our league who did not 41 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 1: do that, and he had a play because if he 42 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 1: would have played the two players that he should have, 43 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:25,080 Speaker 1: he would have won and he would have advanced, which 44 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:29,800 Speaker 1: is too bad. But but anyhow, on we go to 45 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 1: the Championship week. For many people when it comes down 46 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:37,080 Speaker 1: to quarterbacks, which way do we go? Now? The Kansas 47 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 1: City Chiefs their number one in the power ranking? What 48 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 1: do you do? I mean, there are a lot of 49 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: quarterbacks that are out there, a lot. You know, there's 50 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 1: some question if some quarterbacks are going to be arrested 51 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: and this and that whatever, But Damien, where do you go? Well? 52 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:54,799 Speaker 1: I think the first thing you gotta do is you 53 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: gotta look at the waiver wire and with Garoppolo out, 54 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 1: it's gonna be Tree Lance and it's going to be 55 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:01,239 Speaker 1: his show. It. I mean, Trey Lance has proven he 56 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 1: can do it on the ground. The question is can 57 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 1: you do it in the air. But with that snatch 58 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,639 Speaker 1: up versus Houston this week, you gotta believe that he's 59 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:12,800 Speaker 1: a very viable starter. But you tell me you would 60 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:18,640 Speaker 1: take Trey Lance over Jake from and Mike Lennon. Yeah, Okay, 61 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 1: there was a joke by the way that was absolutely 62 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 1: that was that was a Rich Truman tone joke. I 63 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:31,000 Speaker 1: love it. Man quarterback to keep it one quarterback. To 64 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: keep in mind, he was out last week because of 65 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: COVID at Taysom Hill in New Orleans. They have a 66 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: nice matchup against Carolina. So he's on a possibility if 67 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: you if you need a quarterback, if he's available. Uh, 68 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: Mac Jones is playing Jacksonville. Um, if you if you're 69 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 1: desperate you need a quarterback. Remember of Courson Wentz was 70 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 1: originally on a COVID list. He might come back, uh 71 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 1: with the change of the rules, So he's not a 72 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 1: possibility if you're a desperate for a quarterback. But I 73 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 1: think bigger issue might be the change in the COVID 74 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: rules because there are some players now they relax rules 75 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: from ten days to five days, including unvaccinated players. So 76 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 1: people like Galvin Cook and Carson Wentz who looked like 77 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 1: they were going to miss this week now or else 78 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 1: able to play. So that's that's a key issue, I 79 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:22,200 Speaker 1: believe for this weekend, and don't forget they've been There 80 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:25,040 Speaker 1: are a lot of injuries last week. Miles Sanders has 81 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 1: a broken hand, he's out. James Robinson towards Achilles and 82 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: the loss of the Jets, he's out. You already mentioned 83 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 1: Garoppolo with his thumb injury. Uh, Darryl Henderson's off to 84 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: the injury reserve list. So injuries and COVID change rules 85 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:44,200 Speaker 1: are also impacting this week. The big question now is 86 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:47,600 Speaker 1: if you have the Green Bay Packers or anybody on 87 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:51,120 Speaker 1: the Green Bay Packers. This is one of the big questions. Uh, 88 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 1: Let's put it this way. The Packers are seven and 89 00:04:56,680 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: oh in games that Adams has missed since the twenty 90 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 1: team season. But Adams is probably the best receiver in 91 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: football right now? Do you play him this week? Yeah? 92 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 1: I think you do have to play Adams. And look, 93 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: I mean Green Bay, Minnesota, Tampa Jet, and San Francisco Houston. 94 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 1: I mean all three of those teams should you know, 95 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 1: generate a ton of a ton of fantasy points. But 96 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 1: for me, it's going to be who does it right? 97 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: I mean, who would have thought this year, guys, we'd 98 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: be looking at guys like Ronald Jones, you know, the 99 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 1: way for Net played, or or Jeff Wilson, the way 100 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 1: Elijah Mitchell's played. I mean, you know, and then it's 101 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 1: Edmunds Sony Michelle. These are the running backs that are 102 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 1: must start in your championship weeks. Hopefully I have him 103 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 1: on your team. And the New England Patriots they're playing 104 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: Jacksonville and the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars. I and you got 105 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 1: an angry Bill Belichick, and I could see a lot 106 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 1: happening in this one, especially if you know you have 107 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 1: anybody on the New England Patriots. Rich. Well, the Patriots 108 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 1: are coming over a couple of us appointing games in 109 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:04,159 Speaker 1: a row, Colson of Bills, and I agree with you. 110 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 1: It's probably a game to the page just to really 111 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:11,600 Speaker 1: get back on track. And Damian Harris had an outstanding 112 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 1: performance and I would look more in the same against Jacksonville. 113 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:18,360 Speaker 1: I think that again, and I've said it before and 114 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:21,720 Speaker 1: I'll say it again. It's gonna come down to matchups, matchups, matchups. 115 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 1: Atlanta at Buffalo that's another big matchup that I'm looking 116 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:31,240 Speaker 1: at it. This is what you have to pay attention to. Rich. 117 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 1: You said it right at the beginning at on Sunday. 118 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:40,000 Speaker 1: Be listening because you're gonna get the sits and starts. 119 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:42,839 Speaker 1: It is so critical keep in mind too, there's no 120 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 1: Thursday game, so you don't have to worry about that part. 121 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: So now on Sunday you're gonna sit down and figure 122 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 1: it all out. Now you have the Monday night game 123 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 1: that's Cleveland at Pittsburgh. But yeah, Thursday night you don't 124 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 1: have to worry about. So please pay attention. That's the 125 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 1: big this thing I can say right now. Uh. And 126 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 1: but with the COVID rules, and we were just talking 127 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 1: about this earlier, going from ten days to five days 128 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 1: now for quarantining for lack of a better word, or isolation. Uh. 129 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 1: And you know you can debate whether it is a 130 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:20,080 Speaker 1: safety decision or whether it's a business decision. Whatever you 131 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 1: want to debate, that's your thing. But it's gonna come 132 00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: down to when these guys are diagnosed and put on 133 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 1: the COVID list. Uh. Anytime from this point on forward, 134 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:38,440 Speaker 1: you're in trouble unless it's the Monday night game, damn you. Yeah, no, absolutely, 135 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 1: And I mean enrich me a great point last week. 136 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 1: You know, if you do have guys going on Monday night, 137 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:45,120 Speaker 1: make sure you have an alternate there because you know 138 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 1: you're the last thing you want is to hear on 139 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 1: Monday night with your last player ready to go that 140 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 1: something's gone wrong, right, So yeah, you have to be mindful, 141 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:54,320 Speaker 1: you have to be on top of things. But look, 142 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:56,600 Speaker 1: you know, I mean, there are a lot of guys 143 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:58,640 Speaker 1: on the waiver wire this week that you wouldn't probably 144 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 1: have found there. And you know, I mean at Gerald Everett, 145 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: I mean is available in what you most leagues, you know, 146 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 1: seventy percent of all leagues. I mean, he did amazing 147 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 1: and Russ Wilson booking a lot better. I mean, for 148 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: the first time this year, Metcalf actually put up some points. 149 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 1: So you know, there's a lot of opportunities up there 150 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 1: if you indeed made it to your championship, to your 151 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 1: championship round. It's very important if you have a guy 152 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 1: going on Monday night football to have a backup. Because 153 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 1: I had Alvin Kamara going up against Damien and even 154 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:27,360 Speaker 1: though he did play, there was a big COVID outbreak 155 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 1: amongst Saints, and I as a preemptive move just in 156 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 1: case he got scratched at the last minute because of COVID, 157 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:36,720 Speaker 1: I picked up Duke Johnson on Miami, so I knew 158 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:39,679 Speaker 1: that if something happened with Kamara, I had another player 159 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:41,920 Speaker 1: ready to go. So if you're in a championship game 160 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:45,320 Speaker 1: and you have somebody on Monday night football, try to 161 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 1: have a backup at that position or reflects, just in 162 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:51,560 Speaker 1: case something happens that you're you're not enough to empty handed. 163 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 1: By the way, I'm going to get in trouble for 164 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:58,200 Speaker 1: saying this. Uh love all the guys in our league, 165 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:02,719 Speaker 1: but we talked about this last week about guys not 166 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 1: in the playoffs making moves on the pickups, and please 167 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 1: talk to your commissioner about what to do about this. 168 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 1: Uh you know it's yeah, we do it for fun. 169 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 1: I mean, we have a good time and this and 170 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:21,120 Speaker 1: that whatever, And of course we're like, oh man, they're 171 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 1: making pickups. But if you're playing some serious dough and 172 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 1: you're seeing that happen, that's going to cause a lot 173 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:31,560 Speaker 1: of problems. Rich the guy last place in our league 174 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 1: actually made yes. They well look, I mean, I mean 175 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 1: this is the problem with a lot of people have 176 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 1: toilet po weaks, right they have. You know what happens 177 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:43,720 Speaker 1: is you have now four teams that can still use 178 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:46,240 Speaker 1: the waiver wire, right, and so it does definitely add 179 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:48,520 Speaker 1: a little bit of it adds a little bit of 180 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 1: angst to the whole process. But you know, look, I 181 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:52,960 Speaker 1: think you know again, you know, if you made it 182 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 1: this far. And most guys, I mean most leagues know 183 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:57,080 Speaker 1: how to handle this stuff. Their commissioners are well on 184 00:09:57,120 --> 00:09:59,080 Speaker 1: top of this. The leak's been notified, nobody can make 185 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:01,360 Speaker 1: any more pickups, so on and so forth, and teams 186 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 1: with free agent auction bidding, they've taken their banks down there, 187 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:06,680 Speaker 1: you know, they're they're posts down to zero, so they 188 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 1: really can't do anything. But look, you know, I mean, 189 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:11,360 Speaker 1: this is why we played the games. Gentlemen. We're finally 190 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:15,439 Speaker 1: here week seventeen, and uh, there's a lot to watch. Well, gentlemen, 191 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:19,440 Speaker 1: this is week seventeen. I hope we're back for week 192 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:23,480 Speaker 1: eighteen because by that time a lot of leagues have 193 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:29,680 Speaker 1: completed their fantasy football championships. Uh, let's cross our fingers. 194 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 1: Let's see if we're back for week eighteen. Uh. If not, Uh, 195 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 1: you guys are the best, Damien sasas our Rich Truman. 196 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:41,439 Speaker 1: I love you guys. You guys helped me a big 197 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 1: way trying to guide myself through this, and you helped 198 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: a lot of people out there. Thank you, sirs, and Michael, 199 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:51,360 Speaker 1: remember you also helped Rich with that trade for Trouble 200 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:52,959 Speaker 1: earlier in the year, so you know, I guess we 201 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:58,080 Speaker 1: should be thanking you. This has been the Bloomberg Business 202 00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:01,840 Speaker 1: of Sports podcast. We're here every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 203 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:04,679 Speaker 1: talking to you with some of the biggest names in 204 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:08,440 Speaker 1: the sports and the biggest sports stories. Hopefully, join us 205 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 1: again next week. We'll see what will happen. You can 206 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:13,520 Speaker 1: catch our show wherever you get your podcast.