1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,560 Speaker 1: This is the business of sports where in the situation 2 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: that we haven't dealt with in modern times, pandemic here 3 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:10,479 Speaker 1: has really accelerated the investments that we've been advocating for 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:12,880 Speaker 1: for years. From a Macrow standpoint, I think our sport 5 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: industry is really forced to look at the business a 6 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:19,639 Speaker 1: little bit differently. In depth conversations with the leaders in 7 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: the sports industry. Who wants to be the sacrificial lambs. 8 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: That shows up that the first big major sporting events 9 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 1: were part of something much bigger than the sport right 10 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 1: now and the health and dastry of our stakeholders that 11 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:32,839 Speaker 1: looks much important every moment. I think we're all from 12 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:35,560 Speaker 1: the business respective thinking about the impact that the virus 13 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,479 Speaker 1: is having a across the country and Bloomberg Business of 14 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: Sports from Bloomberg Radio. Hi everyone, I'm Jason Kelly and 15 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 1: Michae Lynch and Michael Barr. Over the next hour we 16 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: will explore the big money issues in the world of 17 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 1: sports and talk to some of the biggest players in 18 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 1: the industry. And we're excited later on to talk to 19 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: Dan Shaughnessy, sort of a partner in crime for you, Lynchi. 20 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 1: Over the course of covering some of the coolest sporting 21 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 1: events in the history of the planet and certainly in 22 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 1: the history of Boston. He's worked for the Boston Love 23 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 1: for a long time, and uh he had Kurt Schilling 24 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 1: exchanged the words this week. We'll get into that in 25 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: just a few minutes, but first, let's take stock of 26 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:13,680 Speaker 1: where we are. I feel like, you know, here we 27 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:15,520 Speaker 1: are coming to the end of January. We got the 28 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 1: Super Bowl that is set a weekend from now, and 29 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 1: the NFL they're gonna, you know, put a season in 30 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: the books. And yet here we are back with the NBA, 31 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 1: the NHL playing. You know, Lynch she what do you 32 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 1: make of where we stand with the major sports at 33 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: this moment? Well, I think that the National Football League 34 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 1: had a very successful year. I think when they were 35 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: the lasted to jump in and they're gonna make it 36 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: to the finish line, just like uh, college football made 37 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 1: it to the finish line with their championship game. They 38 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: had a little bit of a couple of hiccups to 39 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 1: start out the season, but you know, you haven't really 40 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: heard an awful lot of COVID after that one time 41 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 1: when they had to sort of scramble about four or 42 00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 1: five teams and do some rescheduling, so the NFL made 43 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 1: it work. Um. Now the NBA and the NHL who 44 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 1: lived in a bubble uh in in Edmonton, Toronto and 45 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 1: in Orlando there they're they're they're sort of learning as 46 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: they go. They've had the Celtics had three games postponed 47 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 1: because of COVID, the Spurs had a game earlier this 48 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 1: week called off because of COVID, And they're learning as 49 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:23,520 Speaker 1: they go. But I think they're they're all getting better. 50 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:25,680 Speaker 1: In the same deal with the National Hockey League baseball, 51 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 1: the Arizona Cactus League doesn't want to start on time. Um, 52 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 1: they've got some some issues in the state of Arizona 53 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 1: and Florida. It's anything goes so, but I can't see 54 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 1: Florida starting in spring training without um Arizona starting at 55 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: the same time. Yeah, that's a big question mark. Bar 56 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 1: I feel like baseball is our next big question mark. 57 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:46,679 Speaker 1: The other leagues are sort of figuring it out. But 58 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 1: when you're in it, you sort of can adjust. But 59 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 1: that getting started seems to be one of the trickiest things. 60 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:57,360 Speaker 1: And as Lynch he said, uh mlb uh maybe not 61 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: surprisingly doesn't quite know what it's gonna do yet well, 62 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 1: not only getting started, but you have to have a 63 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 1: schedule to where you're going to have games that are 64 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 1: going to be postponed. And the NBA has been going 65 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 1: through this the season where they're going to have to 66 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 1: set that schedule up to where it's going to be 67 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 1: fair for both teams and fair for the league, because 68 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: you don't want to cancel the game because still that 69 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: that's that's gonna cause problems. So I'd like to see 70 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:29,839 Speaker 1: what baseball is going to do. There's let it really 71 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 1: still gets to playmakers here that's still the league leader 72 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 1: and steals and be simontors. So they're with the rebound shutter. Yes, 73 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 1: why we are. So let's talk about the NBA because 74 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 1: as you mentioned, they've been fairly flexible, as you said, 75 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 1: Michael Barr, in terms of their schedule. They essentially have 76 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 1: not scheduled the second half. They canceled the All Star Game, 77 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 1: but now there are some reports that there could be 78 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 1: an All Star Game instead of in mid February in 79 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 1: early March. March seventh is the date that ESPN has 80 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 1: reported it's likely to be in Atlanta, uh in part 81 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 1: because the arena is a good one. They have hosted 82 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 1: the All Star Game before. I believe there's also a 83 00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:28,480 Speaker 1: fairly good sports infrastructure there, and notably Lynchy Turner Broadcasting 84 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 1: is right there at home in Atlanta, so the travel 85 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 1: of all the broadcast crews and everything like that that 86 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 1: wouldn't be involved. I do feel like it would give 87 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:42,600 Speaker 1: a sense of normalcy and a rhythm to the season 88 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 1: if they were able to actually do that All Star 89 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:47,600 Speaker 1: break and put on an All Star game, even if 90 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 1: it's not a big fancy All Star weekend. Well, that 91 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 1: break coming up is March fifth through March ten, and 92 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 1: Chris Paul, who's the president of the NBA Players Association, 93 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 1: thinks it's good idea. Will the other athletes who play 94 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 1: on the West Coast think it's a good idea to 95 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:07,600 Speaker 1: fly into Atlanta, you know when they have some time 96 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 1: off right now to stay at home. Um avoid the 97 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 1: risk of being around large crowds. Uh, that that's my 98 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 1: only concern right there. Is everybody in the Players Association 99 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:20,800 Speaker 1: going to be on board with this now? Historically they've 100 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:23,720 Speaker 1: had a great relationship with the league and in commissioner 101 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 1: Adam Silver. But that's my only reservation here. And you know, 102 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:30,400 Speaker 1: people will gather even though they say that all the 103 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 1: festivities that are being around and as you said, great 104 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:36,160 Speaker 1: infrastructure in Atlanta. I mean, you've got everything right down there, 105 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 1: right not too far from the State Farm Arena, and 106 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 1: you know, will it be a magnet for people to 107 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 1: come down and will it be a good thing as 108 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:45,479 Speaker 1: we're trying to you know, roll out the vaccines and 109 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 1: trying to eradicate this COVID ninetee. Yeah, it'll be interesting 110 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:51,560 Speaker 1: bar too, because you know you're talking about that in Atlanta. 111 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:55,359 Speaker 1: And then shortly after that, I believe, is when you 112 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 1: will have a very different looking uh in C double 113 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:04,159 Speaker 1: a March Madness situation, all centered in Indianapolis. So, you know, 114 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 1: continuing to find new and different ways. It's a hybrid 115 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 1: world that we're going to continue to live in, at 116 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 1: least for a little while longer. I just wonder if 117 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:14,600 Speaker 1: this is the way it's going to be for many 118 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,600 Speaker 1: years to come, especially the n C Double A, because 119 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:22,200 Speaker 1: this is where you're playing basketball in one city. And 120 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:25,479 Speaker 1: of course the Indianapolis they can handle it. But I 121 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 1: wonder if this is going to be the norm when 122 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:31,520 Speaker 1: you get down to the tournament, if other cities are 123 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 1: gonna say hey, we're gonna host the whole thing, and 124 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:38,920 Speaker 1: that will be a big boon for the cities and 125 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:42,920 Speaker 1: the financial part of it, uh that they can't help. 126 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 1: But so I just wonder if this is the way 127 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:48,040 Speaker 1: it's going to be going forward. Yeah, just going back 128 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:50,720 Speaker 1: to Atlanta for a second, I mean it it It 129 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:53,720 Speaker 1: does make me think about that franchise a little bit. 130 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:58,000 Speaker 1: The Hawks, which have been very forward thinking about a 131 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 1: lot of the issues facing the NBA, and the least 132 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 1: of which was making their arena available for voting back 133 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 1: last summer and then into the general election and then 134 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 1: into the runoff election that ultimately determined what's going on there. 135 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 1: So so clearly, Uh, that ownership group and that management 136 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 1: group led by Steve Coonan, who, interestingly enough, you talk 137 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: about Turner Broadcasting, the president of the Hawks, may be 138 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 1: worth pointing out, Uh, I used to run Turner Broadcasting 139 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: so very tight into all of that infrastructure that you're 140 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 1: talking about. It's a small town. You think Boston is 141 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 1: a small town, Atlanta is even smaller in some ways. 142 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: Uh lyncha h Anyway, Yeah, I love that. When I 143 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:38,560 Speaker 1: was there for the Super Bowl, the Patriots in the 144 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 1: in the Rams who had a great time down there. 145 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 1: That people were unbelievable and it was really, you know, 146 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 1: surprised I hadn't been there, you know, for about twenty years. 147 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: How it's very accessible walking. It minds me a little 148 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 1: bit of Indianapolis. You can walk everywhere. You don't need 149 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 1: a rental car, you don't need an uber um, you 150 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 1: can walk anywhere down there. Well, I was gonna say, 151 00:07:56,360 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 1: they've built that that downtown right around the arena, really 152 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 1: rebuilt it, revitalized it in many ways. Because you have 153 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: State Farm Arena Mercedes Benz right next to its centennial 154 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 1: Olympic Park, lots to do. We should take it. You 155 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 1: know what, once it's all clear, we're taking a road trip. Baby, Hey, 156 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 1: we can get the camper. Let's go. And don't forget 157 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:21,559 Speaker 1: the college the College Football Hall of Fame, exactly exactly. So, guys, 158 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 1: when I'm not hanging out with you talking about sports, 159 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:27,440 Speaker 1: I'm still thinking about sports, uh and doing some other stuff. 160 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 1: This week was the annual Year Ahead conference for Bloomberg, 161 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:34,440 Speaker 1: and I got a couple of cool assignments, one of 162 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:40,360 Speaker 1: which was talking with Katie Ledecky. Of course, the wildly decorated, 163 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:45,360 Speaker 1: widely celebrated, and rightly so. Olympic swimmer. She was supposed 164 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 1: to be in Tokyo last summer. Still hoping for Tokyo 165 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 1: this summer if the Olympics do proceed. She's certainly training 166 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 1: like she is. She swam at Stanford, and so one 167 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 1: of the things I talked to her about was college 168 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:00,679 Speaker 1: sports and where we may be going from here. I 169 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,520 Speaker 1: competed two years in the n C Double A for 170 00:09:03,679 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 1: Stanford for the swim team, and I loved it. I 171 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:10,680 Speaker 1: really really enjoyed it. We won two national championships. It 172 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 1: was Stanford has a really great legacy of national championships 173 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 1: swim teams, but it was our first national championship and 174 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 1: I think nineteen years that we won in seventeen, so 175 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 1: that was really exciting to be a part of. I 176 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 1: found so many new friends through college swimming, both on 177 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:30,439 Speaker 1: my team and on other college teams, and I don't 178 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:32,880 Speaker 1: think I would be the swimmer I am today if 179 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 1: it wasn't for that experience. And I'm continuing to train 180 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 1: with the Stanford collegiate team alongside a couple other professional swimmers. 181 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:44,280 Speaker 1: But I I loved it, and I'm it's hard to 182 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:48,800 Speaker 1: see how some colleges are cutting sports and especially swimming 183 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 1: in in a couple a couple of schools. So it's tough. 184 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 1: And I really hope that college swimming and college athletics 185 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:59,200 Speaker 1: can continue to grow and that there can continue to 186 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:02,840 Speaker 1: be those opportunit in niece for young athletes to reach for. 187 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:06,680 Speaker 1: And so what's your reactions specifically? You know, at Stanford, 188 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:08,840 Speaker 1: I mean they've had to cut sports there, which I 189 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 1: think everybody knowing the rich history there, I mean, twenty 190 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 1: seven Olympic medals, I believe you know in the sports, 191 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:20,200 Speaker 1: the eleven sports that that were discontinued. I mean, that 192 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:24,320 Speaker 1: must be difficult, even though swimming is obviously continuing at Stanford, 193 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 1: but it must be difficult to sort of comprehend in 194 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 1: many ways and to see a group, and in a 195 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:35,560 Speaker 1: school that's been so successful in all aspects, have to 196 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 1: make those sorts of decisions. Yeah, it's it's difficult. It's 197 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 1: difficult to see fellow athletes, student athletes and coaches, all 198 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:46,960 Speaker 1: these different people affected by those kinds of decisions. But 199 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:50,520 Speaker 1: I realized that those are very difficult decisions that aren't 200 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:54,199 Speaker 1: being taken lightly. And I'm sure the athletic directors around 201 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 1: the country are heartbroken that they have to do that 202 00:10:57,440 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 1: in certain cases. So I'm heartbroke and for those athletes affected. 203 00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:04,840 Speaker 1: And I realized that these are really difficult decisions and 204 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 1: a lot of different factors go into play when trying 205 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:11,400 Speaker 1: to make those decisions. Do you think we need to 206 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:15,320 Speaker 1: rethink certain aspects of college athletics? Again having lived it? 207 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 1: I mean, are there things that we should be thinking 208 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 1: about as like mortals you know, non college athletes or 209 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:24,239 Speaker 1: you know, just college students and supporters are different universities, 210 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:26,680 Speaker 1: Like how how should we be thinking about this differently 211 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:29,080 Speaker 1: in your estimation? I don't know. I mean there are 212 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,480 Speaker 1: there's so many different conversations I think that are happening 213 00:11:32,559 --> 00:11:36,959 Speaker 1: in terms of amateurism and professional is um with with 214 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:40,160 Speaker 1: collegiate athletics. And I don't know the answer to it. 215 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:43,120 Speaker 1: And um, you know, I I lived through it. I 216 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:45,439 Speaker 1: I there's a lot of speculation of whether I should 217 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 1: just go pro right from the start and not go 218 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:51,080 Speaker 1: to college, or what should I do? Um, But I 219 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 1: made the decision I made because I really believed in 220 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:57,760 Speaker 1: the value of making those friends, being a part of 221 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 1: that team and having that camaraderie and and really growing 222 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:04,800 Speaker 1: in the sport through college athletics. That is five time 223 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:08,800 Speaker 1: Olympic gold medalist Katie Lidecki catching up with me for 224 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 1: this week's Year Ahead conference at Bloomberg. You can find 225 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 1: the entire interview online at YouTube and at Bloomberg dot com. 226 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 1: I will say, guys, one of the things we got into, 227 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:22,040 Speaker 1: do you remember before we talk about college sports a 228 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 1: little bit last summer that video that went viral of 229 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:26,959 Speaker 1: her swimming the length of a pool with a glass 230 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,080 Speaker 1: of milk on her head. Did you guys see that? 231 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 1: I did, Yeah, I remember that. That was see that. 232 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 1: That is what amazes me about swimmers, is that. And 233 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:40,160 Speaker 1: she said something that that made me perk up. She 234 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 1: said she was debating if she wanted to go pro, 235 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:47,800 Speaker 1: and my first thought was, you know, we need to 236 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 1: have a sport where you have teams of swimmers, just 237 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:55,559 Speaker 1: like you have in the NFL or the NBA. And 238 00:12:55,640 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 1: I bet you that that would get over Yeah. Interesting, interesting, Yeah, 239 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 1: I mean, listen, it's one of the most popular Olympic sports, 240 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:07,319 Speaker 1: wildly heralded. We talked a little bit in the conversation about, 241 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:09,720 Speaker 1: you know, the Olympic experience, and as I said, she 242 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:12,720 Speaker 1: is preparing like there's gonna be a Tokyo Games. But 243 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:15,959 Speaker 1: on the subject of the milk, Lynchie, you'll love this 244 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:21,319 Speaker 1: first take that they ended up what went viral. First 245 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:26,080 Speaker 1: take swamp across across the pool with a full glass 246 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:31,960 Speaker 1: of chocolate milk. Anyway got milk? Yeah, exactly exactly. But 247 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 1: you know she raises it and and you know that 248 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 1: back and forth about college sports, We've talked about it 249 00:13:36,280 --> 00:13:39,680 Speaker 1: a lot on this show. They are endangered in many ways, 250 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 1: and we've seen incredibly high profile universities, including her alma mater, Stanford. Uh, 251 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:49,040 Speaker 1: you know, have to make some really tough choices. Something's wrong, 252 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:52,199 Speaker 1: Lynchi if if that's happening. Well, I brought this up 253 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:55,720 Speaker 1: on the on the show before the swimmers, divers, track 254 00:13:55,760 --> 00:13:59,760 Speaker 1: and field athletes, gymnastics, wrestling, Uh, what do you go else? 255 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:02,679 Speaker 1: So rowing, volleyball. I'm trying to think they're all training 256 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:06,720 Speaker 1: grounds for future or potential Olympians. I mean, you can 257 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:08,880 Speaker 1: go compete on a club team, but there's nothing like 258 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:12,960 Speaker 1: competing against another college athlete and the best and the 259 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:14,560 Speaker 1: best and the best come out of there. And that's 260 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:18,120 Speaker 1: where we have gotten. That's been the pool for our 261 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 1: great Olympic athletes and not they're not the basketball players, 262 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: but you know, the swimmers and the divers like the 263 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:26,080 Speaker 1: Katie Ladecki's, you know who competes at Stanford, the wins 264 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 1: national championships. You know, I look at Clemson, you know, 265 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 1: and then the football facility. They've got a barbershop, they've 266 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 1: got a bowling alley, they got a water slide, they 267 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 1: have miniature golf, and they just cut track and field 268 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 1: for men and women and eliminated there. And that's not right. 269 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 1: You know, all the money that Stanford, that that that places, 270 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 1: those big five conference schools bring in from the TV contracts, 271 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 1: you gotta spur the wealth and you you gotta, you know, 272 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 1: cut out the barbershop, cut out the slide in the 273 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:53,040 Speaker 1: miniature golf. You don't need that, you know, and and 274 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 1: and and keep the track and field team alive and vibrant. 275 00:14:56,840 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 1: That that's just it just seems like unfair, and the 276 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 1: seems so inequitable. Something's off bar and and it'll be 277 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 1: interesting to see if if twenty one is the year 278 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 1: where there's some measure of reform, because it feels like 279 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:12,280 Speaker 1: the n C double A and its current constitution is 280 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:14,760 Speaker 1: at a bit of a breaking point. Well, COVID has 281 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:19,200 Speaker 1: forced every college and university to look at their bottom line. 282 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 1: And again, of course obviously COVID is very serious, but 283 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 1: COVID has impacted universities and colleges with students attending in 284 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 1: different ways. Now they'll still have maybe a zoom attendance, 285 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 1: but room and board that has been wiped out for 286 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 1: a lot of colleges. I know, it's it took a 287 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 1: hard hit for one of my sons, UH going at 288 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 1: his college. He's at home because they've shut it all 289 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 1: down for room and board. So they're gonna have to 290 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 1: find the way colleges uh to make more at least 291 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 1: show up the bottom line. And unfortunately it comes at 292 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:00,640 Speaker 1: the expense lenity of what you said, of all the sports, 293 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:02,960 Speaker 1: it's the non revenue sports, I mean. And and that's 294 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:05,320 Speaker 1: the issue is that you know, you've just seen this 295 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 1: perversion as it were, of you know, in my opinion, 296 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:11,080 Speaker 1: what college sports we were meant to be. And yet 297 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:13,240 Speaker 1: you have these And I've talked to a lot of 298 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 1: college presidents about this. You know, they are forced to 299 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:21,360 Speaker 1: make these decisions, especially around big time college football, because 300 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:24,960 Speaker 1: they are such big revenue generators and sources of donations 301 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:27,400 Speaker 1: not just to the athletic programs, but as sort of 302 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 1: a gateway into giving. So the answers aren't easy, but 303 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:34,520 Speaker 1: when you hear someone like Katie Ladeki, you know, talk 304 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:37,560 Speaker 1: about it, it just reminds you, as you say, Lynchy, 305 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 1: that you know, this funnel that the colleges create to 306 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 1: the Olympics. Because the Olympics are obviously about national pride, 307 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:46,920 Speaker 1: they're also about sort of preparing people to be you know, 308 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:50,960 Speaker 1: successful humans in some ways. So in any case, checked 309 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:53,120 Speaker 1: out that interview with Katie Ladecki was a lot of 310 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:55,400 Speaker 1: fun to catch up with her for the year ahead. 311 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:59,960 Speaker 1: Let's get to our conversation with Boston Globe Sports common 312 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:02,400 Speaker 1: Stan Chaughnessy. Really nice to have you with us. I 313 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:05,240 Speaker 1: joked in as you were getting ready with us that 314 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:08,480 Speaker 1: there's nothing going on in sports. Uh, you've got a 315 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 1: lot to write about these days. What's number one on 316 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:14,760 Speaker 1: your list in these topsy Turv COVID times. Well, this 317 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:17,880 Speaker 1: has been a pretty wild week here. We had Tom 318 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:20,760 Speaker 1: Brady advanced to the Super Bowl on Sunday, and of 319 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 1: course you know, he made his bones here in a 320 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 1: big way and is a you know, folks really follow him. 321 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:28,840 Speaker 1: So the Brady story got things rolling on Sunday, and 322 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 1: then of course the Hall of Fame announcement came out 323 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:33,600 Speaker 1: Tuesday night, and and we knew that Kurt Schilling was 324 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:35,640 Speaker 1: going to be close. He didn't make it, and then 325 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:41,480 Speaker 1: of course he kind of delivered this wordscreed and have 326 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:43,680 Speaker 1: to be taken off the ballot and made a lot 327 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:45,760 Speaker 1: of noise with that. So we had, Yeah, we had 328 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:47,359 Speaker 1: a couple of big stories for early in the week 329 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:50,760 Speaker 1: and carrying us through the through the COVID times when 330 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:53,760 Speaker 1: you think things would be slow. I'm going to defer 331 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:56,439 Speaker 1: my time for a second to Mike Lynch because you 332 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:59,840 Speaker 1: guys know each other, and you guys, as as they say, 333 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:03,080 Speaker 1: the racing industry, have a helmet full of memories. I 334 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:04,880 Speaker 1: want to I want to defer to Lynch and going 335 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:08,680 Speaker 1: go ahead, What is it with this guy Dan? I mean, 336 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:10,680 Speaker 1: he's he's he's not going to get in next year. 337 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 1: Who does he think he is that he can change 338 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:15,640 Speaker 1: the rules that have been around since what ninety six 339 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:18,400 Speaker 1: with the Baseball Hall of Fame. Yeah, that wasn't well 340 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 1: received by anybody, because you know, he offended. He's he's 341 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:24,359 Speaker 1: basically really on an island now because he's offended every 342 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:28,080 Speaker 1: group and even the like the Veteran's Committee. I got 343 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 1: an email from a Hall of Famer and and they're 344 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:34,119 Speaker 1: not having this. They're they're offended that basically they were 345 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:36,440 Speaker 1: all voted in by the writers and now Kurt saying 346 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:39,560 Speaker 1: the writers are stooges, so it's sort of invalidates them 347 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:43,280 Speaker 1: being there. He also buried bonds in clements, which nobody 348 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 1: generally does. They just don't do that. You know, he 349 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:49,280 Speaker 1: buried the Red Sox ownerships. We can't figure out what 350 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:51,919 Speaker 1: that's about. Since they gave eight million dollars to not 351 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 1: throw a pitch in two thousand and eight, that would 352 00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 1: be the end of his career, which is what he's 353 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:59,080 Speaker 1: referencing there. So yeah, it was it was all over 354 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:01,560 Speaker 1: the map. I know. The baseball writers are are put 355 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 1: out that, you know, sevent of of writers voted for him, 356 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:07,560 Speaker 1: and then he insulted all of them. At the same 357 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:10,199 Speaker 1: time he's saying he's not a worthy Hall of Famer. 358 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:13,000 Speaker 1: Then why insult people who are agreeing with you and 359 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:16,480 Speaker 1: not voting for you. It's uh, it's just it's it's 360 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:19,560 Speaker 1: a mess. And um, I don't believe you know, the 361 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: Hall Board will hopefully they'll convene quickly and just say yeah, 362 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 1: we're not He's he's on the ballot. He doesn't get 363 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 1: to make those rules. And uh, I mean no one 364 00:19:29,359 --> 00:19:31,880 Speaker 1: ever has. And it's it's a little bit I mean, 365 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 1: with all due respect, it's a little trump like like 366 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:35,920 Speaker 1: that if if I don't win, it's rigged and it's fixed, 367 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:37,879 Speaker 1: and I'll take my ball and go home. And it's 368 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 1: set yourself up so that you can't lose. Uh. You know, 369 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:43,400 Speaker 1: it's the old you can't fire me, I quit kind 370 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:45,639 Speaker 1: of thing. And you know, one of the Hall of 371 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:47,920 Speaker 1: famers I spoke with said, this is very unlike Kurt 372 00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:49,640 Speaker 1: because he always wanted the ball in the big game. 373 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 1: So what's this about. Now He got to seventy one 374 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 1: with another year in the ballot, and I think any 375 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:57,359 Speaker 1: kind of I don't know, if he could have just 376 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaker 1: behaved a little bit or maybe maybe kind of apologize. 377 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:04,160 Speaker 1: I pulled back on some of these positions that are 378 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:07,760 Speaker 1: so offensive to so many people. Um, but there's there's 379 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:10,520 Speaker 1: no evidence of that. I want to talk about happier 380 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:15,560 Speaker 1: times with Tom Brady because as a native detroitter, uh, 381 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:17,960 Speaker 1: and with the University of Michigan. I saw him when 382 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:20,760 Speaker 1: he played in the university at the University of Michigan. 383 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 1: Who knew where he was going to go with his career. 384 00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:29,359 Speaker 1: It's uh, I'm just amazed by this guy. And I 385 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:32,439 Speaker 1: have to say it, he is the goat. Well it is, 386 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:34,080 Speaker 1: I mean, and you go back to the Michigan days. 387 00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:35,880 Speaker 1: I mean, he had to fight like hell to get 388 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 1: to start the games there. He was in Lloyd car 389 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 1: really buried him and he was always competing with with 390 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:43,240 Speaker 1: you know, one the next big thing on one side 391 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:46,439 Speaker 1: and the other and and he did emerge, but it 392 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:48,879 Speaker 1: didn't help him at the draft in the combine he 393 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:52,359 Speaker 1: was a six rounder and h pick and we didn't 394 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't know about Mike. We didn't pay 395 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:56,439 Speaker 1: much attention to the four string quarterback the year he 396 00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:59,920 Speaker 1: was here in two thousand and then Let's gets hurt 397 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 1: and the rest is history. And he certainly has has 398 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:04,120 Speaker 1: run with that and what he's doing at forty three 399 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:08,240 Speaker 1: is amazing and it really it really gives the NFL 400 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:10,440 Speaker 1: and the fans what they're looking for for the Super 401 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:12,920 Speaker 1: Bowl to have, as you say, the greatest of all time. 402 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:16,320 Speaker 1: And then the greatest now Patrick Mahomes with a defending 403 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:18,360 Speaker 1: Super Bowl champion, So it could not have worked out 404 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:20,879 Speaker 1: better for the league. Well, that's what exactly what I 405 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:22,560 Speaker 1: was going to say, Dan, is that if you're looking 406 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:25,399 Speaker 1: at this from a business perspective, from a ratings perspective, 407 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:28,160 Speaker 1: obviously got a lot of people captive in their homes 408 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:30,399 Speaker 1: they're going to be watching the Super Bowl. But I 409 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:33,439 Speaker 1: mean this is this is very good for the business 410 00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:37,159 Speaker 1: of football. Oh my god, they are, They're really lucky. 411 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: I mean, it's they're they're just blessed. And through this, 412 00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 1: this this horrible COVID time we're going through. If you remember, 413 00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:45,960 Speaker 1: they were the last sport to play its season untouched 414 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 1: by it, and they had just finished their Super Bowl 415 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:51,080 Speaker 1: last February, and not a word was being said in 416 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:54,520 Speaker 1: America about about the virus. And it all came down 417 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:56,720 Speaker 1: in March when and the NFL had six months to 418 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 1: figure it out, and they went through all of their 419 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:03,200 Speaker 1: normal things, the draft, the free agent signing period. Um, 420 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:06,520 Speaker 1: they didn't have a preseason, but who cares. Everybody likes 421 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:09,639 Speaker 1: everybody hates the preseason. So it's and and you know, 422 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 1: they managed to get all their games in and Uh. 423 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: And and then now they've they've managed to get to 424 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:19,480 Speaker 1: the Super Bowl and it's it's the NFL is television 425 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:21,439 Speaker 1: programming and they're really good at it, and they've been 426 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:25,160 Speaker 1: able to keep this going so unlike the other three sports. Uh, 427 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:28,600 Speaker 1: it really hasn't affected them very much. Dan, you know, 428 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:31,199 Speaker 1: I want to ask you, it's such a treat to 429 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:34,400 Speaker 1: talk to you, in part because and and Lynchy will 430 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:37,399 Speaker 1: back this up. You're a legend in the business in 431 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:41,800 Speaker 1: many ways, but you've seen so many changes in the business, 432 00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:46,920 Speaker 1: not just of journalism and sports and commentary. What's it 433 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 1: like now for you, you know, having having spilled so 434 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 1: much inc over the years, what's the biggest thing that's 435 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:56,359 Speaker 1: changed in the way that you do your business or 436 00:22:56,440 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 1: the business at large of talking about sports? Well, I 437 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 1: mean we're talking to one another in the middle of 438 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:04,640 Speaker 1: the pandemic here, so I don't know whether we're talking 439 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:07,879 Speaker 1: about that or or or before that. But there has 440 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 1: been a lot of evolution and change, and you know, 441 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:12,800 Speaker 1: the Internet bringing that on, and and you know, newspapers 442 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:16,280 Speaker 1: being just far less relevant and no longer having the 443 00:23:16,280 --> 00:23:19,240 Speaker 1: platform that they once had. And you know, we've all 444 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:22,040 Speaker 1: tried to evolve with that. But of course in the 445 00:23:22,119 --> 00:23:25,280 Speaker 1: last year, we've just seen a situation where there's no 446 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:27,560 Speaker 1: access and we're you know, the only way you talk 447 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:30,600 Speaker 1: to anybody is on zoom press conferences, which is the 448 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:34,640 Speaker 1: ultimate nondisclosure, and it's like it's like covering the Pentagon 449 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:36,960 Speaker 1: of the White House, where everybody's getting the same information. 450 00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 1: You don't have any interpersonal interactions, you don't stand around 451 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:43,800 Speaker 1: anybody's locker worked the room, developed sources and learned things 452 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:45,720 Speaker 1: that no one else knows. And this has come up 453 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 1: repeatedly in the course of the year, where you know, 454 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:52,600 Speaker 1: things things go without anyone knowing. And you know, there 455 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:55,160 Speaker 1: was a game, you know, the Philadelphia Eagles basically tried 456 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:58,520 Speaker 1: to lose football game, you know, late in the season 457 00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:02,600 Speaker 1: to improve their draft pick. And it took days before 458 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:05,639 Speaker 1: that bled out because ordinarily would be in the locker 459 00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:09,119 Speaker 1: room afterwards and players would be crousing about it and saying, 460 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:11,240 Speaker 1: you know, the coach buried us and we have no 461 00:24:11,320 --> 00:24:13,239 Speaker 1: respect for him and all that. Well, the coach ended 462 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:15,520 Speaker 1: up getting fired within a week, but it took a 463 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:18,359 Speaker 1: while because there's just no one there. There's no eyeballs 464 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:21,119 Speaker 1: and ears in the room to tell you what's happening 465 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:23,080 Speaker 1: in a moment, and you're not going to get that 466 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:26,320 Speaker 1: on zoom. So again, I'm not complaining this is necessary now, 467 00:24:26,359 --> 00:24:29,440 Speaker 1: but I doubt we'll ever get back to anything resembling 468 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:31,400 Speaker 1: the access that we once had. I mean, it has 469 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:34,360 Speaker 1: been eroting organically for the last forty years, and Mike 470 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:36,920 Speaker 1: knows that better than anybody. But in the last year 471 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 1: it's all together gone and and I think that teams 472 00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:43,280 Speaker 1: will use this moving forward when when we get to 473 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:45,359 Speaker 1: the new normal to say that, you know, we don't 474 00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:47,120 Speaker 1: need to have all these people around all the time. 475 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 1: You've been with the Globe for almost forty years, and 476 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 1: one of your crowning moments was when you wrote a 477 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:57,520 Speaker 1: book with Terry Francona, who at the time was a 478 00:24:57,560 --> 00:24:59,800 Speaker 1: manager of the Red Sox, and that's what your book 479 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:03,199 Speaker 1: focused on and it became immediately a bestseller. Can you 480 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:05,320 Speaker 1: talk about that? Well, thank you? That was you know, 481 00:25:05,359 --> 00:25:07,400 Speaker 1: I was fortunate on that Terry got fired in two 482 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:10,919 Speaker 1: thousand eleven after eight years here, and Mike knows we 483 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:12,560 Speaker 1: were all around for all those years and they won, 484 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:14,320 Speaker 1: you know, they broke the curse of the Bambino and 485 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:17,160 Speaker 1: won the world series, first time since eighty six years 486 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 1: and just had tremendous success and it didn't end well. 487 00:25:20,359 --> 00:25:22,880 Speaker 1: And you know, Terry Francona was not a big fan 488 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 1: of mine during those eight years. He was always calling 489 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 1: me into the woodshed and whatnot, and that's fine, but 490 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 1: he didn't hold a grudge. And when he got fired, 491 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:32,720 Speaker 1: I emailed him and said, hey, you should, you should 492 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:35,119 Speaker 1: do a book, you know, and and I could, I 493 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:36,879 Speaker 1: could help you with that, and he said no, and 494 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:40,960 Speaker 1: not with you, and but we, you know, we we eventually. 495 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:43,240 Speaker 1: Then he got mad at the Red Sox owners because 496 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:44,680 Speaker 1: they sort of did him dirty in the way out 497 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:46,480 Speaker 1: the door, and I think he decided I'd be a 498 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:49,119 Speaker 1: good author to make them nervous, and we worked together. 499 00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:51,639 Speaker 1: It was a magical partnership. And I have a tremendous 500 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:54,359 Speaker 1: respect for the guy and have enjoyed the success he's had. 501 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:55,800 Speaker 1: I mean, he'll be in the Hall of Fame someday 502 00:25:55,800 --> 00:25:59,119 Speaker 1: as a big league manager. Danny, You're glad you're on 503 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:02,119 Speaker 1: this end of uh the business as opposed to being 504 00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:04,119 Speaker 1: a twenty two year old coming out of holy Cross, 505 00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:08,080 Speaker 1: UH and trying to get into it. Yeah, I am Mike. 506 00:26:08,119 --> 00:26:10,120 Speaker 1: I mean I know that you know you and I 507 00:26:10,119 --> 00:26:11,720 Speaker 1: I'd like to say we got to do it when 508 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:14,800 Speaker 1: it was the most fun and and I have great memories, 509 00:26:14,840 --> 00:26:17,080 Speaker 1: and I'm I'm proud of all the work and I've 510 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:19,720 Speaker 1: I've enjoyed it, and I enjoyed going around the country 511 00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:22,439 Speaker 1: and developing relationships and I missed that, and I know 512 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:25,520 Speaker 1: you do too. And it's just it's different. And again, 513 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:27,840 Speaker 1: we evolve and we don't complain. If we're healthy and 514 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:31,160 Speaker 1: have jobs, we we don't complain. So but yeah, I mean, 515 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:34,680 Speaker 1: I have no wish to be young again starting out 516 00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 1: of this business. It's just it's not as much fun 517 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:41,960 Speaker 1: I find the in Again, this always sounds like the 518 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:44,560 Speaker 1: old get off my lawn guy. But the people getting 519 00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:47,159 Speaker 1: into it now, we're getting far more fans who are 520 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:50,359 Speaker 1: rooting for the teams rather than journalists who are trying 521 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:53,760 Speaker 1: to tell the consumers the story. And everyone's afraid to 522 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:57,240 Speaker 1: ruffle feathers and nobody wants any trouble. And that's never 523 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:00,479 Speaker 1: been the way I've gone about it. So it's it's 524 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:04,000 Speaker 1: somewhat isolating and a little bit I don't know, it 525 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:07,119 Speaker 1: just it just makes you wonder, why is nobody questioning 526 00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:09,400 Speaker 1: this The Red Sox aren't trying. Why aren't you calling 527 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:12,280 Speaker 1: him on that? And um So anyway, it's it's it's 528 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:15,720 Speaker 1: a lot more lonely than it used to be. And 529 00:27:15,920 --> 00:27:19,680 Speaker 1: you know, Dan sort of leads me to to the 530 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:22,240 Speaker 1: to the next point. You know, you're talking about the 531 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:24,879 Speaker 1: Red Sox and and you you have all these storied 532 00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:27,119 Speaker 1: teams in Boston. We bust Lynch these chops all the time. 533 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:29,480 Speaker 1: We're busting his chops yesterday about you know, it's like, hey, 534 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:32,040 Speaker 1: look at Tampa, the new title town. You got Tom 535 00:27:32,080 --> 00:27:34,880 Speaker 1: Brady down there, you got you know, a great hockey team, 536 00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:37,920 Speaker 1: great baseball team, all of that, and yet we can 537 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:40,760 Speaker 1: never and I say this, you know, God forbid is 538 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 1: an Atlanta fan. And and even if anybody ever has 539 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:47,160 Speaker 1: twenty eight and three in any proximity to each other, 540 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:51,040 Speaker 1: I have a real, really hard time. Um and yet 541 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:54,080 Speaker 1: you have to tip your cap to Boston as a 542 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:58,159 Speaker 1: sort of cultural economic center when it comes when it 543 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:00,639 Speaker 1: comes to sports. And I know you and she have 544 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:03,119 Speaker 1: have seen this up close and personal. What is it 545 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:07,920 Speaker 1: about Boston that has created that sort of milieu as 546 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:10,280 Speaker 1: it were, Well, I mean, we're patting ourselves in the 547 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:12,439 Speaker 1: back all the times, no question about that. I mean, 548 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:14,400 Speaker 1: we you know, we know that, you know, we're we're 549 00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:16,199 Speaker 1: fortunate to be in a region with a lot of 550 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:22,840 Speaker 1: really smart fans, readers, watchers, listeners, and they care and 551 00:28:22,960 --> 00:28:25,920 Speaker 1: uh and they and they follow their teams and they're passionate. 552 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:29,400 Speaker 1: And you've got the history, You've got the colleges here. 553 00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:31,320 Speaker 1: You know, Okay, well it's not the greatest, but we 554 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:33,200 Speaker 1: like the changes and we have all that. And then 555 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:35,600 Speaker 1: we had this surge of success, the high renaissance of 556 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:38,560 Speaker 1: teams in the twentieth century twenty one century, where we 557 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:42,120 Speaker 1: had twelve championship teams, all four teams one within the 558 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:44,240 Speaker 1: span of six years and four months in one stretch. 559 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:48,880 Speaker 1: It's just been amazing success. So compound that and you know, 560 00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:54,120 Speaker 1: a tremendous cradle of great writing and broadcasts and and 561 00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:55,960 Speaker 1: it's just it's part of the culture here. And you 562 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,280 Speaker 1: may not care about the teams or follow them, but 563 00:28:58,320 --> 00:29:00,880 Speaker 1: you cannot escape it. It's it's if you live here. 564 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:03,520 Speaker 1: My wife has no interest in sports, but she knows 565 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:05,560 Speaker 1: when the Patriots are playing because that's when she'll go 566 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:10,440 Speaker 1: to the store because there won't be anybody there. Very 567 00:29:10,520 --> 00:29:16,200 Speaker 1: good I'm a I'm a native Detroitter and I've lived 568 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:19,720 Speaker 1: and worked there for years, so any Detroit team. I'm 569 00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:23,880 Speaker 1: big on the Detroit Tigers when they played at Fenway 570 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:29,880 Speaker 1: and Cecil Fielder blew it over the monster and and 571 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:33,760 Speaker 1: I and I remember the shot of Sparky Anderson and 572 00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 1: he had this look on his face like only sweet. 573 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:38,960 Speaker 1: First of all, I have never seen anything like that, 574 00:29:39,120 --> 00:29:42,000 Speaker 1: and it coming on. In all the years you have 575 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:45,560 Speaker 1: covered all the sports there for the Boston Globe, what 576 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:48,440 Speaker 1: memory stands out in there? Well, I'm gonna say out 577 00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:50,640 Speaker 1: of the gate, I love Detroit and I love all 578 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:52,720 Speaker 1: the all the culture of their teams. I know the Lions. 579 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:55,560 Speaker 1: It's been a tough slog there, but I even like 580 00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:58,200 Speaker 1: the Lions on Thanksgiving. It's part of Americana. I love 581 00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:00,560 Speaker 1: that and I root for their team. And you know, 582 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:03,600 Speaker 1: my wife's from Michigan, and um you know we're we're 583 00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:06,080 Speaker 1: I've just always enjoyed they have great fans and the 584 00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:08,920 Speaker 1: whole deal here. We've just been blessed. Like I said, 585 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:12,640 Speaker 1: all that success. I think that in my lifetime, outside 586 00:30:12,640 --> 00:30:15,800 Speaker 1: of when Mike Lynch kicked the field goal to beat Yale, 587 00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:20,520 Speaker 1: I think probably the Red Sox winning the World Series 588 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:23,240 Speaker 1: in OH four, just because that was a biblical kind 589 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:25,800 Speaker 1: of story that you know, eighty six years and and 590 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:28,600 Speaker 1: the long slog getting to it and all the near misses, 591 00:30:28,680 --> 00:30:31,360 Speaker 1: all at the expense of the Yankees, you know, Bucky Dan, 592 00:30:31,480 --> 00:30:35,120 Speaker 1: Bill Buckner, Aaron Boone, all the stuff that happened, um 593 00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:39,160 Speaker 1: and always with New York. So that kind of the 594 00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:41,560 Speaker 1: games themselves weren't the greatest at the end when they 595 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:43,800 Speaker 1: swept the Cardinals and even the last two against the Yanks, 596 00:30:43,840 --> 00:30:46,880 Speaker 1: but the the totality of of of the build up 597 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:49,479 Speaker 1: to that and coming back from an OH three deficit 598 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:51,400 Speaker 1: to beat the Yankees, to me, that's the greatest story 599 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:53,600 Speaker 1: I ever worked on. But there were things, I mean, 600 00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:55,840 Speaker 1: the Patriots first Super Bowl in New Orleans when like 601 00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:59,800 Speaker 1: four year old Tom Brady stunned the seventeen point favorite Rams. 602 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:02,960 Speaker 1: That was, like Truman, the Patriots had never won anything. 603 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:05,360 Speaker 1: So to see that, to be a witness to that, 604 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:07,840 Speaker 1: and and just to be you know, the Celtics Lakers, 605 00:31:07,840 --> 00:31:10,080 Speaker 1: the Larry Bird Magic area. I mean, Mike knows you 606 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:12,320 Speaker 1: go back to those years. We'd go back and forth 607 00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:14,840 Speaker 1: to l a like six times during the playoffs, and 608 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:16,680 Speaker 1: there was the height of the NBA and interest in 609 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:19,120 Speaker 1: the NBA and the way the game was played, all 610 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 1: these stars, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Byrd McHale Parish. 611 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:25,880 Speaker 1: It was high times and again we were there, We 612 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:28,560 Speaker 1: were we could hear it. We were so close, we 613 00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:30,600 Speaker 1: were really part of it. I'm actually working on a 614 00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:34,160 Speaker 1: book on my days covering the the eighties Celtics because 615 00:31:34,520 --> 00:31:36,600 Speaker 1: of that access. We talked about it was so much 616 00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:40,240 Speaker 1: fun and it was so vivid. And again we do 617 00:31:40,360 --> 00:31:42,720 Speaker 1: sound like the old guys reminiscing about how great it was, 618 00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:45,800 Speaker 1: but it really was. It's true, it was, and we 619 00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:47,960 Speaker 1: had great access. And as I told these guys and 620 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:52,200 Speaker 1: Dan knows, I actually refereed Celtics practices with with Kenny Hudson. 621 00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:55,320 Speaker 1: And you know afterwards that my cameraman would committed, I'd 622 00:31:55,320 --> 00:31:57,080 Speaker 1: have a striped shirt on, and just through the interviews 623 00:31:57,080 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 1: that would never ever ever happened today. We wouldn't even 624 00:32:00,040 --> 00:32:03,080 Speaker 1: be allowed to be in the building. Um Dan, I 625 00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:05,520 Speaker 1: want to just get back to Kraft and Belichick right now, 626 00:32:05,560 --> 00:32:07,720 Speaker 1: what's going through their minds right now? When when things 627 00:32:07,720 --> 00:32:10,320 Speaker 1: are good, you can't get enough of Robert Kraft when 628 00:32:10,320 --> 00:32:13,160 Speaker 1: things are bad. You know, he's in the witness protection program. 629 00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:15,000 Speaker 1: They've got to come back and do something. I know 630 00:32:15,080 --> 00:32:17,680 Speaker 1: Deshaun Watson said he wanted to be traded. How do 631 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:19,160 Speaker 1: you think they're going to react to this whole thing, 632 00:32:19,240 --> 00:32:23,160 Speaker 1: especially if Tom actually wins this thing on February seven, right? 633 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:26,280 Speaker 1: I mean, you know there's been there's a embarrassment attached that. 634 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:29,440 Speaker 1: I think what the fair thing to hammer them on 635 00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:31,920 Speaker 1: is that there was no plan, There was no succession. 636 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:34,480 Speaker 1: They didn't have anything figured out. You know, we all 637 00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:36,240 Speaker 1: thought said it must be the guy, that's why they're 638 00:32:36,280 --> 00:32:38,320 Speaker 1: so cavalier, but he wasn't the guy. That wouldn't even 639 00:32:38,400 --> 00:32:40,200 Speaker 1: use him at the end at gunpoint when there was 640 00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:42,520 Speaker 1: no reason to play anyone else because the playoffs were 641 00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:45,920 Speaker 1: out of sight and cam Newton was not the solution 642 00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:47,960 Speaker 1: because they came to that very late at Low Dough. 643 00:32:48,040 --> 00:32:49,880 Speaker 1: Everybody else had passed on him. It turned out he 644 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:53,240 Speaker 1: couldn't throw, So there was no plan and that they 645 00:32:53,320 --> 00:32:55,280 Speaker 1: deserve to get hammered on that. I mean, the Brady thing, 646 00:32:55,880 --> 00:32:58,240 Speaker 1: I understand, you know it was a long time, twenty years, 647 00:32:58,280 --> 00:33:01,960 Speaker 1: and that Bill didn't want to commit the multiple years, 648 00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:03,920 Speaker 1: and I didn't want to let him coach and gm 649 00:33:03,960 --> 00:33:05,760 Speaker 1: the team the way he gets too in Tampa. I mean, 650 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:08,080 Speaker 1: I get those things, but it has just blown up 651 00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:10,680 Speaker 1: in their faces in a big way, you know, almost 652 00:33:10,680 --> 00:33:12,400 Speaker 1: like the Red Sox trading Mookie Bets and then he 653 00:33:12,440 --> 00:33:14,280 Speaker 1: wins the World Series, which we kind of knew was 654 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:17,080 Speaker 1: gonna happen, in which they richly deserved. So yeah, and 655 00:33:17,120 --> 00:33:18,680 Speaker 1: I can't be fun for Bill to pick up the 656 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:21,240 Speaker 1: Boston Herald and you know, Tom Brady seniors telling Karen 657 00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:23,120 Speaker 1: Greegy that Bill must be on a hot seat up there, 658 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:25,880 Speaker 1: and that sort of stuff's got to sort of chafe them. 659 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:28,080 Speaker 1: And Bob Craft he always wants to be on the 660 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:30,440 Speaker 1: side that's winning, and he'll just you know, pander to 661 00:33:30,520 --> 00:33:33,080 Speaker 1: whatever side that is. But yeah, he's he's in the 662 00:33:33,080 --> 00:33:35,520 Speaker 1: bunker now. But yeah, there's a little bit of pressure 663 00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:37,040 Speaker 1: on them for the first time in a long time 664 00:33:37,080 --> 00:33:40,520 Speaker 1: to to to do better, to have a more talented roster, 665 00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:43,040 Speaker 1: to spend money, and to have a quarterback. There's just 666 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:45,440 Speaker 1: no way that the quarterback of the Patriots is here 667 00:33:45,520 --> 00:33:47,360 Speaker 1: right now. It's got to be somebody we don't know about. 668 00:33:48,560 --> 00:33:50,640 Speaker 1: It is an amazing era too. And then I'm going 669 00:33:50,720 --> 00:33:52,920 Speaker 1: to turn it over to Bar to do the number 670 00:33:52,920 --> 00:33:55,280 Speaker 1: of the week. He's, you know, my weekly torture. I 671 00:33:55,280 --> 00:33:57,920 Speaker 1: don't know what I did in the past life Dan 672 00:33:58,040 --> 00:34:00,000 Speaker 1: to deserve this, but you'll see in the second look 673 00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:03,920 Speaker 1: a broad to it. Yeah. Um, but uh, you know, 674 00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:08,160 Speaker 1: when you think about even the business of quarterbacking and 675 00:34:08,160 --> 00:34:13,239 Speaker 1: and we're about to see just a remarkable year and offseason, 676 00:34:13,280 --> 00:34:16,840 Speaker 1: it feels like and and obviously Brady still looms large, 677 00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:20,279 Speaker 1: but we could see one of the biggest reconstitutions of 678 00:34:20,680 --> 00:34:23,160 Speaker 1: the quarterback position across the league. It feels like that 679 00:34:23,160 --> 00:34:25,320 Speaker 1: we've seen in a long time. Well that's one of 680 00:34:25,360 --> 00:34:27,399 Speaker 1: the exciting things about for Patriot fans. I mean, you're 681 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:29,840 Speaker 1: coming off this kind of dreadful five and seven and 682 00:34:29,920 --> 00:34:32,600 Speaker 1: nine season out of the playoffs. But but yeah, with 683 00:34:32,640 --> 00:34:35,160 Speaker 1: all the bodies flying around out there, you know, I mean, 684 00:34:35,320 --> 00:34:38,840 Speaker 1: obviously Matthew Stafford's out there, and Deshaun Watson could be 685 00:34:38,840 --> 00:34:42,000 Speaker 1: coming to the division, and and there's there's some guys 686 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:43,960 Speaker 1: in the draft that are certainly worth looking at. They're 687 00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:45,799 Speaker 1: not going to be anywhere near the top guy, but 688 00:34:46,280 --> 00:34:49,840 Speaker 1: at fifteen they could get somebody there. You know, you 689 00:34:49,840 --> 00:34:52,200 Speaker 1: could have Andy Dalton here, there's just you could go 690 00:34:53,160 --> 00:34:55,799 Speaker 1: Jimmy Garoppolo could come back. I mean, yeah, the possibilities 691 00:34:55,800 --> 00:34:58,600 Speaker 1: around this. Jacobi per said we could go all day. 692 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:01,239 Speaker 1: So there's some excitement attashed that and it's really you know, 693 00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:04,960 Speaker 1: it's on them to do something proactive, to be aggressive 694 00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:07,080 Speaker 1: and to uh to have a real quarterback and a 695 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:10,600 Speaker 1: real plan going into this year. What's the big before 696 00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:12,520 Speaker 1: we get to see Now I'm just putting off number 697 00:35:12,520 --> 00:35:14,239 Speaker 1: of the week, but what do you think is the 698 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:17,120 Speaker 1: is the biggest sports story for twenty one as you 699 00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:20,120 Speaker 1: as you look ahead. Obviously the pandemic will continue to 700 00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:23,840 Speaker 1: you know, sort of pervade everything. But what's the story 701 00:35:23,920 --> 00:35:27,359 Speaker 1: you're looking at most closely without taking your hand too much, 702 00:35:27,400 --> 00:35:30,680 Speaker 1: I mean locally, yeah, well, I think in our in 703 00:35:30,719 --> 00:35:34,360 Speaker 1: our region, I mean, their best hope is what the 704 00:35:34,400 --> 00:35:36,719 Speaker 1: Celtists can do in the playoffs and then and then 705 00:35:36,760 --> 00:35:38,640 Speaker 1: what the what the Patriots are going to do about 706 00:35:38,640 --> 00:35:41,319 Speaker 1: the quarterback position. But that's that's far off and there's 707 00:35:41,320 --> 00:35:44,040 Speaker 1: not a lot of optimism for the Red Soxer Patriots. 708 00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:47,000 Speaker 1: The two primary teams to compete in the playoffs, So 709 00:35:47,320 --> 00:35:49,560 Speaker 1: so its been the you know, conference finals three the 710 00:35:49,600 --> 00:35:52,520 Speaker 1: last four years and good young players, so that could 711 00:35:52,560 --> 00:35:54,960 Speaker 1: be something that could take take a foothold here in 712 00:35:54,960 --> 00:35:57,480 Speaker 1: the spring. But you know, the baseball and football they 713 00:35:57,560 --> 00:36:01,960 Speaker 1: got some work to do. That's something. It feels better 714 00:36:02,000 --> 00:36:04,319 Speaker 1: to be number one than number five a number because 715 00:36:04,320 --> 00:36:05,839 Speaker 1: of Mike. We have a chance to go for three 716 00:36:05,880 --> 00:36:07,719 Speaker 1: in a row. Numbers are a good time and I's 717 00:36:07,719 --> 00:36:09,920 Speaker 1: first started wearing the number. I would just have them 718 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:15,200 Speaker 1: Floomberg Business of Sports, the number of the week, Matt Stafford, 719 00:36:15,520 --> 00:36:22,840 Speaker 1: he's selling his mansion. Oh six point five million dollars. 720 00:36:23,640 --> 00:36:26,759 Speaker 1: That's not the question. That's called the psych out. See 721 00:36:26,840 --> 00:36:29,320 Speaker 1: Dan Lynch, you always tried to get in my head 722 00:36:29,480 --> 00:36:31,640 Speaker 1: because he knows I love questions like that, and he 723 00:36:31,680 --> 00:36:34,920 Speaker 1: would have done his homework for that. That's not my question. 724 00:36:35,120 --> 00:36:36,879 Speaker 1: I just wanted to throw a little fact out there 725 00:36:36,920 --> 00:36:43,000 Speaker 1: for everybody to know. Uh, Tom Brady reaches the Super Bowl. 726 00:36:44,239 --> 00:36:49,920 Speaker 1: Steph Curry's career three points percentage. Which percentage is higher? 727 00:36:52,520 --> 00:37:04,560 Speaker 1: It's Brady, Yeah, Daniel, I guess numbered Yeah, Well, I mean, 728 00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:07,120 Speaker 1: so Brady has gotten to the Super Bowl. This is 729 00:37:07,160 --> 00:37:11,719 Speaker 1: the tenth time in twenty one years, right, and then 730 00:37:11,880 --> 00:37:16,000 Speaker 1: the Curry number twenty one versus Carr. Is it one 731 00:37:16,040 --> 00:37:21,040 Speaker 1: game or overall his career? His career? Oh, then then 732 00:37:21,080 --> 00:37:28,960 Speaker 1: Brady Brady's higher, so would have to be just tad 733 00:37:29,080 --> 00:37:33,719 Speaker 1: under three point land it would be pretty good. I'm 734 00:37:33,719 --> 00:37:42,120 Speaker 1: gonna go Steph Curry, I'm going Brady Well, Dan Jason, 735 00:37:42,239 --> 00:37:47,319 Speaker 1: You're right Brady, Uh, Tom Brady reaching to see they 736 00:37:47,360 --> 00:37:49,840 Speaker 1: have you know, the basic facts, Like you said earlier, 737 00:37:50,280 --> 00:37:53,400 Speaker 1: this is the tenth Super Bowl, He's reaching one seasons 738 00:37:53,400 --> 00:37:57,279 Speaker 1: as a pro. Seven point six percent. Steph Curry's three 739 00:37:57,600 --> 00:38:05,520 Speaker 1: percentage in his career, you point six? It is close. 740 00:38:05,880 --> 00:38:08,279 Speaker 1: I thought it was that. I thought I thought it 741 00:38:08,320 --> 00:38:10,400 Speaker 1: was a trick question with two Boston guys. He was 742 00:38:10,440 --> 00:38:14,160 Speaker 1: going to dangle it and take take take the bait 743 00:38:14,239 --> 00:38:17,480 Speaker 1: on the on the Brady thing without even thinking about it. 744 00:38:17,719 --> 00:38:20,799 Speaker 1: Oh man, Lynch you were wrong for the first time 745 00:38:20,840 --> 00:38:22,720 Speaker 1: in a while, all right, I took one for the team, 746 00:38:22,920 --> 00:38:27,120 Speaker 1: took them to the team. Yeah, exactly, exactly, exactly everybody 747 00:38:27,120 --> 00:38:30,440 Speaker 1: that I was right, Lynchia was wrong exactly. That's the 748 00:38:30,560 --> 00:38:33,720 Speaker 1: real takeaway from this interview. It's like, I mean, listen, 749 00:38:33,719 --> 00:38:36,760 Speaker 1: I'm not saying it's a competition. But you know who's 750 00:38:36,800 --> 00:38:39,080 Speaker 1: to say, Hey, Dan, thank you so much for doing this. 751 00:38:39,120 --> 00:38:41,239 Speaker 1: We were really looking forward to it all weeks, so 752 00:38:41,320 --> 00:38:43,080 Speaker 1: thank you for spaying some time and as you said, 753 00:38:43,200 --> 00:38:46,480 Speaker 1: and an eventful week, but you know, we'll see what 754 00:38:46,520 --> 00:38:50,000 Speaker 1: happens next. And and it sounds like everybody in New England, 755 00:38:50,040 --> 00:38:52,239 Speaker 1: based on what Lynchi has said, still rooting for Tom 756 00:38:52,239 --> 00:38:54,799 Speaker 1: Brady and the Super Bowl here. I think that's true. 757 00:38:55,040 --> 00:38:57,080 Speaker 1: Enjoyed it, fellas, thank you, So that was a lot 758 00:38:57,080 --> 00:38:58,720 Speaker 1: of fun. I have to say, I was really looking 759 00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:00,640 Speaker 1: forward to this, as I said to it Dan there, 760 00:39:00,880 --> 00:39:03,600 Speaker 1: I mean, listen and we know it from you, Lynchy, 761 00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:08,200 Speaker 1: but to be a sports reporter in the city of 762 00:39:08,239 --> 00:39:12,760 Speaker 1: Boston in the eighties and nineties and into the two thousands, 763 00:39:13,040 --> 00:39:14,680 Speaker 1: it's got to be one of the coolest jobs in 764 00:39:14,719 --> 00:39:17,520 Speaker 1: the world. You know, it's awesome. And I remember every year, 765 00:39:17,560 --> 00:39:19,200 Speaker 1: you know, we try to try to plan a family 766 00:39:19,320 --> 00:39:20,799 Speaker 1: vacation and said, well, we can't go in the spring 767 00:39:20,840 --> 00:39:22,400 Speaker 1: because the Celtics are going to be in the playoffs. 768 00:39:22,400 --> 00:39:24,680 Speaker 1: We kept go in January because you know, the Red 769 00:39:24,680 --> 00:39:26,640 Speaker 1: Sox are gonna mean the Patriots are gonna be in 770 00:39:26,640 --> 00:39:28,239 Speaker 1: the super Bowl. And then we had all that, We 771 00:39:28,280 --> 00:39:30,120 Speaker 1: had all these other than the you know, in addition 772 00:39:30,160 --> 00:39:34,360 Speaker 1: to the four teams. Uh. And they did win twelve championships, 773 00:39:34,400 --> 00:39:36,240 Speaker 1: but they also went to a number of other finals 774 00:39:36,239 --> 00:39:38,680 Speaker 1: and lost. I mean, the Ruins lost in the finals twice, 775 00:39:38,680 --> 00:39:41,520 Speaker 1: the Celtics lost, the Patriots lost three Super Bowls. So 776 00:39:41,560 --> 00:39:44,799 Speaker 1: we actually went to the ultimate game, um, more than 777 00:39:44,880 --> 00:39:47,440 Speaker 1: the than the twelve championships we won. And then we 778 00:39:47,480 --> 00:39:50,040 Speaker 1: had all these ancillary stories like Doug Flutie, We had 779 00:39:50,040 --> 00:39:53,480 Speaker 1: Marvin Hagler the middleweight champion of the world, the Boston 780 00:39:53,560 --> 00:39:56,800 Speaker 1: Marathon going on every year, and we had Nancy Kerrigan 781 00:39:56,880 --> 00:39:59,160 Speaker 1: getting clubbed in the in the knee with the pipe 782 00:39:59,520 --> 00:40:02,520 Speaker 1: in Detroit of all places. Michael Barr remember that? And 783 00:40:02,640 --> 00:40:05,399 Speaker 1: uh so you know this this There has never been 784 00:40:05,440 --> 00:40:08,279 Speaker 1: a day where you guys are news guys where I 785 00:40:08,320 --> 00:40:09,960 Speaker 1: walked into the sports office and said, how are we 786 00:40:09,960 --> 00:40:11,880 Speaker 1: going to fill the sportscast today? It was always like, 787 00:40:12,040 --> 00:40:15,279 Speaker 1: how are we going to fit this all intoday? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, No, 788 00:40:15,480 --> 00:40:17,839 Speaker 1: it was great. And he is as we said, he's 789 00:40:17,880 --> 00:40:21,080 Speaker 1: a legend and well read and pulls no punches. Uh. 790 00:40:21,160 --> 00:40:23,520 Speaker 1: And and if you haven't and if you have any 791 00:40:23,560 --> 00:40:27,439 Speaker 1: question about that, just ask her chilling this week. So 792 00:40:27,719 --> 00:40:30,480 Speaker 1: good to get a very timely conversation with Dad's a 793 00:40:30,600 --> 00:40:32,399 Speaker 1: really psyched he was able to join us. Well, you've 794 00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:35,120 Speaker 1: been listening to the Bloomberg Business of Sports. We're here 795 00:40:35,120 --> 00:40:37,040 Speaker 1: each and every week at the same time, plus online 796 00:40:37,040 --> 00:40:40,520 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts. Catch those Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursday. 797 00:40:40,560 --> 00:40:42,839 Speaker 1: So I'm Jason Kelly. Find me on Twitter at Jason 798 00:40:42,920 --> 00:40:45,440 Speaker 1: Kelly News and I'm Mike Lynch. You can follow me 799 00:40:45,440 --> 00:40:48,080 Speaker 1: at Lynch e w CBB, and I'm Michael Barr on 800 00:40:48,080 --> 00:40:50,920 Speaker 1: Twitter at Big Bar Sports. You're listening to Bloomberg Business 801 00:40:50,960 --> 00:40:53,520 Speaker 1: of Sports from Bloomberg Radio around the world.