1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:05,480 Speaker 1: Kaboom. If you thought four hours a day, minutes a 2 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: week was enough, I think again. He's the last remnants 3 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 1: of the old republic, a sole fashion of fairness. He 4 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 1: treats crackheads in the Ghetto Cutter the same as the 5 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: rich pill poppers in the penthouse the Clearinghouse of Hot 6 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:23,599 Speaker 1: takes break free for something special. The Fifth Hour with 7 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:32,159 Speaker 1: Ben Maller starts right now in the air everywhere and 8 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:35,879 Speaker 1: a very Happy Friday to you. Is another edition of 9 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 1: The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller and Danny g Radio 10 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:47,159 Speaker 1: And we welcome into the podcast do Joe, So you 11 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 1: know the drill. Normally on Friday Friday Friday, we like 12 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 1: to bring somebody into the podcast that I know, someone 13 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 1: who I am a fan of. And this week we 14 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 1: are in for a special. If you're familiar with the 15 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:07,120 Speaker 1: Los Angeles media scene, uh you know who this guy is. 16 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 1: But if not, you're gonna learn all about him. One 17 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 1: of the more interesting characters in media. He a longtime, 18 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:21,199 Speaker 1: longtime writer, beat writer columnists Between the by Lines his autobiography. 19 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:24,959 Speaker 1: He wrote a while back there about his career in 20 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 1: sports journalism. But Doug chric Corean is the name he 21 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:33,760 Speaker 1: hosted a very popular radio show in Los Angeles. Co 22 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: hosted the McDonald Douglas Show on the airwaves around l 23 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:40,560 Speaker 1: A for a number of years. But his bread and 24 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 1: butter as a sportswriter at the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, 25 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:47,640 Speaker 1: the Long Beach Press Telegram, and back in the days 26 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: when being a sportswriter was a massive, massive undertaking, newspapers 27 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 1: dominated the landscape. It's not like today with the Internet 28 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 1: and social media and all that stuff. And Uh, Doug's 29 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 1: the perfect guy to get on because we're gonna talk 30 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 1: to Doug about all his career and all that stuff. 31 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:10,639 Speaker 1: But he also knows Jerry West better than just about anybody. 32 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:13,359 Speaker 1: And we can get into the documentary that has been 33 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:16,639 Speaker 1: going on, the docuseeries, not a documentary, the docuseriies about 34 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 1: the Lakers. Also, I've got to get in to some 35 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 1: point here with Doug Wilt Chamberlain and the bigger than 36 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:28,359 Speaker 1: life stories about Wilt, and Doug traveled with the Lakers 37 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: and was around Wilt new Wilt very well for a 38 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 1: number of years. So we'll get into some of that 39 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:35,799 Speaker 1: and uh and get into it. So right now, let's 40 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:39,359 Speaker 1: give it up for the man, the myth, the legend 41 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: Doug Chrick Coreyan, who joins us now on the Fifth 42 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:47,639 Speaker 1: Hour with Ben Maller and Danny g And Doug, I've 43 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 1: known you a long time. I'm a massive fan. Why 44 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: have we not had you on this podcast? Suit of 45 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: bad job by me? Dog? I don't know, but it 46 00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 1: has been a cultural derivation for me to talk to you. 47 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: You know, man, how much I like you. I patterned 48 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: my radio career after you. You got to remember that 49 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: you were my favorite. And uh, of course I get 50 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 1: that much older than you. I don't ain't sure when 51 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 1: I started were you in radio? Back know, I was 52 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: a listener. I listened to you and the Big Nasty 53 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 1: Joe McDonald. You guys said you dominated the afternoon drive 54 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,680 Speaker 1: airwaves in l A. And then, uh, it was one 55 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:31,079 Speaker 1: of you, one of the people that when I got 56 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 1: to know you, I'm like, oh, this is pretty cool 57 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: you and and Big Joe and those guys, because because 58 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 1: I listened to you, and then I got into the business, 59 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 1: and then you guys kind of became my friends and stuff. 60 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 1: So that was pretty cool early on. And well, you 61 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 1: hold let me tell you something that I've never told you. This. 62 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 1: You hold the distinction of being one of the few 63 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: people in sports talk radio and in sports the big 64 00:03:56,200 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: nasty never he liked you. He really genuine like you. 65 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 1: I don't know how you did it. You and him 66 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 1: for buddies. Yeah, we we had a few radio beefs, 67 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 1: a couple of but we we did actually we had 68 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 1: a couple of radios. But but Joe and I became 69 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 1: you know, we were good friends, and we had a 70 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 1: little radio like a radio beef at a M eleven fifty. 71 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 1: But then we but then we were good to go. 72 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 1: Then we were we were we were, we were great 73 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 1: and uh, you know, miss Joe, Uh, why can you imagine? 74 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 1: You know, for those who don't know that didn't hear 75 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 1: Doug hosted the number one afternoon show. You know how 76 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:36,680 Speaker 1: many years did that show run? Doug? You and Camp 77 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 1: we were there three years, and then at eestn we 78 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:42,080 Speaker 1: were there five years. And then of course we were 79 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:44,919 Speaker 1: a k Max and you know, we did some stuff 80 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 1: out here in Long Beach, but we were together off 81 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:51,839 Speaker 1: and on for thirteen years, really solid for nine years. Yeah, 82 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 1: And what made that show so good? What do you 83 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 1: think the secret? You know, I think the uniqueness of 84 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:01,160 Speaker 1: our show. Ben at the time time was and started. 85 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:04,839 Speaker 1: I was a lifetime sportswriter in Los Angeles. You know, 86 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: I go back to ninety governor Lakers in the series 87 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 1: against the Celtics. I mean, I was a beat writer 88 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:14,160 Speaker 1: for the Lakers and Will Chamber and Jerry Western Eljam 89 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:17,640 Speaker 1: Baylor were there. And Joe went to every sporting event 90 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 1: as you know, every Godger game, every Clipper game, every 91 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 1: Laker game, and every Ram game, Raider game. Joe was 92 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 1: working in radio. So I think because of you've got 93 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:33,720 Speaker 1: a lot of inside stuff because of us. Because I 94 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: was part of the sporting senior all those years, I 95 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:37,840 Speaker 1: knew everyone, you know. I was very good friends with 96 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 1: Al Davis and John Wood and I mean you name it, 97 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 1: and I knew him because I covered them all. You know. Yeah, 98 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 1: I think that was the uniqueness. A lot of people 99 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:51,000 Speaker 1: that get in sports talk radio did not have that 100 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 1: kind of background where we were actually when we were working, 101 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:57,840 Speaker 1: like for instance, when I was on the radio at 102 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 1: that time. Now it's not so unique. Today's wortswriters are 103 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 1: in it, but not a lot of sportswriters when I started, 104 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:08,160 Speaker 1: there was no sport. Very few they start hiring them then, 105 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 1: but very few sportswriters were on the air in those days. 106 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:14,279 Speaker 1: You know, I think maybe Krnheiser was. I'm not even 107 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:17,840 Speaker 1: sure back but that's what made us unique in Los 108 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 1: Angeles because when you listen to us, we knew what 109 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:23,599 Speaker 1: what we were talking about because we have so much 110 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:27,359 Speaker 1: inside information. Well, and and Big Joe like ran the 111 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 1: Dodger locker room. I it was unreal like everybody, the 112 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:35,719 Speaker 1: Dodgers and the Lakers. I mean he was there every 113 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:39,279 Speaker 1: single day. I didn't go to very Dodger game. I 114 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 1: went to a lot of Laker games. I definitely, you know, 115 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 1: in New Time and everything else, I definitely did that. 116 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 1: But I think what made that it was a free 117 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 1: flowing as you know operation. We used to rip the 118 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 1: hell out of me. I mean, what other radio show 119 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 1: where the here co host RiPPs you all the time 120 00:06:57,240 --> 00:06:59,840 Speaker 1: and that's okay. We used to have an argument and 121 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 1: my a moron or my imbecile? Amight, Indio, what's one 122 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 1: I might today? Joe? You know, it was all tongue 123 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 1: in cheek, but a tongue of cheek on the square 124 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:12,080 Speaker 1: with Joe, as you know, yeah, yeah, for sure, for sure. 125 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: And then you know you think about oh boy, you know, 126 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: Joe passed away a few years ago, but the what 127 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 1: he would have been doing with some of the stuff 128 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:20,640 Speaker 1: that's happened Doug the last five years or so? Ho 129 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 1: canoli man the world? The world we live in now, 130 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 1: she's the GM of the Lakers. Would be assassinated, verbally, persecuted, 131 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 1: assassinated and viscerated. I can use one word after another 132 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 1: and describing what happened. Yeah so so so do let 133 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 1: me ask you, now, you were a very successful sports writer, 134 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 1: the beat guy columnists for a long time. What was 135 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:48,920 Speaker 1: what was easier for it was the radio? Is it right? 136 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 1: In the column? What what did you find writing a column? 137 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 1: You know my nature. I'm a writer, you know, I 138 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 1: literally thousands and thousands of stories and thousands of sports columns. 139 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 1: I mean, I became a sports comics in nineteen Thrillo 140 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 1: gave me the column that I think it was seventy three, 141 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 1: seventy two or seventy three. And you know, I was 142 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 1: the beat writer for a long time. I covered the Lakers, 143 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 1: I covered the Rams for seven seasons during the seventies, 144 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:20,160 Speaker 1: and I coduced basketball there in the Walton years Sydney 145 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 1: which years, and you know, and did all the boxing. 146 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:26,239 Speaker 1: But I became an actual Pool Time columnist in nineteen 147 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: seventy eight met On. That's all I wrote were columns said, 148 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:33,959 Speaker 1: although although I took ironically you get to kick out 149 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:40,320 Speaker 1: this Ben and nineteen eighty five, I believe who was 150 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 1: it was. I think Spencer left the Laker beat at 151 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:47,439 Speaker 1: the Hero examuter to go to the post, or somebody 152 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 1: left and I took over the Laker beat. I wrote 153 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 1: the column still, but I took over the Laker beat 154 00:08:53,640 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 1: midway through the season that they finally exercised the Boston 155 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: Celtic ghost member. They beat the Celtics in n and 156 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:07,719 Speaker 1: I covered that team the second half of the season. Okay, 157 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:10,439 Speaker 1: so when you writing, how many columns do you think 158 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:13,840 Speaker 1: you wrote in your time there, I would say literally, 159 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:17,200 Speaker 1: I mean, but this way, Harold, I was writing four 160 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 1: column vote vote papers, Prestogram and Harold four columns a year, 161 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 1: and yeah, right, uh, I'm sorry, of course, Yeah, you 162 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 1: just got to do the math. I can't do it, Offen, 163 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:33,319 Speaker 1: but literally, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of them. I 164 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:36,559 Speaker 1: got it. At the end of the Long Beach prest 165 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: Long Beach Press Telegram, I did a cityside column once 166 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 1: a week. Also in the last two years era, which 167 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 1: I really enjoyed, I got into hard news. I did 168 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 1: a lot of stuff on cityside, and I recently did 169 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 1: that with the late and great Long Beach Report, which 170 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:58,200 Speaker 1: I did one story. It was more political, you know, 171 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 1: knocking the local mayor and stuff like that. Yeah. So 172 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:07,319 Speaker 1: the nice thing about that column, even though it was 173 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:11,160 Speaker 1: very political, I never mentioned Republican, I never mentioned Democrat. 174 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:14,199 Speaker 1: I never mentioned Trump, I never mentioned Biden. I just 175 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 1: mentioned the local people. And you know that I wasn't 176 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 1: left when your right winger, I wrote what I thought 177 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:25,320 Speaker 1: was fair. Anyway, that was a different time of my life. Well, 178 00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 1: and also we'll get to that, but I'm gonna go 179 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:30,600 Speaker 1: right in the column, like did how often did you 180 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 1: get writers? How often did you get writer's block? We 181 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 1: just didn't have anything. Never you never got it. You 182 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 1: never you want something. Then when you write columns, and 183 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 1: there's certain you know, obviously I would interview a lot 184 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:44,360 Speaker 1: of people, but there's a lot of columns you right 185 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:47,319 Speaker 1: off the top of your head, I think, well, like 186 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:49,600 Speaker 1: I'd wake up on a for instance, at the Press 187 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:51,760 Speaker 1: telling you am, I'd wake up on a Monday. They 188 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 1: wanted a Tuesday, and maybe I didn't go off the 189 00:10:55,360 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 1: Dodger Stadium on uh Sunday or Anaheim Stadium, or maybe 190 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:03,200 Speaker 1: I didn't cover a RAM game, or they weren't in town. 191 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:06,319 Speaker 1: You know, this is early they left the ninety four. 192 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:09,600 Speaker 1: Of course, the last six to the last parts of 193 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:13,000 Speaker 1: my career, they weren't even in town. But I would 194 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:16,319 Speaker 1: come up with stories on my own, you know, and 195 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 1: I think some of the best columns I ever wrote 196 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 1: those kinds of stories, just making them up on the 197 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:25,840 Speaker 1: you know, just I get an idea and expanded into 198 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:28,319 Speaker 1: a column and I thought it would be pretty good. 199 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:30,960 Speaker 1: And a lot of times I would I would do 200 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:33,640 Speaker 1: a local piece. I'd go for a walk around and 201 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:35,719 Speaker 1: just do a mood piece and be not a lot 202 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:38,559 Speaker 1: of my sports columns were non sports, and people love 203 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:41,120 Speaker 1: those kind of columns. Yeah. And when you when you 204 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:43,599 Speaker 1: were doing you worked in the newspaper business, and the 205 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:45,680 Speaker 1: hay kind of the heyday. I don't know the hey day, 206 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:48,199 Speaker 1: but one of the hey days of the newspapers when 207 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:50,680 Speaker 1: you when you see what happened to your industry, and 208 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 1: I see it in radio. Radio is a much different 209 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 1: medium now than it was when I started. The way 210 00:11:57,280 --> 00:11:59,440 Speaker 1: the business is run. But you you worked at some 211 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:02,040 Speaker 1: huge news papers, you had a lot of influence, and 212 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:04,960 Speaker 1: now you look at newspapers today, it's just not the same. Though. 213 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:07,600 Speaker 1: What's your perspective on what you've seen in your lifetime 214 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 1: with a newspaper business. That's a great question. And then 215 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:14,720 Speaker 1: first off, I go back so far the first five 216 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:17,559 Speaker 1: years of my career. I sent my columns in her 217 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:20,840 Speaker 1: stories in like, for instance, from the Forum a Western 218 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 1: Union Perdie Parristein would be there in the Western Union 219 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 1: machine and I've given my piece of paper and it'd 220 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:30,320 Speaker 1: send it Western Union. When I was in Philadelphia, a 221 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 1: guy uh would send it Western Union. That's the way 222 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 1: it was sent in those days. When you're on the road, 223 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:40,200 Speaker 1: you do a Western Union. But what is so dramatically different, 224 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 1: and it really is when you were sportswriter, especially at 225 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:46,360 Speaker 1: the Harold Los Angeles Hero examer which was a very 226 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:49,520 Speaker 1: prestigious sports section. The guy named Bud Fellow was sports 227 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:52,800 Speaker 1: in there when I got there, and we were the 228 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:56,079 Speaker 1: top sports of the people in town. Read the Harold 229 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:58,839 Speaker 1: Examber's sports You're too young to remember, but it was 230 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:01,839 Speaker 1: a very good sports page. Melvin Derst to call him. 231 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:04,840 Speaker 1: You know, Alan Mallaman was. You know, they had so 232 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:07,840 Speaker 1: many good writers, Lyle Spencer, I could go on on 233 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:11,400 Speaker 1: Tom Singer, Dick Miller, Bob Hunter. You know, we had 234 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:15,000 Speaker 1: a lot of good people. They're very good people. And 235 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:20,080 Speaker 1: sportswriters were treated like a king's I mean because in 236 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:24,640 Speaker 1: those days when I got there, in you know, before 237 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 1: I I apprenticed at uh Cameriell Daily News and the 238 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:33,040 Speaker 1: Pacific Colisadium Post and Hilario Das Register, and then I 239 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:37,000 Speaker 1: got into the Hero Exameter. But they were treated on 240 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:40,679 Speaker 1: my gosh. I would go into Little Joe's at North Broadway, 241 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 1: and Andie Stagnon, who was the bartender, never paid for anything. 242 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:46,960 Speaker 1: Ernie tasked at the Gaylor. I'll go have a drink 243 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:50,199 Speaker 1: or dinner. You you know, they would take care of sportswriters. 244 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:53,199 Speaker 1: There was there was prest There was prestige, right, There 245 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:56,720 Speaker 1: was a lot of because you didn't get see people 246 00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 1: read the newspapers in those days. Your only other outlet 247 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 1: was TV and and the TV sports tasters would beyond 248 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:07,000 Speaker 1: for three minutes so you'd get your big info. You know, 249 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:09,360 Speaker 1: it's three minutes at eleven o'clock a night or something 250 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 1: like that. But remember you couldn't wait to get the 251 00:14:13,160 --> 00:14:15,760 Speaker 1: paper the next morning. And the Harold Examiner. When I 252 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:17,679 Speaker 1: first got there, was an afternoon paper, but then it 253 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 1: became a morning paper and they would read, you know, 254 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:23,880 Speaker 1: what we wrote. They hinged on every word. I mean 255 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 1: when I was with the Rams for seven years and 256 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:29,920 Speaker 1: I was a little different sportswriter from the normal guy. 257 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 1: I injected my humor into my game stories, not the humor, 258 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:36,760 Speaker 1: my opinions, you know, and some humor of course, but 259 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:39,760 Speaker 1: but and writers in those days, a lot of them 260 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:42,720 Speaker 1: didn't do that. And I took very strong stands. Writers 261 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 1: didn't do that in those days. In factors, some pettiness 262 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:49,000 Speaker 1: among my colleagues that would even talk to me on rampchips, 263 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 1: because you know I would. I used to rip a 264 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:54,360 Speaker 1: guy named Chuck Knox how conservative he was, and you know, 265 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 1: people just didn't do that in those days. Well I did, 266 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:00,320 Speaker 1: you know, Yeah, you're too young to remember, Chuck. I'm not. 267 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:04,000 Speaker 1: I remember you. I remember you guys talking about my show. 268 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:06,320 Speaker 1: You called them what ground shuck was it was as nickname. 269 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:14,000 Speaker 1: One other thing that Ben that was dramatically different. When 270 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 1: I covered the Lakers like I was a twenty four 271 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:19,280 Speaker 1: year old kid. Can you imagine this? Here I am 272 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:23,600 Speaker 1: from a little place, a little farm community, a ten 273 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:26,520 Speaker 1: miles south of President or the southern Pacific town that 274 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:29,520 Speaker 1: started because of the railroad and stopped there. And you 275 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:34,040 Speaker 1: know this and that my graduating class was sixty five 276 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:37,960 Speaker 1: people in Bud frill Will assigned me to the Lakers. 277 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:40,720 Speaker 1: The Laker beat writer and left or whatever wasn't there 278 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 1: and I took it over here. I'm traveling. But in 279 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:47,760 Speaker 1: those days, the writers traveled with the team. Do you 280 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:51,920 Speaker 1: understand what I'm saying? Traveled with the teams. THEE and 281 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:55,720 Speaker 1: the Times didn't travel that year during the regular season. 282 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:58,600 Speaker 1: They didn't send their beat writer, who I think was 283 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 1: Dan after that year or Mouth Florence. I think it 284 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 1: was Dan Affton. So so I would be with the 285 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:08,520 Speaker 1: team and would fly first class. Here I am flying 286 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 1: first class. My first trip. Chick Heer and took me 287 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: to every player on the team, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West. 288 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 1: I played hearts. You love this story is a great story. 289 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:21,520 Speaker 1: On the first time I ever was on a Laker 290 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:24,320 Speaker 1: road trip, I played hearts. I was the fourth member. 291 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:27,520 Speaker 1: I knew how to play Hearts World Chamber, Jerry West, 292 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:30,600 Speaker 1: Elgin Baylor and me played Hearts together. Can you imagine 293 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:33,240 Speaker 1: what a twenty four year old wide eyed in my 294 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 1: my boyhood idol was Elgin Baylor? Right, even doing the 295 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 1: ticks he used to do with us. You remember they 296 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 1: go to the side and everything, Well, you wouldn't twitchy 297 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:47,240 Speaker 1: and I. I loved Elgin and he was a great 298 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 1: He and I used to play after that. We played 299 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 1: a lot of Gin together. I never beat him. He 300 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:53,640 Speaker 1: was a great gin player. He and Chick were very 301 00:16:53,640 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 1: good players. But here I am with the team. So 302 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 1: you really get to know. Guys don't do that today? 303 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:03,800 Speaker 1: Are you kidding? Do you think they travel with the team. 304 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 1: The sportswriters they'll do that, and the players don't want it, right, 305 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:12,280 Speaker 1: the players today don't want anything. They don't like it. No, No, 306 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:14,960 Speaker 1: in those days, you get you got to build the players. 307 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:18,199 Speaker 1: I mean, I knew Will Chamber. He didn't have anything 308 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:20,800 Speaker 1: going on. He called me doug'scot to dinner. Okay, fine, 309 00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:22,960 Speaker 1: you know that it would we were that close. I'll 310 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:26,640 Speaker 1: walk around and walking around with him in the multiple 311 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 1: one time we're walking, that's when you know, well, you 312 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:31,800 Speaker 1: have to understand Will, I loved it. He didn't talk 313 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:33,480 Speaker 1: to me the last ten years of his life. He 314 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:35,400 Speaker 1: got mad at me. But that's another story I might 315 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:39,320 Speaker 1: tell you later. But we were walking. You gotta understand. 316 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:44,160 Speaker 1: Will was very liberal with the truth, you know, hyperple 317 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:47,240 Speaker 1: levers his middle name. I could tell you a story 318 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 1: after story with Will. He said, yeah, you look like it. 319 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:53,040 Speaker 1: In those days, I was kind of waiting with the 320 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:55,439 Speaker 1: I was a big guy with to Tim. You know, 321 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 1: they were not the guy you see now. I was. 322 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:00,840 Speaker 1: I was within heavy weights and this. You said, yeah, 323 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:03,080 Speaker 1: I've been spressed six hundred one time, and I knew 324 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:06,560 Speaker 1: he didn't come on. I mean, I know, wait, you 325 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:09,520 Speaker 1: know I worked out when I was in college, and 326 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:11,840 Speaker 1: for four years I worked out three three hours every 327 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:14,159 Speaker 1: other day, was trying to get big and all that stuff. 328 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:16,880 Speaker 1: And I know, wait, with six hundred pounds, you gotta 329 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:19,960 Speaker 1: be kidding. At that time, not very few many men 330 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:23,960 Speaker 1: in the world. Because Ben Spress six other towns and 331 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:27,879 Speaker 1: that was a great exaggeration as his claimed to have 332 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 1: gotten to bed with. Yeah. I was going to ask 333 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:33,080 Speaker 1: you about that though, because that's the great urban legend. 334 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 1: But she started. He wrote in his book that he 335 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 1: he betted twenty thousand women there. You traveled with you 336 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:45,640 Speaker 1: travel with him? Yeah. We were in New York one 337 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:49,160 Speaker 1: one year, my second year of the team. He calls you, guy, said, well, 338 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:51,280 Speaker 1: what are you doing? Well? Well do everyone in New York? 339 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:53,840 Speaker 1: He called me. I thought, just called the dinner. We 340 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:57,159 Speaker 1: went out to dinner a big galloners, some damn place. 341 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:00,280 Speaker 1: You know, I will say this, but you know, out 342 00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:02,880 Speaker 1: with Will at nighttime, I mean I could the point 343 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 1: after Boston one time. It really was. I mean, people 344 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 1: gravitated to him. My god, he was a complete you know. 345 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:13,800 Speaker 1: He told me the great story in Cincinnati. He went 346 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:19,439 Speaker 1: to a mattenee in the afternoon, walked in and some 347 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:22,119 Speaker 1: ladies screens. She thought, you know, I mean, think of it. 348 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:26,400 Speaker 1: You see it walk what was a very imposing figure. 349 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:29,239 Speaker 1: He has seven one it boks in it. He had 350 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:32,000 Speaker 1: the longest slaves ever. Jabar doesn't have those long lads. 351 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:35,000 Speaker 1: We'll have those long you remember you said, did I 352 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:38,800 Speaker 1: did at the form and some woman's screams she got scared. 353 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:40,680 Speaker 1: He said, yeah, that's that's happened to me a couple 354 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:43,359 Speaker 1: of times. He gets scared because he liked to go 355 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:46,119 Speaker 1: to the Mattenees. You know, he didn't see movies and stuff. 356 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:48,879 Speaker 1: I mean, I could go on and on about wild stories. 357 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: What other story A great story. It was during the series, 358 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:59,680 Speaker 1: the nineteen NBA series, Alan alamand me and Wilter got 359 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:03,280 Speaker 1: off the plane and we were in the cab going 360 00:20:03,359 --> 00:20:05,320 Speaker 1: to the you know, the hotel there. I can't remember 361 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:08,640 Speaker 1: what hotel it was. But he saw a couple really 362 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:11,040 Speaker 1: nice look and they were college girls and tells the 363 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:13,080 Speaker 1: cap stuff I want to get out, goes over there, 364 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:16,200 Speaker 1: talks to him, and then he comes back. He says, 365 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:20,439 Speaker 1: since I was it going, that's all right? So I 366 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 1: think it was that night is when I went to 367 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:25,200 Speaker 1: the point after I saw him. I wasn't with him 368 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:28,200 Speaker 1: when I went there. The point after it was. There 369 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:30,119 Speaker 1: used to be one out in the San Fernando Valley. 370 00:20:30,119 --> 00:20:33,359 Speaker 1: It was a very popular disco, you know, nice for 371 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:38,520 Speaker 1: kids that you know, not teenagers. You know, there's a nightclub. 372 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:41,720 Speaker 1: We're in there and we're sitting I see well, I said, well, 373 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:44,440 Speaker 1: what happened those two girls? I got him this afternoon 374 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:48,320 Speaker 1: and eastful? I mean, come on, they were both eighteen 375 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:54,399 Speaker 1: or night He said, oh yeah, but but he was 376 00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 1: in dery you just took it with it, like Jerry said, 377 00:20:57,320 --> 00:20:59,240 Speaker 1: take it with a shrug. You know it was a 378 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:02,480 Speaker 1: dry Hello, Yeah, what do you what do you mean? No? 379 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:05,640 Speaker 1: I never saw Will play in person. I've heard amazing 380 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:07,800 Speaker 1: I've seen the numbers, I've seen video of him. But 381 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:12,639 Speaker 1: was he would be a dominant Yeah? He was a 382 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:17,119 Speaker 1: great player, great rebounded, really a good rebounding, great player. 383 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 1: But the problem with Will, and there was a reason 384 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:23,600 Speaker 1: why I only won two World championships. There were times 385 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 1: that he would hide. He just did not have the 386 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:33,840 Speaker 1: show we say competitive passion, even Shaquille. I mean I 387 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 1: saw it. I saw it the first half of Game 388 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:40,000 Speaker 1: seven of the Celtics and Lakers. I was there. I 389 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:43,480 Speaker 1: saw it. First Halmlet happened. Russell out played him like 390 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:46,679 Speaker 1: you can't believe. They built that eight team for whatever. 391 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:49,399 Speaker 1: The big lead at half time and they caught up 392 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:53,200 Speaker 1: this or that. But Will was not very good that 393 00:21:53,359 --> 00:21:56,800 Speaker 1: first half. And then I guess he got this legage 394 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:59,920 Speaker 1: when he came out and BBK should have put a 395 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:02,480 Speaker 1: back in, but he didn't. Then they lost by what 396 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:06,679 Speaker 1: one point or two points? Made death? You know you 397 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:10,119 Speaker 1: shot You're the perfect person as this because lately some 398 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:13,440 Speaker 1: of the chatter shows have been going back and forth 399 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:16,480 Speaker 1: and and just besmirching the name of all these guys 400 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:17,840 Speaker 1: that you covered back in the old days with the 401 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:20,520 Speaker 1: Lakers and saying just the NBA in general, like these 402 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:23,280 Speaker 1: guys weren't real, they couldn't do anything today and today's 403 00:22:23,359 --> 00:22:27,000 Speaker 1: NBA and you've you're the perfect guy because you you 404 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:29,399 Speaker 1: covered those teams and now you you still I'm assuming 405 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:34,080 Speaker 1: you still watch the NBA occasionally there. How, how accurate 406 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:37,639 Speaker 1: are those people slamming the old NBA? Uh? What do 407 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:39,560 Speaker 1: you think about comparing the different eras and how the 408 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:43,320 Speaker 1: sports evolved? Well, I think, wait a minute, the players 409 00:22:43,359 --> 00:22:48,639 Speaker 1: today athletically there was nothing like that. Yeah, all these teams, 410 00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:51,119 Speaker 1: they had a lot of big, slow, white guys and 411 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:53,480 Speaker 1: they also unfortunately had a quota on a lot of 412 00:22:53,480 --> 00:22:56,680 Speaker 1: those teams. You know that there'll only be so many 413 00:22:56,760 --> 00:23:01,080 Speaker 1: African Americans even when I covered in not the Celtics, 414 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:05,440 Speaker 1: but there were certain teams that you knew but the 415 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:09,120 Speaker 1: great players could have played today, a lot of players 416 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:12,399 Speaker 1: would have been very mediocre, probably wouldn't even make it. 417 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 1: I mean, just looked at every team, Anthony Edwards and Maranthum. 418 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:19,960 Speaker 1: You just go every team has a stud now, yeah, 419 00:23:21,359 --> 00:23:24,439 Speaker 1: I mean there's just so many better athletes, and the 420 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:28,879 Speaker 1: athletes are better, and the teams would be better. But 421 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:32,840 Speaker 1: I'll tell you something. That good Laker team with will 422 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:35,560 Speaker 1: let's put this way, no one's going out rebounded. They 423 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:39,600 Speaker 1: would not rebound them today. You know they might be 424 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:42,280 Speaker 1: to my guest, Jim McMillan was six five and news 425 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 1: the other forward on that team. Uh who was the 426 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:53,560 Speaker 1: other forward on the great Laker team of UHL was gone. Yeah. 427 00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 1: But like the other thing too, about the you know, 428 00:23:56,640 --> 00:24:01,040 Speaker 1: the different eras and all that you think about Judge that, Yeah, 429 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:05,639 Speaker 1: I mean the nineteen seventy Yankees would get slaughtered today. 430 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 1: Come on, a lot of the guys were five ft tan. 431 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:11,920 Speaker 1: But the best player route to play today. But I 432 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:13,959 Speaker 1: gotta tell you, though, that I do kind of respect 433 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:15,760 Speaker 1: the grit that guys had to have back in the 434 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:18,480 Speaker 1: olders when they had jobs. They had other jobs because 435 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:21,439 Speaker 1: they weren't making enough money in their sport and they 436 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:23,800 Speaker 1: had to do They had to become a construction worker, 437 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:26,320 Speaker 1: drive a truck, or sell cars or something like that. 438 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:29,960 Speaker 1: Can you imagine Can you imagine today? Though, like if 439 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 1: the players today, I had to go out and get 440 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:33,520 Speaker 1: a job in the off season because they needed to 441 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:38,199 Speaker 1: pay their books. Yeah, it lose their minds. It was 442 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:41,280 Speaker 1: totally different then. I mean, do you think guys a 443 00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:43,840 Speaker 1: guy like Elgin Bayder, I doubt if he lifted weights. 444 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 1: Fabulous player, I'm telling you Eli in his prime, people 445 00:24:48,359 --> 00:24:51,600 Speaker 1: before he heard his knees couldn't hold his only games anybody. 446 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 1: I mean, there were guys Maurice Stokes who died very young. 447 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:57,199 Speaker 1: He could have been. There were Bill Russell would have 448 00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:00,040 Speaker 1: been a very very good player today. To leave it 449 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:03,119 Speaker 1: was quick. He could get down there. You know, he 450 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:06,440 Speaker 1: couldn't shoot, but boy was here. They talked about this 451 00:25:06,560 --> 00:25:11,120 Speaker 1: Williams and Boston Mark Williams or whatever's day. Men. Russell 452 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:13,720 Speaker 1: would have been great today defensively and he blew out 453 00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 1: of play. They're best players in those days, the Oscar Robertson's, 454 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:21,520 Speaker 1: Jerry West and those kind of walk. Prasiers and Well 455 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:25,200 Speaker 1: Walton came later, but they were great players. But there 456 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:29,959 Speaker 1: were I'd say the NBA that I covered sixty eight, uh, 457 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:32,960 Speaker 1: you know, starting in sixty eight, I'd say two thirds 458 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:36,160 Speaker 1: of players couldn't play today. I hate to say that 459 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:39,680 Speaker 1: that they couldn't because it maybe they could play better 460 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:42,960 Speaker 1: if they had the condition. Do you understand maybe need 461 00:25:43,080 --> 00:25:46,359 Speaker 1: to stop these guys too, but there were two there 462 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:49,920 Speaker 1: were so many guys. Uh, Larry Siegfried maybe to play today, 463 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:54,080 Speaker 1: I doubt it. You know. Well the other thing too also, 464 00:25:54,359 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 1: as I just popped in my the late great Tommy Hawkins, 465 00:25:57,920 --> 00:25:59,600 Speaker 1: who I knew a little bit, but you and you 466 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:03,200 Speaker 1: know him. I know Tommy was around forever. But okay, 467 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:05,960 Speaker 1: there you go, perfect. So you Tommy told me a 468 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:08,840 Speaker 1: story one time in the early days when when the 469 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 1: Lakers moved from Minneapolis, they were so desperate to get 470 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:14,600 Speaker 1: people to go to these games at the sports Arena 471 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,760 Speaker 1: that during the day sometimes they would drive around on 472 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:22,000 Speaker 1: a flat, flatbed truck around l A with a megaphone. 473 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 1: That's that's insane, dog. You you think about what how 474 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:27,439 Speaker 1: that started and what it is like today. It's like 475 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:30,520 Speaker 1: a cult around around the Lakers these days, and what 476 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:33,200 Speaker 1: it was. It's insane. When you in this in sixty eight, 477 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:35,679 Speaker 1: when you started covering the team, what was the what 478 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:38,440 Speaker 1: was the buzz about where the Lakers? Did they own 479 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:40,520 Speaker 1: the town? It seemed like it was the Dodger town 480 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:43,520 Speaker 1: up until the Lakers took over at some point, maybe 481 00:26:43,560 --> 00:26:47,719 Speaker 1: the eighties, but what was that dynamic light? Yeah, the 482 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:51,480 Speaker 1: Dodgers still were living off you know, the nineteen sixties. 483 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:56,360 Speaker 1: What they won three World championships? I think, Yeah, but 484 00:26:57,400 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 1: there were no good anymore. Remember sixty nine? Have any teams? 485 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:02,439 Speaker 1: They were no good. They got a little better than 486 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:04,920 Speaker 1: seventy one. They want a penance, I believe seventy two, 487 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:08,399 Speaker 1: seventy four they got the worst series. Yeah, but the 488 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:12,440 Speaker 1: Lakers started when they got will they start selling out 489 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:16,960 Speaker 1: the form they get and you know, an exciting team 490 00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:19,480 Speaker 1: and it was a good. Then you gotta help me. 491 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:24,239 Speaker 1: Who's the foreword on that seventy gonna? I'm gonna look 492 00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:29,080 Speaker 1: it up now, nineteen what I haven't Yeah, all right, 493 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:31,360 Speaker 1: I'm looking at up nuts right now. I mean it's 494 00:27:31,359 --> 00:27:34,760 Speaker 1: gotta be a very good player that I forget. The 495 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:37,960 Speaker 1: seventy two Lakers we're looking at? Is that what we're 496 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:40,440 Speaker 1: looking at? Yeah? Good Rich and West for the back. 497 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:42,160 Speaker 1: All right? So here, let me give me the right 498 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:48,120 Speaker 1: you got Keith Lee roy ellis happy, happy Hairston. There 499 00:27:48,160 --> 00:27:50,400 Speaker 1: you go, Yeah, you're right happy here. Number fifty two 500 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:52,679 Speaker 1: Doug in the program, Number fifty two. But number one, 501 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:58,359 Speaker 1: you are there, Yeah, joined crazy and not talking. Let 502 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:00,439 Speaker 1: me one of the reasons I to have you on 503 00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:02,760 Speaker 1: here this crazy story which has been bouncing around this 504 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:06,159 Speaker 1: week about a guy that you know very well, Jerry West, 505 00:28:06,760 --> 00:28:13,040 Speaker 1: and this documentary that he filed the lawsuit over this. 506 00:28:13,480 --> 00:28:17,640 Speaker 1: I have not full disclosure. I have not watched the documentary. 507 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:20,840 Speaker 1: I have all my producers are huge Laker guys dog 508 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:23,080 Speaker 1: and they tell me, they tell me these things, and 509 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:25,680 Speaker 1: I've read stories about it. I've not actually seen it first, 510 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:30,639 Speaker 1: but apparently it's very demeaning to the legacy of Jerry 511 00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:34,280 Speaker 1: Red Jerry West. I saw you wrote a column on 512 00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:37,159 Speaker 1: I saw it on Facebook. You know that's where it was, 513 00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:40,600 Speaker 1: and you explained in great detail there. But for the 514 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:43,320 Speaker 1: listener who doesn't have access to that dog on a 515 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:45,800 Speaker 1: scale of one at ten, obviously, Jerry's filed the lawsuit, 516 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:48,000 Speaker 1: But where where is this ad on the scale of 517 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:51,760 Speaker 1: anger here? For for Jerry and minus minus chian minus 518 00:28:51,880 --> 00:29:00,880 Speaker 1: Chan's complete faith news, complete disinformation, complete, I mean the 519 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 1: portrayal of Jerry West as a public persecution of one 520 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:13,800 Speaker 1: of the nice, nicest, grounded, amiable superstars in the history 521 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:16,560 Speaker 1: of sports. I know you've probably met him. I'm sure 522 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:19,360 Speaker 1: you met him at the forum because you're a nicer guy. 523 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:23,000 Speaker 1: I guarantee it's very nice to you. He's nice to everyone. 524 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:27,400 Speaker 1: And to portray him in this manner, uh, you know, 525 00:29:27,560 --> 00:29:29,720 Speaker 1: he's not. I talked to Jerry all the time. I 526 00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:31,920 Speaker 1: mean I talked to him twice yesterday. And you know 527 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:35,040 Speaker 1: he's going to be at my I'm going to be 528 00:29:35,640 --> 00:29:38,520 Speaker 1: inducted into this Hall of Fame on on Sunday, the 529 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:42,560 Speaker 1: National Boxing Hall of Fame. Jerry, of course he's coming, Jerry, Jerry. 530 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:44,600 Speaker 1: Let me tell you about Jerry West, my friendship going 531 00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:47,120 Speaker 1: back fifty four years. I'll tell you. Of course I 532 00:29:47,120 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 1: am to him. He went to my wife's second wife's, 533 00:29:52,280 --> 00:29:55,080 Speaker 1: my wedding with her, and then he went to her 534 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:58,280 Speaker 1: funeral unfortunately she passed away, you know, very young. And 535 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:01,800 Speaker 1: then he also to my retirement party. He came to 536 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:04,200 Speaker 1: my book signing when I had my book. He has 537 00:30:04,240 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 1: been the most loyal and loyal friend that I have. 538 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:10,480 Speaker 1: That's how loyal. If I asked Jerry to do something, 539 00:30:10,520 --> 00:30:12,680 Speaker 1: he does it for me. He's always done it, and 540 00:30:12,720 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 1: I'll do anything for him. This this guy is the 541 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:17,640 Speaker 1: nicest guy, and for them to do what they're doing, 542 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:21,120 Speaker 1: you know, portraying him as some sort of intemperate boso. 543 00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:25,560 Speaker 1: I mean, come on, they have him just among other things, 544 00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 1: they have him screaming and a pussing at Jerry Buss. 545 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:35,280 Speaker 1: He would never do that. That's not Jerry. Yes, he 546 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:38,760 Speaker 1: has his moves stuff like that, but I mean, Jerry 547 00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:43,120 Speaker 1: what has been overlooked. He's had his big impact on 548 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:46,120 Speaker 1: the success of the Lakers that anyone in its history 549 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:50,760 Speaker 1: think of this. Then who do you think, uh during 550 00:30:51,080 --> 00:30:54,960 Speaker 1: the showtime years, who supplied all the chemistry players? Just 551 00:30:55,040 --> 00:30:59,560 Speaker 1: answer the question? Who you want to keep going about? Cooper, 552 00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:04,040 Speaker 1: Jerry West, he he made sure James Worthy, I like 553 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:06,959 Speaker 1: an idiot, campaigned in the Herald, you gotta get dominic. 554 00:31:07,080 --> 00:31:09,880 Speaker 1: Wil becons he's the most exciting player, and Jerry tried 555 00:31:09,920 --> 00:31:12,280 Speaker 1: to explain he wouldn't hit in. Of course, he wouldn't 556 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:14,240 Speaker 1: have pit in. You know, he wouldn't be James Worthy. 557 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:18,320 Speaker 1: He took worthy instead of dominant. And then that uh 558 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:21,520 Speaker 1: Bus was on the threshold, as we all know, after 559 00:31:21,560 --> 00:31:26,880 Speaker 1: they lost to Sampson and the Houston Rockets. I remember 560 00:31:26,920 --> 00:31:30,520 Speaker 1: that I do that last that shot they were going 561 00:31:30,560 --> 00:31:34,360 Speaker 1: to make the big trade for I think it was 562 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:36,320 Speaker 1: was an agent that Marcot Wire. I think it was 563 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:43,680 Speaker 1: Marcot Wire or market Market I think yet it was 564 00:31:43,800 --> 00:31:48,520 Speaker 1: market markt Wire. And the trade was made. I wrote 565 00:31:48,560 --> 00:31:50,600 Speaker 1: it in the Herold Examiner. It was a big story 566 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:54,479 Speaker 1: in the Herald Lakers. The trade worthy environed Stott, you know, 567 00:31:54,560 --> 00:31:58,080 Speaker 1: the to the to the Mavericks for this and that 568 00:31:58,760 --> 00:32:00,800 Speaker 1: and the only reason it was made. He went to 569 00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:04,040 Speaker 1: Jerry Busts and I'm resigning, you can't make this trade. 570 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:06,600 Speaker 1: And of course he didn't make the trade. And they 571 00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:12,200 Speaker 1: went on the win the They beat the Pistons in 572 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:19,760 Speaker 1: and the Detroit uh and the Celtics here whenever they 573 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:22,400 Speaker 1: said I was, I think the Celtics in the Pistons 574 00:32:22,520 --> 00:32:24,120 Speaker 1: and then they lost to the Pistons and they came 575 00:32:24,160 --> 00:32:27,240 Speaker 1: back and went, yeah, yeah, they lost the Pistons because 576 00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:30,360 Speaker 1: pat Riley took the damn team over to Santa Barbara 577 00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:34,040 Speaker 1: after they were twelve and oh in the playoffs Byron 578 00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:37,520 Speaker 1: Scott tour Hamstring, don't you remember that? And the magic 579 00:32:37,600 --> 00:32:40,560 Speaker 1: Johnson went out the second day. Yeah. Well, that was 580 00:32:40,600 --> 00:32:44,120 Speaker 1: the best Laker team I ever saw. Was the eighty 581 00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:48,080 Speaker 1: nine team that that team was really good, really good. Yeah, 582 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:51,200 Speaker 1: so was Old, but it was better than the team 583 00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:54,520 Speaker 1: to beat the Pistons the year before. But you know 584 00:32:54,520 --> 00:32:56,640 Speaker 1: the thing about the thing about Kareem, which is, and 585 00:32:56,720 --> 00:33:00,400 Speaker 1: I've never understood this sty the most dominating, the most 586 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:03,160 Speaker 1: unstoppable shot and I've ever seen in my life and 587 00:33:03,200 --> 00:33:07,080 Speaker 1: any any athletic endeavor the sky hook, and no one 588 00:33:07,160 --> 00:33:10,920 Speaker 1: other than Kareem has been able to really consistently pull 589 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:13,160 Speaker 1: that shot off. You think if you could take a 590 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:17,960 Speaker 1: young player and teach them that move when they're thirteen 591 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:20,960 Speaker 1: or fourteen, by the time they got to the NBA 592 00:33:21,040 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 1: and the rest of the wy'd be unstoppable that no 593 00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:27,560 Speaker 1: one could do. You know, Kareem, here's something that's gonna 594 00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:29,880 Speaker 1: stunt you. What I said and I had, I did 595 00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:33,240 Speaker 1: not have a good relation personal action ship with Kareem. 596 00:33:33,320 --> 00:33:35,760 Speaker 1: I'm the one that in the Harrow Examber when Year 597 00:33:35,800 --> 00:33:37,480 Speaker 1: said they should trade trade him. You know, after he 598 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:41,320 Speaker 1: got one rebound in the game, and that was all 599 00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:43,880 Speaker 1: because it wouldn't working on his hook, wouldn't force to 600 00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:45,760 Speaker 1: do that. But it was a soft you know, he 601 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:48,720 Speaker 1: didn't have that book shot. And then he developed it. 602 00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:53,680 Speaker 1: He realized and he's the most underrated player in the 603 00:33:53,840 --> 00:33:56,280 Speaker 1: history of basketball. A lot of people say he's the 604 00:33:56,280 --> 00:33:59,120 Speaker 1: greatest player. He might be, and look what he did accomplish. 605 00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:03,800 Speaker 1: Six World champion ships, three college championships at u c L. 606 00:34:03,840 --> 00:34:08,000 Speaker 1: A great player, great competitor, this all said. You know, 607 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:12,920 Speaker 1: he was very He was kind of borish with the media. 608 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:15,719 Speaker 1: He wasn't you know, although he would always answer my 609 00:34:15,800 --> 00:34:19,120 Speaker 1: questions when once he was on talk radio. He came 610 00:34:19,160 --> 00:34:22,000 Speaker 1: down to the studios when I was at ESPN, and 611 00:34:22,080 --> 00:34:24,200 Speaker 1: he actually we talked about it and he said, Val 612 00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:26,680 Speaker 1: used to kissed me off all the time, and this 613 00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:29,680 Speaker 1: and that. But he was you know, I'll say one thing. 614 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:32,880 Speaker 1: He always answered my questions and he was always civil 615 00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:36,560 Speaker 1: with me, even though he hated he despised me a 616 00:34:36,600 --> 00:34:40,280 Speaker 1: couple of he's become even more grumpy as he's gotten older. 617 00:34:40,280 --> 00:34:42,800 Speaker 1: Here it's great player, though, you can't take that away. 618 00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:49,120 Speaker 1: And he's he's the best center in NBA history history irrespectable. 619 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:53,400 Speaker 1: Will I love Will, But Kareem was a savage competitor. 620 00:34:53,920 --> 00:34:55,600 Speaker 1: You know who could have been the best center if 621 00:34:55,640 --> 00:34:59,440 Speaker 1: he stayed healthy. Bill Well, he was unbelievable. He had 622 00:34:59,480 --> 00:35:02,760 Speaker 1: one of yeah, two healthy years and that was it. 623 00:35:02,800 --> 00:35:05,719 Speaker 1: All right? So do the greatest the great player debate? Doug. 624 00:35:05,920 --> 00:35:08,680 Speaker 1: You've covered the NBA fifty years, You've been around the NBA. 625 00:35:09,280 --> 00:35:13,520 Speaker 1: I'm a Jordan guy something. Where you who's the greatest 626 00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:15,680 Speaker 1: player that you've seen in your life in the NBA? 627 00:35:17,040 --> 00:35:20,920 Speaker 1: The greatest player I've seen in my life? Well, you know, 628 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:24,719 Speaker 1: Jordan was very good. I mean, I mean obviously as 629 00:35:24,800 --> 00:35:30,520 Speaker 1: the greatest ever. You know, I'll tell you who's really 630 00:35:30,719 --> 00:35:33,440 Speaker 1: was good and we don't. I mean Kobe was pretty 631 00:35:33,480 --> 00:35:39,200 Speaker 1: good too, sure, yea very very good, better offensively that Jordan. 632 00:35:39,280 --> 00:35:43,040 Speaker 1: Not defensively, but offensively. How do you ever stopped Kobe? 633 00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:46,320 Speaker 1: Couldn't stop him, No one could stop him. Yeah, I 634 00:35:46,640 --> 00:35:49,040 Speaker 1: guess you have to get the Jordan Obo. There's a 635 00:35:49,080 --> 00:35:51,880 Speaker 1: case to be made for Kareem. Kareem was a great player. 636 00:35:51,920 --> 00:35:53,799 Speaker 1: I mean, how do you not for you he got 637 00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:57,080 Speaker 1: six World championships. Yeah, you could say Jordan never lost, 638 00:35:57,160 --> 00:36:02,000 Speaker 1: but you know, I think the Acres faced much sterner 639 00:36:02,120 --> 00:36:06,399 Speaker 1: competition and they were also hurt by injuries. A lot 640 00:36:06,440 --> 00:36:10,040 Speaker 1: of injuries happened with the Lakers, you know, key like 641 00:36:10,160 --> 00:36:12,920 Speaker 1: losing to the Pistons that year in four straight please. 642 00:36:13,880 --> 00:36:17,040 Speaker 1: Then how were they going to beat the Pistons without 643 00:36:17,040 --> 00:36:21,680 Speaker 1: Byron Scott and Magic Johnson? You answer the question, that's 644 00:36:21,680 --> 00:36:24,200 Speaker 1: what I'm gonna have. All that could have been another 645 00:36:24,320 --> 00:36:27,280 Speaker 1: championship for the Magic, which would have given him six. 646 00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:30,880 Speaker 1: You know, Jordan was very fortunate, but not I have 647 00:36:31,040 --> 00:36:34,120 Speaker 1: to face great Celtic teams when they were good. He 648 00:36:34,239 --> 00:36:37,320 Speaker 1: was very I'm serious he was. Those Celtic teams were great, 649 00:36:38,120 --> 00:36:41,160 Speaker 1: you know that. Yeah, and the expansion area he was 650 00:36:41,280 --> 00:36:44,880 Speaker 1: very ports I mean he faced that, you know, Portland Trailblazers, 651 00:36:44,960 --> 00:36:49,320 Speaker 1: Seattle SuperSonics and Utah was good. But you know, Utah 652 00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:55,000 Speaker 1: please the Lakers when king they never beat the ladies 653 00:36:55,040 --> 00:36:57,640 Speaker 1: for sure. Yeah, I guess you would have to give 654 00:36:57,719 --> 00:37:00,759 Speaker 1: up the Jordan. But I'll tell you there's it's close. 655 00:37:01,320 --> 00:37:04,879 Speaker 1: It's very close. Yeah. Alright, So the all these years 656 00:37:04,880 --> 00:37:08,640 Speaker 1: as a sportswriter, dog, biggest jerk athlete you ever covered, 657 00:37:08,640 --> 00:37:10,960 Speaker 1: the guy that just was a pain in the behind, 658 00:37:11,560 --> 00:37:15,880 Speaker 1: who would it be? Well, for a time we became 659 00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:18,400 Speaker 1: friends later on that you know. I don't know if 660 00:37:18,440 --> 00:37:22,759 Speaker 1: you know my history with a linebacker named Isaiah Robertson. 661 00:37:23,520 --> 00:37:25,640 Speaker 1: He tried to beat me up at it was big 662 00:37:25,680 --> 00:37:28,400 Speaker 1: headlines in the Times l A Times back then. In 663 00:37:30,960 --> 00:37:33,640 Speaker 1: in an afternoon practice, he went after me, had a 664 00:37:33,640 --> 00:37:37,000 Speaker 1: helmet his hand and he was tackled by Ray Malavas. 665 00:37:37,239 --> 00:37:40,000 Speaker 1: And I can't remember the other guy that Larry Mark. 666 00:37:40,080 --> 00:37:41,680 Speaker 1: What was the upset? What was the upset? What did 667 00:37:41,719 --> 00:37:45,040 Speaker 1: you write about? What he was upset about? Rich Saul? 668 00:37:45,520 --> 00:37:47,880 Speaker 1: That choked him out in the locker room. And I 669 00:37:47,920 --> 00:37:51,840 Speaker 1: found out about it, and I made a terrible mistake. 670 00:37:51,920 --> 00:37:55,000 Speaker 1: I told sportswriter from the l A Times named Ted 671 00:37:55,080 --> 00:37:57,680 Speaker 1: Green up in the press box the previous RAM game, 672 00:37:58,840 --> 00:38:02,080 Speaker 1: that about it. I told him about it, and then 673 00:38:02,480 --> 00:38:05,480 Speaker 1: he called me. I had a cap in the l A. Times. 674 00:38:05,520 --> 00:38:07,759 Speaker 1: I was. I always went to the Ram practice in 675 00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:10,680 Speaker 1: those days. They practiced blair Field on Long Beach, you 676 00:38:10,719 --> 00:38:15,160 Speaker 1: know the baseball field there there during the season. They 677 00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:18,480 Speaker 1: practiced there during the week. And he says, I'm going 678 00:38:18,520 --> 00:38:21,480 Speaker 1: to write it in Tomorrow's l A Times. You know 679 00:38:21,560 --> 00:38:24,640 Speaker 1: other people know about this, Doug, and I think he 680 00:38:25,200 --> 00:38:27,120 Speaker 1: d s and me. I mean, he just wanted to 681 00:38:27,160 --> 00:38:29,120 Speaker 1: write it, so that forced me to right. I wasn't 682 00:38:29,160 --> 00:38:33,560 Speaker 1: going to write it. I mean I I I Isaiah 683 00:38:33,640 --> 00:38:37,520 Speaker 1: cussed me out every time I went out there, he 684 00:38:37,560 --> 00:38:40,800 Speaker 1: called me an s ob this and I took people 685 00:38:40,840 --> 00:38:43,000 Speaker 1: said why didn't you just well, I'll tell you that 686 00:38:43,080 --> 00:38:45,799 Speaker 1: story in a second. So I went up to Isaiah 687 00:38:46,640 --> 00:38:49,640 Speaker 1: and I says, is there any truth to the rumor 688 00:38:49,800 --> 00:38:54,600 Speaker 1: that you were choked out by? You know? He went crazy, 689 00:38:55,239 --> 00:38:58,799 Speaker 1: crazy and took off his helmet and came after me. Yeah, 690 00:38:59,080 --> 00:39:02,719 Speaker 1: and Malabay, see a guy named Larry Marshall tackle to 691 00:39:02,800 --> 00:39:04,440 Speaker 1: hit me over the head of that damn helmt he 692 00:39:04,600 --> 00:39:09,560 Speaker 1: killed me and uh Ken Burney writer then working for 693 00:39:09,640 --> 00:39:13,200 Speaker 1: the l A Daily News. Remember he recovered the Dodgers. 694 00:39:13,640 --> 00:39:16,120 Speaker 1: Remember Kenny Gerney, I do I do he just retired. 695 00:39:16,560 --> 00:39:19,000 Speaker 1: He's discovering. I think he's with the MLB right now. Yeah, 696 00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:21,239 Speaker 1: I think I think he just retired. I think, yeah, 697 00:39:21,280 --> 00:39:25,920 Speaker 1: I think. And he said, you look faster than Carl 698 00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:28,120 Speaker 1: lewis you. I've never seen a guy run that past 699 00:39:28,160 --> 00:39:29,600 Speaker 1: and I did. I mean it was a general and 700 00:39:29,600 --> 00:39:33,120 Speaker 1: I got the hell awaight, and Carol rosen Blue said 701 00:39:33,239 --> 00:39:36,600 Speaker 1: get the hell out of here. And Rosenblue, of course 702 00:39:36,640 --> 00:39:38,440 Speaker 1: the owner, and he was a friend of mine too. 703 00:39:38,760 --> 00:39:41,640 Speaker 1: I had two people at the end of their lives 704 00:39:41,680 --> 00:39:44,879 Speaker 1: not talk to me Wilt Chamberlain for ten years and 705 00:39:44,920 --> 00:39:49,479 Speaker 1: Carol Rosen, who was very nice, very nice. In fact, 706 00:39:49,640 --> 00:39:51,719 Speaker 1: my first year on the beat, he bought bought me 707 00:39:51,880 --> 00:39:55,680 Speaker 1: some Gucci loafers, blue loafers, the big joke. I don't 708 00:39:55,680 --> 00:39:58,000 Speaker 1: know why I saw, I love your loafers and nixt 709 00:39:58,040 --> 00:40:01,680 Speaker 1: Island living. I have no today if you if I 710 00:40:01,920 --> 00:40:04,080 Speaker 1: said that, oh my god, you're taking that. You know? 711 00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:08,400 Speaker 1: He sent it to my apartment in uh in Belmont 712 00:40:08,480 --> 00:40:13,440 Speaker 1: Shore was with my first wife. These beautiful loafers, I 713 00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:17,040 Speaker 1: mean those days, they probably cost seventy eight bucks. My god, 714 00:40:17,880 --> 00:40:20,799 Speaker 1: and that was a running choke of oh yeah, they 715 00:40:20,800 --> 00:40:26,680 Speaker 1: were beautiful. I couldn't have pulled but that guy. And 716 00:40:26,840 --> 00:40:31,440 Speaker 1: there's a follow up to that story. Okay, New Year's 717 00:40:31,600 --> 00:40:37,240 Speaker 1: Eve the night uh it was right after or before 718 00:40:37,320 --> 00:40:40,319 Speaker 1: I can't remember. They believed that it was before they 719 00:40:40,320 --> 00:40:43,399 Speaker 1: got beat in the playoff game by the Cowboys. I 720 00:40:43,440 --> 00:40:46,040 Speaker 1: think of seventy eight, I can't remember. I think they 721 00:40:46,080 --> 00:40:50,640 Speaker 1: did by then. Malavasi was the coach. No, no, Chuck, 722 00:40:51,000 --> 00:40:55,000 Speaker 1: Chuck might have still been the was he the coach? 723 00:40:55,280 --> 00:40:59,839 Speaker 1: Was he probably still was the coach. Okay, Okay, so 724 00:41:00,280 --> 00:41:02,759 Speaker 1: I'm in a place called Bobby mcvies here in Long 725 00:41:02,800 --> 00:41:06,880 Speaker 1: Beach and I walked in and there's Isaiah New Year's 726 00:41:06,880 --> 00:41:10,719 Speaker 1: He he chased me out, and they say that the bodyguards, 727 00:41:11,360 --> 00:41:13,520 Speaker 1: they said they had to get him, like the guys 728 00:41:13,560 --> 00:41:16,480 Speaker 1: that though. The security guys grabbed and I ran out 729 00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:18,719 Speaker 1: to my car and got out of it. But we 730 00:41:18,880 --> 00:41:21,239 Speaker 1: made up. Later he saw me at a reunion and 731 00:41:21,320 --> 00:41:24,880 Speaker 1: we shook hands and he actually came into the ESDM 732 00:41:25,000 --> 00:41:28,279 Speaker 1: studios with Joe. We laughed about it. You know that's 733 00:41:28,400 --> 00:41:31,399 Speaker 1: years yeah, yeah, sure, sure, sure sure. Unfortunately he died 734 00:41:31,480 --> 00:41:34,160 Speaker 1: I think in a car accident. That's too bad. So 735 00:41:34,440 --> 00:41:36,000 Speaker 1: before I get you out of here, Doug, I kept 736 00:41:36,040 --> 00:41:37,919 Speaker 1: you a wife. But one of my other favorite Doug 737 00:41:38,000 --> 00:41:41,799 Speaker 1: recorin stories when Tommy was sorta he he was the 738 00:41:41,880 --> 00:41:46,480 Speaker 1: GM briefly of the Dodgers, and and this is hilarious. 739 00:41:46,480 --> 00:41:49,000 Speaker 1: I still laugh when I think about this. So as 740 00:41:49,080 --> 00:41:51,839 Speaker 1: I remember the story, Doug Tommy when he took over 741 00:41:51,880 --> 00:41:53,880 Speaker 1: his I think it was the interim GM of the Dodgers. 742 00:41:54,440 --> 00:41:58,399 Speaker 1: He had told the media, right, whatever you want, say 743 00:41:58,440 --> 00:42:01,880 Speaker 1: whatever you want about me, I don't mind, I'm fine whatever. 744 00:42:02,600 --> 00:42:05,480 Speaker 1: Two days later, I'm in the I'm in the press 745 00:42:05,520 --> 00:42:08,640 Speaker 1: box at Dodger Stadium, in the press dining room there 746 00:42:09,280 --> 00:42:13,680 Speaker 1: and Tommy comes. It was a Sunday. He comes storming 747 00:42:13,760 --> 00:42:18,719 Speaker 1: into the press box. Where's Pricry and where's dog? And 748 00:42:18,840 --> 00:42:21,239 Speaker 1: he was furious with you. I don't know what you wrote, Doug. 749 00:42:21,280 --> 00:42:23,680 Speaker 1: I don't know what that was all, but he, Tommy 750 00:42:23,800 --> 00:42:27,760 Speaker 1: was on a mission to find you because of something 751 00:42:27,800 --> 00:42:29,600 Speaker 1: that you had written. Don't you even even remember? I 752 00:42:29,640 --> 00:42:32,120 Speaker 1: think that was the Bill Russell story that I wrote 753 00:42:32,160 --> 00:42:36,200 Speaker 1: that Russell said that it was Russell the manager. Yeah, 754 00:42:36,200 --> 00:42:39,040 Speaker 1: Bill Russell was the manager. Yeah, yeah, that's that was it. 755 00:42:39,520 --> 00:42:41,799 Speaker 1: He got piste off about that that I wrote that 756 00:42:41,920 --> 00:42:44,200 Speaker 1: how could you write that? This? And that? Wouldn't talk 757 00:42:44,239 --> 00:42:45,759 Speaker 1: to me for two years. I don't you remember when 758 00:42:45,800 --> 00:42:49,720 Speaker 1: I used to go on that that Sports Writers show. 759 00:42:50,680 --> 00:42:53,719 Speaker 1: Remember they used to have it, Yeah yeah, yeah, the 760 00:42:53,760 --> 00:42:56,520 Speaker 1: Round the Round Table. And I looked at always they 761 00:42:56,719 --> 00:42:58,680 Speaker 1: have me on a lot, and now look at Tommy, 762 00:42:58,760 --> 00:43:02,000 Speaker 1: please talk to me. And finally, at the two thousand 763 00:43:02,000 --> 00:43:05,799 Speaker 1: World Series between the invested Yankees, I saw Tommy and 764 00:43:05,920 --> 00:43:10,000 Speaker 1: Rod Dado I think it was Tipty Third Street walking 765 00:43:10,160 --> 00:43:14,759 Speaker 1: in New York, and I said, Rod, tap Tommy to 766 00:43:14,880 --> 00:43:16,439 Speaker 1: talk to me. He said, what do you mean, because 767 00:43:16,560 --> 00:43:19,400 Speaker 1: rod Dado loved me, you know, you'd always say this 768 00:43:19,560 --> 00:43:22,160 Speaker 1: that take a lot of story. Short. We shook hands, 769 00:43:22,280 --> 00:43:26,279 Speaker 1: but we didn't talk. You know, we didn't talk at all, 770 00:43:27,040 --> 00:43:31,680 Speaker 1: you know, for for two years, two years, right, Yeah, 771 00:43:31,719 --> 00:43:34,360 Speaker 1: and I was his biggest booster. My god, I wrote 772 00:43:34,360 --> 00:43:38,279 Speaker 1: one one. Uh you know, funny. It was always kind 773 00:43:38,280 --> 00:43:41,080 Speaker 1: of a funny call up with Tommy. Yeah it was. 774 00:43:41,320 --> 00:43:44,759 Speaker 1: It was wild. But anyway, we'll talk to listen. I 775 00:43:44,840 --> 00:43:46,680 Speaker 1: love you to death. Dog. You You're a great guy, 776 00:43:46,800 --> 00:43:49,239 Speaker 1: and thank you for doing this. I appreciate it. And 777 00:43:49,400 --> 00:43:50,840 Speaker 1: you have nothing, you have nothing to wrote you you 778 00:43:50,880 --> 00:43:52,840 Speaker 1: are going to Boxing Hall of Fame. But you said, right, 779 00:43:52,840 --> 00:43:55,040 Speaker 1: what did it tell me? More? Yeah? This this? Yeah, 780 00:43:55,080 --> 00:43:57,960 Speaker 1: this satur National Boxing Hall of Fame. I'm the recipient 781 00:43:58,040 --> 00:44:01,720 Speaker 1: of Howie Steinler Award. I always was a farmer, owner 782 00:44:01,760 --> 00:44:04,160 Speaker 1: of the Main Street Jam. He was murdered in nineteen 783 00:44:04,280 --> 00:44:07,719 Speaker 1: seventies seven by a couple of guys that they don't know. 784 00:44:07,800 --> 00:44:12,080 Speaker 1: They never found him, and his daughter picked me to 785 00:44:12,160 --> 00:44:15,120 Speaker 1: be the recipient. And because I'm a recipient of that award, 786 00:44:15,160 --> 00:44:18,680 Speaker 1: I'm automatically inducted to the Hall of Famous. My fourth 787 00:44:18,680 --> 00:44:21,160 Speaker 1: Hall of Fame I've been in. This is what happens 788 00:44:21,560 --> 00:44:24,440 Speaker 1: when you be seventy eight years old, started getting in, 789 00:44:24,960 --> 00:44:29,719 Speaker 1: you get start getting in. What give me the list 790 00:44:29,760 --> 00:44:31,480 Speaker 1: of all? You said? Boxing Hall of Fame? What other 791 00:44:31,520 --> 00:44:35,880 Speaker 1: hall of fames is dr it's just small ones. Armenian 792 00:44:36,000 --> 00:44:39,839 Speaker 1: Hall of Fame, half Armenian at the Giant. I'm in 793 00:44:39,880 --> 00:44:43,759 Speaker 1: the California State Hall of Fame, National Boxing Hall of 794 00:44:43,800 --> 00:44:46,920 Speaker 1: Fame and the San Pedro Hall of Fame. The athletic 795 00:44:47,000 --> 00:44:50,759 Speaker 1: call it the San Pedro one they have. Actually, it's 796 00:44:50,800 --> 00:44:53,040 Speaker 1: like a Hollywood star out there. My name's out there. 797 00:44:53,200 --> 00:44:57,000 Speaker 1: Oh that's cool, that's nice. That's for those would be 798 00:44:57,040 --> 00:45:00,160 Speaker 1: my fourth one and uh, Jerry West will be at 799 00:45:00,200 --> 00:45:03,040 Speaker 1: our table. What about the nice? What about the PHIL 800 00:45:03,080 --> 00:45:05,000 Speaker 1: Trainees Hall of Fame? Do they have a PHIL Trainees 801 00:45:05,040 --> 00:45:10,120 Speaker 1: Hall of Fame? You gotta should training trade Bil training. Well, 802 00:45:10,160 --> 00:45:12,920 Speaker 1: there's a gym in Long Beach. I want the Boys 803 00:45:12,920 --> 00:45:16,240 Speaker 1: and Girls Club gym. There's a PHIL training gym. Yeah, 804 00:45:16,360 --> 00:45:18,080 Speaker 1: Well for those who don't know, for those the fellows 805 00:45:18,080 --> 00:45:20,879 Speaker 1: who know, the PHIL training is famous locational Long Beach. 806 00:45:21,080 --> 00:45:23,399 Speaker 1: I've only been there a couple of times. But Doug 807 00:45:23,480 --> 00:45:29,000 Speaker 1: and Joe. You guys all, I mean you ran the place. Yeah. 808 00:45:29,080 --> 00:45:31,719 Speaker 1: And I'm gonna tell you, Ben, don't don't make me 809 00:45:31,960 --> 00:45:36,640 Speaker 1: endure years of cultural depervation by not having me on 810 00:45:36,719 --> 00:45:39,800 Speaker 1: your great show. Oh no, I love yes, I love you. 811 00:45:40,560 --> 00:45:43,680 Speaker 1: You haven't called me and it's very hurtful. I mean, 812 00:45:43,719 --> 00:45:48,800 Speaker 1: you're my friend. I patterned my career. Now. I promised 813 00:45:48,800 --> 00:45:51,279 Speaker 1: that we'll we'll have you on again, and I do 814 00:45:51,840 --> 00:45:54,680 Speaker 1: thinking have a a great rest of your Daniel. I 815 00:45:54,760 --> 00:45:57,120 Speaker 1: congratulations on the Boxing Hall of Fame. That is I 816 00:45:57,120 --> 00:46:00,560 Speaker 1: did not know that. That is awesome and and thank you. 817 00:46:00,640 --> 00:46:03,160 Speaker 1: We'll talk to you and thank you dog. I love you, Ben, 818 00:46:03,280 --> 00:46:04,759 Speaker 1: thank you, thank you all.