1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:01,440 Speaker 1: Cutbooms. 2 00:00:02,279 --> 00:00:05,360 Speaker 2: If you thought four hours a day, twelve hundred minutes 3 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 2: a week was enough, think again. He's the last remnants 4 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:12,480 Speaker 2: of the old republic, a sol fashion of fairness. He 5 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 2: treats crackheads in the ghetto gutter the same as the 6 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:19,600 Speaker 2: rich pill poppers in the penthouse. Wow to clearinghouse of 7 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:23,479 Speaker 2: hot takes, break free for something special. The Fifth Hour 8 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 2: with Ben Maller starts right now in. 9 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:34,600 Speaker 1: The Air of Reware. The Fifth Hour with Me, Ben 10 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:38,520 Speaker 1: Mahler and Danny g Radio. A happy Saturday to you 11 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 1: as we continue to provide fresh piping hot pods. Reminder, 12 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 1: we have NFL football later today, and despite not being 13 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:52,920 Speaker 1: on my watch tower at the radio station, we still 14 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 1: have Benny Versus the Penny a global audience watching on YouTube. 15 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:00,160 Speaker 1: We have the Saturday Special. If you just want the 16 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 1: games that are being played later today, there's two then 17 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 1: you can check that out. And if you want every 18 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:09,479 Speaker 1: game as being played tomorrow on the NFL Week seventeen 19 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:13,479 Speaker 1: schedule and Monday night that ram Falcon game, make sure 20 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 1: to partake and enjoy the fun on Benny Vspenny on YouTube. 21 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: So please do that and that content will continue throughout 22 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,759 Speaker 1: the NFL season every week, the playoffs, all the way 23 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:34,839 Speaker 1: through the Super Bowl in northern California. So this podcast 24 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 1: is going to be a little bit different than most 25 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:40,759 Speaker 1: of the podcasts that we do. It just is. There's 26 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 1: reason for that. You'll find out here in a minute. 27 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 1: I wanted to say that I'm very happy that I 28 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 1: have the podcast. I'm glad that you have a little 29 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 1: bit of a break from the radio show, but I 30 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: still have a chance to talk to you and share 31 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,640 Speaker 1: some information. And there's something that I felt was very 32 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:59,240 Speaker 1: important that I needed to talk to you as a 33 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 1: member of the militias we like to call our little group. 34 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 1: So we'll get to that in a minute. I've got 35 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:11,080 Speaker 1: the foam cowboy hat double mint gum as well, but 36 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 1: we'll start with this. It has been said by wise men, 37 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 1: people much wiser than I am, that sport is a 38 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 1: delivery system for stories. That it's a vehicle right that 39 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:26,080 Speaker 1: we watch the games. It's really about the stories, not 40 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:30,920 Speaker 1: about the stats. It's not about that. I've always believed 41 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 1: doing talk radio. It's the same thing. It's just with 42 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 1: more bad lighting and fewer expense accounts and less bells 43 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 1: and whistles and razzle dazzle and all that. Every once 44 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:46,720 Speaker 1: in a while, every now and again, that happened. Very often, 45 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 1: there's someone that will wander into your life from the 46 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:56,959 Speaker 1: middle of the night and will stay just long enough 47 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: to leave a dent in your memory to stand out 48 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 1: from the crowd. And then that person will disappear back 49 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:07,359 Speaker 1: into the darkness. You wonder where where did they go? 50 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 1: Where did they come from? I don't know. So this week, 51 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:16,920 Speaker 1: as I was winding down from a full year of 52 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 1: doing the show and trying to recharge my batteries and 53 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 1: all that, one of those dents in my memory unfortunately 54 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 1: became permanent. So before we get to all that, let's 55 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 1: take the hot Tub time Machine back. I think this 56 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 1: was twelve years ago. I'm really bad with dates, really 57 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 1: bad with dates. It could have been fifteen years ago. 58 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 1: It could have been eight years ago, but it's definitely 59 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 1: not eight years ago. It's more than that. I think 60 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 1: it was twelve thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, something like that. Anyway, 61 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: the jets are on full blast on the hot Tub 62 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 1: Time Machine, full blast. The water smells faintly of chlorine. 63 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 1: There's just a little chlorine there, and there's some other 64 00:03:58,080 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 1: stuff I don't know what that is. We'll get that 65 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: clean up in a minute. And on a random day, 66 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 1: long long ago, I received a message from a listener 67 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: claiming to be in the state of Colorado. Overnight Radio. 68 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 1: When you do the Overnight show, it's like fishing in 69 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:17,600 Speaker 1: the ocean at three in the morning. You never really 70 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 1: know who you're going to reel in. We have a 71 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 1: diverse audience on the Overnight Show. We have people that 72 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:29,160 Speaker 1: are professors at university, have people that are executives at 73 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 1: major companies, construction companies, people that work as farmers and 74 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 1: make donuts, and people that are police officers fighting crime 75 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,040 Speaker 1: and criminals that are creating crime. There's a little bit 76 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 1: of this, a little bit of that. A lot of 77 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 1: you guys work in factories, whether it's the boys in 78 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 1: El Paso or the factories in Ohio and Tennessee and 79 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:52,840 Speaker 1: Wisconsin and all the other places in the middle part 80 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 1: of the country where you guys work in factories are 81 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:58,160 Speaker 1: up all night. So anyway, this person contacts me, he says, hey, 82 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:02,599 Speaker 1: you know fan of the show, blah blah blah. Competitive eater. Okay, good, 83 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:05,600 Speaker 1: I like competitive eating, Major League eater. Now, if you 84 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 1: listen to the Ben Maler Show for more than like 85 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 1: five minutes, and I'm going to assume the position you're 86 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: listening to this podcast, which is a spin off of 87 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 1: the radio show, that you are of the one percent 88 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 1: of those that get the show, because you actually, unlike radio, 89 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: where you can stumble on to a radio show, you're 90 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 1: really not stumbling on to the fifth hour parties. You 91 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:31,040 Speaker 1: have to go out of your way to find the parties. 92 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 1: And then we do very well, and I'm grateful for that, 93 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:35,600 Speaker 1: but still it's a lot harder to find a podcast 94 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 1: than it is the radio show. So anyway, if you've 95 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 1: heard the Overnight Show, you know that I have a deep, 96 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 1: borderline spiritual appreciation for the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. 97 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:51,720 Speaker 1: I've never been to the event on the fourth of July. 98 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 1: I have enjoyed it from afar. Joey Chestnut is right 99 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:01,160 Speaker 1: there on the Mount Rushmore. Competitive eating is a little 100 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: bit of this, a little bit of that. It's performance art, 101 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:08,279 Speaker 1: it's physics, it's human endurance wrapped in nitrates. It's all 102 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 1: that stuff. And so this listener says, Hey, I would 103 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:13,279 Speaker 1: like to come to the studio and do a demonstration. 104 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 1: I said, okay. It was in Colorado was gonna come. 105 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: I guess he was coming to LA to do some events, 106 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:21,520 Speaker 1: and I couldn't say yes fast enough. Now, the man's nickname, 107 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:23,760 Speaker 1: we're gonna call him by his nickname, Big Sexy. How 108 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: great a nickname is that, Big Sexy. That's a great name. 109 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:31,480 Speaker 1: It's a solid nickname. So that alone got my attention 110 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:35,799 Speaker 1: and got this gentleman through the velvet rope, the intense 111 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:39,160 Speaker 1: security that we have at Fox Sports Radio. Now, this 112 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 1: guy had competed on Coney Island, right, Darren Brooklyn. He's 113 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 1: the guy to jog your memory if you're a fan 114 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:50,720 Speaker 1: of competitive eating like I am. He wore these ridiculous 115 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 1: oversized foam hats, the foam cowboy hat you might remember 116 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 1: from the old highlight clips of competitive eating, the kind 117 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:03,159 Speaker 1: that makes you look like a lego character who wandered 118 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 1: onto the wrong set. You know, it's just really cool, though, 119 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,080 Speaker 1: that's pretty neat. I know who you are because you're well, 120 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 1: you're a big guy, but you got the heat on 121 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 1: that see the hat, that's the key. So I immediately 122 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 1: remembered him. I'm like, oh man, this guy stood shoulder 123 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 1: to shoulder with gladiators of gluttony, a murderer's row of 124 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 1: human garbage disposals, and he was right in the middle 125 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 1: of it. And the event he was at was when, 126 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 1: if you remember, Kobyashi crashed, decided to crash the event 127 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 1: anyway to get him in studio, big sexy scheduling, it 128 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 1: was a circus. At that time, I was doing the 129 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 1: weekend overnight show. I was not doing the weekday show. 130 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 1: So this was definitely over ten years and more than 131 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 1: that now, more than that now. So when you do 132 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 1: the overnight weekend radio show at the time, it doesn't 133 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:56,640 Speaker 1: work for most people's schedules. It just doesn't. Logistics are 134 00:07:56,920 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 1: a yeah, human being who needed to be awake at 135 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 1: an hour normally reserved only for raccoons, only for the raccoon. Eventually, 136 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 1: a little back and forth we locked in a date. 137 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 1: And I have done a lot of monologues that a 138 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 1: lot of radio shows in my life. I'm very fortunate 139 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 1: I've survived him A bit of zombie these days in radio. 140 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 1: I started at the age of nineteen. Some people going 141 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:32,080 Speaker 1: to the military. I went into radio. I think they 142 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 1: treat you better in the military. Most nights blurred together, 143 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 1: kind of like when you're driving late. You had had 144 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 1: a lot of sleep, the freeway lights at two in 145 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:42,680 Speaker 1: the morning. You know you know what I'm talking about. 146 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 1: I know you're nodding your head. So this one didn't. 147 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 1: This night was different than most other nights. It was special. 148 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:54,680 Speaker 1: Big Sexy arrived, but he didn't just arrive, because when 149 00:08:54,679 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 1: you're named Big Sexy, you don't just arrive in style 150 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 1: with the razzle, dazzle, with a posse, like a professional boxer. 151 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:10,719 Speaker 1: Although this was not hype men, it was medical men, 152 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: an ambulance. Big Sexy arrived with not one, but two EMTs. 153 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:22,160 Speaker 1: Now this was not a bit, this was controlled demolition, 154 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:30,439 Speaker 1: just in case someone choked on a wiener, which I 155 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:33,080 Speaker 1: did not anticipate I would be using on this podcast. 156 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 1: But yet here we are. So yeah, they were eating 157 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 1: hot dogs. Now, on one side he had Big Sexy, 158 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 1: professional eater, friend of the Ben Mather Show, built like 159 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:48,720 Speaker 1: a large fire hydrant, just a big man lifting weights, 160 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 1: the whole thing in my head. On the other hand, 161 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 1: we had on the other side, we had my boardop 162 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 1: at the time, Jeff Deray was his name. I don't 163 00:09:57,400 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 1: know what ever happened to Jeffy. We lost contact. Jeff 164 00:09:59,920 --> 00:10:03,120 Speaker 1: was my engineer for a while, Emerson College, Boston, guy 165 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 1: nice Man, whose only crime was agreeing to participate in 166 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 1: a cheesy overnight radio bit. Now observing was my producer, 167 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:16,440 Speaker 1: Miss Pink Headphones herself, the great Miranda, who's gone on 168 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 1: to a lovely life. She's a big executive at the company. 169 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:23,960 Speaker 1: She's got kids living the dream. So my job, I 170 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 1: didn't enter the contest. I did play by play. I 171 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:30,200 Speaker 1: did it like my hair was on fire. If I 172 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:36,119 Speaker 1: had hair, I was Dick Stockton, Al Michaels, Brent Musburger, 173 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:40,600 Speaker 1: you're listening live, Kevin Harlan, and the late great Brian 174 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 1: Wheeler yelling Boom Shaka Laca from the heavens Now. Jeff 175 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 1: my boardop made it through about half a hot dog, 176 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:52,440 Speaker 1: about half a hot dog. He then waved the white flag. 177 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:56,320 Speaker 1: He tossed in the sponge, the bun one, the bon one. 178 00:10:56,640 --> 00:10:59,920 Speaker 1: So we both then sat back and watched this brief 179 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:05,839 Speaker 1: eating contest as Big Sexy flexed. He did a pirouette 180 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:08,520 Speaker 1: on the catwalk. He walked around like a peak cock 181 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:12,959 Speaker 1: with his feathers in the air. Everywhere, one hot dog, 182 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 1: one sausage at a time, hot dog and bun no flourish, 183 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 1: no showboating during the contest, just dominance, pure dominance. Now 184 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 1: in my memory, you, memories are funny things. Memories can 185 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 1: be very hazy. In my memory, my boardop Jeff de 186 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:33,160 Speaker 1: Ray ate half a hot dog and this gentleman, Big 187 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:37,679 Speaker 1: Sexy about seventy seven hot dogs or something like that. 188 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 1: Give her a take. You know, it was like watching 189 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 1: Tom Brady throw a football, Michael Jordan rise over a 190 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:46,440 Speaker 1: defender with the Chicago Bulls to knock down a jumper, 191 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 1: or right now, show Hal Tani hitting a baseball that 192 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 1: violates these zoning laws in many parts of town. So 193 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:58,760 Speaker 1: you stop breathing. You stared, You were hypnotized and mesmerized 194 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:01,600 Speaker 1: by what you were seeing. And here's the part that 195 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:05,439 Speaker 1: always stuck with me. Big Sexy loved radio. He loved 196 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 1: our show, which obviously made me feel good good for 197 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:11,560 Speaker 1: my ego. But he loved the show so much, and 198 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:13,200 Speaker 1: he wanted to be part of this bit so much 199 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:18,560 Speaker 1: he actually slept in his car that night in the 200 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 1: parking lot at the radio station. He slept in his car. 201 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:25,480 Speaker 1: It was too late for a hotel, too expensive. Maybe 202 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 1: he just didn't want to waste the money. I don't know. 203 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:30,600 Speaker 1: But for that night he was homeless because he wanted 204 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:33,480 Speaker 1: to be on the radio show and do an eating contest. 205 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: That is dedication, all right, that's dedication. That doesn't show 206 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:42,040 Speaker 1: up on stat sheets. Now, over the years, he would 207 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:46,840 Speaker 1: check in life updates, you know, maybe complaint about the Rockies. 208 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:51,480 Speaker 1: There's so much to complain about the Broncos at that time. Misery. 209 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:54,280 Speaker 1: They've only gotten good now, like the last couple of years, 210 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:56,680 Speaker 1: they've been a competitive team. But for years the Broncos 211 00:12:56,840 --> 00:13:00,160 Speaker 1: after Peyton Manning left, they sucked the Nuggets. Who of 212 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 1: course that's the hope. They won the championship. I don't 213 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: think you ever talked about the avalanche. Maybe he did, 214 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:05,600 Speaker 1: I don't know, not on our show. We don't really 215 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:08,839 Speaker 1: talk much hockey, you know, the usual. So he was 216 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:11,840 Speaker 1: a member of Big Sexuy, the Mallard militia in the 217 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 1: purest sense, someone who listened when most of the world 218 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:18,280 Speaker 1: was asleep, most of the world not there and you know, 219 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:20,280 Speaker 1: kind of drooling new a pillow, doing whatever you're doing. 220 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 1: And this week during the holiday, I don't want to 221 00:13:24,559 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 1: say malaise is that's not the right word. Just the 222 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:33,400 Speaker 1: holiday reset and I got a Facebook message randomly out 223 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 1: of the blue, and I don't normally check these things. 224 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:39,720 Speaker 1: I'm bad about it, I admit. And this message was 225 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:45,920 Speaker 1: from Big Sexy's mom, a woman named Shelley, and it 226 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:53,840 Speaker 1: wasn't good. It wasn't And I've gotten a few of 227 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:59,320 Speaker 1: these messages over the years, and they hit you like 228 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:05,400 Speaker 1: a old splash of reality, and it's like you look 229 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:07,800 Speaker 1: at them, you're like, well, maybe this is somebody doing 230 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:10,200 Speaker 1: some kind of ghoulish humor or something like that. Maybe 231 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:14,040 Speaker 1: it's not real, you know, maybe it's it's just somebody 232 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:16,640 Speaker 1: doing a sick joke or something like that. And now 233 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 1: Brian Beard, Brian Beard, better known to the Malain Militia's 234 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:27,560 Speaker 1: Big Sexy. His government named Brian Beard, his mom named him. 235 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 1: That passed away December twenty first heart attack. It's forty 236 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 1: years old. That's it. Forty. You can do the math. 237 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:44,040 Speaker 1: I don't need to do the math. It doesn't add up, 238 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 1: doesn't make sense, the math ain't mathing. It just that 239 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:53,920 Speaker 1: shouldn't happen. Told there were no warning signs. He was smiling, 240 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:58,400 Speaker 1: watching some comedy shows with his dear old mom there, 241 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 1: enjoying life. And then that's all. Now, I was able 242 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:09,840 Speaker 1: to talk to his mother, who reached out. I do 243 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 1: thank Shelley a lot for letting me know. And she 244 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 1: had said that he was a big fan of the 245 00:15:16,160 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 1: show and had fond memories of hanging out with us 246 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 1: at the radio station. Things like that. So very kind, 247 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:27,360 Speaker 1: loving woman. We had a brief conversation on the phone. 248 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:31,000 Speaker 1: I learned some new things about Brian, or as we 249 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:33,720 Speaker 1: know him, Big Sexy. Things. I didn't know Big Sexy 250 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:35,880 Speaker 1: as a little boy was a ball boy for the 251 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 1: Denver Nuggets as a kid. His mom worked at the arena. 252 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:42,480 Speaker 1: She knew some people, and she was able to, you know, 253 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:44,440 Speaker 1: talk to somebody, and she knew who to talk to. 254 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 1: I don't know how all that stuff works, but her 255 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 1: son was able to be a ball boy. How great 256 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 1: is that? And but wait, there's more. He'd befriended Rocky 257 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 1: the mascot. Now on I side, not hit the pause, 258 00:15:56,880 --> 00:16:00,200 Speaker 1: but on the side note if you've never watched Rocky 259 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: pass out while being lowered from the rafters as a cheerleader. 260 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:07,960 Speaker 1: Sugar took us and kept smiling like nothing happened. That 261 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 1: video is Internet immortality from Rocky. Looked like Rocky had 262 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 1: kicked the bucket as he was coming down from the 263 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 1: rafters in the Mile High City and the cheerleaders are 264 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:21,520 Speaker 1: all dancing. It was wild back to the store here. 265 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:25,440 Speaker 1: So Brian, who again knew him as Big Sexy, he 266 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 1: ended up actually working locally in Denver's Sports radio. He 267 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:33,480 Speaker 1: got to live his dream. He loved radio, and unfortunately 268 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 1: he learned the dark side of radio, the reality financially 269 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 1: that you're better off working the fry machine at McDonald's 270 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 1: or making egg mcmuffins at McDonald's if you want to 271 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 1: make any money. And despite it all from what I 272 00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 1: heard from from Brian's mom, and I kept his love 273 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 1: of sports and all that. And recently, and this is 274 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:57,760 Speaker 1: the part that still makes me smile, a few days 275 00:16:57,760 --> 00:17:01,360 Speaker 1: after all this I learned of this information is that 276 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:07,760 Speaker 1: Brian Big Sexy became a Nuggets cheerleader. Let me say 277 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:10,760 Speaker 1: that part again slowly for those of you who are 278 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:13,920 Speaker 1: doing the Honeydeo list or not paying close attention because 279 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:17,520 Speaker 1: you're distracted by some video game or driving. So I'm 280 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 1: gonna repeat that part. Big Sexy, large and in charge, 281 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:24,800 Speaker 1: our friend member of the Malain Militia, was dancing on 282 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:30,960 Speaker 1: the court during timeouts while mister MVP Nikola Jokicic drank Gatorade. 283 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:34,600 Speaker 1: Now that is a life well lift. That's what I say. 284 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:38,720 Speaker 1: Should have been much longer. But man, he was doing well. 285 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:41,320 Speaker 1: He was doing well. He was a founding member of 286 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 1: his Mom told me the inside skinny on this, Brian 287 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:48,440 Speaker 1: Big Sexy, a founding member of the Nuggets. Average Joe's dancers. 288 00:17:48,560 --> 00:17:52,120 Speaker 1: Just a bunch of regular dudes, beer bellies, regular looking dudes, 289 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:56,239 Speaker 1: dancing like nobody was watching. Except everyone was watching. There 290 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:59,480 Speaker 1: were eighteen thousand people in the arena and they were 291 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: watching you dance around. In fact, Brian, he did this 292 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 1: for a while. He performed at the NBA All Star 293 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:15,639 Speaker 1: Game in Indianapolis. Hello, made surprise appearances. Mom told me, 294 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 1: with Rocky there was a famous backward half court shot 295 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:24,600 Speaker 1: playoff hijinks. It sounds like just pure joy. That's how 296 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:26,639 Speaker 1: much fun. You grow up a kid in Denver. You 297 00:18:26,760 --> 00:18:29,359 Speaker 1: like all the Denver teams. You get to be a 298 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:31,520 Speaker 1: ball boy for the Nuggets, You become a dancer. You're 299 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:35,000 Speaker 1: doing bits with Rocky, the iconic mascot. That's pretty cool. 300 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:39,639 Speaker 1: That's all cool stuff. And Brian loved all the Colorado teams. 301 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:43,040 Speaker 1: From what I understand obviously the Rockies. I think he 302 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 1: liked more, which is not good because they sucked. But 303 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:50,840 Speaker 1: he collected hats like trophies and size eight. That's my size. 304 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:52,159 Speaker 1: I don't know what his size was. I don't know 305 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:54,479 Speaker 1: he had a big head too, he probably had. I 306 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:57,960 Speaker 1: bet you had a size hat like me. We're hat guys. 307 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 1: The point is we're hat guys. Hat guy, wrecking hat 308 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:05,880 Speaker 1: guy kinship united by fitted caps and stubborn optimism, if 309 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:08,040 Speaker 1: you will, And there is I want to stop right there, 310 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:11,560 Speaker 1: because there is a fraternity big sexy, big guy. When 311 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:14,760 Speaker 1: you're a big guy, there's a bit of a brotherhood. 312 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:18,560 Speaker 1: You learn early how the world looks at you a 313 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 1: little different. There's that sideways look when you're a big dude. 314 00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:26,640 Speaker 1: The whisper some mean things and make some jokes at 315 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:30,240 Speaker 1: your expense. Women especially can be very cold blooded assassins 316 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:34,440 Speaker 1: with the big dudes. Yeah. So, from what I can tell, though, 317 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:39,320 Speaker 1: Brian by all accounts, handled all of the pitfalls of 318 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:43,360 Speaker 1: that with humor. Seemed like a very warm guy when 319 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 1: I met him. He was great, a big personality that 320 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 1: filled the room before his body ever did. And it 321 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:53,639 Speaker 1: was I think it was doctor Seuss. I don't know. 322 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:55,600 Speaker 1: I think all quotes are doctor Seuss, who once said, 323 00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 1: sometimes you will never know the value of a single 324 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:04,600 Speaker 1: moment until it becomes memory. And that sat with me 325 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 1: this week as I was thinking and driving around running 326 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:10,359 Speaker 1: errands for different things we've got going on with the 327 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:13,840 Speaker 1: holidays and all that, and Brian was one of those 328 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:17,480 Speaker 1: moments for me. He wasn't and from what his mom said, 329 00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:18,960 Speaker 1: it was a big thing for him too, and that's 330 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:21,760 Speaker 1: really cool and all that. It was a It's a 331 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:24,840 Speaker 1: story that I'll I'll tell forever. Someday I might write 332 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:27,639 Speaker 1: a book. I've been talking to some people about that. 333 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:31,200 Speaker 1: I had something in the works last year, didn't didn't 334 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 1: pan out. Maybe we'll do that again, and I'll definitely 335 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:38,480 Speaker 1: have to include the story of meeting Brian and the 336 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 1: eating contest and one of those zanier things that we've done. 337 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:44,720 Speaker 1: And it is proof that you never know who's listening. 338 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:49,000 Speaker 1: You know, it's really the magic. Radio's theater of the mind. 339 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:53,080 Speaker 1: And you go out, you got the bullhorn, the mega megaphone, 340 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:58,000 Speaker 1: you're just yapping away. And I point out that radio 341 00:20:58,040 --> 00:20:59,720 Speaker 1: at night just matters a little more so a little 342 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:01,640 Speaker 1: differ at night than it is. During the day. People 343 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:03,600 Speaker 1: are working, they've got stuff going on during the d 344 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 1: At night, most people, even if you're working, it just 345 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:08,560 Speaker 1: means more you by yourself. It's not a lot going on. 346 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:13,120 Speaker 1: And as I tell this story and I reminisce about 347 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:16,439 Speaker 1: the life and times of our friend Big Sexy, I 348 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:18,920 Speaker 1: did want to mention that his family has set up 349 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:24,679 Speaker 1: a GoFundMe page to help with the burial funeral expenses. 350 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:29,960 Speaker 1: Brian wasn't rich, he wasn't his guy was hustling, he 351 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:34,560 Speaker 1: was working multiple jobs. And none of us, none of 352 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:38,320 Speaker 1: us plan on checking out at that age, at age forty. 353 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:41,479 Speaker 1: So if you've got a few bucks, I hate doing 354 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:42,720 Speaker 1: this kind of stuff. But if you got a few 355 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 1: bucks and you want to do a good mitzvah, and 356 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:46,919 Speaker 1: you don't have to don't tell anyone about it. You 357 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 1: know my rant about that, you just do it, and 358 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:52,320 Speaker 1: you want to help send Big Sexy out the right way, 359 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:57,359 Speaker 1: give him a nice, a nice goodbye. The link will 360 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:00,400 Speaker 1: be and should be there right now the podcast description, 361 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:05,679 Speaker 1: and my hope that somewhere right now across the Pearly Gates, 362 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:08,320 Speaker 1: Big Sexy is. It's been in a few I know it's 363 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:10,200 Speaker 1: probably got family there and all that, but he's catching 364 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:12,840 Speaker 1: up with the other mal and Millish legends. He's probably 365 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:15,560 Speaker 1: hanging out with Parker the snow Dog right now, Parker 366 00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:20,960 Speaker 1: the mascot, the official mascot, but one of the characters 367 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:24,800 Speaker 1: with the Denver Broncos hanging out side by side there 368 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:28,280 Speaker 1: and the Great Beyond and the Boston Hater, probably telling 369 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:31,240 Speaker 1: stories about how he's so happy the Bruins and the 370 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:33,040 Speaker 1: Celtics aren't going to win the championship this year. That 371 00:22:33,359 --> 00:22:35,200 Speaker 1: Genie and Medford off to the side. There are friend 372 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:39,479 Speaker 1: Jeanie having some drinks, Jimmy Ray from Tampa Bay, Rachel 373 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:43,480 Speaker 1: and Montabello, the Great Masshole, Mickey Rick in Boston we 374 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:48,440 Speaker 1: lost years ago, John Slash Captain, Jack Namo, big fan 375 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:51,680 Speaker 1: of the show, Matt the Warrior Raider A's fan, and 376 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:56,760 Speaker 1: Tom Brady roast fan, and so many more. So rest 377 00:22:56,800 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 1: in peace to Brian Beard for us Big Sexy, and 378 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:05,320 Speaker 1: I say Big Sexy forever. We will miss getting those updates. 379 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:06,639 Speaker 1: He would check in every once in a while and 380 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:08,640 Speaker 1: give us updates on what was going on in his life. 381 00:23:08,680 --> 00:23:15,240 Speaker 1: So rest in peace there to Brian. All right, there's 382 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:18,359 Speaker 1: no really good transition. So you know, what the hell, 383 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:22,160 Speaker 1: We'll just pause and we'll turn the page. I did 384 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:25,119 Speaker 1: want to mention this. Several of you emailed me a 385 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:28,080 Speaker 1: version of this story from different sources and wanted me 386 00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:31,480 Speaker 1: to rant about it. I will do that here, and 387 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:33,240 Speaker 1: I will do this as quickly as I can. So 388 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:36,679 Speaker 1: the NBA, if you didn't see this, is exploring some 389 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:41,760 Speaker 1: new changes to try to curb tanking. Now. They have 390 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:45,080 Speaker 1: done stuff over the years that have absolutely failed to 391 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:48,680 Speaker 1: deter teams from deliberately losing games to improve their draft 392 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 1: lottery odds. So the league had presented a bunch of 393 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:55,160 Speaker 1: other rule changes during a Board of Governor's meetings, which 394 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:58,919 Speaker 1: included doing what baseball does, you limit how often you 395 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 1: can draft in the top for of the NBA draft, 396 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:03,879 Speaker 1: And they were trying to get input from team owners 397 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 1: and general managers, which I always thought is funny because 398 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:08,000 Speaker 1: these are the people that are doing it. The owners 399 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:11,359 Speaker 1: of the general managers. You're asking them for input the 400 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:13,960 Speaker 1: owners like as a board of governors and the owners, 401 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:17,200 Speaker 1: but you're asking them for help to fix a problem 402 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:19,760 Speaker 1: that they're involved in actively. So this is a good 403 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:22,959 Speaker 1: jumping off point. Let us discuss the question, what are 404 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:29,560 Speaker 1: the odds that these NBA efforts work? So again, I mean, 405 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:32,640 Speaker 1: this whole story is bizarro to me, Like they're, well, 406 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:37,240 Speaker 1: we got to change this tanking and all this and 407 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:40,600 Speaker 1: deliberately losing games which has been going on for many, 408 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:43,560 Speaker 1: many years now in the league, putting all these options 409 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:46,080 Speaker 1: out there and all that. So let me break this 410 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:48,480 Speaker 1: down for those of you, I don't know, having a 411 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:51,560 Speaker 1: cocktail or whatever. So the NBA has a whole bunch 412 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:55,160 Speaker 1: of proposals, these shining new proposals to fix tanking. They 413 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 1: have another meeting, another think tank, another promise that this 414 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:02,880 Speaker 1: tweet to the lottery or that safeguard is finally going 415 00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:06,400 Speaker 1: to save the league from itself. And I will give 416 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:13,879 Speaker 1: you the malarodds right now. Three z's, zippo, zero and zilch. 417 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:17,960 Speaker 1: And here's why we've seen this movie before, and the 418 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:21,879 Speaker 1: ending never changes. The league keeps trying to treat a 419 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:29,240 Speaker 1: cultural systemic disease with policy band aids. You cannot rewrite 420 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:35,000 Speaker 1: the rule book in crayon inc. I mean you can 421 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:36,879 Speaker 1: write it in grant inc Or a gold leaf. I 422 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 1: don't care. It doesn't matter. The behavior does not change, 423 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:42,920 Speaker 1: It will not change. Now listen, I'm not a pilot. 424 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:46,880 Speaker 1: I did recently stay at a holiday and express and 425 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 1: here's what I know. When the plane you're flying is 426 00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:55,320 Speaker 1: losing altitude, getting into an argument about the seat cushions 427 00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:58,919 Speaker 1: is not going to fix it. You feel me on 428 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:03,919 Speaker 1: that the end is in a nosedive of selective effort. 429 00:26:05,359 --> 00:26:07,919 Speaker 1: They know they have a problem, They know they have 430 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:13,200 Speaker 1: a problem, except they keep acting surprised by the gravity. 431 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 1: It's like you combine tanking with load management and you've 432 00:26:18,520 --> 00:26:22,760 Speaker 1: got double mint gum logic. It's the double whammy, is 433 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:25,600 Speaker 1: what it is. It's the double whammy, double your pleasure, 434 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 1: double your fun, except the pleasure belongs to front offices, 435 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:35,640 Speaker 1: and the fun is watching fans slowly drift away like balloons. 436 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:41,280 Speaker 1: I know from boots on the ground doing the Overnight show, 437 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:45,040 Speaker 1: just how bad it is, like the level of interest. 438 00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:48,000 Speaker 1: People lose their mind when I do an NBA monologue 439 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 1: because they just don't care about the regular season. Because 440 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:53,919 Speaker 1: these are people that did care about the regular season 441 00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:57,840 Speaker 1: and year after year of serving up this slop covered 442 00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:01,480 Speaker 1: in maggots, and they don't want to watch anymore, right, 443 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:04,320 Speaker 1: I mean, these fans drifting with it's like balloons being 444 00:27:04,359 --> 00:27:08,240 Speaker 1: let go to a kid's birthday party. It's roster malpractice 445 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:12,639 Speaker 1: meets calendar fraud. On one side, Yeah, you got teams 446 00:27:12,680 --> 00:27:17,160 Speaker 1: losing on purpose to win tomorrow. Okay. The other is 447 00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 1: sitting perfectly healthy star players today because they might get 448 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:23,480 Speaker 1: hurt out of an abundance of caution to protect them 449 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:28,360 Speaker 1: for tomorrow. Now, it's different excuses. It's the same result, 450 00:27:28,640 --> 00:27:32,720 Speaker 1: worst basketball tonight, and the league keeps pretending these are 451 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:38,520 Speaker 1: separate issues. Spoiler alert, spoiler alert, they're not. They are 452 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:44,520 Speaker 1: not at all all right, So just don't even go there, Like, 453 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:49,120 Speaker 1: why are you bothering to go there? It's the same deal. 454 00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 1: You're just you're in denial. They're not. Tanking and load 455 00:27:53,720 --> 00:28:01,240 Speaker 1: management are brothers from different mothers. It's same DNA, same excuses, 456 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:05,680 Speaker 1: same smug tone. Well, you just don't understand the science 457 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:09,119 Speaker 1: when they explain it to you, like you're a toddler 458 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:12,080 Speaker 1: with a juice box and you want to slap some 459 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:14,679 Speaker 1: of these people across the head. This stuff did not 460 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 1: sneak into the league overnight. It was imported. It was 461 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:24,480 Speaker 1: I know, the whole family tree. I've done the family 462 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:28,840 Speaker 1: tree test. I've looked at that the forefather of modern 463 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:33,760 Speaker 1: load management. I know who it is, Greg Popovich, David Stern, 464 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:35,960 Speaker 1: the commissioner. To try to stop it, Popovich sent a 465 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:38,400 Speaker 1: bunch of people back. I think there was Orlando to 466 00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:40,680 Speaker 1: Miami or Miami to Orlando. I remember it was from 467 00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:46,240 Speaker 1: Orlando to San Antonio. Southwest Airlines. A couple of Spurs 468 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 1: stars went on a Southwest Airlines flight back to San 469 00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:52,880 Speaker 1: Antonio and David Stern. It was a TNT game. David 470 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:54,920 Speaker 1: Stern lost his mind. So you can't do that. That's 471 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:57,200 Speaker 1: bad for our product. Gotta play him, so you find 472 00:28:57,200 --> 00:28:59,160 Speaker 1: the Spurs much money. And then a bunch of bleeding 473 00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:03,160 Speaker 1: heart writers. Oh, I defend the Spurs. You know, trust 474 00:29:03,160 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 1: the science and all that stuff. But Papovich, the proud 475 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:11,560 Speaker 1: papa of that and the forefather of the modern tank. 476 00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:13,000 Speaker 1: The tanking has been going on for a while, but 477 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:15,520 Speaker 1: the guy credited with taking it to the next level, 478 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:20,200 Speaker 1: Sam Hinky, that little weasel. Trust the process from the 479 00:29:20,200 --> 00:29:25,360 Speaker 1: seventy six ers. Those guys carefully cultivated, watered, fertilized these things. 480 00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:29,600 Speaker 1: They are an invasive species. And once an invasive species 481 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:32,840 Speaker 1: takes hold, it doesn't care about your little rules. It 482 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:36,680 Speaker 1: adapts it spreads, it eats the ecosystem alive, and that's 483 00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:39,840 Speaker 1: what's happening. That's the part the NBA doesn't want to admit. 484 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:43,560 Speaker 1: They don't. You can't nudge your way out of this. 485 00:29:44,120 --> 00:29:48,840 Speaker 1: You can't softly encourage competitiveness and asking the people who 486 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:52,480 Speaker 1: are providing the illness to solve the illness doesn't make 487 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:54,640 Speaker 1: a lot of sense to me. You need consequences, You 488 00:29:54,680 --> 00:30:00,720 Speaker 1: need embarrassment, You need shame, because shame. Back in the day, shame, 489 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:03,960 Speaker 1: shame where the shame belt. It used to be the 490 00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:08,440 Speaker 1: guardrail that there was generation after generation where you lost games. 491 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:11,600 Speaker 1: You were embarrassing. People look down upon you, and you 492 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:15,479 Speaker 1: were you were the ugly, redheaded step child, right. They 493 00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:18,920 Speaker 1: picked on you, they told jokes, and you wanted to win. 494 00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:24,680 Speaker 1: And there was a time when sitting meant something that 495 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:27,920 Speaker 1: it wasn't good. Now everything is fair. Well, we're smart, 496 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:30,120 Speaker 1: we have the smartest minds. We went to an IVY 497 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:34,760 Speaker 1: league and you didn't dumby dumb dunum dum dum. Strategic losing, 498 00:30:34,840 --> 00:30:41,080 Speaker 1: strategic resting, strategic surrender. It's all cowardly. It's cowardice wrapped 499 00:30:41,080 --> 00:30:46,440 Speaker 1: in analytics. And you can say and do anything in sports, 500 00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:49,560 Speaker 1: and you just claim it's the analytics and nobody ever 501 00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:52,920 Speaker 1: is allowed to question it. Somewhere along the way this 502 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:57,160 Speaker 1: became cool. I'm not sure why now the league in 503 00:30:57,200 --> 00:31:01,120 Speaker 1: the NBA keeps selling us the idea, idea that fans 504 00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:05,840 Speaker 1: just they don't understand. They're low assuming they're low IQ 505 00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:10,280 Speaker 1: they understand perfectly. They know. The fan knows when a 506 00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:16,120 Speaker 1: lineup looks like a preseason scrimmage in March or April. 507 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:21,320 Speaker 1: They know when stars are magically unavailable for load management reasons. 508 00:31:21,880 --> 00:31:28,680 Speaker 1: Rest fans are not confused. They are insulted that they 509 00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:32,280 Speaker 1: give their most important thing, their time, most valuable thing. 510 00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:37,240 Speaker 1: There's also some money, which is nothing. And the problem 511 00:31:37,280 --> 00:31:42,320 Speaker 1: is insulted fans. They don't riot. They might complain a 512 00:31:42,360 --> 00:31:45,440 Speaker 1: little bit online, but they don't complain that much. They disengage, 513 00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:50,600 Speaker 1: they stop watching, they stop caring as much. That's the 514 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:53,160 Speaker 1: real danger here, and that's why the NBA is trying 515 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:56,200 Speaker 1: to fix this. The toothpaste is out of the tube. 516 00:31:57,040 --> 00:32:01,880 Speaker 1: It's not tanking records, it's not draft odds. That's the problem. 517 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:07,880 Speaker 1: It's the a word apathy. This is the as bestis 518 00:32:08,040 --> 00:32:11,800 Speaker 1: of basketball warning label. Handle with care, you don't feel 519 00:32:11,840 --> 00:32:14,840 Speaker 1: the damage right away. You breathe it in for years, 520 00:32:14,840 --> 00:32:17,440 Speaker 1: you're fine, and then one day you wake up and 521 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:22,520 Speaker 1: wonder why your building is collapsing. That's where the NBA 522 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:26,840 Speaker 1: is headed. If it keeps pretending that this is harmless 523 00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:29,960 Speaker 1: and don't tell me more rules will fix it. We 524 00:32:30,120 --> 00:32:35,480 Speaker 1: tried lottery reform, We've tried flattened odds. We've tried incentives. 525 00:32:35,520 --> 00:32:38,760 Speaker 1: Well they have not I and the teams just find 526 00:32:38,760 --> 00:32:42,480 Speaker 1: new loopholes. The nerds go to Dorkville and they figure 527 00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:46,160 Speaker 1: stuff out. They use new vocabulary, new ways to lose 528 00:32:46,240 --> 00:32:50,360 Speaker 1: without losing. It's like whack a mole. You're blindfold they're 529 00:32:50,360 --> 00:32:52,960 Speaker 1: planning whack them mole. Every time you smack one issue, 530 00:32:52,960 --> 00:32:56,360 Speaker 1: another pops up, wearing a lab coat and calling itself innovation. 531 00:32:56,920 --> 00:32:59,920 Speaker 1: We are innovators. If you want real change, make come 532 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:05,440 Speaker 1: competition matter. Make competition fashionable again, where you're shamed for losing. 533 00:33:05,720 --> 00:33:12,440 Speaker 1: Make effort non negotiable, and hard work celebrated. Not treating 534 00:33:12,440 --> 00:33:14,440 Speaker 1: your job like you're working at the DMV doing the 535 00:33:14,440 --> 00:33:17,600 Speaker 1: bare minimum. Okay, you have some government job where you 536 00:33:17,600 --> 00:33:21,480 Speaker 1: don't have to work hard. Make it uncool to intentionally 537 00:33:21,520 --> 00:33:25,520 Speaker 1: lose games make it uncomfortable to sit healthy stars, and 538 00:33:26,040 --> 00:33:30,600 Speaker 1: I would advise offering full refunds, full refunds if star 539 00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:35,160 Speaker 1: players don't play, just do it. Give the option. Now, 540 00:33:35,160 --> 00:33:39,360 Speaker 1: they'll never do that because that costs the money, you know, 541 00:33:39,520 --> 00:33:45,120 Speaker 1: just embarrassed. Embarrassment would be big. Stop playing, scared, Stop coaching, scared, 542 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:49,080 Speaker 1: stop running a league. Scared because right now the NBA owners, 543 00:33:51,680 --> 00:33:54,400 Speaker 1: the way they operate the league itself, they act like 544 00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:59,000 Speaker 1: they're afraid of their own shadow, and they're scared. Adam 545 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:05,080 Speaker 1: Silver that league, the product here that they produced, it's 546 00:34:05,120 --> 00:34:09,840 Speaker 1: scared basketball, and scared basketball is how a global sport 547 00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:14,600 Speaker 1: turns into background noise. And you gotta fix it, and 548 00:34:14,719 --> 00:34:17,480 Speaker 1: I hope it happens. I love talking about the NBA. 549 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:19,520 Speaker 1: Back in the day. I used to talk about the 550 00:34:19,560 --> 00:34:21,640 Speaker 1: regular season all the time this time of the year 551 00:34:22,200 --> 00:34:26,000 Speaker 1: until the NFL playoffs get going, and these days hardly 552 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:27,920 Speaker 1: mentioned the NBA. And I'll bring it up when the 553 00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:30,840 Speaker 1: playoffs come around because I assume there'll be no tanking 554 00:34:30,880 --> 00:34:33,759 Speaker 1: in the playoffs and there'll be nobody resting their star 555 00:34:33,840 --> 00:34:35,680 Speaker 1: players in the playoffs. When that happens, I won't talk 556 00:34:35,719 --> 00:34:38,919 Speaker 1: about that either. On that note, enjoy the football today, 557 00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:42,239 Speaker 1: have a great Saturday. We thank you for supporting the podcast, 558 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:44,480 Speaker 1: myself and Danny G. Hope you had a great Christmas 559 00:34:44,480 --> 00:34:50,160 Speaker 1: and New Year's coming up. And later skater Osta pasta 560 00:34:51,360 --> 00:34:51,920 Speaker 1: my folation