1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to the best of the Ben Mahler 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:06,199 Speaker 1: Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weeknight 3 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 1: from two to six Eastern eleven pm to three am 4 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:13,040 Speaker 1: Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and to find your local 5 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:17,280 Speaker 1: station for the Benmatlers Show at Foxsports Radio dot Com. 6 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: You can find it there or stream us live every 7 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: night on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR. 8 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 2: This is the best of the Ben Maler Show on 9 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 2: Fox Sports Radio. 10 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:35,200 Speaker 1: We're back at it again here as we burn the 11 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 1: midnight oil and then some fighting tooth and nail the 12 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 1: never ending battle in the audio sweatshop of talk. Right 13 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:47,199 Speaker 1: here is we try to reach the Promised Land. I 14 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 1: don't know what that is doing overnight radio, but our 15 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 1: lead this hour is from the NBA. As the boys, 16 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 1: they played so many games the first half of the 17 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: NBA season, they never took a day off, so they 18 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: need that long All Star break. And I always look 19 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: forward to this part of the calendar because the NBA 20 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 1: believe they were zoom activities later on Thursday. And I 21 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 1: will predict right now, and I'm never wrong, never wrong 22 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 1: about this. As a distant relative of Noster Damas and 23 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: friend of Noster Dinas. Although we were enemies during the 24 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 1: Super Bowl, I think we're back being friends now that 25 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:21,679 Speaker 1: I will guarantee you there will be multiple players when 26 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 1: the NBA comes back that rest for load management after 27 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 1: just having this long All Star break. I love that, man? 28 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:31,320 Speaker 1: Do I love that? Well? The AMBA doesn't even need games. 29 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:34,759 Speaker 1: They don't The games get in the way of the stories. 30 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: And for us, it's all about the stories. And I 31 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:40,040 Speaker 1: think you'd agree. And what a great one this is. 32 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:43,280 Speaker 1: So our lead is from pro Bouncy Baldy plus a 33 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 1: La No. Kevin Durant, a Hall of Fame player, has 34 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: been caught up in a social media brew ha ha, 35 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 1: which is just such the perfect story for the zeitgeist 36 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 1: that we're in these days. So Durant was at about 37 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: the happy Bara in the room. If you have not 38 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:10,080 Speaker 1: been paying attention, well, Durant was outed over the All 39 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: Star Break in LA as being a burn guy. We 40 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:19,520 Speaker 1: know that he has had burner accounts, He's been open 41 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:25,080 Speaker 1: about it. Well, some Internet sleuth found out Durant's burner 42 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:30,160 Speaker 1: account and it was not the greatest, trashing people he 43 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:32,959 Speaker 1: works with and he was bearing certain people and it 44 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 1: didn't play well in Peoria. It did not, so the 45 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 1: Rockets got back to work. They were practicing on Wednesday. 46 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 1: Durant was asked about the copy bar in the room 47 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 1: if he didn't hear what he had to say. We 48 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: got the audio. Let's go to the audio tape. Take 49 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: a listen. I know you got to ask these questions, 50 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 1: but I'm not here to getting a twitter nonsense. Sometimes 51 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:56,080 Speaker 1: here to focus on the season, keep a pushing on. 52 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: But I know I get you to answer those questions. 53 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,079 Speaker 3: Is we've been locked down? The host enjoyed R. 54 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 1: Brydon had a great practice today looking forward at the 55 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: road trip. Oh it's so good. All right, So if 56 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 1: you didn't pay attention to Durant, who almost never goes 57 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 1: by the book, He's never by the book. Guy, like 58 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 1: by the book guy? Is you know, I know you 59 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: have to ask these questions, but but you know, I'll 60 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,519 Speaker 1: keep keep it on the season, you know, and we're 61 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 1: locked in. You know those are cliches, those are sports cliches. 62 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:33,680 Speaker 1: So so great that last part, the generic response that 63 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: we're locked in the whole season and all that, that 64 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: is a good jumping off point for us. So let 65 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 1: us discuss the question, how do you categorize The Rockets 66 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 1: star Kevin Durant and his response when outed for having 67 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 1: a burner account. Do we have to say allegations at 68 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 1: this point? I guess I don't know. We canna get 69 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 1: sued for that, do we? I guess we'll say it no, 70 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 1: only get sued. So how do you categorize Kevin Durant 71 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 1: of the Rockets and what you just are there? His 72 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: response to the burner account allegations. I've got FBI World 73 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: Tour and Tug of War and we will combine all 74 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 1: of these things together, and we are going to crush grapes, 75 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:19,520 Speaker 1: is what we're going to do. And speaking of grapes, 76 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 1: are there sour grapes on this story? So my first 77 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:28,040 Speaker 1: thought here a Kevin Durant not just the slim Reaper 78 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:34,479 Speaker 1: which he hates, he's the digital ghost. What is the 79 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 1: difference between Kevin Durant and you know, Ferg Dog or 80 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 1: Alf the Alien of Pineer or the late night drug tester. 81 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 1: These are all guys that have Burner accounts? Like, how 82 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 1: do I know those guys aren't NBA superstars? These are 83 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 1: key members in the upper echelonne of the Mallard Militia. 84 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 1: They're sworn foot soldiers in the Mallard militia. How do 85 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 1: we know that those cats are not some of the 86 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 1: big NBA guys, Kevin Durant, For all I know, maloprop 87 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 1: guy's Kevin Durant. I don't know, neither do you. But 88 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 1: I do love the fact that the rocket star here 89 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:13,080 Speaker 1: KD pulled the classic what it's not tool time, it's 90 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 1: I call it the towel time maneuver, the towel towel 91 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:20,159 Speaker 1: time maneuver. He literally had a towel that he kept 92 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 1: putting over his mouth, and it looked like a witness 93 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: at a mob trial, mumbling, you know, twitter nonsense. He 94 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 1: covered his mouth dead give what dead? FBI handbook online. Uh, 95 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:36,839 Speaker 1: I've met. I've quoted this a lot over the years, 96 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 1: way too much. They should pay me. I quoted so much. 97 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 1: This is the classic mouth cover move. And according to 98 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 1: that guideline the people that study body language, the body's 99 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: natural instinct to stop a lie from escaping the lips 100 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:57,200 Speaker 1: is to cover the mouth. And KD keep in mind, 101 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 1: he didn't deny that he had then account. He didn't 102 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 1: plead the fifth He just again he called it for 103 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: those of you in the back of the room, he 104 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 1: called it Twitter nonsense. So that is a deflection smoother 105 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:13,599 Speaker 1: than his mid range game back in the day for 106 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 1: KD so and caught red handed, red handed here, and 107 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 1: this time he's trashing his own Rockets teammates Alfred Sengoun 108 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:29,360 Speaker 1: among those that were taking the heat from from Durant. Now, 109 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:34,480 Speaker 1: the smart money says, for every burner account that Internet 110 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:39,720 Speaker 1: sleuth guy finds, for every burner account the Internet investigator finds, 111 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 1: we are going to have five more multiplying like rabbits 112 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 1: in the shadows. I'm telling you he's a secret agent 113 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 1: and he's got the Nike gearon and all that. Kevin Durant. Now, meanwhile, 114 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 1: we speaking of Nike, we walk a tight rope. We 115 00:06:56,839 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: go to Cleveland, where it is an open secret that 116 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:06,239 Speaker 1: King James would like to go back to his native land. 117 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 1: Now there's no team in Akron. The closest team is 118 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 1: in Cleveland, and Lebron would like to go back there 119 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:16,120 Speaker 1: and put the finishing touches and say goodbye to the NBA. 120 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 1: And that's been out there. It's Lebron confidants have been 121 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 1: spreading that information round. I wonder how upset the Lebron 122 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 1: toadies are that follow Lebron from city to city. I 123 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 1: had pretty good there. Yeah, we're in Cleveland, but they 124 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 1: went to Miami, went back to Cleveland, and then out 125 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 1: in LA. Now they're going to go back one more 126 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 1: time to follow Lebron. Now the story, the latest on 127 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 1: this is it's not that easy because if Lebron goes 128 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 1: back to Cleveland, and in order to do it, he 129 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:54,800 Speaker 1: would have to play at a discount. MG O MG 130 00:07:55,760 --> 00:08:01,080 Speaker 1: we've learned now the Cavaliers, based on their current fiscal situation, 131 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 1: are only able to offer Lebron a minimum contract. Gad Zugary, 132 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 1: Dad Zugari, you say so, question, would Lebron James take 133 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 1: less to play one final season and then retire in Cleveland? 134 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:24,680 Speaker 1: So I'm gonna nod my head, yes, I'm gonna nod 135 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 1: my head yes on this. Now, depending on who you believe, 136 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 1: Lebron is worth anywhere from one billion to one point 137 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 1: three billion, not that I think there's much of a 138 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 1: difference between one billion and one point three billion. He's 139 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 1: got enough money, based on a minutes long mall of investigation, 140 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 1: to buy the state of Ohio times three, or, as 141 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: our friend Dick and Dayton says, the sovereign nation of Ohio. 142 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 1: He can buy it three times. He's gonna you think 143 00:08:55,280 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 1: he's gonna haggle, Lebron's gonna haggle over a couple of bucks. 144 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:04,120 Speaker 1: He has said, I understand what he said, right. Lebron said, 145 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 1: I ain't taking a dime less and all that stuff. 146 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:08,679 Speaker 1: It's a no go if I don't get what I 147 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 1: want and all that. And he has said that. However, 148 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 1: those are just words. They're just words, and I would 149 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:19,160 Speaker 1: advise not to be a prisoner of the moment. When 150 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:24,559 Speaker 1: push comes to shove. It's almost impossible to turn down 151 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 1: the type of massage, a very timboo deep massage that 152 00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:33,679 Speaker 1: Lebron would get. We're talking about the stroking of an 153 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:37,560 Speaker 1: oversized ego for the ages. You think we've seen the 154 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 1: wildest retirement tours, and I've been in the last fifteen years. 155 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:45,520 Speaker 1: We've seen some legendary players retire and have their ass 156 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:50,760 Speaker 1: kissed all over the place. Well, Lebron would be a 157 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 1: much sugarna to not take advantage of that. We know 158 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 1: the man is the king of the ego, King James 159 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:03,080 Speaker 1: Ego and Cleveland. They'll futz around, they'll do some Enron 160 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 1: level accounting, they'll dig up some extra cash, they'll they'll 161 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 1: sell some property if they have to. But think about 162 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:16,200 Speaker 1: one more season for all the marbles, Lebron's retirement season 163 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:20,679 Speaker 1: in Cleveland, and it would be a toe licking world tour. 164 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 1: You think that Taylor Swift tour was impressive, how about 165 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 1: a toe licking Lebron world tour for the Ages to 166 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:33,680 Speaker 1: the Moon, a victory lap, squaring the circle. Lebron would 167 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 1: square the circle and he would put the calves obviously 168 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:43,559 Speaker 1: in a different bracket next year, with Spider Mitchell side 169 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:46,400 Speaker 1: by side. And it's not about the back. He's already 170 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:48,880 Speaker 1: got the back the bag to bag the bag. It's 171 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 1: not even about the box office, although it is about 172 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 1: the movie box office, because I would think Lebron is 173 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 1: going to make a movie that he'll probably promote and 174 00:10:57,080 --> 00:11:00,920 Speaker 1: pay for himself about Lebron, because nobody loves Lebron more 175 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:05,800 Speaker 1: than Lebron, and it'll be that career arc of Lebron 176 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:08,520 Speaker 1: James and all that. And you need that final scene. 177 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:12,520 Speaker 1: You need that final scene in the movie before you 178 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 1: fade the black and you start rolling the credits. And 179 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: so Lebron goes back to Cleveland. They win the championship, 180 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 1: and there you go. Let's get all the accolades and 181 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 1: bye bye, bye bye until he buys a team in 182 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 1: the NBA. Now, last word, we head now from Cleveland 183 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:39,320 Speaker 1: to Milwaukee. If you thought the Yannis trade chatter was 184 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:45,160 Speaker 1: over because the trade deadline is done, you are wrong. 185 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:47,719 Speaker 1: You're wrong. No, no, no, it's still wrong. Grannis a 186 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:52,160 Speaker 1: dent to Coombo feeding the content kitty over the All 187 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:54,400 Speaker 1: Star break. He did a recent interview with a TV 188 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:58,640 Speaker 1: channel I've never heard of, where he again flirted with 189 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 1: leaving the Bucks the silver Tongue Devil Janni Identic Cumbo, 190 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:08,199 Speaker 1: stating that he'd possibly have left already if it was 191 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 1: up to him. He then said, I don't know if 192 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:14,480 Speaker 1: I'll leave. It's not up to me. If it was 193 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:20,920 Speaker 1: up to me, Yannis said, maybe I already would have left. Yeah, 194 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 1: he stated, in a year and a half, when I 195 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:27,360 Speaker 1: can become a free agent at thirty two, it will 196 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 1: be up to me. Close quote. All right, there's the 197 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 1: that's the quote. So let's parse the words. Question. Can 198 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 1: you make sense? Can you make sense of where this 199 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:45,199 Speaker 1: Yannis Dentic Cumbo story is going? Well, I hope it's 200 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 1: going towards a knuckle sandwich because this is a little much. 201 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 1: This is a little much. Yeah, you've changed. Jannis is 202 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 1: doing the diva dance with a side of cheese. Kurds 203 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:57,840 Speaker 1: is what he's doing here. He's gone from the aw 204 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:03,160 Speaker 1: shocks humble kid, just happy to be here, to a 205 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:09,640 Speaker 1: certified gold plated whiner right faster than a deer hitting 206 00:13:09,679 --> 00:13:13,680 Speaker 1: the windshield on I forty three. He's playing the don't 207 00:13:13,880 --> 00:13:18,719 Speaker 1: blame me game well at the same time balancing on 208 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:21,840 Speaker 1: a seesaw made out of broughtworst. That's what he's doing here. 209 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:25,959 Speaker 1: One minute, Giannis is waxing poetic about how his kids 210 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:28,640 Speaker 1: were born in the Cream City and his I believe 211 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:30,680 Speaker 1: his father's buried there and all this, and the next 212 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:34,559 Speaker 1: he's basically checking Zillow and seeing, I wonder what that 213 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 1: condo on the eighty seventh floor in Miami would go for. 214 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:42,240 Speaker 1: The penthouse condo there, I wonder what that would go for. 215 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:47,079 Speaker 1: So this is the NBA's tug of war. When you're 216 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 1: a star, there's never enough said, right, There's never enough said. 217 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:55,920 Speaker 1: And on one hand, giannisident to Coombo, wants loyalty, the 218 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:59,800 Speaker 1: loyalty of the dairy land Lifer wants that loyalty of 219 00:13:59,840 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 1: sleazy cheese in that crowd, but the exit strategy he 220 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:07,319 Speaker 1: wants to have as well, of like the Hollywood star 221 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:09,600 Speaker 1: that he wants that as well. So it's it's emotional 222 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:14,520 Speaker 1: blackmail with Wisconsin accent, right, and oh. 223 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:15,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, I want a ring. 224 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 1: It's like the ultimate I want to win a ring. 225 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 1: We already want to ring in Milwaukee. So you've already 226 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 1: proven you can win in Milwaukee. If a bunch of 227 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 1: other people get hurt, you can win in Milwaukee. And 228 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 1: so he wants he wants another ring. He wants the loyalty, 229 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 1: and he also wants to have the option of exiting 230 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:36,280 Speaker 1: on the off ramp. There. He wants the off ramp. 231 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:37,840 Speaker 3: And all of that, all of that. 232 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:40,400 Speaker 2: Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Meller 233 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:43,920 Speaker 2: Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific on 234 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:47,000 Speaker 2: Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. 235 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:51,240 Speaker 3: Fox Sports Radio is taking over YouTube and you can 236 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 3: be a part of it. 237 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:55,240 Speaker 2: Just go to YouTube and search Fox Sports Radio, hit 238 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:58,960 Speaker 2: that subscribe button and smash that notification bell and catch 239 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:00,880 Speaker 2: all the videos from your favorite shows. 240 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:03,600 Speaker 3: Tim Pro's and a Cup of Joe, Dan Patrick. 241 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:05,960 Speaker 2: Colin Coward, Doug Gottlieb Cavino, w and Rich, The Odd 242 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 2: Couple with Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington, The Jason Smith 243 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 2: Show with Mike Harmon, and The Ben Maller Show. 244 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 3: Fox Sports Radio on YouTube. 245 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 1: Subscribe, hit that thumbs up icon and comment away. So 246 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:23,240 Speaker 1: our lead this hour is from baseball, and the World 247 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:27,120 Speaker 1: Baseball Classic is around the corner. The people that Major 248 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: League Baseball hope you watch that they plan on piggybacking 249 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 1: off the Olympics. The Winter Olympics is that will wind 250 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 1: down soon and then the World Baseball Classic will start up. 251 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 1: In the meantime. The only real stories that are coming 252 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 1: out of spring training are people getting hurt and complaining 253 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 1: about the other side. The players are complaining about the owners. 254 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 1: The owners are complaining about the players, and you are 255 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:55,680 Speaker 1: in the middle. Now the latest we go to Cleveland. 256 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:58,880 Speaker 1: We'll start out there Cleveland spring training camp in the 257 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 1: Cactus League, where the rhetoric is getting cranked up for 258 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:07,080 Speaker 1: baseball's civil war. And if you've not been following the 259 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:10,120 Speaker 1: latest development, so the Cleveland baseball team, which is named 260 00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:13,360 Speaker 1: after a bridge that it changed their name, the Wolkester's 261 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:16,720 Speaker 1: demanded they changed their name, and so the Wolkester's won 262 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:23,640 Speaker 1: and the team's called the Guardians, named after a bridge anyway, 263 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:26,640 Speaker 1: that's what they're named after, the Guardian Bridge in Cleveland. 264 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:31,480 Speaker 1: So the GM, Mike Churnoff, I believe is the gentleman's name. 265 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:36,240 Speaker 1: And he explained this week the importance of scouting and 266 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 1: development for the Cleveland baseball team given the financial constraints, 267 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: a real hardship story here. He said that quote, we 268 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:47,280 Speaker 1: can't meaning as a small market team, we can't sign 269 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:52,120 Speaker 1: top tier free agents. It's just impossible with the economic 270 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 1: landscape in baseball. Booooooo, the GM said, Now this comes 271 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 1: days after the most powerful man in baseball. You know 272 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:04,920 Speaker 1: who the most powerful man in baseball is? No, it's 273 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:09,000 Speaker 1: not Rob Manford, No, no, no, Scott Boris. Scott Boris 274 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:11,200 Speaker 1: is the guy's name. So the agent, now, Scott Boris 275 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:17,160 Speaker 1: explained that every MLB team can afford one to two 276 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:21,720 Speaker 1: top level free agents. Said everyone. And that is a 277 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 1: good jumping off point. So let us discuss the question. 278 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:28,280 Speaker 1: You've got the Guardian GM again, Mike Churnoff, I believe 279 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:32,520 Speaker 1: it's the gentleman's name who says it's just impossible. It 280 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:36,760 Speaker 1: is just impossible with the economic landscape to sign top 281 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:42,520 Speaker 1: free agents. Would you translate all of this these cryptic 282 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:46,240 Speaker 1: messages for the regular guy. So I've got my observations, 283 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:54,120 Speaker 1: jumpbo sized junior high school, and three stooges, and we'll 284 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:57,400 Speaker 1: combine these together. Will go and put them in order 285 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:00,240 Speaker 1: and play Connect three. And I have never loved lost 286 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 1: Connect three. I don't lose Connect three. I'm not planning 287 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 1: on losing Connect three right now. I'm certainly not gonna 288 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:10,239 Speaker 1: lose to you. That's not gonna happen. Now, let's see here, 289 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 1: number wa I said, number one number all right. So 290 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 1: the GM guy Mike churn off the Cleveland GM again, 291 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:26,960 Speaker 1: saying it's impossible. It's impossible to add a big name 292 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:30,560 Speaker 1: free agent. It's like they're trying to split the atom. 293 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:36,680 Speaker 1: It is, ah, my god, it's impossible. It's my god. 294 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:40,800 Speaker 1: And to that, I stretch, and I yawn. I stretch. 295 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 1: I said, come on, well, you waiting for that Eureka 296 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:47,080 Speaker 1: moment playing the small market card from the bottom of 297 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 1: the deck, right, And this is jumbo sized propaganda. You 298 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 1: don't have to go up to you know, thirty thousand 299 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:57,680 Speaker 1: feet and look down you don't need a telescope to 300 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:02,040 Speaker 1: look up. It's jumbo sized propag and it's weaponized poverty, 301 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:08,040 Speaker 1: and they're lining it up. It's the battle for the hearts, minds, 302 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 1: and souls of the consumers that people that care about baseball, 303 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 1: and that would be you unless you don't really care 304 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:17,280 Speaker 1: about baseball, and then you don't matter, no hard feelings. 305 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:21,359 Speaker 1: So this is all pre lockout nonsense. It's a SOB 306 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:27,080 Speaker 1: story tour every sad sack team in baseball. It happens 307 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:34,720 Speaker 1: every labor negotiation, everyone, everyone, And I was there, I 308 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:37,040 Speaker 1: mean as a young young lad back in the day 309 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:41,119 Speaker 1: when they lost an entire postseason. There was no World 310 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 1: Series in the nineties one year because of a workstoppage 311 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:47,639 Speaker 1: that happened and swallowed up the season. In the beginning 312 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:50,520 Speaker 1: of the following season, they even had replacement players. It 313 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:53,359 Speaker 1: was a big mess back in the day. And this 314 00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 1: kind of stuff, the war of words, happens now. The 315 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:03,119 Speaker 1: owner of the Cleveland baseball team, the Dolan family, Paul Dolan, 316 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:08,360 Speaker 1: is worth four or five billion, depending on where you look, 317 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:12,200 Speaker 1: and either way that's pretty good. Either way, that's pretty good. 318 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:16,359 Speaker 1: And so we're supposed to believe here that they just 319 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:20,240 Speaker 1: have no path to even adding one free agent in Cleveland. 320 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:24,080 Speaker 1: And it's all just more grumbling about the boogeyman, who 321 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:30,520 Speaker 1: the Boogeyman, the big blue boogeymon, all the Dodgers, the 322 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 1: evil Dodgers, right, they're distorting everything. Oh my god, it's 323 00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:41,439 Speaker 1: so great. God is it great? You all hate the Dodgers. 324 00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:45,880 Speaker 1: It's too hard, it's too doll my god. They're wicked. 325 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:50,440 Speaker 1: The Dodgers are wicked. And to that, I say, bravo. 326 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:54,640 Speaker 1: You have just outed yourself. You've stepped out of the closet. 327 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:58,440 Speaker 1: You're a loser, complete and total loser. You have no 328 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 1: fighting spirit, no fighting spirit, and you know, just sit 329 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:09,240 Speaker 1: there like a scared turtle. Scared turtle. Right. So major 330 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 1: League Baseball right now is ratcheting up the rhetoric here. 331 00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 1: And what are we supposed to have a GoFundMe for 332 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:19,160 Speaker 1: the boys at the yacht club? Is that what we're 333 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:20,960 Speaker 1: supposed to do here, the owners at the yacht club? 334 00:21:21,119 --> 00:21:23,119 Speaker 1: Is that how we do this here? And so you 335 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:27,280 Speaker 1: the fan, you buy the merch, you buy the tickets, 336 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:32,760 Speaker 1: and you hand them, you hand them your time. Most 337 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:35,800 Speaker 1: valuable thing you have is your time and they give 338 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: you a flea ridden roster. So I believe it is 339 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:43,440 Speaker 1: not impossible to add a free agent if you're a 340 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:47,760 Speaker 1: team like Cleveland. It is just inconvenient. And rich dudes 341 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:52,280 Speaker 1: hate being inconvenience. They can't stand it. So rather than 342 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:56,800 Speaker 1: be inconvenience, they'll just convince dumb people that they need 343 00:21:56,920 --> 00:21:59,399 Speaker 1: to have a salar recap right. And these are the 344 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:03,560 Speaker 1: same people who if their boss said, listen, we were 345 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:06,639 Speaker 1: going to cut your salary, would you be okay with that? 346 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:10,440 Speaker 1: Would you just okay? Sure? Why not? No, you shouldn't 347 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 1: be now Page two, keeping the drum beat going of 348 00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:17,120 Speaker 1: the Hour of Discontent here on the Ben Malor Show. 349 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:20,880 Speaker 1: So the question is this, do you have any advice? 350 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:24,680 Speaker 1: Do you have any advice for the robber barons of 351 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:31,239 Speaker 1: baseball to win this labor dispute against the player? Now 352 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:33,879 Speaker 1: we'll be talking about this for the next year and 353 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:35,760 Speaker 1: a half. I don't want to spend all of my 354 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:39,639 Speaker 1: bullets on this, but I'll spend some bullets on this 355 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:42,240 Speaker 1: today because I think it's interesting considering all of the 356 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:44,879 Speaker 1: stories that are bouncing around here, and the bar is 357 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:47,200 Speaker 1: pretty low. The bar is pretty low. But do you 358 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 1: have any advice. Now, if you have paid attention in 359 00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 1: previous episodes of this show, you know I am on 360 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 1: the side of no cap. I am a no capper, 361 00:22:56,560 --> 00:23:00,280 Speaker 1: no capper. I believe in no cap. And while I 362 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:05,520 Speaker 1: find many of these pompous, coddled, spoiled Braddy baseball players annoying, 363 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 1: I still support them. I still support them. Now, what 364 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:13,040 Speaker 1: would it take for me to do a one eighty? 365 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:14,879 Speaker 1: What would it take to do a one eighty and 366 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 1: go the other way? And and say I'm in that 367 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:20,320 Speaker 1: purple area, I could go either way as a voter. 368 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:23,520 Speaker 1: Where what would it take for me to go to 369 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:26,720 Speaker 1: the other side? So I'm glad you asked. I have 370 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 1: activated the Mather think tank. So this is what it 371 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:35,880 Speaker 1: would take. My advice to the tycoons of baseball if 372 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:38,720 Speaker 1: you want to win my vote. And I'm clearly on 373 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:41,480 Speaker 1: the side of the players. All Right, you know this 374 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:44,560 Speaker 1: big food fight we're going to have between the ownership 375 00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:48,960 Speaker 1: class and the union, this is a radical concept. And 376 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:51,600 Speaker 1: I guarantee you if you can do this, I'm in 377 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:54,280 Speaker 1: I'm on your side. I will pull for the owners. 378 00:23:55,680 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 1: Stop hiding the books, right, You're hiding it like it's 379 00:23:59,640 --> 00:24:02,200 Speaker 1: the current old secret recipe, the eleven herbs and spices. 380 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:06,639 Speaker 1: Stop if you truly believe that your sport is broken, 381 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 1: and all these pathetic stories about poverty this and poverty 382 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:15,280 Speaker 1: that for the billionaires, and if you really want a salarycap, 383 00:24:16,119 --> 00:24:21,320 Speaker 1: that's fine. Let's go back to junior high junior high school. 384 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:28,760 Speaker 1: Open book test, open book test. What does that mean? 385 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:32,160 Speaker 1: That means you don't have to show me, but show 386 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:35,760 Speaker 1: the players. Open the books up, show the profit and 387 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:42,000 Speaker 1: loss statements, Itemize the revenue, itemize the expenses, the creative 388 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:44,000 Speaker 1: accounting that you've been doing, and all that stuff. Let 389 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:47,720 Speaker 1: the players bring their own calculators, their own being counters. 390 00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:51,160 Speaker 1: And if the sport of baseball is truly gasping for air, 391 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:54,800 Speaker 1: which you have all bitched about for fifty years or longer, 392 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:58,960 Speaker 1: just prove it. Just that's it. It should be easy. 393 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:02,639 Speaker 1: Does anyone just why would that be a problem? Seriously, 394 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:04,600 Speaker 1: why would that be a problem. Don't give us the 395 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:07,119 Speaker 1: George W. Bush line from back in the day, fuzzy 396 00:25:07,240 --> 00:25:12,719 Speaker 1: math and wrapped in a press release. Listen, even as 397 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:16,320 Speaker 1: I understand the hungry puppies, the pathetic loser franchises that 398 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:19,960 Speaker 1: have been competent ownership like the Pirates and Tampa Bay 399 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 1: and the what are the Sacramento They want to be 400 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 1: called Sacramento and embarrassed by Sacramento. The Athletics somehow managed 401 00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 1: to turn operating profits while crying right into their champagne crying. 402 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:38,480 Speaker 1: So the point is this is not a soup kitchen. 403 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:45,159 Speaker 1: It's a cartel of coupon code con men, is what 404 00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:52,040 Speaker 1: it is, pleading poverty from their luxury mansions and their 405 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:54,320 Speaker 1: homes and the luxury boxes and all that. So if 406 00:25:54,359 --> 00:25:55,840 Speaker 1: you're broken, you truly are broken. 407 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:56,280 Speaker 2: This is it. 408 00:25:56,920 --> 00:26:00,440 Speaker 1: It should be rather easy you have Why would you 409 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:03,280 Speaker 1: not do it? Just let everyone see, let everyone see 410 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:08,159 Speaker 1: how broken your business is. And as I have followed 411 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:12,280 Speaker 1: this over the years, there has always been a conga 412 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:18,399 Speaker 1: line of billionaires ready to grab the next available franchise, 413 00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 1: like it's the last lobster roll at a Hampton's clam bake. 414 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 1: They just have to get their hands on it. And 415 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:29,040 Speaker 1: so until you are willing to do that, I don't 416 00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 1: care how many useful idiots you find in the media 417 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:35,280 Speaker 1: and how many low information fans support you. Spare me 418 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:39,800 Speaker 1: the violin music if that's where you are financially, and 419 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:45,400 Speaker 1: maybe it is transparency. I want that. And then again, 420 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:46,920 Speaker 1: you're not going to you're not giving this out to 421 00:26:46,960 --> 00:26:49,560 Speaker 1: the public. You're allowing the union to look at it, 422 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:52,000 Speaker 1: and they will look at everything, and they will look 423 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:53,960 Speaker 1: at the numbers and all that. And if you're not 424 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:57,359 Speaker 1: being a bunch of sleeves balls, Okay, I don't need 425 00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:00,800 Speaker 1: the crocodile tears. I'm done. That's said. We do have 426 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:04,840 Speaker 1: one more crocodile tier story here, the final part of 427 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:08,240 Speaker 1: this Malard monologue. We pivot now of Minnesota. So I 428 00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:11,840 Speaker 1: read a story here claiming that the Minnesota Twins. That's 429 00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:14,680 Speaker 1: a baseball team, not a good one. Where have you gone, 430 00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:15,439 Speaker 1: Kirby Pucket? 431 00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:16,600 Speaker 3: My god? 432 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:23,040 Speaker 1: Anyway, the Twins are having major financial problems, revenue shortfalls. 433 00:27:24,119 --> 00:27:27,359 Speaker 1: It's another tiny Violin story. So they highlighted in a 434 00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:30,680 Speaker 1: story that was conveniently leaked to one of the business publications. 435 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:35,199 Speaker 1: I wonder who linked it. I wonder who linked it? Anyway, 436 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:39,520 Speaker 1: the Twins baseball team claiming that while they did have 437 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:43,440 Speaker 1: a cable TV deal, it was worth almost fifty five 438 00:27:43,840 --> 00:27:47,359 Speaker 1: million in twenty twenty three with what used to be 439 00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:51,560 Speaker 1: called the Bally's Sports Group in twenty twenty three and 440 00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:54,879 Speaker 1: because of some bankruptcy. That deal fell apart, and the 441 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:58,520 Speaker 1: Twins decided, you know what we're gonna do. We're going 442 00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:04,240 Speaker 1: to go direct to con direct to consumer. Baseball encouraged it. 443 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:09,159 Speaker 1: They said, you don't need cable television, just listen, do 444 00:28:09,280 --> 00:28:12,160 Speaker 1: it on your own. Okay, we'll start this little Fugsey 445 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:14,959 Speaker 1: Twins TV thing. Okay, we'll do that. Sure, no problem. 446 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:19,679 Speaker 1: So I bring this up because the owner, Tom Pollad, 447 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:22,320 Speaker 1: in a story that was in one of the business 448 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:26,119 Speaker 1: publications this week, claimed that the Twins are projected to 449 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:29,480 Speaker 1: have in a state with millions and millions of people, 450 00:28:29,960 --> 00:28:33,760 Speaker 1: the Twins are projected to have. How many people purchase 451 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:37,840 Speaker 1: a subscription for ninety nine dollars to watch a season 452 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:42,360 Speaker 1: of morbid baseball from the Minnesota Twins. You want to 453 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:44,400 Speaker 1: take a guess on that this is the Great Divide, 454 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:46,080 Speaker 1: by the way, we're going to cross the Great Divide. 455 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 1: All right, so you got a number in your head, 456 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:51,600 Speaker 1: Good job by you. The owner of the Twins claimed 457 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:53,920 Speaker 1: that they are going to have this season, they're projected 458 00:28:53,920 --> 00:29:01,360 Speaker 1: to have fifty thousand. That's it. Fifty people pay ninety 459 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:05,680 Speaker 1: nine dollars a game to watch a horrifically terrible baseball 460 00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:09,760 Speaker 1: team that works out to four point nine million dollars 461 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:12,360 Speaker 1: in revenue. Of course, you have to factor in that 462 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:15,680 Speaker 1: there's some production costs in that a net loss of 463 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:20,840 Speaker 1: close to fifty million. Now they can sell some advertising, 464 00:29:20,920 --> 00:29:22,680 Speaker 1: so they make some money back on that, but the 465 00:29:23,080 --> 00:29:26,000 Speaker 1: gap is rather large. The gap is rather large as 466 00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:29,440 Speaker 1: you bounce around the numbers. So the question what do 467 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 1: you make of the latest SOB story from baseball? The 468 00:29:32,760 --> 00:29:37,880 Speaker 1: Twins claiming they have just fifty thousand subscribers and therefore 469 00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:42,120 Speaker 1: fifty thousand viewers for their TV broadcast in twenty twenty six, 470 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:47,320 Speaker 1: So this was again an sl A strategic leak. The Twinkies. 471 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:50,719 Speaker 1: They're claiming they went from fifty four point eight million 472 00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:55,320 Speaker 1: and that's the size of Lake Superior. And now they've 473 00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:58,160 Speaker 1: got a couple of nickels they tossed into the kiddie 474 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:00,959 Speaker 1: pool instead of Lake Superior. That's that's where we are. 475 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:02,880 Speaker 1: So I know everyone in the luth is like, well, like, 476 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:06,240 Speaker 1: Lake Superior is better than the kiddie pool. So let's 477 00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:08,440 Speaker 1: call this what it is. It's friendly fire. It's a 478 00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:13,720 Speaker 1: self inflicted wound. Major League Baseball. The hubris of Major 479 00:30:13,800 --> 00:30:17,800 Speaker 1: League Baseball. They poked themselves in the eye three Stooges 480 00:30:17,880 --> 00:30:23,040 Speaker 1: style and said, yea, yeah, direct to consumer, Direct to consumer, 481 00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:28,000 Speaker 1: that's the future. That is a choice. That is a choice. 482 00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:32,480 Speaker 1: Going from a casino with house money to shaking a 483 00:30:32,720 --> 00:30:36,960 Speaker 1: coffee can at a red light. That's a choice. 484 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:37,160 Speaker 3: Uh. 485 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:42,360 Speaker 1: And here's the dirty little secret. Uh, the Twins aren't 486 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:44,960 Speaker 1: even trying to win. And they're like an NBA team. 487 00:30:46,040 --> 00:30:48,920 Speaker 1: I don't know what they're tanking for. They're not trying 488 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:52,880 Speaker 1: to win, and so it's not musty TV. And I 489 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:57,280 Speaker 1: had mentioned this in most markets, only a sliver of 490 00:30:57,440 --> 00:31:02,120 Speaker 1: cable consumers were actually even watching baseball or basketball on 491 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:05,959 Speaker 1: a nightly basis, oh hockey. I had been told by 492 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:09,240 Speaker 1: people I know that are very powerful in television that 493 00:31:09,360 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 1: the number was around five percent of people actually watching 494 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:15,640 Speaker 1: on a given night like a Wednesday night baseball game 495 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:18,200 Speaker 1: of the people that subscribed to cable. Now, based on 496 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:20,200 Speaker 1: the numbers, I crunched the numbers because I have no 497 00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:22,920 Speaker 1: time on my hands or nothing but time, I should say. 498 00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:27,880 Speaker 1: And if I don't know how accurate, I feel like 499 00:31:27,920 --> 00:31:31,880 Speaker 1: the Twins are being dishonest with that number. Let's just 500 00:31:31,880 --> 00:31:34,560 Speaker 1: say they're actually on the up and up. That would 501 00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:40,200 Speaker 1: mean in the state of Minnesota, it's zero point eight 502 00:31:40,360 --> 00:31:44,200 Speaker 1: percent of the entire population, not from one hundred to 503 00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:46,800 Speaker 1: zero point eight. And then if you just do the 504 00:31:46,880 --> 00:31:50,440 Speaker 1: twin cities of the population in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, 505 00:31:50,920 --> 00:31:54,600 Speaker 1: it would be one point three percent of just those 506 00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:58,240 Speaker 1: two areas lumped together, and that would be that. And 507 00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:02,440 Speaker 1: so this does smell a little massage, right, But when 508 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:07,640 Speaker 1: you take away the cable television crutch and the teams, 509 00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:10,480 Speaker 1: they do look a lot less like a Fortune five 510 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:13,720 Speaker 1: hundred titan and more like they're lining up at the 511 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:17,880 Speaker 1: soup kitchen of sports economics. And this is a whole 512 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:21,080 Speaker 1: new world here, right, and everything set up, all of 513 00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:24,920 Speaker 1: the contracts are set up based on the cable TV money, 514 00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:28,160 Speaker 1: and so that's something they're going to have to figure out. 515 00:32:28,760 --> 00:32:31,440 Speaker 1: But again, if this is really reality, then just open 516 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:33,080 Speaker 1: up the books and I'm sure you can figure out 517 00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:33,920 Speaker 1: something with the players. 518 00:32:34,040 --> 00:32:36,320 Speaker 2: Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Meller 519 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:39,480 Speaker 2: Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific. 520 00:32:40,680 --> 00:32:41,480 Speaker 3: It's Mallard. 521 00:32:41,640 --> 00:32:42,120 Speaker 1: How about that? 522 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:47,040 Speaker 3: To the third degree, this is one big event. 523 00:32:47,320 --> 00:32:51,720 Speaker 4: Gets grilled Kobelo, Mike Evans has already had a Hall 524 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:53,760 Speaker 4: of Fame career, but his agents made it clear on 525 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:56,720 Speaker 4: Tuesday that he will return to play in twenty twenty six. However, 526 00:32:56,800 --> 00:33:01,080 Speaker 4: they also noted that Evans will quote explore his option. Ben, 527 00:33:01,120 --> 00:33:02,880 Speaker 4: What do you think the chances are that Evans leaves 528 00:33:02,920 --> 00:33:03,280 Speaker 4: the Bucks? 529 00:33:05,200 --> 00:33:08,920 Speaker 1: It's not zero? Oh, I'm pretty sure. Unlike some other people, 530 00:33:09,080 --> 00:33:11,240 Speaker 1: he already won a Super Bowl coof I know some 531 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:12,960 Speaker 1: people think he didn't, but I believe he did win 532 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:15,000 Speaker 1: a super Bowl, so he's not worried about that. I'd 533 00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:18,400 Speaker 1: say there's a less than twenty percent chance that he leaves, 534 00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:21,360 Speaker 1: and there's an eighty percent chance that he stays in Tampa. 535 00:33:21,520 --> 00:33:25,560 Speaker 1: He's comfortable there, he's a legend, and the team's still 536 00:33:25,640 --> 00:33:27,760 Speaker 1: pretty good, so I don't see why he would leave next. 537 00:33:28,280 --> 00:33:30,160 Speaker 4: The Phillies have had a huge amount of success since 538 00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:33,000 Speaker 4: Dave Dombrowski took over the front office, but with how 539 00:33:33,080 --> 00:33:36,000 Speaker 4: bad the offseason has been, Summer saying that Dombrowski should 540 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:37,600 Speaker 4: be on the hot seat heading into this season. 541 00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:38,520 Speaker 3: Do you think he is. 542 00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:43,280 Speaker 1: Well, someone's gonna lose their job, whether it's Dombrowski or 543 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:46,000 Speaker 1: the manager or both. If the Phillies end up in 544 00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:49,120 Speaker 1: third place in the division, behind the Mets and the 545 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:51,840 Speaker 1: Atlanta Braves. All the Braves have some major pitching issues. 546 00:33:52,760 --> 00:33:56,200 Speaker 1: He is in danger. He is in danger. I like him, 547 00:33:56,560 --> 00:33:57,440 Speaker 1: but he's in danger. 548 00:33:57,600 --> 00:34:00,040 Speaker 4: Next quickly so normally when asked another than that's you 549 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:02,640 Speaker 4: should retire or not, you say keep going, keep making money. 550 00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:04,960 Speaker 4: Targert Wood hinted that he will be making a return 551 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:07,400 Speaker 4: to the Masters possibly. Do you think he should retire? 552 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:11,799 Speaker 1: No, if he wants to keep playing, you know it's 553 00:34:11,880 --> 00:34:14,120 Speaker 1: gonna be painful. He won't make the cut. But if 554 00:34:14,160 --> 00:34:16,200 Speaker 1: he wants to keep playing, you know, gives us something 555 00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:17,360 Speaker 1: to talk about. I'm fine with it. 556 00:34:17,440 --> 00:34:17,840 Speaker 3: How'd we do? 557 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:20,000 Speaker 1: Coop? You pass this edition? That is any way? Play 558 00:34:20,080 --> 00:34:23,840 Speaker 1: on the FI, my God on the game upgain a 559 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:24,560 Speaker 1: lover win. 560 00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:27,960 Speaker 2: Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in 561 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:31,360 Speaker 2: the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio 562 00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:35,600 Speaker 2: dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to 563 00:34:35,719 --> 00:34:36,359 Speaker 2: listen live. 564 00:34:37,840 --> 00:34:41,759 Speaker 3: It's now time for time for horry. Horry honey wait 565 00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:45,680 Speaker 3: ask bed Twitter said us your questions on Twitter now? 566 00:34:46,600 --> 00:34:50,120 Speaker 1: Then no way we goes. We pinned back our ears 567 00:34:50,200 --> 00:34:55,000 Speaker 1: and head into unscharted waters. Or ask Ben. Your questions 568 00:34:55,120 --> 00:34:59,959 Speaker 1: are answers for the rest of the hour. Very excit 569 00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:03,880 Speaker 1: and now for the reading of the questions the Harbinger 570 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:06,080 Speaker 1: of Doom the Cupoloo. 571 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:09,160 Speaker 4: All right, we're gonna start off with a difficult one here. 572 00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:12,080 Speaker 4: This one is from Donkey Sausage. 573 00:35:12,719 --> 00:35:13,480 Speaker 1: Hi, Donkey. 574 00:35:14,120 --> 00:35:16,000 Speaker 4: He wants to know if you had to delete all 575 00:35:16,200 --> 00:35:20,279 Speaker 4: but three apps from your smartphone, which ones would you keep? 576 00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:26,680 Speaker 1: You know, I don't think he's that hard. I don't. 577 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:32,239 Speaker 1: I would use the I use X. You know, I'm 578 00:35:32,280 --> 00:35:36,080 Speaker 1: on there futzing around. There's a thing I use to 579 00:35:36,200 --> 00:35:37,320 Speaker 1: track my fasting. 580 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:38,279 Speaker 3: I use that a lot. 581 00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:42,400 Speaker 1: And then the weather app. That's all I need. I 582 00:35:42,440 --> 00:35:47,640 Speaker 1: don't need anything else. I'm good. Lorena, maps, YouTube and Instagram. 583 00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:50,600 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, the maps thing would be a problem. 584 00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:51,760 Speaker 4: I need maps. 585 00:35:51,920 --> 00:35:53,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, maps, that's a good one. 586 00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:55,759 Speaker 1: I didn't think about it. I don't need the weather. 587 00:35:56,040 --> 00:35:58,600 Speaker 1: I'll use the maps thing. I'll use the maps thing. Okay, 588 00:35:59,120 --> 00:36:00,719 Speaker 1: we're good. I don't anything else. 589 00:36:03,920 --> 00:36:07,600 Speaker 4: All right, Well, so i'd use I'd have X, I 590 00:36:07,719 --> 00:36:12,920 Speaker 4: have my i'd have my club GG poker, and I 591 00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:17,000 Speaker 4: guess maps. I guess I was I was gonna I 592 00:36:17,200 --> 00:36:22,440 Speaker 4: was going to say the Taco Bell app, but I 593 00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:24,320 Speaker 4: guess maps is a little more important. 594 00:36:25,080 --> 00:36:27,160 Speaker 1: Have you been to the Taco Bell headquarters group? 595 00:36:28,920 --> 00:36:30,760 Speaker 4: I have driven past it many times. 596 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:33,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, they have in the parking lot there. They have 597 00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:36,200 Speaker 1: an originally original Taco bell that's right. 598 00:36:37,360 --> 00:36:40,400 Speaker 4: Yeah, they like brought it on a big trailer over there. Right. 599 00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:43,399 Speaker 1: I'm surprised they haven't brought you in. They bring influencers 600 00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:47,719 Speaker 1: in to test new Taco Bell products. They should. I would, 601 00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:48,200 Speaker 1: I wouldn't. 602 00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:50,880 Speaker 4: I would love to go to the Taco Bell kitchen 603 00:36:50,960 --> 00:36:52,400 Speaker 4: and yeah, you. 604 00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:54,800 Speaker 1: Should let them know. I bet you they'd let you 605 00:36:54,880 --> 00:36:59,600 Speaker 1: do it. Why not? Yeah you should contact Yeah, well, 606 00:36:59,600 --> 00:37:00,960 Speaker 1: I think all three of us should go. Loraine, you 607 00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:03,200 Speaker 1: want to go test some new taco I love Taco bells. 608 00:37:03,200 --> 00:37:04,120 Speaker 1: I would do that all day. 609 00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:07,680 Speaker 4: Can we do a remote from the talk about headquarters? 610 00:37:08,040 --> 00:37:09,840 Speaker 1: I would love that. He signed me up for that 611 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:13,080 Speaker 1: right now, man, I'll bring that remote box thing and 612 00:37:13,160 --> 00:37:16,279 Speaker 1: then we'll go out there. Boom done. All right, all right, 613 00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:19,399 Speaker 1: run for the border, Come on here we go, all right? 614 00:37:19,560 --> 00:37:23,120 Speaker 1: The King Rory would like to know. Hi, Rory. 615 00:37:23,760 --> 00:37:25,479 Speaker 4: I don't know if I feel like maybe we've passed 616 00:37:25,520 --> 00:37:30,920 Speaker 4: this before, but maybe not. Who is your favorite Simpsons character, Holmer, 617 00:37:31,280 --> 00:37:32,040 Speaker 4: Come on, it's. 618 00:37:31,960 --> 00:37:35,160 Speaker 1: Holm's king of the Simpsons arena. It's got to be 619 00:37:35,280 --> 00:37:35,800 Speaker 1: Bart for me. 620 00:37:35,880 --> 00:37:36,719 Speaker 5: I really like Bart. 621 00:37:37,560 --> 00:37:40,200 Speaker 3: All right, Yeah, I gotta go with I gotta go 622 00:37:40,280 --> 00:37:40,680 Speaker 3: with Bart. 623 00:37:41,920 --> 00:37:43,480 Speaker 1: Homer guy, Krusty the clown guy. 624 00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:45,400 Speaker 5: Oh, Krusty is really good too. 625 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:47,239 Speaker 1: Yeah, Rusty's great. 626 00:37:47,560 --> 00:37:50,759 Speaker 4: Next all right, God, it's a lot of questions from 627 00:37:50,760 --> 00:37:54,720 Speaker 4: these two guys. Uh oh, come on, we the people 628 00:37:54,880 --> 00:37:56,000 Speaker 4: off the alien opiner? 629 00:37:56,360 --> 00:37:56,879 Speaker 3: Hi elf. 630 00:37:57,600 --> 00:37:59,879 Speaker 4: When traveling in a car with others, are you the driver? 631 00:38:00,120 --> 00:38:01,520 Speaker 4: Are you okay being a passenger? 632 00:38:03,280 --> 00:38:08,040 Speaker 1: Yeah? I would prefer driving. I love my wife, I 633 00:38:08,120 --> 00:38:10,480 Speaker 1: don't love her. I didn't marry her for her driving ability. 634 00:38:11,040 --> 00:38:14,880 Speaker 1: So I prefer to drive, although I get very tired 635 00:38:14,960 --> 00:38:17,400 Speaker 1: sometimes because of the hours we work, so I I 636 00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:19,320 Speaker 1: occasionally have to be the passenger and I feel like 637 00:38:19,360 --> 00:38:21,160 Speaker 1: I'm going to die. Larina. 638 00:38:21,640 --> 00:38:23,520 Speaker 3: I love being a passenger, Princess. 639 00:38:23,680 --> 00:38:24,640 Speaker 4: But I also. 640 00:38:25,239 --> 00:38:27,680 Speaker 5: I'm one of those people like can you not drive 641 00:38:27,760 --> 00:38:30,320 Speaker 5: like that? Like do you have to drive that aggressive? 642 00:38:30,400 --> 00:38:31,880 Speaker 4: And so I might as well just do it myself. 643 00:38:32,800 --> 00:38:33,040 Speaker 1: Cool. 644 00:38:33,800 --> 00:38:37,640 Speaker 4: That sounds like my wife, but yeah, yeah, yeah, that's 645 00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:39,960 Speaker 4: all when if it's if it's my car, I have 646 00:38:40,040 --> 00:38:41,759 Speaker 4: to be driving, and I don't like people driving my car. 647 00:38:41,920 --> 00:38:44,920 Speaker 4: But otherwise I don't mind being a passenger, like you know, 648 00:38:45,360 --> 00:38:47,920 Speaker 4: I can. I can chill and you know, not pay 649 00:38:47,960 --> 00:38:49,959 Speaker 4: attention and recline my seat. 650 00:38:50,040 --> 00:38:51,080 Speaker 1: Plan on your phone? All right? 651 00:38:51,440 --> 00:38:54,080 Speaker 4: Next Late night's been late night drug test or another 652 00:38:54,160 --> 00:38:56,759 Speaker 4: another car question? Late night drug tester wants to know 653 00:38:56,840 --> 00:39:00,320 Speaker 4: if your current vehicle gets dented, do you get it 654 00:39:00,400 --> 00:39:01,919 Speaker 4: fixed or pocket the insurance money? 655 00:39:04,239 --> 00:39:05,879 Speaker 1: It depends how bad you know. If it's a little 656 00:39:05,920 --> 00:39:08,359 Speaker 1: bit of a dent, I don't really care, but if 657 00:39:08,400 --> 00:39:11,799 Speaker 1: it's if it's completely affed up, then obviously you get 658 00:39:11,840 --> 00:39:15,120 Speaker 1: it fixed. Actually, I get somebody had just dinged my 659 00:39:15,280 --> 00:39:17,000 Speaker 1: car the other day and didn't leave a note or 660 00:39:17,000 --> 00:39:19,919 Speaker 1: anything like that. What a schmuck. So I haven't gotten 661 00:39:19,960 --> 00:39:21,160 Speaker 1: that fixed yet. What about you, Marina? 662 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:24,279 Speaker 5: Yeah, well my old car, I remember there was something 663 00:39:24,360 --> 00:39:27,160 Speaker 5: minor that happened, and so I didn't I didn't do 664 00:39:27,200 --> 00:39:30,040 Speaker 5: the insurance. I didn't get it fixed, but I filed 665 00:39:30,080 --> 00:39:32,400 Speaker 5: the insurance claim. But would my new car know if 666 00:39:32,440 --> 00:39:33,920 Speaker 5: something happened, I'm getting it fixed. 667 00:39:34,040 --> 00:39:37,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, it depends how much you deductible? Is What about you? Cooper? 668 00:39:37,719 --> 00:39:38,680 Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm getting it fixed. 669 00:39:39,719 --> 00:39:43,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, well that's your baby. Yes, you worship that car. 670 00:39:44,719 --> 00:39:46,680 Speaker 1: The worst car I've seen is Jonas Knox car. That 671 00:39:46,840 --> 00:39:51,560 Speaker 1: is by far the worst. Jonas, that's pretty bad.