1 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:11,639 Speaker 1: This is straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. What is up 2 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:16,280 Speaker 1: straight Fire? Fam, It's me Jason McIntyre. Straight Fire for Friday, 3 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:22,760 Speaker 1: February fourth. It's the final weekend folks before the Super Bowl. UM, 4 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 1: no real massive sports this weekend. Obviously, Listen, you know 5 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: I own a team in Lega MX. They play on 6 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: the fifth. Very excited for that. We've got some NBA 7 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 1: action obviously. If you're not diving into college basketball this week, UM, 8 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:39,960 Speaker 1: I would assume that if you haven't subscribed to Ken Palm, 9 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 1: this is the week to do it, because we got 10 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 1: one more week to gamble in the NFL. Uh. College 11 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: basketball is gonna feed that fixed during the week here 12 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 1: in the month of February. But um, today's all about 13 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 1: our guests. Bob Costas a legend, big time icon in 14 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: the industry. I know you guys are familiar with his 15 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: work from baseball football. I mean he's called everything Olympics 16 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,040 Speaker 1: and if you go look on YouTube Michael Jordan's final 17 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:09,319 Speaker 1: shot with the Bulls he pushed off on byra Brian Russell, 18 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 1: Jordan's Open Chicago with the lead. Uh, Costas with I mean, 19 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 1: the guy just has been at all the big games I, 20 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:20,680 Speaker 1: of course remember stewing when Jordan hit that shot. I 21 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 1: so wanted the Bulls to lose. I know, I know, Jason, 22 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:24,960 Speaker 1: you're a hater. No, No, I was a Knicks fan. 23 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 1: I was sick of the Jordan's worship. Obviously he's great, 24 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:31,400 Speaker 1: no doubt about it, but I just rooted against him. Yes, 25 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 1: I wrote it for Karl Malone and the Jazz, even 26 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 1: though I Lakers and Knicks fan back in the day. 27 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:39,320 Speaker 1: But I digress. It is all about Bob Costas, so uh, 28 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: you know, I was gonna talk a little bit about 29 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: Doug Peterson getting the Jacksonville job. I think there's a 30 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:46,559 Speaker 1: great upside there for Peterson. Congratulations. It sounds like Byron 31 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 1: Leftwich pulled his name out of the running once this 32 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:53,400 Speaker 1: GM situation was still unsteady. It sounded like Trent Bulky 33 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: was going to have a new guy to report too, 34 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:58,400 Speaker 1: but it wasn't being done in a timely manner and 35 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: Byron left Which doesn't get the job. Now Here we 36 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 1: are on Friday and six NFL coaches have been hired 37 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: and they're all white guys, and that discussion is going 38 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: to continue for sure in the next week. But I 39 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:13,160 Speaker 1: thought we'd basically dedicate the entire podcast to Costas, who's 40 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:15,679 Speaker 1: just incredible. Um, if you guys like baseball, if you 41 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: like sports in general, He's got opinions on lots of things, 42 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:21,679 Speaker 1: including the uh MLB Hall of Fame. I think you 43 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:25,919 Speaker 1: will really enjoy his gambling background. Yes, Bob Costas has one. 44 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:28,960 Speaker 1: But without further ado, let's get to the man, the myth, 45 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 1: the legend, Bob Costas. Jason likes to think he knows 46 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 1: everything when it comes to sports. I know what sports 47 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:42,400 Speaker 1: dance want, but for everything he doesn't. He knows a 48 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 1: guy who does. Let's just say I know a guy 49 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 1: who knows a guy who knows another guy. So let's 50 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:52,200 Speaker 1: welcome into straight fire. One of the most famous guests 51 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:54,960 Speaker 1: we've ever had. We listen, We've had actors, we've had 52 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: big time athletes, media members, but I don't think it 53 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 1: gets bigger than this, Um, Bob Costas a true legend 54 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 1: in the industry. Bob. I'm sorry for the gushy introduction, 55 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: but you know, growing up, you were part of the 56 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: soundtrack of my youth. Every time I turn on a 57 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 1: major sporting event, Bob Costas on the call, whether it's 58 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:16,360 Speaker 1: Jordan in the nineties, the Olympics, super Bowl, you did everything, 59 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 1: major League Baseball. Um, welcome to the podcast. Thank you, Jason. 60 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 1: You know when it started out, when I started out, 61 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:29,800 Speaker 1: the words irreverent and newcomer, we're almost always, it seemed 62 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: to me, attached to my name. Now I'm venerable, and 63 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:36,160 Speaker 1: it's almost automatic, whether I deserve it or not. I'm 64 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 1: legendary or iconic. Just I guess, as you listed being 65 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 1: at the scene of so many big events and having 66 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: done it for so long, and having been literally the 67 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 1: new guy having been I guess I was twenty four 68 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 1: and I did my first network broadcast, and I looked 69 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 1: like I was about fifteen from having been Hey, here's 70 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 1: the kid. Now I've got people not kids themselves, but 71 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 1: people in the prime of their lives like you, saying Hey, 72 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:05,440 Speaker 1: I grew up listening to you. You're the soundtrack of 73 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: my sports memories. But it's really not exactly fair to 74 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: say that because Al Michael's is in that same grouping there, 75 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 1: Jim and Jim nance and and even Joe Buck Now 76 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 1: though Joe is a generation younger than me, Joe has 77 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 1: been doing this for a quarter century now. He started 78 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:23,360 Speaker 1: about as early as I did. But to be you know, 79 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:26,280 Speaker 1: mixed in with that group, that's just great as far 80 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:28,359 Speaker 1: as i'm Yeah, it's you know, I work kind of 81 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 1: with Joe a little bit at Fox, and obviously I 82 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:32,159 Speaker 1: haven't really done a broadcast with him, but you know, 83 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:34,720 Speaker 1: I know him, I see him more friendly. So it's 84 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:37,719 Speaker 1: not as like Bob Costas. You know, Joe Buck seems 85 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:39,280 Speaker 1: to me like a normal guy sat next to him 86 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 1: a dinners before. But this is Bob Costas. I mean, 87 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 1: you know the guy. My idea, Bob, was to get 88 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 1: you on for the Hall of Fame last week, you know, 89 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:49,279 Speaker 1: when we started texting, and then so much has happened 90 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: in the you know, the sports. It doesn't stop. It's 91 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 1: like the NFL's got a major headache on its hands, 92 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:57,839 Speaker 1: a massive problem. The Olympics are starting up. I forgot 93 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 1: how connected to the Olympics you were U. Obviously baseball 94 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 1: is pivotal, but I'd like to start with the NFL. Uh, 95 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 1: we're out here in l A. First of all, will 96 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 1: you be hanging around for the Super Bowl at all? Yeah? 97 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: I think ordinarily I would. Um Now, although I think 98 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:16,160 Speaker 1: they've got it pretty well under control, there's still COVID 99 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 1: protocols and traffic and whatnot. And like you, I'm sure 100 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:23,039 Speaker 1: I got a pretty nice TV. I'm not. I have 101 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 1: no broadcast assignment. I considered home. Don't have to worry 102 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 1: about where the men's room is. I know my own house, UH, 103 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 1: all all that stuff. But I'm connected to Al and 104 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: to Chris and Michelle and the people that will be involved, 105 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:41,040 Speaker 1: Fred get Delhi the producer, Drew Sakoff, the director. I'm 106 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 1: connected to all those people because of all my years 107 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 1: at NBC. So I'll be watching, not only UH to 108 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:49,240 Speaker 1: watch the Rams and the Bengals, but to root for 109 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:51,560 Speaker 1: them to have a great telecast, which they almost always do. 110 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:55,359 Speaker 1: I know you in the NFL didn't end on great terms, 111 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 1: but it sounds like you're still kind of a fan. 112 00:05:57,120 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't know if you're watching Red Zone 113 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:03,839 Speaker 1: every Sunday like me, or you're into fantasy football or gambling. UM, 114 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 1: but the NFL a lot has happened, you know, kind 115 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:09,039 Speaker 1: of since you have moved on UH in the last 116 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:11,359 Speaker 1: few years. I don't know. I'd like to start with 117 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 1: the gambling because I do a ton for Fox and 118 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 1: FS one on gambling and the league, and you know 119 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:19,800 Speaker 1: it seems to have been normalized, right, I don't you 120 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:23,480 Speaker 1: know twenty five years ago, gambling, CD back rooms, guys 121 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:27,480 Speaker 1: smoking cigars and UM illegal activity, And now it's like, 122 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 1: if you don't have action on the game, what's wrong 123 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:34,159 Speaker 1: with you? Well, I guess, I don't guess. I know 124 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 1: there are millions and millions of people who don't have 125 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 1: action on the games. UH. As you may know, I 126 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 1: grew up around gambling my father, way before any legalized gambling, 127 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 1: when you had to pick up a phone and call 128 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 1: a bookie and have a code for your name. My 129 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 1: dad had thousands of dollars writings UH in a given day, 130 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:55,159 Speaker 1: especially on weekends when there were multiple games you could watch. 131 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:58,039 Speaker 1: And this is before the Internet, before ESPN, before you 132 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 1: could access scores. So mostly he bet on the games 133 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 1: that we could see UH in New York, in the 134 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 1: New York area. So I'm very familiar with it, and 135 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 1: I have a sort of Runyon esque view of kind 136 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 1: of the glamorous, roguish side of it. But inevitably, when 137 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 1: you have UH this kind of encouragement of gambling, and 138 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 1: it's so easily accessible, just pick up your phone and 139 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 1: do it, a lot of people are going to do 140 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 1: it for enjoyment, and that's just fine. But inevitably, I'm 141 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 1: sure there will be studies and data that will be 142 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 1: out Eventually, Inevitably, there will be casualties in the form 143 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 1: of people becoming addicted to gambling because it's so easily accessible. 144 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:44,000 Speaker 1: You used to have to go out of your way, 145 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 1: go to Vegas, go to Atlantic City, hook up with 146 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:50,239 Speaker 1: bookies like my dad did, which you know it involves 147 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 1: some peril because if you didn't pay on time. These 148 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 1: guys weren't amused, you know, they weren't playing monopoly and 149 00:07:56,640 --> 00:08:00,080 Speaker 1: rolling dice. They were they were serious. Now it's so 150 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 1: easily accessible, and you're right, it's it's been normalized. As 151 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 1: far as my own connection or non connection to the league, 152 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:10,920 Speaker 1: this is the truth. I don't follow it. I'm not 153 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 1: reading stories by the way of buy and large rather 154 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: about the NFL, uh, except on the big issues. I'm 155 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 1: interested in the big issues, But I'm not looking granularly 156 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 1: at the injury report for the Vikings coming in on 157 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 1: Wednesday leading into Sunday. And I've never for a very 158 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 1: long time made any plans around Oh I'd like to, 159 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 1: but there's this game on Monday, night, there's this game 160 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:40,360 Speaker 1: on Thursday night. Honest truth, I generally don't know who's 161 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 1: playing on Monday night or Thursday night. If I happen 162 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 1: across it, it's just because I'm channel surfing I have 163 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 1: nothing else to do. But if I'm at home and 164 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 1: happen upon a game, even a regular season game, and 165 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 1: there's a few minutes to go and it's close, I 166 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 1: know enough about the basic dynamics of football to plug 167 00:08:57,320 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 1: right into it. Um, And certainly during the playoffs us. 168 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:05,080 Speaker 1: The past few weekends have been amazing in terms of 169 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 1: just the the excitement and the and the thrill of it. 170 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:11,720 Speaker 1: But on the other hand, if on any given October 171 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 1: fifteenth you said to me name half the head coaches 172 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:17,560 Speaker 1: in the NFL and half the starting quarterbacks and your 173 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:20,000 Speaker 1: life depends on it, I might have to make out 174 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 1: my last will and testae. Wow. Um, So I wait, 175 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:26,679 Speaker 1: I'm curious on the gambling. So do you think, like 176 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: I know, the reason I got into covering sports, um, 177 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 1: was because like I was a good youth athlete, and 178 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 1: then like everybody got big and matured, and I wasn't 179 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 1: big and couldn't make like the high school basketball team, 180 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:39,480 Speaker 1: and I was devastated, so I went to work in 181 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:41,960 Speaker 1: a newspaper. Do you think, in any way, shape or form, 182 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:45,319 Speaker 1: your dad's interest in sports and gambling got you into 183 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 1: sports and kind of you know, announcing and so forth. 184 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:51,800 Speaker 1: Oh absolutely, I mean I was like a bunch of 185 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 1: other kids in the neighborhood. We all liked sports. You know, 186 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 1: you played not just little league or tried to make 187 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:00,960 Speaker 1: a school team, but you play in the schoolyard. You 188 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 1: just you know, you're in a in a vacant lot. 189 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:06,840 Speaker 1: You just played whatever sport was in season. But I 190 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:10,760 Speaker 1: guess um my father's gambling further connected me to it 191 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 1: because there were always games on and he always had 192 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 1: a specific rooting interest because the mortgage was writing on it, 193 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 1: uh so, And he was knowledgeable about sports, and so 194 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:24,199 Speaker 1: some of that was transmitted to me, So that had 195 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:27,200 Speaker 1: something to do with it. I could never remember a time, though, 196 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:31,319 Speaker 1: that I wasn't interested in sports, and that the announcers 197 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:33,319 Speaker 1: weren't important to me, even when I was seven or 198 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 1: eight years old, and I knew the difference between when 199 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 1: Mel Allen was calling the game, or Red Barber was 200 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:41,800 Speaker 1: calling the game, or when we live briefly in California. 201 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:45,160 Speaker 1: Vince Gully or Marty Glickman or the young Marv Albert. 202 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:50,240 Speaker 1: All those voices were for me inseparable from the events themselves, 203 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:53,640 Speaker 1: and it occurred to me very early on. I think 204 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 1: the first time I thought about the possibility of wanting 205 00:10:56,320 --> 00:10:58,200 Speaker 1: to grow up to be an announcer, I was probably nine, 206 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 1: ten years old. Teeth. My kids are in that age, uh, 207 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:07,440 Speaker 1: daughter nine, son ten, and I do wonder, um, you know, 208 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 1: the gambling stuff. They know that I talked about gambling. 209 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:12,640 Speaker 1: I do some shows from home and during the games. 210 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 1: You know, obviously, hey, we're gonna hit a three team 211 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:17,760 Speaker 1: barlay guys. You know. But I wonder, like you know, 212 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: I didn't. I don't think they really understand. But it 213 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:21,920 Speaker 1: sounds like you did understand. Now. Obviously I would never 214 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:23,840 Speaker 1: put like our mortgage on the line. My wife would 215 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 1: kill me. Um. But I I guess maybe I should 216 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 1: dial it back hearing that you did understand what was 217 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:31,000 Speaker 1: going on when you were ten with gambling and sports. 218 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 1: Huh Oh. I couldn't help but understand because it was 219 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:38,440 Speaker 1: a defining aspect of our home life. Um. But if 220 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 1: you said to me to your point when I was 221 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 1: ten years old, if you said to me on Monday 222 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 1: or Tuesday, looking ahead to the next Sunday slate of 223 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:49,960 Speaker 1: NFL games, what's the line on the Giants Eagles game? 224 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 1: As a ten year old kid, I'd give it to 225 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:55,000 Speaker 1: you within a point. I mean, I had internalized all 226 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 1: that stuff and eventually, although if my father found out 227 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 1: about it, he laid down the law on no inn 228 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:04,320 Speaker 1: certain terms. But this is the truth. When I was 229 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:07,840 Speaker 1: fifteen sixteen years old, I ran a bookie operation of 230 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 1: my own in my high school. And the way the 231 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 1: way I was successful was I knew who the Giant 232 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:17,400 Speaker 1: fans were, who the Jet fans were, who the met 233 00:12:17,480 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 1: and Yankee fans were, and so if their team was favored, 234 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: I'd create a line that was way higher than it 235 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 1: should have been, but they'd still bet with their hearts, 236 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:30,199 Speaker 1: so they'd be given more points than they should have 237 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:33,480 Speaker 1: been given. And if their team was the underdog, I 238 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:36,080 Speaker 1: would set the line too low, so they be getting 239 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:39,400 Speaker 1: too few points compared to what the actual line was. 240 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 1: But they bet based on what teams they rooted they 241 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:45,720 Speaker 1: rooted for, so I was coming out way ahead, and 242 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:47,920 Speaker 1: a lot of times on the same game I could 243 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:50,839 Speaker 1: create enough of the space that I would hit the 244 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:54,640 Speaker 1: middle and both the underdog bettors and and the favorite 245 00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:58,679 Speaker 1: betters would have to pay me. So now I have like, 246 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:01,439 Speaker 1: I don't know, a hundred and twenty bucks or something 247 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 1: like that in like nine in the dresser drawer in 248 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 1: my bedroom, along with some sheets where I was keeping 249 00:13:08,120 --> 00:13:12,160 Speaker 1: tracked you know joe Joey bet On the Jets and 250 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:15,760 Speaker 1: you know Sam bet On the Browns whatever. And my 251 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 1: dad discovered this. And this was back in the day. 252 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 1: You know, this wasn't doctor spots stuff. Your dad could 253 00:13:21,679 --> 00:13:26,120 Speaker 1: kick your ass if he felt like it. And instead 254 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:29,440 Speaker 1: what I got was a very stern talking to and 255 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:33,320 Speaker 1: the understanding, uh, Robert, which is, you know, anyone who 256 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:35,560 Speaker 1: grew up being called Bob or Bobby knew that when 257 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 1: your parents said, Robert, you were in trouble, Robert, I 258 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:43,280 Speaker 1: can't stop, because he was addicted, Robert, I can't stop, 259 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 1: don't start. And I knew by the tone of his 260 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 1: voice and the look in his eye that if I 261 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: didn't that there would be an ass kick in the 262 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 1: next time. So I'm assuming all your clients were devastated. 263 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 1: Did somebody pick up your book? Did you just hand 264 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 1: it off? It's a really good question, Jason. So far 265 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:02,360 Speaker 1: as I know, the entire operation. It was like when 266 00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:05,760 Speaker 1: they when they shut down Nathan Detroit's Floating Crap game 267 00:14:05,800 --> 00:14:09,079 Speaker 1: and Guys and Dolls. The whole operation was shut down. 268 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:11,560 Speaker 1: Oh geez, So I guess you have to start mowing 269 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 1: lawns and getting money the real way, right, the old 270 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:15,880 Speaker 1: fashioned way, as they say, Yeah, kind of boring, kind 271 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:20,000 Speaker 1: of a boring suburban life. Speaking of boring to transition, 272 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:23,440 Speaker 1: you know, the Olympics either start or started one of 273 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:25,880 Speaker 1: those two. I don't know, Bob. I've never been a 274 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: huge Olympics guy. There's just too many options now, you know, 275 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:32,760 Speaker 1: back when you were calling in two, I mean, there 276 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:36,400 Speaker 1: wasn't a million channels Netflix, you know. I mean, any 277 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:38,120 Speaker 1: given night I lay in bed with the wife, we're 278 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 1: we've got options TV wise that we got to catch 279 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 1: up on. There's so many. By the way, if you're 280 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 1: in bed with the wife, one of the options to 281 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:49,920 Speaker 1: turn off the TV. Obviously, you know what I'm saying, Yes, Bob, 282 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:52,640 Speaker 1: I'm oh, well, well aware of that. But it is 283 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:54,640 Speaker 1: fun to put the kids to bed, catch up on Ozark, 284 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:56,680 Speaker 1: and then they're like, oh wait a minute, we've got 285 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 1: this other show that we got to catch up on two. 286 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:01,560 Speaker 1: And bottom line is like Olympics fall through the cracks. 287 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:05,360 Speaker 1: I don't know who's curling. Um. And also I gotta 288 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 1: be honest that the China stuff irks me just a 289 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 1: little bit. Um. Do you miss calling the Olympics at all? No, 290 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:16,640 Speaker 1: I don't. But that is not anything disrespectful towards the Olympics. 291 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 1: There are other issues I have with it, but I 292 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 1: hosted a dozen eleven in prime time and I was 293 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 1: the late night hosting Brian Dumble was the prime time host. 294 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: That was my first Olympics. I'm very glad I did it. 295 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 1: I've got a lifetime's worth of memories. But I knew 296 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 1: that and Rio would be my last Olympics five years 297 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 1: prior to that. That was always my plan, and when 298 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 1: I signed my last contract with NBC, that was the plan. 299 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 1: Uh So I can honestly say that although I'll follow 300 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:51,200 Speaker 1: the Olympics because I'm interested in how the stories will 301 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:54,680 Speaker 1: be covered, Not so much the curling and the luge competition, 302 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:58,000 Speaker 1: but how are they going to navigate, uh, the elephants 303 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 1: in the room concerning China and COVID it that's very 304 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:03,200 Speaker 1: interesting to me. And of course I'm rooting for my 305 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:06,360 Speaker 1: friends and colleagues, so in that sense, I'll tap into it. 306 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:12,480 Speaker 1: But not onceeen Games in South Korea, last Summer's Games 307 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 1: in Tokyo, not once even for a second that I 308 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 1: have a feeling I wish I was there, or if 309 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 1: I was there, i'd say this. It's just it's completely 310 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 1: out of my system. It's funny. A lot of people 311 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 1: are mentioning the Olympics, I guess are coming to l 312 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:30,160 Speaker 1: A and I don't know twenty one of them, and 313 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:34,920 Speaker 1: all these people are upset, like cheese, it's gonna he's 314 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 1: gonna totally screw up traffic in the summer, Like it's 315 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 1: gonna be a nightmare, and people like don't want it. 316 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:42,320 Speaker 1: Again small sample size, but like the people I talked 317 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:44,720 Speaker 1: to are just like, it's gonna be awful. You know, 318 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 1: if you're going to have a Summer Olympics in the 319 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:52,120 Speaker 1: United States, the city or region best suited to it 320 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:56,239 Speaker 1: is Los Angeles because they have so many existing facilities 321 00:16:56,280 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 1: and now the new you know, state of the art 322 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 1: Palace so Fi Stadium will be a hub of a 323 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:05,720 Speaker 1: lot of it. Uh, you're right that there's logistical challenges 324 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:09,520 Speaker 1: no question about that. But they do have the facilities 325 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:13,720 Speaker 1: to make it work. You know, it's funny. I again, 326 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:15,600 Speaker 1: I don't want to end up bashing the Olympics and 327 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:18,960 Speaker 1: get too political here, but this this whole situation with China, 328 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:21,920 Speaker 1: like the NBA's getting in there, getting in the crosshairs 329 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:24,160 Speaker 1: with China. But Bob, here's the thing that ticks me off. 330 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:27,199 Speaker 1: Everything gets so politicized, right, It's like you're basically on 331 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:29,640 Speaker 1: the left or on the right, and all of a sudden, 332 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 1: the NBA is bad because it's bending the knee to 333 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:35,480 Speaker 1: China on and then my counter is okay, and I 334 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:37,639 Speaker 1: have no dog in this fight, Like, okay, so the 335 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:39,399 Speaker 1: Olympics are there too, what are we doing about that? 336 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:41,720 Speaker 1: And then what about the phone that you're using? Where 337 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 1: was that made? What about the genes that you're wearing? 338 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 1: Where was that made? What about the Nike shoes you're 339 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 1: where was that made? And it's like your argument falls apart. 340 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 1: I don't know what to do, Bobby. You're obviously a 341 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:55,960 Speaker 1: really intelligent guy. There's no easy solution to this, is there? Well, 342 00:17:56,080 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 1: in one respect, there was the IOC never should have 343 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 1: gone back to China in two thousand eight. It was 344 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:07,280 Speaker 1: part of, at least plausibly, the idea, we want to 345 00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:10,959 Speaker 1: move the Olympics around as much as possible. Someday there 346 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:14,440 Speaker 1: will be in Olympics on the African continent. Um they've 347 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:18,640 Speaker 1: opened it up to Asia, uh two thousand eight, Beijing 348 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:21,919 Speaker 1: two eighteen, back in South Korea. They had been there 349 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:27,359 Speaker 1: in Tokyo, unfortunately overshadowed by the pandemic. That in and 350 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:30,560 Speaker 1: of itself is not a bad idea. It's a global event. 351 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:34,800 Speaker 1: And maybe even though there were serious human rights issues 352 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:38,600 Speaker 1: and serious press freedom issues and all the rest UH 353 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 1: in China going way back, it wasn't as it just 354 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 1: wasn't as blatant it seems as it is now, or 355 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:50,399 Speaker 1: at least the world wasn't as fully aware. He say, okay, 356 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 1: we'll we'll give them a pass on this, let's see 357 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 1: if this can work out. And the answer always was 358 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:59,399 Speaker 1: and I always tried to bring some element of journalism 359 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:02,160 Speaker 1: to the cover whig as best I could. A host 360 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:06,200 Speaker 1: doesn't program the Olympics. He or she does as best 361 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:10,360 Speaker 1: he or she can UH in the little windows that exists. 362 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:14,720 Speaker 1: But within those windows, I always tried to at least 363 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:19,119 Speaker 1: present a big picture of the context in which an 364 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 1: Olympic Games was taking place, And I always put the 365 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 1: following question to Jock Roga, to Thomas Back whatever Olympic officials. 366 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 1: I was interviewing, what is it with the IOCs affinity 367 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 1: for authoritarian nations? How do you rationalize this? Or in 368 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:39,800 Speaker 1: so she I remember asking back, are you comfortable with 369 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:44,479 Speaker 1: the Olympic flame burning over Vladimir Putin's Russia? And the 370 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:48,400 Speaker 1: answer always is, well, we hope that our presence here 371 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:52,800 Speaker 1: will in a positive way effective behavior. And my answer now, 372 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:55,280 Speaker 1: as it has been for a long time, is how's 373 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 1: that working out? You know? So, okay, you went to 374 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:02,720 Speaker 1: Beijing in two thou eight. I know that there's a 375 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:07,399 Speaker 1: problem with UH as you alluded to talking about even 376 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:10,520 Speaker 1: residents of l A not being happy that the Olympics 377 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:14,200 Speaker 1: are there. There's a number of reasons why the number 378 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:18,400 Speaker 1: of cities or nations bidding for an Olympics has dwindled. 379 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:23,160 Speaker 1: So on the one hand, you could say, well, the Chinese, 380 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:25,800 Speaker 1: the c c P, they'll put all the resources into it, 381 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:28,919 Speaker 1: they'll run an effective Olympics, and they certainly round an 382 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:31,879 Speaker 1: effective Olympics in two thousand and eight in Beijing, all 383 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:33,639 Speaker 1: right now, it's two thousand and fifteen. We got to 384 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 1: decide again. We don't have that many candidates that appealed 385 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:39,399 Speaker 1: to us. Oslo, Norway was a natural Winter Olympics site, 386 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 1: but for whatever reason, even though as I understand it, 387 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:45,720 Speaker 1: on on twelve of fourteen checkpoints that are part of 388 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:49,479 Speaker 1: the consideration for a host city or nation, Oslo actually 389 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:54,359 Speaker 1: came out ahead on twelve of the fourteen. But the 390 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:58,480 Speaker 1: two that China came out ahead by the IOCs calculations 391 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:03,160 Speaker 1: were security and infrastructure resources that they could put towards 392 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:07,920 Speaker 1: those things, and obviously, in an authoritarian nation, those sources 393 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:11,119 Speaker 1: are unlimited. No one's talking about a short fall, no 394 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:13,320 Speaker 1: one's talking about a deficit. They don't have to explain 395 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 1: any of that, and the IOC is comfortable with that. Okay, 396 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:19,440 Speaker 1: So that's more background than you probably wanted. But twent 397 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:23,760 Speaker 1: is when the decision comes down. By then, is it 398 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:29,800 Speaker 1: not abundantly clear what's going on here? It was really 399 00:21:29,840 --> 00:21:33,240 Speaker 1: it was really shameless on the part of the IOC 400 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:38,320 Speaker 1: to place this Olympics back in China, and now it's 401 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:43,359 Speaker 1: all come to a head. Individual examples Pung Shua I 402 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:46,800 Speaker 1: keep this pronouncing your name, and yeah, the tennis the 403 00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:51,120 Speaker 1: tennis player, the treatment of the weaker's uh, the the 404 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 1: absolute crackdown on any kind of democratic reforms or free 405 00:21:57,040 --> 00:22:01,320 Speaker 1: flow of information. The very real concern earned that everybody 406 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:04,320 Speaker 1: there is being monitored. So people bringing burner phones rather 407 00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:07,600 Speaker 1: than their own devices into China, and then coupled with 408 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:12,080 Speaker 1: the pandemic and the COVID protocols in China are so 409 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:18,440 Speaker 1: extreme that entirely asymptomatic people are not only going to 410 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:22,879 Speaker 1: be pulled, but they're gonna be quarantined by Chinese edict 411 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:25,399 Speaker 1: for a very long time. Now. It's one thing of 412 00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:28,480 Speaker 1: a guy from the New York Times or a broadcaster 413 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:32,399 Speaker 1: from the Canadian to CBC can't do his or her 414 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:35,879 Speaker 1: job and it's confined someplace. But we know the nature 415 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:39,119 Speaker 1: of the Olympics. An NBA player test positive and whatever 416 00:22:39,119 --> 00:22:41,920 Speaker 1: the evolving protocols are, and he misses a few games. 417 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:45,480 Speaker 1: But if you're an Olympic athlete and you test positive, 418 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:49,920 Speaker 1: even completely asymptomatic, at the wrong time, there goes four 419 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:53,240 Speaker 1: years of preparation right out the window. So now to 420 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:56,040 Speaker 1: your point talking about how you feel about these Olympics, 421 00:22:56,600 --> 00:23:00,119 Speaker 1: these aren't backstories. This is front and center. That you 422 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:03,080 Speaker 1: don't have to be a well informed person. The casually 423 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:06,919 Speaker 1: informed person is at least generally aware of all of 424 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:09,840 Speaker 1: these factors that I just laid out. And then on 425 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:13,760 Speaker 1: top of it, there's fewer fans in the stands, almost none, 426 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:18,240 Speaker 1: no access to friends and families because of the protocols, 427 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:22,159 Speaker 1: the travelogue aspect of it. They'll have some features in 428 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:24,640 Speaker 1: the bank that they'll that they'll run that are recorded, 429 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 1: but the idea like here's Jim McKay standing in front 430 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:30,480 Speaker 1: of the Great Wall of China, or here's Bob Costas 431 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:33,359 Speaker 1: at the Great Barrier Reef back in two thousand in Australia, 432 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:36,679 Speaker 1: all that stuff is gone. And then and then you 433 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:41,200 Speaker 1: couple it with what what you're talking about. The there's 434 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:44,199 Speaker 1: so many more options now and even people that are 435 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:46,520 Speaker 1: Olympic fans might say, well, you know, I can get 436 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:49,200 Speaker 1: it later, or I can tape it, or somebody will 437 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:51,239 Speaker 1: have it, or this is the highlights will show up 438 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:55,639 Speaker 1: somewhere or other. Um it just it diminishes the sense 439 00:23:55,680 --> 00:23:57,360 Speaker 1: of it. You don't have a sense right now as 440 00:23:57,359 --> 00:24:01,400 Speaker 1: we speak of anticipation. As much as NBC is trying 441 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:04,399 Speaker 1: to build it, understandably, they got billions of dollars wrapped up. 442 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:08,840 Speaker 1: It's not their fault, but the circumstances have really worked 443 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:12,240 Speaker 1: against them. Here. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports 444 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:15,040 Speaker 1: talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows 445 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:18,320 Speaker 1: at Fox sports Radio dot com and within the I 446 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:21,359 Speaker 1: Heart Radio app search f s R to listen live. 447 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:24,240 Speaker 1: Even the athletes you know, Bob, But when you were calling, 448 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:28,360 Speaker 1: and I remember, like Carl Lewis was a worldwide Florence 449 00:24:28,359 --> 00:24:32,359 Speaker 1: Griffin joiner. These guys were massive stars. And unfortunately now 450 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:37,680 Speaker 1: uhcent of these Olympians you've never really heard of. And they, 451 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:40,560 Speaker 1: you know, a TikTok influencer is going to be all 452 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:43,040 Speaker 1: over You're gonna be hearing more about that than you 453 00:24:43,080 --> 00:24:45,240 Speaker 1: are these Olympian athletes. It just doesn't feel like it 454 00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:47,840 Speaker 1: has the same gravitas that it once did. Yeah, I 455 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:50,320 Speaker 1: think you're right about that. The winsor Olympics was always 456 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:53,880 Speaker 1: a little more difficult in that respect, and generally speaking, 457 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:57,480 Speaker 1: figure skaters would become a big deal, or maybe in 458 00:24:57,560 --> 00:25:01,399 Speaker 1: Salt Lake City or in Vancouver, the hockey competition was 459 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:04,480 Speaker 1: was important. There was always something that you could hang 460 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:09,040 Speaker 1: your hat on um, But the Olympics are different even 461 00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:12,159 Speaker 1: the Summer Olympics, which are more accessible I think to 462 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:19,639 Speaker 1: the general American sports fan. Sometimes cynical press people would 463 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:23,119 Speaker 1: take jabs at this, but you have to present an 464 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 1: Olympics differently than an NFL game or a Major League 465 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:30,040 Speaker 1: Baseball game. The super Bowl is only different by degree 466 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:33,640 Speaker 1: from the conference championships, which is only different by degree 467 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:36,320 Speaker 1: from the earlier rounds of the playoffs of the regular season. 468 00:25:36,680 --> 00:25:40,359 Speaker 1: People know who Tom Brady is, they knew Manning is, 469 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:42,919 Speaker 1: they know Joe Burrow is and Patrick Mahomes. I mean, 470 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:44,920 Speaker 1: they'll be features about Joe Burrow in the six hour 471 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:47,960 Speaker 1: pregame shows, but it isn't necessary to watch any of 472 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:51,800 Speaker 1: that to enjoy and understand who Joe Burrow is. But 473 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:54,400 Speaker 1: if you're going to present an Olympics, you have got 474 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:58,879 Speaker 1: to familiarize the audience with these competitors and give the 475 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:01,440 Speaker 1: audience a reason to hair, to root for them, to 476 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:06,240 Speaker 1: root against them, to understand the backstory. So despite whatever 477 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:10,159 Speaker 1: criticism NBC ever received for that, you know, maybe sometimes 478 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:13,159 Speaker 1: they went overboard with it, but by and large that 479 00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 1: had to be the approach. You hear anybody in an 480 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:20,160 Speaker 1: off Olympic here talking about curling. Some kind in Wyoming 481 00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:25,840 Speaker 1: to speculating speculating about the lose. No they don't. Yeah, 482 00:26:26,400 --> 00:26:29,760 Speaker 1: that's really helped the NFL a lot. Like nobody five 483 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:31,800 Speaker 1: years ago, nobody know who Joe Burrow was outside of 484 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:34,040 Speaker 1: like Ohio. Right, but then he has that great year 485 00:26:34,040 --> 00:26:36,159 Speaker 1: at l s U. They win the title. You know, 486 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:38,439 Speaker 1: million people watch it. It's like, oh, he's gonna go 487 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:40,840 Speaker 1: number one overall. Now everybody. Now, my mom still doesn't 488 00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:42,840 Speaker 1: know who Joe Burrow is. My wife has no clue 489 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:47,000 Speaker 1: who he is. But the sports fans guys do. Uh my, 490 00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:49,720 Speaker 1: I like the mom test, Bob for for a lot 491 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 1: of these athletes, and like Matt Stafford is still like 492 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:55,880 Speaker 1: he doesn't go on whatever the equivalent of Oprah Winfrey 493 00:26:55,920 --> 00:26:58,040 Speaker 1: is these days. And so this Super BOWLS I think 494 00:26:58,119 --> 00:27:00,800 Speaker 1: is gonna struggle a little bit. But Bob, we've seen 495 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:04,440 Speaker 1: NBA struggle with the ratings and Major League Baseball, even 496 00:27:04,480 --> 00:27:07,480 Speaker 1: the college football numbers are way down. I wonder you 497 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:09,920 Speaker 1: know you've been at this for a while, Like all 498 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:12,840 Speaker 1: this stuff feels cyclical, right, I mean, boxing was a 499 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:16,119 Speaker 1: massive sport in America and now it's featuring you know 500 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:18,960 Speaker 1: this guy who Jake Paul from YouTube or whatever like 501 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:22,000 Speaker 1: that's where boxing horse racing was massive. I don't know, 502 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:24,280 Speaker 1: I'm curious, what do you think is kind of next 503 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:27,400 Speaker 1: here in America in the next like ten years sports wise, 504 00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:30,320 Speaker 1: because a lot of the numbers are not promising from 505 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:33,360 Speaker 1: a TV standpoint. Yeah, well, the NFL is the colossus, 506 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:36,520 Speaker 1: and the rules don't apply. All these factors which are 507 00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:40,280 Speaker 1: definitely important, just don't apply as much, if at all, 508 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:43,840 Speaker 1: to the NFL. It cuts through everything. Every year at 509 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:45,439 Speaker 1: the end of the year. If you look at the 510 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:48,840 Speaker 1: one hundred top rated television programs, A d o them 511 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:53,200 Speaker 1: or so are NFL games so? And if somebody's mom 512 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:56,119 Speaker 1: doesn't know who Joe Burrow is, they will have the 513 00:27:56,119 --> 00:27:58,720 Speaker 1: super Bowl is over because everybody watches the super Bowl. 514 00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:02,000 Speaker 1: People that don't don't know a screen pass from a drawplay, 515 00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:04,879 Speaker 1: watched the Super Bowl for the commercials, for the party, 516 00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:07,879 Speaker 1: whatever it might be. I made this point on CNN 517 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:11,760 Speaker 1: the other day. Joe Burrow is an emerging star when 518 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:13,479 Speaker 1: the super Bowl is up, but he's only played two 519 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:16,200 Speaker 1: years in the NFL. When the super Bowl is over. 520 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:20,240 Speaker 1: To the mom test you're talking about, Joe Burrow, would 521 00:28:20,320 --> 00:28:24,400 Speaker 1: trout Mike Trout in a mom test, But Mike Trout 522 00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:28,080 Speaker 1: is by acclamation, the best baseball player of his generation 523 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:30,240 Speaker 1: and has been in the major leagues for a decade. 524 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:33,399 Speaker 1: What's the difference. It isn't quality of performance. It's the 525 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:38,680 Speaker 1: centrality of the NFL, the NBA and baseball have essentially 526 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:43,560 Speaker 1: on a national basis, made themselves into cable sports. When 527 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:45,360 Speaker 1: I did the Baseball Game of the Week, not because 528 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:47,080 Speaker 1: it was me, but because of the institution of the 529 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:49,520 Speaker 1: Baseball Game of the Week in the eighties, me and 530 00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:53,560 Speaker 1: Tony Kuback and Vince Scully and Joe Garagiola. If you 531 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:56,400 Speaker 1: were a baseball fan, you didn't mow the lawn during 532 00:28:56,440 --> 00:28:58,320 Speaker 1: those three hours, and you could get a whole game 533 00:28:58,320 --> 00:29:00,760 Speaker 1: in plus a pregame show in three hours. Back then, 534 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:04,560 Speaker 1: that's when you saw Fernando Valezuela faced Johnny Bench or 535 00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:06,680 Speaker 1: whatever it might be. And you didn't have so many 536 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:09,720 Speaker 1: games on TV that that didn't feel special. Plus network 537 00:29:09,800 --> 00:29:16,240 Speaker 1: TV mattered, it mattered. So now regionally, you know the 538 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:19,400 Speaker 1: Yankees on Yes Network and the Red Sox on Nessen, 539 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:22,200 Speaker 1: and the Cardinals in the Midwest they do very very well, 540 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 1: but nationally it doesn't cut through as much. But you 541 00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:32,200 Speaker 1: think about the NFL um every game is on network 542 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:35,960 Speaker 1: television in some sense, and even if someday the Jacksonville 543 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:39,120 Speaker 1: Jaguars got good enough to make a run to the 544 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:41,800 Speaker 1: Super Bowl or deep into the playoffs, by the time 545 00:29:41,840 --> 00:29:44,920 Speaker 1: they got that far, fans who hadn't paid much attention 546 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:48,440 Speaker 1: to them would be familiar with their head coach, with 547 00:29:48,520 --> 00:29:51,120 Speaker 1: their quarterback, with the essential players. That's just the way 548 00:29:51,360 --> 00:29:53,760 Speaker 1: all this stuff has been presented. And I've used this 549 00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:56,600 Speaker 1: example before and I apologize that people have heard it 550 00:29:56,880 --> 00:29:59,440 Speaker 1: and are tired of it. One of the big differences, 551 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 1: maybe the most important difference, between Michael Jordan and Lebron James. 552 00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:05,960 Speaker 1: If you want to use metrics and compare them and 553 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:08,440 Speaker 1: make a case for Lebron James, go ahead. But if 554 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:11,720 Speaker 1: you want to talk about fan impact, it's Jordan's in 555 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:14,800 Speaker 1: a route. There are there are a number of reasons, 556 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:19,560 Speaker 1: but the primary reason is the NBA was on NBC 557 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:23,640 Speaker 1: in the nineties. Every one of those important games was 558 00:30:23,680 --> 00:30:27,760 Speaker 1: on network television. Game two of the of the Semis 559 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:30,000 Speaker 1: might have been on TBS, and they did a fine 560 00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:33,400 Speaker 1: job with it, but all the important games were on NBC. 561 00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:36,160 Speaker 1: And it wasn't just the games themselves. That meant that 562 00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:40,240 Speaker 1: the promos were on E. R and Friends and Sciences 563 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:43,640 Speaker 1: and The Today Show and The Tonight Show and David Letterman. 564 00:30:43,960 --> 00:30:48,240 Speaker 1: It was just in the atmosphere. It was water cooler stuff. 565 00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:51,320 Speaker 1: Lebron James. There is no little old lady in Omaha 566 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:53,760 Speaker 1: who has ever once said to your mom Test or 567 00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:57,280 Speaker 1: your grandmother Test. You know, Mildred, I'd love to play 568 00:30:57,280 --> 00:31:02,560 Speaker 1: Bridge tonight, but I have to watch Lebron James. But 569 00:31:02,560 --> 00:31:05,120 Speaker 1: but you know, you know, your grandmother knew who Michael 570 00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:08,400 Speaker 1: Jordan was, and she didn't she didn't necessarily know who 571 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:11,600 Speaker 1: John Paxson was or care, you know, but she's I'm 572 00:31:11,600 --> 00:31:15,479 Speaker 1: gonna watch Michael Jordan's tonight played the Portland's Trailblazers and 573 00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:18,880 Speaker 1: then by Osmosis. If you're watching Michael Jordan's by Asmoses, 574 00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:22,080 Speaker 1: you're absorbing the rest of the league. Somebody asked me 575 00:31:22,120 --> 00:31:25,840 Speaker 1: the other day to talk about the two NBA All 576 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 1: Star Game when Magic Johnson came back after retiring, probably 577 00:31:29,840 --> 00:31:34,200 Speaker 1: the greatest, right, Yeah, yeah, he's with having not played 578 00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:36,560 Speaker 1: all season long. Of course, twenty five points and shots 579 00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:38,880 Speaker 1: ten of fifteen from the floor, so it was memorable 580 00:31:39,080 --> 00:31:41,840 Speaker 1: in that respect. But then I looked at the lineups 581 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:46,320 Speaker 1: and you know, maybe it's generational, but every one of 582 00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:50,760 Speaker 1: those names resonated to me in a way that very 583 00:31:50,880 --> 00:31:53,320 Speaker 1: very good players. I mean, they're wonderful players in the 584 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:57,000 Speaker 1: NBA today. But when when you get past Lebron and 585 00:31:57,040 --> 00:31:59,479 Speaker 1: when you get past Steph Curry and three or four 586 00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:03,200 Speaker 1: other guys, we're out of household names when we can 587 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:05,560 Speaker 1: go on to a hundred names if watching Ernie Johnson 588 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:08,680 Speaker 1: and and Shack and and Kenny and and and Charles. 589 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:12,680 Speaker 1: But if you're just talking about that that metaphorical little 590 00:32:12,680 --> 00:32:17,560 Speaker 1: old lady, after you get past Lebron and Steph Curry, 591 00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:21,480 Speaker 1: are we not out of household names? It is definitely tough. 592 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:24,800 Speaker 1: It sounds like just putting things together. So the NBA 593 00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:28,800 Speaker 1: to grow, uh financially, said hey, we will cut deals 594 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:31,680 Speaker 1: with cable networks, will put our games on cable, will 595 00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:33,880 Speaker 1: make a lot of money. Everybody, all of a sudden's 596 00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:38,240 Speaker 1: making thirty million, Russell Westbrook's making forty million. Like everybody wins. 597 00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:41,520 Speaker 1: But in the big picture, it sounds like you think, 598 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:43,400 Speaker 1: kind of they're losing because they're not on network TV, 599 00:32:43,440 --> 00:32:46,719 Speaker 1: which is understandable. They're losing something. I don't know if 600 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:51,120 Speaker 1: in the overall business model they're losing that much. Um 601 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:54,840 Speaker 1: and especially when the COVID cloud has lifted, they'll be 602 00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:58,000 Speaker 1: still be packing arenas, and in some cases they are 603 00:32:58,480 --> 00:33:05,000 Speaker 1: already uh. But something's lost, something in the zeitgeist is lost. 604 00:33:05,080 --> 00:33:07,800 Speaker 1: And to backtrack to one of your earlier points, which 605 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:13,400 Speaker 1: is about China, Uh, I do think that, as I said, 606 00:33:13,520 --> 00:33:15,960 Speaker 1: the Olympics had an easy choice. It wasn't that complicated. 607 00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:18,000 Speaker 1: Just don't go back there and then you've done with it. 608 00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:22,760 Speaker 1: But the NBA is deeply entwined. Other sports entities are 609 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 1: also there, but the NBA is the most prominent along 610 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:29,479 Speaker 1: with Nike. They're deeply entangled with China, which is a 611 00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:33,000 Speaker 1: very lucrative market. And by the way, it's a lucrative 612 00:33:33,040 --> 00:33:36,560 Speaker 1: market for American entertainment, which also quote bends the knee 613 00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:40,200 Speaker 1: because many films that come out of Hollywood are edited 614 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:43,320 Speaker 1: uh much differently than what we see here in the 615 00:33:43,440 --> 00:33:46,480 Speaker 1: United States. So it's not to offend the CCP, but 616 00:33:46,600 --> 00:33:50,640 Speaker 1: to tap into that gigantic market. But there there may 617 00:33:50,720 --> 00:33:53,760 Speaker 1: be a moment of reckoning for all of those entities 618 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:57,440 Speaker 1: where there's enough public pressure or their own sense of 619 00:33:57,680 --> 00:34:02,160 Speaker 1: principle to the extent that it exists, shames them into saying, 620 00:34:02,160 --> 00:34:05,480 Speaker 1: you know what, this is untenable. We we can't do 621 00:34:05,520 --> 00:34:08,840 Speaker 1: this any longer. But you know how how they cut 622 00:34:08,880 --> 00:34:12,480 Speaker 1: that not um is more is more difficult than you 623 00:34:12,520 --> 00:34:14,320 Speaker 1: and I are just sitting around talking about it. I 624 00:34:14,680 --> 00:34:16,319 Speaker 1: know you gotta go in a little bit, but we could. 625 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:18,440 Speaker 1: I'm curious about baseball. I'm sure you've been asked a 626 00:34:18,440 --> 00:34:20,840 Speaker 1: billion times about the Hall of Fame and what's the 627 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:24,200 Speaker 1: solution for the guys who were from the steroid era 628 00:34:24,320 --> 00:34:27,080 Speaker 1: and who are getting shafted um. I am curious. I 629 00:34:27,120 --> 00:34:29,080 Speaker 1: do want to ask this. Have you spoken to Barry 630 00:34:29,080 --> 00:34:33,560 Speaker 1: Bonds or Roger Clemens lately? Uh? No, Although I've been 631 00:34:33,760 --> 00:34:38,880 Speaker 1: in contacting directly with Barry Bonds, I don't have antagonistic 632 00:34:38,880 --> 00:34:42,400 Speaker 1: feeling feelings toward Bonds at all. I've always said that 633 00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:45,240 Speaker 1: when we talked about steroids, this is not a question 634 00:34:45,280 --> 00:34:52,200 Speaker 1: of morality or or personal decency or criminality. Certainly, it's 635 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:56,040 Speaker 1: a question only in my mind of authenticity. Barry Bonds 636 00:34:56,680 --> 00:34:59,319 Speaker 1: is one of the greatest players of all time on 637 00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:03,200 Speaker 1: his natural merits. Had he never taken anything more powerful 638 00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:06,120 Speaker 1: than a protein shake, he'd be an elite inner circle 639 00:35:06,520 --> 00:35:09,800 Speaker 1: Hall of Famer, near unanimous first ballot Hall of Famer. 640 00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:12,320 Speaker 1: And as I've said many times, I put him in 641 00:35:12,440 --> 00:35:15,799 Speaker 1: Roger Clemens in a different category than most other UH 642 00:35:15,920 --> 00:35:21,040 Speaker 1: suspected or obvious UH steroid users, because they wouldn't just 643 00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:23,520 Speaker 1: have been Hall of famers, they would have been historic 644 00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:27,000 Speaker 1: inner circle Hall of famers, and their credentials before we 645 00:35:27,080 --> 00:35:29,839 Speaker 1: can reasonably assume they began using p d s were 646 00:35:29,960 --> 00:35:34,000 Speaker 1: overwhelmingly Hall of Fame worthy. So actually I have been 647 00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:35,840 Speaker 1: in touch with Barry Bonds, with whom I had a 648 00:35:35,840 --> 00:35:39,080 Speaker 1: friendly relationship until the early two thousand's, and then he 649 00:35:39,160 --> 00:35:43,239 Speaker 1: became upset because I was willing to state plainly what 650 00:35:43,400 --> 00:35:47,160 Speaker 1: other people either were ignoring or were too um too 651 00:35:47,200 --> 00:35:50,680 Speaker 1: timid to acknowledge, which is the game is wildly distorted. 652 00:35:50,760 --> 00:35:53,960 Speaker 1: It's completely out of whack. And as he approached tank Aaron, 653 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:56,680 Speaker 1: I said, flatly, you know, I live on this planet. 654 00:35:57,040 --> 00:36:02,360 Speaker 1: I know what's going on here, um, and that that Barry. 655 00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:05,239 Speaker 1: But but I actually think that there are a lot 656 00:36:05,239 --> 00:36:09,800 Speaker 1: of things worthy of respect and admiration about Barry Bonds um, 657 00:36:09,840 --> 00:36:14,080 Speaker 1: and I wish in whatever venue he would open up 658 00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:16,799 Speaker 1: and tell his own story, not gossipy stuff I don't 659 00:36:16,800 --> 00:36:19,520 Speaker 1: care about that, but the stuff that's relevant to his 660 00:36:19,600 --> 00:36:22,799 Speaker 1: place in baseball history. So to answer your question, I've 661 00:36:22,840 --> 00:36:26,680 Speaker 1: reached out through his representatives and I've always received a 662 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:31,600 Speaker 1: very respectful response, which wasn't like, don't ever bother me again. 663 00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:33,680 Speaker 1: It was you know, maybe maybe in the future, maybe 664 00:36:33,680 --> 00:36:37,239 Speaker 1: down the road. Um. But yeah. And Roger Clemens I 665 00:36:37,239 --> 00:36:39,680 Speaker 1: always had a very friendly relationship with when he was playing. 666 00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:42,359 Speaker 1: That just hasn't been occasion for me to talk with 667 00:36:42,440 --> 00:36:45,440 Speaker 1: him recently. But you know, if I bumped into him someplace, 668 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:47,720 Speaker 1: we'd sit down and have a beer. No question. Fox 669 00:36:47,719 --> 00:36:50,840 Speaker 1: Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. 670 00:36:51,160 --> 00:36:54,080 Speaker 1: Catch all of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot 671 00:36:54,120 --> 00:36:57,120 Speaker 1: com and within the I Heart Radio app. Search f 672 00:36:57,440 --> 00:37:00,239 Speaker 1: s R to listen live. So if all of a 673 00:37:00,239 --> 00:37:02,440 Speaker 1: sudden tomorrow the Hall of Fame said, you know what, 674 00:37:02,480 --> 00:37:06,080 Speaker 1: we're scrapping this dumb writer vote. These guys hold vendettas 675 00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:09,080 Speaker 1: against guys who didn't talk to him, and we're scrapping that. 676 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:11,640 Speaker 1: And Bob Costa is is going to officially be the 677 00:37:11,640 --> 00:37:15,040 Speaker 1: Hall of Fame Commissioner. Bob, we're leaning on you on 678 00:37:15,080 --> 00:37:17,920 Speaker 1: what you want to do with Clemens and Bonds and 679 00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:21,160 Speaker 1: all these guys who have not gotten in Bob cost is, 680 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:23,040 Speaker 1: what's the call by Barry Bonds Hall of Fame. You 681 00:37:23,040 --> 00:37:25,200 Speaker 1: gotta put him in, right, Oh? I put Barry Bonds in, 682 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:29,799 Speaker 1: Roger Clemings in, no, no question about it, Um Dredriguez. 683 00:37:31,480 --> 00:37:34,400 Speaker 1: Alex has nine more years remaining on the ballot. There 684 00:37:34,440 --> 00:37:37,880 Speaker 1: are people who make distinctions between those who used before 685 00:37:37,960 --> 00:37:40,839 Speaker 1: any penalties and testing were codified and those who did 686 00:37:40,840 --> 00:37:45,880 Speaker 1: it after. Uh So Alex falls into the latter category. 687 00:37:46,280 --> 00:37:49,600 Speaker 1: It's very hard to ignore his overall greatness. Another guy 688 00:37:49,640 --> 00:37:51,120 Speaker 1: that would have been a Hall of Famer on his 689 00:37:51,160 --> 00:37:55,960 Speaker 1: own natural merits. Um if the Hall of Fame was 690 00:37:56,040 --> 00:37:59,600 Speaker 1: ever to say, and that's up to their board of directors, 691 00:37:59,640 --> 00:38:02,359 Speaker 1: but if they would ever say, look, these are our 692 00:38:02,400 --> 00:38:10,799 Speaker 1: new directives. Ah that anyone incredibly connected to steroids or 693 00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:14,520 Speaker 1: performance and dancing drugs that has been suspended for that 694 00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:21,239 Speaker 1: going forward, that is automatic disqualification for consideration from the 695 00:38:21,239 --> 00:38:24,120 Speaker 1: Hall of Fame. They did that, by the way, with 696 00:38:24,200 --> 00:38:27,600 Speaker 1: Pete Rose. There was no rule that kept Pete Rose 697 00:38:27,760 --> 00:38:29,840 Speaker 1: off the Hall of Fame ballot until just before he 698 00:38:29,840 --> 00:38:34,160 Speaker 1: would have been eligible, which was two years after he'd 699 00:38:34,160 --> 00:38:38,399 Speaker 1: been banned for life from baseball for gambling. But that 700 00:38:38,520 --> 00:38:41,640 Speaker 1: rule was in effect an ex post facto rule which 701 00:38:41,640 --> 00:38:43,799 Speaker 1: has kept Pete Rose remember being on the ballot, which 702 00:38:43,800 --> 00:38:46,160 Speaker 1: is a little bit weird for two reasons. The steroid 703 00:38:46,200 --> 00:38:48,600 Speaker 1: guys are all on the ballot, some get a higher 704 00:38:48,680 --> 00:38:52,040 Speaker 1: vote percentage than others, and some have apparently slipped through 705 00:38:52,040 --> 00:38:54,200 Speaker 1: and are in the Hall of Fame, at least those 706 00:38:54,280 --> 00:38:58,360 Speaker 1: we uh suspect, but Pete Rose has never been considered. 707 00:38:58,440 --> 00:39:00,440 Speaker 1: And now it looks even more ridiculous some light of 708 00:39:00,480 --> 00:39:03,960 Speaker 1: where our conversation began, because not only does this baseball 709 00:39:04,120 --> 00:39:08,359 Speaker 1: tolerate gambling, it pushes it for its own commercial interests. Now, 710 00:39:08,600 --> 00:39:12,959 Speaker 1: in fairness, players, umpires, those directly connected to the game, 711 00:39:13,160 --> 00:39:15,399 Speaker 1: including people like me or employees of the Major League 712 00:39:15,400 --> 00:39:18,480 Speaker 1: Baseball Network are not permitted to gamble on baseball or 713 00:39:18,520 --> 00:39:22,920 Speaker 1: share proprietary information, and there are still penalties connected with that. Nonetheless, 714 00:39:23,160 --> 00:39:26,319 Speaker 1: when you consider Pete Rose's place in the game and 715 00:39:26,360 --> 00:39:29,840 Speaker 1: the damage done to it by steroid users and the 716 00:39:29,920 --> 00:39:33,600 Speaker 1: proliferation of gambling with Baseball's encouragement, now it looks all 717 00:39:33,600 --> 00:39:35,920 Speaker 1: the more ridiculous that an eighty one year old man 718 00:39:35,920 --> 00:39:38,680 Speaker 1: who poses no threat is not on the Hall of 719 00:39:38,719 --> 00:39:43,560 Speaker 1: Fame ballot, or that anyone would conclude some kid, some 720 00:39:43,600 --> 00:39:46,160 Speaker 1: ten year old kid a half century from now, when 721 00:39:46,160 --> 00:39:48,920 Speaker 1: we're all gone seeing Pete Rose's plaque, have you ever 722 00:39:48,960 --> 00:39:51,479 Speaker 1: got there in the Hall of Fame gallery saying, gee, 723 00:39:51,560 --> 00:39:53,960 Speaker 1: Mom and Dad, I guess it's okay to bet on 724 00:39:54,040 --> 00:39:58,359 Speaker 1: baseball because all it costs Pete Rose was his entire livelihood. 725 00:39:58,640 --> 00:40:02,440 Speaker 1: The first paragraph of his obituary wasn't the four thousand, 726 00:40:02,480 --> 00:40:04,719 Speaker 1: two hundred and fifty six hits. It's that he's been 727 00:40:04,800 --> 00:40:07,560 Speaker 1: on baseball, and he was kept out of the Hall 728 00:40:07,640 --> 00:40:10,320 Speaker 1: of Fame for more than three decades. So I guess, 729 00:40:10,320 --> 00:40:14,480 Speaker 1: really he got off easy. You know, that's ridiculous. So 730 00:40:14,840 --> 00:40:17,600 Speaker 1: now back to backtracking. This is what happens to me 731 00:40:17,640 --> 00:40:20,319 Speaker 1: on podcast, Jason. I like it. If you said to me, 732 00:40:20,960 --> 00:40:22,960 Speaker 1: I'm a I'm a different guy on podcast. If you 733 00:40:23,040 --> 00:40:24,320 Speaker 1: said to me back in the day when I was 734 00:40:24,400 --> 00:40:26,000 Speaker 1: doing all that stuff for NBC, if they said in 735 00:40:26,040 --> 00:40:28,560 Speaker 1: my ear we need forty five seconds, I gave them 736 00:40:28,560 --> 00:40:32,000 Speaker 1: forty four point five seconds. I knew how to do it. 737 00:40:32,640 --> 00:40:36,319 Speaker 1: But this, this is open ended. So this is like it. 738 00:40:36,360 --> 00:40:38,359 Speaker 1: You're like, and if I'm driving you crazy, why would 739 00:40:38,360 --> 00:40:40,640 Speaker 1: you want forty five seconds of podcastas when you can 740 00:40:40,680 --> 00:40:44,160 Speaker 1: get five minutes like a real in depth discussion, like 741 00:40:44,200 --> 00:40:47,160 Speaker 1: I prefer that. Thank you? Okay. So to your to 742 00:40:47,200 --> 00:40:51,920 Speaker 1: your point, if the Hall of Fame was to issue 743 00:40:51,960 --> 00:40:57,560 Speaker 1: a directive that's said, going forward, this is this more 744 00:40:57,600 --> 00:40:59,719 Speaker 1: or less parallels what they did with Rose for better 745 00:40:59,800 --> 00:41:06,240 Speaker 1: or going forward from this day forward, anyone who tests 746 00:41:06,239 --> 00:41:11,200 Speaker 1: positive exhaust appeals is suspended for having used p e 747 00:41:11,320 --> 00:41:14,800 Speaker 1: d S at any point during their career, is ineligible 748 00:41:14,840 --> 00:41:17,600 Speaker 1: for the Hall of Fame ballot. Now, that doesn't deprive 749 00:41:17,640 --> 00:41:20,720 Speaker 1: them of their livelihood. Under Baseball's rules, they'd be suspended 750 00:41:20,719 --> 00:41:22,160 Speaker 1: for a period of time and allowed to come back. 751 00:41:22,200 --> 00:41:24,160 Speaker 1: They'd have to be like a three time loser before 752 00:41:24,160 --> 00:41:26,920 Speaker 1: the banned for life. But the Hall of Fame is 753 00:41:26,920 --> 00:41:30,520 Speaker 1: an honor, it's not a right, okay. And as those 754 00:41:30,560 --> 00:41:32,799 Speaker 1: who haven't been to the Hall of Fame may not understand, 755 00:41:33,560 --> 00:41:36,960 Speaker 1: Barry Bonds, Pete Rose, whomever, they're not a race from 756 00:41:36,960 --> 00:41:39,120 Speaker 1: the Hall of Fame. They're a big part of the 757 00:41:39,200 --> 00:41:41,880 Speaker 1: museum because there's a part of the museum that that 758 00:41:41,960 --> 00:41:46,720 Speaker 1: reflects Baseball history, and it does it almost unflinchingly, Segregation, 759 00:41:47,480 --> 00:41:50,680 Speaker 1: p e d s, women in baseball, labor strife, it's 760 00:41:50,680 --> 00:41:53,360 Speaker 1: all in there. But the gallery. What people think of 761 00:41:53,480 --> 00:41:56,040 Speaker 1: is the entirety of the Hall of Fame is the gallery. 762 00:41:56,080 --> 00:41:57,800 Speaker 1: But that's not the whole thing. It is the most 763 00:41:58,280 --> 00:42:01,600 Speaker 1: hallowed part of it. That's the plaques are. But if 764 00:42:01,640 --> 00:42:03,319 Speaker 1: you walk through the Hall of Fame, you're gonna see 765 00:42:03,320 --> 00:42:07,160 Speaker 1: every significant person, rogues and heroes and everything in between 766 00:42:07,480 --> 00:42:10,600 Speaker 1: are represented. But if if the Hall of Fame said 767 00:42:11,200 --> 00:42:15,319 Speaker 1: that from this day forward, if you have been sanctioned 768 00:42:15,400 --> 00:42:18,759 Speaker 1: for p e d Use by Major League Baseball, you 769 00:42:18,840 --> 00:42:22,279 Speaker 1: are not permitted on the ballot. And then if they 770 00:42:22,360 --> 00:42:27,080 Speaker 1: issue this guideline, the integrity clause, the character clause is 771 00:42:27,080 --> 00:42:31,719 Speaker 1: too vague. Our feeling is, by virtue of their being 772 00:42:31,760 --> 00:42:36,320 Speaker 1: on the ballot that those who are connected to p 773 00:42:36,440 --> 00:42:41,839 Speaker 1: e d Use prior to this directive in or they're 774 00:42:41,880 --> 00:42:45,760 Speaker 1: certainly eligible for the Hall of Fame. And we encourage 775 00:42:45,800 --> 00:42:49,160 Speaker 1: the voters to use their own best judgment as to 776 00:42:49,200 --> 00:42:53,359 Speaker 1: where that places them. And then if if they wanted to, 777 00:42:54,080 --> 00:42:59,719 Speaker 1: they could they could, just as they have um exhibits 778 00:42:59,719 --> 00:43:03,040 Speaker 1: about various dirrors in Baseball they could do and I'm 779 00:43:03,040 --> 00:43:05,839 Speaker 1: not saying this tongue in cheek. Here's your steroid erath 780 00:43:07,440 --> 00:43:10,279 Speaker 1: and they could even with with those. Let's let's say 781 00:43:10,960 --> 00:43:14,640 Speaker 1: let's say you're talking about Manny Ramirez, and let's say 782 00:43:14,680 --> 00:43:18,799 Speaker 1: Manny Ramirez somehow gets into the Hall of Fame. You 783 00:43:18,840 --> 00:43:23,080 Speaker 1: could list everything he did and it's relevant. Suspended twice 784 00:43:23,080 --> 00:43:24,880 Speaker 1: for p e D use would be at the bottom 785 00:43:24,880 --> 00:43:27,719 Speaker 1: of the plaque, just as eligible as as your statistics. 786 00:43:29,200 --> 00:43:32,200 Speaker 1: You know, those are possible ways to deal with it, 787 00:43:32,239 --> 00:43:35,440 Speaker 1: but it's become such a hodgepodge already, Jason, that I 788 00:43:35,440 --> 00:43:37,360 Speaker 1: don't know how you want tangle it. And there's always 789 00:43:37,360 --> 00:43:39,839 Speaker 1: going to be inconsistencies. What about this guy? What about 790 00:43:39,880 --> 00:43:43,000 Speaker 1: that guy? And there are many people, many baseball fans 791 00:43:43,080 --> 00:43:46,879 Speaker 1: who cannot make common sense distinctions. You know, there are 792 00:43:46,880 --> 00:43:50,320 Speaker 1: Bonds fans who say, how can David Ortiz be in 793 00:43:50,360 --> 00:43:54,040 Speaker 1: and Barry Bonds is not? Well, I'm not saying I 794 00:43:54,080 --> 00:43:57,000 Speaker 1: have no way of saying this definitively that that David 795 00:43:57,120 --> 00:43:59,719 Speaker 1: Ortiz never used p E d s. But the one 796 00:43:59,800 --> 00:44:02,760 Speaker 1: time time that he tested positive was on a survey 797 00:44:02,800 --> 00:44:06,000 Speaker 1: test that was supposed to be anonymous, which had ten 798 00:44:06,120 --> 00:44:11,040 Speaker 1: or more um false positives within it, or positives for 799 00:44:11,400 --> 00:44:15,279 Speaker 1: substances that then would trigger the tests that they used 800 00:44:15,280 --> 00:44:17,719 Speaker 1: for the survey, but never would have been on a 801 00:44:17,800 --> 00:44:21,200 Speaker 1: band list for Major League Baseball. Plus, by agreement, the 802 00:44:21,239 --> 00:44:23,799 Speaker 1: whole thing was supposed to be anonymous. They weren't looking 803 00:44:23,840 --> 00:44:26,080 Speaker 1: to pinpoint individuals. They were looking to find out, in 804 00:44:26,120 --> 00:44:29,600 Speaker 1: a macro sense, how many guys were using, so that 805 00:44:29,640 --> 00:44:33,319 Speaker 1: they get determine to the Players Association satisfaction that it 806 00:44:33,360 --> 00:44:35,799 Speaker 1: was enough of an issue UH to have testing and 807 00:44:35,840 --> 00:44:40,919 Speaker 1: penalties going forward. Now we know that Ortiz had most 808 00:44:40,960 --> 00:44:43,560 Speaker 1: of his great years, in fact, all of his great 809 00:44:43,600 --> 00:44:48,319 Speaker 1: years pretty much after testing was in place. He never 810 00:44:48,360 --> 00:44:52,000 Speaker 1: tested positive. Does that mean that he never used? Now 811 00:44:52,040 --> 00:44:55,279 Speaker 1: it doesn't. But as best we can determine, how can 812 00:44:55,320 --> 00:45:01,239 Speaker 1: you compare David Ortiz two Barry Bond, who had And 813 00:45:01,320 --> 00:45:03,719 Speaker 1: this is important to me, and I don't know why 814 00:45:03,800 --> 00:45:07,640 Speaker 1: people can't make this simple distinction. You'll you're here here, 815 00:45:07,680 --> 00:45:11,360 Speaker 1: People say, yes, you are. Barry Bonds used steroids, but 816 00:45:12,080 --> 00:45:15,360 Speaker 1: he's still the greatest player who ever lived. Before Barry 817 00:45:15,360 --> 00:45:18,640 Speaker 1: Bonds began using steroids, I never heard one single person 818 00:45:18,719 --> 00:45:22,080 Speaker 1: saying Barry Bonds is the greatest player who ever? Did? 819 00:45:22,160 --> 00:45:25,239 Speaker 1: Did they say that he's perhaps the best player of 820 00:45:25,239 --> 00:45:28,560 Speaker 1: his generation? Yep? Fair enough? Did they say he belongs 821 00:45:28,560 --> 00:45:31,799 Speaker 1: in the conversation with the among the best ball round 822 00:45:31,880 --> 00:45:35,960 Speaker 1: players in baseball history? He most certainly does. Joel Sherman 823 00:45:35,960 --> 00:45:38,839 Speaker 1: of The New York Post. I'm going in podcast mode here, 824 00:45:38,920 --> 00:45:41,719 Speaker 1: Jason went, you tell me when you've had enough? No? No, yeah, 825 00:45:41,719 --> 00:45:44,239 Speaker 1: I know, I know, Joel okay. Joel Sherman of the 826 00:45:44,239 --> 00:45:48,080 Speaker 1: New York Post, on the morning of the Hall of 827 00:45:48,120 --> 00:45:52,400 Speaker 1: Fame announcement, took the first thirteen years of Willie Mays's 828 00:45:52,440 --> 00:45:56,400 Speaker 1: career and the first thirteen of Barry Bonds and matched 829 00:45:56,440 --> 00:45:59,319 Speaker 1: them up statistically. They each had eight Gold Gloves, but 830 00:45:59,480 --> 00:46:02,520 Speaker 1: Willie would had more, but the Gold Glove award didn't 831 00:46:02,520 --> 00:46:04,359 Speaker 1: exist the first few years of his career. But they 832 00:46:04,360 --> 00:46:08,120 Speaker 1: each had eight, and their batting statistics were roughly comparable. 833 00:46:08,440 --> 00:46:11,440 Speaker 1: Willie had a higher batting average and slugging percentage, but 834 00:46:11,520 --> 00:46:16,160 Speaker 1: the numbers were roughly comparable. Okay. So that means that 835 00:46:16,239 --> 00:46:21,000 Speaker 1: Barry Bonds, at his best naturally was comparable to Willie 836 00:46:21,040 --> 00:46:24,160 Speaker 1: Mays or to Hank Out as a as a hitter. 837 00:46:24,360 --> 00:46:27,200 Speaker 1: It's difficult to compare across eras, but his numbers would 838 00:46:27,200 --> 00:46:30,600 Speaker 1: not have matched up with Ted Williams or Stand Musical 839 00:46:30,920 --> 00:46:32,680 Speaker 1: or if you've got to go way back to Babe Ruth. 840 00:46:33,440 --> 00:46:36,719 Speaker 1: But my point here is, don't compare Barry Bonds to 841 00:46:36,800 --> 00:46:41,000 Speaker 1: those people except the maze comparison is is illuminating because 842 00:46:41,000 --> 00:46:44,240 Speaker 1: it's after thirteen years that we credibly believe that Barry 843 00:46:44,280 --> 00:46:49,040 Speaker 1: Bonds began using. Now, just compare Barry Bonds to himself. 844 00:46:49,840 --> 00:46:53,319 Speaker 1: Barry Bonds the lifetime to ninety hitter. The year in 845 00:46:53,360 --> 00:46:56,160 Speaker 1: which he turned forty, he hit like three sixty two 846 00:46:56,280 --> 00:47:00,120 Speaker 1: or something like that. Is his career slugging percentage was 847 00:47:00,200 --> 00:47:02,840 Speaker 1: five fifty six. In the year he turned forty, he 848 00:47:02,880 --> 00:47:06,080 Speaker 1: slugged over eight hundred. In that stretch, he slugged over 849 00:47:06,120 --> 00:47:10,400 Speaker 1: eight hundred twice and sevens. Through thirteen years, he had 850 00:47:10,480 --> 00:47:12,919 Speaker 1: hit a homer roughly once every fifteen times at Bath. 851 00:47:13,400 --> 00:47:17,799 Speaker 1: After that, in some seasons he doubled that rate. He 852 00:47:17,960 --> 00:47:21,640 Speaker 1: was walked more than two hundred times in two thousand four, 853 00:47:22,000 --> 00:47:24,280 Speaker 1: the year in which he turned forty, and he struck 854 00:47:24,320 --> 00:47:27,640 Speaker 1: out forty one. So he's walking more often than Ted 855 00:47:27,680 --> 00:47:31,200 Speaker 1: Williams and striking out about as often as Tony Gwynn. Now, 856 00:47:32,040 --> 00:47:35,239 Speaker 1: if he had just arrived from outer space and that's 857 00:47:35,280 --> 00:47:37,680 Speaker 1: what he started to do from his rookie season on, 858 00:47:37,760 --> 00:47:39,239 Speaker 1: you just say, wow, this is the greatest player in 859 00:47:39,239 --> 00:47:43,320 Speaker 1: baseball history. But he had a full judge. Maggio played 860 00:47:43,320 --> 00:47:47,000 Speaker 1: thirteen years in the major leagues, taking away the time 861 00:47:47,000 --> 00:47:49,839 Speaker 1: in the military. So that's that's good enough to have 862 00:47:49,880 --> 00:47:52,880 Speaker 1: a Hall of Fame resume thirteen years. So thirteen years 863 00:47:53,120 --> 00:47:55,919 Speaker 1: of Barry Bonds is at one level, and that level 864 00:47:56,040 --> 00:48:01,759 Speaker 1: is very very high. What happened subsequently is video game unnatural. 865 00:48:02,360 --> 00:48:06,239 Speaker 1: How can how can people not grasp that, Oh yeah, 866 00:48:06,360 --> 00:48:07,880 Speaker 1: he used P E D S, but he's still the 867 00:48:07,920 --> 00:48:10,799 Speaker 1: greatest player. That's like if I walked into the room 868 00:48:10,920 --> 00:48:14,840 Speaker 1: Jason on stilts and said, I'm the tallest man in 869 00:48:14,880 --> 00:48:17,480 Speaker 1: the room, Well, Bob, you're really only five ft say, 870 00:48:17,520 --> 00:48:18,960 Speaker 1: oh no, no, I'm the tallest man in the room. 871 00:48:19,120 --> 00:48:22,680 Speaker 1: Will not without the stilts. Okay, So this should be 872 00:48:22,800 --> 00:48:27,319 Speaker 1: very very simple. The other thing is when people say, oh, 873 00:48:27,360 --> 00:48:30,560 Speaker 1: but other players, even the great and Sainted Hank Aaron, 874 00:48:30,920 --> 00:48:34,799 Speaker 1: used amphetaments, like this is the same thing, and fediments 875 00:48:34,840 --> 00:48:38,320 Speaker 1: to steroids. It's like comparing a slingshot to an Adam bomb. 876 00:48:38,719 --> 00:48:43,320 Speaker 1: And here's and here's your proof. Where was the distortion 877 00:48:43,719 --> 00:48:46,520 Speaker 1: of baseball norms during whatever we want to call the 878 00:48:46,600 --> 00:48:50,120 Speaker 1: Greenies era? That Hank Aaron Holmes double his home run rate? 879 00:48:50,520 --> 00:48:54,000 Speaker 1: Did Mickey Mantle hit a homer every five times at bats? 880 00:48:54,160 --> 00:48:57,239 Speaker 1: There's no comparison, and it's ridiculous. And then we come 881 00:48:57,280 --> 00:49:03,200 Speaker 1: to the third, well, um, pictures used and hitters used, 882 00:49:03,320 --> 00:49:06,239 Speaker 1: so it was a level playing field? All right, let's 883 00:49:06,239 --> 00:49:08,600 Speaker 1: test that. Let's go to a class in logic one 884 00:49:08,640 --> 00:49:11,840 Speaker 1: oh one or a class that are reasonably bright twelve 885 00:49:11,920 --> 00:49:14,560 Speaker 1: year old could pass, which is what you're saying, then, 886 00:49:14,719 --> 00:49:17,440 Speaker 1: is that if no pictures ever used, no players ever 887 00:49:17,520 --> 00:49:20,439 Speaker 1: used steroids, and p d s never existed, perfectly level 888 00:49:20,480 --> 00:49:23,240 Speaker 1: playing field, Sammy Sosa would have hit sixty home runs 889 00:49:23,239 --> 00:49:26,160 Speaker 1: three different times. Sure, that makes a lot of sense, 890 00:49:26,160 --> 00:49:28,839 Speaker 1: doesn't it. You know that the arguments that are put 891 00:49:28,880 --> 00:49:32,759 Speaker 1: forward here are so idiotic and they're so unwilling to 892 00:49:32,800 --> 00:49:35,920 Speaker 1: make obvious distinctions, and then you then you have all 893 00:49:35,960 --> 00:49:39,960 Speaker 1: the overlapping stuff that we talked about. Suspected guys, strongly 894 00:49:40,000 --> 00:49:44,200 Speaker 1: suspected guys, proven guys, guys who admitted like Mark McGuire, 895 00:49:44,960 --> 00:49:47,799 Speaker 1: guys who tested positive, Guys who may have only done 896 00:49:47,800 --> 00:49:52,120 Speaker 1: it a little and then stopped. Um it. It's it's 897 00:49:52,200 --> 00:49:56,759 Speaker 1: impossible to apply a consistent standard here. Even I who 898 00:49:56,800 --> 00:49:59,360 Speaker 1: say that I put Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens in 899 00:49:59,400 --> 00:50:01,960 Speaker 1: a different categor where because they were so clearly superior 900 00:50:02,040 --> 00:50:05,560 Speaker 1: even to other potential Hall of famers, that's not fully consistent. 901 00:50:05,760 --> 00:50:08,600 Speaker 1: What's fully consistent is Tom Verducci saying, if I have 902 00:50:08,719 --> 00:50:10,759 Speaker 1: strong reason to believe you ever use P E d 903 00:50:10,880 --> 00:50:12,640 Speaker 1: s at any time in your career, I don't care 904 00:50:12,680 --> 00:50:14,239 Speaker 1: if I thought you were the greatest player I ever 905 00:50:14,280 --> 00:50:17,360 Speaker 1: saw prior to that, I'm not voting for you. That's consistent. 906 00:50:17,640 --> 00:50:21,759 Speaker 1: And the other consistent position is just whoever was the 907 00:50:21,800 --> 00:50:24,799 Speaker 1: best players of their time, no matter how they got there. 908 00:50:25,280 --> 00:50:28,720 Speaker 1: That's what I'm voting for. And in fairness, at least 909 00:50:28,760 --> 00:50:31,680 Speaker 1: to the baseball writers, when it comes to Bonds and Clemens, 910 00:50:32,400 --> 00:50:35,520 Speaker 1: the majority of them, a substantial majority, do vote for them, 911 00:50:35,600 --> 00:50:38,520 Speaker 1: or did at the end you get the vote in 912 00:50:38,560 --> 00:50:43,040 Speaker 1: a general election, that's a landslide, but the threshold is 913 00:50:43,040 --> 00:50:45,960 Speaker 1: sev I mean, you could be Donald You could be 914 00:50:45,960 --> 00:50:48,200 Speaker 1: Donald Trump and lose by seven million votes and still 915 00:50:48,239 --> 00:50:50,920 Speaker 1: declare that you wanted a landslide. And some of these 916 00:50:50,960 --> 00:50:53,520 Speaker 1: people looking at amphetaments and comparing them to steroids. There 917 00:50:53,560 --> 00:50:57,120 Speaker 1: was derange. This Trump is. Oh look look at that 918 00:50:57,200 --> 00:50:59,040 Speaker 1: shot on the on the way out the door, Bob. 919 00:50:59,680 --> 00:51:03,279 Speaker 1: They are all right, Bob Costs, you've been too kind 920 00:51:03,320 --> 00:51:07,640 Speaker 1: to stay this long. Uh. Congrats on the HBO show. Uh. 921 00:51:08,040 --> 00:51:10,919 Speaker 1: They're bringing it back, right, it's back. We've done five 922 00:51:10,960 --> 00:51:13,839 Speaker 1: episodes already, another one that comes up on April one. 923 00:51:14,239 --> 00:51:17,520 Speaker 1: It's great to be back on HBO. It's a performer's paradise, 924 00:51:17,840 --> 00:51:22,000 Speaker 1: whether it's comedy, drama, documentaries or their coverage of sports. 925 00:51:22,000 --> 00:51:24,320 Speaker 1: You know, Real Sports with Briant Dumble has been sixty 926 00:51:24,320 --> 00:51:26,600 Speaker 1: minutes of sports. It's the gold standard. I had a 927 00:51:26,719 --> 00:51:30,000 Speaker 1: very nice run there in the early two thousand's and 928 00:51:30,000 --> 00:51:31,920 Speaker 1: and now I'm back and very happy to be back. 929 00:51:32,000 --> 00:51:34,719 Speaker 1: And it's turned out to be just as as good 930 00:51:34,719 --> 00:51:38,120 Speaker 1: an experience as I hoped it would be. Congratulations for everything, Bob, 931 00:51:38,160 --> 00:51:40,919 Speaker 1: and Uh, enjoy the Olympics and the super Bowl and 932 00:51:41,200 --> 00:51:44,200 Speaker 1: just life in general. Man, thanks a lot, Jason, thank 933 00:51:44,239 --> 00:51:46,879 Speaker 1: you very much. And I'd be interested to see how 934 00:51:46,880 --> 00:51:49,160 Speaker 1: many people we'll be able to hang in for this 935 00:51:49,360 --> 00:51:52,640 Speaker 1: entire podcast, and how many will say, Bob, you've warned 936 00:51:52,680 --> 00:51:54,560 Speaker 1: me out, because I think I've warned myself out. But 937 00:51:54,600 --> 00:51:57,600 Speaker 1: I enjoyed it all right, man, Thanks a lot, all right, Jason,