1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:03,600 Speaker 1: You are listening to the Dan Patrick Show on Fox 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:08,880 Speaker 1: Sports Radio. Welcome to the program. It's our one on 3 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:12,480 Speaker 1: this Tuesday, Dan and the Dane's Dan Patrick's Show. Glad 4 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 1: to have you on board. Got an All Star game 5 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:20,920 Speaker 1: coming up tonight. Team USA loses again, the Stanley Cup 6 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 1: is dented, another Tampa boat parade, and Pete Alonzo is 7 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 1: your Home Run Derby winner, got a pull question, play 8 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 1: of the day, stat of the day, all of that 9 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:34,840 Speaker 1: coming up. Your phone calls are welcome. H seven seven 10 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: three DP Show email address DP at dan Patrick dot com, 11 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: Twitter handle at DPS show. Say good morning to our 12 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 1: TV partner Peacock. You can watch all three hours. You 13 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 1: just download the app you can watch for free. That's 14 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: our streaming service and our radio affiliates around the country. 15 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 1: We're in nearly four hundred cities around America. Last night's 16 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: Home Run Derby was supposed to be a coronation for 17 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 1: show Heyo Tani. Didn't quite work out that way. Otani 18 00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: was knocked out in the opening round by Juan Soto, 19 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 1: and then the defending champ, Pete Alonzo, put on a show. 20 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 1: You know the air and Corps field in Denver certainly 21 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 1: helped the met slugger hits some of the longest home 22 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: runs we've ever seen in a home run derby, and 23 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:19,679 Speaker 1: he ended up beating the Orioles trey Man scene in 24 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 1: the finals. Alonso looks like he was built to win 25 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,319 Speaker 1: a contest like this, and it didn't even look like 26 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 1: he was swinging hard once he got into a rhythm, 27 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:31,759 Speaker 1: easy stroke and the ball was flying in the Colorado 28 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 1: air last night. And maybe it wasn't the Otani display 29 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:39,039 Speaker 1: that we expected, so we'll have to wait until maybe 30 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 1: tonight in the real All Star Game. But thanks to 31 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,559 Speaker 1: Alonso's impressive power, it was still a pretty impressive, pretty 32 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 1: entertaining evening. Now I'm going to nitpick a little bit 33 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 1: because they're trying to speed up the home run derby 34 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: and therefore you're on the clock. You didn't get to 35 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 1: see the ball land on a lot of these home runs. 36 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 1: You just had to take Carl Ravitch's word that it 37 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: was a home run. Now, there was something about Chris 38 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: Berman putting the emphasis on the home run that you 39 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:12,839 Speaker 1: knew it was a home run, whereas Ravi, I think 40 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:17,959 Speaker 1: with the split screen it didn't do it. I think 41 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 1: did a disservice to the actual Hey, we're watching long 42 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 1: home runs. We want to see how far they're gonna, 43 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:26,519 Speaker 1: you know, go, where do they land? And it was 44 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:30,359 Speaker 1: just so rapid fire, But you did have great storylines there. 45 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:32,920 Speaker 1: Would I would have liked Otani to go a little 46 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 1: bit further. Yes, Alonso was great, what a wonderful interview. Afterwards, 47 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 1: he talked about, Hey, I wanted to be in this, 48 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 1: you know, I owe this to the fans when I 49 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 1: was young, I wanted to be in the Home Run Derby. 50 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 1: And he's made almost as much money winning the Home 51 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 1: Run Derby as he has from the Mets in his 52 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 1: three years there. It's just I think around two point 53 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 1: seven million he's made from the Mets in three years, 54 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 1: and he's made two million dollars winning the Home Run Derby. 55 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:04,799 Speaker 1: But who out of the day that right out of 56 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 1: the gate, all right, yeah, no, go ahead, you know, 57 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 1: ramp it up. He seemed like a decent stat. Yeah. No, 58 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: it's an interesting stat that he's made almost as much 59 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,239 Speaker 1: from winning the home in derbys. He has the court. Yeah, 60 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 1: but that was fun, great storylines there atmosphere. We didn't 61 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 1: have the Home Run Derby a year ago. Alonzo wanted 62 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:27,200 Speaker 1: the previous year. Therefore, he's gone back to back. I 63 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 1: think Ken Griffey Junior and Yo Na Cespitus or the 64 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: two have gone back to back. But it was fun 65 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 1: night and just to see Otani out there. And I 66 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: give him a lot of credit because you got, you know, 67 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 1: these astros who were playing the victims and they don't 68 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 1: want to be going to the All Star Game because 69 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: god forbid, they might get booed. Otani is in the 70 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 1: home run derby. He's gonna pitch tonight and he's gonna 71 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 1: lead off. I mean, that's great, Like I love that 72 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 1: you're you understand the role there. And I know that 73 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 1: there was the story that came out Stephen A. Smith 74 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:05,240 Speaker 1: yesterday that hey, you know, to for the betterment of 75 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 1: the game, he should learn English, and you know he's 76 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 1: speaking through a translator. Therefore nobody really is able to 77 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:16,240 Speaker 1: I guess embrace shohey Otani understand him as a personality there. Now, 78 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:18,720 Speaker 1: he did do interviews yesterday, and I don't know if 79 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: it's just a coincidence that whatever Stephen A. Smith was 80 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:25,919 Speaker 1: saying and the fact that Otani and his translator did 81 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 1: an interview yesterday. I just know when I was growing up, 82 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 1: I never once, never once said, gosh, I wonder what 83 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 1: kind of personality Hank Aaron has. I never once said, 84 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: I wonder what Willie Mays is really like. Now it's 85 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 1: a different generation. We do want more from our stars. 86 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 1: I understand that, Like Mike Trout's been criticized, Hey, come on, 87 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 1: you gotta be out there, you gotta be a personality. 88 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:57,160 Speaker 1: Well that's just not who he is. But with Shohyotani, 89 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 1: what I'm seeing when he days speaks volumes. Now, if 90 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 1: he's learning the language, wants to learn the language, he's 91 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:08,640 Speaker 1: going to go through a translator. We've had players, We've 92 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:13,160 Speaker 1: had stars who've done this before. You know, there's guys 93 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 1: who played who spoke English, who didn't say anything. Steve 94 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: Carlton famously didn't say anything for decades. Tom Brady never 95 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 1: said anything for fifteen years. Right, So I don't want 96 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:29,600 Speaker 1: to say, oh, Shohei Otani, you've got to do these interviews. 97 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 1: And I don't know what Stephen A. Smith's mindset is. 98 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: I mean, it could be altruistic by saying, look, this 99 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 1: is for the betterment of the game. I don't think 100 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 1: he realized what he was saying in the moment, doubled 101 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:44,160 Speaker 1: down on it and then you know, apologized. But I'm watching. 102 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 1: That's when I as as a fan, I'm just I watch. 103 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: I want to watch greatness. I don't need to hear greatness. 104 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 1: You know. Part of you know, the sports society now 105 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 1: is everybody who wants to tell you how great they are, 106 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 1: and they're not want to see how great you are. 107 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 1: And Shohyotani is great. He's the unicorn. This is unique 108 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:09,440 Speaker 1: what he's doing. We want to compare him to Babe Ruth. 109 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:12,719 Speaker 1: He's different. I mean, Babe just did this for a 110 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 1: short period of time. Otani is elite as a pitcher, 111 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:20,359 Speaker 1: but he could be all world as a hitter, and 112 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:24,719 Speaker 1: he wants to continue. Babe decided in nineteen nineteen, hey 113 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 1: I don't want to pitch anymore. And he was a 114 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 1: great pitcher. I mean, imagine if Jacob Degram showed up 115 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:34,159 Speaker 1: today and said to the Mets, I think I'd like 116 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:39,080 Speaker 1: to play right field and I don't want to pitch anymore. 117 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 1: That's what happened with Babe Ruth. Babe was you know, 118 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 1: winning twenty games, and he said, hey, I'm gonna be 119 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 1: a hitter. Shohotani's doing this in the moment. Now, Do 120 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:56,040 Speaker 1: I like it? No? Because I don't want to lose 121 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: him his bat if something happens to his arm again 122 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: that that's really the important part of all of this. 123 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:09,360 Speaker 1: Yet Tommy Johnny a year ago, so you know what, 124 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 1: we're a little less than two years removed from that. 125 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: I just don't want to lose him, lose the bat 126 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 1: in the lineup. And his manager, Joe Madden will join 127 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 1: us on the show tomorrow, and I don't know whose 128 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 1: call it's going to be, but I'm enjoying it in 129 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 1: the moment. And the translator and Otani, you know, did 130 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 1: an interview yesterday and I thought that was a great exchange. 131 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 1: Pedro Martinez was talking to Otani through the translator and 132 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 1: was saying, you know, when you're on the mount, are 133 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 1: you thinking as a pitcher? Are you thinking as a hitter? 134 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:44,000 Speaker 1: Because and it really it's it's it was a great 135 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 1: question by Pedro. You know, I'm gonna guess we'll get 136 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:55,680 Speaker 1: more details. Remember each yearo fabbious player, Maula famer Yao Ming. 137 00:07:55,960 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 1: I remember interviewing him with his translator. I do I 138 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 1: want that? Yeah, but do I need that. No, do 139 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 1: I want to see you great? Yes? Do I need 140 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 1: to tell have you tell me how great you are? No? 141 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 1: But what we see with Shoheyotani last night, and we're 142 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 1: going to see that tonight. But I mean, it's really 143 00:08:17,760 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: amazing what he's done. He said, thirty home runs and 144 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: made ten starts, Like nobody's done that thirty at least 145 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:29,560 Speaker 1: thirty home runs and ten starts in the same year, 146 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 1: and he's done it in eighty one games. Like it's 147 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 1: just remarkable. As much as we want to say, well 148 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:39,319 Speaker 1: he's Babe Ruth, he's different than Babe Ruth, and in 149 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 1: some ways he's better than Babe Ruth. This is a 150 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:45,959 Speaker 1: guy who has elite speed, elite power, and an elite arm. 151 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:51,640 Speaker 1: It just doesn't happen. And I hope he stays healthy, 152 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:54,680 Speaker 1: you know, I do. I like that he we don't 153 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 1: see those games. You know, it's West Coast, it's the Angels. Yeah, Okay, 154 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:03,280 Speaker 1: that's not his fault. Not everybody can play for the 155 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:06,880 Speaker 1: Yankees or the Dodgers. But what I like to see 156 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 1: him on display a little bit more. Absolutely, But even 157 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:13,439 Speaker 1: last night, it was a nice cameo and it was 158 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,199 Speaker 1: a nice warm up to what we're gonna have tonight. 159 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:20,439 Speaker 1: He's gonna pitch, he's gonna and baseball bending the rules. 160 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:23,560 Speaker 1: I've been saying for the last couple of weeks. Make 161 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:28,359 Speaker 1: an exception here. It's it's an all star game. Promote 162 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 1: the game, and they did have fun with it. That's 163 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 1: what we want to see. Sometimes you have to give 164 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 1: the fans what they want to see, as strange as 165 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:41,880 Speaker 1: that may sound, give them what they want to see, 166 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:46,840 Speaker 1: something that's unique. Now. Did I tune out after Otani 167 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 1: got eliminated in the first round? Yes? I did. Did 168 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:52,800 Speaker 1: I come back? Well, I did after I was watching 169 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:57,319 Speaker 1: Australia beat Team USA and basketball. Mcluvn goes, hey, Team 170 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 1: USA and trouble against Australia. What sport? And it goes 171 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:06,600 Speaker 1: basketball and I go, oh my god, are they gonna 172 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:10,240 Speaker 1: and they lost again. We'll talk about that coming up though, 173 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 1: because I don't know if this is a thing or not. 174 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 1: Is this a big deal now? I think it is 175 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:18,560 Speaker 1: a bigger deal than what most will lead on. I 176 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 1: think Greg Popovich, the head coach, was like a yeah, 177 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:24,480 Speaker 1: you know this happens, and you know we're still figured 178 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 1: out our two. If I gave you the starting five 179 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:33,679 Speaker 1: for Team USA against the starting five for Australia. Like 180 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:37,680 Speaker 1: there is if you had a pickup game, the guys 181 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:42,559 Speaker 1: on Australia don't get picked until maybe the ninth or 182 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:46,760 Speaker 1: tenth guy would get picked after all the American players. 183 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:49,400 Speaker 1: I mean, that's that's that's the god's honest truth with this. 184 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:53,720 Speaker 1: But they do know each other, they played together. They 185 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:56,920 Speaker 1: understand a team concept where Team USA is an all 186 00:10:56,960 --> 00:11:03,200 Speaker 1: star team. Imagine as I'm watching this last night, if 187 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:07,120 Speaker 1: Lebron James was on that team and not Kevin Durant, 188 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:13,360 Speaker 1: so Lebron had lost to Nigeria and Australia, that would 189 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 1: be leading sports shows. Skip Bayliss would be apoplectic. Lebron 190 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:32,920 Speaker 1: no shows, what's this due to his legacy? But Kevin 191 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:37,880 Speaker 1: Durant nothing to see here, It's just Team USA. If 192 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 1: that had been Lebron, oh, people will be shouting from 193 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 1: the mountaintops. You know this is on Lebron. Yes we Clevin. 194 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 1: They need Lebron, Lebron Ron. That's what I kept saying. 195 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:50,640 Speaker 1: I was like, oh my god, they see a guy 196 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:53,199 Speaker 1: who's sixty nine who can dunk on these guys. No, 197 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 1: you're right, this team is I mean Jeremy Grant, Calvin Johnson, 198 00:11:57,280 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 1: I know he's out. Okay, wait wait just I'm gonna 199 00:11:59,679 --> 00:12:04,400 Speaker 1: give you the starting lineup though. The Team USA is 200 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:11,840 Speaker 1: Jason Tatum, Dame Lillard, Kevin Durant, Bradley Bo, Draymond Green. Yeah, 201 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 1: that's an Olympic team, Draymond Green. Did you see who 202 00:12:17,559 --> 00:12:20,240 Speaker 1: Australia had out there? Yeah, they'd Matiss Thibel. My six 203 00:12:20,360 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 1: ers got yes, better than Draymond Green. No, he's not. 204 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:28,439 Speaker 1: Jamon Greed's one hundred and he says six five center bad, 205 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:35,200 Speaker 1: Patty Mills, Joe Ingalls, Matthew Delavadova. You're not even even 206 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:40,520 Speaker 1: in the league anymore. Hey, come on, zero points at 207 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 1: twenty three minutes for delaat exactly. Team first. Yeah, plays first, 208 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 1: playing his game, That's what Deli does. Yeah, that's good. 209 00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 1: And they have Chris Mannock special. Dante Mannux was sending 210 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:56,719 Speaker 1: me a note last night, Dante Exum, I'm going on, 211 00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:59,559 Speaker 1: he's gonna be right about you know, Ricky Rubio or 212 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:03,080 Speaker 1: Dante xim. I will say this though he's loyal. This 213 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:05,480 Speaker 1: program brought to you by Mercedes Benz Vans. They go 214 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:08,560 Speaker 1: far beyond from their customization options, cutting edge tech, five 215 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:12,200 Speaker 1: star sales service, financial support crew, go the extra mile 216 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:15,000 Speaker 1: taking the Oldport Ferst step into an authorized dealership. Today. 217 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 1: Let's take a break mclub and you will have a 218 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:21,080 Speaker 1: pull question for me coming out one real quick. Could 219 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:24,000 Speaker 1: the Dream Team beat this current team in a Team 220 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 1: USA basketball at the at they're current ages? Yes, that's 221 00:13:27,760 --> 00:13:32,600 Speaker 1: my question. I think they could have beaten Australia last night. 222 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:36,640 Speaker 1: Now I will say this that Team USA, the Dream 223 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:41,000 Speaker 1: Team from ninety two, probably still thinks they could beat anybody. 224 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:44,520 Speaker 1: No nose, guys, you get magic out there. Let me 225 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 1: come on, Barkley. Uh yeah, it was kind of an 226 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:51,439 Speaker 1: interesting night where you're going all right, settling in watching 227 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:54,640 Speaker 1: Otani and then all of a sudden, huh, okay, he's done. 228 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:57,880 Speaker 1: Team USA. Let's see how they Oh, they're losing here, 229 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:00,440 Speaker 1: and you got the All Star Game. By the way, 230 00:14:00,679 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 1: NBA Finals is Wednesday night. There a lot of people 231 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:06,320 Speaker 1: feel like it's going to be tonight or forgetting that 232 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 1: it's going to be on Wednesday. A little bit later 233 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:10,560 Speaker 1: on John Smoltz he'll be on the call for the 234 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 1: All Star Game, and uh, we'll get his thoughts coming 235 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 1: up next hour on show. Hey Otani, let's see anything 236 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:21,520 Speaker 1: else I need to mention here before we take a break. McLevin, 237 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:23,400 Speaker 1: you're ready to go with a pull question when we 238 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 1: come back. Yea once again and talking over me doesn't 239 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 1: do well either, So it's a thumbs up for those 240 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 1: of you listening on radio from m cleven. He'll have 241 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 1: a pull question. We'll take a break fifteen after the hour. 242 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 1: This is the Dan Patrick Show. Thanks for listening to 243 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:44,040 Speaker 1: The Dan Patrick Show podcast. Be sure to catch us 244 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:47,560 Speaker 1: live every weekday morning nine to noon Eastern or six 245 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:50,560 Speaker 1: to nine Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local 246 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:53,040 Speaker 1: station for The Dan Patrick Show at Fox Sports Radio 247 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 1: dot com, or stream us live every day on the 248 00:14:55,720 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app by searching f s R or stream us 249 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 1: live on the Peacock Act. He's John Smoltz, the Emmy 250 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:10,000 Speaker 1: Award winning Outstanding Sports Event Analyst, And well, let me 251 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 1: you know, before we get to all of that, I'm 252 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:16,400 Speaker 1: watching the golf tournament this weekend, American Century and my 253 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:19,400 Speaker 1: boy John Smoltz is leading, and I thought, well, that's great, 254 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 1: John's gonna win. And then he's gonna go, you know, 255 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 1: he's gonna be hosting the All Star game and then 256 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:28,800 Speaker 1: you lose to Vinnie delle Negro. How nervous were you 257 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:33,440 Speaker 1: pitched in a World Series before John, How nervous were 258 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 1: you compared to how you were on Sunday in the 259 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 1: last couple of holes there. So it wasn't the nerves 260 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:44,360 Speaker 1: that got me. I mean, I felt great in a 261 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:47,480 Speaker 1: baseball game. Of course, golf is different stories. So and 262 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: you know, and some of the tournaments that I played 263 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:54,080 Speaker 1: in the nerves were worse in golf. Unfortunately, in this tournament, 264 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:58,880 Speaker 1: I had lost my swing. So there's it's a worse 265 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:02,200 Speaker 1: scenario than nerves. Like, it isn't the nerves that lost 266 00:16:02,240 --> 00:16:05,280 Speaker 1: my swing. I just lost the fundamentals of my swing. 267 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:07,160 Speaker 1: And when you do that in golf, you're like hanging 268 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 1: on and so I felt like there was nowhere to 269 00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:11,840 Speaker 1: go lick. In baseball, if I lost my fastball, I 270 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 1: had my slider, I had my split, or vice versa. 271 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:17,960 Speaker 1: In golf, if you lose your swing, you're basically you're 272 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:20,560 Speaker 1: you're trying to figure out how you're going to get 273 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 1: the ball in the hole. So I definitely was battling 274 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:28,520 Speaker 1: the last round. I wish I would have had a 275 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:30,320 Speaker 1: better a better swing going but I got to give 276 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 1: Bennie all the credit because he played great that last night, 277 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:34,840 Speaker 1: that last day, and then you know the story about 278 00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 1: him losing his dad and not telling anybody and winning 279 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 1: the tournament was something pretty incredible. You needed Leo Mazzoni, 280 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 1: I think, to help you out there. Come out to 281 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 1: the mound and but explain how you lose your swing? Well, 282 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 1: you know, in golf, like, I'm not connected mechanically like 283 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:54,960 Speaker 1: I was in baseball, and yeah, you get a reminder 284 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 1: in baseball come out and say, hey do this, and 285 00:16:57,520 --> 00:16:59,640 Speaker 1: Greg Ols and my caddy was great and trying to 286 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 1: get me through the round. But I but in golf, 287 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:06,440 Speaker 1: like I don't have I'm not as technically sound. I mean, 288 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:08,800 Speaker 1: I'm kind of a self talk golfer. Anyways, And when 289 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:11,480 Speaker 1: you hit a ball, I think it was around the 290 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:13,560 Speaker 1: eleventh hole, and you go, where did that come from? 291 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:16,159 Speaker 1: All of a sudden you start thinking about things that 292 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:18,560 Speaker 1: you don't have a go to shot, and so I 293 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:22,159 Speaker 1: will have learned another lesson, a painful lesson about you know, 294 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:25,119 Speaker 1: finishing the deal. Because the shot on seventeen is the 295 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:27,800 Speaker 1: whole tournament for me, and I hit a bad shot 296 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:30,920 Speaker 1: on seventeen but it wasn't because I can honestly say 297 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 1: in past tournaments it would be more nerves. But now 298 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:36,480 Speaker 1: I played in enough tournaments that the nerves aren't the 299 00:17:36,560 --> 00:17:39,120 Speaker 1: issue as much as me not making a good swim. 300 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:42,520 Speaker 1: But what's tough for hitting a baseball or you know, 301 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:46,240 Speaker 1: hitting a golf ball? Hitting a golf ball under the 302 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 1: circumstances of a tournament, you know, especially when you know 303 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:52,639 Speaker 1: that you've got a chance to win a tournament, which 304 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:55,280 Speaker 1: you know I've only won a couple, So hitting a 305 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:58,280 Speaker 1: golf ball under self induced pressure, I would guess it 306 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:01,240 Speaker 1: would be the thing. Because it's not moving. You would 307 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 1: think hitting a baseball's way tougher. Yeah, And the art 308 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 1: of hitting a baseball certainly is tougher because anybody can 309 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:08,840 Speaker 1: hit a golf ball, But as can you hit a 310 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:10,840 Speaker 1: golf ball straight? Or can you hit a golf ball 311 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:13,200 Speaker 1: with that tension that you know you can't have tension. 312 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,840 Speaker 1: You can have a little tension and hit a baseball 313 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:18,719 Speaker 1: and be at aggressive, you can't really do that as 314 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:22,320 Speaker 1: a golfer. John will be on the call with Joe 315 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:25,679 Speaker 1: Buck the fifth consecutive All Star Game that they've been together. 316 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:29,199 Speaker 1: That'll be at eight Eastern on Fox pregame coverage beginning 317 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:33,159 Speaker 1: at seven eastern. Kenny Rosenthal Tom Verducci will also be 318 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:37,159 Speaker 1: there as well. We've been talking about the home run derby. 319 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:40,680 Speaker 1: A lot of people probably tuned in because Otani was there, 320 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:43,479 Speaker 1: even though he bowed out in the first round. I 321 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:46,359 Speaker 1: was looking for a comp here, John, of maybe somebody 322 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:49,840 Speaker 1: you played against or with who could have done both 323 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 1: pitching and hitting. I don't know. Carlos Zembrono was a 324 00:18:54,359 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 1: great hitting pitcher, good pitcher, Madison Bumgardner, Mike Mussina. Do 325 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:04,919 Speaker 1: you know anybody that back then that could have been 326 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:07,159 Speaker 1: able to pull this off of what not have the 327 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:09,600 Speaker 1: power of Otani, but to be able to be a 328 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:15,960 Speaker 1: day to day hitter. Not really. You know the pictures 329 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:18,800 Speaker 1: like Mike Campton, the pictures you just mentioned, they they 330 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:23,040 Speaker 1: had ability to you know, run two three, four homers 331 00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 1: in a year, maybe, but nobody to this magnitude that 332 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:29,560 Speaker 1: we've been able to see do it at a lot 333 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:32,240 Speaker 1: a level that is unmatched, you know, and go back 334 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:34,280 Speaker 1: to Babe Ruth and I don't know, Babe Ruth. It's 335 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 1: it's easy to just make that comparison, but it's harder 336 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:39,359 Speaker 1: to try and draw out what Babe Ruth did to 337 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 1: what Otani's doing in this era because there's so many 338 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:45,560 Speaker 1: more home runs, and I think O'tani in itself. I've 339 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:47,239 Speaker 1: said this many times, and I don't know a lot 340 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:49,679 Speaker 1: of people think I've lost my mind when I say it. 341 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 1: If he just pitched, if all he did was pitch, 342 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:55,720 Speaker 1: he would be paid making the trails of one of 343 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:58,600 Speaker 1: the best pictures in our game period. But he doesn't 344 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 1: just pitch. He doesn't have the rep. He's only got 345 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:03,720 Speaker 1: twenty five twenty six starts, and he's at such a 346 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,919 Speaker 1: high level offensively. People don't understand. You've got to concentrate 347 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:10,160 Speaker 1: and share your energy and places that pitchers just can't 348 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:12,359 Speaker 1: do on a daily basis. You can't pitch once every 349 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 1: five days and rake like he does every four days 350 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:20,000 Speaker 1: and then share that greatness. You're going to give up something, 351 00:20:20,119 --> 00:20:22,760 Speaker 1: and he's giving up something on the pitching end, no doubt, 352 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:25,240 Speaker 1: because he's been so good offensively. And I say that 353 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:28,359 Speaker 1: if he didn't take another at back and he just 354 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:31,880 Speaker 1: pitched the second half hands down, MVP, I mean hands down. 355 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:33,960 Speaker 1: We thought if he had these numbers at the end 356 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:37,680 Speaker 1: of the year, that would be a great year ending statistics. 357 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 1: So I'm in all of what he's doing because I 358 00:20:40,119 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 1: know as a pitcher, or how much of time I 359 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 1: dedicated to my craft, he's not dedicating that time he's 360 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:48,520 Speaker 1: not giving himself and rightfully so, because he's a two 361 00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 1: way player. So to give you a perspective, and I'll 362 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:54,400 Speaker 1: say it tonight on the broadcast, when you get ready 363 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:57,160 Speaker 1: to pitch on the road, okay, forget the All Star Game, 364 00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:01,280 Speaker 1: which is what he's doing. You time your your performance 365 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:03,920 Speaker 1: to get ready so that maybe five minutes before your 366 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:06,520 Speaker 1: team ends up making the last out, you go out 367 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:09,440 Speaker 1: to the mound to pitch. He can't do that. He's 368 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:12,119 Speaker 1: got a time at twenty twenty minutes or so before 369 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:15,120 Speaker 1: then he's got to go hit. Then his team hits, 370 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:17,840 Speaker 1: then he goes on the mount. He might be thirty 371 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 1: minutes before he actually throws his first pitch in a 372 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:23,959 Speaker 1: game as a pitcher. So there's so many hurdles that 373 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:27,399 Speaker 1: he's overcoming and making it look pretty easy. You know, 374 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:30,440 Speaker 1: it's amazing to watch. I just wonder about the whole 375 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:33,680 Speaker 1: mental preparation because as a hitter, you have to prepare 376 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:36,359 Speaker 1: for the pitch right you're facing and as a pitcher, 377 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:39,639 Speaker 1: you have to prepare for an entire lineup, and to 378 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:43,480 Speaker 1: do that on the same day, it'd be like playing 379 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:47,400 Speaker 1: safety and quarterback in the same game. Yes, I mean 380 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:50,440 Speaker 1: the biggest thing is the physical act can be done, 381 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:54,879 Speaker 1: the mental awareness and you get more tired, Like you 382 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:58,399 Speaker 1: could see him being more exhausted in those games, rightfully so, 383 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:00,960 Speaker 1: because he's sharing the information both ways. He wants to 384 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:03,560 Speaker 1: get hits and then he wants to go and pour 385 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 1: his energy in when you're pitching, when you pitch in 386 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:08,880 Speaker 1: the National leg or America League, especially in a national league, 387 00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 1: because now like he's playing National League rules. When he hits, 388 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:14,639 Speaker 1: he pitches, you're you're hitting ninth. You really don't care 389 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 1: about hitting. You're gonna put a bunt down. There's no stress. 390 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 1: I mean, you're only thinking about the eight or nine 391 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:24,200 Speaker 1: hitters you've got to get out. So he's he's got 392 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:27,200 Speaker 1: a cobbo of leading off for batting second and getting 393 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:30,160 Speaker 1: right away in a different mindset before he even gets 394 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:33,240 Speaker 1: in the pitching mindset. So it's a unique skill set 395 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:36,840 Speaker 1: and I don't know how it's interesting what Joe Manden 396 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:38,160 Speaker 1: is going to be able to do because they need 397 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:40,840 Speaker 1: his back. I don't know if you can keep leading 398 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:44,240 Speaker 1: him off and still pitch at the rate that he's doing, 399 00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:45,960 Speaker 1: maybe drop him in the order. I don't know, but 400 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 1: this is going to be pretty fun to watch. How 401 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:53,159 Speaker 1: would you pitch him? Definitely splits away. I mean anything 402 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 1: going away, because anything coming in. I've seen him take 403 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:59,480 Speaker 1: high fastball sliders at the back foot. The one game 404 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:02,160 Speaker 1: that he's I've been a little bit offensively. Gosman pitched 405 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:04,439 Speaker 1: against him really well, and he's got a great split, 406 00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:07,200 Speaker 1: and you know that game, he looked a little bit 407 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:09,200 Speaker 1: tired from the standpoint of trying to do both, and 408 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:11,960 Speaker 1: he pitched en off standing game against the Giants. So 409 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:13,639 Speaker 1: I would have to make sure that I would have 410 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:16,040 Speaker 1: to get something going away from him because his play, 411 00:23:16,119 --> 00:23:18,560 Speaker 1: coverage and strength is too good right now, and he's 412 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:21,400 Speaker 1: such a great athlete. I think that people don't realize 413 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 1: his size, his speed, and then he's got an incredible 414 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:28,800 Speaker 1: right arm, and he's the best power hitter in the game. 415 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:31,359 Speaker 1: I guess yeah, it's it's unique. The only comp I 416 00:23:31,359 --> 00:23:34,080 Speaker 1: can give you is like a Bo Jackson who played 417 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:38,000 Speaker 1: two different sports and the same kind of spots of size, speed, 418 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:40,440 Speaker 1: but he played two different sports. This guy's playing two 419 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:43,440 Speaker 1: different sports in the same sport as we've ever seen 420 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:46,560 Speaker 1: anybody do it right. And Jan Sanders would be another 421 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:50,199 Speaker 1: guy that would come up to mind because athletically, to 422 00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:52,920 Speaker 1: do what they're doing is something no one could ever 423 00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:57,480 Speaker 1: envision a guy, especially at this level in our game. 424 00:23:57,920 --> 00:24:00,639 Speaker 1: At the All Star break, thirty some home runs is incredible. 425 00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:04,000 Speaker 1: We have Joe Madden, Otani's manager on tomorrow. If he 426 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 1: asked your advice on how long do you stay with this? 427 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:12,120 Speaker 1: How long do you want him to go? Two ways here? 428 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:16,080 Speaker 1: What would you say? Well, if the contract didn't state 429 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:18,000 Speaker 1: that he's got to keep doing it, it would be 430 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:20,560 Speaker 1: one of those things that I would wait it does state, 431 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 1: then well, I would think part of the reason he's 432 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:25,200 Speaker 1: with the Angels is the contract that they worked out 433 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:26,520 Speaker 1: that he was going to get a chance to do 434 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:28,399 Speaker 1: this for however many years. I don't know what that 435 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:31,760 Speaker 1: means or what it says, but I think that any 436 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:34,240 Speaker 1: anybody who tried to get out in front of this 437 00:24:34,359 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 1: thought that one of the areas would phase out. But 438 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:39,359 Speaker 1: do you think that there are teams that wouldn't They 439 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:41,800 Speaker 1: weren't going to give him this opportunity to do both. 440 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:45,080 Speaker 1: I think there were teams that were probably hesitant in 441 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 1: the beginning to try to, you know, navigate this because 442 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:50,760 Speaker 1: his feet to the fire were quick, and I think 443 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:52,239 Speaker 1: all of us who got out in front of us 444 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 1: said this isn't going to work, like he needs to 445 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:57,439 Speaker 1: have some time here or time there. And he's proven 446 00:24:57,480 --> 00:25:00,680 Speaker 1: everybody wrong. And really, the Angels, I gotta give him 447 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:03,280 Speaker 1: credit because they've stuck with it. What my advice would be, 448 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:05,920 Speaker 1: if the Angels got to a place, this is the 449 00:25:06,119 --> 00:25:09,479 Speaker 1: this is the rub of what is Otani's greatest asset 450 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:11,520 Speaker 1: to the Angels. Well, right now everyone would go was 451 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:14,080 Speaker 1: obviously is hitting. But if they get to the playoffs, 452 00:25:14,359 --> 00:25:16,960 Speaker 1: this greatest asset is this pitching. They don't have that 453 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:19,720 Speaker 1: kind of pitching, so that would be a challenge when 454 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:21,720 Speaker 1: you get closer to let's say they were in a 455 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 1: playoff run. How do you get him ready to pitch 456 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:30,240 Speaker 1: Game one and sacrifice something maybe from his hitting standpoint, 457 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:32,840 Speaker 1: to know he's so important to win a game on 458 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:35,199 Speaker 1: the mound. How many games can he win in a series? 459 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,359 Speaker 1: Obviously at the plate, So it's a it's a delicate challenge, 460 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:41,200 Speaker 1: but I'll tell you Joe Madden has as a good 461 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:43,479 Speaker 1: plan and he's worked it out. We're talking to the 462 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:45,600 Speaker 1: Hall of Famer John Smoltz. He'll be with Joe buck 463 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:49,040 Speaker 1: tonight eight eastern on Fox. Pregame coverage starts at seven. 464 00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:52,200 Speaker 1: Kenny Rosenthal and Tom Verducci will be on the field 465 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:56,520 Speaker 1: as well part of the broadcasting crew. The spider tack 466 00:25:57,440 --> 00:25:59,680 Speaker 1: controversy has kind of gone away for a little while. 467 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:01,959 Speaker 1: I I kind of liken it too. You know, a 468 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:05,920 Speaker 1: police officer is here, so you don't speed by him. 469 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:08,600 Speaker 1: You wait until you're past him, and then you may 470 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:12,600 Speaker 1: speed by him. So I'm assuming pictures are just putting 471 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:15,600 Speaker 1: it away to bring it back. As a former pitcher, John, 472 00:26:15,680 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 1: what would you be doing if you were using it? Well, 473 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:21,600 Speaker 1: I think the biggest thing is that the information that's 474 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:24,800 Speaker 1: come out and the timing that they gave the pictures, 475 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:27,439 Speaker 1: you should be able to know how to pitch without it, 476 00:26:27,560 --> 00:26:29,800 Speaker 1: and especially in the summer. And I think every picture 477 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:33,320 Speaker 1: that's an elite picture will learn how to get around 478 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:38,679 Speaker 1: that aspect of Okay, this probably went too far, and 479 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:42,159 Speaker 1: the rosin and sweat and the ability to go to 480 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:45,240 Speaker 1: your mouth and create some saliva is there for the picture. 481 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:48,680 Speaker 1: Now the challenge will be of course, is going to 482 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:50,959 Speaker 1: be if it gets cold out, you know, and at 483 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:53,560 Speaker 1: the end of the year. But I think once they 484 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:58,200 Speaker 1: understand that they don't have to have, you know, it's 485 00:26:58,280 --> 00:27:00,679 Speaker 1: kind of like a psychological thing that the summer you 486 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:03,040 Speaker 1: don't really need, you're going to see pitchers return back 487 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:05,679 Speaker 1: to the elite. Pitchers will return back to their form 488 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:09,200 Speaker 1: because it won't be this rhetoric or conversation we're having 489 00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:12,240 Speaker 1: because they need this to pitch. Now. It might hurt 490 00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:15,680 Speaker 1: some fringe pitchers or some pitchers who have been able 491 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 1: to excel because of it. They're going to have to 492 00:27:18,119 --> 00:27:19,720 Speaker 1: learn differently, and that's where you're going to see the 493 00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 1: offense balance be a little bit better. And I think 494 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 1: that's what you've seen with hitters being a little more 495 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:26,719 Speaker 1: confident that they're not seeing the kind of revolutions at 496 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:30,120 Speaker 1: RPMs that they were before. When you doctored the baseball, 497 00:27:30,119 --> 00:27:32,800 Speaker 1: how did you do it? John? When I doctored dit Yeah, 498 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:35,680 Speaker 1: I wish I could have doctored the baseball. The bull 499 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:38,720 Speaker 1: frog was the only way with rosin. You know, that's 500 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:41,840 Speaker 1: the one area where if baseball next year can get 501 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:44,399 Speaker 1: to a common ground to where I think they're working 502 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:47,000 Speaker 1: on a substance that will work for everybody, because no 503 00:27:47,119 --> 00:27:49,359 Speaker 1: hitter wants to know that a pitcher doesn't have control 504 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:51,960 Speaker 1: of the baseball. See, it went from being able to 505 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:54,320 Speaker 1: control the baseball to be able to do things to 506 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 1: a baseball that haven't been done before, you know. And 507 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:00,840 Speaker 1: I think that's the balance, that's the argument. Hitters will 508 00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:04,400 Speaker 1: not complain if you have control of the baseball. Where 509 00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:06,359 Speaker 1: they think it takes it to the next level is 510 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:08,959 Speaker 1: when the backspin and the spin rate gets to an 511 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:11,520 Speaker 1: all time high. And I think that's where they say, Okay, 512 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,920 Speaker 1: that's crossing the line. So back in the day when 513 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:17,520 Speaker 1: we couldn't go to our mouth, so you're pitching in 514 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:20,480 Speaker 1: Colorado with some of my worst feelings in the world, 515 00:28:20,680 --> 00:28:22,960 Speaker 1: or I pitched in Cleveland. I had no way of 516 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:26,359 Speaker 1: getting gripped on the baseball, and my performance suffered. It 517 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:29,440 Speaker 1: really did. And so from the from the moment it 518 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:32,879 Speaker 1: got below forty, I was in trouble. But anything that 519 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:34,960 Speaker 1: was over that, we had the rosin and we had 520 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:38,800 Speaker 1: the ability and the bullfrog, by the way, only lasts 521 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 1: if you have a short inning because there's nowhere to 522 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:44,200 Speaker 1: put it. I didn't I didn't have anything on my body, 523 00:28:44,320 --> 00:28:47,240 Speaker 1: it would basically be a little dab before the inning 524 00:28:47,240 --> 00:28:49,640 Speaker 1: would start, go right to the rosin and then I 525 00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:51,520 Speaker 1: could pitch. But if I had a thirty pitch inning, 526 00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:55,000 Speaker 1: then it was there was nothing to go to. So 527 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:57,640 Speaker 1: I think you're going to see a balance come back 528 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:02,400 Speaker 1: after the season's over of technology being able or baseball 529 00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:04,960 Speaker 1: being able to come together and have something that works 530 00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:07,520 Speaker 1: for everybody. I'll leave you with this, the All Star 531 00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:11,440 Speaker 1: that is in a household name, but we should keep 532 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:19,080 Speaker 1: an eye on tonight. Wow, good question. I mean, I'm 533 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:22,280 Speaker 1: fans of guys that when you bring that up, I 534 00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:25,880 Speaker 1: think of with Maryfield from the Kansas City Royals on 535 00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:29,560 Speaker 1: how he does his thing when it isn't the most 536 00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:32,880 Speaker 1: popular thing, right, He's not hitting a ton of home 537 00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:36,160 Speaker 1: runs exit he just gets base hits and steals. We're 538 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:38,000 Speaker 1: gonna start seeing more of that in their game. I 539 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:40,360 Speaker 1: think we're gonna start seeing the David Fletchers. We're gonna 540 00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:44,640 Speaker 1: start seeing guys who don't shine. And he's thirty two, John, 541 00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:48,640 Speaker 1: He's thirty two leading baseball in stolen bases. And that's 542 00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:50,960 Speaker 1: what I'm saying, Like, the art of the game is 543 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 1: suffered in some ways because of the strategy of the 544 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:56,280 Speaker 1: game that's been playing. We're gonna start seeing some outliers 545 00:29:56,280 --> 00:29:59,600 Speaker 1: come back and see more speed and see more creativity 546 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:03,720 Speaker 1: because you can't fill a roster with one way players. 547 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:06,440 Speaker 1: And I think you're starting to see the value. Like 548 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:09,120 Speaker 1: I don't know, many people in the country don't know 549 00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:12,040 Speaker 1: who David Fletcher is, but he signed a five year deal. 550 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 1: The Angels love him. He can't He'll hit a ball 551 00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:16,800 Speaker 1: above his head, He'll hit a ball at his ankles. 552 00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:21,280 Speaker 1: It won't show up on any statistic that is sexy. 553 00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:23,239 Speaker 1: But yet all he does is get on base and 554 00:30:23,320 --> 00:30:25,000 Speaker 1: help his team. And I think those are the kind 555 00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:27,280 Speaker 1: of guys that when you look at the All Stars 556 00:30:27,320 --> 00:30:29,640 Speaker 1: are always going to take the big boys are always 557 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 1: going to take the headlines. But under the radar, you're 558 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:34,240 Speaker 1: gonna start seeing these guys play the game a little 559 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:38,720 Speaker 1: bit differently. Everybody's gonna watch Otani, but I'm watching with 560 00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:41,600 Speaker 1: Tonight instead, like King there you go see, I mean 561 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:45,400 Speaker 1: in Colorado, you're you know, if he played in Colorado, 562 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:50,680 Speaker 1: he would be pushing the average way north of you know, 563 00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:52,800 Speaker 1: three hundred, and he would be stealing a lot more 564 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:55,600 Speaker 1: basis because the way the game is played in Colorado, 565 00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:57,760 Speaker 1: everyone assumes there would be home runs, but there would 566 00:30:57,760 --> 00:31:00,000 Speaker 1: be more hits. Can you later in the game tonight 567 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 1: drop in as you know, Joe as I said earlier 568 00:31:02,760 --> 00:31:06,240 Speaker 1: today on The Dan Patrick Show, because oh yeah, I'll 569 00:31:06,280 --> 00:31:09,200 Speaker 1: stay like if you get to the sixth inning, maybe, 570 00:31:09,320 --> 00:31:12,960 Speaker 1: like I'll make sure my fans stay sixth inning, seventh inning, 571 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 1: just say, you know, Joe, as I said earlier today 572 00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:19,680 Speaker 1: on the the popular Dan Patrick Show. Yeah, there's there's 573 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:23,160 Speaker 1: you know, I'm gonna tie that in with whit Maryfield. Yeah, 574 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:26,360 Speaker 1: I love it. You know, there you got it. Whatever 575 00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:28,080 Speaker 1: he comes, Yeah, and he comes in the game, and 576 00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:34,240 Speaker 1: he comes up to the platen, prepare. I want Fox 577 00:31:34,280 --> 00:31:38,800 Speaker 1: to be ready for a blast of popularity. Your ratings 578 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:41,560 Speaker 1: are gonna have a spike when when Witt comes to 579 00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:45,400 Speaker 1: the plate. Everybody's gonna be tuning in. Uh my best 580 00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:48,600 Speaker 1: to Joe and uh John, good to talk to you, buddy, 581 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:51,520 Speaker 1: Thank you for having me. That's Johnny Smalls hold Famer. 582 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:55,520 Speaker 1: He want a sport He want a Sports Emmy. Joe 583 00:31:55,560 --> 00:31:58,680 Speaker 1: Buck want a Sports Emmy. This year they probably got 584 00:31:58,680 --> 00:32:02,640 Speaker 1: a few guys. It's okay, just nice being nominated. Bob 585 00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:05,400 Speaker 1: Joe Madden on the show tomorrow, Russell Wilson Junior, The 586 00:32:05,560 --> 00:32:10,440 Speaker 1: Third is back. Yes, yes, this is where it all started. 587 00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:13,360 Speaker 1: I don't buy it. Right after the super Bowl, we 588 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:16,920 Speaker 1: haven't heard from Russ. Fritzie reached out ask Russ if 589 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:19,440 Speaker 1: you'd join us, and he's going to tomorrow. What could 590 00:32:19,440 --> 00:32:22,880 Speaker 1: go wrong? We'll come back after this. Thanks for listening 591 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:25,280 Speaker 1: to The Dan Patrick Show podcast. Be sure to catch 592 00:32:25,360 --> 00:32:28,240 Speaker 1: us live every weekday morning nine until noon eastern six 593 00:32:28,320 --> 00:32:31,040 Speaker 1: to nine Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, and you can 594 00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:35,200 Speaker 1: find us on the iHeartRadio app at FSR or stream 595 00:32:35,280 --> 00:32:38,520 Speaker 1: us live on the Peacock app. Hey, I'm John Middlecoff 596 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:41,000 Speaker 1: and I host the Three and Out Podcast. Do you 597 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:43,400 Speaker 1: like football? Do you like the NFL? Do you like 598 00:32:43,440 --> 00:32:46,960 Speaker 1: the NFL draft? Quarterbacks? Coaches? Well, I talk about it 599 00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:49,560 Speaker 1: all on the show. I used to work for Andy 600 00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:52,200 Speaker 1: Reid as a scout. Now I give you my unfiltered 601 00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:55,480 Speaker 1: and raw opinions on everything that goes on the NFL. 602 00:32:55,600 --> 00:32:57,800 Speaker 1: And you know we're talking college football because of how 603 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:00,680 Speaker 1: important the draft is year round. Listen at the Three 604 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:03,760 Speaker 1: and Out Podcast with me John Middlecom on the iHeartRadio 605 00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:07,600 Speaker 1: app Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts. When 606 00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:10,760 Speaker 1: you just mentioned, you know, blowing these teams out, that's 607 00:33:10,800 --> 00:33:13,040 Speaker 1: never happened, So I don't know where you get that. 608 00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:19,360 Speaker 1: Can I finish? Can I finish? Can I finish my statement? 609 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:23,480 Speaker 1: Can I finish my statement? Are you gonna let me 610 00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:26,800 Speaker 1: finish my statement or not? So you'll be quiet now 611 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:29,720 Speaker 1: while I talk, and then I'll listen to you. When 612 00:33:29,760 --> 00:33:33,800 Speaker 1: you make statements about in the past just blowing out 613 00:33:33,880 --> 00:33:36,840 Speaker 1: these other teams, number one, you give no respect to 614 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:40,200 Speaker 1: the other teams. And I talked to you last time 615 00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:44,560 Speaker 1: about the same thing. We've had very close games against 616 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:48,680 Speaker 1: four or five countries in all these tournaments, so the 617 00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:51,960 Speaker 1: good teams do not get blown out. There are certain 618 00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:54,520 Speaker 1: games that might happen in one of the tournaments in 619 00:33:54,560 --> 00:33:57,120 Speaker 1: the World Championship and Olympics where somebody gets blown out, 620 00:33:57,600 --> 00:34:02,040 Speaker 1: but in general, nobody's blowing anybody out for the good teams. 621 00:34:02,160 --> 00:34:04,120 Speaker 1: So when you make a statement like that, it's like 622 00:34:04,160 --> 00:34:10,120 Speaker 1: you assume that's what's going on. And the muffled voice 623 00:34:10,160 --> 00:34:13,000 Speaker 1: on the other end with Greg Popovich. Our next guest, 624 00:34:13,120 --> 00:34:16,000 Speaker 1: Joe Varden, senior NBA writer for The Athletic covering Team 625 00:34:16,080 --> 00:34:18,640 Speaker 1: USA at the Olympics. By the way, our moment of 626 00:34:18,640 --> 00:34:20,719 Speaker 1: the week brought to you by discover matching all the 627 00:34:20,760 --> 00:34:22,440 Speaker 1: cash bank you weren't on your credit card at the 628 00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:25,560 Speaker 1: end of your first year. It's amazing because discovers accepted 629 00:34:25,600 --> 00:34:27,680 Speaker 1: at ninety nine percent of the places in the United 630 00:34:27,719 --> 00:34:31,759 Speaker 1: States that take credit cards. Joe Varden joins us. Joe, 631 00:34:31,840 --> 00:34:33,920 Speaker 1: we didn't get to hear your question. What was your 632 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:37,839 Speaker 1: question to Greg Popovich? Well, Hi, Dan, to see you. 633 00:34:37,960 --> 00:34:42,040 Speaker 1: As always, my question was not to Greg Popovich. It 634 00:34:42,120 --> 00:34:46,040 Speaker 1: was to Damian Lillard, and essentially I asked him what 635 00:34:46,080 --> 00:34:50,920 Speaker 1: it was like for him to have to having watched 636 00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:56,160 Speaker 1: his colleagues in fourteen and sixteen blow these teams out, 637 00:34:56,320 --> 00:35:00,440 Speaker 1: roll through these tournaments, going defeated, and then now getting 638 00:35:00,480 --> 00:35:04,760 Speaker 1: into Olympic play and having to experience the other side 639 00:35:04,760 --> 00:35:07,880 Speaker 1: of it. And Dame actually gave a thoughtful answer. He 640 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:11,600 Speaker 1: talked about how this was this was very different, UM, 641 00:35:11,880 --> 00:35:15,920 Speaker 1: acknowledging watching those those blowouts and all those winds. UM. 642 00:35:16,120 --> 00:35:18,719 Speaker 1: But then he said, you know, I've also seen Team 643 00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:21,600 Speaker 1: USA be challenged in the past, maybe not loose two 644 00:35:21,600 --> 00:35:25,640 Speaker 1: in a row. UM. And then you know, Greg jumped 645 00:35:25,680 --> 00:35:29,960 Speaker 1: in and and and started to address me and the 646 00:35:30,080 --> 00:35:32,880 Speaker 1: question that that was not directed at him. UM. And 647 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:36,719 Speaker 1: it goes back to a much calmer, I guess exchange, 648 00:35:36,760 --> 00:35:39,440 Speaker 1: not not that that was um, you know, wild or 649 00:35:39,440 --> 00:35:42,000 Speaker 1: anything last night, but a much calmer exchange we had 650 00:35:42,040 --> 00:35:47,880 Speaker 1: after Nigeria when I was asking about basically American exceptionalism 651 00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:50,359 Speaker 1: when it comes to basketball, after you know, they had 652 00:35:50,400 --> 00:35:53,080 Speaker 1: just gone through what was arguably the largest upset in 653 00:35:53,160 --> 00:35:56,760 Speaker 1: international basketball history. The spread was twenty nine points. And 654 00:35:57,200 --> 00:36:01,240 Speaker 1: just asked what this meant to him? But Dame Lilliard 655 00:36:01,320 --> 00:36:04,960 Speaker 1: wasn't available after that Nigeria game, and so you know, 656 00:36:05,000 --> 00:36:07,360 Speaker 1: and they didn't practice the next day, so there's no 657 00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:10,920 Speaker 1: media available ability then. So this was our one bite 658 00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:14,600 Speaker 1: at the apple to ask other players what this is like? UM. 659 00:36:14,640 --> 00:36:18,319 Speaker 1: And then a coach jumped in and uh started you know, 660 00:36:18,640 --> 00:36:23,240 Speaker 1: down that path. But so you're trying to interject something. 661 00:36:23,320 --> 00:36:25,799 Speaker 1: What what what is he having a problem with with 662 00:36:25,880 --> 00:36:29,959 Speaker 1: you trying to interject? Well, I've been covering this team, UM, 663 00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:32,880 Speaker 1: I keep saying for two summers, right because we everything 664 00:36:32,920 --> 00:36:36,879 Speaker 1: of course was was interrupted last year. UM, but he's 665 00:36:36,880 --> 00:36:39,600 Speaker 1: been he has been saying over and over that you know, 666 00:36:39,640 --> 00:36:42,680 Speaker 1: the world's gotten better, which is true. There's more pros 667 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:46,400 Speaker 1: on all these teams, which is true. Um, but he's saying, 668 00:36:46,440 --> 00:36:48,600 Speaker 1: as we heard in the clip, that that it is 669 00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:52,200 Speaker 1: not true that they're that in the past, there were 670 00:36:52,200 --> 00:36:55,799 Speaker 1: all these blowouts, and it's it's right there Dan in 671 00:36:55,840 --> 00:36:58,759 Speaker 1: the game notes, in the Wonderful Game Notes written by 672 00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:03,600 Speaker 1: Team USA PR director and Craig Miller, the average margin 673 00:37:03,680 --> 00:37:08,120 Speaker 1: of victory in the twenty sixteen Olympics was like thirty, 674 00:37:08,360 --> 00:37:11,720 Speaker 1: twenty nine or thirty, and then in the fourteen Feeble 675 00:37:11,760 --> 00:37:15,040 Speaker 1: World Cup it was like twenty nine, thirty thirty two 676 00:37:15,080 --> 00:37:18,839 Speaker 1: somewhere in there. And then in the twenty sixteen gold 677 00:37:18,880 --> 00:37:22,080 Speaker 1: medal game, Team USA literally beat Serbia by thirty points. 678 00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:25,360 Speaker 1: And that's what I was saying, like he started on 679 00:37:25,440 --> 00:37:27,840 Speaker 1: that path again, and like, you know, because not everybody's 680 00:37:27,880 --> 00:37:31,040 Speaker 1: watching every interaction we have, but he was saying something 681 00:37:31,719 --> 00:37:35,600 Speaker 1: that just isn't all together accurate, and he was going 682 00:37:35,640 --> 00:37:37,360 Speaker 1: to use it, I think, to make a point, and 683 00:37:37,400 --> 00:37:40,920 Speaker 1: so I was just saying, no, that's not true. And 684 00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:43,080 Speaker 1: I tried to say to bring up the thing about 685 00:37:43,080 --> 00:37:45,719 Speaker 1: the the average margin of victory, and you know, but 686 00:37:46,120 --> 00:37:48,719 Speaker 1: I know it didn't get picked up. What is the 687 00:37:48,840 --> 00:37:53,279 Speaker 1: level of concern for this team. So we're trying to 688 00:37:53,280 --> 00:37:57,960 Speaker 1: figure that out. You know. The latest thing is that 689 00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:00,960 Speaker 1: they're saying that, well, you know, our guys aren't in shape, 690 00:38:01,719 --> 00:38:05,680 Speaker 1: which is apparent. You know, for instance, Bradley Beale was standing, 691 00:38:05,719 --> 00:38:08,239 Speaker 1: you know, doubled over at one point last night. And 692 00:38:08,480 --> 00:38:11,759 Speaker 1: they haven't been good late in the fourth quarter, which 693 00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:16,000 Speaker 1: suggests to a conditioning a conditioning issue. But you know, 694 00:38:16,120 --> 00:38:19,279 Speaker 1: five of their seven rotation players played at least one 695 00:38:19,400 --> 00:38:22,080 Speaker 1: round the playoffs, and a couple of them went into 696 00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:24,640 Speaker 1: the second round. So I don't know if I don't 697 00:38:24,800 --> 00:38:28,799 Speaker 1: get that and into a larger degree, like Australia's in 698 00:38:28,840 --> 00:38:31,560 Speaker 1: shape and Nigeria's in shape, but Team USA is not 699 00:38:31,600 --> 00:38:35,040 Speaker 1: in shape. Yeah, so that one's a problem. But okay, 700 00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:38,520 Speaker 1: to answer your question, how big is the concern? I mean, 701 00:38:38,640 --> 00:38:41,879 Speaker 1: there are I guess questions about the roster, like it's 702 00:38:41,880 --> 00:38:44,799 Speaker 1: a smaller team, it's a team that's supposed to score 703 00:38:44,800 --> 00:38:48,959 Speaker 1: a ton of points. You know that they're getting killed 704 00:38:48,960 --> 00:38:53,719 Speaker 1: on the glass right now and they are being exposed defensively. 705 00:38:54,880 --> 00:38:58,560 Speaker 1: But you know, in team's past, like if there was 706 00:38:58,800 --> 00:39:02,160 Speaker 1: maybe a small liability here or there. You know, the 707 00:39:02,200 --> 00:39:05,279 Speaker 1: Americans have been so mighty overall that you could they 708 00:39:05,320 --> 00:39:08,360 Speaker 1: just sweep past that, And for a reason that we 709 00:39:08,440 --> 00:39:12,440 Speaker 1: don't know yet, the margin of air has shrunk dramatically. 710 00:39:13,160 --> 00:39:16,359 Speaker 1: So when you say how much concern is there, I 711 00:39:16,400 --> 00:39:19,640 Speaker 1: think we've reached a point where the Americans could win 712 00:39:19,680 --> 00:39:22,200 Speaker 1: the gold medal and they might very well, but but 713 00:39:22,280 --> 00:39:24,560 Speaker 1: we actually don't know. And I think that's the first 714 00:39:24,560 --> 00:39:28,560 Speaker 1: time in quite a while in an Olympics setting that 715 00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:30,239 Speaker 1: we can say that. So it's either going to be 716 00:39:30,320 --> 00:39:33,040 Speaker 1: a really exciting tournament or a really nerve wracking tournament, 717 00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:35,680 Speaker 1: depending on your point of view. The biggest threat to 718 00:39:35,760 --> 00:39:39,680 Speaker 1: the United States and the Olympics is who. I don't 719 00:39:39,680 --> 00:39:41,799 Speaker 1: know that you can say any one particular team. I mean, 720 00:39:41,840 --> 00:39:45,560 Speaker 1: they open up against France, who already beat them in 721 00:39:45,680 --> 00:39:48,960 Speaker 1: the in the China World Cup two years ago. That's 722 00:39:48,960 --> 00:39:54,799 Speaker 1: a tough one. But you know, this is the kind 723 00:39:54,800 --> 00:39:57,719 Speaker 1: of team that on a bad night, Luca don Chich 724 00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:00,239 Speaker 1: and the other four Slovenians could just show up and 725 00:40:00,239 --> 00:40:02,120 Speaker 1: beat them. I mean, Luca could go off for fifty 726 00:40:03,040 --> 00:40:05,560 Speaker 1: and do what he's done to the Clippers, and you know, 727 00:40:05,600 --> 00:40:08,080 Speaker 1: in one game, it's not a seven game series, so 728 00:40:08,440 --> 00:40:11,839 Speaker 1: I think there are threats throughout this tournament. We'll see 729 00:40:11,880 --> 00:40:13,799 Speaker 1: how much better they get when the three guys who 730 00:40:13,800 --> 00:40:16,840 Speaker 1: are in the finals join up. And and I do 731 00:40:16,920 --> 00:40:19,080 Speaker 1: think Kevin Durant, you know, needs to find his legs 732 00:40:19,120 --> 00:40:21,839 Speaker 1: a little bit because he's getting good shots. He's ten 733 00:40:21,840 --> 00:40:25,000 Speaker 1: of thirty in two games, you know, So I think 734 00:40:25,160 --> 00:40:28,000 Speaker 1: when he gets to be start knocking some of those down, 735 00:40:28,040 --> 00:40:30,879 Speaker 1: we'll start to see the results flip. But again, the 736 00:40:30,920 --> 00:40:35,759 Speaker 1: margin of air is almost almost gone, which is remarkable. Joe, 737 00:40:35,800 --> 00:40:39,920 Speaker 1: I was surprised that Durant played for the Olympics. Um, 738 00:40:40,640 --> 00:40:42,520 Speaker 1: I don't know if he needs more playing time or 739 00:40:42,560 --> 00:40:45,360 Speaker 1: needs more rest given what he just went through and 740 00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:48,600 Speaker 1: what he did herculean task in the playoffs. How surprised 741 00:40:48,600 --> 00:40:52,160 Speaker 1: are you that Durant is playing? Yeah? I was. I 742 00:40:52,200 --> 00:40:55,200 Speaker 1: was shocked, And I wrote about this in the in 743 00:40:55,280 --> 00:40:57,680 Speaker 1: the run up to the start of exhibition play. In 744 00:40:57,719 --> 00:41:02,320 Speaker 1: the early part of camp I think, obviously you're surprised, 745 00:41:02,320 --> 00:41:04,480 Speaker 1: and I'm surprised. Most of the people who do our 746 00:41:04,560 --> 00:41:09,000 Speaker 1: jobs are surprised. But the people who know Kevin just 747 00:41:09,040 --> 00:41:12,839 Speaker 1: talk about like this sort of single affinity for the game. 748 00:41:12,880 --> 00:41:14,680 Speaker 1: And I know it's a cliche like, oh, I love 749 00:41:14,719 --> 00:41:17,279 Speaker 1: the game, but I think he actually kind of lives it. 750 00:41:17,520 --> 00:41:20,200 Speaker 1: And I also think that what has happened to him 751 00:41:20,280 --> 00:41:22,560 Speaker 1: over the last couple of years with these terrible injuries 752 00:41:23,200 --> 00:41:26,440 Speaker 1: has sort of driven home the point of wanting to 753 00:41:26,480 --> 00:41:30,560 Speaker 1: do everything he can while he still can. So, you know, 754 00:41:30,640 --> 00:41:33,640 Speaker 1: assuming this tournament turns around and they they write the ship, 755 00:41:34,280 --> 00:41:38,120 Speaker 1: Kevin will probably go down as the greatest American Olympic 756 00:41:38,160 --> 00:41:40,680 Speaker 1: basketball player, which is I don't know if he cares 757 00:41:40,680 --> 00:41:42,880 Speaker 1: about that kind of stuff, but it's it's gonna be 758 00:41:43,320 --> 00:41:48,040 Speaker 1: something that goes to him. Keep mixing it up there, Joe. 759 00:41:48,160 --> 00:41:52,120 Speaker 1: We appreciate your time, thanks for joining us, Thanks for 760 00:41:52,200 --> 00:41:54,880 Speaker 1: having me. All right. That's Joe Varden. He's a senior 761 00:41:54,960 --> 00:41:57,960 Speaker 1: NBA writer for the athletic covering Team USA at the Olympics. 762 00:41:58,000 --> 00:42:02,359 Speaker 1: Team USA loses to Nigeria, loses to Australia, and they've 763 00:42:02,400 --> 00:42:04,000 Speaker 1: got Argentina coming up tonight.