WEBVTT - Damon Hack and Jason Sobel Give Us a Double Dose of Golf 0:00:03.920 --> 0:00:07.800 From the King of Sports Books. Who comes the Key 0:00:08.119 --> 0:00:18.800 Sports Podcasts presented by bet MGM. You're your host, Speedy 0:00:18.880 --> 0:00:29.680 Mormon and Olivia Harmon Decker. Yo, welcome back to Unleashed 0:00:29.720 --> 0:00:33.080 from the King of Sports Books bet MGM. I'm Speedy 0:00:33.120 --> 0:00:36.760 Mormon and as always, joined by Olivia Harland Decker, and 0:00:36.840 --> 0:00:40.840 today our show is all about the Masters. We've got 0:00:40.880 --> 0:00:44.400 two guests who are gonna talk golf and golf movies 0:00:44.440 --> 0:00:47.320 with us. From the Golf Channel, we got Damon Hack 0:00:47.840 --> 0:00:51.640 and from the Action Network it's Jason Sobel Peter and you. 0:00:51.760 --> 0:00:54.120 Our guy from bet MGM is going to talk about 0:00:54.160 --> 0:00:57.639 betting on golf, his picks for the Masters, and we'll 0:00:57.680 --> 0:01:00.200 see how he's doing with his bets from last week. 0:01:00.640 --> 0:01:03.000 And Olivia is going to educate us on some of 0:01:03.040 --> 0:01:07.280 the finer points of the biggest event in golf. But Olivia, 0:01:07.400 --> 0:01:10.280 before all of that, we got to talk about the 0:01:10.440 --> 0:01:12.600 n C Double A Tournament and what a year it 0:01:12.800 --> 0:01:16.280 was and what an upset for you at least because 0:01:16.800 --> 0:01:23.920 your undefeated Gonzaga Zags did not win at all. I know, man, 0:01:24.040 --> 0:01:26.640 I really thought I was so disappointed with my bracket, 0:01:27.040 --> 0:01:29.440 but I kept thinking, whatever I've got the national champion 0:01:29.480 --> 0:01:32.600 and that's huge, but everyone had Gonzaga winning. Very few 0:01:32.600 --> 0:01:35.119 people picked Baylor. But what I love is as many 0:01:35.240 --> 0:01:38.040 upsets that occurred in this March Madness, the most ever 0:01:38.080 --> 0:01:40.720 in history. So it was an incredible march. But that 0:01:40.800 --> 0:01:44.360 to one Seeds battle it out for the national championship Gonzaga, 0:01:44.360 --> 0:01:45.360 I want to say it was a four and a 0:01:45.400 --> 0:01:48.600 half point favorite. So for Baylor to pull that off 0:01:48.640 --> 0:01:53.080 and deliver them their first loss was absolutely incredible. Congratulations 0:01:53.080 --> 0:01:55.080 to the Bears and coach Scott Drew. That was great, 0:01:55.600 --> 0:01:59.000 I mean yeah, And also congratulations to Gonzaga. Nothing to 0:01:59.760 --> 0:02:02.680 be shamed of, right, an undefeated season and the only 0:02:02.680 --> 0:02:05.600 game you lose is in the championship. What a season 0:02:05.640 --> 0:02:08.960 it was. And overall, like you said, what an amazing 0:02:09.160 --> 0:02:12.560 March it's been. But now it's time to talk a 0:02:12.639 --> 0:02:17.160 little bit about golf because the Masters are here. I 0:02:17.240 --> 0:02:19.560 love Master's Week. It's it's really special. I went to 0:02:19.600 --> 0:02:21.800 school down in University of Georgia and I had so 0:02:21.840 --> 0:02:24.400 many friends from Augusta and that's kind of when I 0:02:24.400 --> 0:02:27.760 started getting on the train. And for one year my 0:02:27.880 --> 0:02:31.480 freshman year, my best friend from Augusta, she says, for 0:02:31.560 --> 0:02:33.800 your birthday, because my birthday is always Master's week. That 0:02:33.840 --> 0:02:35.400 was not a shameless plug to try to get you 0:02:35.440 --> 0:02:37.000 to tell me happy birthday. But if you want to, 0:02:37.120 --> 0:02:43.040 you can Happy birthday. Okay. But my friend says, for 0:02:43.080 --> 0:02:44.680 your birthday, I want to take you to the Masters. 0:02:44.720 --> 0:02:47.000 And I go, oh, my gosh, that's the nicest thing ever. 0:02:47.320 --> 0:02:49.800 We get down to Augusta, I got a new dress. 0:02:49.919 --> 0:02:51.640 I read all the rules, which there are a lot 0:02:51.680 --> 0:02:53.840 of rules I'll get to in a minute. And we 0:02:53.919 --> 0:02:55.560 get there and she says, no, no, my buddy is 0:02:55.560 --> 0:02:58.520 gonna get us a ticket. Okay, Well, the buddy doesn't call. 0:02:58.600 --> 0:03:01.200 The buddy doesn't call. We're waiting a round. We're going 0:03:01.240 --> 0:03:05.000 all the Master's parties and nothing not going. We ended 0:03:05.040 --> 0:03:07.600 up watching on TV. So the Masters broke my heart 0:03:08.320 --> 0:03:11.359 and I still have never been. I'm dying to go. Well, Olivia, 0:03:11.440 --> 0:03:14.360 you know, I'm a city boy, born and bread, and 0:03:14.480 --> 0:03:16.760 I don't get a chance, or never really got the 0:03:16.800 --> 0:03:19.359 chance to hit the green as much as you did. 0:03:19.440 --> 0:03:22.760 I'm sure how big of a golfer are you? Indeed, 0:03:22.840 --> 0:03:25.520 come from a big golfing family. You know you've been 0:03:25.560 --> 0:03:28.600 golfing all your life. Or how extensive of a golfer 0:03:28.800 --> 0:03:32.000 are you. Oh yeah, I I grew up taking lessons, 0:03:32.040 --> 0:03:33.800 but I have fallen back in love with it as 0:03:33.800 --> 0:03:37.800 an adult now. And my husband is from this area Sheboygan, Wisconsin, 0:03:37.840 --> 0:03:40.720 which is right near Cohler, Wisconsin, which is home to 0:03:40.760 --> 0:03:43.480 Whistling Straits, one of the most famous golf courses in 0:03:43.520 --> 0:03:45.160 the world. So I told him for a three year 0:03:45.160 --> 0:03:49.000 anniversary this summer, we are booking that course because it's 0:03:49.000 --> 0:03:51.160 really really hard to get in. Um so that's gonna 0:03:51.160 --> 0:03:53.160 be our little anniversary. But it's our favorite date just 0:03:53.240 --> 0:03:55.800 to go golf, and we're so spoiled living in one 0:03:55.800 --> 0:03:58.640 of the best golfing areas in the country. So yeah, 0:03:58.640 --> 0:04:00.800 it's it's really fun to fall back in love with 0:04:00.840 --> 0:04:03.000 it now as an adult. It seems like it might 0:04:03.000 --> 0:04:07.400 be even funner to say the word Sheboygan. That sounds amazing, 0:04:07.520 --> 0:04:10.640 Like it's a really fun word to say. But you know, 0:04:10.680 --> 0:04:13.520 you're talking about ideal dates. The only date that I've 0:04:13.560 --> 0:04:16.680 ever been on similar was Coney Island when I got 0:04:16.720 --> 0:04:19.159 to hit the mini golf course, which is, you know, 0:04:19.240 --> 0:04:22.760 slightly different, but I must say I did hold my 0:04:22.839 --> 0:04:25.000 own on said date. You know what I'm saying I won, 0:04:25.560 --> 0:04:28.640 so I feel confident about that. But how excited are 0:04:28.680 --> 0:04:32.080 you in general for the Masters? Oh? Yeah, I'm excited. 0:04:32.120 --> 0:04:35.080 It's the first major of one. It was the last 0:04:35.160 --> 0:04:37.839 major of you know, they did it weird this year 0:04:37.839 --> 0:04:40.960 in November, so it's so exciting. The whole golf community 0:04:41.000 --> 0:04:44.719 is so excited. But you know, the Masters is so unique, 0:04:44.800 --> 0:04:48.440 it's so special. And going to school and University of Georgia, 0:04:48.440 --> 0:04:50.280 I knew a lot of kids from Augusta and that's 0:04:50.320 --> 0:04:52.920 kind of when I got more familiar with it and speedy. 0:04:53.080 --> 0:04:56.040 I've learned a lot about it. It's kind of goofy 0:04:56.120 --> 0:04:58.360 and you know, like you said, you're not into golf, 0:04:58.360 --> 0:05:00.760 You're you don't play much. I I've got to tell 0:05:00.800 --> 0:05:02.559 you some of these facts because I think your mind 0:05:02.600 --> 0:05:05.600 will be blown. So let me just start here. First 0:05:05.600 --> 0:05:09.359 of all, Augusta National, right, It's so pristine, it is 0:05:09.400 --> 0:05:12.200 so beautiful. It's one of the most famous places you 0:05:12.200 --> 0:05:14.760 can even see on TV. But I've got to tell 0:05:14.800 --> 0:05:17.880 you the lakes, the lakes that you're gonna see this 0:05:18.000 --> 0:05:20.760 Thursday when the Master starts. You've got to know this 0:05:21.000 --> 0:05:24.320 Golf Digest tested the water back in the nineties and 0:05:24.320 --> 0:05:26.800 found that they actually put food die in the real 0:05:27.200 --> 0:05:30.839 that's how they get the color so beautiful. Yes. And 0:05:30.839 --> 0:05:34.159 then the sand it's not sand in the bunkers, it's 0:05:34.160 --> 0:05:37.840 really mining waste from illuminate in mind, so it's it's not, 0:05:37.920 --> 0:05:40.800 you know, like any other course in the world. It's 0:05:40.880 --> 0:05:45.240 absolutely crazy. And then they have these tall gates around 0:05:45.320 --> 0:05:49.400 the whole property. And the reason is because there are 0:05:49.440 --> 0:05:52.760 no animals, Like members say they've never seen a squirrel 0:05:53.400 --> 0:05:56.440 on the property on the premises, not even a squirrel, 0:05:56.880 --> 0:06:01.080 not even a squirrel. It's absolutely incredible. And then there's 0:06:01.240 --> 0:06:04.760 a rumor speedy that there are not even birds and 0:06:04.800 --> 0:06:07.799 that if you hear birds chirping on the CBS broadcast 0:06:08.160 --> 0:06:11.280 that that's brought in. Wow, I feel like I've been 0:06:11.320 --> 0:06:13.760 living a lie, like the from the food died to 0:06:13.800 --> 0:06:16.560 the mining ways to the bird sounds like this is 0:06:17.360 --> 0:06:19.240 I feel lied to. And now I don't know how 0:06:19.320 --> 0:06:22.320 much I can trust anything that I watch on TV 0:06:22.400 --> 0:06:25.440 when it comes to golf. But is there an event 0:06:25.720 --> 0:06:27.760 or maybe a part of the Master's that just sticks 0:06:27.760 --> 0:06:31.520 out to you as the most exciting part? Yeah, I mean, 0:06:31.560 --> 0:06:34.440 I think the pageantry of it all is so amazing. 0:06:34.600 --> 0:06:37.279 And like, what I didn't know either, is that when 0:06:37.279 --> 0:06:40.400 you win your green jacket, you've got one year to 0:06:40.520 --> 0:06:42.240 return it. I didn't know that. So you have to 0:06:42.240 --> 0:06:44.240 return it one year and you can only wear it 0:06:44.279 --> 0:06:47.599 then at the Masters. Really, so that's really special. I 0:06:47.640 --> 0:06:50.640 met Bubba Watson one time and I was thinking he 0:06:50.680 --> 0:06:52.560 was wearing his green jacket, and I was like, well, 0:06:52.640 --> 0:06:54.359 how do you do that? But it was within his 0:06:54.400 --> 0:06:55.919 one year, so you've got one year. It's like, you know, 0:06:55.960 --> 0:06:57.919 when you win the Stanley Cup, you get to go 0:06:58.000 --> 0:07:00.880 like paraded around, but ultimately it's got to go back. 0:07:00.960 --> 0:07:03.720 But yeah, and if you win multiple Masters, you don't 0:07:03.760 --> 0:07:06.360 get multiple jackets. You still have the one green jacket 0:07:06.440 --> 0:07:11.360 unless unless your size changes. See I'm the time, I'm 0:07:11.400 --> 0:07:13.600 just getting mad unnecessary weight just so I can get 0:07:13.600 --> 0:07:16.880 a second one for you. It doesn't matter because you 0:07:16.920 --> 0:07:20.160 don't get to keep it. Don't break my Listen, if 0:07:20.160 --> 0:07:22.080 I ever get good enough and golf to win a Masters, 0:07:22.080 --> 0:07:24.400 I'm going to try my best to keep the jacket. 0:07:24.520 --> 0:07:27.640 Last question for you, while we're speaking about fashion, how 0:07:27.760 --> 0:07:31.160 serious if you know, is the dress code there for 0:07:31.240 --> 0:07:35.280 our spectators? Is it? Is it a super serious dress code. Well, 0:07:35.320 --> 0:07:37.240 first I'm going to correct you because they don't call 0:07:37.280 --> 0:07:42.640 them spectators or fans. They call them patrons. That's another 0:07:43.480 --> 0:07:47.880 parted And um, yes, the dress code is strict. Like 0:07:48.120 --> 0:07:50.760 I read, you can't even wear your hat backwards. Did 0:07:50.800 --> 0:07:54.080 they lose you there? I'm out. I'm getting escorted out. 0:07:54.080 --> 0:07:56.280 As if they didn't lose you there, here's where they 0:07:56.280 --> 0:08:00.200 would lose me. No cell phones or cameras allowed there. 0:08:01.080 --> 0:08:04.040 No tipping is allowed, no tipping, No running is allowed, 0:08:04.640 --> 0:08:10.120 no tipping because that's ghosh, I don't know. And if 0:08:10.120 --> 0:08:12.360 you bring a folding chair, which you will see on TV, 0:08:13.040 --> 0:08:15.800 I cannot have an arm rest. So there are tons 0:08:15.800 --> 0:08:19.280 of little rules, yes, but the dress code. You've got 0:08:19.320 --> 0:08:21.600 to look. When I'm watching from my couch, I'll do 0:08:21.640 --> 0:08:24.040 whatever i want. There you go, You've got to have 0:08:25.080 --> 0:08:27.360 you have to be ready to impress. You know, it's 0:08:27.400 --> 0:08:29.040 a lot of lily pool its are a lot of 0:08:29.080 --> 0:08:32.240 brightly colored sun dresses and bow ties and whatnot. And 0:08:32.679 --> 0:08:35.520 it is it is full of pageantry, and that's what 0:08:35.600 --> 0:08:37.680 makes it so unique and so special to the sport 0:08:38.320 --> 0:08:41.360 specially indeed, I will be watching from my couch in 0:08:41.440 --> 0:08:45.400 my crocs and basketball shorts and I can't wait backwards 0:08:45.400 --> 0:08:50.040 hapwards with everything, and I'm tipping myself just because I can't. 0:08:51.040 --> 0:08:54.280 Now coming up on Unleashed from the Golf Network, we've 0:08:54.320 --> 0:09:06.360 got our man, Damon Heck in the building, Damon Half 0:09:06.400 --> 0:09:08.840 with the Golf Channel formerly with the New York Times 0:09:08.840 --> 0:09:11.680 Sports Illustrated. You've seen them, you've read them. Damon. Thank 0:09:11.679 --> 0:09:13.680 you so much for joining us today to talk about 0:09:13.720 --> 0:09:17.760 the Masters. Absolutely, Happy Masters Week. Happy Masters Week. David, 0:09:18.280 --> 0:09:22.000 thank you you as well. I understand you've checked into Augusta, 0:09:22.200 --> 0:09:25.120 you are in your hotel room. What is the COVID 0:09:25.320 --> 0:09:28.280 process with everyone covering the Masters this year like and 0:09:28.480 --> 0:09:31.920 is it any different from November? It's kind of similar. 0:09:31.960 --> 0:09:34.600 Everybody has to get swabbed when they get to town, 0:09:35.160 --> 0:09:37.600 and you also have to get swabbed four days in, 0:09:37.760 --> 0:09:41.880 so they're very strict protocols. Similar to November. There won't 0:09:41.920 --> 0:09:46.480 be a capacity of patrons on the golf course. But 0:09:46.600 --> 0:09:49.520 we're happy to have a tournament to talk about, especially 0:09:49.960 --> 0:09:52.640 in this era of COVID nineteen. But they're doing everything 0:09:52.640 --> 0:09:56.520 they can social distancing. Everyone has to wear masks, so yeah, 0:09:56.559 --> 0:09:58.560 I can't even go to the property, can't go to 0:09:58.600 --> 0:10:01.240 the golf course until I get my negative test back, 0:10:01.320 --> 0:10:04.280 and once I do, I'm ready to roll. Damn it. 0:10:04.320 --> 0:10:07.719 I'm hearing how strict the rules are in general and 0:10:07.760 --> 0:10:11.720 Augusta and so I know that their COVID protocols must 0:10:11.720 --> 0:10:15.280 be official, but I noticed that to use the phrase patrons, 0:10:15.280 --> 0:10:19.359 and I made the definitely mistake of referring to patrons 0:10:20.080 --> 0:10:26.080 as spectators or fans. Did I cross the line? Is 0:10:26.080 --> 0:10:28.280 this the point of no return? Or or do I 0:10:28.360 --> 0:10:31.040 have anything that can redeem me here? I put the 0:10:31.080 --> 0:10:33.559 caution flag up for you. It's early in the week, 0:10:33.600 --> 0:10:37.720 but I would get that spectator or fan vernacular out early, 0:10:37.840 --> 0:10:41.120 so we're not talking Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. I mean, 0:10:41.120 --> 0:10:44.120 there are so many little rules and big rules that 0:10:44.160 --> 0:10:47.360 they have at Augusta National, and one of them is patrons. 0:10:47.760 --> 0:10:50.760 They also don't call the thick grass rough. They call 0:10:50.800 --> 0:10:54.480 it a second cut. There's no running on the golf course. 0:10:54.520 --> 0:10:56.960 And this is kind of how they roll. This is 0:10:57.000 --> 0:11:00.040 what they do. They like to keep things tradition. It 0:11:00.120 --> 0:11:03.280 all slowed everything down and it's been that way. This 0:11:03.320 --> 0:11:06.679 is my eleventh Masters guy, so it's gonna be very 0:11:06.720 --> 0:11:10.079 familiar to me. Because I've been going for so many years. 0:11:10.120 --> 0:11:12.839 It's been twenty years in total when I first went 0:11:12.880 --> 0:11:16.480 to two thousand and two, but eleven overall, so not 0:11:16.640 --> 0:11:19.080 much changes. You just kind of fall in line and 0:11:19.120 --> 0:11:21.680 follow the rules, and that way you get your credential 0:11:21.720 --> 0:11:25.520 back and you can come to the next year. Well, damon, 0:11:25.600 --> 0:11:28.880 let's get right into the field of competition. Jordan's Speed 0:11:29.080 --> 0:11:31.480 is a heavy favorite. He's had a great couple of months. 0:11:31.520 --> 0:11:34.680 He just won the Texas Open this past weekend. What 0:11:34.800 --> 0:11:37.360 do you think his odds are of getting that second 0:11:37.400 --> 0:11:41.040 green jacket. I think they're fantastic. And I like Jordan 0:11:41.120 --> 0:11:43.760 to win the Masters before he won in San Antonio, 0:11:43.840 --> 0:11:46.520 by the way, so I almost feel like everybody's gonna 0:11:46.520 --> 0:11:49.400 be on the Jordan's speech bandwagon. But we know his 0:11:49.400 --> 0:11:51.880 history there and yeah, he has some some bad history 0:11:51.880 --> 0:11:53.920 as well. He did to have a great chance in 0:11:54.760 --> 0:11:56.319 to go back to back. In fact, he would have 0:11:56.400 --> 0:11:59.520 joined Jack Nicholas, Tiger Woods and ser Nic Foudo as 0:11:59.559 --> 0:12:01.600 the only players to go back to back had he 0:12:01.679 --> 0:12:03.800 donned the green jacket for a second year in a row. 0:12:04.200 --> 0:12:07.240 In of course, hit into the water twice on the 0:12:07.280 --> 0:12:09.959 twelfth hole and lost that green jacket to Danny will 0:12:10.000 --> 0:12:13.959 it That said, when Jordan's speech is playing good, there's 0:12:14.040 --> 0:12:17.680 no better canvas for his gifts than Augusta National. He 0:12:17.840 --> 0:12:21.800 scrambles with incredible dexterity. His hands around the greens are 0:12:21.840 --> 0:12:24.600 maybe the best in the game. We saw it in Texas, 0:12:24.679 --> 0:12:26.680 We've seen it a lot in this comeback over the 0:12:26.760 --> 0:12:30.320 last two months. He's putting beautifully. His short game is 0:12:30.360 --> 0:12:33.720 without peer in his imagination, just seems to come out 0:12:34.040 --> 0:12:38.160 better at Augusta National than anywhere else. I like that, 0:12:38.160 --> 0:12:40.920 that's beautifully said. You know, this year is just so different. 0:12:40.960 --> 0:12:44.200 No Tiger Woods, no brooks Kepta. Just as you look 0:12:44.320 --> 0:12:46.400 at some of the top names in it. Who else 0:12:46.440 --> 0:12:48.600 do you like? I mean, is it different with those 0:12:48.600 --> 0:12:52.520 big names out? Especially Tiger? His presence is so missed. Yeah, 0:12:52.559 --> 0:12:56.200 we'll miss Tiger this year. He's just such a needle mover. 0:12:56.360 --> 0:12:59.360 Even now, He's still the biggest name and will probably 0:12:59.360 --> 0:13:01.600 always be the biggest name, just because of what he's 0:13:01.640 --> 0:13:05.800 done in golf in general and specifically at Augusta Nashville. 0:13:05.840 --> 0:13:08.480 But even without Tiger, some great names, of course. Rory 0:13:08.520 --> 0:13:11.960 McElroy trying to complete the career Grant Slam. It's the 0:13:12.000 --> 0:13:15.480 one major championship that has he louded him Dustin Johnson 0:13:15.520 --> 0:13:18.000 trying to go back to back. He won in November 0:13:18.040 --> 0:13:21.440 by five shots. And don't sleep on John Rom, the 0:13:21.520 --> 0:13:24.440 Spaniard who has a fantastic record at Augusta. He just 0:13:24.480 --> 0:13:27.560 became a father on Saturday. So there's a lot of 0:13:27.600 --> 0:13:30.520 good mojo and good energy around the young man who 0:13:30.559 --> 0:13:33.200 went to Arizona State. So I think John Rom, maybe 0:13:33.200 --> 0:13:35.760 outside of Speece, would be my favorite, just because I 0:13:35.760 --> 0:13:38.200 think he'll be coming to augusta kind of walking on air, 0:13:38.600 --> 0:13:40.920 you know, kind of floating on a cloud. Has three 0:13:40.960 --> 0:13:43.960 top tens and four starts at the Master, so he 0:13:44.000 --> 0:13:48.199 has form. He has his life in order and in perspective, 0:13:48.480 --> 0:13:52.200 and that often leads to playing great golf. Damon quickly, 0:13:52.600 --> 0:13:55.400 you mentioned the college there, and so I have him 0:13:55.480 --> 0:13:59.320 end in yours yell at or one college is rather 0:13:59.440 --> 0:14:03.680 you see a unfortunately lost very dramatically in the n 0:14:03.679 --> 0:14:06.760 C Double A tournament at the Buzzer. I just want 0:14:06.760 --> 0:14:08.280 to know are you doing all right? Do you? Is 0:14:08.280 --> 0:14:11.160 there anything we can do for you? You need a tissue? 0:14:11.280 --> 0:14:19.400 Perhaps I need a whole box, my man. I was 0:14:19.440 --> 0:14:21.880 watching the game. In fact, I was at the Charlotte Airport, 0:14:22.000 --> 0:14:24.720 you know, waiting to connect to Augusta, and I watched 0:14:24.720 --> 0:14:27.280 the end of the game and I saw that bank 0:14:27.360 --> 0:14:31.120 shot and my heart sank. It's kind of bitter sweet 0:14:31.160 --> 0:14:34.120 because this run has been so improbable for U c. 0:14:34.280 --> 0:14:36.800 L A. We got in via the playing route, which 0:14:36.880 --> 0:14:39.480 hardly ever happened. So you beat Michigan State, and we 0:14:39.560 --> 0:14:43.360 kept stacking wins on wins and playing better the longer 0:14:43.440 --> 0:14:46.280 the tournament ran on. You know, beat Michigan and it 0:14:46.360 --> 0:14:49.920 looked like we were gonna take down the undefeated Gonzaga squad. 0:14:50.040 --> 0:14:51.920 I have so much respect for how they play. But 0:14:52.480 --> 0:14:55.760 to lose, you know, when it's nine and you lose 0:14:55.760 --> 0:14:57.600 on a bank shot that just you know, from a 0:14:57.680 --> 0:15:01.800 half court stripe, is just it's bittersweet. I'm thankful that 0:15:01.880 --> 0:15:05.080 this team played so hard. It's the most I've ever 0:15:05.120 --> 0:15:07.880 been proud of a team in defeat, if that makes sense. 0:15:08.480 --> 0:15:10.720 And they're kind of like frozen in time. This team 0:15:10.840 --> 0:15:15.920 still well, I think positively affect recruiting in the years ahead, 0:15:16.080 --> 0:15:19.560 and in losing, I still think this team was able 0:15:19.600 --> 0:15:21.600 to elevate in terms of what it was able to 0:15:21.640 --> 0:15:23.880 do in elevated status as one of the great teams 0:15:23.880 --> 0:15:27.800 of this season. Just an absolutely incredible job done by 0:15:27.880 --> 0:15:30.000 McK cronin. So I think everyone was kind of cheering 0:15:30.040 --> 0:15:32.120 on your Brewins there. That was a fun run to watch. 0:15:32.280 --> 0:15:35.640 You know, you your history is interesting covering NFL and golf. 0:15:36.040 --> 0:15:38.600 How did you end up putting that pair together as 0:15:38.680 --> 0:15:42.560 as your two main wagon wheels so to speak? Yeah, yeah, 0:15:42.640 --> 0:15:46.760 great question. So my first main job as a newspaper writer, 0:15:46.880 --> 0:15:49.960 I've done high school sports and some college sports at 0:15:49.960 --> 0:15:54.320 the Sacramento b In in seven, all of the sports 0:15:54.320 --> 0:15:57.320 writers at the Sacramento b had kind of covered the 0:15:57.440 --> 0:15:59.880 Niners and nobody wanted to do it. I was fresh 0:16:00.000 --> 0:16:02.120 out of graduate school and I was asked if I 0:16:02.160 --> 0:16:04.360 wanted to cover the San Francisco forty Niners, and I 0:16:04.360 --> 0:16:07.120 was like, of course, why not. So it was almost 0:16:07.120 --> 0:16:08.960 being at the right place at the right time. They 0:16:08.960 --> 0:16:12.120 gave me training camp as a kind of a tryout, 0:16:12.160 --> 0:16:14.760 so six weeks of writing stories and they said I 0:16:14.800 --> 0:16:16.400 did a good enough job where I would be the 0:16:16.400 --> 0:16:18.800 beat writer. I was the beat writer for three years, 0:16:18.800 --> 0:16:21.160 so that was my NFL entree, and then I started 0:16:21.200 --> 0:16:24.280 covering golf for Newsday in two thousand and one, so 0:16:24.320 --> 0:16:26.920 I had this football background, but then I started covering 0:16:26.960 --> 0:16:30.040 Tiger Woods for Newsday in two thousand and one. So 0:16:30.080 --> 0:16:32.200 when I got to The Times, I covered football for 0:16:32.240 --> 0:16:35.320 three years, and then I covered golf for two years, 0:16:35.520 --> 0:16:38.160 and then Sports Illustaated hired me. Knew my golf slash 0:16:38.280 --> 0:16:41.120 NFL background, and I covered the NFL in the fall 0:16:41.200 --> 0:16:44.200 and winter for Sports Illustrated and golf in the spring 0:16:44.200 --> 0:16:46.480 and summer. So it's the perfect balance two sports that 0:16:46.560 --> 0:16:50.120 have separate seasons, as it were. And and I've been 0:16:50.160 --> 0:16:53.080 now covering golf for Golf Channel since twelve, so it's 0:16:53.120 --> 0:16:56.040 been an amazing ride. Still a big football fan, grew 0:16:56.120 --> 0:16:59.480 up in Los Angeles, a Raider fan, hoping for better 0:16:59.520 --> 0:17:02.480 in twenty twenty one. But those are my two loves, 0:17:02.480 --> 0:17:05.760 golf in the NFL. So if you love golf, what 0:17:05.840 --> 0:17:08.320 are your favorite golf movies? Because Speedy and I were 0:17:08.320 --> 0:17:10.560 trying to talk about that, of of what are the 0:17:10.600 --> 0:17:13.800 best golf movies, there are not many. I think you 0:17:13.880 --> 0:17:15.640 hit it on the head that there aren't that many. 0:17:15.680 --> 0:17:18.320 But I've got three, and I'll go from three to one. 0:17:18.440 --> 0:17:20.680 Number three from me would be the legend of Bag 0:17:20.680 --> 0:17:24.240 of Vance. You know, Will Smith, you know, listen, and 0:17:24.320 --> 0:17:27.959 Matt Damon. Charlie's there on at the height of her power. 0:17:28.440 --> 0:17:31.240 A lot of fun to watch Will Smith as a 0:17:31.320 --> 0:17:34.159 caddy and Matt Damon, even though his golf swing isn't 0:17:34.200 --> 0:17:37.399 necessarily PG Two ur Grade, I like the story of 0:17:37.480 --> 0:17:41.280 him as Ranolph Juna taken on Bobby Jones in a 0:17:41.359 --> 0:17:45.680 mythical match. Number two would be Caddy Shack. It's it's 0:17:45.680 --> 0:17:48.239 just one of the all time great movies because of 0:17:48.280 --> 0:17:51.800 the cast that they had to get Bill Murray and 0:17:51.840 --> 0:17:55.639 you've got the likes of Chevy Chase, of Rodney danger Field, 0:17:55.640 --> 0:17:59.239 Ted Nights to get this incredible, you know, group of 0:17:59.400 --> 0:18:03.520 actors at the height of their comedic talents and Rodney Dangerfield, 0:18:03.640 --> 0:18:06.159 you know, God rest his soul. What a terrific actor 0:18:06.720 --> 0:18:09.119 and comedian he was. And Number one for me is 0:18:09.160 --> 0:18:11.840 tin Cup. You know. It's the story of Tin Cup, 0:18:11.840 --> 0:18:14.600 who was a driving range pro, falls in love with 0:18:14.640 --> 0:18:18.639 Renee Russo, steals her from Don Johnson, and comes up 0:18:18.680 --> 0:18:22.159 short in his quest to win our national championship, the 0:18:22.240 --> 0:18:25.600 United States Open. A cheech Marin was his caddy. So 0:18:25.640 --> 0:18:28.760 a lot of fun those are my three bag Advance, 0:18:29.160 --> 0:18:31.600 Caddy Shack, and tin Cup and you can't go wrong. 0:18:32.160 --> 0:18:35.880 I was anticipating happy Gilmore reference, but unfortunately, I guess 0:18:35.880 --> 0:18:38.480 it doesn't make the top three. Huh, that's number four. 0:18:39.119 --> 0:18:40.720 It was right there. You know, had the list of 0:18:40.760 --> 0:18:43.399 it a little longer, I would have given the Adam 0:18:43.440 --> 0:18:47.200 Sandler and if a little love and Carl Weathers as 0:18:47.240 --> 0:18:50.080 well as Chubb. Yeah, but you're right, it's not like 0:18:50.160 --> 0:18:52.800 they were talking about The Godfather here. There's just there's 0:18:52.920 --> 0:18:56.360 not that many great movies like Mafia movies you can 0:18:56.400 --> 0:18:59.359 talk about, you know, good Fellers or Godfather, Godfather to 0:19:00.000 --> 0:19:02.760 Donnie Brasco. You know, the list goes on and on, 0:19:02.880 --> 0:19:05.840 but I think the golf genre is hurting a little 0:19:05.840 --> 0:19:09.880 bit for for fantastic movies. Damian, thank you so much 0:19:09.880 --> 0:19:13.560 for joining us man and enjoy the Masters. Don't break 0:19:13.560 --> 0:19:15.600 any of the rules because we'd hate to see it 0:19:15.640 --> 0:19:18.480 getting permanded. We know how strict they are over there. 0:19:18.480 --> 0:19:21.879 But thanks for joining us man anytime. I enjoyed it. 0:19:21.880 --> 0:19:32.159 Guys enjoyed the Masters, Well, now, guys, it's golf. Social 0:19:32.200 --> 0:19:36.040 media is absolute favorite from the Action Network. Jason Sobel 0:19:36.119 --> 0:19:38.639 is here. Jason what's up man? How are you? What's up? Guys? 0:19:38.680 --> 0:19:41.240 Thanks so much for having me on. Just got to Augusta. 0:19:41.880 --> 0:19:45.199 Well good, that's the place to be. We here, and 0:19:45.240 --> 0:19:47.120 so we might as well just go ahead and jump 0:19:47.200 --> 0:19:51.359 right in with your picks for the masters. Who do 0:19:51.400 --> 0:19:54.520 you have your eye on? So I think everyone's got 0:19:54.520 --> 0:19:56.560 their eye on Jordan's speed right now coming off his 0:19:56.600 --> 0:19:59.639 way at the Valero Texas Open on Sunday, looks so impressive. 0:19:59.680 --> 0:20:02.800 He's building has been building towards this. I mean, if 0:20:02.800 --> 0:20:04.840 you watch what Jordan has done over the last few months, 0:20:04.840 --> 0:20:07.040 it's all right, you put together some good swings and 0:20:07.040 --> 0:20:08.960 made a few birdies and it was okay. Then there's 0:20:09.000 --> 0:20:11.320 a good stretch of holes, and there's one full round 0:20:11.359 --> 0:20:14.440 and then there's two full rounds, and he couldn't quite 0:20:14.440 --> 0:20:17.160 finish it off over the last few months. Finally, now 0:20:17.560 --> 0:20:19.560 going into this week, he has finished it off. He 0:20:19.600 --> 0:20:21.640 has finally won for the first time in one thousand, 0:20:21.680 --> 0:20:25.240 three fifty one days. So do I like Jordan's speed 0:20:25.359 --> 0:20:28.320 going into this week's Masters? Absolutely? Do I like him. 0:20:28.320 --> 0:20:30.040 At the price that he's going to be at by 0:20:30.080 --> 0:20:32.720 the time they tee off Thursday morning, I'm not so 0:20:32.760 --> 0:20:35.200 sure about that. I think that there's so many good 0:20:35.200 --> 0:20:37.600 players out there. I just think everyone's gonna jump on 0:20:37.600 --> 0:20:40.560 the speed bandwagon right now, and it's gonna be really 0:20:40.560 --> 0:20:43.919 tough for him to repeat. We've only seen four winners 0:20:44.240 --> 0:20:48.680 of the tournament before the Masters then repeat the following week, 0:20:48.840 --> 0:20:51.679 none since Phil Michelson back in two thousand six, and 0:20:51.680 --> 0:20:53.840 so it's gonna be a tough task for Jordan's. I 0:20:53.880 --> 0:20:55.520 like him a lot. I've got him number two on 0:20:55.560 --> 0:20:58.640 my list. Number one, though, is Xander Schoffley has played 0:20:58.640 --> 0:21:01.600 his best golf lately, but strokes gained approach is the 0:21:01.600 --> 0:21:04.879 best he's had in years, maybe all of his career, 0:21:05.000 --> 0:21:08.160 and so guy plays his best golf also in tough 0:21:08.240 --> 0:21:11.600 situations in the biggest tournaments. And Alexander this week. So 0:21:11.960 --> 0:21:15.840