Tracy Sandler & Nikki Kay Discuss the NBA Finals, Shemar Stewart Bengals Drama & More!

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to Fox Sports.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
Hello, we are broadcasting live from the Fox Sports radio studios.
Tracy Sandler back with my partner in crime here, Nikki Kay.

Speaker 3 (00:13):
What's up?

Speaker 4 (00:14):
Party people?

Speaker 5 (00:15):
Happy Saturday, yay, as they say, Happy moving day for
the US Open.

Speaker 4 (00:19):
Happy movie. I thought you were gonna tell us you
were moving.

Speaker 5 (00:21):
Oh, always moving, always moving. But we got gray skies
out there at Oakmont. It's a little ominous.

Speaker 4 (00:29):
Ominous. I like that word. That is a good word.
We have so much to discuss today.

Speaker 2 (00:34):
We have NBA Finals, we have Caitlin Clark, We got
a little NFL news before going into the break.

Speaker 4 (00:38):
Stanley Cup so much.

Speaker 3 (00:40):
Oh my gosh, that Stanley Cup has been so fun.

Speaker 4 (00:43):
It has been so fun.

Speaker 2 (00:44):
But I think one could make an argument that well,
it wouldn't even be an argument the NBA finals.

Speaker 5 (00:49):
Also, these finals, these finals have been fantastic and riveting television.

Speaker 3 (00:55):
You don't have to be a hockey fan.

Speaker 5 (00:57):
You know there's gonna be a big ratings discourse because
of the two small market teams. But if you choose
to pick apart this these NBA Finals, you're not watching
That game last night was deep.

Speaker 4 (01:08):
Epic, that was really deep. If you choose to pick
apart these NBA Finals you're not watching, right, that should be.

Speaker 3 (01:15):
Their tad line, right. I think they make it an ad.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
Put it on a billboard, Put it on a billboard.
Last night's game, as you mentioned, was epic. I think
right off the bat, we have to talk about the
thing that is the big news for everyone, and that
is that first game. Caitlyn Clark has been out that
the Pacers of lost and is in the.

Speaker 3 (01:33):
Eighth one right one one?

Speaker 4 (01:35):
Now, yeah, eight and one. So I think that, I mean,
I really think that's all you guys need to know.

Speaker 5 (01:40):
I hope you enjoy your sortidy know, but no longer undefeated,
as she's leading the Fever over the New York Liberty
at the moment, Yeah she has.

Speaker 4 (01:48):
She said, a big weekend. A lot dudes's returning, and
we'll talk about.

Speaker 2 (01:51):
That in a little bit. But let's get into last
night's game. The Oklahoma City Thunder, a team you are,
as we know, quite familiar with, overcomes a ten point
deficit late in the third quarter beat The Pacers. Series
is now two to two. This feels like a seven gamer. You,
as I mentioned, are very familiar with the OKLA Oklahoma

(02:11):
City Thunder. Maybe for some of our new listeners, give
a short sentence or two on why that is.

Speaker 5 (02:17):
But yeah, yes, I began my broadcasting career covering the Thunder.
It was the last year of Russell Westbrook and Kevin
Durant together and they're pushed to the Western Conference Finals.
So I understand the history of that franchise, the passion
of their fan base, but also just how quick their
return to the top has been. Honestly, a very young

(02:40):
NBA franchise in terms of when they relocated to Oklahoma City,
but you know, two down years and now they've they've
been led by Shaye Gilgess Alexander to the NBA Finals
and I think honestly the most of the NBA world
had them picked to win this in five.

Speaker 3 (02:57):
So the quality of.

Speaker 5 (02:59):
Comp tiss between Indiana and Okase has been fantastic.

Speaker 3 (03:04):
And you know, I was sat for Game four last night.

Speaker 5 (03:07):
India up to one in the series and they were
up seven points in.

Speaker 3 (03:12):
The fourth quarter.

Speaker 5 (03:14):
As frustrated offensively as the Thunder seemed to be, I
mean they finished the game with three three pointers made.
They couldn't go away, they weren't going away, and I'll
have to say it was Alex Caruso who set.

Speaker 3 (03:28):
The tone from the guy Alex Caruso and.

Speaker 5 (03:30):
Shay was MVPSGA in the fourth with fifteen fourth quarter points.

Speaker 4 (03:37):
In the final four thirty eight, no less.

Speaker 5 (03:39):
Right, right, and he made an impact, you know, with
a block and his steal. He had a clutch three.
I mean, his MVP card showed in those minutes. And
I don't think he would tell you he was proud
of his performance in Game three. I know Alex Caruso
have said as much, and they rose to meet the moment.

Speaker 3 (03:59):
And also, you can't talk.

Speaker 5 (04:01):
About this game without talking about the Thunders defense, which
is like arguably the best unit that we've seen in
the NBA this entire season, and loud Dort just the
job he did on containing Halliburton.

Speaker 3 (04:18):
It was remarkable. I mean, Halliburton put.

Speaker 5 (04:22):
Up seventeen points, but it was inefficient seventeen. You know,
he was held pretty quiet throughout the game. So it
was a really impressive stand by the Thunders defense. And
I just loved those final three minutes, like you were
just it was riveting.

Speaker 4 (04:41):
Riveting is the perfect world word.

Speaker 2 (04:43):
And I want to give props to SGA's supporting cast,
because that is the key to Oklahoma City winning this series.
It can't just be Gildas Alexander So Jayla Williams is
twenty seven points, Alex Caruso we've talked about before and
really favorite of both of ours, twenty off the bench
chet Homegrown fifteen rebounds.

Speaker 5 (05:05):
Right, there was there was a couple of moments down
down the stretch when I think it was off an
SGA three miss, you know, and it clanketon. He had
done everything to get open for that look and Homegrend
comes out of nowhere to for the put back right,
And it's just that sort of chemistry understanding, you know,

(05:30):
forethought that you have to have to have that slight
margin of advantage when both of these teams, it's like
it might be one of the grittiest series I can.
It's a shit watching, Yeah, it's it's they are battling.

Speaker 3 (05:46):
It is physical. Sometimes it isn't pretty.

Speaker 5 (05:49):
But I think it's just a testament to you know,
a lot of a lot of people when I hear, oh,
I don't watch the NBA anymore.

Speaker 3 (05:57):
You know, it's too too offensive, like too much of
an off game.

Speaker 5 (06:01):
And I mean tune into this channel because or to
these finals, I should say, because this is a battle
of the heavyweights that I don't know if a lot
of people, I don't know what the odds were for
Indiana to win the finals at the beginning of the year,
but they weren't.

Speaker 3 (06:20):
They weren't a front runner.

Speaker 4 (06:22):
No say that they were not.

Speaker 2 (06:23):
And they struggled for a lot of the first part
of the season, so they certainly were not. I mean,
I like the heavyweights. You could I have another tagline.
I mean, if Adam Silver here listening here, I got
another one small market teams heavyweights on the court.

Speaker 4 (06:37):
I'm just throwing that.

Speaker 3 (06:38):
Oh the love that I'm just.

Speaker 2 (06:41):
Saying, I'll give it to you for free, okay, because
I think it would totally work. But you are welcome
to NBA fans everywhere. Let's look ahead to Game five.
You go back to Okay, see it's in It's on
Monday night. And what I mean, I think we're going seven?

Speaker 3 (06:59):
I do.

Speaker 4 (06:59):
I think Rice is a seven game series.

Speaker 2 (07:01):
But you know from from the Pacers, both teams have
had this thing where they they can't collapse at the end,
and I think this has happened, you know, for both teams.
So the Pacers went over eight from three point range
in the final quarter, so that was not great. But
what does each team need to do, Nikki to come
out victorious?

Speaker 3 (07:21):
Oh my goodness.

Speaker 5 (07:22):
Okay, Well, first of all, a little bit of backtracking there,
I think a quick good track away Indiana. The Indiana
Pacers had a preseason title odds of plus sixty six.

Speaker 3 (07:31):
Hundred on bet MGM, So there you go. They were.
They were by far and away not considered.

Speaker 4 (07:40):
So if you would bet for them to go to
the NBA Finals, you were probably in a pretty good mood.

Speaker 5 (07:44):
Right now, Right right, I think listen right, is the
Thunder now have home court advantage as they look at
the final three games here, which it always is funny
to me how it shifts, right, but the series is
tied up, goes back to Oka. See Thunder doing credibly

(08:04):
well there. But as we've seen with the Pacers, that
have just proven to be one of the best clutch
come from behind teams in playoff in playoff history that
I can remember, led by Tyrese Haliber, and the Thunder
need to there's no taking your foot off the gas pedal,

(08:28):
and what they showed last night that they were capable
of doing coming from behind in the fourth quarter. It's
that type of dog fight mentality I think they need
to come in to Game five with especially because I
mean it might as well be back at zero, right, yeah,
for best of three series aheads, So they cannot take

(08:53):
anything for granted.

Speaker 3 (08:54):
I think they're.

Speaker 5 (08:55):
Key to this championship, the first ever in Oklahoma City history,
will be their defense. And if they can disrupt the
Pacers as as much as they have, then that's got
to be their edge. And and I mean, Shay's got
to continue to be consistent because what we saw in
Game three him faltering like he's got to be mvpche

(09:19):
at all times. And and as far as the Pacers go,
you know they've got to when the thunder are, you know,
make three threes for an entirety of the game.

Speaker 3 (09:31):
You got to capitalize.

Speaker 5 (09:34):
And and I think it's it's got to be that
you know, every every possession is not over until you
know the balls in your hands and your so don't
don't count out those homegrim put backs, don't count out
those rebounds. It's it's I don't even know it, Like
I feel like both teams have shown that they don't

(09:56):
need any advice, Right, what are you what are your
prescribed being for each team?

Speaker 2 (10:01):
I think, well, you nailed it about the possessions, like
no possessions over until it's actually over. And it's true
of the game as well, like both of these teams
have seen that throughout the series, throughout these playoffs, like
it is a as you so eloquently said, a dog
fight until the end, and it feels it's funny it
changes for every game because now I feel like this

(10:22):
is Oklahoma Cities, like this is their series to lose.
But there have been games where I'm like, I don't know,
the Pacers seem to have like all the momentum. It's
gonna be interesting, and we also what's interesting is now
correct me if I'm wrong on the Nikky it's now
one one in one in that game five is in
ok see game six in Indiana, and then games if
there's a game seven being OKAC, which I think adds

(10:45):
a whole other element to this, right.

Speaker 5 (10:47):
Because you say, like, oh, you know, the thunder have
two of the three remaining at home, but if they
drop this game game five, you return to Indy game
six for India to close it out, So it's essentially
must win almost for you know, like for both teams.
And you know, the Pacers did a really good job

(11:08):
of creating thunder turnovers in late game situations last night,
so I would encourage them to lean into that and
then the thunder. Oh shoot, I had a point that
I was going to say. It was regarding.

Speaker 3 (11:28):
You know what, get let me get back to you
on that, please do yes, get.

Speaker 2 (11:31):
Back to me on the point that you that was
regarding should I remind you that way?

Speaker 3 (11:36):
Right? Yeah? Yeah.

Speaker 4 (11:38):
The point that was that was regarding Okay, Okay, I
like it. I like it.

Speaker 2 (11:42):
It's funny with these teams too, because maybe funny isn't
the right word, but sometimes you're watching two teams and
you're like, oh, but this fan base, you really both
of these fan bases. I feel like I'm really rooting
for both these fan bases. These are games that I
watch and I'm like, I'm just so happy that these
ones don't matter.

Speaker 4 (11:59):
Did I point?

Speaker 5 (12:00):
Yes, yes, yes, you were saying, okay at times that
you feel like this is the Thunders to lose, now, right,
I felt in the fourth quarter heading into the fourth quarter,
at one point, Indiana was up ten. I think it
was in late in the third. They had a seven
point lead in the fourth. I thought the thunder looked
really out, you know, out of rhythm. Nothing, And that's

(12:22):
a credit to Indiana. But and I could easily see
the Pacers closing that one out and taking a three
to one lead at home, right. So that just shows
how the pendulum misswinging in this series.

Speaker 3 (12:35):
Which I don't think a lot of people expected.

Speaker 4 (12:38):
No, I absolutely agree with you. This one is fun.

Speaker 2 (12:42):
It is really and it's really fun as a basketball
fan because, like I said a little earlier, not being
a true fan of either team, it's really fun. If
I was a fan of these teams, i'd be, you know,
having panic attacks every single game.

Speaker 4 (12:55):
But as a basketball fan, it's really fun.

Speaker 2 (12:58):
And going back to what we talk about in the
beginning of this segment, maybe they are small market teams,
but they are putting on one heck of a show
and they are playing their hearts out.

Speaker 4 (13:08):
It has been chippy. There was a little kerfuffle, which is.

Speaker 2 (13:12):
One of my most favorite words grass Night, little little
kerfuffle leading to technical fouls Like this is these are
battles and that's fun.

Speaker 4 (13:20):
That is fun. It's good for the game. It's good
for basketball, the NBA, everybody involved. It's just it's been
a good time, right.

Speaker 5 (13:26):
And whether it's at Gamebridge Field House, which honestly spectacular
showing by the fan base there, or at the pay
Com Center in Oklahoma City, you can sense how much
it means to each town, right, and.

Speaker 3 (13:41):
It's it's really a great display.

Speaker 5 (13:43):
And I think you're looking at the future of the
league with Shay gil Just Alexander, Tyrese Halliburton, and a
lot of discussion has been made.

Speaker 3 (13:51):
About, you know, the league.

Speaker 5 (13:54):
When you talk about a superstar status, right, you kind
of measure it by who would someone who's a casual
fan of sports, not necessarily an NBA fan, know as
a household name. And I think at that this point
in NBA discourse, we're there with Lebron James, Kevin Durant,
giannisonte To Kumpo, Steph Curry, Luka, donci Chieven. I don't

(14:15):
know if SGA is there yet. I don't know if
Tyrese Halliburton is there yet. But the hope is that
the moments they're having in this series, and whatever the
result may be, is that this is the new wave
of stars of superstars that are about to take the
driving seat in the NBA, and I think whichever team wins,

(14:36):
those guys will be those names in our In their
next hour, we're gonna have Tim Cabacami on to talk
more about the NBA Finals.

Speaker 4 (14:43):
So get ready for that and stay right here. This
is Fox Sports Saturday.

Speaker 1 (14:50):
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Speaker 4 (15:24):
We were talking a.

Speaker 2 (15:25):
Lot, obviously about basketball in Indiana in our previous segment.

Speaker 4 (15:29):
Caitlin Clark returns today for the Fever.

Speaker 2 (15:32):
As we mentioned, they just took a lead sixty to
fifty nine lead over the Liberty. I said to Nicki
in the break am I reading that right is she's
six for ten on three pointers.

Speaker 4 (15:42):
And Nikki said, I was in fact reading that right back.

Speaker 3 (15:45):
From that hamstring injury, and she hasn't missed a beat.

Speaker 4 (15:49):
No, she's not twenty five total points at the moment.

Speaker 3 (15:51):
I mean, this woman is on a mission.

Speaker 5 (15:54):
She has led the fever to New Heights and now
they're going toe to toe with the reigning champs. And
they last we saw score check, they had the lead. Right, yes,
the last we saw the dimmercial.

Speaker 3 (16:05):
Break here on the TV.

Speaker 5 (16:06):
So you know what fun story about Tyree stories? Right,
little Indiana connection here. Caitlyn Clark has been court sided
a lot of the Pacers games, and she she actually
has a very very solid friendship with Tyrese Halliburton. There's
a group chat between Halliburton, Clark, Tyrese's girlfriend Jade Jones,

(16:28):
and Caitlin Clark's boyfriend Connor McCaffrey.

Speaker 3 (16:30):
So it's the.

Speaker 5 (16:31):
Two couples all in a group chat, and Tyrese Haliburton
was talking about it. He's saying, like, you know, there's
few messages that get priority responding to that chat is
always always activated and I love that and it goes
beyond like support and you know couples dates between that
four it's you know, when Caitlin in her second year,

(16:54):
she's been dealing with increased defensive pressure and attention for teams,
and she's navigating that jump right and sometimes it's called
the sophomore slump.

Speaker 3 (17:05):
Clearly for her, not so much so slimpy.

Speaker 5 (17:07):
She's able to relate to Halliburton and to pick his brains,
and that's been the discourse of their chatter there. So
we love brilliant basketball minds uniting right and on the
biggest of stages too.

Speaker 4 (17:20):
I hope it's the name of their group chat, brilliant
maybe brilliant basketball mind ze.

Speaker 2 (17:27):
I love it with a Z ze. Yes, I love that.
So hopefully that is the name of the group chat. Yeah,
I love it. I think really, what Caitlin Clark has
done for the sport is incredible and this is this cool.
I hope we see more of this throughout the league
in cities where there's both NBA and WNBA teams and
these brilliant basketball minds coming together.

Speaker 5 (17:46):
And the level of talent. Page Beckers right number one
draft pick this year. She just returned from concussion protocol
last night and had thirty five points, I believe. So
it's the level of talent. Isn't saying it's not like
Caitlin Clark. You know, it is by far and above better.
This is a tough, tough league to make a living in,

(18:09):
to survive in. And the fact that she's brought a
whole new fan base instead of eyeballs to the WNBA
is fantastic. But I mean it's it's evolving rapidly.

Speaker 4 (18:23):
Yes, yes it is.

Speaker 2 (18:24):
And here we are talking about I love it and
keeping a very close eye on that TV right now,
Indiana's up sixty two to fifty nine. We are going
to transition a little bit quick overview of the NFL.
It is truly the NFL off season, like for real,
like the off season that everyone thinks of the off
season is only sort of the off season.

Speaker 4 (18:43):
This is the true break the NFL.

Speaker 3 (18:44):
I don't believe you.

Speaker 4 (18:46):
I know you don't believe me. It's true.

Speaker 3 (18:49):
I'm getting news all the time about the NFL.

Speaker 4 (18:52):
Right now, Well we're okay, so well here's what we'll see.

Speaker 2 (18:55):
We're at the end mini camps for this week, and
so we're kind of in the end of that news.
They'll probably all always be news because it is the NFL.
But in theory it's the break time.

Speaker 3 (19:06):
But not all the teams have even had their mini camps.

Speaker 5 (19:09):
I believe I thought Seattle, La were they coming brand
He's just went to Miami.

Speaker 3 (19:16):
Well, some of them are starting.

Speaker 4 (19:18):
I'll tell you this.

Speaker 2 (19:19):
The forty Niners had their mini camps as far as
I'm concerned, like it's a break We sawgur and Rogers
in a steal that was it their mini camp last
week with a wedding band on. Yes, he is in
fact married. There was a lot of question was it
an or ring?

Speaker 3 (19:31):
It was.

Speaker 2 (19:32):
It definitely did not look like an orr ring. He
is in fact married to whom we don't know. But
we are going to have Judy Batista on in just
a little bit to give us a rundown. Big story
out of Cincinnati feels like a big story to meet.
At least that rookie Schmart Steart leaves. He left mini
camp due.

Speaker 4 (19:48):
To contract dispute. I don't know that I've heard of
a rookie doing that in recent years.

Speaker 5 (19:53):
Rookies having contract leverage. Is that I'm unfamiliar with the
scope of the NFL's structure, right, But you don't normally.

Speaker 4 (20:03):
Hear not quite like this.

Speaker 2 (20:05):
I've seen rookies who don't sign until later getting closer
training camp, but they I haven't seen them leave. I
think that's the thing that to me is interesting. Move Cotton,
it's a bold move. You gotta wonder how much does
the nil play into it that they're being used to
that also, I mean, God, forgive him. He's not getting

(20:26):
what he's doing.

Speaker 4 (20:27):
I don't know. This is gonna be interesting.

Speaker 2 (20:28):
I'm really interested to hear Judy's take on this and
any insight she might have, so she'll be coming up
in a bit. But before that, there's some stuff going on.
The US Open rain. You were very concerned about the rain, right.

Speaker 3 (20:41):
Well, here's the thing.

Speaker 5 (20:43):
So it's you know, US Open, it's notorious. The course
is always the monster. It's the biggest challenge. Really interesting
coming into round three today, three players under par as
we look at the leaderboard right now, there's only three
golfers under par and burn Spawn and Lawrence Hoveland has

(21:04):
had a tough go early on.

Speaker 3 (21:06):
It seems.

Speaker 5 (21:07):
But yesterday watching the second realm, I mean, some of
the world's best they were looking like little boys having
tantrums out there. I'm not gonna lie. Did you see
Rory McElroy throwing his club? Did you see him turning
around and smashing the tea box yet?

Speaker 3 (21:28):
See?

Speaker 4 (21:28):
This is what golf does.

Speaker 3 (21:29):
Though.

Speaker 2 (21:29):
This is why I've never played golf, because this is
what it seems to do to people.

Speaker 5 (21:33):
Oh, I'm like, come on, be better, be better. But anyways,
neither here nor there. I do love the antics. Give
us a little drama.

Speaker 2 (21:41):
We do like drama, and drama add some fun things
to sports. But you know who is not drama, Our
good friend Martin Weiss, who is gonna give us an
update break.

Speaker 6 (21:50):
Yeah, it's been really rough out there at Oakmont read
the US Open. I just saw a tweet the number
of three putts that this tournament has produced has been
in saying JJ Spawn, Sam Burns tied in first place.
They are two under there right now, even Spawns even
through this round, but two hunderd for the tournament. Thurston

(22:10):
Lawrence and now in sole possessed of third place. He's
one under Ben Griffin even and a whole bunch of
guys tied at fifth, carls Rtiz, Adam Scott, Victor Hoflin
in the WNBA, Caitlin Clark back in the lineup and
letting her presence be fell eleven for sixteen from the
floor thirty points. There are still four minutes left in
the third quarter, seventy to fifty nine to score right now,

(22:34):
mind you, they're playing the Liberty, who are undefeated into
this game. Nine to zero Indiana in the ninety to
zero New York is Indiana's four and five Major League Baseball.
The Cubs with a two to one leader with the Pirates.

Speaker 3 (22:46):
Top of the ninth inning.

Speaker 6 (22:48):
Top of the second, Angels lead the Orioles two to one.
Middle of the second inning, Blue Jays with the one
nothing lead over the Phillies. Bottom of the second, scoreless
between the White Sox and Rangers. Rockies Brave started in
a rain delay, but they're back added, I mean they're
added now. Bottom of the first inning. Rain delay is
still going on for the Rays and the Mets. Twins
Astro scoreless. Top of the second, A's with the two

(23:09):
nothing lead over the Royals. Top of the second and
the bottom of the first on FS one the Cardinals
lead of the Brewers won nothing earlier today, so the
Marlins beat the Nationals four to three. Reds with an
eleven to one one over the Tigers, and that Cubs
Pirates game just ended to Chicago victorious two to one.
The Knicks planning meet with former Sacramento coach Mike Brown

(23:29):
and former Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins next week for
that head coaching vacancy. That Nicks also did interview Mike
Brown back in twenty twenty before hiring Tom Thibodeau Houston Rockins.
Houston Rockets center Steven Adams has agreed to a three year,
thirty nine million dollar extension, and the Edmonton Oilers have
made a goalie change. Calvin Picard will get to start

(23:51):
over Stewart Skinner game five of the Stanley Cup Finals
a PM Eastern.

Speaker 4 (23:55):
Back to you guys, Thank you very much.

Speaker 2 (23:59):
We are coming to you from the Fox Sports Radio studios.
You can stream this show and all of our Fox
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(24:20):
radio in the iHeartRadio app, and it will always pop
up at the top of your screen. And now our
guest is going to pop up. I really I love
doing that.

Speaker 4 (24:29):
Judy Batista from the.

Speaker 2 (24:30):
NFL Network is here to join us. Judy, I say,
it's truly the NFL break. Nikki doesn't believe me. What
do you have to say on this?

Speaker 7 (24:41):
It's going to be my NFL break coming up? Really, sir,
There you go. It's the closest thing you get to it.
I gotta take it.

Speaker 5 (24:48):
I don't believe there's an off season for this league,
to be quite honest.

Speaker 7 (24:52):
No, no, this is like as close as you get to,
like three weeks somebody. Actually, Bill Belichick once said to
me once about the schedule, as long as they leave
us alone around the fourth of July. And that's basically
what it has come down to.

Speaker 2 (25:05):
Yeah, that's fair. That is really fair. Well, I want
to jump into something I just mentioned. We had a
rookie leaving Bengals mini camp due to a contract dispute.
So Judy, I could be wrong about this. I do
remember rookies, of course, signing much later closer to training camp.
I don't remember anybody leaving for a contract dispute.

Speaker 4 (25:22):
Am I wrong about that? Am I misremembering?

Speaker 7 (25:25):
I would have to go back? I mean, I do
you know it was pretty normal to have holdouts by rookies,
because before the CBA came in with the rookie wage scale,
that was pretty regular that you would have rookies, you know,
not reporting to training camp on time. But it's mostly
disappeared right since the CBA put that. I mean, that's
why this is such a sort of surprise, strange situation.

(25:50):
And again to have them leave campus, you said, you know,
makes quite a statement there, and he also said quite
a few things pretty pointed remarks about the Bengals front office.
It's very unusual, and it's already sort of teetering on
it sounds like a little bit acrimonious, and that's certainly
not good, especially for a team that the whole off

(26:10):
season was about figuring out ways to stark faster. This
team has had flow starts the last few years that
have put them in a hole, and the whole off
season has been about figuring out what they can do
to start faster. And one of the things was to
eliminate contract situations right, eliminate distractions and We're not quite

(26:30):
there yet. With the Bengal they'll think they're going to
have this getting close to training camp.

Speaker 2 (26:34):
The best laid plans they tried. They tried their very
vast but doesn't always work out.

Speaker 5 (26:41):
Hi, Judy, quick question for you, what do you think's
going on in the Cleveland quarterback room? Because I'm guessing Flacos.
I'm guessing Flacos get you know, week one starter, but
I'm just intrigued to know what the developments are happening
in the Browns organization.

Speaker 3 (26:58):
In regards of QB one.

Speaker 7 (27:02):
Well, I would agree with you that I think Flacco,
who has had success with Kevin Stefanski, I have to
think that, barring an absolute disaster in training camp, that
he would start the season as a starter. But at
some point they've got to see what the rookies can do.
First of all, it's very unusual to have four quarterbacks, period,

(27:23):
right Verry four quarterbacks is very odd. To have two
rookies is unusual. They've got to see those rookies at
some point because don't forget. The thing to keep in
the back of your mind is the Browns have two
first round draft picks in twenty twenty six because of
the trade they made with the Jacksonville jag Wars, they
picked up an extra first round pick that they are

(27:43):
in prime position to draft a quarterback high next year
if they want to, if they need to, in a
class that is already being projected to be stronger than
the class we just said in twenty twenty five. So
all of that is like the safety nets for the
Cleveland Browns. If you know this, this group of quarterbacks
just you know, is nothing going forward. I mean, Flacko

(28:06):
was obviously not for long term answer. They've got to
figure out if Canny Pickett, could he be the long
term answer, or could either of the rookies be the
long term answer. I don't think anything we saw in
mini camp matters. It is all going to be in
training camp. In the preseason games. You're going to have
to see how they divide the reps, which is also
not easy when you've got four guys, because at some

(28:27):
point you're going to have to get Joe flack al
ready for week one. Presumably it's very unusual, and obviously
it's going to be one of the top storylines it's
going into the season. But again, I just keep coming
back to the idea that none of this may matter
because if none of them really shine, they have the

(28:49):
ultimate safety net and they can draft a quarterback very
high in the first round next year.

Speaker 4 (28:52):
Seems like a lot of drama in the state of
Ohio around football, which is not a surprise to those
of us on time to like the state of Ohio
around football. But I digress.

Speaker 2 (29:04):
Let's talk a little Aaron Rodgers Steelers mini camp. He's married,
so that was one more little mic drop that he
got to share with everybody. But the real story, of course,
is going to be how is he going to fit
into this team?

Speaker 4 (29:18):
What is it going to look like?

Speaker 2 (29:19):
Obviously midi caamp is not very long, short sample size,
but kind of what are your general thoughts and did
you see anything this week or hear anything this week
that gave you a thought one way or the other.

Speaker 7 (29:30):
Well, first of all, I think this week was all
about just like getting to know you, right, I mean
just getting to know like I think he went to
a charity golf outing with this he made so like
it was that kind of thing, and getting into the
playbook with Arthur Smith, which is important. I actually am
cautiously optimistic that this is going to work in Pittsburgh.
In the last like six weeks of last season with

(29:53):
the jetsus that is, the Jet season was sort of spiraling.
By that point, Rogers looked better, which probably not surprising.
You know, he was coming off in achilles injury and
generally it takes more than a year to really recover
from that, and so later in the season he looked better.
He's look, he's not the mobile quarterback. He wasn't he
was twenty eight years old. That's gone, but he's still

(30:15):
got an arm and obviously his football brain is fantastic.
And the team around him in Pittsburgh is simply better.
The organization is better than he had at the Jets, right.
I mean, they're not going through coaching upheaval like they
were going through with the Jets. They've got a defense
that has carried that team for the last few seasons.

(30:37):
They've got a running game. They just drafted a rookie
running back, Caleb Johnson, who they're really excited about.

Speaker 8 (30:43):
So there's more.

Speaker 7 (30:45):
Around him that should support him, you know. And I
think more than that is the Steelers are not going
to turn like the entire organization over to Aaron Rodgers, right,
like he's not going to be picking the personnel and
picking the offensive coordinator.

Speaker 5 (30:59):
That's not happen.

Speaker 7 (31:00):
And so I actually think there's some hope for this
to work. And I also think Aaron is you know,
people may wonder why he wants to do this. First
of all, I'm sure he doesn't want to go out
on the note that he would have gone out with
the Jets, and you know, and the Steelers have to
get over the hump. I mean, they keep making the playoffs,
much to their credits, and they're probably overperforming the roster

(31:24):
some of those seasons, but you know, they win super
Bowls in Pittsburgh. They don't want to just make the playoffs.
They need to win playoff games. And I do think
if they get there, he can still do this.

Speaker 4 (31:36):
Okay, that's that's fair. Now I'm cautiously optimistic, Thanks Judy
and Judy.

Speaker 5 (31:41):
When we look at what's going on in Dallas right now,
I mean, Michael Parsons in full on negotiation mode saying
it's going to.

Speaker 3 (31:48):
Cost the Cowboys more.

Speaker 5 (31:49):
I guess what have you taken from this level of
conversation between franchise and player and how much how much
are you thinking Mike is going to walk away.

Speaker 7 (31:58):
With well, he's got to be the highest paid non
quarterback at this point. At least he said it out loud, right,
what we all know that it's costing the money. Can
we do this every year? I mean, you're enough at
dak Press costs. Dak presscosts contract literally came down two
minutes before kickoff of the season, which is crazy, and

(32:22):
they do end up overpaying because of it. They clearly
are comfortable operating this way because they continue to do it.
But it does cost them a lot of money. It's
not my money, it's not your money, it's their money.
You do wonder why they keep operating like this. You
do wonder how much it frustrates and distracts guys. I
think when the here players will say, when they're being

(32:43):
candid that it is a distraction, it does weigh on them, obviously. Now,
Micah and Jerry appear to have a very good relationship.
They spent part of the mini camp day the other
day just talking on the sideline for a long time
in full view of the reporters who were there. I
think it's very odd that Jerry has said he has
not talked to the agent like, why what it's strange.

(33:09):
I have no doubt it will get done. I do
wonder why the Cowboys keep going down this road of
you know, sort of frustrating their best, best players and
then having to pay a premium to keep those guys.

Speaker 2 (33:23):
And then it doesn't they don't perform, and they don't
It's not like it's working from a win loss perspective,
playoff perspective. So it is a little bit strange that
they keep doing it this way. But you know, that's
how Jerry does it, I guess.

Speaker 7 (33:38):
Right, and it's probably, you know, it's foolish probably to
think that they're going to change their ways at this point.
I mean, you know, we keep thinking every year it
will change, but probably we should not be thinking that anymore.

Speaker 4 (33:51):
Yeah, I think I think that is fair.

Speaker 3 (33:52):
Judy.

Speaker 2 (33:53):
Thank you so much for joining us today. Enjoy your break.

Speaker 3 (33:58):
Thanks, Judy.

Speaker 2 (33:59):
We're getting little NFL break soon, you and I and
I hope that I hope you really enjoy your short
time off.

Speaker 7 (34:05):
I will thank you and see you all training camp.

Speaker 4 (34:08):
All right, We'll see you then. We will be right back.
This is Fox Sports Saturday.

Speaker 1 (34:15):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio Radio.

Speaker 2 (34:19):
Coming to you live from the Fox Sports radio studios.
It is time for the dues and the don'ts.

Speaker 3 (34:25):
What a beat.

Speaker 1 (34:27):
Highlighting dh I love that putting a spotlight on the don't.

Speaker 4 (34:31):
The subject brings me no joy.

Speaker 3 (34:35):
That's insane.

Speaker 1 (34:36):
It's time for the dues and the don'ts in sports,
all right.

Speaker 4 (34:41):
I'm gonna start with the don't. I don't want to
be negative, but I'm going to do it anyways.

Speaker 2 (34:45):
Do not fire your coach that took you to the
Eastern Conference Finals without a plan. I actually could have
stopped it before without a plan. I think that it
could have just been there.

Speaker 3 (34:57):
My gosh.

Speaker 2 (34:58):
Then ask every everybody in the league if you can
interview their coach, which everyone's like, No.

Speaker 3 (35:03):
The Knicks prerequisite is a.

Speaker 2 (35:05):
Human, yes, but not the human that took our team
to the Eastern Conference finals. Apparently they are going to
be meeting with former Kings coach Mike Brown former Grizzlies
coach Taylor Jenkins next week after being denied basically everyone
else that they wanted to talk to.

Speaker 4 (35:23):
But generally also, don't fire your coach just took you
to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Speaker 3 (35:26):
My dad always told me, don't leave a job.

Speaker 5 (35:28):
Unless you have a job, and it's the same It's
kind of the same thing like New York Knicks, like,
don't fire your head coach unless you have one in
the wings. Yeah, I was kind of hoping for a
Jay Wright from Villanova.

Speaker 2 (35:41):
I think a lot of people were than they really
were the Villanova Nicks.

Speaker 5 (35:44):
Yes, but I applaud him for not wanting to first
of all, celebrate work life on life, as you know,
family that is the most important thing. But I would
have loved to see him reunited with his Nova kids.

Speaker 4 (35:59):
That's fair.

Speaker 2 (36:00):
I also feel like for coaches maybe it's kind of
maybe not a job you want to jump into, like
when you're like, well, so when is it enough?

Speaker 5 (36:08):
Well, we saw it here in La Frank Bobo being
fired after winning an NBA championship and half the team
was you know, delt Away and that that's the organization's decision.
But this is a leg in which coaches realize they are,
you know.

Speaker 3 (36:26):
They're on the move. Yes, why not often? Okay, I'm
going to start with a do okay, do you're back
to school shopping? I liked this story.

Speaker 5 (36:36):
Out of the Steelers mini camp when Aaron Rodgers first
arrived at the facility, he asked quarterbacks coach Tom Arth
if he could have the playbook printed out, because Rogers
he's an old school guy and he likes taking notes
with pencil on paper printouts, and so Arth then relayed
that message to his administer stradive assistant Chrissy Bulger Bulger,

(36:57):
I hope I'm pronouncing that right. And so before the
first meeting, Chrissy got a binder. She included a pouch
of pencils, erasers, and highlighters.

Speaker 3 (37:08):
But after the meeting, erin who was like, did Christy
put this together? And and Art said yes.

Speaker 5 (37:14):
And he went to her and said, thank you, but
you can have your your pens and highlighters back because
I've got my own.

Speaker 4 (37:23):
That is the most on brand Aaron Roger story ever.

Speaker 5 (37:27):
And he goes, I don't want you to waste pencils
because I'm my own m hm.

Speaker 2 (37:31):
So it's not a control thing at all. Probably over
the pencils. That probably just he's concerned.

Speaker 3 (37:37):
Oh here's a funny story.

Speaker 5 (37:38):
When I was in elementary school, I remember our teacher
passed out standardized tests and pencils.

Speaker 3 (37:44):
Do you remember number two?

Speaker 4 (37:45):
Right?

Speaker 5 (37:46):
And she gave us number two Taekwondu rogos, because she said,
these pencils will always lead you to the right answers.
From that point forward through UCLA, when I was filling
out Scantron's always had to have number two taekwondooa. So
I kind of get Aaron's maybe to have his pencils.
Maybe he has number two Taekwondro ghosts.

Speaker 2 (38:05):
I think, well, this is going to have to be
a deep dive that we are going to have to
look into during the break somewhere.

Speaker 5 (38:09):
The investigator one in media, please send me as close
to a zoom up as you can get of Aaron's
pencil collection.

Speaker 4 (38:16):
That's going to be the big training camp story. That's
gonna be a big one.

Speaker 3 (38:20):
I have a do for you.

Speaker 4 (38:22):
Do celebrate your dog on your shoes.

Speaker 2 (38:25):
Caitlin Clark, who we have been talking about, who her
team currently of eighty three seventy six on New York,
but her dog Bella is inside the insole of her shoe,
of her Nike Kobe six cotros and I just love this.
There is nothing that will get me to love an
athlete more than their dog being part of their work.

Speaker 3 (38:47):
Where speaking of which, have you heard of Bruce the
Dog Okay in the Washington Nationals Organization. Okay, I'm going
to say that.

Speaker 5 (38:57):
For later because I think we're running out of time.
But I don't be don't throw a temper tantrum, Rory mceilroy,
don't be a grown man out there on the golf course.
But actually I do love the videos of chucked clubs
and smash tea boxes. So I say that outwardly, but
inwardly I'm kind of rooting for for.

Speaker 3 (39:15):
A little sass.

Speaker 8 (39:16):
Well.

Speaker 2 (39:17):
I always feel like, don't throw a temper trantram tantrum,
except that I love watching.

Speaker 3 (39:21):
The temperate tatrum.

Speaker 4 (39:23):
So maybe also.

Speaker 3 (39:25):
Do throwing, yes, do for our benefit.

Speaker 5 (39:29):
And we're also getting visual of Scottie Shuffler right now.
He was out on the driving range after round two
and he was, you know, working extra overtime to try
and fix his shot, and he was, you know, just
showing all sorts of frustration too. Here we are, world's
best golfer is getting a little befuddled.

Speaker 4 (39:47):
Befuddled by of course I like that. I like the fuddled,
and we used kerfuffle earlier. So do use your words.
I'll say that right now. Do you do your words.

Speaker 2 (39:56):
I have one that is maybe a do, maybe a don't.
I'm gonna have to works this lifetime shop. Uh, jamar
start leaving bagels, mini camp.

Speaker 3 (40:05):
This this creates. I always shock this up to know
your worth? Do know your worth?

Speaker 4 (40:09):
Do you know what?

Speaker 2 (40:10):
Do know your worth? I love that do know your worth?
And with that in mind, you are an amazing person
and you.

Speaker 3 (40:18):
Should know your work.

Speaker 4 (40:18):
Crazy, you know, uh, don't go anywhere. Fox Sports Saturday.

Speaker 1 (40:24):
You're listening to Fox Sports.

Speaker 2 (40:27):
We are broadcasting live from the Fox Sports radio studios,
and we started the last hour talking about the NBA Finals.
We are going to start this hour talking about the
Stanley Cup Final. That's it's not finals, it's final and
it has been equally excited.

Speaker 4 (40:42):
You look like you have some mood to say about
the final.

Speaker 3 (40:44):
No, it's been absolute cinema.

Speaker 4 (40:46):
Yeah it has been cinema. Yes it has. It's been unbelievable.

Speaker 3 (40:49):
Give this final an Oscar Nod.

Speaker 2 (40:52):
I'm I'm riveted or maybe an Emmy, because it's all
it is riveted.

Speaker 4 (40:56):
Riveting or riveted, that's how you want to look at
But do you say do you say.

Speaker 3 (41:01):
I am riveted? No, you say I am.

Speaker 4 (41:04):
I am riveted by by the riveting game. I guess
you're welcome and that so on grammar.

Speaker 2 (41:11):
You guys came for the sports and leave with some
grammar lessons, so you are welcome.

Speaker 4 (41:18):
In the Stanley Cup Final.

Speaker 2 (41:19):
I don't know why I find it so fascinating that
there's no s at the end of final in this
but I brought it up last week and clearly bring
it up again.

Speaker 4 (41:25):
But in the final.

Speaker 5 (41:27):
Three are certain there are certain sports terms that I
learn that once I am corrected on them.

Speaker 4 (41:33):
I never forget it.

Speaker 2 (41:34):
You will never ever forget and this for me was
certainly one of them. Certainly wasn't it wasn't traumatic, but
I will I'll never forget it. Three out of the
four games, as far have it, which are so are dramatic,
have ended in overtime, which is kind of amazing.

Speaker 4 (41:52):
I don't know that you could ask for anything more.

Speaker 2 (41:55):
In a Stanley Cup Final game, Edmonton Oilers overcame a
three nothing a first periode deficit to defeat the Panthers
five to four and sudden death, tying the series at
two to two. Game five is tonight, Nikki. Tell me
what you have been feeling when you watch the cinema.

Speaker 5 (42:13):
Thank you, thank you for tapping into my feelings because
I am a newer hockey fan Officionado. I mean obviously
being here in La rooting for the Kings and the
celebration of.

Speaker 3 (42:27):
You know them leaning.

Speaker 5 (42:29):
You know, when they won a championship I think it
was back in twenty thirteen, or when they won a
Stanley Cup final back in twenty thirteen, well done, and I.

Speaker 3 (42:40):
Think that was the year.

Speaker 5 (42:41):
But no, no rooting interests and being able to casually
enjoy these games. I have been enthrawled and I think
I am knowing how much it means for not just
Edmonton and the Oilers, but for the entire nation of
Canada to bring the cup home. Also, just I'm never

(43:06):
one to the repeat champ thing.

Speaker 3 (43:09):
I would.

Speaker 5 (43:11):
I like it when they're dethroned. Okay, so I think
I'm leaning towards Edmonton in this one. And you know,
Connor McDavid mcjesus as they call him. I love the
fact that they pulled it off in overtime. I mean,
of course both teams have been trading blows in ot

(43:33):
but it's so fun and I mean you can tell,
just like when the defensive shifts are a little gassed
and then you know, the holes open up and the
goals come. So it I mean, it's awesome.

Speaker 2 (43:46):
Edmonton per Chat GBT at last hosted in case you
guys thought a different chat talking about the Stanley Cup
in nineteen ninety when they swept the Boston Bruins in
the finals. So that actually the way chat has said this,
it doesn't make a ton of sense, but it looks
like Stanley Cup last one and the Edmonton Oilers last one.

(44:07):
The Stanley Cup in nineteen ninety. That is a very
very very long drought, right.

Speaker 5 (44:13):
And the Panthers do have a historic edge when their
series are tied to too. They've won their last three
series that have been knotted up at two two, so
they do know how to finish the job.

Speaker 3 (44:27):
They definitely I think a lot of the.

Speaker 5 (44:29):
Hockey world wants to see Connor McDavid mc jesus.

Speaker 3 (44:34):
Yeah, mcjesus with the Cup.

Speaker 2 (44:36):
It's funny we were talking last week about the Florida
Panthers and how they're kind of on the verge of
becoming a little bit of like a hockey dynasty, which
is not what you would have expected out of Florida,
because you don't. It's not like you think, oh, hockey Florida.

Speaker 3 (44:52):
It's one hell of a drug. That's what Taylor Swift
would say.

Speaker 4 (44:55):
You're right, that is, And I'm so glad you brought
up Taylor.

Speaker 5 (44:58):
Swift, speaking of Whige, speaking of we, we haven't talked
about Taylor yet this afternoon.

Speaker 4 (45:03):
We have not welcome.

Speaker 2 (45:04):
Yeah, welcome to the Taylor Swift for section of the show.
But Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey, who've been spending quite
a bit of time in Florida during their time off,
I guess during that NFL break I spoke of earlier.
They went to the game the other night, and the
whole arena was a buzz.

Speaker 5 (45:23):
Right, and it's you know, you see all the trolls
online come out, you know, because now, god forbid a
woman be enjoying a copy another sporting event, God forbid.
But no, she was there with Travis. I think some
people were wondering what there whereabouts were because her visibility
has gotten tremendously down since she's not on the Aras

(45:45):
tour and Travis is not an in season right now.
So really fun to see them together and very much
still together yes, I want to add to Taylor making
a visit to a local hospital.

Speaker 3 (45:59):
Shortly after in Florida.

Speaker 5 (46:00):
So, you know, this woman is seen out in the
world in so many spaces, and.

Speaker 3 (46:08):
I can't enough the content, to be quite honest.

Speaker 2 (46:13):
I know, and I appreciate that about you because I
also love the content. They were also at a wedding
in Nashville our last weekend. Just just if we're going
on their whereabouts.

Speaker 5 (46:22):
Special Taylor was at my wedding. She would be marrying me.
She would be doing the first dance with me, like
she would be the officiant, is what I'm saying.

Speaker 3 (46:29):
Like she would be the officiating my wedding.

Speaker 5 (46:31):
She'd be in the first dance with me, she'd be
catching my bouquet, Like yeah, I mean Taylor. You know,
the invites always out there.

Speaker 4 (46:41):
I saw a funny meme that said, there's all this
talk about if she's taking attention away from the bride,
and if Taylor Swift visit my wedding, she can wear
the big white dress and she could marry my husband.
I'm just gonna be glad she was there.

Speaker 5 (46:53):
So right, here's so, what do you like about Game five,
which is tonight for Oilers Panthers and back in Edmonton.

Speaker 4 (47:01):
First of all, I would like it to go to overtime.
I want this to be a thing. I think it's
been so exciting and it's going to be all about
Edmonton's goalie rotation.

Speaker 2 (47:10):
Who has the momentum right now? I think Edmonton does
have the momentum. I mean, they bounce back in dramatic,
epic fashion. They're going home. They want to break this
thirty five year drought. I'm pretty into it with their
ability to do that. I do want a Game seven,
as I wanted with the NBA Finals, because I don't
have super strong feelings about e their team, so I

(47:32):
find game seven's really fun unless the Dodgers are playing
in them.

Speaker 4 (47:36):
But I don't know.

Speaker 2 (47:37):
That's kind of what I'm seeing. I think Edmonton's coming
out on top on this one.

Speaker 3 (47:41):
Okay, So, and here's another question. Right the Oilers pulled.

Speaker 5 (47:45):
Or Skinner, the keeper for the Oilers, was pulled after
giving up three goals. Oilers down three to no they
come back. Would you start Skinner in game five? Do
you start Skinner in game five?

Speaker 2 (48:04):
I mean, this is why I'm definitely not the coach
of the Oilers but I'm going to say yes. If
you're asking what I would do that, I'm going with yes.

Speaker 5 (48:13):
Okay, I'm going to I'm gonna play foil to you here.
I think rude, notice kidding, please play Oh no, no, no.
I think that you know that that signal in the
heat of the series, you don't go back to him.
And also I heard a former player saying this that
when the group of the guys on the ice know
that there is a slightly inferior goalie in the net,

(48:37):
those guys play harder, and they play tighter defense, and
they play more urgently. That's interesting, right, But then again,
maybe you start skinner because you can't go three full
periods playing asking your your guys to play with that
much intensity.

Speaker 4 (48:52):
Though, I'm gonna I'm gonna counter that. Okay, this is
the Stanley debate, healthy debate to healthy debate. This is
a Stanley Cup mital.

Speaker 2 (49:00):
So they they're going into game five at the most,
they have three more games. I'm not saying it's not
taxing and all the things, but this is the time
where you have to play with all the energy and
all the urgency and give it every single thing you've got.

Speaker 4 (49:12):
They are home. They want to end this game up
three two.

Speaker 5 (49:18):
So okay, I wonder if there have been any announcements
made about who they're starting yet.

Speaker 3 (49:23):
I'm sure there has.

Speaker 2 (49:24):
At this point, I would imagine, But I still think
it's fun for us to debate it and then.

Speaker 4 (49:28):
Be told right that we were wrong or or not.

Speaker 5 (49:32):
Okay, Nope, it looks like Skinner has been swapped out
of Stanley Cups starts.

Speaker 2 (49:36):
Well, this is so, guys, this is how you know,
In case anybody was wondering, I'm not in.

Speaker 4 (49:41):
Charge of who was making this decision.

Speaker 3 (49:43):
Right, but it is. It is an interesting debate. It
is it's the guy who got you there.

Speaker 5 (49:49):
H But if you know when the when the stage
lights are the brightest and he gives.

Speaker 3 (49:56):
Up three goals in a game four.

Speaker 5 (50:01):
I think I think you got to go with with
a new face, new energy.

Speaker 4 (50:05):
I guess I think that's true.

Speaker 2 (50:06):
And I guess I guess going to my I'm actually
no counter appointing myself. I guess going to my other point,
it is the final and so working on his confidence
is not your job at this point.

Speaker 4 (50:15):
You're not mid season, So I guess there's that.

Speaker 2 (50:18):
So I have a question for you now all right,
and I don't know that you are going to have
any idea what the answer is.

Speaker 4 (50:25):
But can Florida bounce back?

Speaker 2 (50:28):
We talked about this actually last week with the with
the NBA Finals, because could OKAC bounce back after that,
you know, game one loss to Indiana And they did
and obviously they're professionals and that's what they do.

Speaker 4 (50:40):
But how hard do you think it is?

Speaker 2 (50:42):
Because you know, you and I are in locker rooms
on fields and courts and it's devastating in those big
games when they lose. You know, it's interesting. I cover football,
so it's different. If you lose in a playoff game,
that's it. You're not bouncing back for a game two.
But I still think, you know, it's an interesting thing.
Is there are they mentally ready for the Does it
affect them? Is this something that we get to talk

(51:02):
about as media and fans and it doesn't really affect
the players?

Speaker 4 (51:06):
What are your thoughts?

Speaker 5 (51:07):
I think I think this Florida Panthers team is ready
for anything, and I you know, they've they've been tested
through battle.

Speaker 3 (51:17):
They just need their dairy queen.

Speaker 5 (51:20):
There were reports I think that the games they had
been having dairy Queen ahead of the night before they
were winning. So I'm interested to see if they had
dairy Queen last night, what the dairy queen status is.
But no, I think when you look at this, this
Florida team, when and we spoke about them being a

(51:41):
near dynasty in the making, they they know how to
go into hostile territory and deliver. I wouldn't be surprised
if they go in and it's uh, you know, a blowout. Again,
as we saw them bounce back in game what was
that Game three two?

Speaker 3 (51:58):
That it was two game two? What's the blowout?

Speaker 5 (52:01):
I think so yes, Okay one of they.

Speaker 2 (52:05):
It didn't Game three was the blou because Game three
is the only one that didn't go to overtime.

Speaker 3 (52:08):
Okay, great, so right, I wouldn't be surprised.

Speaker 5 (52:11):
But as as we are both rooting for give us
free hockey.

Speaker 2 (52:15):
Give us, give us overtime, and give us dairy Queen,
I'm all in on that. If it could be proven
that dairy Queen helps you win, I will have dairy
Queen every night in a show of solidarity.

Speaker 4 (52:26):
You guys.

Speaker 2 (52:26):
We'll be back to talk more about ice cream perhaps
and all kinds of things.

Speaker 4 (52:30):
This is Fox Sports Saturday.

Speaker 5 (52:33):
Coming to you live from the Fox Sports Radio studios
for the best pregame show every weekend. Be sure to
tune into Fox Sports Radios Countdown presented by bet MGM,
every Saturday and Sunday morning from nine am to noon
Eastern six to nine am Pacific. We'll count you down
to all of the biggest games. Tune into Countdown presented
by bet MGM every Saturday and Sunday morning right here

(52:57):
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.

Speaker 2 (53:00):
We're going to talk a little baseball. We haven't really
talked about that, yes, which is gonna be fun. We
are about about a month away from the All Star break.
Things heating up a little bit. Big weekend in the
NL West specifically also a rivalry for you to talk
about in a moment. But Giants and Dodgers playing each other.
Dodgers lose last night and so now they are tied

(53:21):
at first place. The Padres are playing the Diamondbacks. The
Padres lost last night, so they're two games back, and
I just this NL West I think is going to
go down to the wire.

Speaker 4 (53:32):
So although we are.

Speaker 2 (53:34):
In mid June, it's still these are the series to
watch and then the Padres and the Dodgers play each
other again this.

Speaker 3 (53:39):
Week, right, and it's been.

Speaker 5 (53:40):
I mean, it's so funny because I remember an LDS
last year when it was the Dodgers Padres, and I
believe that honestly felt like the world, the tensest world
series that you could argue that was the.

Speaker 3 (53:52):
World going down to five games.

Speaker 5 (53:54):
And it's so we had a lot of talk because
the Dodge for so long have viewed the Padres as
their little brother, right, but then the Padres got good
and that's what makes a rivalry. A rivalry is when
both opponents have a distaste for each other, a dislike
for each other. And the series are thrilling. So I

(54:17):
can't wait for next week's series. And I mean, also
we've seen it on display too, Yankees, Red Sox.

Speaker 3 (54:23):
Did you see Boone thrown out his gum in the tenth.

Speaker 4 (54:26):
It's so on brand. It's so on brand for a boon,
you know what.

Speaker 5 (54:30):
He and he's a usc Trojan so as a brewer
and I expect that behavior from him.

Speaker 2 (54:36):
I kind of love it, though, I mean, it's passionate.
It goes back to the ten per Stantrum conversation. You know, like,
if you know they care, the more SaaS the better.
The more SaaS the better. I would agree with that.
So I mentioned it's mid June, and you guys probably
also know that by looking at your phone or calendar.
But some these were about a month away from the
All Star Game, so I thought it might be fun

(54:56):
to pick kind of early, well clearly very early All
Star rosters. So I put one together and wanted to
see kind of your thoughts if you agreed with me
on these. So I'm gonna start in the American League. Disclosure,
I did not pick every pitching spot. I just went
with who I thought would be the starter of the game.

(55:17):
But I'm gonna start in.

Speaker 4 (55:19):
The American League.

Speaker 2 (55:20):
First baseman, I have Vladimir Guerrero Junior of the Blue Jays.

Speaker 3 (55:25):
Okay, I'm with you on that one.

Speaker 2 (55:27):
Okay, great, Second basement gliber Taurus, Yes, okay, great, And
I know that anybody who's been listening to the show,
and you know I'm so hit on the Tigers.

Speaker 4 (55:35):
I think there's so much fun.

Speaker 2 (55:37):
I also had my starting pitchers schooball obviously because tremendous,
even though I know there's some Yankees pitchers that would
would have words with me.

Speaker 4 (55:46):
But that's that's well. I mean, you can't, you can't,
you cannot.

Speaker 3 (55:50):
He's been sensational.

Speaker 4 (55:51):
Okay, now things I think get a little bit interesting.
At third base, Jose Ramirez the Guardians was my pick.

Speaker 3 (55:58):
Okay, do you have.

Speaker 5 (56:01):
As as of yet we are aligned. Okay, I'm interested
to see who you have shortstop at shortstop?

Speaker 4 (56:07):
Well, lucky for you, that's next time.

Speaker 5 (56:09):
But I know that's that's why I was like, I
don't want to say that I'm not debating anything because
I've got a couple couple of positional challenges and I
think shortstop it is definitely one of them that could
go a few ways in the coming weeks.

Speaker 4 (56:20):
But right now I have Bobby Wood Junior from the Royals.

Speaker 5 (56:23):
All right, so I have two compelling candidates who you
can take an argument for.

Speaker 3 (56:27):
Tell me Jeremy Pania or Jacob Wilson.

Speaker 2 (56:30):
Okay, I think you could make an argument. I think
you could make an argument for either of them. There
are very few positions where at this point that I
think are just slam dunks, like this is who it
is and that's that. But I think you could definitely
make an argument for either of those guys.

Speaker 5 (56:46):
I mean, and Paynya has the advantage to in looking
at his offensive stats, He's got nine home runs, What's
got eight? Panya one thirty nine ops and three point
nine war So, I.

Speaker 4 (57:00):
I don't know, you know, I don't.

Speaker 5 (57:01):
I don't, right, And that's obviously going to evolve over
the next couple of weeks as well.

Speaker 2 (57:05):
Yeah, okay, let's go to the outfield where this is
where many people are going to have an issue with me.

Speaker 4 (57:11):
But part of this iment with my heart.

Speaker 2 (57:13):
I'll go with the two that just made the most
sense of is the Aaron Judge Yes, and uh Stephen
Kwant from the Guardians. And then I picked because because
he's my favorite and I couldn't I already know for him.
I picked Cody Vellinger, and I'm not saying he actually
should be there, but he's the all start.

Speaker 3 (57:35):
It's fun and that's what your fandom to test. Well.

Speaker 2 (57:37):
When I vote for the LSCAR game, I totally just
vote as a fan. I don't anything except like, oh
I like him.

Speaker 4 (57:42):
I like that's the.

Speaker 5 (57:43):
Fun of it, absolutely, and I think that's why you
get some faces and names in these all star games
where fans do get to vote there, You're like, huh,
how'd they arrived there? Well, okay, but I think Byron
Buxton in Minnesota is a compelling.

Speaker 4 (57:59):
Probably more of a can thank Cody Valin.

Speaker 2 (58:01):
But if Cody Vellinger makes it, you guys will know
that I voted all five times from various email addresses
got him there by Tracy's.

Speaker 3 (58:09):
Got eighty three Burner emails.

Speaker 4 (58:12):
To get at least to get Cody Velan.

Speaker 5 (58:14):
He's also voting on behalf of her mother and her
father and her dog dogs of dogs. Oh no, oh no,
Cody Bellinger is going to be in the outfield for
Ale All Stars.

Speaker 4 (58:27):
If he is. You know, it was one hundred percent me. Okay,
and Catcher, I have cal rally of the Mariners.

Speaker 2 (58:33):
Okay, and d h Rafael Devers. Yes, and we mentioned schoolball.
All right, We're gonna go into the NL where there's
one position. I really did not vote as a fan,
so we can get to that at first base. I
know you you could make a really good argument for
Pete Alonzo or Freddy Freeman.

Speaker 4 (58:49):
It probably should be Pete Alonzo. I'm gonna go with
Freddy Freeman.

Speaker 3 (58:52):
I knew, I knew that one was coming.

Speaker 5 (58:54):
I was gonna say, traces, let's do a little check here,
so I would it's close though very Alonso is just
he's been on a tear.

Speaker 2 (59:02):
Yes, he has definitely been on a tear, so it's
definitely close. But I still couldn't vote against Freddy Freeman
for anything. Frankly, so there was that second base could
tell Marte, Yes, okay, third base, you guys.

Speaker 3 (59:14):
This is what where her fandom comes into.

Speaker 4 (59:16):
So actually it didn't this. I put down my.

Speaker 2 (59:22):
Least favorite baseball player ever, the man who I've never
met in my life, but dislike so dramatically for someone
I've never met my life.

Speaker 3 (59:31):
Rational fan behavior.

Speaker 2 (59:33):
Manny Machado can't argue with that one. Yeah, that's the
nobody couldry. And it took everything. Even writing his name
on my notes upset me. But it is it is
what it is, all right, shortstop Francisco Lindor, Yes, okay, outfield,
I think you should be proud of me for not
putting Anti pat has in there. Pete crow Armstrong, who
is having just like the most incredible season, Corbyn Carroll

(59:57):
and James wind.

Speaker 5 (59:58):
Right wonderful, And a little note on Pete Krowmstrong I
met him when he was in high school at Harvard
Westlake here in LA.

Speaker 3 (01:00:06):
And I think it was it was COVID.

Speaker 5 (01:00:08):
Okay, you know, we were doing our stories around how
athletes were finding ways to train when you couldn't be
in the.

Speaker 3 (01:00:14):
Gym, right, okay. So to see him.

Speaker 5 (01:00:18):
Go from that experience to I mean in Harvard Westlake
just cranks.

Speaker 4 (01:00:22):
Out majorgue baseball players.

Speaker 3 (01:00:24):
And I just it's really cool to see him rise.

Speaker 4 (01:00:29):
To this level. That's that's awesome. We love a local kid,
well local to us here.

Speaker 2 (01:00:33):
And starting a starting pitcher, starting picture of skins, yes,
catcher Will Smith and then d H I mean I
know that. I mean, come on, there's no I mean
it's obviously sho obviously.

Speaker 3 (01:00:49):
Well and I had a okay, so speaking of Skins.

Speaker 5 (01:00:52):
Yeah, you know, I just had a little bit of
a Pittsburgh like, what are we doing? Okay, let's go
stat here for you. So Schemes struck out five batters
and had four hits across five shutout innings. He was
denied the decision when the Pirates bullpen blew a late

(01:01:14):
won nothing lead, and so now he has recorded the
fewest number of wins, which is four by a pitcher
who's started their season with a sub two hundred er
through fifteen starts since Major League Baseball integrated in nineteen
forty seven. That's just more like Pittsburgh, Like you have

(01:01:37):
this generational arm and this is what you're supporting.

Speaker 2 (01:01:42):
I mean, I know that daughters do it to Yamamoto,
who did not patrol last night, but he gets so
little runs support and ends up with many a no decision.
But you know who makes really great decisions. That would
be Martin Weiss, and so we are going to go
to him for update.

Speaker 6 (01:01:57):
Break right updating everybody. Caitlyn Clark, she is back in
a big way. One two to eighty eight. The Indiana
Fever beat the New York Liberty. Liberty that's their first
loss of the year, nine and one on the year,
Fever five and five. Clark finished with thirty two points,
was eleven for twenty from the floor, seven to fourteen
from three all near triple double with eight rebounds in

(01:02:20):
nine assists. And I had a big first quarter, big
first half, Sabrina, I'd ask you. Finished with thirty four
points to lead all scores in Major League Baseball. Top
of the fifth inning Angels Orioles tied three apiece to
Phillies with a two to one lead over the Blue Jays,
White Sox with a two to nothing lead over the Rangers.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Mets in

(01:02:41):
the Raids finally got started at the top of the third.
That one was in a rain delay for quite some time.
Scoreless there, Twins Astros tie two a piece in the
top of the sixth inning. Bottom of the fifth, the
A's lead to Royals three nothing. Bottom of the fourth
on that fst one Cardinals with a four to one
lead over the Brewers, and the Braves with a three
to nothing lead over the Rockies. In the NHL, the

(01:03:03):
Oilers have made a goalie change. Calvin piccard will get
to start over Stewart Skinner game starts. Game five starts
at five pm Eastern and the US Open, JJ Spond
and Sam Burns tied for first at three under Spawns
through whole eight Burns through seven. Alone in third is

(01:03:23):
Carlos Ortiz one under and he's the fifteenth old Tyro
had Adam Scott tied for fourth there. Even those are
the only five golfers either even or below par. It
has been a rough stretch out there at Oakma for
the US Open in the NBA. The New York Knicks
planning to meet with former Kings coach Mike Brown and
former Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins next week, their head

(01:03:45):
coaching job obviously still vacant. The Knicks actually had interviewed
Mike Brown in twenty twenty before deciding to hire Tom
Thibodeau and the Houston Rockets and Guards I'm sorry, Houston
rocketson center Steven Adams have agreed to a three year,
thirdion dollars extension.

Speaker 2 (01:04:01):
Back to you, guys, we are coming to you live
from the Fox Sports Radio studios. Shortly after the show,
our podcast will be going up, so if you missed any.

Speaker 4 (01:04:10):
Of our show today, be sure to check out the podcast.

Speaker 2 (01:04:13):
Just search Fox Sports Radio wherever you get your podcasts,
and be sure to follow and review and rate it
five stars. Again, just search Fox Sports Radio wherever you
get your podcast, and you'll see today's show posted right
after we.

Speaker 4 (01:04:27):
Get off the air.

Speaker 2 (01:04:28):
I am super excited to bring on our next guestic
colleague that I get to see.

Speaker 4 (01:04:34):
Often throughout the year.

Speaker 2 (01:04:36):
Tim Kawakami of San Francisco's standard, Tim, Welcome to Fox
Sports Saturday.

Speaker 8 (01:04:41):
Hey, good to be here. Trace. Yeah, we do see
each other a time or two. Have a week yes,
all good? Yeah, all the four camp.

Speaker 2 (01:04:49):
Lots of time before our camp, and now we are
on our break. Even though Nikki doesn't believe it's actually
an NFL break, I don't.

Speaker 5 (01:04:56):
I don't think there is such thing as off season
when it comes to NFL new and updates.

Speaker 3 (01:05:01):
Tim.

Speaker 5 (01:05:01):
But Tim, I don't know if you would recall this,
but I probably shared a scrummer two with you back
in the twenty sixteen Warriors Thunder playoffs in.

Speaker 3 (01:05:13):
The Western Conference Finals.

Speaker 5 (01:05:14):
I was just beginning my career out there in ok
See and growing up in Santa Barbara. I was well
aware of your work and love reading your stories on
the Warriors as well.

Speaker 8 (01:05:26):
That was a hell of a series, I thought, that's
for sure, twenty sixteen Western Conference Finals. I think a
lot of people remember that.

Speaker 5 (01:05:32):
One, right, the series that ended up shaking up the
landscape of the league as we know it.

Speaker 8 (01:05:38):
Yes, yes, Kevin Durant might have changed things a little
bit after that, well monumental.

Speaker 3 (01:05:45):
On that note, I want to ask you, where's he
going to be next year? Where do you think Kevin's
going to end up?

Speaker 8 (01:05:51):
Yeah, you never can predict with Kevin. I definitely definitely
decided to try to get out of that game. It
wasn't one hundred percent sure he was going to end
up with the Lawyers, and so he said he was
going to Lawyers and then obviously to Brooklyn after that,
and they traded to Phoenix. I think San Antonio or
Houston make a lot of sense unless he's like thinking, hey,

(01:06:14):
I get to the East and you know the West
is loaded and it's only going to get more loaded.
Maybe that would be a path out and maybe the
Knicks or there's another team with two out there. I'm
thinking Southwest. I'm thinking Spurs have a lot they can trade.
They can PLoP them right and then well living on
with them. Whether they you know, they keep the two
pick and they can add another player to that, they

(01:06:34):
could really all of a sudden be a championship level team.
I think the Rockets is exactly what they need, you know,
a go to score. We saw the blues of the
Lawyers in the ploffs and you know that everything except
for a guy that you can just throw the ball.
And last time that's before court and go get a bucket.
And obviously, Kevin Durant, you could probably maybe the number
one guy in history of the league where you could

(01:06:55):
do that. So I am looking at those two, but
I never know with him, I never know. I just
think that the younger teams that could just use a
score and have some extra picks, That's how I'm kind
of thinking this, and can trade a younger veteran or
two that's got some value. To me. It feels like
Houston or San Antono. And I've been wrong with Kevin

(01:07:18):
many times before, so he's a little grant of fault there,
or two or three or four brands and fault. I
don't know that. I don't know that Durant knows for sure,
but those two seem like the best fit in my opinion.

Speaker 2 (01:07:29):
All right, Well, you guys talked about the twenty sixteen
Western Conference Finals and Nikki mentioned it changed the landscape
of the league. I look at this NBA finals, Tim
and Shai Gilgus Alexander.

Speaker 4 (01:07:41):
I always am afraid I'm going to say that wrong.

Speaker 2 (01:07:43):
And Tyrese Halliburton, whoever's team wins, do they become somewhat
the face of the league.

Speaker 4 (01:07:50):
A bigger face in the league and what are your
thoughts on that.

Speaker 8 (01:07:53):
Yeah, I think the Thunders kind of set up almost
either way. Obviously you lose, things could go wrong there.
You never are guarant another trip back. But they're so young,
they're so talented. You know, Shay is just twenty six
years old, MVP. I think he's only going to get better.
Chet Holmgren's twenty two I think could get a lot better.
They have so many other draft picks they can make moves,

(01:08:15):
Like if they lose this, and I don't know that
they will. I think they probably will win, but we'll see.
The story becomes like when's you know, the story isn't
maybe even so much about Indiana, which should be about Indiana.
They're playing incredible, they are young, but it's almost like,
can Okasey ever do it? What's going on here? And
I think that becomes at least you know, it's not
a New York or a Lakers, but that becomes a

(01:08:36):
pretty compelling basketball story. This could have been their breakthrough,
still might be their breakthrough. When is that going to happen?
Do they make a huge move to try it? I
don't think they're getting the ramp back but they could
do something to get somebody maybe to fix their a
couple of flight problems they've gotten. I think the Pacers
have kind of, you know, exposed some things they could use,

(01:08:58):
one more like handler unless Jalen Williams is really going
to take step updated roll, which he did at the
end of the game last night. There's a few things
you could say the Thunder could get better at. If
they don't win it, I think that becomes a huge story,
like what are they going to do? They have all
these draft picks, they have all these young players. What

(01:09:18):
could they do to make a durant like move like
the Warriors did in sixteen up and they win seventy
three games and lose in the finals. Again, I don't
think it Thunder getting KD back, but they could do
something on a level like that, like what throws seven
picks in and two players and go get you honest, Like,
they could do stuff like that. I think if they
don't win. If they win, then becomes yeah, how many

(01:09:41):
are they going to get? And it might you know,
the Larwriors got four. I think you look at Thunder
and say, okay, can they get to four? Can they
get more than four? And you know, the counting starts
is a lot easier if you start with one right away.
And I think they're headed to that. I think it
might take seven, but I think they're still store because
they have so much talent, they have so much room

(01:10:03):
to grow, They have so many future first round picks
that the story of the league is going to be
told in a lot of ways through the Thunder the
next three, four, five, six years, even if they don't
win this. And I think they actually are going to
win this, so everything's going to be thinking.

Speaker 5 (01:10:19):
Okay, see Tim, I tend to lean towards what you're
saying as well.

Speaker 3 (01:10:24):
And it's funny you can make the.

Speaker 5 (01:10:25):
Hyperbole that this could be the worst iteration of the
Thunder that we see.

Speaker 3 (01:10:30):
Over the next several years.

Speaker 5 (01:10:32):
But I want to give some love to Indiana, and
I think that this is a team that since January
has just gotten better and they've improved. And it's not
just the come from behind, you know, can't count us
out type of play that Tyrese Haliburton has put on display.
But there's something they are doing in these games too.

(01:10:54):
I guess the fuddle to kind of put a stop
in what the thunder have done so well all season long.
What is it and what do they need to tap
into in a Rockets game five.

Speaker 8 (01:11:07):
Yeah, they're gonna they can score like that's the thing
that was in the place of the pace to play
very solid defense, better defense certainly than they had at
least the start of the regular season. They throw waves
at you, and they're just so confident shooting the ball.
That's what I've been struck. We've seen all these teams
that get to the playoffs from their score score score,

(01:11:27):
and they get the playoffs, and when they faith an
opponent and game plan against them the game after game,
they wear down and the shooting kind of gets shaky.
And the Pacers they take those shots and they don't
hit every one of them, but they're very confident. I
think Halliburton clearly is the leader of the pack. They
follow what he does. He's an incredibly confident player. Pascal

(01:11:50):
Siakam is incredibly confident player, you know, a champion. I
just think that they have this looseness about them that
allows them to rise up more often than not in
the last four or five minutes down. They did not
do that last night in Game four, which proved to
be a very big problem when you have both KC
just keep coming and coming. And you know, I don't
think the Thunder played their best game. But then shape

(01:12:12):
did you know SGA delivered in the lot in the
fourth quarter. That's what MVPs are supposed to do. It's
what the best player in the league, best score in
the league is going to do. We had to see it,
and he had to do it, and he did it.
Now I do think like the Pacers have given him
every bit of you know, like they've got to play great.
Speak the Pacers. When they have not played great, they

(01:12:33):
have not won. And I don't guarantee that anything's that
happened the next you know whoever, you know, they got
three more games that probably it's Mike go seven. But
I think the Thunder are the better team. They're the
more talented team. You got to do it. At the end
of the game, they blew one of them and they
took on one of them. So which is kind of
even that way. Guess what even Series two two, going

(01:12:54):
back to going back to Oklahoma City, I just what
I like about the Pacers is there confidence I've you know,
I cover the Warriors, so I see a lot of
Warriors things and other teams. Sometimes it's that it's that
early Warriors, Clay and Steph just we're gonna take the shot.
We're taking the shot. We're you know, if it goes in,
it goes out, but we're going to take the shot

(01:13:15):
and feel that it's going to go in. You have
to shoot it confidently for it to go in to
have any chance. Seeing sometimes when like even the Thunder,
they get a little tight shooting the ball. Sometimes they're not,
sometimes they are. I think with the Pacers they're never tight.
They might screw up, the ball might not go in,
but they're not tight, and that takes you a very

(01:13:38):
long way. Obviously a lot of talents too, but they
are a loose they are you know, they are in
your face team, and you know, in the last five
minutes of a game that tends to really be two
key things. Again, they blew it, then blow it. I
shouldn't say they didn't blow it. They did not play
well in the last three or four minutes. Last night,

(01:13:59):
Hey Oklahoma said, he's really good. They make you not
play well. But the Pacers are the kind of loose team.
I think that really bugs Oklahoma City. If they were
a little more methodical. If they were a little more structured,
I think the Thunder might have had an easier time
with them. They are not structured, and that's to their
huge benefit of the series.

Speaker 4 (01:14:18):
I agree with you.

Speaker 2 (01:14:19):
I think it is going to go seven games, but
would love to hear what you think is going to
happen in Game five really quick before we had to break.

Speaker 8 (01:14:28):
Yeah, I would think the Thunder going to win that game.
You know, they're a very good home team. Again, they've
lost one in this series, but I think that defense
in Oklahoma City forces teams to do to play at
such a high level to play so for sise, it's
very hard to maintain for four quarters. I think the
Thunder win that game. I think the Pacers win Game six,
and then I think they come back to the Oklahoma

(01:14:50):
City for Game seven and who knows on that one.

Speaker 4 (01:14:52):
All right, you heard you here.

Speaker 3 (01:14:54):
Nothing better in sports than a game seven. We love Tim.

Speaker 4 (01:14:57):
Thank you so much for joining us. Tim.

Speaker 2 (01:14:59):
You guys, we will be back. This is Fox Sports Saturday.
We are coming to you live from the Fox Sports
Radio studios. I am Tracy Sandler here with Nikki Kay
for one of my favorite parts of the show, especially
this week, it is the feel good stories of the week,
good vibes only. I'm gonna warn everybody here that on

(01:15:21):
my way here, I was explaining the story to my
mom on the phone and I may have teared up.
So I just want everybody to prepare themselves that it
could happen. Now Over in Washington, they called up Bruce
the bat Dog from Rochester and he was the bat
dog for the Washington Nationals today. And I don't think

(01:15:44):
i could love anything more in the entire world.

Speaker 3 (01:15:48):
I've got goosebumps. Bruce is this adorable.

Speaker 5 (01:15:53):
Golden retriever And if you do your research, you can
find Bruce the Batdog on Instagram.

Speaker 4 (01:15:59):
He is.

Speaker 3 (01:16:00):
He was in the miners, yes he was, since he
was a puppy, a little a little golden fluffball. He
was retrieving bats in the snow of Rochester. Yes he was,
and bringing them home. And what did the Washington Nationals do.
They made a call up.

Speaker 4 (01:16:16):
They did.

Speaker 2 (01:16:16):
They made it this week and they called him up
and he has a little handkerchief and there's a debut
decal on the handkerchief. Unfortunately, the Nationals lost to Day,
but that's their fault that had zero to do with Bruce,
because that's just the way that went.

Speaker 3 (01:16:31):
Icon Bruce's debut.

Speaker 4 (01:16:33):
I'm sorry, is Bruce rivaling decoy is the Major League
Baseball of the dog icon As.

Speaker 5 (01:16:38):
A person who has grown up with nothing but Golden
Retrievers in their home, I think Bruce is just perfection.

Speaker 4 (01:16:44):
He's definitely perfection. He was you guys. He's so cute
and if you.

Speaker 2 (01:16:48):
Watch the video about him, it says that he's had
a goal. He was a puppy and he made his
goal and he guys, it's really hard to get from
the miner easy.

Speaker 4 (01:16:57):
No, it is not all that snow.

Speaker 3 (01:16:58):
And Bruce had a dream. It dream became reality.

Speaker 5 (01:17:02):
So I would argue that Bruce has a home and
a fan base in Rochester that truly appreciates how special
he is. So even if his stay in the show
isn't isn't long, I think, you know, a periodic call
up is all that he would want in life.

Speaker 2 (01:17:19):
I think the National should move his family from Rochester
to DC so that Bruce could be the bat Dog
from now until eternity.

Speaker 3 (01:17:26):
I've seen crazier things.

Speaker 4 (01:17:28):
I'm just throwing it out there. It was you guys,
I didn't cry.

Speaker 2 (01:17:30):
I mean, if I may be teered up a little,
but I just this it's just too too fabulous. So
that is my big feel good story of the week
that will keep me smiling for quite some time.

Speaker 3 (01:17:41):
I love it.

Speaker 5 (01:17:42):
Mine's in the US Open. Philip Barbary Junior. So in
twenty fifteen he won the US Junior Amateur with a
thrilling comeback when this is his second US Open since
twenty eighteen.

Speaker 3 (01:18:00):
He's playing with his wife Chloe on his bag.

Speaker 5 (01:18:03):
She's not carrying the bag, okay, but she's his de
facto caddie. And he had to begin today because yesterday
round two play was suspended because of weather. Today, if
he did not make a five foot putt to start
the day, he wouldn't have played on.

Speaker 3 (01:18:20):
And he made the putt, and so now he's playing
through the weekend.

Speaker 5 (01:18:23):
And you know, I just I love opportunities with the
majors showcasing stories like that and celebrating golfers who are
like I am.

Speaker 3 (01:18:34):
I can't believe I'm here, I'm playing here.

Speaker 5 (01:18:37):
And another cool story is because there was an odd
number of players in the field, Oakmont had to name
a marker, so that's like just a club member, so
Oakmont pro. Well in this time it's a golf brother,
Devin Gee or g playing as the marker alongside Philip.
So I thought, I thought, that's a fun story all around.

(01:18:59):
Goodbye vibes.

Speaker 2 (01:19:00):
That is a very fun story all around. I like
those vibes. This is kind of cool. David Beckham is
a sir now he is Sir David Beckham.

Speaker 3 (01:19:10):
Has he been knighted?

Speaker 2 (01:19:12):
He's been night per the Instagram post I saw of
his wife from his wife.

Speaker 4 (01:19:17):
Yes, he's been knighted. He is Sir David Beckham.

Speaker 3 (01:19:20):
Awesome.

Speaker 4 (01:19:21):
So I saw Gary Oldman just got knighted as well.

Speaker 1 (01:19:23):
Gary.

Speaker 2 (01:19:24):
Oh what a big day, Gary Oldman, David Beckham. We've
got golfers making their mark, We've got dogs being called up.
This is I feel good. I feel I feel really
really good about all of this. And we've got two
final series that you can't turn off.

Speaker 4 (01:19:43):
Yes, well one finals in one final.

Speaker 5 (01:19:45):
I was saying finals a plural, as in they're just
two series. But yes, you're right, a final and a finals.

Speaker 2 (01:19:51):
Yeah, we got two game fives in the next yes,
like forty eight hours. I'm pumped.

Speaker 4 (01:19:56):
I am pumped as well. It's gonna be it's gonna
be a lot of fun.

Speaker 2 (01:19:59):
And you guys, we're not winning tonight. Oh I have Edmonton,
Me too, definitely. And who do you have winning Monday Thunder?
I'm going to go with that too, So we and
we are, we are aligned. But I do think it's
going to go seven. Prove us wrong or don't because
I want it to go seven. I think it'd be fun.
So that's what I have to say about that. You guys,
look up Rust the Batdog. It will make you smile

(01:20:20):
as it made me smile. It'll make you cries. It
made me cry, but it will be your feel good
storry the week. Coming up next on Fox Sports Saturday,
Steve Hartman and Martin Weiss, You guys, thanks for hanging
out with us.

Speaker 1 (01:20:30):
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