Rounding out the year with some highlights from our favorite guests!

What's going on everybody? It's Craig, your favorite executive producer from MTP with the holiday season finally upon us, and the fact that COVID is back and shutting down our sports again, we figured we'd like to take this episode to look back at a very successful 2021. For us here at missing the point. On this episode, we're gonna look back and listen to some of the highlights from some of our favorite interviews from the past year. If you want to listen to the full episodes of any of these interviews, all the links will be in the show notes up first from Episode 48. On March 30, we sat down with Hall of Fame sports writer from the Boston Globe, Dan Shaughnessy, I did stumble upon a pretty cool story. And I was wondering if you could give us a little insight into it, Dan. So 1985 Eastern Conference Finals, you notice that Larry Bird is taped to have his fingers together. And that I think you made the comment that it might be a little bit harder from the shooter shooting percentage would go down. And he challenged you to a free throw shooting contest with one of his hands wrapped. So I'd love just to hear first person kind of how that went. Well, it's now that we can I can sell a little product here. And I just wrote a book. It's the books called the wish it lasted forever beyond November. So I had that team for four years every day. And in those days, it was nobody's fault. But the way it was then we live with them. We traveled, we waited for bags, hotels, buses, practice, everything was like being on the team without the groupies of the pain with the money. But other than that it was the same thing. So there we were, and you just got to know me, we were able to tell the readers what they were like, and it's very rare tie. So yeah, they call me scoop. That was my nickname. Whenever I'd come in the locker room, your lariats a scoop. God knows how quiet I guess you walk in here. You know? It's true, you know, because nobody trusted me it was a very good system we had. So yeah, he was taping it like this it practice. So there had been a barroom fight two nights earlier and he might have had a broken bone, I don't know. But if you look up his playoff shooting, he shot 52% that year. It was his middle year of his three straight MVPs height of his powers, the 60 point game, all that stuff buzzer beaters left and right. And he got the barroom fight messed up his hand he shot like 42% the nine playoff games after this happen these taping like this at practice and I said after I said you can't play it a game like that right? He said scoop I could take all Hannah big shots and you and I'm like that's probably true with US law we're talking about here. And it was almost like a pool hustler thing. I must have done it before. So they taped his hand like this thumb was taped. It was like a get a boxing glove on. And we did 100 yards. He said we'll do 100 Free Throws $5 and throw 10 shots around and says you want to go first Rogov, I said I'll go first. He said you don't like the pressure, do you? I said That's right. So I went first I made six I was a good free throw shooter in high school. I sucked. I was a player but I could shoot free throws a six out of 10 just standing around. And he made a six out of 10 doing this. And then by the time we get to the third round, because I was rebounding, they were all going to his he said I figured this out he did either making 86 with his hand like that. 86 out of 100 and I started choking because I'm seeing $5 bills flying through the air. He's on letting go here now. And so I lost $160 and went to the Old Bay bank and got a 20 out of the ATM. Next night he was doing his early shooting a game this money stuffed in soccer play with my 820s in his sock that night and I expense this because I wrote a funny story about it and I told my boss I go story came at some fast I had to incur some expenses here. And evidently the word wager is frowned upon by the IRS. So it bounced back to the county since we switched it to 820s all lunches with Robert Parish and I can just call it a day and I got my money back but I didn't. Thanks. You're welcome. Actually you keep up with that same year because I know you brought the game of when you score the sixth day gets Atlanta and New Orleans you see the highlights but I'm like the highlights doesn't do it justice man. Like just how was that game and just like how hot was he was the the Atlanta Hawks are really just like just fawning over how good he was just he got falling over the band. He was behind my selector invincible that year he was at the height of his trash talking powers. He would tell guys what he was going to do in the involves pass that he would do it. He started bank and three pointers just because he could for the fun of it, you know put his hand out for cash running down the other end of the floor. And McHale had gotten 56 Nine days earlier. Yeah, get students to get short. Yeah, Barry was speeding because Larry hated Kent Benson who was an Indiana guy disrespecting the foliage. So he led McHale towards Kent Benson getting rejected from the game, kept feeding the kale the ball and Kev got to 56 and he came out with like a minute to go live superb day you should stay in there because I'm going to get that. And then nine days later we're in New Orleans because the Hawks played home games in New Orleans because they couldn't sell out the Omni in Atlanta. So we stayed at the New Orleans Hyatt and took the bus went by Rick Robbie's High School in a way and Robbie went to Kentucky which was pissed off Larry because the Tukey didn't recruit Larry barrier. They thought he was too slow. They took robot who was even slower. Can Larry I said it was all bribe? So we went by the high school he said that's where poor to get all those bribes when he was in high school, right? All Fired up. And you get to the gym and it was all Celtic fans in New Orleans that night. And yep, they put the press right by the hot patch, we will elevate it, we can see ourselves on that. Mike fratello was the head coach, you know, short little guy. And Ricky Brown was a guy who had been a Celtic Draft. He was on a team, where they had Dominique Wilkins, they had this great players a doc ribs on that team. And it kind of grew. And then by the fourth quarter in the Hawks bench, they were a bunch of knuckleheads, you know, and they were like, leaning into each other and celebrating and fall down and Larry started like, going over to that side and just shooting right in front of them and just pointing to them and all that video. I mean, they're not making it up. It's true that the Hawks were actually fined for that was bad. And patella kept switching guys. He kept changing that and trying everything in total. He got into a fight with wiki Brown. We saw the whole thing. And when it was over, the GM of the Hawks came into the Celtic locker with the game bald head. Larry sided. It was like a souvenir for the Hawks. Yeah, he just dropped it in our heads. You know, it was like, yeah, that all happened. Well, what an honor. Right. Your Tux Is he the only player that you've ever seen reached that level, where he starts just playing around in the middle of games. Yeah, the talking was off the charts. We could hear it because in those days, we said I've got pictures. I'm using this book where we're sitting right, you know where they were those people pay 1000 bucks now like we were there with our table right there. And the worst was the Julius Erving. Julius was 36 years old and Larry was the middle of this three year MVP at the height of his powers and Julius would toy with Larry Bird in his heyday. But he was cooked and Larry was dominant. He was bigger and stronger. And Larry had like 38 and second half or 38 by the third quarter. Julius was like one for nine Larry was just get somebody out here old man you can't guard me and finally Julius went for his throat is a famous picture there. The gravity each other by the throat and it was a Donnybrook. And it did not end well. Hello, that could never happen now that Gods would be kicked out the league you know? Oh my god wait makes you look like like Kermit Washington right back in the day. We did too. Oh, yes, there were four different routes. Take a look at the McHale takedown of Rambis and in game for the 84 finals when McHale comes across the floor and clotheslines Rambis, Revis, his foot almost hits the rim. He's so offended, and it was two shots. It was not even a flagrant rule then they had to change the rules. So all around on that so combat that did happen and yeah, I'm a foul. Right, exactly. I'm next from Episode 68. On June 22, Boston Bruins writer from causeway crowded FanSided and hosts of the brewings and things podcast, it's too good time with Kaylee Allard. I was the leader of the Touka hay club, the leader for yet for a very long time. I'm sorry, I know. But he changed my mind a lot in the Washington series and even more so in in the Islander series. I think the reason just just for clarification purposes, the reason why I was in the the 2k Club is because he's just so damn talented. He is really such a good goalie. And it felt like when you need when you needed him the most last year excluded that he was just never there. Right. But with him playing hurt this year. And with him not wanting to be pulled. Do you think that he will change the mind of fans like me in this town because of the guts that he showed? Or is he just relegated to the Yeah, you're good but you'll never be Tim. Oh, to go will never get the credit unless he gets the Stanley Cup as the starter. I've spoken to many Touka haters because they're always in my Twitter and I have to see what they say about it. Unfortunately, at this point, just don't respond to them. It's not even worth my time. But I think Bruins fans and Boston fans in general are so spoiled like I always use this goaltenders name. Look at Tristan Jari on the penguins. That man cannot stop a beach ball. Like I'm not even like no joke. When I was watching him play against the islanders. I was like, this is their starter in the playoffs, like this guy would maybe be decent in the AHL, it's that bad? Like, but um, no, because people complain when to GPA. So they want him to show heart, but he showed heart by playing through an injury. But now he's stupid for doing that. So it's a lose lose for Tuca like, Oh, he's a quitter. But if he sat out, they'd say, Oh, he has an injury. He's faking and giving up on his team, but because he played he's hurting the team by playing with an injury so the guy cannot win. So I mean, if you look up the symptoms for a torn hip labrum on that, and your goaltender playing in a playoff game sliding left to right, practically doing splits sticking out your legs. People are like limping when they have torn hip lay rooms. It hurts to walk. And this man said, No, I'm suiting up for my team because I feel like I should. And he told, apparently told Coach Cassidy was healthy. Like he was like, No, I'm good. And Bruce was like, he told us he was healthy. So this guy wanted to play, but that's still not good enough and never will be. Yeah. So I echo those spoiled Boston sports fans. times a million. So a little fun fact about me. I'm not a Patriots fan. I'm a Cowboys fan. Unfortunately, it's one of my biggest flaws in life. I know you guys don't die other teams, but I can tell you later. Not often. That's that's what it comes down to though is like we have a different perspective of this that like, so when teams make it to a championship, I never see that as like a disappointment, and I never will if you are good enough to play for a championship trophy. That is a successful season. You have done your job, you were in it to win it to the end. It's unbelievable that no one gives credit to Tuca for leading us to that Stanley Cup in 2013, leading us to another Stanley Cup in 2019. Yes, we didn't win it. But you know what the hardest trophy to win in sports is Ward Stanley Cup. And this dude has brought us within one game of doing that twice. And I've been echoing this since day one with two kids like exactly what you said about the penguins go you got people don't know how good we really haven't having this guy in that for as long as we've had it been net like you think back to all these goalies? Like, John Sebastian de guerre. Amazing with Anaheim. What was his show? Five, three to four years. Like only the greats are around for this long. And just because he didn't get the cut to me. Doesn't make him not a great granted guess. Could he have shown heart in those games sevens could have played better in those games, sevens? 100%. Well, but listen, the guy goddess there. What else it comes down to is like, listen, in that game seven against St. Louis. Do you remember that first quarter, Jordan Bennington stent stood on his goddamn head. We had so many opportunities. And you know what I remember about the Bruins. It's never about to grass. It's about missed opportunities. Missed open nets, which that reminds me of something else. The worst missa open that I've ever seen in my goddamn life with with Aster now on unbelievable, but that's always what I remember. And I'm interested to know like so you're not about Paige. So you're not a Patriots fan. Okay, cool. So I'm interested to know like, when you look back on those seasons, so there's 2013 2019 Stanley Cup runs. Do you look at those as disappointments, or do you look at those as like, listen, that was amazing. We got all the way there. Yeah, we didn't win it. But what else can you ask for? Yeah, um, I couldn't have said it any better honestly. Like 2013 against the Blackhawks, everyone brings up the 17 seconds like that Heartbreaker, like, but if you I actually have recently re watched those two goals. And I think it actually was Andrew ferentz and Chara defending. They were nowhere near the net. They were often no man's land. They weren't like to go was left out to dry like the Blackhawks were hammering him like it was too greasy goals to like it was horrible goals that never should have happened. They should have never been that close to the net at that corner, slide in that pocket, and I think it was Bickel and I forget who else scored it but that's all on Rask that guy has won him like he's one man and I honestly see the two Cup finals with him as a success because also in game seven against the blues. The Bruins scored one freakin goal. And it was Matt Grizz lick in the third period with like a few minutes left and the blues are already up for like nobody showed up. No herzer On no pot no anyone no one was there. So you don't win by not scoring in game seven of the Stanley Cup final like the Bruins V Vancouver and a shutout for nothing. That's how you when like I mean to go like you said Touka isn't perfect. I'm not saying he doesn't let in soft goals or have bad days but no player is perfect but somehow to go gets all the blame like when they win Oh to God, but when they lose Oh, it's too good fall. So it's it's definitely a success even getting that far with him. Yeah, I think the 2013 you just you just came up against a wagon, right? The Blackhawks were at the height of their powers and that they just they were just so good that I fell for that run. I'll always remember it was it was the Toronto series right? You're down three goals. And Berger on scores in overtime jacket was it was one of the play by play guys that you just hear Berger on Berger. I like that. That's one of my Listen, I need to drop. That's one of my favorite sports memories. Like literally since beginning of sports, I still go back sometimes just having a bad rough day, I will go back and watch that third period of that game just because how amazing it really was, like that team had heart and I and I would always say and Bobby will can attest to this. I don't hold 2013 against them like that. He played so well. I don't I don't remember the stats. I think he was like 14 and eight with a it was wasn't a nine I think it was it was like 14 with a sub two goals against average, which by the way, like those stats are comparable to Tim Thomas in 2011. They might even be a little bit better. The game seven in 2019 the team didn't show up. They let that they hung them out to dry. But that's a game where you know 441 feels too much like maybe like I think my outlook on him. And again, I'm just speaking for me. My outlook on him would have been different if that game ended like to one right even if it up to nothing. You just just show that you're that you're gonna they're gonna fight your ass off. So I think this year, he showed guts. And do you think he had to? Do you think he knew all the things that we were saying? Not Not? Not us but maybe even people in the locker room after after the whole bubble experience last year? For someone who, who writes about the team it is a far bigger pocket than I am. Do you think that was on his mind all year that I have to be here? I truly don't think too good cares what people think. He cares about his team. Yeah, but he doesn't read Twitter. He's not reading articles. He's not listening to Boston sports radio, especially. But I ever year, like in the post, post last zoom at the end of the season. Just this year, they asked all the players about Touka they're like, you know, do you think it's fair the criticism he gets? And they're like, no, like, the guy fights his butt off every single game for us. We would be nowhere without him. I mean, obviously they're not going to trash his their goalie. Yeah, but everyone knows, like, I know that to go knows to he doesn't know the extent or the specifics, but he knows that he's heavily criticized. And I think he feeds off of it. But I don't think it's always on his mind. Like, oh, I need to please the fans. Like I don't think he cares. He just wants to do his best because he's also very passionate, and he's known to be a angry goalie. And that's another reason I hate when people say he has no passion because I'm sure you've seen the infamous video of him throwing milk crates back in the AHL when he lost the game, and one of my favorite pictures is when I think it was the lightning scored when to go lost his stick blade, and he took it off the ice and was shoving it in the refs face. Like, look, I lost my blade, like he's just like angry and fiery and passionate. And that to me shows that he does care. Like people are like, oh, like he's emotional, this and that. Like, I think it's awesome. And I think he wants to do everything he can because the guy if he didn't care, he wouldn't have played her. So that's a really big deal. On April 6, we were honored to be joined by former general manager of the Boston Celtics from 1984 to 1997 Jan Volk, in Episode 50. Dan talks to us about how he first started working in the Boston Celtics for an office under red our back and how he was hand chosen by red to be his successor as general manager. Jan also talked to us about some of his favorite stories from the front office, from learning what the salary cap was some of his favorite NBA Draft moves from trading for Bill Walton in 1985. To the drafting of Len bias in 1986 period where Red did everything right like you know, before you got there, famously he was scouting other teams you know, scouting college players like doing absolutely everything on the list. So he like when to feel hand picked by him. You must have felt, oh, wow, this is a job. He probably has a way to do it already, you know himself. So I better get it right or is it just in context in retrospect, being like, Oh, that was a big moment. Um, well, let me let me tell you something about rare that people don't readily recognize for a guy who had the success that he had. And for a guy who had the ego that he had that he needed to have, was a surprise. It's a surprise to people to realize that he had holes in his game that he knew about. He knew he wasn't particularly good at this, or that, or something else. And he hired people to fill those roles. And that was a great opportunity for me, because that's, he hired me in that in that context. And ultimately, I my career revolved as the business was evolving, there's no better way to learn than to be a participant in something with slight like running a team franchise when nobody else really knows how to do it either. Yeah, you're kind of building the plane while you're flying it, right? Yeah. Yeah, maybe not quite that but. But if nobody else got hurt, but there were there were mistakes made, right. We made mistakes. And for the most part, we did pretty pretty well with AI. The interesting thing about this heat when red when Red decided to retire, he announced it at the B'nai Brith dinner, which was a dinner, a charitable event that was held each year prior to the first game at a nice venue and lots of people, maybe 2000 people. And he was he would always speak. And he was speaking this was an this would have been in October, maybe of 90, excuse me, 83. He partake? I think that's what it was. And he got up and announced, unbeknownst to any of us that he was going to retire at the end of the year. And then he did something that just blew my socks off in front of these 2000 people that he said, and I'm recommending the Jambo take my place. Oh, wow. You didn't even know that you were lined up. Never discuss that with me. Wow, what was your reaction at the time? Read God what he wanted most of the time. happens that this worked? Well for me, too. When you when you're going to his office when you got some into his office that day? Did you know? It sounds like you knew at the time? Oh, this is a big deal. I better not screw this up, or is it just like looking back? You're like, Oh, that was a big moment. I'm much more so looking back then in a moment itself? Like, yes, I was. It caught my attention. I mean, it, it was, it was something I'd never done before. As I said I'd never been summoned to the locker room, I'd never been in the locker room to just read. And that was that was notable. But I didn't understand the significance that it had. Because of course, it led to so many other things. Yeah, it led to so many things. Because from 1971 to 1979 1980, you held a number of positions and very, very good. I mean, now you look at sports, and you know who the traveling secretaries are, you know, you know, some of these people are and then in 1980 He he named you know, obviously a few years later he needs you or suggests you as his successor, but in 1980 he basically sits here right next to him. And that started really in that moment started one of the best rungs in the franchise's history in 1980s. Well, I had a lot to do with the players much more than anything else. But but it was an interesting place to work was a great place to work. People who began to work at the Celtics had to understand and mold and most of them did or they didn't stay very long they had to understand that no matter what they did or how successful they were Reb was going to get the credit in the investment was what was going to happen and if you could live with that you would would you find yourself into a really really Mom and Pop welcoming organization where everybody helped everybody else there was no way in that type of environment would you know reds going to get the credit you're really all the only opportunity for you to get that kind of credit was collectively as part of a group you find people work together very very effectively without worried about who's going to get the credit who had to worry about what and that was an it was a nice place to be it's funny you say that because I heard the credit for this could may or may not be true I have to hear from the horse's mouth but I hear the credit for the way Larry Bird was drafted should go to you though right? Wasn't that your side of the argument that you could get away with drafted him as a junior you're waiting a year and I'm getting I'm getting a min or am I did I did I hear oh, you got well. You've got it sorta right. I mean, I knew the I knew the rules I let is, as I said, Read knew we had holes in his game and he hired people to fill those holes. That was one of the holes that were it was getting more and more complex. It's extraordinarily complex. Now Right. But the advent of the of the salary cap, which, which came after we had drafted, Larry, but the advent of the salary cap really was a significant event for me, because we were capped, and we had to learn it really, quite quickly. Read didn't read, read relied on on us and relied on me to know that. And in the same is true, as you point out the the issue with the draft, whether we could we could draft him or not. It was It wasn't that there wasn't a rule there. It had been modified. And read didn't know that. And, yes, he trusted me but no, he didn't. And what happened is Tom Sanders popped in Tom at the time, Sandra Satch for a period of time was that time was the head coach for half a season or so. And he saw the two of us two very stubborn people tried to convince the other that they were right. And he said she had the perfect solutions. And a colleague, they'll tell you, when David Stern happened to be the general counsel, that time he was not yet Commissioner. And he verified it. So but we were also in the right spot for that. Because Larry had told the world, he was not coming out. He was going to go back for his senior year. And the old rule was that once he went back to school, and early entry, draft, he liked that a team lost their exclusive rights to me my back into the pool. In. In reality, what what ultimately happened is you had the exclusive rights until he until the day before the next draft, which is how we draft to do yes, he was worth the weight. Bigger worked out. red with red would tell you to get the first set, he was better than I thought. I thought he's gonna be really good at what he would say, but I didn't know he's gonna be this good. Yeah. How do you know, one of the best in franchise history? Right. So there's no any franchise history? Any? Yeah, you're right. I think I want to still want to stick with the 70s. Can we kind of touched around different things that happened in the 70s. And, you know, you mentioned the Chargers card, Scott, Charley Scott trace gives me for Paul's holiday, who, you know, was one of the better best players that we've had here. And Boston came on to become a great coach. They drive in the NBA as well. But obviously, you know, there were there was two championships in the 70s. You name one in 74 and 7600, Tom Heinsohn, zom swindler, so, you know, what, what would you say was the was the better team out of all those two? And, you know, do what they taught me, I should have stayed longer as the coach there. I know, he was only there for about four or five seasons. Well, I you know, I had questions like that, but never would be comparing 74 and 76. A lot of lot of similarity. Great heart. When you when you've got when you've got to your centers, Dave Collins, I mean, you've got a, you've automatically got a huge step towards the I want to say I, I don't think I can, I can choose there, I think that was a that was an extraordinary team is that they were small, they ran the break. They were they they were very active, and they played hard with talent. So I I'm gonna, I'm gonna back off that as far as AMI is concerned, um, you know, Tommy would be the first to tell you that in the end coaches are hired to be fired. And it takes a while. It takes a while to burn out. But they all most of them do in one way or another. And, and it's, it's usually a consequence of having been with the same players over a protracted period of time, where there's a lot of cajoling that goes on that in Tommy's case, I think the players got tired of his interaction with the referees. But in the end, he was very supportive as of his players Very much so. And they, I think they appreciated it much more. So after he had left. I know that for example, Jojo got traded, ultimately was he came back and he he saw how special he was playing production. And he missed it. On May 13. We sat down with the den producer of the section 10 podcast and co host of like BP or w e i inbox Boston, Steve Perrault from Episode 59 Let's talk some socks kid. barns have been pretty good so far this year. Yeah, really good. I mean, you could make the argument barns is the closer in baseball, which is insane and why is always words I never saw it. I know I've always been ripping Maddie backpacks and all of a sudden it's like now he's the best closer in baseball and I can't really say anything about it like I know Chapman has been really good you go down the line and so the guys that are performing well but he knows it too which is good like I'm glad that he's carrying himself like I'm the guy cuz like there's a witness such a difference between being the closer like because you were placed in that role and actually being a closer and Barnes is proving that he's a closer which is blowing my mind I always thought it was just going to be that he was named the guy but you never felt good when he came out of there out of the bullpen and save situations. But yeah, he has zero era and save situations so you can't really get much better than that. And to that point to why would the Red Sox go out of their way to give up pieces they probably don't think they need to give up for a closer when they have a closer now if you really want to go all in and say Kimbrel is your eighth inning guy cuz right now auto vino can not be the eighth inning guy my god he's an absolute mess he walks guys all over the place same with Darwin's in Darwin's and can't find the plate so maybe if they wanted to go like all in all in and have kyprolis the eighth inning guy how bizarre would that be by the way that your former closer comes back as the eighth inning guy when he has an O seven era but I don't see it happening. But yes, I know I was gonna say whatever gets the job done. They're gonna have to add pieces of the bullpen. I just don't think it's going to be Campbell, your former World Series winning closer to I know I know even though that let you know my god that postseason and like everybody knows game the Yankees game was the one that was that was the scariest game in my entire life that was up there. I snuck into Yankee Stadium for that I should have just got tickets for like I was hanging with my buddies and I was like, alright, the Red Sox are about to beat the Yankees in the playoffs. I have to go to this I was like 20 minutes away. I'm like, let's do it over to Yankee Stadium. Get in there. I'm just peeing my pants. This guy is just the worst like he's given up. Gary Sanchez almost had a home run that thing barely, barely miss going out. I think I don't know if it was judged. Somebody else wanted the warning track. I was like, No, this game and then the ending was was crap. It was it was John Carlo that gave them that game. I don't know if you remember, but Kimbrel couldn't find the plate. And Carlos swung at two sliders that weren't even close. And it's like if I was his head coach. I'd be sitting there in a dugout like, Bro. That Bad's not leaving your shoulder like I don't Yeah. I don't think Boone had the balls to tell him that. Well, yeah, no, no, it was the Bregman game that was game for against Houston that year. That's the game they got me. Oh my god. Yeah, Brett. Yeah, Bregman was up. I was like, oh my god, like I was like, Please Like I just knew that Bregman was gonna hit a grand slam. And I was gonna be yelling F bombs in my house for the rest of the night. It was it was a guarantee that he was gonna make good contact. There was no way Bregman was like striking out there. And Bregman did himself no favors. By the way. Post he had that IG video or the IG story, whatever they posted when they went back to Houston of him like rockin ivaldi or whoever it was, and they obviously saw the sock saw that and that's all you needed to see in the series ends in Houston. But yeah, that Benny catch was incredible. And now I wish Benny was still here. Did you say you snuck into Yankee Stadium? Yeah, it was a hell of a process. It was a hell of a process I and I just liked I like the sound of it too. It's like I snuck in to see the Red Sox beat the Yankees in the playoffs it it sounded cool but no more of a middle finger you know, it's like I know seriously. Yeah, yeah. And I was all under covered in F sock stuff on or anything. So it looked like I could have been like, you know, on the staff or something there at Yankee Stadium but no, it was because like basically, it was incredible, right? Because so many people are leaving dejected Yankee fans because the Red Sox are about to knock them out of the playoffs and so naturally they have the gates open but they still have security people that are kind of like you know, they're in the mode of like we're three outs away from my I can go home and not have to worry about this stupid team anymore because they have to work all year obviously. And so I just kind of slipped you know, slid in and found my way in the first try was a failure. I bumped into this kid that couldn't be any older than four years old. And his dad was ready to kill me he was just like you want to go potty you want to go and like Sir There was no way I want to fight. That's literally the last thing I want to do. I'm trying to get into see my team when this series is no I also run over your four year old on therapists. I know it's because they had a flood of people coming out and all of a sudden I'm like I was trying to be sneaky that I went right into this kid. But no, you know, find a way to get in there and then the Kimberling happened and it was the ending of that game was so weird, right because they have the groundout to what's the space Nunez. He falls over when he throws it and like they barely got him out. They had to check the replay but whatever they got to Yankee Stadium with a win. That's all it matters. And you got into Yankee Stadium to see the win. So that's exactly exactly it's a win win. Episode 73 on July 20, featured any O'Donnell on Tik Tok fame and the Eau de on sports podcast. In this clip, Annie and the boys discuss the troubling circumstances of Trevor Bowers in season suspension for alleged sexual assault. So we have to bring this name up but we have to bring this story up. Okay. Trevor Bauer. Yes, I know we have the same opinion on Joe. I Well, we all have the same opinion on Trevor Bauer, what? Yeah, anyway, yeah. And it's gonna sign off real quick. If we, I want to sign off, we'd have a discussion for sure. But well, let's have a discussion anyway, because it's a hot button topic, and they just extended his suspension, his sorry, administrative leave through July 27. Hold on, hold on. The key part of that, though, Joe is is paid administrative leave at the ministry, which is something that people do make a lot of money are afforded to that some other people are not. But what are what are your your urinal? You're in LA San Diego, so you're kind of boots on the ground? And for lack of a better term here. What are your thoughts on the Trevor Bauer situation? Um, I, every time I've been asked this question, I've, I do feel the need to kind of clear the air on my stance because when the Dodgers first signed Bauer, personally, honestly, the reigning Cy Young winner I was excited anyone that's going to suit up and Dodger blue, I want them to do well, I'm going to root for their success. And in terms of his past tweets, and you know, the whole ordeal with him harassing women on Twitter, I'm of the belief that we can change that we can improve ourselves as people. So I said, How am I who am I to say that this young man can't either I see young man, I think he's older than me. Well, I just say this guy can't improve himself and grow as a person either. So I said, Well, I'll give him a chance. I'll root for him. He's dodger. He's on our team. However, that stance does not come into play in terms of domestic violence. And what was read what I read by the athletic that was absolutely horrific. I think everybody, I've taught every Dodger fan that I've spoken to I know, it's not the collective view of the fan base, but I think it's of the majority, is that we're done with him. Honestly, at this point in time, this Dodgers team has been and I hate bringing you bringing, you know, play into this on such a serious topic. But this Dodgers team, despite a very, uh, but despite one of the top records in the league, they've been very, they really hadn't hit their stride. In the first half of the season. They've been very inconsistent. So I think, taking this distraction, and he is a distraction. He's, for lack of a better word. I mean, the blogging the the internet stuff and everything. I think it's the best for the team to just move on. But I know that's not necessarily the way things have to happen. Because of you know, there was a whole deal when everything came out when the Dodgers didn't say anything. And Dave Roberts said, Well, my hand or hands are tied because it's at the league level. And I understand that the Dodgers couldn't Suspend him. And they couldn't just outright kick him off the team. But Dave Roberts absolutely had in his jurisdiction jurisdiction to take him out of the rotation. Absolutely. He's suspended in SAT players for worse he sat Cody Ballenger for not hustling to second base one game back in 2018. He sat Yes, yo, Queeg, for showing up late to practice. You're telling me you can't take Trevor out of the game because of this entire news for one, just aside from the whole investigation, the fact that there's no way he's going to be focused on on the game on on that Sunday, and it's going to be a distraction for the locker room, if anything, but no, you're gonna say no, he's gonna start on the mound, what's the message that you're sending to your fans, to Dodger fans who are a very diverse group, I feel like that's one of the most best things about sports is just that, you know, every fan base is just a melting pot of different income classes, races, backgrounds, whatever. But domestic violence and sexual assault affect everybody. So that's that message there, I thought was communicated very poorly. Will he have a do I think he'll ever see a maid. It depends on how the investigation goes. And investigations take time, as we all know, but I don't want him suiting up and Dodger blue ever again. Regardless of how this goes down, because he didn't deny it, he said it did happen. It was just consensual. And I don't see him suiting up in Dodger blue at all. So I say cut the ties as soon as you can. I do want him if if and when he's found guilty. And you know, the process does it I do want him to be held accountable and responsible because there's a young woman who is dealing with probably hell right now, not only just physically from injuries, but emotionally, internally, trauma, all trauma, all that. But yeah, I don't want to see him on a on a diamond and I don't see another team take a chance on him either. Frankly, I don't think it's worth it. I don't think any level of talent is worth it. I don't think the mess is worth it. And I think a lot of people are gonna question Andrew Friedman and the due diligence that they did during the signing. I do. I don't entirely blame him because like I said, I kind of saw the tweets from years ago I said, you know, not great, but not illegal. Like it's not illegal to be a douchebag. It's not illegal to be a jerk online, unfortunately. But it's one of those things where you look back and said Yo, where were was the stone left unturned? Where was there signs there that this was a problem? We'll never know. But yeah, I'm done with Trevor Bauer and I'm done with his eight I'm done with Rachel Luba too, honestly. She's I've been supportive of her because women in sports and she's done great thing I wrote for her success, but the way she responded to this and the statement she put out there and releasing the text messages trying to oust this woman, I, I just it's blameless to me. There's so much in and, you know, on face level, I think we we all we all agree on the fact that what happened was not okay. As Mike and I have Mike and I have an unofficial segment on on all of our shows now of that something you can do or what some, you know, like, just can't do that. You can't say that you can't do that. And there's so much left to find out in this story. Because, for him, for him personally, he, like you said basically came out and said, it did happen, but it was consensual. And she came out and said consensual to a point. And then that that's where when someone says there's a point and then they weren't comfortable with it. That's that's endgame. That's it right there. Anything that happens beyond that is is not okay. And that's where Trevor Bauer crossed the line. I agree with you on Rachel Luba, I think and I, we have to go here because it is sports. It is people that are successful Money talks, and for her money was definitely a part of it. She's She is her biggest client. And for the second thing, it's got to heaven. Yeah. CLP Yeah, well, gee, okay, well, alright, she just lost a few more points. I forgot. Yes. Yep. League was one of them. Yeah, she's on a great track record with no, I get I guess not. And then, you know, you look at Dave Roberts, and you you mentioned pulling people out of the lineup for, for doing a lot, a lot less. I mean, we're talking about onfield stuff. Because he said hands are tied, it's at the MLB level. When he said hands are tied. I think he meant his hands are tied. I think the decision was above him. And, and, and as, as her as a as a father and a husband. And someone who has, you know, not been in that situation. But wouldn't you want to take a step back and be like, I don't, I don't really care. Like he's not my starting rotation like take a stand. But then it comes down to money in a job for him for for Roberts, and she's like, to Andy's point, right? If you're gonna bench someone for not hustling to second that well, that's what I'm saying. I can't you find it within your like, within you just offend someone for essentially raping somebody, like that's ever even thrown out there. Like, okay, like, you're out until this is cleared up. Also, you have the MLB has the power to do a couple of interesting things, right? They could say like, Listen During this investigation, like because domestic violence is in there, it empowers them to transfer liability to the Dodgers. So if Manford doesn't want to come down with a ruling, he can say listen, like you guys deal with it? Or what I think what I think what he what he could do, I'm interested in your take on the sandy, what would you think about them voiding his contract? Is that the way that they should go? It I say this knowing that I mean, I feel like they can't do anything. I mean, the MLB has to do its own investigation. And that's all be cleared up. And you got to think there's going to be unless there's I can't think of a situation where this doesn't prove proceed further and go into trial because they basically said, Hey, everything happened it was just consensual. He's not going to please you know, I I'm not a listen, I'm a sports podcast. You're not. I'm not big into legal jargon or the legal process. But I if it's put in the Dodgers hands, which if Manford does that it'll begin well, though, I lose. My model for Manfred is disappointed but not surprised. Yeah, exactly. Every time when he goes low, he just finds more ways to just go lower on me. You mean when he was handing over an MVP trophy last year, three sheets to the wind? Well, I'm sorry. And finally, the round things out we are joined twice this year by the head patriots beat writer for the Boston Herald, Karen Gregan. And amongst other things, we discussed the unfair comparisons between the 2021 season for the Patriots, and the little season that happened back in 2001. The one thing that I'll ask you about is so I have a little bit of PTSD from 2007. Right. I think we all do. Matt Jude on to me feels a lot like a dahlias. Thomas. So Karen, I need you to tell me what why this is not going to be the same situation. And tell me that you've seen things because you were there for dahlias, right map and Jetsons remember that he he gets the sent away cuz he didn't get there in a snowstorm and he said, What do you mean I'm gonna get it like the Jetsons if I knew that was like the best deal is Tom swim and I'm sorry, we regress or I know you're fine, but I want to think of an outside roaming linebacker from Baltimore that you spend a lot of money on. He's the first guy that that comes to mind. So for a Patriot fans like me out there, what have you seen so far in camp, right, that leads you to believe that he will fit in this system? Well, he looks like a perfect fit. And but you know, it's so weird so did a Dallas comments. But I think Dale is Thomas basically, here's the thing with Bill Belichick and defense and it applied to Jamie Collins to you're going to do a Bill Belichick tells you, and you're going to play your position the way Bill Belichick wants you to know freelancing. Right? I think a day was Thomas was a freelancer. Jamie Collins was a freelancer and got sent away. When he came back, he stopped the freelancing because he finally got it. Bill Bellatrix defenses are so specific that everyone has to do their thing and if someone kind of breaks rank everything you know is a miss. Do I think Jude on it seems more in line with doing a Bella check says I do. So but we'll see. Good. Thank you, Tom. I need to hear Ella chin. Check isn't fancy. I mean, I know we're in the day of inflated salaries, but he junan represents the most belcheck has ever spent on a defensive player. Reagent wise. So we'll see. And as I said, when we were chatting earlier, I like I like his makeup. I like Matt do Don's makeup. And and he seems that again, he seems to get it. So we'll see. Maybe I'll be proven wrong. Go ahead. I know you got something to say. I just want I just want to sidebar real quick since the proper dailies Thomas there aren't a lot of singular plays. And I remember because I've watched football for a long time like we all have. I when I think of the dailies Thomas I still think back in 2009 Brett Farr was on the Jets and the dailies Thomas just destroying him like 40 yards back in the backfield. That one play. It was I love the dailies I was on the Patriots. He was one of my favorites. Well, he actually it to be fair. I mean, he was actually very good in the playoffs for them one year, and he might have been their best player. So seven, right? Yeah. But he went again, it's just that he and Bella check clashed. Dayla saw himself doing, you know, playing the way he wanted in a defense or doing what he wanted to do in the defense. Whereas, you know, belcheck trying to put him in positions to succeed or positions that would best help the defense collectively. It might not have been where Dennis wanted to play. But in Bill's mind, this is where he was leading. And I think that's where a lot of the clashing took place. Yeah, that that was just so I think Don is, obviously they're different players, right. But if you look at the tape, so much of of his of the stats that really got him paid were predicated on the fact that he saw something, and he did it, which made me believe that he was that he was a freelancer and I know that Belgium, as you mentioned, Bellatrix defense is predicated on the fact that if everyone does what he thinks that they're going to do, it'll hold up. If one person doesn't, then you've exposed a whole side of the field. So that was my one concern. He's super talented. So as Adele is Thomas, but I'm glad to I'm glad to hear that you think that as of this point, he is he someone that that will that will fall in rank and do what he's supposed to do that makes me feel really good. He sounds like well, I don't know again, we can, you know, talk a good game and sound like you're buying in. But for now, he sounds like he's buying in. He's a really nice guy. Some would say sweet as apple pie.