March 23, 2024 • 46 mins
This week on 2 Pros and a Cup of Joe, Justin Fields gets shipped to Pittsburgh but was Chicago doing him a favor? Anthony Edwards delivers the poster dunk of the year and earns a fitting comparison. Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter takes the fall for a huge gambling scandal in MLB.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is the best of two pros and a couple
Joe with Labar Airings Rating Win and Jonas Knox on
Box four Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
We have been talking and speculating and wondering, Hey, so
what are the Bears plan on doing with Justin Fields?
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Like they plan on plan on moving him?
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Are they gonna just wait until later on? Are they
gonna wait until there's an injury until after the draft,
et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. No, Apparently the move
for the Chicago Bears following the trade out of Pittsburgh
of Kenny Pickett over to the Philadelphia Eagles that happened
late in the show when we were actually filling in
on the herd. Last week on Friday, Justin Fields is
(00:47):
gone to the Chicago Bears. And my favorite part about
all this is the spine job that the Bears have
put together to try and make people think that this
was all part of a plan to do a solid
for Justin Fields. According this from Ryan Poles, who made
(01:08):
this statement after the trade happened, We've engaged in multiple
trade conversations in recent weeks and believe trading Justin at
this time to Pittsburgh is what's best for both Justin
and the Bears. Today, we spoke to him to inform
him of the trade and the rationale behind it. For
us as a club, we want to thank him for
his tireless dedication, leadership and all he poured into our
franchise and community the last three years, and we wish
(01:31):
him the best towards a long and successful NFL career.
And look, Justin Fields released a statement as well too,
and it's everything you and Brady Quinn have said about
the guy. You can't find anybody that has a bad
thing to say about Justin Fields. They love that dude.
And it's a shame that the Bears did have the
number one overall pick. So I think that's really what
was dictating this decision. And then Ian Rappaport went on
(01:55):
social media yesterday and said note on the Justin Fields trade.
At least four additional teams inquired about trading for Fields,
but Field's representation asked for him not to be traded
there he wanted the Steelers and the Bears did right
by him. Now, I don't know whether or not do
you buy that. Well, I think that's an indication that
(02:18):
somebody with the Bear's front office as Ian Rapaport's password
and may may have gone on there and and sent
that tweet out.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
No, I don't buy that for a second.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Come on, man, like, so what are the teams and
like this this whole like trying to push this out.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Let's just call what it is.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Kirk Cousins messed up the market, yes, on his western field. Yes,
because the market was the Falcons. And when he made
the decision to go to Atlanta, he hurt Minnesota and
he hurt Chicago, like both of them got it by
Kirk Cousins on his way out the door, like he
pulled the pin out through it and then bolted. And
now the damage is the Bears trading away Justin Field's
(02:57):
for a sixth round pick. That's a additional sixth round
that turns into a fourth round in twenty twenty five
if he plays fifty one percent of the snaps this
upcoming season, which still a fourth round pick.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yeah, I mean you did right by Justin Fields. Sounds
like it was a wholesale fire sale if you asked
me like this is that's a liquidation sale. The Steelers
got a third bro, Kenny Pickett, bro listen to while
I'm telling you right now, you got you got Russ
for one point what was it one point three, one
(03:31):
point nine, one point three or it might have been
one point two, Okay, one point two, one point three,
and you get a rookie contract and you only had
to give up a sixth a sixth round pick, possibly
a fourth round pick for for justin fields.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
Like.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Two starting quarterbacks in the league, by the way, and.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Like you look at what the quarterback room was in
Pittsburgh last year. It was Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph, Mitch Trubisky.
In one offseason, You've gone from that to Russell Wilson
justin Fields, and it cost you like absolutely nothing, a
half can of Copenhagen and like a six pack of
Iron City Light.
Speaker 5 (04:09):
And that's it.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
You know, it's crazy that the sitting down and making
sense of the move by Pittsburgh. It's like an I
declare war type of scenario set up, right, you bring
them in and and one of the things, one of
the points I raised when I was discussing it was basically,
you're you're talking about two quarterbacks that in this situation,
(04:35):
it's kind of must must win situations for both quarterbacks.
Mike Tomlin, if you guys, recall said at one point
towards the end of the season or right after the
season ended, I'm going to create competition. They asked, was
it was it Kenny Pickett's job moving forward? Was it
his job moving forward? And Mike Tomlin's response was, we're
(04:56):
going to bring competition to this quarterbacks room. Well, name
me a more competitive quarterback room in the National Football
League to day post Saint Patti's day. What day to day?
You have two guys that are going to fiercely, intensely
(05:18):
compete for the starting job because both of them have
something to prove. Now, how good that is, I mean
you'd have to assume and a prove it in a
pure production driven industry like football the NFL that this
is a tremendously amazing scenario for the Steelers, and it
(05:44):
also has to be a tremendously amazing opportunity for the
two players as well, simply for the fact that they
control their own destinies. They hold their own destinies in
their own hands. You're coming in. Both of them are new,
so there is no I doubt the the players are
going to be kind of leaning towards one side to
the next, right, like there is no familiarity. They're both
(06:08):
new to the team, you know. And then you then
you get into the idea of, well, whoever whoever earns
their keep, whoever comes in and is that that right
player for the situation, for the job they're going to play, which,
by the way, don't be surprised if they do a
dual quarterback dual quarterback type of system. Both of them
(06:31):
play quite a bit where.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
They've got like a package for Justin Fields and package
for Russell Wilson. And I also look at it and
I go, this is different than the situation with Deshaun
Watson in Cleveland, where you know, Massage got that two
hundred and thirty million dollar contract and don't have to
play another down. Yeah, it doesn't have to play another down. Also,
(06:54):
really doesn't have to sweat a quarterback competition because they're
so pot committed to him as their QB that when
Joe Flacco comes in and wins Comeback Player of the Year,
it's like, no, there's no quarterback controversy, or the fact
that they go out and sign Jameis Winston, there's no
quarterback contor.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Is signed they could. They can do a quarterback in
the draft or get an undrafted free agent and that
could be the one who surplants the one of the
two guys that just got signed. Yeah, Like they don't
even hold enough value monetarily to hold a roster spot
if they don't perform.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Like like you're paying them like a bag of funions
and some fun dif like there's nothing to hurt.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Me say it. You heard me say it, like I'm
saying if you're valuing anyone. Now the Justin Fields situation,
that's different because he's on his rookie contract, so you
can't base what they think of him value wise by
what they're paying him until you get to the point
of the place of if they redo his contract. Now
you'll know how they feel about Justin Fields when they
(07:56):
redo his contract. But right as of now, there's there's
nothing there. So it's a rookie contract. You gave up
a six round, possibly a fourth round.
Speaker 5 (08:04):
Like that's it.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
You're picking up a rookie contract with with with Russell Wilson.
You you if again, if you felt as though this
is the guy you're turning the franchise over to and
you want him to undoubtedly be the leader of this
team and it's his team moving forward. You don't give
him that small of a contract.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
And there are also there's a report out there that
the Steelers and uh are are interested in doing an
extension with Russell Wilson at some point down the road.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
It's like, yeah, down the road, of course.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Yeah, let's let's let's let's slow down a little bit here, like,
you know, let's wait and see how this thing turns out. Like, yes,
you know, Russell Wilson's a better quarterback than Justin Fields.
And you know, at his age, you just you never
know how these things are going to play out.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
Is he at this point?
Speaker 4 (08:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (08:53):
I mean I think he is. I think his numbers
say that he he is. He had more yards throwing,
higher quarterback rating, you know, all those things. But is
he better than Justin Fields today? That's that's the I
don't know, man, I don't know. I mean, he's you know,
they've already named him the starter. They told Justin Field
(09:14):
you're going to be a backup. He was okay with it.
He wanted the job, he wanted the opportunity. And look
and based off of what the given scenario is Jonas,
that's the right that's the right approach. It's the right
approach because on paper, Russell Wilson is the better quarterback
on paper, But me asking is he the better quarterback
(09:36):
today outside of looking at it from just purely the
statistical categories that represent him being better. Is he the
better player today? I don't know that to be a
definitive yes. And again, at the value that Pittsburgh has
gotten this, this whole scenario and set up for they
can look at this and watch them battle it out
(09:59):
because they're both motivated to not be a backup or
to not be a failure as as a NFL quarterback.
And listen, Russell doesn't get failure as an NFL quarterback.
He just gets a faltered career if it doesn't work
out for him.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
How do you think russ is feeling right now? Because like, again,
this isn't like he's got this giant contract that you know.
He's like, well, you know, hey, I'm this is like Cleveland,
I don't have to worry about any competition. Look at
what my money is. Like, how do you think he's
feeling right now that a guy who would have been
the starter in Atlanta had Kirk Cousins not left a
(10:36):
team that's projected to win the division now in the
NFC South, Yes, with Kirk Cousins, but I would say
I liked Atlanta going into next year with Justin Fields
in that division based on all the talent around him.
How do you think Russell Wilson is feeling going due?
This guy was a starting quarterback and had the Bears
not had the number one pick, he's still a starting
(10:56):
quarterback and they're probably looking to redo his deal and
give him an extent. And that's the guy that they
bring in as your backup.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Yeah, I think that there's a multitude of feelings that
you would be feeling if you're if you're Russell Wilson.
One is you brought in a guy that could could
easily like displace me. That's that's first and foremost, Like
this guy has more, more time on his side, more
(11:24):
more energy. You you would have to assume that Pittsburgh,
if they're really really being totally honest with themselves, you
gotta hope that Justin Fields proves out more so than
Russell Wilson. And the reason why I would think that
is because one his his rookie contract is coming to
(11:46):
an end and you're gonna have to decide do you
keep them or do you let them go? But then two,
if he does prove out, how much of a run
can you get with Justin Fields versus a run you
get with Russell Wilson. So I feel like if I'm Russ,
he's looking at it like the Steelers have put themselves
as in a win win scenario and it gives me
(12:08):
and Justin no real runway. There is no real leverage
for the two of them at this point. All they
can do is win by how they play. I mean,
if any any team could actually create this type of scenario,
it's like the perfect scenario to get the entire best
(12:30):
foot not part of the best foot forward, not some
of it, not a little bit, not a whole lot
of it, but all of them. They got to put
their entire best foot forward and every single day because
you can lose your job and that could potentially be
a rap for.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Both of them. It's just like like it just if
you were to say, hey, we know what your quarterback
situation is in Pittsburgh. It's a little bit up in
the air. Rudolph Trubisky, Kenny Picky, It you literally swapped
out all three guys.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
For two starters for two starters at a league minimum.
Out of a league minimum, I can cut your act like that,
all that talking in Denver, what he's got going on,
and this, that and the other, and he commands too
many dollars and he's stuck to them, and da da
da da da da YadA, YadA, YadA, YadA at gone,
(13:25):
wild man gone, that's wild. Say the right thing out
your mouth today. You going home. You're going home. You're
going right back to that that sixteen. Go to the
restroom places that that's in Denver. Go go to Aspen
and get some ski time in. You're you're not going
to be here in Pittsburgh. And the same thing is
represented to to Justin Fields. If he doesn't come in
(13:49):
and he doesn't throw down, like think about this off season.
They ain't gonna miss a day. You can't allow yourself.
This is like back to college now. You can allow
yourself to have any off moments if you're Russell Wilson
or Justin Fields, because every single day, every single thing
(14:09):
you do, every single decision you make, is going to
be measured and weigh differently because you're so expendable. You
are not stable at all, So you're going to be
judged off of every single thing that you do because
they can. That's the luxury of what they were able
to do by doing the deal and parlaying it the
(14:31):
way that they've parlayed it. They can handle this situation
as hardcore as they would like you add another because
they're going to add another quarterback or two to compete
going into springball OTA's mini cabs, all that stuff. So
you're talking about potentially one of these dudes could literally
(14:52):
not be on the roster come regular season, come last cuts,
one of these guys can miss the last cut.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
And the reason that what's happened is because the Bears
wanted to do justin Field it's a solid and send it.
It's like, what a bunch of crap. Like, let me
tell you something. You would have sent him to Indonesia
if they would have offered up a second.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
There was no market, Yeah, like come on, like you're
saying you're going to do right by him. You would
have assumed that the terms of a contract would have
been much different, much more different. Where it gives. It
gives justin Fields the opportunity to go into the scenario,
and maybe he is, but it gives him to go
the opportunity to go into the scenario negotiating what an
(15:34):
extension looks like like just an entirely new deal altogether unbelievable.
And then for Russell Wilson, I mean it's the same
thing like, Okay, I know I'm getting paid a ton
of money by Denver, but you can also give me
more to present me in a way where you believe
in me, and you're making a financial commitment to me
(15:55):
that says that we believe in you being the guy
that can lead this team. Like it's a prove it contract.
That's what everybody's calling it, the prove it contract. Okay,
So basically what we're saying is you gotta prove it.
Justin Fields has to prove it and Pittsburgh doesn't have
to make any type of decisions for in the foreseeable future.
(16:16):
It just seems like it's a boom bus. I said,
there's a boom bust with Russ. This is a boom
bus move all the way around for Pittsburgh. It's a
boom bus move for Mike Tomlin. It's a boom bus
move for the Steelers. It's a boom bus move for
both of these quarterbacks involved. What a home run for
the Steelers? Man, Like that is just it could go
horribly wrong though, Yeah, but you know it could go
(16:36):
horribly right. But I mean, what amazingly right? But it
could go horribly wrong, dude.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
The best part is is when people are doing their
Easter a hunts, you know in a couple of weeks
from now, like whatever you get in like your little
plastic gigs, just dumping out on the coffee table afterwards.
And that's about what the Steelers are paying to Russell
Wilson and Justin Fie.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
You know, like when he did when Russ did his
initial thing when he signed this contract like it's official, y'ah,
he hit he hit him with the low key here
we go all that's he threw his slogan. Now he
threw his. He threw his and then not even twenty
four forty eight hours later, they're they're signing Justin Fields.
(17:14):
So does here we go? Still? Yeah? I say, I said,
I put it out there. I said, anybody who's a
Steeler fan caught onto what Russ did, Like your catch
phrase was here we go? Like okay, so You're going
back to the Super Bowl year that that Lloyd and
all of them, Kevin Green and the song here we
Go unbelieva boom like you. You brought out the chorus
(17:36):
line of here we Go Pittsburgh Steelers song as your
punch line. Hey dusted it off man, Well he better
dust off his game too, say here we go from
the sideline.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington, and
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Speaker 4 (18:01):
Paullie Foosco here with Tony Fusco, you know, as the
host of the number one rated Paully and Tony Fusco Show.
We get tons and tons of fan mail every day,
piles of it. In fact, Tony, why don't you open
up one of those letters right now and read what's inside?
Speaker 6 (18:14):
Hey, listen to this, Dear Paulie and Tony, Your sports
takes the dumbest and most terribly.
Speaker 5 (18:20):
Not Wait open this other one.
Speaker 6 (18:22):
Dear Paulie and Tony, you suck more than anyone. Wait,
try this one, Dear, Paulie and Tony, you guys are
the absolute best. There you go coming up with the
stupidest take.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
Forget it.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
Just listen to the Polly and Tony Fusco Show on
the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get
your podcasts.
Speaker 5 (18:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
Yeah, Man, the more I look at this Anthony Edwards stuff,
that's one of the most disrespectful dunks ever in the
history of the game. I mean the way the dude
goes down, sits down, put his hands on his head,
like the elboweding right in his face. I don't think
it's a dunk. It's not a dunk. It's a finish
to throw in. Doesn't matter, jonas that it doesn't matter. Yeah,
(19:04):
I don't know. He's above the rim bro like a dunk.
You know why dunks matter because it says that you're high. Yeah,
but a lot of people go and I'm not talking
like off a weed. I'm talking you're high in the
in the sky.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Listen, like I understand, Like there's a lot of people
that travel to space. I think Michael Strahan went to space.
I think they said, like a day Shatner went to space. Like, Yeah,
there's a big difference between going to space and walking
on the moon. And I feel like Anthony Edwards went
to space, there's no difference. But Sean Kemp walked on
the moon.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
No way, that dunk was ignorant. It's it's up there.
It's up there with all time ignorance. Like you said
the Vince Carter one where he had to shake his
leg loose when he did it, just start shaking his leg.
He was cutting the fart and trying to get it
out of his Yeah, that's exactly what it was. He
(19:56):
was shaking that leg. By the way, Leela did that
in Ireland in front of Jade.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Oh my god, so Jade, are did it come out
of his pants?
Speaker 3 (20:06):
Didn't make it out? It was a good rip.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
We we walked through this park and like we just
left this event. We walked through the park and we're
going to walk to the Notre Dame Navy game. And
so it's Lee and myself and the White Castle King
or Queen Jade who came in and she just was
helping us out with everything and we're all having a good time.
And Lee, unprompted it just decided, you know what, this
(20:32):
is the right place to do it. And just let
one fly and then shook his leg out to get it.
Speaker 5 (20:38):
Es.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
I did a couple of strides away from you guys.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
It's just like like there were like there was like
a tarantula and crawled up his leg and he's like,
I got to get this thing out of here and
let it fly. But yeah, there's but Anthony Edwards. Man,
it was impressive, really impressive.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
But he did an elbowed dude in his head. He'd
have sat down on the ground holding his head like
just injury, like just to add insult to injury, like
dude sitting there like that, and Anthony just man finished
ing it doesn't even matter if he hit the rim
or not. He was so he was so far above
(21:17):
the rim. It was just it was just an amazing
play man, amazing athletic feet. I think that I think
the block was more impressive than the dom. The block
was crazy because he hit his head off away. He
hit his head off of the rim, off the backboard
and then fell crazy and then popp right back up.
We're good, like this is, you know, no problem.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
And I think they were asking I forget who did
the interview with him. It might have been TNT. If
it wasn't. Apologies to whoever did the interview with him,
I forget, but they asked him afterwards because he came
out and he played the following night or the following game,
and they said, you know, you took a hard fall
at the end of that game. He's like, I'm young.
It was all it's fine.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
I'll You know what I love about him when I
watch him play, it just looks like he cares more
than everybody else. Yeah, Like I watch these games and
what really the reason why it's hard for me to
watch regular season basketball is because it just looks they
(22:21):
First of all, I know, there's they're so good. They're
just that good where it just doesn't look like they're trying,
and it just it just looks like they're going through
the motions when you watch them play. When you watch
Anthony Edwards play, at Anthony is that right? And man,
(22:41):
when you watch him play, he's playing at a different level,
Like his intensity level different, his passion meter different. It's
like when again, I was talking to my guy Cuffs
the Legend on Saturday. You can catch him on up
on Game about cos he's basketball like insider expert dude.
(23:06):
He reminds me of like a mix between and I
know it's crazy because he's not I mean, nobody will
ever be MJ. But he's like a mix between MJ
and Dominique Wilkins. Like he's so explosive and he's so
emphatic with his finishes and like the way he moves.
It's just I feel like he's the star of the
(23:29):
league right now, like he's a star of stars. Like
the way he plays the game, the way he moves
his his like there's there's a there's a purpose connected
to the way he plays. And that's what you know,
I feel like when when I start thinking about because
you know they were coming out with all these crazy memes,
(23:50):
the ninety memes lead the nineties and the nineties, like
like taking jabs at basketball in the nineties and how
the basketball wouldn't compare to you know, basketball now and
two thousands, like Bro and man is what nineties basketball
looked like.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
By the way the Dominique Wilkins comp is a good
comp Dominic Wilks bro my favorite dunker of all time
because it's just so valid, like that two hand windmill
he would do, and he was so valiant and he
was a two footed jumper, two two footed drum he jumper.
He never jumped off one foot to Dominique dunks. That's
(24:28):
powered up and just to hear the rim, it was power.
It's so awesome, I mean explosive power.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
And you know, I just really like, I really like
this kid's game. Man, I really like I do he
is like he's he's he's actually I look for his
games now.
Speaker 5 (24:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
So yeah, he's fun. He's pretty exciting.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
And look, it's been a uh it's been a good
year for the Minnesota Timberwolves are battling for the one.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
They don't even have their bigs. Yeah, like Towns is
dealing with the meniscus. Uh, Gobert is, he's out, he's
dealing with whatever his illnesses.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
According to Charles Barkley, it's him, you know, doing the
money gesture. And apparently you don't want people to think
the games are fixed in the NBA, even though you
had an official who got popped that bag.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
They can never find they can never find out what
are you doing, Rudy, They can never find out.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Hey, by the way, you know, it does look like
uh Jo is gonna win m VP again. But Anthony
Edwards is on the short list. So you've got Shay Gilders,
Alexander who's been fantastic, you got Luca, you got Yannis.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
This would be what his fourth, one third?
Speaker 5 (25:54):
I think?
Speaker 3 (25:54):
Yeah, third, So because because your boy Joel got it
last year, right, they finally gave it to him. Yeah,
well listen, you got a campaign a little bit. They
finally gave it to him. Now, now, how how close
to being m VP is he this year? Not real close,
not close. I don't know how close he's even playing jeez.
So uh but we'll we'll get to see that. But
now Anthony Edwards, Uh, that was impressive. But he's an
(26:17):
impressive dude man. And he's not just impressive because he's
able to dunk. He's a score Like he scores like
like Kobe and MJ. Like he's a score. It's like, dude.
People also forget about that, like Dominique Wilkins is a
good player. Oh but like Dominique Wilkins was a great player.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
But like you look at him and you go yeah,
but you know, like you know him for his dunking.
It was like no, man, like look at Dominique like
could play, dude.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
Bro, They was mentioning his name with MJ. While that
while MJ was in his prime, Like think about it,
Like there was a couple of dudes that like Patrick Ewing,
Dominique Wilkins what Elijah Wan, Clyde Drexler, Like there was one.
There was a few names you where you were like
(27:01):
those are guys Charles Barkley. People may not realize because
Charles Barkley has become such a spectacle in the media
and he's funny that way, But Charles Barkley was a dog.
That man was a dog when he hooped and and
so I don't know, but but Dominique Wilkins Nick was like,
(27:26):
come on, man like he was. He was Atlanta's version
of MJ.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Twenty five point seven rebounds a game for his career,
Dominique Wilkins average. Yeah, She's like, but you think of
the power dunks he gets. Well, yeah, he was a score.
He wasn't like the greatest shooter. He was a scoring
He was a score. He was a scoring champ back
in eighty five. He averaged thirty points a game. Yeah,
he was a score.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
Yeah, Like so no, that that's a that's a good
comp thank you. Like that one with a little shake
talking about a little bit, like a little little shot
of Michael mjy Man. I'm telling you he's like a
little bit. Would you see that SpaceX trail in the skylust?
I didn't see a little bit. I didn't see it,
(28:11):
but seeing it on the news.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
Yeah, I saw walking out of my mom Yeah, and
I was like, what the hell is that? I was
hoping it was like a UFO or like I was.
Speaker 7 (28:18):
Like Williams, like I want nothing more than the shuttle,
Like I would do anything to see a UFO crash
anything and listen, like my apologies to any of the.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
The aliens or anybody on board that would suffer us
any Why didn't got to call them aliens whatever? I mean,
what would they be like if.
Speaker 5 (28:37):
We went up in there?
Speaker 3 (28:38):
Why has got to be a creature.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
Like creatures whatever? You used to call each other? Savage?
What else do you What are they gonna call it?
They see it savages. They gonna see something coming from
that UFO. It's like savages, Like what are they gonna do?
Speaker 3 (28:55):
Yeah, they're gonna start making them like cultivat and stuff
like that, start build stuff Like what you going to
do with them?
Speaker 5 (29:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (29:02):
So if you were in southern California, if you're if
you're listening on the on the blow torch AM five
seventy l A Sports, which, by the way, on the
blow torch tomorrow the Dodgers season opener in Korea will
be taking place. But if you were listening on the
blowtorch A five seventy l A Sports and you saw
that thing in the sky, I just want to just
want to let you know you were not high and
(29:24):
or drunk. It was not a UFO. It was not
a chemtrail. It was some sort of a space what
trail a chemtrail our four I'll give you the the
other version of that.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
It was no black light needed.
Speaker 5 (29:52):
La.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
Do you have any more information on the SpaceX, Like,
I don't know, like why that was the night I mean,
if you're gonna do it, like I guess, do it
the night after Saint Patty's Day just to see you're
still banged up. But uh, but yeah, so it was
not If you saw that in the skies of southern California,
don't worry about it. It was just a SpaceX rocket. Yeah,
(30:17):
it's Falcon nine.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
Falcon nine launches from Starlink Starlink satellite. Yeah nice, cool man,
it look cool, all right. So it is two pros
and here.
Speaker 5 (30:32):
You know what I have.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington, and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six a m. Eastern three am Pacific.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
We do have live professional action going on in the
world of sports. It's Major League Baseball. It's game two
of the opener from South Korea with the Padres and
the Dodgers. If you were just tuning, uh live. Bet
Jesus appeared a short time ago. It's been a long time.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
He made a pick. He's got the Padres minus two
and a half.
Speaker 5 (31:10):
It's already five to two, right, so the one run.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
And so uh so of course, uh right on q
uh the bottom of the bottom half of the very
same inning that he made the pick.
Speaker 5 (31:21):
The Dodgers. Now, let's go. Let's go Dodgers. Let's go Dodgers.
Why so disrespectful, Let's go Dodgers. Put this loser where
you belong.
Speaker 3 (31:31):
I just don't understand. I mean, but it is funny
that we bring up gambling.
Speaker 5 (31:36):
Why is that?
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Yeah, well sho he Otan, he finds himself in a
little bit of a mess. All right, there's a problem,
and uh, it's a problem. Well, Recurd of the La Times,
his interpreter, is being accused of massive theft of the
Dodgers stars, stealing millions from him in order to place
(31:57):
bets with an illegal bookmaker. And the bookmaker is a
guy by the name of Matthew Bauer of Orange County,
is the target of a federal investigation. The interpreter has
been working with Otani since twenty seventeen. He was promptly
fired by the Dodgers yesterday, and the interpreter has kind
(32:18):
of given different accounts of what actually happened, which makes
this whole thing kind of strange. It started with him
saying that, well, you know, he gave me the money
to help cover gambling debts and then and heed just
to try and help me get out of those debts.
I saw a number around four and a half million dollars,
(32:39):
like he was really really gambling, really getting after it.
And then it was they turned into well, he didn't
know that it was for gambling debts, and it was
for where you know, we think that he's this money's
been stolen from him. There's just been a lot of
things that don't really.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
Feel like that.
Speaker 5 (32:57):
Is this a cover up? Is that basically what you're
asking you, it's a cover.
Speaker 3 (33:00):
What you're asking gut feeling? What's your gut feeling.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
I think that Shoho Tani was trying to be a
good friend, and then I think they realized when it
was a little too late. Hey man, Like, if you know,
this guy's got gambling debts and he's gambling on sports,
probably a bad look. That you're bailing the guy out
and helping him out. And now they want to come
back after the fact and say, well, he was unaware
(33:25):
of all this and this money was stolen from him.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
How could the money be stolen from you if it
was like gave it to him exactly. Like that's the
part where it doesn't.
Speaker 5 (33:34):
I feel like there's a greater likelihood this is a
complete cover up. And I have no basis for saying
that outside of if there was one person in this
situation who you could say, well, who could have just
been placing the bets for show? Ah, it'd be this guy. Yeah,
I mean that's the one person that would end up
being the fall guy in this scenario there it is,
(33:56):
there's that term.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
I mean, at least he executed it to perfection. That's
what it is. Y'all got a crew. Everybody need a
fall a guy. This fall guy?
Speaker 5 (34:07):
Am I wrong? I mean, maybe there's someone else in
his life, but it sounds like the way this thing
was set up. If Shohy had a gambling problem, this
would be the guy that you would put it on.
I mean, he's the perfect person to kind of say.
So it's hard to ultimately know, but you've got a
one center generation talent and if if there was you know,
(34:31):
if he was involved, I mean, that would be this
would be the guy to take the fall form if
that was the case. Obviously there's again there's there's nothing
that states that it is that, but there's nothing in
the States that's not either. I mean, we really don't know.
It's early on this this scenario, but I'm just saying,
if there was a fall guy to take the rap
(34:52):
take to blame, this would be the perfect person for it.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
Four million dollars is a lot of scratch.
Speaker 5 (34:57):
Four and a half million, isn't it?
Speaker 3 (34:58):
Four and a half million a lot of scratch? But
with that being said, four and a half million in
a situation like this.
Speaker 5 (35:07):
Because if you're the interpreter, how I mean, how are
you gambling that much? Right? This guy's not he's not
getting paid that much to be an interpreter, or is he?
Speaker 2 (35:17):
I think he's getting I saw the number between three
hundred and five hundred thousand dollars a year.
Speaker 3 (35:22):
Well that's not enough. So how are you betting four million?
So there's your first. There's your first.
Speaker 5 (35:28):
Let's see you've racked up some interest in which you know,
there's a I mean, there're more penal interest for those
of you who understands the that process. Okay, yeah, they
charge interests by the day.
Speaker 3 (35:40):
All I know. All I know is four million dollars.
And it's like, oh, it came out of show, Hey,
and it was. I would say it's more likely to
me that it was stolen versus him doing it, like
him being the one that's placing these bets or giving
the money making it available for him to place those bets.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
Show.
Speaker 5 (36:02):
He say he was aware though I don't know, because
he thought he was bailing him out of whatever is shoe.
Speaker 3 (36:07):
Yeah, like that's well, that's where this gets a little odd.
Speaker 2 (36:10):
Like they the interpreter was made available for an interview
because the La Times have been doing a deep dive
on this, and people started to catch wind on this
and then like some of the answers didn't add up,
and they're like, so wait a second. So show Hey
knew that you were gambling and knew that you had
a debt and gave you the money that he knew
was for gambling debts to cover you on this, and
(36:33):
then show Hay's camp kind of figured out, oh, that's
not good, Like if I didn't immediately part ways with
the guy after I found out that he had been
taking money from me and gambling, if that story was true,
And I think that's where they kind of said, oh boy,
we got some we got to fix this. No, no, no,
(36:54):
it was a massive theft and we were working, you know,
hand in hand with the authorities, and we're going to
turn everything over to him, so they know that everything's
on the up and up. I just think that they
thought they had the messaging together only to realize the
optics of this aren't great.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
Well, the optics of it are are even worse. If
that's what you did based off of the optics of
it Initially like, if you come back out and you
changed the narrative after that's already been put out there
by your camp. If that's what indeed happened, that's that's worse, optics,
that's worse. To change the story now, it's worse. It's
(37:30):
like wouldn't like.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
And also the other part of this too, like if
and I know, show Hay's got a lot of money,
but if you were just helping a guy out with
gambling debts, like, hey man, I'll cover that, Like I
just how do you lose that much money and not
account for that much money? And not like just that's
why part of this just doesn't up. Yeah, and then
(37:55):
the best part is, you know, the interpreter comes out
and he says, well, I just want everybody to know
show Head no involvement on this.
Speaker 3 (38:01):
He's never gambled on anything.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
And then it also goes on to state that he
bet on the NFL, college football, NBA international soccer.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
But just be clear, not Major League baseball.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
And I want to make this quick point on this,
if you were that far in the hole, you would
turn to what you know, and the idea that this
guy was that far in the hole with a direct
connection to a major League Baseball star.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
Wouldn't go to that route to try and make up
some of this that he lost. I find hard to
believe you can have a direct connection to a guy
by being his interpreter. How do you have a direct
connection to his bank account? That's like to me, that's
where this this kind of are you.
Speaker 5 (38:45):
Guys eventually going to come around to what I said,
because I feel like that's where this is.
Speaker 1 (38:49):
Right.
Speaker 5 (38:49):
We know that in America in sports embedding, it's a
no no, one of the greatest of all time cannot
get in the Hall of Fame because Pede Rose gambled
on games. We know this for a fact, right yeap,
and it's held him out of the Hall of Fame.
Shohe Otani is one of the greatest players we've ever seen.
(39:12):
He's been in the Major League Baseball for what three
years now, since twenty twenty one.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
Yet well, no, he's been in MLB longer than that,
I think because he was brought the interpreter was brought
in in twenty seventeen.
Speaker 5 (39:24):
Okay, so anyway, Well, the thing is, I think as
far as he where, he's kind of hit it big.
It was about a few years ago where he started
to play it at that high of a level. I
feel like, I don't feel like he's been in fenced
that long. Has he?
Speaker 3 (39:38):
Maybe he's I don't know whatever.
Speaker 5 (39:41):
I think his rookie season was like twenty eighteen.
Speaker 3 (39:43):
Okay, okay.
Speaker 5 (39:45):
But look, there's different cultures, Like gambling in other cultures
is not frowned upon in any way, shape or form.
In America, it's obviously being embraced now more than ever.
But I was asked this the other day, Think, what's
the thing that been the biggest change since you've worked
in broadcasting? I said, gambling. Ten years ago, when I
(40:09):
first started, you couldn't talk about anything on air. Tony
Romo at that point in time was being condemned for
trying to hold a fantasy tournament out in Vegas and
he couldn't do it. And ten years later, we have
teams in Las Vegas, we have gambling sponsors and partnerships.
(40:29):
It's an entirely different world. And so that's America and
some cultures. It's existed for decades. It's always been a
part of it. And I think there's the potential for
that disconnect. There's the potential for a lot of things.
It just it seems odd that he would have this
much knowledge on a guy who had access apparently to
(40:54):
his bank accounts and his money, and he could be
placing that high a volume of bet on all sorts
of different sports. And I think the concern and scare
is that this is a future Hall of Fame player
who could be implicated into something that could keep him
out of the Hall of Fame. And that's a big
knock on baseball and just the reach of baseball. Think
(41:17):
about where they're playing right now in Korea. I mean,
this is in large part due to the way the
Dodgers have constructed their roster with more of an, you know,
international group of players that have that sort of reach.
They wouldn't be there otherwise.
Speaker 3 (41:30):
I mean, he's one of the great talents we've ever.
Speaker 5 (41:33):
Seen, like ever since the game was invented.
Speaker 3 (41:37):
Yeah, and so to have this how much do I
think they that they're paying the interpreter to never talk.
I don't know, man, regardless of what the truth is,
if he's covering up, if it's a scandal, if it's
not a scandal, if he stole it.
Speaker 5 (41:53):
I mean, put to you like this, doesn't he go
two runs.
Speaker 3 (42:00):
The Padres Padres, Hey listen, So I for a theft
as large as this, that's a fat that's a federal offense. Yeah,
he's doing some serious time if this is him and
it's him acting alone in doing this.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
It should be noted this is all connected to a
bigger investigation that involves Yasiel Puig, former Dodger, former Major
League baseball player. So it's not like it's just well,
it's it's a bunch of degenerate gamblers and one player
happens to be caught up in this. It's like, no,
there's another baseball player involved too, Like there's.
Speaker 3 (42:38):
Like this is who they were placing their bets with.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
I just want like, while this is going on, like
how does Major League Baseball handle this? Because they've got
to do some digging and do their their research. Like
can you just send Otani out there with all of
this happening? Yes, all right, yes you have to.
Speaker 5 (42:57):
I mean the NFL would put him on the accept list.
That's that's that's what they that's what they did in
the NFL and stuff like this was going on.
Speaker 2 (43:03):
And if you're gonna be as grand standy as Major
League Baseball is to where you come out after the
fact when you know guys were on the gas and
then say, oh, you condemn them and say they're never
allowed in our Hall of fame'.
Speaker 3 (43:17):
Of course, like, hey, you just look the other way.
Speaker 2 (43:19):
Guys like you doctored Baseball's in home run derby so
they would fly farther. You wanted the ratings up, so
you let guys do whatever they could do, and then
after the fact you go, oh, we had no knowledge
of anything like that. And then you you tell, as
Brady pointed out, Pete Rose can't get into the Hall
of Fame the guys having the he's having to sling
autographs at the forum shops at Caesar's Palace in Vegas
(43:40):
to try and make a living, and then you want
to condemn him for like you can't take that approach
and then just say, well, we're gonna wait until the
investigation's over, but keep on playing.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
It's like that part I don't like, I don't.
Speaker 2 (43:52):
Know how they go through this and try and sell
this to everybody is hey, don't worry about it, We'll
get this figured out in due time. But while at it,
let our best player and most popular player in the
entire sport. Go ahead and uh and just keep playing career.
Speaker 5 (44:09):
In the in So, what what do you really think then, Jonas,
because you keep leading to thinking that maybe it could
be something else, because I.
Speaker 3 (44:18):
Don't want to sit here and claim that show look
if he's on that. But I think if you're already told.
Speaker 5 (44:24):
You, if we're listening off the possibilities, you get like
this would be the perfect guy who would be the
fall guy for this scenario.
Speaker 2 (44:31):
Yes, I think that they sent him out to talk,
and when he talked, people said, So what you're saying
is that, like, if this is being honest, that shohe
Otani wired money to a known bookie to cover gambling debts.
Speaker 3 (44:52):
Right yeah, right now, Like that's a problem.
Speaker 5 (45:00):
Can speak?
Speaker 3 (45:00):
No, what do you mean?
Speaker 5 (45:03):
They that's why it was minus one.
Speaker 2 (45:07):
He took plus two, right yeah, minus two and a
half minus right right now, the pods are up seven.
Speaker 5 (45:16):
So the Dodgers got some work to do. So I've
never been a bigger Dodgers ran this moment right now.
Speaker 3 (45:20):
I mean, where is uh? Where is otanis he?
Speaker 2 (45:23):
Uh? They got a slot machine of the dugout or something.
I just want to make sure he's he's paying a game,
but it is. I mean, if you get if you
were Major League Baseball, would you like put him on
an exemplest and suspend him or would you just say
you just could let him keep playing.
Speaker 3 (45:39):
Let it go until the plays out. Let the law.
We're not the law, all right, that's our Jewish watch,
that's out of our Jewish Dixon. Well, once we know more,
o man, once there's more that's that's there, then then
you make a decision.
Speaker 5 (45:56):
But not until then.
Speaker 2 (45:57):
By the way, the Major League Baseball is going togas soon.
So this is you know, everything's fine, We're all good.
Speaker 5 (46:04):
Here.
Speaker 1 (46:05):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington, and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern three am Pacific
This is the best of two pros and a couple
Joe with Labar Airings Rating Win and Jonas Knox on
Box four Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
We have been talking and speculating and wondering, Hey, so
what are the Bears plan on doing with Justin Fields?
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Like they plan on plan on moving him?
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Are they gonna just wait until later on? Are they
gonna wait until there's an injury until after the draft,
et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. No, Apparently the move
for the Chicago Bears following the trade out of Pittsburgh
of Kenny Pickett over to the Philadelphia Eagles that happened
late in the show when we were actually filling in
on the herd. Last week on Friday, Justin Fields is
(00:47):
gone to the Chicago Bears. And my favorite part about
all this is the spine job that the Bears have
put together to try and make people think that this
was all part of a plan to do a solid
for Justin Fields. According this from Ryan Poles, who made
(01:08):
this statement after the trade happened, We've engaged in multiple
trade conversations in recent weeks and believe trading Justin at
this time to Pittsburgh is what's best for both Justin
and the Bears. Today, we spoke to him to inform
him of the trade and the rationale behind it. For
us as a club, we want to thank him for
his tireless dedication, leadership and all he poured into our
franchise and community the last three years, and we wish
(01:31):
him the best towards a long and successful NFL career.
And look, Justin Fields released a statement as well too,
and it's everything you and Brady Quinn have said about
the guy. You can't find anybody that has a bad
thing to say about Justin Fields. They love that dude.
And it's a shame that the Bears did have the
number one overall pick. So I think that's really what
was dictating this decision. And then Ian Rappaport went on
(01:55):
social media yesterday and said note on the Justin Fields trade.
At least four additional teams inquired about trading for Fields,
but Field's representation asked for him not to be traded
there he wanted the Steelers and the Bears did right
by him. Now, I don't know whether or not do
you buy that. Well, I think that's an indication that
(02:18):
somebody with the Bear's front office as Ian Rapaport's password
and may may have gone on there and and sent
that tweet out.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
No, I don't buy that for a second.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Come on, man, like, so what are the teams and
like this this whole like trying to push this out.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Let's just call what it is.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Kirk Cousins messed up the market, yes, on his western field. Yes,
because the market was the Falcons. And when he made
the decision to go to Atlanta, he hurt Minnesota and
he hurt Chicago, like both of them got it by
Kirk Cousins on his way out the door, like he
pulled the pin out through it and then bolted. And
now the damage is the Bears trading away Justin Field's
(02:57):
for a sixth round pick. That's a additional sixth round
that turns into a fourth round in twenty twenty five
if he plays fifty one percent of the snaps this
upcoming season, which still a fourth round pick.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yeah, I mean you did right by Justin Fields. Sounds
like it was a wholesale fire sale if you asked
me like this is that's a liquidation sale. The Steelers
got a third bro, Kenny Pickett, bro listen to while
I'm telling you right now, you got you got Russ
for one point what was it one point three, one
(03:31):
point nine, one point three or it might have been
one point two, Okay, one point two, one point three,
and you get a rookie contract and you only had
to give up a sixth a sixth round pick, possibly
a fourth round pick for for justin fields.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
Like.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Two starting quarterbacks in the league, by the way, and.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Like you look at what the quarterback room was in
Pittsburgh last year. It was Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph, Mitch Trubisky.
In one offseason, You've gone from that to Russell Wilson
justin Fields, and it cost you like absolutely nothing, a
half can of Copenhagen and like a six pack of
Iron City Light.
Speaker 5 (04:09):
And that's it.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
You know, it's crazy that the sitting down and making
sense of the move by Pittsburgh. It's like an I
declare war type of scenario set up, right, you bring
them in and and one of the things, one of
the points I raised when I was discussing it was basically,
you're you're talking about two quarterbacks that in this situation,
(04:35):
it's kind of must must win situations for both quarterbacks.
Mike Tomlin, if you guys, recall said at one point
towards the end of the season or right after the
season ended, I'm going to create competition. They asked, was
it was it Kenny Pickett's job moving forward? Was it
his job moving forward? And Mike Tomlin's response was, we're
(04:56):
going to bring competition to this quarterbacks room. Well, name
me a more competitive quarterback room in the National Football
League to day post Saint Patti's day. What day to day?
You have two guys that are going to fiercely, intensely
(05:18):
compete for the starting job because both of them have
something to prove. Now, how good that is, I mean
you'd have to assume and a prove it in a
pure production driven industry like football the NFL that this
is a tremendously amazing scenario for the Steelers, and it
(05:44):
also has to be a tremendously amazing opportunity for the
two players as well, simply for the fact that they
control their own destinies. They hold their own destinies in
their own hands. You're coming in. Both of them are new,
so there is no I doubt the the players are
going to be kind of leaning towards one side to
the next, right, like there is no familiarity. They're both
(06:08):
new to the team, you know. And then you then
you get into the idea of, well, whoever whoever earns
their keep, whoever comes in and is that that right
player for the situation, for the job they're going to play, which,
by the way, don't be surprised if they do a
dual quarterback dual quarterback type of system. Both of them
(06:31):
play quite a bit where.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
They've got like a package for Justin Fields and package
for Russell Wilson. And I also look at it and
I go, this is different than the situation with Deshaun
Watson in Cleveland, where you know, Massage got that two
hundred and thirty million dollar contract and don't have to
play another down. Yeah, it doesn't have to play another down. Also,
(06:54):
really doesn't have to sweat a quarterback competition because they're
so pot committed to him as their QB that when
Joe Flacco comes in and wins Comeback Player of the Year,
it's like, no, there's no quarterback controversy, or the fact
that they go out and sign Jameis Winston, there's no
quarterback contor.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Is signed they could. They can do a quarterback in
the draft or get an undrafted free agent and that
could be the one who surplants the one of the
two guys that just got signed. Yeah, Like they don't
even hold enough value monetarily to hold a roster spot
if they don't perform.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Like like you're paying them like a bag of funions
and some fun dif like there's nothing to hurt.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Me say it. You heard me say it, like I'm
saying if you're valuing anyone. Now the Justin Fields situation,
that's different because he's on his rookie contract, so you
can't base what they think of him value wise by
what they're paying him until you get to the point
of the place of if they redo his contract. Now
you'll know how they feel about Justin Fields when they
(07:56):
redo his contract. But right as of now, there's there's
nothing there. So it's a rookie contract. You gave up
a six round, possibly a fourth round.
Speaker 5 (08:04):
Like that's it.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
You're picking up a rookie contract with with with Russell Wilson.
You you if again, if you felt as though this
is the guy you're turning the franchise over to and
you want him to undoubtedly be the leader of this
team and it's his team moving forward. You don't give
him that small of a contract.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
And there are also there's a report out there that
the Steelers and uh are are interested in doing an
extension with Russell Wilson at some point down the road.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
It's like, yeah, down the road, of course.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Yeah, let's let's let's let's slow down a little bit here, like,
you know, let's wait and see how this thing turns out. Like, yes,
you know, Russell Wilson's a better quarterback than Justin Fields.
And you know, at his age, you just you never
know how these things are going to play out.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
Is he at this point?
Speaker 4 (08:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (08:53):
I mean I think he is. I think his numbers
say that he he is. He had more yards throwing,
higher quarterback rating, you know, all those things. But is
he better than Justin Fields today? That's that's the I
don't know, man, I don't know. I mean, he's you know,
they've already named him the starter. They told Justin Field
(09:14):
you're going to be a backup. He was okay with it.
He wanted the job, he wanted the opportunity. And look
and based off of what the given scenario is Jonas,
that's the right that's the right approach. It's the right
approach because on paper, Russell Wilson is the better quarterback
on paper, But me asking is he the better quarterback
(09:36):
today outside of looking at it from just purely the
statistical categories that represent him being better. Is he the
better player today? I don't know that to be a
definitive yes. And again, at the value that Pittsburgh has
gotten this, this whole scenario and set up for they
can look at this and watch them battle it out
(09:59):
because they're both motivated to not be a backup or
to not be a failure as as a NFL quarterback.
And listen, Russell doesn't get failure as an NFL quarterback.
He just gets a faltered career if it doesn't work
out for him.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
How do you think russ is feeling right now? Because like, again,
this isn't like he's got this giant contract that you know.
He's like, well, you know, hey, I'm this is like Cleveland,
I don't have to worry about any competition. Look at
what my money is. Like, how do you think he's
feeling right now that a guy who would have been
the starter in Atlanta had Kirk Cousins not left a
(10:36):
team that's projected to win the division now in the
NFC South, Yes, with Kirk Cousins, but I would say
I liked Atlanta going into next year with Justin Fields
in that division based on all the talent around him.
How do you think Russell Wilson is feeling going due?
This guy was a starting quarterback and had the Bears
not had the number one pick, he's still a starting
(10:56):
quarterback and they're probably looking to redo his deal and
give him an extent. And that's the guy that they
bring in as your backup.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Yeah, I think that there's a multitude of feelings that
you would be feeling if you're if you're Russell Wilson.
One is you brought in a guy that could could
easily like displace me. That's that's first and foremost, Like
this guy has more, more time on his side, more
(11:24):
more energy. You you would have to assume that Pittsburgh,
if they're really really being totally honest with themselves, you
gotta hope that Justin Fields proves out more so than
Russell Wilson. And the reason why I would think that
is because one his his rookie contract is coming to
(11:46):
an end and you're gonna have to decide do you
keep them or do you let them go? But then two,
if he does prove out, how much of a run
can you get with Justin Fields versus a run you
get with Russell Wilson. So I feel like if I'm Russ,
he's looking at it like the Steelers have put themselves
as in a win win scenario and it gives me
(12:08):
and Justin no real runway. There is no real leverage
for the two of them at this point. All they
can do is win by how they play. I mean,
if any any team could actually create this type of scenario,
it's like the perfect scenario to get the entire best
(12:30):
foot not part of the best foot forward, not some
of it, not a little bit, not a whole lot
of it, but all of them. They got to put
their entire best foot forward and every single day because
you can lose your job and that could potentially be
a rap for.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Both of them. It's just like like it just if
you were to say, hey, we know what your quarterback
situation is in Pittsburgh. It's a little bit up in
the air. Rudolph Trubisky, Kenny Picky, It you literally swapped
out all three guys.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
For two starters for two starters at a league minimum.
Out of a league minimum, I can cut your act like that,
all that talking in Denver, what he's got going on,
and this, that and the other, and he commands too
many dollars and he's stuck to them, and da da
da da da da YadA, YadA, YadA, YadA at gone,
(13:25):
wild man gone, that's wild. Say the right thing out
your mouth today. You going home. You're going home. You're
going right back to that that sixteen. Go to the
restroom places that that's in Denver. Go go to Aspen
and get some ski time in. You're you're not going
to be here in Pittsburgh. And the same thing is
represented to to Justin Fields. If he doesn't come in
(13:49):
and he doesn't throw down, like think about this off season.
They ain't gonna miss a day. You can't allow yourself.
This is like back to college now. You can allow
yourself to have any off moments if you're Russell Wilson
or Justin Fields, because every single day, every single thing
(14:09):
you do, every single decision you make, is going to
be measured and weigh differently because you're so expendable. You
are not stable at all, So you're going to be
judged off of every single thing that you do because
they can. That's the luxury of what they were able
to do by doing the deal and parlaying it the
(14:31):
way that they've parlayed it. They can handle this situation
as hardcore as they would like you add another because
they're going to add another quarterback or two to compete
going into springball OTA's mini cabs, all that stuff. So
you're talking about potentially one of these dudes could literally
(14:52):
not be on the roster come regular season, come last cuts,
one of these guys can miss the last cut.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
And the reason that what's happened is because the Bears
wanted to do justin Field it's a solid and send it.
It's like, what a bunch of crap. Like, let me
tell you something. You would have sent him to Indonesia
if they would have offered up a second.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
There was no market, Yeah, like come on, like you're
saying you're going to do right by him. You would
have assumed that the terms of a contract would have
been much different, much more different. Where it gives. It
gives justin Fields the opportunity to go into the scenario,
and maybe he is, but it gives him to go
the opportunity to go into the scenario negotiating what an
(15:34):
extension looks like like just an entirely new deal altogether unbelievable.
And then for Russell Wilson, I mean it's the same
thing like, Okay, I know I'm getting paid a ton
of money by Denver, but you can also give me
more to present me in a way where you believe
in me, and you're making a financial commitment to me
(15:55):
that says that we believe in you being the guy
that can lead this team. Like it's a prove it contract.
That's what everybody's calling it, the prove it contract. Okay,
So basically what we're saying is you gotta prove it.
Justin Fields has to prove it and Pittsburgh doesn't have
to make any type of decisions for in the foreseeable future.
(16:16):
It just seems like it's a boom bus. I said,
there's a boom bust with Russ. This is a boom
bus move all the way around for Pittsburgh. It's a
boom bus move for Mike Tomlin. It's a boom bus
move for the Steelers. It's a boom bus move for
both of these quarterbacks involved. What a home run for
the Steelers? Man, Like that is just it could go
horribly wrong though, Yeah, but you know it could go
(16:36):
horribly right. But I mean, what amazingly right? But it
could go horribly wrong, dude.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
The best part is is when people are doing their
Easter a hunts, you know in a couple of weeks
from now, like whatever you get in like your little
plastic gigs, just dumping out on the coffee table afterwards.
And that's about what the Steelers are paying to Russell
Wilson and Justin Fie.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
You know, like when he did when Russ did his
initial thing when he signed this contract like it's official, y'ah,
he hit he hit him with the low key here
we go all that's he threw his slogan. Now he
threw his. He threw his and then not even twenty
four forty eight hours later, they're they're signing Justin Fields.
(17:14):
So does here we go? Still? Yeah? I say, I said,
I put it out there. I said, anybody who's a
Steeler fan caught onto what Russ did, Like your catch
phrase was here we go? Like okay, so You're going
back to the Super Bowl year that that Lloyd and
all of them, Kevin Green and the song here we
Go unbelieva boom like you. You brought out the chorus
(17:36):
line of here we Go Pittsburgh Steelers song as your
punch line. Hey dusted it off man, Well he better
dust off his game too, say here we go from
the sideline.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington, and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern three am Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
Paullie Foosco here with Tony Fusco, you know, as the
host of the number one rated Paully and Tony Fusco Show.
We get tons and tons of fan mail every day,
piles of it. In fact, Tony, why don't you open
up one of those letters right now and read what's inside?
Speaker 6 (18:14):
Hey, listen to this, Dear Paulie and Tony, Your sports
takes the dumbest and most terribly.
Speaker 5 (18:20):
Not Wait open this other one.
Speaker 6 (18:22):
Dear Paulie and Tony, you suck more than anyone. Wait,
try this one, Dear, Paulie and Tony, you guys are
the absolute best. There you go coming up with the
stupidest take.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
Forget it.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
Just listen to the Polly and Tony Fusco Show on
the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get
your podcasts.
Speaker 5 (18:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
Yeah, Man, the more I look at this Anthony Edwards stuff,
that's one of the most disrespectful dunks ever in the
history of the game. I mean the way the dude
goes down, sits down, put his hands on his head,
like the elboweding right in his face. I don't think
it's a dunk. It's not a dunk. It's a finish
to throw in. Doesn't matter, jonas that it doesn't matter. Yeah,
(19:04):
I don't know. He's above the rim bro like a dunk.
You know why dunks matter because it says that you're high. Yeah,
but a lot of people go and I'm not talking
like off a weed. I'm talking you're high in the
in the sky.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Listen, like I understand, Like there's a lot of people
that travel to space. I think Michael Strahan went to space.
I think they said, like a day Shatner went to space. Like, Yeah,
there's a big difference between going to space and walking
on the moon. And I feel like Anthony Edwards went
to space, there's no difference. But Sean Kemp walked on
the moon.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
No way, that dunk was ignorant. It's it's up there.
It's up there with all time ignorance. Like you said
the Vince Carter one where he had to shake his
leg loose when he did it, just start shaking his leg.
He was cutting the fart and trying to get it
out of his Yeah, that's exactly what it was. He
(19:56):
was shaking that leg. By the way, Leela did that
in Ireland in front of Jade.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Oh my god, so Jade, are did it come out
of his pants?
Speaker 3 (20:06):
Didn't make it out? It was a good rip.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
We we walked through this park and like we just
left this event. We walked through the park and we're
going to walk to the Notre Dame Navy game. And
so it's Lee and myself and the White Castle King
or Queen Jade who came in and she just was
helping us out with everything and we're all having a good time.
And Lee, unprompted it just decided, you know what, this
(20:32):
is the right place to do it. And just let
one fly and then shook his leg out to get it.
Speaker 5 (20:38):
Es.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
I did a couple of strides away from you guys.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
It's just like like there were like there was like
a tarantula and crawled up his leg and he's like,
I got to get this thing out of here and
let it fly. But yeah, there's but Anthony Edwards. Man,
it was impressive, really impressive.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
But he did an elbowed dude in his head. He'd
have sat down on the ground holding his head like
just injury, like just to add insult to injury, like
dude sitting there like that, and Anthony just man finished
ing it doesn't even matter if he hit the rim
or not. He was so he was so far above
(21:17):
the rim. It was just it was just an amazing
play man, amazing athletic feet. I think that I think
the block was more impressive than the dom. The block
was crazy because he hit his head off away. He
hit his head off of the rim, off the backboard
and then fell crazy and then popp right back up.
We're good, like this is, you know, no problem.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
And I think they were asking I forget who did
the interview with him. It might have been TNT. If
it wasn't. Apologies to whoever did the interview with him,
I forget, but they asked him afterwards because he came
out and he played the following night or the following game,
and they said, you know, you took a hard fall
at the end of that game. He's like, I'm young.
It was all it's fine.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
I'll You know what I love about him when I
watch him play, it just looks like he cares more
than everybody else. Yeah, Like I watch these games and
what really the reason why it's hard for me to
watch regular season basketball is because it just looks they
(22:21):
First of all, I know, there's they're so good. They're
just that good where it just doesn't look like they're trying,
and it just it just looks like they're going through
the motions when you watch them play. When you watch
Anthony Edwards play, at Anthony is that right? And man,
(22:41):
when you watch him play, he's playing at a different level,
Like his intensity level different, his passion meter different. It's
like when again, I was talking to my guy Cuffs
the Legend on Saturday. You can catch him on up
on Game about cos he's basketball like insider expert dude.
(23:06):
He reminds me of like a mix between and I
know it's crazy because he's not I mean, nobody will
ever be MJ. But he's like a mix between MJ
and Dominique Wilkins. Like he's so explosive and he's so
emphatic with his finishes and like the way he moves.
It's just I feel like he's the star of the
(23:29):
league right now, like he's a star of stars. Like
the way he plays the game, the way he moves
his his like there's there's a there's a purpose connected
to the way he plays. And that's what you know,
I feel like when when I start thinking about because
you know they were coming out with all these crazy memes,
(23:50):
the ninety memes lead the nineties and the nineties, like
like taking jabs at basketball in the nineties and how
the basketball wouldn't compare to you know, basketball now and
two thousands, like Bro and man is what nineties basketball
looked like.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
By the way the Dominique Wilkins comp is a good
comp Dominic Wilks bro my favorite dunker of all time
because it's just so valid, like that two hand windmill
he would do, and he was so valiant and he
was a two footed jumper, two two footed drum he jumper.
He never jumped off one foot to Dominique dunks. That's
(24:28):
powered up and just to hear the rim, it was power.
It's so awesome, I mean explosive power.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
And you know, I just really like, I really like
this kid's game. Man, I really like I do he
is like he's he's he's actually I look for his
games now.
Speaker 5 (24:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
So yeah, he's fun. He's pretty exciting.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
And look, it's been a uh it's been a good
year for the Minnesota Timberwolves are battling for the one.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
They don't even have their bigs. Yeah, like Towns is
dealing with the meniscus. Uh, Gobert is, he's out, he's
dealing with whatever his illnesses.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
According to Charles Barkley, it's him, you know, doing the
money gesture. And apparently you don't want people to think
the games are fixed in the NBA, even though you
had an official who got popped that bag.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
They can never find they can never find out what
are you doing, Rudy, They can never find out.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Hey, by the way, you know, it does look like
uh Jo is gonna win m VP again. But Anthony
Edwards is on the short list. So you've got Shay Gilders,
Alexander who's been fantastic, you got Luca, you got Yannis.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
This would be what his fourth, one third?
Speaker 5 (25:54):
I think?
Speaker 3 (25:54):
Yeah, third, So because because your boy Joel got it
last year, right, they finally gave it to him. Yeah,
well listen, you got a campaign a little bit. They
finally gave it to him. Now, now, how how close
to being m VP is he this year? Not real close,
not close. I don't know how close he's even playing jeez.
So uh but we'll we'll get to see that. But
now Anthony Edwards, Uh, that was impressive. But he's an
(26:17):
impressive dude man. And he's not just impressive because he's
able to dunk. He's a score Like he scores like
like Kobe and MJ. Like he's a score. It's like, dude.
People also forget about that, like Dominique Wilkins is a
good player. Oh but like Dominique Wilkins was a great player.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
But like you look at him and you go yeah,
but you know, like you know him for his dunking.
It was like no, man, like look at Dominique like
could play, dude.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
Bro, They was mentioning his name with MJ. While that
while MJ was in his prime, Like think about it,
Like there was a couple of dudes that like Patrick Ewing,
Dominique Wilkins what Elijah Wan, Clyde Drexler, Like there was one.
There was a few names you where you were like
(27:01):
those are guys Charles Barkley. People may not realize because
Charles Barkley has become such a spectacle in the media
and he's funny that way, But Charles Barkley was a dog.
That man was a dog when he hooped and and
so I don't know, but but Dominique Wilkins Nick was like,
(27:26):
come on, man like he was. He was Atlanta's version
of MJ.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Twenty five point seven rebounds a game for his career,
Dominique Wilkins average. Yeah, She's like, but you think of
the power dunks he gets. Well, yeah, he was a score.
He wasn't like the greatest shooter. He was a scoring
He was a score. He was a scoring champ back
in eighty five. He averaged thirty points a game. Yeah,
he was a score.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
Yeah, Like so no, that that's a that's a good
comp thank you. Like that one with a little shake
talking about a little bit, like a little little shot
of Michael mjy Man. I'm telling you he's like a
little bit. Would you see that SpaceX trail in the skylust?
I didn't see a little bit. I didn't see it,
(28:11):
but seeing it on the news.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
Yeah, I saw walking out of my mom Yeah, and
I was like, what the hell is that? I was
hoping it was like a UFO or like I was.
Speaker 7 (28:18):
Like Williams, like I want nothing more than the shuttle,
Like I would do anything to see a UFO crash
anything and listen, like my apologies to any of the.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
The aliens or anybody on board that would suffer us
any Why didn't got to call them aliens whatever? I mean,
what would they be like if.
Speaker 5 (28:37):
We went up in there?
Speaker 3 (28:38):
Why has got to be a creature.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
Like creatures whatever? You used to call each other? Savage?
What else do you What are they gonna call it?
They see it savages. They gonna see something coming from
that UFO. It's like savages, Like what are they gonna do?
Speaker 3 (28:55):
Yeah, they're gonna start making them like cultivat and stuff
like that, start build stuff Like what you going to
do with them?
Speaker 5 (29:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (29:02):
So if you were in southern California, if you're if
you're listening on the on the blow torch AM five
seventy l A Sports, which, by the way, on the
blow torch tomorrow the Dodgers season opener in Korea will
be taking place. But if you were listening on the
blowtorch A five seventy l A Sports and you saw
that thing in the sky, I just want to just
want to let you know you were not high and
(29:24):
or drunk. It was not a UFO. It was not
a chemtrail. It was some sort of a space what
trail a chemtrail our four I'll give you the the
other version of that.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
It was no black light needed.
Speaker 5 (29:52):
La.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
Do you have any more information on the SpaceX, Like,
I don't know, like why that was the night I mean,
if you're gonna do it, like I guess, do it
the night after Saint Patty's Day just to see you're
still banged up. But uh, but yeah, so it was
not If you saw that in the skies of southern California,
don't worry about it. It was just a SpaceX rocket. Yeah,
(30:17):
it's Falcon nine.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
Falcon nine launches from Starlink Starlink satellite. Yeah nice, cool man,
it look cool, all right. So it is two pros
and here.
Speaker 5 (30:32):
You know what I have.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington, and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six a m. Eastern three am Pacific.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
We do have live professional action going on in the
world of sports. It's Major League Baseball. It's game two
of the opener from South Korea with the Padres and
the Dodgers. If you were just tuning, uh live. Bet
Jesus appeared a short time ago. It's been a long time.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
He made a pick. He's got the Padres minus two
and a half.
Speaker 5 (31:10):
It's already five to two, right, so the one run.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
And so uh so of course, uh right on q
uh the bottom of the bottom half of the very
same inning that he made the pick.
Speaker 5 (31:21):
The Dodgers. Now, let's go. Let's go Dodgers. Let's go Dodgers.
Why so disrespectful, Let's go Dodgers. Put this loser where
you belong.
Speaker 3 (31:31):
I just don't understand. I mean, but it is funny
that we bring up gambling.
Speaker 5 (31:36):
Why is that?
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Yeah, well sho he Otan, he finds himself in a
little bit of a mess. All right, there's a problem,
and uh, it's a problem. Well, Recurd of the La Times,
his interpreter, is being accused of massive theft of the
Dodgers stars, stealing millions from him in order to place
(31:57):
bets with an illegal bookmaker. And the bookmaker is a
guy by the name of Matthew Bauer of Orange County,
is the target of a federal investigation. The interpreter has
been working with Otani since twenty seventeen. He was promptly
fired by the Dodgers yesterday, and the interpreter has kind
(32:18):
of given different accounts of what actually happened, which makes
this whole thing kind of strange. It started with him
saying that, well, you know, he gave me the money
to help cover gambling debts and then and heed just
to try and help me get out of those debts.
I saw a number around four and a half million dollars,
(32:39):
like he was really really gambling, really getting after it.
And then it was they turned into well, he didn't
know that it was for gambling debts, and it was
for where you know, we think that he's this money's
been stolen from him. There's just been a lot of
things that don't really.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
Feel like that.
Speaker 5 (32:57):
Is this a cover up? Is that basically what you're
asking you, it's a cover.
Speaker 3 (33:00):
What you're asking gut feeling? What's your gut feeling.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
I think that Shoho Tani was trying to be a
good friend, and then I think they realized when it
was a little too late. Hey man, Like, if you know,
this guy's got gambling debts and he's gambling on sports,
probably a bad look. That you're bailing the guy out
and helping him out. And now they want to come
back after the fact and say, well, he was unaware
(33:25):
of all this and this money was stolen from him.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
How could the money be stolen from you if it
was like gave it to him exactly. Like that's the
part where it doesn't.
Speaker 5 (33:34):
I feel like there's a greater likelihood this is a
complete cover up. And I have no basis for saying
that outside of if there was one person in this
situation who you could say, well, who could have just
been placing the bets for show? Ah, it'd be this guy. Yeah,
I mean that's the one person that would end up
being the fall guy in this scenario there it is,
(33:56):
there's that term.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
I mean, at least he executed it to perfection. That's
what it is. Y'all got a crew. Everybody need a
fall a guy. This fall guy?
Speaker 5 (34:07):
Am I wrong? I mean, maybe there's someone else in
his life, but it sounds like the way this thing
was set up. If Shohy had a gambling problem, this
would be the guy that you would put it on.
I mean, he's the perfect person to kind of say.
So it's hard to ultimately know, but you've got a
one center generation talent and if if there was you know,
(34:31):
if he was involved, I mean, that would be this
would be the guy to take the fall form if
that was the case. Obviously there's again there's there's nothing
that states that it is that, but there's nothing in
the States that's not either. I mean, we really don't know.
It's early on this this scenario, but I'm just saying,
if there was a fall guy to take the rap
(34:52):
take to blame, this would be the perfect person for it.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
Four million dollars is a lot of scratch.
Speaker 5 (34:57):
Four and a half million, isn't it?
Speaker 3 (34:58):
Four and a half million a lot of scratch? But
with that being said, four and a half million in
a situation like this.
Speaker 5 (35:07):
Because if you're the interpreter, how I mean, how are
you gambling that much? Right? This guy's not he's not
getting paid that much to be an interpreter, or is he?
Speaker 2 (35:17):
I think he's getting I saw the number between three
hundred and five hundred thousand dollars a year.
Speaker 3 (35:22):
Well that's not enough. So how are you betting four million?
So there's your first. There's your first.
Speaker 5 (35:28):
Let's see you've racked up some interest in which you know,
there's a I mean, there're more penal interest for those
of you who understands the that process. Okay, yeah, they
charge interests by the day.
Speaker 3 (35:40):
All I know. All I know is four million dollars.
And it's like, oh, it came out of show, Hey,
and it was. I would say it's more likely to
me that it was stolen versus him doing it, like
him being the one that's placing these bets or giving
the money making it available for him to place those bets.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
Show.
Speaker 5 (36:02):
He say he was aware though I don't know, because
he thought he was bailing him out of whatever is shoe.
Speaker 3 (36:07):
Yeah, like that's well, that's where this gets a little odd.
Speaker 2 (36:10):
Like they the interpreter was made available for an interview
because the La Times have been doing a deep dive
on this, and people started to catch wind on this
and then like some of the answers didn't add up,
and they're like, so wait a second. So show Hey
knew that you were gambling and knew that you had
a debt and gave you the money that he knew
was for gambling debts to cover you on this, and
(36:33):
then show Hay's camp kind of figured out, oh, that's
not good, Like if I didn't immediately part ways with
the guy after I found out that he had been
taking money from me and gambling, if that story was true,
And I think that's where they kind of said, oh boy,
we got some we got to fix this. No, no, no,
(36:54):
it was a massive theft and we were working, you know,
hand in hand with the authorities, and we're going to
turn everything over to him, so they know that everything's
on the up and up. I just think that they
thought they had the messaging together only to realize the
optics of this aren't great.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
Well, the optics of it are are even worse. If
that's what you did based off of the optics of
it Initially like, if you come back out and you
changed the narrative after that's already been put out there
by your camp. If that's what indeed happened, that's that's worse, optics,
that's worse. To change the story now, it's worse. It's
(37:30):
like wouldn't like.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
And also the other part of this too, like if
and I know, show Hay's got a lot of money,
but if you were just helping a guy out with
gambling debts, like, hey man, I'll cover that, Like I
just how do you lose that much money and not
account for that much money? And not like just that's
why part of this just doesn't up. Yeah, and then
(37:55):
the best part is, you know, the interpreter comes out
and he says, well, I just want everybody to know
show Head no involvement on this.
Speaker 3 (38:01):
He's never gambled on anything.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
And then it also goes on to state that he
bet on the NFL, college football, NBA international soccer.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
But just be clear, not Major League baseball.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
And I want to make this quick point on this,
if you were that far in the hole, you would
turn to what you know, and the idea that this
guy was that far in the hole with a direct
connection to a major League Baseball star.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
Wouldn't go to that route to try and make up
some of this that he lost. I find hard to
believe you can have a direct connection to a guy
by being his interpreter. How do you have a direct
connection to his bank account? That's like to me, that's
where this this kind of are you.
Speaker 5 (38:45):
Guys eventually going to come around to what I said,
because I feel like that's where this is.
Speaker 1 (38:49):
Right.
Speaker 5 (38:49):
We know that in America in sports embedding, it's a
no no, one of the greatest of all time cannot
get in the Hall of Fame because Pede Rose gambled
on games. We know this for a fact, right yeap,
and it's held him out of the Hall of Fame.
Shohe Otani is one of the greatest players we've ever seen.
(39:12):
He's been in the Major League Baseball for what three
years now, since twenty twenty one.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
Yet well, no, he's been in MLB longer than that,
I think because he was brought the interpreter was brought
in in twenty seventeen.
Speaker 5 (39:24):
Okay, so anyway, Well, the thing is, I think as
far as he where, he's kind of hit it big.
It was about a few years ago where he started
to play it at that high of a level. I
feel like, I don't feel like he's been in fenced
that long. Has he?
Speaker 3 (39:38):
Maybe he's I don't know whatever.
Speaker 5 (39:41):
I think his rookie season was like twenty eighteen.
Speaker 3 (39:43):
Okay, okay.
Speaker 5 (39:45):
But look, there's different cultures, Like gambling in other cultures
is not frowned upon in any way, shape or form.
In America, it's obviously being embraced now more than ever.
But I was asked this the other day, Think, what's
the thing that been the biggest change since you've worked
in broadcasting? I said, gambling. Ten years ago, when I
(40:09):
first started, you couldn't talk about anything on air. Tony
Romo at that point in time was being condemned for
trying to hold a fantasy tournament out in Vegas and
he couldn't do it. And ten years later, we have
teams in Las Vegas, we have gambling sponsors and partnerships.
(40:29):
It's an entirely different world. And so that's America and
some cultures. It's existed for decades. It's always been a
part of it. And I think there's the potential for
that disconnect. There's the potential for a lot of things.
It just it seems odd that he would have this
much knowledge on a guy who had access apparently to
(40:54):
his bank accounts and his money, and he could be
placing that high a volume of bet on all sorts
of different sports. And I think the concern and scare
is that this is a future Hall of Fame player
who could be implicated into something that could keep him
out of the Hall of Fame. And that's a big
knock on baseball and just the reach of baseball. Think
(41:17):
about where they're playing right now in Korea. I mean,
this is in large part due to the way the
Dodgers have constructed their roster with more of an, you know,
international group of players that have that sort of reach.
They wouldn't be there otherwise.
Speaker 3 (41:30):
I mean, he's one of the great talents we've ever.
Speaker 5 (41:33):
Seen, like ever since the game was invented.
Speaker 3 (41:37):
Yeah, and so to have this how much do I
think they that they're paying the interpreter to never talk.
I don't know, man, regardless of what the truth is,
if he's covering up, if it's a scandal, if it's
not a scandal, if he stole it.
Speaker 5 (41:53):
I mean, put to you like this, doesn't he go
two runs.
Speaker 3 (42:00):
The Padres Padres, Hey listen, So I for a theft
as large as this, that's a fat that's a federal offense. Yeah,
he's doing some serious time if this is him and
it's him acting alone in doing this.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
It should be noted this is all connected to a
bigger investigation that involves Yasiel Puig, former Dodger, former Major
League baseball player. So it's not like it's just well,
it's it's a bunch of degenerate gamblers and one player
happens to be caught up in this. It's like, no,
there's another baseball player involved too, Like there's.
Speaker 3 (42:38):
Like this is who they were placing their bets with.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
I just want like, while this is going on, like
how does Major League Baseball handle this? Because they've got
to do some digging and do their their research. Like
can you just send Otani out there with all of
this happening? Yes, all right, yes you have to.
Speaker 5 (42:57):
I mean the NFL would put him on the accept list.
That's that's that's what they that's what they did in
the NFL and stuff like this was going on.
Speaker 2 (43:03):
And if you're gonna be as grand standy as Major
League Baseball is to where you come out after the
fact when you know guys were on the gas and
then say, oh, you condemn them and say they're never
allowed in our Hall of fame'.
Speaker 3 (43:17):
Of course, like, hey, you just look the other way.
Speaker 2 (43:19):
Guys like you doctored Baseball's in home run derby so
they would fly farther. You wanted the ratings up, so
you let guys do whatever they could do, and then
after the fact you go, oh, we had no knowledge
of anything like that. And then you you tell, as
Brady pointed out, Pete Rose can't get into the Hall
of Fame the guys having the he's having to sling
autographs at the forum shops at Caesar's Palace in Vegas
(43:40):
to try and make a living, and then you want
to condemn him for like you can't take that approach
and then just say, well, we're gonna wait until the
investigation's over, but keep on playing.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
It's like that part I don't like, I don't.
Speaker 2 (43:52):
Know how they go through this and try and sell
this to everybody is hey, don't worry about it, We'll
get this figured out in due time. But while at it,
let our best player and most popular player in the
entire sport. Go ahead and uh and just keep playing career.
Speaker 5 (44:09):
In the in So, what what do you really think then, Jonas,
because you keep leading to thinking that maybe it could
be something else, because I.
Speaker 3 (44:18):
Don't want to sit here and claim that show look
if he's on that. But I think if you're already told.
Speaker 5 (44:24):
You, if we're listening off the possibilities, you get like
this would be the perfect guy who would be the
fall guy for this scenario.
Speaker 2 (44:31):
Yes, I think that they sent him out to talk,
and when he talked, people said, So what you're saying
is that, like, if this is being honest, that shohe
Otani wired money to a known bookie to cover gambling debts.
Speaker 3 (44:52):
Right yeah, right now, Like that's a problem.
Speaker 5 (45:00):
Can speak?
Speaker 3 (45:00):
No, what do you mean?
Speaker 5 (45:03):
They that's why it was minus one.
Speaker 2 (45:07):
He took plus two, right yeah, minus two and a
half minus right right now, the pods are up seven.
Speaker 5 (45:16):
So the Dodgers got some work to do. So I've
never been a bigger Dodgers ran this moment right now.
Speaker 3 (45:20):
I mean, where is uh? Where is otanis he?
Speaker 2 (45:23):
Uh? They got a slot machine of the dugout or something.
I just want to make sure he's he's paying a game,
but it is. I mean, if you get if you
were Major League Baseball, would you like put him on
an exemplest and suspend him or would you just say
you just could let him keep playing.
Speaker 3 (45:39):
Let it go until the plays out. Let the law.
We're not the law, all right, that's our Jewish watch,
that's out of our Jewish Dixon. Well, once we know more,
o man, once there's more that's that's there, then then
you make a decision.
Speaker 5 (45:56):
But not until then.
Speaker 2 (45:57):
By the way, the Major League Baseball is going togas soon.
So this is you know, everything's fine, We're all good.
Speaker 5 (46:04):
Here.
Speaker 1 (46:05):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington, and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern three am Pacific
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Jonas Knox
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