The Bernie Fratto Show recaps Week 2 of the College Football Season, previews Week 1 of the NFL, talks Clippers Controversy, Ohio State Expectations, & MORE!

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Dore listening to Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
Well, that's right, you heard the man. It is that
time of week. My name is Bernie Frattle. We are
Comedy Alive from the Fox Sports Radio studios here in
Las Vegas. We'll take you up to three am Pacific,
six am Eastern, an absolute jam pack show. It is
here eleven hours. We are eleven hours away from our

(00:25):
first full Sunday NFL slate. And of course there are
already a couple of games and the books. We'll get
to that later. And oh, there's this little thing called
college football that's underway, and you know what, you love it.
You can't leave without it. It's unpredictable, it's fun, it's fascinating.
Sometimes well less of course you're Alabama, Michigan, Texas, Florida

(00:47):
or Clemson will have one loss. But I digress. And look,
even though the Week two slate on Saturday didn't look
nearly as enticing as Week once on paper was face
the Week one was a banner. You had three matchups
featuring top ten teams have happened since nineteen forty five.

(01:08):
But that doesn't mean you still can have some interesting
results and some head scratching takeaways. By the way, last week,
I watched USF at home in that ninety degree heat
ride Boise State like a stickhorse, and I didn't know

(01:29):
if it was humidity. Boise States maybe slightly down this
year from what they were last year. Still a quality program.
The USF always recruits. Well, they're always competitive. You're gonna
have to beat them. But what they did Saturday to
Florida has our attention, and it should. And by the way,
Florida has only itself to blame for. Frankly, was a

(01:52):
bit of a brutal loss to USF, not because USF
didn't earn it. But think about this, and I know
I feel bad for my buddy Jason Stewart the Dodgers tonight.
What happened to them Saturday night. I'm unthinkable. That's just
a story for a different day. They'll be okay in October.
All right, I'm all over the place. Let me get

(02:13):
back on topic. The Florida Gators had one point lead
over the South Florida Bulls less than three minutes to play. Okay,
then they go three and out and they run a
grand total of ten seconds off the clock before having
to punt. Then Florida said Oh, what the hell, we're

(02:34):
in a charitable mood. Let's help the bulls out. That's
the South Florida mascot, the Bulls. Let's give him a
couple of defensive penalties, including an incredibly boneheaded, unsportsman like
penalty interjection when Gators defensive lineman Brendan Bett spit in

(02:55):
the face of an old lineman for USF NM Cole Skinner,
Who the hell do you think he is? Jalen Carter?
What's all this spitting now somewhere where Berto Alomar is
probably smiling? And says Bill Robanowski, But again I digress
the Bulls. That'd be the Florida. South Florida Bulls all
of a sudden quickly get themselves in the position to
kick the game winning field goal and bam, good night, folks,

(03:19):
Thanks thanks for coming Drave home safely. This is an
undeniably bad loss for Florida and coach Billy Napier, who
now you have to wonder is his seat hot again?
By the way back to USF, because we are in
the area now where everything feeds into the college football playoff.

(03:42):
That's how you think. It's only Week two? And you
may say this sounds like a little premature, but there
are only so many opportunities for wins in non conference play,
and USF has made the absolute most of its opportunities
in their first two games, and by the way, they
have an upcoming matchup against Miami next week. But the

(04:02):
South Florida Bowls now have a dominant win over Boise State,
which I just mentioned. They're the team picked to win
the Mountain West and return to the CFP, which they
were in last year before losing Dependent State, and as
now they have a road win over an SEC team.
That resume, by the way, is significantly better than what
Boise State had non conference place season to go. And

(04:25):
the Boise State Broncos not only comfortably made the CFP,
they are in the first round. By now we know
they're switching everything around. They ain't going to happen next
year now. USF is still going to have to win
their American conference to be in legitimate contention for the
Group of six CFP big But having head to head
wins over a league you'd be compared to Boise State

(04:46):
in the Mountain West, as well as the win over
Florida in your back pocket. I'll tell you what don't
piss it away. You're off to a great start. They're
chasing you now. They will be right out of the gate.
They'll be the highest ranked group of six gent give
it up to their coach, Alex Gulish. This is a
very impressive start to this season. Another takeaway, Okay, relax people,

(05:09):
arch Manning is going to be fine. He didn't ask
for any of this. He doesn't drive a Bentley, have
a Mister T Starter kit, walk around like he owns
the world. Arch Manning. Yes, he benefits from his last name,
and he should because pedigree matters in sports. And he's
going to be fine. I don't know if he's gonna

(05:29):
want the Heisman, doesn't matter. I don't even think he cares.
He wants to win ball games. You know. He went
into Ohio State and Matt Patricia dialed up one of
the most sophisticated defense. This guy's in coverages and blitz schemes,
and Manning was not sharp. He missed a lot of
passes too. And I'm also told a little birdie told
me he might have had a tweak in his shoulder.
He's throwing shoulder, but they're never going to report that now.

(05:52):
I can't imagine how this past week has been for Manning.
He didn't ask for all the excessive light, but it's
gonna follow him all season. There's no other college player
that's going to be scrutinized as he will be. And
he deserves credit for bouncing back. Yes, it was against
Santue State. Five touchdown performance through for four, run for one.
He needed to have that kind of game. Yes, it's

(06:12):
I say this in air quotes because he's a All
D one players. They all get scholarships, they all compete
in air quotes an inferior opponent. Okay, it wasn't all pretty.
It took Manning a little bit into the first quarter
to get going. Even when he threw the touchdown passes,
they weren't really nice, crisp on target with a tight spiral,
kind of like Bryce Underwood that kids got a hose. Dude,

(06:34):
he's the goods, accurate velocity. I don't know why sheer
owned mor than turn them loose. You paid twelve million
for the guy. What are you gonna buy a twelve
million dollar card park in the garage? Okay, Now, some
people have concerns about Manning's arm, angle and footwork. Okay,
he's a work in progress. He's gonna be fine. The

(06:56):
goals for him to be getting better each week and
each week after. For that, he'll get more comfortable and
Offentually they'll open up the offense for him. Now this
is uh, you know remember years ago and Mike Gundy said,
you know, yeah, I mean forty what's Gunny now? Fifty sixty?
I still got the still rock in a mullet. Uh.

(07:17):
This is where you know, you your brain goes on vacation.
You put your mouth in charge. He opens his mouth
Mike Guandy before the Oregon game, criticizing Dan Lanning and
Oregon spending habits. And you don't think Oregon saw that
and they said, hell with you, we'll run it up.
We'll stop in sixty nine points. We could probably score

(07:38):
ninety nine. But Gunny said that the Ducks should only
play teams with budgets similar to there as a non
conference play. Pretty ridiculous comment to make it as a
power for sitting head coach to another power for sitting
head coach. Gundhy preemptively was already making excuses. No one
they were gonna you know, he was gonna get They

(07:59):
were gonna open up Canada. What passed on them? And
they did. Yeah, they're the number six team in the country.
Everybody saw through it. Landing and his star quarterback six
hundred and thirty one yards of offense. They crushed the Cowboys.
How about them Cowboys? And after the sixty six point win,
the transfer quarterback Dante more Kid from Detroit didn't work out.
Ea c La said, quote, when you attack our head coach,

(08:21):
it's like you're attacking my dad, You're attacking a family member.
We were going to keep the foot on the neck
and make sure we score these points and try to
break the scoreboard. End quote. Yeah, maybe think before you speak,
Mike Kendy, Well, all do respect. By the way, I've
always believed that John Mattier, who came over from Washington State,

(08:44):
was also the goods. He can run, he can throw,
he's a great field general, command of the position. He's sneaky,
freaky athletic. But I heard Nebishes saying, oh he's coming
from the pack too, to the SEC. That's all blah
blah blah blah. Well, Saturday night, Oklahoma knocked off Michigan
twenty four to thirteen in Norman Matier counted for all

(09:05):
three touchdowns in the game, two on the ground, one
through the air, through for two seventy Roe for seventy four.
He was the standout in the game that was incredibly
physical in a game which Oklahoma rushing attack struggled against
that Michigan front. The flip side, of course, is that
Michigan did not seem to trust their passing game with
true freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. Take the training wheels off him.

(09:28):
He's won me over. He can do it. I know
that Michigan has a somewhat unproven receiving corps and they
were without their tight end Martin Klein. He was kind
of a safety dealf for Underwood last week. But that's
more of a credit to Brent Venables Oklahoma defense and
what it means for that unit to be directly coached
by the head coach, because remember last year, Oklahoma's defense

(09:50):
was good. It was their offense that couldn't score in
a women's prison with a fist full of fifties. Ultimately,
this was a huge win for the Sooners and a
statement a statement a game I believe if you saw
a big newon kickoff, Desmon Howard picked Michigan. What a
shock said the bogus uh uh play last week against

(10:11):
New Mexico and the bogus target you call it, well,
it was helmet to aelme. Dude, watch the tape. Please.
Nick Saban pick Michigan, Pat McAfee picked me. Why why
so anyway, and you know what, Michigan gave a tussle.
I'm not I'm not disrespecting Michigan, but it seems like
I don't know why these knuckleheads have to make predictions

(10:33):
every week. It doesn't it often doesn't sit well. But
here's the bottom line, and here's where I'm going with this. Ultimately,
this was a huge win for Oklahoma and a big statement.
And the Sooners have a really tough SEC schedule, which
you got to keep in mind, but for now you
have got to take Oklahoma more seriously. Again, John Mattire

(10:55):
really shined uh and they have a receiver Dion Burk's
not bad passes one hundred one yards, blah blah blah.
Right on, I'm not gonna give a bunch of statistics,
but the Wolverines, Oklahoma's defense held Michigan to two hundred
and eighty eight toll yards and one of them was
on a seventy five yard run two hundred and thirteen
yards in this man's college football is tough. Michigan will

(11:18):
be will be okay this year, there'll be nine to three,
eight and four. They'll be respectable. Turned Bryce Underwood loose.
Justine Hayes, a transfer from Alabama, ran for a buck
twenty five, and this was a very hostile environment. You
could say Bryce Underwood struggle. I didn't quite see it
that way. I mean, they pressured him quite a bit,
nine to twenty four for one forty two, but when
given the chance, I mean good seeing these blue blood

(11:41):
programs hadn't played in fifty years. But when Oklahoma went
up fourteen nothing after Materia ran for that two yard touchdown,
you knew that was gonna be pretty much it. Takeaways again.
Sherylan Moore doesn't seem to trust Undero at least neck
and they got Central Michigan next week. He was under duress,
never seemed comfortable, but I still think they've dialed on

(12:01):
the playbook. Oklahoma. Meanwhile, they weren't great running the ball
for much of the game, but they controlled the clock
in the fourth quarter. Sixteen place seventy eight hour drive
that led to a short field goal that made it
game set match. Oklahoma goes to Temple next week. Say
hello to Bill Cosby, Michigan host Central. I can't wait
for week three or four, whatever the hell it is,

(12:22):
so we can start to get to these conference matchups
either away from some of these charity games. By the way,
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(13:06):
to the Bernie Frattle Show on Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 3 (13:08):
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Speaker 2 (13:50):
All right back at the Bernie Frattle Show, Fox Sports Radio.
Just getting started on this college football NFL Full Bolt Sunday,
and nobody better to have on than my longtime friend,
a legend here in Vegas, a legend on both coasts
and all around great guy in a brilliant handicapper. Say
hello to Bill crack Man Krackenberger crack Always great to

(14:12):
have you on, buddy.

Speaker 6 (14:13):
Hey, Bernie Goneding, thanks for having me. I appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (14:16):
Always before I start. We had a Rick corkerh wanted
me to ask you about the Grandissimo one hundred k
contest at Circa. I understand there were sixty nine entrants.
Give your thoughts on that, because man, that's that's amazing.
You got guys putting in one hundred large and I
heard crack that thirty four people already forgot to put

(14:37):
their picks in week one for the circum millions contest.
Can you imagine not putting your picks in for the Grandissimo? Yeah?
Good scary.

Speaker 6 (14:47):
You know. It's one thing to be in in which
I am. I'm not actually in this, I'm part I'm
part of an entry, so I'm under my name. You know,
when you're a thousand dollars contest, which is the circle,
we have a Circle million, so we also have the
Circus Survivor. Now you have one hundred thousand dollars contest.
So it's one thing to forget about putting in for

(15:09):
the thousand dollars contest. But I'm the one that's making
the I'm the one that's putting the pick in. It's
amazing how many times I went back and forth today
just to make sure that entry was official. I took
a video. I took a video of the screen, just
just because in case anything happens and you're talking about
one hundred thousand dollars entry and losing one hundred thousand.

(15:33):
I have never videotaped the Circuit Contest Westgate Contest, never
ever actually done it until today. And I said to myself,
just to make sure that you know this is in
here and that doesn't come up like, oh my god,
they're the mispick or something, a videotape to myself. So
it's funny. I wasn't planning to even talk about that,
but of course you're so good at your job, that's

(15:53):
the first thing you start right off with. Yeah, and
just to let you know, I am going with Denver.
I think that in this type of a tournament ny
unlike the Survivor, where you could take some chances with
maybe a Jacksonville a three and a half point favorite,
and I think you really are better off going with
a bigger favorite in the Grandissimo, you know, because there's

(16:16):
only sixty nine of us, and now that I've seen
literally like so many people, fifteen people chose the Eagles,
which we had no idea. We don't know until today
what the actual number is. I had no idea that
was going to be that many people on the Eagles.
I was rooting against the Eagles because I figured maybe
a couple would have the Eagles. No idea that fifteen

(16:40):
people of the sixty nine had the Eagles the first
week and in the survivor over eighteen hundred. That's right,
eighteen hundred people, about ten percent of the pool had
the Eagles. And as you know that last year, Week one,
the big favorite, Cincinnati went down and lost out right,
and then sure enough that yep, yep, yep, that could

(17:04):
have happened too. If you guys watched the watchback game
and if you're watching from the I know people are
saying that not really the Eagles kind of that you know,
had the game. All let me tell you something. A
couple of BREAKSTI the other way and and Dallas was
right in that game. Couple you know, dropped balls there
at the end. You Dallas could have been in there
and the Eagles could have been out, breaking a lot

(17:25):
of hearts and a lot of bankrolls.

Speaker 2 (17:28):
Well, I was on Jason McIntire show Thursday. We do
it every year before the season starts, and I said,
Dallas plus eight and a half of my best play,
and I texted you in Jimmy, Jim Feist, I think
we were all in agreement. Craig, you are so right.
You know what if I told you that somehow Dallas
held Saquon Barkley sixty yards three point three yards to carry,

(17:51):
he lowes second lowest total as a pro. They owed
him to twenty four points. Last year with Michael Parson,
he scored forty one and thirty four. If if they
don't turn though, if Miles Sanders doesn't fumble, they go
in for that touchdown. If Ceedee Lamb catches that passed
on the skinny polls to get that touchdown, and Matt Eberflus,
I don't know how this guy keeps getting jobs. If
he could have stopped Jalen Hurts one time, he called

(18:14):
the SAWT three cover zone on that last play on
third down one, you know he was gonna rush it anyway.
I digress. You're spot on, crack. I just want to
say one thing. I mean to be so long winded.
You're spot on about Denver. Now I'm not in line
the lay of the eight and a half but number
one QB picks in the rookie season twelve game twelve

(18:34):
and forty eight with a completion percentage. That's terrible in
a passer eighty of eighty camboard's in for a long
day in Denver. What Sean Payton has done and bo
neicks he's done is real. I think you're I think
you're rock solid with that pick. If Denver loses that game,
out right, we get our affairs in order, because the
world's going to come to an end.

Speaker 6 (18:52):
Yeah, you know, I was actually surprised to sell them.
If he notice this today when the when the picks
came out and survivor, I was surprised to see thirty
two different teams on that board. I didn't expect that.
So so yeah, did every team someone picked. This is
a thousand by the way, folks, this is a thousand

(19:12):
dollars an entry. You're talking them eighteen and a half
million dollars in the pool and someone actually did pick Tennessee.
I mean it's unbelievable. And how about, like you said,
twenty four people forgot to put their picks in the
first week twenty four thousand dead day, I mean dead
money in the pool. That's why that's kind of a
pool is such an I'm not going to say an advantage,

(19:35):
but there is some advantage mistakes to it to moving parts,
one of which is is going to be probably one
hundred different people that are forgetting to put their picks in,
which gives you one hundred thousand dollars overlay into the pool.
So it's all to talk about Las Vegas. There is
a real big pool, survivor pool, this kind of money.

(19:56):
I'm really happy and proud to be part of it.
But really my focus and attention right now is there's
three of us partners in this one hundred thousand dollars grandissimo.
So I want to get by this week, and we
won't want to get by this one hundred thousand dollars
entry the first week with Denver, because any given Sunday
anything can and will happen. Even though we're saying, you

(20:17):
know this looks so easy going to this, you know
this in Denver, Tennessee. Traveling that kind of out, dude,
There's so many moving factors, so many things that in
the quarterback situation, how I think it was I think
already was et and O last year as a favorite
covering the you know, winning games. So it doesn't matter.

Speaker 2 (20:37):
All that means nothing.

Speaker 6 (20:38):
I'm not a trend guy, by the way, I don't
go back trends more than one year. And people when
I I see broadcasters reporters saying, this is the trend
that goes back the last twenty two seasons. But right, right, right,
it means nothing. It's all it's a different squad. You're
just picking numbers that just just happens that that that
ran together, and it really means nothing trends. The only

(21:00):
trend that one of those is in the last year
or maybe year and a half. I want to make
sure it's the same squad. So such a situationally, like
I said, though, anything can and will happen. And if
Tennessee was to beat Denver out right, I mean, it
wouldn't shock me. I'm not going to shock anybody after
what we've seen last year, so many upsets. I think
about ninety five percent of the pool was knocked out

(21:23):
last year within the first five weeks.

Speaker 2 (21:27):
Talk with Bill Krackman the legend and by the way,
you hear him every Sunday morning right here on countdown
to kickoff. Make sure you take notes. So one of
my favorite I don't know if you want to call
it a try. I just know this, since twenty fourteen,
krat Divisional Dogs Week one seventy two percent, and we
already had two Divisional Dogs cover the Cowboys and the Chargers,

(21:51):
and now there are six remaining. And there are specific
reasons for this, all right, week one. Most teams are
full strength. The President hasn't in yet, the better teams
haven't had a chance to jail takes three or four weeks.
There's optimism, familiarity, coaches have had months to game plan. Uh,
and it served me well. So we're two and zero
so far. I want to just kind of do a quick, uh,

(22:14):
sort of a lightning run to get these other six
this take. I got the New York Giants plus six
at Washington, Yes or no? I think it's down to
five and a half. Now your thoughts.

Speaker 6 (22:24):
Yeah, I've actually that's one of the one of the
games that I actually released this week, and it's pretty
solid six though I'm lookin. I screened them with all
the different odds that everywhere, including benam Jam, who was
our sponsor of our show. Giants plus six is still
available there so yes, I go to the dog there.

(22:45):
And like I said, I'm not really I'm not a
real big trend guy. However, division games, you have a
very good point over the years and just for some reason,
these teams get up for teams within their own division,
and and of course you're picking the you know at
the end of the East there that doesn't doesn't stop there,
absolutely correct, big big division game here, Giants Washington. We're

(23:08):
going to see what it's going to happen here this
year with with this Giant team, you know, Giants in Jets.
Every year, I've been betting against them every year. This
year I'm actually betting on them. I like both of
their season wins over this year. I think they're knocked
down just so much. I mean the Giants are like
five and a half flat this year. I mean, can
they not go literally, can they win six games?

Speaker 7 (23:29):
Really?

Speaker 6 (23:30):
I like the coach there too. You know, he came
from Buffalo. First year wins the wins coach of the year,
and then he you know, it goes backwards for the
next season. I'm hoping he those good this this year.
But I do like the Giants with the points there myself.

Speaker 2 (23:45):
They got a solid defensive front. They're going to be improved,
and I think you're going to get the benefit of
the doubt on their on their lines until the market
figures them out. So we're an agreement there. Gott to
hold your nose on this one. But I actually played
the Browns plus six at home against Cincinnati, notoriously slow starters.
Your thoughts on that.

Speaker 6 (24:05):
Game, same thing there. I'm also leaning to the dog there.
I can't release that one now though, I can't say
because the line with six before, so right now it's
a no bet at five. But I do like Cleveland
in that game. Cincinnati really broke a lot of hearts
last year, and the survivor pulls in Vegas knocked a

(24:26):
lot of people out multiple different multiple weeks. But yes,
I do lean to the Battle of Ohio there and
Cleveland there and maybe reliving some of the old dog
the Dogtown days.

Speaker 2 (24:39):
Moving along now, this is this game. I have not
fired on the Seattle Seahawks catching well, they were catching
one two and a half. Now they're catching one and
a half against the forty nine ers. I do think
Christian McCaffrey will play. I don't know his calf, it's
gotten a little too trendy for me. Everybody's in love
with Seattle, and I don't know what Sam Darnold is
week one, so that's not a game I'm on. I'm

(25:00):
breaking my own rule. But you have another divisional dog
at home getting points. You have thoughts on forty nine
or Seahawks.

Speaker 6 (25:08):
Yeah, I am. I'm actually on Seattle there past two
and a half. Yes, you're right, lines down to about
a pretty solid one right now, and you're right though.
That scares me. Every single syndicate and when I say Sydney,
I'm a sports betting syndicate. Every single syndicate is on
Seattle on that game, so that kind of scares me
when everyone's on the same side. It's the home opener

(25:32):
in Seattle down to like one right now. I probably
believe it or and I know people don't think it's
a big difference from one to two and a half.
But with analytics and coming, you know, and it plays
into the game now, I believe it or not. Every
one and two points that does mean a little little
more now, but I still lean Seattle in that game.
So I am on the three dogs in a row there.

Speaker 2 (25:54):
Yep. Yeah, I'm just going over these divisional dogs. This
was a year of their eight divisional games Week one.
That's more than normal. It's usually there's four, sometimes five,
but I can't recall when there's been eight. The Bears
catching a point and a half against the Vikings JJ
McCarthy making his first start. I also have not fired
on this game. I don't know how Ben Jhonson is

(26:14):
gonna work in Chicago. Do you have thoughts in this? Yeah?

Speaker 6 (26:17):
Sure. This was probably the first game I bet of
Week one. I bet this a few months ago when
Chicago was actually a favorite, giving one and a half.
So I actually I have Minnesota plus one and a.

Speaker 2 (26:29):
Half for a pretty healthy bet.

Speaker 6 (26:31):
But a lot of sharp guys the other way. My
buddy Steve says he came in on the Bears and
now he's neutral to the game. But so I actually
did get off a little bit, just a little bit
on the Bears. I have both teams plus one and
a half. Never would bet those teams try in the

(26:51):
middle game using the zero not really something I do.
It's the middle games. But I am on Minnesota there
still stick with my side. I made some bets for
Minnesota to make the playoffs this year. We're CONTRARII on
the other side of that, I bet Chicago not to
make the playoffs. So it's actually a big game for me.

(27:13):
Probably my biggest game of the week will be this game.
Lots of the features depend on it and to spread
any Minnesota in that game.

Speaker 2 (27:20):
Moving on, just two more, the Falcons getting two and
a half against Tampa Bay. I'm very high on Tampa Bay.
I don't know what you get week one with Atlanta
and Michael Penix. I haven't fired on that game either.
Do you have an opinion on side?

Speaker 6 (27:32):
And that game has a major line moved down to
around pick them or even there's a couple of ones
Tampa minus one. It was two and a half. Some
of the key sports books here in town, like Circa
are at pick them right now.

Speaker 2 (27:44):
Ye steam coming in at Atlanta. There's that much.

Speaker 6 (27:47):
Yeah, yeah, right now Circus that pick if you go
to the even that some of the places that make
the lines in far off places, they're actually uh, they're
actually Atlanta minus one. So yeah, it's there's been a
lot of money out Oftlanta the last for forty eight hours.
I tend to agree with it. I do have the

(28:07):
dog there well, they were the dog there, Atlanta the
home team, but you're right, Tampa's no slouch either. People
kind of laugh at that at this game, and yeah,
it's really really not going to mean nothing. Well, I
don't know these you know, these teams look to improve
year after year and this this year is no different.
But yeah, give me.

Speaker 2 (28:24):
Atlanta in that game, and Tampa Bay did lose. Liam Coleen,
a brilliant offensive coordinator who's now the head coach in Carolina.
Which brings us to our last game. They're catching three
and a half against Jacksonville. Thoughts on that game.

Speaker 6 (28:39):
You know, in the Survivor I used a couple of
picks on Jacksonville just in case something funny happens over
there in Denver, and I think, you know, Jacksonville was
a three and a half four point favorite. I thought
it was a good pick for Survivor. However, with the points,
I'll probably go again with an underdog there. I did
not bet game, and out of all the games we've

(29:01):
we've mentioned today, that's part of my least favorite out
of those games. But if anything, now I do lean
to the points they're taking, Caroline. I know they're they're
an ugly team, and I'll tell you what, Jacksonville is
pretty ugly too, So you have a battle of two
ugly teams. But there's actually a four out there now
here in town. Circa Circa has a four up on Jacksonville.

(29:23):
If anything, I lean lean to the dog there with Carolina.

Speaker 2 (29:25):
Sure, all right, last game I want to ask you about.
Let's take you to our hometown Raiders. Here. They're catching
three eight and I've even seen some two and a half.
Marie Cooper retires. I think New England is going to
be dramatically better. They've completely revised their culture and you know,
new head coach, revamp the roster, Drake May in his

(29:46):
second year. They also have the easiest strength to schedule
in the AFC. But a lot of Raider money has
come on. How do you justify the Raiders in this game?

Speaker 6 (29:56):
Yeah, but this this game looks like it's a pretty
solid minus and a half minus juice. Like you said,
a couple threes out there, three dog money.

Speaker 2 (30:05):
Uh.

Speaker 6 (30:05):
Personally, I'm going to be rooting for the Raiders in
this game for reasons of them actually playing the over
on the season wins on the Raiders. I just you know,
early in the season. I bet under nine and a
half minus two to one, thinking to myself, there's no
way these Raiders to be ten ten wins. Come on
ten win Raiders team. And but but you know, I've

(30:28):
actually changed my tune there using my guys who I
really trust. These guys are the sharpest guys in the world,
the analytics guys, Guys that you know read so many socials,
Guys that follow the beat reporters. And even though I
live here in Vegas, I kind of don't really followed
our Raiders that that well. And uh, these my one

(30:49):
guy I trust, my number one source. He likes the
Raiders over for the year, I said, okay, I'll do
it over over six and a half season wins. So
I'm going to be rooting for the Raiders just for
that that future standpoint.

Speaker 2 (31:00):
Fair enough, fair enough? Correct, great stuff. As always, thanks
for staying up. We'll see you soon over at DOMS.
And by the way, you're back on the air six
am Pacific contown to kickoff. Correct.

Speaker 6 (31:12):
Yeah, we're gonna be on seven. We just got moved
to seven o'clock. We were doing six even last week
six am. But I'll be on seven am tomorrow morning.
Jeff Schwartz, Bryan, they'll countdown the kickoff.

Speaker 2 (31:23):
Look forward to it.

Speaker 6 (31:24):
Bernie, thank you very much for having me on anytime
you want me on. I don't mind staying up for you, buddy.

Speaker 2 (31:29):
Always a pleasure to see you soon.

Speaker 6 (31:30):
Thank you, sir.

Speaker 2 (31:31):
That is the legend Bill Krackman Crackenburger. Everybody knows him.
By the way, be sure to subscribe to the Fox
Sports Radio YouTube channel. Just search Fox Sports Radio on YouTube.
You'll see our best videos from all of our shows.
And don't stop there. Hit that thumbs up icon and
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even well, whose takes you don't like. Just search Fox

(31:54):
Sports Radio on YouTube and subscribe. What you waiting for
coming up? Well, we are twenty one minutes away from
the top of the hour, where from where I sit
is twelve midnight Pacific time. Literally the clock strikes midnight,
perhaps from where you sit the same, but literally figuratively,
it's twelve min nine for all of us. Because we

(32:16):
take your calls eight seven, seven nine nine six six
three six nine eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox
and the Man, that hour means you get the last word.
Callers have been nothing short of phenomenal. We've been doing
this about eighteen months, and again give it up to
the callers. Always look forward to what you got to say.
We have three really kind of provocative topics tonight, and

(32:38):
I'm sure people have strong opinions, or you can bring
your own if you want to rent on something coming up.
I will set the table, the topic table on what
the subject matter will be here in twenty minutes. I'm
Bernie fraddiwork company line from Las Vegas, Fox Sports Radio Studios.
Keep it locked right here. You're listening to the Bernie
Fratterer Show on Fox Sports Radio. Hour back in the

(33:02):
Bernie fattle Show, Fox Sports Radio. We are just thirteen
minutes away from the midnight hour. From where I sit
here in Las Vegas. The clock strikes midnight literally perhaps
same same with you, but figuratively it's midnight hour for
all of us eight seven seven nine nine six six
three six nine eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox.

(33:23):
The callers are what make the midnight hour click. We
have three topics and then your rant too if you
want to rant on some I know Cabo Drew said
he wants to say something about Chilo Sanders, who's got
kind of a weird situation after punching that guy. That's
one of the three topics. But again there's the rant.
If you don't like these three topics. The first one
is a doozy. And this may be the weirdest story

(33:45):
I think I've ever heard in my years of doing this.
It comes from Pablo Tory. He has a podcast called
Pablo Tory Finds Out. And to imply that Pablo Tory
is an intron a reporter would be an understatement. He

(34:06):
premiered his podcast is earlier this week with an absolute doozy.
He is allegedly, Now, to those of you who listen selectively,
there is no way that I know anything about what
the hell happened here. So I'm not indicting the Clippers.
I'm not defending the Clippers. I don't know what happened.

(34:26):
But according to Pablo Torri, the Clippers allegedly he has
evidence they allegedly circumvented the salary cap to pay Kawhi Leonard. Okay,
Apparently there was some tree planting company that went bankrupt,
and this was back in twenty nineteen. I'll never forget
this julyish and right out of the blue, some people

(34:51):
thought Kawhi was going to the Lakers, et ceterat c
he signed a three year, one hundred and three million
dollar contract to leave Toronto and go to the Clippers
in free agency. The NBA actually investigated the Clippers pursuit
of this crazy, mysterious frugal star who over these allegations
that his camp had sought improper benefits. But according to

(35:12):
Tory's investigation, Leonard also convertly signed a twenty eight million
dollar endorsement deal with a company name Aspiration, which purforded
to help companies go carbon neutral, had had financial ties
to Clips owner Steve Balmer with no actual marketing obligations
right around when he signed a twenty twenty one extension

(35:33):
in la per the contract. Effectively he was free money. Okay, Now,
the implications of this are massive, both on an NBA
level and as part of a government investigation. There's also
plenty more in the news report which I needs to
be released in lengthy statement. There's also a lengthy statement
issued by the Clippers claiming innocence, and they seem to

(35:54):
be buttoned up on the reply. So you know where
I'm going with this. I want to hear from the callers,
who do you believe do you believe this happened? Do
you believe they finagled this to circument the salary cap
so Kawhi Leonard could get an extra twenty eight million
off the book, so to speak, allegedly. And that's how

(36:16):
he ended up a Clipper. That's how he ended up
a Clipper. And it's a funny because they talked about
being paid for a job he didn't have to show
up to well, he hadn't exactly. He showed up to
the Clippers a lot if you haven't noticed. But I
digress again. I'm digressing all night tonight. So that's topic
number one. I really want to hear what people think.

(36:37):
Who do you believe is there whether smoke, is there
fire here or what? And you know what, could this
have happened elsewhere while we were all sleeping and other sports?
Is it possible? But mainly stay with the Clippers. The
second topic, Look, Jalen Carter did something ridiculous on Thursday night.
I really heard his team and it's a type of

(37:00):
Regis act when you just don't have impulse control that
you do. I think Dallas was going to give them
a tussle anyway. But we saw Roberto Alomar do this
with the Toronto Blue Jays many years ago. Bill Romanowski
spit in I think JJ Stokes face a wide receiver
of the forty nine ers. I'm doing off the top
of my head. He did one hundred years ago, and

(37:22):
now Thursday night he spit at Dak Prescott, who, by
the way, I know I've picked on Prescott a lot
over the years. He looks sensational. He looked like a
guy you might need to pay sixty million. Everything he did,
his physical attitude, his cuddle presence. He was dropping dimes.
I Cede Lamb caught a ball. They might have won
that game. But again I digress. What would you do?

(37:45):
I'm gonna make you commissioner for a day now. The
NFL has said they're going to meet out additional punishment.
From what I'm hearing, though, it's not going to be
a suspension. And don't tell me he's been suspended. He
was kicked out of that game. Okay, wasn't suspended for
that game. He was there and got kicked out. I
don't know. Maybe it wants the suspension, maybe it doesn't.
But they always say the law is a teacher, and

(38:06):
so what the turn is there? Because now you got
a kid for Florida's spin, it's how Florida kids face.
What is this? So the bottom line is I think
the NFL is going to do something. I don't know
what it'll be. For some people, it won't be enough.
For other people, they'll think it's too much. You know
how that goes. So tell me what you think. You
get to be commissioner for a day, what would you do.

(38:29):
I don't think I suspend him for a game, but
I'd find him. I'd find him a ton. And I'm
not talking about one hundred grand I'm talking about probably
maybe three times that much one time. Go home. Shut up.
You said they're not gonna do it again. You know
it's the old thing, like the injuries. Oh, I'll learn
and grow from this. No no one ever does. All right,
So you got the Clipper story, the Jalen Carter situation,

(38:52):
and Caitlin Clark is shutting it down for the rest
of the year. After not missing a single game in college,
after not missing a single game or fruit full year
in the WNBA, she played a grand total of thirteen
games this year and had some kind of groin injury
and she's now going to miss the rest of the season.
She would not be back for the playoffs. Now, this
might be a bit of a reach in terms of topic,

(39:13):
but it's not a zero. Do I believe it'll happen. No,
but it's not a zero. So what's the question. Do
you think it's possible Caitlin Clark's done with the WNBA?
She could play in Europe. She's already proven to have
a high Q factor. There's no doubt David Dennis Junior
is gonna get his wish. You're gonna get playoffs with

(39:33):
alf Katelyn Clark. We will see. If the ratings suffer,
we will see. So do you think Caitlin Clark maybe
just packs it in? Not packs it in? In basketball
a life? But as far as the WNBA is concerned,
I'm not predicting that. But it's not a zero. So
we've got the Clipper situation involving Kawhi and the phantom
twenty eight million dollars. I want to know who. Do

(39:54):
you believe Clippers have denied it pretty eemily? If you've
got Jalen Carter spitting in Dak's face, what would you do.
The NFL is gonna do something, but I don't know
how much it'll be. Finally, Caitlin Kark, you won't see
you the rest of this year in the NBAWNBA. Will
you ever see you again in the w NBA? Is
it possible? Or do you want to bring your own topic?
Come with a rent? If somebody used to say, have

(40:17):
a good take, don't suck, we'll run you. We won't
run you. We don't run anybody. Eight seven seven nine
nine six six three six six nine eight seven seven
ninety nine nine. Fox. It's the Bernie Frattle Show. The
midnight hour is up next. Keep it locked Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 1 (40:32):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio Radio.

Speaker 2 (40:35):
That's right. You heard the man. Bernie Fraddle Show keeps
rolling right along. My name is Bernie Fraddle. We're coming
to you a lot from the Fox Sports Radio studios
here in Las Vegas. Will take you after three in Pacific,
six am Eastern, just getting started and it should be
a rockets been that hour. We've got the Clippers topic.
Who do you believe Kawhi or Pabulatory or the Clippers?

(40:58):
Rebuttal Jalen car Well, I don't think the NFL is
gonna suspend them. They say they're going to do something.
We don't know what, but what would you do? You
get to be commissioner for a day. And then finally
Caitlin Clark, after thirteen games, she shut it down. Did
miss a game in college? Did miss a game all
last year in the WNBA? Thirteen games this year? Will

(41:22):
she It's not a zero. I'm not predicting it. Do
you think she just bolts the WNBA on for other
pastures in life, maybe basketball overseas, whatever, She's got options.
All right, let's go out to the phone lines. Poppy
in San Diego lead us off today. What do you
got Poppy?

Speaker 8 (41:40):
Hey, Bernie, Well look about the Kawhi Leonard. You got
the perfect person right here from San Diego State. Right here,
she's from San Diego. Actually saw Kawhi Leonard when he
was in San Diego State. My alumni if they got
this fan and I told my you know, college, you
know friends and stuff like that, Kawhi Leonard's gonna go
to the NBA is gonna be big. They all laugh

(42:00):
at me. I got his autograph and like, he who
do you believe?

Speaker 2 (42:04):
Pappy? I love you man. We got callers in weight
and I'm sure they love to hear your life story.
But this is gonna be one of those nights' ben
have time.

Speaker 9 (42:12):
Well, this is where I'm going, Berni.

Speaker 8 (42:13):
He just gave me time. I'm cooking slowly over here
in San Diego. I can tell you this on college
Kawhi Leonard, he would go to a marijuana shop and
he would go under. One of my friends said that
he knows the owner of a marijuana shop. This is
breaking news. I've said nowhere. He would go under and
send his buddies to go buy marijuana. So Kuwhi Lanner
would not answer. He would send his friends. So regarding

(42:36):
the owner, I believe you know to hear the fact,
Wishie Washi. I believe he did do something with the marijuana,
because of course he's involved in that universe.

Speaker 2 (42:45):
So believe who do you believe? Do you believe the
Clippers or do you believe uh Pablo Tory that this
happened to twenty eight million under the table.

Speaker 8 (42:56):
Yeah, I believe it happened. I believe it happened. Okay, sorry,
I need to hear.

Speaker 2 (43:01):
How about Jalen Carter? You get to be commissioner for
a day. What are you gonna do?

Speaker 8 (43:05):
Well, this is what I would do, Bernie. Look, I'm
commercial for a day. Jack Prescott, what I saw he
provoked on whatever he said. I'm not a liberator, but
I saw he provoked him.

Speaker 7 (43:15):
He's painting at him.

Speaker 2 (43:16):
First, that's not justification that. Come on, now, he spent
on the ground fifteen feet away.

Speaker 8 (43:23):
Yeah, well he did spit on him.

Speaker 2 (43:25):
But so what you so you're gonna do? You're not
gonna do anything to him, you feel you feel this.

Speaker 8 (43:28):
I I want to spend both of them. I was
to fend them, and I would find both of them.
I was to spend him for walking Dak Prescott your offer,
and then I was to spend Carter, and I would
find them too. I would find both of them. So
Carterner like two hundred thousand, Dak Prescott one hundred thousand,
I will find both of them.

Speaker 2 (43:44):
That's okay, that's an interesting take. Okay, all right, all right?
Moving along, Caitlin Clark Poppy, do you think it's a
chance a situation where you may never see her again?

Speaker 8 (43:58):
Well, I hope not, because he's one of the greatest
of all time. You know, kind of don't want to
talk too much about that, but I do want to
see her. She's like a Michael Jordan's She's a go
to women's basketball. It's just I think she's doing this
I prove a statement. She's not going to compete a
lot of Bernie, And what I do want to talk about.
I'm very excited running the NFL tomorrow. I'm really excited

(44:18):
to see bone Neck and cam more thing that's I'm
really interested about that one. And I think bonus.

Speaker 2 (44:23):
All right, Pop, good listener. I love when you call.
But we were a little all over the map today,
Jim in Massachusetts. Lead us off, my friend. I love Poppy,
but lead us off the way we need to be
let off, Harry Bernie.

Speaker 10 (44:35):
As far as the what happened in LA, I'm with
the ownership. I think they researched it and found a
way to get more money. You know that was legal,
and what are you going to do? All you can
do is close that loophole. So I'm with the ownership
on that, which I would have given him the money for.

Speaker 2 (44:54):
Who it was. So you you you tell me that
you believe Pablo Tooris and Trupid reporting is in fact
accurate and he'll be proven correct.

Speaker 11 (45:02):
Yes, I do.

Speaker 10 (45:03):
I do believe that because because they always look, they
always look for ways to cut corners, you know, and
if they found that out, and you know, they'll have
to stop other teams from doing it now.

Speaker 2 (45:13):
But well, you know, you know, don't You don't get
to be a billionaire by being a greeter at Walmart
with all due respect, all right, exactly moving, which is good,
good work. By the way, By the way, uh Jalen.

Speaker 10 (45:24):
Carter, you know, j I could care less about that.
He got caught spitting. They all do it, Bernie.

Speaker 12 (45:32):
I'm old school.

Speaker 10 (45:34):
If I was commissioned for a day, there'd be no
in the grass, there'd be no taunting. It would be
back to eighties football again.

Speaker 2 (45:41):
You know.

Speaker 10 (45:41):
I'm so sick and tired of watching going to see
the sports scores, you know, I picked my bets and
at ESPN at the bottom, they're running the fantasy football thing.
You know, gamb One's got too much involved in that.
I don't believe we should be playing football around the world,
lest take games over the Saudi Arabia. You know, let
them come here and watch it if they want to watch.

Speaker 2 (46:03):
Well, at that part, I they're they're really kind of
growing the game internationally, but fair enough so you you
wouldn't you'd leave Jalen Carter alone. They kicked them out,
move on. Nothing to see years.

Speaker 10 (46:11):
Basically what you're saying something they throw him on the game,
So what you know, big deal, They all do it.
He just happened to get caught right in front of
an official appoll.

Speaker 2 (46:20):
You know, there's so many, can't I mean Bill Romanowski
got caught too. You remember that back in the day, Jr.

Speaker 10 (46:26):
Well, you know what the thing is? That The thing
is now, Bernie, you got children and man's bodies playing
that game now.

Speaker 9 (46:31):
I mean, that's you know, I go.

Speaker 10 (46:33):
Back to the eighties, you know, eighties and early nineties,
and football has just gotten all about money and gambling
now whatever. As far as Caitlin clock goes, walk girls walk,
you know, because it's not gonna be Do you.

Speaker 2 (46:46):
Think do you think she will? That's that's the thing.
Do you think she will? Jim? You know, I don't
know how serious his growing injury was, but to basically
miss the last two full months of the season after
not missing a game in college and not missing a
game or go ahead.

Speaker 10 (47:03):
Why would you stay somewhere where they had what like,
uh what was it like thirty flagrants fowls in the
league or something seven?

Speaker 2 (47:12):
I get that.

Speaker 10 (47:13):
Yeah, yeah, Why would you Why would you ask them
more punishment like that when you can make trillions of
dollars going someplace else.

Speaker 2 (47:20):
So do you think do you think she? Do you
think she'll stay or go?

Speaker 11 (47:24):
Go?

Speaker 10 (47:25):
Because I don't think.

Speaker 2 (47:26):
I appreciate appreciate you, Jim, always always appreciate you. Man.
Thank you, Stephen, Kansas City, You're up next. Let's start
with the Clippers and problety and what are your thoughts?

Speaker 13 (47:37):
Okay, Uh, Bob blows right. Nobody cares because I can
deal with these. I could deal with these pretty patch.
Uh the what what was the Jalen story?

Speaker 11 (47:53):
The space?

Speaker 2 (47:53):
Well, Jalen Carter, you saw it if you watch the
game Thursday night, I'm sure you saw it. Uh. He
spit in Dak Prescott's face seven seconds into the game
and that was it. He kicked him out. Now, the
NFL has said they're going to meet out some punishment.
We don't know what it is.

Speaker 13 (48:10):
I think what would solve all of this instantaneously? I
agree with you one hundred percent. Burnie that that the
monetary fines don't do anything. I would mandatory community service,
have Jalen referee the flag football NFL flag football tournament
for days on it for two or three days in

(48:32):
a row, and that would instantly stop all the spitting
that that.

Speaker 10 (48:36):
Was just.

Speaker 2 (48:38):
How about this if he was forced to attend a
w NBA game every night for a month to have
your choice. But Jalen, you got your choice. You go
to a w NBA game every night for a month
or thirty days in jail. Right, And we hear the
story later. I'm sitting in my cell and my roommate
turns on the WNBA game. I say, turn that off
because you turn it back on or I'm going to

(48:59):
hit you over the head with a back well, so
sitting in the hospital. Anyway, go ahead.

Speaker 13 (49:03):
We would get rid of every fight in the NFL.
And about Caitlin, I think the smartest course of action.
And I've heard rumors that she may be firing filing
a federal complaint for an unsafe working environment, which would
be great?

Speaker 2 (49:17):
Is that joy?

Speaker 3 (49:19):
Yeah?

Speaker 13 (49:19):
That the rumor was going around that she is going
to uh, she is going to say that the referees
were notified this year that they should stop, they should
clamp down on the action in the regular season. They
did not do it. And and if she and then
she can make she can make three or four times
in the Big Three with ice Cube. They offered her

(49:41):
a ten million, fifteen million dollars contract. She just had
to keep.

Speaker 6 (49:45):
She has to keep.

Speaker 2 (49:45):
Playing the she's got Yeah, she's set for.

Speaker 13 (49:49):
Yeah, she has to keep she has to keep playing
in the WNBA because of the thirty to forty million
dollars Nike deal. Now she could still play and collect
her salary and still will sue the w NBA because
they're not doing anything. They're not changing. And back in
the day, in the Jordan versus the Pistons, they would
sort of, you know, they had to relax the fouling

(50:11):
during the regular season and nobody would go to the postseason.
The Pistons would put Jordan on. Remember what came in
the lane? You know that you were there, Yeah, but you.

Speaker 14 (50:22):
Know all about that.

Speaker 2 (50:23):
But Jordan will get a.

Speaker 13 (50:25):
Handle on this. We've got to get control control the
w NBA.

Speaker 2 (50:29):
Well, one thing, Steven and Chuck Day was the architect
of that, but it was within the framework of the game,
and the live ball team has been physical. Other players
have been treated physical. They've singled her out. Obviously, you
can't deny that. I just want to say one thing.
Do you remember the file She's standing around by the
low post last year, Kennedy Carter slams her from behind.

(50:50):
The ball's dead, there's no play. She slams it from
behind the floor. The Angel Reese is over there clapping,
jumping up and down like she just won the power ball.
There were just do nothing. The commissioner does nothing. I'm like, Okay,
now you've really got my attention because they're doing it. Now.

Speaker 13 (51:08):
They're doing it to gals away from the basket like
Sophie Cunningham from a zoo. I mean, we have got
to get The only way is for federal regulators to
come in and save them from their from themselves and
God bless Kaylen. She can do whatever she wants to
go get another job, but I would love to see
her shoe them first and then and then make more
money and then get the Nike money and the Big

(51:30):
Three money, get the Nike money.

Speaker 2 (51:34):
She can do both right out of the gate. Steve,
thanks so much, Poppy with Kawhi at the Headshop and
jim My man Uh with his strong take, and you know,
and then and now Steve all right, Martin in Orange, California,
welcome into the Bernie Frattle Show. I love to hear
what you got to say.

Speaker 14 (51:54):
Hey, Bernie, glad to be on, Glad to hear you back.
I'm going to go in a little bit of reverse order. Sure,
and that Kaitlin cart I'm I'm I'm a simple man.
I'm not thinking about the money. What I'm thinking about
is is it the competition? Are they too fierce? Are
they too physical for her? And if that's the case,
going to Europe acting to health because because now she's

(52:16):
going to be a high name American playing in the
European League. So I got to think she got to
ask herself, is this what she wants to do? Is
it about the money or is it about winning? Is
about being the best? Those are two different things.

Speaker 2 (52:30):
So you know, she's already got fourteen w NBA records
in her first year and a half. No one ever
mentions that fourteen and oh, by the way, she's the
all time league scoring college basketball Continue.

Speaker 14 (52:41):
On, Martin, bringing as soon as she hit the floor,
she broke records, because that's how weak that league is.
But let's go on to the next thing. I saw
that spinning thing, and I thought, Deck's You know, I've
been to Texas. I know how them boys are. They
like to they like to spin on the ground where
you at, kind of like disrespectful. And I think Jalen

(53:03):
just reacted, and of course he overreacted. Shouldn't be punished. Yeah,
I don't think he'll be missing the game, but I
think you gotta find him the money, Bernie. And I
know you don't think the money does anything, but maybe
you gotta make it like a lot of money.

Speaker 2 (53:17):
So these guys, well, no, actually the caller a paraphrase.
I actually didn't say that, Martin. I said I'd find
him three or four hundred grand. No, I don't care
how much money you got. You can't tell me you
lost three hundred grand that day and had a good day.
So you want to try, you you want to try
to create a deterrent so other people don't do this.

(53:40):
Continue on, Martin.

Speaker 14 (53:42):
I completely agree you need that deterrent. I mean, the
last thing was the Clippers whose probatory was right. Of course,
the Clippers are trying to circumvent the league. Of course
they've been trying to win.

Speaker 15 (53:59):
That's just how it is.

Speaker 14 (54:01):
No is the legalities of it. Is it gonna hang
out that they did something wrong? I don't know. Baumer
is a very smart man.

Speaker 2 (54:11):
The NBA is going to investigate this pretty vigilantly.

Speaker 14 (54:14):
Yeah, so I know he probably, But what what he
came out and he's like, oh, no, we didn't do that.
Oh I don't know about that. Can you remind me
of Ronald Reagan? Oh I had no recollection. Oh I
don't know what's going on in my own house. Come on, man,
you had to have known. You had to have known
what's going on.

Speaker 2 (54:35):
Well, we're gonna find out. And I don't think Pablo Torri,
who's a respected journalist, Harvard guy, been around the block.
You know, I have a degree in journalist. You don't
come out with something like this without confirming it with
a couple of sources. I don't know. Again, I'm not
taking sides. Martin a great, great call, my man, I
appreciate it. Don't be a stranger. We are off to

(54:55):
a raucous start. Hang tight, Stephen Connecticut, Sam and Rochet
and hollering James in Minnesota. You're up next eight seven, seven, nine, nine, six,
six three sixty nine. I want to hear from you
on the Midnight Hour. Caitlin Clark, is she a gonner?
I doubt it, but it's not a zero. Jalen Carter,
you know where we're going with that? And the Clippers.
Steve Balmer, what happened with the phantom? Twenty eight million?

(55:18):
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(55:40):
morning right here on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Coming up, the Midnight Hour continues. I'm Bertie Fratto or
come to your line from Las Vegas. Fox Sports Radio Studios.
Keep it locked. You're listening to the Bertie Frattle Show
on Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 3 (55:55):
the nation. Catch all of our s at Foxsports Radio
listen live.

Speaker 2 (56:07):
All right back on the Bernie Frattle Show Fox Sports Radio.
A raucous and fun start to the midnight hour. We're
unpacking this Clipper story that's picking up steam. Kawhi reportedly
paid twenty eight million for a no show job, and
you can't lie. He didn't show up a lot with
the Clippers, right So anyway, ah, Jalen Carter your commissioner

(56:30):
for a day, what do you do about this? Kicking
him out enough? Caitlin Clark played thirteen whole games this year.
She's gone for the rest of this season? Anyway, Is
it possible she never returns to the WNBA and continue on.
We go out to Steve in Connecticut. Steve, thanks for
having on hanging on, Buddy.

Speaker 16 (56:49):
K doing good.

Speaker 7 (56:54):
Bye. I just want to say on the just spitting
it Bober story, the.

Speaker 11 (57:00):
Spitting incident there, sure.

Speaker 7 (57:05):
The guys should get thrown out of the league, to
be quite honest, because that is an arrestable of sense.

Speaker 2 (57:11):
It is you know, You're exactly right, it is.

Speaker 7 (57:16):
And I just think what he did is just totally disgusting.
Now to the Caplin Clark thing.

Speaker 6 (57:22):
Yeah, I think she should go. She should go.

Speaker 2 (57:25):
Do you think she will, though, that's the question because
she has all kinds of options. There's opportunities around the
world to play basketball, and she's got marketing opportunities. The
WNBA is just come on, anyway, continue on. Do you
think she will? I mean, I know he will.

Speaker 7 (57:43):
She will. I'm pretty sure she will. I watch a
lot of the w n b A and the groin
injury when it happened, you couldn't really tell that it happened.
So I just think she got discouraged with all the
fouls and all the playgrounts against her and everything. And again,
like the other callers said, the league wasn't really doing

(58:05):
too much about it in.

Speaker 6 (58:06):
A federal protection for her.

Speaker 7 (58:11):
So that's where I stand on that anything.

Speaker 2 (58:14):
A lot of Clippers in the Kawhi Leonard.

Speaker 7 (58:16):
Story not too knowledgeable of that. I just heard about
it yesterday, so I don't know.

Speaker 6 (58:24):
To be honest with.

Speaker 2 (58:25):
You, all right, I appreciate your candid opinions on the
other two. I don't think there's of course, they're not
going to kick him out of the league. They won't
do that. But you have to do something. It's got
to be a deterrent, uh. Jalen card I always apologize.
We're going to learn from this. Where they all read
from the same script, We're gonna learn from this. Yeah,
I almost almost set a swear around the air took
us Sam in Rochester Joint. Just welcome in, Sam, Welcome

(58:48):
to the Bernie Frattle Show.

Speaker 17 (58:50):
Thanks Berry, So Caitlin Clark, I'm not qualified because I
haven't seen that one dribble of the w NBA. So
let's move on from that. Okay, Kawhi, He's not the
first professional that has been paid under the table. I'm
sure there's been countless situations where to skirt the salary cap,
they've offered positions after they retire, et cetera. I'm sure

(59:13):
that's happened in every sport.

Speaker 2 (59:15):
But think about this. Think about this, Sam, because he
was a free agent in the summer of twenty nineteen.
Nobody thought he was going with the Clippers. Nobody, but
he did. And so if you entice a free agent
by circumventing a salary cap, the ramifications of that are incredible. Now,
I get it. People getting golden parachutes, whatever type you're
not wrong maybe about people who do things like that.

(59:37):
But he was enticed, allegedly paplatry that he took this
money to no show job anyway. So that's where I'm
going with that. Do you who do you believe? Do
you believe it happened?

Speaker 10 (59:49):
Absolutely?

Speaker 2 (59:50):
Okay, okay. Bring up another really good point, Sam, that
you don't think this is nicely the case?

Speaker 10 (59:56):
Do you absolutely not? This has happened countless? Guy?

Speaker 6 (01:00:00):
For sure?

Speaker 17 (01:00:00):
You're telling me Jerry Jones hasn't.

Speaker 6 (01:00:02):
Hasn't put a little bit.

Speaker 17 (01:00:03):
Of money under the table to name player go back
to the nineties or watch all this stuff on Netflix.
Hayley Dion, I'm sure he gave them tons of money
under the table.

Speaker 2 (01:00:15):
Wow, wouldn't that be some I see. I don't know.
I mean, I can't say you're wrong. Uh, you know,
I'm not just I appreciated anything else, Sam, good call
anything else?

Speaker 8 (01:00:27):
Yeah?

Speaker 17 (01:00:27):
So sticking with the Cowboys, right, So, Jalen Carters, are
we sure that Dak didn't spit at his feet on purpose?

Speaker 2 (01:00:36):
Well, we know, we know that was provocative. Sam. He
was back and they were John and Jack said he
kind of spit on the ground, which is a little
bit of a kind of innocuous f.

Speaker 13 (01:00:44):
You I did it.

Speaker 17 (01:00:46):
But why does nobody care that Carter has passed the
ball two steps away from the offective uttles?

Speaker 2 (01:00:52):
Those are all excellent points, everyone knows.

Speaker 9 (01:00:56):
I think that maybe he.

Speaker 17 (01:00:57):
Was giving a little warning shot. Possibly he wasn't trying
to spit on the guy. Just get close enough to say, hey, man,
why you're trying to join my huddles.

Speaker 6 (01:01:06):
This is offense.

Speaker 10 (01:01:07):
Sorry, bud.

Speaker 2 (01:01:09):
Well, Yeah, thanks, thanks a lot, Sam, don't be a stranger.
We do this every Saturday night, hitting into Sunday morning.
You know, Dak Prescott's short turned one hundred percent clean either.
But look, man, you can't go around in life being
trigger happy and have some sort of unhinged your irrational
attitude because something doesn't go your way. You there are

(01:01:30):
going to be repercussions. Okay. You know if I'm standing
in line at to buy my lunchables and somebody goes, hey,
you ugly Italian, and I go what boom? And I
punched the guy again. I know where I'm sleeping that night.
I'm going to jail. It's as salt and battery and
they don't have good food there, and I don't look
good orange jumpsuits. So you have to show restraint, and

(01:01:50):
Jalen Carter never has. That was just not coming out
of Georgia. All right, I'll get off my I'll get
off my soapbox. There hollering James in Minnesota. This ought
to be good. What do you got forrest? Tonight? Holler
and James three two one. Nice to talk to you,

(01:02:12):
my friend. You waited on line for that. You're an
American hero. Jim in Florida joins us. Welcome in, Jim, How.

Speaker 6 (01:02:20):
Are you, Barnie?

Speaker 16 (01:02:21):
He gets around, isn't he?

Speaker 2 (01:02:23):
I like to keep my audiences riveted. Maybe he really
was sleeping. Who knows, maybe I put him to sleep.

Speaker 16 (01:02:29):
Hey, many many years, many hours of entertainment. First time called.

Speaker 2 (01:02:34):
Though, Welcome in. Don't be a stranger.

Speaker 14 (01:02:36):
No, I uh wanted to.

Speaker 16 (01:02:37):
Talk a little baseball, even though I know it's uh.

Speaker 2 (01:02:40):
Go ahead, we go ahead, rant. If you got a rant?
What do you got go ahead, Bud?

Speaker 14 (01:02:44):
Yeah, we got this.

Speaker 16 (01:02:45):
Tampa Bay situation here where they're actually playing pretty good baseball.
And uh, even though it's an outside chance, it's a
possibility they can make the playoffs. Yep, Sure they've got
a stadium, the Holes eleven thousand.

Speaker 2 (01:03:02):
My my wife and I were there in Tampa in
in May and and we were gonna go to a
Yankee game. They were playing the Yankees at and I said,
you know who, I'm not going to go to that stadium.
I wouldn't anyway. Yeah, you got a real issue there,
Go continue on.

Speaker 16 (01:03:15):
Yeah, so say say they miraculously.

Speaker 11 (01:03:18):
Just get him.

Speaker 16 (01:03:20):
The playoffs went round one. Where's where's that game going
to be played? Where's the series gonna be playing? Is
Banford gonna let this happened? Where we could inevitably have
a World Series in the stadium the Holes.

Speaker 2 (01:03:35):
Eleven It's really that's a that's a that's a brain
teaser there. Look, I don't like to create problems that
don't exist yet try to solve them. But I would
say this, if if it got to that point and
it's not a zero, I would suspicion they would play
their home games in say Miami's home ballpark, okay, up
to Tammy.

Speaker 14 (01:03:56):
Move or would they move them to.

Speaker 16 (01:03:59):
Yankee Stadium because that ballpark is a minor league board.

Speaker 2 (01:04:05):
For Kate, well, that's where they're playing now, That's where
they're playing now in the regular season because of the
tornado that took the roof off, that that Tampa Bay
Goofy Dome. Anything else, says Uh on the topics we have, Jim,
other topics.

Speaker 16 (01:04:18):
Yeah, just a suggestion that Blakeswell ages uniform number to
five because that seems to be the the number endings
he's willing to give for his twenty five million.

Speaker 13 (01:04:33):
Dollars a year or whatever he is.

Speaker 16 (01:04:35):
He is such an underachiever and just him at Glasgow
are just they are part of the problem with the Dodgers.

Speaker 2 (01:04:48):
Just I don't know.

Speaker 16 (01:04:50):
What Dave Roberts said last night was just inexcusable.

Speaker 2 (01:04:56):
Now that I have to agree with it, I like, Dave,
you pull a guy because you got no bullpen, and yeah,
you gave up the hit. But then come on, you know,
we'll see what happens in October. Hey, good stuff, Jim,
appreciate you man. Uh, check back in with us, Zach
in New Hampshire, joint us. Welcome in Zach Bernie good. Thanks.

Speaker 18 (01:05:18):
So when I come to the full situation, it kind
of seems like something off the soprano. So I and
Tony would work with that sanitation company just for the
w two like that's the first thing I thought.

Speaker 2 (01:05:31):
Of as Talian, this is really a story. I gotta
I gotta tell you, Zach, this is really a story.
I'm going to follow because I just think it has ripple.
It's like throwing a pebble in a pond and watching
the ripples. I just feel like this has Yeah.

Speaker 18 (01:05:50):
It's incredible, especially like uh le Broun, like Sack, like
he's a godfather of the NBA. I mean, this is
more of some godsfathers stuff right here.

Speaker 2 (01:06:01):
Yeah. I'm almost a little speechless, uh that that this
this could happen and we have smart callers. It's not
as zero. I just don't know enough about it. Do
you have anything about the Jaalen Carr situation or Kaitlin Clark.

Speaker 14 (01:06:16):
Yeah.

Speaker 18 (01:06:16):
The Jalen Carter thing kind of reminds me of that
episode of Sign So where Keith Hernandez.

Speaker 2 (01:06:24):
Yeah, look, you saund like you you remember when Robbie
Alamar did it with the Blue Jays spent in the
umpire's face it for a couple of games back.

Speaker 10 (01:06:34):
In the night.

Speaker 18 (01:06:36):
I was born in eighteen high so all.

Speaker 2 (01:06:38):
Right, fair enough, Uh that Jalen Carter, you get to
be commissioner. What would you do? I'll find them and
move on, right, I think, yeah, you can't go over
what you gotta do something. You gotta do something. He's
gonna feel even just a little bit, all right, Zach,
appreciate you man. Thanks for checking in tonight. Al And

(01:07:00):
des Moines, Iowa. I'm looking for this call. I like
all our calls, but I'm guessing from where you're calling from.
You have a real take on Caitlin Clark.

Speaker 9 (01:07:08):
Am I right, yeah, that is exactly why I called.
I could be wrong, but she's not going to leave
the w NBA. Okay, rely right, it's if you have
followed her. What has always been her dreams since she
was a little girl was to play in the w
n B A and two. She's not going to leave
with them winning.

Speaker 14 (01:07:28):
Quote unquote with them.

Speaker 9 (01:07:30):
You know, she's going to come back with a vengeance
next year. Hopefully she gets stronger, tougher, you know. But
there's no way she's leaving.

Speaker 11 (01:07:40):
I wish she would.

Speaker 2 (01:07:41):
Yeah, I don't think she will, at least not this year.
I think she's coming back, and she's under contract. I
just I've heard people speculate that they believe that she's
thinking about that. I have no nothing, no substance.

Speaker 9 (01:07:55):
Yeah, and I have no I don't know anyone that
I don't I don't know anything.

Speaker 7 (01:08:00):
That's just my god.

Speaker 2 (01:08:02):
Well, I think I think your take is rational because
she seems like a rational person. So it's I give
it maybe a one percent chance tops, but it's not
a zero. The thoughts on the clippers, uh, and.

Speaker 9 (01:08:13):
You have you know that that that's hard to Uh,
it's just hard to know because I mean, I.

Speaker 19 (01:08:22):
Does it really surprise you.

Speaker 9 (01:08:23):
If it did happen? I mean maybe this is something
that's been going on for years and a lot of
the professional sports, and that is going to be interesting
to find out if they have evidence on that.

Speaker 2 (01:08:32):
Well, you know, you know what you asked a good question.
Would it surprised me? Yes? But no, but here And
that's allows the answer. If I could ask Pabltry one
question right now, I would ask him, what is the
predicate that caused you chase your story in the first place?
What happened somebody tip you off? What? So you see
what I'm saying. There had to be predicate somewhere and

(01:08:53):
he really ran with it, right?

Speaker 9 (01:08:55):
But yeah, I mean that that's going to be interesting
to see. And then as far as Jalen Carter find him, really,
I think you find him and you suspend him a
game or two. I think you got to control your emotions.
You're you're you're watching control. I don't know.

Speaker 2 (01:09:11):
Of course you do, of course you do.

Speaker 9 (01:09:14):
I don't know. Isn't the worst thing in the world
to spit on somebody? I don't frost, But I think
you got to have control of your emotions and there
needs to be a message sent.

Speaker 19 (01:09:24):
So that's it.

Speaker 2 (01:09:26):
Okay, thanks a lot, al Rick and Louisiana.

Speaker 11 (01:09:30):
Welcome in, Rick, Awry, buddy, all right, thanks Bernie for
taking a call.

Speaker 2 (01:09:34):
Sure, now were you today doing well? My friend this morning,
my name was not in the obituary, Colm, So I
had breakfast?

Speaker 11 (01:09:44):
He all right, starting with Kawhi. Yeah, they quiet. It
was just another way of giving getting him some money.
So I believe that, you know, hey, they he's not playing.
You know, he's missed a lot of basketball and he
still got paid.

Speaker 2 (01:10:05):
So well, it's a no show in all seriousness. You
know what's interesting is because we got smart callers, the
vast majority believe this really happened. I haven't heard one
person say, oh, no way, you believe it probably really happened,
right Rick?

Speaker 11 (01:10:18):
Oh yeah, okay.

Speaker 2 (01:10:20):
So let's let's let's just play this out for just
a second for fun. Let's say they uncover substantial evidence
to prove this. What does the NBA do? Are there
legal ramifications? Uh? And does this perhaps uncover other situations
of this nature, not maybe just in the NBA, with

(01:10:40):
other sports?

Speaker 11 (01:10:43):
Yeah, and I may it may be a bigger problem
than we realized, or I'd say a problem, a different
thing that's going on that behind the scenes, that you know,
just to cover up. I guess, you know. So that
doesn't shock me that that really doesn't shock me though.

Speaker 2 (01:11:00):
No, uh, anything on Caitlyn Clark and or Jalen Carter, Jayleen.

Speaker 11 (01:11:07):
Carter, I think that hidden hitting him in the pockets
sends a message to the other players. Yes, you'll sit
to yourself.

Speaker 2 (01:11:15):
Yes, I think so, I do. I don't. I don't
think to spend them or you know, you can't penalize
the rest of the Eagles, right.

Speaker 11 (01:11:25):
The third thing with Caitlyn Clark, you know, I said
a while back when they were comparing her to Jordan,
I was like, no, she hadn't done anything yet. So,
but as far as her going somewhere, I don't think so.
I said a while back that I think that the
w NBA needs to miss her for a while.

Speaker 2 (01:11:44):
You know, I want to ask you one last question,
but before we get to the next caller, Rick David
Dennis Junior a year ago said it's his wish that
there would be a playoffs with all Caitlyn Clark and
we would see that the ratings don't really drop. Well,
he's gonna get his wish. I don't. You don't have
to see what happens if the ratings do really drop.
So if they do miss her that way, do you

(01:12:06):
do expect her to be a drop in ratings?

Speaker 11 (01:12:09):
Yes, all right, I do one more rant, one more rant.
I had one thing that I want to say is
that you said of weeks back that you did not
think that, based on your sources, that Jerry was going
to pay Michael.

Speaker 2 (01:12:26):
That's right, yes, sir, Thank you for remembering that this
was different than the Cede Lamb Zach Martin, Dak Prescott.
This one had a little different feel to it, and
I was told that by people that this one might
and not in the same way. I wasn't one hundred
percent sure, but I felt like that was very much

(01:12:47):
on the table. Rick, Thank you, appreciate you checking in.
As always, when we come back, Steven, Los Angeles will
be up next, wrapping it up with the Midnight Hour.
Caitlin Clark. Uh, she's done for the year. But do
you expect her to be back in the w n
B A or might you have other pastures? Jalen Carter,

(01:13:09):
what do you do? You're the commissioner for the day.
Can't be spitting on people and this clippers uh kawhi
Leonard Uh. I just got a funny feeling. This is
really gonna take root and the story is gonna grow.
And the callers have been pretty pretty vehement about the
fact they do believe it happened.

Speaker 10 (01:13:23):
I don't know.

Speaker 2 (01:13:24):
I gotta wait and see. I'm Bernie Fradderwick coming to
your line from Las Vegas Fox Sports Studio Radios. Yeh,
keep it locked. You're listening to the Bernie Fraddle Show
on Fox Sports Radio. All right, we're wrapping it up
on the midnight Hour. I'm Bernie Fraddiwick coming to you
live from the Fox Sports Radio Studios. Yes, we'll take
you up to three am Pacific, six am Eastern and
on top of the r Actually, we're gonna have Mark

(01:13:45):
Medina Medina Magic, and you can bet we'll be diving
into the Clippers story in depth. Stephen Los Angeles joined
to Steve. Welcome man.

Speaker 6 (01:13:56):
How are you hey, Bernie?

Speaker 15 (01:14:01):
Before I get into your three subjects and I want
to tackle the Flippers first, but I want to say
to you. I spoke with you a couple of weeks
ago when we were talking about the Saduro Sanders issue
and whether there was possible collusion occurring amongst the owners,

(01:14:24):
and at that time I said that I thought that
there could be. But before I get into that, I
want to say that we also were talking about Jake
Paul and although I'm a few years older than you, Bernie,
doesn't matter. I can learn from anyone. And you caused

(01:14:44):
me to think, take a second look at how hard
and my attitude was towards him, because boxing is in
my background and in my blood, and I do acknowledge
that if he has what he's done in the ring
and what he's done in order to be in shape

(01:15:06):
to step in the ring and stay standing up in
the ring, that he does deserve more respect than I
gave him a couple of weeks ago.

Speaker 2 (01:15:15):
Sir, I accept all that, thank you.

Speaker 15 (01:15:17):
Now. The Clippers issue is the thing that I said
about possible collusion. I have to admit that I think
that there's potential of collusion more often than not. I
was in Las Vegas in the nineteen seventies and eighties

(01:15:38):
when the mafia had a hold of that town, and
when he you know, in the teamsters, when you talk
about collusion and talk about that, that's almost like the
American way. There's so much under the table and behind
closed doors and smoke filled rooms goings on, almost a

(01:16:02):
part of a professional expectation.

Speaker 2 (01:16:06):
It rises to a whole. I'm not disagreeing, but this
rises to such an exorbitant level. Steve, do you believe
it happened? Do you believe that Steve Balmer and and
uh and Pabulatory will be proven correct?

Speaker 15 (01:16:22):
Whether they can prove it. That was my issue with
the sedure matter. But I do believe that it's so prevalent,
the ability to blithely and glibly lie that you know
what comes out of people's mouths Uh. As far as denial,

(01:16:43):
you know, I think more often than not they you know,
it's are to be suspected rather than that that they
are like pious.

Speaker 2 (01:16:55):
Fair enough, it's more likely than not anything on Caitlin
Clark or Jalen Carter.

Speaker 15 (01:17:00):
Yeah, I don't have anything on Jalen. We all spit
when we were kids. But that's a juvenile that's a
juvenile impulse and activity. I mean beyond that, it deserves
no regard. It's a real imitate to her.

Speaker 2 (01:17:17):
Well, you represent the National Football League. I mean that's
not good for the product.

Speaker 15 (01:17:21):
Absolutely, go ahead and Caitlin. I really enjoy her, applaud her.

Speaker 14 (01:17:30):
Personally.

Speaker 15 (01:17:31):
I have to say that I think it's a racial
component that is causing the tension that she's experiencing. I
deplore it and what she does. I wouldn't blame her
if she went elsewhere to make her dollars, but I'd

(01:17:51):
like to see her staying all right.

Speaker 2 (01:17:53):
Thanks a lot, Thanks for hanging on and appreciate your
thoughts tonight. Steve. For the record, I do not believe
Caitlin Clark will vacate and anytime soon. Maybe in a
couple of years, I don't know. But I don't see it,
and I don't know what happened with this Clippers deal.
All I know is you've got a very respected reporter

(01:18:16):
who's come forth and it started on Pobo's podcast, which
is called Pabula, Tory finds out. And I'm told I
didn't hear the podcast, but I'm told the show featured
many quotes direct quotes from legal documents, and that made
the argument in his behalf that Kawhi was in fact
paid twenty eight mayon through a company owned by Steve Balmer,

(01:18:39):
to essentially do nothing. I have no idea if it's true.
Balmber's accused of using this agreement as a way to
pay Leonard of more of his contract. And if true,
it's a violation of NBA rules, and Balmer has vehemanly
denied it now Pabla. Tory attempted to find the report,
says he attempted to find any evidence that Leonard even

(01:19:00):
marketed or endorsed this company called Aspiration all right, but
supposedly came up empty. And there was a clause in
one of the contract documents. I guess he was able
to obtain that that implied that Leonard could quote decline
to proceed with any action desired by the company. End
quote essentially given lender of the ability to get paid

(01:19:23):
without doing anything. Another clause stated letter would only be
paid if he remained a member of the Clippers. Now,
there was some correspondence from the Aspiration Company and they
were sent to a generally named Dennis Robertson, who's Leonard's advisor,
who was investigated by the NBA back in twenty nineteen
for asking for impermissible benefits. And the NBA completed that

(01:19:47):
investigation and found no evidence that the Clippers granted illegal benefits.
So this is a highly charged situation, and I think
this is a story that's just getting out of the blox.
Coming up here at the top of the hour, we're
gonna be joined Mark Medina for a little Medina Magic,
and you can be sure we're gonna we're gonna dive
into that. Thanks so much to all demand now our

(01:20:08):
calls you are spectacular as usual. Keep it locked. You're
listening to the Bernie Frattle Show on Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 1 (01:20:16):
You don't listening to Fox Sports Radio Radio.

Speaker 2 (01:20:19):
That's right. You heard the man. The Bernie Fraddle Show
keeps rolling right along. My name is Bernie Frattle. We're
coming to you live from the Fox Sports Radio studios
here in Las Vegas. Ye app will take you after
three am Pacific, six am Eastern. We are nine hours
away from the full Sunday NFL kickoff, the first full Sunday.
A couple games in the books, but hey, we got
a bunch of new games here coming up in nine hours. Now.

(01:20:44):
You wonder why we cover the NBA fifty two weeks
of the year, There's always something in the news cycle.
Three simple words. It's that time. Our man, Mark Medina,
Medina Magic, our Fox Sports Radio NBA guru and Mark,
it never seems to fail that we have a what

(01:21:07):
I always consider a substantial piece of news story as
it were. And I have not heard Pabulatori's podcast, but
as an educated journalist, and I don't know what the
predicate was and started this story, but it's out there
and I don't know who to believe, but I like to,
you know, mine your information with respect to what maybe

(01:21:30):
do you know that we haven't talked about so far
regarding these allegations of the twenty eight million in Kuhi
and the Clippers.

Speaker 19 (01:21:36):
Yeah, well, Bernie, as you a litera to the NBA
interactively investigating the claims from Pabulatory's podcast where you know,
he had documentation that mentioned that, you know, the Clippers,
you know, made this deal with Aspiration, which is a
company that's now defunct, but at the time they were
in the business of planning trees, and they had an

(01:22:00):
endorsement deal for Kawhi Leonard that basically gave him twenty
eight million dollars not to do anything, and that was
a circumvention of the salary cap. Now, as you and
your listeners might be aware of, you know, the Clippers
have put out a lot of statements, you know, as
an organization saying that you know, these assertions are false,

(01:22:21):
they're provably false. Clippers owner Steve Balmer had an interview
with ESPN's Ramonas Shelburne where he's, you know, said all
these things are false. But the reality is the NBA
is going to verify. And I know that we've talked
about disciplinary issues in the past under Commissioner Adam Silver,

(01:22:41):
and you know, whether it's harsh enough or not harsh enough.
But I will tell you this, Bernie, if the NBA
is able to prove it, I think that the Commissioner
will go down very hard on this because one issue
that Adam Silver and former NBA commissioner David Stern really

(01:23:01):
strongly have. You know a lot of feelings for when
it comes to disciplinary issues, is for any team that
circumvents the salary cap because that cuts to the core
of competitive balance and their hope to have parody in
the league. So we'll have to see what the NBA
can prove. But if they are able to prove something,

(01:23:23):
I think the punishment is going to be pretty severe.

Speaker 2 (01:23:26):
Mark, Let's go back to July at twenty nineteen. Wou'd
that long ago on a scaler one to ten. Almost
in the middle of the night, it was announced that
Kawhi was a Clipper on a scaler one to ten.
How surprised were you that was the team he ended
up with.

Speaker 19 (01:23:40):
Well, I was surprised only because of the history that
the Clippers aren't known for getting big guys and the
Lakers are known for having that. But it did make
sense when you think about it, that you know, Kawhi
he wants to be the number one guy, He wants
the forges of the path. He doesn't want to join
a Laker team that are already has Lebron James Anthony Davis.

(01:24:02):
The other thing that made sense is that Doc Rivers,
the Coppers coach at the time, emphasized that by signing
Kawhi Leonard, you're essentially also making a move for Paul George,
because their ability to get Paul George was almost contigent
on Kawhi Leonard coming there. And so I know, especially
now that Shakes Alexander has blossomed into a great player

(01:24:25):
with the alcohol to see Thunder, He's won a championship
for this past summer, the Clippers have made it clear
that even though they technically traded shay Go Alexander, Denilo
Ga Nari and some draft picks, you know, for Paul George,
essentially they're doing that to get Kawhi Leonard. Now, as
you alluded to, this isn't the first time there's been accusations.

(01:24:48):
In twenty nineteen, there were accusations that, you know, Kawhi
Leonard's uncle was asking for a lot of demands that
fell out of you know, fell out of favor of
what the NBA allows, and the NBA investigated. It's not
to say that the Clippers aren't guilty of it, but
they weren't able to find evidence of this. So We'll

(01:25:10):
see if the NBA can find evidence of this. But
I think what's different in this case is there's documents here.
You know now that the company that we're talking about
is bankrupt. There's a paper trail, and so I think
it's much more easier to prove.

Speaker 2 (01:25:29):
Do you know the name Dennis Robertson because I've done
some research on this and apparently he was an advisor
to Kawhi Leonard, who was also investigated by the NBA
back in twenty nineteen for.

Speaker 19 (01:25:38):
Allegeni Well, yeah, that's his uncle.

Speaker 2 (01:25:40):
Yeah, okay, so that's the uncle. Okay, I didn't know
that was his uncle for impermissionable benefits and the NBA
apparently completed that investigation just like you said. I said
this twenty minutes ago, but you just reaffirmed it and
found no evidence and found no evidence. Look here, I
want to give this a left turn. We all know

(01:26:02):
who Publeatory is and he's a highly visible person. What
would have been the predicate? Mark? Can you speculate that
allowed Probleatory to dive into this with the mind of
an intrepid journalist to uncover his bombshell? What was the predicate?
Did somebody tip him off what happened.

Speaker 19 (01:26:21):
Here, I don't know. I mean, in journalists do their
own jobs. He's very reputable. In the last few years,
he's had a podcast that really dives into long form
kind of traditional so called investigative journalism. So what he
did is he looked up documents and connected the dots

(01:26:41):
and talk to people. I mean, I can't speak on
who he's talked to in chapter and verse. That's not
my job. But I find it very credible and the
NBA will confirm whether it is or not. The other
thing that we have to keep in mind with the
Clippers is that this isn't their first rodeo with getting
in trouble from the NBA on circumventing the cap. They

(01:27:04):
find the Clippers two hundred fifty thousand dollars for violating
those rules when it came to the DeAndre Jordan free
agency sweepstakes in twenty fifteen, and I remember reporting at
the time. What it pertained to was that the Clippers
have presented DeAndre with what one source told me was

(01:27:24):
a hypothetical deal that entailed an endorsement with Lexus worth
about two hundred thousand dollars. Now, since then, people around.
The NBA said to me that Jordan didn't take advantage
of this possible endorsement opportunity. He wound up signing with
the Clippers just because of his history with them and

(01:27:45):
some I think misgivings on you know what led him
to want to sign with or give Dallas, the Dallas
Mavericks a verbal agreement. But the reality is the Clippers
circumvented the cap And so when Steve Baumber is trying
to plead ignorance to it, I don't buy it. You know,
you can't say, you know, you can't say I'm too

(01:28:09):
smart for that. But I plead domb on on having
a business endorsement deal with the company that went bankrupted.
It's either one or the other. So again, the NBA,
they're going to have to be able to prove this.
But where there's smoke, there is fire.

Speaker 2 (01:28:27):
Yeah, thousand percent, Mark, We're gonna let's just follow this story.
We'll both follow it because the implications are really severe
and it's it's not ironic, it's coincidental that, you know,
Donald Sterling was forced to sell the team, you know why.
And I don't want to create problems that don't exist
yet or cast aspersions when I don't have facts and

(01:28:49):
hard evidence and this is not my story, but God forbid,
I mean, the salary cap is sacro sacked. Like you said,
sanchro sact me the saco sact. Give me, Mark, I
haven't been drinking, but I'm that word. You know what
I'm trying to say. And there would have to be
something very severe if this were to happen. And one

(01:29:10):
last thing we'll get onto your conversation with Jim behind.
Does this imply on some level that this is maybe
not even an isolated incident, that this has gone on elsewhere.

Speaker 19 (01:29:24):
Yeah, I mean it's very well possible. Now it's all
about what can you prove. And I think that one
thing to keep in mind is that circumventing the salary
cap that's a much different conversation when it comes to,
you know, the tampering allegations that almost every team's guilty of.
When we hear all these deals accreed upon, maybe with

(01:29:45):
the exception of this summer, but in previous summers, when
deals are agreed upon within minutes of when free agency happens,
that's a much different issue than circumventing the salary cap.
I mean that cuts to the core again of competitive balance,
Big Mark. It's small market spending. And there's almost a
precedent here former Commissioner David Stern. You know, it's apples

(01:30:07):
and oranges. But when the Minnesota Timberwolves they tried to
disagree with Jose Smith was signed with a bunch of
one year deals with the idea that they would reward
him eventually once they had his Burger rights. They're able
to see these documents because they're his former agent, Eric
Fleischer and Andy Miller. They're going through, you know, a

(01:30:27):
bitter divorce and a lot of happenings. There were documents
that showed up in court, you know, about showing these
different one year deals. And the punishment here was the
Minnesota Timberwolves are fined three point five million dollars, Their
owner Glenn Taylor, was suspended for a year, their GM
Kevin McHale had to take a leave of absence for
half a year, and the Timberwolves had a four five

(01:30:51):
first round picks. So what does this mean for the Clippers.
I mean, you do the math here, They're going to
lose draft picks. Maybe Kawhi Leonards contractors void, maybe their
front office has temporary or long term suspensions. Again, this
doesn't slap on the risk kind of punishments of them
issuing a warranting for them get in some inconsequential fine.

(01:31:15):
If the NBA is able to prove these allegations, the
punishments is going to be severe.

Speaker 2 (01:31:21):
Well, and mark one last thing and we'll get off
this quick. This can be almost relegated to a follow
the money case. If khi Leandard was paid twenty eight
million dollars, somebody needs to take a look at his
tax return from twenty nineteen and oh, by the way,
that had to come from some bank, that had to
originate from somebody's pocketbook. And follow the money cases are

(01:31:42):
the easiest to solve. How's that money accounted for? How's
that money reconciled? If it happened right, So there's other
issues there as well. All Right, On a lighter note,
a couple of players, Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony are
going to be elected inducted here into the Basketball Hall
of Fame. It's a basketball it's not a probat as

(01:32:04):
you know, talk about your conversations with Jim Beheim and
Dominique Wilkins.

Speaker 19 (01:32:09):
Yeah, well, Jim Mayheim. He's you know, the former longtime
Syracuse coach. He coached Carmelo Anthony when he helped them
win their lone NCAA championship in two thousand and three.
And I think the thing that's very fit in with
Carmelo Anthony has a pretends to Syracuse is he was
only there for one year, but he made an immediate
impact with that title team. He gave back so many

(01:32:32):
times the community to the university so much that you know,
they were able to renovate their practice facility because before
that they had to share their space with all the
other you know, non revenue teams, sports teams. But that's
almost a direct contradiction to what the His NBA career

(01:32:53):
was very accomplished, became the number ten all time lean scorer,
but the zero championships. But I think Jim Bayheim, obviously
he has you know, a bias here because he was
his coach and he was a player that helped him win.
But I think he made a various stew point that

(01:33:14):
a lot of it had to do with circumstances. When
you look at it objectively, he always made his teams better. Well,
it was the Denver Nuggets or the New York Knicks.
And while everyone will view some of its faults of
not being a pass first guy, not being the greatest defender,
I would argue in Jim Baheim would argue that one

(01:33:34):
he made his teams better instantly better too. His vast
scoring vastly outweighed any weaknesses, and a lot of the
shortcomings had to do with roster construction, mismanagement and anything
what that Carmelo Anthony did or didn't do, and so
that so I think with that it's a no brainer.

(01:33:55):
He was a first ballot Hall of Famer here, very deserving.
What else they have to keep in mind? And he
played a very instrumental role in you know, the US
Olympic redemption here with the redeemed team gold medal finish
in two thousand and eight. Him gained more gold medals
in twenty twelve, twenty sixteen, and you know, it's a

(01:34:18):
no brainer. I think the other thing that's very interesting
with Jim Beayheim is he thought he was going to
be a guy that would have to be in college
for two years. But because he was able to put
so much good strength and muscle early in his freshman season,
he knew immediately he would be one and done as
it pretends to Dominique Wilkins. What's interesting with him is

(01:34:41):
that he was one of Dwight Howard's presenters. He was
one of the best dunkers of all time. He told
me that Dwight Howard is right up there. He's one
of the best dunkers, most notably because of what he
did in two thousand and eight and his slam dunk
contest with you know, catching a lob from Jamiir Nelson
and jump just below the free throw while wearing the

(01:35:03):
Superman cape, putting a little mini basket on the hoop
on the backboard and catching a basketball from there before
throwing a windmill dunk. When when Dominique Wilkins was judging
those dunk contests, he was giving ten out of tens
and then throwing the board, you know, an admiration over

(01:35:24):
what he just saw and that you can't take that
likely because Dominique Wilkins and Michael Jordan were the two
best stunkers in the eighties.

Speaker 2 (01:35:32):
Well, Dominiqu Williams, dominqu Wilkins, excuse me, I agree with
d White. Hoir was a vicious dunker, right, I mean,
that was a power dunk. If he was playing when
Darryl Dawkins was playing, he'd have broken some backboards, I think,
like they did back in the day before they fixed
all that. But yeah, I'll tell you listen, I take
Dominique at his his word. I mean, he's he's you know,

(01:35:52):
he was there, right. I was never forgive me for this,
But I was never really a great Dwighthawer fan. I know,
I know Mitch Kupchak loved him, but when the when
when the heat cats hot and it's hard to breathe,
and he just I just think he was a winner
and a crush time. I'm sorry, just just my opinion.

Speaker 19 (01:36:07):
Yeah, I think that's fair. And look, when I asked
that criticism Domini Quolkins, he went into the idea that, hey,
everyone has their own personality. He's still dominant. But I know,
covering that Laker year when he was with Kobe Bryant
and Steven Ash and Pyle Gasol and it not working well.
This idea that was just because he had a back

(01:36:29):
injury and the roster was going through a lot of
flux and there were coaching changes and for an office
terminal turmoil no. I mean, the reality is he could
have been the most dominant center in the NBA, but
he didn't want to play pick and roll with Steve Nash.
You want to prove he could be a post up guy,
partly because Shaquille O'Neil was calling.

Speaker 10 (01:36:49):
Him out for it.

Speaker 19 (01:36:50):
So I think it's very telling that you know Steven Ash,
who was considered one of the best teammates ever, everyone
loved him, he had that he had issues with White
to Howard's attitude and work ethics. So you know, while
Dwight Howard does deserve some credit for deeming himself and
being able to have a pretty prolonged career, partly because

(01:37:12):
he accepted a relegated role towards the end of his career.
A lot of his time with the Lakers that first year,
at his time in Houston with James Harden, it was underachieving,
partly because of health, but partly because he didn't play
up to his potential.

Speaker 2 (01:37:28):
Mark great stuff, the depth and breadth of the knowledge
all over it. I know you have a very deserved
not off next Saturday, but we'll see you Saturday the twentieth,
and maybe we'll have some updates on this story because
I think this story's got real legs. I don't know
where it ends up. A man, I think it's got
real legs. This Clippers co I.

Speaker 19 (01:37:49):
Think, Yeah, I totally agree, and we'll see what happened.
This is a long process, but I would suspect the
NBA would have a definitive answer before training camp and
almost three weeks.

Speaker 2 (01:38:01):
So exactly, yeah, well said, yeah, we're not that far
away from opening night. Mark, great stuff, Bud, get some rest.
Thanks so much.

Speaker 19 (01:38:07):
I appreciate you.

Speaker 2 (01:38:08):
Be well. Thanks. That's Mark Medina, Medina Magic, our Fox
Sports Radio NBA guru and right out of left field.
This story crops up and then at the end of
the summer and it's just one of those intrepid journalistic
stories that's really caught my eye because of the gravity

(01:38:28):
of the situation. Hey, football is back for the best
pregame show every weekend, be sure to tune into Fox
Sports Radios Countdown to Kickoff, presented by BETMGM. Every Saturday
and Sunday morning. We'll count you down to all the
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(01:38:51):
every Saturday and Sunday morning right here on Fox Sports
Radio and the iHeart Radio app. Which is a good
segue because at eleven minutes we're going to debut a
new future here. People for years have asked me about
fantasy football. Should I include a segment and Brandon it
will be introducing, well, he actually introduced it a couple

(01:39:12):
of weeks ago, the Fantasy Files. We'll have every every
Sunday morning at one thirty am, four to thirty Pacific.
Check that form one thirty Pacific, four to thirty Eastern,
you know, eight and a half hours before kickoff, and
we'll see what Brandon's got to say as you go
to set your lineups, and this is not an easy business.
You know, you had Xavier Worthy the other night. You
took a bad break. You took a bad break. Meanwhile,

(01:39:34):
Justin Herbert, my son has Justin Herbert. He had twenty
nine points the other night. I don't do fantasy anymore,
but I know it's a big deal in this country
and people take it very very seriously, and so are we.
So we'll have that coming up here in about ten minutes.
I'm Bernie Fradderwerck, comed to your line for the Las
Vegas Fox Sports Radio Studios. Keep it locked. You're listening

Speaker 3 (01:39:56):
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio
listen live or back on the Bernie Frattle Show.

Speaker 2 (01:40:11):
Fox Sports Radio come to you live from the Las
Vegas studios of Fox Sports Radio. Fantasy Owners Team participants,
you have two minutes to get your pens and pencils
ready and we're going to introduce reintroduce Fantasy Files with Brandon.
But I want to get something off my chest because

(01:40:32):
I bet the Cowboys plus eight and a half the
other night. Yeah, I put it in print before the game.
I was on Jason McIntyre's podcast, Straight Fire, and one
of the things I talked about was all the week
one betting trends, which are very real backed by a
lot of data, which I'm going to get to it

(01:40:52):
later in the hour because Week one is eight and
a half hours away. But I want to get something
off my chest because I got no beef personally with
Matt Eberflus. But this guy keeps getting jobs. Okay, he's
not Dallas's defensive coordinator, and somehow they dial up something
to stop. Really, they stopped Saquon Barkley sixty yards three

(01:41:15):
point three yards to carry. They held him to twenty
four points. Last year with Michael Parsons they scored thirty
four and forty one respectably. Philadelphia did. But you know
who everflues couldn't stop Jalen Hurts. That cost him the
game ultimately. Yeah, Miles Sanders. Fumbling when you're going in
for a touchdown didn't help. CD Lamb dropping passes right
and left didn't help the one on the skinny post

(01:41:37):
he catches that pass. I think Dallas wins. But before
Matt Fleeberflus was fired by the Bears last season, what
was the knock? He struggled with situational football, especially late
in games, and those struggles very much resurfaced Thursday night.
So let me get this off my chest. He made
a baffling call on a crucial fourth quarter play the
Eagles needed three yards to convert a game clinching third

(01:41:58):
down with a minute forty five left. Hurts lines up
at an empty four nation with no running back next
to him. He'd burned Dallas on the ground, doll game
you knew, damn well. I looked at my wife and said,
Hurts is gonna run the ball here her Eberflus calls
a soft cover three zone rushing four with a box
safety creeping up about ten yards deep. What's that going

(01:42:18):
to do you? He left no spy on Hurtz instead
asking zone defenders zone defenders to contain Hurts if he scrambled.
That's not a plan that's gonna work on Jalen Hurts.
Not Jalen Hurts. It didn't, and it sealed the game.
Mad eblerfus geez man, all right, I'm done. All right,

(01:42:40):
Fantasy Owners team members, get your pins and pittels ready
because it's time for Fantasy Focus Fantasy Files with Brandon Deutsch,
your go to fantasy football segment are.

Speaker 14 (01:42:54):
One God when.

Speaker 20 (01:42:57):
We are back with some sid start suggestion for Fantasy Files.
This week the most important week of the season because
you want to get off to a hot start Sunday morning,
about to set your lineup. This is this segment you
need to listen to, and we'll start with all the
owners in fantasy who have Calvin Ridley. People were super
high on Calvin Ridley, and rightfully so. Cam Ward has

(01:43:18):
said nothing but great things about him. He has said
that that's his favorite target. We all know that they
don't really have a wide receiver too, whether it's Tyler
Lockett or Elkia Man or so. You think must start right.
But this Broncos defense ranked top five in every single
metric last season. They have the best corner in football,
the defensive player of the year in Patrick Surtant, and
he will lock him down. He only allowed ten plus

(01:43:39):
fantasy points to a receiver last year once once. Now
you wonder why won Defensive Player of the Year. That's
why Calvin Ridley is the easiest sit of the week.
I believe that he is going to have a horrible
game and it's a rookie quarterback that he's going against.
So at the end of the day, Broncos are going
to have cam Ward thinking twice about playing the NFL
at least the first week before cam Ward and Calvin

(01:43:59):
Ridley get a guy I would start though, speaking of
getting going in the NFL is tetroha McMillan. I love
tetroa McMillan plethora of targets available. With Jalen Cocher starting
the season on the ir Bryce Young really doesn't have
any options. It's McMillan and it's Xavier lagued who's second
year receiver trying to take a leap. I think McMillan's
the guy. This is a defense that they're going up

(01:44:21):
against Jacksonville where they ranked bottom five in almost every
single metric, especially against receivers and not just Fantasy football
but also advanced statistics. They were almost last in the
yards in the NFL. They didn't have a good secondary
of all, part of the reason why they drafted Travis Hunter.
Will play both sides. That's gonna be an interesting thing
to watch. But Hunter is not on this list. We're
gonna go next to JK. Dobbins. If you guys have

(01:44:42):
this Broncos backfield, I would prefer to start R. J.

Speaker 2 (01:44:45):
Harvey over JK.

Speaker 20 (01:44:46):
Dobbins in PPR leagues. And here's why. Dobbins is only
going to be utilized at the goal line. I don't
think he has much going on against this Tennessee defensive
line that has always been established with Simmons, with other guys.
They just added sweat. They have a really good defensive line.
They actually have a great defense in general that got
overlooked because of their atrocious offense last season with Will
Levis and everything that was going on there. This is

(01:45:08):
going to be an RJ. Harvey game. I think there's
going to be some checkdowns out of the backfield, especially
with the pressure that's going to be getting to bo Nicks.
I think bo Nick's rushing upside is also immense. If
you have BONNICKX in fantasy, I think he's a solid
start because of that. But I'd be shocked if RJ.
Harvey does not have a good game, and I would
be shocked if Dobbins has a good game because the
only way he gets over seven Fantasy points is a touchdown.

(01:45:30):
But I do love the pass catching, especially in PPR
leagues for RJ.

Speaker 2 (01:45:33):
Harvey.

Speaker 20 (01:45:34):
The next start we're going to go to instead of
keeping it with rookies, We're going to go to a
proven veteran, a guy that everybody loves, and it's Cuba Hubbard.
Cuba Hubbard has an excellent matchup against Jacksonville. Now, their
defensive line is better than their secondary. Like I talked about.
But this is a guy who they just extended, gave

(01:45:54):
him a lot of money, and you drafted him in
the fourth round. The usage is going to be off
the charts, and this is going to be quarterback because
of the limited options with just McMillan and the get
in the passing game that they're going to rely on
Hubbard a lot. And if we're staying with starts now,
I'm gonna go two starts in a row, three starts
in a row. If we included Harvey in that last one,
I'm going to go James Connor of the Arizona Cardinals.

(01:46:15):
This guy mean mugs when he's running. I mean, this
guy's been incredible for years. People think age will catch
up to him. Not against the New Orleans Saints bottom
five in almost every statistical category defensively, especially against the run.
I believe they were the worst in the league last season,
close to the bottom. To that, James Connor should get
two touchdowns this game. Solid start. There a sit though,
and people are gonna hate this one because it's a

(01:46:37):
rookie and people are very high on him. But Caleb Johnson.
I don't love Caleb Johnson. This week they named Jalen
Warren the RB one. Caleb Johnson's not a good pass catcher,
and this is a Jets defense that is excellent against
the run. Obviously, they have Williams, they have a great
defensive line, and their secondary is good too. I just
think their defense in general is good. So we're gonna
stay with Steelers to sit. Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf

(01:46:59):
are both sit. DK you probably drafted in round four
or five. You're like, look, I love the upside there
there's no other receivers.

Speaker 5 (01:47:05):
I'm going to play DK.

Speaker 20 (01:47:06):
Well, temper your expectations a little bit because sas Gardner
is one of the best corners in the league. Aaron
Rodgers is not throwing for over two hundred yards against
his Jets defense. This is going to be an ugly
game of ground and pound game. Now, MAYI there's Steelers win,
but it's not going to because of DK Metcalf. I
promise you that it's gonna because of t J. Watten
that defense. Finally, the last two sits and starts that
we will go to, we'll get to him very quick.

(01:47:28):
It's going to be Ricky Piersall will start against Seattle,
whether or not Christian McCaffrey plays, it doesn't matter to me.
Juwan Jennings first week back at practice, we can't expect
him to be amazing right away if he plays this weekend,
which he's looking like he's going to. Ricky Piersall showed
the rapport with Brock Purty all off season in training camp,
in the preseason games. In the last two games of
the last season was top five and target chair, So

(01:47:50):
I love him and I also hate in that game,
absolutely hate Zach Sharpenay and you.

Speaker 5 (01:47:56):
Can see why Ken Walker is healthy right now.

Speaker 20 (01:47:59):
I don't think Sharmoney even gets five carries, so he's
an obvious set. And if we're going to another game,
we'll give you another set. Nick Chubb against the Rams
at Rams defensive line is one of the best in
the league. Really love the Rams d line there. And
the final start that I will give you, guys is
Jerry Judy against the Cleveland Browns. The Bengals have one
of the most atrocious defenses in all of football, and
there really are aren't many other wide receivers on the

(01:48:20):
brown so I do expect them to really get going
and target Jerry Judy a lot. I love David and
Joku in that game at tight end as well. So
make sure you start the guys that I just said,
sit the guys I said, make sure to listen to
Fantasy Files every week on the Bernie Frotto Show to
help you set your lineups each week.

Speaker 2 (01:48:35):
Thank you, guys. I'm Brandon Deutsch there. It is Fantasy
Files with Brandon. I apologize the name I blurted out
that I mush mouthed is not Fantasy Focus. It's Fantasy Files.
Fantasy Focus is actually an ESPN product and they do
a very nice job with it. So Fantasy Files with
Brandon will bring it to you every Sunday morning, one

(01:48:56):
thirty am Pacific time for thirty am Eastern time. As
we are now about eight hours and twenty three minutes
from kickoff. Good luck to all the fantasy owners coming up.
You know you're gonna bet everybody does fifty billion, fifty
billion dollars with a B. Well, we bet legally this year,

(01:49:20):
and the National Football League in the thirty eight legal
states beyond that, how much illegally? I'd say probably three
to four times that amount. Seriously, that's a guess. But
as a result of that, what we try to do
is bring you usable data that's accurate, knowledgeable, and time tested.

(01:49:41):
And when I was on with Jason Thursday, I talked
about many notable trends FORER Week one, not the least
of which that divisional underdogs cover blindly. Since twenty fourteen,
seventy two percent there was a divisional underdog Thursday night
Dallas covered, there was a division underdog Friday night the

(01:50:01):
Chargers covered. Coming up, we'll give you the rest of
the games that fall into that category, and six or
seven other notable Week one trends having to deal with totals,
quarterback performances, homefield advantage. Right down the line, I'm Bernie Friddle.
We are coming to you live from the Las Vegas
Fox Sports Radio Studios. So keep it locked right here.

(01:50:22):
You're listening to the Bernie Frattle Show on Fox Sports Radio.
All right, back of the Bernie Fratle Show, Fox Sports Radio,
coming to live from the Las Vegas Fox Sports Radio Studios.
And yes, eight hours and sixteen minutes from kickoff. In
the National Football League, I believe there are eight games
in the early window, four in the late window, then
the Sunday night standalone game. It's Baltimore Buffalo, and then

(01:50:48):
Monday night'll be a good one too, Chicago Bears will
see what kind of affect Men Johnson has had on
Kleb Williamson in the debut of J. J. McCarthy in
the mind vikings. All right, So, there are some notable
trends for the NFL in Week one based on a
lot of historical data which I keep over the years,

(01:51:11):
Starting with the fact that favorites typically struggle to cover
in Week one. If you just go back six years,
they're only covering forty four percent of the time, all
favorites forty two and fifty four against the number, despite
winning sixty two percent of those games. So they're winning
but not necessarily covering. Underdogs, particularly large ones plus six
and a half for more have been very profitable week one.

(01:51:33):
You already if you are on Dallas that fell into
that category, you cash on that. They've covered ten of
the last thirteen games since twenty one and since twenty
oh six, underdogs have six and a half for more
forty nine and twenty seven against the number in Week one.
Now the big thing for me are divisional underdogs. This

(01:51:57):
has been a huge trend for me since twenty fourteen,
covering in about seventy two percent if you bet them blindly.
Know why is that? Okay? Because teams started full strength.
The underdogs are still optimistic. They haven't given up yet,
and depression hasn't said in yet. And the good news
is the good teams have not yet to really fully gel,

(01:52:18):
had enough time to gel and separate themselves from the pack. Also,
coaches have months to game plan, and that leads to
tighter games and increases the likelihood of dogs covering and
many times pulling off the upset. There are still six
remaining Divisional underdogs, the New York Giants. Now the line

(01:52:39):
I got a met was six against the Commanders. They
may be five and a half now. The Browns are
at home catching six against the Bengals, which also falls
into another strong category, Divisional home underdogs, and two teams
fall in that category, the Seahawks and the Browns. I'll

(01:53:00):
at that in a minute. Divisional home underdogs have been
a strong bet twenty three and seven against the number
since twenty ten. It doesn't happen that often, okay, So
you can see in fifteen years, there's only a couple
of year there's two This year. But at twenty three
and seven, you can make as much money as you
want to make if you, you know, if you continue
with that trend, that checks in at about seventy one percent.

(01:53:23):
The other remaining divisional matchups are the Bears plus one
and a half against the Vikings, and I think and
by the way, the Seahawks not two and a half
doesn't exist anymore. They're probably I think the game's down
to one, but these are the game lines. I got
the mat You always want the best closing line value,

(01:53:46):
and I you know, I was able to jump on
that early because I've been doing this in terms of dump,
you know, dumping on divisional underdogs week one since twenty fourteen.
That's good. That got My relationship started with Jason McIntyre.
He caught wind of it. In the last four years
I've been on a straight fire podcast. We've talked about
this really at nauseam and here we are two to zero.

(01:54:09):
If history, if history is any teacher, then of these
eight games, five point six are going to cash. You
know where I'm going. But you go five and three,
make as much money as you want to make. You
might even go six and two. So two or in
the books or six remaining. If they just split, you
go five and three. That's a nice profit. Five out
of eight. I think that checks in a little under
seventy percent, but you might go six out of eight.

(01:54:31):
The Browns can cover against this team. The New York
Giants can certainly cover. The Chargers are already did, and
so did the Cowboys. That leaves the Falcons catching two
against Tampa Bay. And finally the Carolina Panthers plus three
and a half against Jacksonville. Yes, home underdogs the in

(01:54:56):
Week one, do well. The other home underdog. Now this
is a divisional game, Jets catching three at home against Pittsburgh.
And you heard Brandon's fantasy file, the Jets are going
to bring a good defense. I don't have a whole
hell of a lot of faith in justin fields. There's
he's fourteen to thirty for a reason. But that's a
conversation for a different day. Totals, the under has been

(01:55:23):
slightly profitable in Week one. If you go back to
twenty fourteen, the under has hit about fifty five percent
out of one hundred and seventy five games. It's hit
in ninety five. But additionally, though unders in divisional games
with totals of forty seven or lower have been profitable.
Just something to note. Week one scoring rows a little

(01:55:46):
bit in twenty twenty four, but that was partly due
to the kickoff rule changes. However, passing touchdowns were the
fewest since twenty oh six, and rushing touchdowns outnumbered passing
touchdowns for the first time since nineteen eighty nine. Something
to note now, the impact of his starting quarterback, especially rookies,

(01:56:07):
can heavily influence Week one outcomes and subsequent line movements.
When you look at Denver, would they really be laying
eight and a half to Tennessee if they weren't starting
a rookie quarterback number one overall in his first ever game. Now,
I happened to like Cam Moreed a lot. I don't even
do well in this league, But rookies who start Week
one in the National Football League, I'm talking about quarterbacks

(01:56:32):
drafted number one specifically, not just first round guys, but
number one overall, it doesn't go so well. The only
one I covered directly was back in two thousand and
nine to Detroit with Matt Stafford. He beat out Dante
Culpepper the last day of camp Colepepper stormed out. Stafford
started against the Saints and in the Alliance got housed.

(01:56:54):
The Saints rode him like a stick horse. Think it
was like forty seven to seventeen or twenty four memories
sixteen years ago. So you have that situation in Denver. Now,
I'm not in a hurry to lay the eight and
a half, but that could be a case for a teaser, right,
and you compare it up with something else to get
it down across the key numbers of three, four, six,
and seven. And by the way, if you're gonna bet teasers,

(01:57:18):
let the math work for you. You know. Don't teaser a
line of plus eight up to plus fifteen. That's not
how it works. Don't cross through zero, that's not it works.
Don't tease totals, that's not how it works. It's hard
enough to have some success against these books without turning
into Mickey the Duntz and doing things that just don't
pan out for you. Coaches. In week one, now this

(01:57:40):
is interesting because I finally fired on the Rams. Small
play Rams coach Sean McVay has a perfect five and
zero straight up and against the spreads record in week
one and Mike Tomlin. This is why I'm sketchy Jets.

(01:58:01):
He's fourteen and six seventy in Week one road games,
so I think Pittsburgh might have something for you. I
know the Jets are really trendy pick, just the same
way Duke was this big trendy pick Saturday because of
Many defense. You know, Many das his defense for Duke
going up against Illinois and Brett Belmo. They've been better

(01:58:23):
off with Many Ramiers's defense. I mean they lost by
twenty six points. They put up a ton of yards.
But one person repeats it the echo chamber. Be careful
to your own research, right. It's like rule number six
in golf. You're responsible for your own ball and your
own score. Jim Harball, we were told it was right five.
He is not. He was four and oh or five

(01:58:43):
and oh in game ones ats and he did it
again Friday night. So those are the key key trends
in on Week one, and the main thing, you know,
bankroll management. You don't have to bet every single game
just because it's on TV, and whatever your bankroll is,

(01:59:04):
don't endanger it by betting too much on anyone given game.
This is a tough business man. This is a ridiculously
hard business. If you watched how that Charger game or
checked at for instance, I'll go back to college. Okay,
everybody loved that lane Kiff and old Miss was going

(01:59:26):
to smoke Kentucky today late eight and a half. It
went by double digits. No, you know, I'm not late
and a half on the road. Well they you know,
a late field goal took that eight and a half away,
and if you had the under, it went over and
the last second yanked out of your mouth. You work
hard for your money, so keep you know, keep your
sanity when it comes to not endangering your bankroll. Coming up,

(01:59:47):
we're gonna dive back into comns. We're gonna go to
Columbus Ohio Ohio State. Don is going to join us,
and we're gonna ask the question can Ohio State repeat?
Actually I think they can keep it locking. You're listening

Speaker 1 (02:00:01):
Don't listening to Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 2 (02:00:04):
Well, that's right, you heard the man Bernie Fointle Show
keeps rolling right along. We are coming to you live
from the Fox Sports Radio studios here in Las Vegas.
For taking up to three m Pacific six a m. Eastern.
We are just eight hours away from the resumption the
full first Sunday of the NFL. But there's a developing

(02:00:24):
story in college football that I believe. This gentleman came
on our show after Ohio State lost to Michigan and
believe that they would regroup and make a run on
a national championship, which is exactly what they did. The
question is can they repeat. Well, let's find out's welcome
in our Ohio State insire, Ohio State. Don from Columbus, Don,
how you doing, Buddy.

Speaker 14 (02:00:44):
Hey Bernie, how you doing?

Speaker 10 (02:00:46):
I'm doing well.

Speaker 2 (02:00:47):
I bet you are. After those Buckeyes in their first
two weeks, so because they have been so impressive. You
lose your starting quarterback, you lose your defensive coordinat, you
lose a ton of guys in the NFL, but you reload.
Dare I say, based on what I saw against Texas,
they have the potentially be as good, if not better,

(02:01:08):
in twenty twenty five.

Speaker 12 (02:01:11):
Well, the defense in particular is looking very good, and
they may very well be better than they were last
year when they won.

Speaker 10 (02:01:18):
The national championship.

Speaker 12 (02:01:20):
When they picked up Patricia as their defensive coordinator. Here's
a guy that's won Super Bowl as a defensive coordinator
and now he's a defensive coordinator in college and he's
just now learning how to move around the players that
he's got on the team, several of which could be
high graphics downs. In particular, it's going to be a

(02:01:40):
top five pick. Assuredly that Patricia's just learning how to
move him around, and it's I'm sure Patricia's having a
pretty good time right now.

Speaker 2 (02:01:50):
Well, those defensive schemes that he dialed up against Texas
and Arch Manning last week were very sophisticated. I would
adventure to say they were more sophisticated than these schemes
that Jim Knowle's put out last year. Would you agree
with that? Yes?

Speaker 12 (02:02:06):
And as I understand it as well, it's easier for
the players to understand the schemes. They had some difficulty
with nole schemes and it took them a few games
to get used to that, whereas Patricia's are more of
a flowing scheme and they tend to be able to
adjust to it quicker. And so, yeah, it's gonna be
a fun year.

Speaker 2 (02:02:27):
So let's talk about a potential repeat because I think
that story is a legitimate one. And look, this is
not something that's aid unusual. We've had three college programs
repeat the century. Georgia just did it three years ago
in twenty one to twenty two, Bama did it in
eleven and twelve, and USC three and O four. The difference,

(02:02:48):
Don is all three of those repeat winners had their
quarterbacks return, aj mccern and Matt Lioner and Stetson Bennett.
I am really impressed with what I say see out
of Julian saying, now he was eighteen and nineteen Saturday,
but that was against Grambling, But I thought he made
some impressive throws against Texas. Have they embraced Julian saying

(02:03:10):
much more so than they have in quarterbacks in the past.

Speaker 12 (02:03:13):
Well, I think that they've learned lessons from previous quarterbacks.
And it was interesting to watch the Texas game and
that on the sidelines when the cameras panned to the sidelines,
you saw saying always having the headset on or talking
to one of the coaches and so forth, which interestingly enough,
he didn't see any of that.

Speaker 15 (02:03:33):
With Texas, but saying, you.

Speaker 12 (02:03:35):
Know, they're really nursing him along. They like him a
lot smith in particular, belief that his fall even spins
different when it comes off.

Speaker 8 (02:03:44):
With his hands.

Speaker 12 (02:03:45):
So I think they're really embracing and heartline. The new
offensive coordinator for Ohio State wants to make him the
poster child for four quarterbacks and of course the wide
receiver corps stuff. So yeah, they're they're really nursing him
along and they really believe that he's going to be
a stud for them.

Speaker 2 (02:04:04):
Well, he does a lot of things I like, but
the main thing, and I saw this against Texas, he
did not look like a deer in the headlights at all,
and that was one of Will Howard's knox. Of course
they won the national championship, of course, but he seem
like saying, stepped right on the field and seemed like
he belonged. Now, he won a very hard fall battle

(02:04:25):
against Lincoln kin Holes. What can you tell us about
Lincoln kin Holes? Because sometimes in this day and age,
you need a couple of quarterbacks. And you know that
better than anybody. When you won with the third string
quarterback Cardell Jones what ten years ago?

Speaker 12 (02:04:38):
Yeah, well he got in the second half. Lincoln got
in the entire second half yesterday of the KA game,
and they want him to be ready. He's a different
type of quarterback. He's more of a Will Howard call,
lanky cannon of an arm He's able to scramble type
of quarterbacks. So they want to be able to use
him in probably certain situations, so they want him to

(02:05:02):
be ready. Yesterday was a perfect opportunity the entire second
or virtually the entire second halfy it's a quarterback, and
I'm sure he'll get other opportunities next week and so forth,
but they want him to be ready to You never
know about injuries, but I think that they want to
use him in particular packages, so they want him to
be ready too, and it's they're very, very happy with him.

Speaker 2 (02:05:24):
One of the things I want to digress for just
a second before I look ahead, when Ryan Day lost
to Michigan last year, and that was an anethhma to
the folks in Columbus. Believe me, I know all my
ears in Michigan. Having covered that, I think I covered
about thirteen of those games. You had a situation where
it was reported nationally that if they didn't have a

(02:05:46):
good playoff, they were going to fire him, and you
debunked that said, no, they've got too good of a
recruiting class coming in next year. You lose your recruiting class.
Has the faith in Ryan Day is starting to be
rewarded more so now even though I know we got
Michigan down the road. We're going to We're going to
get to that. But is he less person non groad
announce since he's won six Street games in dominating fashion

(02:06:07):
since that loss, well.

Speaker 12 (02:06:10):
You know, national championships, so I'll get you a lot
of kudos. So he certainly is very comfortable at this point.
The Michigan game they found out last year is not
nearly as important as it used to be in the
giant scope of the playoffs and so forth. You know,
back in the day, you had to have that game

(02:06:31):
to make it to the playoffs. At this point, even
if they lost the Texas game, and if they continue
to play as they're supposed to play the rest of
the year, they're going to make the playoffs anyway. So
and it will be the same with Michigan. So if
they go undefeated and lose the Michigan I'm sure the
Natives will be unhappy about that, but they're going to
the playoffs anyway.

Speaker 2 (02:06:50):
So it's not nearly as important as he and the
games in an arbor this year. What do you make
of some of the Michigan players that I had their
names said that Ohio States Championship on legitimate because they
lost to Michigan. What what's the consensus in Columbus when
you hear that Michigan's.

Speaker 12 (02:07:04):
Well, you know, they certainly would have liked to beat Michigan,
and certainly they do not want to hear Michigan's statements
along those lines.

Speaker 10 (02:07:13):
But you know, it is what.

Speaker 12 (02:07:14):
It is, and you know, a ring is a ring.
And they're certainly looking forward to playing at Michigan this year,
and I'm sure that that they're targeting that as one
of their key games for the year and stuff. But
they've been a pretty tough schedule anyway.

Speaker 2 (02:07:28):
I mean they got yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 12 (02:07:30):
I mean, so they've got plenty of play of tough games.
If they get through Washington and Penn State and and
so forth and the other games that they need to
go through again, Michigan will not be It'll be a
game that they want to win, no question that they
want to win. Everybody in Ohio wants to win that game.
But it won't be nearly as important as it has
been a previous year.

Speaker 2 (02:07:49):
Well, one last thing, I can't resist the consensus in
Columbus when the NCAA handed down their penalty to Michigan
for the whole Connors Stallion's thing. And we know that
Jim Tressel was suspended six games with the Colts after
the tattoo gate, but didn't givehim a It didn't give
him a competitive advantage on the field. I know Urban
Myers comments were taken out of context, but what was

(02:08:12):
the Ohio state consensus. Michigan got punished du ly or
should have been worse.

Speaker 12 (02:08:17):
Well, you know in Ohio you can't putnish Michigan enough.

Speaker 2 (02:08:20):
So dumb question by me.

Speaker 12 (02:08:22):
Man, they'd have given him the death penalty. That would
have been about right. So you know, it is what
it is, and everybody can move on. Now there's closure
to the issue of whether you like it or not.
The issue is now in the review mirror, and we
move on.

Speaker 2 (02:08:38):
All right, Let's talk about that schedule, because you're right
after Ohio next week in a bye week. Three of
the next four games are on the road at Washington,
at Illinois, and at Wisconsin. Sandwiched against a home game
against a very improved Minnesota team, all those four which
gives you the greatest concern.

Speaker 12 (02:09:00):
Well, whenever you make a huge West coast trip, as
you well know, it's a major ordeal.

Speaker 14 (02:09:05):
And so that that.

Speaker 12 (02:09:07):
Game will be important. Obviously the Wisconsin game, given the
fact who their head coaches, that'll be a very important
game to a high state too. So that's correct, that's correct. So,
and I'm sure Fickle will be looking for, you know,
some payback there. I'm sure that he would have wanted
to be the high state coach at this point versus

(02:09:27):
the Wisconsin coach. But nevertheless, it'll be tough, and uh,
you know, Dale, keep them focused. You've got offensive and
defensive coordinators that are showing their skills, and they certainly,
I would imagine, are looking for potential upward moves as
the years go along too. So I'm sure that they'll
be focused and they'll be ready.

Speaker 2 (02:09:48):
And then when you jump to November, you've got Penn
State visiting Columbus, and I don't believe, I I don't
believe Penn State will meet their expectations. They'll get to
the playoffs again and they win to lose the game
they need to win. That's just the way I feel
about it. But people are comparing their roster to Michigan's
two years ago when they wanted all in Ohio States

(02:10:09):
last year in terms that they got so many returning
players and veterans into three year quarterback. Then you got
Michigan sandwiched at the end of the month. Gone to
your head, who's the bigger threat, Michigan or Penn State.
Based on the roster and the situation, you'll be facing
Penn State the better team, but your game at home
Michigan is Michigan. They're on the road.

Speaker 12 (02:10:30):
The Penn State game will be a difficult game. Franklin's
got some issues he's got to work through, and he's
got to win that game to show his credibility. But
the Michigan game always is going to be the bigger
game for Ohio State, especially since it's on the road,
and you know they've got this albatross hanging around their
neck where they've got to be Michigan. So certainly the

(02:10:51):
Michigan game will be more of a focal point than
Penn State, though I'm sure the coaches won't say that.

Speaker 2 (02:10:57):
Look don great stuff man, I want to get you
on again down the road when this story develops, because
I believe that when you get to November one, Penn
State Ohio State will still be undefeated. I believe that.
I know, you got a tussle at Illinois and they
look to be the real d with Brett Bielima, and
they took it to Duke and many DZ's defense on Saturday.

(02:11:20):
But Ohio State's just a whole different animal, and I
want to make one lad, I'll make a statement slash question.
As good as Ohio States looked, they're they're not near
their potential yet as to what they can actually be.
Is that a fair statement?

Speaker 12 (02:11:34):
Yes, yes, they not only it's say in their quarterback
grow it into his role, but they've They've got Bo
Jackson's son that is now part of the team and
he is growing into his role. He looked incredible yesterday.
Now given the fact that the opponent was not of
Penn State or Michigan stature, he still looked very good.

Speaker 8 (02:11:56):
So they've got a young a lot.

Speaker 12 (02:11:57):
Of younger players that are coming up and they are
working into.

Speaker 6 (02:12:00):
Roles and stuff.

Speaker 12 (02:12:01):
So so so, yeah, it's a growing experience and so forth.
And they got past the Texas game, and they got
a couple of games now that they can get some
of these younger guys in and so forth. So I'm
sure that they're pretty excited about their prospects for sure.

Speaker 2 (02:12:15):
Yeah. I think Ryan Day said it best right before
kickoff against Texas last week. He said, we got a
bunch of new guys doing it for the first time,
but the ceiling and the talent levels undeniable, and they're
going to be really, really good. And I think they've
proven that.

Speaker 12 (02:12:32):
Yes, yes, yes, I'm sure that they're pretty excited about
the year, this year and so forth, and it's going
to be pretty fun. They've used the transfer portal to
fill in the needs that they had for the year
and so forth, and you know, a lot of states
kind of become the poster child for you know, the
new era in college football and how to go after
players and how to recruit, how to throw back in

(02:12:54):
holes that you have with the portal and so forth.
So I'm sure that there are a lot of colleges
that are looking to mirror O High State success.

Speaker 2 (02:13:03):
Don great stuff, man, appreciate it, and this is going
to be fun to watch and we'll get you on
here as this season progresses. Again. Thanks again Don, Thanks
Thanks Bernie. It's Don Gessick or Ohio State Don Insider,
And you know, I think he's spot on and he's
really got his finger on the pulse. So this is

(02:13:24):
going to be a fun story to follow because you know,
it's one thing to have potential, and it's one thing
to have the roster expectations and all this media hype.
But then you got to get on the feel and
do it. And it wasn't just that Ohio State beat Texas.
It's the way they beat Texas and Texas as athletic

(02:13:45):
as any team in the country. So we'll see where
this goes. By the way, with the iHeart Radio app,
you can stream us wherever you happen to be. Catch
us and all of our Fox Sports Radio shows live
twenty four to seven and the new and improved Heart
Radio app. Just search Fox Sports Radio and the after
streamers live all day every day, and be sure to

(02:14:05):
select Fox Sports Radio is one of your presets in
the iHeart app, so will always pop up on the
top of your screen coming up. Who are the surprise
teams in the NFL this year? According to me I'll
tell you coming up. I'm Bernie Frattle. We're coming to
you live from the Las Vegas Fox Sports Radio Studios.

(02:14:27):
Keep it locked. You're listening to the Bernie Frattle Show,
Fox Sports Radio. How We're back on the Bernie Fraddle Show,
Fox Sports Radio. Come to live from the Fox Sports
Radio studios here in Las Vegas. Hey don't look now
seven hours and thirty seven minutes until the eight early

(02:14:48):
games kickoff in the National Football League is the twenty
twenty five season continues. Two Divisional dogs have already covered
the Dallas Cowboys, and I gave you my thoughts on
that earlier and give it up to Jim Harbow is
now six in all on opening day as an NFL
head coach. He did it four times with the Niners

(02:15:09):
and now twice with the Chargers. And by the way,
one thing I want to digress, Alabama got a little healthy.
I think kaln de Bor could really coach. I don't
know what's going on there, but they got healthy against
Louisiana Monroe. But prior to Saturday, Bama had now lost
their last four outright as a double digit favorite, all

(02:15:30):
under Kala the Boor and prior to Saturday. They were
five and five in their last ten games, and the
last time the time where five and five were worse
over previous ten games was eighteen years ago when they
were four and six. Those of the Mike Shuley years,
I think, or maybe I don't remember. Maybe Saban was there.
He had a rough start, but in two thousand and

(02:15:52):
six Bamo had a three and seven record over a
ten game window. But they corrected it. So we'll see
what Kaylen Border can do. He did it, he did,
did a great job, you know. In his last two
stops Presilo State and Washington got Washington into the playoffs.
He's I wouldn't give up on that guy yet, all right.
Every year in the National Football League since the league

(02:16:13):
realigned in its divisions in two thousand and two, well
maybe not every year, every year but one, but there've
been a total of twenty nine teams that have gone
from worst to first, including two teams in twenty eighteen
that did it. Not one, but two teams did it,
including the lovable Chicago Bears, who were quarterbacked by a

(02:16:34):
guy named Mitch Trubisky. Now I know they wanted to
nominate justin Fields for mayor because he's a stellar individual
and a consummate professional. He just struggles mightily with the
forward pass and making read progressions. He's fourteen and thirty.
We'll see how he does. But once again I digress.
The irony is the Bears actually had a quarterback a

(02:16:56):
few years back. For three years. He was twenty five
and thirteen. They made the playoffs two or three years.
He threw sixty four touchdowns, he had thirty seven interceptions
of sixty seven percent completion rate, and they would have
won one playoff game if it hadn't been for the
double doing field goal. I'm talking about Mitch Trubisky. Well,
that year, the Bears went from worse to first. Now,

(02:17:16):
I'm not going to go into great detail. I might
do it next week. There are only eight teams that
could go from worse to first. Cleveland, New Orleans, Tennessee,
the New York Giants, the Las Vegas Raiders, Chicago Bears,
the New England Patriots, and the San Francisco forty nine Ers.
I guess, if I have a gun to my head,

(02:17:37):
I would predict that the Niners of that group would
be the team to go for worse to first in
the National. The NFC West. They have the earliest strength
of schedule in the in the entire NFC, the easiest
strength to schedule based on one lost records from last year.

(02:17:58):
And they brought back Robert salaz Our defensive coordinator. You've
still got plenty of talent, you know, high level talent,
core talent, Nick Bosa, Fred Warner. Hopefully Christian McCaffrey stays healthy.
All right, that's the big thing. But if the Niners
were really to do that, will there be a surprise team? Now,
I'll tell you what I think is a surprise team,

(02:18:19):
and you're gonna ask. You can think I'm nuts, but
I'm not. The New York Giants win three to fourteen
last year. They began to Russell Wilson, Jackson, Brian Dad.
What they have done is revamp a defensive front seven
that is absolutely going to be the real deal. Now,
I'm going to share with you this odd statistic, but
you can't completely ignore it. As I've said before, NFL

(02:18:42):
preseason games they don't count, but they do matter. And
what if I told you since two thousand and nine,
there were only seven teams seven teams that outscored their
preseason cumulative opponents by at least sixty points. Now, for
many of those years he had four games. This year
he only had three. And of the previous seven teams

(02:19:05):
to do it, six of the seven made the playoffs,
two won the Super Bowl. That they averaged eleven point
one wins per season. And guess what, Russell Wilson was
the quarterback for two of those seven teams that outscored
their preseason opponents by accumulative sixty points. And the Giants
happened to play in a division where there hasn't been

(02:19:26):
a repeat winner in twenty one years. Now it seems
likely that Philly should repeat unless they screw it up.
But they replaced six pieces on defense, and you saw
how they looked, and they replaced their offensive coordinator. But
they're pretty damn good. But I think the Giants are
going to turn things around and have a successful year.
Maybe they win seven, eight games, maybe nine games, I

(02:19:47):
don't know. But they are the eighth team since two
thousand and nine, and they did in three games to
outscore their preseason opponents by at least sixty points. And again,
I repeat of the previous seven teams that did that
in the last fifteen years, sixteen years, six made the playoffs,
two won the Super Bowl, but as a group, cumulatively,
they averaged eleven point one wins. I am not predicting

(02:20:09):
the Lions are going to go from three wins to eleven.
Remember what Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers did about
eleven years ago. It's not all the roma possibility teams
go from worse to first. I don't think the Giants will.
I can't say that, and I don't think the New
England Patriots will leader because I think Buffalo is going
to win that division. But I believe the New England

(02:20:30):
Patriots will also be a surprise team. I like what
Mike Rabel's doing. They've revamped their roster, their culture. Drake
may is back for a second year the Pats. Also,
they actually have the easiest strength of schedule in the
entire AFC. Now. The last time the Patriots went from

(02:20:50):
worse to first, that was during Tom Brady's first two
seasons with the team. His rookie year when he was
the starter, the Patriots finished in last place in the
AFC with a five and eleven record. One year later,
the legend of Brady started as he led the team
to first place, finish and even beat the Super Bowl
Rams who were looking to repeat themselves. So there's still

(02:21:13):
somewhat of a culture there. And with Mike Rabel there
was part of those teams as a player. He's got
things straightened out. I look for them to be as
surprised now one last team, because I don't think they're
gonna do it. I think the Lions are going to
win the NFC north of all the teams of the
eight on the list, and I'll go over it more
in detail next week. The Bears were the most recent

(02:21:35):
team to go from worse to first. Like I said,
after finishing five and eleven and twenty seventeen, they rebounded.
They won seven more games in twenty eighteen they went twelve,
and for them, they only played sixteen games back then,
so it's not all the realm of possibility. The Raiders
are never gone from worse to first. I don't think
they're going to do it anytime soon. You bring up
the rear with the other teams, and we'll get to

(02:21:56):
that next week.

Speaker 6 (02:21:57):
Now.

Speaker 2 (02:21:57):
As you know, we covered all the show and we
spend a lot of time between here and you know,
the second week in February. We're gonna be very football
centric because that's what people want, and for good reason.
We also cover with the other sport spelled futbol. It's
played internationally and next year we've got World Cup coming

(02:22:18):
to North America. It's time for Christophett's World of Soccer.

Speaker 3 (02:22:23):
The greatest goals, the thrilling finishes, the international drum, it's
all here in this report from the World of Soccer.

Speaker 21 (02:22:43):
Well, we got through the summer trendsfer windows this last
time we talked to Bernie.

Speaker 5 (02:22:47):
We've had some big matches in the Premier.

Speaker 21 (02:22:50):
League, including one against Arsenal and Liverpool that saw the
defending champions coming out on top. But it's already time
for a international break. Yeah, somehow we didn't seem to
have a lot of time away or really even to
enjoy the club soccer right before international teams started getting
back together for more World Cup qualifiers and friendlies. And

(02:23:13):
where shall we start. Let's you know what, Let's start
with the home team. Let's start with the US, who
once again went out there and had a friendly that
is going to have to really be buried deep, this
time a two nil loss to South Korea. Sun whom
Men who is new of LAFC, scoring a goal there

(02:23:34):
along with his countryman Lee dong Yon. But nothing for
the United States. Another showing for this nation where there's
just trouble across the board, defensive issues being really the key.
The key trouble here really going back to the CONCAFF
Gold Cup where a lot of the same troubles were there.
But I just don't know what the fix is right now,

(02:23:57):
and I've kind of been thrown up my hands each
time I watch the United States. This is a team
that will be hosting in less than a year, and
I'm not sure why I should look at the United
States and say that they will exit the group stage
in the World Cup with their automatic qualifier. This is
the second time under Pachettino, second time in a year

(02:24:19):
two suffering back to back losses. The United States is
winless in seven games against top twenty five teams, losing
six of those matches. We did see some progress during
the Gold Cup. We did see them finally turn around
and start beating up on Saudi Arabia and Haiti, needing

(02:24:39):
to go to penalties to beat Costa Rica in a
two to one win over Guatemala. But like those aren't
the type of nations you will be playing in the
World Cup. And South Korea, for as good as a
player as some human is, it is not a world beater.
The Asian teams are not on the level of Europe
or South America. You have a friendly coming up in

(02:25:01):
about three days against Japan, and if things can't get
going by then, I don't know what to really say
about the World Cup. I understand the World Cup is
like nine months eight months away or so, but what
am I supposed to do with this? This is a
team that continues to look lifeless, listless, lost. It's great

(02:25:23):
stars that are supposed to be soaring savants are not
appearing on the field. Defensive issues are completely cratering this team.
Christian Bulisic is nowhere to be found. Sergino desk was
back in the lineup, but I'm not even sure I
really liked what I saw out of him. The only
one I really feel like I gave any good grades
of the US players out there was probably Sebastian Berhalter,

(02:25:48):
and the little bit we saw of Falarimbaliguan and Ballogan
at this point, in my mind, should be on the
starting eleven. There's no reason for him to be subbed in,
but rest assured, we'll move like putting in Ballaguan over
someone like sergeant isn't saving this team right now from
an ignominious group stage exit at the World Cup.

Speaker 5 (02:26:10):
The way they have been playing for all of.

Speaker 21 (02:26:12):
Twenty twenty five and part of twenty twenty four, I
am struggling, struggling to see how this team gets gets
out of the group in twenty twenty six. But let's
not keep things just on the grim side when talking
about the United States. There were a couple other stories
from this international break so far. One is a very

(02:26:34):
big injury that happened with France that has once again
really rankled the ire of Paris Saint Germain.

Speaker 5 (02:26:43):
This is a topic I really love.

Speaker 21 (02:26:45):
I love the conflict between clubs and nations over what
happens with their players, because I feel at some point
there is going to come to a head and you
need to not look no further than what happened on
Friday when Usman Dembele in a match between France and
you against the Ukraine, he went the forward, went out

(02:27:05):
there and suffered a significant, a quote unquote.

Speaker 5 (02:27:10):
Serious injury to his hamstring.

Speaker 21 (02:27:13):
It will probably sign him line him for about I
would say six weeks or so, and Paris and Germaine
is not happy about this. Den Bell was a favorite
to lift the Blondior Trophy this year. They're not going
to have him for the first match of the Champions
League against Atalanta, probably not the one against Barcelona, maybe

(02:27:34):
not even their third one as well. And he's also
going to miss a lot of League One games as
well too. And to be honest, there was really no
reason whatsoever to play dem Bell in this game. So
I can understand the frustration the PSG as they have
just seen one of their top players suddenly missing a
significant amount of time. And one more quick story from

(02:27:55):
the international break, Christiano Ronaldo, forty years old, netted a
brace as Portugal crushed.

Speaker 5 (02:28:01):
Armenia five nil.

Speaker 21 (02:28:02):
It puts him at one hundred and forty goals for
his long storied career, thirty eight goals in World Cup qualifiers, too,
clear of Leonel Messi, only one behind the all time
leader Carlos Rowez. Ronaldo, even at age forty, what else
can you say? I know he hasn't exactly been in
our imaginations because he've been playing in Saudi Arabia where

(02:28:23):
his rival Lionel Messi's playing in the United States. But
he just signed a new contract with Al Nasser. This
is his probably last chance in the World Cup to
get the trophy that is eluding him and putting him
on equal ground.

Speaker 5 (02:28:36):
With Leonel Messi.

Speaker 21 (02:28:38):
Rest assured, Cristiano Ronaldo is not done and the next
calendar year could be one of his greatest. If he
can keep things together and play strong for Portugal, that'll
do it for us. Bernie, We'll see you next time
on the World of Soccer.

Speaker 2 (02:28:52):
We're months away from the twenty twenty six feet for
World Cup. That's what got this feature started back in
the late twenty twenty two when World Cup was in
November that year. But this coming year it will be
co hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, making
the first time three countries have hosted the tournament all

(02:29:14):
and of course are they're all in North America and
the first to feature this expanded forty eight nation format.
Forty eight nations. So the tournament is going to start
June eleventh, and it will go all the way to
July nineteenth, and the qualifying matches are going to start
happening in early twenty twenty six thirty eight day tournament,
so this ought to be something to see. In the end,

(02:29:37):
it'll be well, we'll save that for later. Coming up,
we wrap up the show, and I want to make
a quick comment on one coach. You might be surprised
that I actually thinks on the hot seat this year
in the NFL. Next week we're going to go into
more depth about multiple coaches that are probably on the
hot seat. And then I have a question. Are the

(02:29:59):
Detroit line it's getting dissed? I think they are, and
I think people are making a mistake, and I'll tell
you why. I'm Bernie Frattle. We're coming to live from
the Las Vegas Fox Sports Radio Studios. Keep it locked.
Listen is to Bernie Fradtle Show on Fox Sports Radio.
All right, we're wrapping it up on the Bernie Frattle
Show Special. Thanks to my producers Mark and Brianna. And yes,

(02:30:22):
the seven month wait is over. We are seven hours
and fifteen minutes from our first full NFL Sunday. Eight
games in the early window, four games in the afternoon,
and then you got the National Saturday Sunday Night TV
game Baltimore and Buffalo, and then Monday Night the Bears
and Vikings, and starting later today, twenty two straight sundays

(02:30:47):
of NFL football. I know it'll probably go by too fast,
but we're going to enjoy it the entire way as
I believe the Detroit Lions are. Now. Are the Detroit
Lions getting dissed? I say yes, unless we forget the
Detroit Lions went fifteen and two last season and they're
not even favored to win the NFC North coming into

(02:31:08):
this season. The Green Bay Packers are. They're this shiny
new toy, especially now after acquiring Michael Parsons, And I
guess it might make sense on paper, but the games
aren't played on paper. But the Packers have a deep squad,
they got a young roster, they just needed a little
superstar to add to their defense, and with that acquisition
they took over as betting favorites to win the division.

(02:31:29):
I'm not buying it now against the Lion again. The
Lions went fifteen to two last season, and that seems
to have been forgotten this offseason. See for months, every
conversation has been about the Lions, and it's only included
two names. Ben Johnson and Aaron Glynn. Now both were
fantastic coaches, both did fine work as the Lions coordinators.

(02:31:51):
They earned their head coaching gigs with the Bears and Jets, respectively.
But let's not act like the Lions are having Jared
Goff draw plays in the dirt. They don't have actual
professional coaches as coordinators, and it just hasn't seemed that
way based on the offseason narrative. Now, don't think the

(02:32:12):
Lions haven't heard this. Don't think they haven't noticed their
being overlooked. Perhaps they can tell you the odds right now.
They're two to one to win the NFC North if
you happen to be interested. But they know what the
storyline is, and that storyline is not acknowledging. Detroit was
the best team over the regular season last season, better

(02:32:35):
than the Keagles and Chiefs who played the Super Bowl.
There's this one problem. They lost eleven players on defense
who at the start at least one game. The keen
relative effect of that no one could have sustained. The
Lions won fifteen games last year with the league best
point differential of plus two twenty two. And again I

(02:32:56):
repeat that came despite a massive amount of injuries on defense.
Now most of the Lion's corps has returned. The Lions
won't have their seller offensive lineman Frank Ragnow or Kevin Zeitler,
but no roster is perfect. And yes, the Packers added Parsons,
but the Lions are adding star defensive end Aiden Hutchinson

(02:33:20):
after he missed virtually all last season. Meanwhile, the Lions
have sat back and listened to people gush about every
other team other than this this offseason. Their intention is
to remind everyone on Sunday, it's one of the late
games in the window. They played Green Bay in Green Bay,
and I remind you the Lions have had green Bay's number.

(02:33:43):
They've you know, they've rode them like a stick horse
these last few years. Five of the last six they've won.
And they're getting points. Another divisional dog like we talked about.
So we've got a situation now, where do the Lions
get out of the gate Sunday? I think they do.

(02:34:05):
And I'm gonna jump ahead because I made this statement
on Jason mcintarry's podcast Straight Fire. Everybody's got the Ravens.
They're the trendy pick to win the Super Bowl. I
don't think they will. I think the Lions will be
in the super Bowl. I think the Buffalo Bills will
be in the super Bowl. And I got a funny
feeling Buffalo is gonna prevail. Now, there's never been a

(02:34:25):
team on hard knocks that won the Super Bowl. There's
no such sing as a curse. This Buffalo team is ready,
and interestingly enough, later on, this is the eight o'clock eastern,
five o'clock Pacific National TV standalone game. It's Baltimore and Buffalo,
and it doesn't mean much because Buffalo is going to
win their division. It might mean who has home field
advantaged throughout the playoffs, which always helps. That could contribute

(02:34:49):
to that. But you'll get a flavor for those two
teams on Sunday night. So there you have it. I'm
put it out there. I think the Super Bowl, which
is be played at Device Stadium this year in San Francisco,
will be Detroit and Buffalo with Buffalo prevailing. Now, one
other thing, and this is one of my least favorite
things to talk about on the air, but it's reality.

(02:35:13):
There are multiple NFL hot seat coaches with something to
prove this year. Now, just turn the clock back one
year at this time. They were proven seasons that were
already underway for Mike McCarthy, Robert Salah, Matt Eberflus, Dennis Allen,
Doug Peterson, and even you forget, might have developed amiesia.

(02:35:33):
Even Nick Sirianni was getting the SIDEI Siriani won the
Super Bowl. That's the safest way to guarantee job security. Now,
the other five, they've already become former head coaches. Sala
now with the Niners, Eberflues with the Cowboys, and I
told you about what he did and that final defensive

(02:35:53):
scheme that allow Jalen Hurts to basically seal the game.
Not good in situational football with the Bears, and he
wasn't Thursday night. Dennis Allen is with the Bears. I'll
check that he stepped back into a defensive coordinator role.
And Macarthy and Peterson they'll be fans this year. I

(02:36:14):
don't think you're going to see that same level of
turnover this season. But there are at least four coaches
that I believe are on the proverbial hot seat. And
then one name I'm going to give you that I
believe is going to surprise you. Because everybody's expecting the
world out of this team, and that's Zach Taylor the Bengals.

(02:36:35):
I think you can pin the absence in last year's
playoffs for Cincinnati on a couple of things. But they
made some changes. They replaced both their defensive coordator and
offensive line coach, and they're now emphasizing a lot of
preseason reps with their starters, which they did to avoid

(02:36:56):
another slow start, which they have been notoriously slow starters
the four games the last three years. That's ultimately cost him. Now,
if the Bengals again disappoint, I don't think there will
be anybody to blame this time, but Zach Taylor. Despite
his offensive success and the fact that he does have
a good relationship with Joe Burrow, Zach Taylor really needs

(02:37:16):
his defensive and offensive line to be at least average
for the Bengals to bill on their second half of
twenty twenty four when they were six and three. If not,
there will definitely be questions over his future and they
will be justified. Now, I'll give you a couple of
names I don't think should be on the hot seat.
This one also surprised you. Kevin Stefanski, the Browns should

(02:37:39):
be thanking Kevin Stefanski for sticking it out in Cleveland.
He was coach of the Year twice, Coach of the
Year two years ago. Given the craziness and uncertainty and
quarterback and all the low expectations, and Brian Callahan in
Tennessee should get at least two full seasons with cam
Ward In Arizona, Jonathan Gannon, I think his job security

(02:38:01):
is stronger than ever. And if Kyler Murray can stay
healthy and play to his potential as he should be,
Arizona's going to be another surprise team. They were tough
out last year and they're gonna be good again this year. Finally,
Mike Tomlin, I don't think he's going anywhere. His contract
runs through at least twenty twenty seven. That's three more years,

(02:38:22):
which would be twenty one seasons in Philadelphia. Everybody always
screams to get rid of Tomlin. Listen when Steve Young
left the forty nine ers, and when John Elway left
the Broncos and Dan Marino left the Dolphins. Quarterback, quarterback, quarterback.
These teams are quarterbacks leave and you just don't. Pittsburgh
really hasn't done much since Ben Roethlisberger left. They've danced around,

(02:38:43):
they've made the playoffs, they've had some good regular seasons,
but they've yet to capitalize on that franchise quarterback. And
I don't know what Aaron Rodgers can do. They're gonna
run him this year. But I like Mike Tomlin. I
think that the bashing Tomlin's ridiculously going to replace him with.
And you know, the Steelers, the most stable franchise, had
three coaches in what fifty five years, Chuck Knowle and

(02:39:05):
then Bill Cower and now Tomlin. No of them were fired.
They quit. It's a trivia question. The last Steeler coach
it was fired. I can't think of him right now.
Next week we're going to talk about Brian Dable and
this is my thoughts on him. Mike McDaniel, I think
he might be an offensive guru, but I don't know
he he has a situation there in Miami. And we'll

(02:39:27):
talk about Shane Steichen as well. It's good do it
for the Bernie Frattle Show. Keep it locked up next
to Great Andy Furman. He'll put a smile on your face.
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