The Bernie Fratto Show talks NBA Playoffs, WNBA Drama, Aaron Rodgers, & MORE!

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

Speaker 2 (00:04):
Well, that's right, you heard the man's that time of week.
My name is Bernie Frattle. We are Comedy Aliant from
the Fox Sports Radio compound here in Las Vegas. We
will take you up to three am Pacific six am Eastern,
an absolute jam packed extravaganza tonight. You know there's an

(00:24):
old saying, well, sports are entertainment. Let's face that they are.
We don't have royalty in this country. Our athletes and
are entertainers. Actors they are royalty and well, athletes are entertainers.
But it's more than that. When you watch a sporting event,
it's a shared experience. I think people want to talk
about it. You've come to the right place. We got
a lot to talk about tonight, and I'll just tell

(00:46):
you right now the midnight hour. The callers have made
the midnight hour sensational and we'll have a very highly
charged midnight hour tonight. The all time record is when O. J.
Simpson passed and people gave their thoughts, and we had
thought on both sides. We'll see if this rivals that.
I will just give you a tease. I have to
ask myself, is a professional league that dubs itself a

(01:09):
professional league even though they lose millions of dollars every year?
Are they imploding before our very eyes? Are they self destructing?
I'm not being hyperbolic, So just set that aside for now,
because we'll get to it oh in about fifty eight minutes,
and I'll tee it up at about eleven forty five
pm Pacific time, two forty five am Eastern time, and

(01:32):
everywhere else in between. But again, absolute jam pack show,
and I've got to get to it. All the NFL
spring meetings there were some major decisions made, the new
college football Playoff fourmatut it's worth discussing. You know, we've
got some quarterback chronicles. I want to bring you behind
the Curtin and Cleveland. What's going on between Shador and

(01:54):
Dylan Gabriel? Want Soto a big Oops? If you want
my host opinion of Big Oops. I know some things
and I'll share with you. But we begin with the
NBA playoffs and they are raging. This is really enjoyable.
Now the league may not get there, you know New
York versus LA, or Golden State versus Boston, or you

(02:15):
know some marquee matchup. I don't care if I ever
see Lebron again. I've seen enough of Steph. Boston had
their run last year. I am liking what I'm seeing now.
Part of it is I saw Rick Carlisle up close
in personal in Detroit when I covered the Pistons in
the early two thousands, and there's an odd symmetry happening here.

(02:37):
Carlisle was the coach on November nineteen, two thousand and four,
the mouse the palace that was there, and twenty years
later that was supposed to be an Indian team that
was supposed to win the NBA title. But the mouse
at the palace at the organization back decades and now
twenty years later, the symmetry. We'll talk to Mark Medina.

(02:58):
I told him I thought Indiana would win series. But
I didn't say they go up too old. I just
believe with Carlisle, the pace they play, their depth and
have him watching them there one twenty two, their final
twenty seven regular season games, this is a team that's
got it going. Oh yeah, by the way, there was
another game played. Okay, see strolled into Minnesota, and you know,

(03:19):
we're supposed to be objective here and unbiased, but I'm sorry,
I'm rooting for I'm rooting for the Timberwolves. I love
the city of Minneapolis. I've been there many times. If
you recall when I signed down this network eight years ago,
my signature line was tonight's show, you know it's going
to be lit, you know, like like you know Bert
Blyleven Minnesota. So as they saying, Burt bllye live in Minnesota,

(03:42):
it's going to be lit. As they say in you know,
Anthony Edwards, Minnesota, It's going to be lit. So it's real.
It's a great city. They're deserving of a champion and
someone besides the Twins, the Vikings, well they came close.
You get the picture. So Minnesota won. Okay, see lost
forty one point game. Move along, Really nothing to see here.

(04:02):
I think whoever wins Game four of that series will
win that series. If OKC lets them up off the mat,
trust me, Minnesota's real, And we don't know how okac's
really going to respond if they get into a fist
fight in the phone booth. Because let's face it, they've
won all their games this year by an average of
twelve points. And I think the world does Shay gilgis.
I think He's a wonderful guy, great player. He should

(04:24):
probably be the face of the league. You know, chet
Holmgren right on down the line, the way they play
at ninety four feet, the way they defend Alex Caruso.
I think the Lakers might have been able to still
use him. But I want to get to this series.
The Knicks Pacers, which has history going back thirty years.
All right, come on a seventeen point deficit in the
fourth quarter, They're nine down in the final minute, fourteen

(04:45):
down in the final three and a half minutes. That
would be the Pacers. Don't mean to be the master
of the pronoun And then Aaron Nessmith goes bananas a
miraculous buzzer beater from Tyrese Halibert, which we thought won
the game, but it just tied the g game. Nick
still could have won in overtime. Conjures up memories of
Don Nelson and the Boston Celtics, or Garfield Heard and the

(05:07):
Phoenix Suns, and google it. If you don't know. My
audience is smart. They probably know Kawhi Leonard a few
years back. And the Pacers are up two to zero
and give it up to Pascal Siakam thirty nine points,
fifteen to twenty three, and the Knicks could not stop.
What right now, is the best offense in the postseason, Sorry,

(05:29):
Indiana is Jalen Brunson may have had it thirty six
points and eleven assists, but as he did in Game one,
he missed a long three pointer that would have tied
the game in the final seconds. That's the stuff legends
are made of. By the way, the Knicks are three
and five in Madison Square Garden this year in the playoffs. Meanwhile,
in Indiana has won six straight road games. It would
not surprise me if they go up three to zero.

(05:51):
Rick Carlisle knows what he's doing. How are they doing it? Well? Remember,
by the okay, I just gave the Pacers credit for
being the best offense in the playoffs because they are.
But believe it or not, guess who had the higher
ranked offense in the regular season. It was the Knicks,
and they have two elite talents on the end of
the four. But the Pacers offense has hit a new level.
It's way more difficult offense to guard than New York's.

(06:13):
Is Tyrese Halliburton overrated my ass floor general Pacers offense, though,
is more about pace ball movement player movement than any individual.
To the first two rounds of the playoffs, Indiana has
led the postseason to both passes and miles traveled for
twenty four minutes of possession the next This is a
reality they had not been able to keep up. Through

(06:36):
two games, the Pacers have scored one hundred and twenty
six points per one hundred possessions, where that would be
the second highest mark for any team in the NBA
Playoffs in twenty nine years since we've gone to the
play by play data League starting in nineteen ninety five.
And you know what, Indiana's offense has been at its
best when they're desperate and they need it. You come
down seventeen points in game one, they score on incredible

(06:58):
thirty one points and their final thirteen possessions of that game. Now,
Game two is pretty tight throughout except guess what the
final twenty seven minutes and he has scored forty two points.
Why the Pacers are dominating the transition game. They're relentless,
but their relentlessness starts in transition after made baskets after

(07:20):
miss baskets. Their transition game is amazing. Both teams have
been pretty efficient in the half court offense, so transition
opportunities are as critical as they've been another series in
these playoffs, but over the two games that have been
decided by a total of eight points, the Pacers have
had a huge advantage in transition. Huge they get out,

(07:42):
they score. The difference is the number of transitions each
team has had is different, and the Pacers version is
far more efficient. Okay, I just mentioned they scored forty
two points the Pacers did on their final twenty seven possessions.
It began with three straight transition layups and two of
those and Obi top and lap and the TJ. McConnell

(08:03):
drive came made buckets on the enter end of the floor.
That's coaching, that's the system. Then McConnell grabbed him of
cal Bridges miss got the team on the move, uh
passwal Siakam was trailing, got him in for a dunk.
We next have major transition issues, and not just allowing

(08:25):
laps after baskets. You know, they leave a guy in
the under the basket to guard somebody else who doesn't
even have the ball in the perimeter. I don't know
what happened to that knixt defense. I think they're tired. Okay,
give it up to Pascal Siakam. There's only two rotation
players left in the playoffs who previously played a significant
role on a title run. Alex Caruso on the twenty

(08:47):
twenty Lakers. Remember that those remember those playoffs, the the
the the Hotel California tournament where you can check in
anytime you want, but you can never leave. The Lakers
won that full championship and then pass well Siakam for
the twenty nineteen Raptors Friday, Siakam alone had ten transition points.
The entire Knicks team had eleven. Okay, so you've heard

(09:11):
me beat that to death. How are the Pacers getting
big buckets? They're attacking Jalen Brunson. Now, the Knicks had
Mitchell Robinson on the floor for most of the fourth
quarter the other night. There were a couple of times
when the Pacers brought him in on their pick and roll,
only they have him swallow up in a Haliburton isolation.
So over the two games, the Pacers, who have been

(09:31):
ridiculously efficient otherwise they score almost every time win. Robinson
has defended a ball screen. Unsurprisingly, Indiana, they found a
way to even keep Robinson away from the ball, and
they're actions at brunts. Some of those actions resulted in
some good looks from me on the ark and they

(09:51):
hit him. How many times have you seen Indiana make
the second, third, fourth pass, drive and kick and somebody's
open on the baseline and they bang it home. They
make threes like like they get off the bus and
they make threes. Nicks not so much. They play a
lot of io ball, run up and down the court, bullyball.
That's just what they do. And if Jalen Brunson doesn't
score thirty at every game, they could get swept. Am

(10:14):
I predicting that?

Speaker 3 (10:15):
No?

Speaker 2 (10:16):
But here's the part where I'm really gonna get to
I said that. I told Mark Medina Carlisle is a difference.
Pace is a difference, and depth. The Pacers simply play
their reserves more than the NIXT two, and that doesn't
even mean their benches any better. New York had the
higher rank bench in the regular season to the first
two rounds of the playoffs, and both of the games
have been close. Even though the knixt starting lineup has

(10:39):
been o scored by twenty nine points in forty three minutes.
Now it's minus fifty in accumulative three hundred and eight
total playoff minutes in the playoffs. The Pacers are getting
it done, all right. What else can I say? Whether
bench minutes are good and bad, You're gonna need contributions

(10:59):
from more than five guys. Rick Carlisle has said that
we're a team that needs everybody. That's how he got
to play. I think Tom Thibodeau really only has faith
in five people, maybe not even that many, but they
appear to be wearing out. And listen, Rick Carlile's won
a championship everybody forgets. He won in Dallas in twenty eleven.

(11:22):
I've been around the guy. He knows what the hell
he's doing. I don't know why Indiana is sort of
the bastard child in this tournament. The Knicks you got
all the stars. You know, that's fantastic. Ben Stiller and
Michael J. Fox and Bill Murray whooped the damn doo.
I don't know. Indiana is a lunch pail team. The
lunch pail crowd get out of the way. They're for real.

(11:45):
I think Oklahoma City took their foot off the gas.
Can ever do that? In the playoffs. Uh, the Indiana
Pacers got to the finals last year, could have easily
won the conference finals, could have easily won their first
two games in Boston, and didn't. I think that's that's
been eating animal winner and Rick Carlisle knows how to
use that as fuel. Trust me, We'll chop this up

(12:07):
with Mark Medina coming up. By the way, be sure
to check out the Fox Sports Radio YouTube channel. There's
a ton of great videos for many of our Fox
Sports Radio shows. Just search Fox Sports Radio on YouTube.
You see a whole bunch of video highlights from our shows.
Be sure to subscribe so you always had instant access
to our Fox Sports Radio videos on YouTube. Coming out

(12:28):
Medina Magic, Mark Madina, our Fox Sports Radio NBA Guru.
We've got a lot of NBA news to chop up,
but then again, we always do. I'm Bernie Fratlewer come
to you live from the Las Vegas Fox Sports Radio Studios.
Keep it locked. You're listening to the Bernie fradle Show
on Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 4 (12:44):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio
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listen live.

Speaker 2 (12:57):
All right back on the Bernie Frattle Show, Fox Sports Radio.
I'm Bernie Friday. We are coming to live from Las
Vegas Studios. Take after three in Pacific sixty am Eastern.
Just getting started, springing a gentleman. Well, three simple words.
It's that time. Mark Medina, Medina Magic, our Fox Sports
Radio NBA guru. You hear them all around the network

(13:19):
every Saturday night on the Bernie Frattle Show. Mark real quickly,
let's begin with the Saturday night NBA game. Nothing to
see here? What do you expect in Game four?

Speaker 5 (13:35):
Yeah, it's fascinating because obviously Minnesota still has a fighting
chance now. But I take this Game three win with
the grain of salt because one, I think it's showcase
the wolves desperation, but also showed that the thunder didn't
have the kind of sense of urgency that they had
in games one and two. I think when you look
even closer the end of the box score in the

(13:56):
game itself, the odds of Shei Gojus Alexander A going
four thirteen from the field having four turnovers is low.
The odds of Jaylen Williams shooting three and nine from
the field having four turnovers is also low, so it's
encouraging Anthony Edwards raise this game up. Julius Randall had
a bounce back game after his late game bench in

(14:17):
game two, and guys like Nas Reed and Jada McDaniels
made shots. Same thing with you know, Rudy Goldberg getting
more involved with the offense. But I expect that Oklahoma
City will bounce back and you know, win game four
and they'll wind up closing this out in Game five.
And Oklahoma So yeah, our.

Speaker 2 (14:34):
Case, he does win Game four, that'll win the series.
But if Minnesota wins Game four, I think they're gonna
win the series, well we'll save that. Who Well, now,
last week I shut down the show. I said I
told you I thought Indiana would win the series. I
didn't say they come out too Oh. Remember I was
up close and personal with Rick Carlisle when he's in Detroit.
I was here the night of the announce at the Palace.
I picked Andiana for three reasons. Rick Carlisle, I believe

(14:56):
he would out out coach Tom Thibodeaux and he is.
I love their pace, I love their depth, and I
love the way they're using their reserves and the way
their offense is running. Give me your Lenny's thoughts on
that series.

Speaker 5 (15:09):
Yeah, I think the Pacers are also going to win
the series. I was pleasantly surprised with this. I mean
I have be pleasantly surprised with their whole playoff run.
I thought Cleveland would win and then I kind of
discounted it because they had injuries to open the series.
But Indiana is the real deal, and I think the
reasons are in this order. Tyris Alburton not only is
the best passing point guard in the NBA, he's a

(15:33):
clutch player at his Elevators scorer number two. What you
mentioned they have great pace, great depth. They've got eleven
ten to eleven players at average double digit minutes. That
goes a lot. It's unconventional, but they have the players
to do it. And then what you mentioned Rick carl
Carlisle great season head coach. He's well respected. He has

(15:53):
an interesting blend of providing a lot of structure. In
the past, sometimes he has a heavy playbook, but in
this case he's been promoting organized chaos where he encourages
Tyres Alburn and everyone else to just run on instinct
and he trusts their decision making. So I think Rick
Harwild has shown that he'll adapt his coaching based on personnel,

(16:16):
and it's been a great mix. Now that moving forward,
I think the Knicks will still compete. That's what Tom
Thibodeaux teams do. They have Jaylen Brunt's another clutch player,
but they just don't have the same depth. They might
make lineup changes, but I don't think that's going to
be enough either.

Speaker 2 (16:32):
Well, listen, there's something in the Pacers DNA and we
know they're confident, we know they're focused, and you can
never kind them out. They've been doing this for two decades.
I have a bunch of stats that won't bother to
give you. But the way the patients came back tonight,
that's not really new for them. I mean, you just
have to look at history. All right, Let's move on

(16:52):
because this is something we'll continue to cover. This is
starting to enter one of my favorite parts of the
NBA season, because you got to The NBA doesn't want
to put a lot of headlines out there to take
away from the playoffs. But I'm hearing that Bronnie's dad
has a bit of a frosty relationship with the Lakers.
Right now, can you confirm that?

Speaker 5 (17:12):
Well, there's always been frustration and kind of mixed feelings
from both parties. But I don't think he's leaving the
Lakers at all. He's going to finish his career with
the Lakers. The only I think uncertainty is how many
years does he have left and play and what will
his contract number look like. I think you're looking at
his player options fifty two million dollars. I don't think

(17:35):
he's going to take a pay cup, but I think
that similar to last year, he will tell the front office, look,
I'm willing to shave off a little bit depending on
what you get. Now it's all relative. It wasn't a
lot of money. He did shave off some money last
year just to help them get below the second apron,
But his folks contend he would have taken more if
they were able to get guys like Lay Thompson and

(17:57):
Demarta Rosen, because you know they required how higher sours
so interesting if that winds up playing apple my hunches.
The Lakers won't need him to take a pay cut.
Lebron won't do it voluntarily so.

Speaker 2 (18:10):
That you could be sure of that, And maybe he
shaved a few pennies off last year and that helped
him get eliminated in the first round. So maybe he'll
be man.

Speaker 5 (18:17):
Of the uniform.

Speaker 2 (18:18):
I know, Look, I don't, I don't.

Speaker 5 (18:20):
I don't want to tonight.

Speaker 2 (18:22):
Well, yeah, don't forget to try to sell my bone
with spaghetti here all week. I would just say this
about this. You're Mark, You're right, Mark, he's coming back.
Why do rich Paula Mansill? I have no idea zero.
I'm gonna make prediction you'll play three more years minimum,
because you'll come back next year and then he'll announce
a pair roll to or then he's going to try
to Stevedore Bryce James. But let's conclude the Brownie Michigan

(18:46):
Lebron Michigan as for one more night, because we've got
bigger things. I'm hearing k D Kevin Duran, a guy
like a lot is being targeted by the Philadelphia seventy
six ers.

Speaker 5 (18:56):
Your thoughts, yeah, I mean all things are on the table.
Phildelphia seventy six ers had a disasters here that Paul
George fit didn't work, both from health standpoint and consistency standpoint.
But I think that you know, both parties are going to,
you know, make exploratory phone calls. But it's a matter.
It's going to be a game of chicken here because

(19:17):
I think the Suns they're going to expect a lot
out of Kevin Durant because he's one of the best
scores in the NBA. When on the court, he still
is one of the best players on the floor. But
they will reluctantly conclude, you know what, we've tried this
formula the last years doesn't work, but they're going to
expect a lot in return. I think the Sixers are
going to be hesitant because of his injury history and

(19:41):
what will be required to get him. You add the
fact that Joel Embiid has in certain health, if Paul
George is still on the team on certain health. I
don't think it's going to happen with Philadelphia, but they'll
have talks. I still stand by this. I know, you know,
there's a lot that would have to happen for it
to get to that point. Of the heat aren't considered,

(20:01):
you know, a desired destination as they once were. But
I think I think Kevin Durant winds up with the
Miami heat because yeah, here's why the heat you know,
are licking their wounds from that first round sweep to Cleveland.
That Jimmy Butler situation didn't play out how they expected,

(20:22):
and I think that they're thinking, you know what, like,
we're still willing to take a risk with an old
superstar as long as it's the right one. And Kevin
Durant not only is he efficient, you know when he
talked to his coaches, they describe him as the perfect
practice player. I think he would fit really well in
Heat culture. Now the Sons, of course, will say, okay,

(20:45):
well can you throw Bam out of Bayo or Tyler Hero?
Both in the deal and the Heat want to do that.
But I think that the Suns they don't have a
lot of options here because every team wants to Kevin Durant,
but they don't want to have to give up the
farm to get them. And with the Heat, you know,
even if they're drawing drawing the line the sand with
Bam and Hero, you know these aren't game changing assets.

(21:09):
But you combine players like Andrew Wiggins, Hi May hawkas
junior Duncan Robinson a draft pick, you know that's probably
going to be as best as you can get. Because
teams like San Antonio and Houston. They might be intrigued
with Kevin duramp I don't think they're gonna want to
strip down the roster just to get him, because they have.
Both of those teams have a good thing going for

(21:31):
them with their young core.

Speaker 2 (21:33):
Talking with Mark Medina, Medina Magic, our Fox Sports Radio
NBA guru, so only has his finger on the pulse
of the National Basketball Association every Saturday night here on
the Bernie Frattle Show. All right, another guy who I
think will find another home next year. You know, this
week there was a meeting between Giannis and the Bucks,

(21:54):
but it's gone radio silent. I knew this was going
to happen. And what I got it Mark, I'm gonna
come off the top rope again. I have all good
things to say about Giannis, but I think he should
be done in Milwaukee. Anybody can lose in the first
round three years in a row. He did get him
a championship four years ago. If I'm the Milwaukee brass,
I say to myself, we got the draft coming up.

(22:17):
How many assets might we get for this guy and
draft capital and other things. This could be our chance
we start over. Even you know his sidekick may not
be healthy next year. So my point is there may
be no better time than to move on us, whether
he wants to go or not. But I think you
would go gracefully.

Speaker 5 (22:36):
I completely agree. Now. To be clear here for the
listeners funding, Anathanto Takounmpo deserves blame for the first round
exits eats him playing really well. It's just the injuries,
the uneven ross or et cetera. But to your larger point, yeah,
the Bucks need to make that conclusion. Any idea that, Okay,
we want to hold on to a championship player, we

(22:58):
draft him, or small market what if Damian Lillard comes
back and run it back. No, that formula is not
going to work. They got to lick at their wounds,
cut their losses, and collect as much assets as they can,
because not only will that set them up for the
long term future obviously, but you can make the case
that actually better sets them up for short term success

(23:20):
because the last three years the ceiling has been a
first round playoff exit. So what's the point of that.
That's just spinning their wheels, that's stay hustled. That's something
that Chicago Bulls do, which historically has been terrible at
contending for the playoffs, but also terrible rebuilding. They're stuck
in mediocrity. The Bucks do not want to be in

(23:41):
that position. So to your point, leading to the draft,
they got to see what they can get because that's
usually when a lot of talks happened between teams, because
draft picks are such an intriguing asset to dangle before
the draft. But if not, they got to be just
as aggressive just as soon as free agency starts June
thirtieth at nine pm Eastern time, because if they just

(24:05):
run it back, it's going to be another early playoff exit.

Speaker 2 (24:08):
Well said, and I subscribe to what you said about Giannis.
He's played well. But you know, many years ago, Chick
hern was once asked who would win in a one
on one game between Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Chick
got pissed. He said, don't ask me dumb questions. Basketball
is a team game. Now. The reason I share that
story is because Giannis is part of a team, and

(24:31):
this is this is a franchise that I think has
a future that be very concerned, be very worried. They
don't have a first round draft pick until twenty thirty one.
They'd have a single player on their current roster who
projects as a long term starter. They're in a small
market and they're facing a harsh business climate, and they
got a lot of competition now in other small markets.
I think you could move Giannis. You could get young players,

(24:54):
you might get a veteran player, and you're gonna get
draft choices and cap relief. You got the last word.
You know what I'm trying to say it I mean
to lead the Witnesses. But that's what I just did.

Speaker 5 (25:04):
Yeah, I mean, I'm probably fine with you leading the
witness because you're on the money here. To be clear,
I don't know what where he's going to end up.
I don't know what the Bucks can get in return,
but generally it's about using this leverage play because Giannis
is going to be the key domino that falls before
all the other action takes place the rest of the offseason.

(25:28):
So with that, teams are going to be lining up.
They got to be creative. Game three teams involved to
make you know, trades work from a salary perspective and
team need perspective, and what they got to do. It's
got to be a combination of an all star caliber player,
some rotation players that fill out their depth, and some
draft picks. It's not going to be an equal trade

(25:50):
because Giannis Antetokumpo is a generational talent. But as long
as that trade includes an all star, a rotation player,
two and raft picks, that's that's a relative win I
think for the Bucks.

Speaker 2 (26:05):
I think this. This is my last thought on the issue.
Coming off the top rope again, I think you're gonna
see Darryl Morey get aggressive as long as he doesn't
have to give away the farm because riddle be this batman.
If you put into the coop on the floor with
Tyreeks Massey and a healthy Joel Embiid, that's a team
that can win a championship.

Speaker 5 (26:25):
Agree, Yeah, for sure. I mean assuming that Joe Embiid
can stay healthy and that's the only way. And I'm
not saying eighty two games, but just being available for
the playoffs. I know, talking to outside medical doctors a
few months ago, in relation to all his injuries, there's
a lot of concern about what he's going to look

(26:45):
like next season, even his career. But yeah, on paper,
they would do that. I think, you know, not just
the Sixers, but all the NBA teams. Here, what's fascinating
is the priorities the NBA teams have. The number one
priority is having a star player. The number two priority
is having depth. And because of that, in today's NBA,

(27:07):
with all the second apron concerns and the assets, you
don't want to have more than two superstars or else
you don't have enough roster depths. But when it comes
to superstar trades, a lot of times the market requires
you to do that, and so there's going to be
a lot of calls, there's going to be a lot

(27:27):
of interest, but this is going to be an ultimate
game of chicken because the number one and number two
rankings with getting a star player but having roster depth,
they might be interchangeable during this marketplace. So as a result,
there might be a lot of teams that blink and
a lot of talks that just kind of result in
a stalemate. And that's good result in a lot of

(27:50):
things being held up because all the offseason movement leading
in the draft, post free agency, it all revolves around
the honest because he the domino that's gonna fall provide
clarity for everything else. What they do with subsequent signings
as well as who they draft.

Speaker 2 (28:07):
All right, last one for me, I'm gonna unvocal subject
we never have in this segment. I want to get
your thoughts on what's happening in the WNBA, but only
from the standpoint that the NBA financially subsidizes the WNBA.
I believe they will own about sixty percent of the WNBA.
They give an annual endowment of at least fifteen million

(28:28):
dollars in that league has done nothing but lose money
for twenty five years, including fifty million last year. But
they're about to implode and self destruct and jump the
shark because they just can't get past this catfight and
everybody's in on it now. And so instead of the
product on the floor, which is actually pretty good, just
like the Canadian Football League to me, good product too,

(28:50):
I just don't care. Mark. Should Adam Silver step in
and get involved.

Speaker 5 (28:57):
Well, he's not the commission of the WNBA. I don't
know how much. I mean, he can have conversations with
Kathy Engelheart, but it's hers. It's her, it's her league
that she has to overseas. So any negotiations that the
league has, it's going to be with that league. Office
and the players Association with the WNBA. So yeah, the

(29:18):
NBA subsidizes it to some degree, but it's not the
same as it was during its infancy. There's a lot
more ownership groups that are more independent, and the commitment
level is different depending on the market, and that makes
it you know, more robust, more sustainable, but also more
unpredictable on what happens with this next CVA. I mean,

(29:39):
the reality is the viewership numbers are high. You know,
there's a reason why networks are trying to showcase games.
Not only is it Caitlin Clark. There's a lot of
good players, better teams, just more attractive overall. But I
think the tough part has always been trying to figure out,

(30:00):
you know, what they do from an equity standpoint when
it comes to you know, supporting you know, players who
you know are moms as well, and giving them the
resources and then also negotiating excuse me for a second here, Yeah, what.

Speaker 2 (30:16):
I wanted to say real quickly because we just got
about a minute. I understand. Kathy Jungelbert is the league's commissioner.
She's actually fallen under a lot of criticism over the
last few months. Allegedly fumbling interviews and not necessarily being
very direct on certain issues. I know that I'm in
silver may not wield power even though listen the NBA.

(30:38):
I can tell you this. In two thousand and two,
the WNDA was considering striking and David Bert Stern says,
go ahead, I'll just shut the league down. Well, they
didn't strike because they can't survive without the NBA's larges.
So he's got a voice at the table and whether
he uses it or not is up to him. But
this shouldn't continue. We're not talking about the product on
the floor. We're talking about what's going on on social

(31:01):
media and all the miss gop surrounding it. So again
you got the last word.

Speaker 5 (31:04):
Yeah, and sorry someone got caught in my throat.

Speaker 6 (31:06):
I was.

Speaker 5 (31:08):
Well, I was trying to get at is you know,
the salary and how it pertains to the revenue, because
you know, the revenue is a king here. If the
revenue is sustainable, that's when all parties involved become more
open toward, you know, giving more equity there. Yeah, the
NBA can have influence, but it's the w NBA's league there.

(31:30):
They're going to operate the way it is, so I
think that's what's going to be down. To be clear,
there's a lot of things that they'll have to iron
now in the CBA. I don't think it's going to
be a lost cause. I don't think there's gonna be
any walkout. I think both parties know there's a lot involved,
but there's gonna be a lot of negotiations that I
have to figure out.

Speaker 2 (31:48):
Mark. Appreciate you as always, buddy, You always get your
finger on the pulls. Feel better and enjoy the playoffs
and we'll be talking against soon.

Speaker 5 (31:56):
I feel better. We'll talk about Roddy James exclusion from
the All NBA team the next week.

Speaker 2 (32:02):
To shady. Mark always got in with a bang. That
is Mark Medina Medina Magic are Fox Sports Radio NBA guru.
You hear him all around the network, and for good reason.
Mark very much has his finger on the pulls. Coming up,
we're gonna set up the midnight hour, and from where

(32:22):
I sit here in Las Vegas, it's twenty minutes before midnight.
Literally perhaps where you sit the same situation, but figuratively
it's the midnight hour, which means you have the last word.
I can't wait to hear the course tonight. Tonight it's
gonna blow up. We may, we may blow past one
am again. No one's gonna get turned away. I will
set up the topics on the table, as le Hacksaw

(32:43):
Hamilton used to say. We'll do that. Coming up. I'm
Bernie Fraddle. Come to your line from the Las Vegas
Fox Sports Radio Studios. Don't go away. You're listening to
the Bernie Frattle Show on Fox Sports Radio. All right,
back on the Bernie Frattle Show, Fox Sports Radio. Come
to your line from the La Vegas Fox for a
Radio Studio's just getting started. Man, We're gonna take up

(33:04):
to three am Pacific, six am Eastern. So much to
get to. And we are thirteen minutes away from the
midnight hour with the callers of the stars. And they
are eight seven seven nine nine on Fox eight seven
seven nine nine six six three six nine briand will
take your calls. All right, let's dive into this. I

(33:27):
have a question for you, folks. Is a WNBA imploding?
Are they self destructing? Have they jumped the damn shark?
This was supposed to be a renaissance season. Bigger arenas,
charter flights, higher profile, you get you get the picture, okay,
But after the foul, whether or not you believe it

(33:52):
was a you know, a flagrant fowl or not, all
hell broke loose. Robert Griffin RG three the third, Well,
it's the department of redundancy department, he tweets out the
following on May eighteenth, Angel Rees hates Caitlin Clark. It's
staring us right in the face, but people are afraid
to say it. Won't answer your questions about Kaitlyn Clark.
Gets mad when people praise Kaitlyn Clark for the explosion

(34:14):
in popularity around women's basketball celebrates. You know, well, you
saw her celebrate when Kennedy Carter smacked her from behind.
She's doing high fives and jumping up and down after
LSU won the national championship, in which Angel Rees was
a key cogging that making no mistakes. She played a
great game. But she follows Caitlin Clark around the arena

(34:38):
for an hour and a half with her hand in
her face. You tell me if that's a good look.
Maybe you think it is okay, because now all of
a sudden, the whole world's jumped into this. Wasn't just
RG three, Ryan Clark got in the fray, Brittney Griner,
Cheryl Swoops, hell, everybody, is this good for the WNBA?
You tell me what is your take on? What the

(34:59):
hell's going on? Commissioner's not doing anything about it. Look, look,
I'm giving you facts, not feelings. Okay. The Chicago Sky
are zero and two. And I gotta tell you Angel's
not off to a great start on the floor. She's
averaging seven points of games. She's shooting twenty two percent
from the field and then thirty seven percent for the
free throw line, and when she was over eight the

(35:19):
other night after the game, she went on social media
to talk about her new outfit. Now, you tell me
if that's a good, good look or not, or that's
good for the league or good for Angel Reese or
good for any of this. So I'm asking you tell me.
Is the WNBA imploding or is this good? This infighting,
this cat fighting, this Hatfield versus McCoy type fight, is

(35:44):
it good for the league or is this going to
be a problem? Okay, because you've got people chiming in
now when no one asked their opinion, And I mean,
look what happened between Ryan Clark and RG three. It's
just it's embarrassing in my humble opinion. Okay, Ryan Clark

(36:09):
always sees himself as someone who should be an authority
on more than just sports. He routinely comments and other things, fine,
this is America, it's America. Crazy things. And again Angel Reese,
she went after Caitlin Clark after that file and then she,

(36:30):
you know, she shared a video claiming Clark was I'm
quoting her. Now white guy running from the fade posted
some crazy TikTok videos. I don't know, man, I just
don't know how this is good. This had a chance, honestly, Now,
this is hyperbolic to be a potential bird Magic rivalry.

(36:50):
But both those guys won, either the Celtics and or
the Lakers, were in the NBA finals the entire decade
of the eighties, and those guys had a healthy respect
for each other and it never got to this level.
And of course there wasn't social media back then. So
my question is simple, I just want your reaction on
how the NBA WNBA could start off with a bang
for all the wrong reasons, all the wrong reasons. They

(37:15):
might have jumped the shark. Now, listen, I respect the
athleticism and the competition and the games are competitive. I
don't watch the league. They've given me no reason to
watch the league anymore. And so you know, miss me
on that one. But you might like it. You may
think I'm full of crap. I want to you know,
the best conversations is when not everybody agrees. So eight

(37:38):
seven seven nine nine six sixty three sixty nine eight
seven seven ninety nine on Fox. The bottom line is
this okay? Is the WNBA imploding? Have they jumped the shark?
Are they self destructing? And I just gave you all
the reasons why and all the parties involved. RG three,
Ryan Clark, Britney Griner, Ryffs. It never ends, just never ends,

(38:00):
never missed a chance or wait a minute, maybe is
this good for the league because I'm talking about it.
The second thing is there are some cool, good NFL
winter meetings Tuesday, check that Spring league meetings, and there
were two things that were talking about. And I want
to get your thoughts. I'm very glad the tush push survived.

(38:21):
They voted for it to stay. Give it up to
Jason Kelsey. Give it up to the Eagles, who made
a compelling case. I never believed it was fair just
because one team perfected this play, they should have to
suffer because not everybody else has figured it out. Buffalo's tried,
New England's tried, Cincinnati's tried, the Raiders tried, Hell nobody

(38:43):
the Chargers. No one can do it, So figure it out.
I'm glad to stayed. The other thing that's weird to
me connect the Dodger mean that the NFL owners passed
a resolution Tuesday allowing the NFL players to participate participate
in flag football during the twenty twenty eight Summer Olympics

(39:03):
in Los Angeles. And guess who said, at age fifty
he might come out, Tom Brady, do you care about
flag football in the Summer Olympics. Some of the players
seem enthusiastic about it. I want to get your thoughts
on the toitch push and in the NFL and flag
football in the Olympics.

Speaker 7 (39:22):
I don't know.

Speaker 2 (39:22):
I don't get it. I don't get it. Bring curling back,
make it a summer game now, that might be more fun.
So there you have it. The midnight hour that is
right before you and Angel Reeves, Caitlin Clark, you know
what's going on. You don't need me to spell it
out for you. I think they're jumping the shark. I
think they're imploding. I don't think this is good. They're
on their way to lose another forty million dollars this year.

(39:43):
Maybe you don't agree with that, And tell me whose
side you're on, tell me your thoughts, enlighten me. And then,
of course, the NFL Spring meetings Tuesday, the push stays.
Are you glad it's staying? And what are your thoughts
on the flag football in the Olympics eight seven, seven
ninety nine On Fox it's the men that on the
Bernie Frattle Show. Keep it locked.

Speaker 1 (40:04):
Listen no Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 2 (40:07):
That's right, you heard the man. The Bernie Fradle Show
keeps rolling right along. Or come to your line for
the Fox Sports Radio studios here in Las Vegas will
take up to three m Pacific, six am Eastern. And uh,
we've got Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, We've got the w
NBA is it imploding? And then we've got the NFL

(40:27):
The tush push survives your thoughts and NFL flag football?
I don't know, man, Yep, real simple, it's a midnight hour. Okay, peep,
you know what to do? I enjoy your calls, hopefully
as much as you do. Let's start with Jim in Massachusetts. Jim,
welcome in to lead us off tonight on some highly
charged the subject matter.

Speaker 8 (40:49):
Let me tell you, Bernie Caitlin Clock is the real
deal and Angel Reese is just a big phony. She
has no talent, you know, all she cares about is
social media and doing all this other stuff. I'm surprised
that the ownership of Chicago hasn't sat her down and
straightened her out, because I'll tell you I'll.

Speaker 2 (41:09):
Make this prediction.

Speaker 8 (41:10):
When her contract's up, I don't think she'll get renewed,
and I don't think any other tab will pick her
up because no one wants the baggage. There's one thing
about taking the baggage. If you're putting up thirty five
a night and ten rebounds, you know, and you're winning.
When you're not winning and you're causing all these problems,
I mean, it's time to cut her a lot.

Speaker 9 (41:29):
You know.

Speaker 2 (41:30):
Jim, I'm glad you mentioned a number stand on the line,
because I thought this was the year that we'd be
talking about the product on the floor. If you so
desire hear this out, did you know Caitlin Clark is
the fastest player in WNBA history to reach seven hundred
and fifty points, two hundred and fifty rebounds, and two
hundred and fifty assists. And she just passed Chelsea Gray

(41:52):
in all time double doubles by a guard. No one's
talking about the product on the floor. It's all social
media catfighting.

Speaker 8 (41:59):
You got the floor, That's what I mean. She's the
real deal. I remember when Tarassi came out. Oh no,
she's gonna be playing with women now, it's all going
to be changed.

Speaker 10 (42:07):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (42:08):
Well she she schooled.

Speaker 8 (42:09):
You every time. She saw it enough the way you retired.
So think about that while you're sitting out there and
la la la. And the thing is, the rest aren't
even protecting her anymore. They still haven't done anything.

Speaker 2 (42:19):
Okay, another good stat again, Jim, hang on the line.
There are objective truths and there are personal feelings. I'm
gonna give you another stat. Of all the flagrant fouls
called in the entire league last year, one in five
were against Caitlyn Clark. There's any players in the league,

(42:40):
One in five were against Caitlin Clark. Again, you got
the floor.

Speaker 8 (42:43):
There you go, explained, Go ahead. Yeah, and as far
as this woman you know that runs the league and everything,
it is clear, it is clear that she hasn't done
anything to straighten out that league you know where you know,
to where they make money and not need money from
the NBA. Now, you would think that those owners of

(43:05):
all those teams would agree, but they're all afraid to
say something because it's supposedly a minority gay league and
that's the way they want to keep it. And when
you have someone come in who's straight and who's got
talent and doesn't get involved with the bs you know
from from sports and from you know, the internet and

(43:26):
all that, it holds their head high.

Speaker 9 (43:28):
They don't know what to do with it.

Speaker 6 (43:30):
So as you just walk in there.

Speaker 8 (43:31):
Hey, you don't get the fifty million unless you fix up,
you know, clean up your act.

Speaker 3 (43:36):
And walk out.

Speaker 11 (43:37):
That's all.

Speaker 8 (43:38):
It's gonna take money.

Speaker 12 (43:39):
Talk quickly to help walk.

Speaker 2 (43:40):
I appreciate you real quickly. You push, push your gladys back.
Not everybody is I am.

Speaker 8 (43:46):
You Bernie example, Play defense, Play defense to where they
don't get it.

Speaker 2 (43:51):
That's right, right, that's right. That's a good, good point.
If they only do when they need a yard or less,
so play defense. Jim grad is always glad to have
you leading off tonight another fan favorite. Ladies and gentlemen,
boys and girls, please make way for the legend in Charleston. Hi, Jerome,
how are you this evening this morning?

Speaker 7 (44:10):
Hey?

Speaker 9 (44:10):
Hey, Bernie, you just jealous because Cam I mean, Andreuries
has a ten thousand dollars halfbag and you don't.

Speaker 8 (44:16):
You're just chellous.

Speaker 2 (44:17):
I can buy one tomorrow if I wanted it, Jerome,
right now, I can buy one online while I'm talking
to you, if I wanted a badness. But you caught
me your damn Jim, how did you know, Jerome? I'm like, damn,
Look look at that Gucci, look at that coach person. Man,
I wish the hell I had.

Speaker 9 (44:34):
That go ahead? Yeah right, hey, look here, what do
you want from me? You got you got clad football
in the Olympics, you got cat fights with men and women. Okay,
what do you want for me?

Speaker 13 (44:51):
Bernie?

Speaker 9 (44:52):
I mean, I can't not You've got three or three basketball.
There's a better chance I'm gonna watch that before I
watched it up here and Bokay.

Speaker 2 (45:01):
But here's here's the thing, Jerome. This was supposed to
be the year they got over the hump and just
talk about the product on the floor and see what
they can do. And the exact opposite has happened. We're
five days in the league and you know, you know
where I'm going with this is listen, are they gonna
jump the shark or they self destructing? We know they're

(45:22):
gonna lose money, that's a given, but you know they're
trying to create critical mass. Go ahead, Joe, I'm sorry.

Speaker 9 (45:29):
Oh let me say. It must be nice to be
able to blow a duel like that, because it.

Speaker 3 (45:33):
Wouldn't be me.

Speaker 9 (45:35):
I don't live like Hey, I've never lived in that neighborhood.
Throwing to weigh money like that. You don't know how
nuts that drives me. But I see people throwing with
really lost fifty million. That's important me and people want
to watch that. Let come on, I'm not look, I
was born tonight but not last night. But then again,

(45:56):
it's my favorite comment about me on park from the
guys there. People like me, what's wrong with the world. Well,
I'm that's because then I'm guilty. You'll kid, because I'm
not watching the WMDY.

Speaker 2 (46:09):
Hey, hold on there, fella, if that cut you come
after Jerome, you come after, Bernie, I got your back, Jerome,
Thank you, Bernie. Always appreciate you Jerome and your enthusiasm.
Hold it down there in Charleston, South Carolina. It's welcome
and a gentleman, a legend on Twitter that goes by
spocks read and give it up to you. Tonight you
said a respectful and thoughtful Memorial Day to everyone. I

(46:31):
was remiss. We are the land of the free because
of the brave spox Weed. What do you got forrest
to night up there in Oregon?

Speaker 3 (46:38):
Absolutely, Bernie, thank you for the for the props.

Speaker 12 (46:41):
And I have to dance.

Speaker 3 (46:43):
Around my my my stuff because there's there's things that
I would like to say, but I got to make
sure I don't go too far.

Speaker 2 (46:49):
I know you know my stick.

Speaker 14 (46:51):
But the thing is is that this holy is descended
into jealousy, jealousy, jealousy. Here's a person that is elevating
the whole league, but they continue to beat the crap
out of her because they're so jealous of her, and
they're they're acting like they're very uncivilized, if.

Speaker 2 (47:14):
You know what I mean. And we know all that.
So the question is is this going to cost? Is
this are they self destructing before our eyes because it
won't go away? Or you may think not you, but
someone may think, hey man, this is actually good for league.
I think if well, if you, if you can't sell
the product on the floor. At some point, someone's got
to get tired of losing forty minutes.

Speaker 15 (47:35):
Depends that they do.

Speaker 3 (47:37):
They want the same audience that keeps losing the money
and losing the money and losing the money. Here was
a person that totally revitalized the league. They were super,
super good. They outclassed, you know, not because they meant to,
but because they're so dang good and all the rest
of these gangster types that maybe someone needs to be dumped,

(47:59):
but they just they can't stand the fact that somebody
is coming in that that's.

Speaker 2 (48:04):
Abotherly Claire, So again, you you're kind of you're on
the side of this makes no sense, right, got it?

Speaker 3 (48:11):
It makes no sense.

Speaker 2 (48:14):
Eventually, fair, I'm not beggin. I'm not going to lead
the witness. All right, let's jump to the toush push.
Are you glad I got voted back?

Speaker 3 (48:22):
Oh heck yeah. I love toushes and I love pushes,
and I think pushes are even better than.

Speaker 2 (48:28):
You've been into it. I can see, I can see
you've been into Grandpa's Cops or Tonight's bock. Hey, by
the way, real quickly, flag football? What's that? What am
I missing that? That sounds stupid to me.

Speaker 3 (48:39):
I don't see any any respectful lineman, any respectful football
player that wants to play.

Speaker 2 (48:46):
Oh yeah, that we're gonna develop that rivalry against China.
They got a hell of a flag football team.

Speaker 3 (48:51):
Oh yeah, great, well let's let's smash them in the tag. Okay, yeah,
let's go ahead, go ahead and take their little ribbans.

Speaker 2 (48:59):
Right, we're gonna I ran in round one. Here's a clue.
Lay the points?

Speaker 3 (49:03):
Yeah, oh gosh, like forty five? What they need with
sort of you know, back to the tushe push. So
many needs to figure out how to clone ram Man
from he Man in the universe and they can just go.

Speaker 15 (49:14):
Whoop on you know, any.

Speaker 3 (49:16):
Football players that tries to get a couple of yards.
If anybody wants to know who Ramman is, look it up.
He's a hero from Masters of the Universe. It's just terrific.

Speaker 2 (49:24):
All right, great stuff, spots, Enjoy your libations tonight up
there in Oregon. Andrey in Massachusetts. Welcome back in. I
know you don't call every week, but when you do,
it's usually very thoughtful.

Speaker 16 (49:36):
Bernie, thanks so much for taking the call. Listen, this
is a conversation about the w NBA. First of all,
we got to start off real real sports fans, real hoopers,
and then includes the NBA ball players support and appreciate
the WNBA. That's why we got Tyreek Talliburton, who's given
my New York makes fixed right fix right now. Okay,
so that's the whole nother story for a different, different

(49:56):
topic in terms of what's going on. But you see
Tyreek Caliburton at the Indiana Games supporting the whole team,
showing respect to Caitlyn Clark to this situation, the gift
that keeps on giving, right with with Caitlyn Clark and
Angel Reese and there, you know, it's not even really
what happened on the court because the foul its helf
was a common vul i referee, Let's be clear, it
was a common foul, and Angel Reath you know, pushed
off on the rebound action before that, and you know

(50:18):
Caitlyn Clark stopped there from scoring and that two don't
like each other and great, you know, and then we
have to have the whole culture war criticisms that come
in after that and spinning out of control, you know,
in every single direction. But let's get back to the point,
Bernie WNBA is healthy. It's an important part of our
overall basketball sport in this country. It's under the late
great leadership of David Stern and then take Adam Silver

(50:39):
taking up the mans that we have this league and
so the sports healthy can.

Speaker 17 (50:42):
Continue to be healthy.

Speaker 16 (50:43):
And that's the bottom line on that.

Speaker 8 (50:44):
And I'm interested in that he pushed back you had.

Speaker 16 (50:46):
Now in terms of push back, let's get to the
touch push and if thel did the right thing. Okay,
we need the toush pushing football Philadelphia Eagles. This is
monoy mono, Bernie, this is sumo wrestlers. We get down
for the crown, you know. And by the way, stun
that the Green Bay Packers of all organizations would have
won to bring up a charge against the pushbush because
the dead franchise that that had had it told everything

(51:08):
built on three yards and a cloud of dust. Okay,
Vince Lombardi would be very displeased to know the Green
Bay Packers would have wanted to bring a charge against
the Pushbush. Given this, the rich hit three of the
Green Bay Packers will stop that nonsense. In conclusion, black football,
it's taking over the universe.

Speaker 9 (51:22):
Bernie, what pick a ball?

Speaker 2 (51:24):
I hear that. No, I hear that. But we really
want NFL players in the Olympics playing against Russia. I mean,
this is stupid. I think, Artie very last.

Speaker 16 (51:35):
Week you got to strike where the iron is hot.
And I'm not for this pity pat you know, two
hand touch, you know, not actually having a Pro Bowl
because nobody wants to get hurt. But in real time,
black football is a real phenomenon, just like pick a
ball is a phenomenon for maybe the older folks, specifically
at the youth level, and it's coming up from there.

Speaker 10 (51:53):
Black football.

Speaker 2 (51:53):
That's fair. Okay, that's fair. That's fair. Maybe this is
a larger thanks so much, Andre, thoughtful. Like I said,
this is perhaps one of those situations where there is
an ulterior motive and another agenda here to grow that game,
because the NFL is very much behind NFL flag football
or a flag football among the youth, especially girls, who

(52:16):
play a pretty good brand of flag football. All Right,
the Midnight Hour is just getting started. No one gets
turned away. I appreciate your patients. John in New Hampshire,
Greg and Texas, Kyle in Vegas, Hugh on the five,
and Alan at Saint Louis. We're getting all you. Please
be patient. No one gets turned away. I want to
hear what you've got to say. You already know the topics.

(52:37):
Caitlin Clark Andeur Reese, the WNBA and then the tush
push and flag football. I'm Bernie frattle Wire come to
your line from the Las Vegas Fox Sports Radio Studios.
Keep it locked. You're listening to the Bernie Frattle Show

Speaker 4 (52:51):
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio search FSR to listen live.

Speaker 2 (53:03):
All right, we are back on the Bernie Fraddles Show.
Fox Sports Radio. Midnight Hour is off and running. Cars
have been great. We've got many more to get to.
We're gonna get to all of you, and no one's
getting turned away, even if it spills past one am Pacific.
You know there's an old saying most human beings suffer
from one or two pains the paint of discipline or
the paint of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces,

(53:26):
while regret weighs tons. Will the WNBA regret not stepping
into this and doing something about the craziness going on
as it diverts from the product on the floor? Back
after the phones, John in New Hampshire, John, thanks for
hanging on. Welcome to the Bernie Frattle Show.

Speaker 1 (53:43):
Hey, how are yea well?

Speaker 12 (53:45):
Thank you good?

Speaker 10 (53:47):
Yeah, So, honestly, I was watching the TV today and
I turned on the XSL football game instead of a
women's WNBA game. Caitlin Clark is definitely talented, but it
just like as a big sports fan, doesn't interest me
too much.

Speaker 2 (54:04):
M suir enough, You're you're in a you're in a
massive majority there, my friend. So I mean, do you
have any opinion then about this feud that just won't end?

Speaker 8 (54:15):
Well, it definitely draws attention.

Speaker 10 (54:17):
I mean it's it's I tune in sometimes to kind
of like take a look at what's going on over there.
But honestly, I mean, if you don't have like that rivalry,
you know, you're not going to have people interested.

Speaker 2 (54:29):
So yeah, but is it a Revalie, John when Caitlin
Clark is six and one against Angel Reese and it's
just they're trying to.

Speaker 18 (54:37):
Go ahead, right, Yeah.

Speaker 10 (54:38):
No, I think like all the commentators all like Sports Center,
you know, broadcasters, they're kind of making like a bigger
deal out of it, you know how.

Speaker 8 (54:46):
They you know, get into things, and I don't know.

Speaker 10 (54:49):
I think they're making a all.

Speaker 2 (54:52):
Right, man, that could be that could be a too
real quickly the tousch push. Are you glad it survived?

Speaker 10 (54:57):
I'm a Packers fan. I was a little bit surprised
that they brought it up and tried to ban it.
But what other teams have been successful doing it? Like
you see cast down?

Speaker 2 (55:04):
Maybe, but well nobody really and that's why, and believe
it or I I got a lot of NFL context.
What happens, John, is they tap the Green Bay Packers
on the shoulder because they don't have an owner. As
you know, they're owned by the stockholders and there's like
thirty thousand of them, so no one owner had to
carry that torch and be excoriated. It barely passed on
the volt But anyway, you're right, no one else has

(55:26):
been successful at it, So are you glad that it survived.

Speaker 10 (55:32):
You know, I hate seeing it against my team, but
I think if they can do it successfully, I mean,
good for them. I mean it's sport, so you got
to be factful and uh smart, and it's a good
play when you're on the goal line or you're sports
and one you know you hate it. But I just
want to say one more thing about flag football. Sure,
like paulm grady, like, I don't think you know, like
you're going to get probably guys on the end of

(55:53):
their career that might volunteer to go play. You know,
you're not getting paid for it. But I think first
you're going to get a guy that really played flag football,
mobile quarterback that you know can move around.

Speaker 18 (56:06):
You're not you don't you know what there.

Speaker 2 (56:08):
I appreciate your thoughts. Don't be a stranger, John, and
I will say this, believe it or not. There have
been a lot of big name players justin Jefferson, Joel Burrow,
Jamar Chase. I think they've all said, man, hey, we've
always wanted to be part of the Olympics, so you
might see a little bit more participation. I'm not saying
you're wrong, but I think this may be a little

(56:30):
more popular. I'm just questioning it, but I think it
was Andre from Massachusetts who said, hey, this they're really
growing the game as a whole on the youth level.
So maybe this helps that Gregon, Texas is up next.
Welcome into the Bernie Fratisher.

Speaker 19 (56:43):
Hi, Greg, how's a good one?

Speaker 6 (56:46):
Good man?

Speaker 19 (56:47):
My voice is not so good? But anyway, Okay. On
the Caitlin and the WBA, I think they're trying to
take too much of a page out of professional wrestling,
and it's in sport is a game of individuals, is disjointed.
There's no real interesting teams. It's all focused on the individuals.

(57:09):
As far as Caitlin versus Angel. Come on, man, there's
no contests. But you know they gotta do what God
preserve the game.

Speaker 2 (57:20):
Well listen, And maybe this is part of some larger
conspiracy theory that I'm missing, And you may be right,
but I think this is all driven by a certain
agenda and we'll just leave it there. Your thoughts on
the tooth.

Speaker 13 (57:32):
Push too push, Well, gays worked for me on electric
football fifty years ago, so man, I'm all for it,
you know.

Speaker 19 (57:46):
And so you can stop it on a tutor bod
don't come to me and ask me a solve problem.

Speaker 2 (57:54):
Hey, good stuff, Greg. I appreciate you man, thank you.
I didn't ask you about flag football. Sorry about that.
Think there should be a toush push in flag football.
We'll see if they have it there. Kyle and Vangas,
what's up? Kyle?

Speaker 13 (58:08):
What's going on?

Speaker 18 (58:08):
Burnie them off this weekend?

Speaker 9 (58:10):
So you know, good?

Speaker 18 (58:11):
Got a little R and R really quick?

Speaker 9 (58:14):
Can I do this?

Speaker 18 (58:14):
And I know, I know it's probably gonna get dumb,
but shout out to my babies. They're starting off their
educational career.

Speaker 2 (58:20):
Their congratulations where they're going to school.

Speaker 18 (58:23):
They're they're they're elementary kids, but they started.

Speaker 2 (58:26):
A beautiful so hey, I think that. I think that's
fantastic elementary schools with fourteen best years of my life.
So you're a good audience. You're good at its. Continue on, Kyle,
So let's let's.

Speaker 18 (58:39):
Let's get into it. Because i'most sart to backward. I'm
gonna go with the flag football. Flag football, like the
earlier caller said, it is an up and coming thing.
I'm seeing more and more kids play it. They're actually
in a semi professional league that does it they go
around throughout each city, they play it on a national level.
It's being recognized in some ways. But I do have
to agree though with you what you said earlier too,

(59:01):
like who we're going to play? What what teams are
actually outside of the USA? What are we playing the
rugby teams of these other countries?

Speaker 2 (59:10):
I mean exactly, But I do agree a couple of years,
you're like the second or third caller to enlighten me
now that this may be part of a larger agenda
to groll the game of through flag football.

Speaker 18 (59:23):
The just push really don't care, man, it's part of
the game. Stop it if you Bernie, you know me
and I say with the basics, if you can't stop it,
don't knock it. I said, that's winning and doing all
that stuff like that. So if you can't stop them there,
then you can't complain about it.

Speaker 12 (59:41):
Stop to play.

Speaker 8 (59:42):
If you're able to stop it.

Speaker 18 (59:43):
You stopped the wildcat when Rexline implemented it. You stopped
all the the RPO stuff that was working at one point.
It's time they stopped that.

Speaker 15 (59:51):
Somehow.

Speaker 18 (59:51):
They didn't have to change the rules. So let's not
get in there.

Speaker 8 (59:55):
And play to win the game.

Speaker 18 (59:58):
Exactly exactly. You you know my standpoint when it comes down.

Speaker 2 (01:00:01):
To the NBA. Yeah, let's go.

Speaker 18 (01:00:06):
So you already know what I'm gonna say. Just what's
putting that roller derby at this point, because again I'm
not saying every time at this point, put put a
helmet on each one of them, give them some some
elbow pads, some meat hats, and most takes and mouth
pieces which they already wear, and just let them all
around and just beat the crop out of each.

Speaker 9 (01:00:27):
Other at this point.

Speaker 2 (01:00:29):
Yeah, and that's basically what's happening, by the way, and shirt,
Yeah you're you're not far off, Kyle.

Speaker 18 (01:00:36):
But but you have a beautiful weekend. Again, remembering all
the veterans out there, anybody veterans in their family, we
appreciate the ultimate sacrifice for this country. Thank y'all.

Speaker 2 (01:00:46):
So well done, Kyle. Good luck with your kiddies starting school.
Those are great memories. Uh And I would say this again, Kyle,
thank you. We are the land of the Free because
of the brave you on the five. Welcome in you.
How are you tonight?

Speaker 20 (01:01:00):
Yes, sir?

Speaker 19 (01:01:02):
Wow?

Speaker 9 (01:01:02):
Wow wow you said it electric?

Speaker 2 (01:01:05):
What an electric show?

Speaker 21 (01:01:06):
Everybody is killing it, starting with Jim calling out the
Gay League. They got my effect. That was the greatest
take I've heard.

Speaker 2 (01:01:16):
It was so good, so good.

Speaker 21 (01:01:19):
I want to say a few things before I get started.
I'm noticing that you're, you know, some of the themes
that are ongoing in your show, that you're using some
of the terminology that I have been saying, like product
on the field versus you.

Speaker 18 (01:01:35):
Know, personality.

Speaker 21 (01:01:36):
I heard you say that. I heard you say jumped
the shark about three times already. I introduced that to you.

Speaker 2 (01:01:42):
You know, I'm wondering if that's your reference people get anymore?
Do you think they do?

Speaker 7 (01:01:46):
No?

Speaker 21 (01:01:46):
I think that they Well, guess what I'm actually I
just heard it on another show, not like the other day,
like maybe like boom, it's back, just because it's already
for me.

Speaker 2 (01:01:57):
What I did you I said, imploding, self destructing and
up in the chart on the reagent, I said said
jump to shark. And I'm glad you picked up on that, because,
if I'm being honest to you, that to me is
the most prevalent one. What it means is there are
people I know that might have given the league a
chance this year. Now they're not going to watch it.
Because what are we doing here? Because you got before

(01:02:17):
my friend.

Speaker 20 (01:02:19):
Yeah, well okay, so on that.

Speaker 8 (01:02:22):
So this is interesting too.

Speaker 21 (01:02:23):
Bernie, that the last time the topic well this been
ongoing topic w the NBA stuff, right, And so I
don't know if it was two weeks ago or last week.
I was I was ending with the w NBA topic
and you cut me to those times just to go on.

Speaker 22 (01:02:43):
And I was going to say that.

Speaker 21 (01:02:45):
We got magic and bird that's what they're trying to do.
And that's what you said earlier tonight.

Speaker 13 (01:02:49):
That's what my thought.

Speaker 2 (01:02:51):
That was theoretical back when she Angel Reese was still
at LSU and Caitlin Clark and they had both just
gotten drafted, but it was always going to be theoretical.
Go ahead.

Speaker 7 (01:03:01):
Yeah, Well they really fed it up, didn't they. I mean,
because yes, yeah, I mean they just like it got
handed to the leaders.

Speaker 21 (01:03:12):
Of the w n b A to just run with it,
and they just and they just don't.

Speaker 19 (01:03:17):
Know what to do.

Speaker 2 (01:03:18):
Thank you. You just hit. You just hit on a
key point there. You where is the commissioner, where are
the leaders? Where is somebody who's going to stand up
and say, hey, you think this is really helping us
do you agree this is being enabled by the people
at the top or they're just spineless.

Speaker 21 (01:03:34):
H Well, I really think that it's an irrelevant league,
is what's the other thing that's going on?

Speaker 7 (01:03:40):
And the NBA doesn't have a problem chucking money at
it because ultimately.

Speaker 21 (01:03:47):
If there's a few people who are into the women's league,
it's going to bring more viewers to the NBA, more
people involved, you know, more people just you know, on
board with this basketball in general. It's like a lost
leader basically.

Speaker 2 (01:03:59):
Right, interesting thought, that's interesting thought.

Speaker 3 (01:04:02):
That's what it is, you know.

Speaker 21 (01:04:03):
But yeah, so they do it, but they obviously don't
know what they're doing running the league.

Speaker 20 (01:04:10):
It's that simple, right.

Speaker 2 (01:04:12):
What the hell they only lose forty million a year.
I don't know what you do for a living. You
don't have to tell me. But I get the sense
you're a businessman of some sort who who can lose
millions a year for twenty five years later. Hold on,
what the hell I would just lose another forty million
this year. I've never had that luxury.

Speaker 17 (01:04:29):
That's called the lost leader.

Speaker 21 (01:04:31):
So you have a lot of money making making a
lot of money doing something else, so you can you know,
attract people like giving away hot dollars for free.

Speaker 2 (01:04:39):
Basically, now that's a lost leader. This is this is
the Titanic in my opinion. Yeah, hey, real quickly, Hugh,
let's get your thoughts on the toush push, buddy. I'm
glad it survived.

Speaker 21 (01:04:52):
You yeah, tell you unanimous. That's right, everyone, it's unanimous.

Speaker 9 (01:04:58):
I find it interesting that I'm.

Speaker 21 (01:05:00):
A bush bush back in the day when it wasn't allowed. Yeah, yeah, exactly.
But you know, it's a football play. Is everybody lined
up the way they're supposed to be? Are they breaking
the rules and lining up? You know?

Speaker 2 (01:05:14):
Then you know what the league's case was. They're concerned
about player safety, zero data on injuries.

Speaker 7 (01:05:22):
Which, by the way, we're not talking about flag football yet,
but that's a good lead into flag football about insturies.

Speaker 21 (01:05:29):
But okay, but I'm not going to go to flag
football yet. So there's only one team in.

Speaker 8 (01:05:34):
The NFL that's all in on it.

Speaker 15 (01:05:37):
And they're mastering it.

Speaker 21 (01:05:38):
Every other team that they're like, they'll try it out,
and you mentioned the teams that are You're like, yeah,
they try it, they're not as good.

Speaker 7 (01:05:45):
The thing is, is it this opposed to be a
Passing League, and so I applaud Philadelphia for saying, you
know what, let's just crush this. We don't care what
the look is, because the look of the NFL is
supposed to be more wide open half.

Speaker 21 (01:06:02):
It is you.

Speaker 2 (01:06:03):
But consider this. This come from somebody who never played
football past high school. Baseball is my sport. But consider this.
You every now and then, you just need to get
one yard to move the change or score. You just
got to win your battle against Simon in frontie. There's
no science to it. You got the last word. I
got to get there. I always enjoy your calls. I
got to get dinner callers. You got the last word.

Speaker 8 (01:06:23):
Go ahead, okay, all right, give me three more seconds go.

Speaker 21 (01:06:30):
That's you know, it's a brilliant move.

Speaker 7 (01:06:32):
Bush push get one yard and push push get one yard.
Brilliant Okay, last football. It's a great sport to play,
it's not great to watch. It will look like the
Battle of the Network and have a feel of the
Battle of the Network stars on television.

Speaker 2 (01:06:50):
Right, Oh, I love it. Jesus over it, fire right on.

Speaker 22 (01:06:55):
Finally, the last thing I'm going.

Speaker 21 (01:06:57):
To say is I played for I went to Catholic
school St.

Speaker 15 (01:07:02):
Brunos.

Speaker 21 (01:07:03):
In eighth grade, we played our rival Saint Mary Ann's
last play of the game, I'm a receiver. We had
this play called the Chris Cross.

Speaker 7 (01:07:11):
Handoff, two receivers on both ends doing a square in.
I topped the ball, I handed it off to the
other dude and you ran for a touchdown and he
won the game. That's a great game to play, but
not going to be fun to watch.

Speaker 2 (01:07:26):
Appreciate you, Hugh, as always checking in and for what
it's worth. The reason it's not going to be fun
to watch is football is a collision sport. It's not
a contact sport. Basketball is a contact sport. Ballroom dancing
is a contact sport. Football is a collision sport. And
when you take that element away, you take away a
huge part of football, which is intimidation and attrition. That's

(01:07:48):
just a fact. There was a time fifteen years ago
when ESPN played the Big Hits on Sunday Night Sunday
Night Football, and I forget what it was called. The
segment had a name, and someone will tweet it to me.
But anyway, onward and upward the callers are fantastic. Alan
and Saint Louis Gary in South Dakota Man Well, Guardina, Stephen,

(01:08:08):
Kansas City, Brock and Alberta. We're getting to all you.
Please be patient. I want to give everybody their fair share,
and if we go past one am, I don't care.
I want to hear from everybody. Thanks for taking the
time to call, and we are off and running again
on another midnight hour. I'm Bernie Fraddle Company line from
Las Vegas, Fox Sports Radio Studios. Keep it locked. You
are listening to the Bernie Frattle Show on Fox Sports Radio.

(01:08:31):
We're back at the Bernie Frattle Show, Fox Sports Radio.
The Bennette Hour continues. Based on the call bank, it
looks like we will spill past one am Pacific, four
am Eastern, and that's fine with me. I want everybody
who wants a chance to get in tonight to get in.
So far, with regards to the WNBA, i've heard no
one say, hey, man, this is good for the league.

(01:08:52):
No such thing as bad PR. Well, there is such
a thing as bad PR. But hey, we're talking about it.
Let's get back to the phone. Alan and Saint Louis
joins us. Allan, thanks for your patience.

Speaker 23 (01:09:03):
Well, good morning, Bertie, Good morning, sir Man. Let me
tell you, the DC subjects are really good. You're knocking
out the park every week.

Speaker 2 (01:09:11):
Thank you.

Speaker 23 (01:09:12):
I blamed the w NBA for this. They could have
had Indiana play New York. They could have had Indiana
play Asia Wilson in Las Vegas. But no, they put
Indiana against Chicago the first game.

Speaker 22 (01:09:29):
Of the year.

Speaker 23 (01:09:31):
And what are we talking about. They didn't even let
thisw NBA season breathe before this happened. You know, this
is not a rivalry.

Speaker 2 (01:09:41):
What a great insight. This is a great I'm gonna
let you continue, But you said something really interesting, Alan,
because guess who Indiana played Saturday. They played the New
York Liberty and lost by two. It was a good game.
I didn't watch it, but I bet it was a
good game.

Speaker 23 (01:09:56):
Continue on, Allen, Yeah, I mean, you know they're trying
to create something that's not Remember now with Bird and Magic.
The two guys are likable. The two teams were good,
and that's the difference. You know, every you know in
a face it a lot of people don't like Caitlin Clark.

Speaker 2 (01:10:16):
That's true. I've heard that too.

Speaker 23 (01:10:20):
You know, whether it's jealousy or whatever. The Fountal line
is she's not well liked. And this is amongst the
w NBA players. This is not even the fan bases
out there. And you know, and I think I think Angelies,
you know, inter faces with social media. Now, once she
leaves that, once she leaves at court, you can't stop

(01:10:41):
her from putting stuff on a personal page.

Speaker 2 (01:10:44):
The question is is she benefited from that? Do you
think that really helps her the league? You're right, this
is America. I don't want censorship, but I will say this.
You have to tell me if her actions are beneficial
to her in the league or not.

Speaker 23 (01:10:58):
I think until until her team gets better. You know,
people are going to say she's just talking.

Speaker 19 (01:11:04):
But what is she doing?

Speaker 23 (01:11:06):
So it all goes hand in hand. You know, if
she were second team, if she was the first team
the w NBA, people would look past a lot of this.

Speaker 19 (01:11:14):
But she's not.

Speaker 23 (01:11:15):
And I disagree with one of the previous callers when
he said, you know, she's not that good. She's a
rebounding machine, so she has a place in the w NBA.
But I think some of these creative rivalry sometimes robberies
have to come natural, and I think if if they're
forced on people, especially somebody who really doesn't follow the

(01:11:38):
sport with passion. They noticed this right away that it's
being forced on them, and I think sooner or later
it's it's going to backfire.

Speaker 2 (01:11:47):
On them now real quickly. Alan thoughts, Oh god, you know,
and you know, and you know, I'm.

Speaker 23 (01:11:53):
Really disappointed in Chris Candy because he's a former NFL
player and he was totally against it. And when I
hear NFL players saying say, this is not a football play.
It's on the field, it's a football play. They're talking
about it's boring that your Washington Tennessee Titans last year
thought damn team was boring. So I mean, so I'm glad.

(01:12:17):
I'm glad to tell I'm glad to just push Uh
didn't didn't get banned. Like I said, stop it. If
you don't like it, stop it. As far as flag
football is hurting, I couldn't care less about it. It's
just it's just something that's a novelty right there people
talking about it.

Speaker 9 (01:12:35):
I don't think.

Speaker 23 (01:12:36):
I think the NFL players, I think a lot of
them won't be playing.

Speaker 8 (01:12:39):
It's facing You got the guy.

Speaker 23 (01:12:41):
With a one hundred million dollar contract. I think his
owner is going to tell him, you've been not played
and let's face it, they talking about that flag. Football
is an up and coming U sport. Didn't we hear
that about soccer? And look what and what is that doing?

Speaker 2 (01:12:55):
Yeah? Thank I appreciate thank you. Alan appreciate it now
and said something that I agree with because I want
to maintain my objectivity. Injeur Reech is a good rebounder,
and John Wooden said it best. There's a place in
heaven for rebounders. I'll cover the World Championship Detroit Pistons
in two thousand and four. They almost repeated No. Five.
Had Ben Wallace, the only undrafted player in the history

(01:13:18):
of the NBA to make it to the Hall of Fame,
a spectacular rebounder, studied angles balls coming off the rim.
Dennis Robins same way. Talk to Dennis many times. So
we'll maintain our objectivity. But I just can't feel that
the social media stuff's helping out. If they were winning games,
it would, you know, diminish the after effects as it were.

(01:13:42):
But they're not. Gary in South Dakota's next good evening.

Speaker 24 (01:13:46):
Gary, Pleasure, Hi, Bernie, is a pleasure to speak with you.
Thank you, first time caller. I get him first. I
guess I would talk about the WNBA. I followed Caitlin
Clark quite a bit when she was with the Hawk
Eyes pour South Dakota and Iowa. We're pretty close to
each other, so and I don't know, I think there's

(01:14:09):
too much being made out of the so called rivalry.
I think Ameel Rees really needs it to keep it alive.
You know, I don't think Caitlin Clark needs it at all.
And I think that it was a good game today.
I watched New York Liberty and the Indiana Fever and

(01:14:29):
that was a great game.

Speaker 2 (01:14:31):
And no one's talking about the game in the floor
real quickly. Yeah, Gary, anything on the touch push? Are
you glad it passed?

Speaker 24 (01:14:39):
I'd be okay if they get rid of it. The
thing that bothers me the most is that other play
they seem to have where you've got somebody who catches
the ball and the offensive lineman latch onto the runner
and push him down the field. The poor defense doesn't
have a chance to stop him.

Speaker 2 (01:14:57):
Well, you know, the game of all and as fans,
I guess we have to evolve as well. Thanks for
checking in, first time, callard. Gary in South Dakota. Don't
be a stranger, ladies and gentlemen. Boys and girls. You
may have taken a week off last week and we
suffered for it. We welcome back in Manuel from Guardina.
What's that? Manuel?

Speaker 9 (01:15:17):
Oh?

Speaker 18 (01:15:18):
Oh oh, it's magic to know listening to.

Speaker 11 (01:15:24):
Bernie brad Oh and the funky Cole Medina Bernie my Man,
hey man. First off, blag football is it has a
place at Recreation Park at Thornburg Park at Breeman Park
for middle school and junior high kids. I mean, what
are we talking about here? Like I said, I told

(01:15:47):
you this a few weeks ago, we're gonna have another
Robert Edwards. Someone's gonna shred his me up and then
they're gonna go back to the drawing board and figure out.

Speaker 15 (01:15:56):
And it's just a stupid idea.

Speaker 2 (01:16:00):
Olympic sport. I mean they even tried ballroom dancing for
a while. How do you win a gold medal in that?
All right, real quickly, And I really want to hear
your thoughts on the WNBA matter we got going here.

Speaker 11 (01:16:10):
Okay, Well, you can't spell WNBA without using red ink
you and I know that, Bernie, Oh my god, they
haven't made money since its inception. Now, how stupid do
you have to be as a league to want to kill.

Speaker 15 (01:16:25):
The Golden Goose?

Speaker 18 (01:16:27):
And I don't care if.

Speaker 11 (01:16:29):
The players don't like Haylen Klark. She's the only thing
that moves the needle. She and fans loverr So it
doesn't matter if the rest of.

Speaker 15 (01:16:38):
The league don't like her.

Speaker 11 (01:16:39):
If the fans lover who pays the ticket, who pays
for the ticket, who pays for the revenue, who pays
for the hot dogs in the fed? Not the players,
the fans. So they're shooting.

Speaker 15 (01:16:52):
Themselves in the foot.

Speaker 9 (01:16:53):
Now.

Speaker 11 (01:16:54):
The one thing is I think you touched on it.
I think it is kind of good because it's bad.
Publicity is still publicity, and they are talking about it.

Speaker 18 (01:17:04):
But they need to get their heads out of.

Speaker 11 (01:17:06):
Their collectives and show this lady the respect that she deserves.

Speaker 2 (01:17:13):
I mean, but but what evidence do we have that's
ever gonna happen. It's only piling on more and more.
All of a sudden, you got Ryan Clark and RG
three and Brittany Grinner. You can go on Twitter and
read her lips and see what she said. They got
her on video, Cheryl Swoops, I mean, you think you
know she stole Cheryl SAPs lunch money.

Speaker 11 (01:17:33):
They weren't saying nothing when she was getting punked last year.
Now she comes back and she's like, Hey, this ain't
last year. I'm gonna do my thing too.

Speaker 18 (01:17:42):
You guys are gonna hard tell me.

Speaker 12 (01:17:43):
I'm a heart tell you and excuse me.

Speaker 2 (01:17:47):
I want to ask you a question, man, because Alan
from Saint Louis brought up a good point. They put
the Sky who didn't even make the playoffs last year
against the Fever Game one. It's so contrived. You got
the last word.

Speaker 11 (01:17:59):
Well, I was gonna say, man, as a dock working man,
we know all boat rise.

Speaker 22 (01:18:06):
Up with the Harvard that he said they.

Speaker 11 (01:18:09):
Need to put respect on Kinglyn Clark. Yeah, they're trying
to ride that rivalry because of Angel Reese. You know,
she has name quality. Unfortunately, it's like, hey, Michael Jordan's
biggest rival wasn't Dennis Rodman, it was actually Isaiah Thomas.
It's yeah, Theiah Thomas.

Speaker 2 (01:18:30):
If you want to trust me, it really was.

Speaker 11 (01:18:32):
You only knew I knew, so, so that's what I'm saying, Like,
you know, it's kind of good in the fact that
they had this thing since college but the talent level
man Kyton Clark is head and shoulders talent wise above
Angel Reese, who shoots like if she's a John contact,

(01:18:54):
if you.

Speaker 22 (01:18:54):
Will, you know what I mean?

Speaker 9 (01:18:56):
Refences it's it's pretty bad.

Speaker 18 (01:18:59):
And we had one more push real quickly.

Speaker 2 (01:19:02):
He just got about thirty seconds.

Speaker 24 (01:19:03):
Pal.

Speaker 2 (01:19:03):
I don't want to cut you off unless you want
to wait till after the one am hour and talk
about that. Wait, okay, let's do that. I want to
give you because we've got Manuel Steven Kansas City, Mike
the leprechron Bryson, Texas, Jimmy and West Virginia, ron In Rochester.
If you'd be so kind to hang on, you ain't
getting turned away. I had a feeling this is going
to happen tonight, and it is happening, and I'm glad

(01:19:26):
to hear everybody's thoughts on Caitlin Clark. And by the way,
Manuel brought up Michael Jordan, Isaiah Thomas. Isaiah walked off
the floor in ninety one and the team behind him
and snubbed Jordan next year. The following year, Isaiah was
left off the Olympic team. I was told they faxed
the list of Jordan Isaiah's name was on it, he said,

(01:19:46):
now I'm not playing. They faxed it back. His name
wasn't on it. He says, I'm not I'll play now
keep it locked. He listening to the Bernie Fratler Show.
It's the midnight hour and Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 1 (01:19:57):
Door listen, no, Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 22 (01:20:00):
That's right, you.

Speaker 2 (01:20:01):
Heard the man. The Bernie Fredericks Show keeps rolling right along.
Come you live from the Fox Sports Radio studios here
in Vegas. Callers have been fantastic. We're diving right back
in as Midnight Hour goes overtime. Quick tweet from Slow Dive.
I like this thought, he says. In the end, it's
hard to watch basketball where the players can't dunk and
grab rebounds four feet under the rim. Cheryl Miller was

(01:20:24):
the only watchable lady ever, Hugh in the five good Stuff,
look that speaks to the product on the floor. Okay,
right now, I'm giving the product on the floor a
hall pass, but we're not even talking about that. But
good stuff. All right, Let's continue on. Finish up with
Manuel from Guardina. Manuel, if you have any final thoughts
on w and then you got your toush push Bud.

Speaker 11 (01:20:44):
Honored and humble that you bring me back to the
extravagan to quick shout out to breathe a niece who
is an excellent producer, very knowledgeable young lady for the
push man. I don't even know why this sham of
a thing was even put back on the table by
the owners. We all knew that he wasn't gonna get

(01:21:04):
shot down, nor should he. You know what I mean,
pick up a defense that can stop me. It's a
legit football play.

Speaker 18 (01:21:14):
Hell, Bernie, I'll be honest with you, man, I was
pissing the NFL stop letting those guys like kind of
jump on each other's back to block the field goals.
I think it's all fair game. When you're out there,
you're trying to win a game.

Speaker 11 (01:21:30):
Let these guys play, man.

Speaker 2 (01:21:33):
And you know it's so funny. The irony here, man, Well,
great calls always. You know, you know it's ironic about
this whole thing is it was done in the under
the guys of player safety, which is why jumping up
on guys backs like, you know, to blockfields. Yeah, sure,
numbering an injury. Stephen, Kansas City is up next.

Speaker 6 (01:21:52):
Welcome in, Steve, Hey, Bert, Hey, Bernie.

Speaker 18 (01:21:56):
Great show, to that boy.

Speaker 6 (01:21:57):
We may need another hour to break all that, but
you might listen. I remember as a kid, I was
raised in Chicago and moved West. I remember this has
happened before. I remember my heart being broken every every
spring by a certain squad of bad boys who would

(01:22:19):
retalize Michael Jeffrey Jordan.

Speaker 1 (01:22:21):
And denial rules.

Speaker 2 (01:22:23):
I wrote a book about it.

Speaker 6 (01:22:24):
I have many that I have many championships, and you
were there, so you know you know what I was
talking about. But what they what they're not figuring out
here is they had the biggest ratings of the last
twenty five years this opening game against the Chicago Sky
and it looks like with a new TV contract that
they're going to make, they're going to make.

Speaker 8 (01:22:45):
A little bit of money.

Speaker 6 (01:22:46):
I don't think it matters, but you the problem is
they're treating her like Michael Jordan, and she draws like
Michael Jordan. But without Caitlin, there is no w NBA
as as a success they are now out. That's what
they're not they're not figuring out. You have to have
Adam Silver, who would have leverage. If they don't contribute money,

(01:23:07):
then without the NBA, then Adam Silver's support. You have
to go tell the tell the executives running that league.
You've got to punish Britney Grinder. You have to punish
all the malcontents that are causing problems, and then that
will finally, that will finally put an end all this stuff.
But they're happy getting paid, you know, they're happy with
no attention. They were happy just getting salaries. So that's

(01:23:30):
that's the that's where we're at. Someone is going to
have to make an example out of Britney Grinder.

Speaker 2 (01:23:36):
And there lies the problem. No one's no one's going
to do it. No one's going to do it, my friend,
But we agree this is not a good look. Thoughts
on the Toush.

Speaker 6 (01:23:45):
Push Okay, I uh, the Toos push will be done
as soon as what a franchise quarterback really gets hurt?
I mean Patrick Mahomes sort of already already got hurt.
But the Toush pushes is on borrowed time.

Speaker 2 (01:23:59):
Uh.

Speaker 8 (01:24:00):
But what was the other topic?

Speaker 2 (01:24:02):
Black football? Black football in the Olympics.

Speaker 6 (01:24:05):
Yeah, go ahead, I'm here, I'm I'm here for all
of it. It's a globalization strategy. No pads put all
of our stars in front of the world like the
Dream like the Dream Team. My only my only quibble
is Patrick Mahomes will play one person per team, but
no scrambling.

Speaker 8 (01:24:23):
No, no scrambling.

Speaker 6 (01:24:24):
Just the USA will say we will take Patrick, but no,
you cannot scramble, you cannot.

Speaker 2 (01:24:31):
Will see, he's one of the people who will sit
it out. Steve always appreciates your enthusiasm. We'll see how
this plays out the Olympics. A lot of people take
a lot of pride and wanted to be in the Olympics.
Mike the Leprechaun Joint. Just welcome in, Mike, Good morning again.

Speaker 15 (01:24:48):
How about you thank you for two things when I'm
moving houses this week and it's nice for having that
came in.

Speaker 19 (01:24:54):
But I'm packing boxes, all right, all right.

Speaker 2 (01:24:56):
So your thoughts on the w n B. A fiasco
that's going on.

Speaker 17 (01:25:00):
Okay, it's not a fiasco.

Speaker 24 (01:25:02):
It's promotional, that's my word of the promotions.

Speaker 19 (01:25:05):
They're promoting the game. The girls are getting the ladies
are getting much better. It's I coached.

Speaker 15 (01:25:11):
I'm an elementary teacher.

Speaker 17 (01:25:14):
You have to bring the girls and the boys.

Speaker 10 (01:25:16):
Into games, and then the girls will be the one
through a women at the besides the course.

Speaker 2 (01:25:23):
Okay, so you you think this, you think real quickly, Mike,
because I want to get to all the callers. You
think this is actually helping me?

Speaker 15 (01:25:29):
In w NBA, Yes, yes, Talk is a star.

Speaker 23 (01:25:33):
Angel Leaf is a star.

Speaker 12 (01:25:35):
Paige Buker's or whatever her name is is.

Speaker 2 (01:25:37):
An that don't even talking about Page Beckers. People barely
know she exists in the in w NBA.

Speaker 11 (01:25:44):
That's the point, right on the technical On the technical
Leaf foul first, then reached ten second heart foul not dirty.

Speaker 2 (01:25:54):
I don't think it's dirty. But well let's move on
because I I can't get to that much Manuci, But
you get your thought on the touch push you for it,
against it?

Speaker 13 (01:26:01):
Yes, it's like it's like the Bots and Express and RuSHA.

Speaker 23 (01:26:05):
It's slow, it's bowling.

Speaker 2 (01:26:08):
Oh my, well hey, if you're the Eagles, it's not.
You move the chains, you score a touchdown, you get
that hardyard, you win a super Bowl. It's football, man.

Speaker 10 (01:26:18):
At flag football, Yeah, you go ahead.

Speaker 15 (01:26:20):
Promotion promotion, promotion does okay?

Speaker 2 (01:26:23):
You brought up a couple of good points, Mike, I
get thanks a lot for checking in, Mike. Maybe right.
The reason I can't completely subscribe to the promotion theory
is because I don't think anybody from the league office
is directing injur Reese to go on social media or
beat the crap out of Caitlin Clark every time she
touches the ball. But it's happening and they're enabling it,
so it's not promotional other than the byproduct the law

(01:26:47):
of unintended consequences. In a sense, the WNB is getting
more airtime tonight than the league deserves because of something
off the floor, not necessarily on the floor. It's all
part of the mix. Bryson Texas Joint is welcome in Bryce.

Speaker 25 (01:27:01):
I was about to say, I'm want to be the
first person that defends the w NBA, but.

Speaker 8 (01:27:06):
Okay, oh right, so I'm a big tennis guy.

Speaker 25 (01:27:10):
The French Open starts today, so gay me. Maria Sharapova
and Serena Williams is supposed to have this huge rivalry
between the two and I don't know if you paid
attention to that.

Speaker 2 (01:27:20):
Verena absolutely and they were both champions.

Speaker 3 (01:27:25):
Right on.

Speaker 25 (01:27:26):
And you don't think that Angel Reach is it chatting
around her NCA champion and saying, hey, I got this
over a year, like get out.

Speaker 2 (01:27:32):
The scrap book. If you want. No one cares anymore,
but I but I respect your ability to I respect
your right to defend the WNBA. So you believe this
event slash events involving all these people is helping the WNBA.

Speaker 25 (01:27:51):
Yes, because it helps other sports all the time. It's
when Thomas Bertie wants to talk crap on the doll,
It's when cynthy Paz called Daniel Nevide of stupid rock.

Speaker 2 (01:28:01):
These are good comparisons. But but in going back to
Chris Evert and Martina and Avertilover, Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe,
I would just say this, Bryce, is this an apples
and oranges comparison? Because if the Sky had played the
the Fever in the the w NBA Finals last year,
I think you're kind. I think this would have some merit,

(01:28:24):
but go ahead.

Speaker 25 (01:28:25):
Well, but you're right, but nobody else knows any other name.
You said it already, nobody knows any other name in
the w NB except these two, so they're going to
put them front and center. You and I talked about
this about a year ago when we were talking about
generational players that I brought sir and Williams and you mentioned, Hey,
what happened to Tennis. I said, there's no more rivalry.

Speaker 2 (01:28:42):
Well, that's right, that's right.

Speaker 8 (01:28:45):
So we need this, and it's not the way that
we want it, but we need it for the w.

Speaker 5 (01:28:49):
N b A to have any sort of chance.

Speaker 2 (01:28:52):
All right, tush push for the toush push.

Speaker 25 (01:28:57):
The NFL did this to themselves back in the early
two thousand when he allowed the rule change to allow
players to push off insive players. And now they're regretting
ever changing that rule back then, so now they're trying
to reverse it. It's never gonna work.

Speaker 2 (01:29:12):
Money real quickly took ten seconds on the flag. Flag football,
flag football.

Speaker 8 (01:29:17):
I prepare it to tickle ball.

Speaker 25 (01:29:19):
As long as you don't expect an NFL style football
game and you just allow flag football to be what
it is. I think it's great.

Speaker 2 (01:29:27):
All right, all good stuff, Rice, appreciate you got some
diverse opinions. Jimmy and West Virginia, welcome in Toto the
Bernie Frattles Show.

Speaker 12 (01:29:32):
How are you hey, Bernie? How are you look? I'm
gonna I'm gonna start at the bottom of the heel again.
Let's do the flag football first. Look, if if my
five ten, he'll Billy but could win a gold medal
light in or the breakdancing contest. I mean, if you're
gonna have break dancing in the Olympics, you might as

(01:29:54):
well have the flag football. I can see whether these
players want to get that gold medal. I mean, that
would be honorable for the country, you know, so I
would like to you know, uh, you see Justin Jefferson
outrun any country down the road and wait on the
ball and land in his arms and the end zone.
I think that's exactly what will happen, just like the

(01:30:15):
Dream Team. I mean they walked over everybody when at first.

Speaker 2 (01:30:20):
I understand. And Gola has got some really good defensive back.
So so we'll see if they can jim Justin Jefferson
at land scrimmage. Anything on the push in the wn
b A.

Speaker 12 (01:30:29):
You know, you gotta you're just gonna have to get
the tooth pushed down.

Speaker 19 (01:30:33):
But I have to play defense.

Speaker 12 (01:30:35):
Don't let them get flitch over. You know, you don't
get that one and a half two yard lines. We're
gonna keep you eight yards out. You know, Let's play
some real defense. You know, stop it it'll end. And
as far as the w n b A, man, I
just hate to see because in the end it's gonna
be construed as a black against white thing. I hate

(01:30:56):
that for the country. You know, we all got to
come together, and I don't think it's good look for
the w n b A. I don't think it's a
good look for USA. So you know, I don't know.
I'd like to see those girls get it together and
really exceale her. I think it would make a whole
lot more money their buddies.

Speaker 18 (01:31:12):
I mean in the m m A.

Speaker 12 (01:31:14):
You know, two guys of races whatever, they knock each
other out, they get up, they hug each other.

Speaker 8 (01:31:20):
That has been so.

Speaker 12 (01:31:21):
Good for everybody. I'd like to see the same thing
happened to those ladies too.

Speaker 2 (01:31:25):
Thanks Jimmy, appreciate your call. Ron in Rochester, thanks for
hanging on. You are next to the Bernie Fradleshow yeah.

Speaker 26 (01:31:32):
Man, By the time, First of all, I love this
revision is history. It's like, first of all, Kaitley car
teammates had a real slow start and she couldn't shoot
for anything.

Speaker 2 (01:31:43):
Games the first three games, I mean the first week
they said she was a bus You played three games,
how did you finish?

Speaker 8 (01:31:51):
Ron?

Speaker 17 (01:31:53):
She agreed, but also like in Angel Reese. They were
neck and neck for MVP like rookie has year.

Speaker 2 (01:32:01):
Not really, they might have been in your if you
were voting, but no else.

Speaker 17 (01:32:06):
All right, let me get the flag football. I went
to consit. We I played in the We had this
super league in the There's a team called x Flax,
all x lacrosse players and current lacrosse players. It was
a full contact and these guys were cheap shot artists.
They're fast, they're some of the best athletes in the country.

(01:32:27):
And we played against them. They like took out my
quarterback and art Scot m knee surgery because they gave
the sheet shot. These Syracuse players are fast and big
and they hit and this was this was live at
the line and it was serious flag football, and you know,
don't just count It was like seriously hard hitting and
it was wars on the line.

Speaker 2 (01:32:48):
So you know, so, do you expect the Olympic version
of the game to be that physical round, No.

Speaker 17 (01:32:53):
It's not gonna be like that at all. But don't
just count flag football, because I don't.

Speaker 2 (01:32:58):
Just count flag football as a sport. I'm very aware
not only is it growing in popularity, but the NFL
is help is helping to promote it. My my question
was we really need to do this in the Olympics
and have NFL players going risking.

Speaker 12 (01:33:14):
It's not that was my That was that was my angle.

Speaker 17 (01:33:16):
That was my definitely not why why do we want
like install American You know it should be toush push
Ron thoughts on that.

Speaker 6 (01:33:24):
You know, I got to give them credit.

Speaker 17 (01:33:26):
They're good at it. You know, I really write in credit.

Speaker 2 (01:33:29):
Hey, I love the call, Ron, don't be a stranger.
Appreciate you hanging online Hollywood in Florida. Welcome into the
Bernie Fraters Show. Thanks for your patience.

Speaker 6 (01:33:39):
Bernie, I am a first time caller. I appreciate that
you're having me on. First of all, for my Florida Gators.
I want to give some love there for their championship.
The pactors Border pactors are on the verge of theirs,
so go Sators go pactors intents.

Speaker 12 (01:33:54):
Of the n b A, the w n b A.

Speaker 6 (01:33:56):
What it is is that they're jealous of Caitlin Clark,
and there's a lot of pettiness and jealousy, and so
she is the reason why the WNBA is making the
money that they're making. They're on the jets that they're
on now that they didn't have access to before Caitlin Clark.
So instead of them praising and appreciating, there's being petty

(01:34:19):
and all the old people, the Cheryl Swoops of the
world and people like that, there's just jealousy and they're
taking shots at her. In terms of the tush push,
that is what it is. The Eagles are good at it.
I don't think it's very appealing to look at. But
whatever floats the boat, I mean, whatever gets you your
yard or two or whatever. And in terms of the Olympics,

(01:34:41):
I would say it's a matter of a player getting hurt,
you know, non obviously it's like football is non contact.
So when a player tries to make a cut and
ruptures and achilles or you know, messes up their knee,
I think they're going to have some regret on that.

Speaker 8 (01:34:56):
But you know, whatever it is, what it is with
that just.

Speaker 6 (01:35:01):
Black football, it's sits again Nick. Anyway, in the NFL,
I would say it's the wiscification of the NFL. Look
at how you count breathe on the quarterbacks, look at
how you count give the you know, defense any leeway
on anything it's all offense. That's all they want. So
I think the NFL is declining anyway, just in terms.

Speaker 5 (01:35:19):
Of like all the rules.

Speaker 6 (01:35:21):
I would say real quick because I know you got
to go, but these players know what they're signing up for,
so to have all these lawsuits and concussions and no,
well you.

Speaker 2 (01:35:30):
Just nailed it there. You finished strong their Hollywood. That
was a lot of good stuff. And I hope you're
listening all right now because I'll give you some credit.
The NFL has a way of reacting when you see
them for a billion dollars due to the concussion thing,
which was few years ago. So the game is not
going to be what it was before. And there's a

(01:35:51):
lot of good to that, although they need to land
somewhere in the middle because they might have gone Penning
might have swung too far. And you're not the first
fan to say it, Robin Orland. I had to will
wrap us up on what's been an outstanding midnight hour
in seventeen minutes. Rob thanks for your patience. You got
the last word tonight.

Speaker 20 (01:36:08):
Buri, Matt, I appreciate you squeezing me in. I'm gonna
make a really bizarre comparison and give me just a
shade a latitude because.

Speaker 22 (01:36:15):
I think this, I think this issue has gotten ridiculous.

Speaker 20 (01:36:19):
I compare the Kaitlyn Clark situation a little bit to
Tiger Woods and to.

Speaker 22 (01:36:28):
Oh, shoot, I've lost a race car driver's name. What
was the race car driver a couple of years ago.

Speaker 20 (01:36:33):
Supposedly they found a noois and is I know what
you're talking about? Go ahead for forgive me. I forgotten
forgetting his name, and you go ahead.

Speaker 2 (01:36:41):
Day.

Speaker 22 (01:36:42):
Yeah, at the end of the day, the people at the.

Speaker 20 (01:36:44):
WNBA should be absolutely embarrassed.

Speaker 22 (01:36:47):
If it was a white athlete who sat on the
bench and said, I'm gonna go get that black person,
bleep black person, there's gonna be a national outrage.

Speaker 20 (01:36:58):
And I expect the same thing in this situation. And
I mentioned Tyler because listen, embrace greatness. It doesn't matter
if you're black, white, green, or whatever. Embrace greatness because
that's what we all want to watch. We don't want
to watch people thugging it out because you know they
don't like a certain person or certain color or whatever else.

(01:37:18):
We want to see greatness and that's what we're all
missing here, you know, or not us, but you know,
folks in the WNBA are missing, you know, penalize these
players who are taking a racist tone or tactic to
make it that much bigger of a situation than.

Speaker 15 (01:37:34):
It should be.

Speaker 2 (01:37:36):
Yeah, listen, you said them mouthful And the only thing
I can say is, I don't think the WNBA is
benefiting from this. And I didn't want to slow your role.
It was, in fact, Bubba Wallace and Brandy and it
was Bubble Wallace. The bottom line is is that whether
or not there are comparisons or analogies or whatever, the
NBA is trying to get off the ground and they

(01:37:57):
lose millions of dollars every year, and I don't think
this helps them helps them do that. So the bottom
line is, I think we have kind of a consensus
this hasn't necessarily been good for the WNBA. Real quickly,
the touch push in the flag football, I.

Speaker 20 (01:38:13):
Mean touch pushes, stop it flag football. I think nobody's
really taking into account. It's really two different sports, the
NFL and flag football. They're not even in the same realm.

Speaker 2 (01:38:24):
I couldn't agree more, couldn't agree more.

Speaker 20 (01:38:26):
And I would love to see an NFL player who
wants to play not make the team because somebody who's
been playing flag football for five to ten years.

Speaker 2 (01:38:35):
You know there's something to that. There's something to that.
It's a different dynamic. But we all know that totally.
All right, Thanks to a lot to Rob. A fantastic
job by everybody tonight on the midnight hour, and you
really make the show go when you know, we get
into these lively discussions. Everybody's respectful, everybody. You know, people

(01:38:56):
have varying opinions, which is what we want, okay, And
we're not looking for a solution year. We're not solving
the world's problems with sports talk radio. But this has
become a topic. And I held my nose. I was
sure if I wanted to do this tonight, but this
is what's out there.

Speaker 8 (01:39:12):
Man.

Speaker 2 (01:39:13):
You got to play the hits.

Speaker 7 (01:39:14):
You know.

Speaker 2 (01:39:17):
What this subject matter does is create emotion and emotions
what drives sports. If people didn't make the emotional decisions,
they wouldn't sell three cars a year in this country.
That's the way it works. People act on emotion, they're
justifying with logic. By the way, for the best pregame
show every weekend, be sure to tune into Fox Sports
Radio's Countdown presented by BETMGM every Saturday and Sunday morning

(01:39:39):
from nine am to noon Eastern six to nine Pacific,
will count you down at all the biggest games. There's
no better place to prime me for the tournament games
than right here. Tune into Countdown, presented by bet MGM,
every Saturday and Sunday morning, right here on Fox Sports
Radio and the iHeartRadio app. Coming up. Well, guess what
didn't get voted thumbs up at the NFL Spring meetings

(01:40:03):
this last week and I'm disappointed. Well, frankly, they didn't
even vote. And I'm even more disappointed they didn't even vote.
I'll explain coming up because I thought it made too
much sense and it didn't happen. I'm Bernie Frattle, come
to your line from the Las Vegas Fox Sports Radio Studios.
Keep it locked and listening to the Bernie Frale Show

Speaker 4 (01:40:23):
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.

Speaker 2 (01:40:35):
All right, we are back on the Bernie Frattle Show
Fox Sports Radio. By the way, as you know, shortly
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you missed any of tonight's show, be sure to check
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(01:40:55):
Why not again, just search Fox Sports Radio wherever you
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(01:41:16):
biggest games. Tune into Countdown presented by betmgm every Saturday
and Sunday morning right here on Fox Sports Radio in
the iHeart Radio app. All right, we talked about the
Toush push and we talked about flag football. Those were
both big topics at the NFL Spring meetings this last Tuesday.

(01:41:38):
There was one other topic that I am disappointed frankly
that didn't get well, they didn't even get to a vote.
There was supposed to be a proposal changing the playoff
seating format. It was withdrawn before a vote. And I'll
get to that in a minute. The proposal was initially,

(01:41:58):
i believe, orchestrated, authored by the Detroit Lions, and what
it would have done is it would have seeded team
strictly by record, regardless whether they won their division. Now,
this would have meant a wildcard team with a better
record could have been seeded higher than a division winner. Okay,
maybe that's how it should be because consider this under

(01:42:21):
the current playoff format, the four division winners in the
NFC and the AFC. When you get the top four
seeds right, that holds the postseason throughout the three wildcard teams,
they are always going to be seeds five through seven.
The number one seeds are always granted, by which the
Detroit Lions were the number two, Play seven, three, play six,

(01:42:41):
and you get it right with the higher seed, regardless
of whether the wildcard team had a better record, gets
to host the game in the first round. See under
this new proposal it would have passed. The wildcard route
would have stayed the same. The change would he began
in the second round. Instead of the top seeded team
playing the lowest remaining seat in the divisional round, the

(01:43:02):
team of the best record would play the team at
the worst record. So here's what that would have looked like.
In this team with the second best record would play
the team in the second worst record. So let's go back.
If the new proposal had been implemented last year. Here's
what would have happened. In the NFC. The Detroit Alliance
who finished fifteen and two, still get their buy. That

(01:43:23):
doesn't change. The Eagles would have hosted Green Bay, Tampa
Bay would have hosted Washington, and the Rams would have
hosted Minnesota. Okay, well, check, Actually that's what did happen.
Excuse me, see under the current format. What happened though,
is the Commanders they upset the Bucks, they traveled to

(01:43:45):
Detroit for the divisional round, and the Eagles hosted the Rams.
But if the new format would have passed, the Rams
would have had to travel to Detroit, the Eagles would
have hosted the Commanders the context. So now, maybe for
the Detroit the Lions Rams matchup might have been preferable
to the one they got, especially when they consider the
Commander's into the Lions season of complete lopsided fashion and

(01:44:09):
the same thing for the AFC. So the bottom line
is you know, you have a team with a fifteen
to two record, they happened to not win their division,
but they have the number one but they got the
number one seed, so you know, they play a team
that is an upstar team, and you know you're not

(01:44:33):
really as rewarded for your regular season performance. Again, I
think the reason the proposal made sense is because it
would have rewarded teams for consistent performance throughout the regular season,
seating them based slowly on their record. The Lions were
the primary protagonists. They are the primary proponents of this proposal,

(01:44:55):
believing it would make the latter part of the season
more competitive. Why was it withdrawn, Well, it was withdrawn
before the vote could take place due to lack of
support from league owners. And that's there's no other, you know,
way to slice it. They just simply it wasn't going
to pass, so they didn't put up to the floor.

(01:45:15):
Right now, the current system guarantees a division winner a
playoff berth and a higher seed regardless of their record
compared to wildcard teams. But we've all seen this happens
every few years. We're an eight and nine team or
a nine and eight team wins the division, but by
virtue of being in a much tougher division, and eleven

(01:45:37):
and five team is penalized because of the current system. Okay,
the proposed change basically would have, you know, potentially stripped
division winners of their whole field advantage in the first round.
That was a key point of contention. Okay, I get that.
So you win your division, but if you're nine to

(01:45:59):
eight and you got to see a wildcard team that's
fourteen to three, tell me about how the fans in
the fourteen and three city feel about even though they
won five more games than the team in went nine
to eight, but they didn't win their division just by
virtue of being in a tougher division, so they're penalized
by that. All right, there's a possibility this could be

(01:46:20):
revisited in the future. The NFL has expressed interest in
making the latter part of the season more meaningful and
potentially expanding the regular season to eighteen games, So we'll see.
But I thought it honestly made a lot of sense
to do that, and it didn't pass. But guess who did.
The college football playoff seating has changed, now, This is

(01:46:44):
really interesting. They've been chewing this up for months because
after last year's twelve team College Football Playoff gave buys
to the foremost highly ranked conference champions. Remember how people
got ticked about Boise State, etc. Well, this year's will not.
The conference commissioners voted to go to again a straight

(01:47:06):
seating format, and you'll still have five spots still revert
for reserved excuse me, for conference champions in twenty twenty five,
which you know, the college football is on is upon
us ninety days or ninety days from the season. Now,
there are a lot of things to discuss about you
know what college football will look like in twenty six

(01:47:26):
and beyond. But with the twenty twenty five season starting
in less than a hundred days at least, you know
how things are going to take shape this fall. Okay,
what's interesting is, as you know, Boise State a solid program,
but then you know they ran into a bus on
Penn State. They were ranked ninth in the overall College

(01:47:49):
Football Playoff rankings, but Poise State got the number three
seed and as a bye because they were the third
rank conference champ. The Arizona State, who had a great
regular season in the great postseason, was simultaneously twelfth and fourth,
so they were twelfth in the CFP rankings, but they

(01:48:09):
were ranked fourth as the fourth rated conference champion. So
Arizona State got a buy in the first round and
then hosted Texas, I believe, And then you know, Boise
State got a buying their first and then they hosted
Penn State. And what did Oregon get for their troubles?
They had a gauntlet to go through. So now we

(01:48:31):
know the NFL does something similar. They give the top
three seeds in each conference. You had again odd pairings
last year nine to eight Tampa Bay hosted eleven and
six Philadelphia two years ago, the ten and seven Los
Angeles Rams hosted fourteen to three Minnesota last year. But
from the start it's clear, certainly with college football, there

(01:48:52):
was tremendous dissatisfaction win this approach. And when Boise State
and Arizona State both lost in the quarterfinals, actually all
four conference champions did, it became very clear that this
was going to have to change. Because if you've got
a team ranked ninth, why are they getting a bye

(01:49:15):
over a team who ranked third? Or check that, Yeah,
that's what I meant to say, Or a team that
ranked twelfth over a team that ranked fourth. So let's
say let's say this would have been implemented last year.
Here's what it would have looked like the first round.
Twelve ranked Clemson would have visited number five Notre Dame,

(01:49:36):
Arizona State would have gone to Ohio State, SMU would
have gone to Tennessee. SMU did not have a good postseason,
and Boise State would have traveled to Indiana. And what
would the spreads have been in those games? Notre Dame
would have everyboy thirteen over Clemson, Ohio State by twenty

(01:49:56):
four over Arizona State, Tennessee would have been a SI
even point favorite over Rest of You, and Indiana would
have been a twelve and a half point favorite over
Boise I think that might have been a better contest.
But in last year's actual first round, the four teams
home teams Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, and Texas.
They were projected by as favorites by Rann averages seven points. Okay,

(01:50:20):
but the results were actually much more lopsided than that,
And I think it's because the teams that should have
been matched up against each other were because they were
stuck on the conference champion. You were rewarded for being
a conference champion irrespective of your record. Assuming all four
teams won in last year simulation, does anybody think Arizona

(01:50:43):
State would have beat Ohio State or Tennessee, Loston Home
SMU or Indiana Notre Dame. You get the picture. The
second round would have been Oregon versus Indiana, Penn State
versus Notre Dame, Texas versus Ohio State, and Georgia versus Tennessee.
And then you know, we might have ended up with

(01:51:03):
the same final Notre Dame versus Ohio State. Fair enough,
but who would have benefit fitted from this change? Look,
the truth of the matter is the teams that had
the better record and the better resume during the regular
season would have benefited. Now, I believe it or not,

(01:51:24):
Ohio State won the whole thing, so it's moot, but
they would have benefited. There's a vary answer. There's a
table that some math wonks put out that shows, you know,
an algorithm based on how these teams would have benefited
based on a percentage basis. But it's it's mindless to

(01:51:44):
give a bunch of numbers on the air like this.
So look, what are the takeaways from this whole deal?
The number five seed isn't quite as uniquely valuable. Now,
remember last year, you really caught a break by being
a five seed. We never really got to see the
twelve team playoff as originally in vision. Okay, we didn't
because there were six conference champions earning bids from a

(01:52:08):
universe that featured five power conferences. Okay. Now, instead, between
the adoption of the twelve team playoff and their actual
arrival and the SEC adding Oklahoma and Texas, the Big
Ten cannibalized the PAC twelve. You've really only got four
power conferences remaining, so we end up with only five
conference champions. We get it, four power conferences, but it's

(01:52:32):
clearly a power conference tournament. That fifth one, I'll go
to the Boise State team, who came from a good
conference in Mount West, but certainly not a power conference conference.
Titles mean less even more now you get the picture.
I could go on and on, but I'm looking much
more forward to this year's college football playoff tournament because

(01:52:53):
it's going to make sense, much more so than the
NFL tournament, which I'll also look forward to. But frankly,
I think it was a missed opportunity coming up. What's
the latest with Aaron Rodgers. Did he possibly leave a
hint this past week? Did you miss it? I'll clue
you in on Bernie Fraddle Company line from the Las

(01:53:13):
Vegas Fox Sports Radio Studios. Give your lock. You're listening
to the Bernie Fraddle Show on Fox Sports Radio. All right,
back at the Bernie Frattle Show, Fox Sports Radio Company.
Lyon from our studios here in a Las Vegas. I
want to talk about a very proud NFL franchise. They've

(01:53:33):
won six Super Bowls and their quarterback who had been
a starter for thirteen years and won a Super Bowl,
Ben Roethlisberger, retired four years ago. And really the Steelers
are now had to have been in quarterback purgatory and

(01:53:56):
it's continuing into this year. They're in this odd situations.
They seem to be preparing for a season without a quarterback,
or with a quarterback, wasn't even a quarterback? Where am
I going with this? They're still waiting on Aaron Rodgers.
And you know, Mike Tomlin is a very measured guy.
I don't know why people are calling for his head.
I think it was one of the best coaches in

(01:54:17):
the NFL. You tell me who else would have won
with the squad the last four years or gone far
in the playoffs with all the things that have happened,
he said about three weeks ago, you'd like to have
settled circumstances, but you know, deadlines don't often bring that
to a head. He's right, okay, But I want to
get to the Steelers a little bit of credit. They're
not in quarterback desperation mode. They didn't reach into the draft.

(01:54:38):
They're smart all right.

Speaker 22 (01:54:40):
Now.

Speaker 2 (01:54:40):
You may not agree with me, but Omar Kahn, their GM,
and Mike Tomlin are on the same page. And here's
their quarterback room. So if you're a Steelers fan, I
know you've got RL Burns from her rosary hoping they
figure something out. Mason Rudolph their third string QB two
years ago. He returned in free agency. Well, he helped
a Titan to be so bad. In twenty twenty four,
they drafted Cam Mooreton number one overall. Now, Mason Rudolph's

(01:55:04):
decent quarterback, but he's not going to get you to
a super Bowl. How about Skyler Thompson, a journeyman backup
heading into his fourth NFL season. Then you've got Will Howard,
a sixth round rookie out of Ohio State via Kansas State.
And that's a whole quarterback room with total of cumulative
history five thousand NFL passing yards. That's not good. A

(01:55:26):
lot of teams handled their quarterback situations a lot more
aggressively this season. For one example, the Jets guaranteed thirty
million to Justin Fields, who started six games for Pittsburgh
last year, and Pittsburgh benched him. And I know why
he's fourteen and thirty as a starter. You can go
out and prove me wrong this year. But that's a
story for a different day. So most Steeler fans are

(01:55:47):
now starting to give up on what used to be
Steelers exceptionalism, the belief that there's just something special about
the way they operate. But I contend the Steelers are
a model stability. Even if that stability is stalled right now.
It's a little bizarre, it's a little unsettling. There seems
to be, according to seeing some people, some kind of

(01:56:08):
backdoor handshake deal with Rogers, and maybe they're gonna get
this done. Okay, if this spills past June tenth, OTA's
there's gonna be a red flag. There's no two ways
about that. But on the other hand, just this past week,
Aaron Rodgers, who likes to be air on microphones, may

(01:56:29):
have dropped a hint. Huh. We know he's been linked
to the Pittsburgh Steelers all off season long. It's gotten
to the point mat Rooney is basically comment about waiting
for Rogers, and of course, Rogers, in two Rogers fashion,
takes his time, leaves the whole world in limbo. That's
just how he operates. But Rogers did drop an interesting

(01:56:50):
hint this week about where he plans to end up now.
And by the way, do you get the forty two
year old Rogers who's severely declined even though he had
a few good games last year, but he helped drive
the Jets franchise into a ditch. Maybe they were already
in that ditch living in a van down by the river,

(01:57:10):
but he is a four time MVP. Can he dial
it up? One time? One season, a young fan went
up there Aaron Rodgers and asked, would you ever sign
with Chicago Bears. Rogers shot that down pretty quickly, but
he did provide some insight on which team he's interested in.
Rogers replied to the young fan he said no, but

(01:57:30):
I believe there's a team that might play in Chicago
this year on a road tip. I don't know, not sure,
you better check it out. The Steelers just happened to
be one of the visiting eight teams in the twenty
twenty five schedule that will play a game in Soldier
Field in Chicago this year. Now you're wondering who the

(01:57:54):
other teams are, Well, Dallas, Detroit, and Green Bay they
all visited Chicago as well. But they've got an established
quarterback on their roster. A couple of other teams, the
Cleveland Browns and the New York Giants. You may not
like their quarterback room, but they have death charts, even
though they're messy. And that leaves the Minnesota Vikings. He

(01:58:16):
seems to be you know, they seem to be ready
to hand the keys of the car to JJ McCarthy.
And then the New Orleans Saints, well, they just had
Derek Carr suddenly retire, and some people tried to tie
the Saints to Rogers, but uh, they're they're they're high
on Tyler Shuck, so we'll just see what happens. They
drafted him. We'll see what they do that leaves the Steelers.

(01:58:38):
The only team is the likely spot that Rogers was
hitting at. Now, if you're into reading tea leaves, and
I'm not, every indication points to somehow this, this whole
arrangement being consummated sometime before the season. But wouldn't you
want to be in mini camp, wouldn't you want to

(01:58:59):
be get the timing with your receivers. But again, into
Aaron Rodgers fashion, he doesn't do anything conventionally, but he
did drop a hint, so we'll have to wait and
see what happens. Aaron Rodgers to the Steelers, Well, they
do play in Chicago this year, and Aaron said it
might be a team that plays in Chicago. Coming up.
Jeff Austin from me CI, I'll join us talk about

(01:59:22):
some things in the betting world and other sports headlines.
Keep it locked to the Bernie Frattles Show on Fox.

Speaker 1 (01:59:27):
Don't listening to Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 2 (01:59:30):
That's right, you heard the man Bernie Fraddle Show keeps
rolling right along. My name is Bernie Frattle. We are
coming to a line from the Fox Sports Radio studios
here in Vegas. It's been a very spirited show tonight. Again.
Want to thank all the callers to the midnight hour
and we may visit some of the subject matter with
Jeff Austin's welcome and our guy from Boston runs ECI

(01:59:53):
say hello to Jeff Dawston, a man of many hats. Jeff,
appreciate you coming on again, buddyd.

Speaker 15 (02:00:00):
Morning, Bernie. Happy Memorial Day weekend.

Speaker 2 (02:00:02):
That's right, good, good on you. I haven't repeated that
enough tonight Again we are the land of the Free
because of the Braves. So good on you and some
of the other callers for reminding me that I need
to talk about Memorial They a little bit more fervently,
real quickly. It seems like the Red Sox are always
in the news. I mean, you got Rafael Devers hitting
three zero three leads to league with forty at RBIs.

(02:00:25):
But I'm hearing not good things about Alex Bregman. He
may not be back for quite a while, but yet
Devers is not at third base. You brought up a
prospect and I'm named Marcelo Mayor, who I couldn't pick
out of a police lineup, so you don't have to
help you with that. And right now the position belongs
to somebody named Nick Sogard. The Red Sox are in
second place in the American League East. How do you

(02:00:47):
replace it? You don't replace the Alex Bregman. But were
you surprised that Rafael Devers was not back at third base?

Speaker 15 (02:00:54):
You know, Bernie. A spring training that started with such
an odd demism, the addition of Bregman, the kids in
soon to be coming up. Let's say from Worcester, they
bring over Crochet, they give him an extension. But right

(02:01:18):
from spring training, when Bregman came to camp, that's when
the drama started. That's when Devers decided to grab his
glove and go back home for a couple of weeks.
Alex Cora, who's usually so strong with the team itself
the locker room, kind of took this one on the chin. Bernie.

(02:01:41):
He went in in the corner and explained to Devers that, hey,
we're bringing Bregman in. Put your glove on the let's say,
on the dugout. You're going to be the next David Ortiz.
And it took a while, but he kind of warmed.

Speaker 3 (02:01:57):
Up to it.

Speaker 15 (02:01:57):
And ever since then there's been the Cassis injury, now
Bregman and injury that he had. I think they said
in twenty one, Bernie, and he was out for almost
two months, and in my eyes, Bregman was the heart
and soul. He was the glue keeping the steam together.

(02:02:18):
Really really going to be tough to replace.

Speaker 19 (02:02:20):
Here, Bernie talking.

Speaker 2 (02:02:23):
With Jeff Austin ECI, Jeff, I want to jump to
the NBA Playoffs, but I want to get your perspective
because this is your wheelhouse. Look, the Pacers Next Series
always delivers, it always has throughout history, and we are
seeing some you know, the old just when you think
you've seen it all, you see something new. And this

(02:02:43):
rivalry runs deep, it goes back thirty years. Okay, how
has the handle been on that series Next Pacers, and
how's the handle been in general this year for the
NBA Playoffs.

Speaker 15 (02:02:56):
It's I think for fans perspective, it is absolutely great.
For the fact that the defendant champs, the Celtics, So
the preseason i'll say co favorites with Okac are not there.
So we have that new blood injected there. We have

(02:03:17):
the Mecca, we have Spike Lee, we have the Knicks
and the Pacers going back to the Reggie Miller days
and we had a you know, kind of one of
those moments with Game one in Haliburton. So the handle. Listen,
the handle hasn't been bigger in overall in sports. And

(02:03:37):
I think with the new blood with OKAC, with ants
out West now East, with Jalen Brunson with Haliburton, I
think the NBA and the books are doing quite well.

Speaker 2 (02:03:51):
Burning all right, I want to jump to a guy
that I'm going to be talking about here in about
fifty ten minutes or maybe toward the end of the show.
And this is a guy who's going to be paid
one hundred and twenty one million dollars this year, actually
one hundred and twenty one million, eight hundred and seventy
five thousand, which is his salary plus the seventy five

(02:04:14):
million dollars stunning bonus. You saw him up close and
personal in Boston just a few days ago, and he
not only had a poor series, he struck out on
three pitches and consecutive bats in Game one, didn't take
his bat off the shoulders. What are your impressions, now
that you do impressions, What are your impressions of Juan Soda?
What's going on there?

Speaker 15 (02:04:32):
Because I think this is not good, you know, it's
kind of funny Bertie. He leaves the Nationals, goes to
the Padres, and the Padres are expecting, you know, the
next coming to Mickey Mantle here and what did he do?
He had like one hundred and twenty something walks that year, Bertie.
What So he's getting on base, but he's not driving

(02:04:54):
in runs. He's not getting the forty to fifty home
runs like Judge and others. Comes to New York for
a year, protected by Aaron Judge again, has a great year,
not Aaron Judge like numbers or tiny numbers. But hey,
the Yankees with a runner up. They win the American

(02:05:15):
League and they lose to the Dodgers in the World Series.
Now there's a bidding war. The Mets want to get
back on that front page of the post. They're excited.

Speaker 22 (02:05:28):
Here they come.

Speaker 15 (02:05:28):
Here comes their night and shining armor. It isn't worked
that way again. He loves his walks, he loves to
get on base. I don't think he's been He was
embraced when they signed him. He was embraced in spring training.
The Mets got off to a great sat even with
all their injuries. He comes to town, like you said,

(02:05:51):
he was kind of reprimanded in the midst of a
middle of a mini slump, let's say, and you're right,
he just left his battle on his shoulders. He broke
the slump. I was watching last night on Fox Sports
bases loaded double, so hopefully that will jump start him.

(02:06:11):
But if you were expecting Aaron Judge in city field here,
you're not getting Aaron Judge. So kind of a streaky hitter,
but he has no problem Bernie taking the walk to
get the first base versus the theatrics.

Speaker 2 (02:06:29):
Well, he's going to have to because right now, Jeff,
he's hitting two thirty six and he's had almost a
couple hundred bats, so we're forty games into the season.
This doesn't project well. And when you're being paid seven
hundred and sixty five million dollars. And I'm going to
tell a quick story about the recent series with the Yankees,

(02:06:49):
and he was very revealing. I think I'm wondering if
both sides are really regretting this final thing, Jeff does.
Did WNBA have much of a handle?

Speaker 15 (02:06:59):
Not anything? Like you know, football is king obviously, as
you and your listeners know. If it's not Caitlin Clark,
which I saw an article yesterday, She's covered like twenty
five to twenty seven percent of all the marketing in

(02:07:20):
all the numbers. You know, big game last night against
the Liberty that they lose at home. Very you know,
you'll see a Dave Portnoyd, big slip on DraftKings or
something like that. Very minimal decent on the prop market.
But if it's not Caitlin Clark, the actual handle itself,

(02:07:44):
you know, goes with the other minor sports. But it's
picking up. But let's just say none of the books
are getting blown away by you know, gigantic number all.

Speaker 2 (02:08:00):
Bernie doesn't surprise me. I knew that would be the answer, because,
let's face it, the story and I'm glad you mentioned it. Saturday,
the defending champion of New York Liberty did have a
tough game in Indiana one by two nine eight. Somebody
pointed out that the Liberty went to the file line
thirty two times and I fever only fifteen. That you

(02:08:22):
can do with that what you will. But do you
believe the recent ruckus that continues on social media and
this infighting is good for the NWNBA.

Speaker 15 (02:08:31):
I had a great conversation yesterday with a good, good
friend and colleague. You know when you look at your
gift hours in the mouth and this is what's happening.
I think it's a black guy, not just in the WNBA,
but in sports here, Bernie. Here comes Caitlin Clark two

(02:08:52):
years ago, last year that comes onto the scene and
really takes that sport to the next level. Uh, from marketing,
from attendance, from sales to actual flights to and from
these games, and it just becomes I used the word jealousy, Bernie,

(02:09:15):
and I go back to one of the first interviews
with Sue Byrd and like Diana Torosi exactly, thank you
uh uh, And it was almost so negative. These girls
were jealous because they paved the way. Without them, there'd

(02:09:36):
be no the w or WNBA, and Clark has just
taking it to the next level. You had your magic
and Larry what they were trying to do.

Speaker 11 (02:09:46):
Here, you had your villain and hero.

Speaker 15 (02:09:49):
With Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. And now even to
start this year, it's just in my eye, it's just
becomes so negative with the racism, with all the negativity
versus what she has brought to the sport. And now
Paige Becker's is in the League and maybe you can

(02:10:11):
grow with that. I really hope that it changes. And
I think a lot has to do with today's social
media and some of the people on the big platform plums.
Instead of pushing it aside and talking about the positive,
they're pushing the negative piece, Bernie, and it's not a

(02:10:33):
good look at all. Bernie.

Speaker 2 (02:10:35):
Jeff, I'm an agreement real quickly. Tell the good folks
where you can find it. Can find your work and
all your good work you're doing.

Speaker 15 (02:10:43):
You can find me on x at Ecsports invest Or.
You can go to our website at East Coast Sports
Investors dot com. We give out information on a daily basis, Bernie,
on all the major markets. We try to give about
the sharpest numbers around it. And we're celebrating our tenth

(02:11:06):
year of public service and very excited to help clients
all around the world, just providing the best information possible, Bernie.

Speaker 2 (02:11:16):
Jeff, great stuff. Was always want to get you on
in about three or four weeks again, because I have
a lot, we have a lot of questions about the
NBA draft. Jeff gets the rest keep up their great.

Speaker 15 (02:11:26):
Work, buddy, All right, Bernie, you too, You take care that.

Speaker 2 (02:11:30):
Is Jeff Dawson e CI man that wears many hats.
One guy who's wearing one hat. It's a New York hat,
but not the New York Andy were last year. There
are some questions and concerns about mister Soda. I'm going
to share them and maybe remind you about the contact
details you forgot about, because I'll tell you what the

(02:11:50):
Mets are paint a bundle and so far the ROI
has not necessarily been there. I'm Bernie Friderwick kemedy Lyne
from Las Vegas Fox Sports Radio Studios. Keep it locked.
You're listening to the Bernie Frattle Show on Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 4 (02:12:04):
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.

Speaker 2 (02:12:16):
All right, back on the Bernie Frattle Show Fox Sports
Radio comany live from the Fox Sports Radio Studios here
in Las Vegas. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Juan Soto. As
you all know by now. Oh, let's see, it's been
what about six five, six days ago, Juan Soto failed

(02:12:37):
to hustle a hustle, hustle out of the batter's box.
He hit a ball shot off the green Monster Monday
night against the Boston Red Sox, the game when the
Mets lost, and held himself to a three hundred and
forty seven foot single. The whole world's seeing it by now.
This is the second time, by the way, in just
a matter of a few days, that Juan Soto's uh

(02:13:02):
hustle was called into question. And he's drawing a lot
of scrutiny and uh and and you know, I didn't
even mention that he misjudged the you know, the ball
that he hit. Look, he says, I've been hustling pretty hard.
If you see it, you could tell no, not true. Okay,
you're you're you went a little bad dad bob there.

(02:13:23):
And because that's exactly what's not happening. And his employer,
the New York Mets, I'm believing they're a lot more
concerned about what's going on here than has made it
to the mainstream. And it came to a head just
a few days later after a weekend series against the
New York Yankees. Here's what happened. You looked at the

(02:13:45):
body language, You look at the facial expressions, and the
banter and it seems to me Mets officials might be
a little concerned about Juan Soto's lack of enthusiasm for
his new team, because he seemed happy. It's a duly
over the weekend when he was interacting with his former
Yankee counterparts and manager Aaron Boone and even Aaron Judge

(02:14:08):
during batting practice. In addition, Soto, who was supposed to
be miked up for ESPN Sunday telecast, agreed to do
it and then he backed out. He told the Mets
he was tired of answering questions about Judge, although believe me,
he liked hitting behind Judge. He benefited from that and
his decision to leave the Yankees for the Mets. This
confirms the theory among Met fans that there may be

(02:14:32):
some remorse. There may be some remorse that Soto left
New York Yankee used to go to the Mets, and
you know, maybe the Mets have some remorse too. Soto
also left the stadium Yankee Stadium and didn't even speak
to the media after the Mets lost eight to two
on Sunday night. Look Soto had a rough weekend against

(02:14:52):
his former team. He went one for ten in the
series and your Jeff say he likes to walk. He
walk four times. He had an extremely hostile reception from
Yankee fans that lasted throughout the whole three game series,
and I think the irony is he was surprised by
the ongoing strength and of that hostility. The reaction from

(02:15:16):
Yankees fans obviously stems from his decision to leave the
team in the offseason to join the Mets. Now he
got seven hundred and sixty five million for it, and
I think if you're the Mets, you have a right
to think Sodo could be maybe a little bit more enthusiastic. Otherwise,
this is a story and innuendo that's going to continue

(02:15:38):
to gain momentum. Read a lot of comments after the series.
One guy wrote in Soto lacks the energy he had
with the Yankees. He misses Judge hitting behind him. Does
he have remorse joining the Mets? Only Soto knows. We'll
have to see how this goes throughout the season. But
in case you're wondering, Sodo will be paid one hundred

(02:16:00):
and twenty five million, one hundred and twenty one million,
three hundred. Okay, let me try that again In English.
One hundred and twenty one million, eight hundred and seventy
five thousand this year because he got a seventy five
million dollars signing bonus, and he's going to get a
salary of forty six eight seventy five the next two years.
Then you know forty three million and twenty twenty seven.
And I don't need to read every salary. The point

(02:16:22):
of the matter is it's a seven hundred and sixty
five million dollar deal. But here's some context. Juan Soto,
on average, will earn fifty one million a year. He's
bat in two thirty six right now, he earns nine
hundred and eighty thousand per week, one hundred and forty
thousand per day, six thousand dollars an hour. And in

(02:16:44):
the last two minutes that I've been talking about Juan Soto,
assuming he's getting his beauty rest right now, he made
two hundred dollars. He makes one hundred dollars a minute,
whether he's going to the john or playing for the
Yankees or sleeping. Oh, by the way, it's not, it's
just that he got seven hundred and sixty five million.
Did you know Juan Soto also gets free use of

(02:17:05):
a luxury suite and up to four premium tickets behind
home played for regular season in postseason New York Mets
games home games. He couldn't afford it. I mean you
got to you gotta throw that in right, and a
suite wasn't enough. He gets four of the highest paid
seats in the house too. Now see here's the rub.

(02:17:26):
The Yankees also offered Juan Soto seven hundred and sixty
million over sixteen years. But the Yankees said, nah, we'll pass.
We're not gonna budge because you're asking for a suite,
We're not doing it. It would set historical precedent since
guys like Aaron Judge and Derek Jeter, they not only

(02:17:49):
didn't ask for a suite, they paid for their own
at Yankee Stadium. But Wan Soto, oh no, no, that
was the showstopper for him. Now, the other weird thing
is there was something called the number twenty two claws.
See last year the Mets had a third baseman named
Brett Batty, and he wore number twenty two. Not just
last year, but each of the past three seasons. Apparently,

(02:18:13):
Soto decided, I'm not going to do what shoheo Tani
did and be nice about it. When Shoheo Tani went
to the Dodgers and he bought Joe Kelly a Porsche
so he could get number seventeen. So Soto actually had
a clause put in his contract that includes the fact

(02:18:35):
that he has to be given number twenty two without
having to even ask or speak to mister Baty about it. Yeah,
so one Soto seventy five million dollar bonus seven hundred
and sixty five million, fifty one million a year, nine
hundred and eighty thousand a week, one hundred and forty
k a day, six thousand an hour, and one hundred

(02:18:56):
dollars a minute. Oh I'm not done. Did you know
his part of Juan Soto's contract, he's provided security for
him and his family for all road and home games.
What is he? You know, an international dignitary? Is he's

(02:19:18):
being threatened? I don't know, I don't I don't get this. Okay,
now here's some other bonus clauses. If Juan Soto wins
the MVP, he gets another five hundred thousand, and he
gets if he wins a second MVP, he gets a
million dollars for every MVP after that. But even if
he just finishes in the top three in the MVP,

(02:19:38):
he gets two hundred and fifty thousand, and if he
finishes in the top five of MVP voting, he gets
one hundred and fifty thousand. So if that doesn't make
your head spin and you want you say to yourself, here,
here's the key number. Two thirty six and three forty seven.
Three hundred and forty seven shot off the wall and

(02:20:02):
he turns it into a single because he doesn't hustle
and he came under a lot of backlash. Two thirty six.
That's Jan SODA's batting average. I will give him the
full year. He had to eighty eight. Last year with
the Yankees, had a good offensive year. Different situation. But
when you start talking about former teammates, and it even

(02:20:23):
had got to a point where Aaron Judge had to
issue a response in what was considered some controversial comments
to matter if you're his new employer, Soto admitted playing
with the Mets has been different without having Judge hit
behind him. He admitted it, so it admits he was
being pitched differently without Judge because Judge is a big threat.

(02:20:45):
It's definitely different. Quote Soto said, I had the best
hitter in baseball behind me. I was getting more attacked
and more pitches in the strike zone, less intentional walks
and things like that. I was pitched differently last year.
People felt those comments had some virus remorse about joining
the Mets instead of remaining with the Yankees. But to
draw another player into it wasn't smart. Give Aaron Judge credit.

(02:21:07):
He refused to take debate, pointing out Soto still has
a forminal slugger hitting behind him, a guy by the
name of Pete Alonzo hidink. Pete Alonzo feels about that,
and Judge says, I'm not going I'm not going back
and forth. He's got one of the best hitters in
the game hitting behind him in Pete Alonzo. So Soto,
so far, he's caused drama among Mets fans, among writers,

(02:21:30):
and even try to draw the Yankees into it. Presumably
he had to know losing Judge as a teammate would
have some impact on his numbers. On the other hand,
Juan Soto continues to be an enigma. He's on his
fourth team, a superstar in air quotes, but there's no
question he's dangerous. But where am I going with this

(02:21:51):
real simple? I really think Juan Soto having some regrets
not staying with the Yankees, and it would only be
natural if the Yankees had some the Mets had some regrets,
pointing you up that number. But let's see where this
thing ends up. Well, you know, we covered all on
this show from American Football, Flag Football, Great Callers tonight

(02:22:12):
again by the way, on the midnight hour, including that
other football spelled futbol that we call soccer. Here in
the good old us of A. It's time Chris Perfetts
World of Soccer.

Speaker 27 (02:22:24):
The greatest goals, the thrilling finishes, the international drum.

Speaker 1 (02:22:40):
It's all here in this report from the world of soccer.

Speaker 28 (02:22:44):
Some amazing scenes from around the world of soccer. Bernie
More to come on Sunday as the last day of
the English Premier League will be played. Every club in
action and the big thing to watch of course one
through five heading to the Champions League next year.

Speaker 1 (02:23:00):
Really three for five is up for grabs right now.

Speaker 28 (02:23:03):
Which means Manchester City, Newcastle United, Chelsea and on the outside,
Aston Villa and Nottingham Forrest all kind of looking for
a spot and really just seeing who will stumble who
can get in. It's going to be extremely fascinating, and
we started off Friday with such fun scenes too. We've
already announced all the winners for most of the major

(02:23:25):
leagues across Europe except for Italy. We had kept telling
you to watch Italy my favorite league in the world, Syria,
because it was just drama throughout. On the final day,
you had two matches being played at the same time
on Friday, as Inter Milan was taking on the side
Como and Napoli was taking on Cagliari. Napoli had seventy

(02:23:48):
nine points an Inter had seventy eight. Napoli not used
to a ton of titles in their history outside of
the age of Maridona, although they claimed one two years ago,
and Inter of course one of the giants of Italian soccer.
And what scenes across there as Napoly looked to the
two men that they had had all year, the Scottish

(02:24:09):
Scott mcdominey and Romolo Lucaku from Belgium, and both them
scoring goals here and Locacu won a cap to.

Speaker 1 (02:24:17):
His illustrious career.

Speaker 28 (02:24:20):
As as Knopoly closes in and has their second title
in three years, Kanti their manager won the legends of
the game and to be rewarded like this.

Speaker 1 (02:24:30):
It was scenes across Naples.

Speaker 4 (02:24:34):
It's their fourth title in club.

Speaker 28 (02:24:35):
History again, two in the last three years, Napoli, and
we we're talking about a club where that two years
ago they didn't even win it with the same real core. Cavak,
Shelia and Ossaman. Those were the guys who really spearheaded
it there. For Napoly to really change this along has
been nothing short of magical and could end up seeing

(02:24:57):
them become a destination for a lot of big players,
including Kevin de Brugna, who is going to be a
free transfer or free agent out of Manchester City once
they finished their game here on Sunday, and it could
be edging towards him joining Napoli to give them some
extra firepower. Great scenes on Saturday as the Women's Champions

(02:25:17):
League is won by Arsenal, and that brings us to
the Men's Champions League which will be happening next weekend
Saturday May thirty, first three pm Eastern Paris Saint Germain
and Internacional Milan. We just mentioned them earlier. They had
just stumbled and lost out in the Scudetto. It will
be the Italian giants against the French giants. What a

(02:25:40):
turnaround has been for Paris Saint Germain to lose their
big three and still put together a leaner, more nastier squad,
and for Internazional to see their dreams of an Italian
title slip away and they have to focus now on
the Champions League. In spite of the fantastic year they've
had from Marcus Thram and Lotaro Martine. Both those players

(02:26:01):
actually did not play in Inter's final game against Como.
They were not a factor in a chance for them
to get the Scudetto, so they should be well rested
for the Champions League.

Speaker 1 (02:26:13):
And for Inter, yeah, that is probably the.

Speaker 28 (02:26:15):
Bigger title over the Scudetto, although that honor is still
They're going to have to come back from that disappointment.
They're going to have to wear that on the sleeve.
Whereas PSG, who has always been focused on Champions League
and never really has a lot of competition in French
League One, is well rested, is ready to go and
has had plenty of their guys seeing bench time as

(02:26:36):
they get ready for this fantastic, fantastic showdown. Now PSG's
had a turbulent journey through the inaugural league phase. They
really struggled and had to get a knockout phase playoff
win over Breast to really be in here by Inter meanwhile,
had just been cruising through the league phase and just
kind of had really a nasty game with Barcelona. Really

(02:27:00):
not a lot of trouble to them throughout there. It
is a classic matchup of offense in Paris versus the
defense of Inter Milan. It makes it all extremely satisfying
to watch. If you're going to ask me who I think,
I really think my heart is behind Paris Saint Germaine
at this point. They have been so close so many
times on wanting to claim the Champions League title. I

(02:27:23):
know it's in Milan's DNA and ters DNA for Champions
League for UEFA titles, but this feels right.

Speaker 1 (02:27:30):
You look to the goalkeepers Jan Luigi.

Speaker 28 (02:27:33):
Dona Ruma probably in the net for PSG, and he
is he's been for these big moments before. He was
critical for Italy winning Euros a few years back. I
really like this PSG squad and I think Inter is
going to be really struggling to get over the heartbreak
of missing out on their treble. We'll break down review
the game next week. I always get missed the eyes
we get near the end of the club season in Europe.

(02:27:55):
We had some farewells from Ansoloti. It's kind of the
end of an era Real Madrid. We didn't even get
to touch on that on his departure and the applause
he got coming out of the press corps or the
applause that should be for Luka Modrik, who is also
saying farewell to Real Madrid.

Speaker 1 (02:28:14):
We'll talk about them.

Speaker 28 (02:28:15):
As the offseason goes on and have all of this
from the Champions League final next time on the World
of Soccer.

Speaker 2 (02:28:23):
All right, that's a mouthful. Well coming up, we wrap
up the show and I tell you what I can't
wait later on tonight. Indiana Pacers and the New York
Knicks teed up again. Never seems to fail to surprise
and deliver. This is gonna be an epic game. The

(02:28:43):
Pacers are home now, they lead the series two zip.
They're a one and a half point favorite, and coming up,
I want to give you a quick walk down memory
lane and how really truly deep this Knicks Pacers rivalry
really goes and how it's start it with a head butt.
Believe it or not, I'll give you the details coming up.

(02:29:04):
And oh, by the way, now that the NFL schedules
are out, you have designs on going to a game,
we'll talk about some of the purchase prices already going
through the roof the five priciest games of the year.
And believe it or not, well, the Eagles Cowboys rematch
at seven hundred and sixth a ticket on September fourth,

(02:29:26):
isn't the highest one. We'll get to that coming up.
I'm Bernie Frattle. We're coming to a line from the
Fox Sports Radio studios here in Las Vegas. Keep it
locked and listening to the Bernie Frattle Show on Fox
Sports Radio. All right, we are wrapping it up on
the Bernie Frattle Show. A big thanks to producers Mark
and Brianna all your hard working professionalism is very much appreciated.

(02:29:52):
Before I get to the intensity, history and depth and
breadth of the Nixed Pacers rivalry, if you have designs
and going to an NFL game this year, well they've obviously.
The NFL's released their twenty twenty five schedules. And even
though there are four months to go until the Eagles
and Cowboys kick it off. Well, guess what. According to Tickpick,

(02:30:15):
the average purchase price in twenty twenty five for an
NFL ticket three hundred and three dollars a game. That's
seventy five dollars more ticket than a season ago. Because again,
that's at this point the number one priciest game of
the year. The Chiefs versus the Eagles on September fourteenth,
not surprising, seven hundred and forty nine dollars. That opening

(02:30:38):
game September fourth, Eagles at Cowboys. That'll be fun. That's
only seven hundred and six if you want to, so
you get, you know, leftover money for beering a hot dog.
Raiders and Cowboys interesting. Interesting, six hundred and seventy three
dollars a ticket. That game will be played till November
seventeenth Lions Packers. That's Thanksgiving weekend six hundred and fifty

(02:31:02):
six dollars. And finally there's there go to that man again, Cowboys,
Bears and Cowboys on September twenty first, six and twenty dollars.
So go figure that one out of the priciest five
games of the year, the Cowboys are involved in three
of them. They're gonna stink again this year. They may
improve from last year, they ain't going They're not going anywhere.

(02:31:25):
You think they figured it out. I don't know. I
don't think so. I don't think.

Speaker 24 (02:31:29):
You know.

Speaker 2 (02:31:29):
Jethropew and Bob Lily are walking through that door. Google him.
That's when they were good. Well Tony, Okay, Emma, Samith,
Troy Akan whatever, work with me. All right? I tell
you what you you watch just right around the corner,
what Tasa the NFL is gonna be king it already?
Is you know what I mean? So there's proof right there.

(02:31:53):
The hot ticket. I'll tell you what. The next Pacers
is a hot ticket. I think because this is appointment
viewing for any NBA fan, current, past, present, all three
of the above. No one will ever convince me that
the Knicks Pacers not only is one of the most intense,

(02:32:16):
enduring rivalries in NBA history and one of the longest,
it always continues to pay payoff. They have had eight
postseason series in total, forty eight playoff games, and they've
battled for Eastern Conference supremacy. But even though you've had

(02:32:38):
different eras, different coaches, different players, the tension, and that's
the key word here. Tension remains the same. And it
all started in nineteen ninety three when the Knicks and
Pacers first met. The Knicks won the series three games
to one. Back then it was best of five in
the opening round, but Game three changed everything. John Starks

(02:32:58):
just that Johnston head butted Reggie Miller in a moment
of rage that lit the fuse that set the next
decade of playoff encounters off and running. From nineteen ninety
three to two thousand, the Knickson Pacers met six times
in the postseason. Northern NBA rivalry matched the frequency of
ferocity seriously, and I covered Pistons, Lakers, Piston, Celtics, Pistons,

(02:33:22):
Bulls in the postseason. This is when it really matters,
the NBA really matters. As you know by now, it
feels like the regular season more meaningless than ever. These
games weren't just playoff series. They were blood wars. They
were blood feuds, they were emotional wars. And you know,
you started to see the same faces over and over.

(02:33:44):
Reggie Miller, who was known for his clutch shots and
trash talk. He'd loved going to New York and he
often saved his best for the New York crowd, including
Spike Lee, the self proclaimed Nick super fan, and he
helped elevate that rivalry because he had courtside annex. Reggie
Miller and Spike Lee used to go back and forth,

(02:34:05):
and they're the coaches. Rick Carlyle, like I told you,
I was up saw on Detroit covered in Detroit. He
once served as an assistant with the Pacers before he
was head coach of the Pacers for the first time
and now the second time. Tom Thibodeau who's currently with
the next he was an assistant during the same era
that Rick Carlisle was an assistant in Indiana. Their presence

(02:34:26):
adds to the tension. Let's jump to nineteen ninety four.
In nineteen ninety five, that's when the rev the rivalry
that the WNBA wishes Caitlin Clark and Adrian Rees have
started to really reach a crescendo. In nineteen ninety four,
Reggie Miller scored twenty four points in the fourth quarter

(02:34:48):
of Game five at Madison Square Garden and he was
taunting Spike Lee and made the choke sign, which you
can find on YouTube, and it was one of the
most iconic play playoff moments. Ever, and the Knicks actually
won that series, but the Pacers said, we're here, We're

(02:35:08):
making our presence known. The very next year, once again,
Reggie Miller stunned the Knicks eight points in nine seconds.
He had two threes and two free throws with under
twenty seconds to go. They stole Game one, sounded for
Mayer the way Indiana just stole Game one. Indiana actually
won the series in seven games, eliminating the Knicks for

(02:35:29):
the first time. Fast forward to nineteen ninety eight and
nineteen ninety nine. Again the two familiar foes they clash again.
Indiana won the nineteen ninety eight series in five games,
with Reggie Miller once again delivering a bunch of daggers
late in games. But the Knicks returned the favor In

(02:35:50):
nineteen ninety nine, despite being the eight seed, New York
upset the Pacers and Eastern Conference finals. Imagine that, unless
we forget, that was the pat Riley coach team, the
closest the Knicks have come to a championship since that
epic team in nineteen seventy or seventy one, the famous

(02:36:10):
Willis Reed game, and that year nineteen ninety nine, Larry
Johnson had a four point play in Game three, which
helped tilt the series. As I said, did reach the
NBA Finals. Pat Riley came also close to giving the
europe their championship. You can google your own John Starks.
I know if people are in New York right now,

(02:36:31):
don't drive off through it. I know you remember what happened.
We'll just leave it right there. Indiana, though, was sent
packing and they wondered what went wrong. Fast forward to
twenty twenty four. The Knicks Pacers rivalry, well, guess what
it resurfaced last year during the Eastern Conference semifinals. The

(02:36:52):
series win seven games, Indiana won four to three. Tyres
Halliburton led the Pacers to their first conference finals in
ten years. For the Knicks, another painful so On brand
Nick's loss. But this rivalry was not over. New York
retooled its roster in the offseason and now they're determined

(02:37:12):
to get to the NBA Finals for the first time
in twenty six years. But Indiana wants to break through
for their first finals appearance in twenty five years. So
you got two hungry teams and right now you've got
the Indiana Pacers with a two to o lead. These
are more than just games because what makes a rivalry

(02:37:34):
legendary is the emotional weight it carries, not through a
couple of months or a couple of years, but through
a generation or two. Think about it. Because the fans
in New York, you saw the pain on their faces
when they were losing Game one and two. They remember
the pain and it carries over. They want to cherish
the victories. They find the villains, they find the heroes.

(02:37:56):
The Knicks Pacers rivalry lives on because of these iconic
moments and because both teams refuse to back down. He
just had it the other night with Tyre's Halliburton throwing
up that last second three, bouncing high up off the rim,
dropping through the net. They celebrated, only it wasn't a three,
it was a two. He had his foot on the
line and it went over time. Even players like Jalen

(02:38:20):
Brunson and Obi Topping, they have personal connection to the
history because Brunson watched his father play in the rivalry.
Topping started with the Knicks and now he plays for Indiana.
Rivalry tradition, I'll ride a passage the Knicks and Pacers
they tear it up again Sunday Night, Game three, expect
more fireworks. No two teams in NBA history have played

(02:38:42):
more playoffs against one another. That stat alone says everything.
An NBA final spot is on the line in this series.
Every possession matters, every moment. What's going to happen next?
That's going to add lore to this rivalry. I can't
wait for eight pm Eastern Time on Sunday night. Nixon
Pagers can do it for the Bernie Frattle Show. See

(02:39:02):
you next time. Keep in lock. The Great Andy Furman
up next on Fox Sports Radio

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}The Bernie Fratto Show talks NBA Playoffs, WNBA Drama, Aaron Rodgers, & MORE!