April 29, 2025 • 36 mins
Kevin Calabro joins the show to talk some NBA/ Sonics! Kevin also shares why he didn't go to Oklahoma City as their announcer, plus much more. Dane Brugler of The Atheltic graded the Seahawks NFL Draft, where did they rank... Rob Manfred has an announcement but is it too late?
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Kevin Collabor joining me here for the first time ever
on MJ in the midday ninety.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Three to three kJ R f M.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Of course, he is the current voice of the Portland Trailblazers.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Casey first and foremost.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
We literally just talked about oh about two and a
half minutes ago. We exchanged messages. I got to tell you,
I just want to thank you so much from making
time and coming here in a place that obviously has
nothing but love for you.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Well, thank you, Mark for those kind words. I appreciate that.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
I just want to extend a welcome to Seattle and
to KJR, one of the great radio stations and all
of the USA station that I obviously have great history
with and have great fondness and admiration for, and all
the work that they have done over there for Boy,
the better part of Boy spent three and a half
decades or so, maybe more so, you know, I mean
(00:51):
going back to the day's a pad O day spinning
the hits.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Wow are.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
But yeah, man, welcome to town, and you picked it's
a great time of year to come to Seattle, and
you're going to get I think a very positive impression
of Seattle.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Oh I already do this, I already do.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
It's just a great, great sports market. I think you're
really going to enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
It really is, man, it's it's awesome. You know, gotten
again the krack in here now. And obviously we know
there's one major void which I think is will go
down is the maybe the biggest traves d in sports history.
And and but you know, Kevin, everybody here, and I'm
a major major basketball guy, NBA, college, you name it,
(01:32):
and I my heart hurt, my heart bled. I've seen
Sonics Gate a bunch of times. I've seen you on it.
You did your cameo appearances along with this guy that
is now my colleague, Dave Softy Mahlers, all over that thing, right,
and it's just man, do you think I mean, listen,
we're all on pins and needles here right, We're waiting
(01:53):
for Commissioner Silver to make that announcement. So I've done
some deductive research here. Kevin heard that the NBA is
waiting on Vegas to get their ownership group intact. And
when they do had to wait here. First number one
on the Tea Wolves to be sold. Check had to
wait for the Celtics to be sold. Check now waiting
(02:14):
for Vegas to get their ownership group intact because apparently,
from what I've heard, that the NBA wants to announce
thirty one and thirty two, the thirty first franchise and
the thirty second franchise at the same time. When is
that gonna happen? We don't know. We hear different dates.
Could be October twenty twenty seven. But you know, more
(02:35):
than everybody here the pain, the pain, and Kevin, I
give you listen. I just want to tell you this
why I think that I put you above and you know,
I don't know back in two thousand and eight when
Clay Bennett and then you know the last name Schultz,
when they took that franchise and they allowed that franchise
(02:57):
to leave here, you didn't leave.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Who could have left? Those shops don't grow on trees?
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Kevin Collaboro, Why did you decide to not go to
Okay See? Because I got to say, quite frankly, I
couldn't have blamed you. I mean you could have gone
there and been the voice for Durant, Westbrook and Hearten.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
You know, look, I had had twenty one years in
the league at that point and I've got four kids,
you know, and I love them, and I appreciate and
respect the job that my wife has done all these
years while I'm on the road covering the team and
so forth. And you know, we looked hard at that.
But my kids, my wife had never been to Oklahoma City.
I had only been there twice. We had no roots
(03:37):
in Oklahoma City.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
You know.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
We moved out to Seattle in eighty seven from Kansas
City when my son was two and my wife was pregnant.
She took a big leap to come all the way
to the West coast. She's an East Coast girl, having
spent most of her formative years in Baltimore, Maryland, and
you know, to ask her and them to make that
move was just it was just the wrong decision to make.
And we loved Seattle, you know, I mean, the kids
(04:00):
made friends there. I had four kids and four different
schools at the time, and they had great relationships going
back a long time. So to ask them to move
away really was.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Unfair, because you know, it was a tough calculation.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
But I figured that, you know, I had enough capital
built up, enough equity built up in the league and
in the market of Seattle, that I felt like I could,
I could find some work, and sure enough I had.
I had eight great years of doing freelance, working for
ESPN and Turner and Westwood one Radio and doing NBA
Finals for three years for ESPN Radio, and working for
(04:32):
the PAC twelve network and meeting all the great people
that I met there and working with them. Had a
chance to do more college football than I ever would
have imagined doing, of course, had had I gone to
Oklahoma City. So you know, there definitely were some There
were some great experiences that I had there and relationships
that I made outside when I was doing the freelance work.
(04:55):
And then when the Blazers called, uh, it just it
seemed like a great opportunity to come and work for
a team, be immersed in a community, and not too
far obviously from Seattle, only three hours driving distance, so
my family wouldn't have to relocate and I could see
the family whenever I wanted to, just to quick drive
up the pike. So it worked out great, And you know,
I will always cherish the time that I had, certainly
(05:18):
with the Sonics, and you know, I look forward to
them coming back.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
The whole vegas equation is interesting.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
I think the league too, is waiting to see how
the Boston sale will settle down, you know, like you
mentioned they were waiting for the sale of the Celtics.
My understanding is, you know, there's there's still some machinations,
still some things to be worked out in that contract,
and I think the league wants to see where that goes.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Vegas also needs a building.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
I think they could possibly temporarily play in the T
Mobile Center down there with a night's play until they
find a place down there. My understanding is if they
had their eye on a piece of ground but decided
not to go that direction, and now they're looking for
another situation down there. Vegas is going to be a
very hot and very attractive market. I'm hearing that the
(06:05):
Major Soccer League is looking to move possibly one of
their teams down to Vegas, a relocation which you know
is making even more of a crowded neighborhood down there.
But it's a very exciting, growing market expanding. And then
you hear Shaquille O'Neal's name mentioned, and obviously Lebron has
been a name that's been mentioned for a long time
as possible folks who would own an ownership stake down
(06:26):
there in Vegas, and you've got the Board of Governor's
meeting coming up in July, and there may be some
you know, some further news and more details on where
the league is at. I know this, you know, Adam Silver,
he's moving very cautiously, very slowly, deliberatively, so that you know,
it's when they do decide to make the move that
(06:46):
it's right that the markets are ready to go. Everything's
in place, the ownership groups are set, and they have
buildings in good situations and good leases.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
To play in.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
And until he get that, you know, I don't think
they're going to move forward.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Having said that, I still think, you know, the.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
City of Seattle's twenty four to thirty six months away
from seeing an NBA team land.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Yeah, which is something that's absolutely crazy, right. Kevin Collaboro
joining us here on MJ in the midday on ninety
three to three kJ RTHM. Someone texted in real time Kevin.
He said, Kevin Collabrel flying chickens in the barnyard. How
did you come up with that call?
Speaker 4 (07:24):
Well, that's a line from an old movie called Doctor Strangelove.
George Scott plays a part of a gonzo General in
the war room. So it's a Stanley Kubrick movie. It's
a classic. And the line was actually frying chickens in
a barn misinterpreted it. I misinterpreted as being flying chickens
at the barnyard, so it stayed flying chickens at the
(07:44):
bardi Anyway, It was just kind of a It was
kind of a crazed line, one of many crazed lines
that we used to use on a broadcast. I mean
the sonics of their credit as the Blazers do as well.
They give us great and gave us great Cree native
latitude to just have fun in the air. And I
worked primarily with Marcus Johnson is one of the more
(08:06):
brilliant guys doing this.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
He's still working for.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
The Milwaukee Bucks broadcast and does an excellent job there.
And Marcus and I just had loads of fun over
the years doing those broadcasts in the mid nineties, and yeah, look,
you're only as good as the only as good as
the game and the team, and we had some marvelous teams,
some great characters at the time. We just had so
(08:29):
much fun in the mid nineties doing those basketball games.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
On and off the court.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Take us through for everybody out there, and especially the
kids twenty eight and under who didn't get to experience.
And I think that's one of the things that can
you imagine, Kevin, that here we are coming up in
June of twenty twenty five and it'll be seventeen years
that an entire generation here in the PNW has been
devoid of the Green and gold. That is just a shame, right,
(08:56):
That's like that should be a felony.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
You know.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
The thing about it is I see and interact every
game in Portland at the Motor Center with Blazer fans
who have adopted with old Sonic fans who have adopted
the Blazers, as they tell me, temporarily till the team
comes back to Seattle. But you know, there is a
(09:22):
I guess, an outlet for those NBA fans. But you know,
it's just it's not the same when it's not your
team that you grew up with.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
And I get that. Yeah, it is hard to believe
that a whole generation.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
Has, you know, missed NBA basketball, in my opinion, the
best professional game played on the planet, and I think
a game really that appeals to a lot of people
for a number of reasons. The playoffs I think show
mark that we are able, the league is able to
blend the new rules, the new trends, of course, which
(09:55):
was created by Steph Curry.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Fifteen sixteen years ago.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
There's a bi to shoot the three now the three ball,
and simple math tells you thirty five.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Percent shooting from three to fifty percent from two.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
You're going to take the three every time because the
league average is about thirty six percent from three. So
thus the abundance of the three point shot. However, the
playoffs also show you still have the physical grind of
that was the hallmark of the eighties and nineties basketball.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
When it comes to the.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
Playoffs, so much contact and so many rule interpretations that
need to be made with the aid obviously of instant replay.
So I think the game has improved in those areas
to the point now or I think we have a
very good product out there with young budding stars. You know,
at Edwards is definitely roaring on the scene, is as
(10:49):
maybe the new face of the league. And you know,
we're seeing maybe the departure of Lebron James at the
age of forty, Damian Lillard, God Bless Hims turns thirty
five in July, and now's the Achilles tier.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
He's looking at a whole year of coming back.
Speaker 4 (11:02):
So injuries like that, the passing of big stars can
also mean a lot of change within the league. And
as we know, because of that, Luka Datchet's trade anything as.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Possible, no question about that. And thank you. Well, I
want to say thank you. I think a lot of
fans would have two other words for Nico Harrison. Kevin
Collabro joining us here on MJ in the midday. Kevin,
you know I was talking about yesterday because Soundgarden was
rightfully will rightfully be inducted into the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame. And you know what, growing up in
(11:34):
our outside Boston where the Basketball Hall of Fame is
in Springfield, Massachusetts, I always thought at that point, I said, man,
Seattle's just got to be the coolest city in the world.
You've got I'll turn into grunge music, Nirvon Pearl Jam
sound Garden, Allison changed the whole Seattle sound. Then you had,
of course, you know, you hat the Seahawks, You had
(11:56):
Ken Griffy Junior with the Mariners, and then you had
the songs Gary Payton, Sean KM coached by George Carl
What if you just tell me that whole era, What
was that like in the nineties, in the mid the
early to mid nineties, of this ultimately culminating with the
Sonics going to the finals against Michael Jordan and the Bulls.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
Well, you had this great mixing of the music culture,
as you mentioned, high tech with Microsoft of course, you know,
exploding on the scene in the late eighties and and
really getting a foothold, and you know, the things starting
to change, and the Internet of course becoming as dominant
(12:43):
as obviously it has been. It seemed to be that
all of that was happening at the time in the
mid nineties, it was all coming together on any given
night at Ky Arena because everybody wanted to be there,
They wanted to be seen there. It was a great
mix of people as well, I mean Asian, African American,
the suburbanites, the inner city folks. I mean, it was
(13:04):
it was just a great mixture of people there all
to celebrate basketball and greatness. I mean on any given night,
you'd see members of the band sitting there. I mean
Jeff Amen, the bass player from Pearl Jam was their
regularly was off to our right right behind, just off
to the left of the gold stanchion, down near the
visiting team's bench.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
I mean, and that's where Jeff sat.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
You knew, you knew he was going to be there
on any given night, and when when Pearl Jam was
in town, he was going to be there. I remember
Eddie Vedder and uh and Pearl Jam had a they
had a sort of a crew party at.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
Key Arena where they rented the arena, and they.
Speaker 4 (13:39):
Had a five on five crew game, so members of
the band and the crew played. Brent Barry hosted it,
and they had me as the PA announcer. And it
was just an absolute gas, you know, to meet those
guys and just kind of hang out, you know, and
see what what this.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
Group was all about, you know, and they you know,
they they they.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
A lot of these guys and gals lived in town,
you know, they they lived in Seattle. I mean, Nirvana
of course was launching at that time as well the
Screaming Trees.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
The members of their band were there. I mean, the
list went on, Allison Chains and so forth. So uh.
I remember one of.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
Our broadcast coordinators, Rick Turner, did just a great job.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
With with the Sonics in that period of time.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
He was sort of our our outreach to these all
these bands and would invite them and make sure that
you know, they were taken care of and uh, and
that they were hanging out with us, and and they
would play their music of course on the big kiosk
and the big screen above with the sonic highlights blairing. Uh,
they'd have them, they'd have the music piped along with uh,
(14:42):
you know, highlights of Sean Kemp, Gary Payton, Sam Perkins,
the great detl of Trump, Hersey Hawkins, Vincent Ask you,
I mean all these cats, well, dell Ellis back in
the day, he was one of the chief market chief architects.
Of course, of of where we ended up when I
came in in eighty seven, we had three guys for
(15:02):
two years at average twenty or better on any given night,
Tom Chambers, people forget about the greatness of Chambers six
to ten, could do all the things that Dirk Novitsky
could do, and had a power game at the rim.
You had Xavier McDaniel was one of the toughest guys
pound for pound, a six to five power forward in
the league at that time.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
And I mean pound for pound.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
He was as tough and as gritty as any guy
at that position, and then he had one of the
great three point shooters early of all time statistically, Dale Ellis,
and opening things up from the perimeter. A lot of
those teams in that I that I came up with
with the Sonics eighty seven on through the nineties would
be so explosive in today's game using the three point
(15:43):
shot as part of their arsenal, because we had really
great shooters at that time, but of course you were
for whatever reason, the strategies you just had had arrived
that at that point. Now, George did use some of
that to his advantage with guys like say Perkins. He
inverted sam Alot, brought him out, had him shoot threes.
(16:04):
He insisted that Gary shoot threes, at McMillan shoot threes,
De la tramp the shoot threes, but not at the
volume that we're experiencing today. So all those teams were
just terrific, and it was you know, no, it is
no wonder why these these bands and these entertainers wanted
to be a part.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Of that atmosphere, because they were very much a part
of it. And on any given night, man, it was
you could see all these guys.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Kevin Clabro, former voice of the Song's current voice of
the Portland trailblazerss here on MJ in the midday. What
would be if you had to give one, or two
or three? If you had to just say one? Was
it Game seven of the ninety six Western Conference Finals
beating the Jazz and going to the finals to face Chicago?
Would you say that was the seminal moment in your
(16:49):
broadcasting career as a Sonics announcer.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
I think yeah, absolutely. I mean the relief and the
relief at having to be some very fine basketball teams
over the years to get there and to surmount what
had been you know, too highly highly successful years the
previous two years, only to lose in just bitter fashion
(17:17):
to Denver the eight season. In the following year to
the Los Angeles Lakers team, which I think was, you know,
not nearly as talented as that as that Sonic ball club.
But then to move then into the new building with
new uniforms and kind of a whole revamped type attitude,
and then take it to Utah.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
After it looked like they had the Blazer.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
The Sonics had had taken control early in the series
and the Utah had come back and just thrashed the
Blazers in one of the late games and win that
down the stretch with Sean Kemp hitting a couple of
clutch free throws like that and finally getting by stocking
them alone.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
It was a It was a huge relief.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
But I think the highlight obviously was was going to
the finals and being able to sit courtside at the
United Center and with Marcus Johnson at my side of
my two brothers, Ron and Dave came up on alternate
nights to help me do statistics, so we had a
great time on Rush Street after those games. It was
(18:14):
it was wonderful to be in Chicago. I think had
the Blazers had a couple of guys healthier McMillan for one,
and then Gary Payton was ailing with a calf injury
at the time, I think with a fully healthy and
you can say this about a lot of teams obviously
over the years when it comes to the finals or
comes to playoff situations, but when you're playing that Bulls team,
then the winning is it's you know, seventy two and
(18:36):
Jordan's certainly on a mission you needed to be fully
healthy and have everybody at your disposal, and unfortunately the
Sonics did not, but it was it was wonderful just
to be there and just to be in that atmosphere.
So that definitely would be the highlight of the career
so far.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
I just want to read you this, Kevin, and we'll listen.
We got to catch up again sooner than later, because
it's great everybody here.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
I'm just in real time.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
I'm getting ten on the text line, like blowing up,
and I'm just going to read some here from from
the two oh six. Damn, it's good to hear Kevin
top three all time NBA best announcer. Easily hope to
hear him back with the Sonics soon. That's from a Texter.
Get up for the downstroke?
Speaker 5 (19:15):
Uh the one about two in the pine, one of
the pudding.
Speaker 6 (19:18):
What's the best thing? A lot of people love that.
Just all right, I'm just reading the text. How about just.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Hearing Collaboral's voice makes me emotional?
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Truly the goat in Seattle right there with new House,
I mean, Jesus, I that is just just so on
and so on and so on.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
What a blast for the past.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
Thank you Kevin and Marcus for all the great years
and so just just so you know, hell one more Casey,
thank you for entertaining me throughout my childhood in the
days when not every game was on TV. You provided
the visual and the imagination over the radio waves.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
Well, it was very nice of you to say all that.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
And I appreciate your your listeners chiming in and uh
and yeah, I know, I know I wasn't everybody's favorite flavor.
I get that you rarely are. But we just what
we tried to do is just do our own thing.
We tried to have fun. We had We tried to
be as educated as we could be about the game,
uh and about the players that were on the floor. Uh.
(20:25):
And then and just went out and tried to entertain
the best we could. And and uh, if folks loved us,
that's great. If they didn't, well that was fine too.
At least we tried to give the score and the
time enough for the people that didn't let me stick.
But uh, yeah, I had to be mentioned with Dave
ney House obviously is is big and some of the
great voices. When I was coming into Seattle, they were
(20:47):
all very gracious to meet Pete Gross and make great
Pete Gross the original voice of the Seahawks, and Steve
Rabel obviously now and uh Daveney House and Rick re Is.
I mean, those were all just larger than life guys,
and you know, really really appreciated their friendships certainly over
(21:07):
the years.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
And just you know, I hope.
Speaker 4 (21:11):
That I carried that banner to an extent and still
feel as if I'm one of the voices of the
Northwest down there in Portland, Oregon.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Now all right, Kevin, listen, we appreciate the time I
got to get one more in here. My favorite collaboral
line was a Doors reference when GP got this deal
and went coast to coast when Kevin says, oh mo,
Joe Rise in the Doors reference, Kevin, Man, I'm telling
you like it is just having you on here in
your voice and stopping by Man. We love to get
(21:41):
you in studio, hopefully one day in the not so
distant future while you're enjoying the off season.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
Sounds good, Let's buckle up. I think the playoffs are
going to be just really since last weekend was a gas.
Last night got Houston blew a great opportunity. But you know,
they still have a chance, don't right. The Detroit Pistons out,
that is a good young ball club. They had the Knicks.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Right by the scruff of the neck, but they got
to go back to New York.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
Hey, I'll tell you what going forward, the Pistons and
Magic are on the come up, man, they are. You know,
those those puppies are starting to get big teeth.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
Man.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
You can see the future in Detroit and Orlando. They
just they're they're on the cuff, not quite there yet,
just like you've seen teams. You know, in order to
you know, walk, you gotta crawl. In order to run,
you gotta walk first. And they're on that precipice right now. Kevin,
thanks again for the time, man. Always always great to
hear your voice in Seattle on the airwaves.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
Okay, Mark a pleasure, Thank you, sir.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
All Right, the great Kevin clabro here on MJ in
the midday. I hope you enjoyed me in the text
line is blowing up, so we appreciate you listening. And
I never I never heard that one before.
Speaker 5 (22:59):
Putting my I never heard that one before, but that
is that is as It's great all right.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
NFL Draft rankings are.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
Out Where does the Seahawks rank amongst the entire NFL?
How good or bad did John Schneider do. We'll get
to that next one. I'm Jane in the Midday, ninety
three to three KJRFM. So the Seahawks' draft is in
the books. Now that being said, what grade are they
(23:34):
given amongst the teams in the league. I will say this,
I didn't think the Rams did anything great at all.
I I you know, I was expecting, you know, just
because of the draft that less Need and Sean McVeigh
had last year. I didn't think it was all that great.
(23:56):
Dame Brugler from the Athletic went through and ranked the
top teams.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
All right, number, you'll like this. You'll like this, all right.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
San Francisco forty nine ers, twenty six in the league.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Nothing spectacular.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
They took mikel Williams, the edge rusher out of Georgia,
and Jordan James, the small running back out of Oregon.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
So nothing spectacular.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
I mentioned the Rams twenty fifth right above the forty
nine ers, Terrence Ferguson, tight end out of Oregon, Jarquez Hunter,
running back out of Auburn, Arizona Cardinals. Better draft for
Monte Austin Fort will Johnson, who's hurt. That's why he
(24:48):
fell into back in the draft. He fell you know,
I think he went like number forty seven in the
draft in the second round, cornerback out of Michigan. And
and then Cody Simon was a Day three pick out
of Ohio State.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Number two the Cleveland Browns.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
Okay, Carson Schwsinger favorite pick, linebacker out of UCLA. Of
course you've seen him and what he did there and
with Chip Kelly before Chip Kelly bolted to Ohio State.
And then Dylan Samson running back out of Rocky Top,
Nico's Iam Ali Ava's former teammate. Number one the New
(25:38):
England Patriots. All right, credit to Mike Frabele Kyle Williams,
wide receiver, Washington State. That was his favorite pick. You
all know he was a transfer from UNLV. Drake made
doesn't have any weapons to pass do, that's one they
now he has a guy to protect his blindside. Campbell
(26:01):
tackle out of LSU Day three pick who could surprise
Brayden Swinson another player edge rusher out of LSU.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
So let's get a drum roll here.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
Where are the Seattle Seahawks?
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Number three in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
Favorite pick Nick Emon Warri, safety South Carolina, who was
obviously a guy that could have even should have gone
in the first round. Hawks traded up to thirty five
to get him after taking Graysabel with the eighteenth pick,
and then, well, let me just say what he writes
about Emon Warre. This was another tough call because there
(26:49):
are reasons to be excited about all four of Seattle's
top one hundred picks. Crazabel answers a major need, and
Elijah Royo has big time potential. But even Warri could
separate himself as an impact defender very early in his career.
Some question his best potential fit in the NFL, but
(27:09):
he is in great hands with head coach Mike McDonald.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Hman.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Warri is a unique athlete who can play a variety
of roles as a hybrid safety. Excellent Day three pick
who could surprise Tory Horton wide receiver Colorado State, and
Dan Brugler writes quote, I'm eager to see the development
(27:33):
on Bryce's cable doo, my highest graded non combine prospect
in this class. He could become a factor in Seattle's
guard rotation. Twenty twenty five. I'm also citing to re
see Riley Mills once he returns from injury. But Horton
can make an impact from day one as a rotational
flanker capable of creating big plays with fluidity, speed, and
(27:55):
natural tracking skills. With Marquez Valdez, Gantling on a one
year deal has the talent to be a long term
answer at outside receiver. Maybe could take the place of
Tyler Lockett long term. I added that at the end,
So I told you that after the first two days,
(28:21):
so was rounds one, two.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
And three.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
I thought John Schneider gotten a a to a minus,
and apparently so don't. So do the national draft analyst experts.
They feel as though he nailed the draft. Nobody knows
what's gonna happen until we see these guys on Sunday.
But on paper, Seahawks great draft, best in the NFC West,
(28:48):
only a few spots above Arizona Rams In Rams and
forty nine ers not good this year at all, and
I agree with that. I didn't like what the Rams
did at all. There they're the seem to be in
the in the division. I didn't I didn't love it.
I don't even love Terence ferguson the tight end on
of Oregon. I'm not not a big fan of that.
(29:10):
Better late than ever. Sometimes in life is not always.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
A good thing.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
I'll explain next on MJ in the Midday ninety three
to three kJ R FM.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Trump posted on social.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
Media at the end of February that he plans to
issue a complete pardon of Pete Rose. Then he posted
on true social saying Rose the quote Roe shouldn't have
been gambling on baseball, but he only bet on his
team winning end quote.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
So this whole thing.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
Although I appreciate the fact that this is now being
discussed and even being considered, it's too late.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
It's too late, Petez Dad.
Speaker 1 (30:01):
It's I knew baseball would consider doing this crap after
he was gone posthumously. I just knew this would happen.
And here we are. So it doesn't matter anymore. I
mean maybe the Pete's family it matters. But I wanted
Pete to be alive to enjoy this. I was a
Pete Rose guy. I was so. I liked the guy.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
He was great.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
He came on with me and got a chance to
hang out with him for an afternoon at the Pete
Rose Ballpark Cafe in Boyton Beach, Florida in two thousand
and four during the I believe it was, yeah, the
Lakers Spurs Western Conference Finals. And this is just so
Rob Manford. I don't think there's any I mean, yeah,
(30:46):
he's got the pitch clock.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
I'll give him that.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
I Rob Manford has got to be the worst commissioner
in all of pro sports by far and away.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
You know, it's surprisingly enough.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
I can't believe I'm saying this, but somehow someway and
I didn't notice it. I actually think that Roger Goodell
has done a great job all in all. Obviously, you know,
not acknowledging and hiding the Ray Rice elevator tape notwithstanding,
(31:19):
and some other things. But for the last six to
eight years, I mean, he put the draft in primetime
Thursday night and Friday night, huge success. He's less in
the preseason from four games down to what two, and
we've got an extra game in the regular season. Check
(31:42):
he's trying to get another game in the regular season
to make it eighteen. Sign me up for that more
meaningful football is a great thing. And I noticed, I'm like, wow,
am I becoming a Roger goodell guy. Never thought of
myself as one, but hey, I guess I am. Maybe
I am.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
So all in all.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
At disjuncture. Who gives an f about Pete Rose?
Speaker 2 (32:14):
About this?
Speaker 1 (32:15):
And I don't mean that to disparage Pete Rose. I
mean that to disparage major League Baseball. You dropped the
ball on this one. You really did, so you could
have done it. You should have done it while he
was alive. And now, yeah, if his family wants it
to happen, fine, I just think it's patronizing at this
(32:38):
point and it's insincere. You don't want him in the
Hall of Fame. Don't have him in the Hall of Fame.
Don't just don't.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
I like it needed to be done way before, this,
way before it.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
And now it just seems disingenuous. Not a fan, not
a fan at all. And Rob Manford, don't do Rose
or Pete Rose fans any favors.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
It's too late. It's like it's like.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
Being a bully in disrespecting someone the entire time they're
alive and then honoring them after they're dead. While you
were a bully and an a hole to them while
they were alive, Why do it now? Just go ahead
and continue to be a bully and a hole to them.
That's what you were for the last baseball did this
to Pete Rose since eighty nine? I mean, look at
(33:35):
you know, thirty seven years. So why all of a
sudden missed a nice guy?
Speaker 2 (33:43):
Now?
Speaker 3 (33:44):
Why?
Speaker 1 (33:45):
So they said, Manford's considering to have a petition to
have wrote Pete Rose removed from the permanently ineligible list.
The petition was filed in January by a lawyer by
the name of Jeffrey lenco Off, a Southern California lawyer.
Lawyer who represented Rose prior to the seven teen time
(34:06):
All Stars.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
Death at the age of eighty three.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
Yeah, hollow, fake, Like everyone in LA, I'm just a disjuncture.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
I'm good.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
I mean, it would be interesting to see it happen,
but I don't like it. It stinks. It just reeks of insincerity,
and I don't want something that is just you're not
doing it for the right reasons.
Speaker 2 (34:32):
You're not.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
And it's a shame that he had to die first
to be acknowledged. And I don't know your thoughts on that.
Feel Free Voice text line always open. You know that
new and improved iHeartRadio app ninety three to three KGr
microphone icon button. Hit it, you can drop swears, will
beep them out. But I'm just I don't like it
(34:57):
at all, not anymore. He needed, he deserved to be
inducted while he was alive and have that permanent ban lifted.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
And now it's just it's soulless. It's soulless.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
But Rob Manford, who's definitely the only thing he's done
in baseball that improved anything. He's added a couple more
wildcard teams and he got the pitch clock.
Speaker 3 (35:23):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (35:24):
That's the only thing I can think that Rob Manford's
done good for the game of baseball. I never thought
anybody'd be worse than Bud Ceiling. And then Manford happened. Yep, yep, yep, yep.
So not a fan, don't want it to happen. Moving on,
don't care. Just just pathetic, absolutely pathetic. Now sorry, maybe
(35:47):
you want it, I don't.
Speaker 3 (35:49):
I don't.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
All right, Jaylen Milroe stop by with Softy in Dick yesterday.
We'll hear what he had to say and also why
the Seahawks couldn't pass on the Alabama quarterback. Next on
MJ in the Midday ninety three three kJ Artham
Kevin Collabor joining me here for the first time ever
on MJ in the midday ninety.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Three to three kJ R f M.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Of course, he is the current voice of the Portland Trailblazers.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Casey first and foremost.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
We literally just talked about oh about two and a
half minutes ago. We exchanged messages. I got to tell you,
I just want to thank you so much from making
time and coming here in a place that obviously has
nothing but love for you.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Well, thank you, Mark for those kind words. I appreciate that.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
I just want to extend a welcome to Seattle and
to KJR, one of the great radio stations and all
of the USA station that I obviously have great history
with and have great fondness and admiration for, and all
the work that they have done over there for Boy,
the better part of Boy spent three and a half
decades or so, maybe more so, you know, I mean
(00:51):
going back to the day's a pad O day spinning
the hits.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Wow are.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
But yeah, man, welcome to town, and you picked it's
a great time of year to come to Seattle, and
you're going to get I think a very positive impression
of Seattle.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Oh I already do this, I already do.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
It's just a great, great sports market. I think you're
really going to enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
It really is, man, it's it's awesome. You know, gotten
again the krack in here now. And obviously we know
there's one major void which I think is will go
down is the maybe the biggest traves d in sports history.
And and but you know, Kevin, everybody here, and I'm
a major major basketball guy, NBA, college, you name it,
(01:32):
and I my heart hurt, my heart bled. I've seen
Sonics Gate a bunch of times. I've seen you on it.
You did your cameo appearances along with this guy that
is now my colleague, Dave Softy Mahlers, all over that thing, right,
and it's just man, do you think I mean, listen,
we're all on pins and needles here right, We're waiting
(01:53):
for Commissioner Silver to make that announcement. So I've done
some deductive research here. Kevin heard that the NBA is
waiting on Vegas to get their ownership group intact. And
when they do had to wait here. First number one
on the Tea Wolves to be sold. Check had to
wait for the Celtics to be sold. Check now waiting
(02:14):
for Vegas to get their ownership group intact because apparently,
from what I've heard, that the NBA wants to announce
thirty one and thirty two, the thirty first franchise and
the thirty second franchise at the same time. When is
that gonna happen? We don't know. We hear different dates.
Could be October twenty twenty seven. But you know, more
(02:35):
than everybody here the pain, the pain, and Kevin, I
give you listen. I just want to tell you this
why I think that I put you above and you know,
I don't know back in two thousand and eight when
Clay Bennett and then you know the last name Schultz,
when they took that franchise and they allowed that franchise
(02:57):
to leave here, you didn't leave.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Who could have left? Those shops don't grow on trees?
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Kevin Collaboro, Why did you decide to not go to
Okay See? Because I got to say, quite frankly, I
couldn't have blamed you. I mean you could have gone
there and been the voice for Durant, Westbrook and Hearten.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
You know, look, I had had twenty one years in
the league at that point and I've got four kids,
you know, and I love them, and I appreciate and
respect the job that my wife has done all these
years while I'm on the road covering the team and
so forth. And you know, we looked hard at that.
But my kids, my wife had never been to Oklahoma City.
I had only been there twice. We had no roots
(03:37):
in Oklahoma City.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
You know.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
We moved out to Seattle in eighty seven from Kansas
City when my son was two and my wife was pregnant.
She took a big leap to come all the way
to the West coast. She's an East Coast girl, having
spent most of her formative years in Baltimore, Maryland, and
you know, to ask her and them to make that
move was just it was just the wrong decision to make.
And we loved Seattle, you know, I mean, the kids
(04:00):
made friends there. I had four kids and four different
schools at the time, and they had great relationships going
back a long time. So to ask them to move
away really was.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Unfair, because you know, it was a tough calculation.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
But I figured that, you know, I had enough capital
built up, enough equity built up in the league and
in the market of Seattle, that I felt like I could,
I could find some work, and sure enough I had.
I had eight great years of doing freelance, working for
ESPN and Turner and Westwood one Radio and doing NBA
Finals for three years for ESPN Radio, and working for
(04:32):
the PAC twelve network and meeting all the great people
that I met there and working with them. Had a
chance to do more college football than I ever would
have imagined doing, of course, had had I gone to
Oklahoma City. So you know, there definitely were some There
were some great experiences that I had there and relationships
that I made outside when I was doing the freelance work.
(04:55):
And then when the Blazers called, uh, it just it
seemed like a great opportunity to come and work for
a team, be immersed in a community, and not too
far obviously from Seattle, only three hours driving distance, so
my family wouldn't have to relocate and I could see
the family whenever I wanted to, just to quick drive
up the pike. So it worked out great, And you know,
I will always cherish the time that I had, certainly
(05:18):
with the Sonics, and you know, I look forward to
them coming back.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
The whole vegas equation is interesting.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
I think the league too, is waiting to see how
the Boston sale will settle down, you know, like you
mentioned they were waiting for the sale of the Celtics.
My understanding is, you know, there's there's still some machinations,
still some things to be worked out in that contract,
and I think the league wants to see where that goes.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Vegas also needs a building.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
I think they could possibly temporarily play in the T
Mobile Center down there with a night's play until they
find a place down there. My understanding is if they
had their eye on a piece of ground but decided
not to go that direction, and now they're looking for
another situation down there. Vegas is going to be a
very hot and very attractive market. I'm hearing that the
(06:05):
Major Soccer League is looking to move possibly one of
their teams down to Vegas, a relocation which you know
is making even more of a crowded neighborhood down there.
But it's a very exciting, growing market expanding. And then
you hear Shaquille O'Neal's name mentioned, and obviously Lebron has
been a name that's been mentioned for a long time
as possible folks who would own an ownership stake down
(06:26):
there in Vegas, and you've got the Board of Governor's
meeting coming up in July, and there may be some
you know, some further news and more details on where
the league is at. I know this, you know, Adam Silver,
he's moving very cautiously, very slowly, deliberatively, so that you know,
it's when they do decide to make the move that
(06:46):
it's right that the markets are ready to go. Everything's
in place, the ownership groups are set, and they have
buildings in good situations and good leases.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
To play in.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
And until he get that, you know, I don't think
they're going to move forward.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Having said that, I still think, you know, the.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
City of Seattle's twenty four to thirty six months away
from seeing an NBA team land.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Yeah, which is something that's absolutely crazy, right. Kevin Collaboro
joining us here on MJ in the midday on ninety
three to three kJ RTHM. Someone texted in real time Kevin.
He said, Kevin Collabrel flying chickens in the barnyard. How
did you come up with that call?
Speaker 4 (07:24):
Well, that's a line from an old movie called Doctor Strangelove.
George Scott plays a part of a gonzo General in
the war room. So it's a Stanley Kubrick movie. It's
a classic. And the line was actually frying chickens in
a barn misinterpreted it. I misinterpreted as being flying chickens
at the barnyard, so it stayed flying chickens at the
(07:44):
bardi Anyway, It was just kind of a It was
kind of a crazed line, one of many crazed lines
that we used to use on a broadcast. I mean
the sonics of their credit as the Blazers do as well.
They give us great and gave us great Cree native
latitude to just have fun in the air. And I
worked primarily with Marcus Johnson is one of the more
(08:06):
brilliant guys doing this.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
He's still working for.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
The Milwaukee Bucks broadcast and does an excellent job there.
And Marcus and I just had loads of fun over
the years doing those broadcasts in the mid nineties, and yeah, look,
you're only as good as the only as good as
the game and the team, and we had some marvelous teams,
some great characters at the time. We just had so
(08:29):
much fun in the mid nineties doing those basketball games.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
On and off the court.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Take us through for everybody out there, and especially the
kids twenty eight and under who didn't get to experience.
And I think that's one of the things that can
you imagine, Kevin, that here we are coming up in
June of twenty twenty five and it'll be seventeen years
that an entire generation here in the PNW has been
devoid of the Green and gold. That is just a shame, right,
(08:56):
That's like that should be a felony.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
You know.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
The thing about it is I see and interact every
game in Portland at the Motor Center with Blazer fans
who have adopted with old Sonic fans who have adopted
the Blazers, as they tell me, temporarily till the team
comes back to Seattle. But you know, there is a
(09:22):
I guess, an outlet for those NBA fans. But you know,
it's just it's not the same when it's not your
team that you grew up with.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
And I get that. Yeah, it is hard to believe
that a whole generation.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
Has, you know, missed NBA basketball, in my opinion, the
best professional game played on the planet, and I think
a game really that appeals to a lot of people
for a number of reasons. The playoffs I think show
mark that we are able, the league is able to
blend the new rules, the new trends, of course, which
(09:55):
was created by Steph Curry.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Fifteen sixteen years ago.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
There's a bi to shoot the three now the three ball,
and simple math tells you thirty five.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Percent shooting from three to fifty percent from two.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
You're going to take the three every time because the
league average is about thirty six percent from three. So
thus the abundance of the three point shot. However, the
playoffs also show you still have the physical grind of
that was the hallmark of the eighties and nineties basketball.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
When it comes to the.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
Playoffs, so much contact and so many rule interpretations that
need to be made with the aid obviously of instant replay.
So I think the game has improved in those areas
to the point now or I think we have a
very good product out there with young budding stars. You know,
at Edwards is definitely roaring on the scene, is as
(10:49):
maybe the new face of the league. And you know,
we're seeing maybe the departure of Lebron James at the
age of forty, Damian Lillard, God Bless Hims turns thirty
five in July, and now's the Achilles tier.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
He's looking at a whole year of coming back.
Speaker 4 (11:02):
So injuries like that, the passing of big stars can
also mean a lot of change within the league. And
as we know, because of that, Luka Datchet's trade anything as.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Possible, no question about that. And thank you. Well, I
want to say thank you. I think a lot of
fans would have two other words for Nico Harrison. Kevin
Collabro joining us here on MJ in the midday. Kevin,
you know I was talking about yesterday because Soundgarden was
rightfully will rightfully be inducted into the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame. And you know what, growing up in
(11:34):
our outside Boston where the Basketball Hall of Fame is
in Springfield, Massachusetts, I always thought at that point, I said, man,
Seattle's just got to be the coolest city in the world.
You've got I'll turn into grunge music, Nirvon Pearl Jam
sound Garden, Allison changed the whole Seattle sound. Then you had,
of course, you know, you hat the Seahawks, You had
(11:56):
Ken Griffy Junior with the Mariners, and then you had
the songs Gary Payton, Sean KM coached by George Carl
What if you just tell me that whole era, What
was that like in the nineties, in the mid the
early to mid nineties, of this ultimately culminating with the
Sonics going to the finals against Michael Jordan and the Bulls.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
Well, you had this great mixing of the music culture,
as you mentioned, high tech with Microsoft of course, you know,
exploding on the scene in the late eighties and and
really getting a foothold, and you know, the things starting
to change, and the Internet of course becoming as dominant
(12:43):
as obviously it has been. It seemed to be that
all of that was happening at the time in the
mid nineties, it was all coming together on any given
night at Ky Arena because everybody wanted to be there,
They wanted to be seen there. It was a great
mix of people as well, I mean Asian, African American,
the suburbanites, the inner city folks. I mean, it was
(13:04):
it was just a great mixture of people there all
to celebrate basketball and greatness. I mean on any given night,
you'd see members of the band sitting there. I mean
Jeff Amen, the bass player from Pearl Jam was their
regularly was off to our right right behind, just off
to the left of the gold stanchion, down near the
visiting team's bench.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
I mean, and that's where Jeff sat.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
You knew, you knew he was going to be there
on any given night, and when when Pearl Jam was
in town, he was going to be there. I remember
Eddie Vedder and uh and Pearl Jam had a they
had a sort of a crew party at.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
Key Arena where they rented the arena, and they.
Speaker 4 (13:39):
Had a five on five crew game, so members of
the band and the crew played. Brent Barry hosted it,
and they had me as the PA announcer. And it
was just an absolute gas, you know, to meet those
guys and just kind of hang out, you know, and
see what what this.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
Group was all about, you know, and they you know,
they they they.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
A lot of these guys and gals lived in town,
you know, they they lived in Seattle. I mean, Nirvana
of course was launching at that time as well the
Screaming Trees.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
The members of their band were there. I mean, the
list went on, Allison Chains and so forth. So uh.
I remember one of.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
Our broadcast coordinators, Rick Turner, did just a great job.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
With with the Sonics in that period of time.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
He was sort of our our outreach to these all
these bands and would invite them and make sure that
you know, they were taken care of and uh, and
that they were hanging out with us, and and they
would play their music of course on the big kiosk
and the big screen above with the sonic highlights blairing. Uh,
they'd have them, they'd have the music piped along with uh,
(14:42):
you know, highlights of Sean Kemp, Gary Payton, Sam Perkins,
the great detl of Trump, Hersey Hawkins, Vincent Ask you,
I mean all these cats, well, dell Ellis back in
the day, he was one of the chief market chief architects.
Of course, of of where we ended up when I
came in in eighty seven, we had three guys for
(15:02):
two years at average twenty or better on any given night,
Tom Chambers, people forget about the greatness of Chambers six
to ten, could do all the things that Dirk Novitsky
could do, and had a power game at the rim.
You had Xavier McDaniel was one of the toughest guys
pound for pound, a six to five power forward in
the league at that time.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
And I mean pound for pound.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
He was as tough and as gritty as any guy
at that position, and then he had one of the
great three point shooters early of all time statistically, Dale Ellis,
and opening things up from the perimeter. A lot of
those teams in that I that I came up with
with the Sonics eighty seven on through the nineties would
be so explosive in today's game using the three point
(15:43):
shot as part of their arsenal, because we had really
great shooters at that time, but of course you were
for whatever reason, the strategies you just had had arrived
that at that point. Now, George did use some of
that to his advantage with guys like say Perkins. He
inverted sam Alot, brought him out, had him shoot threes.
(16:04):
He insisted that Gary shoot threes, at McMillan shoot threes,
De la tramp the shoot threes, but not at the
volume that we're experiencing today. So all those teams were
just terrific, and it was you know, no, it is
no wonder why these these bands and these entertainers wanted
to be a part.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Of that atmosphere, because they were very much a part
of it. And on any given night, man, it was
you could see all these guys.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Kevin Clabro, former voice of the Song's current voice of
the Portland trailblazerss here on MJ in the midday. What
would be if you had to give one, or two
or three? If you had to just say one? Was
it Game seven of the ninety six Western Conference Finals
beating the Jazz and going to the finals to face Chicago?
Would you say that was the seminal moment in your
(16:49):
broadcasting career as a Sonics announcer.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
I think yeah, absolutely. I mean the relief and the
relief at having to be some very fine basketball teams
over the years to get there and to surmount what
had been you know, too highly highly successful years the
previous two years, only to lose in just bitter fashion
(17:17):
to Denver the eight season. In the following year to
the Los Angeles Lakers team, which I think was, you know,
not nearly as talented as that as that Sonic ball club.
But then to move then into the new building with
new uniforms and kind of a whole revamped type attitude,
and then take it to Utah.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
After it looked like they had the Blazer.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
The Sonics had had taken control early in the series
and the Utah had come back and just thrashed the
Blazers in one of the late games and win that
down the stretch with Sean Kemp hitting a couple of
clutch free throws like that and finally getting by stocking
them alone.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
It was a It was a huge relief.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
But I think the highlight obviously was was going to
the finals and being able to sit courtside at the
United Center and with Marcus Johnson at my side of
my two brothers, Ron and Dave came up on alternate
nights to help me do statistics, so we had a
great time on Rush Street after those games. It was
(18:14):
it was wonderful to be in Chicago. I think had
the Blazers had a couple of guys healthier McMillan for one,
and then Gary Payton was ailing with a calf injury
at the time, I think with a fully healthy and
you can say this about a lot of teams obviously
over the years when it comes to the finals or
comes to playoff situations, but when you're playing that Bulls team,
then the winning is it's you know, seventy two and
(18:36):
Jordan's certainly on a mission you needed to be fully
healthy and have everybody at your disposal, and unfortunately the
Sonics did not, but it was it was wonderful just
to be there and just to be in that atmosphere.
So that definitely would be the highlight of the career
so far.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
I just want to read you this, Kevin, and we'll listen.
We got to catch up again sooner than later, because
it's great everybody here.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
I'm just in real time.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
I'm getting ten on the text line, like blowing up,
and I'm just going to read some here from from
the two oh six. Damn, it's good to hear Kevin
top three all time NBA best announcer. Easily hope to
hear him back with the Sonics soon. That's from a Texter.
Get up for the downstroke?
Speaker 5 (19:15):
Uh the one about two in the pine, one of
the pudding.
Speaker 6 (19:18):
What's the best thing? A lot of people love that.
Just all right, I'm just reading the text. How about just.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Hearing Collaboral's voice makes me emotional?
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Truly the goat in Seattle right there with new House,
I mean, Jesus, I that is just just so on
and so on and so on.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
What a blast for the past.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
Thank you Kevin and Marcus for all the great years
and so just just so you know, hell one more Casey,
thank you for entertaining me throughout my childhood in the
days when not every game was on TV. You provided
the visual and the imagination over the radio waves.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
Well, it was very nice of you to say all that.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
And I appreciate your your listeners chiming in and uh
and yeah, I know, I know I wasn't everybody's favorite flavor.
I get that you rarely are. But we just what
we tried to do is just do our own thing.
We tried to have fun. We had We tried to
be as educated as we could be about the game,
uh and about the players that were on the floor. Uh.
(20:25):
And then and just went out and tried to entertain
the best we could. And and uh, if folks loved us,
that's great. If they didn't, well that was fine too.
At least we tried to give the score and the
time enough for the people that didn't let me stick.
But uh, yeah, I had to be mentioned with Dave
ney House obviously is is big and some of the
great voices. When I was coming into Seattle, they were
(20:47):
all very gracious to meet Pete Gross and make great
Pete Gross the original voice of the Seahawks, and Steve
Rabel obviously now and uh Daveney House and Rick re Is.
I mean, those were all just larger than life guys,
and you know, really really appreciated their friendships certainly over
(21:07):
the years.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
And just you know, I hope.
Speaker 4 (21:11):
That I carried that banner to an extent and still
feel as if I'm one of the voices of the
Northwest down there in Portland, Oregon.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Now all right, Kevin, listen, we appreciate the time I
got to get one more in here. My favorite collaboral
line was a Doors reference when GP got this deal
and went coast to coast when Kevin says, oh mo,
Joe Rise in the Doors reference, Kevin, Man, I'm telling
you like it is just having you on here in
your voice and stopping by Man. We love to get
(21:41):
you in studio, hopefully one day in the not so
distant future while you're enjoying the off season.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
Sounds good, Let's buckle up. I think the playoffs are
going to be just really since last weekend was a gas.
Last night got Houston blew a great opportunity. But you know,
they still have a chance, don't right. The Detroit Pistons out,
that is a good young ball club. They had the Knicks.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Right by the scruff of the neck, but they got
to go back to New York.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
Hey, I'll tell you what going forward, the Pistons and
Magic are on the come up, man, they are. You know,
those those puppies are starting to get big teeth.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
Man.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
You can see the future in Detroit and Orlando. They
just they're they're on the cuff, not quite there yet,
just like you've seen teams. You know, in order to
you know, walk, you gotta crawl. In order to run,
you gotta walk first. And they're on that precipice right now. Kevin,
thanks again for the time, man. Always always great to
hear your voice in Seattle on the airwaves.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
Okay, Mark a pleasure, Thank you, sir.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
All Right, the great Kevin clabro here on MJ in
the midday. I hope you enjoyed me in the text
line is blowing up, so we appreciate you listening. And
I never I never heard that one before.
Speaker 5 (22:59):
Putting my I never heard that one before, but that
is that is as It's great all right.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
NFL Draft rankings are.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
Out Where does the Seahawks rank amongst the entire NFL?
How good or bad did John Schneider do. We'll get
to that next one. I'm Jane in the Midday, ninety
three to three KJRFM. So the Seahawks' draft is in
the books. Now that being said, what grade are they
(23:34):
given amongst the teams in the league. I will say this,
I didn't think the Rams did anything great at all.
I I you know, I was expecting, you know, just
because of the draft that less Need and Sean McVeigh
had last year. I didn't think it was all that great.
(23:56):
Dame Brugler from the Athletic went through and ranked the
top teams.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
All right, number, you'll like this. You'll like this, all right.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
San Francisco forty nine ers, twenty six in the league.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Nothing spectacular.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
They took mikel Williams, the edge rusher out of Georgia,
and Jordan James, the small running back out of Oregon.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
So nothing spectacular.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
I mentioned the Rams twenty fifth right above the forty
nine ers, Terrence Ferguson, tight end out of Oregon, Jarquez Hunter,
running back out of Auburn, Arizona Cardinals. Better draft for
Monte Austin Fort will Johnson, who's hurt. That's why he
(24:48):
fell into back in the draft. He fell you know,
I think he went like number forty seven in the
draft in the second round, cornerback out of Michigan. And
and then Cody Simon was a Day three pick out
of Ohio State.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Number two the Cleveland Browns.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
Okay, Carson Schwsinger favorite pick, linebacker out of UCLA. Of
course you've seen him and what he did there and
with Chip Kelly before Chip Kelly bolted to Ohio State.
And then Dylan Samson running back out of Rocky Top,
Nico's Iam Ali Ava's former teammate. Number one the New
(25:38):
England Patriots. All right, credit to Mike Frabele Kyle Williams,
wide receiver, Washington State. That was his favorite pick. You
all know he was a transfer from UNLV. Drake made
doesn't have any weapons to pass do, that's one they
now he has a guy to protect his blindside. Campbell
(26:01):
tackle out of LSU Day three pick who could surprise
Brayden Swinson another player edge rusher out of LSU.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
So let's get a drum roll here.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
Where are the Seattle Seahawks?
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Number three in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
Favorite pick Nick Emon Warri, safety South Carolina, who was
obviously a guy that could have even should have gone
in the first round. Hawks traded up to thirty five
to get him after taking Graysabel with the eighteenth pick,
and then, well, let me just say what he writes
about Emon Warre. This was another tough call because there
(26:49):
are reasons to be excited about all four of Seattle's
top one hundred picks. Crazabel answers a major need, and
Elijah Royo has big time potential. But even Warri could
separate himself as an impact defender very early in his career.
Some question his best potential fit in the NFL, but
(27:09):
he is in great hands with head coach Mike McDonald.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Hman.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Warri is a unique athlete who can play a variety
of roles as a hybrid safety. Excellent Day three pick
who could surprise Tory Horton wide receiver Colorado State, and
Dan Brugler writes quote, I'm eager to see the development
(27:33):
on Bryce's cable doo, my highest graded non combine prospect
in this class. He could become a factor in Seattle's
guard rotation. Twenty twenty five. I'm also citing to re
see Riley Mills once he returns from injury. But Horton
can make an impact from day one as a rotational
flanker capable of creating big plays with fluidity, speed, and
(27:55):
natural tracking skills. With Marquez Valdez, Gantling on a one
year deal has the talent to be a long term
answer at outside receiver. Maybe could take the place of
Tyler Lockett long term. I added that at the end,
So I told you that after the first two days,
(28:21):
so was rounds one, two.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
And three.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
I thought John Schneider gotten a a to a minus,
and apparently so don't. So do the national draft analyst experts.
They feel as though he nailed the draft. Nobody knows
what's gonna happen until we see these guys on Sunday.
But on paper, Seahawks great draft, best in the NFC West,
(28:48):
only a few spots above Arizona Rams In Rams and
forty nine ers not good this year at all, and
I agree with that. I didn't like what the Rams
did at all. There they're the seem to be in
the in the division. I didn't I didn't love it.
I don't even love Terence ferguson the tight end on
of Oregon. I'm not not a big fan of that.
(29:10):
Better late than ever. Sometimes in life is not always.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
A good thing.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
I'll explain next on MJ in the Midday ninety three
to three kJ R FM.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Trump posted on social.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
Media at the end of February that he plans to
issue a complete pardon of Pete Rose. Then he posted
on true social saying Rose the quote Roe shouldn't have
been gambling on baseball, but he only bet on his
team winning end quote.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
So this whole thing.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
Although I appreciate the fact that this is now being
discussed and even being considered, it's too late.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
It's too late, Petez Dad.
Speaker 1 (30:01):
It's I knew baseball would consider doing this crap after
he was gone posthumously. I just knew this would happen.
And here we are. So it doesn't matter anymore. I
mean maybe the Pete's family it matters. But I wanted
Pete to be alive to enjoy this. I was a
Pete Rose guy. I was so. I liked the guy.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
He was great.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
He came on with me and got a chance to
hang out with him for an afternoon at the Pete
Rose Ballpark Cafe in Boyton Beach, Florida in two thousand
and four during the I believe it was, yeah, the
Lakers Spurs Western Conference Finals. And this is just so
Rob Manford. I don't think there's any I mean, yeah,
(30:46):
he's got the pitch clock.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
I'll give him that.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
I Rob Manford has got to be the worst commissioner
in all of pro sports by far and away.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
You know, it's surprisingly enough.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
I can't believe I'm saying this, but somehow someway and
I didn't notice it. I actually think that Roger Goodell
has done a great job all in all. Obviously, you know,
not acknowledging and hiding the Ray Rice elevator tape notwithstanding,
(31:19):
and some other things. But for the last six to
eight years, I mean, he put the draft in primetime
Thursday night and Friday night, huge success. He's less in
the preseason from four games down to what two, and
we've got an extra game in the regular season. Check
(31:42):
he's trying to get another game in the regular season
to make it eighteen. Sign me up for that more
meaningful football is a great thing. And I noticed, I'm like, wow,
am I becoming a Roger goodell guy. Never thought of
myself as one, but hey, I guess I am. Maybe
I am.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
So all in all.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
At disjuncture. Who gives an f about Pete Rose?
Speaker 2 (32:14):
About this?
Speaker 1 (32:15):
And I don't mean that to disparage Pete Rose. I
mean that to disparage major League Baseball. You dropped the
ball on this one. You really did, so you could
have done it. You should have done it while he
was alive. And now, yeah, if his family wants it
to happen, fine, I just think it's patronizing at this
(32:38):
point and it's insincere. You don't want him in the
Hall of Fame. Don't have him in the Hall of Fame.
Don't just don't.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
I like it needed to be done way before, this,
way before it.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
And now it just seems disingenuous. Not a fan, not
a fan at all. And Rob Manford, don't do Rose
or Pete Rose fans any favors.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
It's too late. It's like it's like.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
Being a bully in disrespecting someone the entire time they're
alive and then honoring them after they're dead. While you
were a bully and an a hole to them while
they were alive, Why do it now? Just go ahead
and continue to be a bully and a hole to them.
That's what you were for the last baseball did this
to Pete Rose since eighty nine? I mean, look at
(33:35):
you know, thirty seven years. So why all of a
sudden missed a nice guy?
Speaker 2 (33:43):
Now?
Speaker 3 (33:44):
Why?
Speaker 1 (33:45):
So they said, Manford's considering to have a petition to
have wrote Pete Rose removed from the permanently ineligible list.
The petition was filed in January by a lawyer by
the name of Jeffrey lenco Off, a Southern California lawyer.
Lawyer who represented Rose prior to the seven teen time
(34:06):
All Stars.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
Death at the age of eighty three.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
Yeah, hollow, fake, Like everyone in LA, I'm just a disjuncture.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
I'm good.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
I mean, it would be interesting to see it happen,
but I don't like it. It stinks. It just reeks of insincerity,
and I don't want something that is just you're not
doing it for the right reasons.
Speaker 2 (34:32):
You're not.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
And it's a shame that he had to die first
to be acknowledged. And I don't know your thoughts on that.
Feel Free Voice text line always open. You know that
new and improved iHeartRadio app ninety three to three KGr
microphone icon button. Hit it, you can drop swears, will
beep them out. But I'm just I don't like it
(34:57):
at all, not anymore. He needed, he deserved to be
inducted while he was alive and have that permanent ban lifted.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
And now it's just it's soulless. It's soulless.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
But Rob Manford, who's definitely the only thing he's done
in baseball that improved anything. He's added a couple more
wildcard teams and he got the pitch clock.
Speaker 3 (35:23):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (35:24):
That's the only thing I can think that Rob Manford's
done good for the game of baseball. I never thought
anybody'd be worse than Bud Ceiling. And then Manford happened. Yep, yep, yep, yep.
So not a fan, don't want it to happen. Moving on,
don't care. Just just pathetic, absolutely pathetic. Now sorry, maybe
(35:47):
you want it, I don't.
Speaker 3 (35:49):
I don't.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
All right, Jaylen Milroe stop by with Softy in Dick yesterday.
We'll hear what he had to say and also why
the Seahawks couldn't pass on the Alabama quarterback. Next on
MJ in the Midday ninety three three kJ Artham
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