Randy Moss of NBC Sports on the Kentucky Derby & Dave Koehn on the Bucks in the NBA Playoffs

Wayne and Matt break down the NFL Draft and preview the Kentucky Derby with former NFL Network reporter and current NBC Sports horse racing analyst Randy Moss. Plus, Milwaukee Bucks play-by-play announcer Dave Koehn joins the show to talk all things Bucks and their playoff push.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
In my opinion, Biaza is the second best three year
old in the country. Journalism and Baeza were so good
in the sant Anita Derby. I think that they're a
couple of links better than all the other horses in
the field. But Biaza may not get a chance to run.
It's based on points. It's kind of complicated. But I

(00:21):
just talked to the trainer of Baeza back there about
thirty minutes ago, John Sharecuffs and they're here and they're
just just waiting and hoping.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
This is the Laravian La Pay Podcast, a production of
iHeartRadio Podcasts with host Swayne Larvie, the voice of the
Green Bay Packers, and Matt Lapey, the voice of Wisconsin
Badgers football and men's basketball. The Laravie La Pey Podcast
is presented by you w Credit Union.

Speaker 3 (00:49):
Here for every U, Hi, everybody, I'm Wayne Larvy and
I'm Matt lape On this episode of the Laravie La
Pay Podcast, we are loaded the Milwaukee Bucks in the
NBA Playoffs. Our guest will be the voice of the Bucks,
Dave Kine joining us at is Kentucky Derby week And
this is the first time on this podcast. We talk

(01:11):
horse racing and we're bringing in the best of the business,
NBC racing analyst Randy Moss. We'll also have some reflections
on a historic NFL draft in Green Bay. Stay tuned.
We've got lots of good stuff coming up on the
Lara Vie La Pey Podcast. Got Cheddar on your mind?
Uw Credit Union can help with free, free checking and

(01:33):
great rates that let you keep most of your cheese.
Joined at UWCU dot org, insured by NCUA Equal Opportunity Lender,
and we welcome into the Lara Vila Pay Podcast Randy Moss,
who is the lead analyst on horse racing for NBC Sports,
and we'll be on the call of the Kentucky Derby

(01:55):
this weekend. Randy, great to have you with us. I
gotta tell the folks you and I I actually got
to know each other when you were covering NFL. You'd
come into Green Bay back in the two thousands, UH
to cover Brett Farv or Aaron Rodgers and that type
of thing. And while we were waiting for press conferences,
Randy and I would sit there and we're talking horse racing.
All these people around is what are you guys nuts?

Speaker 1 (02:21):
Yeah, there are not many racetracks in the in the
immediate Green Bay area.

Speaker 3 (02:25):
I discovered.

Speaker 1 (02:27):
I it was thirteen years with the NFL Network, and
I gotta say, Wayne, uh, the draft was my least
favorite assignment every year. But sitting at home this past
weekend and watching the visuals of the draft at Green Bay,
I was envious that I wasn't there.

Speaker 3 (02:45):
Yeah, it was. It was pretty special, you know, And
the way they packed two hundred thousand people in there,
and and you know, that first night was electric. I
tell you, guys, it really was. When they finally pick
a wide receiver and Mark Murphy's making the announcement and
place this went up for grabs, it was it was
really something, you know.

Speaker 4 (03:03):
I got to tell you, right, your background is a
fascinating one. The newspaper background, obviously, the NFL Network, whatt
ESPN Golf channel. Through the years, I've heard guys who
have been writers first and then you know, transition to
broadcasting that writing is still the first love. That's still

(03:24):
you know, if it's Tony Pornheiser who says it, whoever?
Is that the case with you? I mean broadcasting obviously
something incredibly good at But is there a part of
you that like the newspaper days. You missed that a
little bit too. No, love your honesty.

Speaker 1 (03:45):
When I took you know, my entree into the newspaper
business was through horse racing because I loved horse racing
so much, and it was I actually was handicapping for
a newspaper when I was thirteen years old, under somebody
else's name. So I remember sitting in the office of

(04:06):
the sports editor of the Dallas Morning News, a guy
named Dave Smith, probably the greatest newspaper sports editor of
all time. And Dave said, so, I got to ask
you a question. Are you a writer who just happens
to like horse racing or are you a horse racing
guy who just happens.

Speaker 3 (04:23):
To be able to write?

Speaker 1 (04:24):
And I thought, for a second, should I tell the truth,
and so I did. I said, I'm a horse racing guy.
It just happens to be able to ride a little bit.
And he said, I appreciate your honesty, Andy Hiving.

Speaker 3 (04:39):
And how long were you in at the Dallas Morning News.

Speaker 1 (04:42):
I was a newspaper business in Little Rock, first of all,
at both newspapers and then with the Dallas Morning News,
and then I went into racetrack management for a year
or two, and then I was at the four Worth
Star Telegram. So twenty years total in the newspaper business,
and in beginning in nineteen ninety nine, transition to television,
like a lot of people you mentioned were doing from writing,

(05:04):
you know, Adam Schefter, Chris Mortenson, you name it. And
so from ESPN to NBC in twenty eleven. Wow, it's amazing.
NFL well, and now you base out of Minneapolis. But
like I said, you and I got to know each
other under the NFL beat. How did that all come about?
One of the godfather really of ESPN was a guy

(05:28):
named Bill Creasey who was no longer with us. He
was there at the infancy of ESPN, and he happened
to be the old producer of the CBS horse racing shows.
He was a big horse racing fan, and so that's
how I got to know him at ESPN, and then
he transitioned to sort of the same role under Steve Bornstein,
the executive producer at NFL Network. So Bill Creasty went

(05:51):
from ESPN to NFL and he asked me one day
at the Kentucky Derby. Ironically, in two thousand and seven.
He said, I you're with the about working NFL. We
need somebody at NFL network who's got a journalistic background,
where too, this sounds like Howard Cosell, We're too jock
heavy a NFL port. And so he hired me to

(06:15):
go to work at NFL and I was there for
thirteen years and it was one of the most fun
jobs I've ever had.

Speaker 4 (06:19):
You mentioned that the draft is something that maybe you
don't miss, But what do you miss about being an
NFL network? Oh?

Speaker 5 (06:27):
Man?

Speaker 1 (06:27):
I mean some of these guys I would work with,
and ladies sometimes, as this human nature would be, would complain, right,
you know this. You know I didn't get first class hotels,
not very good. They would complain about the airtime they had.

(06:48):
You know, they cut me short on my report, And
I'm like, dude, they're paying you to go to NFL
football games. They're paying you to go in the locker
room and talk to athletes. This is a job that people,
a lot of people would die to have, right And
you know that's something that I tried to never lose

(07:08):
sight of and.

Speaker 3 (07:10):
I just miss Yeah.

Speaker 1 (07:11):
I mean, look, the NFL is the national pastime now
sorry baseball, but it just Is and I enjoyed every
minute of it, except for the draft. I didn't really
I didn't really like the NFL draft because nobody tells
you the truth. First of all, it's all a game
of charades, and then you have all these so called
draft gurus that really it's a crap shoot. It's almost

(07:34):
like trying to you know, trying to pick the winner
of the Kentucky Derby.

Speaker 3 (07:37):
Well, I'm sure you're aware of our great national nightmare
that ended on the one hundred and forty fourth pick
of the draft when Cleveland mates you Dore Sanders the draft,
You know what I mean. I don't know about you, Randy,
but a big weight was lifted off of my shoulders.

(07:58):
Was I was following all too?

Speaker 1 (08:00):
I just think teams were concerned about distractions. If he
was a backup, and he was probably gonna have to
be a backup. He wasn't the kind of guy, think
who would be able to come right in and start
day one in the NFL. Here, if you, ricky quarterbacks
really are to tell you the truth, even though they're
forcing in to that role, sometimes you would know more
about this than me. But because of his notoriety and

(08:22):
maybe because of his personality. I think a lot of
teams felt they didn't want to have to deal with
him as a backup quarterback.

Speaker 3 (08:29):
Yeah, and that was kind of his skill set. You know,
you could project him maybe to be a starter in
the right offense, maybe in a dome situation, that kind
of thing. But you're exactly right, Randy, if will you
draft him, especially when he got down to the fourth round, Okay,
now you're saying, Okay, we're gonna draft this guy. We're
not real sure he's gonna make the team. We think

(08:50):
he will, but then he's going to be like a
third string quarterback, but the biggest story on the team,
and that's what they didn't want to deal with totally. Yeah,
I've just.

Speaker 4 (09:01):
Both of you guys. I meet your perspective. Then I
want to ask you about the derby obviously, but you know, Wayne,
you're in it. Randy did it. I think there were
thirteen million viewers Thursday night across the networks and I
was one of them. And you're basically hearing a roll call.
You're hearing the commissioner read a name. The fact that
the sport that Randy, and you're exactly right. It is

(09:24):
the national pastime in second place. Isn't all that close? Really,
college football perhaps, and then the other sports that follow.
But it's just so impressive what the league has done,
isn't it. Guy. I mean, they have turned what used
to be the selection meetings in a ballroom in New
York City, and they've made this into such an extravaganza.

(09:45):
It's pretty remarkable, is it not.

Speaker 1 (09:47):
They've done an unbelievable job with that. And it was
also inspired to rotate the sites. I mean, look at
Green Bay and you know the hoop law that was
there around lambeau Field that night. That was a very
smart move I think by the NFL.

Speaker 3 (10:04):
Yeah, and you know, they kind of got they were
at Radio City Music Hall Matt for so long, and
then there was a conflict. I guess the Rockets had
to dance with the NFL wanted a draft and they
threw the NFL out or the NFL decided to leave.
And then they decided, we'll take this on the road,
and they go to Chicago for a couple of years,
they go to Nashville, they go you know, I mean,

(10:25):
it's just amazing what they've done. And now there's no
way they could take this thing back indoors. You just
can't do that now. You know, there are many venues
that could handle two hundred and twenty thousand people at
a given night. But Randy, I just I got to
tell you, I just love what you guys do on
NBC in horse racing. I'm a big fan. I follow

(10:46):
the race, the races. I follow the Triple Crown and
the horses from there. And your coverage is the is
the benchmark you guys cover the Derby Preakness of the
race is obviously leading up, and then of course the
Breeders Cup at the end of the year, which is
the World Series of horse Racing. Tell us a little

(11:07):
bit about that in your team, because there seems to
be a synergy with you guys, especially you and the
ex jock at the desk.

Speaker 1 (11:14):
Yeah. Me and Jerry Bailey, we're the really best friends.

Speaker 3 (11:18):
You know.

Speaker 1 (11:18):
We've worked together now, I think for twenty years. Wow,
I think this is our twenty year anniversary. Actually he
started in two thousand and six and we worked the
entire year of two thousand and six together. So you know,
get many broadcasting teams nowadays that are together for that long.
But the NBC crew from top to bottom is just

(11:39):
the production is just top notch. I mean, this is
the Sunday Night football crew. It comes and does horse
racing because the Kentucky Derby draws so many eyeballs, it's
actually the Derby is actually as big or bigger now
as far as you know, national prominence and in the
national conversation that it's ever been, even though horse racing

(12:00):
itself is not quite the same. But yeah, I mean
it's uh, you know, it's it's really something to look
around and work with these people and I'm proud of
what of what they put together every year. It's a
it's a delicate balancing act for the Kentucky Derby, especially guys,
because you get so many viewers that are not your

(12:25):
hardcore horse racing people. You get a lot of female viewership,
and some females are hardcore racing fans, but some people
want to tune in for the social aspect of it,
for fashion, for everything else that's going on at the
Kentucky Derby, and Churchill Downs wants NBC to promote that,

(12:47):
you know, they want to see that type of what
hardcore racing fans would consider lightweight coverage. So it's a
It's a delicate act, right, You want to you want
to show enough of that to please he's that part
of your audience without going to hardcore. But then you
don't want to alienate your die hard horse racing fans either.

Speaker 4 (13:09):
So a horse named Journalism is three to one. Michael
McCarthy tell us about the horse it comes in again.
I'm one of those novice horse racing fans. But there's
a reason why it's sitting there at three to one, right,
I mean it was a four race win street coming
into the Derby, Is that correct?

Speaker 1 (13:28):
Yeah, very very nice horse. He's probably, in my estimation,
the most solid favorite that we've had at the Kentucky Derby,
probably since the triple Crown winners American Pharaoh and Justify.
His last race was in the Santa Anita Derby in California.
He didn't get the best ride, he got some trouble

(13:51):
and was still able to overcome it, which is, you know,
a feather in his cap coming to Kentucky in a
twenty horse field, there's not much not to like about Journalism.

Speaker 3 (14:02):
Now.

Speaker 1 (14:03):
The jockey amberto Respally is known primarily for his prowess
in riding grass races. He's from Italy originally, where they
don't have dirt. His win percentage career wise is much
higher on grass than it is on dirt. So if
there's a question mark about journalism, that might be the question.

(14:25):
But the connections of journalism, say the recall, he's a world.

Speaker 5 (14:27):
Class rider on grass or dirt.

Speaker 3 (14:30):
Wow, you know people may not realize. And again for
people in our audience, especially this first time we've ever
talked horse racing on this podcast. But the Derby is
for three year old horses and the thing about that
is is that this is their one shot. And I
read a stat Randy, and I'm not sure how accurate

(14:50):
it is, but Matt and I were talking about it
before you jumped on. There are like twenty thousand thoroughbred
foals born per year their third year they're eligible for
the Derby, but only twenty make it to the starting
gate at Churchill Downs. An incredibly small number of that
crop of foals is actually going to show up in

(15:12):
Louisville at the Derby. And I can't help it, you
know you. I was listening to your podcast The TDR
in Writer's Room and it's a great podcast, but you
were saying somebody came up, Okay, so who can you
throw out of the field? You said, I think you
could throw half the field out, you know, because if

(15:32):
you've got a horse and you get them into the derby,
I mean, that's just forget about. You know, you've won,
as your as Zoe your co host said, you've already won.

Speaker 1 (15:42):
And as I pointed out on the on the podcast,
because the Kentucky Derby now is so popular, right, I mean,
that's all people in there. There's so there are in America.
We have become a country that's addicted to the major
that I don't follow golf until the Masters or the

(16:03):
US Open. I don't want the NBA until right now
til the NBA Playoffs. I don't follow baseball on a
regular basis until the World Series. A lot of people
are like me. They don't follow horse race until you
get to the Kentucky Derby. And owners sense that. And
whereas maybe you know, even two three four decades ago,

(16:24):
let's say it was considered to be among owners, it
was considered to be a faux pas to run a
horse in the Kentucky Derby. That had no chance just
to say that you could run a horse in the
Kentucky Derby. That was considered bad form, like wearing you know,
stripes and plaids. You just didn't do it. And now
it's completely changed. Now if owners can get a horse

(16:47):
into the Kentucky Derby, regardless of if the horse has
no chance, they will do it just to be able
to say that they ran a horse in the Kentucky
Derby and just to be able to experience everything that
goes along with that.

Speaker 4 (17:00):
Yeah, it's interesting. I deal with that at the college
level with college basketball, people don't really follow the sports
until March the NCAA Tournament. College football maybe a little
bit a little bit different. Thanks though in the world
tend to work in cycles. Do you see it's cycling
back with horse racing or do you think this is
kind of the mindset that's going to be here to stay.

Speaker 1 (17:22):
You know, I would love to be more optimistic about
it cycling back, but I think this is kind of
pretty much where we're going to be going forward status quo.
I mean, who knows what's going to happen in the future.
Horse racing may get a little bit of a bounce,
but it just all comes down to money. What was
the Jerry maguire follow the money right. I mean, in

(17:43):
the forties, fifties, sixties, if you wanted to gamble, and
lord knows Americans love to gamble, you didn't have the
riverboat casinos, the Indian casinos, you didn't have that any lotteries.

Speaker 5 (17:56):
You went to the racetrack.

Speaker 1 (17:57):
That was the only place where you could gamble. Nothing online,
nothing like that. Now there is so much competition for
the gambling dollar that you know, there's no way horse
racing can ever have the same sort of market share
of gambling that it had at the past.

Speaker 3 (18:13):
It's amazing because in the six late sixties when I
was growing up, we had a horse track around us.
It was called the Fair Circuit in Massachusetts. All these
county fairs at horse racing, and they ran on what
the jockeys used to call bull rings half mile tracks.
Most of the big tracks are a mile or more,
maybe a mile and a quarter. Bellmont was what two miles.

(18:34):
I think that track are almost that length mile and
a half anyway, So you'd grow every week, you know,
it was one week. So you had the fair and
Great Barrington, mass which was near me, and there was
another one in Hancock, Massachusetts. Just North. But those two
weeks in Birchshire County, I mean everything was sold out.
People came up from New York and they stayed for

(18:54):
the week. And they used to call Great Barrington the
Bellmont of the birch Ears just crazy. But no, you
would get five thousand and six thousand, eight thousand people,
ten thousand sometimes will come out to the races. And
but at that time, the only place you could bet
was Vegas. And you know, I thought horse racing randy
way back when, maybe as early as the seventies, when

(19:16):
they started to bring gambling out of Vegas and into
other parts of the country, horse racing resisted that. And really,
when you look back at it, they should have jumped
into bed said Okay, we got this race track, put
a casino right here, and we'll have the live racing,
et cetera, and all that. And and I thought for
a long time horse racing kind of worked against that

(19:37):
and and thus was left out. What did you what's
your impression of that?

Speaker 1 (19:42):
I completely agree, completely agree. There was a sort of
an institutional arrogance about horse racing. They've been around for
so long and they were used to being the three
hundred pound gorilla in the room from a gambling perspective,
and sure enough. I mean back in the day, you had,
you know, horse racing, baseball, and boxing, the holy trilogy
of American sports, when the NFL was just you know,

(20:03):
really just kind of feeling its way and its infancy,
and that completely changed with all the advent of the gambling,
and horse racing was slow to jump on that boat.
Now twenty twenty five, the vast majority of the racetracks
in America that are doing well are ones that are
affiliated with casinos. They have casinos on site, racinos as

(20:25):
they call them. And the ones that don't, including Santa
Anita in California, where the Indians controlled almost all of
the casino gaming in California, were struggling. Santa Anita is
losing money and its future is very much in doubt.
So that's that's a big story in horse racing.

Speaker 4 (20:41):
Yeah to Saturday specifically, I understand the weather Forecastle's glorious
for Saturday. I don't know what's leading into the into Saturday,
but anticipating a fast track and who does that most benefit?

Speaker 3 (20:55):
In your opinion, It's going.

Speaker 1 (20:56):
To be rain, rain, rain all week until you get
to Friday and Saturday, and then it's supposed to be
just absolutely beautiful. It's gorgeous out here right now. But
you know, horses nowadays are trained completely differently going into
the Kentucky Derby than they used to be. It was

(21:17):
very uncommon to see horses going to the Derby with
only you know, four or five six lifetime starts. They
were much more robustly campaigned way back when than they
are today. So most of the horses have not had
very much experience racing on a wet racetrack. So it's
going to be a good thing for that that the

(21:38):
racetrack is expected to be dry on Saturday.

Speaker 3 (21:41):
Well, let's take a look at how the race shapes up.
We mentioned journalism. He is, you know, I agree with you, Randy.
I know it was a five horse field at the
Santa Anita Derby, but they were good. They were good horses.
He was very impressive. He's been impressive the entire winter.
I think probably. You know, you go to Arkansas, New
Orleans and then the floor part of the trail of
the Kentucky Derby. A lot of people tell me that

(22:03):
the Florida Wing had the most competition, good competition, in it.
The Wood Memorial used to be a big deal in
New York at Aqueduct. It is no longer. But a
horse by the name of Rodriguez shipped in from Bob
Baffert's bound barn out West and went wired to wire.
He'll be in the Derby speed in this race. You
were talking about it on the NBC show a couple

(22:24):
of weeks ago. Speed in this race at the top.
And what that means to me is we're going to
see a dramatic finish because that last quarter mile of
the Derby, these horses have never run this far yet
in their lives. That oftentimes will make for some dramatic
comfort behind stories.

Speaker 1 (22:40):
I think you're exactly right, Wayne, and I think that's
what we're probably going to see on Saturday. There's a
phrase that I like to use for what happens occasionally
in the Kentucky Derby when you have a twenty horse
field like we always have nowadays, and jockeys are so
preoccupied with getting position in a twenty horse field before
where they go into the first turn. Jockeys will ride

(23:02):
horses forwardly and aggressively leaving the starting gate. In a
situation like that and with one hundred and fifty thousand
springing fans there. The horses are all riled up, and
once you ask a horse to get positioned at the start,
it's very difficult to then say okay, whoa, whoa. Horses
get all fired up and they take off, and you
have that factor. But also in this case, you have

(23:24):
a lot of horses in the Kentucky Derby this year
that want to race on the lee. So I like
to call it a radioactive pace where anything that's close
to the pace winds up in the back of the pack,
and the horses in the back of the pack wind
up in front coming to the wire. I think that's
what we're going to see Saturday. But the three horses

(23:46):
I think are the best on paper Journalism, Sandman and
the Sovereignty, the Florida Derby runner up are all horses
that have that particular running style journalism a little bit
more forwardly placed than the other two.

Speaker 4 (24:04):
So you would not be shocked if Bob Baffert gets
another horse to win the Derby.

Speaker 1 (24:10):
I would be shocked, yeah, because his two horses, Citizen
Bull and Rodrikaez, are both speed horses. They both based
on what we've seen from them so far. Want to
have the early lead, need to have the early lead
to run their best and citizen bulls in post one.
Rodrikaez is in post four. They have counterproductive running styles.

(24:31):
There's about five or six other horses in the race.
They want to be on the lead, so it's going
to be a cavalry charge there early in the race.
There's one other interesting aspect about this now. I mention
that I think the winner is going to be either
Journalism or Sandman or Sovereignty. That's based on the twenty
horse field that we have right now, but there isn't

(24:54):
also eligible that's sitting on the wings, on the wait list,
so to speak, hoping the connections, hoping that one of
the top twenty drop out. And his name is Baiaza
and he was second behind Journalism in the sant Anita Derby.
In my opinion, Baeza is the second best three year
old in the country. Journalism and Biaza were so good

(25:18):
in the sant Anita Derby. I think that they're a
couple of links better than all the other horses in
the field. But Baeza may not get a chance to run.
It's based on points. It's kind of complicated. But I
just talked to the trainer Baeza back there about thirty
minutes ago. John shaguffs and they're here and they're just
just waiting and hoping. They don't want anything bad to

(25:40):
happen to any of the other horses. But you know,
maybe one of them can come up with a little
bit of a virus or something and they'll be okay
with that.

Speaker 3 (25:48):
Gaza and the starting game of those one of those
in that half the field we throw out. You know,
it's interesting just for our listeners who are talking with
the Randy Moss NBC Sports horse race analysts. There's a
road to the Derby and a lot of prep races
that carry points. If you run in those races and
you win, you get X number of points that type

(26:08):
of thing. So that's how you build points for the Derby.
Baiza has not run as much and he's running shorter
fields and thus he doesn't have quite enough points at
the moment to get in. But I agree with you, Randy,
he looks to me to be the second best horse
in training right now the three year old division. It
would be a crime if he doesn't get into the Derby,
and probably will force somebody to take a look at

(26:29):
that point system and say, is this really what we
should be doing? You know, yeah, you're exactly right. And
now that we open that door just a crack. Let
me just explain it briefly. Churchill Downs Incorporated it has
a sort of contingency plan for points in the event
that a race has a very very short field. They

(26:51):
realistically and I think properly feel that it's unfair to
give horses points for finishing first, second, third, fourth and
fifth if you're in a five horse field, because then
the last place horse gets points. So they have decided
to penalize those races with short fields. And the Santa
Anita Derby where journalism in Baeza in unfortunately had only

(27:14):
a five horse field. But the way Churchill Lens chose
to do it is they decided in the case of
the San Nita Derby, the rules stipulate because it was
a five horse field, all the points from top to
bottom are reduced by twenty five percent, so that means
for finishing second, Baiasa got only thirty seven and a
half points as opposed to the fifty points that he

(27:37):
ordinarily would get.

Speaker 1 (27:38):
So if it was a normal year and one more
horse entered the sant Anita Derby, Baeza would have fifty
points and he would have enough to make it into
the Derby field. I think what church Lens is going
to have to do in the future is, yes, they
can penalize those races with short fields, but leave the
points for the first let's say the first two finishers alone,
and then maybe only gift points to the first two

(28:01):
finishers in a very short field, but don't penalize the
horses that ran first or second in a race like
the San India Derby. Or he get a situation like
this where maybe the second best three year old in
America I won't even get a chance to run.

Speaker 3 (28:12):
Well, it'll be it'll be an interesting day, interesting road
on the Triple Crown trail for you guys. That of
course you'll cod sad coverage of the the Breeders Cup,
which is a spectacular event. Randy, I can't thank you
enough for being with us. But you like journalism and
you like sovereignty and sand Man, that's they're gonna be
in your box.

Speaker 1 (28:31):
Right absolutely, Wayne, so much, Trod, thank you enjoyed it.

Speaker 4 (28:40):
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Speaker 3 (28:54):
We welcome into the Larvie La Pay podcast the voice
of the Milwaukee Bucks, Dave Kine. As we tape this
on Monday morning, the Bucks are down three games to one,
coming off a tough loss at home to the Indiana
Pacers and the loss of Damian Lillard to a leg
injury that you know, Dave, when we saw it, my goodness,

(29:16):
and I'm sure you saw the same thing live. Obviously,
he goes down without any contact whatsoever. And those are folks,
those are the worst injuries.

Speaker 5 (29:25):
Yeah, no, no question. You know it looks. It's it's
ironic because it looks so you know, it doesn't look
like anything really happened. But those of us who have
been watching sports for any period of time or competed
in sports for any period of time, you know that
they're the worst ones. And so you know, it conjured
up images of a year ago, candidly with when we

(29:45):
saw a very similar situation play out with Jannis Ante
Decumpo late in the season. Thankfully, his was not what
we feared it could be. It did keep him out
of the playoffs though for the entirety of the postseason
last year at the end of the season against the
Bobs and Celtics, but on the same floor, I think
it was opposite ends of the court, but same part
of the court. All of a sudden, you know, in

(30:06):
that backcourt, you see him pull up lame and you think,
uh oh, what does this mean? And you know at
the time you and I are having this conversation, we
still don't have it officially announced, but Doc Rivers after
the game last night said it's not very promising. So
you know, obviously the concern is an Achilles' injury, which
is a lengthy recovery time. And you know, the first

(30:29):
thing to me that comes to my mind is, I
just it hurts for a lot of reasons. Obviously it's
impact on the team in the franchise, but I think
even first and foremost is what Damian Lillard's having to
go through, because when he got here, I was I
could not have been more impressed with him as a
human being, one of the great athletes I've had the

(30:49):
chance to cover, just as a person, and I know
this is not gone the way he had hoped it would,
and he really did turn his life upside down in
a lot of ways to come here. Is left his
friends and family behind across the country in Portland, and
you know, with the injuries that the Bucks have dealt
with the last couple of years and in some of
that transition, it's been a challenge. And you know, coming

(31:12):
off of the blood cloth that he did, which you
were so happy about his ability to recover from that
as quickly as he did and ultimately be healthy in general,
but then not only be healthy in a position to play,
but to be able to play in the postseason. You
feel like maybe he was in that position to potentially
turn that corn. This was going to be one of
the really great stories. Then this happens, and yeah, man,

(31:32):
it takes the wind out of your sales for sure.
And it was tough to see.

Speaker 4 (31:36):
Did you get a sense in the building itself because
there was great energy, you know, Bucks in one game three,
chance to get it right back into the series. But
as soon as as Lizard went down, did you just
sense the air left Feisser for him at that time?

Speaker 5 (31:50):
Well? Yeah, I mean I think everybody was concerned. I
got to give our crowd credit though last night in particular,
in really even the night before, they were so good
in that Game three matchup against Indiana, and then last night, man,
I thought they were exceptional, especially given the fact that
the Bucks never let in that game and in spite
of that that injury that you you're asking about, you know,

(32:11):
I mean that happened at midway through the first quarter.
There was a point, I think it was toward the
end of the third quarter when the Bucks got it
to eleven, you know, and it wasn't even that close,
but it was bumping Bobby Port has hit a three,
and I just remember looking around thinking, these fans have
been outstanding through this game because they didn't get a
ton of reason to cheer in that game. It's not

(32:33):
like it was this back and forth affair. It was
a wire to wire win for Indiana and they ended
up winning by over twenty points, So you know, it
was I got to tip my cat cap to the
fans last night because and really, in this playoff series,
I think they've been exceptional. But yeah, I mean, you
just knew everyone kind of you know, like I say,
whether you're broadcasting games, you're competing in games. You're playing games.

(32:53):
You know, when you see an injury like that, it's scary,
and you know, we'll we'll wait to find out officially
what happened, but you know, because I think it's especially
tough take the athlete out of it. As we mentioned
Dame's well being, which is first and foremost, but then
you take him out of it, and you're talking about
from a team perspective, this impact not only this postseason,
but potentially all the next year too, you know, because

(33:16):
that's a long recovery process. So it's a lot to digest.
And it happened so quickly. But as you guys know,
I mean, luck is a big part of this thing,
and injury luck is a big part of that as well.

Speaker 3 (33:28):
You know, this is the second year in a row.
We're talking with Dave Kane, the voice of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Second year in a row, the Bucks and Pacers have
played in the first round of the playoffs. And last year,
you're right, Dave, I mean, Janni smissed the whole series,
Dame was I think missed some of it, and the
Pacers went on to win, and they looked like a
very fast, young, deep basketball team, and the same can

(33:51):
be said this year. And I was listening to you
and game by the way, I love your broadcast. I
was listening to you Game two as driving back from
Green Bay the last week, and you were talking about
the fact that even to the half court there were
some gaps defensively, and as you watch the Pacers play
against the Bucks, it seems to me that that speed factor,

(34:12):
whether they're in the open court or half court, comes
into play and is very difficult for the Bucks to
get a handle on it. Am I barking up the
wrong tree.

Speaker 5 (34:21):
No, for sure, it's a tough matchup. It candidly is.
And you know, I was having a conversation with somebody,
and it's almost in some ways hard for me to
believe that the Bucks had the degree of success they
did against Indiana in the regular season because the defense
and purposes they beat them all four games minus eight,
but for you know, a miraculous four point play to
beat them in Indiana the second to last game they played. Now,

(34:43):
two of those games, if I remember, the last two
were Indiana playing on no rest, so they run the
second of a back to back, which impacts things in
the NBA in terms of your advantage game. But you know,
to answer your question, yeah, I mean, look, when you've
got a team that wants to run and get up
and down the floor, nobody passes more than the Indiana
Pacers they had. I think in these playoffs it's going
into last night it was three hundred and thirty three

(35:03):
passes a game. No one else in the league was
over three hundred. So they they have by a wide margin.
Then a team that moves the ball and plays this one.
And I really, you know, I got to give Rick
Carlisle credit. A uva guy, of course, you know, but
the he does a hell of a job with those guys,

(35:23):
you know, And I think his ability to and this
is a different style from what he coached in Dallas,
So you know that. I'm always so impressed by coaches
that are able to adjust how they coach based on
their team, and it can look completely different from one
team to the next just based on personnel. But he
knows he's got a unique talent in Tyrese Haliburton. And look,
I know, Wisconsin fans probably don't look at at Tyree

(35:46):
the way they did before the Oscosh North High School
product to come back and kind of relish that idea
of wearing the black hat in his home state. But
that's kind of what moves him, you know, like that,
this is a guy who's an instigator. He likes to
get riled up by all the intensity and they back
and forth, and that moves the needle for him. So,
you know, in some ways, I kind of the more
I've watched him, I've kind of gone from a little

(36:07):
bit of disdain to a little bit of more respect.
Just like this moves him, and he's very good at it.
But he's not someone that beats you the traditional way.
His ability to drive, his ability to be quick like
a little you know, jitterbug out there, and when he
gets matched up with a guy like you know in
this again going back to Rick Carlisle, his ability to
get him on the mismatch that he wants and for

(36:28):
the bucks, you've got some long guys. That's been the
strength of this team, but it's also at times it
can become a weakness. And for brook Lopez, as good
as he is defending the rim, when you get him
pulled out and isolated, it's just a tough matchup, you know,
for him to have to deal with. And Torre and
Prince the same deal. He's been playing the two guard
throughout this season as a starter. He's not really a
two guard. I mean, this is a guy who is

(36:48):
probably more aptly put it, the three, and you can
get exposed defensively. But that's what the playoffs are about,
you know. It's about finding that weakness attacking it, and
I think the Pacers have done a great job of
that so far in this series. So yeah, it's it's
been it's been fascinating. It's one of the things I
do love about the NBA Playoffs, though, is watching how

(37:09):
that chess match plays out over the course of a
seven game series. Game three, we did see the Bucks
make some really good adjustments. I thought that made them
especially dynamic because that defense they didn't give those driving lanes.
But really, you look at the other three games, Indiana
has found them and that included last night.

Speaker 4 (37:26):
I agree with your assessment of Tyrese Haliburt, and he's
really good and he just as somebody who watches basketball,
you appreciate him. And I maintained that if he was
a Milwaukee Buck, the fan base here would have a
much different opinion of Tyre's How I've never seen a
Wisconsin guy good booed as much as Tyrese Hallibert coming

(37:46):
back to the state. But if he wore a Bucks,
he to form, the viewpoint of him would be totally different,
wouldn't it.

Speaker 5 (37:52):
Yeah, no question and no question. And you know that's
he's so. And that's where in this series, I think
the Bucks at least have it started to realize that
this is what the Pacers want. They want you to engage,
they want to get under your skin. And Tyrese Halibert
is one of those players that thrives under that set
of circumstances. And he has. You know, he hasn't shot

(38:14):
the ball particularly well against the Bucks, but you look
at his numbers through his career. His highest scoring average
in his career in the regular season is against the Bucks.
His highest rebounding average against any team is against the Bucks.
His second highest assist average is against them all teams
the Bucks. So he has saved his best for this
and he gets he gets up for it, and I think,

(38:35):
I honestly think he relishes the idea of being booed
every time he touches the ball. He's embraced that black
hat role here in his home state.

Speaker 4 (38:43):
Native villain Badger fans will forever despise Grayson Allen, they said,
kind of tolerated him when he was with the Bucks,
but probably only a certain percent. That's how Bay sports go.

Speaker 5 (38:53):
Well, Grayson was the ultimate villain because look, there were
a lot of teams that felt that way, including the
team that I announced previously at the University of Virginia.
So that was always so fascinating. I remember when I
took this job, I had friends in Charlottesville that were like,
Grayson Allen's gonna be on your team because he was
with the Bucks. When I got here, That's like, man.
Even my own mom was like, you're gonna be calling

(39:15):
games for Grayson Allen and so, you know, I told her, yeah,
I am, and so. But you know, it was really
interesting because to me, that was one of those life
comes at you fast moments because I got to know
Grayson then, and I you know, I was like, begrudgingly,
I was like, this guy's all right. When you talk
to him, you know, it's just like you just kind
of again, and it just goes to show. It's like that.

(39:38):
That's what makes the theater of sports so great, is
those those type casts that guys stepped into. But the
reality is in their real lives. Some of the guys
that you think are the best don't always prove to be.
And some of the guys that you think they're the
worst send to me a heck of a lot better
than than you maybe thought or before.

Speaker 3 (39:54):
You know what, David, it's interesting. I was talking to
somebody about this this weekend. There's an old saying perception
is reality in our society, and it's been my experience
the perception is ninety percent wrong. I mean, they're like
you said, there are guys you think, oh, this is
wonderful guy, you know, because you see him on commercials

(40:15):
or something, or he talks nice to the sideline reporter
at the game, and then you get to meet him
and you find out he's a total you know what,
had But you know, it's amazing to me that people, Yeah,
the perception thing of it in the personalities. Hey, let
me ask you this, Dave. The Bucks played the last
quarter of the season, maybe not quite that much, but

(40:37):
without Damian Lillard, and they played well down the stretch.
You guys are one of the hotter teams coming into
the playoffs. What worked then? And I understand the playoffs
are totally different than the regular season, but can you
get back to that to get back into this series.

Speaker 5 (40:53):
Well, that's definitely the silver lining I think if you're
going into this game five here, the fact that you
were recently in this whether you wanted to be or
not as another story, but you were, and to your point,
you want eight straight games going into the playoffs with
that group. Now, that does come with some acknowledgment that
a number of the teams you were playing were missing
key contributors as well. They did have some good fortune

(41:16):
at the expense of the other team's misfortune through a
number of those games where you know would play I
think with against Philadelphia it was more or less a
G League team that they'd beat, same with New Orleans twice,
and then you know, there were some other situations too
where a lot of guys were out. So I think
that factors into it some. But yes, I mean, look,
I think one of the things when Damian Lillard hasn't
been there that the Bucks have leaned into and I

(41:37):
think you do gain. I mean, Dame would tell you
he's a better defender than people say he is, and
he probably is, but he's also not a stalwarts on
that side of the floor. I mean, I don't think
he would argue that case, and he's been marked a
couple of times. So now you're going to turn to
a couple guys that are pretty solid defenders there in
the form of Kevin Porter Junior, who had a terrific

(41:59):
night life last night, but hasn't had the best of
series prior to that. But then Ryan Rollins, who basically
has not played against Indiana this season, you know, even
in the regular season. I think he played like two
minutes in the over the course of those first four games.
But he was a big factor for the Bucks too.
And he's a long, rangy guy who's clearly has no
experience in these spots. So that's the challenge for Kevin

(42:19):
Porter Junior never been in a playoff before this, Ryan Rollins,
never been in a playoff before this, but he's those
are the guys that you're going to lean on, and
so yeah, I think you can get a little stronger there,
But the challenge will be in that case, you don't
have a secondary score free honest, and he has carried
so much of the load for this team already that

(42:40):
that really I think becomes the challenging and going into
the series, and you know, the truth of the matter
is we weren't sure if Dane was going to be
able to play it all in this series anyway, and
so you know, you were thinking, if you have to
go without him, what do you do? My biggest concern
was what is going to be the how much does
a tax a player like Anta Decumbo with him having
to carry a team for seven games. I think you
couldn't make that case that he's going to be taxed

(43:01):
because if they're going to come back now down three
games to one, and seeing what he has done to
this point, I mean, he's just been otherworldly and you
know he's going to have to be for this group
moving forward. But I think you got to really lean
on to that defensive side of things in rotation and
try to get this team off kilter, off balanced that way.
But Game one was a challenge for sure, without Lillard

(43:22):
and with that group that you're going to be leaning
on here in game five.

Speaker 4 (43:25):
You mentioned Jannis, This is not a crystal ball question
that we all know. All three of us know how
media works, especially national media and small market versus major market.
How does the what is the Bucks organization did they
roll their eyes or how do they handle all the talk,
the speculation and if it's it doesn't matter what platform
he could be, ESPN, whatever about what's what to do

(43:47):
with the yachts moving forward? How does the organization do
they ignore it? How do they how do they deal
with that?

Speaker 5 (43:54):
You know, that's a good question to how they truly
handle it. I suspect by this point in time it
comes a matter of background noise because you've dealt with
it the entire time you've had him, since he's been
a mainstay on the national scene. Is one of the
most coveted players in the NBA because everybody in it
around the league stands to have him play anywhere but

(44:15):
Milwaukee but Milwaukee. Of course, the Bucks are the team
that would would be sad to see him go, obviously,
But you know, I think to this point, all the
way every time they've had him, and in that look,
Giannis has had a role in this too by fanning
some of those flames a little bit. But it's part
of his negotiation, I have to believe. But he has
mentioned that you got to keep trying to get better.
For me to I have to believe that that you

(44:37):
guys are trying to get better to keep me here,
and that's what he's always said. That's been the line,
and to this point the Bucks always have and I
think that they just have worked within their own prison
to say, hey, we control a week control. We're not
listening to the outside world. We're going to do what
we can. And to John Horse's credit, he's been amazing
it keeping Gianni's here for twelve seasons in a small

(44:58):
market where place a guy don't stay that long. Now,
the other part of this that's interesting is the new
collective Bargaining Agreement, which there would be some level of
punitive element, as I understand. I was having a conversation
with this last night because it gets a contrary to
popular belief. I am not an arbitration expert in terms
of lead rules and that sort of thing, but I

(45:20):
have talked to people that do deem themselves as such,
and I'm trying to get to just what the financial
ramifications of going to another team would be for your
honest because you are rewarded with this new CBA for
being with a team that you started with, and so
there could be some financial implications to that. As well
for you honest through this process. But you know, I

(45:42):
think that this team has just said, hey, we worry
about what we can control, and so far they've been,
you know, really effective at doing that and keeping you
honest here. And I think, you know, it's it's something
that obviously is going to gain some momentum in terms
of the national dialogue moving forward. So that will be
outside noise. But I think that's what you've got to
treat it as if you were the box. It's just

(46:02):
that outside noise, and you worry about what you can
control on the inside, and we'll see where it goes.
Giannis is a unique guy, though, That's all I can say.
So anybody thinks they've got a beat on where he's
at with everything they are lying to you, because this
night's wired and different.

Speaker 3 (46:17):
And I thought I had some inside in. As Mark
Murphy once said about a former packer, he's a complicated fellow.
I wouldn't know that to Gianni's but you'd kind of understand.
These guys have a lot, These superstars have a lot
going for them one way or the other. Hey, Dave,

(46:38):
give us a thumbnail on the playoff situation. Starting in
the East I mean Cleveland has been the best it
seems during the regular season. Boston, no one questions that
they're there. And we know this Indiana team is good.
And then out West, is anybody better than OKC.

Speaker 5 (46:56):
Man right now doesn't look like it. To answer your
last question first, I okay, see has just been a
buzzsaw and I'm amazed with the youth that they have,
at their ability to keep the focus on to the
degree that they have throughout this whole process. They just
don't take their foot off the pedal. And and you
know that includes in games to one game to the next,

(47:16):
you know, I mean inside that game. They in the
NBA can be very difficult to keep your focus for
eighty two games over the course of that entire game.
It's a lot of games. And those guys have been
really amazing with that.

Speaker 3 (47:29):
Now.

Speaker 5 (47:30):
The one adage is sometimes you hear that teams can
almost put too much energy into the regular season. By
the time the postseason comes along, you've run out of
a little.

Speaker 3 (47:38):
Bit of gas.

Speaker 5 (47:39):
I have not seen that thus far for Oklahoma City,
and I don't I don't foresee it because I look
at the other teams and that conference. Right now, you're
looking at the Lakers, you thought were they the team?
Where the Nuggets the team? The Rockets? Neither of those.
None of those three teams scare me at this point
if I'm Oklahoma City. But you know, the minute you
think you know something, it goes the other way in sports.

(48:01):
But yeah, right now, I would say of all the teams,
I would be the most confident in them now. Now
Boston and Cleveland in the East. Yeah. I looked at
Cleveland earlier this season when the Bunks played them later
in the year, and I just looked at that roster
and I said, I don't see a weakness. I can't
find a weakness with this group right now. I think
maybe you could make the case a little bit of

(48:22):
the backcourt defense. But then you add our guy DeAndre Hunter,
of course, and now that's the other thing. It's so
crazy for me to see two guys that I called
a national championship for as Cavaliers back as Cavaliers competing
for an NBA championship now and DeAndre Hunter and ty
Jerome was blown up for them. I mean, both those
guys played big roles for Cleveland, and ty Jerome kind
of a diamond in the rough who's turned into this

(48:43):
major contributor for them that wasn't even essentially on the
team a year ago. But then they just have so
much depth and so much complimentary play. I feel like
that that in some ways, on paper, I would be
more scared of them than Boston. But Boston has that
eight intangible of having been there and having done it,

(49:04):
and you know, assuming health, it'd be a heck of
a series. I'll tell you that much. But you know,
because of that great intangible, boy, it's almost it almost
turns it into a coin toss for me personally as
I look at that, because I do think there is
something to that. Boston's got that history. Drew Holliday has
obviously been through the wars, He's obviously had success in that.

(49:26):
I mean, you just you can't put a price on that,
and so you know it would be made for a
heck of a matchup. Now you look at New York
to a team that were they in the conversation, well
after watching them yesterday and seeing Jalen Brunson hobble the
way he did through that game, still making plays what
a warrior, But they don't have the depth, and I

(49:47):
do worry about those guys running out of gas. The
way Tom Thibodeau has been really running that rotation, he
just hadn't given them breaks. So you wonder I'm sorry, sorry,
a big time no call.

Speaker 4 (49:58):
At the end of the Pistoo's next game, we saw
a big overturn of the Lakers Timberwolves. You mentioned college
a little bit, since you you're not all that far
removed from from calling games at UVA. Is there anything
that you see in the NBA that you think would
be a good fit for college in terms of Wolves.
The reason I ask is that in the college game
final two minutes one in doubt go to replay about

(50:20):
any ball that goes out of bounds is a challenge,
maybe a max number of challenges? Does that make? Is
there anything from the NBA I think a college needs
to need to steal this?

Speaker 5 (50:32):
Yeah, Look, there's no magic bullet for those chats the officiating.
I just don't think that there is, because you know,
I was listening to the other day to the Turner
guys talking about this in their postgame show about that
no call. Excuse me with the end of the Knicks game,
and you know they were advocating saying, hey, look a

(50:53):
game just shouldn't be allowed to end that way. The
eye and the sky should someone should say we cannot
end a game this way. Well, I hear that. I
also so it's not that long ago that I remember
in the NBA the playoffs were completely bogged down with replays,
latent games. I mean, at the end of a game
took an hour to play a minute and twenty seconds.
I mean, it was just out of control. And I

(51:16):
think that's in some ways a greater problem than maybe
missing a call. Honestly my opinion, And now this is
all every a very subjective conversation, but if there is
one thing to your point that I would maybe bring along,
I do like the idea. I kind of like the
idea of the two challenge rule. I think that they've
got a pretty good thing. They're The only problem I
have with it is I do struggle a little bit

(51:36):
with the fact that you can have two bad calls
to go against your team and you can win two challenges,
but then you're out of challenges. So like, to me,
that punishes a team for having two bad calls go
against them and correctly pointing that out. So that's the
one area where I'd say, maybe you give a team
an X one more challenge, even though it kind of
pains me to say that because you do not want

(51:58):
to bog these games down. But if the college could
institute something college game, something along those lines of two
challenges if you're successful on the first. I like the model.
I think it's a good one, but nothing's perfect. And
as we saw late in that game, you know, you
didn't have any challenges late, so that game decides it.
But look, there's always been the human alien elements sports,

(52:19):
and you know, it's just part of it. And at
the point we get to where that no longer matters
to me in some ways, is the point that maybe
you lose a little bit of the holistic value of sports.
I mean, we're not watching video games, we're watching human beings,
and that includes the officials. So I don't know. In
some ways, I think the imperfection adds to the perfection

(52:39):
of sports.

Speaker 3 (52:41):
Well, and you know, it's amazing that even you know,
we see this in the sports that are one and done,
like the NCAA tournament, like the NFL playoffs, one and
done at least in the NBA. In a Major league
baseball you have a multiple game series. So the absurd
doesn't happen nearly as much, or you don't think it does.
But I do believe, and I don't know if you

(53:02):
look at it this way, but it's either your year
or you're not. I believe in some kind of destiny
that has nothing to do with the athletes or the
x's and o's and the coaching and all the other stuff.
But there's something beyond that. When you get to playoffs
on the highest levels of the games that, yeah, there's
a certain looking about it. And there are windows. And

(53:23):
you know, when you have your window of opportunity, if
you don't take it, if you don't get that championship,
there's no guarantee you're going to get another shot. How
do you look at it from your vantage point?

Speaker 5 (53:34):
Yeah, I couldn't agree more one hundred percent, you know.
I mean, you look at the Bucks when they win
the title. If Kevin Grant's foot is you know, as
we all know, half an inch away or a quarter
of an inch further back, the Bucks probably don't have
a title.

Speaker 3 (53:50):
You know.

Speaker 5 (53:50):
I mean, And then there's the injury situation. The Nets
lose key contributors in that series. That impacts that series
as well. The Bucks would ultimately lose the honis you
fight your way through it, and then he ends up
making a miraculous comeback in the finals that we all
know the rest. But you've got to have some luck.
I'll even go back further from my own experience, you know,
going back to Virginia when I called a team that

(54:11):
lost to a sixteen seed as a one seed for
the first time in the history of that tournament. And
you could make a strong case that DeAndre Hunter does
not fall and break his wrist in the ACC championship
game the week before, that's a completely different story. Then
fast forward one year later, no injuries for that Virginia team,
and you still almost you had a battle in the

(54:31):
first round, you almost lost to a sixteen again, but
then you survive that and then you win the title.
I mean, that margin between success and failure is just
so thin at that highest level. And you're right, you've
got to have some measure of if you want to
call it divinity, whatever, it is, something smiling on your
shoulder that gets you that that break that you have

(54:54):
to have it. That's a huge part of this thing.
And whether it's injuries, whether it's officiating. You know you
can make the cases. Well, I'll go back to the
Virginia in the National Championship game in overtime, a ball
that grazed off the itty bitty fingertip of one of
those players for Texas Tech. I can't remember who it
was that initially was ruled out of bounds off of
Virginia and then they gave it back to him on

(55:16):
a replay. So you know, it's just those things happen,
and it's part of the game, and it's just part
and parcel of what you have to have. I couldn't
agree more.

Speaker 4 (55:25):
My final question, Dave. I saw Dick Bennett a couple
of months ago and he was saying I asked him
how Tony was doing, and he said pretty good. He
was just getting back from MAUI. I don't know if
you've been in touch with him, but it sounds like
it sounds like Tony. Everybody could debate the timing of
when he stepped away, but it seems like he's in
a pretty good place if you talked to him here
at all.

Speaker 5 (55:45):
Now. I haven't talked to him in a little while,
but he's on my hit list. So Tony, if you're
listening to this out there. I'm coming home. We patch
you up. But he's soon. But the but no, I
have talked to a number of people that have talked
to him. In by all account so here he's doing
pretty darnable health. So I think I think the retired
life has treated him pretty well. He's probably got a

(56:05):
nice suntan and all that stuff. So you know, it's just,
you know, the college game is is such a in
such a period of turbulence and transition. I think in
some way, self awareness has always been one of Tony
Bennett's great assets. And I think his recognition that the
game had changed in a way that didn't fit him anymore,

(56:26):
and he didn't maybe fit the college game either at
this juncture was was a pretty good observation for him.
And and you know, look, at the end of the day,
we're all chasing happiness in life, and I know I'm
really happy to hear that he has found some measure
of that to this point. So but I'll have to
I'll have to track him down and get you a
first hand account on that. So I'm not relying on

(56:46):
secondary sources here.

Speaker 4 (56:47):
Soon I'm guessing he probably won't admit up, but I'm
guessing he's a scratch golfer.

Speaker 5 (56:51):
Finally, Oh he's right there, Yeah, he's right there.

Speaker 3 (56:55):
Well, Dave Kane can't thank you enough for taking time out.
I know, busy NBA scheduled in the playoffs. Best of Luca.
We hope we're listening to you many weeks in advance
of this podcast down the stretch, Fellas.

Speaker 5 (57:08):
I appreciate it. Always great to catch up with the
luminaries here in in Wisconsin. So you guys are the best.

Speaker 3 (57:14):
He says that with tongue in cheek, firmly planted. All right, old,
So it's like, thank you so much, Dave. Great to
talk to you.

Speaker 5 (57:21):
Take care fellas well.

Speaker 4 (57:24):
One thing I gotta say, Wayne, thanks for carrying the
Randy Moss interview. I had no idea your horse racing knowledge.
I mean, I'm the guy who just kind of all
the Derby's on. I'll watch I love the Kentucky Derby,
but I did not, and that it was really fascinating
just to get the insights from both of you. But
I mean that, look, if you're a horse racing officionado

(57:45):
or not the Kentucky Derby, everybody, it seems is watching.

Speaker 3 (57:51):
That event to Churchill Bounce, you know, Matt, I mean
I've followed horse racing since I was a kid. I'm
not a big better, you know. I don't barely know
what an exact is, you know. I think that kind
of thing. People are boxing this horse with that horse
and all this other stuff, and I'm really not I
don't follow it. I follow the stories of the horses

(58:13):
and the connections, and I find it fascinating and I
always have since I was a little kid, Like I
mentioned with you and Randy back Great Barrington, Massachusetts, going
to the belm out of the birch chairs, the old
Great Barrington Fair and most of those old tracks. None
of them are in operation now anymore. But it's a
fascinating sport and we've got an interesting year of the

(58:34):
Trouble Crown beginning. I always do this. I have a
tradition in our house. If I'm not going to the Derby,
I find, and it's getting harder and harder to do this.
I find a bucket of Kentucky fried chicken, I get
a bottle of either Woodford Reserve, the official bourbon of
the Derby, or Maker's Mark, which is my preference, and

(58:55):
sit down and watch all four hours of coverage on
NBC and really enjoy it. But it's a tradition in
my house like no other. Hey, good for you, good
for you.

Speaker 4 (59:06):
Well, one that's become an unbelievable tradition is the draft,
and it's always an It's for years and years generated
great interest in the NFL Draft, and more so in
recent years, and maybe none more so than this past
weekend when the population at Green Bay doubled every day
of the Draft. Wayne, it was I think it was
a Brian gudakuz was. He admitted as the as the

(59:28):
event was winding down, he was like, well, I don't
know about having it up here. And then when it happened,
I think even those in the organization whose primary purpose
is to make your team better, they understood what a
big deal that was.

Speaker 3 (59:44):
Oh, it was huge. It was huge for the state
of Wisconsin, for Green Bay, for the NFL. You know,
going back and watching yesterday Sunday on TV, the NFL
replayed the first round of the Draft, which was Thursday night,
and to see that whole thing light up the way
it lambeau Field, the whole bit, it was amazing. It
was an amazing night, and when the Packers finally broke

(01:00:06):
what is it, twenty two year draft of not taking
a receiver the first round of the draft and they
made Matthew Golden the twenty third pick in the first round,
the place went up for grabs. It was just bedlam.
It was amazing. But what a celebration of NFL football
at the cathedral of the NFL lambeau Field, something you know,

(01:00:29):
once in a lifetime experience, and a lot of people
that were six hundred thousand that showed up for the
draft over the course of those three days and nights.
It was a real celebration of this sport itself. As
far as the Packers draft goes really quick, Mett you
know Matthew Golden, you know of him, four to two speed,
four to two nine speed. He's going to be the

(01:00:52):
speed component that the Packers missed. Now with Christian Watson
coming back from the Achilles injury and he probably won't
be around until maybe November by the time he's ready
to play. But the pick that really surprised me in
this draft was their second round pick, fifty fourth overall,
and it surprised a lot of people. They went with
an offensive tackle and I had him listed to guard.

(01:01:12):
When this pick came down, I was screwing around looking
for a note on this kid, and I had him
at tackle or they had him at tackle. I had
him at guard. The Packers is going to try him
at both spots. But he's huge, and he is six'
five and he you know he's going to be he's
six y six rather three hundred and forty, pounds and
you know what he. Can he's got very quick. FEET

(01:01:35):
i texted the football people after the pick was, made
or just one BECAUSE i didn't know much about the,
kid and they really liked that pick that because here's
a guy that, big that can move that that, well
and they feel, like you, know maybe at some point
he'll be a, starter maybe at left tackle someday for The.
Packers probably not this. Year but they got big on
the offensive, line which is something they felt they had to.

(01:01:57):
Do you, know they hit wide receiver in the third,
Round Saveon. Williams he's a kid out OF tcu that's
gonna do a lot of you, KNOW i was, thinking
if you're AN nfl, fan you know of Cour Daryl,
patterson the Former Minnesota, viking and the different things that
he did in his. Career this kid's the same way
as kind of a gadget guy could throw the, football
run the. Football not the best route runner, yet that

(01:02:19):
will come with. Time but they can certainly use him
in some of their exotic looks and that type of.
Thing and THEN i got to tell, you, man the
story of the, draft and we're going to kind of
close it off. Here fourth round draft choice one hundred
and twenty fourth, overall an edge rusher out Of texas
by the name Of Baron, sorell The. Packers this is

(01:02:40):
day three of the. Draft The packers make this, selection
And Baron serell paid for him and his family to
come all the way up To Green, bay spent the
whole week In Green. Bay was the last player in
the green. Room it's day. Three there are no other
players in the green room and haven't been since day.
One he was. There The packers make the, pick And Roger,

(01:03:01):
goodell the commissioner who has you, know he gives you
The he introduces the first round raft, choices and then
he doesn't do. Anymore well he's standing. There he, Says,
hey this kid's still. Here, well let's get him out
here And i'll make the announcement and they they have
the man hug on the stage and the whole, bit
and just an emotional moment for this. Kid and then

(01:03:25):
so he gets. Drafted the crowd's going. Wild he goes
up the, runway he's high fiving people and shaking, hand
the whole. Bit and then later at his press conference
he breaks down when they ask him about his family
and his parents and how much it all meant to
him and all. THIS i don't know if the kid can.
PLAY i haven't seen enough of. Him he's an interesting
prospect as either an off the ball linebacker or at

(01:03:48):
edge rusher either. Way but you gotta love this, guy
just the passion and attitude that he brought to. It it.
Was it's amazing and he seems like one of their
kinds of.

Speaker 5 (01:03:59):
Guys, yeah, no it.

Speaker 4 (01:04:01):
Seemed you, know The Roger goodell is known for the
big hugs when when guys come out in the first,
round but this, one seeing this was legit From Baron.
Surrell this meant a ton to.

Speaker 5 (01:04:11):
Him, no it.

Speaker 4 (01:04:12):
Was you didn't have to be a die Hard packer
fan to get caught up in that. Moment, Quickly wayne
from The Wisconsin badger's, perspective it was thought that those
who would be picked would be picked. Later opinions varied
a little bit on A Jack, nelson maybe more of
the mid, round but he and At Hunter walder both
going the seventh. Round and this is the second straight

(01:04:35):
Year wisconsins had just two players. DRAFTED a couple of
years ago they had. Three they went through a stretch
like this about a decade. Ago in twenty fifteen and
twenty sixteen they had two. Apiece twenty seventeen they had
three players. Drafted how the difference was there were a
couple three first rounders in that stretch as, well guys LIKE. Tj,
Watt Melvin, Gordon Ryan ramchek who recently, Retired but you,

(01:04:58):
know two seventh rounders and then some guy as signing
as undrafted free agents in a better, year in better.
Stretches waying With wisconsin, football four or five guys get, drafted,
yes sometimes. More the most they've ever, had going back
to When Barry alvarez got to go on thirty plus years,
ago the most they ever had in one draft get
selected was eight and that was through two thousand and.

(01:05:19):
One those were a lot of the guys who were
instrumental in the back to Back Wiose bowl, Championships guys
Like Chris, Chambers Jamar, Fletcher Ross, Koladgi Casey, Robot Bill,
ferrarido a couple of offensive. Linemen but four or five
is a good number For wisconsin, historically if you go
back by, Historically i'm talking three decades or, so and

(01:05:40):
that's going to be the goal way to get back
to that because it's no secret they haven't played up
to their standards and they just need more guys To
no matter your style of, play you just have to
have the guys who fit that. Style and that's the
chore That Luke fickle at his staff or that's the
puzzle they're trying to solve right.

Speaker 3 (01:05:58):
NOW a lot Of Penn state And Ohio, state the
Whole Ohio state team seemed like they were drafted in
this team. Autumn. Yep and you're, right, MAN i, mean
the draft kind of tells you what kind of caliber
player you've had in your college football. Program And i'm
sure all of us hoping and we know that The

(01:06:20):
badgers will get back to that at some, point but,
yeah this was a little bit of a lighter draft for.
Them that'll do it for us on this edition of
the Lery Vie La Pay podcast special thanks to our
Guest Randy moss And Dave. Kin our engineer producer Is dave.
McCann our executive Producer Jeff. Todler now For memphis Is.
Wayne thank you so much for listening to The Leroviela Pay.

Speaker 2 (01:06:41):
Podcast the Lerovie La pay podcast is a production Of
iHeartRadio podcasts with Hosts Way larov And Matt, lapey with
production engineering By dave. McCann The Larovian La pay podcast
is presented BY Uw Credit. Union here for every you
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(01:07:02):
podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite. Podcasts