May 13, 2024 • 35 mins
Bernie Fratto is in for Big Ben and talks about the latest in the NBA playoffs, the coaching search for the Lakers, the latest in the NHL playoffs with Eddie Garcia, and a visit from Bill Krackomberger!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the best of the Ben Maler
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weeknight
from two to six Eastern eleven pm to three am
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and to find your local
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Speaker 2 (00:24):
This is the best of the Ben Maler Show on
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
I'm not Ben mallor I'm not archiebelling the drills, I'm
not Kim Karnasci, and my name is Bernie frattleor come
you live from the tirerac dot com studios here in
Las Vegas tyrec dot com and help you get there
and on match selection, fast free shipping for your rod
aster protection, and over ten thousand recommended installers tyrerac dot
com the way tire buying should be absolute, jam packed,
(00:55):
wacky show. Tonight, We're gonna dive into some subject matter
that everybody and relate to, and of course, a little
later in the hour, I'm going to get into the
two NBA playoff games that took place on Sunday. I've
got some keen observations. But first, please allow me to
(01:15):
get something off my chest. You know, really basically, I'm
a simple guy. Hell I had a lunchables for dinner
last night, right, But I hate to come on like
a vegetarian beef inspector in a British slaughterhouse. But this
stupid Laker coaching search is gonna end up having all
the drama of a Gilligan's Island rerun. They're gonna draw
(01:36):
it out. It's gonna be one of those situations where
they milk it three, four or five weeks, suck the
airt of the room, like I got Dan Byer likes
to say. And in the end, it's not gonna matter
why they're not gonna win with this group.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
They're gonna win with this roster.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
What makes you think they're gonna win with this group
no matter who they are? And by the way, if
they do well, hell, Len, I was just gonna take
all the credit, and if they don't well, the coach
will get all the blame. How the hell do you
think Lebron's on his fourth coach now? He just got
there a few minutes ago. Find So let's just.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
Get it over with.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Okay, as far as the Laker coaching hire, it's going
to be all about optics, image, selling the press conference.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
So where am I going with this? Just be done
with it?
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Hire JJ Reddick now gap you heard me say it.
Just do it now, don't make us wait.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
Knock it off.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Okay, you say he has no experience, Well I got
news for you. Pat Riley ate walking through that door,
but he did in nineteen eighty one, made the transition
from the announcer booth. Pat Riley never had any head
coaching experience. How'd that work out? Steve Kerr was hired
in twenty fourteen and Golden State no coaching experience, not
(02:55):
even any assistant experience. Four championship later, how's that working out?
You ever heard of a guy named Don Shula the
all time winning his NFL coach of all time? Well
that's the redundancy department. Department of redundancy department.
Speaker 5 (03:10):
I know.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
I just did that again with the three Super Bowls,
two different teams. He's done it pretty well. So can
we can we vacate the drama? Can we stop at
Laker Nation?
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Please? Please? Again?
Speaker 3 (03:23):
All the drama of a Gilligan's Island rerun? And I
know you're you're going to you know you're gonna milk
it for all it's worth. By by the way, I digress,
Gilligan's Island is the dumbest show of all time period.
You don't believe me. Come on the Professor. He can
build a radio out of a coconut, but he can't
get him off the island. Thurston b Howe's got more
money than Lebron, but they don't even bother to send
(03:45):
a search party.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
Meanwhile, Ginger and Marianne running around. They haven't had their.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Ticket punch and Site carried his own golf clubs yet
the Skipper and Gilligan, they're asleep at the wheel.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Every episode ended the same.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
You did a little buddy, Okay, just like the Lakers.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
You bore me, But I will say this.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
JJ Reddick for reals is one of the names that
the Lakers have been drooling down on and they're very
intrigued with and the front office apparently he's been making
calls around the league to try to learn more about.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
Him because they are continuing quote the coaching search.
Speaker 6 (04:22):
Now he hasn't been explicably named as the favorite or
you know, the odds on favorite. I'm saying that I
think they should they should hire him and do it now.
And I believe he's gonna be the favorite, okay, and
the Lakers can search far and wide all they want,
But the reality of it is, when they let Darvin
(04:44):
Ham go, they all talked about, you know, getting an
experienced coach, which you know Darvin Ham wasn't. What are
you gonna do, Budenholzer, He's already taken over the Phoenix
Suns even though Tyloo Lebron James bud is still the
current Clippers's coach, and they're gonna re up and they
haven't done yet, but they will. He talked about maybe
(05:06):
Jason Kidd jumping in there, what experience coach, maybe Terry Stotts.
That might actually work, but you know what, that might
not win the press conference. So I get that you
are maybe scratching your head, saying, what's up with this
JJ reddicks stuff. Well, look, he is a former fifteen
(05:27):
year NBA player, a sharpshooter, and his name's gonna come up.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
You watch, you watch, They're gonna milk it. Now.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
I realize Reddick has no coaching experience unless you count
working with nine year olds, and he went straight from
his career, which again fifteen years, into a media role
with ESPN, and he's drawn a lot of praise for
his work as a commentator and an analyst. And he
also hosts a podcast called The Old Man in three podcast.
(05:53):
It's on studio shows broadcast games, and he kind of
makes a point of really pointing out very strategic, granular
details in a way that really most talking heads don't
do such a great job of, at least as well
as he does. And even just in the last couple months,
I understand I don't listen to it, but I understand.
(06:14):
In March that JJ Redick and Lebron James launched the
podcast together which they call Mind the Game, in which
they discuss basketball primarily from an ex's and o's perspective.
So the relationship with Lebron James is one of the
things I want to hone in on here because you
really can't you really can't deny that that that could
(06:40):
be a huge selling point. Lebron's only been around the
NBA twenty one years, He's only had a head coaches
tried to get Eric Spolster fired. How'd that work out?
This hire will be his ninth the seventh since Phil
Jackson left, and again the fourth in his Laker career. Now,
coaching Lebron James is a pain in the ass, high
pressure position because act the Lebron's the coach. You get
(07:01):
to carry the clipboard. And I know Byron Scott the
other day said maybe they should hire Lebron.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
Can't do that. You can't do that.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Thanks to the new CBA, which has been out about
thirty years now and this little thing called a salary cap,
there can no longer be a player coach. Last time
that was done with Dave Collins in Boston back in
nineteen seventy eight. I don't know, Maybe someone will correct me,
but that's about right now. The other thing about this
is that I believe if Lebron gives his stamp of approval,
(07:29):
that's going to go a long way in watching JJ
Reddick slick his hair, back, wear cool suits, have a
sharp silver tongue, devil wit, not afraid to speak his mind,
and I think it should happen. And by the way,
it's not just the Lakers. The lack of experience that
JJ Reddick pass as it were, isn't necessarily, you know,
(07:54):
scaring away the rest of the NBA. JJ Reddick interview
with the Toronto Raptors last year for their head coaching
job in the offseason. He was actually a finest finalist.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
Excuse me.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
For the Charlotte Hornet's job this offseason, Charles Lee, the
Boston Celtics assistant, just got it. And by the way,
speaking of the Celtics, their head coach, Joe Missoula, he
attempted to hire JJ Redick and put him on his
staff last season.
Speaker 4 (08:19):
So JJ Reddick, I.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Don't think he wants to be an assistant, but he
in many circles is viewed as a fairly hot commodity
in the coaching world. And he's got the look that
would fit the Lakers sideline. And like I said, it's
not gonna matter, not gonna win. Bring in Red Klots
for all that matters. You don't know who Red Klots is.
Google him. His record against the Harlem Gloketrotters are like
two to eight hundred and ninety eight. But he kept
his job because he's cool. Look, it's only a matter time.
(08:44):
If the Lakers don't hire him, someone else is going to.
And it doesn't matter who the Lakers are, because they're
not gonna win. Did I mention that now? There aren't
many hires in recent NBA history that have come with
no prior head coaching experience. There are few, and the
range you know, from very successful to colossal failure. You know,
you would hope that if he walks through the door,
(09:06):
he becomes like Steve Kerr who took also took the
path from the broadcasting booth into the coaching sideline, although
in fairness he did work in the front office for
the Phoenix Suns for a while. There's also a chance
Reddick could be the next Derek Fisher Steve Nash. That
would be a massive train wreck, which is likely not
because of him, but because of this Lakers roster.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
They talk a lot.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
Don't don't tell me, show me they're not gonna win anything.
Come on, you look at the level, all right, you've
heard me say that. Now, the wide range of possible
outcomes obviously makes this a significant, high risk reward potential
that is just going to be too good to pass up.
They can sell that press trump, I believe, I really
(09:49):
believe they can't.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
Now. They took a similar risk with Darbnham two summers.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Ago, because he need to have any experience, so maybe
they're just a little bit gun shy. But the truth
of the man matter is, I think they're willing to
take that risk and go back second bite at the
apple again and bring in a guy like JJ Reck.
But like I said, anyway you slice it, they're not
(10:13):
gonna win. And anyway you slice it, the Lakers are
gonna draw this out and it's gonna have the same
stupid ending, just like a Gilligan's Island episode.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Maller
Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 7 (10:31):
Hey it's Ben, host of The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller.
Would mean a lot to have you join us on
our weekly auditory journey. You're asking, what in God's name
is the Fifth Hour? I'll tell you it's a spin
off of that Ben Maler show, a Colt hit overnights
on FSR.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
Why should you listen?
Speaker 8 (10:47):
Picture if you will?
Speaker 4 (10:48):
A world will.
Speaker 7 (10:48):
We chat with captains of industry in media, sports, and
more every week explore some amazing.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
Facts about human nature and more.
Speaker 7 (10:56):
Listen to The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller on the
iHeartRadio app Apple Podcast.
Speaker 4 (10:59):
Where do you get your podcast?
Speaker 3 (11:01):
And who better to have on to talk about what
an eighty year old Mike Jaggers sounds like? The legend
and hear him on Fox Sports Contown to kickoff during
football as well as around the network and all around
Vegas and the planet. My good buddy, Bill Crackman Krackenberger,
crack how you doing, buddy?
Speaker 5 (11:17):
Hey Bernie, thanks for having me on.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
Buddy, Zoe's a pleasure.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Before we get to your casino story, which I know
people are waiting to hear because they're telling us that
what does an eighty year old Mick Jagger look like
up close and personal?
Speaker 5 (11:32):
Well, you know, that song Satisfaction was the last song
they sang last night. And I've been saying this for years,
but I think this is really it. I think this
is the final time. I've seen him about twenty times.
And you know, get really good seats last night. I
was right there past the standing only pits. I was
(11:54):
in the first row, a two rows row, one seat
one got a really good deal song on tickets last minute,
because you know, they were asking ridiculous amounts of money.
But if you hold out, you can usually get good
seats to the most shoes most shows in the last
couple hours, so being so up up and close, and
you know, I kind of just think it's their last show.
(12:17):
But then again it came literally when they sung there
like fourteen or fifteen song. Here comes Jagger and he
goes from the stage down the runway, comes back up
the runway and decides to start an all out job.
Literally a sprint towards band. Eighty years old sprinting down
(12:38):
the runway. Unbelievable, him and Keith both eighty years old.
I watched the first two shows on YouTube from Houston,
and then I watched the second show from Arizona, and
I thought they were okay, but you know they're eighty
years old. Got to give me a past. They don't
sound as good, they don't lose good. Last night's show
blew me away. I had no idea, Uh, these guys
(13:01):
still had this kind of energy, live up in personal
and gave myself a little bit of a sort srow
as you could hear, well, he.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Comes from Royalty and so the dude has had quite
quite the life. And you know, you saw a history
crack and I got to tell you irrespective. I saw
a Sinatra at the end. He couldn't sing anymore. He
was like talk singing through his songs. But you're looking
at Frank Sinatra. Okay, So anyway, Uh, I'm just curious.
One last question about that. What song did they open
(13:30):
up with? You recall the Rolling Stones?
Speaker 5 (13:32):
They start me up? They opened up, Oh really, and
they shocked everyone by playing like a Rolling Stone, the
song that was written for them they did not play
at this tour yet about Dylan and of course song
uh you know that's he got like the most popular
version in that, but they played that shocked me. I'm
(13:52):
not one that I like. I don't like change. I'm
a creature of habit. I don't want to hear nothing new. Now.
The new song Angry is pretty good, but I want
to hear old stuff. And I was kind of upset
with their set list for the first two shows. But
last night setlist I had no problem with fantastic. They
brought you back to the old days and it just
you know, made me really feel, you know, like wow,
(14:16):
maybe they aren't going to retire.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
But listen.
Speaker 5 (14:18):
Keith came out. He took five steps from the drums,
eight steps from the drums and never moved from that spot.
I mean, the guy's eighty years old, gets plunged blood
transisions every year. How can we doubt them or how
can we even talk bad about them? But I just
think this is the last time I've probably seen him,
so I hope not. And just eighty years old, combless
(14:38):
both of them, of.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
All the hits, of all of their hits. They opened
up with start Me Up, which wasn't released till the eighties.
Speaker 5 (14:45):
That was it?
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Huh you know that that story Bill Gates And they
came out with a new computer in the mid eighties
and they did a commercial well you can start me Up?
And he wanted the rights to that song for the commercial.
Legend has it He called up Mick Jagger and says,
I want to write to that song for a sixty
second commercial. How much you want? Jaggi goes five million?
Goes done?
Speaker 4 (15:05):
Hung up?
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Jaggi goes, damn it. I should ask for ten. That's
how fast that wait?
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Anyway? All right, crack.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
You you you you are a man about town, a
man about the planet, and anytime you share with the
world that you've got a story. As you and I
both know Vegas is not run the same way as
it used to be in because sin As are different.
We're in a different world. I know a lot of
people are dying to hear the story because they're they're
tweeting at us.
Speaker 5 (15:33):
Buddy of mine comes in town, slides in and uh,
you know from South Carolina, money guy, good guy, throws
money around, takes care of everybody, takes care of them.
You know, from the bellman to the butlers to the
four people. You know, everybody takes care of everybody. Goes in,
comes in and it plays dice. You know. He comes
(15:54):
coming in for rolling stones, comes in for every show,
comes in and opens up for a regular bets. You know,
he bets you bets five hundred and number, so twenty
five hundred across the ice table, and you know, and
literally fifteen minutes later, he's got the whole board pulled
up about twenty thousand across the board. I'm watching it now,
(16:15):
I'm just watching twenty thousand across the board. And they
made the shooter makes their third pass, shooting the same
way every single time happened. The dice throwing them across
the table hit in the back wall like he's posting,
dare enough you get one of these antiques floor people
that come in. Here's the commotion of everyone clapping, and
much happier than he's ever been in his whole empire.
(16:38):
Burned that life comes up to the table, just wants
to start disruption and says, hey, hey, hey, no tapping
the dice. Pick him up and shoot him, just to
try to change the role. Do things over and cheer enough.
A couple of the players were starting to get on
him and yelling at him, and you know, here here comes,
here comes the seven out. Of course, my friend made
(16:59):
some money. He made about thirty thousand dollars in the role.
But I just can't take these people and that that
they're miserable in life. They wish it was then gambling.
They have misplaced rage. They come to work. They just
should have the heart and the and the balls to
go out and steal yourself then and do something, you know, seriously,
(17:20):
have the heart to do it if you're if you
think you want to, you want to? How hard is
he how hard it is to gamble at a game
that's such a negative ev game.
Speaker 4 (17:29):
It's one of the best guys.
Speaker 5 (17:31):
I just can't take these people that are still in existence,
and it showsually the opposite. You know, I have a friend,
another friend of mine that came in town and he won.
I guess he won about twenty five for the trip.
Not nothing crazy. But here's a guy that comes in
and he's by the way, he's at the Stratosphere and
they won't swunt him at all at the strat that
two three down, which is a lot by the way,
(17:51):
two three thousand a hand, not even a four personal out.
This other guy was at one of the one of
the one of the big strip properties, one of the
seizers properties, pirates it was, and they're just I couldn't.
If I didn't see my own eyes, I would not
believe it. For today, I'm going to take him to
the airport. So listen, let me take you to the airport.
I go to pick him up, and he's taken so long,
(18:13):
I'm like wow, for five and he told me eleven am,
it's eleven fifteen. He sent me a fast crack. I'll
be right out at SAP trying to cast chips. So
he's trying to cash thirty nine hundred ships he just took.
And of course guy find out why he just took
a ten thousand dollars shot before he left the crab David,
and he loses sixty one hundred and they wouldn't give
(18:34):
him his thirty one. They wouldn't give him his thirty
nine hundred chips because he didn't have his ID was
put away. He was an ex fetcher going through his bag.
Look the first passport. I mean, he says, I cannot
believe what this place just did to meddle with third
I lost money. Then when they finally said where'd you
get the chips from? I mean, meanwhile, you know, for
(18:54):
the trip he broke even after being up like thirty
five thousand, he broke about it even and they're asking
him we got the thirty nine hundred and chips. I mean,
it's just such a difference than what it was even
a decade ago or two decades ago. Everyone it's like
what we could see now, you know. It's like when
you come in, it's like everyone knew your name, what
you drank, who you were mister cehs.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Listen, Russ Bennett used to get me reals at the
Maxim back in the day. We've talked about that. Those
days are our long gone crack. We just got about
a minute. I always appreciate having you every way overdue
for lunch. We're kind of heading into the filler sport
area now in terms of finding value, where you are
you finding any value in the markets right now, whether
it be in the NBA or baseball or anything else.
Speaker 5 (19:34):
Listen, I do bet NBA props, UH player props over under.
We are betting baseball holding our own baseball, and we're
actually doing really good at NBA player props or you know, points,
rebounds assistance. I still say the same thing, Bern, It's
really hard to beat NBA sides. It's really hard to
(19:54):
beat NFL sides. I don't know too many people I
can count on one hand that can beat these things.
But get to the most popular things to bet on
NBA side, and now during the playoff, that gets tougher
and tougher. Lots of eyes on the NBA lot. The
networks covering the NBA stick to the secondary market things
(20:15):
they pay little or less attention to. I think you
should go with that, and that's an easier thing to beat.
Like I said, I've been around the biggest gambling syndicates
in the world the last thirty years. They do not
mess with NBA side, So I'll just play you that. No,
that's right, MBA. Just stick stick to the stuff that's
smaller market guys.
Speaker 4 (20:35):
Crack get some rest of my man.
Speaker 5 (20:36):
You take care all right, Thank you, buddy, thanks for
having me on.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
Take care of that is the legend Bill Crackman Crackenberger.
You can follow at Bill Crackman on Twitter. Everybody loves
crack and you'll hear them all fall on countdown to
kick off here on Fox Sports Radio Sunday mornings.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Meler
Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific.
Speaker 4 (20:59):
The nh Y'all Playoffs, the.
Speaker 3 (21:01):
Stanley Cup, the most coveted trophy in all the sports.
The two Month Gauntlet, which I still believe is the
most difficult prize to win, is raging. These series are
really starting to take shape. I've made some observations. And
by the way, we almost had a replay of the
Heidi Bowl between the Jets and Raiders when ESPN cut
(21:24):
away from a game. I let to get that a
little bit later. But I want to bring in our
hockey expert, Eddie Garcia. Eddie, I've made some observations that
I want to run by you. We can compare notes
here as to some of the things that are developing.
But first and foremost, any takeaways, anything that is stuck
out to you and the playoffs so far as we
(21:44):
get into.
Speaker 9 (21:45):
The second round, well, I mean, the first round wasn't great.
It was okay. It had its moments. We had a
tremendous Game seven between Boston and Toronto and a pretty
good Game seven between Vegas and Dallas. Those are kind
of the frankly, the saving graces of the first round.
(22:05):
First round was just kind of we had a lot
of series that ended in five games. We had one sweep,
so if it wasn't for those two game sevens, that
those two game sevens kind of saved the first round.
Other than that, it was pretty lackluster. But the second
round certainly is taking shape. I think in the West
you've got two very close competitive series and in the East,
(22:28):
unfortunately looks like New York and Boston. I say unfortunately,
because you know, I like to see these series go
on as long as possible. Sure, but Florida and New
York have kind of asserted themselves. But some very hard
fought series the Florida Boston series. There are some serious
bad blood, serious controversy in that series, which always makes
for some fun things to talk about. But the second
(22:49):
round definitely has been more interesting than the first round.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
The storylines that for me are starting to develop. Pete
de Bord, much beligned coach. I like Pete. He is
removed here in Las Vegas very unceremonious fashion. Dallas is
starved to win another Stanley Cup. The way they were
able to sort of hold off the Avalanche the other night,
(23:13):
I saw some things I don't know. Did you see
that that Tic tac too goal that Tyler Sageine scored
to put Dallas on top.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
Did you hapen to see that playing really pretty hockey?
Speaker 9 (23:23):
Yeah, there's They've had a few of those plays in
the series so far.
Speaker 8 (23:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
And the story emerging, of course, you know, Goalie gold
goaltending is everything. Jake Ottinger is starting to really emerge.
You think it could be one of those situations where
Ottinger might put this team on his back and Dallas
finds their way to the Stanley.
Speaker 9 (23:43):
Cupf you know what, I've always pushed against that theory. Really, Yeah,
I don't I think it's a.
Speaker 8 (23:52):
I don't know.
Speaker 9 (23:53):
I don't want to be I don't want to stund
so yeah, I think I think it's cliche. Yeah, I
really do to think you know, all you did, you
just get a hot goalie and you can ride that
all the way. Goaltending obviously is very important, but I
do think that's a bit overrated. I really do otten
Jersey's a good goalie. I don't think he's the best
goalie so far in the playoffs, but it's it's, you know, look,
(24:14):
you got to have the gates kind of goaltending to
me is like quarterback in football. If you don't have
the offensive line, it doesn't matter how good you are.
And I think goaltending the same way. If you let
these guys get into all high scoring areas, if you
let them get you know, an odd man rushes, doesn't
matter how good you are. For the most part, Uh,
they're gonna score because these guys are that good. So
no otre solid. He's I think the goalie advantage in
(24:36):
that series does go to Dallas, but I don't I
don't know that. I'm I would go so far as
to say that he is going to be like, you know,
the main reason why they would go to the to
the final.
Speaker 4 (24:45):
I am probably have been a.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Prisoner of the moment many times when I saw goalies
in the past like Arter Zerbe or Nikolai Hobby Bullin
or Patrick wah just stifle.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
The Red Wings when I was covering those teams.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
Of course, the twenty one year old Patrick Waugh won
the Stanley Cup with the Canadians back in eighty six.
And then Dominic Hashik would make these acrobatic saves like
a ballerina and just break the neck, break the back,
take the spirit away, crush the soul of the other team,
even on those breakaways, like you mentioned. And so when
I'm watching what's doing, You're right, maybe I'm jumping to
(25:24):
a conclusion, okay, but it's a situation where if you
steal one of those games, all of a sudden, you
catch fire and you ride a guy. And I want
to shift gears too. Because you brought up a great
point about the Vancouver Canucks Thursday night, I saw them
in person. There was something about them that I can't verbalize,
but they looked scary good to me. You got to
(25:47):
you gotta play all three periods against them, and you
brought up a great point, Well they don't have thatcher Denco.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
Well, now they've got a twenty year old two and.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
One year old Goldian and by the name of Ards Selovs,
who's making a real name for himself. Are you perhaps
he's only twenty three? Are you perhaps softening up your
position on the Vancouver Canucks after they beat Edmonton Sunday night?
Speaker 8 (26:07):
Not really.
Speaker 9 (26:09):
I do think there is something when you've got a
young goalie who's a great story for people that don't
know he's basically their third string goalie, that's right who
because the backup was also injured. So he's come from having,
you know, no real NHL experience, being thrown into the
fire and and under those circumstances he's been amazing. But
(26:32):
I still I don't know that I would want to
bet my money on that guy. Now, maybe Demko comes
back here in the next round and and and that's
kind of straightens itself out. Although if you've got this
young goalie who's kind of caught fire and the team
believes in him, that's an interesting decision to make. I
do think they would go back to Demco because he's
been number one all year. But still, you know, if
(26:53):
they start to believe in this guy and it's a
great story and all that kind of stuff, But no,
I wouldn't if he's the guy going forward for the
next two rounds. If they make it that far, I
would still be very concerned about that. But it's a
great story.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
So Thatcher Demko, who's very good, U went down with
the knee injury in March. Now you're you're correct. This
young man Arter Sea Lobs is a third stringer. He's
behind Casey de Smith. Casey de Smith has not heard.
He's still healthy.
Speaker 8 (27:21):
Right he got hurt as well?
Speaker 3 (27:23):
Did he get Because I know those two had kind
of gone back and forth when Mark when Demko went
down in March and Sea Lobs went like three and
one in his starts. Now here's why I bring this up, Etty.
I know you remember just last year the Vegas Goldi
Knights shocked the world. Bill Foley said we're gonna win
a Cup and six. They won the Cup and six,
riding the coat tails of Aiden Hill, who they basically
(27:46):
got for a bag of pucks six months earlier. He
was the third string goalie with the Vegas Golden Knights
last year. I like your analogy about the offensive line.
The Knights had a tremendous defense ahead of him, the
way they swarmed the net and blocked. But the truth is,
when Aiden Hill needed to make that backbreaking save, he did.
That's why I'm so you know, the impression I have
(28:09):
is that this can actually happen. I'm not predicting it,
but I feel like it could because what Aiden Hill
did last year with the Golden Knights.
Speaker 9 (28:16):
Yes, but I think Vegas's defense last year is much
better than Vancouver's defense. So that's Look, there's a debate
amongst some in hockey. It's do you want to invest
your money in the team in front of the goalie
and have an adequate goalie or do you have to
have that star guy in net. And there's been different
(28:39):
results over the past few years. Like you said, like
a guy like an Aiden Hill won a Stanley Cup.
That's not one of those guys you're gonna invest a
ton of money and he's not ever gonna probably win
a Vesna Trophy for the top goalie in the league
or anything like that. So if you can put a
great team in front of a good goalie and he
makes a few says for you here and there. I
think you can certainly win a Stanley Cup that way.
(29:01):
You know, the Vesna Trophy winner probably this year is
a guy named Connor Hallibut. Well, he's out in the
first round. He was terrible. Now wasn't all his fault.
But it's just about what do you really want to
invest seven eight million dollars in that position when you've
seen examples of other goalies that are just good and
not great that can win that. So there's there's that
(29:22):
there's a debate about that, do you But look at
the New York Rangers, Igor Schusterkin, their goalie probably the
best goalies so far in the playoffs. He's one of
those kind of goalies. If they go on to win
the Stanley Cup, they've only lost one playoff game so
far this postseason, then maybe people are saying, okay, see
you do need to have that guy. So there's interesting
philosophies both ways on what that goaltending position, how important
(29:43):
it is. Sometimes we've seen examples with Vegas that sometimes
is not quite as important as it but you might
think as far as investing money in that position. But
there's been other other goalies who have been hall of
fame goalies obviously, like like you mentioned that have won championships.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
As well well. And to your point, listen, there's no guarantee.
See Lofts keeps this up. We are shooting babies at
the moon if you are expecting a rookie goalie with
only when we had like four starts in a regular
season to carry the Stanley Cup. And according to a
publication Daily Faceoff, they believe that thatcher Demco could potentially
(30:18):
still return in time for this current series, perhaps as
early as Game five. I'm not predicting that, but as possible.
So if thatcher Demco returns to the mix, how do
you feel about Vancouver, then.
Speaker 9 (30:31):
I still would not pick him in the next round.
I think Dallas is a better team if they can
survive Colorado. I've picked the start at the beginning of
the playoffs. I wouldn't change that prediction now. But it
is looking it is a great story, and as long
as Sea LOFs is being competent in net and making
some big saves, you don't need to rush that your
Demko back. So the report I heard was that they
(30:54):
would be pushing it for Game five. It would be
like an emergency situation. So but why push it if
you don't have to. If this kid can can get
it done, maybe you bring it back for a winner,
take all game seven.
Speaker 8 (31:06):
But we'll see. It's not like I said, it's a
great story.
Speaker 9 (31:08):
This is what's great about sports, right, third string goalie
coming out of nowhere and you know, so far, so
Good's it's a great story.
Speaker 3 (31:16):
And of course being here in Vegas, if you look
at the odds makers, they still favor a Florida Panthers
Dallas Stars final. Your thoughts on that gun to your head?
You think that's where we're headed.
Speaker 9 (31:30):
Florida's I think Florida is going to close up Boston. Unfortunately,
there's there's been a lot of stuff going on in
that crazy series. But the Rangers, I mean, the Rangers
are tough too. I mean they've only lost said, they've
only lost one game. So a Florida New York Eastern
Conference Final, which it looks like it's gonna happen, is
could go either way. I could absolutely see the Rangers
winning that. They were the best team in the regular season,
(31:51):
but Florida certainly is right there as well.
Speaker 8 (31:53):
That was going to be that.
Speaker 9 (31:54):
Would be if it happens, but I think it will
a great Eastern Conference file. So I think, I think
I like Dallas, But Florida, New York, I don't know.
That's what's too close to call for me.
Speaker 3 (32:07):
Yeah, I feel like Florida's really got some month finished
business after losing to the Knights in five last year.
Speaker 4 (32:13):
That's a scary team.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
And then finally the age old question, Eddie, can the
Canadians finally get off the dime after not winning a
Stanley Cup since nineteen ninety three with you know, JACQUESA.
Maris and the Montreal Canadians the only two teams are
left or you know, Edmonton and Vancouver not looking good
right now for Canadian team to win it this year.
Speaker 9 (32:32):
Your thoughts, Yeah, I don't think so. I don't think
it's going to happen this year. Obviously, it doesn't help
that the two remaining Canadian teams left are playing each other,
so obviously one of them is going to be eliminated.
But like I said, I like the winner of Dallas
Colorado to make it out of the West of the
Stanley Cup final. But we'll see, we'll see. I doesn't
mean I'm right. My predictions haven't been great.
Speaker 4 (32:55):
Stanley Cupp is a brutal tournament. You know that.
Speaker 8 (32:57):
It's awesome.
Speaker 3 (32:58):
I love it. It's just incredible. There's really nothing quite
like it. I'd be happy for Dallas. I like Pete
de Borr. He's a Michigan guy, came out of the
Coffywear program, he graduated from law school. He's taken a
lot of heat around the league, and took a lot
of heat here in Vegas, I think, unceremoniously. Finally, Eddie,
I gotta have you comment on this, because I'm sure
you are aware that the other night the Carolina Hurricanes
(33:22):
and New York Rangers were tied three to three.
Speaker 4 (33:24):
They're going into the final minute a game too.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
I believe there was a power play fifty seconds left
in the game, and all of a sudden, they cut
away from the broadcast.
Speaker 4 (33:31):
Did you hear about that?
Speaker 8 (33:32):
I was watching the game. I couldn't believe it.
Speaker 9 (33:35):
I'm not a fan of either team, but they, yeah,
they broke away, and they had like the intro for
the Dallas Colorado game, and I'm like, what are they doing?
Speaker 8 (33:47):
What do they do?
Speaker 9 (33:48):
They've they've they've turned away. Well, I mean, I couldn't
even imagine if I was a Rangers fan. You're on
a power play and a crucial part of the game,
and suddenly they switched away. But it took it. I
think it was probably about thirty seconds or so.
Speaker 4 (34:01):
It was actually, yes, it.
Speaker 3 (34:02):
Was about twenty seconds, but if you listen to the
New York Faithful, it felt like an hour and a half.
Speaker 4 (34:07):
And they went nuts on Twitter.
Speaker 8 (34:08):
Oh they should have that's that. You can't do that.
You can't push that war.
Speaker 4 (34:12):
So and here's the kicker.
Speaker 3 (34:13):
Let's pretend Eddie was twenty twelve or twenty fourteen, your
beloved Kings when they're on their way to Stanley Cups
those years, and you're watching a game and his three
three might go to overtime, You're about to go on
a power play and they cut away.
Speaker 4 (34:24):
How might you have reacted? Then?
Speaker 5 (34:26):
Oh?
Speaker 8 (34:26):
I would have lost my mind. I've the TV. I've
been trying.
Speaker 9 (34:31):
I would be trying to figure out, you know, did
they switch it over to uh, you know ESPN two
or something like that.
Speaker 8 (34:36):
Do I flip over there? What do I do? And yeah?
Speaker 3 (34:38):
No, I was well coming up. I want to share
with the folks. This was almost the NHL ESPN version
of the Heidi game. Are you from are historically with
the Heidi game.
Speaker 9 (34:47):
Eddie, It was before my time, but I do know
of it. Yes, they see the way for a movie.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
Yeah, I'm going to tell that story coming up. But
you got to see some of these tweets. People were
going nuts. ESPN accidentally switched to Dallas, Colorado is going
on way. I almost yieded my remote at the TV.
That's probably a misspelling. Really during a power play all
with a minute left during the playoffs, an entire game,
blah blah blah, and then finally somebody finally said it,
(35:13):
I almost lost it. ESPN changing away from this game.
We almost had their Heidi game.
Thanks for listening to the best of the Ben Maler
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weeknight
from two to six Eastern eleven pm to three am
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and to find your local
station for the Benmalers Show at Foxsports Radio dot com.
You can find it there or stream us live every
night on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
This is the best of the Ben Maler Show on
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
I'm not Ben mallor I'm not archiebelling the drills, I'm
not Kim Karnasci, and my name is Bernie frattleor come
you live from the tirerac dot com studios here in
Las Vegas tyrec dot com and help you get there
and on match selection, fast free shipping for your rod
aster protection, and over ten thousand recommended installers tyrerac dot
com the way tire buying should be absolute, jam packed,
(00:55):
wacky show. Tonight, We're gonna dive into some subject matter
that everybody and relate to, and of course, a little
later in the hour, I'm going to get into the
two NBA playoff games that took place on Sunday. I've
got some keen observations. But first, please allow me to
(01:15):
get something off my chest. You know, really basically, I'm
a simple guy. Hell I had a lunchables for dinner
last night, right, But I hate to come on like
a vegetarian beef inspector in a British slaughterhouse. But this
stupid Laker coaching search is gonna end up having all
the drama of a Gilligan's Island rerun. They're gonna draw
(01:36):
it out. It's gonna be one of those situations where
they milk it three, four or five weeks, suck the
airt of the room, like I got Dan Byer likes
to say. And in the end, it's not gonna matter
why they're not gonna win with this group.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
They're gonna win with this roster.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
What makes you think they're gonna win with this group
no matter who they are? And by the way, if
they do well, hell, Len, I was just gonna take
all the credit, and if they don't well, the coach
will get all the blame. How the hell do you
think Lebron's on his fourth coach now? He just got
there a few minutes ago. Find So let's just.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
Get it over with.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Okay, as far as the Laker coaching hire, it's going
to be all about optics, image, selling the press conference.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
So where am I going with this? Just be done
with it?
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Hire JJ Reddick now gap you heard me say it.
Just do it now, don't make us wait.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
Knock it off.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Okay, you say he has no experience, Well I got
news for you. Pat Riley ate walking through that door,
but he did in nineteen eighty one, made the transition
from the announcer booth. Pat Riley never had any head
coaching experience. How'd that work out? Steve Kerr was hired
in twenty fourteen and Golden State no coaching experience, not
(02:55):
even any assistant experience. Four championship later, how's that working out?
You ever heard of a guy named Don Shula the
all time winning his NFL coach of all time? Well
that's the redundancy department. Department of redundancy department.
Speaker 5 (03:10):
I know.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
I just did that again with the three Super Bowls,
two different teams. He's done it pretty well. So can
we can we vacate the drama? Can we stop at
Laker Nation?
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Please? Please? Again?
Speaker 3 (03:23):
All the drama of a Gilligan's Island rerun? And I
know you're you're going to you know you're gonna milk
it for all it's worth. By by the way, I digress,
Gilligan's Island is the dumbest show of all time period.
You don't believe me. Come on the Professor. He can
build a radio out of a coconut, but he can't
get him off the island. Thurston b Howe's got more
money than Lebron, but they don't even bother to send
(03:45):
a search party.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
Meanwhile, Ginger and Marianne running around. They haven't had their.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Ticket punch and Site carried his own golf clubs yet
the Skipper and Gilligan, they're asleep at the wheel.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Every episode ended the same.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
You did a little buddy, Okay, just like the Lakers.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
You bore me, But I will say this.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
JJ Reddick for reals is one of the names that
the Lakers have been drooling down on and they're very
intrigued with and the front office apparently he's been making
calls around the league to try to learn more about.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
Him because they are continuing quote the coaching search.
Speaker 6 (04:22):
Now he hasn't been explicably named as the favorite or
you know, the odds on favorite. I'm saying that I
think they should they should hire him and do it now.
And I believe he's gonna be the favorite, okay, and
the Lakers can search far and wide all they want,
But the reality of it is, when they let Darvin
(04:44):
Ham go, they all talked about, you know, getting an
experienced coach, which you know Darvin Ham wasn't. What are
you gonna do, Budenholzer, He's already taken over the Phoenix
Suns even though Tyloo Lebron James bud is still the
current Clippers's coach, and they're gonna re up and they
haven't done yet, but they will. He talked about maybe
(05:06):
Jason Kidd jumping in there, what experience coach, maybe Terry Stotts.
That might actually work, but you know what, that might
not win the press conference. So I get that you
are maybe scratching your head, saying, what's up with this
JJ reddicks stuff. Well, look, he is a former fifteen
(05:27):
year NBA player, a sharpshooter, and his name's gonna come up.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
You watch, you watch, They're gonna milk it. Now.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
I realize Reddick has no coaching experience unless you count
working with nine year olds, and he went straight from
his career, which again fifteen years, into a media role
with ESPN, and he's drawn a lot of praise for
his work as a commentator and an analyst. And he
also hosts a podcast called The Old Man in three podcast.
(05:53):
It's on studio shows broadcast games, and he kind of
makes a point of really pointing out very strategic, granular
details in a way that really most talking heads don't
do such a great job of, at least as well
as he does. And even just in the last couple months,
I understand I don't listen to it, but I understand.
(06:14):
In March that JJ Redick and Lebron James launched the
podcast together which they call Mind the Game, in which
they discuss basketball primarily from an ex's and o's perspective.
So the relationship with Lebron James is one of the
things I want to hone in on here because you
really can't you really can't deny that that that could
(06:40):
be a huge selling point. Lebron's only been around the
NBA twenty one years, He's only had a head coaches
tried to get Eric Spolster fired. How'd that work out?
This hire will be his ninth the seventh since Phil
Jackson left, and again the fourth in his Laker career. Now,
coaching Lebron James is a pain in the ass, high
pressure position because act the Lebron's the coach. You get
(07:01):
to carry the clipboard. And I know Byron Scott the
other day said maybe they should hire Lebron.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
Can't do that. You can't do that.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Thanks to the new CBA, which has been out about
thirty years now and this little thing called a salary cap,
there can no longer be a player coach. Last time
that was done with Dave Collins in Boston back in
nineteen seventy eight. I don't know, Maybe someone will correct me,
but that's about right now. The other thing about this
is that I believe if Lebron gives his stamp of approval,
(07:29):
that's going to go a long way in watching JJ
Reddick slick his hair, back, wear cool suits, have a
sharp silver tongue, devil wit, not afraid to speak his mind,
and I think it should happen. And by the way,
it's not just the Lakers. The lack of experience that
JJ Reddick pass as it were, isn't necessarily, you know,
(07:54):
scaring away the rest of the NBA. JJ Reddick interview
with the Toronto Raptors last year for their head coaching
job in the offseason. He was actually a finest finalist.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
Excuse me.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
For the Charlotte Hornet's job this offseason, Charles Lee, the
Boston Celtics assistant, just got it. And by the way,
speaking of the Celtics, their head coach, Joe Missoula, he
attempted to hire JJ Redick and put him on his
staff last season.
Speaker 4 (08:19):
So JJ Reddick, I.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Don't think he wants to be an assistant, but he
in many circles is viewed as a fairly hot commodity
in the coaching world. And he's got the look that
would fit the Lakers sideline. And like I said, it's
not gonna matter, not gonna win. Bring in Red Klots
for all that matters. You don't know who Red Klots is.
Google him. His record against the Harlem Gloketrotters are like
two to eight hundred and ninety eight. But he kept
his job because he's cool. Look, it's only a matter time.
(08:44):
If the Lakers don't hire him, someone else is going to.
And it doesn't matter who the Lakers are, because they're
not gonna win. Did I mention that now? There aren't
many hires in recent NBA history that have come with
no prior head coaching experience. There are few, and the
range you know, from very successful to colossal failure. You know,
you would hope that if he walks through the door,
(09:06):
he becomes like Steve Kerr who took also took the
path from the broadcasting booth into the coaching sideline, although
in fairness he did work in the front office for
the Phoenix Suns for a while. There's also a chance
Reddick could be the next Derek Fisher Steve Nash. That
would be a massive train wreck, which is likely not
because of him, but because of this Lakers roster.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
They talk a lot.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
Don't don't tell me, show me they're not gonna win anything.
Come on, you look at the level, all right, you've
heard me say that. Now, the wide range of possible
outcomes obviously makes this a significant, high risk reward potential
that is just going to be too good to pass up.
They can sell that press trump, I believe, I really
(09:49):
believe they can't.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
Now. They took a similar risk with Darbnham two summers.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Ago, because he need to have any experience, so maybe
they're just a little bit gun shy. But the truth
of the man matter is, I think they're willing to
take that risk and go back second bite at the
apple again and bring in a guy like JJ Reck.
But like I said, anyway you slice it, they're not
(10:13):
gonna win. And anyway you slice it, the Lakers are
gonna draw this out and it's gonna have the same
stupid ending, just like a Gilligan's Island episode.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Maller
Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 7 (10:31):
Hey it's Ben, host of The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller.
Would mean a lot to have you join us on
our weekly auditory journey. You're asking, what in God's name
is the Fifth Hour? I'll tell you it's a spin
off of that Ben Maler show, a Colt hit overnights
on FSR.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
Why should you listen?
Speaker 8 (10:47):
Picture if you will?
Speaker 4 (10:48):
A world will.
Speaker 7 (10:48):
We chat with captains of industry in media, sports, and
more every week explore some amazing.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
Facts about human nature and more.
Speaker 7 (10:56):
Listen to The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller on the
iHeartRadio app Apple Podcast.
Speaker 4 (10:59):
Where do you get your podcast?
Speaker 3 (11:01):
And who better to have on to talk about what
an eighty year old Mike Jaggers sounds like? The legend
and hear him on Fox Sports Contown to kickoff during
football as well as around the network and all around
Vegas and the planet. My good buddy, Bill Crackman Krackenberger,
crack how you doing, buddy?
Speaker 5 (11:17):
Hey Bernie, thanks for having me on.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
Buddy, Zoe's a pleasure.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Before we get to your casino story, which I know
people are waiting to hear because they're telling us that
what does an eighty year old Mick Jagger look like
up close and personal?
Speaker 5 (11:32):
Well, you know, that song Satisfaction was the last song
they sang last night. And I've been saying this for years,
but I think this is really it. I think this
is the final time. I've seen him about twenty times.
And you know, get really good seats last night. I
was right there past the standing only pits. I was
(11:54):
in the first row, a two rows row, one seat
one got a really good deal song on tickets last minute,
because you know, they were asking ridiculous amounts of money.
But if you hold out, you can usually get good
seats to the most shoes most shows in the last
couple hours, so being so up up and close, and
you know, I kind of just think it's their last show.
(12:17):
But then again it came literally when they sung there
like fourteen or fifteen song. Here comes Jagger and he
goes from the stage down the runway, comes back up
the runway and decides to start an all out job.
Literally a sprint towards band. Eighty years old sprinting down
(12:38):
the runway. Unbelievable, him and Keith both eighty years old.
I watched the first two shows on YouTube from Houston,
and then I watched the second show from Arizona, and
I thought they were okay, but you know they're eighty
years old. Got to give me a past. They don't
sound as good, they don't lose good. Last night's show
blew me away. I had no idea, Uh, these guys
(13:01):
still had this kind of energy, live up in personal
and gave myself a little bit of a sort srow
as you could hear, well, he.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Comes from Royalty and so the dude has had quite
quite the life. And you know, you saw a history
crack and I got to tell you irrespective. I saw
a Sinatra at the end. He couldn't sing anymore. He
was like talk singing through his songs. But you're looking
at Frank Sinatra. Okay, So anyway, Uh, I'm just curious.
One last question about that. What song did they open
(13:30):
up with? You recall the Rolling Stones?
Speaker 5 (13:32):
They start me up? They opened up, Oh really, and
they shocked everyone by playing like a Rolling Stone, the
song that was written for them they did not play
at this tour yet about Dylan and of course song
uh you know that's he got like the most popular
version in that, but they played that shocked me. I'm
(13:52):
not one that I like. I don't like change. I'm
a creature of habit. I don't want to hear nothing new. Now.
The new song Angry is pretty good, but I want
to hear old stuff. And I was kind of upset
with their set list for the first two shows. But
last night setlist I had no problem with fantastic. They
brought you back to the old days and it just
you know, made me really feel, you know, like wow,
(14:16):
maybe they aren't going to retire.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
But listen.
Speaker 5 (14:18):
Keith came out. He took five steps from the drums,
eight steps from the drums and never moved from that spot.
I mean, the guy's eighty years old, gets plunged blood
transisions every year. How can we doubt them or how
can we even talk bad about them? But I just
think this is the last time I've probably seen him,
so I hope not. And just eighty years old, combless
(14:38):
both of them, of.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
All the hits, of all of their hits. They opened
up with start Me Up, which wasn't released till the eighties.
Speaker 5 (14:45):
That was it?
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Huh you know that that story Bill Gates And they
came out with a new computer in the mid eighties
and they did a commercial well you can start me Up?
And he wanted the rights to that song for the commercial.
Legend has it He called up Mick Jagger and says,
I want to write to that song for a sixty
second commercial. How much you want? Jaggi goes five million?
Goes done?
Speaker 4 (15:05):
Hung up?
Speaker 3 (15:06):
Jaggi goes, damn it. I should ask for ten. That's
how fast that wait?
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Anyway? All right, crack.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
You you you you are a man about town, a
man about the planet, and anytime you share with the
world that you've got a story. As you and I
both know Vegas is not run the same way as
it used to be in because sin As are different.
We're in a different world. I know a lot of
people are dying to hear the story because they're they're
tweeting at us.
Speaker 5 (15:33):
Buddy of mine comes in town, slides in and uh,
you know from South Carolina, money guy, good guy, throws
money around, takes care of everybody, takes care of them.
You know, from the bellman to the butlers to the
four people. You know, everybody takes care of everybody. Goes in,
comes in and it plays dice. You know. He comes
(15:54):
coming in for rolling stones, comes in for every show,
comes in and opens up for a regular bets. You know,
he bets you bets five hundred and number, so twenty
five hundred across the ice table, and you know, and
literally fifteen minutes later, he's got the whole board pulled
up about twenty thousand across the board. I'm watching it now,
(16:15):
I'm just watching twenty thousand across the board. And they
made the shooter makes their third pass, shooting the same
way every single time happened. The dice throwing them across
the table hit in the back wall like he's posting,
dare enough you get one of these antiques floor people
that come in. Here's the commotion of everyone clapping, and
much happier than he's ever been in his whole empire.
(16:38):
Burned that life comes up to the table, just wants
to start disruption and says, hey, hey, hey, no tapping
the dice. Pick him up and shoot him, just to
try to change the role. Do things over and cheer enough.
A couple of the players were starting to get on
him and yelling at him, and you know, here here comes,
here comes the seven out. Of course, my friend made
(16:59):
some money. He made about thirty thousand dollars in the role.
But I just can't take these people and that that
they're miserable in life. They wish it was then gambling.
They have misplaced rage. They come to work. They just
should have the heart and the and the balls to
go out and steal yourself then and do something, you know, seriously,
(17:20):
have the heart to do it if you're if you
think you want to, you want to? How hard is
he how hard it is to gamble at a game
that's such a negative ev game.
Speaker 4 (17:29):
It's one of the best guys.
Speaker 5 (17:31):
I just can't take these people that are still in existence,
and it showsually the opposite. You know, I have a friend,
another friend of mine that came in town and he won.
I guess he won about twenty five for the trip.
Not nothing crazy. But here's a guy that comes in
and he's by the way, he's at the Stratosphere and
they won't swunt him at all at the strat that
two three down, which is a lot by the way,
(17:51):
two three thousand a hand, not even a four personal out.
This other guy was at one of the one of
the one of the big strip properties, one of the
seizers properties, pirates it was, and they're just I couldn't.
If I didn't see my own eyes, I would not
believe it. For today, I'm going to take him to
the airport. So listen, let me take you to the airport.
I go to pick him up, and he's taken so long,
(18:13):
I'm like wow, for five and he told me eleven am,
it's eleven fifteen. He sent me a fast crack. I'll
be right out at SAP trying to cast chips. So
he's trying to cash thirty nine hundred ships he just took.
And of course guy find out why he just took
a ten thousand dollars shot before he left the crab David,
and he loses sixty one hundred and they wouldn't give
(18:34):
him his thirty one. They wouldn't give him his thirty
nine hundred chips because he didn't have his ID was
put away. He was an ex fetcher going through his bag.
Look the first passport. I mean, he says, I cannot
believe what this place just did to meddle with third
I lost money. Then when they finally said where'd you
get the chips from? I mean, meanwhile, you know, for
(18:54):
the trip he broke even after being up like thirty
five thousand, he broke about it even and they're asking
him we got the thirty nine hundred and chips. I mean,
it's just such a difference than what it was even
a decade ago or two decades ago. Everyone it's like
what we could see now, you know. It's like when
you come in, it's like everyone knew your name, what
you drank, who you were mister cehs.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Listen, Russ Bennett used to get me reals at the
Maxim back in the day. We've talked about that. Those
days are our long gone crack. We just got about
a minute. I always appreciate having you every way overdue
for lunch. We're kind of heading into the filler sport
area now in terms of finding value, where you are
you finding any value in the markets right now, whether
it be in the NBA or baseball or anything else.
Speaker 5 (19:34):
Listen, I do bet NBA props, UH player props over under.
We are betting baseball holding our own baseball, and we're
actually doing really good at NBA player props or you know, points,
rebounds assistance. I still say the same thing, Bern, It's
really hard to beat NBA sides. It's really hard to
(19:54):
beat NFL sides. I don't know too many people I
can count on one hand that can beat these things.
But get to the most popular things to bet on
NBA side, and now during the playoff, that gets tougher
and tougher. Lots of eyes on the NBA lot. The
networks covering the NBA stick to the secondary market things
(20:15):
they pay little or less attention to. I think you
should go with that, and that's an easier thing to beat.
Like I said, I've been around the biggest gambling syndicates
in the world the last thirty years. They do not
mess with NBA side, So I'll just play you that. No,
that's right, MBA. Just stick stick to the stuff that's
smaller market guys.
Speaker 4 (20:35):
Crack get some rest of my man.
Speaker 5 (20:36):
You take care all right, Thank you, buddy, thanks for
having me on.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
Take care of that is the legend Bill Crackman Crackenberger.
You can follow at Bill Crackman on Twitter. Everybody loves
crack and you'll hear them all fall on countdown to
kick off here on Fox Sports Radio Sunday mornings.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Meler
Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific.
Speaker 4 (20:59):
The nh Y'all Playoffs, the.
Speaker 3 (21:01):
Stanley Cup, the most coveted trophy in all the sports.
The two Month Gauntlet, which I still believe is the
most difficult prize to win, is raging. These series are
really starting to take shape. I've made some observations. And
by the way, we almost had a replay of the
Heidi Bowl between the Jets and Raiders when ESPN cut
(21:24):
away from a game. I let to get that a
little bit later. But I want to bring in our
hockey expert, Eddie Garcia. Eddie, I've made some observations that
I want to run by you. We can compare notes
here as to some of the things that are developing.
But first and foremost, any takeaways, anything that is stuck
out to you and the playoffs so far as we
(21:44):
get into.
Speaker 9 (21:45):
The second round, well, I mean, the first round wasn't great.
It was okay. It had its moments. We had a
tremendous Game seven between Boston and Toronto and a pretty
good Game seven between Vegas and Dallas. Those are kind
of the frankly, the saving graces of the first round.
(22:05):
First round was just kind of we had a lot
of series that ended in five games. We had one sweep,
so if it wasn't for those two game sevens, that
those two game sevens kind of saved the first round.
Other than that, it was pretty lackluster. But the second
round certainly is taking shape. I think in the West
you've got two very close competitive series and in the East,
(22:28):
unfortunately looks like New York and Boston. I say unfortunately,
because you know, I like to see these series go
on as long as possible. Sure, but Florida and New
York have kind of asserted themselves. But some very hard
fought series the Florida Boston series. There are some serious
bad blood, serious controversy in that series, which always makes
for some fun things to talk about. But the second
(22:49):
round definitely has been more interesting than the first round.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
The storylines that for me are starting to develop. Pete
de Bord, much beligned coach. I like Pete. He is
removed here in Las Vegas very unceremonious fashion. Dallas is
starved to win another Stanley Cup. The way they were
able to sort of hold off the Avalanche the other night,
(23:13):
I saw some things I don't know. Did you see
that that Tic tac too goal that Tyler Sageine scored
to put Dallas on top.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
Did you hapen to see that playing really pretty hockey?
Speaker 9 (23:23):
Yeah, there's They've had a few of those plays in
the series so far.
Speaker 8 (23:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
And the story emerging, of course, you know, Goalie gold
goaltending is everything. Jake Ottinger is starting to really emerge.
You think it could be one of those situations where
Ottinger might put this team on his back and Dallas
finds their way to the Stanley.
Speaker 9 (23:43):
Cupf you know what, I've always pushed against that theory. Really, Yeah,
I don't I think it's a.
Speaker 8 (23:52):
I don't know.
Speaker 9 (23:53):
I don't want to be I don't want to stund
so yeah, I think I think it's cliche. Yeah, I
really do to think you know, all you did, you
just get a hot goalie and you can ride that
all the way. Goaltending obviously is very important, but I
do think that's a bit overrated. I really do otten
Jersey's a good goalie. I don't think he's the best
goalie so far in the playoffs, but it's it's, you know, look,
(24:14):
you got to have the gates kind of goaltending to
me is like quarterback in football. If you don't have
the offensive line, it doesn't matter how good you are.
And I think goaltending the same way. If you let
these guys get into all high scoring areas, if you
let them get you know, an odd man rushes, doesn't
matter how good you are. For the most part, Uh,
they're gonna score because these guys are that good. So
no otre solid. He's I think the goalie advantage in
(24:36):
that series does go to Dallas, but I don't I
don't know that. I'm I would go so far as
to say that he is going to be like, you know,
the main reason why they would go to the to
the final.
Speaker 4 (24:45):
I am probably have been a.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
Prisoner of the moment many times when I saw goalies
in the past like Arter Zerbe or Nikolai Hobby Bullin
or Patrick wah just stifle.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
The Red Wings when I was covering those teams.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
Of course, the twenty one year old Patrick Waugh won
the Stanley Cup with the Canadians back in eighty six.
And then Dominic Hashik would make these acrobatic saves like
a ballerina and just break the neck, break the back,
take the spirit away, crush the soul of the other team,
even on those breakaways, like you mentioned. And so when
I'm watching what's doing, You're right, maybe I'm jumping to
(25:24):
a conclusion, okay, but it's a situation where if you
steal one of those games, all of a sudden, you
catch fire and you ride a guy. And I want
to shift gears too. Because you brought up a great
point about the Vancouver Canucks Thursday night, I saw them
in person. There was something about them that I can't verbalize,
but they looked scary good to me. You got to
(25:47):
you gotta play all three periods against them, and you
brought up a great point, Well they don't have thatcher Denco.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
Well, now they've got a twenty year old two and.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
One year old Goldian and by the name of Ards Selovs,
who's making a real name for himself. Are you perhaps
he's only twenty three? Are you perhaps softening up your
position on the Vancouver Canucks after they beat Edmonton Sunday night?
Speaker 8 (26:07):
Not really.
Speaker 9 (26:09):
I do think there is something when you've got a
young goalie who's a great story for people that don't
know he's basically their third string goalie, that's right who
because the backup was also injured. So he's come from having,
you know, no real NHL experience, being thrown into the
fire and and under those circumstances he's been amazing. But
(26:32):
I still I don't know that I would want to
bet my money on that guy. Now, maybe Demko comes
back here in the next round and and and that's
kind of straightens itself out. Although if you've got this
young goalie who's kind of caught fire and the team
believes in him, that's an interesting decision to make. I
do think they would go back to Demco because he's
been number one all year. But still, you know, if
(26:53):
they start to believe in this guy and it's a
great story and all that kind of stuff, But no,
I wouldn't if he's the guy going forward for the
next two rounds. If they make it that far, I
would still be very concerned about that. But it's a
great story.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
So Thatcher Demko, who's very good, U went down with
the knee injury in March. Now you're you're correct. This
young man Arter Sea Lobs is a third stringer. He's
behind Casey de Smith. Casey de Smith has not heard.
He's still healthy.
Speaker 8 (27:21):
Right he got hurt as well?
Speaker 3 (27:23):
Did he get Because I know those two had kind
of gone back and forth when Mark when Demko went
down in March and Sea Lobs went like three and
one in his starts. Now here's why I bring this up, Etty.
I know you remember just last year the Vegas Goldi
Knights shocked the world. Bill Foley said we're gonna win
a Cup and six. They won the Cup and six,
riding the coat tails of Aiden Hill, who they basically
(27:46):
got for a bag of pucks six months earlier. He
was the third string goalie with the Vegas Golden Knights
last year. I like your analogy about the offensive line.
The Knights had a tremendous defense ahead of him, the
way they swarmed the net and blocked. But the truth is,
when Aiden Hill needed to make that backbreaking save, he did.
That's why I'm so you know, the impression I have
(28:09):
is that this can actually happen. I'm not predicting it,
but I feel like it could because what Aiden Hill
did last year with the Golden Knights.
Speaker 9 (28:16):
Yes, but I think Vegas's defense last year is much
better than Vancouver's defense. So that's Look, there's a debate
amongst some in hockey. It's do you want to invest
your money in the team in front of the goalie
and have an adequate goalie or do you have to
have that star guy in net. And there's been different
(28:39):
results over the past few years. Like you said, like
a guy like an Aiden Hill won a Stanley Cup.
That's not one of those guys you're gonna invest a
ton of money and he's not ever gonna probably win
a Vesna Trophy for the top goalie in the league
or anything like that. So if you can put a
great team in front of a good goalie and he
makes a few says for you here and there. I
think you can certainly win a Stanley Cup that way.
(29:01):
You know, the Vesna Trophy winner probably this year is
a guy named Connor Hallibut. Well, he's out in the
first round. He was terrible. Now wasn't all his fault.
But it's just about what do you really want to
invest seven eight million dollars in that position when you've
seen examples of other goalies that are just good and
not great that can win that. So there's there's that
(29:22):
there's a debate about that, do you But look at
the New York Rangers, Igor Schusterkin, their goalie probably the
best goalies so far in the playoffs. He's one of
those kind of goalies. If they go on to win
the Stanley Cup, they've only lost one playoff game so
far this postseason, then maybe people are saying, okay, see
you do need to have that guy. So there's interesting
philosophies both ways on what that goaltending position, how important
(29:43):
it is. Sometimes we've seen examples with Vegas that sometimes
is not quite as important as it but you might
think as far as investing money in that position. But
there's been other other goalies who have been hall of
fame goalies obviously, like like you mentioned that have won championships.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
As well well. And to your point, listen, there's no guarantee.
See Lofts keeps this up. We are shooting babies at
the moon if you are expecting a rookie goalie with
only when we had like four starts in a regular
season to carry the Stanley Cup. And according to a
publication Daily Faceoff, they believe that thatcher Demco could potentially
(30:18):
still return in time for this current series, perhaps as
early as Game five. I'm not predicting that, but as possible.
So if thatcher Demco returns to the mix, how do
you feel about Vancouver, then.
Speaker 9 (30:31):
I still would not pick him in the next round.
I think Dallas is a better team if they can
survive Colorado. I've picked the start at the beginning of
the playoffs. I wouldn't change that prediction now. But it
is looking it is a great story, and as long
as Sea LOFs is being competent in net and making
some big saves, you don't need to rush that your
Demko back. So the report I heard was that they
(30:54):
would be pushing it for Game five. It would be
like an emergency situation. So but why push it if
you don't have to. If this kid can can get
it done, maybe you bring it back for a winner,
take all game seven.
Speaker 8 (31:06):
But we'll see. It's not like I said, it's a
great story.
Speaker 9 (31:08):
This is what's great about sports, right, third string goalie
coming out of nowhere and you know, so far, so
Good's it's a great story.
Speaker 3 (31:16):
And of course being here in Vegas, if you look
at the odds makers, they still favor a Florida Panthers
Dallas Stars final. Your thoughts on that gun to your head?
You think that's where we're headed.
Speaker 9 (31:30):
Florida's I think Florida is going to close up Boston. Unfortunately,
there's there's been a lot of stuff going on in
that crazy series. But the Rangers, I mean, the Rangers
are tough too. I mean they've only lost said, they've
only lost one game. So a Florida New York Eastern
Conference Final, which it looks like it's gonna happen, is
could go either way. I could absolutely see the Rangers
winning that. They were the best team in the regular season,
(31:51):
but Florida certainly is right there as well.
Speaker 8 (31:53):
That was going to be that.
Speaker 9 (31:54):
Would be if it happens, but I think it will
a great Eastern Conference file. So I think, I think
I like Dallas, But Florida, New York, I don't know.
That's what's too close to call for me.
Speaker 3 (32:07):
Yeah, I feel like Florida's really got some month finished
business after losing to the Knights in five last year.
Speaker 4 (32:13):
That's a scary team.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
And then finally the age old question, Eddie, can the
Canadians finally get off the dime after not winning a
Stanley Cup since nineteen ninety three with you know, JACQUESA.
Maris and the Montreal Canadians the only two teams are
left or you know, Edmonton and Vancouver not looking good
right now for Canadian team to win it this year.
Speaker 9 (32:32):
Your thoughts, Yeah, I don't think so. I don't think
it's going to happen this year. Obviously, it doesn't help
that the two remaining Canadian teams left are playing each other,
so obviously one of them is going to be eliminated.
But like I said, I like the winner of Dallas
Colorado to make it out of the West of the
Stanley Cup final. But we'll see, we'll see. I doesn't
mean I'm right. My predictions haven't been great.
Speaker 4 (32:55):
Stanley Cupp is a brutal tournament. You know that.
Speaker 8 (32:57):
It's awesome.
Speaker 3 (32:58):
I love it. It's just incredible. There's really nothing quite
like it. I'd be happy for Dallas. I like Pete
de Borr. He's a Michigan guy, came out of the
Coffywear program, he graduated from law school. He's taken a
lot of heat around the league, and took a lot
of heat here in Vegas, I think, unceremoniously. Finally, Eddie,
I gotta have you comment on this, because I'm sure
you are aware that the other night the Carolina Hurricanes
(33:22):
and New York Rangers were tied three to three.
Speaker 4 (33:24):
They're going into the final minute a game too.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
I believe there was a power play fifty seconds left
in the game, and all of a sudden, they cut
away from the broadcast.
Speaker 4 (33:31):
Did you hear about that?
Speaker 8 (33:32):
I was watching the game. I couldn't believe it.
Speaker 9 (33:35):
I'm not a fan of either team, but they, yeah,
they broke away, and they had like the intro for
the Dallas Colorado game, and I'm like, what are they doing?
Speaker 8 (33:47):
What do they do?
Speaker 9 (33:48):
They've they've they've turned away. Well, I mean, I couldn't
even imagine if I was a Rangers fan. You're on
a power play and a crucial part of the game,
and suddenly they switched away. But it took it. I
think it was probably about thirty seconds or so.
Speaker 4 (34:01):
It was actually, yes, it.
Speaker 3 (34:02):
Was about twenty seconds, but if you listen to the
New York Faithful, it felt like an hour and a half.
Speaker 4 (34:07):
And they went nuts on Twitter.
Speaker 8 (34:08):
Oh they should have that's that. You can't do that.
You can't push that war.
Speaker 4 (34:12):
So and here's the kicker.
Speaker 3 (34:13):
Let's pretend Eddie was twenty twelve or twenty fourteen, your
beloved Kings when they're on their way to Stanley Cups
those years, and you're watching a game and his three
three might go to overtime, You're about to go on
a power play and they cut away.
Speaker 4 (34:24):
How might you have reacted? Then?
Speaker 5 (34:26):
Oh?
Speaker 8 (34:26):
I would have lost my mind. I've the TV. I've
been trying.
Speaker 9 (34:31):
I would be trying to figure out, you know, did
they switch it over to uh, you know ESPN two
or something like that.
Speaker 8 (34:36):
Do I flip over there? What do I do? And yeah?
Speaker 3 (34:38):
No, I was well coming up. I want to share
with the folks. This was almost the NHL ESPN version
of the Heidi game. Are you from are historically with
the Heidi game.
Speaker 9 (34:47):
Eddie, It was before my time, but I do know
of it. Yes, they see the way for a movie.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
Yeah, I'm going to tell that story coming up. But
you got to see some of these tweets. People were
going nuts. ESPN accidentally switched to Dallas, Colorado is going
on way. I almost yieded my remote at the TV.
That's probably a misspelling. Really during a power play all
with a minute left during the playoffs, an entire game,
blah blah blah, and then finally somebody finally said it,
(35:13):
I almost lost it. ESPN changing away from this game.
We almost had their Heidi game.
Host
Ben Maller
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