Cincy 360 with Mike Petraglia -- 5/5/25

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Six about Cincinnati from Cincinnati, sponsored in part by Skyline Chile.
Stop by Skyline Chile for a three way or chee
Coney today. Feeling good, It's Skyline time. This is ESPN
fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports station.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
And my name is Mike Petralia. You know me better
on the X as Trags Trags. Tony Pike has given
me the authority and the privilege today of filling in
for him and Austin Elmore as they are taking the
day off. My name is Mike petrall I will be

(00:40):
filling in. I already said my name is Mike Petraleia.
I will be filling in for the next three hours
here on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty, talking a wide variety
of subjects this afternoon. There's a lot to get to
and look in this business. I always find Monday to
be fascinating day because you're wrapping up a whole weekend

(01:03):
of events. Usually Sunday is always a big sports day
in the sports world, and certainly yesterday it was no different.
We'll get to a lot of the PGA news. Scottie
Scheffler making history at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson down
in his hometown of McKinney, Texas, right outside Dallas. That
was incredible theater, even though it wasn't really a close

(01:27):
golf competition, just what he was able to do. There
were the NBA Playoffs last night. There was one Game
one and one Game seven. The one game one was
pretty disappointing for Cleveland Cavalier fans. After they routed the
Miami Heat in the most lopsided playoff series in NBA history.

(01:48):
You thought maybe that momentum would carry on against the
Indiana Pacers. That was not the case last night up
in Northeast Ohio, as the Cavaliers fell in Game one
to the Indiana Pacers. Steph Curry, Steph Curry, Man, why
do you ever doubt him? Anybody who has ever watched
him play? How can you ever doubt Steph Curry ever? Again, Yes,

(02:11):
he's already got the rings. I get that, he's got
four NBA Championship rings, and it's been to a couple
of other NBA finals. But after what they've been able
to do, they've rebuilt the organization and now they win
a Game seven in Houston last night against the Houston Rockets,
who were still I think a year or two away

(02:33):
from really reaching their peak and their rebuild. They had
a great fifty two win season, did the Houston Rockets,
but that was not to be the case last night
as they lost. We have to talk and touch on
the I'm a huge, huge hockey fan, and what we
saw last night in Winnipeg, Manitoba was something that you

(02:56):
almost never see, and that is a last second goal
to force overtime in a Game seven of a Stanley
Cup playoff.

Speaker 3 (03:04):
I get excited see these.

Speaker 2 (03:06):
This is my roots back to my days covering the
Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup playoffs back in Boston,
you know, many moons ago, but there is nothing quite
like covering the Stanley Cup playoffs. I was watching it
with the lovely debor Ann and she doesn't get hockey,
and I'm trying to like expand her horizons, if you will,

(03:32):
in the sports world, and she just not into hockey.
But look, I'm gonna work on it. I haven't given
up that battle, that fight at all. But I certainly
was enthralled with what I saw the Winnipeg Jets scoring
two goals in the final two minutes of regulation to
force not one overtime but two overtimes after being down

(03:55):
three to one. And the Winnipeg Jets, who, by the way,
if you follow hockey, you know they want the President's
Trophy for the best record and most points overall in
the NHL regular season this past year. But they were
almost eliminated. They came one point six seconds away from
being eliminated, but they tied the game with that much

(04:17):
time remaining, force the overtime, and they win it in
double overtime. Really at the end of double overtime. One
of the truly fascinating sports spectacles you'll see. And boy,
the Saint Louis Blues heartbroken this morning, but it was
great hockey, great theater. So a lot of great sports
on the national scope to talk about for the next

(04:39):
three hours, and we'll do some of that. The NBA Playoffs,
by the way, they continue tonight, and we'll talk with
one of my good friends up in Boston, the Celtics
and Knicks. The Nova Knicks otherwise known as the New
York Knicks. They play in Boston in Game one of
their Eastern Conference semifinal series the Oklahoma City Thunder. They

(05:02):
also get their series underway tonight as well. The Oklahoma
City Thunder finished with the best record sixty eight wins,
as a matter of fact, best record in the NBA
this past season. What about the hometown boys, Well, the
Cincinnati Reds. Every time you think they're ready to hit
their stride, they run in to a team like the

(05:25):
Washington Nationals. They beat the Washington Nationals on Friday Night,
very impressive all around performance. They beat him by a
score of six to one. Hunter Green was on top
of his game, as he really has been all season long,
no doubt about that. You can't find really any fault
in Hunter greens game.

Speaker 3 (05:47):
This year.

Speaker 2 (05:48):
They improved to eighteen and fifteen, and they're like, well,
at the very worse, they're going to take two out
of three from the lowly Nationals at Great America and
maybe they'll even win on Flying Pig Day and you know,
make it a just a great day all around.

Speaker 3 (06:04):
Not to be the case. There was more.

Speaker 2 (06:06):
There was rain on Saturday, rain on Sunday, and the
Reds drop both games. They looked, I don't know, like
they were not disinterested. Of course they're interested, but they
looked like there wasn't any fire lit under their tails.
And usually when a team plays with a little lethargy

(06:27):
and the kind of the tone is set by the
starting pitching. When the tone is not set by the
starting pitching against a lesser team, that's usually what happens.
And it was Nick Lidolo getting beat on Saturday and
Nick Martinez getting beat on Sunday yesterday, and the Reds
drop both games. I think the start by Nick Lodolo

(06:51):
on Sunday is a lot more concerning than Nick Martinez's
start yesterday, only because Terry Francona allowed Nick Liddol to
stay in there and try to work through his issues. Look,
Terry Francona has been around the block. He knows it's
still early in the year. You can still say that
when it's single digits of May, right, you know, we're

(07:11):
talking about May third, May fourth. It's not that late
into the season. And Terry Francona has been around the block.
He's managed teams that know that if they just hang
around five hundred, work through the mediocre play that sometimes
teams have to work through, they'll hit their groove. And
I think that's what Terry Francona's working through right now

(07:34):
with the Reds. They win a couple of games. Maybe
they win four or five in a row, and then
they're going to drop two in a row. Maybe they'll
drop four or five. What's troubling about the series loss
to the Washington Nationals, if you ask me, is that
it now leads into a road trip where they have

(07:54):
to play four games in Atlanta. And you know, Atlanta's
not going to play poorly for the entire year. They're
just too talented. They're starting to come around a little bit,
and the Reds are going to start playing tonight. As
a matter of fact, Brady Singer goes to the mound
four and one three twenty four e er. He takes
the mound for a seven to fifteen game. That's the

(08:16):
opener of four games in Atlanta. All of those games
are at night and on our sister station seven hundred WLW.
The Reds would like to go into Atlanta, I think,
and realistically split that four game series. Hey maybe if
they rEFInd their groove a little bit, maybe they can

(08:37):
take three of four. But you have to go into
Atlanta and you stay on the road. You go down
to Houston and play three in a row against the
Houston Astros down in the Lone Star State that's not easy.
Before the Reds come back for a three game series
against the lowly Chicago White Sox, I say, lowly, and
we know what just happened against the Washington Nationals. But

(09:00):
if the Reds can get through this seven game road
swing with let's say a four and three mark, I
think they'd be very, very satisfied with that. So that's
what's happening with the Cincinnati Reds. They're up and down.
They're one game over five hundred and eighteen and seventeen
on the year. Still a lot of the season to
be played, obviously, I think that goes without saying, and

(09:22):
a lot of their story yet to be told. I think,
by the way, before I leave the Cincinnati Reds and
the Dust in this opening monologue, Tyler Stevenson coming out
and playing the way he did right out of the
shoot that is probably the number one bright spot for
the Reds of the weekend. To get Tyler Stevenson back
in the middle of this Reds lineup, I think gives

(09:46):
them the pop that they really are going to need,
especially with Austin Hayes going back on the disabled list
nursing that hamstring. They don't want any type of serious
issue cropping up with again another back that they consider
very valuable in the middle of the batting order. So
give Austin Hayes time to get right. Tyler Stevenson is

(10:08):
back in the lineup. He hit his first homer of
the year yesterday in that four to one loss to Washington.
That's a good sign, no question about it. But to
have him come out of the shoot the way he
did on Friday night in that six to one victory,
I think is a very very good sign for the
Cincinnati Reds. So we'll get we'll certainly talk with talk

(10:31):
more Cincinnati Reds with Pat Brennan covering the Reds for
the Cincinnati Inquirer. Later in the show, FCC had their
winning streak snapped yesterday in New York. They lost one
Nill And what about the Cincinnati Bengals. Well, I've had
some time to digest, to ruminate, if you will, on

(10:52):
what the Bengals did in their recent draft, and I
got to tell you the more and more I think
about what they were doing and how they approached Duke
Tobin and his staff approached this NFL draft.

Speaker 3 (11:07):
I like it.

Speaker 2 (11:08):
And it doesn't mean that depth equals production. You have
to understand when your roster building in the National Football League,
you're trying to accomplish two things. You're trying to get
pieces on your roster that are going to produce. That
was the whole idea behind investing the way they did
and taking their time to get Jamar Chase and t

(11:30):
Higgins their contract extensions. Those are two of the most
productive pieces if you're not including Joe Burrow of course
on the offense, and so you want to get those
two pieces, the most productive pieces in place. The Bengals
did that well. They didn't yet have not extended Trey Hendrickson,

(11:50):
their best productive piece on the defensive side. But he's
already under contract for the coming year, so he's not
going anywhere. He can choose to not play, but he's
not going to do that. I mean, I would be
shocked if he decided to give up his twenty one
million dollar salary for this year. He's just simply not
going to do that. Trey Hendrickson is going to play.
I think the Bengals are making every effort possible. People

(12:13):
inside that I've talked to, inside the organization and in
and around the Trey Hendrickson camp have indicated to me
that they still are somewhat optimistic team certainly more optimistic
than Trey is at this point of getting a deal
done and perhaps getting a two year deal done. A
two year deal probably and I'm guessing here, but somewhere

(12:36):
in the neighborhood of fifty five to sixty million dollars.
Certainly Trey Hendrickson would like to get to that thirty
million dollar, thirty dollars thirty million dollar a year threshold.
I don't think there's any question about that. And then
it comes down to the bonus money and maybe you
throw in a dumby year in the third year that

(12:57):
both sides know that they'll never get to, but just
for finishing out the structure of the contract, pushing guaranteed
money down the road a little bit, just to make
it work. I think that Trey Hendrickson extension does get done.
It will eventually get done because I think Trey Hendrickson
loves Cincinnati. I think he likes playing in the Cincinnati

(13:20):
Bengals organization. Business is business, but I think when you
talk football, when you talk lifestyle. I know for a
fact that Trey Hendrickson and his family really do love
playing in Cincinnati, and that's why I think when all
is said and done, I think a deal does get
done with Trey Hendrickson. But getting back to the draft,

(13:42):
I'm going to touch on this. I'll touch on it
with Pat Brennan. We'll talk to a few other guests
this afternoon, Laura Failor, who will also talk some FCC.
She'll be on the program this afternoon. We'll talk about
how the Bengals are building their roster for depth now.
And a lot of people who looked at the Bengals

(14:04):
interior offensive line going into the offseason were very, very
skeptical that the Bengals knew what they were doing. They
criticized everything about how the Bengals were going to approach
rebuilding around Ted karras the center. Courtel Volson, the left
guard from last year. He lost his starting job toward

(14:26):
the end of last season. And then there was right
guard Alex Kappa, who looked all but shot towards the
end of last year, the starting right guard. So he's
off to Las Vegas. They draft Dylan Fairchild, He's going
to compete with Courtel Vohlson. They signed Lucas Patrick to
a really no risk, one year two million dollar deal,

(14:46):
the free agent from New Orleans. He's going to battle
with Cody Ford, who was their most versatile offensive lineman
last year. So it's going to be Lucas Patrick and
Cody Ford battling for the right guard. Dylan Fairchild round
pick out of Georgia. He is going to push, and
certainly Zach Taylor and Dan Picture have already acknowledged he

(15:07):
indeed is going to fight for that starting job with
Cordell Volson and wouldn't be surprised to see Dylan Fairchild
starting for the Bengals in week number one. All of
a sudden, I like the depth in the interior offensive
line position for the Bengals. Let's not forget they did
draft another swing tackle who could move inside if he

(15:28):
needed to, Jalen Rivers, the fifth round pick out of Miami.
He is somebody that could also play a key factor
in rotation behind Scott Peters new offensive line for the
Bengals this year. I think the Bengals are going to
be okay along their offensive line. Of course, we'll have

(15:49):
to see how that all plays out.

Speaker 4 (15:52):
Well.

Speaker 2 (15:52):
It is twelve fifteen here on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty
We've got a lot ahead. Laura Fayler coming up at
the bottom of the hour to talk FCC and the
Cincinnati Bengals. My name is Mike Petralia Trags. You're listening
since the three point sixty on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 5 (16:14):
Now your chance to win one thousand dollars entered this nationwide.
Keward on our website nineteen thirty.

Speaker 6 (16:21):
Said smarty testers to get under ten seconds ago.

Speaker 2 (16:26):
Pretend you believe it, And that was the call last
night on Sportsnet. Look all due respect to Kenny Albert,

(16:49):
and he did a phenomenal job with the call on TBS.
I believe it was last night because I listened to
that game just up in till midnight, right as the
game ended in double overtime. But when you hear a
Canadian broadcast of a Stanley Cup playoff game in double
overtime of Game seven, you can hear the thrill, the excitement,

(17:15):
the desperation in that call because, look to them, Winnipeg
winning that game seven in double overtime is the world.
Because it's pretty well documented north of the border, you
have not had a Canadian team win the Stanley Cup
since the nineteen ninety three Montreal Canadians beat the beat

(17:37):
Wayne Gretzky as a matter of fact, and the La Kings.
That's the last time a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup.
It means everything up north, the Stanley Cup playoffs and
you could hear the thrill And that was the call
on Sportsnet last night as Cole Profetti scored with one
point six seconds remaining in regulation to four overtime. Adam

(18:01):
Lowry would eventually win it at sixteen ten of double overtime,
sending the Winnipeg Jets into Round number two against the
Dallas Stars. That is going to be phenomenal hockey. Look,
if you only watch hockey one time a year, or
you know at one time period during the year, watch it. Now,
do yourself a favor. You will not be bored. Especially

(18:24):
if you get home from a night out, a nice dinner,
a couple of drinks, and you want to just chick,
not chill, but want to be entertained. Turn on an
NHL Stanley Cup playoff game. Do yourself a favor and
do that. People always ask me because I cover so
many sports and have done that for so many years,

(18:46):
almost thirty years. Now what is my favorite sport to cover,
and I think about it and I say, yeah, I've
been to the Super Bowls. I do love the NFL.
I love, especially late in the season, how much the
NFL games mean, and the drama and the playoff wrangling
back and forth between teams and scoreboard watching and all

(19:08):
of that. I love the baseball playoffs, especially in the
league championship series and the World Series. The NBA playoffs
are fun when they're close series. But there is nothing
nothing I tell you like Stanley Cup playoff action. And
last night was a great billboard for it. I just
a great advertisement for it for three and a half

(19:31):
hours on TBS. It was a tremendous, tremendous entertainment and
I highly recommend that you take a gander at the
NHL playoffs if you consider yourself even a casual sports fan.
One of my great regrets growing up in this great
town of Cincinnati is that the Cincinnati Stingers never migrated

(19:54):
from the WHA to the NHL. I always thought that
they should have, that it would have been a great market. Yes,
the then Riverfront Coliseum now Heritage Bank Arena. It was
outdated for a long period of time, but had they
played in that building, maybe ownership and with a hockey

(20:16):
team anchored in that building, maybe they could have gotten
together with county and city leaders, as we have seen
happen many many times over the course of the Bengals
and Reds partnerships with Hamilton County and Cincinnati. Maybe they
could have gotten that new arena back then and we
wouldn't have having these talks about Heritage Bank Arena now.

Speaker 3 (20:38):
But it was not to be.

Speaker 2 (20:41):
The Cincinnati Stingers did not migrate with the other teams that,
of course did, including the Edmonton Oilers, the Hartford Whalers,
among other teams, and I always thought that was a
great regret because I always thought Cincinnati could have gotten
behind a competitive hockey team at that time. Yes, college

(21:01):
basketball has always been king in the winner, but having
an NHL team well well decades before the Columbus Blue
Jackets came to be, I think it would have worked
in Cincinnati, But that is probably a rant for another day.
Another rant on the Cincinnati Reds. They have got to
get their tails in gear, and I think maybe playing

(21:23):
a team like the Atlanta Braves for four straight games,
I think maybe that could do that. I think the
Reds could absolutely find their groove if they do the
right things that they're supposed to do, if they're pitching
holds true to what it is. I think we talked
about the fact that Brady Singer, who has been very

(21:43):
good to start this season. I think that trade not
enough has been talked about that trade, But I think
Nick Crawl really really did the Reds a big service
by not only lessening the crowding on the infield, but
getting himself a legitimate at number three in the middle
of that rotation. I think a lot of people thought

(22:03):
going into the off season that their pitching rotation was
already pretty set for the coming year. But Nick Crawl
and usually winning general managers don't think that way. They think,
how can we improve our current situation? And I think
they did a good job of bringing Brady Singer in to,

(22:26):
you know, really strengthen that middle of that rotation for
the Reds. And now you have Hunter Green, you have
Nicklodolo when he's good, and when Nick Lidolo is good,
he is has type ACE caliber stuff at the top
of the rotation. And now you have Brady Singer in
behind him, and he is four and one to start
this season. So he's been very, very consistent. And the

(22:50):
thing I like about Brady Singer in being in the
clubhouse around him his temperament, and you can't you can
kind of go awry sometimes when you try to read
too much into someone's disposition, someone's temperament. But I can
tell you in being around Brady Singer, he's so even
keel after a really good performance or after he hasn't

(23:14):
had many rough performances, but after a less than ideal
performance on the mound, he's very even keel. And that's
what you want to see from a starting picture, especially
a starting picture you're asking to go out there twenty
five thirty times a season. You want that consistency. And
I think that's maybe one of the things that Hunter

(23:35):
Green doesn't get enough credit for. I think Hunter Green
is a very very steady influence in that clubhouse. He's
been criticized in times past, in the last couple of
years for perhaps not showing enough emotion. He certainly did
on Friday Night. I think anybody who watched that game
saw the more emotional side a couple of times of

(23:58):
Hunter Green coming off the mound after a big strikeout.
But Hunter Green for the most part, is a very
steadying influence in that clubhouse at the top of the rotation.
He's really taken that leadership mantle and really run with it,
which is something I think again, Terry Francona has a
lot to do with that. Derek Johnson, the pitching coach,

(24:19):
has a lot to do with that. But you want
to see the Reds pitching kind of anchor this ship
while it tries to find its level, if you will,
using some nautical terms here, use it find its level
during rougher seas when the offense is up and down,
and that's the way the Reds offense has been this year.

(24:39):
It seems like it's really feast or famine. We saw that,
you know, in the six to one win, the Reds
were getting lots of production up and down the order.
The Reds were able to beat up on the Cardinals
in games one and in game number four of that series,
but lost the first two games when in that day

(25:00):
night doubleheader they scored one run in eighteen innings. That's
the way the Reds offense has been this year. But
they're pitching, for the most part, has been very steady,
and I haven't touched on Alexis d As. I wrote
a column on CLNS since the dot Com last week
about why this is the right time to have Alexis
d As get his stuff together down at Triple A Louisville.

(25:24):
We'll talk about that more coming up on Cincinnati's ESPN
thirteen fifteen thirty. You're listening to since the three sixty
on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty From traveling Little Tom Petty
here on your Monday afternoon, twelve thirty five. My name

(25:47):
is Mike Petralia. You might know be better on social
media as tracks tr ags on the X. You're listening
to since the three sixty on ESPN's fifteen thirty. We
have talked some hockey early on here in since the
three sixty on this Monday afternoon, we've talked some a

(26:09):
little bit of golf. We talked a lot of Cincinnati
Reds and some Bengals. Time to talk about the Range
and Blue. They had their winning streaks snapped. The six
game winning streak snapped on Sunday in a one nil
loss at City Field against New York City FC. One
nil was the final score. The Ring and Blue still

(26:32):
stand very respectable seven to three. And one twenty two
points in the Eastern Conference and y c FC improved
to five four and two there behind the Range and
Blue at seventeen points in the Eastern Conference. To talk
all about the Range and Blue, I am very happy

(26:53):
to welcome my next guest here to Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty,
Laurel Failure. Laurel Failor does a great job covering the
Orange and Blue for Queen City Press. She also covers
the Bengals, and we can certainly talk about the stripes
a little bit. She covers the Bengals for the Dayton

(27:14):
Daily News, Journal News and Springfield News. Laurel, how was
your weekend and welcome to the show.

Speaker 7 (27:22):
Thanks for having me. Always enjoy talking with you, Trags.
But weekend was good. It was a little odd having
an FT since game on Sunday, yep, I must posted
a match day posts on social media Saturdays and so
used to those Saturday games. But it's kind of nice
mixing it up a little bit.

Speaker 8 (27:39):
Result.

Speaker 2 (27:39):
But yeah, now you also host a terrific podcast, the
Queen City Press Podcast, and in the last episode, if
I got this correct off your website, you talk about
one of the greatest goals in FCC history. Do you
think that's hyperbole the Kevin Denkey bicycle kick.

Speaker 7 (28:01):
No, I've been there since the beginning of the club starting,
and there have been some other There are some other
ones in the conversations for sure, and so maybe it's
some recency biased, but it's just the kind of his
bicycle kick goal. You just don't see players being able
to execute it like he did, and you just don't

(28:22):
see it very often in MLS, and so it has
to be up there for sure. It was a perfect
cross from Luca Oregano and then doun K just goes
up and bangs it in and it was It was
a beautiful bicycle kick, for sure. I would say it's
definitely up there well.

Speaker 2 (28:39):
And obviously what made it all the more important was
the fact that it was really the difference in the
two to one win over Sporting KC. You also talk
about how FCC is playing at home this year and
how that improvement over last year is critical to the
success of Pat Noon and eleven this year. Would you

(29:01):
say that's pretty accurate that the improvement at TQL is
a big factor in their improvement this year.

Speaker 7 (29:10):
For sure, that was something that was so odd. Last year,
they were so good on the road, and they kept
talking about we've got to reward our fans. We've got
to get wins at home. You know, they had success
in the pass at home and just weren't getting the
results at home as consistently as they were on the
road for some reason. So that was definitely an emphasis
going into this year. I would say the home fans

(29:33):
are still waiting to see the best performance from this team.
We haven't seen it yet. It's always been oh, there's
a good half here or there, or you know, good moments,
but still you see some things lacking and just some
of the connections with a lot of new players on
the team and so but the fact that they're getting
the results at home is definitely what they wanted to see.

(29:57):
And I'm sure the results start or the performances will
start matching the results here hopefully in near future, as
the players just kind of start getting that chemistry together
a little bit more.

Speaker 4 (30:11):
Now.

Speaker 2 (30:11):
I know you have a feature story that you wrote
this back in February, but it was going to be
a key storyline with FCC this year. How will they
replace Acosta's production? And I think they've one of the
reasons they went on this winning streak, in an unbeaten
streak that ended yesterday in New York, was because they've

(30:34):
been able to answer that question. Evander and Dentke both
have been able to produce this year.

Speaker 7 (30:43):
Yeah, that was good. That was a huge question mark
coming in because you know, when Kevin dunk finned as
pretty much right after the end of last season. Actually,
when Lucco literally after the playoff lost to NYCFC came
out and said, I might have played my last game
for USC Cincinnati kind of stunned us all. The next day,
it comes out that they're going to be signing this

(31:05):
big goal scoring forward that can really make a difference
of the thing that was lacking last year. And I
know that was part of Luco's frustration, was just not
having a forward, a constant forward, a true proven goal
scorer that he could connect with. And there they they
were bringing them in, and then we end up seeing

(31:27):
Luco leave, and you know, FC SINSI I did a
great job, you know, to be able to move on
from Luco and have a vanderin right away. That was
critical because Luco really was not a guy you can
just you know, replace with a backup in there. So
getting a Vander in was huge, But you know, he
didn't have a preseason with the guys, and Kevin Denk

(31:50):
really didn't have a lot of the players that were
going to be around him during preseason to kind of
build that chemistry. They had just kind of a unique
preseason with some guys missing and then just a lot
of new faces coming in. So, like I said, I
mean a lot of moving pieces. And so for a
vander to come in and be able to score six

(32:11):
goals right away, for Denk to you know, he's kind
of turned it on lately and gotten up to six
goals as well, that's been huge. Now, the thing that
is really missing is just those two really working well together.
They've kind of been able to do it on their
own individually with help from other players around it. But
those two were still kind of waiting to see that chemistry.

(32:34):
And so once they figure that out, I mean, people
are talking about them as one of the best one
two punches in MLS, and I'm all for that conversation.
But once once we see them connecting is when I
think that's definitely something we can talk about as them
being the best one to punch an MLS.

Speaker 2 (32:53):
And are there things that head coach pat Noonan can
do or is doing to try and promote that or
facilitate that.

Speaker 7 (33:03):
Well, I mean that it's something he's talked about all years,
just chemistry overall, and it's been unique. I would say,
I think last night or yesterday afternoon wasn't a night game,
was actually the only it was only the fourth time
that s C. Cincinni has played their three main attackers
together in a starting lineup, and so we just haven't

(33:26):
seen them together enough to be able to evaluate what
they are truly capable of. So, and that includes Luca
or Zano, who was on the team last year but
played mostly left and right left and right wing back,
moved up to forward at the end of the year
when they realized they just, you know, he was scoring goals,
but they didn't have a consistent guy up top, and

(33:48):
so they kind of tried him there and liked what
he was able to bring to that spot. Now it's
a little bit of an adjustment for him and so
he hasn't scored yet, but so I think that's something
we've been here from Patent noon and is just yeah,
he didn't want to come up with excuses for why
the chemistry hasn't quite been to that level, but it

(34:09):
is a real thing when you have consistent lineup changes
because guys are injured. They've dealt with a ton of injuries.
It's been really unfortunate. They haven't gotten through a whole
week with everyone able to even train together yet this year.
So that's something that if they can get guys back healthy,
which it seems like they They were on track for

(34:30):
that and then ended up having two step backs this
past week, so they were missing two of their key
midfielders and paval Buca and Obi Wobodo. So once they
can find that consistency with the lineups and stay healthy,
which is a hard thing to do, I think that
we'll start seeing more of what Pat noon and envisions

(34:52):
for this team.

Speaker 2 (34:53):
What about Roman Celentano in goal, what have been your
impressions of his play and and how big of a
storyline is he with this team.

Speaker 7 (35:05):
Yeah, he had a great game yesterday. I would say,
you know, the one nothing result could have been a
lot worse. The first half he really kept them in
the game with some big saves, ended up with four
of them and four saves on the day and they
were all in the first half, so that enabled them
to stay in the game. They had a chance to
win it or get an equalizer in the second half

(35:27):
and just couldn't find the finishing product. But he's been
I would say he has had a few of those
games this year where you felt like he has made
those key saves to keep them in games or you know,
help preserve a lead. And he's he's a player that
we've consistently see. I mean, he has had a lot

(35:48):
to do with the team's success being in goal for
Pat Noonan's entire time with that season, say since twenty
twenty two. He Stni's work on his distribution. That's still
a talking point as an area of weakness that he
can improve on. But he is definitely capable shot stopper

(36:10):
and came through for them yesterday to at least give
them a chance to maybe come back in the second half,
and then they just couldn't get it done. So he's
he's been solid. Ways he can prove obviously, but I
would say he's been a big part of especially with
when they've had a lot of their center backs still
coming back from injury. Pretty much everyone's back right now,

(36:32):
but he's had to deal with a lot of changes
in and out of the lineup as well and manage
that pretty.

Speaker 3 (36:37):
Well right now.

Speaker 2 (36:39):
Eastern Conference standing, Cincinnati is third in the table with
an identical record to Philadelphia the Union at seven one
and three. The only difference is Cincinnati has a very
slim two goal differential whereas Philadelphia is up eleven. That's

(36:59):
quite a margin through eleven matches. And then the Columbus
crew there top of the table with twenty four points,
seven wins, one loss, and three draw So speaking with
Laura Fayler, she does a tremendous job, as you can
tell if you've been listening to and covering the FC
Cincinnati the Orange and Blue. Her material can be found

(37:21):
at Queen Citypress dot net. All one word, I want
to move on to the Bengals, Laurel, as you do
a terrific job covering them as well for the Dayton
Daily News. I like what the Bengals have done in
terms of roster building this offseason. It hasn't been spectacular
aside from re signing Jamar Chase and T Higgins, but

(37:45):
I think you have to look at it this way.
They are trying to build depth after production. They've gotten
the production part, except for the extension of Trey Hendrickson.
They've pretty much dealt with the production part. Now comes.
The depth now comes. Can they find suitable answers at

(38:06):
right guard and left guard? Would you agree with that assessment?

Speaker 7 (38:11):
Yeah, I mean it's kind of interesting that we talk
about the Bengals offensive line like we do when they
really they had one of the best offenses in the
league last year with Cordell Wolsen and Alex Kappa playing
a guard, and so the fact that we're talking about
that being an issue, you have to feel pretty good

(38:32):
about about that. Yeah, it is an area you want
to protect your quarterback and that's definitely something they're trying
to do. I do like what they did in the
draft to add to that. I like it seems like
Dylan Fairchild is a guy that can compete for that
left guard job, and you know they did bring in

(38:55):
or the Jalen Rivers also. I guess in the draft
a guy that can be kind of a backup swing
tackle can play all across the line really, so I
like that. I have still some concerns on the defense,
just with Duke Covin at the NFL Combine talking about
how they didn't want to spend more money on the

(39:15):
same roster, and it still feels like while they did
add some key pieces, it still feels like a lot
of the same thing.

Speaker 2 (39:22):
There's one position that bothers me, Laurel, and you know
where I'm going.

Speaker 3 (39:26):
With this safety.

Speaker 2 (39:29):
You do not know how you can go into the
season feeling comfortable with just Genostone and Jordan Battle, as
you're only two proven, really established pieces in the middle
of that secondary. I just think that's not the way
to go. And maybe there's a Justin Simmons free agent
signing coming down the pike that we don't see right now.

(39:51):
But right now they're going into the season with Geno
Stone and Jordan Battle, Dejon Anthony and Tyson Anderson behind them,
Jalen Key and PJ.

Speaker 3 (40:00):
Jules. That's it. That's what you're looking at in the
middle of the defense.

Speaker 7 (40:05):
Well, can I tell you I actually covered Justin Simmons
when he was in high school at Martin County in Florida.
I would be a fan of bringing him in if
that's what they want to do. He is just a
really good guy, an incredible athlete. I know he's obviously
a free agent for a reason still at this point,
but I would say I'm a fan of that, Moos.

Speaker 2 (40:26):
So I'll go you one better. I covered Justin Simmons
during his stay at Boston.

Speaker 7 (40:31):
College Boston College, so and I echo everything you just said, Laurel.

Speaker 2 (40:37):
He is a tremendous leader, very bright. I think the
Bengals really need somebody to take that room by the horns.
I mean, certainly Von Bell did that in his own
way a couple of years ago, and I think he
tried to do it last year, but he just didn't
have the wherewithal, didn't have the physical tools to really

(41:00):
do it on the field. And you have to be
able to do it on the field to some degree,
whether it's a voice back there being putting pieces in
the right position where they're supposed to be, or just
physically making plays one or the other. You cannot not
do both. That can't happen, and I think that's what
happened with Von Bell. Maybe the Bengals get a chance

(41:21):
at someone like a Justin Simmons or Simmons himself and
bring him in and see if he can mold himself,
because he's a veteran, he'll pick up things pretty quickly
and gel very quickly. To me, that's what the Bengals
really need in this defense because I do like adding
two linebackers and Barrett Carter and Demetrius Nike Junior. I

(41:43):
think you've given Al Golden the pieces he needs in
the front seven to do what he's going to do.
In terms of reshaping the defense, you just got to
get the safety room fixed.

Speaker 7 (41:54):
Yeah, that communication part is key, and I did like
what they did with the draft and as far as
is trying to bring in leaders and guys that can eventually,
you know, have a voice out there. I don't think
you want to count on that getting you through this
year necessarily, so that safety position is where, Yeah, that
that really lacked last year. I am interested to see

(42:16):
what Al Golden can do with Genostone. Maybe there's ways
that he can get more out of him, you know.
I know that's something that's been talked about a lot
with this Begles defense. Is just hoping that Al Golden
is going to be able to get more out of
guys that, you know, maybe we didn't see consistent production
from in the past or new guys coming in just
the development aspect, so I am interested to see what

(42:39):
he can do with the defense, But yeah, that safety
thought is concerning you know, Jordan Battle. I feel like
he has been a good player when he's been given
those opportunities, but you know, there was a reason, I
guess why he wasn't starting the last two years until
the end of the year. So hopefully he can come

(43:01):
in and kind of now that it's that opportunity is
clearly there for him, just take hold of it and
run with it. But still a concern and then just
I would say also the cornerbacks are we're still relying on.
You know, we saw good things out of Dax Hill
and his first games at cornerback before his injury, but
can he do it for a full season and how's

(43:21):
he going to look coming back from an ACL injury.
You know, DJ Turner just wasn't consistent. We saw good
things right before his injury as well. But you're we're
talking about these guys that have potential and we need
to see it over the course of a full season
and just consistency and hopefully staying healthy. So and of
course obviously Cam Tayler Brett hoping that he can get

(43:43):
back to the level he was previously. So there's still
a lot of question marks, but it'll be interesting to
see how it all plays out.

Speaker 2 (43:50):
I think that the talent is there. I just think
it's going to be up to Al Golden and Charles
Brooks obviously the corner of coach to get it out
of them. They Jordan Kovacs too, let's throw him in there.
They have got to find a way for this defense
to start quicker, make bigger plays early in the year.

(44:12):
You know, so much talk in the off season about
the Bengals getting off to a faster start, and certainly
legitimate talk. I'm not, you know, discrediting that, but they
can't start one and three. They can't really. I don't
think two and two is good. I think they need
to get off to a four and oh three and
one type of start to kind of just quell all

(44:33):
those rumors or all of those negative vibes to start
the season, start with a fresh slate and run there
we've got Speaking of running, we've got to run up
to the top of the hour.

Speaker 3 (44:43):
I've been talking with.

Speaker 2 (44:44):
Laurel Faylor does a great job covering FCC for the
Queen City Press and Cincinnati Bengals for the Dayton Daily News. Laurel,
thanks so much for joining me.

Speaker 7 (44:55):
Thanks for having me anytime.

Speaker 2 (44:56):
All right, She is Laurel Faylor. My name is Petralia
Trags and you're listening to Since the three sixty on
Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 1 (45:07):
On Cincinnati from Cincinnati, sponsored in part by Cincy Shirts.
Cincy Shirts all since.

Speaker 4 (45:14):
The All Day.

Speaker 1 (45:15):
This is ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 2 (45:23):
My name is Mike. Petralia Trags. Can find me on
the X at Trags Trags, and you're listening to Since
the three sixty on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty. I am
filling in today for the one and only Tony Pike,
one of my very favorite Cincinnati athletes.

Speaker 3 (45:43):
When I was back in Boston.

Speaker 2 (45:45):
I always tell the story when I was watching his
game against Pittsburgh and Sean McDonough was doing the call
and one of the greatest college football games I've ever
witnessed forty five forty four and it's always a privilege
to fill in for the one and only star of running.

Speaker 3 (46:03):
High school football. That would be Tony Pike.

Speaker 2 (46:06):
So Tony, if you're out there listening, Hope I'm not
screwing up the program too much. Thank you very much
for letting me fill in. I really enjoy that last
segment with Laurel Faylor talking about the Orange and Blue.
They had their winning streak snapped yesterday. They were on
a six match unbeaten streak and five game winning streak.

(46:26):
It snapped, no shame in a one zero loss at
New York to New York City FC, but still playing very,
very good soccer to start this year. They're in the
top three of the Eastern Conference. We also talked to
little Cincinnati Bengals football, and that leads me to my
next guest, who is also in his past covered FCC

(46:49):
and the Cincinnati Bengals and now the Cincinnati Reds, talking
about covering all your bases. The one and only Pat
Brennan from the Cincinnati Inquirer joins me, and we're going
to talk on I think we're going to keep it
to Reds and Bengals today. Is that okay with you?

Speaker 9 (47:04):
Pat?

Speaker 4 (47:05):
Yeah, Trags, we can do that. And thank you. Wow,
what an intro. Thank you Now, that's.

Speaker 3 (47:10):
What they pay me not much to do.

Speaker 2 (47:12):
So, So, by the way, I don't know if you've
been listening to this show since the onset, but I've
dedicated a lot of it for it being Cincinnati, to
the National Hockey League and the Stanley Cup playoffs. The
game last night between the Winnipeg Jets and the Saint
Louis Blues was an all timer.

Speaker 3 (47:33):
Would you agree with that?

Speaker 4 (47:36):
I absolutely would.

Speaker 6 (47:37):
And you're not going to get any complaints for me
about dedicating anytime to hockey.

Speaker 2 (47:43):
I think one point six seconds to go in regulation
and your season and the president President's Trophy winner is
eliminated if they don't score that goal.

Speaker 3 (47:55):
That is just unreal.

Speaker 6 (47:59):
And you know we're only in the first round I
know of these playoffs.

Speaker 5 (48:04):
I mean, it's so we've had we had a killer.

Speaker 4 (48:07):
Game seven already.

Speaker 6 (48:09):
And you know there were some I think when the
Rens were out in Denver playing the Rockies, right, they.

Speaker 10 (48:15):
Picked up some they picked up some ABS fans because
there were several Avalanche jerseys pang at locker room stalls
on Saturday at Great American Ballpark.

Speaker 6 (48:27):
So that serious with the Abs and the Stars has
been great.

Speaker 4 (48:32):
I love your given hockeys. I love here.

Speaker 2 (48:34):
Yeah, I think we're gonna have to call you back.
Pat the phone line sounds a little sketchy, So we're
going to try to call you back, get him back online.
By the way, the one and only Sean McMahon doing
a fabulous job running the controls for us here at
Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty. So Sean McMahon will try to
give you a callback, Pat and get him on the line.

(48:56):
But uh, yeah, we've been talking a lot of hockey
for a city without an NHL franchise. And I know
this is about Cincinnati sports from the Cincinnati sports point
of view, but sometimes you have to widen your breath,
as they say, a little bit and talk about some
of the sports outside the normal Cincinnati three to sixty scope,

(49:18):
just to make it a more inclusive show. We haven't
talked that much about Scottie Scheffler today. I still want
to get to that later on the program, and we'll
do that. Perhaps we'll have a chance to chat with
Charlie Clifford of Channel five Sports. I believe that's coming
in the two o'clock hour. And sure enough, I've vamped

(49:40):
long enough that Sean McMahon was able to bring back
Pat Brennan.

Speaker 3 (49:44):
You fix your phone, did you?

Speaker 9 (49:46):
Pat?

Speaker 4 (49:47):
I'm trying how do I sound.

Speaker 2 (49:49):
Yeah, it sounds clear as the liberty bell. See what
I did there? See what I did?

Speaker 4 (49:55):
Thank you, Thank Pat.

Speaker 2 (49:56):
Pat Brennan, by the way, has Philadelphia roots. And by
the way, the way, my daughter Janey. Props to Janey.
She completed her ten miler Philadelphia. I don't know, you
don't call that a marathon, but ten mile race down
Broad Street in Philadelphia yesterday. She did it in under
I want to say, an hour and a half, which

(50:18):
kudos to her. I couldn't do two miles. There's no
way I could do two miles, and she did ten.
And she did it from just north of Temple University
on Broad Street all the way down to I believe,
right outside the link South Philly. So I'm very proud
of her. So anyway, let's get on to the Cincinnati Reds.

(50:39):
Pat Brennan covering the Cincinnati Reds for Cincinnati Enquirer. Why
can't the Reds find consistency early in the season.

Speaker 6 (50:50):
That's a great question. I don't think it helps that
Austin Hayes has been in and out of this team
due to now two stints on the injured list, right,
and then Tyler Stevenson comes in fills in for him. Well, sorry,

(51:11):
Tyler Stevenson returns to the team anyway.

Speaker 4 (51:14):
This past weekend, and I think you know, it was.

Speaker 6 (51:19):
There was a lot of positivity about Tyler being back,
and rightfully so, but I think you're there were a
couple things that made me think that it's gonna be
fits and starts with Tyler because he really seems to
be in spring training mode still. He had three extra
base hits and then went hitless on Saturday, and behind

(51:40):
the plate, the Nationals ran all over the Reds on
Saturday when he was catching. The Nationals do like to
do that. But yeah, I wasn't sure about the timing
of Tyler. You know, Tyler's pop time and how he
was getting the ball out. So I don't think injuries

(52:01):
help in terms of the consistency. Getting back to your question, trags,
and you know, ultimately they had what you would have
to consider a really a pretty disappointing home stand, no
question against the Cardinals and the Nats.

Speaker 2 (52:20):
Yeah, and I know Terry Francona has been on record
as saying that Tyler Stevenson is a catcher, We're going
to use him as a catcher, but at some point.
I like the way Jose Travino handles the staff. He
certainly isn't killing.

Speaker 3 (52:37):
You with his bat.

Speaker 2 (52:38):
I think he's shown that. I mean, I'm not saying
he's going to go out and be a silver slugger.
He's not Pudge Rodriguez. But if there is another way
to protect Tyler Stevenson's body over the course, over the
long run, let's just put it that way, then I'm
in favor of doing that, and I have been. It's
not that I don't think Tyler Stevenson can catch, It's

(53:01):
just that I think he can help the ball club
in other ways more away from the catching position. You
follow what I'm saying there, Pat.

Speaker 6 (53:11):
Oh, yeah, absolutely, and tracks you can still hear me, Okay.

Speaker 3 (53:15):
I can hear you.

Speaker 4 (53:19):
I just wanted to check before.

Speaker 6 (53:20):
Look the Tyler Stevenson issue. It's really interesting. So our
colleague C Trent Rosecrans asked Terry Tito again yesterday if, yeah, someday,
if first base was a possibility. Tito had ruled that
out for Stevenson in spring training, and that remains the

(53:44):
Reds position. First base is not an option for Stevenson.

Speaker 5 (53:49):
But look, I think I agree with you, I.

Speaker 6 (53:53):
Think the Reds are gonna they are carrying three catchers
they did all weekend. For the time being, it looks
like Austin wins is getting squeezed a little bit in
that arrangement, even you know, look it's a small sample size.
But he didn't play. He didn't and he didn't get
in the bat either, you know, in in shoehorning Stevenson

(54:20):
behind the plate, which is what it felt like to
me to get him back at catching so quickly on Saturday.
You know, I, like I said, he didn't throw anyone out.
And the Nats love to run. They've got the legs
and to do and the speed to do that.

Speaker 4 (54:35):
But he didn't throw anyone out. The Nats ran all
over the Reds and there you.

Speaker 6 (54:40):
Know, there were a couple of defensive plays that went
awry on Saturday, and I just I have to be honest.
I couldn't help but think to myself, I think Trevino
makes those plays.

Speaker 4 (54:51):
Part of that.

Speaker 6 (54:51):
You have to give Stevenson time to get act. I
get that, and I don't. I don't want to be
unfair of the guy because he is a great catcher,
but I agree with you.

Speaker 4 (55:03):
I mean the bat is there.

Speaker 6 (55:05):
And Stevenson handled that really himself by calling his own
number and asking the Reds to leave him down in
triple A for another series in Memphis this past week,
and he said that after he had walked four or
five times, he knew he was ready, and he clearly
was ready. He went three for ten over the weekend

(55:25):
with two walks and three extra base hits. But you know,
the carrying three catchers, Tito said, it's not forever. They're
not going to do this forever. I think they're trying
it out right now. But it does look like catching
and catching often is in the future for Stevenson.

Speaker 2 (55:47):
By the way, some good news yesterday Nick Martinez best
outing of the year. Would you say, four hits, one run, strike,
six strikeouts, no walks over six innings. That was encouraging
from another Nick was not, And look I'm not it's
one start.

Speaker 3 (56:06):
I get that.

Speaker 2 (56:07):
Ten hits is a lot of hits for a guy
of for starting picture of Nick Lodolo's caliber, and h
three and three is a middling record. I mean, I
get it. In this day and age, wins don't mean
as much, right, I understand that, But they they're still
wins and your record is what your record is. And

(56:29):
I wonder if the Reds are starting to look for
different ways to motivate Nick Lodolo.

Speaker 3 (56:37):
I just I do wonder that sometimes, do you.

Speaker 6 (56:41):
Well, you know, I actually, you know, in talking to
Nick after the game, I actually thought, you, you know,
I agree the stats are what they are. You cannot
argue with the numbers trags, And I guess I'm gonna
disagree with.

Speaker 4 (56:57):
You slightly on your question why have y'all?

Speaker 6 (57:00):
I think I thought it was a gritty performance, and
my understanding was that.

Speaker 4 (57:08):
Nicolodolo was out there.

Speaker 6 (57:09):
Trying a lot of different things to find some consistency
on Saturday. The fact that he can do that midstream,
whether that's you know, in his delivery or pitch selection,
the fact that he's comfortable to do that midstream is
very impressive to me. Not all pitchers are gonna, you know,

(57:30):
toy with their own game mid game like that. But no,
that was not one of his better outings. But I think,
you know, to balance that out your other point, Nick
Martinez was really good and I feel.

Speaker 4 (57:45):
Like he's turned to corner tracks. I think he won
his last outing.

Speaker 6 (57:50):
It was a pretty solid outing, and then I agree
with you that yesterday was the best we've seen if
Nick Martinez, it felt like you could have maybe gotten
seven out of him.

Speaker 4 (58:02):
As it was, he went six. Three of those.

Speaker 6 (58:05):
Innings were in the pouring rain on a day when
the Nationals pitcher appeared to nearly hurt himself slipping on
the wet bound yep. The Reds were playing, the Words
were playing through rain, trying to get the game in
ahead of another patch of rain coming through, So they
played a lot of yesterday in the rain. I thought
Martinez went through that and just his whole outing in.

Speaker 4 (58:26):
Really spectacular fashion. So you know, it's like.

Speaker 6 (58:32):
Six of one, half dozen of another with this, You
know these two pictures, Nicolodolo, the one you expect to
have a solid outing doesn't.

Speaker 4 (58:40):
But it looks like Nick Martinez is on the come up.

Speaker 2 (58:44):
Right now, all right, I'm speaking with Pat Brennan of
Cincinnati Inquirer and of course the Cincinnati dot Com. One
more question before your phone probably heads off into the
recycling bind. I'm sorry about that. How concern? What's your
level of concern for Matt McLain.

Speaker 6 (59:09):
I'm moderate, you know, the it's it doesn't look good
right now, but it has looked good at other times
this season. I think he'll get there eventually. I think
they're obviously trying to let him hit.

Speaker 4 (59:27):
His way out of it right now. There's no question
this is a.

Speaker 6 (59:30):
Deep slump for him. You know, I thought it was
nice that he got a fortunate bounce off of defenders
glove yesterday and was awarded a hit. You never know
when something like that could, you know, spark a player
in baseball.

Speaker 4 (59:47):
So it's moderate. Peto expresses unwavering confidence in Matt McLain and.

Speaker 6 (59:58):
Get that as Yeah, that's true. You know, Tito is
not one to tip his hand via the media, but
I think as I get to learn how to read Tito,
you know, what he said about Matt McLean read as
very sincere to me, very sincere, And if Tito's confident

(01:00:21):
in Matt McLean, I'm confident that Matt McClain will get
where he needs to be eventually.

Speaker 4 (01:00:27):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:00:28):
I think once Matt McClain really takes off and really
finds his the Reds offense will do. Likewise, we thought
in the offseason the Reds offense will go as far
as Matt McClain takes it. If he was back from
his injury, his left shoulder injury of twenty twenty four.
I think that's proven to be pretty accurate. I mean,

(01:00:49):
he was not good in April. He hit one twenty
one with what is it, one home run in five RBIs.
This month he's a little better. He's got three hits
in fifteen at bats. He's hitting two hundred in four
games in May, has yet to leave the yard, and
he has two RBIs, four walks, but still four strikeouts.

(01:01:13):
I think it's just going to be a slow build
for Matt McLain.

Speaker 4 (01:01:17):
I agree, and he's coming.

Speaker 6 (01:01:18):
You know, we have to bear in mind that he's
coming off missing an entire season. An entire season. It's
a long period of time, and regardless of how he
may have looked at spring training tracks at different moments,
I think he's due sometime to build back into this
thing and that that just might end up being what

(01:01:38):
this season is about for the whole organization at the
big league level.

Speaker 2 (01:01:43):
I'm gonta switch gears on you here and talk a
little bit of the Cincinnati about the Cincinnati Bengals, And
you know, I had Laurel failure on a little bit
a while ago last half hour and we talked about
the safety position and the Bengals lack of addressing that
position in the offseason, either really through free agency or

(01:02:06):
the draft.

Speaker 3 (01:02:06):
How do you read into.

Speaker 4 (01:02:07):
That, Well, it's a hole. It's a big hole.

Speaker 2 (01:02:14):
Yeah, and for now, and you know what, to be
fair to Gino Stone and Jordan Battle, I don't know
if it's a hole as much as it is a
soft spot that is yet to really demonstrate that it's stable.

Speaker 3 (01:02:28):
That's to me the way.

Speaker 6 (01:02:30):
Look, I mean, look, Al Golden has been on the
job for long enough, now that he's seen the tape
of those two players, he will have some kind of
value assessment of whether or not he thinks there's something there.
So certainly the fact that they didn't go out and address
it yet tells me that maybe, well perhaps tells me

(01:02:56):
tracks that Al Golden thinks there's something to work with there.
And Al Golden part of the upside of his hiring,
and there's a lot there. Like I liked the hire
Abol Golden, but you know, a big one was that
with so much money tied up on the offensive side
of the ball, he was going to have to be

(01:03:17):
a player developer, extraordinaire. He's he has those tools in
his toolbox obviously, and the idea I think all along
correct me if I'm wrong here was that he was
going to have to take what the Bengals had a
little bit further and to also help them draft well and.

Speaker 4 (01:03:35):
Develop those guys quickly.

Speaker 6 (01:03:38):
I think Gino Stone and Jordan Battle fit into that category,
and I want to wait and see what happens with
those two before and so maybe I agree with in
that sense.

Speaker 3 (01:03:52):
Any other takeaways.

Speaker 2 (01:03:54):
We are going to have media availability, I guess on Tuesday,
and I get a chance to talk to more of Bengals.
Any storylines that you might be working on this week
as you get a chance to get inside the Bengals
locker room.

Speaker 6 (01:04:10):
You know, I want to feel out Trags, how the
veterans of this team feel the draft, when and if
they feel like this team is trending in the right
direction ahead of a very important season.

Speaker 4 (01:04:26):
I mean, look, I think that's generally what we all
want to know. But you know, the.

Speaker 6 (01:04:32):
Draft has come under a considerable amount of criticism, and
that did always seem to be the primary route through
which the Bengals were going to try to fix their defense,
and we won't know if they did for a few
months now, But I just want to kind of take
the temperature of this locker room and see if some

(01:04:55):
of the veteran players feel like they're in a good
spot right now.

Speaker 2 (01:04:59):
I think it's it's a great idea, and I think
I might. I don't know if I'll steal it, and
wrote a little bit about that last week, but I
think i'll uh maybe follow up with that type of theme, unless,
of course, something else.

Speaker 6 (01:05:12):
You and I could just attach the hip and do
the locker room that way, Trags.

Speaker 4 (01:05:19):
If you want to do.

Speaker 2 (01:05:20):
We do it anyway. We do it, all right, he is.
Pat Brennan does a fabulous job covering all things Reds
and Bengals for the Cincinnati Inquirer and Cincinnati dot Com. Pat,
thanks so much for joining me and I will see
you tomorrow at Paycorp.

Speaker 4 (01:05:37):
All right. You'll see me there with the new phone.
Thanks again, Trag.

Speaker 2 (01:05:40):
I look forward to it. I'll help you program it.
My name is Mike Petralia, Trags. We'll be back with
a lineup for Monday night activities around the sports world,
and then on the other side of the bottom of
the hour, we'll talk with Alex Franco clns since dot
com to talk some Cincinnati Bearcats. You're listening to Cincy

(01:06:01):
three sixty on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 1 (01:06:06):
Now you're JESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 2 (01:06:13):
My name is Mike Petralia. Trags trags on the X
and how did we not mention happy Cinco de Mayo.
I have to work in some type of theme before
the end of the show for a Cinco de Mayo,
but happy Cinco Demyo.

Speaker 3 (01:06:28):
It is May fifth.

Speaker 2 (01:06:29):
You're listening to Cincy three sixty on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.
My name is Mike Petralia, filling in for the one
and only Tony Pike. And before we go to the
bottom of the hour and talk to Alex Franco selinga
sincey dot com on the flip side about the Bearcats
basketball and football program. Want to go over the schedule

(01:06:52):
four games tonight Cincinnati Reds. They visit Atlanta in the
first of a four game road trip down to True
Park in the Peachtree City Reds and Braves. Tonight it
will be Brady Singer on the mound for the Cincinnati
Reds and he is four and one on the season,

(01:07:13):
and he is going up against A J. Smith Sharver
And game time is seven fifteen airtime on our sister
station seven hundred WLW at six fifteen, So first pick
seven to fifteen airtime six fifteen on WLW. Big Night
in the NBA after a Game seven last night between

(01:07:34):
the Houston Rockets and the Golden State Warriors, won by
Steph Curry and the Warriors. It is game one of
a couple of series. One in the Eastern Conference, one
in the West. The Eastern Conference Semifinals get underway with
the number three seed New York Knicks visiting Boston TD Garden.
That game is at seven o'clock. It's on TNT, True

(01:07:58):
TV and Max. Series gets underway tonight in Boston. That
is followed by a Western Conference semifinal game number one
between the number four seed Denver Nuggets and the team
that wound up with the best record in the NBA,
the Oklahoma City Thunder. They were sixty eight and fourteen

(01:08:18):
on the season. They are of course the number one
seed in the Western Conference. That game as well on TNT,
True TV and Max. There's only one game in the
NHL tonight, and that happens at eight o'clock on ESPN.
It is Game one of the Eastern Conference series between
the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers and the Toronto

(01:08:42):
May Beliefs. The make Beliefs surviving their Cross Ontario rival
the Ottawa Senators in the first round. So Florida and
Toronto that game on ESPN eight o'clock tonight. That'll be
a wrap for this half hour. My name is Mike Petrallium,
filling in for Tony Pike. On the flip side, we

(01:09:02):
will be talking to Alex Frank of CLNS Sincy dot
com talking Bearcats basketball and football. You're listening to Since
E three sixty on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty. Mike Petralia
trags back with you here on since A three sixty on.

Speaker 3 (01:09:26):
Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (01:09:28):
Thanks again to Tony Pike for allowing me to fill
in in this very prestigious share that I'm sitting in
and the microphone that I'm speaking before, had a great
show already. We've talked about some Stanley Cup playoffs, talked
a little bit about the NBA, playoffs, not too much,
but we'll be doing more about that in the two

(01:09:49):
o'clock hour.

Speaker 3 (01:09:50):
That's a tease.

Speaker 2 (01:09:51):
And right now we're going to talk some Cincinnati Bearcats
basketball and football with my next deck next guest, that
would be Alex Franco Celanas. Since dot Com you got
any big Sinco de Mayo plans, Alex, are you gonna
chill at home and watch some basketball and hockey tonight?

Speaker 3 (01:10:10):
What are you gonna do?

Speaker 5 (01:10:12):
I'm gonna watch the next Celtics. We got the Reds
playing in Atlanta, So I don't really have any big plans.
I mean, I do have a chipollet craving, so hey,
maybe today's a good day to cure that. But I
will say this, Yeah, oh great was Saint Louis and
winf last night? Drama of that Game seven? Is there?
Is there anything like Game seven in the playoffs?

Speaker 2 (01:10:32):
Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope. I and I and I'll
say that to my dying breath. It is the greatest moment,
one of the greatest moments in sports, like the golden
goal used to be in World Cup soccer. Uh, there's
just nothing quite like the thrill of watching one team
make one shot, score one goal, and everything comes to

(01:10:53):
an end. And uh, I think anybody who's watching that
on TV really appreciated the theater, even though they had
to stay up till about eleven forty five, almost midnight
to watch it unfold in Winnipeg. But it was just
it was great, great drama. I want to move on
to talk about the Cincinnati Bearcats with you, Alex, and

(01:11:13):
we'll take I'll take your pick. Do you want to
talk football first? Or do you want to talk basketball?
Because both areas. I think there's a lot of news
to cover and ground to cover in terms of how
these two programs are heading heading into the twenty four
to twenty five season. Which one do you want to
start with?

Speaker 5 (01:11:34):
I think we'll start with basketball. It's basketball season in
the NBA playoffs. Well, we'll start with basketball today, all right.

Speaker 2 (01:11:40):
Of the transfers in the portal that have been announced,
three stick out to me and correct me if I'm wrong.
Jalen Celestine is a shooting guard, kerr crisa, Am I
getting that right? The point guard from Kentucky going to
UC That's a big one. And Sincere Harris the how

(01:12:03):
would you classify six to four. Combo guard CG is
a combo guard, right, He's coming from West Virginia and
he's heading to Cincinnati. So an inter Big twelve portal transfer.
Let's start with those three names first and what they
can bring to West Miller's squad next year.

Speaker 5 (01:12:23):
I just think the biggest thing that they can all
bring is a toughness to this team that was severely
lacking last season. I mean so many times I would
hear you and Tony Pike and Moe Eger talk about
the Bearcats, and this is a program that has prided
itself in the heyday with Bob Huggins, they prided themselves

(01:12:44):
on toughness and last year that this team they were
supposed to bring back that style of play and they
just didn't. They would get overmatched by teams in the
Big twelve that were bigger like Baylor or Arizona or
Houston and their athleticism. So with Wes Miller and Corey
Evans the new general manager, what they're doing is they're

(01:13:05):
going out and they're getting guys that can come in
and be versatile while also bringing an element of toughness
to bring back that physicality that is needed in Clifton
and especially now being in the Big twelve. I think
about a guy like Jalen Sealentine from Baylor, a guy
who with VJ. Edgecombe, they were a formidable front court,
and we saw them in Baylor in particular last year

(01:13:26):
get Cincinnati a lot of troubles with their physicality. So
I think that's what he's going to bring Sealentine to
Baylor or Cincinnati. Excuse me, when the guy like Sincere Harris,
You're getting a player who can shoot the ball, but
you're also getting a player who's tough. He's going to defend,
and this team, excuse me, needs that. But my favorite
transfer commit Mike is Kirk Caesa and I'll just say

(01:13:49):
that because I covered the Kentucky Wildcats. Kerk caresa my
favorite player on last year's team before he got hurt,
because he is he's the emotional leader on the floor.
He's the play he got hurt on last year, Kentucky
was playing Gonzaga in Seattle and he broke his foot
on a play where he and it was a non

(01:14:10):
contact injury. He just misstepped, he loses the ball. He
runs back, hopping on one foot practically to chase down
again a block. Kentucky goes on to win the game
by one point, and that play embodies Careesa's toughness. But
another thing you're gonna get with him is you're gonna
get a smart basketball player. Caresa was leading Kentucky and
assists last year before he got hurt. He was a

(01:14:31):
tremendous distributor at Arizona. So he's played on teams that
have been to the NCAA tournament, that have gone deep
into the NCAA tournament. So you're getting players that are versatile,
that are tough, that are experienced, and that's what this
program needs. Last year, I think what was interesting to
me you and I talked about this was going into

(01:14:52):
the season, the Bearcats did an excellent job of retaining
a lot of players, and that was a good thing.
But the problem was with guy with guys like Skillings
and Koshis and man Diego, the problem was they didn't
have any experience facing high expectations or in the NCAA
tournament for that matter, and so when push came to
shove come big twelve play, they got punched in the mouth.

(01:15:13):
They didn't really respond in a way that we wanted
them to see, I think this year's team will have
more of the capability to do just that.

Speaker 3 (01:15:21):
What about Mustafa tiam.

Speaker 5 (01:15:25):
Yes, the big man transfer from Central Florida. This is
a big This is a big time commit as well,
no pun intended. And you're also bringing an assistant coach
over from Central Florida, West Miller to his coaching staff
with the vacancy left by Drew Adams. I think this
is another player that again, you need bodies in your
front court in the Big twelve. I understand that guard

(01:15:46):
play is essential, not just in the Big Twelve but
all of college basketball. I mean, look at what Walter
Clayton junior did for Florida in the NCAA Tournament. But
for me, in the Big twelve, you have to have
front court versatility. You have a guy who's big, who
will a fed, who can block shots, who can get rebounds.
This Bearcats team last year, they were supposed to be

(01:16:06):
a really good rebounding team, and they were anything but
that in the most crucive games. How many times would
we watch a game and then and then dis sect
the box score and we would see a large disparity
in the rebound margin that cannot happen in Cincinnati. And
the thing is, I think this team can rebound the ball.
They were great rebounding team their first season in the
Big Twelve. So they're they're trying to get more physical

(01:16:31):
in the interior, which in turn is going to allow
them to get out on offense in transition. And it's
what the Bearcats need to do, like they need to
start taking into their opponents. I need to see clear
and defined game plans that they're going to be the
assertive team in these Big Twelve games. They're not just
going to take punches and then try to battle back. No,

(01:16:51):
you can't do that. You have to be the assertive team.

Speaker 2 (01:16:55):
Jalen Hayes is going to Haynes is going to help
them do that. Power Forward six eight two sixty is
a transfer from George Mason.

Speaker 3 (01:17:04):
I believe it is to Cincinnati.

Speaker 5 (01:17:07):
Yes, I mean when you say sixty two to sixty,
that's Lebron asked right there. Here's the thing about the
eight ten. You know it's not they're not a Power
five conference, a Power four conference, excuse me, but they
have some good basketball in that conference. So I'm excited
to see what he can bring coming to cincinnat But
I also again going back to the transfers that you
that you mentioned earlier, that they're coming from either in

(01:17:29):
the Big twelve. I mean, we already have two three
players coming over from Big twelve rival schools, but also
you get a player coming from the SEC, which I
mean the SEC last year was ridiculously good. So you're
bringing in veteran pieces. And again it's like you and
I talked about with the Bengals earlier today. What the
Bengals are doing is they were getting rid of players

(01:17:52):
that were unproductive last year and replacing them with guys
who will be more productive this season. And the Bearcats
are doing just that. I will say this, a lot
of fans were frustrated with Dan Skillings and his drop
off last season. I genuinely do a feel for him
because he did have high expectations. I don't know if
he was ever truly one after he had that knee
injury to start the season. The Bearcats, I think with

(01:18:17):
what they're doing is they they the guys who weren't
productive last year are not here and the guys that
were remain, like Dayda Thomas and Gigsel James. That's a
huge place to start. I mean we haven't even talked
about that.

Speaker 3 (01:18:29):
No, we haven't.

Speaker 2 (01:18:31):
That's an excellent point of those staying. Of those remaining
with Wes Miller, who are the players we should be
focused on the most?

Speaker 5 (01:18:40):
Gisel Well absolutely, Gigsel James and Dayda Thomas. I mean,
they're your engines. They're the they're the the the excuse me,
the tone setters. Uh. Gigsel James. I mean I've always
been a huge fan of his, and not just because
he was eth the sound of a broke football Hall
of Fame running back, but he he brings, especially in
his season, a fearlessness element to this team. He brings

(01:19:03):
a toughness where you know, like in the Crosstown shootout,
he goes over eleven from the field, but he hits
two enormous free throws to seal the game. That's what
I want to see, someone that's not gonna worry about
if they're, you know, getting twenty points, but they're making
winning plays. And then Dayda Thomas is the emotional leader
of this team. He was last year. I mean he
would take a bullet for this team. I'm comfortable saying that.

(01:19:26):
So while the Bearcats have made some splashes in the
transfer portal that are gonna help them. You know, where
placed guys who weren't productive last year with more productive guys.
Hopefully this season you do have a good solid place
to start with Day Day Thomas and Gisel James. Look,
it's gonna be a remade roster goling into the next season.
I don't think anybody is oblivious to that fact. But

(01:19:46):
at the same time, I'm hopeful that what Wes Miller
and Corey Evans new general manager, are doing is going
to get this program back to playing the style of
basketball that is familiar and quite frankly works in Clifton.

Speaker 2 (01:20:03):
Dylan Mitchell going from UC to Saint John's. I'm fascinated
to see how Rick Patino uses him in the Big East.
We'll see him a couple of times when Rick Patino
takes on his son's program, Richard Patino at Xavier. That'll
actually be very interesting for me. I'm curious to see
how that turns out. Daniel Skillings you mentioned him, He's

(01:20:25):
going from Cincinnati to Baylor, and Josh Reed going from
the Bearcats to Penn State. Tyler Betsy going from the
Bearcats to Syracuse. So they Bearcats are losing some talent,
but that's the way it is. That's life in the
portal now for any of these Division one college programs.

(01:20:47):
Let's move on to football now, and what are your
thoughts of Scott Saderfield, what he's been able to do,
how he's rebuilding the roster. I mean, we can start
with the quarterback Brendan sorosby the tight end Joe Royer,
and certainly the running back Evan Pryor if you want to,
But where do you want to go from there?

Speaker 5 (01:21:07):
Here's the thing, and you and I talked about this
a few weeks ago when you filled in for Mo
about the Bearcats and what they need to do this season.
I'm someone and people ask me this all the time
about what I think about Scott Saderfield. And here's the thing.
I really like him as an offensive minded coach. I
really do. If you saw what his Louisville offenses look like,

(01:21:27):
they were really good at accumulating yards. The problem was situationally,
and especially last year examples the Pit game, the West
Virginia game, any other game you can point to, they
weren't very good situationally. I don't think this Bearcats team
is that far away from getting back to a bowl game,
which is the baseline expectation for this season. I think,

(01:21:48):
you know, having guys like Brendan Sorosby and Joe Royer
and Dante Corleone back for this season, I can't tell
you how big that is because those are guys that
are the building blocks of this program. Scott Saderfield. I mean,
keep in mind, he's only been here for two seasons now.
An eight and sixteen record. Yeah, that's not gonna you know,
please a lot of fans. And here's the thing this

(01:22:09):
Bearcats program. I was talking about this maybe with you
or somebody else, that this program is only three years removed,
or is only three years removed from a college football
playoff appearance. I mean that was in the fourteen playoff, Aaron.
The Bearcats were in a group of five conferences. So
you know, there are standards and expectations with this program,
and I do think Satterfield knows that. I also think

(01:22:31):
with the five game losing streak last year, yeah, that
was disappointing way to end the season. But I mean,
in like, when I look at it overall, like the
chances of that's happening again if the Bearcats are in
a position where they're five and two. I think are
I don't think they're that high, which is good, but
you have to learn from what went wrong. And the

(01:22:53):
problem was this team when they got punched in the mouth,
like against West Virginia, they go up seven to nothing,
They're thinking they're gonna have a good day, and then
Source throws a terrible pick six and it's snowball from there.
You have to find a way to have an identity
that says, Okay, we're gonna take it to this team.

(01:23:13):
If we get paunched in the mouth, here's how we're
gonna Here's how we're going to overcome it. You know,
I'm very interested to see what the running back room
looks like this year, now that Corey Kiner has moved
on and is gonna I think he signed with like
the forty nine ers. If my members starts me think yes.
So my my thing is I want to see what
the running back room looks like. And you mentioned Evan Pryor,

(01:23:35):
who I'm a big fan of. Is he going to
is he gonna be like the power back to Corey
Kyer was, or is he more of like a a
Darren Sproles, Marshall falk La, Damian Tomlinson that can run
the football but can also be used as a pass catcher.
Maybe that's a part of this offense. I don't know,
but look, I think Santa Field has tried to reshape

(01:23:55):
the roster into one that he into one that he
that's cater to what he is as offensive mind a
head coach. But it has to lead to wins this season.
It has to lead to wins. Here's the thing I
always say about the Bearcats is, you know, every game
they play in there's a lot of activity. There's a
lot of activity of what they're doing. Offensively. They can

(01:24:17):
move the ball. I'm not worried about that. I'm worried
about in the red zone. I'm worried about in short
yardage situations. I'm worried about in late game situations like
against pitt Whan they couldn't hold a twenty one point lead.
I'm worried about those. If they can get better at those,
they could go seven and five, maybe eight and four
this season. I'm still optimistic because that's just who I am.
But also because this team has veteran pieces, they have leaders,

(01:24:41):
and that was evident last year when they would come
to postgame press confers or press conferses on Tuesdays in
that centurterfield, players hold they're leaders. There are leaders on
this team. I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about
execution wise. That's what it for me is about this season,
and thankfully for them, the Bearcats have seven home games

(01:25:02):
this season, so you got to take advantage of winning
at home in Knippers Stadium. You got to take advantage
of teams that you should beat in the Big Twelve.
That's where I'm at with the Bearcats right now. But
there's no question that centerfield and the coaching staff and
the football program, they've been active in the transfer portal
and reshaping the roster to one the centerfield is catered
towards his strengths as a head coach and what he

(01:25:24):
is about in terms of offense.

Speaker 2 (01:25:27):
Yeah, and to follow up your point, very good memory
from our Alex Frank, Yes, Corey Kiner wound up with
the San Francisco forty nine ers. He's signed there as
a college undrafted free agent. So good luck to the
Bearcats running back who I thought was tremendous in his
final two years in Scott's Saderfield's program, and he did

(01:25:49):
well enough, didn't earn an draft selection during the three
days in Green Bay, but he was picked up by
the forty nine ers. That's an undrafted free agent, so
he'll at least get a chance to compete there. Running
Back Tawie Walker, you transferred from ironically Wisconsin to Cincinnati.

(01:26:12):
Obviously Luke Fickle losing a I would say, an esteemed
member of his offense to the Cincinnati Bearcats.

Speaker 3 (01:26:21):
How do you think that might turn out?

Speaker 2 (01:26:22):
He's got kind of the same body frame as Corey Kiner,
maybe a little more stout, but five nine and eighteen pounds.

Speaker 3 (01:26:29):
What do you think of Walker?

Speaker 5 (01:26:32):
Well, that's the kind of running back that I think
is perfect for this Bearcats team. You want a running
back that I mean, Look, he doesn't have to be
six three like he can be a little smaller, but
if he's big and he can get you can knife
through those holes. That's the kind of running back that
I want. And here's the thing. You get a running
back from Wisconsin. I mean, look at the long line
of running backs that come through that program, and you
come from playing in the Big Ten, which is you know,

(01:26:53):
a program proven through the trenches of running the football.
I'm excited to see what that can bring. And the
good thing is you're still to get guys in the
transfer portal that come from power force schools. And i
mean look Cincinnati right now, they're in a tough position
because they haven't won yet in the Big Twelve, but
the potential is there. They just need again, you know,

(01:27:14):
with a guy like Walker, can he be a guy
on third and one that can pick up those hard
earned yards. Cincinnati went at their best over the last
twenty seasons going back to Brian Kelly, are driven through
their offensive line and being able to run the football.
They're a round and palent team. That's who they are
at their course. If you can blend that with Sadderfield's
offense that we've seen the last two seasons and when

(01:27:36):
he was at Louisville before that, then this team is
going to be good offensively. Brendan Soorsby, I mean prior
to the end of the season. He was really really
good last season, Let's not forget them. And there were games,
I mean he didn't throw an interception until the like
the fifth game of the season, and then at Texas
Tech when Tosh Brooks Bengals six round pick was running

(01:27:57):
right through them. Soors be through for four hundred plus
yards the game in four touchdowns. So I have seen
Brendan Soorsby be able to be a really good quarterback.
I think he's a great leader. You see the emotion
he plays with the chip on his shoulder. You see
the calm demeanor he brings to a postgame press commerce
or Tuesday press conference. So you bring a guy in
like Walker, who can you know, help take the load

(01:28:18):
off of you if you work in some new receivers.
That's a key position for me, Mike on this team
receiver and there's going to be I mean a lot
of new faces at that audition we got.

Speaker 2 (01:28:26):
You got to cut you off there, Alex, because we're
coming up against the break. Two of those receivers that
you mentioned in the porter, Caleb Goodie wide receiver transfer
from Colorado State to Cincinnati, and Cyrus Allen six foot,
one hundred and seventy eight pounds from Texas A and
M He is headed to Cincinnati as well. Alex Frank
you do tremendous work covering Kentucky. Of course, the Cincinnati

(01:28:49):
Bearcats as well for sealings since dot com. Be sure
to follow his great work there. My name is Mike
Petralia and I'm filling in for Tony Pike. You're listening
to Sincy three sixty on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 1 (01:29:04):
WCKY, Cincinnati. This is Pennstation eastco Subs since e three
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(01:29:28):
Sports Station.

Speaker 2 (01:29:31):
Mike Petralia trags back with you on Tony Pike's program
otherwise known as since three sixty on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.
He went to reading, I went to Indian Hill. Be brave,
everybody be brave. So if we can plug his chl background,

(01:29:52):
I'm gonna plug mine. So I guess we have that
much in common Tony Again, Tony, thank you very much
for letting me fill in, and a huge thing. Thank you,
and I mean this from the bottom of my heart.
To Sean McMahon punching all the right buttons, getting callers online,
or calling them back when their cell phone isn't the best.
Hear me Pat Brennan out there. I want to thank

(01:30:14):
Sean McMahon for doing a terrific job today in the
control room.

Speaker 3 (01:30:19):
But that's part of the course for him.

Speaker 2 (01:30:22):
Speaking of part of the course, maybe we'll talk a
little golf, Scottie Scheffler with our next guest. I'm going
to throw a schmortgage board of topics out at our
next guest, Charlie Clifford from WLWT. We know it proudly
and happily is Channel five TV five here in Cincinnati. Charlie,
how you doing on this Monday Happy Sinco de Mayo.

Speaker 8 (01:30:44):
Well, I didn't sign up for a smorgasboard, so I
don't know what I've gotten myself into.

Speaker 3 (01:30:49):
You, Well, you're about to find out. This is what happens.

Speaker 2 (01:30:53):
Yeah, this is what happens when you blow me off
on my Jungle Worl podcast and aren't ready when I
actually schedule.

Speaker 3 (01:31:00):
Okay, so that's hey, that's the payment.

Speaker 8 (01:31:04):
I'm bleading guilty in all counts as I tried.

Speaker 3 (01:31:07):
To before give you.

Speaker 2 (01:31:10):
I didn't need to profusely apologize. I apologize, I apology accepted.
Let's move on to some subjects that really caught my
eye over the weekend. I'm sure they caught yours first
of all. Scotty Scheffler. When I was at the airport
with the lovely Debora Anne and I was in an

(01:31:30):
airplane waiting club watching Scottie Scheffler on the TV, I
couldn't believe my eyes. I thought this was like some
type of exhibition. I'm like, wait a minute, No, this
is the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. This is a legitimate
PGA Tour event. And I saw the number in red,
I saw thirty one, and I'm like, you got kidding.

Speaker 3 (01:31:55):
And Miller, Reggie Miller.

Speaker 2 (01:31:58):
Yeah, it's unbelievable what Scotty Scheffler was able to do.
And then you read the story, Charlie, it's even that
it tugs at your heartstrings even more because this happened
in his hometown of McKinney, Texas, or right outside in
the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. It happened in his hometown,

(01:32:21):
and this happened in the same area where his first
tournament was caddied by his sister. I mean there's so
many storylines here, and he said on CBS he got
emotional holding his son. It was my first start as
a pro eleven years ago. I had my sister caddying
for me. It feels like a lifetime of hard work

(01:32:42):
and sacrifice for little moments like me.

Speaker 3 (01:32:45):
These they're pretty special.

Speaker 2 (01:32:47):
What were your takeaways watching Scottie Scheffler set the world
on fire?

Speaker 8 (01:32:52):
Well, you set that up so well. And what I
think Scheffler has mastered more than maybe anyone in golf
currently right now obviously, is he has two things in
his life. It's golf and family and everything that you
just said. His sister tied and his son is there.
He's gone on the record and laid out how boring

(01:33:15):
his life is outside of the golf course, outside of
what he does with his family. Obviously, his faith is
a huge part of his story as well. But I
just think that's so much of his legacy and gosh
knows what we're going to be saying in fifteen years
about where he sits with the all time greats is

(01:33:35):
you know.

Speaker 11 (01:33:35):
This is someone who simplified his life and used that
as kind of his superpower. In addition to obviously one
of the great talents that the game's ever seen. But
you're right a score of that function and clearly with
Rory being the story this year, and it's going to

(01:33:57):
be hard to top, you know, let's just face it,
Golf right now is in a position where the headlines
are few and far between outside of major weekends. But
I'm glad you're bringing it up because I think he's
someone who's done everything the right way, and obviously coming
off last year with.

Speaker 9 (01:34:16):
All the hoopla in Louisville, with that whole situation, and.

Speaker 8 (01:34:22):
He's just a simple guy who I think many of us,
whatever we're doing out there, hey, if you really want
to focus on something, you know you can take it
to that extreme and you're probably gonna be pretty successful
because I think that's what he's done. And let me
close by saying it is refreshing to hear that someone

(01:34:44):
who has an ego like yourself is still flying commercial tracks.
I was waiting for the private you know, you're at
an actual airport, sitting in a lounge with other people.

Speaker 2 (01:34:53):
I wasn't as commercial as you think. I was in
a club, but remember I was in a waiting club.

Speaker 3 (01:34:59):
I called it.

Speaker 2 (01:34:59):
I didn't on to identify the uh, the commercial airline
that I was actually flying on, So we'll keep it
safe for now. But anyway, I just think it's great
because since Tiger we've been waiting for that next big thing,
and and I think Rory it has been that next
big thing. He's been right under half a tick below

(01:35:23):
Tiger Woods. But if Scotty Scheffler and Rory McElroy could
have a one two for a good i don't know,
three four five years, kind of like in tennis when
we had Roger Rafa and the Joker, if we had
all you know, we had that, those that trio. If

(01:35:45):
we could just have Scotty and Rory for an extended
period of time, I think that would do a world
of good for golf.

Speaker 9 (01:35:53):
You know, I'll add Bryce into that conversation.

Speaker 3 (01:35:55):
Yeah, you know, sure, Bryson.

Speaker 8 (01:35:58):
Everyone a villain, and it's it's hard now with Ror,
I mean, Rory and Scottie. You're like, are you really
going to be able to create a villain out of
one of these two?

Speaker 9 (01:36:07):
Probably not.

Speaker 8 (01:36:08):
And I think Bryson has has really changed how he's
handled his you know, himself publicly, and I you know,
I would love to see, as you said, those big
three in tennis.

Speaker 9 (01:36:21):
Golf needs it.

Speaker 8 (01:36:22):
I mean, there's just no way around it, because there's
no Tiger Woods walking through that door. And who knows
how many competitive rounds are still in are still in
his arsenal with now this Achilles recovery underway. But I
couldn't agree more tracks. I think a big three seeing
those three duel it out, you know a handful of times.

Speaker 9 (01:36:45):
In some of the biggest tournaments.

Speaker 8 (01:36:47):
On an annual basis over just give it to us
for one year. Let's just start with one.

Speaker 4 (01:36:52):
You know. But I'm with you.

Speaker 9 (01:36:54):
That would be that would keep me watching, that's for sure.

Speaker 3 (01:36:59):
All right.

Speaker 2 (01:36:59):
You have roots in Indianapolis. She came here from India, correct, Yeah, Okay,
I want to get a gauge. I always wonder at
this time of year what the fervor is for the
Indiana Pacers. They just won their first round series. Okay,
They're in the second round, game one last night. They

(01:37:23):
get out to a significant lead, Cleveland comes back, they
take the lead late third quarter, and then Indiana puts
them away down the stretch. I love Rick Carlisle. I
think he is a phenomenal NBA head coach phenomenal. I
think he needs a championship to me to get maybe
to the pinnacle, to that Hall of Fame caliber. And

(01:37:48):
maybe he's already there or not. I'm kind of speaking
out both sides right now, but I love Rick Carlisle
as head coach. What he was able to do to
capture Game one on the road against Cleveland. Of a
deal is that in Indiana right now.

Speaker 8 (01:38:03):
It's one of the more underrated small market success stories
in pro sports right now. And here's why, because Carlisle
walked into a situation you had just dealt with one superstar,
Paul George, who forced.

Speaker 9 (01:38:19):
His exit out of town.

Speaker 8 (01:38:20):
He made it very clear, I have no interest in
signing long term here. I want big market money. I
want big market you know that off the court feel
around his life. He completely you know, got himself out
of that with which left a very sour taste obviously
in the fan base mouth. And it was just another

(01:38:42):
reminder of hey, your small market team, it's tough to
keep stars.

Speaker 9 (01:38:45):
And then Victor Oladipo.

Speaker 8 (01:38:47):
Came in and his story was supposed to be different,
and at the beginning it was.

Speaker 9 (01:38:51):
He was the Indiana.

Speaker 8 (01:38:53):
Hoosier's kind of homegrown college star who was blossoming into
an All Star, and they were pushing Lebron in the
Calves at the time to a seventh game. Lebron's final
run with the Calves, there was a first round series
that they should have lost. There was a goaltending call
that actually went Cleveland's way in Game seven that pretty

(01:39:14):
much altered that outcome and it could have ended Lebron's
run in the Caves uniform right there. That team ended
up making the finals. Any who, Victor Oalvipo, same thing happens.
He wants to go to Miami and ultimately he gets
his wish, he forces his way out of town.

Speaker 9 (01:39:30):
So Rick Carlisle's walking into a situation with.

Speaker 8 (01:39:33):
A bad team that has now dealing with two black
guys of stars who have said hey, thanks, but no thanks,
and they orchestrate this Tyris Halburton trade and completely changes
the trajection of the organization. And now you're just seeing
what is a complete team, A team that again gave

(01:39:54):
Boston its best run last year in the playoffs for
the Celtics eventually and on to win the whole thing.
A team that's healthy, and.

Speaker 5 (01:40:03):
It's just the basketball state.

Speaker 8 (01:40:05):
It all comes back to Bobby Knight, Hoosier's Reggie. There
is no you know, area around the NBA that cares
more about this right now than Indianapolis and you know
the state of Indiana. So for us where since he's
a similar market and in terms of, you know, if
the Reds were to get hot in a baseball sense,

(01:40:26):
there are a lot of similar ties. I think when
you look at Red's baseball and basketball in the state
of Indiana, you know, I hope since he at some
point again can feel can feel that Reds fever, because
I know that's what people are waiting for around here,
and that's certainly what people in Indiana are experiencing right now.
It's absolutely bonkers back there.

Speaker 2 (01:40:47):
Yeah, I want to correct something I said earlier in
the setup to that. Rick Carlisle does have an NBA
World Championship as head coach with the Dallas Mavericks in
twenty eleven, So he is already he's a Hall of
Thing caliber head coach, right, I.

Speaker 8 (01:41:02):
Mean him at the podium, I mean he is. He
is an entertaining Q and A because he will he
will tell you what he thinks, and he's not worried
about hurting feelings, and uh, you know I was on
both sides of that surely during my time there, But
I mean, he is.

Speaker 3 (01:41:22):
You got one quick anecdote.

Speaker 8 (01:41:25):
I got a Larry Bird's story. I had just started there,
and Bird was handing president of basketball operations to Kevin Pritchard,
who's still in that role and who really gets the
credit for putting again a team that was not contending
for anything, you know, three three years ago now into

(01:41:47):
the Eastern Conference finals conversation for a second straight year.
So basically the cupboard was dry. Paul George, this whole
thing was hanging over the organization. He's still on the team,
but everyone knew he was leaving. And I asked, Bird,
so you know, what do you think Kevin's walking into?
What kind of a situation do you think he inherits here?

(01:42:07):
And I, you know, Larry didn't know me from anyone.
What'd you say, son?

Speaker 9 (01:42:12):
Uh, this is a podium room full of you know,
twenty people.

Speaker 12 (01:42:17):
I just repeated the question and he ended up giving
a decent answer, but it was definitely a you know,
as you know, you can translate that into something different.

Speaker 9 (01:42:29):
When you hear that response from Larry freaking bird.

Speaker 3 (01:42:33):
Yep, but you know.

Speaker 8 (01:42:35):
That that one was definitely bookmarked and you know, fun
story to tell now was a little it was a
little different feeling at the time.

Speaker 2 (01:42:43):
I can only emit. Well, I not only not imagine,
I've experienced it. I think we all have if we're
around in this business long enough, in the field, actually
asking questions of these guys and men and women when
you're going to run across inevitably somebody who gives it
to you and they want to know how you respond.

(01:43:04):
That's the beauty of it, Charlie, you know that, right,
They want to know and see your reaction. Then they
learn more about you and they know how to answer
you in the future. I see that as a good thing.
I do you see Indiana winning this series?

Speaker 4 (01:43:22):
I do? I do.

Speaker 8 (01:43:23):
I think they're I think they got like two of everything.

Speaker 9 (01:43:27):
And you know, I'm not.

Speaker 8 (01:43:29):
As plugged in as I used to be, but I
think the pressure is on. You know, the Calves had
just that, I mean, who had Cleveland turning out that
kind of a record going into this year and knowing
that it was such a success the regular season at
that level, and you know you have to in the
Calves when you're going into the playoffs in the back

(01:43:51):
of your mind thinking about Boston.

Speaker 9 (01:43:52):
A little bit, and now you're gonna have to.

Speaker 8 (01:43:54):
Deal with this annoying Pacer team that brings it and
can shoot it. And then the Pacers are due against
the Calves. I mean the Calves had between the Paul
George you know, those teams always randon to Lebron and
lost in the same deal with you know, the Oladipo teams.
So that would that one would mean a lot for

(01:44:16):
those guys. They can finally get through Cleveland.

Speaker 2 (01:44:18):
What did you make of Tyrese Halliburton's father and his
interaction with Giannis?

Speaker 9 (01:44:27):
I mean, what the same thing you made.

Speaker 8 (01:44:30):
I'm sure it's just, oh gosh, that didn't just happen,
did it. I mean, and I've met and I've dealt
with both of Tyree's parents. They're incredible people. I mean,
this is there. They're Wisconsin born and bred and could
not be nicer. And it's just one of those things

(01:44:50):
where you lose control your.

Speaker 9 (01:44:53):
Emotions in that moment, and I mean, you see what's
happened since I mean, I'm sure.

Speaker 2 (01:44:59):
It's so I can't unnecessary Charlie, Yeah, yeah, no, I mean,
you can't.

Speaker 8 (01:45:05):
He's lucky that Giannis was as classy and as.

Speaker 4 (01:45:14):
Yeah.

Speaker 8 (01:45:14):
No, I'm trying. I mean, I've never seen anything like it.
I'm trying to think of.

Speaker 9 (01:45:23):
Yeah, I don't.

Speaker 4 (01:45:24):
I don't know.

Speaker 8 (01:45:25):
It's but for them to come back and win game
one knowing that was going to be you know, we're
going to hear that from Cleveland.

Speaker 9 (01:45:33):
I think that was that was.

Speaker 8 (01:45:36):
Important for them to kind of win that first game
and put that, you know, story kind of off to
the side here, because that that would have been tough
if that de rail this season.

Speaker 9 (01:45:50):
I mean, because things like that that can you don't
know what that could snowball into.

Speaker 3 (01:45:55):
Absolutely.

Speaker 2 (01:45:56):
By the way, We're going to have a guest on
Alex Bart from Sports Video ninety eighty five the Sports
Hub in Boston at the bottom of the hour previewing
Nick Celtics. I think that's going to be an interesting series.
I'm hoping for seven games. I don't think it's going
to get that far. As much as I love my
Nova Knicks, I just don't I don't see the next giving.

Speaker 4 (01:46:15):
Up the faith.

Speaker 2 (01:46:16):
Come on, come on, they don't have enough shooters. They
need a guy like Dante DiVincenzo in a series like this.
They don't have him obviously, he's out with Minnesota. So
I just don't think the Knicks have enough. But do
you have a Do you see the Celtics going back
to back? I do, for the record, I do see

(01:46:37):
them going back to back.

Speaker 8 (01:46:39):
Well, my you know my new sports colleague here at
Channel five, Jim may please give him a follow on Twitter,
shameless plug there. He's a huge Celtics guy, and you
know he was just informing me of his confidence with
the Celtics just running through the Knicks and you know, well,
the TIBs playing the same six man rotation forty plus minutes.

(01:47:01):
Will that catch up with the Knicks again last year?
I know, I feel like it does every year. But hey,
they're winning their competitive the gardens, rocking, the Organs playing
my dad's from the Bronx, so you know, selfishly.

Speaker 9 (01:47:17):
I as was mine for the next big time. Yeah,
the garden with the organ I don't know.

Speaker 8 (01:47:22):
Tracks is just I don't speaking of things that there's
nothing else like it this time of year.

Speaker 3 (01:47:29):
You're gonna be.

Speaker 9 (01:47:29):
Down to get a six or seven games.

Speaker 2 (01:47:31):
Yeah, we're gonna wrap up here with Charlie Kirk does
a great job covering all things Cincinnati sports for WLWT
Channel five. Any thoughts We're going to head back to
pay Course Stadium on Tuesday talk to some players. Your
biggest takeaways about the Bengals post draft?

Speaker 3 (01:47:50):
What what have they.

Speaker 9 (01:47:51):
Been specific to the class or just overall.

Speaker 2 (01:47:57):
I guess in the way, you know, the buzzword right
now is roster building. Right, how do you assess the
way they've built their roster? The way I've seen it,
and I've told people depth versus production. They built the
production with They addressed the production with Jamar Chase and
t Higgins and guys like Mike Kasicki, there's no question

(01:48:19):
about that. A few other tight ends, and they're still
trying to do it with Trey Hendrickson. But to me,
the draft was about the depth and quality depth building
that as a strength across the roster. That's what I think.
That was the number one accomplishment of the draft that
I saw.

Speaker 9 (01:48:38):
Yeah, I'd echo that. Just the leadership.

Speaker 8 (01:48:41):
To me, who is that voice that's gonna when it's
tough in the defensive huddle, that's gonna rise to the
top and resonate with everyone and get that unit to
play winning football in fourth quarters against Lamar Jackson. And
can it be a rookie in Demetrious night? I saw

(01:49:02):
it an indie with Darius Leonard, you know, came in
rookie linebacker, had one of the best five year runs
to start an NFL career right up.

Speaker 4 (01:49:09):
There with Luke Keighley.

Speaker 8 (01:49:10):
It's possible for a rookie to step in and take
on that kind of asking a lot. And I just
think that leadership on the defensive side, and for me,
it's just like just watching the defensive line all summer, right,
I think the lessons learned from last year.

Speaker 9 (01:49:30):
You know, you can't can't really assume anything.

Speaker 8 (01:49:33):
And until you see that group flying around making plays
in the backfield, will this team get to where it
wants to go? To me, that answer is that first
answer is going to have.

Speaker 9 (01:49:46):
To be yes.

Speaker 8 (01:49:46):
That if that defensive line can can be tenacious and
Al Golden can scheme up, you know, and and as
as you've seen with him talking about bouncing guys inside
and playing with some fast their packages, I'm past rushing downs.

Speaker 9 (01:50:03):
To me, that's where everything starts and ends this summer.

Speaker 2 (01:50:06):
What are you cooking up on Channel five? You and
your new colleague, you know we are.

Speaker 8 (01:50:13):
We're checking in with some of these transfers from uc
an X, and you know, obviously hoping the Reds can
can go down to Atlanta and take care of a
Braves team that's been struggling.

Speaker 9 (01:50:25):
Here through the first month.

Speaker 4 (01:50:26):
But getting ready for for Pete Knight next week.

Speaker 9 (01:50:29):
Next week, Pete Rose Night.

Speaker 2 (01:50:31):
That's going to be a night. By the way, you
know what else happens that night the NFL schedule.

Speaker 8 (01:50:39):
Give me a line all the fourteenth, there we go. Yeah,
maybe a little Barcelona, maybe a little well, that's.

Speaker 2 (01:50:45):
What I'm hoping for, all right. I would not mind
a game over in Spain. I am not going to Brazil.
I'm on records saying that I'm not gonna happen.

Speaker 9 (01:50:57):
No way, no.

Speaker 4 (01:51:00):
Trags.

Speaker 9 (01:51:01):
Middle seat to Barcelona I'll take. I'll take the window,
all right.

Speaker 3 (01:51:05):
That sounds fair.

Speaker 2 (01:51:07):
But yeah, May fourteenth is going to be a night
around here because, as you mentioned, Pete Rose Night at
GABP against the Chicago White Sox, and the NFL schedule
gets announced and we'll be booking our flights crazy at
like eight twenty one that night. I'm sure I can

(01:51:28):
guarantee you that'll be happening. But anyway, Charlie, you're I'm
always always a pleasure having you on the air, and
I really appreciate your time.

Speaker 9 (01:51:36):
Hey, right back atch it. Thanks for having me and
see you tomorrow.

Speaker 3 (01:51:39):
Sounds good, Charlie. He is.

Speaker 2 (01:51:40):
Charlie Clifford does a great job covering all things Cincinnati
sports for Channel five WLWT here in Cincinnati. My name
is Mike Petralia trags. You're listening to Sincy three sixty
on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 1 (01:51:56):
Now your chance to win one thousand eightiest sports station.

Speaker 2 (01:52:09):
Mike Petralia tracks back with you on since the three
sixty on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty. Happy Sinco demayo to
all of you out there in Cincinnati sportsland. Want to
run down the sports slate again real quick. Tonight the
Reds start a four game series in Atlanta. All of

(01:52:29):
these games are night game seven fifteen, first pitch six
fifteen on WLW and the Reds Radio Network on our
sister station. Going to the Mound tonight for the Reds.
Brady Singer, the right hander four and one, three twenty
four er. He will be opposed by aj Smith Shaver.
He is one and two with a four to twenty

(01:52:51):
six ERRA. The Atlanta Braves have been struggling to start
this year on characteristically so they are fifteen and eighteen.
The Reds headed into the contest fresh from those two
straight losses to the Washington Nationals, but still with a
winning record on the season at eighteen and seventeen. Again
once one more time, the red starting a four game

(01:53:15):
series in Atlanta. It's the first of a seven game
road trip that will end with three games in Houston
against the Astros NBA Playoffs. Tonight, there are two games
both on TNT and True and also Max. At seven pm,
it's the New York Knicks in Boston, Celtics in Boston

(01:53:36):
at TD Garden. That's Game one coming up at the
bottom of the hour. We'll have Alex barthon from ninety
eight to five to Sports Hub, the flagship of the Celtics,
to preview that series. And then at nine thirty, the
best team in all of basketball this past season record wise,
the sixty eight win Oklahoma City Thunder take on the

(01:53:58):
Denver Nuggets, and that game will be in Oklahoma City.
Game one of that Western Conference Semifinal Series FCC is
off until Saturday, and that is the sports slate around
the greater Cincinnati area for tonight. My name is Mike
Petrallia and you're listening to Since three sixty on Cincinnati's

(01:54:22):
ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 9 (01:54:24):
Hey, Cincinnati, Basie.

Speaker 2 (01:54:31):
Heading into the home stretch here on Sinco demayo this
edition of Since three sixty on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.
My name is Mike Petralia, otherwise known as Trags on
the xtr Ags I have you for the next twenty
five minutes leading into the world famous Moeger Radio Show

(01:54:55):
on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty that comes up at three
o'clock sharp. Until then, we're going to again hit on
a pope herie of sporting topics with my next guest.
He is a colleague of mine, was a great colleague
of mine up at CLNS Media in Boston for many

(01:55:16):
many years, and I made the move down to my
hometown of Cincinnati and have been happy ever since. But
that doesn't mean I don't want to have him back
on the program. When stories across the world of sports
seem appropriate to address, and certainly I think tonight at
TD Garden would be one of those stories. Alex Barth

(01:55:39):
of ninety eight to five the sports sub how you doing,
friend good?

Speaker 7 (01:55:43):
How were we doing tracks?

Speaker 13 (01:55:44):
I appreciate that intro.

Speaker 2 (01:55:45):
You're very very welcome. Tell me about the mood around Boston.
Is this one of expectation that this wagon of a
Celtics team is just going to roll its way to
the NBA Finals once again in a second straight world title.

Speaker 13 (01:56:03):
Definitely to the NBA Finals. I think there's some people
that are maybe nervous about the thunder, maybe even still
the Nuggets looming with Jokic. But yeah, in terms of
the competition in the East, there are some people who
will tell you, and I don't necessarily think it's wrong
that the Magic were the toughest tests for the Celtics
as far as bill face in the Eastern Conference half

(01:56:23):
of the bracket, Orlando has played the Celtics tough for
the last three years. They're built well to stop what
the Celtics do. They play with great length, great strength,
great energy. There are a lot of people in that
series was.

Speaker 7 (01:56:35):
Done and it was you know, as far as the five.

Speaker 13 (01:56:38):
Game series goes to the close five game series. The
people will tell you what that out of the way.
It's onto the finals at this point.

Speaker 2 (01:56:47):
Yeah, so you're not intimidated by Jalen Brunson and what
he was able to do in the first round series
went over Detroit.

Speaker 13 (01:56:54):
No, because the Knicks, or the antithesis of the Magic,
they don't clarly play very tough style of basketball. This
is a team that doesn't respond well to contact, that
is more of a front running team, doesn't play as
well from behind, and the Celtics can put them in
that spot. If you go back to opening night this season,
the Celtics almost sent the NBA record for three pointers

(01:57:17):
by a team in a single game against the Knicks.
If the magic or tough matchup, I think it was
one of the easier draws the Celtics could have gotten.

Speaker 3 (01:57:27):
I agree, I'll give you.

Speaker 2 (01:57:28):
And I just had Charlie Clifford on from here in
Cincinnati WLWT Channel five, and he used to work in
Indianapolis cover the Pacers. He brought up a great point.
The Pacers gave the Celtics their toughest challenge. You would
agree last year on the playoff run, right, I mean
the Pacers had them beat in Game five that was

(01:57:49):
five or game two.

Speaker 13 (01:57:52):
They didn't beat a couple times because there was the
one where Jalen I think it was game one er
Game two where Jalen Brown hits that three pointer at
the buzzer. There was another one in Indy where the
Pacers led for like forty six minutes. It was a sweep,
but it was probably the closest sweep I've ever seen,
Like it could have very easily been to two after
four games.

Speaker 2 (01:58:08):
Yes, and that's why. And I think with Rick Carlisle,
he knows the Celtics very very well. I think he
coaches against them very very well. It's just going to
come down to do the Pacers have enough behind Tyrese
Haliburt and Charlie Clifford was making the point that they're
too deep at every spot and they can throw bodies

(01:58:32):
at the Celtics. I just don't know if there's enough
production there and I don't know if they can take
away the three from the Celtics arsenal enough.

Speaker 13 (01:58:42):
No, you're talking about the Pacers.

Speaker 14 (01:58:44):
Yes, correct, yeah, yeah, no, And they can't go bucket
for bucket and if the Celtics, and it's kind of
what they did to him last year, they would just
turn the tempo up and just hunt shots, you know,
kind of almost like playground style. And Haliburton's good, but

(01:59:04):
they don't have another guy that can go basket for
basket with Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown and Chris os
Porzingis if he's healthy and Peyton Pritchard, like, they don't
have the raws scoring to do that. If the Celtics
take them to that part of the game.

Speaker 2 (01:59:19):
Yeah, and I'm not even convinced that the Pacers take
care of the Cavaliers in the first round, especially if
Darius Carlin comes back for the Cavaliers. Keep an eye
on that, but you know, I just think that the
Cavaliers probably have too much in reserve in that series
and probably outlast Indiana. But I absolutely it could be

(01:59:42):
wrong about that. We'll wait and see. But around the Celtics,
I'm curious to get your impression on how Jalen Brown
and Jason Tatum that duo has grown over the years
into maybe the best duo. I don't think maybe. I
think it's definitely the best duo, the best tandem in

(02:00:02):
the NBA.

Speaker 3 (02:00:03):
How have they grown.

Speaker 13 (02:00:07):
I think that they've both kind of honed what they
do well. I remember Jalen Brown, especially like early in
his career, wanted so bad to be one of these
guys that you know is crossing people over, pulling up
off crossover to jump shots, things like that and more
of with the nest player. But you look at him,
he's this big, strong, powerful guy, and when he's at

(02:00:27):
his best, he's just putting his shoulder into defenders and
taking them to the basket with him and then setting
everything up off of that. He can still shoot, but
you know, using that threat of a drive, and he's
embraced that so much more as his career has gone on.
I think with Tatum, he's gotten better at candling physicality
and early in his career he get knocked around a
little bit, and there's even been some talk about it

(02:00:47):
this year, like he went down with that wrist injury
against the Magic and there was some criticism that he's
maybe milking it too much. But I think he's gotten
better in that regard. And I just think with the
two of them, they've learned each other's games very well,
and so they're able to play off each other much
better than they were earlier in their careers.

Speaker 2 (02:01:02):
So it's interesting you bring that up. Alex Alex Barth
of ninety eighty five the Sports Hub in Boston. I
wanted to get your take on how Joe Mizzoola handled
that that moment when Jason Tatum went down behind the basket,
was taken down hard, fell on the wrist, bruised the wrist,
missed a game in the opening round series against Orlando.

(02:01:27):
How did Jason Tatum take that from Joe Mizzoula, Him
telling the trainer not to go on the court, him
telling or mouthing to Tatum, you know, half a court away,
get up, get up, you know, get off the court yourself.
How did Tatum handle that?

Speaker 13 (02:01:42):
I mean, I think it's just Joe. I think all
these guys are used to at this point that that's
just how who Joe Mizzoola is. So a couple of
games later, Chris tops Sports Things gets n elbow to
the head, cut open blood everywhere. He's probably seen that.
This was like crite, And they asked Joe Mizzoula after
the game, like one of his best players is they're bleeding,
and he was like I enjoyed watching that, Like he's

(02:02:04):
just such an apex competitor. He's he's so nuts about
this stuff.

Speaker 5 (02:02:09):
He's it kind of is.

Speaker 13 (02:02:10):
What makes them the perfect coach for this team. I
can't imagine Tatum took it personally, because it's again, there's
a million stories of this. He was interviewed in the
I think was the HBO documentary about the Celtics season
last year and they they asked, you know, Jason Tatum
has to deal with all this criticism, and he cuts
off the guy asking the question, says, no, he gets
to deal with the criticism as in like it's some

(02:02:30):
sort of motivating factor. It's a good thing you're being criticized. Yeah,
that's just who Jill Mazoula is. Like he he thrives
off that that aggression. He was on our station last
year thinking there should be fights in the NBA like
here is in hockey. He just thrives off the aggressiveness
of competition.

Speaker 4 (02:02:47):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (02:02:48):
Is there any aspect to this series that concerns you general?

Speaker 3 (02:02:56):
Yeah?

Speaker 13 (02:02:57):
Yeah, it just in general. We've seen this play out
with the Celtics the last few years, and they've won
and lost in the playoffs. When you get into the
conference finals, when you get into the conference when you
get into the NBA Finals, rest can matter. And if
you have one team that's been taking care of business
in four games or five games, and the other teams
go into the wall to the seventh game, six to
seventh game and they get to the finals, the difference

(02:03:19):
in those games played adds up, and it shows so
for the Celtics, especially a team that is dealing with
some injuries right now. Tatum's risk, Jalen Brown is a
knee thing, Chris ops porzingis, Drew Holliday or banged up.
Don't let the nicks linger take care of business as
quick as possible because that rest is going to matter,
especially coming up against whoever it is in the West,
is going to have to go through a gauntlet. It

(02:03:40):
has probably played.

Speaker 4 (02:03:42):
Quite a bit.

Speaker 13 (02:03:43):
The big concern is the Celtics fansion. Just get it
over with as soon as possible. Don't play with your food,
don't let them linger so they can.

Speaker 9 (02:03:49):
Get some rest.

Speaker 2 (02:03:50):
All right, I'm going to switch gears here, Anya Alex
a little bit and go in a direction. When I
say the series and what happened, You'll be like, oh,
I know where he's going with this game. Seven one
point six seconds to go. And your team allows the
other team to tie the game to force overtime in

(02:04:11):
a winner take all Game seven. Jim Montgomery was head
coach of the Boston Bruins. They finished a couple of
years ago with the best record in NHL history, the
most points of any team in NHL history. Remind our
listeners what happened to that Boston Bruin team.

Speaker 13 (02:04:32):
They lost in the first round of the playoffs. And
I'll add to that, Jim Montgomery's Bruins this year. Ty Anderson,
my colleague at ninety eight five, had a great running
tally of this on his Twitter. They had a really
bad habit of allowing goals in the final minute of
a period or in the final thirty seconds of a period.
Like Bruins fans saw that and we're like, oh, yeah,
that was familiar. That that was a big problem for

(02:04:54):
the Bruins this year before and even after Montgomery got
let go, But when he was here.

Speaker 2 (02:04:58):
It was so kind of you know, Jim Montgomery is
the head coach of the Saint Louis Blues. I'm curious,
have your phone lines been lighting up? Maybe not at all,
but with Bruin fans who said I told you so,
I told you so. Has that been happening today, Because
sometimes Boston can be one of those cities, those classic

(02:05:22):
Shadden paroide cities, if you will, where we may not
be in it, but as long as somebody else can
share in our pain, it makes us feel better. Is
that the case today in Boston?

Speaker 13 (02:05:34):
Yeah, I don't know if it's and I told you so,
but again, it's kind of this recognition of like this
is like he still can't figure out it was one
of the biggest reasons he got fired here and then
in the biggest game of the year, boom it comes
up again. So it's just kind of this this you know, familiarity,
Like all right, so it wasn't just us, right, it
wasn't just the Bruins, It wasn't just the player's year. Right.

(02:05:54):
It's still happening to Montgomery now with the new team.

Speaker 2 (02:05:57):
Well, not only that, the im running for any Bruin
coch watching a Bruins fan watching that, not only was
Jim Montgomery eliminated. I watched the handshake line and I'm like,
oh my god, I forgot Claude Julienne was on his staff.
Claude Julienne head coach of the last Bruins team to
win the Stanley Cup in twenty eleven, winning a Game

(02:06:18):
seven on the road at Vancouver one of the great
moments in recent Boston sports history. And there have been
a lot of them, but that team winning Game seven
on the road in Vancouver probably top five. I want
to switch gears yet again, and that is talk about
your first baseman who suffered a gruesome injury. I believe

(02:06:38):
it was on Friday night against Minnesota. Friday or Saturday hours, Yeah,
which one was it?

Speaker 13 (02:06:43):
I believe it was Friday.

Speaker 2 (02:06:45):
So Friday night, Tristan casts Cassis hits a grounder back
to the mount or off to the first base side
of the mound, and the picture fields it. He throws
to first base and right before he gets to the bag,
Tristan Cassus's left knee buckles. He suffers a ruptured pateller tendon,

(02:07:07):
a very gruesome injury. He's out for the year. He's
already had surgery. The reason I'm bringing this up is
there was a lot speaking of shadenfreud. It seemed like
there was a lot of piling on on social media,
more so than normal of Red Sox fans. Saying, well,
he's you know, we don't have to worry about him anymore.

(02:07:27):
I'm like, really, I mean, I don't get that, Alex.
I mean I don't understand and maybe I've been way
too long how there can be so much vitriol for
a guy that just suffered a season ending and certainly
career threatening injury.

Speaker 13 (02:07:45):
Yeah, look, that's obviously not right and nobody should have
done that. He had been prior to that injury, a
pretty contentious point among Red Sox fans. A guy that
was a top prospect, a power hitter which they definitely needed,
a first basement which they don't really have any other
mob caliber for Baseman in the organization right now. It's
a big problem, like who's gonna play first base? And

(02:08:06):
he had made some comments during spring training that rubbed
a lot of people the wrong way when there was
conversations about Rafael Devers moving to DH to get some
of the prospects to come up. And I'm paraphrasing here,
but he basically said something along the lines like, well,
we're the adults, We're gonna get our chance. The kids
can wait, And a lot of people took that at
him going out of line. Especially considering he's come up

(02:08:28):
well short of expectations since arriving as a prospect himself.
Him getting hurt is certainly a turning point for the
Red Sox. He's a player. A lot of people thought
they were gonna trade, We're gonna use to help bolster
other parts of their roster where they have definite needs.
They have a lot of left handed bats, as much
as they need a first basement, all of that, and
now obviously that's all off the table. You don't wish

(02:08:49):
it on the guy. It's a horrible injury. People around
here should know. We just saw Cole Strange to the
left guard for the Patriots go through the same thing.
He was off the field for calendar years. So anybody
who's you know, dumping on the guy or cheering him
getting hurt. I don't think he's a real fan of
the team, But it wasn't surprising to see a strong
emotional response to that because Cossa's has been a bit

(02:09:10):
of a lightning rod for the Red Sox struggles this year.
He's kind of turned himself into the poster child for that.

Speaker 2 (02:09:16):
Anything else happening in your world, What did you think
of Scotti Scheffler over the.

Speaker 13 (02:09:20):
Weekend, so I didn't get a chance to see it
because I was out golfing myself. Yeah yeah, and I
golfed all three days. I thought he put up quite
a big number, but no, it's good to see him
get get rolling.

Speaker 9 (02:09:36):
Paulwas so.

Speaker 3 (02:09:37):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (02:09:37):
Well, the reason I bring that up, and I brought
it up earlier with Charlie Clifford of Channel five here
in Cincinnati, is we need a big three like they
had in tennis with Roger Rafa and Joker, and I
think Scottie Sheffler, Gary McElroy and Bryson de Shambeau. You

(02:10:00):
think so you see an analogy there? Do you see
a comp that could be fair?

Speaker 13 (02:10:04):
Yeah, but it's tough because you have so many the
great players on the Live Tour, so it takes away
from that competition week in and week out. I think
that's going to prevent it, Like if you if they
get and I know there's supposed to be a merger, right,
so if they can't get all these guys back on
the same tour again, I think that plays better. But
it's just gonna be tough with Live when there's too

(02:10:24):
many big names not playing in the big tournaments week
in and week out, and and you know, anything they
can do to get them all back under one roof,
I think they should.

Speaker 9 (02:10:34):
Try to do.

Speaker 2 (02:10:36):
Are you attending any of the games, the Celtics games
covering them?

Speaker 13 (02:10:41):
I am not one and two. We will see if
there is a game five. I don't think there will be,
but I'm picking sweep. If there is, I'll be I'll
be working that. Oh yeah, I'm picking sweep. And I
don't think I'm alone. Like I went to look at
the odds and it's I think it's like plus two
eighty for the Celtics to sweep. Like it's not it's
not a lot. It's really not that. Like they're not

(02:11:03):
giving you great numbers to better Celtics sleep in this.

Speaker 2 (02:11:08):
Okay see? Do you see them roll into the finals
winning their Western Conference semifinal series with Denver?

Speaker 9 (02:11:16):
See?

Speaker 13 (02:11:17):
I won't count out the Nuggets, Like, okay see is
a better team, but how often is it just the
best player on the floor wins?

Speaker 4 (02:11:24):
Right?

Speaker 13 (02:11:24):
And Jokis is the best player on any floor that
he's on. I think he's the best player in the league.

Speaker 9 (02:11:28):
I think he still is.

Speaker 13 (02:11:29):
He should win MVP. He was robbed of it last year.
I don't care if it's boring continuing to give it
to him. He's the best player in the league, so okay,
see has a lot of talent. That's a young team.
I feel like they maybe need to get punched in
the mouth once or twice before they're ready. Think about
the Celtics when they went to the finals against the Warriors,
and they were a young team and they kind of
had to really see what it took. So they have

(02:11:50):
the talent to do it. But I'm not rolling out
the Nuggets. I'm not rolling out Jokic. I just think
he's too good that even if the rest of that
team is slipping, he can carry in the best at seven.

Speaker 2 (02:12:00):
All Right, we touched on so much, Alex. I love
having you on for that very reason. Thank you so much.
He is Alex Barth does a great job covering all
things Boston sports for ninety eight five the Sports Hub
in Boston. Time for me to say farewell. Has been
a very busy show. The three hours flew by. I
want to thank Tony Pike for allowing me to fill in. Obviously,

(02:12:22):
Sean McMahon for doing a great job in the control booth,
punching all the right buttons on the board. Our guests
today were tremendous Laurel Faylor, Pat Brennan of the Cincinnati Inquirer,
Alex franc of sealing as sincey dot Com, Charlie Clifford
of Channel five here in Cincinnati, and you just heard
him Alex Barth of ninety eight five the Sports Hub again.

(02:12:45):
It has been my pleasure, Happy Sinco to myow. Everybody,
please stay safe. You've been listening since the three sixty
on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty

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