February 25, 2025 • 21 mins
Washington Capitals play-by-play announcer Joe B on The Gr8 Chase's TV schedule, wanting Ovechkin to "beat goaltenders" for Gretzky's record, and broadcasting partner Craig Laughlin's recovery from open-heart surgery.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Please don't cost you're on the radio.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Thank you so much. I appreciate the warning.
Speaker 3 (00:04):
The uh, Joe, if you ever cussed on a bleep
but he bleep, bleep leap.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Have you ever cussed on air?
Speaker 4 (00:12):
Well, yeah, accidentally, accidentally perhaps, yeah, but please don't wish
that upon me, because.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
No, no, I got a game, that I got a
game tonight.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
The uh, the no, no, no, no, that I would
never that, I would never do the what was the
what was the scenario where you what word? Don't say
the word? Just give me the first letter, Joe, what
did you what did you drop on the air.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
I'm trying to remember if there might have been a
couple of instances A long time ago, Elliott, A long
time ago. Hey, you need to be careful in any
sport where the object ball is a puck, right, better,
you better be very careful.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
I'm assuming, I'm assuming based on that you saw Rob
Ray the other night when.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
He for bahmahlah h. Yeah, oh boy, yeah I did
see that. And I love Razor. He's such a good
guy and literally as soon as I see him normally anyway,
I start to laugh. He's such a good natured guy
and was such an incredibly tough soob when he played.
But yeah, I've heard Rob say that word to me
(01:22):
in conversation many a time. I don't think he wanted
to blare it out. He didn't want to blare it
out on the air the other night. But when you
take a slapshot to the head, that can't be any good.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Wow, that was.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Something, all right, So, Joe Beninati, here's why I'm bothering
you today. Sure, we've obviously the the Ovechkin chases is
front and center for everybody, and we all know.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
So back up a little bit. One of the one
of the.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Nights that I did the old cast, and trust me,
took nobody away from you calling the game. The guest
was Batman, and Gary was explaining to me and Alan
May and tark Elbash how the league is going to
come in once they like, once we get really close
to Ovechkin breaking or you know, tying it passing Wayne Gretzky,
(02:10):
and that the league has already got their plan in place,
there'll be a celebration on the ice and all that.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
That story's out there and that's fine.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Somebody this morning, though, did ask a question and was like, Hey,
depending on what it is if the league is taking
that over what happens with with you calling the like
In their mind it was like it would be a
crime if Joe Beninatti doesn't get to call Ovechkin's record
setting goal. What is the Has there been broadcast plans
(02:38):
about will they flex games in and out of whether
it's ESPN or TNT, the NHL Network, the NHL Network.
I'm assuming they would just take the Monumental feed.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
I think you're right, And I underline everything here by saying,
I think I'm not the programming director, and I can
tell you that this is a subject that's been in
conversation for a while. But as I know it, games
that are taken as of right now on the schedule
(03:10):
as national exclusives will remain national exclusives. And I do
believe that that's four of the last six games of
the regular season, and that's obviously was chosen and selected
because there was a thought process that maybe Alex would
be in that neighborhood if the game is on Monumental
(03:30):
as of right now, Let's say Alex goes crazy and
he's threatening the record. At the end of March, there
are no network exclusives at the end of March. Everything
is on Monumental there, But if he's sitting at eight
ninety or eight ninety one, you could imagine that the
networks would like to flex out of whatever games they've
got and would go side by side with Monumental.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Right, the reverse.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
The reverse, I don't believe will be allowed, although I
wish it would. I know that Monumental would be asking
for Let's say he's got the shot at doing it
on April sixth on Long Island. Can Monumental jump in
side by side with whomever has that game? ABC, ESPNTNT,
(04:17):
I don't think so. That's what the exclusivity was paid
for was all about. So that week of the sixth,
the tenth, and I believe what is now the twelfth,
although there's been some jockeying there, but I think that
entire week is national. I don't think Monumental can go
side by side with a national exclusive. The reverse though,
(04:38):
Let's say April thirteenth is a home game with Columbus,
it's on Monumental. Correct, If alex is in the neighborhood,
I would expect a network partner to join us side
by side. That wouldn't take us away from it, they
wouldn't be able to go exclusive because we have that game.
That's my understanding of how it goes. And yeah, all
(05:00):
of us connected to Monumental or crossing our fingers that
it's going to happen on a day when when when
the Caps are on Monumental. If it's on a national exclusive, though,
you know, it's gonna hurt, hey, Conne, Yeah, it's gonna
hurt for everybody.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Oh, I'll be furious.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Hey job, let me ask you this and and maybe
maybe you already answered this by saying they got the exclusive,
and do I want, like take what what.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Was the Long Island game? The Islanders game is on TNT, right, so.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
We both Islanders games, both Islanders games at Ubs Arena
are national exclusives in April as of right now. So
there was discussion. I don't know that they've released this yet.
I don't know that they've released this yet, Elliott that
I believe the end of the regular season in Pittsburgh
(05:51):
has been given back to Monumental. Oh believe there was
a trade. I believe there was a trade off in
April that at least the last game of the regular
season can be Monumental I think four of the last
six are not that trade off. Maybe the at Columbus game.
I think they took the at Columbus game Saturday the twelfth,
(06:15):
right nationally, okay, because you're four of the last six,
But I don't know that that's been released yet. That's
why I sort of say that with that's all right, Joe.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Do you know how many times I've said stuff and
then just go oh, I thought I was lying.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Yeah, I didn't want to sound like an authority on programming.
I'm not the programming authority.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
But Joe, can I can I ask you this?
Speaker 3 (06:33):
And maybe you already answered it by saying that, you know,
like national exclusive. So let's just use one of the
Islanders games that's on TNT it do you know, is
there is there any way they would go? And here's
where I'm Here's where I'm split, right, Joe, is I
want the entire world to see Ovechkin break the record, right?
Speaker 2 (06:53):
It is.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
It's great for the sport, it's great for the history,
it's great for the future. Everything about it is awesome.
And I understand that they may have signed these exclusive
deals with TNT and let the rest of the country
see ov break the record on TNT. Right, let them
see it on TSN and Canada or sports Net or Rogers.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Whatever it is. Let let the West coast see it
on TNT.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
I don't care about that, but is there and maybe
the answer is no. Can Monumental still carry it locally
so that people in DC and the surrounding area, Richmond, whatever,
be able to go.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Let the rest of the country watch it on TNT.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
I want to watch Locker call the or JB and
Locker hoping, hoping that obviously that he's back to be
able to watch our local guys call it.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Wouldn't you have wanted to call? June seventh, twenty eighteen,
Game five in Vegas. It's a national exclusive, Elliott Joe.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Well, you don't have to be a dick about it.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
I'm not trying to about it. But that's that's the
same feeling in my heart of hearts that that crushes
us right, that crushes us at what was then in
NBC Sports Washington. That's a crushing blow to not in
my mind, and I'll speak for myself here, that was
one of the greatest, greatest, greatest nights of my life
(08:19):
and professionally one of the worst right. To not be
able to call that game is crushing. To not be
able to call and be a part of a monumental
sports network broadcast.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Of this event would be crushing.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
But it's the business of sports. They paid. They, the
NHL national partners, TNT and ESPN paid well over a
billion dollars for the rights to have games exclusively on
their air and unfortunately, for Monumental that would mean Okay,
(08:55):
these are these are nationally exclusive games, just like the second, third,
and fourth round of the playoffs. Are not trying to
be a dick, but that's really what it's what it
what it's all about.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
No, but you are being a dick to me.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Come on now, I don't want to I don't want
to curse on the air.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
Hey, so Joe, what about let let me let me
throw this option at you. Let me throw this option
at you.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Elliott, I I want to be there in the worst
way with my Monumental Sports Network team. We desperately want
to call that night. And now, right now it becomes
a crapshoot. Elliott, how about this? And I've thought about this.
What happens if Alex comes up three or four goals short?
What do the networks take the first two weeks of
October next year.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
I mean, if if they're if they're blocking everything out
at the end of the year, and you know, you know,
you know, damn.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Well, jeez, jeez, Elliott, don't be a dick, no, but
you know, I mean, you know.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
The answer to that.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Is if if I think I do, I think I do.
The question is what would they and I don't think again,
You're you're paying all this money for exclusivity. They're gonna
want exclusivity. Why not?
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Then let me let me give you another option. If
I'm just a problem solver, Joe, why not?
Speaker 2 (10:12):
I wish you would call Commissioner Batman and the TV
partners and have this discussion because I want to be
there with my Monumental Sports Network team. We all have
covered this guy for twenty years. I'm sure we've called
well over ninety percent of his career goals. We all
want to be there for all of it leading up
to eight ninety four and eight ninety five. Desperately. Why
(10:33):
right now I'm sitting there going, Wow, I don't know
if we're gonna have it, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Why not?
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Then allow just take the just take the just hire
the Monumental people or the crew to be the TNT
crew that night, and that way it's still exclusive, but
it's still the Monumental crew calling.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
It an absolutely wonderful thought. And I would hope that
they I would hope that they would entertain it. I
don't know that they will. They have announcer staff, producer directors, sure,
technical staff on their contract for reasons. Would they relent
(11:11):
and allow that? That would be very interesting? I don't
know how that would be met.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
Uh, one more question for you, then, Joe B.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Have they let's pretend, let let let's just get crazy,
right OV pops in twelve goals tonight and he's won
away on Thursday when Saint Louis is here.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
On Monumental Sports Network for sure? Okay, so everybody else
joining everybody, all the other partners would probably make arrangements
to have a crew here. I don't think I think
I know where you're going. You think they would just
take us nationally? That would be interesting. Yeah, that would
be very interesting if on short notice you wouldn't be
(11:54):
able to get a crew there for yourself, so you
would lift the Monumental Sports Network broadcast under your national airwaves, right,
interesting to discuss. Yeah, that's a short, that would be
a possibility. But I don't think he's gonna get twelve tonight.
But we'll see.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
Okay, hater Joe, what.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Hater?
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Wow?
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Wow?
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Has anybody has anybody discussed this with Alex? Has anybody
gone to him and said, listen, here's here's the way
the broadcast schedule lines up. Really need you to get
after it a little bit.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
I'm about to see him in about two hours. I
will go up to him with the calendar and go, hey,
these are good, these are bad? Oh that's interesting, No, Alex.
I'm sure Alex just wants it to be to be
done and to have wins racked up as a result.
That's all. He wants to score goals and win. Hey.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Can I ask you? So I was at the game?
What day was the Edmonton game? Sunday?
Speaker 3 (12:53):
I was. I was at the game on Sunday, and
I came back in on Monday asking for like, what
what was going going on? And maybe maybe you know
better from from doing the broadcast and and obviously knowing
the sport. So I'm sitting there in my seats and
the it's the Edmonton takes the time out. It's a
(13:13):
draw in there. They have a draw on the Caps zone.
It's six to three, and they pull the goalie and
all of a sudden, and you know what's gonna happen there,
Like you know, if there's any chance at an empty
net goal, you know it's going and and I did,
like at one point I can't remember who was next
to Alex when the defenseman kind of snapped his stick
(13:34):
and it ended up going towards OV and another Caps player,
and Ov all but body checked him out of the way.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
It was like, don't you dare touch this puck?
Speaker 3 (13:42):
Why did Why did you get any explanation afterwards from
their coach?
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Why did they pull their their goalie at six three?
Speaker 2 (13:50):
First of all, I did not do that game. I
was sitting in the in the press box like you watching, Uh.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
I was much closer. My seats are much closer, much
closer than the I had a.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Really good point of view of it. And the answer
to that question is, if you have Connor McDavid and
Leon dry Title on your team, you feel like you're
never out of a game. So they took a shot,
they took a chance at trying to pull the goaltender
and get one closer with still plenty of time left.
That's become at two goals down, it's become automatic. Sure
(14:22):
three goals down. Usually, usually I would say most teams
would relent and not pull the goalie. But I have
McDavid and I have dry title, and I think in
any instance there that there's a shot with those two
cats on the ice, I got a chance to get closer.
So let's take it. I've got an offensive zone draw
pull picker. Once that happened, it was great. The fans
(14:43):
that were thirty feet to my left immediately as soon
as Pickard went skating to the bench, they noticed it
and they started an OV chance and wouldn't you know,
less than a minute later, in real time, he's got three.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
Joe, three goal lead with barely any time left on
the clock. One person left out arena and you know, damn, well,
you're sitting in traffic forever getting out of there. Well
you're not, but the but not about one person left,
and especially that goalie went, oh my god, that building
was on fire.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Yeah. Yeah, it's been amazing to watch. And you know,
that pulls up another discussion point. And I have not
had this conversation yet with Spencer Carbury, and I hope
too before too long between just between us and your listeners.
I really want eight ninety four and eight ninety five
(15:37):
for Alex to be like his first two goals in
the Edmonton game. I want them to be beautiful Alex
zovetchkin shots against goaltenders. I don't want I personally, I'm
speaking just for myself. I don't want eight ninety four
and eight ninety five to be like eight oh two
when he passed Gordie Howe into an empty net. Wonderful,
building goes crazy, but there's that little bit of it's
(15:59):
an anti climactic goal. Eight ninety four, eight ninety five.
Please please let them be beautifully clean Alex loovetchkin slapshots,
snapshots that beat goaltenders. I wonder if and when we
get there and he's at eight ninety four, let's say,
I wonder if Carbury puts him on the ice in
an empty net situation.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
I just wonder, when you have hope when you wouldn't
if I were, oh yes, you.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Would, oh stop it stop? What is it? What if
the game's unmonumental, I don't have.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
To put him on the ice. I don't have to.
Oh no, I need could get all that. I know
you don't all the empty netters he wants up to
eight ninety three, don't let eight ninety four, eight ninety
five B, don't give. Don't give the casual fan. Don't
give the casual fan a chance to go. Oh see,
it's an empty netter.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Wrong, wrong, wrong. Let me tell you this. When you
ask Carberry, no, I agree with you. When you ask.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
Carberry, and if he says at any point he says, oh, no,
I won't put him on the ice in an empty
net situation to pass it, because that goal will be
played forever. If he says that, do me a favorite,
go this is from Elliott, and then slap him across
the face. You take that goal anyway you can get it, Elliott.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Yes, I don't care.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Yes, would it be awesome if it is a one
time or from the you know, from the office.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Would it be like?
Speaker 3 (17:21):
Now do we have to script which goalie we wanted against?
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Listen? It is an unbelievable record. I don't care.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
I don't care if it's an empty net I don't
care what it is. I want the record. It is
an unbelievable record. He has scored so many some have
been empty net very I mean, look at the total
number of goals. It's not like Wayne Gretzky never had
an empty net goal.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
So please, I agree with you there. I will take
you there.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
Anyway it comes. If I am the head coach, I
don't number one. I don't have the balls to look
at Ovechkin and go Nope.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Not gonna put you in the game.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Sorry, what if it's what if it's against Pittsburgh the
last game of the season and we're up by two
and Sullivan pulls the goalie, You're gonna go Nope. Let's
schlep this through the entire offseason. Give the guy the record.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Very interesting, very interesting discussion. This is what I'm putting out.
This is I'm just I'm just trying to create conversation.
I'm just trying to create conversation here. I I personally
I don't want to see eight ninety four or five
be an empty net for him. This is just me speaking, right, No, no, listen,
(18:29):
just me speaking.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
I would love it that way. You love it that way,
you'd love it that way. Listen. I'd also love to
see I mean if we could script the whole thing.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
It would be great.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
I'd love to see it on a Friday night against
Chicago with Badard in the building.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
I'd love to see it. I'd love to see it,
you know, the last game of the season. I wouldn't.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
I don't want it to be on the road, but
there would be something kind of nice about it being
in front of of of of Crosby. I mean you
could you could go through every game and figure out, like, oh,
what would be the what's the what's the beauty of
this one? Like there's there's a million things you could do.
But I don't care where or when or how. I
just want him to get that record and get every
(19:10):
accolade he deserves.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Gotcha, I'm white, And why would I argue against that.
I'm just wondering, but said, I'm just wondering if it
would go through his mind at all.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
I think it would go through his mind.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
Through his mind?
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Do you already know?
Speaker 3 (19:28):
Do you already know the answer to that? Have you
talked to Carberry about it?
Speaker 2 (19:32):
I started the conversation by saying, I have not had
this conversation.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Yeah, but you've lied to me before, Joe, You've lied to.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Me, I wouldn't lie to you, and I wouldn't lie
to you now, all right.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
Last two things, Last two things, and then I'll let
you jump it. Number one, did you love four nations?
Speaker 2 (19:51):
I thought it was fantastic. A great job by the league,
great job by the players Association, and then the four
teams that were in. Just looking at the rosters, it
was so breathtaking to watch those teams play against each
other at full blast. And we hadn't had a best
on best for quite a while, right, Remember South Korea
(20:12):
and Beijing. The NHL didn't send their top players to
the to the Olympics, so you really hadn't had that
kind of feel since a World Cup in twenty sixteen,
It'd almost been ten years. It was awesome, and obviously
the way those two nations, in particular Canada and the
US had those riveting two games against each other, wonderful stuff.
(20:33):
I loved it.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
Yeah, I thought it was great.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
And the last thing, how is I'm assuming you talked
to him a lot more than we'll see a post.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
How is? How is locker?
Speaker 2 (20:43):
I went and watched the Pittsburgh game with Craig and
Linda at their home on Saturday, and I think Craig.
I know Craig is improving. I think he's expecting to
see his the surgeon who did the who did the
procedure this week, later this week, and I wonder if
it's almost time for them to start ramping up a
little bit more on the physical therapy part. He's tired,
(21:06):
he's a little he's less sore. He's much less sore
than he was, which is natural. It's been about, oh,
I guess, twenty days since the operation. But things are
going very much in a good direction. And I think
the trouble spot is every time I talk with a man,
I'm tired. He's really not able to sleep. He's not
able to fully recline and sleep yet, so he's been
(21:27):
sleeping in this sort of odd angle recliner and he's
not getting the best quality sleep. I think that's going
to happen soon once they say, you know you're that
the wound itself is in a good spot for him
to lie fully down.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
I gotcha.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
We'll do me a favor next time you see him,
give him a big kiss on the cheek.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
For me, would you?
Speaker 2 (21:45):
I can do that?
Speaker 1 (21:46):
Ex promise excellent? Hey, Joe b As always I appreciate
the time. Thank you brother,
Please don't cost you're on the radio.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Thank you so much. I appreciate the warning.
Speaker 3 (00:04):
The uh, Joe, if you ever cussed on a bleep
but he bleep, bleep leap.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Have you ever cussed on air?
Speaker 4 (00:12):
Well, yeah, accidentally, accidentally perhaps, yeah, but please don't wish
that upon me, because.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
No, no, I got a game, that I got a
game tonight.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
The uh, the no, no, no, no, that I would
never that, I would never do the what was the
what was the scenario where you what word? Don't say
the word? Just give me the first letter, Joe, what
did you what did you drop on the air.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
I'm trying to remember if there might have been a
couple of instances A long time ago, Elliott, A long
time ago. Hey, you need to be careful in any
sport where the object ball is a puck, right, better,
you better be very careful.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
I'm assuming, I'm assuming based on that you saw Rob
Ray the other night when.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
He for bahmahlah h. Yeah, oh boy, yeah I did
see that. And I love Razor. He's such a good
guy and literally as soon as I see him normally anyway,
I start to laugh. He's such a good natured guy
and was such an incredibly tough soob when he played.
But yeah, I've heard Rob say that word to me
(01:22):
in conversation many a time. I don't think he wanted
to blare it out. He didn't want to blare it
out on the air the other night. But when you
take a slapshot to the head, that can't be any good.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Wow, that was.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Something, all right, So, Joe Beninati, here's why I'm bothering
you today. Sure, we've obviously the the Ovechkin chases is
front and center for everybody, and we all know.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
So back up a little bit. One of the one
of the.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Nights that I did the old cast, and trust me,
took nobody away from you calling the game. The guest
was Batman, and Gary was explaining to me and Alan
May and tark Elbash how the league is going to
come in once they like, once we get really close
to Ovechkin breaking or you know, tying it passing Wayne Gretzky,
(02:10):
and that the league has already got their plan in place,
there'll be a celebration on the ice and all that.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
That story's out there and that's fine.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Somebody this morning, though, did ask a question and was like, Hey,
depending on what it is if the league is taking
that over what happens with with you calling the like
In their mind it was like it would be a
crime if Joe Beninatti doesn't get to call Ovechkin's record
setting goal. What is the Has there been broadcast plans
(02:38):
about will they flex games in and out of whether
it's ESPN or TNT, the NHL Network, the NHL Network.
I'm assuming they would just take the Monumental feed.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
I think you're right, And I underline everything here by saying,
I think I'm not the programming director, and I can
tell you that this is a subject that's been in
conversation for a while. But as I know it, games
that are taken as of right now on the schedule
(03:10):
as national exclusives will remain national exclusives. And I do
believe that that's four of the last six games of
the regular season, and that's obviously was chosen and selected
because there was a thought process that maybe Alex would
be in that neighborhood if the game is on Monumental
(03:30):
as of right now, Let's say Alex goes crazy and
he's threatening the record. At the end of March, there
are no network exclusives at the end of March. Everything
is on Monumental there, But if he's sitting at eight
ninety or eight ninety one, you could imagine that the
networks would like to flex out of whatever games they've
got and would go side by side with Monumental.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Right, the reverse.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
The reverse, I don't believe will be allowed, although I
wish it would. I know that Monumental would be asking
for Let's say he's got the shot at doing it
on April sixth on Long Island. Can Monumental jump in
side by side with whomever has that game? ABC, ESPNTNT,
(04:17):
I don't think so. That's what the exclusivity was paid
for was all about. So that week of the sixth,
the tenth, and I believe what is now the twelfth,
although there's been some jockeying there, but I think that
entire week is national. I don't think Monumental can go
side by side with a national exclusive. The reverse though,
(04:38):
Let's say April thirteenth is a home game with Columbus,
it's on Monumental. Correct, If alex is in the neighborhood,
I would expect a network partner to join us side
by side. That wouldn't take us away from it, they
wouldn't be able to go exclusive because we have that game.
That's my understanding of how it goes. And yeah, all
(05:00):
of us connected to Monumental or crossing our fingers that
it's going to happen on a day when when when
the Caps are on Monumental. If it's on a national exclusive, though,
you know, it's gonna hurt, hey, Conne, Yeah, it's gonna
hurt for everybody.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Oh, I'll be furious.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Hey job, let me ask you this and and maybe
maybe you already answered this by saying they got the exclusive,
and do I want, like take what what.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Was the Long Island game? The Islanders game is on TNT, right, so.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
We both Islanders games, both Islanders games at Ubs Arena
are national exclusives in April as of right now. So
there was discussion. I don't know that they've released this yet.
I don't know that they've released this yet, Elliott that
I believe the end of the regular season in Pittsburgh
(05:51):
has been given back to Monumental. Oh believe there was
a trade. I believe there was a trade off in
April that at least the last game of the regular
season can be Monumental I think four of the last
six are not that trade off. Maybe the at Columbus game.
I think they took the at Columbus game Saturday the twelfth,
(06:15):
right nationally, okay, because you're four of the last six,
But I don't know that that's been released yet. That's
why I sort of say that with that's all right, Joe.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Do you know how many times I've said stuff and
then just go oh, I thought I was lying.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Yeah, I didn't want to sound like an authority on programming.
I'm not the programming authority.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
But Joe, can I can I ask you this?
Speaker 3 (06:33):
And maybe you already answered it by saying that, you know,
like national exclusive. So let's just use one of the
Islanders games that's on TNT it do you know, is
there is there any way they would go? And here's
where I'm Here's where I'm split, right, Joe, is I
want the entire world to see Ovechkin break the record, right?
Speaker 2 (06:53):
It is.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
It's great for the sport, it's great for the history,
it's great for the future. Everything about it is awesome.
And I understand that they may have signed these exclusive
deals with TNT and let the rest of the country
see ov break the record on TNT. Right, let them
see it on TSN and Canada or sports Net or Rogers.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Whatever it is. Let let the West coast see it
on TNT.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
I don't care about that, but is there and maybe
the answer is no. Can Monumental still carry it locally
so that people in DC and the surrounding area, Richmond, whatever,
be able to go.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Let the rest of the country watch it on TNT.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
I want to watch Locker call the or JB and
Locker hoping, hoping that obviously that he's back to be
able to watch our local guys call it.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Wouldn't you have wanted to call? June seventh, twenty eighteen,
Game five in Vegas. It's a national exclusive, Elliott Joe.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Well, you don't have to be a dick about it.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
I'm not trying to about it. But that's that's the
same feeling in my heart of hearts that that crushes
us right, that crushes us at what was then in
NBC Sports Washington. That's a crushing blow to not in
my mind, and I'll speak for myself here, that was
one of the greatest, greatest, greatest nights of my life
(08:19):
and professionally one of the worst right. To not be
able to call that game is crushing. To not be
able to call and be a part of a monumental
sports network broadcast.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Of this event would be crushing.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
But it's the business of sports. They paid. They, the
NHL national partners, TNT and ESPN paid well over a
billion dollars for the rights to have games exclusively on
their air and unfortunately, for Monumental that would mean Okay,
(08:55):
these are these are nationally exclusive games, just like the second, third,
and fourth round of the playoffs. Are not trying to
be a dick, but that's really what it's what it
what it's all about.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
No, but you are being a dick to me.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Come on now, I don't want to I don't want
to curse on the air.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
Hey, so Joe, what about let let me let me
throw this option at you. Let me throw this option
at you.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Elliott, I I want to be there in the worst
way with my Monumental Sports Network team. We desperately want
to call that night. And now, right now it becomes
a crapshoot. Elliott, how about this? And I've thought about this.
What happens if Alex comes up three or four goals short?
What do the networks take the first two weeks of
October next year.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
I mean, if if they're if they're blocking everything out
at the end of the year, and you know, you know,
you know, damn.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Well, jeez, jeez, Elliott, don't be a dick, no, but
you know, I mean, you know.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
The answer to that.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Is if if I think I do, I think I do.
The question is what would they and I don't think again,
You're you're paying all this money for exclusivity. They're gonna
want exclusivity. Why not?
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Then let me let me give you another option. If
I'm just a problem solver, Joe, why not?
Speaker 2 (10:12):
I wish you would call Commissioner Batman and the TV
partners and have this discussion because I want to be
there with my Monumental Sports Network team. We all have
covered this guy for twenty years. I'm sure we've called
well over ninety percent of his career goals. We all
want to be there for all of it leading up
to eight ninety four and eight ninety five. Desperately. Why
(10:33):
right now I'm sitting there going, Wow, I don't know
if we're gonna have it, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Why not?
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Then allow just take the just take the just hire
the Monumental people or the crew to be the TNT
crew that night, and that way it's still exclusive, but
it's still the Monumental crew calling.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
It an absolutely wonderful thought. And I would hope that
they I would hope that they would entertain it. I
don't know that they will. They have announcer staff, producer directors, sure,
technical staff on their contract for reasons. Would they relent
(11:11):
and allow that? That would be very interesting? I don't
know how that would be met.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
Uh, one more question for you, then, Joe B.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Have they let's pretend, let let let's just get crazy,
right OV pops in twelve goals tonight and he's won
away on Thursday when Saint Louis is here.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
On Monumental Sports Network for sure? Okay, so everybody else
joining everybody, all the other partners would probably make arrangements
to have a crew here. I don't think I think
I know where you're going. You think they would just
take us nationally? That would be interesting. Yeah, that would
be very interesting if on short notice you wouldn't be
(11:54):
able to get a crew there for yourself, so you
would lift the Monumental Sports Network broadcast under your national airwaves, right,
interesting to discuss. Yeah, that's a short, that would be
a possibility. But I don't think he's gonna get twelve tonight.
But we'll see.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
Okay, hater Joe, what.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Hater?
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Wow?
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Wow?
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Has anybody has anybody discussed this with Alex? Has anybody
gone to him and said, listen, here's here's the way
the broadcast schedule lines up. Really need you to get
after it a little bit.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
I'm about to see him in about two hours. I
will go up to him with the calendar and go, hey,
these are good, these are bad? Oh that's interesting, No, Alex.
I'm sure Alex just wants it to be to be
done and to have wins racked up as a result.
That's all. He wants to score goals and win. Hey.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Can I ask you? So I was at the game?
What day was the Edmonton game? Sunday?
Speaker 3 (12:53):
I was. I was at the game on Sunday, and
I came back in on Monday asking for like, what
what was going going on? And maybe maybe you know
better from from doing the broadcast and and obviously knowing
the sport. So I'm sitting there in my seats and
the it's the Edmonton takes the time out. It's a
(13:13):
draw in there. They have a draw on the Caps zone.
It's six to three, and they pull the goalie and
all of a sudden, and you know what's gonna happen there,
Like you know, if there's any chance at an empty
net goal, you know it's going and and I did,
like at one point I can't remember who was next
to Alex when the defenseman kind of snapped his stick
(13:34):
and it ended up going towards OV and another Caps player,
and Ov all but body checked him out of the way.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
It was like, don't you dare touch this puck?
Speaker 3 (13:42):
Why did Why did you get any explanation afterwards from
their coach?
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Why did they pull their their goalie at six three?
Speaker 2 (13:50):
First of all, I did not do that game. I
was sitting in the in the press box like you watching, Uh.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
I was much closer. My seats are much closer, much
closer than the I had a.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Really good point of view of it. And the answer
to that question is, if you have Connor McDavid and
Leon dry Title on your team, you feel like you're
never out of a game. So they took a shot,
they took a chance at trying to pull the goaltender
and get one closer with still plenty of time left.
That's become at two goals down, it's become automatic. Sure
(14:22):
three goals down. Usually, usually I would say most teams
would relent and not pull the goalie. But I have
McDavid and I have dry title, and I think in
any instance there that there's a shot with those two
cats on the ice, I got a chance to get closer.
So let's take it. I've got an offensive zone draw
pull picker. Once that happened, it was great. The fans
(14:43):
that were thirty feet to my left immediately as soon
as Pickard went skating to the bench, they noticed it
and they started an OV chance and wouldn't you know,
less than a minute later, in real time, he's got three.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
Joe, three goal lead with barely any time left on
the clock. One person left out arena and you know, damn, well,
you're sitting in traffic forever getting out of there. Well
you're not, but the but not about one person left,
and especially that goalie went, oh my god, that building
was on fire.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Yeah. Yeah, it's been amazing to watch. And you know,
that pulls up another discussion point. And I have not
had this conversation yet with Spencer Carbury, and I hope
too before too long between just between us and your listeners.
I really want eight ninety four and eight ninety five
(15:37):
for Alex to be like his first two goals in
the Edmonton game. I want them to be beautiful Alex
zovetchkin shots against goaltenders. I don't want I personally, I'm
speaking just for myself. I don't want eight ninety four
and eight ninety five to be like eight oh two
when he passed Gordie Howe into an empty net. Wonderful,
building goes crazy, but there's that little bit of it's
(15:59):
an anti climactic goal. Eight ninety four, eight ninety five.
Please please let them be beautifully clean Alex loovetchkin slapshots,
snapshots that beat goaltenders. I wonder if and when we
get there and he's at eight ninety four, let's say,
I wonder if Carbury puts him on the ice in
an empty net situation.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
I just wonder, when you have hope when you wouldn't
if I were, oh yes, you.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Would, oh stop it stop? What is it? What if
the game's unmonumental, I don't have.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
To put him on the ice. I don't have to.
Oh no, I need could get all that. I know
you don't all the empty netters he wants up to
eight ninety three, don't let eight ninety four, eight ninety
five B, don't give. Don't give the casual fan. Don't
give the casual fan a chance to go. Oh see,
it's an empty netter.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Wrong, wrong, wrong. Let me tell you this. When you
ask Carberry, no, I agree with you. When you ask.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
Carberry, and if he says at any point he says, oh, no,
I won't put him on the ice in an empty
net situation to pass it, because that goal will be
played forever. If he says that, do me a favorite,
go this is from Elliott, and then slap him across
the face. You take that goal anyway you can get it, Elliott.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Yes, I don't care.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Yes, would it be awesome if it is a one
time or from the you know, from the office.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Would it be like?
Speaker 3 (17:21):
Now do we have to script which goalie we wanted against?
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Listen? It is an unbelievable record. I don't care.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
I don't care if it's an empty net I don't
care what it is. I want the record. It is
an unbelievable record. He has scored so many some have
been empty net very I mean, look at the total
number of goals. It's not like Wayne Gretzky never had
an empty net goal.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
So please, I agree with you there. I will take
you there.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
Anyway it comes. If I am the head coach, I
don't number one. I don't have the balls to look
at Ovechkin and go Nope.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Not gonna put you in the game.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Sorry, what if it's what if it's against Pittsburgh the
last game of the season and we're up by two
and Sullivan pulls the goalie, You're gonna go Nope. Let's
schlep this through the entire offseason. Give the guy the record.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Very interesting, very interesting discussion. This is what I'm putting out.
This is I'm just I'm just trying to create conversation.
I'm just trying to create conversation here. I I personally
I don't want to see eight ninety four or five
be an empty net for him. This is just me speaking, right, No, no, listen,
(18:29):
just me speaking.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
I would love it that way. You love it that way,
you'd love it that way. Listen. I'd also love to
see I mean if we could script the whole thing.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
It would be great.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
I'd love to see it on a Friday night against
Chicago with Badard in the building.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
I'd love to see it. I'd love to see it,
you know, the last game of the season. I wouldn't.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
I don't want it to be on the road, but
there would be something kind of nice about it being
in front of of of of Crosby. I mean you
could you could go through every game and figure out, like, oh,
what would be the what's the what's the beauty of
this one? Like there's there's a million things you could do.
But I don't care where or when or how. I
just want him to get that record and get every
(19:10):
accolade he deserves.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Gotcha, I'm white, And why would I argue against that.
I'm just wondering, but said, I'm just wondering if it
would go through his mind at all.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
I think it would go through his mind.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
Through his mind?
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Do you already know?
Speaker 3 (19:28):
Do you already know the answer to that? Have you
talked to Carberry about it?
Speaker 2 (19:32):
I started the conversation by saying, I have not had
this conversation.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Yeah, but you've lied to me before, Joe, You've lied to.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Me, I wouldn't lie to you, and I wouldn't lie
to you now, all right.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
Last two things, Last two things, and then I'll let
you jump it. Number one, did you love four nations?
Speaker 2 (19:51):
I thought it was fantastic. A great job by the league,
great job by the players Association, and then the four
teams that were in. Just looking at the rosters, it
was so breathtaking to watch those teams play against each
other at full blast. And we hadn't had a best
on best for quite a while, right, Remember South Korea
(20:12):
and Beijing. The NHL didn't send their top players to
the to the Olympics, so you really hadn't had that
kind of feel since a World Cup in twenty sixteen,
It'd almost been ten years. It was awesome, and obviously
the way those two nations, in particular Canada and the
US had those riveting two games against each other, wonderful stuff.
(20:33):
I loved it.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
Yeah, I thought it was great.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
And the last thing, how is I'm assuming you talked
to him a lot more than we'll see a post.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
How is? How is locker?
Speaker 2 (20:43):
I went and watched the Pittsburgh game with Craig and
Linda at their home on Saturday, and I think Craig.
I know Craig is improving. I think he's expecting to
see his the surgeon who did the who did the
procedure this week, later this week, and I wonder if
it's almost time for them to start ramping up a
little bit more on the physical therapy part. He's tired,
(21:06):
he's a little he's less sore. He's much less sore
than he was, which is natural. It's been about, oh,
I guess, twenty days since the operation. But things are
going very much in a good direction. And I think
the trouble spot is every time I talk with a man,
I'm tired. He's really not able to sleep. He's not
able to fully recline and sleep yet, so he's been
(21:27):
sleeping in this sort of odd angle recliner and he's
not getting the best quality sleep. I think that's going
to happen soon once they say, you know you're that
the wound itself is in a good spot for him
to lie fully down.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
I gotcha.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
We'll do me a favor next time you see him,
give him a big kiss on the cheek.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
For me, would you?
Speaker 2 (21:45):
I can do that?
Speaker 1 (21:46):
Ex promise excellent? Hey, Joe b As always I appreciate
the time. Thank you brother,
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