March 29, 2024 • 46 mins
The FnA Podcast with Kevin Figgers and Adam Auslund + Brie Brie. Eric Stephen joins the show to layout the case for and against Ohtani and what the outcome could be, if the Dodgers are the best lineup in the modern era, pitching, Mookie moving around on defense, Bobby Miller and more. Plus some FnNBA on the Clippers and Lakers and sex bots.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
This. This is ghetto broadcasting livefrom the studios of a M five to
seven day. It's on a website. This is fn A man, I
am a god. Now what whydon't you get out of that jump suits?
Let me smack that fat ass.That's a scary crew. As far
(00:21):
as the product goes, voice ofa new generation man. He with young
guys really at the top of theirgames. The two of them had something
in common. We bring you radioecstasy. Oh it's beautiful broadcasting live from
the studios of a M five toseven day. Let it happen. This
is the FNA Podcast. Friday editionof the FNA Podcast was popping everybody.
(00:44):
It's Kevin Figers, Adam Austin Brieis here. The whole gang's back together
again. He prest Company. What'sup? Oh my god? I love
Priest Company. Such a good shot. Yeah. With the thime Master herself,
Suzanne Summers, I thought she washot and step by step she was
let alone, the younger version inthrees Company. I thought I thought she
(01:04):
was hotter when she was in theStep by Step than she was in Three's
Company. I thought she was hotterwhen she was older. Yeah. Well,
also there was something going on.What's Three's company? Early eighties?
Yes, early eighties, the womenand their hair back then, and the
bathing suits back then. I'm moreof a fan of the nineties fashion.
She was done upright in the nineties. But I would also say, and
(01:26):
maybe maybe I just liked older women. I don't know. Jill, the
woman that played Tim Allen's wife inHome Improvement, I thought she was hotter
in the older seasons than she wasin the early seasons. Bird about Jill
when there was Pamela and Er saidin Heidi kind of Oh, I'll say,
first of all, I thought Heidiwas was more attractive than Pamela Anderson.
I know that's a hot take fora lot of people. Yeah,
(01:49):
I'm just saying I just thought thatJill was more attractive when she was older
than the earlier parts of the season. That's all I'm saying. I was
I wasn't comparing her to anybody else. I was comparing her to herself.
She'll appreciate that comp she will.Unfortunately, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, he got
ugly. I haven't even seen himin twenty years. I have no idea
what he last time I saw wason an episode of Ronica Mars. I
(02:09):
think so I was twenty years ago. Veronica Mars, You're right, good
God hit us on the socials atkfig ones where you can find me on
x slash, Twitter, slash whatever. Adam was that follow out to a
bane twenty six? I got thenumber right. Bree's looking at pictures of
JTT now to see how she is. Did he turn out like Joel Osmond?
(02:31):
Oh my god, he's like anuglier version of Geez. I'm so
sorry. I'm when I said that'sone thing. I'm an a hole.
God, have you met me?There's a segment in my name called Who's
a Hole? Like? I mean, it's just like you know, synonymous,
you are very judgmental. What doeshe look like? Describe it to
(02:52):
the audience. Well, there's justlike it's like a like an Elf,
but like the like a smurf,but like a white guy smurf, a
white smurf, So basically a smurf. But he's not blue, right,
But he has the glasses in thelittle hat, like the smurf hat.
Yeah, the smurf. You surehe wasn't like playing a role in a
film or something. It was alittle chubby just walking around, like on
(03:13):
a random Tuesday getting a latte.It looks like he's walking around getting maybe
like a lavender latte kind of thing. Let himself go a little bit,
a little bit. It's a littlescary. I wonder how the younger brother
Mark is doing. Who was likeall gothed out right? JT T left
it because he goes to big timebecause he was in that what was it,
Huckleberry Finn movie? Not the oneI thought he was just riding off
(03:38):
with the lion King. Oh,lion King. He did the singing parts.
Not that was a talented enough youdidn't know that, bree, Oh
my god, you guys just totallylike it was a black kid. I
forget his name, but he wasan actor and like a small black sitcom
that wasn't successful. Shocker, interestingstory about this smart and I'm the one
I have to no it was.It actually was a smart guy. I
(04:00):
think it may have been. Itmight have been THEA. Actually, you
guys probably don't even know what THEAis or who THEA is. A stand
up comedian. She had a shortlived a sitcom for like two maybe a
season and a half, two seasonssomething like that. So this kid whose
name I cannot remember, when hesigned the deal to sing that song for
the Lion King. Disney offered himlike seventeen grand or something up front,
(04:20):
but back then was not terrible.It's like whatever. His mom, who
was working as his agent at thetime, said, no, I'm not
taking this money. Here's what we'regonna do. You're gonna pay him a
I forget the number. It wasa blank percentage of royalties from every single
cent that the movie and or songwill make in the future, life changing,
(04:41):
whether that kid worked a day inhis life ever again, one of
the highest grossing films of all time, one of the highest grossing musicals on
stage of all time. That familyis set for life, Elton based on
just the fact that his mom steppedin and said, we're not taking this
lump sum up front. We wantroyalties. You know, it's not easy
to one up Disney in the financialBob Iger got taken to the cleaners there.
(05:04):
Sure did. By the way,I'm sure they're fine. Disney's fine
too, stocks up everybody. Everybodywon in that situation. We'll get to
some NBA fad in the back endof the show with some Lakers and Clippers
talk uh and some other stuff aswell. But it was opening Day yesterday
across Major League Baseball. Dodgers openedup at home against the hated, hated
(05:28):
Saint Louis Cardinals. I mean,most people hate them up. They're just
very, very smug fan base.Because of twenty thirteen and twenty fourteen,
Dodger fans still hate them. Ithink universally, people just don't like the
way that Cardinal fans carry themselves.They're very baseball elitist. Yeah, but
remember when Agon was on the basesand they were doing the whole Mickey mouse
thing I do. Yeah, thatdoesn't help it. There's some bitterness there.
So let's let's talk to one ofour favorite guests. It was there
(05:49):
on site to witness all of thepomp and circumstances surrounding Opening Day at Dodger
Stadium yesterday, Alan Dragon did.Thank you, Gutty. You know,
it's not just a Friday. It'snot just a good Friday. It's a
great Friday because baseball is back infull swing, and so is our next
guest, who covers the game ina unique fashion with wordplay and with his
(06:10):
puns on runs philosophy. In fact, he transcends baseball. He responded to
a tweet for me saying, Tuckerjust stayed with Fox talking about the NBA,
and he said, I thought heleft Fox months ago. I mean,
oh, yes, it's our friend. Eric Steven from True Blue LA
and SB Nation follow him at EricStephen on x Eric. Thanks for coming
(06:31):
back on the FNA podcast. Howare we? It's always a pleasure And
it was pretty fun at the homeopening yesterday, so I'm sure we got
a lot to talk about. Yeah, and it was great seeing you at
the home opener yesterday. We weretalking a little off air about just how
hectic of a situation it was.As someone who's covered World Series games,
home openers, playoff openers, allthat, how did yesterday's opening day atmosphere
(06:51):
compare considering all the hooplau surrounding Gotaniand everything else. Yeah, in terms
of just like the crush of mediapeople like reporters, television people and photographers
and stuff, it was on parwith basically I thought, at least like
the League Championship Series round, butprobably also World Series, you know,
(07:13):
like after the game, like thejust the tunnel to the clubhouse, which
is like this very long tunnel,but it was full of like reporters waiting
to get into clubhouse, and itwas just that is not normal for like
a regular season game, and soit was interesting. I'm interested to see
how it h you know, howit might taper a little bit, or
(07:34):
if it does not at all,like because that that was a lot of
people. But just you know,just that's just sort of I think where
the Dodgers are right now. Youknow, pretty much they signed the biggest
star in the in the world inthe sport, and they're you know,
they're kind of getting everything that goeswith it now, including an investigation.
(07:54):
Uh, let's start with that,Eric before we get to the game.
What's the best and most believable probableexplanation for why tim Otani, the spokesman,
first said to ESPN he was transferringfunds just to cover for his friend,
and then the very next day itturned into no, the friends stole
the money from Otani. That's that'squite the switch up there. I just
(08:16):
find that part very interesting. Isthere something I'm missing? No, I
think you're right there. That's themost confusing part. I think part of
it is that crisis communications person orI forget exactly how they were described,
but they were basically hired like onceonce the story came out right, and
(08:41):
then it seems like everything they did, including green lighting the ninety minute interview
from Eba Mizahara with ESPN to likeeverything else, like it seems like they
were, hey, you think theywould green light that without asking him what
he's going to say to ESPN first? Come hang right, like like what
(09:01):
did they think was going to happen? Like, oh, is this ESPN's
calling. It's probably something good,you know, like that kind of a
thing, like, uh so Iguess there and the other so the other
aspect of this is, I don'tyou know Otannie spoke Monday at Dodger Stadium.
That was his first time sort oftalking about this. He did not
(09:22):
take questions. You read a statement. I did not expect much from that,
right, it was just going tobe like, you know, I
can't say much because there's investigations,but I will say it was it was
a stronger statement at least than Ithought. And he he like laid out
essentially all the accusations against the fameAzahara specifically if you remember back like when
(09:46):
when it all sort of broke thathis lawyers, like Otani's lawyers, put
out a statement basically saying there's beenmassive theft, but they didn't name anyone
specifically. In this statement, O'tanniesays you pay lied, He says if
he stole from him. He sayshe presented himself as as representing Otani,
like in communications with like the Dodgers, with his agency, like it was
(10:11):
everything, and so he like allthese things, you know what you would
think are very easily provable or Idon't know about how easily, but you
know, if he that's like youknow, you could you could get sued
for for saying someone that if theydidn't do it. So like I'm i'd
like to think like before that statementwas you know, probably reviewed by many
(10:35):
lawyers, and like before he saidit. So although given what we know
about the rest of this thing,like who knows what kind of counsel is
actually getting, but it seems likethat was a strong enough same to where
that's that's I think where some ofthe disconnectors, like also the Dodgers kind
of I think messed up. Bobbyand Ardaya at the Athletic sort of mentioned
(10:58):
that even the Dodgers were just theyjust assumed like Epay was like the go
between. I think at times sothey didn't they were hesitant to like,
you know, connect or speak directlyto Otani at times. Like so it
created a situation where Epe like basicallyhad a lot of power. I mean
(11:22):
that he was basically like in betweenkind of everything. And I think that,
at least in the story presented byOtani, like that makes it I
don't know about believable. It's moreplausible that you know, he could have
done certain things by saying Otani saidit was okay and all all that kind
of stuff. So I don't know. I'm sure more information is going to
(11:46):
come out, but it's just itreally is just a wild story. Do
you think he had enough power?Because when you talk about a wire transfer,
when you talk about bank statements andwhat it takes to move that large
sum of money, I've done itonce before, you know, for a
friend, and there's a lot ofsignatures, there's a lot of verification that
(12:11):
goes on. I just I havea hard time. I'm not saying I
believe Otani bet on baseball or anythinglike that. Do I think it's more
likely though that he was trying tocover for a friend, do him a
favor. No good deed goes unpunished, like they originally said, and then
they figured out, oh, heinadvertently committed a crime here. This is
(12:35):
legal in California, even though hewas just trying to help someone out,
even though he wasn't the one betting. Is that where most people are falling
in this situation that you talk tolike, okay, like technically, yeah,
he did something legal, and that'swhy the lawyers now are going the
other direction with this and saying hemust have stolen it from him. Yeah,
I think that that almost it seemslike the most likely scenario, you
(12:58):
know, in all this, likeit does sort of make sense because they've
they've known each other for like adecade and they were pretty much inseparable,
like like earlier that day, there'sfootage of them all buddy buddy in the
doug in the dugout in Korea.In that way, it was game two
I think of the season, andthen later later that night, all of
(13:18):
a sudden, it was this guystole from me. Yeah, And so
I think it's it is believable,like he was helping a friend and then
when when the story came out,like, oh yeah, he's just he
sent this wire transfer on my behalflike he was helping a friend. And
then and then you could see thespin coming when oh, wait, that's
a federal crime. We can't say, ow Tony did this right like that,
(13:41):
that's that's that effect. So thewildest aspect to me, I guess
in the ESPN story, I guessit was like Andrew Friedman in the team
meeting after the first game of theseason, like, hey, this ESPN
story is coming out. Mark Walterwas in there, the owner and like
addressing the team. That had tobe a bizarre meeting. But I guess
Edred Freeman said like, oh yeah, and show, hey was you know,
(14:03):
helping helping or Efe was show hewas helping Ethe by covering his gambling
death. But I'm and I haveI would love to have been a fly
on the wall just to see Otanilike processing it all, because you know,
given the story Otani laid out,he was not you know, I
was not with him, like hewas in the part of the meeting himself.
(14:24):
So Otani's sitting there going like,wait, did he just say what
I think he said? You knowthat kind of thing. Like he said,
he didn't understand everything, but hewas picking up through context clues,
and so he's got to be thinkingwait in his story right like that that's
almost sitcom level of of like wait, is he saying I did what you
(14:45):
know that kind of a thing andthen that it's just like it's almost comical.
I get this play. I willsay to the beginning and end of
most of all of this, whenwe're talking about any sort of punishment towards
Otani, did he or or didEba bet on baseball with this bookie,
Because ultimately, if he bet onanything that was Major League Baseball has had
(15:05):
this six situation a couple of yearsago with the pitcher from the Marlins who
had some gambling debts back before itwas legal. It was illegal, it
was against baseball's rules. But becausehe didn't bet on baseball, he was
fine. I don't even think thathe was suspended for anything. So ultimately,
if we're talking about Altani in anysort of damages or any sort of
discipline that be handed out to him, specifically for Major League Baseball, at
(15:26):
least, I can't speak to thelegal se situation of it, really the
most that they would do, basedon precedent, is give him a fine
and let him keep going alongest way, am I am I getting that wrong?
Yeah? I think that's right,And you know, I guess that
for more baseball is concerned. Isaw a thing where I think there was
some report today that ur last nightthat Rob Manford wanted to make this a
(15:50):
short investigation. So yeah, I'msure he does. But like, if
you know, as long as likethere's no betting on baseball, MLB can
be like, you know, hey, they can make a serious statement by
saying, you know, it's importantto you know, gamble responsibly and like
be careful who you associate with,et cetera. But like he's not going
(16:11):
to get like more than a fine, if anything, from base from baseball.
But yeah, where the if itcomes out, like all the reports
at least so far suggests that EPAdid not bet on baseball, But like
if that comes out, then thenit starts getting much worse, right for
Tonic because he'd be at least intertwinedand liable to be you know, suspended.
(16:37):
So that that's where it gets thatthat's where it could get really nasty,
Like at least from a from aplaying standpoint. I besides, like
the legal stuff, well in gettingto the legal stuff, they said they
pass it on to the authorities.Is going to take the fall? Could
he do real jail time if heis found guilty of this? Like do
you know anything on that front?I mean you would think, you know,
(17:03):
for like at least four and ahalf million, based on ESPN's reporting
that that was you know, paidor you know, quote unquote stole or
at least that Otani is saying hesole and you know, I'm sure you
know the various levels of like otherthan see like whatever it is to like
(17:23):
make a wire transfer posing as someoneyou know that if that's the case,
right, Like so I do thinkthat that's kind of in play. That's
what made what made like Otani's statementlike at least more Uh, it was
more meaningful at least to me,like because just sort of laying that author
like if that's true, like Epay'sin a world of trouble. I mean
(17:44):
he's in a world of trouble Ithink anyway, But like yeah, there
there's I think the i r Sat their opening investigation, like that's a
separate thing. But like man he'sthere's it seems like walls are closing in
a little bit. Plus all andOtani side at least or is this kind
of controlling the narrative at this pointbecause it's not like he's going to come
out with a statement or he might, but all this stuff is like,
(18:08):
man, can you believe this otherthing he did? You know, than
like the whole like you know,uc Riverside says, we don't have a
record of him going here, letalone graduating red SOX. Well, yeah,
all this stuff, So it's likeeverything kind of crumbling in that in
that regard, but yeah, itwas an intern for Kevin and I actually
(18:30):
we don't have a record, Andthat's kind of half of the situations,
Like this is the character assassination.But by the way, when much of
it can be true. By theway, so assassination sounds bad, but
I mean they they basically try togo out and try to paint this guy
as an irreputable person in irreputable source. And so I say, if he
lied about all these things, whowas to say he didn't lie about that?
So that he I guess Otani's campwould at least have that working in
(18:51):
their favor. Yes. And thenthe other aspect is is of the scenario
where it really was like, say, let's say Otani did just Hey,
I just want to help my friendout right, But then they realized that
that would have him admitting to doingthat would be a federal crime for Otani,
and you can't really have Otani dothat. So how then then it
(19:11):
becomes is their friendship strong enough towhere I pay agreed to whatever he's going
to right now, like, yes, I will take the fault for this,
you know. In other words,Otani will be deferring another payment,
uh for twenty years when he getsout of jail. Shine. Anything from
(19:33):
a year ago is going directly toepe who does maybe? Or what's about
Barry Bonds's boy? Who still ishe still in prison? What's his face?
Victor? And yeah, Greg Andersonone of those guys. Yeah,
that whole situation. Maybe it's oneof those yeah, all right, all
right. That's from a baseball standpoint, because it certainly didn't seem to affect
Otani on opening Day. A coupleof hits brain fart on the basis which,
(19:55):
by the way, happened to him, was that in Game one or
Game two in Korea as well,where he ran into an out. Uh,
I know, they they kind ofthey joked about it after the game.
Is this a serious issue that theDodgers have to consider with this guy
right now? This has happened twicein the first three games of the season.
Something lost in translation with the thirdbase coast. Yeah, maybe that's
that's where he said, Well,maybe he's distracted. No, you know,
I don't know. No, itdidn't seem so they yesterday. You
(20:19):
know, I think the you couldargue that, you know, Evil definitely
should have sent Mookie Bets home onthat play, especially like where the throw
is going in, he would haveeasily scored. Although I could the logic
was and Dave Roberts said as muchafter the game that you know, you
got Freddie Freeman and Will Smith doup next. There's no outs, like
(20:42):
just let's just have these these twoguys in scoring position and see what we
can do. And uh, butyou know, I think, oh,
Tony just wasn't he didn't look upbecause he was a stand up cripple,
right like if if running normally,but he didn't look up and and Deno
Evil was like had to stop signup. So like you know, it's
(21:02):
miscommunication on that part, but alsoI think they should have They also should
have sent Mookie home. So whoknows. Eric Steven is our guest here
on the f and A podcast,So all systems go with Tyler Glass.
Now with that start, is hedestined to be a cy young candidate this
season and everything's gonna come together forhim and being fully healthy for the Dodgers
(21:22):
Giant fans well. So he's beenone of those guys where you know,
when healthy, he's really good andthen it's just a matter of staying on
the field. And you know,he came back from Tommy John surgery last
year and he was like really goodfor the Rays all like the underlying numbers,
the strikeout rate, like the stuffis awesome. So they they are
(21:47):
very high on him. I wouldsay, like, you know, his
he also had I forgot if itwas an I think it was it was
an oblique early in the season whenhe missed time. But like he pitched
one hundred and twenty innings last yearand that was just or high, Like
let's give him whatever he had inthe minors for a couple of recaps,
So like say one hundred and thirtyfive innings, Like until he passes that
(22:08):
that's always going to be held againsthim, right that he's just not He's
not durable, So like I thinkthey're gonna take whatever they can get.
But like when he's active and pitching, I think he's their best pitcher right
now. And and he the stufflooked really good yesterday. He was saying,
like the fastball and curve didn't reallywork until later, but once it
(22:32):
was, he was he was ina good spot. He was cruising for
the most part, like well theywere Cardinals were swinging early on him,
so it kept his pitch count downa little. But like Paul Goldsmid had
the only two hits off and oneof them was a solo home run.
But yeah, he's he looks reallygood. And it is funny, like
you know they they traded for Glassnow and then they extended him. You
(22:52):
know, he wasn't a free agent, but it was part of the trade
that you know, he signed forbasically more than like what Blake Snell and
Jordan Montgomery got combined. Like whata wild time this is in baseball talk
about the defense. We know MookieBetts moving to shortstop because Gavin Lux was
struggling there a little bit. Mookiobviously had the big home run to get
(23:12):
them started off well, but youknow, he had issues in the final
exhibition game against Anaheim or Los Angeles, whatever the hell they want to call
themselves. I don't even care anymore, California, Yeah, exactly, and
then he had to throw in airyesterday from short. I know the media
brought up after that final game againstthe Angels, you know, whether or
not he would consider using Miguel Rojasas a defensive replacement for Mooki in certain
(23:34):
situations in close games, and hewas sort of non committal, not you
know, saying one way or theother whether it's something he would consider.
But you obviously have to give himat least a little bit of a leash
there too, to sort of getcomfortable playing a position he hasn't played regularly
in a decade. So I guesshow do you balance those two trying to
know you have to keep his batin the line up. You're not gonna
bench him, obviously you want toget him confidence, but also knowing you're
(23:56):
not gonna beat everybody seven to one, and they're gonna be situations where you're
up three two or down to onegoing into the seventh or eighth, and
every run is crucial, and youcan't afford to have Mookie Bets, you
know, throw making air and throwsor having balls go underneath his glove like
he did against the Angels the otherday. Yeah, and I think you'll
see probably more what they did yesterdaywhere they in the ninth inning, Miguel
(24:21):
Rojas after pinch hitting, played shortand they just moved Mooki to second.
I know last year a lot hewas going back and forth between second base
and right field. I could seemaybe that occasionally, like you know,
they have some games where just youknow, you're just kind of scrambling and
they do a lot of like pinchhitting, and then they'll do a double
switch here, double switch there.Maybe there's a situation where they almost have
(24:45):
to have Mooky Bets go to rightyou know, or something if if say,
if they're bringing like Miguel Rojas inor whatever. But I think for
the most part they'd like to keepLooky Bets in the infield. Just they're
pretty high on the less wear andtear for him in the infield. I
don't I don't know if I completelybuy that, But yeah, the defense
(25:07):
is going to be an issue.Like you know, Max Mounsey struggled last
year at thirty, didn't look greatthis spring or and he had the two
errors and in one game in SouthKorea. You know, Mookie's gonna be
He's probably gonna be okay, it'ssure, but he's not. He's not
Miguel Rojas, right, mcguil rossis excellent, Like defensively, he can't
(25:27):
really hit as much. And thenLux he's always his his. He's gonna
have throwing problems, I think,but they're less noticeable at second or less.
You know, it doesn't hurt youas much because obviously the the thrower
short. So I think it's justgonna be something to watch this year,
(25:48):
like how how they sort of handlethat? Now Lux could hit well enough
to where, uh, it doesn'tmatter as much, and like you just
sort of same same thing with Munsey, right, if he hits the they're
fine. But like that that's thething to watch, Like how how much
will defense cost them? You know? But will they get enough offense to
(26:10):
make up part? And I thinkthey're betting on that right now. And
speaking of their prolific offense, especiallythe first three guys in the batting order.
I think they started four for fourand scored all their runs to start
off that game yesterday. Just howunique are those three players on one team
together? What would you compare itto in the modern era of great lineups?
(26:33):
Like the Socks have had some greatlineups, the Yankees obviously, we
thought the Padres would. Uh whowould you say could compare to the Dodgers'
top three hitters. Yeah, it'swild, because you know, there there's
a lot of like pretty good orreally great, like you know, hitting
(26:53):
runs in a lineup or whatever.But these guys right now, like I
know, Freeman's the oldest, butthey're basically all like in roughly in their
primes, and like all of themare essentially MVP level, Like you know,
Mookie Betts would have been at MVPin most years. Last year,
but Ronald Cowney Junior just had agreat year, so he's second. Same
(27:17):
for Freddie Freeman, like you couldhave argued he's MVP caliber. He finished
third, He's they've all won onerecently, and so to have with Otani,
just to have those three together,that's a pretty crazy you know,
just trio there and then they're allat the top. And I was thinking
about this. I don't I'm tryingto think. At some point I looked
(27:41):
up trying to look up like greattrios and and that kind of thing.
It's really it's there's not many,you know, if you just look at,
like, you know, former MVPs. Usually when you get former MVPs
together, if they're older, likethe Angels in nineteen eighty two, speaking
of the California Angels, I preferthat name as well. By the way,
(28:03):
they had Red lind Reggie Jackson,Rod Crew, and Don Baylor.
All of them won MVPs. Butthey're all older at that point, right,
So it's not like they're getting primeplayers. The Dodgers have that now,
but they're basically in their prime.So like I'm trying to think with
the Red Sox, even back inthe day, I mean they had what
(28:23):
they had, a rose, theyhad who am I thinking of the old
big Red machine. But even acouple of those guys are old. They
had Schmid, yeah, Mike Schmidt, and they had one more. But
I mean they but I think theythink they're all old at that point.
I was thinking the ninety three GiantsI think Bonds's first year, they still
had Matt Williams and Will Clark maybeuh oh that was the powerhouse. They
(28:48):
may have still had Kevin Mitchell.Uh. Texas has had some great lineup.
Seattle has had some great lineups overthe years. You know. Yeah,
Seattle had Boone, a Rod andGriffy, but I wasn't a Rod
yet. He was young. Sothere's that. I'm trying to think.
I don't remember exactly when the Reds. I think maybe it was for only
(29:08):
one year, but when the RedTars got like David Ortiz, I want
to see in two thousand and three, and I think by then Nomar Garciapara
was like got hurt a lot atrisk. He wasn't quite prime, but
like they had Manny Ortiz and himtogether, I guess you could say they
would. They did have like MannyOrtiz and Pedroia, although it's not is
(29:33):
not on the same level. Sobut yeah, it's really hard to get
like that that those that good oflike a group of hitters, like three
of them together at once. We'rewitnessing history basically in real time. Yeah,
it's it is fascinating to watch.I can't imagine like this seems terrifying
pitching those three guys in order,Well, you know, kind of a
forgotten guy who just got signed toa ten year extension and some say even
(29:56):
under market value at that is aWill Smith. And look, he's probably
not going to play catcher for thenext ten seasons. It's just ridiculous for
somebody to do that. So maybethey have designs of moving him to first
base or dah or whatever the situationmight be in the future. But for
someone who's regarded as the best offensivecatcher at least one of the best offensive
catchers along with real Muto, Dodgershave to feel like they got a bit
(30:18):
of a bargain with Will Smith stayingfor ten years, one hundred and forty
million. I would think, yeah, I was trying to sort of figure
this out. So he had hewas going to make eight and a half
this year because he avoided arbitration.He had one more arbitration year left,
so I sort of back at thenapkin, figured twenty one million for those
two years. And then if youtack on, like JT. Real Muto's
(30:41):
contract from a couple of years agowas five years, one fifteen, so
you're basically at this point about sevenone point thirty six and the Dodgers signed
for one forty over ten years,so like they basically signed him for like
that seven year money just kind ofspread over ten years. Like like you
said, well, they'll figure figureout, if you know how, where
(31:03):
he's going to play in those lateryears. But I think, yeah,
that seemed like a no brainer fromthe team standpoint. But I'm like,
if you're Smith, right, it'shard to like it's one hundred and forty
million, right, like of courseyou're going to do that, But yeah,
I can't say I saw that coming. Is it's kind of been rare
that the Dodgers have extended like homegrownstars, like before free agency like FAVERI
(31:27):
sign guys and stuff, but likeKershaw was basically the last one they did.
Technically they did with Mookie Betts too, but it was after they traded
for him and then then you know, sign them to the extensions. It's
a little bit different. But mostof the other deals like have been really
small, like Austin Barnes before freeagency, they signed them to a two
(31:47):
year deal, Like obviously that's noton the same scale, but it's it
was it was kind of surprising tosee. But you know, I think
it sounds like, given what Smithwas saying on on Wednesday, he just
he really wanted to do it.So if you're gonna, hey, Sime,
the the longest deal for a catcherin like major league history, so
(32:07):
why not do it right? Youknow what's some bullshit? I keep thinking
about great lineups and those Giants wonlike one hundred and three fucking games and
didn't make the playoffs because there wasno wild card back then. And on
the last day of the season,the Dodgers beat him like ten to one,
with Mike Piazza having two home runsto keep him out from a play
(32:27):
in against the Atlanta Braves. Sorry, I'm just reliving my youth here.
Uh, Bobby Miller is going tonight. He'll be on the mound for the
Dodgers. The last time we sawAmeric he was getting his boobs ripped off
as Patricks Fabaekas say, you wentlike two innings against the Diamondbacks in that
ill fated series last year. Whatdo you expect from him, just maturity
(32:52):
wise and where he's at in hiscareer? Uh, starting off this year
for the Dodgers. Yeah, heseems like in a pretty good spot.
Like his stuff was really good lastyear. You know, he kind of
struggled a bit in the in TripleA before coming up, and like he
was their their top pitching prospect,but like Kevin Stone was kind of right
(33:15):
there with him. But yeah,like there was some concern like what would
the would it sort of translate andand you know, he had a little
bit of some some hiccups during theseason, but he was down the stretch,
like you know, they were sortof grooming him to be like a
guy who could go late in thegames, Like they were keeping him in
(33:35):
longer to like let him go throughthat, you know, that kind of
thing. So he had a littlebit of growing teams. But he seems
he seems like he's in a goodspot right now. Yeah, obviously the
that that playoff start was was terribleand like you know, they didn't they
didn't get really any pitching in thatwhole Their bullpen was great, but no
no starting pitching in that whole series. So they're sort of counting on Miller,
(33:57):
I think, to take that nextstep this year. He's he looked
pretty good, like in the spring, like you know, he didn't.
He didn't pitch in the South KoreaSeries. He did, uh in one
of the exhibition games there, butit's all it's been basically all exhibitions.
But he's he's looked really good.I think, uh so far. So
it's just a matter of you know, him doing a I think I think
(34:19):
he's gonna be, you know,have a pretty good year. But yeah,
it's it's hard to say, likethey they were really I do wonder,
like given the staff right now,uh if you know, because just
given Glassnow's injury history, it's hardto to say he's gonna you know,
pitch a full season. He might, and if he does, he'll be
really good. But I would almostbet on Bobby Miller to like lead this
(34:44):
team at innings this year, justgiven how they were sort of grooming him
last year and the way he waspitching. So I think that that's something
that sort of looks forward to,hopefully for the Dodgers sake. Excuse me,
the kid holds up. He isEric Stephen follow him on x at
Eric steven rights for as Nation andTrue Blue LA covering the Dodgers. Eric,
thanks for hopping on as always,and we'll talk to you as this
(35:05):
season continues to progress. You know, it's bullshit. Eric, They won
one hundred and three five games.It didn't make the playoffs. Are you
kidding me? They could have wonthe whole thing. I'm gonna I'm gonna
go look at my SOLM card collectionand I'll talk to you guys later.
Yeah, we'll get to the missingrings on the nineties giants later. Miss
it a lot. Thank you,Thank you, Eric, Thanks Dusty,
(35:25):
Thanks Eric? All right, Eric, well talk to you. Appreciate it.
Man. You know what they callus f an NBAF an NBA.
Well, one guy calls is that. You know Trump listens to fn NBA.
Oh, David Magdaleno. So youknow we got to get some NBA
talk in an NBA. We gotenough baseball in you know what's bothering me?
Also, you know what grinds mygears? Go ahead, go batting,
(35:47):
my goat, go ahead at him. Okay, have you noticed this
on x It's appropriately called x nowinstead of Twitter because more boobs. There
are so many sex spots out therewho can get fake accounts. You get
random follows from Oxano whoever? Yeah, by all the figure skaters as an
(36:09):
only fans now it's just was supposedto stop with all the bots and raise
authenticity. I thought that was partof one of his big things. They
multiplied. Okay, this proliferation ofbots everywhere. I can't even say something
about the Clippers without getting some responselike check out my profile, check out
(36:34):
my vagina, some more bitcoin,you know, yeah, pop up a
lot. It's too much. Andthen I get and they're getting more sophisticated.
I get this one from Majesty DakotaGray earlier today, responding to me
talking about the Pelicans now being ahalf game back of the Clippers after they
won last night over the Milwaukee Bucks. And I talked about Zion and what
(36:55):
a load he is and how difficultit's going to be to stop into seven
games series because you know, that'swhere the Clippers are headed most likely.
And I see her playing is notthat far off the horizon, dare you?
She says. She responds to thiswith, not, you know,
(37:17):
nudes and profile, but what you'rereally looking for a lapping emoji, a
hand clapping emoji, a basketball emoji, and who can stop Zion? Though
the Bucks are shook? Hashtag fearof the Pelicans hashtag playoff bound hashtag zion
on fire, But you mean thatsounds like an authentic tweet from like a
(37:37):
royal, a royal member of theroyal family. Majesty. What's her name?
Dakota Gray? Yeah? Is thata reference to Grey's anatomy and Dakota
the actress who's in it? Like? Is that? Why is her alias
or something like that? Fifty Shadesof Grey is the actress? Yeah,
so we decoded that. I sureshe's a bot and not a real person
(38:00):
if she's tweeting you basketball emojis andhaving direct I mean, maybe she's just
an actual fan. It seems socustomized that I did think that for a
second when Legler and there's Boobler hereinstead giving basketball analysis, this Majesty Dakota
Gray. So I go to lookat her profile and all the replies that
(38:21):
she has, and it looks likeshe's replying specifically to tweets about the Pelicans.
Okay, so she's a Pelicans fan, like Jonahs Valentnis. Somebody posting
a clip of him and she goes, haha, JB thinks he's a baller.
Not buying it? Nice try though, hashtag feeling sassy because the guy
(38:44):
said JV feeling it tonight, SoI guess she's hating on him. Interesting,
So she's not a fan of valentewIn. Pretty sure. This is
still AI driven stuff that just automaticallyreplies, like she has some program where
she puts in keywords someone has GPSworking for and she's just replying to things
(39:04):
left in right. So no actualtweets other than replies, is what you're
saying. Well, she tweets outsome scandalous stuff here, okay, like
you know, to get you togo to her only fans or it's it's
your love Dakota dot com if youwant to click on that and have a
fishing expedition on your computer, goingon a trojan horse. Okay. So
athough doesn't necessarily mean that she's abot. She's just a businesswoman trying to
(39:28):
just throw some throw a bunch oflines out there, and for whatever reason,
maybe she has an affinity for thePelicans. Not a bot and yeah
maybe a tot. Yeah, nota bot. She just wants to get
some She just wants to get somebusiness out there. At him, good
trying to styme me this woman capitalism, God damn, do what you want?
So skinned I don't care, butit's just it's disingenuous. I don't
(39:50):
think she means it. I don'tthink these basketball takes are real. I
don't think she wants to engage withme about this. Like if I respond,
say I do just for the sakeof this show, looking at me
like, are you crazy? You'reready to pull her? Fred Rogan and
say Booker on the show, breefind this, find Royal Dakota. I'm
looking at her Twitter and at DakotaGray three three four eight six. Does
(40:15):
this seem that digits? You know? That real? I'm not upset,
Okay, I'm I'm not upset justbecause I DM her four times if she
didn't respond, but she keeps responding, putting my tweets randomly. It was
just vague stuff like this talk aboutthe Pelicans. I I just I don't
(40:37):
know. I kind of want torespond and see if she'll take things further
in a basketball conversation or if thenext reply is check out my vagina,
check it out? Do you thinkthat's what? Do you think is more
likely? If I do it here? I mean, basically, i'd say,
good basketball knowledge, Dakota. ShouldI do it? If you like
(40:59):
that. Am I gonna get inTrump for this? Do you like that?
You're really like this? And here'sthe link? Should I give her
a leak to our show today?Might as what why not talked about you
on our show today? Don't tagme in it though, leave me out.
I was. I'm gonna leave thatjust between you. Don't don't put
me on No, I just thinkI'm going down. Let me no.
(41:19):
I get I get these bots andI just ignore them. Don't think anything
about them. Couldn't care less.They're getting more specific with the way they
engage. Good. I mean,we know the machines are going to take
over and be enslaving us within thenext ten years. We already accepted this
demographics basketball, that's good, fansplayers all that? Are we sure?
(41:45):
Are you looking at the same DakotaGray glam at Dakota Gray three three four
eight six that I am. I'mliterally staring at her vagina right now,
literally on her Twitter. Yeah,Well, don't respond to that one.
Maybe don't respond with I'm a fanof your Yeah, I mean it's I
mean, that's what do you whatare you gonna do? You want to
see what her bio says. Financestudent pustling through spreadsheets by day and nighting
(42:12):
screens on only fans by night,and then the money emoji and then the
little star emoji. Also, okaya, business woman and she's intelligence. So
this week gets the Pelicans, nextweek it'll be the Mavericks fans, and
so you're getting the basketball kind ofnerds all like sorry, get them getting
all hot and bothered, like,oh my god, does she know basketball?
(42:35):
Is she hot? Is she goingto talk to me about basketball?
Yeah? And she knows finances.Be the perfect woman for you as you
go, you know, finance.Maybe she should handle little Tawny's. That's
all you. That's why she wasapplying to you. I think she's trying
to fish a little bit. Okay, the ways to bite the hook?
Apparently I did. We got some, we got some run out of this,
but quickly, Clippers a little bitof trouble. Yeah, eleven,
(43:00):
you should be saying thanks to theofficials who didn't even wait for the two
many report to come out to say, yeah, we fed up on that.
Kelly Ubre, you can hold onand the person above anybody else who
complains about the officials, and Ipoint out the fact that the officials total
on themselves after the game, andAdam was like, I just he was
(43:21):
kind of straight up, Paul George, it wasn't that obvious of a foul
late in the game like that,They're typically gonna swallow the whistle. It's
very unbecoming of an official to outthemselves after the game and say, yeah,
we looked at the video and weeffed up. Well, you want
to wait for the two minutes orthe too many report does it themselves?
Why not if you if you knowafterwards. Look, the best part about
(43:42):
that was if you guys watched thisgame between the Clippers and the Philadelphia seventy
six ers on Wednesday, Kelly Ubraimmediately after flip them off, then went
over to each individual referee and said, you're a bitch. You're a bitch,
this is right. Mama was abitch, Your mama's a bitch,
Your dad's a bitch, your grandma'sa bitch. Then it came out after
(44:05):
him, so you know, thatwas unbecoming to me, Like I'm a
religious dude, I don't I shouldn'thave done that. He did not escape
the fine. He did not knowNick Nurse got hit with one too I
hope he got on a knee andrepented for that. Not Christ Like there,
Kelly, your Lakers because up asup and down as they always have
been. What do you mean fivein a row? Good for them?
They can lose five in a row. You know they can. Playing gritty
(44:29):
basketball. They went over Milwaukee wascrazy. It was an ad ball.
His ass off played fifty plus minutes. They played amazing. And they can
go and lay an egg next weekagainst a trash team. So I still
I don't know. I think they'regetting right just in time, and they're
gonna bounce either okayc or Minnesota inthe first round. And I will say
(44:50):
this, yes, I will saythis. I'm listening. I think they
will push Denver if they face themthe right train. Huh, Denver doesn't
want to see the Lakers in thefirst round. Wrong, because based on
history, that makes all the sensein the world. Totally get I'm saying.
It's a bold call, a boldtake. Okay, yeah, there
(45:14):
you go. I feel like apiece of sh Let me call epe get
that message to the bookie. Puteverything on the Lakers. If they played
Denver in the playoffs. Well,let's run it by Dakota Gray beforehand.
But yes, the Clippers needed thatwin badly against Philly. However they got
it. Divine the intervention, refereeintervention, who gives a damn they needed
(45:35):
it. Do not have an easystretch the last ten games of the season,
playing a lot of teams that havea ship done to play for both
West and East Phoenix twice they doback to back nights. That's not going
to be easy to show the Phoenixteam that might jump them in the standings.
The way things are looking right now. You know, two and a
half games, I think is whatseparates four from seven. That's not insurmountable
(45:55):
in a ten game stretch. Soundsabout right. Yeah, yeah, but
we have the tiebreaker over uh yeah, no one except you waiting on that
one. We'll be an exciting finishfor the local teams. If nothing else
that to look forward to. Thankyou guys for listening. Thanks to Eric
Stephen popping All. Thank you Brieffor being here. As always appreciate it.
At follow Adam a at k FIGone at FN A show on the
(46:16):
Socials, at Dakota Gray Threat Adams'sfuture wife, Dakota Break. Guys,
have a good weekend. Happy Easter. We'll talk to you next week.
You know, Trump listens f anNBA
This. This is ghetto broadcasting livefrom the studios of a M five to
seven day. It's on a website. This is fn A man, I
am a god. Now what whydon't you get out of that jump suits?
Let me smack that fat ass.That's a scary crew. As far
(00:21):
as the product goes, voice ofa new generation man. He with young
guys really at the top of theirgames. The two of them had something
in common. We bring you radioecstasy. Oh it's beautiful broadcasting live from
the studios of a M five toseven day. Let it happen. This
is the FNA Podcast. Friday editionof the FNA Podcast was popping everybody.
(00:44):
It's Kevin Figers, Adam Austin Brieis here. The whole gang's back together
again. He prest Company. What'sup? Oh my god? I love
Priest Company. Such a good shot. Yeah. With the thime Master herself,
Suzanne Summers, I thought she washot and step by step she was
let alone, the younger version inthrees Company. I thought I thought she
(01:04):
was hotter when she was in theStep by Step than she was in Three's
Company. I thought she was hotterwhen she was older. Yeah. Well,
also there was something going on.What's Three's company? Early eighties?
Yes, early eighties, the womenand their hair back then, and the
bathing suits back then. I'm moreof a fan of the nineties fashion.
She was done upright in the nineties. But I would also say, and
(01:26):
maybe maybe I just liked older women. I don't know. Jill, the
woman that played Tim Allen's wife inHome Improvement, I thought she was hotter
in the older seasons than she wasin the early seasons. Bird about Jill
when there was Pamela and Er saidin Heidi kind of Oh, I'll say,
first of all, I thought Heidiwas was more attractive than Pamela Anderson.
I know that's a hot take fora lot of people. Yeah,
(01:49):
I'm just saying I just thought thatJill was more attractive when she was older
than the earlier parts of the season. That's all I'm saying. I was
I wasn't comparing her to anybody else. I was comparing her to herself.
She'll appreciate that comp she will.Unfortunately, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, he got
ugly. I haven't even seen himin twenty years. I have no idea
what he last time I saw wason an episode of Ronica Mars. I
(02:09):
think so I was twenty years ago. Veronica Mars, You're right, good
God hit us on the socials atkfig ones where you can find me on
x slash, Twitter, slash whatever. Adam was that follow out to a
bane twenty six? I got thenumber right. Bree's looking at pictures of
JTT now to see how she is. Did he turn out like Joel Osmond?
(02:31):
Oh my god, he's like anuglier version of Geez. I'm so
sorry. I'm when I said that'sone thing. I'm an a hole.
God, have you met me?There's a segment in my name called Who's
a Hole? Like? I mean, it's just like you know, synonymous,
you are very judgmental. What doeshe look like? Describe it to
(02:52):
the audience. Well, there's justlike it's like a like an Elf,
but like the like a smurf,but like a white guy smurf, a
white smurf, So basically a smurf. But he's not blue, right,
But he has the glasses in thelittle hat, like the smurf hat.
Yeah, the smurf. You surehe wasn't like playing a role in a
film or something. It was alittle chubby just walking around, like on
(03:13):
a random Tuesday getting a latte.It looks like he's walking around getting maybe
like a lavender latte kind of thing. Let himself go a little bit,
a little bit. It's a littlescary. I wonder how the younger brother
Mark is doing. Who was likeall gothed out right? JT T left
it because he goes to big timebecause he was in that what was it,
Huckleberry Finn movie? Not the oneI thought he was just riding off
(03:38):
with the lion King. Oh,lion King. He did the singing parts.
Not that was a talented enough youdidn't know that, bree, Oh
my god, you guys just totallylike it was a black kid. I
forget his name, but he wasan actor and like a small black sitcom
that wasn't successful. Shocker, interestingstory about this smart and I'm the one
I have to no it was.It actually was a smart guy. I
(04:00):
think it may have been. Itmight have been THEA. Actually, you
guys probably don't even know what THEAis or who THEA is. A stand
up comedian. She had a shortlived a sitcom for like two maybe a
season and a half, two seasonssomething like that. So this kid whose
name I cannot remember, when hesigned the deal to sing that song for
the Lion King. Disney offered himlike seventeen grand or something up front,
(04:20):
but back then was not terrible.It's like whatever. His mom, who
was working as his agent at thetime, said, no, I'm not
taking this money. Here's what we'regonna do. You're gonna pay him a
I forget the number. It wasa blank percentage of royalties from every single
cent that the movie and or songwill make in the future, life changing,
(04:41):
whether that kid worked a day inhis life ever again, one of
the highest grossing films of all time, one of the highest grossing musicals on
stage of all time. That familyis set for life, Elton based on
just the fact that his mom steppedin and said, we're not taking this
lump sum up front. We wantroyalties. You know, it's not easy
to one up Disney in the financialBob Iger got taken to the cleaners there.
(05:04):
Sure did. By the way,I'm sure they're fine. Disney's fine
too, stocks up everybody. Everybodywon in that situation. We'll get to
some NBA fad in the back endof the show with some Lakers and Clippers
talk uh and some other stuff aswell. But it was opening Day yesterday
across Major League Baseball. Dodgers openedup at home against the hated, hated
(05:28):
Saint Louis Cardinals. I mean,most people hate them up. They're just
very, very smug fan base.Because of twenty thirteen and twenty fourteen,
Dodger fans still hate them. Ithink universally, people just don't like the
way that Cardinal fans carry themselves.They're very baseball elitist. Yeah, but
remember when Agon was on the basesand they were doing the whole Mickey mouse
thing I do. Yeah, thatdoesn't help it. There's some bitterness there.
So let's let's talk to one ofour favorite guests. It was there
(05:49):
on site to witness all of thepomp and circumstances surrounding Opening Day at Dodger
Stadium yesterday, Alan Dragon did.Thank you, Gutty. You know,
it's not just a Friday. It'snot just a good Friday. It's a
great Friday because baseball is back infull swing, and so is our next
guest, who covers the game ina unique fashion with wordplay and with his
(06:10):
puns on runs philosophy. In fact, he transcends baseball. He responded to
a tweet for me saying, Tuckerjust stayed with Fox talking about the NBA,
and he said, I thought heleft Fox months ago. I mean,
oh, yes, it's our friend. Eric Steven from True Blue LA
and SB Nation follow him at EricStephen on x Eric. Thanks for coming
(06:31):
back on the FNA podcast. Howare we? It's always a pleasure And
it was pretty fun at the homeopening yesterday, so I'm sure we got
a lot to talk about. Yeah, and it was great seeing you at
the home opener yesterday. We weretalking a little off air about just how
hectic of a situation it was.As someone who's covered World Series games,
home openers, playoff openers, allthat, how did yesterday's opening day atmosphere
(06:51):
compare considering all the hooplau surrounding Gotaniand everything else. Yeah, in terms
of just like the crush of mediapeople like reporters, television people and photographers
and stuff, it was on parwith basically I thought, at least like
the League Championship Series round, butprobably also World Series, you know,
(07:13):
like after the game, like thejust the tunnel to the clubhouse, which
is like this very long tunnel,but it was full of like reporters waiting
to get into clubhouse, and itwas just that is not normal for like
a regular season game, and soit was interesting. I'm interested to see
how it h you know, howit might taper a little bit, or
(07:34):
if it does not at all,like because that that was a lot of
people. But just you know,just that's just sort of I think where
the Dodgers are right now. Youknow, pretty much they signed the biggest
star in the in the world inthe sport, and they're you know,
they're kind of getting everything that goeswith it now, including an investigation.
(07:54):
Uh, let's start with that,Eric before we get to the game.
What's the best and most believable probableexplanation for why tim Otani, the spokesman,
first said to ESPN he was transferringfunds just to cover for his friend,
and then the very next day itturned into no, the friends stole
the money from Otani. That's that'squite the switch up there. I just
(08:16):
find that part very interesting. Isthere something I'm missing? No, I
think you're right there. That's themost confusing part. I think part of
it is that crisis communications person orI forget exactly how they were described,
but they were basically hired like onceonce the story came out right, and
(08:41):
then it seems like everything they did, including green lighting the ninety minute interview
from Eba Mizahara with ESPN to likeeverything else, like it seems like they
were, hey, you think theywould green light that without asking him what
he's going to say to ESPN first? Come hang right, like like what
(09:01):
did they think was going to happen? Like, oh, is this ESPN's
calling. It's probably something good,you know, like that kind of a
thing, like, uh so Iguess there and the other so the other
aspect of this is, I don'tyou know Otannie spoke Monday at Dodger Stadium.
That was his first time sort oftalking about this. He did not
(09:22):
take questions. You read a statement. I did not expect much from that,
right, it was just going tobe like, you know, I
can't say much because there's investigations,but I will say it was it was
a stronger statement at least than Ithought. And he he like laid out
essentially all the accusations against the fameAzahara specifically if you remember back like when
(09:46):
when it all sort of broke thathis lawyers, like Otani's lawyers, put
out a statement basically saying there's beenmassive theft, but they didn't name anyone
specifically. In this statement, O'tanniesays you pay lied, He says if
he stole from him. He sayshe presented himself as as representing Otani,
like in communications with like the Dodgers, with his agency, like it was
(10:11):
everything, and so he like allthese things, you know what you would
think are very easily provable or Idon't know about how easily, but you
know, if he that's like youknow, you could you could get sued
for for saying someone that if theydidn't do it. So like I'm i'd
like to think like before that statementwas you know, probably reviewed by many
(10:35):
lawyers, and like before he saidit. So although given what we know
about the rest of this thing,like who knows what kind of counsel is
actually getting, but it seems likethat was a strong enough same to where
that's that's I think where some ofthe disconnectors, like also the Dodgers kind
of I think messed up. Bobbyand Ardaya at the Athletic sort of mentioned
(10:58):
that even the Dodgers were just theyjust assumed like Epay was like the go
between. I think at times sothey didn't they were hesitant to like,
you know, connect or speak directlyto Otani at times. Like so it
created a situation where Epe like basicallyhad a lot of power. I mean
(11:22):
that he was basically like in betweenkind of everything. And I think that,
at least in the story presented byOtani, like that makes it I
don't know about believable. It's moreplausible that you know, he could have
done certain things by saying Otani saidit was okay and all all that kind
of stuff. So I don't know. I'm sure more information is going to
(11:46):
come out, but it's just itreally is just a wild story. Do
you think he had enough power?Because when you talk about a wire transfer,
when you talk about bank statements andwhat it takes to move that large
sum of money, I've done itonce before, you know, for a
friend, and there's a lot ofsignatures, there's a lot of verification that
(12:11):
goes on. I just I havea hard time. I'm not saying I
believe Otani bet on baseball or anythinglike that. Do I think it's more
likely though that he was trying tocover for a friend, do him a
favor. No good deed goes unpunished, like they originally said, and then
they figured out, oh, heinadvertently committed a crime here. This is
(12:35):
legal in California, even though hewas just trying to help someone out,
even though he wasn't the one betting. Is that where most people are falling
in this situation that you talk tolike, okay, like technically, yeah,
he did something legal, and that'swhy the lawyers now are going the
other direction with this and saying hemust have stolen it from him. Yeah,
I think that that almost it seemslike the most likely scenario, you
(12:58):
know, in all this, likeit does sort of make sense because they've
they've known each other for like adecade and they were pretty much inseparable,
like like earlier that day, there'sfootage of them all buddy buddy in the
doug in the dugout in Korea.In that way, it was game two
I think of the season, andthen later later that night, all of
(13:18):
a sudden, it was this guystole from me. Yeah, And so
I think it's it is believable,like he was helping a friend and then
when when the story came out,like, oh yeah, he's just he
sent this wire transfer on my behalflike he was helping a friend. And
then and then you could see thespin coming when oh, wait, that's
a federal crime. We can't say, ow Tony did this right like that,
(13:41):
that's that's that effect. So thewildest aspect to me, I guess
in the ESPN story, I guessit was like Andrew Friedman in the team
meeting after the first game of theseason, like, hey, this ESPN
story is coming out. Mark Walterwas in there, the owner and like
addressing the team. That had tobe a bizarre meeting. But I guess
Edred Freeman said like, oh yeah, and show, hey was you know,
(14:03):
helping helping or Efe was show hewas helping Ethe by covering his gambling
death. But I'm and I haveI would love to have been a fly
on the wall just to see Otanilike processing it all, because you know,
given the story Otani laid out,he was not you know, I
was not with him, like hewas in the part of the meeting himself.
(14:24):
So Otani's sitting there going like,wait, did he just say what
I think he said? You knowthat kind of thing. Like he said,
he didn't understand everything, but hewas picking up through context clues,
and so he's got to be thinkingwait in his story right like that that's
almost sitcom level of of like wait, is he saying I did what you
(14:45):
know that kind of a thing andthen that it's just like it's almost comical.
I get this play. I willsay to the beginning and end of
most of all of this, whenwe're talking about any sort of punishment towards
Otani, did he or or didEba bet on baseball with this bookie,
Because ultimately, if he bet onanything that was Major League Baseball has had
(15:05):
this six situation a couple of yearsago with the pitcher from the Marlins who
had some gambling debts back before itwas legal. It was illegal, it
was against baseball's rules. But becausehe didn't bet on baseball, he was
fine. I don't even think thathe was suspended for anything. So ultimately,
if we're talking about Altani in anysort of damages or any sort of
discipline that be handed out to him, specifically for Major League Baseball, at
(15:26):
least, I can't speak to thelegal se situation of it, really the
most that they would do, basedon precedent, is give him a fine
and let him keep going alongest way, am I am I getting that wrong?
Yeah? I think that's right,And you know, I guess that
for more baseball is concerned. Isaw a thing where I think there was
some report today that ur last nightthat Rob Manford wanted to make this a
(15:50):
short investigation. So yeah, I'msure he does. But like, if
you know, as long as likethere's no betting on baseball, MLB can
be like, you know, hey, they can make a serious statement by
saying, you know, it's importantto you know, gamble responsibly and like
be careful who you associate with,et cetera. But like he's not going
(16:11):
to get like more than a fine, if anything, from base from baseball.
But yeah, where the if itcomes out, like all the reports
at least so far suggests that EPAdid not bet on baseball, But like
if that comes out, then thenit starts getting much worse, right for
Tonic because he'd be at least intertwinedand liable to be you know, suspended.
(16:37):
So that that's where it gets thatthat's where it could get really nasty,
Like at least from a from aplaying standpoint. I besides, like
the legal stuff, well in gettingto the legal stuff, they said they
pass it on to the authorities.Is going to take the fall? Could
he do real jail time if heis found guilty of this? Like do
you know anything on that front?I mean you would think, you know,
(17:03):
for like at least four and ahalf million, based on ESPN's reporting
that that was you know, paidor you know, quote unquote stole or
at least that Otani is saying hesole and you know, I'm sure you
know the various levels of like otherthan see like whatever it is to like
(17:23):
make a wire transfer posing as someoneyou know that if that's the case,
right, Like so I do thinkthat that's kind of in play. That's
what made what made like Otani's statementlike at least more Uh, it was
more meaningful at least to me,like because just sort of laying that author
like if that's true, like Epay'sin a world of trouble. I mean
(17:44):
he's in a world of trouble Ithink anyway, But like yeah, there
there's I think the i r Sat their opening investigation, like that's a
separate thing. But like man he'sthere's it seems like walls are closing in
a little bit. Plus all andOtani side at least or is this kind
of controlling the narrative at this pointbecause it's not like he's going to come
out with a statement or he might, but all this stuff is like,
(18:08):
man, can you believe this otherthing he did? You know, than
like the whole like you know,uc Riverside says, we don't have a
record of him going here, letalone graduating red SOX. Well, yeah,
all this stuff, So it's likeeverything kind of crumbling in that in
that regard, but yeah, itwas an intern for Kevin and I actually
(18:30):
we don't have a record, Andthat's kind of half of the situations,
Like this is the character assassination.But by the way, when much of
it can be true. By theway, so assassination sounds bad, but
I mean they they basically try togo out and try to paint this guy
as an irreputable person in irreputable source. And so I say, if he
lied about all these things, whowas to say he didn't lie about that?
So that he I guess Otani's campwould at least have that working in
(18:51):
their favor. Yes. And thenthe other aspect is is of the scenario
where it really was like, say, let's say Otani did just Hey,
I just want to help my friendout right, But then they realized that
that would have him admitting to doingthat would be a federal crime for Otani,
and you can't really have Otani dothat. So how then then it
(19:11):
becomes is their friendship strong enough towhere I pay agreed to whatever he's going
to right now, like, yes, I will take the fault for this,
you know. In other words,Otani will be deferring another payment,
uh for twenty years when he getsout of jail. Shine. Anything from
(19:33):
a year ago is going directly toepe who does maybe? Or what's about
Barry Bonds's boy? Who still ishe still in prison? What's his face?
Victor? And yeah, Greg Andersonone of those guys. Yeah,
that whole situation. Maybe it's oneof those yeah, all right, all
right. That's from a baseball standpoint, because it certainly didn't seem to affect
Otani on opening Day. A coupleof hits brain fart on the basis which,
(19:55):
by the way, happened to him, was that in Game one or
Game two in Korea as well,where he ran into an out. Uh,
I know, they they kind ofthey joked about it after the game.
Is this a serious issue that theDodgers have to consider with this guy
right now? This has happened twicein the first three games of the season.
Something lost in translation with the thirdbase coast. Yeah, maybe that's
that's where he said, Well,maybe he's distracted. No, you know,
I don't know. No, itdidn't seem so they yesterday. You
(20:19):
know, I think the you couldargue that, you know, Evil definitely
should have sent Mookie Bets home onthat play, especially like where the throw
is going in, he would haveeasily scored. Although I could the logic
was and Dave Roberts said as muchafter the game that you know, you
got Freddie Freeman and Will Smith doup next. There's no outs, like
(20:42):
just let's just have these these twoguys in scoring position and see what we
can do. And uh, butyou know, I think, oh,
Tony just wasn't he didn't look upbecause he was a stand up cripple,
right like if if running normally,but he didn't look up and and Deno
Evil was like had to stop signup. So like you know, it's
(21:02):
miscommunication on that part, but alsoI think they should have They also should
have sent Mookie home. So whoknows. Eric Steven is our guest here
on the f and A podcast,So all systems go with Tyler Glass.
Now with that start, is hedestined to be a cy young candidate this
season and everything's gonna come together forhim and being fully healthy for the Dodgers
(21:22):
Giant fans well. So he's beenone of those guys where you know,
when healthy, he's really good andthen it's just a matter of staying on
the field. And you know,he came back from Tommy John surgery last
year and he was like really goodfor the Rays all like the underlying numbers,
the strikeout rate, like the stuffis awesome. So they they are
(21:47):
very high on him. I wouldsay, like, you know, his
he also had I forgot if itwas an I think it was it was
an oblique early in the season whenhe missed time. But like he pitched
one hundred and twenty innings last yearand that was just or high, Like
let's give him whatever he had inthe minors for a couple of recaps,
So like say one hundred and thirtyfive innings, Like until he passes that
(22:08):
that's always going to be held againsthim, right that he's just not He's
not durable, So like I thinkthey're gonna take whatever they can get.
But like when he's active and pitching, I think he's their best pitcher right
now. And and he the stufflooked really good yesterday. He was saying,
like the fastball and curve didn't reallywork until later, but once it
(22:32):
was, he was he was ina good spot. He was cruising for
the most part, like well theywere Cardinals were swinging early on him,
so it kept his pitch count downa little. But like Paul Goldsmid had
the only two hits off and oneof them was a solo home run.
But yeah, he's he looks reallygood. And it is funny, like
you know they they traded for Glassnow and then they extended him. You
(22:52):
know, he wasn't a free agent, but it was part of the trade
that you know, he signed forbasically more than like what Blake Snell and
Jordan Montgomery got combined. Like whata wild time this is in baseball talk
about the defense. We know MookieBetts moving to shortstop because Gavin Lux was
struggling there a little bit. Mookiobviously had the big home run to get
(23:12):
them started off well, but youknow, he had issues in the final
exhibition game against Anaheim or Los Angeles, whatever the hell they want to call
themselves. I don't even care anymore, California, Yeah, exactly, and
then he had to throw in airyesterday from short. I know the media
brought up after that final game againstthe Angels, you know, whether or
not he would consider using Miguel Rojasas a defensive replacement for Mooki in certain
(23:34):
situations in close games, and hewas sort of non committal, not you
know, saying one way or theother whether it's something he would consider.
But you obviously have to give himat least a little bit of a leash
there too, to sort of getcomfortable playing a position he hasn't played regularly
in a decade. So I guesshow do you balance those two trying to
know you have to keep his batin the line up. You're not gonna
bench him, obviously you want toget him confidence, but also knowing you're
(23:56):
not gonna beat everybody seven to one, and they're gonna be situations where you're
up three two or down to onegoing into the seventh or eighth, and
every run is crucial, and youcan't afford to have Mookie Bets, you
know, throw making air and throwsor having balls go underneath his glove like
he did against the Angels the otherday. Yeah, and I think you'll
see probably more what they did yesterdaywhere they in the ninth inning, Miguel
(24:21):
Rojas after pinch hitting, played shortand they just moved Mooki to second.
I know last year a lot hewas going back and forth between second base
and right field. I could seemaybe that occasionally, like you know,
they have some games where just youknow, you're just kind of scrambling and
they do a lot of like pinchhitting, and then they'll do a double
switch here, double switch there.Maybe there's a situation where they almost have
(24:45):
to have Mooky Bets go to rightyou know, or something if if say,
if they're bringing like Miguel Rojas inor whatever. But I think for
the most part they'd like to keepLooky Bets in the infield. Just they're
pretty high on the less wear andtear for him in the infield. I
don't I don't know if I completelybuy that, But yeah, the defense
(25:07):
is going to be an issue.Like you know, Max Mounsey struggled last
year at thirty, didn't look greatthis spring or and he had the two
errors and in one game in SouthKorea. You know, Mookie's gonna be
He's probably gonna be okay, it'ssure, but he's not. He's not
Miguel Rojas, right, mcguil rossis excellent, Like defensively, he can't
(25:27):
really hit as much. And thenLux he's always his his. He's gonna
have throwing problems, I think,but they're less noticeable at second or less.
You know, it doesn't hurt youas much because obviously the the thrower
short. So I think it's justgonna be something to watch this year,
(25:48):
like how how they sort of handlethat? Now Lux could hit well enough
to where, uh, it doesn'tmatter as much, and like you just
sort of same same thing with Munsey, right, if he hits the they're
fine. But like that that's thething to watch, Like how how much
will defense cost them? You know? But will they get enough offense to
(26:10):
make up part? And I thinkthey're betting on that right now. And
speaking of their prolific offense, especiallythe first three guys in the batting order.
I think they started four for fourand scored all their runs to start
off that game yesterday. Just howunique are those three players on one team
together? What would you compare itto in the modern era of great lineups?
(26:33):
Like the Socks have had some greatlineups, the Yankees obviously, we
thought the Padres would. Uh whowould you say could compare to the Dodgers'
top three hitters. Yeah, it'swild, because you know, there there's
a lot of like pretty good orreally great, like you know, hitting
(26:53):
runs in a lineup or whatever.But these guys right now, like I
know, Freeman's the oldest, butthey're basically all like in roughly in their
primes, and like all of themare essentially MVP level, Like you know,
Mookie Betts would have been at MVPin most years. Last year,
but Ronald Cowney Junior just had agreat year, so he's second. Same
(27:17):
for Freddie Freeman, like you couldhave argued he's MVP caliber. He finished
third, He's they've all won onerecently, and so to have with Otani,
just to have those three together,that's a pretty crazy you know,
just trio there and then they're allat the top. And I was thinking
about this. I don't I'm tryingto think. At some point I looked
(27:41):
up trying to look up like greattrios and and that kind of thing.
It's really it's there's not many,you know, if you just look at,
like, you know, former MVPs. Usually when you get former MVPs
together, if they're older, likethe Angels in nineteen eighty two, speaking
of the California Angels, I preferthat name as well. By the way,
(28:03):
they had Red lind Reggie Jackson,Rod Crew, and Don Baylor.
All of them won MVPs. Butthey're all older at that point, right,
So it's not like they're getting primeplayers. The Dodgers have that now,
but they're basically in their prime.So like I'm trying to think with
the Red Sox, even back inthe day, I mean they had what
(28:23):
they had, a rose, theyhad who am I thinking of the old
big Red machine. But even acouple of those guys are old. They
had Schmid, yeah, Mike Schmidt, and they had one more. But
I mean they but I think theythink they're all old at that point.
I was thinking the ninety three GiantsI think Bonds's first year, they still
had Matt Williams and Will Clark maybeuh oh that was the powerhouse. They
(28:48):
may have still had Kevin Mitchell.Uh. Texas has had some great lineup.
Seattle has had some great lineups overthe years. You know. Yeah,
Seattle had Boone, a Rod andGriffy, but I wasn't a Rod
yet. He was young. Sothere's that. I'm trying to think.
I don't remember exactly when the Reds. I think maybe it was for only
(29:08):
one year, but when the RedTars got like David Ortiz, I want
to see in two thousand and three, and I think by then Nomar Garciapara
was like got hurt a lot atrisk. He wasn't quite prime, but
like they had Manny Ortiz and himtogether, I guess you could say they
would. They did have like MannyOrtiz and Pedroia, although it's not is
(29:33):
not on the same level. Sobut yeah, it's really hard to get
like that that those that good oflike a group of hitters, like three
of them together at once. We'rewitnessing history basically in real time. Yeah,
it's it is fascinating to watch.I can't imagine like this seems terrifying
pitching those three guys in order,Well, you know, kind of a
forgotten guy who just got signed toa ten year extension and some say even
(29:56):
under market value at that is aWill Smith. And look, he's probably
not going to play catcher for thenext ten seasons. It's just ridiculous for
somebody to do that. So maybethey have designs of moving him to first
base or dah or whatever the situationmight be in the future. But for
someone who's regarded as the best offensivecatcher at least one of the best offensive
catchers along with real Muto, Dodgershave to feel like they got a bit
(30:18):
of a bargain with Will Smith stayingfor ten years, one hundred and forty
million. I would think, yeah, I was trying to sort of figure
this out. So he had hewas going to make eight and a half
this year because he avoided arbitration.He had one more arbitration year left,
so I sort of back at thenapkin, figured twenty one million for those
two years. And then if youtack on, like JT. Real Muto's
(30:41):
contract from a couple of years agowas five years, one fifteen, so
you're basically at this point about sevenone point thirty six and the Dodgers signed
for one forty over ten years,so like they basically signed him for like
that seven year money just kind ofspread over ten years. Like like you
said, well, they'll figure figureout, if you know how, where
(31:03):
he's going to play in those lateryears. But I think, yeah,
that seemed like a no brainer fromthe team standpoint. But I'm like,
if you're Smith, right, it'shard to like it's one hundred and forty
million, right, like of courseyou're going to do that, But yeah,
I can't say I saw that coming. Is it's kind of been rare
that the Dodgers have extended like homegrownstars, like before free agency like FAVERI
(31:27):
sign guys and stuff, but likeKershaw was basically the last one they did.
Technically they did with Mookie Betts too, but it was after they traded
for him and then then you know, sign them to the extensions. It's
a little bit different. But mostof the other deals like have been really
small, like Austin Barnes before freeagency, they signed them to a two
(31:47):
year deal, Like obviously that's noton the same scale, but it's it
was it was kind of surprising tosee. But you know, I think
it sounds like, given what Smithwas saying on on Wednesday, he just
he really wanted to do it.So if you're gonna, hey, Sime,
the the longest deal for a catcherin like major league history, so
(32:07):
why not do it right? Youknow what's some bullshit? I keep thinking
about great lineups and those Giants wonlike one hundred and three fucking games and
didn't make the playoffs because there wasno wild card back then. And on
the last day of the season,the Dodgers beat him like ten to one,
with Mike Piazza having two home runsto keep him out from a play
(32:27):
in against the Atlanta Braves. Sorry, I'm just reliving my youth here.
Uh, Bobby Miller is going tonight. He'll be on the mound for the
Dodgers. The last time we sawAmeric he was getting his boobs ripped off
as Patricks Fabaekas say, you wentlike two innings against the Diamondbacks in that
ill fated series last year. Whatdo you expect from him, just maturity
(32:52):
wise and where he's at in hiscareer? Uh, starting off this year
for the Dodgers. Yeah, heseems like in a pretty good spot.
Like his stuff was really good lastyear. You know, he kind of
struggled a bit in the in TripleA before coming up, and like he
was their their top pitching prospect,but like Kevin Stone was kind of right
(33:15):
there with him. But yeah,like there was some concern like what would
the would it sort of translate andand you know, he had a little
bit of some some hiccups during theseason, but he was down the stretch,
like you know, they were sortof grooming him to be like a
guy who could go late in thegames, Like they were keeping him in
(33:35):
longer to like let him go throughthat, you know, that kind of
thing. So he had a littlebit of growing teams. But he seems
he seems like he's in a goodspot right now. Yeah, obviously the
that that playoff start was was terribleand like you know, they didn't they
didn't get really any pitching in thatwhole Their bullpen was great, but no
no starting pitching in that whole series. So they're sort of counting on Miller,
(33:57):
I think, to take that nextstep this year. He's he looked
pretty good, like in the spring, like you know, he didn't.
He didn't pitch in the South KoreaSeries. He did, uh in one
of the exhibition games there, butit's all it's been basically all exhibitions.
But he's he's looked really good.I think, uh so far. So
it's just a matter of you know, him doing a I think I think
(34:19):
he's gonna be, you know,have a pretty good year. But yeah,
it's it's hard to say, likethey they were really I do wonder,
like given the staff right now,uh if you know, because just
given Glassnow's injury history, it's hardto to say he's gonna you know,
pitch a full season. He might, and if he does, he'll be
really good. But I would almostbet on Bobby Miller to like lead this
(34:44):
team at innings this year, justgiven how they were sort of grooming him
last year and the way he waspitching. So I think that that's something
that sort of looks forward to,hopefully for the Dodgers sake. Excuse me,
the kid holds up. He isEric Stephen follow him on x at
Eric steven rights for as Nation andTrue Blue LA covering the Dodgers. Eric,
thanks for hopping on as always,and we'll talk to you as this
(35:05):
season continues to progress. You know, it's bullshit. Eric, They won
one hundred and three five games.It didn't make the playoffs. Are you
kidding me? They could have wonthe whole thing. I'm gonna I'm gonna
go look at my SOLM card collectionand I'll talk to you guys later.
Yeah, we'll get to the missingrings on the nineties giants later. Miss
it a lot. Thank you,Thank you, Eric, Thanks Dusty,
(35:25):
Thanks Eric? All right, Eric, well talk to you. Appreciate it.
Man. You know what they callus f an NBAF an NBA.
Well, one guy calls is that. You know Trump listens to fn NBA.
Oh, David Magdaleno. So youknow we got to get some NBA
talk in an NBA. We gotenough baseball in you know what's bothering me?
Also, you know what grinds mygears? Go ahead, go batting,
(35:47):
my goat, go ahead at him. Okay, have you noticed this
on x It's appropriately called x nowinstead of Twitter because more boobs. There
are so many sex spots out therewho can get fake accounts. You get
random follows from Oxano whoever? Yeah, by all the figure skaters as an
(36:09):
only fans now it's just was supposedto stop with all the bots and raise
authenticity. I thought that was partof one of his big things. They
multiplied. Okay, this proliferation ofbots everywhere. I can't even say something
about the Clippers without getting some responselike check out my profile, check out
(36:34):
my vagina, some more bitcoin,you know, yeah, pop up a
lot. It's too much. Andthen I get and they're getting more sophisticated.
I get this one from Majesty DakotaGray earlier today, responding to me
talking about the Pelicans now being ahalf game back of the Clippers after they
won last night over the Milwaukee Bucks. And I talked about Zion and what
(36:55):
a load he is and how difficultit's going to be to stop into seven
games series because you know, that'swhere the Clippers are headed most likely.
And I see her playing is notthat far off the horizon, dare you?
She says. She responds to thiswith, not, you know,
(37:17):
nudes and profile, but what you'rereally looking for a lapping emoji, a
hand clapping emoji, a basketball emoji, and who can stop Zion? Though
the Bucks are shook? Hashtag fearof the Pelicans hashtag playoff bound hashtag zion
on fire, But you mean thatsounds like an authentic tweet from like a
(37:37):
royal, a royal member of theroyal family. Majesty. What's her name?
Dakota Gray? Yeah? Is thata reference to Grey's anatomy and Dakota
the actress who's in it? Like? Is that? Why is her alias
or something like that? Fifty Shadesof Grey is the actress? Yeah,
so we decoded that. I sureshe's a bot and not a real person
(38:00):
if she's tweeting you basketball emojis andhaving direct I mean, maybe she's just
an actual fan. It seems socustomized that I did think that for a
second when Legler and there's Boobler hereinstead giving basketball analysis, this Majesty Dakota
Gray. So I go to lookat her profile and all the replies that
(38:21):
she has, and it looks likeshe's replying specifically to tweets about the Pelicans.
Okay, so she's a Pelicans fan, like Jonahs Valentnis. Somebody posting
a clip of him and she goes, haha, JB thinks he's a baller.
Not buying it? Nice try though, hashtag feeling sassy because the guy
(38:44):
said JV feeling it tonight, SoI guess she's hating on him. Interesting,
So she's not a fan of valentewIn. Pretty sure. This is
still AI driven stuff that just automaticallyreplies, like she has some program where
she puts in keywords someone has GPSworking for and she's just replying to things
(39:04):
left in right. So no actualtweets other than replies, is what you're
saying. Well, she tweets outsome scandalous stuff here, okay, like
you know, to get you togo to her only fans or it's it's
your love Dakota dot com if youwant to click on that and have a
fishing expedition on your computer, goingon a trojan horse. Okay. So
athough doesn't necessarily mean that she's abot. She's just a businesswoman trying to
(39:28):
just throw some throw a bunch oflines out there, and for whatever reason,
maybe she has an affinity for thePelicans. Not a bot and yeah
maybe a tot. Yeah, nota bot. She just wants to get
some She just wants to get somebusiness out there. At him, good
trying to styme me this woman capitalism, God damn, do what you want?
So skinned I don't care, butit's just it's disingenuous. I don't
(39:50):
think she means it. I don'tthink these basketball takes are real. I
don't think she wants to engage withme about this. Like if I respond,
say I do just for the sakeof this show, looking at me
like, are you crazy? You'reready to pull her? Fred Rogan and
say Booker on the show, breefind this, find Royal Dakota. I'm
looking at her Twitter and at DakotaGray three three four eight six. Does
(40:15):
this seem that digits? You know? That real? I'm not upset,
Okay, I'm I'm not upset justbecause I DM her four times if she
didn't respond, but she keeps responding, putting my tweets randomly. It was
just vague stuff like this talk aboutthe Pelicans. I I just I don't
(40:37):
know. I kind of want torespond and see if she'll take things further
in a basketball conversation or if thenext reply is check out my vagina,
check it out? Do you thinkthat's what? Do you think is more
likely? If I do it here? I mean, basically, i'd say,
good basketball knowledge, Dakota. ShouldI do it? If you like
(40:59):
that. Am I gonna get inTrump for this? Do you like that?
You're really like this? And here'sthe link? Should I give her
a leak to our show today?Might as what why not talked about you
on our show today? Don't tagme in it though, leave me out.
I was. I'm gonna leave thatjust between you. Don't don't put
me on No, I just thinkI'm going down. Let me no.
(41:19):
I get I get these bots andI just ignore them. Don't think anything
about them. Couldn't care less.They're getting more specific with the way they
engage. Good. I mean,we know the machines are going to take
over and be enslaving us within thenext ten years. We already accepted this
demographics basketball, that's good, fansplayers all that? Are we sure?
(41:45):
Are you looking at the same DakotaGray glam at Dakota Gray three three four
eight six that I am. I'mliterally staring at her vagina right now,
literally on her Twitter. Yeah,Well, don't respond to that one.
Maybe don't respond with I'm a fanof your Yeah, I mean it's I
mean, that's what do you whatare you gonna do? You want to
see what her bio says. Financestudent pustling through spreadsheets by day and nighting
(42:12):
screens on only fans by night,and then the money emoji and then the
little star emoji. Also, okaya, business woman and she's intelligence. So
this week gets the Pelicans, nextweek it'll be the Mavericks fans, and
so you're getting the basketball kind ofnerds all like sorry, get them getting
all hot and bothered, like,oh my god, does she know basketball?
(42:35):
Is she hot? Is she goingto talk to me about basketball?
Yeah? And she knows finances.Be the perfect woman for you as you
go, you know, finance.Maybe she should handle little Tawny's. That's
all you. That's why she wasapplying to you. I think she's trying
to fish a little bit. Okay, the ways to bite the hook?
Apparently I did. We got some, we got some run out of this,
but quickly, Clippers a little bitof trouble. Yeah, eleven,
(43:00):
you should be saying thanks to theofficials who didn't even wait for the two
many report to come out to say, yeah, we fed up on that.
Kelly Ubre, you can hold onand the person above anybody else who
complains about the officials, and Ipoint out the fact that the officials total
on themselves after the game, andAdam was like, I just he was
(43:21):
kind of straight up, Paul George, it wasn't that obvious of a foul
late in the game like that,They're typically gonna swallow the whistle. It's
very unbecoming of an official to outthemselves after the game and say, yeah,
we looked at the video and weeffed up. Well, you want
to wait for the two minutes orthe too many report does it themselves?
Why not if you if you knowafterwards. Look, the best part about
(43:42):
that was if you guys watched thisgame between the Clippers and the Philadelphia seventy
six ers on Wednesday, Kelly Ubraimmediately after flip them off, then went
over to each individual referee and said, you're a bitch. You're a bitch,
this is right. Mama was abitch, Your mama's a bitch,
Your dad's a bitch, your grandma'sa bitch. Then it came out after
(44:05):
him, so you know, thatwas unbecoming to me, Like I'm a
religious dude, I don't I shouldn'thave done that. He did not escape
the fine. He did not knowNick Nurse got hit with one too I
hope he got on a knee andrepented for that. Not Christ Like there,
Kelly, your Lakers because up asup and down as they always have
been. What do you mean fivein a row? Good for them?
They can lose five in a row. You know they can. Playing gritty
(44:29):
basketball. They went over Milwaukee wascrazy. It was an ad ball.
His ass off played fifty plus minutes. They played amazing. And they can
go and lay an egg next weekagainst a trash team. So I still
I don't know. I think they'regetting right just in time, and they're
gonna bounce either okayc or Minnesota inthe first round. And I will say
(44:50):
this, yes, I will saythis. I'm listening. I think they
will push Denver if they face themthe right train. Huh, Denver doesn't
want to see the Lakers in thefirst round. Wrong, because based on
history, that makes all the sensein the world. Totally get I'm saying.
It's a bold call, a boldtake. Okay, yeah, there
(45:14):
you go. I feel like apiece of sh Let me call epe get
that message to the bookie. Puteverything on the Lakers. If they played
Denver in the playoffs. Well,let's run it by Dakota Gray beforehand.
But yes, the Clippers needed thatwin badly against Philly. However they got
it. Divine the intervention, refereeintervention, who gives a damn they needed
(45:35):
it. Do not have an easystretch the last ten games of the season,
playing a lot of teams that havea ship done to play for both
West and East Phoenix twice they doback to back nights. That's not going
to be easy to show the Phoenixteam that might jump them in the standings.
The way things are looking right now. You know, two and a
half games, I think is whatseparates four from seven. That's not insurmountable
(45:55):
in a ten game stretch. Soundsabout right. Yeah, yeah, but
we have the tiebreaker over uh yeah, no one except you waiting on that
one. We'll be an exciting finishfor the local teams. If nothing else
that to look forward to. Thankyou guys for listening. Thanks to Eric
Stephen popping All. Thank you Brieffor being here. As always appreciate it.
At follow Adam a at k FIGone at FN A show on the
(46:16):
Socials, at Dakota Gray Threat Adams'sfuture wife, Dakota Break. Guys,
have a good weekend. Happy Easter. We'll talk to you next week.
You know, Trump listens f anNBA
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Nikki Glaser Podcast
Every week comedian and infamous roaster Nikki Glaser provides a fun, fast-paced, and brutally honest look into current pop-culture and her own personal life.