August 29, 2025 • 39 mins
Bill Plunkett joins us to talk about the Dodgers' pitching rotation, whether Walker Buehler may return and more. As UCLA and USC get set to start their seasons, we talk about the challenges they will face in year 2 in the Big 10. Do we have unrealistic expecations for players liek Cooper Flagg?
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
All right, we continue on, Fred Rogan, Rodney Pete. I
am five to seventy LA sports heading into the Labor
Day weekend, and the Dodgers have business at hand. They'll
play Arizona tonight out at the stadium. Let's bring on
our friend from the OC Register Sokel Newsgroup, Bill Plunkett. Bill,
good afternoon to you.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Fred. I want you to know that I have done
a lot of radio over the years. Yes, and I
have never had a better lead in to build audience
than one hour of you talking about Little League umpires.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Hey, we talked about the NAGL too. Bill kept them riveted,
riveted Bill.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
In southern California that hasn't tuned in to hear about
your unpleasuring days.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Listen, Bill, I have experience working the point. Bill.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Oh, I understand that.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
You know, Bill, and now now all of Southern California
understands that.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Two Yeah, every one of them has heard the stories.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Well, you asked Rodney, I did. That's fair. That's fair.
I did ask him to go down that rabbit hole. Bill,
So I apologize.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Who knew it would last an hour?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Though, Rode? Who knew it was twenty seven minutes? Baill, Hey,
the moment I asked him the question and he started.
I'm sure Kevin in the control was going, oh, here
we go. We're not gonna get there the other story.
We better just be for Bill to come on.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Well, I hope, I hope Kevin has that on tape
and is sending it immediately to the Smithsonian because they
were going to watch that the Greatest twenty seven minutes
in Radio.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Billion, the best Man. Bill. Just be honest, Bill, be honest.
Were you not fascinated by that?
Speaker 2 (01:58):
I will be honest, I was not fascinated.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
But oh my god.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
All right, well let's see if you can fascinate people
Bill with your assessment. Is is the resurgence real or
is it fool's gold? When it comes to the.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Dodgers, I think it's real for a couple of reasons,
one being the return of some of their depths with
these injured players coming back Key k next week, Monthsy
so it should be back. Kim will be back eventually,
Ed when we'll be back. So all of that restores
(02:38):
their depth. We're not going to see a lineup with
Buddy Kennedy and you know that that kind of depth
at the bottom. So that's one thing. The other thing
is I think the Padres got their attention, woke them up.
You know, it's serious. Now it's a two game lead,
it's not a nine game lead. And I do think
(03:01):
that that's sustainable. It's hard to you know, I talked
to Dave Roberts about this the other day. It's hard
to have at bat's like it's Game seven of the
World Series. For six months, you can't do that. But
for a month, yeah, you should be able to do that.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yeah, no doubt. So you know the guys coming back,
you just you know, ran off the guys that are
coming back. Edmund Key k just came back. We're gonna
get Mounsie back, Tanner, Scott came back, Yates came back,
Kim's gonna come back, Kope's coming back, all these guys
coming back. Of all those guys coming back, who has
(03:38):
the most impact or who is the most important one
coming back?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Well, it's gotta be Mounsie, right, I mean we saw
how good he was for that what two months stretch
month and a half stretch before he got the knee injury,
and we've seen what the offense has become without it.
I mean I was oaking with with him talking to
him the other day. I call it the Max Munthy effect.
(04:05):
I don't I don't know that anyone would predict it.
But last year and this year when he went down
with injuries, the offense suffered mightily. It's just not the
same offense without him. So you drop him back into
the lineup. Hopefully he gets it going. Uh, you know,
back at the level he was before the knee injury.
(04:27):
And that's that's a huge difference.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Uh, when we look at the rotation right now.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
And Rodney, by the way he suggested earlier, it would
be a terrific idea to bring back Walker.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Buehler, who said goodbye.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
To Yes, brought that up.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Huh yeah, Rodney brought that. Uh, let's just start there
with this. What do you think of that idea?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
What are you bringing him back to do?
Speaker 3 (04:55):
He's coming out of the pin and he could be
a stretched long guy, middle guy. He's didn't you don't
have to need you don't have to use him in
high leverage right away. But if you need somebody, uh
to fill in, if a starter is struggling in the
third or fourth, he can come in and give you
a little bit of length. You can give you three
innings maybe before you have to go to Trin and
(05:17):
and uh and and uh Tanner Scott or Yates. That's
where I see it coming in.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Who's he better than in the current bullpen? Is he
better than Enriquez? I don't think so. Is he better
than Justin Robleski? Maybe not. Walker was not good this year.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
He was wearing the wrong uniform. Bill, he was wearing
the wrong uniform. That's why, come on, you know.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
The powers of the Blue.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
You damn right, nothing like Blue Heaven.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
He tried him on the bullpen early in his career
and it was it was not good.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
He's a different guy now and he doesn't have the
same stuff. So I don't know.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Do you think he don't?
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Don't think you ever want to see coming out of
the bullpen?
Speaker 3 (06:14):
You think he ever gets it back? I mean, Fred
suggested because the Dodgers actually are so good at this
that they understand their personnel so well that they know
when guys have hit their ceiling. And the fact that
they didn't offer him a deal and let him walk
just goes to show that they felt that he had
reached the ceiling and maybe he couldn't get back to
(06:35):
where he was to start his career. Do you buy that?
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Yeah, I think that was was some of it. I
also thought at the time they knew they had you know,
they were going to give Blake Snell, they were gonna
get hockey. Uh And as it played out, they got
both of them, and there just was or a room
to give Deeler, you know, fifteen starts to figure it out,
(07:03):
so that that just didn't make sense in the time
at the time, and I honestly I don't think it
makes sense now, but you might, you know, maybe you
give it a try, and like you said, try him
out of the bullpen. But you know, he just he
is not the same picture guys who've come back from
(07:23):
a second Tommy John. The success rate is really really low.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
You can get him for a dollar and a nickel
and maybe a bucket of balls.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
It'd be cheap, Yeah, it would be. That's for sure.
You just get and Walker certainly is going to be motivated.
He's got to figure out a way to get himself
a contract next year. So he's going to be motivated
to go wherever and do whatever role that team and
(07:58):
hopefully it'll be open minded to any changes that a
team like the Dodgers might ask him to make and
his in his pitch mix or his approach. So you know,
maybe you take a flyer on that and hope to
catch lightning in a bottle for a few innings.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Yeah, uh, okay, Bill, I got a I got a
two parter for you, because we've been kicking this around
for the last week and a half. Uh, playoff start tomorrow.
What is your four man rotation and after that? And
what order are you putting him in?
Speaker 2 (08:39):
All right, I've heard you guys talking about this, and
I know Fred is bullish on Clayton Kershaw in game one. Yes,
that's that's a mistake. That's not happening. Whoever starts game one,
whoever starts game one is gonna have to start game five, right,
And I don't think I don't think two starts from
Clayton Kershaw in a five games series is your best
(09:03):
your best approach. I think it's Blake Snell in game one, Yeah,
Momoto in game two, either glass Now or Kershaw in
game three. I would probably go Kershaw. I think glass
Now in four and you come back with Snell and
play game five.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
So Otani would be the odd man out at this
point for you, is he kind of a wild card
if you like, if you feel something or you still
got him in your back pocket if you want to use.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Him, right, Yeah, I think I think they're going to
get creative in how they use him. He pitched really
well the last time out, but the two before weren't great.
And I think you you have to look at him
as a three inning pitcher, not a five or or plus.
I think three innings out of him in a postseason
(09:53):
game would be fantastic. Now, the way the rule is
set up, it's better to start it. You start him,
he pitches, he stops pitching, he stays in as the DH.
You start him at DH, and he pitches later in
the game. He has to finish the game as pitcher
or you lose the DH. So he gets it becomes
(10:19):
very problematic that how does he get ready to come
in and say in the sixth inning or the fifth inning,
you know, while he's also taking it back. I think
they're going to get creative. You may see a piggyback
situation with him and Kershaw because they have not pushed
(10:39):
Kershaw beyond you know, seventy five ish pitches and in
the postseason, that's a five inning start. So maybe you
get a five inning start out of kersh Off, three
innings out of Otani has handed over to a closer,
hopefully with with with the league. Or maybe you do
the reverse, maybe you start Otani for three and tell
(11:01):
Clayton to be ready to come in in the fourth
that you get four or five out of him that way.
I think it's going to be interesting because, first of all,
the Dodgers are creative in the way they think these
things through, and secondly, they have a history of overthinking
these things in the postseason, and the more options they have,
(11:22):
the more potential there is for overthinking.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Those. We sit here right now. Do the Dodgers hold
on and win the West?
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Yeah? I think so. I think that the schedule is
favorable for them down the stretch. You know, they don't
have to technically, they don't have to finish ahead of
the Padres. They have the season series, so if they
finish neck and neck, the tiebreaker goes to the Dodgers.
So essentially they have a three game lead right now
(11:53):
with twenty nine games whatever it is left. So yeah,
I think they do.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Do they catch the Phillies?
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Yeah, that's that's a little tougher to answer. I'd have
to look see what the Philly schedule is. Like. I
think they finished strong enough that yeah, they probably finished
with the number two seed and get that five day break.
I think they will make some decisions based on wanting
that five day break. So yeah, I think they'll get
(12:24):
the number two seed.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Hey, Bill, now that Michael Conforto is the hottest hitter
in baseball, what do you do with him going forward?
Considering what you mentioned earlier, you got all these guys
coming back off injury. What's his role going to be
now going forward? Especially if he kind of stays hot
in this series against Arizona, what do you do?
Speaker 2 (12:50):
I think you turned left field into a timeshare arrangement
with him with Alex Call, with Key cagernand As. I
don't think you'll see Conforno play against left handed pitching,
that's for sure, when you have Key K and Alex
call another right hand or as options. I'm more interested
(13:12):
to see what happens when Tommy Edmond comes back, because
they're specifically telling Tommy not to come back until he
can play the outfield. So when he comes back and
he plays center field, does Andy Pa has moved to
left and bump Confordo out of there? Or does Andy
(13:32):
move to right field and Tao to left and your
defense improves? So it'll it'll be interesting to see that
decision when Edmund comes back.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
All right, how do they wait? Wait? One more thing, Bill?
How do they handle uh? How do they handle Sazaki?
When he comes back? Fred suggests that there's no way
he comes out of the pen because he's kind of
been erratic and having problems with command. And do you
want that guy coming out of the pin? So how
do they how do they work him back into the mix?
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Yeah, I've been the Japanese reporters have been asking me that,
we've been talking that one over and here's here's my prediction.
He makes at least one more start in Triple A.
Comes back, they try him out of the bullpen, thinking, boy,
if he's got it, he could be a two or
three inning monster in the postseason. They try him out
(14:27):
of the bullpen. It doesn't look good. They go, Roki,
why don't you go to Arizona and stay stay ready
in case we need you in the postseason. Uh? And
then the next time we see Rokie is at spring training.
Next year.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
So you don't even think he's in the playoff roster.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
No, definitely not unless he shows he can pitch effectively
out of the bullpen, and I am I am very
doubtful about that.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Have you been good with what you've seen from Tanner
Scott and Kirby Yates since they've come back all two innings?
Speaker 2 (15:07):
I think it's been maybe three. Yeah, yeah, they look fine.
I know they both said they had time to work
on their mechanics while they were on the ASL and
that they smoothed some things out. So I'll take them
at their word. And you know there are there are options. Now,
(15:29):
you got Blake Trning, you get you know, some other
people out there when Vessia comes back. So yeah, I
think we're I think they're in a better place.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
All right, Well, we appreciate you coming on today. Listen.
I was gonna do another forty minutes on on tire stories.
Do you think I should do that?
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Let's go for another hour of it, let's go.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Oh my god, all right, Bill, thanks for doing this, man,
good talking to you.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
A good labor day anytime. Guys.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
All right, this Saturday afternoon, get an autograph and your
picture taking with Ando a Ethier. It's Superior Grocers in Lynnwood,
located thirty eight thirty one East Martin Luther King Boulevard
from one to two.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
The event starts at noon.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
Get there early for your chance to win Dodgers, Giants
tickets and super Grocers gift cards from all details go
to our Instagram at AM five to seventy LA Sports next.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
Is it real or is it too much hype? We'll
try to figure it out.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
Hello Rogan and Robnie listener. Did you know AM five
seventy LA Sports has a wide range of LA Sports podcasts.
Shows like petros in Money. We are streaming Matt Dodger
Talk with David Vassei, the Dodger Podcast of Record, Clipper
Talk Without a Musk, follow us all and many more.
Just go to AM five to seventy LA Sports on
(16:52):
the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Oh yeah, let's fit as strong right here on a Friday,
almost the end of August. Already here we go, Roddy Pete,
Fred Rogan, it started. College football starts this weekend, or
it's already started for some folks. But the USC and
u c l A play and we football is here, Fred,
(17:23):
so it's all good all right, yeah, they both kick
it off.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
We had Ben boltch on earlier talking about UCLA and
what the expectations were there, honestly, just a second about
college football. The expectations, well, for UCLA looked like you've
made some improvement. For UCLA looked like a Big Ten team.
That's their survival for UCLA right now. And I get,
(17:52):
I get what you're saying. It's got to be the
Optics got to look like they can compete. Right This
is a big, big I mean, it's a big year
for both of them, right because USC has got to
show improvement as well, even though they played teams close
like games against back in the Big House, against Michigan
(18:12):
where you know, really had a chance to win that game,
the Penn State game at the Coliseum, yet last year,
a very good football team had a chance to win
that game. And of course, you know the two turnovers
at the end of the Notre Dame game when they
had them on.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
The ropes was difficult. But both these teams got to
show I think, massive improvements as they enter into into
another year with the Big Ten.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
What's weird and you would never expect us about USC,
but in some regards they both have the identical thing
to show that they belonged there. They belong because last year,
let's be honest, you are what your record says you are.
So USC didn't belong and UCLA.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
Was just no.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Now they've made changes, they've gone out, they've done something,
and hopefully they will have better showings. They need to
prove they are legit big ten teams.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
Mm hmm. I mean, you're not kicking the crap out
of call anymore. No, and they can't. You can't. Here's
the thing. Look, Ohio State's gonna be all halle State.
They've got it rolling. They've had it rolling for years now.
They've got you know, they've always been one of the
big money schools with the great programs and facilities and
all that. Michigan as well been in the mix for
(19:26):
a minute. Now they've got it. Harball, you know, basically
rebooted that whole university when he went there, and it's
still going. Penn State with Franklin has done there. They're consistent.
The teams you got to beat on a regular basis
by USC means USC and the teams out west, even
Oregon A throw into that mix, but UCLA, but USC
(19:48):
in Oregon, and Oregon has done this more than SC
is that you've got to beat the teams the others.
You got to beat Iowa, you gotta beat You can't
lose to Minnesota. You can't lose. I mean, Illinois pretty
good this year. As we talked to Ryan early in
the week, Ryan Krty two from the time talking about USC.
You gotta beat Illinois, gotta beat those teams that you're
(20:11):
you're data kind of in the middle of the road.
Indiana's you gotta beat those teams and that's going to
be the challenge because they're all pretty good.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
Yeah, you gotta beat the teams you're supposed to beat.
You got to prove that you belong there. For UCLA, right,
it's more of a struggle. They are what they are,
you know, they're a basketball school with Mick and uh football.
They'll do what they can do. But USC, on the
other hand, is a different story. There's an expectation there.
(20:45):
Lincoln Riley has not done a wizbang, knock him out
of the.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
Park job yet. He hasn't. It's a whiz bang.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
Look, he's Clay Hilton. Wis bang is Clay Heilton. He's
a Clay Hilton. He's Clay Helton. It's paid a lot
more money. He came with a lot more fanfare. That's
not going to get it done. And the problem is
with Lincoln Riley, because of the success he had in
other spots, you expect something faster. It's unrealistic. Somebody can't
(21:15):
come in a fifteen minutes all of a sudden you
win the national title.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
It usually doesn't happen, but you got But the they
he did come in with the bang. He did come
in with yes, So what I'm saying, he came in
with the bang and brought Caleb Williams with him and
won the Heisman Trophy here and playing for you know,
the Pac twelve title, and and so you you had
an opportunity. And he did come in and set it
(21:41):
on fire and it was pretty good and got everybody excited.
And then they've taken steps back the next two years,
which is which is frustrating. So now it is it
is a time to turn that corner if you're usc.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
Just like Clay Helton, he won a rose ball his
first year, but he got worse and worse. He's Clay Hilton.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
No, he's not. Well, we'll find out this year. Yeah,
we'll find out. The expectations are higher for Lincoln Riley
than they were for Clay Hill.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
And that is fair. Yeah, that's fair. So he's got
to deliver on those expectations this year. Uh okay, So
let's talk about this what's hype and what's reality. But
so here here's why. Blake Griffin, who's not going to
be one of the NBC NBA analysts, was talking about
(22:34):
Cooper Flag. He said, Flag is the most complete player
we have seen enter the league in recent memory. Now, Kevin,
you have the clip from the podcast, right.
Speaker 5 (22:44):
Yeah, let's hear it.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
Okay, let's hear it.
Speaker 6 (22:47):
I mean, I think he's the most complete player that
we've seen coming to the NBA in recent memory. I mean,
I'm not saying he doesn't have room to grow. He
still has a ton of room to grow, but I
mean heat passes, he shoots, he defends, he rebounds, he
seems like a great teammate, seems like a great kid.
There's like, what's like the what's the red flag? Cooper's
(23:09):
just able to do play so many different positions, guard
so many different positions. I don't even know if I
have advice on me, it just seems like shit's got
to figure it out.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
Okay, So he's got a lot of skill and he
will be the most complete player we've seen enter the league.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
In recent memory.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
If memory serves correct, Wemby under the league like two
years ago. If memory serves there is.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Still yeah, but there are still questions about Wemby when
he came into the league. Even though he's seven foot
twelve and a half, you know, he needs to put
on some weight. He you know, rim protection is good,
but people can out physical him because he's he's tall
but light. There were issues with that. And so when
(23:55):
you say complete and you look at it and you
look at Cooper Flag, I guess the the the way
he answered that was, what would you say is deficient
and that he really needs to work on and it's
and it's and you got to really think about what
he really needs to work on when they when he
(24:17):
I guess the question was, you know, is he the
most complete player in recent years? You look at his
body of work and he listened to him. He can choot,
he can defend, he can run the floor, he can
he can jump, He's he's got all the tools in
his bag. Whereas I think is Win Wimby as talented
as he was or is uh? There is some some
(24:39):
things that people will say, Yeah, once he gets to
the NBA, he's got to do this, he's got to
do that.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
I just wonder if it's unfair. Couper Fly is a
very good player, but I wonder if it's unfair to
place that kind of expectation. Now, I guess that comes
with the territory. If you're really good at something, Yeah,
there's a level of expectation. It's it's he was going
to be the number one pick his junior year in
high school or his sophomore year in high school. People
(25:07):
knew he was going to be the number one pick.
Much like Lebron.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
They knew at high school, whether it's a sophomore year,
probably as freshman or high school, they knew Lebron was
gonna be number one pick in the draft. And I
think the same thing with Cooper Flag. They came to
a moment probably three years ago, if not longer, that
when he when he's read, he's gonna be the number
one pick in the draft. So yeah, fair unfair, that's
(25:34):
what we do. We put the hype on the kids
and put the pressure on them and see if they
can live up to it, both on and off the court.
And it's not fair. It's not easy, but it's just
the way the way things are right now. So you
don't think it's unfair at all when you are right
when you came out of unfair, it's probably unfair, but
(25:55):
but you know, it's just it's it's sports. You know,
if you waiting guys to say, oh, this guy's a
can't miss, he's a can't miss, and it isn't. It happens,
and it's but it's it's up to the people around
him to not get caught up in that, whoever, you know,
for Dallas not to get caught up into that, and
(26:15):
for him not to get caught up into that, but
for the surrounding noise. Yeah, there's a lot of expectations.
People believe that he is going to be the next
thing and be great. All right.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
So when you came out of USC and we know
what happened draft night and the next day, and we
have a pretty good feeling or understanding of why it
happened and how unfair it was, that was a different time.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
So when you came out.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
Given where you were selected, you expected a great deal
of yourself, but I don't think the general public had
that same expectation because of where you were drafted. Is
that fair to say, Yeah, you get slotted in certain places,
so you don't people don't expect you to perform at
a certain level. But you know, and and that circumstances,
(27:08):
it was. It was a little bit different because you know,
a sixth rounder is expected to be a sixth rounder
and may may or may not even make the team.
But the fact that I had the college career and
was so visible of my college plan days and playing
on TV and playing in big national, nationally televised games,
(27:30):
there there was a different level of expectations as opposed
to a typical sixth round draft draft pick. Still at
all there might have been, but not as if you
were the number one pick in the tell not even close.
Speaker 3 (27:43):
No.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Look at markl Foltz when he was the number one
pick in the draft, m hm. The expectations never looked
up to the expectations.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
But do you do think do you think that the
expectations for him were like it is for Cooper Flag
or Wimby.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
I think at that time, if you're the number one pick,
you are expected.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
I think it's different. It's different levels to it. One
number one pick. Different, different expectations for Lebron James than
Markel Foltz, different expectations for when uh, you know, a
Larry Bird comes out versus h was the Greg Odin
(28:31):
went to Portland. So it's it's different levels of expectation
even with the number one pick.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
Look at Joe Adell and Kevin can speak to this.
Jo Adell was going to be a star with the Angels,
and by all standards, jo Adell never looked up to
that promise. No, he's a good player, he's okay now,
but it's taken him a long time and he really
didn't become what they anticipated him to be. But here's
the dilemma. Who said he was ever supposed to be
(29:03):
that in the first place. Maybe this is Joe Adell.
Just because they picked him high doesn't mean he's gonna
be any better than he truly is going to be.
So when you're slotted in a certain spot, if you
don't perform to a certain level, you're a disappointment. You
still might be a good player, but not the player
(29:24):
people thought you would be because of where you were selected.
You know, guys are going to be as good as
they're going to be. Rodney, if you were pick number
one in the draft, would you have been better than
you were in the NFL? You're the number one pick,
Are you gonna have a be a better quarterback? Yeah,
because a lot of it depends on where you go
(29:46):
and where you go. Now, no disrespect to Troy, but
you go to Dallas and you've got an owner like
Jerry Jones gonna do whatever it takes to win, at
least at that time, and got rid of Tom Landry
and brought in Jimmy Johnson who had the same kind
of mentality, and said, we're gonna we're gonna have the
(30:09):
highest paid and best offensive line in the NFL. And then,
by the way, we're gonna draft Emmitt Emmitt Smith in
the backfield, We're gonna have Michael Irvin on the outside,
and we're gonna create a defense that that's going to
stop people. And also we're gonna trade and get Charles
a Ley. Yeah, it makes the difference where you go,
(30:31):
Uh put put put Joe Burrow in Buffalo or Kansas City.
How many Super Bowl wins as he have in Buffalo,
Kansas City. Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
Three.
Speaker 5 (30:46):
Two were Joe Burrow, you know in uh in Kansas City,
and put Patrick Maholmes in Cincinnati.
Speaker 3 (30:52):
Perfect example, perfect example. You know, Patrick Holmes is superstar
talent and we'll get you to the He doesn't win
the Super Bowls like he did in Kansas City.
Speaker 5 (31:03):
Yeah, because Joe Burrow didn't have guys like Chris Jones
on the defensive line and a great defensive coordinator like
Spags on the other side.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
He's not gonna win a game. Joe Burrow can't win
a game twenty one seventeen. It's got to be thirty eight,
thirty eight, thirty five, forty four, forty one in Cincinnati.
You know, he's got to outscore every week. He's got
to go out there and say, we got to outscore
our opponent. We got to score forty points to win.
(31:32):
That didn't happen. I didn't have to happen with Patrick
mahomes now or even Josh Allen and even Lamar for
that in that respect.
Speaker 5 (31:40):
But there might be guys who are just doomed to
fail regardless because they're immature or whatever. But circumstances and
where you go, who you play for, who you know,
your strength, coaches and all that sort of. All that
stuff does matter and as a factor as to whether
or not you're successful. Like I mean, if Jared golf
was from day one with Sean McVay, maybe you would
(32:01):
have hit the ground running as a rookie, or maybe
he would have struggled and eventually broken out.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
We don't know.
Speaker 5 (32:05):
But what we know is he was was Jeff Fisher
and that offense, and they were terrible. I mean, they
comes in and turns around and all of a sudden,
he's taken him to the Super.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Bowl and now regard it and got one of the
highest paid quarterbacks in the league, and regarded it as
you know, within the top ten of quarterbacks in the league,
you know, and very well could have went in the tank.
When you take a team to the Super Bowl and
they decide to get rid of you, that's a that's
a big time blow. But again, just if you take
(32:33):
Tom Brady and Tom Brady goes to the Jets instead
of New England, is he tom Brady? Probably not.
Speaker 5 (32:44):
What I can say, Fred to what you're saying is
it's the old to who much is given, much is required.
So and that we're as the media, are probably guilty
of this more than anything because we're the ones that
plays the expectations on him. We have draft shows and
we're draft pundits and talk about hight weight, speed and
who who's a great athlete and slotting all these guys
and where they should go in the draft and high bay, mum,
miss this guy. Kids, this is a can't miss prospect.
(33:06):
So we are the ones who put that on these guys,
and when it doesn't end up working out, you know,
they're the ones who get trashed aby it. But they
get trashed because of the expectations that we placed on them.
Speaker 1 (33:16):
See, and that's my point. Guys are going to be good. Sure,
if you're on the right team, it's really gonna help.
But just from a purely physical talent standpoint, guys are
gonna be as good as they are they just are. Yeah, Rodney,
if you went to Dallas and Troy Aikman and Jerry
Jones spent the money, you probably would have had some
(33:36):
Super Bowls, right, I.
Speaker 3 (33:37):
Agree with you.
Speaker 1 (33:39):
But from a talent standpoint, who you were as a quarterback,
just your raw talent.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
You know's well, no, because everybody's there. It's got talent,
and everybody can play to a certain extent. It's just
sometimes when you get there, and it's all about confidence
as well. You get there and you get beat up
for three straight years, your confidence is gonna be shook
(34:07):
and you're not gonna be able to do that. You
can may be the most talented thrower of the football
that anyone's ever seen, but if you're throwing under durest
every time you drop back and every game you're you're
you've got one point eight seconds to throw, as opposed
to being on a team where you got three and
a half seconds to throw, it's night and day. It's
(34:29):
gonna be different. So talent, yes, when there's no rush
and you put the same type of receivers on the team.
A by the way, yeah, I get to use Michael
Irvin on our on offense for us too. By the way,
I get to play in front of that or behind
that offensive line. Okay, they're gonna play for you, but
(34:49):
they're also gonna play for me. Then then we'll stack
it up and then we'll see how it goes. So yeah,
talent get you there, but circumstances and team, especially in
those situations will determine how far you go and if
you are going to live up to whatever the media
expectations are for you. But I hate there's all these
(35:10):
baseball this is the third prospect, or this is the
number twenty second prospect and the organization and number thirtieth
in baseball, it's just who It doesn't matter. That doesn't
guarantee you that he's going to be better than the
fortieth prospect, right, And that's my point. That's my point.
(35:34):
It is unfair.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
Guys are as good as guys are going to be.
Then there are factors the team, those kinds of things
that give you opportunities. If somebody doesn't live up to
whatever the expectation is, it may first the expectations may
have been unfairly placed on them. The most complete player
to come into the league in a few years. I mean,
if Cooper Flag goes out this year and just gets drilled,
he won't but if he did, if he did, was
(36:00):
he a failure. No, he's not a failure at all.
But because of the expectations, those kinds of thoughts that
enter into people's minds. I just think to play professional
sports is hard. It's hard. I mean, I've talked about them,
Rodney has played them. We have people on that have
competed their whole lives on this show. That is hard,
(36:23):
and it is hard to win, and it just seems
to me at times there are unfair expectations placed on people. Oh,
there are circumstances completely out of their control, that's all.
That's why when Blake Griffin said that about Cooper Flag
and went he is very good. But easy here, let's
(36:43):
let this guy get settled in.
Speaker 3 (36:45):
Don't put you up say, but he did not say
he's gonna win five NBA titles. The most complete player
in recent memory. Let's see. Yeah, let's see he probably
that's what he did, but that's what he said. He
analyzed them and watched his game, and you watch every
aspect of his game, and then you watch him in
Summer League, and then you watch him. He's like, this
kid can shoot, he can run, he's athletic, he can jump,
(37:08):
he can do all. He's got all the tools, all
the tools in the world. That's not a guarantee, but
he's a complete player, that's all. Okay, we are back
to wrap it up and start off Labor Day weekend.
Right after this Oh yeah, let's finish it up. Rodney Pete,
(37:30):
Fred Rogan on a beautiful Friday, a hot Friday.
Speaker 1 (37:33):
Let's go okay, well, first of three Diamondbacks tonight. Blake
Snell goes for the Dodgers, Zach Gallon goes for the Diamondbacks.
You've got the Padres playing the Minnesota Twins. Zander Bogarts
is going on the injured list, so they've lost a
bat there. It'll be interesting to see how that series
(37:56):
goes and if the Dodgers can increase their lead. The
Padres here start to open up a little distance, but
they've got to take care of their own business first,
and that to take care of your own.
Speaker 3 (38:06):
Business, that's not the thing. You can't scoreboard watch. You
gotta just do your job and take care of your
wins and everything else to take care of itself. Well,
when you're in the lead, you don't look over your shoulder. Right.
Speaker 1 (38:20):
If I'm the Padres, I might be checking. If I'm
the Dodgers, I just go forward. They got to catch you,
you don't have to catch them. And it comes at
a good time that San Diego's dropped a few and
the Dodgers have beat Cincinnati Cincinnati's not a bad ball club.
It really isn't. So you could say, well, look who
they played. They're okay, they're a good ball club. So
(38:43):
this little breathing room now I think boats very well
for them. And we will find out, you know, what happens.
What happens now as the weekend progresses.
Speaker 3 (38:56):
So that's it. We're done, and we're off Monday. We're
off Monday. Happy Labor Day. You have a very safe
labor day, Ronnie, thank you. Kevin, thank you as well.
Great work.
Speaker 1 (39:08):
By the way, Kevin and Adam are doing a show
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (39:13):
Kevin, what is it on?
Speaker 5 (39:15):
Yeah, we're Friday nights eleven pm to two am this
week called Fox Sports Saturday and moving forward, when the
fall lineup is officially released, Fox Sports Saturday is what
it will be called with myself and Adam on FSR.
Speaker 3 (39:26):
Also here on a five seventy.
Speaker 5 (39:27):
So excited about that.
Speaker 3 (39:28):
Frett, very nice, congratulating.
Speaker 5 (39:30):
Thank you guys, appreciate all the support.
Speaker 3 (39:32):
Work in the network.
Speaker 1 (39:33):
All Right, have a great show, Rodney, you have a
very good weekend.
Speaker 3 (39:37):
You too, you too. Let's go
All right, we continue on, Fred Rogan, Rodney Pete. I
am five to seventy LA sports heading into the Labor
Day weekend, and the Dodgers have business at hand. They'll
play Arizona tonight out at the stadium. Let's bring on
our friend from the OC Register Sokel Newsgroup, Bill Plunkett. Bill,
good afternoon to you.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Fred. I want you to know that I have done
a lot of radio over the years. Yes, and I
have never had a better lead in to build audience
than one hour of you talking about Little League umpires.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Hey, we talked about the NAGL too. Bill kept them riveted,
riveted Bill.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
In southern California that hasn't tuned in to hear about
your unpleasuring days.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Listen, Bill, I have experience working the point. Bill.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Oh, I understand that.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
You know, Bill, and now now all of Southern California
understands that.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Two Yeah, every one of them has heard the stories.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Well, you asked Rodney, I did. That's fair. That's fair.
I did ask him to go down that rabbit hole. Bill,
So I apologize.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Who knew it would last an hour?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Though, Rode? Who knew it was twenty seven minutes? Baill, Hey,
the moment I asked him the question and he started.
I'm sure Kevin in the control was going, oh, here
we go. We're not gonna get there the other story.
We better just be for Bill to come on.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Well, I hope, I hope Kevin has that on tape
and is sending it immediately to the Smithsonian because they
were going to watch that the Greatest twenty seven minutes
in Radio.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Billion, the best Man. Bill. Just be honest, Bill, be honest.
Were you not fascinated by that?
Speaker 2 (01:58):
I will be honest, I was not fascinated.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
But oh my god.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
All right, well let's see if you can fascinate people
Bill with your assessment. Is is the resurgence real or
is it fool's gold? When it comes to the.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Dodgers, I think it's real for a couple of reasons,
one being the return of some of their depths with
these injured players coming back Key k next week, Monthsy
so it should be back. Kim will be back eventually,
Ed when we'll be back. So all of that restores
(02:38):
their depth. We're not going to see a lineup with
Buddy Kennedy and you know that that kind of depth
at the bottom. So that's one thing. The other thing
is I think the Padres got their attention, woke them up.
You know, it's serious. Now it's a two game lead,
it's not a nine game lead. And I do think
(03:01):
that that's sustainable. It's hard to you know, I talked
to Dave Roberts about this the other day. It's hard
to have at bat's like it's Game seven of the
World Series. For six months, you can't do that. But
for a month, yeah, you should be able to do that.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yeah, no doubt. So you know the guys coming back,
you just you know, ran off the guys that are
coming back. Edmund Key k just came back. We're gonna
get Mounsie back, Tanner, Scott came back, Yates came back,
Kim's gonna come back, Kope's coming back, all these guys
coming back. Of all those guys coming back, who has
(03:38):
the most impact or who is the most important one
coming back?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Well, it's gotta be Mounsie, right, I mean we saw
how good he was for that what two months stretch
month and a half stretch before he got the knee injury,
and we've seen what the offense has become without it.
I mean I was oaking with with him talking to
him the other day. I call it the Max Munthy effect.
(04:05):
I don't I don't know that anyone would predict it.
But last year and this year when he went down
with injuries, the offense suffered mightily. It's just not the
same offense without him. So you drop him back into
the lineup. Hopefully he gets it going. Uh, you know,
back at the level he was before the knee injury.
(04:27):
And that's that's a huge difference.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Uh, when we look at the rotation right now.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
And Rodney, by the way he suggested earlier, it would
be a terrific idea to bring back Walker.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Buehler, who said goodbye.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
To Yes, brought that up.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Huh yeah, Rodney brought that. Uh, let's just start there
with this. What do you think of that idea?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
What are you bringing him back to do?
Speaker 3 (04:55):
He's coming out of the pin and he could be
a stretched long guy, middle guy. He's didn't you don't
have to need you don't have to use him in
high leverage right away. But if you need somebody, uh
to fill in, if a starter is struggling in the
third or fourth, he can come in and give you
a little bit of length. You can give you three
innings maybe before you have to go to Trin and
(05:17):
and uh and and uh Tanner Scott or Yates. That's
where I see it coming in.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Who's he better than in the current bullpen? Is he
better than Enriquez? I don't think so. Is he better
than Justin Robleski? Maybe not. Walker was not good this year.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
He was wearing the wrong uniform. Bill, he was wearing
the wrong uniform. That's why, come on, you know.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
The powers of the Blue.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
You damn right, nothing like Blue Heaven.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
He tried him on the bullpen early in his career
and it was it was not good.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
He's a different guy now and he doesn't have the
same stuff. So I don't know.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Do you think he don't?
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Don't think you ever want to see coming out of
the bullpen?
Speaker 3 (06:14):
You think he ever gets it back? I mean, Fred
suggested because the Dodgers actually are so good at this
that they understand their personnel so well that they know
when guys have hit their ceiling. And the fact that
they didn't offer him a deal and let him walk
just goes to show that they felt that he had
reached the ceiling and maybe he couldn't get back to
(06:35):
where he was to start his career. Do you buy that?
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Yeah, I think that was was some of it. I
also thought at the time they knew they had you know,
they were going to give Blake Snell, they were gonna
get hockey. Uh And as it played out, they got
both of them, and there just was or a room
to give Deeler, you know, fifteen starts to figure it out,
(07:03):
so that that just didn't make sense in the time
at the time, and I honestly I don't think it
makes sense now, but you might, you know, maybe you
give it a try, and like you said, try him
out of the bullpen. But you know, he just he
is not the same picture guys who've come back from
(07:23):
a second Tommy John. The success rate is really really low.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
You can get him for a dollar and a nickel
and maybe a bucket of balls.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
It'd be cheap, Yeah, it would be. That's for sure.
You just get and Walker certainly is going to be motivated.
He's got to figure out a way to get himself
a contract next year. So he's going to be motivated
to go wherever and do whatever role that team and
(07:58):
hopefully it'll be open minded to any changes that a
team like the Dodgers might ask him to make and
his in his pitch mix or his approach. So you know,
maybe you take a flyer on that and hope to
catch lightning in a bottle for a few innings.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Yeah, uh, okay, Bill, I got a I got a
two parter for you, because we've been kicking this around
for the last week and a half. Uh, playoff start tomorrow.
What is your four man rotation and after that? And
what order are you putting him in?
Speaker 2 (08:39):
All right, I've heard you guys talking about this, and
I know Fred is bullish on Clayton Kershaw in game one. Yes,
that's that's a mistake. That's not happening. Whoever starts game one,
whoever starts game one is gonna have to start game five, right,
And I don't think I don't think two starts from
Clayton Kershaw in a five games series is your best
(09:03):
your best approach. I think it's Blake Snell in game one, Yeah,
Momoto in game two, either glass Now or Kershaw in
game three. I would probably go Kershaw. I think glass
Now in four and you come back with Snell and
play game five.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
So Otani would be the odd man out at this
point for you, is he kind of a wild card
if you like, if you feel something or you still
got him in your back pocket if you want to use.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Him, right, Yeah, I think I think they're going to
get creative in how they use him. He pitched really
well the last time out, but the two before weren't great.
And I think you you have to look at him
as a three inning pitcher, not a five or or plus.
I think three innings out of him in a postseason
(09:53):
game would be fantastic. Now, the way the rule is
set up, it's better to start it. You start him,
he pitches, he stops pitching, he stays in as the DH.
You start him at DH, and he pitches later in
the game. He has to finish the game as pitcher
or you lose the DH. So he gets it becomes
(10:19):
very problematic that how does he get ready to come
in and say in the sixth inning or the fifth inning,
you know, while he's also taking it back. I think
they're going to get creative. You may see a piggyback
situation with him and Kershaw because they have not pushed
(10:39):
Kershaw beyond you know, seventy five ish pitches and in
the postseason, that's a five inning start. So maybe you
get a five inning start out of kersh Off, three
innings out of Otani has handed over to a closer,
hopefully with with with the league. Or maybe you do
the reverse, maybe you start Otani for three and tell
(11:01):
Clayton to be ready to come in in the fourth
that you get four or five out of him that way.
I think it's going to be interesting because, first of all,
the Dodgers are creative in the way they think these
things through, and secondly, they have a history of overthinking
these things in the postseason, and the more options they have,
(11:22):
the more potential there is for overthinking.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Those. We sit here right now. Do the Dodgers hold
on and win the West?
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Yeah? I think so. I think that the schedule is
favorable for them down the stretch. You know, they don't
have to technically, they don't have to finish ahead of
the Padres. They have the season series, so if they
finish neck and neck, the tiebreaker goes to the Dodgers.
So essentially they have a three game lead right now
(11:53):
with twenty nine games whatever it is left. So yeah,
I think they do.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Do they catch the Phillies?
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Yeah, that's that's a little tougher to answer. I'd have
to look see what the Philly schedule is. Like. I
think they finished strong enough that yeah, they probably finished
with the number two seed and get that five day break.
I think they will make some decisions based on wanting
that five day break. So yeah, I think they'll get
(12:24):
the number two seed.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Hey, Bill, now that Michael Conforto is the hottest hitter
in baseball, what do you do with him going forward?
Considering what you mentioned earlier, you got all these guys
coming back off injury. What's his role going to be
now going forward? Especially if he kind of stays hot
in this series against Arizona, what do you do?
Speaker 2 (12:50):
I think you turned left field into a timeshare arrangement
with him with Alex Call, with Key cagernand As. I
don't think you'll see Conforno play against left handed pitching,
that's for sure, when you have Key K and Alex
call another right hand or as options. I'm more interested
(13:12):
to see what happens when Tommy Edmond comes back, because
they're specifically telling Tommy not to come back until he
can play the outfield. So when he comes back and
he plays center field, does Andy Pa has moved to
left and bump Confordo out of there? Or does Andy
(13:32):
move to right field and Tao to left and your
defense improves? So it'll it'll be interesting to see that
decision when Edmund comes back.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
All right, how do they wait? Wait? One more thing, Bill?
How do they handle uh? How do they handle Sazaki?
When he comes back? Fred suggests that there's no way
he comes out of the pen because he's kind of
been erratic and having problems with command. And do you
want that guy coming out of the pin? So how
do they how do they work him back into the mix?
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Yeah, I've been the Japanese reporters have been asking me that,
we've been talking that one over and here's here's my prediction.
He makes at least one more start in Triple A.
Comes back, they try him out of the bullpen, thinking, boy,
if he's got it, he could be a two or
three inning monster in the postseason. They try him out
(14:27):
of the bullpen. It doesn't look good. They go, Roki,
why don't you go to Arizona and stay stay ready
in case we need you in the postseason. Uh? And
then the next time we see Rokie is at spring training.
Next year.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
So you don't even think he's in the playoff roster.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
No, definitely not unless he shows he can pitch effectively
out of the bullpen, and I am I am very
doubtful about that.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Have you been good with what you've seen from Tanner
Scott and Kirby Yates since they've come back all two innings?
Speaker 2 (15:07):
I think it's been maybe three. Yeah, yeah, they look fine.
I know they both said they had time to work
on their mechanics while they were on the ASL and
that they smoothed some things out. So I'll take them
at their word. And you know there are there are options. Now,
(15:29):
you got Blake Trning, you get you know, some other
people out there when Vessia comes back. So yeah, I
think we're I think they're in a better place.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
All right, Well, we appreciate you coming on today. Listen.
I was gonna do another forty minutes on on tire stories.
Do you think I should do that?
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Let's go for another hour of it, let's go.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Oh my god, all right, Bill, thanks for doing this, man,
good talking to you.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
A good labor day anytime. Guys.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
All right, this Saturday afternoon, get an autograph and your
picture taking with Ando a Ethier. It's Superior Grocers in Lynnwood,
located thirty eight thirty one East Martin Luther King Boulevard
from one to two.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
The event starts at noon.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
Get there early for your chance to win Dodgers, Giants
tickets and super Grocers gift cards from all details go
to our Instagram at AM five to seventy LA Sports next.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
Is it real or is it too much hype? We'll
try to figure it out.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
Hello Rogan and Robnie listener. Did you know AM five
seventy LA Sports has a wide range of LA Sports podcasts.
Shows like petros in Money. We are streaming Matt Dodger
Talk with David Vassei, the Dodger Podcast of Record, Clipper
Talk Without a Musk, follow us all and many more.
Just go to AM five to seventy LA Sports on
(16:52):
the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Oh yeah, let's fit as strong right here on a Friday,
almost the end of August. Already here we go, Roddy Pete,
Fred Rogan, it started. College football starts this weekend, or
it's already started for some folks. But the USC and
u c l A play and we football is here, Fred,
(17:23):
so it's all good all right, yeah, they both kick
it off.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
We had Ben boltch on earlier talking about UCLA and
what the expectations were there, honestly, just a second about
college football. The expectations, well, for UCLA looked like you've
made some improvement. For UCLA looked like a Big Ten team.
That's their survival for UCLA right now. And I get,
(17:52):
I get what you're saying. It's got to be the
Optics got to look like they can compete. Right This
is a big, big I mean, it's a big year
for both of them, right because USC has got to
show improvement as well, even though they played teams close
like games against back in the Big House, against Michigan
(18:12):
where you know, really had a chance to win that game,
the Penn State game at the Coliseum, yet last year,
a very good football team had a chance to win
that game. And of course, you know the two turnovers
at the end of the Notre Dame game when they
had them on.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
The ropes was difficult. But both these teams got to
show I think, massive improvements as they enter into into
another year with the Big Ten.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
What's weird and you would never expect us about USC,
but in some regards they both have the identical thing
to show that they belonged there. They belong because last year,
let's be honest, you are what your record says you are.
So USC didn't belong and UCLA.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
Was just no.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Now they've made changes, they've gone out, they've done something,
and hopefully they will have better showings. They need to
prove they are legit big ten teams.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
Mm hmm. I mean, you're not kicking the crap out
of call anymore. No, and they can't. You can't. Here's
the thing. Look, Ohio State's gonna be all halle State.
They've got it rolling. They've had it rolling for years now.
They've got you know, they've always been one of the
big money schools with the great programs and facilities and
all that. Michigan as well been in the mix for
(19:26):
a minute. Now they've got it. Harball, you know, basically
rebooted that whole university when he went there, and it's
still going. Penn State with Franklin has done there. They're consistent.
The teams you got to beat on a regular basis
by USC means USC and the teams out west, even
Oregon A throw into that mix, but UCLA, but USC
(19:48):
in Oregon, and Oregon has done this more than SC
is that you've got to beat the teams the others.
You got to beat Iowa, you gotta beat You can't
lose to Minnesota. You can't lose. I mean, Illinois pretty
good this year. As we talked to Ryan early in
the week, Ryan Krty two from the time talking about USC.
You gotta beat Illinois, gotta beat those teams that you're
(20:11):
you're data kind of in the middle of the road.
Indiana's you gotta beat those teams and that's going to
be the challenge because they're all pretty good.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
Yeah, you gotta beat the teams you're supposed to beat.
You got to prove that you belong there. For UCLA, right,
it's more of a struggle. They are what they are,
you know, they're a basketball school with Mick and uh football.
They'll do what they can do. But USC, on the
other hand, is a different story. There's an expectation there.
(20:45):
Lincoln Riley has not done a wizbang, knock him out
of the.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
Park job yet. He hasn't. It's a whiz bang.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
Look, he's Clay Hilton. Wis bang is Clay Heilton. He's
a Clay Hilton. He's Clay Helton. It's paid a lot
more money. He came with a lot more fanfare. That's
not going to get it done. And the problem is
with Lincoln Riley, because of the success he had in
other spots, you expect something faster. It's unrealistic. Somebody can't
(21:15):
come in a fifteen minutes all of a sudden you
win the national title.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
It usually doesn't happen, but you got But the they
he did come in with the bang. He did come
in with yes, So what I'm saying, he came in
with the bang and brought Caleb Williams with him and
won the Heisman Trophy here and playing for you know,
the Pac twelve title, and and so you you had
an opportunity. And he did come in and set it
(21:41):
on fire and it was pretty good and got everybody excited.
And then they've taken steps back the next two years,
which is which is frustrating. So now it is it
is a time to turn that corner if you're usc.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
Just like Clay Helton, he won a rose ball his
first year, but he got worse and worse. He's Clay Hilton.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
No, he's not. Well, we'll find out this year. Yeah,
we'll find out. The expectations are higher for Lincoln Riley
than they were for Clay Hill.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
And that is fair. Yeah, that's fair. So he's got
to deliver on those expectations this year. Uh okay, So
let's talk about this what's hype and what's reality. But
so here here's why. Blake Griffin, who's not going to
be one of the NBC NBA analysts, was talking about
(22:34):
Cooper Flag. He said, Flag is the most complete player
we have seen enter the league in recent memory. Now, Kevin,
you have the clip from the podcast, right.
Speaker 5 (22:44):
Yeah, let's hear it.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
Okay, let's hear it.
Speaker 6 (22:47):
I mean, I think he's the most complete player that
we've seen coming to the NBA in recent memory. I mean,
I'm not saying he doesn't have room to grow. He
still has a ton of room to grow, but I
mean heat passes, he shoots, he defends, he rebounds, he
seems like a great teammate, seems like a great kid.
There's like, what's like the what's the red flag? Cooper's
(23:09):
just able to do play so many different positions, guard
so many different positions. I don't even know if I
have advice on me, it just seems like shit's got
to figure it out.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
Okay, So he's got a lot of skill and he
will be the most complete player we've seen enter the league.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
In recent memory.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
If memory serves correct, Wemby under the league like two
years ago. If memory serves there is.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Still yeah, but there are still questions about Wemby when
he came into the league. Even though he's seven foot
twelve and a half, you know, he needs to put
on some weight. He you know, rim protection is good,
but people can out physical him because he's he's tall
but light. There were issues with that. And so when
(23:55):
you say complete and you look at it and you
look at Cooper Flag, I guess the the the way
he answered that was, what would you say is deficient
and that he really needs to work on and it's
and it's and you got to really think about what
he really needs to work on when they when he
(24:17):
I guess the question was, you know, is he the
most complete player in recent years? You look at his
body of work and he listened to him. He can choot,
he can defend, he can run the floor, he can
he can jump, He's he's got all the tools in
his bag. Whereas I think is Win Wimby as talented
as he was or is uh? There is some some
(24:39):
things that people will say, Yeah, once he gets to
the NBA, he's got to do this, he's got to
do that.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
I just wonder if it's unfair. Couper Fly is a
very good player, but I wonder if it's unfair to
place that kind of expectation. Now, I guess that comes
with the territory. If you're really good at something, Yeah,
there's a level of expectation. It's it's he was going
to be the number one pick his junior year in
high school or his sophomore year in high school. People
(25:07):
knew he was going to be the number one pick.
Much like Lebron.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
They knew at high school, whether it's a sophomore year,
probably as freshman or high school, they knew Lebron was
gonna be number one pick in the draft. And I
think the same thing with Cooper Flag. They came to
a moment probably three years ago, if not longer, that
when he when he's read, he's gonna be the number
one pick in the draft. So yeah, fair unfair, that's
(25:34):
what we do. We put the hype on the kids
and put the pressure on them and see if they
can live up to it, both on and off the court.
And it's not fair. It's not easy, but it's just
the way the way things are right now. So you
don't think it's unfair at all when you are right
when you came out of unfair, it's probably unfair, but
(25:55):
but you know, it's just it's it's sports. You know,
if you waiting guys to say, oh, this guy's a
can't miss, he's a can't miss, and it isn't. It happens,
and it's but it's it's up to the people around
him to not get caught up in that, whoever, you know,
for Dallas not to get caught up into that, and
(26:15):
for him not to get caught up into that, but
for the surrounding noise. Yeah, there's a lot of expectations.
People believe that he is going to be the next
thing and be great. All right.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
So when you came out of USC and we know
what happened draft night and the next day, and we
have a pretty good feeling or understanding of why it
happened and how unfair it was, that was a different time.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
So when you came out.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
Given where you were selected, you expected a great deal
of yourself, but I don't think the general public had
that same expectation because of where you were drafted. Is
that fair to say, Yeah, you get slotted in certain places,
so you don't people don't expect you to perform at
a certain level. But you know, and and that circumstances,
(27:08):
it was. It was a little bit different because you know,
a sixth rounder is expected to be a sixth rounder
and may may or may not even make the team.
But the fact that I had the college career and
was so visible of my college plan days and playing
on TV and playing in big national, nationally televised games,
(27:30):
there there was a different level of expectations as opposed
to a typical sixth round draft draft pick. Still at
all there might have been, but not as if you
were the number one pick in the tell not even close.
Speaker 3 (27:43):
No.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Look at markl Foltz when he was the number one
pick in the draft, m hm. The expectations never looked
up to the expectations.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
But do you do think do you think that the
expectations for him were like it is for Cooper Flag
or Wimby.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
I think at that time, if you're the number one pick,
you are expected.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
I think it's different. It's different levels to it. One
number one pick. Different, different expectations for Lebron James than
Markel Foltz, different expectations for when uh, you know, a
Larry Bird comes out versus h was the Greg Odin
(28:31):
went to Portland. So it's it's different levels of expectation
even with the number one pick.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
Look at Joe Adell and Kevin can speak to this.
Jo Adell was going to be a star with the Angels,
and by all standards, jo Adell never looked up to
that promise. No, he's a good player, he's okay now,
but it's taken him a long time and he really
didn't become what they anticipated him to be. But here's
the dilemma. Who said he was ever supposed to be
(29:03):
that in the first place. Maybe this is Joe Adell.
Just because they picked him high doesn't mean he's gonna
be any better than he truly is going to be.
So when you're slotted in a certain spot, if you
don't perform to a certain level, you're a disappointment. You
still might be a good player, but not the player
(29:24):
people thought you would be because of where you were selected.
You know, guys are going to be as good as
they're going to be. Rodney, if you were pick number
one in the draft, would you have been better than
you were in the NFL? You're the number one pick,
Are you gonna have a be a better quarterback? Yeah,
because a lot of it depends on where you go
(29:46):
and where you go. Now, no disrespect to Troy, but
you go to Dallas and you've got an owner like
Jerry Jones gonna do whatever it takes to win, at
least at that time, and got rid of Tom Landry
and brought in Jimmy Johnson who had the same kind
of mentality, and said, we're gonna we're gonna have the
(30:09):
highest paid and best offensive line in the NFL. And then,
by the way, we're gonna draft Emmitt Emmitt Smith in
the backfield, We're gonna have Michael Irvin on the outside,
and we're gonna create a defense that that's going to
stop people. And also we're gonna trade and get Charles
a Ley. Yeah, it makes the difference where you go,
(30:31):
Uh put put put Joe Burrow in Buffalo or Kansas City.
How many Super Bowl wins as he have in Buffalo,
Kansas City. Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
Three.
Speaker 5 (30:46):
Two were Joe Burrow, you know in uh in Kansas City,
and put Patrick Maholmes in Cincinnati.
Speaker 3 (30:52):
Perfect example, perfect example. You know, Patrick Holmes is superstar
talent and we'll get you to the He doesn't win
the Super Bowls like he did in Kansas City.
Speaker 5 (31:03):
Yeah, because Joe Burrow didn't have guys like Chris Jones
on the defensive line and a great defensive coordinator like
Spags on the other side.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
He's not gonna win a game. Joe Burrow can't win
a game twenty one seventeen. It's got to be thirty eight,
thirty eight, thirty five, forty four, forty one in Cincinnati.
You know, he's got to outscore every week. He's got
to go out there and say, we got to outscore
our opponent. We got to score forty points to win.
(31:32):
That didn't happen. I didn't have to happen with Patrick
mahomes now or even Josh Allen and even Lamar for
that in that respect.
Speaker 5 (31:40):
But there might be guys who are just doomed to
fail regardless because they're immature or whatever. But circumstances and
where you go, who you play for, who you know,
your strength, coaches and all that sort of. All that
stuff does matter and as a factor as to whether
or not you're successful. Like I mean, if Jared golf
was from day one with Sean McVay, maybe you would
(32:01):
have hit the ground running as a rookie, or maybe
he would have struggled and eventually broken out.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
We don't know.
Speaker 5 (32:05):
But what we know is he was was Jeff Fisher
and that offense, and they were terrible. I mean, they
comes in and turns around and all of a sudden,
he's taken him to the Super.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Bowl and now regard it and got one of the
highest paid quarterbacks in the league, and regarded it as
you know, within the top ten of quarterbacks in the league,
you know, and very well could have went in the tank.
When you take a team to the Super Bowl and
they decide to get rid of you, that's a that's
a big time blow. But again, just if you take
(32:33):
Tom Brady and Tom Brady goes to the Jets instead
of New England, is he tom Brady? Probably not.
Speaker 5 (32:44):
What I can say, Fred to what you're saying is
it's the old to who much is given, much is required.
So and that we're as the media, are probably guilty
of this more than anything because we're the ones that
plays the expectations on him. We have draft shows and
we're draft pundits and talk about hight weight, speed and
who who's a great athlete and slotting all these guys
and where they should go in the draft and high bay, mum,
miss this guy. Kids, this is a can't miss prospect.
(33:06):
So we are the ones who put that on these guys,
and when it doesn't end up working out, you know,
they're the ones who get trashed aby it. But they
get trashed because of the expectations that we placed on them.
Speaker 1 (33:16):
See, and that's my point. Guys are going to be good. Sure,
if you're on the right team, it's really gonna help.
But just from a purely physical talent standpoint, guys are
gonna be as good as they are they just are. Yeah, Rodney,
if you went to Dallas and Troy Aikman and Jerry
Jones spent the money, you probably would have had some
(33:36):
Super Bowls, right, I.
Speaker 3 (33:37):
Agree with you.
Speaker 1 (33:39):
But from a talent standpoint, who you were as a quarterback,
just your raw talent.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
You know's well, no, because everybody's there. It's got talent,
and everybody can play to a certain extent. It's just
sometimes when you get there, and it's all about confidence
as well. You get there and you get beat up
for three straight years, your confidence is gonna be shook
(34:07):
and you're not gonna be able to do that. You
can may be the most talented thrower of the football
that anyone's ever seen, but if you're throwing under durest
every time you drop back and every game you're you're
you've got one point eight seconds to throw, as opposed
to being on a team where you got three and
a half seconds to throw, it's night and day. It's
(34:29):
gonna be different. So talent, yes, when there's no rush
and you put the same type of receivers on the team.
A by the way, yeah, I get to use Michael
Irvin on our on offense for us too. By the way,
I get to play in front of that or behind
that offensive line. Okay, they're gonna play for you, but
(34:49):
they're also gonna play for me. Then then we'll stack
it up and then we'll see how it goes. So yeah,
talent get you there, but circumstances and team, especially in
those situations will determine how far you go and if
you are going to live up to whatever the media
expectations are for you. But I hate there's all these
(35:10):
baseball this is the third prospect, or this is the
number twenty second prospect and the organization and number thirtieth
in baseball, it's just who It doesn't matter. That doesn't
guarantee you that he's going to be better than the
fortieth prospect, right, And that's my point. That's my point.
(35:34):
It is unfair.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
Guys are as good as guys are going to be.
Then there are factors the team, those kinds of things
that give you opportunities. If somebody doesn't live up to
whatever the expectation is, it may first the expectations may
have been unfairly placed on them. The most complete player
to come into the league in a few years. I mean,
if Cooper Flag goes out this year and just gets drilled,
he won't but if he did, if he did, was
(36:00):
he a failure. No, he's not a failure at all.
But because of the expectations, those kinds of thoughts that
enter into people's minds. I just think to play professional
sports is hard. It's hard. I mean, I've talked about them,
Rodney has played them. We have people on that have
competed their whole lives on this show. That is hard,
(36:23):
and it is hard to win, and it just seems
to me at times there are unfair expectations placed on people. Oh,
there are circumstances completely out of their control, that's all.
That's why when Blake Griffin said that about Cooper Flag
and went he is very good. But easy here, let's
(36:43):
let this guy get settled in.
Speaker 3 (36:45):
Don't put you up say, but he did not say
he's gonna win five NBA titles. The most complete player
in recent memory. Let's see. Yeah, let's see he probably
that's what he did, but that's what he said. He
analyzed them and watched his game, and you watch every
aspect of his game, and then you watch him in
Summer League, and then you watch him. He's like, this
kid can shoot, he can run, he's athletic, he can jump,
(37:08):
he can do all. He's got all the tools, all
the tools in the world. That's not a guarantee, but
he's a complete player, that's all. Okay, we are back
to wrap it up and start off Labor Day weekend.
Right after this Oh yeah, let's finish it up. Rodney Pete,
(37:30):
Fred Rogan on a beautiful Friday, a hot Friday.
Speaker 1 (37:33):
Let's go okay, well, first of three Diamondbacks tonight. Blake
Snell goes for the Dodgers, Zach Gallon goes for the Diamondbacks.
You've got the Padres playing the Minnesota Twins. Zander Bogarts
is going on the injured list, so they've lost a
bat there. It'll be interesting to see how that series
(37:56):
goes and if the Dodgers can increase their lead. The
Padres here start to open up a little distance, but
they've got to take care of their own business first,
and that to take care of your own.
Speaker 3 (38:06):
Business, that's not the thing. You can't scoreboard watch. You
gotta just do your job and take care of your
wins and everything else to take care of itself. Well,
when you're in the lead, you don't look over your shoulder. Right.
Speaker 1 (38:20):
If I'm the Padres, I might be checking. If I'm
the Dodgers, I just go forward. They got to catch you,
you don't have to catch them. And it comes at
a good time that San Diego's dropped a few and
the Dodgers have beat Cincinnati Cincinnati's not a bad ball club.
It really isn't. So you could say, well, look who
they played. They're okay, they're a good ball club. So
(38:43):
this little breathing room now I think boats very well
for them. And we will find out, you know, what happens.
What happens now as the weekend progresses.
Speaker 3 (38:56):
So that's it. We're done, and we're off Monday. We're
off Monday. Happy Labor Day. You have a very safe
labor day, Ronnie, thank you. Kevin, thank you as well.
Great work.
Speaker 1 (39:08):
By the way, Kevin and Adam are doing a show
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (39:13):
Kevin, what is it on?
Speaker 5 (39:15):
Yeah, we're Friday nights eleven pm to two am this
week called Fox Sports Saturday and moving forward, when the
fall lineup is officially released, Fox Sports Saturday is what
it will be called with myself and Adam on FSR.
Speaker 3 (39:26):
Also here on a five seventy.
Speaker 5 (39:27):
So excited about that.
Speaker 3 (39:28):
Frett, very nice, congratulating.
Speaker 5 (39:30):
Thank you guys, appreciate all the support.
Speaker 3 (39:32):
Work in the network.
Speaker 1 (39:33):
All Right, have a great show, Rodney, you have a
very good weekend.
Speaker 3 (39:37):
You too, you too. Let's go
Roggin And Rodney News
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.