September 18, 2025 • 35 mins
David Vassegh hops on to talk about Clayton Kershaw retiring and the Dodgers final home series of the regular season against the Giants. In the wake of Kershaw's retirement announcement we discuss the top athletes and sports figures in LA sports history.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hell.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
We continue on Fred Rogan, Rodney pet On seventy LA
Sports Dodgers and Giants at the stadium tonight. But the
big announcement came about an hour ago that Clayton Kershaw
is going to announce or has announced his retirement. Tomorrow
night will be his final game regular season pitching at
Dodger Stadium. We'll go out to the stadium now. Welcome on,
(00:20):
David Vasse, Dave, Good.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Afternoon, Hey, good afternoon, guys.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Okay, Rodney asked, I thought the burning question earlier. Why
announce it now?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Yeah, great question. And Clayton's going to have a press
conference at five point thirty this afternoon, so we'll find
out a little bit later about that. When why today?
A couple of maybe different reasons why. I mean, it
could inspire the team, and from what I've gathered talking
to a couple of players already, from when Clayton told
(00:54):
the team, it kind of got the vibe going in
that clubhouse. Let's win this one for him, Let's send
him out a World Series champion. So it's a motivating factor.
Number two, Tomorrow is his last regular season start at
Dodgers Stadium, So I'm sure you know he was getting
a little reflective as far as that goes. And you know, obviously, uh,
(01:19):
this is something from what I understand, he told former
teammates that he was deciding a while ago. This is
not something he just decided two or three days ago.
So from my understanding, talking to a couple of close
former teammates, they told me that Kershaw let them know
about his decision to call it a career at the
(01:39):
end of this year a while ago.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
I know, we're going to spend a lot of time.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Maybe he told RJ maybe our JW.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Maybe he was kind of a little bit different. He
was a little different this morning when I talked to him,
So maybe he knew we're going to do a whole
bunch of reflections on clay in his career. And I
know it's, you know, in the middle of a playoff
run here and finishing up the season. But Dave, a
couple of things are first couple of things that come
(02:09):
to mind when you think about Clayton and his career.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
First and foremost, his five day routine, just being around
him every day for the last fourteen seasons. Just how
much work he's put in to get to that fifth
day that's what's made him special and separated him from
other pitchers, other baseball players. I covered Kobe for the
majority of his career. I would say Kershaw is the
(02:35):
only one that matches the intensity, the competitive spirit, and
the work ethic that Kobe Bryant had, not just when
you know, the game starts, but everything that leads up
to the game, and just his respect for the game
and respect for his teammates and just how you know,
he left it all out there. And that's why I
(02:57):
feel like he's at peace, because you know, yeah, he's
won an MVP and three Cy Youngs and two World Series,
but it feels like, you know, guys that are comfortable
retiring know that they left it all out on the field.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
You know.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
I have to be honest with you, Dave. In past
years when he would get hurt, I think now that
he should retire. This year, he looks great and I
actually thought he would come back. Does this surprise you.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
That's a hard question for me to answer, Fred, because
I've seen signs that maybe this is possibly his last
go around, his last dance, if you will. But no,
it doesn't surprise me because coming into this season, he
had told me that there were a variety of different
factors that would go into his decision on whether or
not he wanted to continue to pitch, and it had
(03:47):
nothing to do about whether or not the Dodgers won
the World Series or not. Family number one, you know
how much how his body felt. You know, who knows
how his body's feeling at this stage of the season
compared to where it was at the beginning of the
season and when he first came back. So I think
all these factors, and as he said, when he decided
(04:09):
to come back this year, he had to get the
blessing from Ellen, and now they have baby number five
on the way, So I would imagine at this stage
of their lives, maybe that's more important than coming back
for a nineteenth season.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Yeah. Yeah, And to your point, I'm sure that he
and Ellen and the family and the closest ones to him,
you know, had this discussion before today. This is this
was not definitely a spur of the moment thing, all right, Dave.
So last night the Snell Zilla gave us what we
thought he was going to give us, and it feels
like he is getting back into that groove. And I
(04:47):
just last night, I think he's had some really good
starts the last three outings, but he was dominant last night, David.
And it's almost like, Okay, Dodger's been injured and banged
up all season, but this is what you're about to
see come playoff time. How do you feel about it?
Speaker 3 (05:06):
Yeah, I mean, this is the Blake's Nell that I've known.
If you've watched his career, nobody should be surprised that
he could put on a pitching clinic like he did
last night. I mean, maybe his nastiest pitch of the
night was against the guy that has the most home
runs in the National League and Kyle Schwarber when he
froze him with strike three curveball, and was kind of
(05:29):
laughing at Harrison Bader when he threw him a change
up and then a curveball to strike him out. And
if you go back to last year, Blake Snell had
a historic final ten thirteen games to close out his
season with the Giants. So he's capable of going on
a ten thirteen start heater, and maybe tomorrow night was
the beginning of that. Certainly is a great sign for
(05:52):
the Dodgers if he's feeling that good, and certainly a
streaky pitcher once he gets his season going.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Dave, I am heartened about the Philly series, despite the
fact they lost two of the three because they were hitting.
Do you get a sense now from a momentum standpoint
that the hitting is coming around?
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Yeah? Not even just in the Philly series. How about
last weekend against these Giants they beat and put up
a cricket number against their two best starters and two
of the best starters in the National League in Robbie
Ray and Logan Webb, who they're facing tonight. So to me,
that was the real sign. And then seeing what they
did against three of the four best pitchers the Phillies
(06:33):
have to throw at them obviously continued it. And how
about last night? Did Blake Snell, you know, kind of
inspire the team what he did in that seventh inning
and telling Dave Roberts, no, I want this, I want
to stay in there. It feels like the Dodgers have
been looking to one of these new guys to really
show the hunger, to kind of feed that to this
(06:54):
team that already won a World Series championship. It looks
like they were just looking for someone to be that
and it happened organically last night, and then in the
eighth inning, ta Oscar Hernandez went first to third. I
don't remember the last time I saw Oscar go first
to third, So that was inspiring. The dugout was fired up.
Those type of things at the end of the season
(07:15):
for a team that's looking for a spark, certainly can
go a long way.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Hey, Dave, were you surprised when Alex Vessia came out
of the bullpen then turned around and went back in
the bullpen. I don't think I've ever seen that before.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Yeah. If I have, it hasn't been for a while.
But it just shows you that when Dave Roberts is
going out there, it's kind of a done deal that
you're coming out of the game and best I'm sure,
like Rodney talked about earlier. You know, Mark Pryor is
telling Josh Bard down there, Hey, bring in Vessia instead
of Dave, instead of Vessia waiting for Dave to make
(07:52):
the call. So, yeah, that's not something you see all
the time.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Yeah, Dave in terms of play, and you got a
few of them coming back trying to get there, you know,
everything back into a groove, like Tommy Edmunds and Kim
and are we gonna are we gonna see you know,
kind of the same rotation or platooning for the rest
of the season until the playoffs starts, meaning that Conforto's
(08:17):
could go against righty or or are they going to
start to work in their postseason lineup in these last
few games of the season.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
Yeah, that's a great question, Rodney. Uh, just when you
want to count out Michael Conforto for having a spot
on the postseason roster. He puts together good at bats
like he did in San Francisco, there's a possibility they
could carry Conforto. I would say he's one of those
bubble players along. I would put him in the same
bubble category as Dulton Rushing, Hey Song, Kim and you know,
(08:50):
I would I would say he's on that bubble and
what does he bring? What are the matchups? I think
that's gonna dictate who they who they put on that
on that playoff roster for the final spot. Obviously, in
a wildcard series NLDS series, you don't need as many
relief pitchers, so you might carry an extra position player
(09:10):
which might open the door. But yeah, that's to be determined.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Rodney and on that topic, Dave, you know, will Smith
hopefully he'll be okay, but you know, if they still
think he can't go, would Rutford make the playoff.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Roster, yeah, Ben Roortvitt, Yeah, definitely. Would you need two catchers,
he would be it with Dalton Rushing if will Smith
for some reason is not able to go in the
first round, the wildcard series round or the NLDS. But
and that's the game time decision too. I don't believe
we're going to know whether or not Will Smith is
good to go until the last couple of days of
(09:46):
the regular season and maybe the day before the Wildcard
series because from what I've been told talking to a
couple of different hand specialists, Bone Bruce take a long
time to heal, and if it's still tender to the touch,
you know, that's tough for him to play, or he
might have a big setback and be out for the
rest of the postseason.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Yeah, it's a tough one because you don't know what
could do it. It could be I mean, he could
actually be stumbling down the stairs and bump it against
the wall and all of a sudden that's a setback.
It's just it's very tender, so you never you never
really know.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Did ever give you a bone bruce on your throwing
can He did?
Speaker 1 (10:25):
Turner did when I chased him down in the coliseum
right before half after he picked me off there. David Bassay, Yes,
he did give me a bruise.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Oh, I forgot about that, Rodney.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Oh, never forget Dave.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Never forget.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Dave. So is there any chance that they that they
switch Pahz and Taoscar go and put ta Oskar back
in left field or is he just going to continue
to play right field and that's how they're going to
ride it out.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Yeah, it seems like they're riding it out that way
because after ta Oscar got embarrassed in Denver a couple
of weeks ago, for everybody from Andrew Friedman to Dave
Roberts to even their teammates have said that ta Oscar
has played a lot better in right field, and last
night he actually tracked down a ball in the gap,
something we haven't seen. So it feels like if you're
(11:15):
talking about somebody that's flipped the switch, you would have
to say Oscar Hernandez has flipped the switch after having
two or three months where he was non existent defensively
or offensively.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Hi, Dave, who's the guest on the pregame show?
Speaker 3 (11:33):
Yeah, one of Krushaw's longest tenured teammates, Key Key Hernandez,
the longest tenured teammate, is going to join us.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
Yeah. He had a little pop in his bat last night.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Yeah he did. Yeah, I mean he's it's only September,
but he's starting to look like October. Keyk there you go.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Can that comes soon enough? All right, Dave, thanks for
jumping on. Really appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
Okay, thank you guys.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
All There we goes David Vasse out of Dodger Stadium.
So the big news Clayton Hershaw's going to retire, and
we have a pair of tickets to give away. We're
not giving them away now, we'll give them away before
three o'clock for the game tomorrow night. That's gonna be
a tough ticket to get Rodney all of a sudden,
that's a really.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Tough So yeah, you know, everybody's gonna be clamoring to
get to that game to see that because it's coming
an era that's coming to an end. And you talk
about guys that were you know that wear specific uniforms
around this town, whether it be Lakers, the Dodgers, or
anywhere else. It's the number twenty two in a Dodger
(12:34):
uniform is iconic. So yes, there will be everybody and
their brother trying to get those tickets. All right, So
here's what I did. Don't ask me, people out there,
don't you dare ask me?
Speaker 2 (12:44):
Yeah, you get a lot of frenzies time during this time,
don't you a lot of new friends?
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (12:50):
All right, So I tapped, I tapped, I typed into AI.
Give me the top ten LA athletes of all time,
I asked AI. So when we back, let's talk about
who the greatest athletes in Los Angeles sports history are, because,
quite frankly, Clayton Kershaw is near the top of that list.
And we'll do that when we come back. Uh score
(13:12):
big with flooring from Hernanda's Wholesale Flooring Shot Hernanda's Wholesale
Flooring dot net, no sale, betosale. All right, do you
think you know number one?
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Now?
Speaker 2 (13:26):
This is according to chat gpt AI. Do you think
you know number one on the list?
Speaker 1 (13:36):
Yes, yes, he is. A song's written for my wife
Happy birthday, Holly Robinson Pete. Yes, let's go all day,
all week, all month is Urgo season. Got a shout
it from the rooftops, Reddy, No, I'll hear you. Happy Birthday, Holly.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Right home Saturday, join us at a legioned Parkner Academy
Road parking lot for a pregame party from eleven to
three for your chance to win tickets to the last
two merchant last two games, I should say merchandise and more.
Stop buying the way to the ballpark for other activities
including photo booths, pictures, music, and other prizes. Your home
of the Dodger Baseball is AM five to seventy LA Sports. Okay,
(14:19):
we still have tickets to give away. We'll do that
coming up in a bit. Clayton Kershaw announcing his retirement.
Ten greatest athletes in LA sports history. There's one way
to figure it out. Sure, we all have our own opinions.
But I just typed it into chat gpt.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
Let's ask ai AI West Coast or East Coast AI
West Coast AI It is okay, Actually I typed it
in to chat gpt AI that has been designed specifically
for me. Oh okay, with my style of writing and
all the little little East Coast bias that might be
(14:58):
going on here, think so, I don't think some top
ten LA Sports figures of all time. Here we go,
number one on the list. Everybody can Wigan if you
want Rodney Who's number one? You know him very well.
I mentioned I think Johnson Magic. Johnson is number one
on the list.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Define the Showtime Era, five championships, three MVPs and quite frankly,
a smile that made the Lakers Hollywood. He's number one
on the list. Number two on the list according to
chat shebt, who do you think it is?
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Kobe Bryant?
Speaker 2 (15:36):
That is correct, the Black Mamba five rings and really
the heart and soul of LA basketball for two decades. Now,
those two are easy greatest athletes top ten LA sports history.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Number three? Now, who do you think it is? Wow?
Can this be? Is this including coaches?
Speaker 2 (16:01):
I just typed it in so it could include anyone. Okay,
there are no coaches on the list.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Okay, then I was thinking John Wooden's got to be
in there somewhere. It's just a guy that's influential athletics,
all that kind of stuff. Okay, I'm gonna write number three.
I'm gonna write him down. Go ahead, Number three. I'm
gonna go, uh, Kareem abdul Jabbar, he is number four?
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Okay, all right, the sky hooks, six MVPs, five titles.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
Kareem back to number three. When I say it, you'll go,
of course. Sandy Colfax, Yeah, that was gonna be a guess.
Uh four no hitters, most dominant lefty of his time.
All right, so so far we have Magic Kobe, Sandy Kofax, Kareem.
(16:55):
This would have.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Slipped your mind. I guarantee you. But when you're here,
you're gonna go absolutely. Who is number five? Number five?
Speaker 1 (17:07):
And I'll say, Eric Dickerson.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
It is not Eric Dickerson. He made honorable mention. But
now let me give you a hint. He is number
five because of what he did in college.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Okay, Reggie Bush not Reggie Bush. Okay, you want it?
Oh J. Simpson, not O J. Simpson, not O J. Simpson.
I'll give you honorable mention what he did in college.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Right, So let me say this, Eric Dickerson was honorable mention.
Reggie Bush was honorable mention. Oh J didn't make it? Okay,
Number five, Jackie Robinson, Ah, you see la star before
breaking baseball's color Barrier.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
All right, two sports star.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
All right, let's go to number six, number six, and
I will tell you it is a baseball player, Fernando Correct.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Fernando Mania. It wasn't just baseball, it was culture.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
He brought an entire community to Dodger Stadium, number seven,
and he is a basketball player, number seven Basketball.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
I'm gonna I'm gonna go we leaning back towards college.
You mean that in no? Okay, I'll say this Jerry West.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Jerry West is correct the logo clutch score and later
the mastermind behind multiple Laker dynasties.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
Now number eight.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
And when I tell you who it is, this one
I do not agree with this one.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
I do not agree with.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
But the argument is compelling because this one, in my opinion,
isn't really La, but is La. And it's somebody you
talk about all the time. Who is number eight basketball player?
Speaker 1 (19:21):
Shack? No?
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Oh see, I would have had Shack ahead of him.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Uh huh? You ready, Bill Walton? No, but a very
good try. Lebron. Oh, chet Gpt says Lebron, Lebron a
number eight.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
Okay, number nine, These are the top ten according to
chet Gpt.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Number nine And the way you spoke about Bill Walton
when I said it, and Nope, no it's not him,
because I could tell what you said. He is.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
This person is the only one from this sport on
the list. Oh, the only one in this sport, the
only one in that sport.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
Yes, okay, Billy Jean King.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
See, I think that's a pretty good pick. But the
answer here is Wayne Gretzky. He didn't win in LA,
but he made hockey cool.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
And do you think of LA when you think of
Wayne Gretzky.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
I do, I do, And I understand why you would
even ask that question, but I do because he was
the guy here that really did make hockey cool.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
He did.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
Now I understand he played for Edmonton, he played for
the Rangers, the Blues, I know, but he really did
put hockey on the map here. And now we get
to number ten, ten greatest LA athletes all time, and
it is I'll tell you what it is. It's the
guy who's retiring Clayton Kershaw. Clayton Kershaw, three Cy Youngs
(21:17):
and MVP and he finally get that elusive World Series ring. Okay,
so that is what AI said. Let me give you
the honorable mentions. Tell me if you agree, all right?
Shack yep, Eric Dickerson yep. Reggie Bush and Matt Lioner.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
So they kind of like the thing. Okay, all right,
Lisa Leslie, okay, by that you agree with that? Yeah,
Serena and Venus Williams. Oh wow, only honorable mention for Serena. Huh. Yeah.
(22:01):
It might be a little sport bias on that. Yeah.
When you talk, yeah, when you talk about athletes, it's hard.
It's hard to top those two sisters. Yeah, when you know,
and Billy Geen King's not even in there, No, didn't
(22:23):
make it.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
I might have my LA Raider bias in here too,
But I will say Marcus Allen Heisman Trophy at USC
Super Bowl with the LA Raiders probably should at least
make the honorable mention league.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Yeah, super Bowl MVP with the Raiders.
Speaker 4 (22:34):
At the very least should make the honorable mentioned list.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Yeah. Who else? When you just think about it, what
other name should be? Ann Myers Drysdale. Yeah, it's a
good one.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
Yeah, Annie, sure, sure she deserves it. Yeah, I mean
I don't think so. But Jim Plunkett when he was here.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Jim Plunkett from the Raiders. Yeah, when he was here
the Raiders. M M.
Speaker 4 (23:03):
Yeah, I feel like you want both of his titles
with the Oakland Raiders, if I remember right.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
Though, he won one with the Oakland one here. Yeah,
I guess, yeah, but you know, look, you feel the
way you want to feel. But if we're talking taking
off the field out of it, you know O. J.
Simpson his time at at at USC, at a time
where he put them on the national real big time
(23:29):
national map at at USC, that's that's a hard one
to deny too. Now, I know everybody feels, but it's
hard to deny what he did at at USC and
the impact.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
But you mentioned, and I think it's an accurate assessment.
Why isn't John Wooden on this list?
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (23:49):
Well, I think the athletes right, because if it's if
it's l A Sports Figures, then yeah, you were probably
putting and you could probably put Jackson on there.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
You could probably McKay right on there. Yea.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Yeah, Okay, So now I typed in sports figures.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
You said shack ed, Reggie and Matt Leonard and those
were actually mentioned ass So the other ones we mentioned
are not not either.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
They were on the list. The first ten were on
the list. Those are the annibal mentions. Billy Jim King
didn't make it interestingly. But now here's what I did.
I wrote in top ten LA Sports figures of all time?
Speaker 1 (24:38):
You ready? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Number one is Jackie Robinson, Magic is two, Kobe is three,
Sandy Kofax is four, Kareem is five. Now sports figures,
Clayton Kershaw's six, Wayne Gretzky is seven. And here's here's
the difference. And John Woulden didn't make it again, I'm stunned.
Tommy Lessora is number eight of LA Sports Figures. Number
(25:03):
nine is Pete Carroll revived USC football and built a dynasty,
made Saturdays in the Coliseum must watch TV. At number
ten on sports Figures.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
Vin Scully, Yeah, I almost feel like you got to
have a separate category, right if you just put it athletes,
I get the ten that they put up there. But
if you're talking just sports figures, yeah, you can't leave
John Wooden off the list.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Well, if you're doing sports figures, let me ask you this.
Can you leave Jerry Buss off the list?
Speaker 1 (25:41):
No? No, what he did and when he bought the
team and brought showtime here and what he created at
the form. No, you cannot leave him off the list. Well,
and if you're talking about sports figs, can you leave
(26:02):
pat Riley off the list? I don't think you can,
because he would be on the list to me before
Bill Jackson.
Speaker 4 (26:14):
Okay, I mean chick Hearn, chick Hearn, sports figure, Bob Miller.
If you want to throw announcers in there, they're figures. I
know they're not coaches that didn't have a direct impact
on what happened on the field, but they're the connection
to the fans. So a lot of fans would have
guys like that in the top of their list.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
Well, if that's the case, then you'd have to you'd
have to remember the late dick Enberg absolutely.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
I mean not only was the.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
A voice of UCLA and the Angels, he went on
to be the voice of NBC Sports called multiple Super Bowls. Yeah,
oh my yeah, So I think they would have to
be on there. Okay, Billy j and King not on
that list.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
Not on it. Now, what I'm gonna do.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
I typed in top ten LA coaches of all time time.
I'll do this one for you real quick. Number one
on the list. Finally, John Wooden, number two, Rodney John Robinson,
number three, John McKay number four, Tommy Lesorda number five,
(27:21):
pat Riley. Number six on this list is Mike Soosha,
who number seven is Pete Carroll. Phil Jackson number eight.
Now this is interesting, this is really interesting. Bob Boyd
number Bob Boyd usc basketball.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
Yeah, yeah, he's on the list. Yep, he's number nine
and number ten.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
A man, no one could understand if he was sitting
right here and we're staring at him, we couldn't figure
out what he was saying.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
Daryl Aryl number ten. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (27:57):
I love Mike Sosha, but that he's higher than Phil Jackson,
that's interesting to me.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
Yeah, he was. Yeah, he was not very colorful when
he came to interviews or anything like that, was he?
Mike so Phil Jackson. Oh.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
The thing about Sutter is you'd be sitting in the
room and you'd be asked. You'd ask a question, and
quite frankly, to be terrified. You'd be terrified because you
were afraid that he would embarrass you. So you would
sit there and ask a question. Then he would mumble
and bumble his way through the answer, and then you
would laugh. You would laugh because if you didn't laugh,
(28:35):
you didn't know what would happen to you. So people
thought it was really funny. But the truth of the
matter is you could never understand him, and you laughed
because you didn't want to attack you.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
That's what I'm gonna say. If people were afraid of him, afraid, yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Oh yeah, they they really were. I mean, he was
a tough guy to deal with. He was a no
nonsense guy. I think Rudy what he was playing for Carolina,
if I remember correctly, and Darryl Sutter was the coach.
They had checked into a hotel like a Marianna a
Sunday morning, and Darryl Sutter wasn't pleased with the way
(29:14):
things had gone the night before whatever, and uh, Kelly,
Rudy said that they were checking in and they were
having like Sunday brunch or something. Darryl Sutter was mf
and guys yelling at him. All these people are having
brunch looking at this lunatic, screaming obscenities and people.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
He told me one game they were playing, Darrison.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
And Darryl Sutter didn't think they played well in one
of the periods, and then between periods he went into
the locker room. He says, he's gonna fight somebody. He's
gonna fight his own guy in the locker room. Come
up here, I'll fight you right now. Kind of an
intention prob. Yeah, he's gonna fight his own player. Oh
(30:01):
you don't look very tough out there. Come up here
right now. I'm gonna fight you. I guess his methods worked.
I mean, the King's won, but it was a rather
intense approach. He was kind of like Billy Martin. There
comes a point where you can't take anymore.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
Yeah, you know it was. Terry Donahue would probably be
on that list if we're talking coaches.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Right, Terry Donne, you could have made that list easily, Kevin,
Did any other come to your mind?
Speaker 4 (30:33):
Coaches? Yeah, not immediately. I think we got all the
big ones, Donnahe was one that would have slipped my mind. Actually,
he never would have been crossed my mind.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
That's a good one.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
Humm, I got one for you, Tom Flores, I see,
I'd like Tom Flores.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
Longtime Raider coach. People in l A love Tom Flores,
and not just that he won two Super Bowls. You
know what the thing about him was, he was so.
Speaker 4 (31:05):
Understated, extremely understated.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
Yeah, but if he sat and talked to him. He
was funny.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
He was really a great guy, but just so understating.
You always wondered watching them play when he was the coach.
Does see this guy motivate anybody? I mean really, he
was just so so understated, but boy, he he sure
got the most out of those guys.
Speaker 4 (31:29):
He kind of seemed anti the you know, the Raider
way as far as that the renegades are out there
and getting penalized left and right, and he's just very
calm and stoic. He didn't really embody the raider image
of the way the team played on the field like
John Madden did. I would say, you know, yeah, kind
of the opposite.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
Yeah, very much. Great, Yeah, that's a great comment.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
All Right, We've got another pair of tickets to give
away for the Dodgers and the Giants tomorrow night. Clayton
Kershon on his final regular season appearance pitching at Dodger
Stadium eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy
Rodney what caller number number five? Let's go, and we'll
(32:10):
be back to announce the winner and wrap it up.
Speaker 5 (32:13):
Make AM five to seventy LA Sports a preset before
you plug in your foot presets in the iHeartRadio app,
now available with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Just another
easy way to listen to LA's best sports talk.
Speaker 1 (32:27):
Almost down to wrap it up on this throwback Thursday,
Rodney Pete, Fred Rogan, Yes, and the great one Clayton Kershaw,
he hadn't heard, just announced he will be retiring at
the end of the season.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
Fred, we want to congratulate Aaron, Fernando and Jeff. You
are the winners on our show. Everybody, the three of you.
You've got a pair of tickets each to see Clayton
Kershaw's final regular season appearance on the mount of Dodger
Stadium tomorrow night. But do not despair if you didn't
win with us. Petros and money are going to be
given ticket. It's away every hour as well, so you
(33:01):
still got a shot to go out on what will
be an historic evening and Clayton Kershaw. David Vassi told
us he had been hinting at this with close friends
for some time, not like you woke up this morning
and said I think I'm done. So he had been
kicking this idea around seeing how the season went. And
(33:21):
Dave also made a very good point. He said you know,
you say something like this to your teammates and that
may give them, I don't know, extra motivation or a
little little boost. Let's win this one for Clayton. Let's
send him out a winner, and that would be a
Hollywood ending, there's no question about it. So they've got
the Giants tonight, here we go again, and Yamamoto will
(33:45):
be on the hill for the Dodgers.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
So you got to like that.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
If you got to start a series with anybody and
it's not Blake smell Snell, you wanted to be Almamoto.
So that is good news for the Dodgers. Morongo Casino
Dodgers on deck is at six. David Vassay's pregame guest
will be Keike Hernandez, and of course we'll have to
call of the game here on the radio station at
seven to ten. At last glance, I know the Padres
(34:11):
were getting beat and I don't I don't know what
the scor is right now. I'll check real quick. Do
they lost?
Speaker 1 (34:17):
Okay?
Speaker 2 (34:18):
So they got to beat six to one? All right,
so that's good. So the Dodgers win tonight, they pick
up a game on them, so they would be three up.
Any little cushion now helps, any little padding now helps
the Mets beat the Padres. And you know they're in
a dog fight now for that final wild card spots.
Speaker 1 (34:36):
Are Cubs Cubs Clints to playoff birth today too, the Cubbies. Okay,
so they're in, they're in, They're in. Uh So, yeah,
it's a you know, it's a dog fight. And THEA said,
you know, the Giants are still chasing, right, They're still
trying to chase, and they got a real, you know,
outside chance. But you know they're they're motivated to play
(34:58):
well against the Dodgers in this game set. Also, you know,
Seattle is still in the running and running hard, and
so the Dodgers play them as well. So it's not
gonna be easy games to finish out the season for
the Dodgers by any stretch. All right, Ronnie, thank you
for today. Great work. Really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
Kevin, outstanding work as always, and uh okay, Rodney, we're
back tomorrow to wrap up the week.
Speaker 1 (35:24):
Right,
Hell.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
We continue on Fred Rogan, Rodney pet On seventy LA
Sports Dodgers and Giants at the stadium tonight. But the
big announcement came about an hour ago that Clayton Kershaw
is going to announce or has announced his retirement. Tomorrow
night will be his final game regular season pitching at
Dodger Stadium. We'll go out to the stadium now. Welcome on,
(00:20):
David Vasse, Dave, Good.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Afternoon, Hey, good afternoon, guys.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Okay, Rodney asked, I thought the burning question earlier. Why
announce it now?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Yeah, great question. And Clayton's going to have a press
conference at five point thirty this afternoon, so we'll find
out a little bit later about that. When why today?
A couple of maybe different reasons why. I mean, it
could inspire the team, and from what I've gathered talking
to a couple of players already, from when Clayton told
(00:54):
the team, it kind of got the vibe going in
that clubhouse. Let's win this one for him, Let's send
him out a World Series champion. So it's a motivating factor.
Number two, Tomorrow is his last regular season start at
Dodgers Stadium, So I'm sure you know he was getting
a little reflective as far as that goes. And you know, obviously, uh,
(01:19):
this is something from what I understand, he told former
teammates that he was deciding a while ago. This is
not something he just decided two or three days ago.
So from my understanding, talking to a couple of close
former teammates, they told me that Kershaw let them know
about his decision to call it a career at the
(01:39):
end of this year a while ago.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
I know, we're going to spend a lot of time.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Maybe he told RJ maybe our JW.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Maybe he was kind of a little bit different. He
was a little different this morning when I talked to him,
So maybe he knew we're going to do a whole
bunch of reflections on clay in his career. And I
know it's, you know, in the middle of a playoff
run here and finishing up the season. But Dave, a
couple of things are first couple of things that come
(02:09):
to mind when you think about Clayton and his career.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
First and foremost, his five day routine, just being around
him every day for the last fourteen seasons. Just how
much work he's put in to get to that fifth
day that's what's made him special and separated him from
other pitchers, other baseball players. I covered Kobe for the
majority of his career. I would say Kershaw is the
(02:35):
only one that matches the intensity, the competitive spirit, and
the work ethic that Kobe Bryant had, not just when
you know, the game starts, but everything that leads up
to the game, and just his respect for the game
and respect for his teammates and just how you know,
he left it all out there. And that's why I
(02:57):
feel like he's at peace, because you know, yeah, he's
won an MVP and three Cy Youngs and two World Series,
but it feels like, you know, guys that are comfortable
retiring know that they left it all out on the field.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
You know.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
I have to be honest with you, Dave. In past
years when he would get hurt, I think now that
he should retire. This year, he looks great and I
actually thought he would come back. Does this surprise you.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
That's a hard question for me to answer, Fred, because
I've seen signs that maybe this is possibly his last
go around, his last dance, if you will. But no,
it doesn't surprise me because coming into this season, he
had told me that there were a variety of different
factors that would go into his decision on whether or
not he wanted to continue to pitch, and it had
(03:47):
nothing to do about whether or not the Dodgers won
the World Series or not. Family number one, you know
how much how his body felt. You know, who knows
how his body's feeling at this stage of the season
compared to where it was at the beginning of the
season and when he first came back. So I think
all these factors, and as he said, when he decided
(04:09):
to come back this year, he had to get the
blessing from Ellen, and now they have baby number five
on the way, So I would imagine at this stage
of their lives, maybe that's more important than coming back
for a nineteenth season.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Yeah. Yeah, And to your point, I'm sure that he
and Ellen and the family and the closest ones to him,
you know, had this discussion before today. This is this
was not definitely a spur of the moment thing, all right, Dave.
So last night the Snell Zilla gave us what we
thought he was going to give us, and it feels
like he is getting back into that groove. And I
(04:47):
just last night, I think he's had some really good
starts the last three outings, but he was dominant last night, David.
And it's almost like, Okay, Dodger's been injured and banged
up all season, but this is what you're about to
see come playoff time. How do you feel about it?
Speaker 3 (05:06):
Yeah, I mean, this is the Blake's Nell that I've known.
If you've watched his career, nobody should be surprised that
he could put on a pitching clinic like he did
last night. I mean, maybe his nastiest pitch of the
night was against the guy that has the most home
runs in the National League and Kyle Schwarber when he
froze him with strike three curveball, and was kind of
(05:29):
laughing at Harrison Bader when he threw him a change
up and then a curveball to strike him out. And
if you go back to last year, Blake Snell had
a historic final ten thirteen games to close out his
season with the Giants. So he's capable of going on
a ten thirteen start heater, and maybe tomorrow night was
the beginning of that. Certainly is a great sign for
(05:52):
the Dodgers if he's feeling that good, and certainly a
streaky pitcher once he gets his season going.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Dave, I am heartened about the Philly series, despite the
fact they lost two of the three because they were hitting.
Do you get a sense now from a momentum standpoint
that the hitting is coming around?
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Yeah? Not even just in the Philly series. How about
last weekend against these Giants they beat and put up
a cricket number against their two best starters and two
of the best starters in the National League in Robbie
Ray and Logan Webb, who they're facing tonight. So to me,
that was the real sign. And then seeing what they
did against three of the four best pitchers the Phillies
(06:33):
have to throw at them obviously continued it. And how
about last night? Did Blake Snell, you know, kind of
inspire the team what he did in that seventh inning
and telling Dave Roberts, no, I want this, I want
to stay in there. It feels like the Dodgers have
been looking to one of these new guys to really
show the hunger, to kind of feed that to this
(06:54):
team that already won a World Series championship. It looks
like they were just looking for someone to be that
and it happened organically last night, and then in the
eighth inning, ta Oscar Hernandez went first to third. I
don't remember the last time I saw Oscar go first
to third, So that was inspiring. The dugout was fired up.
Those type of things at the end of the season
(07:15):
for a team that's looking for a spark, certainly can
go a long way.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Hey, Dave, were you surprised when Alex Vessia came out
of the bullpen then turned around and went back in
the bullpen. I don't think I've ever seen that before.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Yeah. If I have, it hasn't been for a while.
But it just shows you that when Dave Roberts is
going out there, it's kind of a done deal that
you're coming out of the game and best I'm sure,
like Rodney talked about earlier. You know, Mark Pryor is
telling Josh Bard down there, Hey, bring in Vessia instead
of Dave, instead of Vessia waiting for Dave to make
(07:52):
the call. So, yeah, that's not something you see all
the time.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Yeah, Dave in terms of play, and you got a
few of them coming back trying to get there, you know,
everything back into a groove, like Tommy Edmunds and Kim
and are we gonna are we gonna see you know,
kind of the same rotation or platooning for the rest
of the season until the playoffs starts, meaning that Conforto's
(08:17):
could go against righty or or are they going to
start to work in their postseason lineup in these last
few games of the season.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
Yeah, that's a great question, Rodney. Uh, just when you
want to count out Michael Conforto for having a spot
on the postseason roster. He puts together good at bats
like he did in San Francisco, there's a possibility they
could carry Conforto. I would say he's one of those
bubble players along. I would put him in the same
bubble category as Dulton Rushing, Hey Song, Kim and you know,
(08:50):
I would I would say he's on that bubble and
what does he bring? What are the matchups? I think
that's gonna dictate who they who they put on that
on that playoff roster for the final spot. Obviously, in
a wildcard series NLDS series, you don't need as many
relief pitchers, so you might carry an extra position player
(09:10):
which might open the door. But yeah, that's to be determined.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Rodney and on that topic, Dave, you know, will Smith
hopefully he'll be okay, but you know, if they still
think he can't go, would Rutford make the playoff.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Roster, yeah, Ben Roortvitt, Yeah, definitely. Would you need two catchers,
he would be it with Dalton Rushing if will Smith
for some reason is not able to go in the
first round, the wildcard series round or the NLDS. But
and that's the game time decision too. I don't believe
we're going to know whether or not Will Smith is
good to go until the last couple of days of
(09:46):
the regular season and maybe the day before the Wildcard
series because from what I've been told talking to a
couple of different hand specialists, Bone Bruce take a long
time to heal, and if it's still tender to the touch,
you know, that's tough for him to play, or he
might have a big setback and be out for the
rest of the postseason.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Yeah, it's a tough one because you don't know what
could do it. It could be I mean, he could
actually be stumbling down the stairs and bump it against
the wall and all of a sudden that's a setback.
It's just it's very tender, so you never you never
really know.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Did ever give you a bone bruce on your throwing
can He did?
Speaker 1 (10:25):
Turner did when I chased him down in the coliseum
right before half after he picked me off there. David Bassay, Yes,
he did give me a bruise.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Oh, I forgot about that, Rodney.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Oh, never forget Dave.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Never forget.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Dave. So is there any chance that they that they
switch Pahz and Taoscar go and put ta Oskar back
in left field or is he just going to continue
to play right field and that's how they're going to
ride it out.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Yeah, it seems like they're riding it out that way
because after ta Oscar got embarrassed in Denver a couple
of weeks ago, for everybody from Andrew Friedman to Dave
Roberts to even their teammates have said that ta Oscar
has played a lot better in right field, and last
night he actually tracked down a ball in the gap,
something we haven't seen. So it feels like if you're
(11:15):
talking about somebody that's flipped the switch, you would have
to say Oscar Hernandez has flipped the switch after having
two or three months where he was non existent defensively
or offensively.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Hi, Dave, who's the guest on the pregame show?
Speaker 3 (11:33):
Yeah, one of Krushaw's longest tenured teammates, Key Key Hernandez,
the longest tenured teammate, is going to join us.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
Yeah. He had a little pop in his bat last night.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Yeah he did. Yeah, I mean he's it's only September,
but he's starting to look like October. Keyk there you go.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Can that comes soon enough? All right, Dave, thanks for
jumping on. Really appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
Okay, thank you guys.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
All There we goes David Vasse out of Dodger Stadium.
So the big news Clayton Hershaw's going to retire, and
we have a pair of tickets to give away. We're
not giving them away now, we'll give them away before
three o'clock for the game tomorrow night. That's gonna be
a tough ticket to get Rodney all of a sudden,
that's a really.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Tough So yeah, you know, everybody's gonna be clamoring to
get to that game to see that because it's coming
an era that's coming to an end. And you talk
about guys that were you know that wear specific uniforms
around this town, whether it be Lakers, the Dodgers, or
anywhere else. It's the number twenty two in a Dodger
(12:34):
uniform is iconic. So yes, there will be everybody and
their brother trying to get those tickets. All right, So
here's what I did. Don't ask me, people out there,
don't you dare ask me?
Speaker 2 (12:44):
Yeah, you get a lot of frenzies time during this time,
don't you a lot of new friends?
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (12:50):
All right, So I tapped, I tapped, I typed into AI.
Give me the top ten LA athletes of all time,
I asked AI. So when we back, let's talk about
who the greatest athletes in Los Angeles sports history are, because,
quite frankly, Clayton Kershaw is near the top of that list.
And we'll do that when we come back. Uh score
(13:12):
big with flooring from Hernanda's Wholesale Flooring Shot Hernanda's Wholesale
Flooring dot net, no sale, betosale. All right, do you
think you know number one?
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Now?
Speaker 2 (13:26):
This is according to chat gpt AI. Do you think
you know number one on the list?
Speaker 1 (13:36):
Yes, yes, he is. A song's written for my wife
Happy birthday, Holly Robinson Pete. Yes, let's go all day,
all week, all month is Urgo season. Got a shout
it from the rooftops, Reddy, No, I'll hear you. Happy Birthday, Holly.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Right home Saturday, join us at a legioned Parkner Academy
Road parking lot for a pregame party from eleven to
three for your chance to win tickets to the last
two merchant last two games, I should say merchandise and more.
Stop buying the way to the ballpark for other activities
including photo booths, pictures, music, and other prizes. Your home
of the Dodger Baseball is AM five to seventy LA Sports. Okay,
(14:19):
we still have tickets to give away. We'll do that
coming up in a bit. Clayton Kershaw announcing his retirement.
Ten greatest athletes in LA sports history. There's one way
to figure it out. Sure, we all have our own opinions.
But I just typed it into chat gpt.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
Let's ask ai AI West Coast or East Coast AI
West Coast AI It is okay, Actually I typed it
in to chat gpt AI that has been designed specifically
for me. Oh okay, with my style of writing and
all the little little East Coast bias that might be
(14:58):
going on here, think so, I don't think some top
ten LA Sports figures of all time. Here we go,
number one on the list. Everybody can Wigan if you
want Rodney Who's number one? You know him very well.
I mentioned I think Johnson Magic. Johnson is number one
on the list.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Define the Showtime Era, five championships, three MVPs and quite frankly,
a smile that made the Lakers Hollywood. He's number one
on the list. Number two on the list according to
chat shebt, who do you think it is?
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Kobe Bryant?
Speaker 2 (15:36):
That is correct, the Black Mamba five rings and really
the heart and soul of LA basketball for two decades. Now,
those two are easy greatest athletes top ten LA sports history.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Number three? Now, who do you think it is? Wow?
Can this be? Is this including coaches?
Speaker 2 (16:01):
I just typed it in so it could include anyone. Okay,
there are no coaches on the list.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Okay, then I was thinking John Wooden's got to be
in there somewhere. It's just a guy that's influential athletics,
all that kind of stuff. Okay, I'm gonna write number three.
I'm gonna write him down. Go ahead, Number three. I'm
gonna go, uh, Kareem abdul Jabbar, he is number four?
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Okay, all right, the sky hooks, six MVPs, five titles.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
Kareem back to number three. When I say it, you'll go,
of course. Sandy Colfax, Yeah, that was gonna be a guess.
Uh four no hitters, most dominant lefty of his time.
All right, so so far we have Magic Kobe, Sandy Kofax, Kareem.
(16:55):
This would have.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Slipped your mind. I guarantee you. But when you're here,
you're gonna go absolutely. Who is number five? Number five?
Speaker 1 (17:07):
And I'll say, Eric Dickerson.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
It is not Eric Dickerson. He made honorable mention. But
now let me give you a hint. He is number
five because of what he did in college.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Okay, Reggie Bush not Reggie Bush. Okay, you want it?
Oh J. Simpson, not O J. Simpson, not O J. Simpson.
I'll give you honorable mention what he did in college.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Right, So let me say this, Eric Dickerson was honorable mention.
Reggie Bush was honorable mention. Oh J didn't make it? Okay,
Number five, Jackie Robinson, Ah, you see la star before
breaking baseball's color Barrier.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
All right, two sports star.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
All right, let's go to number six, number six, and
I will tell you it is a baseball player, Fernando Correct.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Fernando Mania. It wasn't just baseball, it was culture.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
He brought an entire community to Dodger Stadium, number seven,
and he is a basketball player, number seven Basketball.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
I'm gonna I'm gonna go we leaning back towards college.
You mean that in no? Okay, I'll say this Jerry West.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Jerry West is correct the logo clutch score and later
the mastermind behind multiple Laker dynasties.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
Now number eight.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
And when I tell you who it is, this one
I do not agree with this one.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
I do not agree with.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
But the argument is compelling because this one, in my opinion,
isn't really La, but is La. And it's somebody you
talk about all the time. Who is number eight basketball player?
Speaker 1 (19:21):
Shack? No?
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Oh see, I would have had Shack ahead of him.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Uh huh? You ready, Bill Walton? No, but a very
good try. Lebron. Oh, chet Gpt says Lebron, Lebron a
number eight.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
Okay, number nine, These are the top ten according to
chet Gpt.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Number nine And the way you spoke about Bill Walton
when I said it, and Nope, no it's not him,
because I could tell what you said. He is.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
This person is the only one from this sport on
the list. Oh, the only one in this sport, the
only one in that sport.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
Yes, okay, Billy Jean King.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
See, I think that's a pretty good pick. But the
answer here is Wayne Gretzky. He didn't win in LA,
but he made hockey cool.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
And do you think of LA when you think of
Wayne Gretzky.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
I do, I do, And I understand why you would
even ask that question, but I do because he was
the guy here that really did make hockey cool.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
He did.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
Now I understand he played for Edmonton, he played for
the Rangers, the Blues, I know, but he really did
put hockey on the map here. And now we get
to number ten, ten greatest LA athletes all time, and
it is I'll tell you what it is. It's the
guy who's retiring Clayton Kershaw. Clayton Kershaw, three Cy Youngs
(21:17):
and MVP and he finally get that elusive World Series ring. Okay,
so that is what AI said. Let me give you
the honorable mentions. Tell me if you agree, all right?
Shack yep, Eric Dickerson yep. Reggie Bush and Matt Lioner.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
So they kind of like the thing. Okay, all right,
Lisa Leslie, okay, by that you agree with that? Yeah,
Serena and Venus Williams. Oh wow, only honorable mention for Serena. Huh. Yeah.
(22:01):
It might be a little sport bias on that. Yeah.
When you talk, yeah, when you talk about athletes, it's hard.
It's hard to top those two sisters. Yeah, when you know,
and Billy Geen King's not even in there, No, didn't
(22:23):
make it.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
I might have my LA Raider bias in here too,
But I will say Marcus Allen Heisman Trophy at USC
Super Bowl with the LA Raiders probably should at least
make the honorable mention league.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Yeah, super Bowl MVP with the Raiders.
Speaker 4 (22:34):
At the very least should make the honorable mentioned list.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Yeah. Who else? When you just think about it, what
other name should be? Ann Myers Drysdale. Yeah, it's a
good one.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
Yeah, Annie, sure, sure she deserves it. Yeah, I mean
I don't think so. But Jim Plunkett when he was here.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Jim Plunkett from the Raiders. Yeah, when he was here
the Raiders. M M.
Speaker 4 (23:03):
Yeah, I feel like you want both of his titles
with the Oakland Raiders, if I remember right.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
Though, he won one with the Oakland one here. Yeah,
I guess, yeah, but you know, look, you feel the
way you want to feel. But if we're talking taking
off the field out of it, you know O. J.
Simpson his time at at at USC, at a time
where he put them on the national real big time
(23:29):
national map at at USC, that's that's a hard one
to deny too. Now, I know everybody feels, but it's
hard to deny what he did at at USC and
the impact.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
But you mentioned, and I think it's an accurate assessment.
Why isn't John Wooden on this list?
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (23:49):
Well, I think the athletes right, because if it's if
it's l A Sports Figures, then yeah, you were probably
putting and you could probably put Jackson on there.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
You could probably McKay right on there. Yea.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Yeah, Okay, So now I typed in sports figures.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
You said shack ed, Reggie and Matt Leonard and those
were actually mentioned ass So the other ones we mentioned
are not not either.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
They were on the list. The first ten were on
the list. Those are the annibal mentions. Billy Jim King
didn't make it interestingly. But now here's what I did.
I wrote in top ten LA Sports figures of all time?
Speaker 1 (24:38):
You ready? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Number one is Jackie Robinson, Magic is two, Kobe is three,
Sandy Kofax is four, Kareem is five. Now sports figures,
Clayton Kershaw's six, Wayne Gretzky is seven. And here's here's
the difference. And John Woulden didn't make it again, I'm stunned.
Tommy Lessora is number eight of LA Sports Figures. Number
(25:03):
nine is Pete Carroll revived USC football and built a dynasty,
made Saturdays in the Coliseum must watch TV. At number
ten on sports Figures.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
Vin Scully, Yeah, I almost feel like you got to
have a separate category, right if you just put it athletes,
I get the ten that they put up there. But
if you're talking just sports figures, yeah, you can't leave
John Wooden off the list.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Well, if you're doing sports figures, let me ask you this.
Can you leave Jerry Buss off the list?
Speaker 1 (25:41):
No? No, what he did and when he bought the
team and brought showtime here and what he created at
the form. No, you cannot leave him off the list. Well,
and if you're talking about sports figs, can you leave
(26:02):
pat Riley off the list? I don't think you can,
because he would be on the list to me before
Bill Jackson.
Speaker 4 (26:14):
Okay, I mean chick Hearn, chick Hearn, sports figure, Bob Miller.
If you want to throw announcers in there, they're figures. I
know they're not coaches that didn't have a direct impact
on what happened on the field, but they're the connection
to the fans. So a lot of fans would have
guys like that in the top of their list.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
Well, if that's the case, then you'd have to you'd
have to remember the late dick Enberg absolutely.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
I mean not only was the.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
A voice of UCLA and the Angels, he went on
to be the voice of NBC Sports called multiple Super Bowls. Yeah,
oh my yeah, So I think they would have to
be on there. Okay, Billy j and King not on
that list.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
Not on it. Now, what I'm gonna do.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
I typed in top ten LA coaches of all time time.
I'll do this one for you real quick. Number one
on the list. Finally, John Wooden, number two, Rodney John Robinson,
number three, John McKay number four, Tommy Lesorda number five,
(27:21):
pat Riley. Number six on this list is Mike Soosha,
who number seven is Pete Carroll. Phil Jackson number eight.
Now this is interesting, this is really interesting. Bob Boyd
number Bob Boyd usc basketball.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
Yeah, yeah, he's on the list. Yep, he's number nine
and number ten.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
A man, no one could understand if he was sitting
right here and we're staring at him, we couldn't figure
out what he was saying.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
Daryl Aryl number ten. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (27:57):
I love Mike Sosha, but that he's higher than Phil Jackson,
that's interesting to me.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
Yeah, he was. Yeah, he was not very colorful when
he came to interviews or anything like that, was he?
Mike so Phil Jackson. Oh.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
The thing about Sutter is you'd be sitting in the
room and you'd be asked. You'd ask a question, and
quite frankly, to be terrified. You'd be terrified because you
were afraid that he would embarrass you. So you would
sit there and ask a question. Then he would mumble
and bumble his way through the answer, and then you
would laugh. You would laugh because if you didn't laugh,
(28:35):
you didn't know what would happen to you. So people
thought it was really funny. But the truth of the
matter is you could never understand him, and you laughed
because you didn't want to attack you.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
That's what I'm gonna say. If people were afraid of him, afraid, yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Oh yeah, they they really were. I mean, he was
a tough guy to deal with. He was a no
nonsense guy. I think Rudy what he was playing for Carolina,
if I remember correctly, and Darryl Sutter was the coach.
They had checked into a hotel like a Marianna a
Sunday morning, and Darryl Sutter wasn't pleased with the way
(29:14):
things had gone the night before whatever, and uh, Kelly,
Rudy said that they were checking in and they were
having like Sunday brunch or something. Darryl Sutter was mf
and guys yelling at him. All these people are having
brunch looking at this lunatic, screaming obscenities and people.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
He told me one game they were playing, Darrison.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
And Darryl Sutter didn't think they played well in one
of the periods, and then between periods he went into
the locker room. He says, he's gonna fight somebody. He's
gonna fight his own guy in the locker room. Come
up here, I'll fight you right now. Kind of an
intention prob. Yeah, he's gonna fight his own player. Oh
(30:01):
you don't look very tough out there. Come up here
right now. I'm gonna fight you. I guess his methods worked.
I mean, the King's won, but it was a rather
intense approach. He was kind of like Billy Martin. There
comes a point where you can't take anymore.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
Yeah, you know it was. Terry Donahue would probably be
on that list if we're talking coaches.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Right, Terry Donne, you could have made that list easily, Kevin,
Did any other come to your mind?
Speaker 4 (30:33):
Coaches? Yeah, not immediately. I think we got all the
big ones, Donnahe was one that would have slipped my mind. Actually,
he never would have been crossed my mind.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
That's a good one.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
Humm, I got one for you, Tom Flores, I see,
I'd like Tom Flores.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
Longtime Raider coach. People in l A love Tom Flores,
and not just that he won two Super Bowls. You
know what the thing about him was, he was so.
Speaker 4 (31:05):
Understated, extremely understated.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
Yeah, but if he sat and talked to him. He
was funny.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
He was really a great guy, but just so understating.
You always wondered watching them play when he was the coach.
Does see this guy motivate anybody? I mean really, he
was just so so understated, but boy, he he sure
got the most out of those guys.
Speaker 4 (31:29):
He kind of seemed anti the you know, the Raider
way as far as that the renegades are out there
and getting penalized left and right, and he's just very
calm and stoic. He didn't really embody the raider image
of the way the team played on the field like
John Madden did. I would say, you know, yeah, kind
of the opposite.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
Yeah, very much. Great, Yeah, that's a great comment.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
All Right, We've got another pair of tickets to give
away for the Dodgers and the Giants tomorrow night. Clayton
Kershon on his final regular season appearance pitching at Dodger
Stadium eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy
Rodney what caller number number five? Let's go, and we'll
(32:10):
be back to announce the winner and wrap it up.
Speaker 5 (32:13):
Make AM five to seventy LA Sports a preset before
you plug in your foot presets in the iHeartRadio app,
now available with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Just another
easy way to listen to LA's best sports talk.
Speaker 1 (32:27):
Almost down to wrap it up on this throwback Thursday,
Rodney Pete, Fred Rogan, Yes, and the great one Clayton Kershaw,
he hadn't heard, just announced he will be retiring at
the end of the season.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
Fred, we want to congratulate Aaron, Fernando and Jeff. You
are the winners on our show. Everybody, the three of you.
You've got a pair of tickets each to see Clayton
Kershaw's final regular season appearance on the mount of Dodger
Stadium tomorrow night. But do not despair if you didn't
win with us. Petros and money are going to be
given ticket. It's away every hour as well, so you
(33:01):
still got a shot to go out on what will
be an historic evening and Clayton Kershaw. David Vassi told
us he had been hinting at this with close friends
for some time, not like you woke up this morning
and said I think I'm done. So he had been
kicking this idea around seeing how the season went. And
(33:21):
Dave also made a very good point. He said you know,
you say something like this to your teammates and that
may give them, I don't know, extra motivation or a
little little boost. Let's win this one for Clayton. Let's
send him out a winner, and that would be a
Hollywood ending, there's no question about it. So they've got
the Giants tonight, here we go again, and Yamamoto will
(33:45):
be on the hill for the Dodgers.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
So you got to like that.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
If you got to start a series with anybody and
it's not Blake smell Snell, you wanted to be Almamoto.
So that is good news for the Dodgers. Morongo Casino
Dodgers on deck is at six. David Vassay's pregame guest
will be Keike Hernandez, and of course we'll have to
call of the game here on the radio station at
seven to ten. At last glance, I know the Padres
(34:11):
were getting beat and I don't I don't know what
the scor is right now. I'll check real quick. Do
they lost?
Speaker 1 (34:17):
Okay?
Speaker 2 (34:18):
So they got to beat six to one? All right,
so that's good. So the Dodgers win tonight, they pick
up a game on them, so they would be three up.
Any little cushion now helps, any little padding now helps
the Mets beat the Padres. And you know they're in
a dog fight now for that final wild card spots.
Speaker 1 (34:36):
Are Cubs Cubs Clints to playoff birth today too, the Cubbies. Okay,
so they're in, they're in, They're in. Uh So, yeah,
it's a you know, it's a dog fight. And THEA said,
you know, the Giants are still chasing, right, They're still
trying to chase, and they got a real, you know,
outside chance. But you know they're they're motivated to play
(34:58):
well against the Dodgers in this game set. Also, you know,
Seattle is still in the running and running hard, and
so the Dodgers play them as well. So it's not
gonna be easy games to finish out the season for
the Dodgers by any stretch. All right, Ronnie, thank you
for today. Great work. Really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
Kevin, outstanding work as always, and uh okay, Rodney, we're
back tomorrow to wrap up the week.
Speaker 1 (35:24):
Right,
Roggin And Rodney News
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