May 27, 2025 • 22 mins
Celebrating my 50th episode of Pags' Perspective tonight! Previewing Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals tonight between the Knicks and Pacers, and collabing with Alex Garrett's One Leg Up Network this Memorial Day discussing the beautiful tribute the Mets put on during yesterday's Military Appreciation festivities.
Link to the full collab on One Leg Up: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-reminder-veterans-have-had-the-ultimate-one-leg-up-for-america-this-memorial-day-week-5-27-25--66301039
Link to the full collab on One Leg Up: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-reminder-veterans-have-had-the-ultimate-one-leg-up-for-america-this-memorial-day-week-5-27-25--66301039
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to PEG's Perspective with your host Ryan Pagano. It's
Tuesday here on Pegs Perspective, and a big Tuesday at that.
We're just about an hour and a half now from
tip off of Game four of the Eastern Conference Finals,
Nicks Pacers. Who's gonna win it? We'll see what happens there.
Pacers up two to one, looking to make it three
(00:21):
to one before heading back to the Garden on Thursday night.
Nick's looking to tie the series, on the other hand,
and win their second game against the Pacers all time
in the game Bridge field House that has caused them
so many problems throughout a lot of their playoff runs
in the twenty first century, twenty twenty thirteen, twenty twenty four,
(00:41):
and you'd think twenty twenty five would certainly play that
way given how the first two games of this series ended.
Yet that hasn't necessarily been the case in the field
House for now, and I say for now because you
know it's the playoffs. Momentum can just shift on a
dime like that. Aaron Nesmith, by the way, who is
basically turned into playoffs god mode Reggie Miller here in
(01:03):
this series, the next great Knicks villain if you will,
alongside Tyre's Haliburton. Of course, he is now going to
be available for Game four. This after some questions about
whether he was going to be available tonight after he
tweaked his ankle in Game three. Looked like an ankle spray,
and at least when I was catching the game with
fellow friend of the podcast Chris Contello over at tap
(01:26):
room Massive Pequa Park, it looked pretty bad enough to
where we were thinking o'nee Smith might be out for
Game four, maybe game five he'll be back up, who knows.
But now Nie Smith is going to be playing through it,
and that is going to be absolutely crucial for the Pacers,
a team that's heavily reliant on their bench, so reliant
(01:46):
on their bench enough that it is forced Tom Thibodeau
to make changes for Game three, starting to trust more
of his bench, which I personally really like to see
as a Knicks fan. I've really been getting frustrated, especially
in the first two games, with him relying on the
same eight guys, and you could see late in the
games against the best fourth quarter team in the NBA
(02:07):
right now, the guys just weren't hitting shots. They weren't
doing anything. They were just mad, exhausted out there. And
it's because you got a huge workload on a lot
of these guys as opposed to trusting your bench a
little bit more, which I'm glad that's what we saw
in Game three on Sunday night. Tim's starting to trust
more of his role players. Deuce McBride the main one,
(02:28):
but you also got delone right Landry Shammitt getting spot
minutes and doing their part. It's a step in the
right direction. Me personally, I think he could go a
little bit further here. Would have liked to see Precious
Sechua and Ariel huck Porty get some minutes here and there.
Both of them had great stretches during the regular season,
and I would have loved to see how they would
have been able to translate that come playoff time. But
(02:51):
who knows, Maybe we'll see what happens tonight. But also
PJ Tucker, you'd think, with his experience, with him being
the glue guy that this Knicks team needed, you'd think
that maybe he can get ten to fifteen minutes to night.
But he's barely played in these playoffs as well. I
would have loved to see him be kind of a
floor general and getting some minutes here and there. Only
played one game this postseason four minutes, and that was
(03:15):
in the closer of the semifinals against the Celtics last week.
Like I get, he's forty years old now, but you'd
think with this playoff experience, that's exactly the kind of
guy you will want to be playing some meaningful minutes
here and there and gaining the coaches trust. But yet
that just hasn't happened. I can't really go two in
on Thibodeau, though he has proven that he is willing
(03:37):
to shake up his formula. He's been one of the
more arrogant coaches in the NBA, in my opinion, someone
who isn't necessarily that willing to make changes. But he
has shown it ahead of Game three against the Pacers,
and I'm hoping we could perhaps see the same thing
in Game four tonight. Either way, we will see what happens.
Really gonna be looking forward to it, and I know
(03:57):
by the end of the night, I am gonna be
feeling either one of two ways, one absolutely thrilled or
two completely hopeless. And I hope it's one of those things.
Happening and not the other. I'll just give you a
quick spoiler right now. It is not hopelessness that I
want to feel. But anyway, with all that being said,
yesterday of course being Memorial Day, A happy belated Memorial
(04:19):
Day to those who have served, those who have made
the ultimate sacrifice, so that way we can enjoy the
great freedoms here in America to this day. Now, my
Memorial Day celebration consisted of going to the Mets game,
a two to one win over the White Sox that
if I'm being honest, it should not at all have
been that close. But a a win's a win. I'm
not really gonna complain about that all the same, and
(04:42):
the Mets honoring their military personnel before the game on
Military Appreciation Day. Just a beautiful tribute before the game,
really paying tribute to those who have served, while also
paying tribute to our national pastime and why the sport
of baseball has said Moniker. Now before the game, I
(05:02):
caught up with my great friend and collie Glex Garrett.
He expressed his thoughts on his podcast earlier today, One
leg Up with Alex Garrett about this celebration and really
putting together a great tribute to all our veterans who
made the ultimate sacrifice for this great country here on
Memorial Day. So yeah, we had a bit of a collab,
if you will, a One Leg Up Pack's perspective collab
(05:26):
here on speaker and wherever else you may be listening
to this podcast, But just take a listen to Alex's
podcast and I'll put the link in the description. Of course,
it's definitely a great follow would highly recommend One Leg
Up with Alex Garrett and you could catch it wherever
else you listen to your podcasts. I hopped in for
a little bit on this conversation too, so here's his
(05:47):
reminder of veterans having the ultimate one leg up this
Memorial Day.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
I want to say, yesterday was Memorial Day and the
Mets held a beautiful Military Appreciation Day.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
But I think Ryan Pagano and a lot of people in.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
The ballpark yesterday could agree that Military Appreciation Day isn't
just one.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Day or a couple of days a year.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
It's every day that we get to honor, and we
should honor and think of it for their service and
honor those who sacrifice their lives to keep us safe.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
On the battlefield.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
But let me tell you, baseball does it right. Major
League Baseball does it right. The Mets and White Sox
lining up on the base Pat, I got Ryan here,
Wasn't that a moment watching these guys line up with
the active military on the base pass?
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Now, it really was? And I mean you pretty much
summed it up perfectly that you know, on this Memorial Day, yes,
we can remember those who served and make it, you know,
a national day of remembrance because of that, but it
also really has much more of a meeting than just oh,
we're celebrating one day that really this is our national pastime,
(06:52):
and you know, there's no better way to honor those
that have served than to play this great game that
we all know, especially with how many of the legends
of these of this sport that served before I know,
not really anybody recently, but you know, you go back
to World War Two and you have legends of the
(07:12):
game like Ted Williams, Yogi berra just the name of few.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
And Yogi's a centennial coincides with this Memorial Day month,
so it's very interesting.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Well very interesting as well. And if you don't mind
me bringing this up, especially with Yogi, Berra's Navy Bobblehead
Day coming up at the Stag.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Yes, and we're going to hear from a naval officer himself,
Arthur Gerbiner, who was just.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
But before I play that for you, I want to
take you inside the ballpark because someone who has been
on the show and has become a friend, Colin Cosell,
really did it perfectly yesterday. Take a listen to how
he keyed up the moment of silence in honor of
those who sacrifice their lives Memorial Day twenty twenty.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
Five, as we've lost your honor.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Reading ultimate sacrifice.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
In service to our country, and we.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
Asked that you please join us now again as a
moment of silence, as a unifying expression of gratitude to
the heroes who have lost their lives all protecting for
preems we enjoyed today.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Thank you. I mean absolute chills.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
I felt that at the moment, and then of course
during the national anthem, you have the helicopters flying over
City Field, the Blackhawks. It was very special to be
there yesterday and to be part of that Memorial Day
honoring and somewhat celebration as well to honor the troops
of today at Cityfield. So very well done, and very
(08:54):
well done by Colin go So once again.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
But Arthur Gribiner, I mentioned him a little while.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Ago, had a very special honor bestowed on him by
the United States Congress, and I want to play the
Fox five clip for you.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
It's an honor eighty years in the making.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
And the officer of Berminer is ninety nine years old.
Speaker 5 (09:17):
Petty Officer Arthur Gerbiner recognized with the highest civilian award
bestowed by the US Congress, the Congressional Gold Medal, an
award to mark his courage in combating Japanese Kamakazi aircraft
attacks and the liberation.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Of the Filipino people during World War Two.
Speaker 6 (09:32):
And that is what we are remembering tonight, not just
the cost of war, but the strength of the human spirit,
not just the fall of a sippy, but the rise
of a people.
Speaker 5 (09:45):
Grabina was just eighteen when he enlisted in the US Navy.
Throughout his service, he and his shipmates on board the
USS Lawrence logged more than sixty thousand nautical miles while
evading Japanese enemy submarines. Throughout the Pacific Theater. When you
look back on your service and your time in the Philippines,
what are some words that come to mind? Are some
(10:06):
feelings that come to mind?
Speaker 3 (10:09):
I'm so my mind how lucky we were.
Speaker 6 (10:13):
Other ships were hit by kamas Amakadi planes we escaped.
Speaker 5 (10:20):
In his time overseas was unrelenting with the Japanese, willing
to stop at nothing to prevent the US from advancing.
And yet Grebiner says he wouldn't change a thing. If
you could do it all over again, would you do
it again?
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Definitely? Definitely it was.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
I grew up in an aavy, and an aavy was
very good for me.
Speaker 5 (10:44):
His story and now this medal a testament to the
greatest generation. He now devotes his time to volunteering on
the entrech.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
And at local schools.
Speaker 5 (10:54):
He is a living monument, a reminder that there was
a time when most of the world was United's quest
for peace.
Speaker 7 (11:01):
Of the sixteen point four million Americans who served in
the US ar forces during World War Two, only approximately
sixty one thousand remain. That is a little more than
one third of one percent. For many people from many Americans,
the next time they meet a World War two veteran,
maybe the last time.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
They meet a World War Two veteran.
Speaker 5 (11:23):
Theresa Priol though Fox five News.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
And I mean, what a special honor congressionalman of honor
for officer petty Officer Gerbiner.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
And I had the very good fortune of.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Getting to meet Officer Gerbiner, who's a Queen's native, by
the way, a Queen's resident, at the Lowland Douglas and Memorial.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
Day Parade just a couple of years ago.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
I know I played you this clip, but I feel
very empowered to play it again, considering he did get
the Congressional amunt of honor, and considering we need these
stories to live on.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
Fre eternity.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
And thanks to Officer Gerbiner for spending a long time
with me Little Neck Douglassen Memorial Day Parade.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
Now two years ago, I'm here.
Speaker 8 (12:04):
With a very special guest at the Little Douglas Memorial
they parade a World War Two veteran from the Navy,
Arthur Rabner, second Yeoman, I believe, so thanks for joining
my podcast today. You've been coming here for years, but
just give us a couple of stories.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Or what brings you back. I mean, the memories you
have when getting them on other veterans. It's great.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
They do a wonderful job.
Speaker 6 (12:32):
Yeah, they have the parade and they have the parade,
they have refreshments.
Speaker 8 (12:38):
And they bring out the best and everybody has.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
Has the you put in the military change over the years.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
From where you sit, that hats I've been there a
long time ago.
Speaker 6 (12:51):
I was in the Navy in the February nineteenth forty
forty four, twenty.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
Four to May of forty nineteen forty six, and I
was on an attack Prince Book.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
If I could just ask everyone to go ahead and
take their seats, we're gonna go ahead and begin the
replaying ceremony.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
May in nineteen forty six.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Well, sir, and thank you for your service to this
country and any words in the military of today, at
any moment that you can remember from even those days
fighting World War Two that you want to share it.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
It was great. The war is a horror.
Speaker 8 (13:29):
Young people did killed for no reason or it's a horror.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
I escaped it all. I was lucky. God bless you, sir.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Thank you, and the voice you heard of the Fox
five clip was not only an officer Grabiner, but his
son Doug. And let me tell you I had a
special message from Doug Garbiner the night before Memorial Day,
and if he doesn't mind, I'm going to share it
with you on the podcast right now because it was
very moving the message he got to me.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
He said.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Dad offers the following reflection concerning Memorial Day. As we
approach Memorial Day, I'm reminded the most powerful weapon is
a free people, unselfishly committed to a cause greater than themselves,
willing to fight and die in defensive Freedom. Officer Gervina
goes on to write the largest funeral I have ever
and will ever attend, occurred during April second eight, nineteen
(14:27):
forty five, during the Battle of Okinawa. Wearing my dress
white uniform US Navy uniform, I sert attention and saluted
while on the top deck of my ship, USS Lawrens
APA one fifty three as the Buglar Blue taps. My
fellow US Navy sailors killed in action during japan Kamikazi
suicide aircraft attacks on our task unit of the US
(14:51):
Navy ships earlier on the same day were buried at sea.
The remains of each sailor who made the ultimate sacrifice
inside a weighted cabinvas bag covered with the American flag.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Can you picture this in your mind? Right now?
Speaker 2 (15:04):
We're slid into the watery grave of the Pacific Ocean.
As I reflected on my fellow sailor's fate, I thought
of their families back home in the States, their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters.
None would have a grave with a stone to visit
and grieve over. Maybe they would be given their sons, brothers,
husband's dog tags if they were not lost amid the
(15:27):
wreckage or destroyed in the fire of kamikaze attacks. That
is how much of a sacrifice our Navy, our armed forces,
our army, our Coastguard, and our entire military gave so
(15:47):
that we can be at the beaches. Remember they stormed
Normandy so we could be at the beaches. I say
that every year they stormed the beaches of Normandy so
you can have your beach day, a memorial day. Never
forget that, Never forget that here they had the ultimate
one leg up for America and for the defensive freedom,
like our veterans do today. And that note really struck
(16:12):
a chord because just imagine being on the top of
that deck with Officer Grebina watching that, watching that, and
I'm so thankful to have a connection with the Grebiner family.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
Ninety nine years old.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Ryan, what a legacy he has, and you get the
Congressional Medal of Honor means so much.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
And by the way, to be with Gabby and with.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Bryan at Memorial Day yesterday at City Field, I think
it showed up my face.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
I was just moved by the whole ceremony yesterday.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
And how could you not be though, I mean, how
could you not be really everything with that ceremony, with
all the servicemen in the park, the service and wanting
in on the field. But then you also got the
helicopter flyover as well, and that was just really the
perfect time to what actually turned out to be. Well,
(17:03):
I don't want to say it was a great game.
Necessarily it was great. I feel like pitchers duels.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
But and by the way, by the way, I will say,
I think the other thing about the weekend, which I
didn't even get to you on Sunday, was that in
the IIHF Men's World Gold.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Game, team USA Hockey won it.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
And I believe they did it for Johnny Gudro when
they put when they brought the jersey up for Johnny Goudreau.
It just capped off an entirely incredible weekend for Team
USA Hockey and sled Hockey. Team USA slid Hockey now
going on to the Slaveny Finals. Talk about adaptive sports
here real quick, love that our boys in red, white
(17:44):
and Blue are really shining overseas. And we're both hockey
officionado so to see this on the world stage. And
by the way, it was the first World men's gold
since nineteen thirty four. Okay, it's been a long time.
So I'm I'm just very thankful that our teams are
kicking butt and doing it. I'm sure not only in
(18:05):
the memory of Johnny, but of all the servicemen and
women who have given their lives for us every day,
each and every day, and to keep our country amazing
and great and safe.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
And so this Memorial Day, I pray that the words
of Arthur Gerbiner and.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
Other veterans that you get to see stick with you
and help us keep the country united at a time
where there's so much division on our campuses, on our
streets in New York. I mean, it just it does
feel like if the Knicks win, if Team USA wins
that brings us.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
Together, but that should be the only thing. Sports shouldn't
be the only thing.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
We should have a humanity to this country that the
media loves to say is dismantled, and I don't believe it.
I believe we are unified country. I believe we are
unified the United States of America. We just have to
turn off the camera and just be with one another.
If you're at any of these Memorial Day parades yesterday,
you probably were as moved as ever to see how
(19:02):
really unified and how tight knit we really are. Never
let the mainstream tell you otherwise, because we are a
great country, And never let the protest tell you otherwise either,
because I believe we are not divided as one would think.
We are unified, and we able to just stay on
that message of unity and sound on the message that.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
Are the Gravina and so many other veterans.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
This memorial they shared around the country, and so thanks
to them for their service, Thanks to them for telling
their story too. That means more than anything that we
can preserve this history through their words while they're here.
That's a big deal and that will help us have
one leg up on keeping America amazing through their story.
(19:49):
And that's all I gotta say here, Ryan, do you
want to add anything else to this or you're okay.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
I mean, the patriotism really has just been flowing through
my veins just you know, hearing all those experiences that
you found out about from those veterans that you interviewed,
just some really moving stuff all around, especially as the
grandson of two former veterans as well, one of them
still with us, one of them no longer with us.
So it's definitely a bit more touching to hear it
(20:19):
like that, and it's just become more important than ever
with the tough times that we're facing as a country
to you know, not only be able to hear these
stories while they're still here with us, but to also
pass them down from generation to generation. That's exactly how
this patriotism is going to keep trickling down to our
next generations.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
Alex Amen to that.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Well, thanks for joining me today, Ryan, and thanks for
listening as always on the one Like Up Network and
to our team USA.
Speaker 3 (20:48):
Keep going.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Love that we did it in the world men's Worlds,
now we're doing it in the sled hockey world. I
played one shift in sled hockey. When I was a kid,
it was it was not a fun experience. But maybe
now I'm inspired by watching these guys to go back
out there and try it again as an adult.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
Maybe we will do that. I got some.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Friends thinking of Joe, Salonica, Marcos Taveres, Will Walter, read,
all those who do the game of sled hockey here
in the States. They must be beaming right now as
they watch their USA counterparts do the same overseas. So
good stuff, good times, keep the winning going, and yes,
keep the history preserved, because remember Military Appreciation Days every day,
(21:31):
not just one day or two days or three days
a year. When I do feel like we bring out
the troops and then say well we're we're done with
you for now, No, we're never done with the troops.
We're never done thinking the troops, no matter what day
of the year it is. And that's my message here
on the One Leg Up Network. Let's have one leg
up as our veterans have continued to have one leg
up for America.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Well, thank you Alex for letting me invide in on
your podcast once more. Always much appreciated. One Leg Up
with Alex Garrett. If you want to take a listen,
go check him out. And by the way, before I
sign off here tonight, just want to say happy fiftieth
episode to Pag's Perspective Rereach the Big Five.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
It has been a hell of an adventure here on
the podcast grind, and I'm just so thankful to all
of you that listen, all of you that download, all
of you that really interact with this stuff. You know
doesn't go unnoticed. You're the goat. We greatly appreciate it.
And here's to at least fifty more episodes of Pag's
perspective here wherever you get your podcasts. Here's to way
(22:33):
more of that in the years to come.
Welcome to PEG's Perspective with your host Ryan Pagano. It's
Tuesday here on Pegs Perspective, and a big Tuesday at that.
We're just about an hour and a half now from
tip off of Game four of the Eastern Conference Finals,
Nicks Pacers. Who's gonna win it? We'll see what happens there.
Pacers up two to one, looking to make it three
(00:21):
to one before heading back to the Garden on Thursday night.
Nick's looking to tie the series, on the other hand,
and win their second game against the Pacers all time
in the game Bridge field House that has caused them
so many problems throughout a lot of their playoff runs
in the twenty first century, twenty twenty thirteen, twenty twenty four,
(00:41):
and you'd think twenty twenty five would certainly play that
way given how the first two games of this series ended.
Yet that hasn't necessarily been the case in the field
House for now, and I say for now because you
know it's the playoffs. Momentum can just shift on a
dime like that. Aaron Nesmith, by the way, who is
basically turned into playoffs god mode Reggie Miller here in
(01:03):
this series, the next great Knicks villain if you will,
alongside Tyre's Haliburton. Of course, he is now going to
be available for Game four. This after some questions about
whether he was going to be available tonight after he
tweaked his ankle in Game three. Looked like an ankle spray,
and at least when I was catching the game with
fellow friend of the podcast Chris Contello over at tap
(01:26):
room Massive Pequa Park, it looked pretty bad enough to
where we were thinking o'nee Smith might be out for
Game four, maybe game five he'll be back up, who knows.
But now Nie Smith is going to be playing through it,
and that is going to be absolutely crucial for the Pacers,
a team that's heavily reliant on their bench, so reliant
(01:46):
on their bench enough that it is forced Tom Thibodeau
to make changes for Game three, starting to trust more
of his bench, which I personally really like to see
as a Knicks fan. I've really been getting frustrated, especially
in the first two games, with him relying on the
same eight guys, and you could see late in the
games against the best fourth quarter team in the NBA
(02:07):
right now, the guys just weren't hitting shots. They weren't
doing anything. They were just mad, exhausted out there. And
it's because you got a huge workload on a lot
of these guys as opposed to trusting your bench a
little bit more, which I'm glad that's what we saw
in Game three on Sunday night. Tim's starting to trust
more of his role players. Deuce McBride the main one,
(02:28):
but you also got delone right Landry Shammitt getting spot
minutes and doing their part. It's a step in the
right direction. Me personally, I think he could go a
little bit further here. Would have liked to see Precious
Sechua and Ariel huck Porty get some minutes here and there.
Both of them had great stretches during the regular season,
and I would have loved to see how they would
have been able to translate that come playoff time. But
(02:51):
who knows, Maybe we'll see what happens tonight. But also
PJ Tucker, you'd think, with his experience, with him being
the glue guy that this Knicks team needed, you'd think
that maybe he can get ten to fifteen minutes to night.
But he's barely played in these playoffs as well. I
would have loved to see him be kind of a
floor general and getting some minutes here and there. Only
played one game this postseason four minutes, and that was
(03:15):
in the closer of the semifinals against the Celtics last week.
Like I get, he's forty years old now, but you'd
think with this playoff experience, that's exactly the kind of
guy you will want to be playing some meaningful minutes
here and there and gaining the coaches trust. But yet
that just hasn't happened. I can't really go two in
on Thibodeau, though he has proven that he is willing
(03:37):
to shake up his formula. He's been one of the
more arrogant coaches in the NBA, in my opinion, someone
who isn't necessarily that willing to make changes. But he
has shown it ahead of Game three against the Pacers,
and I'm hoping we could perhaps see the same thing
in Game four tonight. Either way, we will see what happens.
Really gonna be looking forward to it, and I know
(03:57):
by the end of the night, I am gonna be
feeling either one of two ways, one absolutely thrilled or
two completely hopeless. And I hope it's one of those things.
Happening and not the other. I'll just give you a
quick spoiler right now. It is not hopelessness that I
want to feel. But anyway, with all that being said,
yesterday of course being Memorial Day, A happy belated Memorial
(04:19):
Day to those who have served, those who have made
the ultimate sacrifice, so that way we can enjoy the
great freedoms here in America to this day. Now, my
Memorial Day celebration consisted of going to the Mets game,
a two to one win over the White Sox that
if I'm being honest, it should not at all have
been that close. But a a win's a win. I'm
not really gonna complain about that all the same, and
(04:42):
the Mets honoring their military personnel before the game on
Military Appreciation Day. Just a beautiful tribute before the game,
really paying tribute to those who have served, while also
paying tribute to our national pastime and why the sport
of baseball has said Moniker. Now before the game, I
(05:02):
caught up with my great friend and collie Glex Garrett.
He expressed his thoughts on his podcast earlier today, One
leg Up with Alex Garrett about this celebration and really
putting together a great tribute to all our veterans who
made the ultimate sacrifice for this great country here on
Memorial Day. So yeah, we had a bit of a collab,
if you will, a One Leg Up Pack's perspective collab
(05:26):
here on speaker and wherever else you may be listening
to this podcast, But just take a listen to Alex's
podcast and I'll put the link in the description. Of course,
it's definitely a great follow would highly recommend One Leg
Up with Alex Garrett and you could catch it wherever
else you listen to your podcasts. I hopped in for
a little bit on this conversation too, so here's his
(05:47):
reminder of veterans having the ultimate one leg up this
Memorial Day.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
I want to say, yesterday was Memorial Day and the
Mets held a beautiful Military Appreciation Day.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
But I think Ryan Pagano and a lot of people in.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
The ballpark yesterday could agree that Military Appreciation Day isn't
just one.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Day or a couple of days a year.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
It's every day that we get to honor, and we
should honor and think of it for their service and
honor those who sacrifice their lives to keep us safe.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
On the battlefield.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
But let me tell you, baseball does it right. Major
League Baseball does it right. The Mets and White Sox
lining up on the base Pat, I got Ryan here,
Wasn't that a moment watching these guys line up with
the active military on the base pass?
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Now, it really was? And I mean you pretty much
summed it up perfectly that you know, on this Memorial Day, yes,
we can remember those who served and make it, you know,
a national day of remembrance because of that, but it
also really has much more of a meeting than just oh,
we're celebrating one day that really this is our national pastime,
(06:52):
and you know, there's no better way to honor those
that have served than to play this great game that
we all know, especially with how many of the legends
of these of this sport that served before I know,
not really anybody recently, but you know, you go back
to World War Two and you have legends of the
(07:12):
game like Ted Williams, Yogi berra just the name of few.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
And Yogi's a centennial coincides with this Memorial Day month,
so it's very interesting.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Well very interesting as well. And if you don't mind
me bringing this up, especially with Yogi, Berra's Navy Bobblehead
Day coming up at the Stag.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Yes, and we're going to hear from a naval officer himself,
Arthur Gerbiner, who was just.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
But before I play that for you, I want to
take you inside the ballpark because someone who has been
on the show and has become a friend, Colin Cosell,
really did it perfectly yesterday. Take a listen to how
he keyed up the moment of silence in honor of
those who sacrifice their lives Memorial Day twenty twenty.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
Five, as we've lost your honor.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Reading ultimate sacrifice.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
In service to our country, and we.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
Asked that you please join us now again as a
moment of silence, as a unifying expression of gratitude to
the heroes who have lost their lives all protecting for
preems we enjoyed today.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Thank you. I mean absolute chills.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
I felt that at the moment, and then of course
during the national anthem, you have the helicopters flying over
City Field, the Blackhawks. It was very special to be
there yesterday and to be part of that Memorial Day
honoring and somewhat celebration as well to honor the troops
of today at Cityfield. So very well done, and very
(08:54):
well done by Colin go So once again.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
But Arthur Gribiner, I mentioned him a little while.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Ago, had a very special honor bestowed on him by
the United States Congress, and I want to play the
Fox five clip for you.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
It's an honor eighty years in the making.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
And the officer of Berminer is ninety nine years old.
Speaker 5 (09:17):
Petty Officer Arthur Gerbiner recognized with the highest civilian award
bestowed by the US Congress, the Congressional Gold Medal, an
award to mark his courage in combating Japanese Kamakazi aircraft
attacks and the liberation.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Of the Filipino people during World War Two.
Speaker 6 (09:32):
And that is what we are remembering tonight, not just
the cost of war, but the strength of the human spirit,
not just the fall of a sippy, but the rise
of a people.
Speaker 5 (09:45):
Grabina was just eighteen when he enlisted in the US Navy.
Throughout his service, he and his shipmates on board the
USS Lawrence logged more than sixty thousand nautical miles while
evading Japanese enemy submarines. Throughout the Pacific Theater. When you
look back on your service and your time in the Philippines,
what are some words that come to mind? Are some
(10:06):
feelings that come to mind?
Speaker 3 (10:09):
I'm so my mind how lucky we were.
Speaker 6 (10:13):
Other ships were hit by kamas Amakadi planes we escaped.
Speaker 5 (10:20):
In his time overseas was unrelenting with the Japanese, willing
to stop at nothing to prevent the US from advancing.
And yet Grebiner says he wouldn't change a thing. If
you could do it all over again, would you do
it again?
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Definitely? Definitely it was.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
I grew up in an aavy, and an aavy was
very good for me.
Speaker 5 (10:44):
His story and now this medal a testament to the
greatest generation. He now devotes his time to volunteering on
the entrech.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
And at local schools.
Speaker 5 (10:54):
He is a living monument, a reminder that there was
a time when most of the world was United's quest
for peace.
Speaker 7 (11:01):
Of the sixteen point four million Americans who served in
the US ar forces during World War Two, only approximately
sixty one thousand remain. That is a little more than
one third of one percent. For many people from many Americans,
the next time they meet a World War two veteran,
maybe the last time.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
They meet a World War Two veteran.
Speaker 5 (11:23):
Theresa Priol though Fox five News.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
And I mean, what a special honor congressionalman of honor
for officer petty Officer Gerbiner.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
And I had the very good fortune of.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Getting to meet Officer Gerbiner, who's a Queen's native, by
the way, a Queen's resident, at the Lowland Douglas and Memorial.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
Day Parade just a couple of years ago.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
I know I played you this clip, but I feel
very empowered to play it again, considering he did get
the Congressional amunt of honor, and considering we need these
stories to live on.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
Fre eternity.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
And thanks to Officer Gerbiner for spending a long time
with me Little Neck Douglassen Memorial Day Parade.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
Now two years ago, I'm here.
Speaker 8 (12:04):
With a very special guest at the Little Douglas Memorial
they parade a World War Two veteran from the Navy,
Arthur Rabner, second Yeoman, I believe, so thanks for joining
my podcast today. You've been coming here for years, but
just give us a couple of stories.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Or what brings you back. I mean, the memories you
have when getting them on other veterans. It's great.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
They do a wonderful job.
Speaker 6 (12:32):
Yeah, they have the parade and they have the parade,
they have refreshments.
Speaker 8 (12:38):
And they bring out the best and everybody has.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
Has the you put in the military change over the years.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
From where you sit, that hats I've been there a
long time ago.
Speaker 6 (12:51):
I was in the Navy in the February nineteenth forty
forty four, twenty.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
Four to May of forty nineteen forty six, and I
was on an attack Prince Book.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
If I could just ask everyone to go ahead and
take their seats, we're gonna go ahead and begin the
replaying ceremony.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
May in nineteen forty six.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Well, sir, and thank you for your service to this
country and any words in the military of today, at
any moment that you can remember from even those days
fighting World War Two that you want to share it.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
It was great. The war is a horror.
Speaker 8 (13:29):
Young people did killed for no reason or it's a horror.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
I escaped it all. I was lucky. God bless you, sir.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Thank you, and the voice you heard of the Fox
five clip was not only an officer Grabiner, but his
son Doug. And let me tell you I had a
special message from Doug Garbiner the night before Memorial Day,
and if he doesn't mind, I'm going to share it
with you on the podcast right now because it was
very moving the message he got to me.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
He said.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Dad offers the following reflection concerning Memorial Day. As we
approach Memorial Day, I'm reminded the most powerful weapon is
a free people, unselfishly committed to a cause greater than themselves,
willing to fight and die in defensive Freedom. Officer Gervina
goes on to write the largest funeral I have ever
and will ever attend, occurred during April second eight, nineteen
(14:27):
forty five, during the Battle of Okinawa. Wearing my dress
white uniform US Navy uniform, I sert attention and saluted
while on the top deck of my ship, USS Lawrens
APA one fifty three as the Buglar Blue taps. My
fellow US Navy sailors killed in action during japan Kamikazi
suicide aircraft attacks on our task unit of the US
(14:51):
Navy ships earlier on the same day were buried at sea.
The remains of each sailor who made the ultimate sacrifice
inside a weighted cabinvas bag covered with the American flag.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Can you picture this in your mind? Right now?
Speaker 2 (15:04):
We're slid into the watery grave of the Pacific Ocean.
As I reflected on my fellow sailor's fate, I thought
of their families back home in the States, their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters.
None would have a grave with a stone to visit
and grieve over. Maybe they would be given their sons, brothers,
husband's dog tags if they were not lost amid the
(15:27):
wreckage or destroyed in the fire of kamikaze attacks. That
is how much of a sacrifice our Navy, our armed forces,
our army, our Coastguard, and our entire military gave so
(15:47):
that we can be at the beaches. Remember they stormed
Normandy so we could be at the beaches. I say
that every year they stormed the beaches of Normandy so
you can have your beach day, a memorial day. Never
forget that, Never forget that here they had the ultimate
one leg up for America and for the defensive freedom,
like our veterans do today. And that note really struck
(16:12):
a chord because just imagine being on the top of
that deck with Officer Grebina watching that, watching that, and
I'm so thankful to have a connection with the Grebiner family.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
Ninety nine years old.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Ryan, what a legacy he has, and you get the
Congressional Medal of Honor means so much.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
And by the way, to be with Gabby and with.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Bryan at Memorial Day yesterday at City Field, I think
it showed up my face.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
I was just moved by the whole ceremony yesterday.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
And how could you not be though, I mean, how
could you not be really everything with that ceremony, with
all the servicemen in the park, the service and wanting
in on the field. But then you also got the
helicopter flyover as well, and that was just really the
perfect time to what actually turned out to be. Well,
(17:03):
I don't want to say it was a great game.
Necessarily it was great. I feel like pitchers duels.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
But and by the way, by the way, I will say,
I think the other thing about the weekend, which I
didn't even get to you on Sunday, was that in
the IIHF Men's World Gold.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Game, team USA Hockey won it.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
And I believe they did it for Johnny Gudro when
they put when they brought the jersey up for Johnny Goudreau.
It just capped off an entirely incredible weekend for Team
USA Hockey and sled Hockey. Team USA slid Hockey now
going on to the Slaveny Finals. Talk about adaptive sports
here real quick, love that our boys in red, white
(17:44):
and Blue are really shining overseas. And we're both hockey
officionado so to see this on the world stage. And
by the way, it was the first World men's gold
since nineteen thirty four. Okay, it's been a long time.
So I'm I'm just very thankful that our teams are
kicking butt and doing it. I'm sure not only in
(18:05):
the memory of Johnny, but of all the servicemen and
women who have given their lives for us every day,
each and every day, and to keep our country amazing
and great and safe.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
And so this Memorial Day, I pray that the words
of Arthur Gerbiner and.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
Other veterans that you get to see stick with you
and help us keep the country united at a time
where there's so much division on our campuses, on our
streets in New York. I mean, it just it does
feel like if the Knicks win, if Team USA wins
that brings us.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
Together, but that should be the only thing. Sports shouldn't
be the only thing.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
We should have a humanity to this country that the
media loves to say is dismantled, and I don't believe it.
I believe we are unified country. I believe we are
unified the United States of America. We just have to
turn off the camera and just be with one another.
If you're at any of these Memorial Day parades yesterday,
you probably were as moved as ever to see how
(19:02):
really unified and how tight knit we really are. Never
let the mainstream tell you otherwise, because we are a
great country, And never let the protest tell you otherwise either,
because I believe we are not divided as one would think.
We are unified, and we able to just stay on
that message of unity and sound on the message that.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
Are the Gravina and so many other veterans.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
This memorial they shared around the country, and so thanks
to them for their service, Thanks to them for telling
their story too. That means more than anything that we
can preserve this history through their words while they're here.
That's a big deal and that will help us have
one leg up on keeping America amazing through their story.
(19:49):
And that's all I gotta say here, Ryan, do you
want to add anything else to this or you're okay.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
I mean, the patriotism really has just been flowing through
my veins just you know, hearing all those experiences that
you found out about from those veterans that you interviewed,
just some really moving stuff all around, especially as the
grandson of two former veterans as well, one of them
still with us, one of them no longer with us.
So it's definitely a bit more touching to hear it
(20:19):
like that, and it's just become more important than ever
with the tough times that we're facing as a country
to you know, not only be able to hear these
stories while they're still here with us, but to also
pass them down from generation to generation. That's exactly how
this patriotism is going to keep trickling down to our
next generations.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
Alex Amen to that.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Well, thanks for joining me today, Ryan, and thanks for
listening as always on the one Like Up Network and
to our team USA.
Speaker 3 (20:48):
Keep going.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Love that we did it in the world men's Worlds,
now we're doing it in the sled hockey world. I
played one shift in sled hockey. When I was a kid,
it was it was not a fun experience. But maybe
now I'm inspired by watching these guys to go back
out there and try it again as an adult.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
Maybe we will do that. I got some.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Friends thinking of Joe, Salonica, Marcos Taveres, Will Walter, read,
all those who do the game of sled hockey here
in the States. They must be beaming right now as
they watch their USA counterparts do the same overseas. So
good stuff, good times, keep the winning going, and yes,
keep the history preserved, because remember Military Appreciation Days every day,
(21:31):
not just one day or two days or three days
a year. When I do feel like we bring out
the troops and then say well we're we're done with
you for now, No, we're never done with the troops.
We're never done thinking the troops, no matter what day
of the year it is. And that's my message here
on the One Leg Up Network. Let's have one leg
up as our veterans have continued to have one leg
up for America.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Well, thank you Alex for letting me invide in on
your podcast once more. Always much appreciated. One Leg Up
with Alex Garrett. If you want to take a listen,
go check him out. And by the way, before I
sign off here tonight, just want to say happy fiftieth
episode to Pag's Perspective Rereach the Big Five.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
It has been a hell of an adventure here on
the podcast grind, and I'm just so thankful to all
of you that listen, all of you that download, all
of you that really interact with this stuff. You know
doesn't go unnoticed. You're the goat. We greatly appreciate it.
And here's to at least fifty more episodes of Pag's
perspective here wherever you get your podcasts. Here's to way
(22:33):
more of that in the years to come.
Popular Podcasts
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
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