May 13, 2025 • 29 mins
In the second hour, Dave Softy Mahler and Dick Fain chat with Jon Wilner about the NCAA House settlement and Bill Belichick’s situation at UNC, then the guys listen and react to comments from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver today about expansion ahead.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's time for our weekly Pac twelve conversation with Senjose,
Mercury News reporter and John Willner, brought to you by
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Speaker 2 (00:20):
All right, we are back here, by the way, if
we're going to buy you see it's funny. We launched
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Blame Jamie, Blame simply Seattle. Terrible timing. I was over
(00:41):
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the Yankees in town.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Buy some Mariner gear.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Okay KJR twenty five right now through tomorrow night for
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Speaker 3 (00:55):
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Speaker 2 (00:56):
Here he is by the way, the Pope of the Pack,
the Big ten Bear, and our friend Johnny Wilner.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
John, how are you man?
Speaker 4 (01:03):
I'm good?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Thanks?
Speaker 5 (01:04):
How you guys?
Speaker 3 (01:05):
We are swell?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
What's this story you wrote for the San Jose Mercury
News regarding the House settlement and how it could potentially
benefit Oregon?
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Because I don't want to hear any of that crap.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Tell me how Oregon is now even better off today
than they were maybe yesterday.
Speaker 5 (01:22):
Well, I didn't want to.
Speaker 6 (01:23):
I don't want to get too much into the weeds
on this House settlement because I don't think fans really care.
But this particular aspect I thought was relevant, especially up
in your neck of the woods, and that is that.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
They are going to create. So we've talked about this.
Speaker 6 (01:39):
There's still gonna be nil even once the schools start
revenue sharing. They are creating a clearing house to make
sure all the NIL deals are on the up and up.
In other words, so you're not paying your quarterback a
million bucks for a single autograph session. Right, There's gonna
be a fair market value you enforcement policy, except publicly
(02:06):
traded companies are exempt from that policy. So Nike could
cut a deal with Oregon's backup left tackle for a
million bucks, and there's no fair market value oversight. So
any school that is closely tied to a publicly traded
(02:27):
company could potentially have an advantage here over all the
deals that are with private companies or boosters or what
have you.
Speaker 7 (02:40):
Not.
Speaker 8 (02:41):
Why do you think that's the case, John, Why would
they make them exempt?
Speaker 6 (02:45):
My guess is that they feel like there's enough oversight
for a publicly traded company anyhow, through shareholders, through SEC
exchange law, through internal auditing, and so those backstops, say
(03:06):
Nike wanted to do that a million bucks for Oregon's
left tackle because Phil Knight's all excited in theory, Nike's
internal systems would say, we can't do that. It's not
smart use of our money. It's a violation of federal law.
And so that's a backstop. The other backstop is potentially
that the clearing house would see such a red flag
(03:28):
that they would say.
Speaker 5 (03:30):
You know what, that that can't happen.
Speaker 6 (03:32):
We have to move Nike into a separate category in
which there's oversight provided.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Well, John Wilters with us and John, you mentioned Phil
Knight and Nike and how they could potentially take advantage
of this. I mean, I know another way that Phil
Knight and Nike could make Oregon as attractive as possible.
Basically allow the University of Oregon to own an NBA
basketball team by the Blazers and have it be in
the public trust of the Oregon Ducks and the university.
(03:57):
I mean, you think that Phil Knight and Nike gonna
try to get involved and buy the Blazers. I mean,
imagine the number one booster in the country being able
to recruit kids and saying, oh, by the way, I
got ball. I'm not just the biggest freaking booster ever,
but I own an NBA basketball team. You want to
go sit courtside and hang out with me in my
suite or whatever. I mean, you think Phil Knight makes
the play for the Blazers they're they're for sale.
Speaker 5 (04:20):
He might, and there's already a precedent for that.
Speaker 6 (04:23):
Matt Ishbia is a huge Michigan State donor. He was
behind that incredible deal that they gave Mel Tucker like
four years ago, and he's the owner of the Phoenix Suns.
He also is the CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage, which
has got you know, a market cap, it's on the MYSC.
Speaker 5 (04:42):
I think it's I got a market cap.
Speaker 6 (04:43):
In the billions, so there's there is a president for
it in some ways. But I wouldn't be surprised if
if Phil Knight tries to do that.
Speaker 8 (04:51):
No, what's your thoughts on Trump's Commission on NIL and
the role of Nick Saban?
Speaker 6 (04:58):
Well, I think that the Nick Saban thing is maybe
a little bit overblown at this point.
Speaker 5 (05:03):
I'm not one hundred percent sure he's going to be.
Speaker 6 (05:05):
Co chair, and that commission is only going to be
limited in what it can do, right because it cannot
establish laws that supersede state laws. What it could do
is generate some momentum on Capitol Hill for there to
be actual legislation that would help the nc double A.
Speaker 5 (05:26):
And there's two ways that that could happen.
Speaker 6 (05:28):
One is that they provide anti trust protection so all
these lawsuits you go away, right, And the other is
that they could codify the House Settlement so that you
know NIL. There's like forty different NIL laws for fifty states.
It's crazy, but they could potentially provide some help there.
(05:49):
So the NCAA could get a handle on the transfer
portal and NIL and all these other things.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Hey, John Wilners with us John.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
Yesterday, Fox announce they're going to air a doubleheader for
the NFL on Saturday, December twentieth. Normally I would not
ask you about the NFL, But the reason why this
is topical is because they will compete directly with two
College Football Playoff opening round games. Does that mean anything
(06:18):
to you that the NFL said, look, we don't even care.
We're gonna put regular season games up against the CFP Playoff.
Speaker 5 (06:24):
Yeah, and not just any games. Those are two rivalry games.
Speaker 6 (06:27):
And they did it last year too, the NFL when
when the CFP expanded to twelve and set the date,
you know that Saturday before Christmas as a triple header
day for the opening round.
Speaker 5 (06:41):
The NFL said, you know what, we'd rather do not
do that, And the.
Speaker 6 (06:44):
CFP went ahead and din anyhow, And so the NFL
responded last year with two huge games.
Speaker 5 (06:49):
I think the Chiefs were in one of them, and
the ratings for the CFP games suffered.
Speaker 6 (06:55):
I think the same thing's gonna happen again, the NFL
saying look, this is our The third Saturday December is
an NFL Saturday. The CFP is actually infringing upon NFL
broadcast territory, and the NFL is fighting back, and I
think it's a problem. And now, I don't know if
you guys saw last week, there's movement for the CFP
to expand not to fourteen but to sixteen team, which
(07:18):
means they're gonna have to play probably eight opening round games.
I don't know where they're gonna put them, because the
NFL has got Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of that
weekend already locked up.
Speaker 5 (07:30):
So it's a real issue for the CFP. Wow, John,
do you think Billbilill this thing is Black Friday?
Speaker 7 (07:36):
Right?
Speaker 5 (07:36):
There's Black Friday. Yeah, And they're also putting a game on.
Speaker 6 (07:39):
The Friday of the opening weekend of the NFL. There's
a Friday night game, and that infringes on college football.
Speaker 5 (07:48):
Every single year we see more and more.
Speaker 6 (07:51):
NFL encroachment on broadcast windows that used to be just
for college football.
Speaker 5 (07:56):
I think it's a huge problem for the sport.
Speaker 8 (07:58):
Will be the odds I'd have to give you to
wager a significant amount of money that Bill Belichick never
coaches a game at North Carolina.
Speaker 6 (08:11):
I think I think there's a very very unlikely I've
seen some discussion about that, and certainly, based on the
events thus far, you could make the case that this
thing is gonna just blow up before September first, there's
no doubt. But I would lean heavily toward him coaching
at least one season. And I think I don't know
(08:34):
about you, guys, but if he wants to get back
in the NFL, the worst thing he could do is
bail on North Carolina in the next three months.
Speaker 8 (08:41):
Yeah, it is there. What's the Steve Belichick role? Is
there a plan in place? Is there something in writing?
Is it just assumed he's going to be the next coach?
Speaker 9 (08:50):
Or is we don't know?
Speaker 5 (08:52):
I don't know.
Speaker 6 (08:53):
To be honest, I probably should know this because it's
a public it's a public contract for UNC's a public school.
I don't know if it is in writing that he
is the coach in waiting, the way say Utah hasn't
been writing for Morgan Scalley to replace Wittingham eventually, I'm
not sure that UNC has actually put it in print.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Would Steve Belichick, though, for you, be the heavy favorite
to replace Bill whenever he leaves, I.
Speaker 5 (09:19):
Mean overwhelming favorite.
Speaker 6 (09:20):
I don't know unless something goes wrong for Bill, and
Steve is basically tied to it. I don't know how
he's not gonna be.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Hey, John, before you go, we're gonna know about the
Seahawks schedule tomorrow at five. We already know about the
Husky schedule, but what we don't know is what Friday
night games they're playing.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
When do we find that out?
Speaker 8 (09:40):
You know?
Speaker 6 (09:42):
Yeah, so usually the last week in May, and I
think it'll be, you know, the within forty eight hours
after a Memorial Day is my guess is.
Speaker 5 (09:53):
When the Big ten, Big twelve.
Speaker 6 (09:55):
Acc SEC will all announce the schedule for the first
three weeks and also all Friday games. The Friday games
are part of that early release because the schools need
to know to make operational plans and fans need to
know to make plans for traveling tickets. So we got
about two weeks and then you should find out. I
(10:16):
would expect the Huskies will have probably two Friday.
Speaker 5 (10:20):
Night games, one home in one road, because the Big
Pen and.
Speaker 6 (10:24):
Fox both like that Friday deal, and the West Coast
schools are that's good, you know, the logistics are good
for West Coast schools to have Friday games.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Yeah, they can play as many Friday games as they
want as far as I'm concerned.
Speaker 5 (10:39):
We like it, don't you?
Speaker 3 (10:40):
Every week?
Speaker 2 (10:41):
I freaking love it? All right, John, great stuff. We'll
talk in a week man.
Speaker 5 (10:45):
Thanks guys.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
All right, John Wilner.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
When we come back, Adam Silver has spoken and he
has mentioned us.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
What are we talking about?
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Well, we'll explain next on ninety three three kJ a RFM.
Speaker 7 (10:58):
Testing live from our foundation specialist broad Jazz Studio. Now
back to Softie and Dick powered by Emerald Queen Casino,
the Vettian capital of the Northwest, on Sports Radio and
ntties three point three kJ r FM.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
All right, we are back here at Jimmy's on First
across the street from T Mobile Park, the simply put
best spot to hang out before and after a Mariner
baseball game, Seahawk football game, concert, whatever, here at Loomenfield
Teamobile Park in the heart of the stadium district. Man,
this place was at one point in time we thought
(11:34):
going to be home to the NBA, and then the
guys across the street said, no, we don't want that,
So now it's going to be happening up on Queen
Anne Hill. It's totally a matter of time before the
NBA is returning.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
But I think.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Today, I don't know what it was about today, Dick.
Maybe it was just the Blazers thing. Maybe it was
Adam Silver's appearance on Sirius XM, which we'll hear.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
In a second.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Today kind of really felt like the day where Okay,
now I gotta start going through my closet and see
a fall My old Sonic gear still fits me, you
know it.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Really it was just weird.
Speaker 9 (12:05):
I don't know why.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Yeah, because I mean we've I've felt that way for
a long time that they're coming back.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
You know that're coming back.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
So every now and then, you just get this feeling
that comes over your body, well, get possessed by something.
I don't know, Jackson, can you can you relate to
that that everybody has their own little individual day, yes,
or just for whatever reason they feel like that was
my day where I kind of felt like it was
go time.
Speaker 10 (12:27):
Because I think, yeah, for your day, I think it's
a little bit earlier. I'm probably in between you guys
because when I see anything from like, probably I won't
be woes, but it'll probably be shams, right right. I
think these shams of like committee meeting to discuss expansion
regarding Seattle and Vegas. And that tweet will come out
sometime in what July August? Right right when I see
(12:49):
that tweet, that's the moment that I will freak out.
Uh even when that comes along before they say if
an expansion done so well.
Speaker 9 (12:57):
I think for me they'll be I mean, there'll be
a freak out moment.
Speaker 8 (13:00):
But for me, the doors, the day the doors of
Climate Pledgerina opened was were the was the day that
I knew the sonics were coming back. But that's not
to say that I'm not going to have a celebration day,
you know what I'm saying. I didn't like celebrate that
day when Climate Plagerina. It was just kind of like
the knowledge and the feel. And I don't know if
(13:20):
there's any of these Adam Silver pieces that we get.
Speaker 9 (13:23):
Maybe I missed something in this one. Off to listen
to it again.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
But I haven't even heard it yet. I haven't heard
the clip. All I know is you mentioned Seattle.
Speaker 9 (13:31):
I mean, but he mentioned Settle that I.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
Know he read on this stuff.
Speaker 10 (13:35):
And I think the audio in this piece audio we
got to read between the lines. All right, Well, let's
do it. Let's let let's listen to this clip here.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Okay, Adam Silver today with Sirius XM talking about what's
to come, what's next for NBA expansion in the calendar
go ahead.
Speaker 11 (13:52):
We have a NBA Board meeting in July in Las Vegas,
and my sense is it will be on the agenda
to discuss with full ownership now for the thirty teams,
to get directly the existing owner's views on potential expansion
and how we would begin furthering the study of all
(14:16):
the implications and then get a sense of the level
of interest from certain markets. And look, obviously I know
there's tremendous interests in Seattle. I know there's tremendous interest
in Las Vegas and several other cities as well. That
whether I've read about the interest or you know, have
heard indirectly from others. Just to be clear, we haven't
(14:36):
begun any sort of process. So even to the extensities
that reached out, we've said thank you for your interest,
but we're not ready to take meetings yet and and
have more in depth discussions. But we will have that
opportunity early this summer again to talk to all the
different ownership groups in the NBA and get a sense.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Maybe it's just he keeps mentioning Seattle over and over again, Jackson,
that kind of that does it for me. Yes, it
sounds like he's kind of telling other towns to take
a hike. I don't know if you heard that as well,
that's exactly right, you know. So it's just I don't know, man,
I mean, I heard a little snippet and maybe I
just maybe the sun hit me in the right way,
you know, coming through the window.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
I got no idea. Maybe I was in a good
mood today.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
I have no clue, walking the dogs, hanging out, feeling
good about life, and I just felt like, all right, man,
this is this is happening, and the Blazers thing is happening,
and everything's getting checked off, and it's just, you know,
we're two months away from the summer meetings in July.
We're getting closer to that every single freaking day, so
to I mean, really, when they do announce it officially
(15:37):
or when the Sham's bomb does come out, I agree
with you, Jackson, that's when the tears will start to flow. Yeah,
And I really hope I'm on the air for that.
But I just think today felt like, all right, this
is the door is being flung open, and now it's
not just us like having to turn to get through it.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Now we're walking straight through.
Speaker 10 (15:55):
Because we had the timeline of summer, and we were
told summer. We were told summer by both Silver and
from Bruce Harrel who was on our show, right, and
we knew that. Now we see okay, July owners meetings,
that's when that's the next time, that's the next date.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
And then again, like you, that's exactly right, Saftie.
Speaker 10 (16:11):
The fact that he says Seattle interest, Vegas interest, and
other cities, like.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
It's just you read between the lines.
Speaker 10 (16:18):
Right there, he's telling you it's Seattle in Vegas and
every other city doesn't really matter.
Speaker 9 (16:23):
Well, what I got from it's the first time.
Speaker 10 (16:24):
Over and from Bruce Harald who was on our show, right,
and we knew that. Now we see okay, July owners meetings,
that's when that's the next time, that's the next date.
And then again, like you, that's exactly right, Saftie. The
fact that he says Seattle interest, Vegas interest, and other cities,
like it's just you read between the lines, right there,
he's telling you it's Seattle, in Vegas and every other
(16:47):
city doesn't really matter.
Speaker 8 (16:49):
Well, what I got from it's the first time I
think we've heard him say we will discuss it with
the ownership, right every you know he's been that. That
That just moved the needle for me is that he
we will discuss it with the owners. It was always
kind of on the table for potential discussion in the
future dot dot dot, and he told us right there,
(17:11):
no shadow of a doubt they will discuss expansion with
the ownership.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
On in July.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
Well, I told you a second ago that I had
heard the clip, but I felt like today was kind
of that day where I wanted to go into my
closet and see what still fit me from fifteen years ago.
I have time talking about something that's not going to happen, like, hey,
let's talk about the idea of players playing naked. Okay, Well,
that's never happening. Right When they discuss topics like this,
they're discussing it because there's a reason to discuss it.
Speaker 8 (17:39):
I think what we'll hear in July is that a
committee has been established, right, a committee has been established
to take a look at it la la la la la.
That'll take us to the next Board of Governor's meeting
and then the next Board of Governors meeting at the
beginning of the season. We would hope, we would hope
then that hey, the committee has the committee has discussed it,
the committee has voted, and the committee has recommended Seattle
(18:00):
in Vegas.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Well, and the other thing I was thinking about today too,
And maybe it's also just the timing of the NBA
on NBC announcing Round by Rock. I think you were
gone when they officially made that announcement.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Was it last week? Jackson? Where two weeks ago? Whatever
that was?
Speaker 2 (18:14):
And then the Michael Jordan thing came out yesterday, And
I'm listening to John Tesh and the car, which I
do a lot. I listened to a lot of sports
thems in my car, like puns on YouTube fire you up.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
I just love them. I mean, just going back to
this week in baseball.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
Then there's a documentary on HBO that was called When
It Was a Game, the opening of that's freaking awesome.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
I love hearing that. Man. I listened to that kind
of crap all the time.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
And I'm in the car listening to the NBA on
NBC theme song, thinking Man, the NBA is going back
to NBC and the Sonics are coming home. Everything just
feels right, right, Yes, everything just feels freaking right that
the mid nineties, there's nostalgia, it's all on the way back,
and it's all happening at once, And the Sonnics will
obviously be a couple of years after the NBA goes
(18:56):
back to NBC. But everything is happening at one time, right,
And it just feels like it almost like it's just
natural that today would be the day that, for some
reason you'd feel fired up for this. So I don't know,
maybe the audience feels differently. I'm sure there's some skeptics
out there, and I totally get that. I mean, I
you know what Gas said to us a couple of
weeks ago, Jackson in the air, where he just said, hey.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Wake me up when they come back.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Yeah, because he's getting tired of getting jacked around, tired
of hearing this, tired of hearing that, and he's you know,
he wants this as bad as anybody, sure, for God's sake.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
So I get the skepticism.
Speaker 8 (19:27):
Did he mention jacked around or is that did you
just kind of like, because Jackson you.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
Want to pull the audio. Well, no, that's the audience.
Speaker 10 (19:33):
That's almost exactly what you was. It was just like, listen,
we've waited long in this and then you know. The
thing that Gas specifically referenced was that I believe Adam
Silver had spoken that day and said said something like,
you know what, we also are looking at Europe and
then that kind of stuff as well. And if Gas
basically said was you know, all these different things keep
you know, popping up here and there and there, just
wake me up when when we get a team.
Speaker 8 (19:54):
Yeah, because I mean when when I have visioned somebody
getting jacked around, I envision of like, you know, you're
holding a toy out in front of a six year old,
right and like here you go, and then as soon
as the six year old reaches for it, you pull
it back. And I don't see that at all. I
don't see Adam Silver doing that one time. I think
he has been very meticulous in how he has used
(20:16):
his words. I think he has taken baby steps forward
each and every time. I don't see one iota where
he's jumped forward and said here you go and then
yanked it back.
Speaker 9 (20:26):
That's that's just me.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
Yeah, I mean that's fine.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
And I just think people when you wait eighteen years
for something, you kind of maybe get a little jaded
by the whole process. You know, when you're when you're
when your guy that you thought was buying the Sacramento
Kings and bringing them to town gets gets the rug
yanked out from underneath him.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
You know, when you.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Think you're gonna have an announcement by the end of
the end of twenty four and now it's almost in
the middle of May, I Memorial Day. I mean, it's natural, Dick,
It's natural for some people to just get a little
bit exhausted by the process. But do you agree that?
Do you agree with me? Is I agree with you?
But I also see both sides. I think you got
to see both sides on this, Dick. I mean, I
think we too often than not in this business fail
(21:03):
to see how somebody else can possibly think differently than
we do. And I understand why somebody would be completely
exhausted by this entire process. I think when the Sonics
left in two thousand and eight, if I would have
told you it was going to be.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Eighteen years, eighteen years, I.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
Think you would have said somebody thought's ridiculous, right, So
I think the weight the weight has changed people, you know,
the weight has and and look, I don't have any
problem saying the Sonics will be successful and the NBA
will be successful when they returned. I have no problem
saying that because there's a younger generation of fans that
will eventually take the spot of the older generation of
(21:40):
fans that checked out. So I don't have any problem
saying that it's gonna work here. But I do think
that to just ignore the reality of people that just
don't watch the NBA anymore, and some couldn't even give
a damn.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
I mean, I know buddies of mine that are like that, right.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
I was talking to a guy two days ago who
couldn't they three players of the.
Speaker 4 (22:00):
NBA listen, listen to this.
Speaker 10 (22:02):
We're not gonna give this some textimonials, because textimonials is going.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
To be crazy today.
Speaker 10 (22:06):
But we had a text that came in during the
first update of the show at three o'clock that said,
why do you give NBA scores in the updates?
Speaker 4 (22:12):
The NBA is incredibly boring.
Speaker 10 (22:14):
I mean, there's a large portion of people right now
who are just fully anti NBA.
Speaker 8 (22:18):
Well, there's also a large portion of people in the
country due to the raiding the ratings say that they
also agree with that take because the ratings have been
fantastic Dick playoffs.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
But why do you have a hard time acknowledging both sides?
Speaker 6 (22:30):
Right?
Speaker 8 (22:30):
Here's here's my here's my difference. I have no what
you said. You said exhausted. I think that was a
perfect word. I have no problem at all with Seattle
Sonic fans being exhausted with the process and tired of
the process. But that's different than accusing the NBA of
yanking Seattle around. Those are two completely different things. I
(22:51):
have total sympathy and empathy for one side. I just
don't think the other side is accurate. And you just
admitted you didn't either.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Yeah, uh, I think it's accurate that they feel that way. Correct,
of course, I don't think that Adam Silver would do
that either. But I absolutely understand why people get to
a point where they just create certain narratives. Yes, thousand percent,
one hundred percent, you know. I mean it's like, you know,
the idea that the Mariner ownership doesn't want to win
(23:19):
the World Series, Right, I mean, I don't. I think
that they do right, but their actions say otherwise. And
there's a lot of stuff where actions, you know, will
feed into a certain narrative out there.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
So I don't know.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
I mean, it doesn't bother me that there's people out
there that slam the NBA. It doesn't bother me that
there's people out there that don't like the NBA. You know,
you heard Collaborate on the air with us last week
talking about how much the game has changed. It's a
totally different product now than it was a team.
Speaker 9 (23:46):
Will they like the NBA just because they have a team.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
I would assume, so yes, I would assume.
Speaker 8 (23:51):
Do they not like the NBA because they really don't
like the NBA or because they're just mad at the
NBA so they're going to create this narrative.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
That it's no longer a good spot. But here's the deal.
So what I mean, if they feel like that, then great, whatever.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
I mean. I I think there's parts of the NBA
now that I don't like.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
I don't like how many threes these Celtics have been
paying in the NBA playoffs.
Speaker 9 (24:13):
I think it's gross basket. But you do agree with
the way that have been playing.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
Great defense, of course, But again, I mean this is
not an either or proposition.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
This is a shade of gray.
Speaker 10 (24:26):
Exactly. And the thing is, I think all feelings are valid.
Whether you hate the NBA because of the product right now,
or you hate the NBA because they left Seattle and
still haven't come back yet, your your your feelings are
completely valid to hate the NBA vidict, your feelings are
valid to love the NBA. I think all feelings are
valid here. We shouldn't shun anybody or or talk like
why don't then? Because I just think it's they don't
(24:50):
like it. They're gonna way when it comes back. That's
the end of story.
Speaker 8 (24:53):
And if and if they're if they're giving us their
emotions and their feelings, that's totally fine. But if they're
declaring something that clearly the rest of the country disagrees with,
I kind of shape Twell, you're probably saying that only
because you're mad.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
But what is the rest of the country have to
do with somebody's opinion? So what the NBA ratings are
phenomenal for the playoffs r phenomenal? Okay, how many guys
in this bar don't care about the NBA playoffs, maybe
a couple, So what that's their take?
Speaker 3 (25:22):
It gives a damn.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
Who cares?
Speaker 3 (25:25):
Why?
Speaker 10 (25:26):
Again, I'll repeat myself again that I just said, Dick.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Now I'll say it slower this time. Who cares why
people hate the NBA?
Speaker 10 (25:34):
Right now, let's just hope they all come back when
the Sonics come back.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
I think what you just said, Dick is spot on
that there will be people that will be fans of
the league just because we have a team.
Speaker 8 (25:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
Let me ask you a question.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
How much hockey have you watched in the last four
years versus the previous four? Oh a lot more puns? Yeah,
because because you have a team. I mean, that's that's it, period.
And there were people and there are people that would
say hockey's boring. Well, when you get team, yeah, you're
more invested. So I agree with you.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
I think when they.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
Return, and they will return, I think there's gonna be
a lot of people that will jump back on the wagon.
I mean, there's been this big party going on that
we haven't been a part of. Man, how lame is
it that every year we have to go on the
air and say, well, our favorite team is whoever's playing Okay,
see right, I'm tired of that.
Speaker 8 (26:18):
And that's I'm and I'm totally with those people. If
you haven't been following the NBA, that's totally cool. And
if you want to jump back on the NBA when
the Sonics come back, that's totally cool. What I have
a problem with are the people that claim it's quote
a bad sport now and all, oh so, so is
it automatically going to become a good sport when the
(26:38):
Sonics come back and you're.
Speaker 9 (26:39):
Gonna pay attention.
Speaker 8 (26:40):
That's that's the issue I have is the slamming of
the NBA and the quality of the product. When the
quality of the product this playoffs has been unbelievably well right.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
But the regular season, though, is still a problem. That is,
and you've admitted that it is, right, and that's six months.
The NBA regular season is twice the length of the
NBA playoffs, if not more than, if not sixty percent longer.
So that that that that's an issue that's got to
be resolved. And I mean, look, you know, why would
people now that embrace what they think is a bad product.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
I mean, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
If you saw a kid across the way he was
picking his nose and poopering his pants and yelling profanities
all day long. You'll probably walk away. Unless it's your son,
then you have no choice, right. So if that's yours
team and that's your kid, and that's your there's certain
things that you'll put up with Sam Donald.
Speaker 10 (27:23):
Like feelings about Sam Donald because he's on the Seahawks
absolute different from our feelings if he was on any
other team in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
How about Jalen Milroe, perfect.
Speaker 9 (27:34):
I loved Jalen Milroe before he was a Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
You did, Yeah, you did. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
To Dick's point, he was he would have taken Jayalen
with the first round, second round pick. But I told
you guys on the air that I wanted nothing to
do with him, nothing to do with him in the
first three rounds. And guess what they did. They drafted
him in the first three rounds, all right. I mean
it was almost a fourth round pick, but it was
still the first three rounds. So I it just goes
back to my my take on a player is always
(27:59):
better when he played for your team, because you tend
to want to see the bright side in somebody, and
we are right now focusing on the bright side in
Sam Darnold. That great analogy, Jackson, because clearly Vegas doesn't
think squad of Sam Darnald.
Speaker 8 (28:11):
Right, But like, I don't remember us at the end
of last season when Sam Darnold was having a great season,
I don't remember us saying Sam Donald's terrible.
Speaker 3 (28:19):
I also never remember saying bring him to Seattle.
Speaker 8 (28:21):
Yeah, well, of course I didn't think that was even
because you thought he was a one.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
You didn't think he was that good, right, I mean, look,
I mean it's just it's like I asked you if
if you had Sam Darnold a year ago as the
next he.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Said, no, way stinks.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Then he goes to an opportunity, got a seam and
he looked right. But now we're gonna see the bright
side in somebody. Now, now we're going to embrace the positives.
Now we're going to really try and get behind the guy,
which I get it. I mean, there still are obviously
concerns about him, no question about that love, the contract,
that it's not a killer if it doesn't work out,
all that stuff, blah blah blah.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
All right, four forty one. I need a shower, by
the way, after that.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Yeah, we are at the bottom of a hotel. By
the way, plenty of room, shower, take a bath. What
was the last time you took a bath? Not a
hot just an accident that bathe yourself.
Speaker 5 (29:08):
Years.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Years. We're gonna break
It's time for our weekly Pac twelve conversation with Senjose,
Mercury News reporter and John Willner, brought to you by
Simply Seattle. Our friends at simply Seattle dot com have
the most amazing collection of all things Seattle Seahawks gear.
UW had some of the largest selection of Sonnics gear
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Speaker 2 (00:20):
All right, we are back here, by the way, if
we're going to buy you see it's funny. We launched
this KJR twenty five contest for twenty five percent off
all Mariner gear through the Yankees series tomorrow, and then
the Mariners decided to go out and lose four in
a row. Just completely our fault. It could be their fault.
Blame Jamie, Blame simply Seattle. Terrible timing. I was over
(00:41):
there last week and me and Jacob's like, hey, let's
do a promo for the Blue Jays coming to town,
the Yankees in town.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Buy some Mariner gear.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Okay KJR twenty five right now through tomorrow night for
twenty five percent off anything Mariner related on the website.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Used code KJR twenty five.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Here he is by the way, the Pope of the Pack,
the Big ten Bear, and our friend Johnny Wilner.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
John, how are you man?
Speaker 4 (01:03):
I'm good?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Thanks?
Speaker 5 (01:04):
How you guys?
Speaker 3 (01:05):
We are swell?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
What's this story you wrote for the San Jose Mercury
News regarding the House settlement and how it could potentially
benefit Oregon?
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Because I don't want to hear any of that crap.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Tell me how Oregon is now even better off today
than they were maybe yesterday.
Speaker 5 (01:22):
Well, I didn't want to.
Speaker 6 (01:23):
I don't want to get too much into the weeds
on this House settlement because I don't think fans really care.
But this particular aspect I thought was relevant, especially up
in your neck of the woods, and that is that.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
They are going to create. So we've talked about this.
Speaker 6 (01:39):
There's still gonna be nil even once the schools start
revenue sharing. They are creating a clearing house to make
sure all the NIL deals are on the up and up.
In other words, so you're not paying your quarterback a
million bucks for a single autograph session. Right, There's gonna
be a fair market value you enforcement policy, except publicly
(02:06):
traded companies are exempt from that policy. So Nike could
cut a deal with Oregon's backup left tackle for a
million bucks, and there's no fair market value oversight. So
any school that is closely tied to a publicly traded
(02:27):
company could potentially have an advantage here over all the
deals that are with private companies or boosters or what
have you.
Speaker 7 (02:40):
Not.
Speaker 8 (02:41):
Why do you think that's the case, John, Why would
they make them exempt?
Speaker 6 (02:45):
My guess is that they feel like there's enough oversight
for a publicly traded company anyhow, through shareholders, through SEC
exchange law, through internal auditing, and so those backstops, say
(03:06):
Nike wanted to do that a million bucks for Oregon's
left tackle because Phil Knight's all excited in theory, Nike's
internal systems would say, we can't do that. It's not
smart use of our money. It's a violation of federal law.
And so that's a backstop. The other backstop is potentially
that the clearing house would see such a red flag
(03:28):
that they would say.
Speaker 5 (03:30):
You know what, that that can't happen.
Speaker 6 (03:32):
We have to move Nike into a separate category in
which there's oversight provided.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Well, John Wilters with us and John, you mentioned Phil
Knight and Nike and how they could potentially take advantage
of this. I mean, I know another way that Phil
Knight and Nike could make Oregon as attractive as possible.
Basically allow the University of Oregon to own an NBA
basketball team by the Blazers and have it be in
the public trust of the Oregon Ducks and the university.
(03:57):
I mean, you think that Phil Knight and Nike gonna
try to get involved and buy the Blazers. I mean,
imagine the number one booster in the country being able
to recruit kids and saying, oh, by the way, I
got ball. I'm not just the biggest freaking booster ever,
but I own an NBA basketball team. You want to
go sit courtside and hang out with me in my
suite or whatever. I mean, you think Phil Knight makes
the play for the Blazers they're they're for sale.
Speaker 5 (04:20):
He might, and there's already a precedent for that.
Speaker 6 (04:23):
Matt Ishbia is a huge Michigan State donor. He was
behind that incredible deal that they gave Mel Tucker like
four years ago, and he's the owner of the Phoenix Suns.
He also is the CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage, which
has got you know, a market cap, it's on the MYSC.
Speaker 5 (04:42):
I think it's I got a market cap.
Speaker 6 (04:43):
In the billions, so there's there is a president for
it in some ways. But I wouldn't be surprised if
if Phil Knight tries to do that.
Speaker 8 (04:51):
No, what's your thoughts on Trump's Commission on NIL and
the role of Nick Saban?
Speaker 6 (04:58):
Well, I think that the Nick Saban thing is maybe
a little bit overblown at this point.
Speaker 5 (05:03):
I'm not one hundred percent sure he's going to be.
Speaker 6 (05:05):
Co chair, and that commission is only going to be
limited in what it can do, right because it cannot
establish laws that supersede state laws. What it could do
is generate some momentum on Capitol Hill for there to
be actual legislation that would help the nc double A.
Speaker 5 (05:26):
And there's two ways that that could happen.
Speaker 6 (05:28):
One is that they provide anti trust protection so all
these lawsuits you go away, right, And the other is
that they could codify the House Settlement so that you
know NIL. There's like forty different NIL laws for fifty states.
It's crazy, but they could potentially provide some help there.
(05:49):
So the NCAA could get a handle on the transfer
portal and NIL and all these other things.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Hey, John Wilners with us John.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
Yesterday, Fox announce they're going to air a doubleheader for
the NFL on Saturday, December twentieth. Normally I would not
ask you about the NFL, But the reason why this
is topical is because they will compete directly with two
College Football Playoff opening round games. Does that mean anything
(06:18):
to you that the NFL said, look, we don't even care.
We're gonna put regular season games up against the CFP Playoff.
Speaker 5 (06:24):
Yeah, and not just any games. Those are two rivalry games.
Speaker 6 (06:27):
And they did it last year too, the NFL when
when the CFP expanded to twelve and set the date,
you know that Saturday before Christmas as a triple header
day for the opening round.
Speaker 5 (06:41):
The NFL said, you know what, we'd rather do not
do that, And the.
Speaker 6 (06:44):
CFP went ahead and din anyhow, And so the NFL
responded last year with two huge games.
Speaker 5 (06:49):
I think the Chiefs were in one of them, and
the ratings for the CFP games suffered.
Speaker 6 (06:55):
I think the same thing's gonna happen again, the NFL
saying look, this is our The third Saturday December is
an NFL Saturday. The CFP is actually infringing upon NFL
broadcast territory, and the NFL is fighting back, and I
think it's a problem. And now, I don't know if
you guys saw last week, there's movement for the CFP
to expand not to fourteen but to sixteen team, which
(07:18):
means they're gonna have to play probably eight opening round games.
I don't know where they're gonna put them, because the
NFL has got Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of that
weekend already locked up.
Speaker 5 (07:30):
So it's a real issue for the CFP. Wow, John,
do you think Billbilill this thing is Black Friday?
Speaker 7 (07:36):
Right?
Speaker 5 (07:36):
There's Black Friday. Yeah, And they're also putting a game on.
Speaker 6 (07:39):
The Friday of the opening weekend of the NFL. There's
a Friday night game, and that infringes on college football.
Speaker 5 (07:48):
Every single year we see more and more.
Speaker 6 (07:51):
NFL encroachment on broadcast windows that used to be just
for college football.
Speaker 5 (07:56):
I think it's a huge problem for the sport.
Speaker 8 (07:58):
Will be the odds I'd have to give you to
wager a significant amount of money that Bill Belichick never
coaches a game at North Carolina.
Speaker 6 (08:11):
I think I think there's a very very unlikely I've
seen some discussion about that, and certainly, based on the
events thus far, you could make the case that this
thing is gonna just blow up before September first, there's
no doubt. But I would lean heavily toward him coaching
at least one season. And I think I don't know
(08:34):
about you, guys, but if he wants to get back
in the NFL, the worst thing he could do is
bail on North Carolina in the next three months.
Speaker 8 (08:41):
Yeah, it is there. What's the Steve Belichick role? Is
there a plan in place? Is there something in writing?
Is it just assumed he's going to be the next coach?
Speaker 9 (08:50):
Or is we don't know?
Speaker 5 (08:52):
I don't know.
Speaker 6 (08:53):
To be honest, I probably should know this because it's
a public it's a public contract for UNC's a public school.
I don't know if it is in writing that he
is the coach in waiting, the way say Utah hasn't
been writing for Morgan Scalley to replace Wittingham eventually, I'm
not sure that UNC has actually put it in print.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Would Steve Belichick, though, for you, be the heavy favorite
to replace Bill whenever he leaves, I.
Speaker 5 (09:19):
Mean overwhelming favorite.
Speaker 6 (09:20):
I don't know unless something goes wrong for Bill, and
Steve is basically tied to it. I don't know how
he's not gonna be.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Hey, John, before you go, we're gonna know about the
Seahawks schedule tomorrow at five. We already know about the
Husky schedule, but what we don't know is what Friday
night games they're playing.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
When do we find that out?
Speaker 8 (09:40):
You know?
Speaker 6 (09:42):
Yeah, so usually the last week in May, and I
think it'll be, you know, the within forty eight hours
after a Memorial Day is my guess is.
Speaker 5 (09:53):
When the Big ten, Big twelve.
Speaker 6 (09:55):
Acc SEC will all announce the schedule for the first
three weeks and also all Friday games. The Friday games
are part of that early release because the schools need
to know to make operational plans and fans need to
know to make plans for traveling tickets. So we got
about two weeks and then you should find out. I
(10:16):
would expect the Huskies will have probably two Friday.
Speaker 5 (10:20):
Night games, one home in one road, because the Big
Pen and.
Speaker 6 (10:24):
Fox both like that Friday deal, and the West Coast
schools are that's good, you know, the logistics are good
for West Coast schools to have Friday games.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Yeah, they can play as many Friday games as they
want as far as I'm concerned.
Speaker 5 (10:39):
We like it, don't you?
Speaker 3 (10:40):
Every week?
Speaker 2 (10:41):
I freaking love it? All right, John, great stuff. We'll
talk in a week man.
Speaker 5 (10:45):
Thanks guys.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
All right, John Wilner.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
When we come back, Adam Silver has spoken and he
has mentioned us.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
What are we talking about?
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Well, we'll explain next on ninety three three kJ a RFM.
Speaker 7 (10:58):
Testing live from our foundation specialist broad Jazz Studio. Now
back to Softie and Dick powered by Emerald Queen Casino,
the Vettian capital of the Northwest, on Sports Radio and
ntties three point three kJ r FM.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
All right, we are back here at Jimmy's on First
across the street from T Mobile Park, the simply put
best spot to hang out before and after a Mariner
baseball game, Seahawk football game, concert, whatever, here at Loomenfield
Teamobile Park in the heart of the stadium district. Man,
this place was at one point in time we thought
(11:34):
going to be home to the NBA, and then the
guys across the street said, no, we don't want that,
So now it's going to be happening up on Queen
Anne Hill. It's totally a matter of time before the
NBA is returning.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
But I think.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Today, I don't know what it was about today, Dick.
Maybe it was just the Blazers thing. Maybe it was
Adam Silver's appearance on Sirius XM, which we'll hear.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
In a second.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Today kind of really felt like the day where Okay,
now I gotta start going through my closet and see
a fall My old Sonic gear still fits me, you
know it.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Really it was just weird.
Speaker 9 (12:05):
I don't know why.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Yeah, because I mean we've I've felt that way for
a long time that they're coming back.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
You know that're coming back.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
So every now and then, you just get this feeling
that comes over your body, well, get possessed by something.
I don't know, Jackson, can you can you relate to
that that everybody has their own little individual day, yes,
or just for whatever reason they feel like that was
my day where I kind of felt like it was
go time.
Speaker 10 (12:27):
Because I think, yeah, for your day, I think it's
a little bit earlier. I'm probably in between you guys
because when I see anything from like, probably I won't
be woes, but it'll probably be shams, right right. I
think these shams of like committee meeting to discuss expansion
regarding Seattle and Vegas. And that tweet will come out
sometime in what July August? Right right when I see
(12:49):
that tweet, that's the moment that I will freak out.
Uh even when that comes along before they say if
an expansion done so well.
Speaker 9 (12:57):
I think for me they'll be I mean, there'll be
a freak out moment.
Speaker 8 (13:00):
But for me, the doors, the day the doors of
Climate Pledgerina opened was were the was the day that
I knew the sonics were coming back. But that's not
to say that I'm not going to have a celebration day,
you know what I'm saying. I didn't like celebrate that
day when Climate Plagerina. It was just kind of like
the knowledge and the feel. And I don't know if
(13:20):
there's any of these Adam Silver pieces that we get.
Speaker 9 (13:23):
Maybe I missed something in this one. Off to listen
to it again.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
But I haven't even heard it yet. I haven't heard
the clip. All I know is you mentioned Seattle.
Speaker 9 (13:31):
I mean, but he mentioned Settle that I.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
Know he read on this stuff.
Speaker 10 (13:35):
And I think the audio in this piece audio we
got to read between the lines. All right, Well, let's
do it. Let's let let's listen to this clip here.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Okay, Adam Silver today with Sirius XM talking about what's
to come, what's next for NBA expansion in the calendar
go ahead.
Speaker 11 (13:52):
We have a NBA Board meeting in July in Las Vegas,
and my sense is it will be on the agenda
to discuss with full ownership now for the thirty teams,
to get directly the existing owner's views on potential expansion
and how we would begin furthering the study of all
(14:16):
the implications and then get a sense of the level
of interest from certain markets. And look, obviously I know
there's tremendous interests in Seattle. I know there's tremendous interest
in Las Vegas and several other cities as well. That
whether I've read about the interest or you know, have
heard indirectly from others. Just to be clear, we haven't
(14:36):
begun any sort of process. So even to the extensities
that reached out, we've said thank you for your interest,
but we're not ready to take meetings yet and and
have more in depth discussions. But we will have that
opportunity early this summer again to talk to all the
different ownership groups in the NBA and get a sense.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Maybe it's just he keeps mentioning Seattle over and over again, Jackson,
that kind of that does it for me. Yes, it
sounds like he's kind of telling other towns to take
a hike. I don't know if you heard that as well,
that's exactly right, you know. So it's just I don't know, man,
I mean, I heard a little snippet and maybe I
just maybe the sun hit me in the right way,
you know, coming through the window.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
I got no idea. Maybe I was in a good
mood today.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
I have no clue, walking the dogs, hanging out, feeling
good about life, and I just felt like, all right, man,
this is this is happening, and the Blazers thing is happening,
and everything's getting checked off, and it's just, you know,
we're two months away from the summer meetings in July.
We're getting closer to that every single freaking day, so
to I mean, really, when they do announce it officially
(15:37):
or when the Sham's bomb does come out, I agree
with you, Jackson, that's when the tears will start to flow. Yeah,
And I really hope I'm on the air for that.
But I just think today felt like, all right, this
is the door is being flung open, and now it's
not just us like having to turn to get through it.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Now we're walking straight through.
Speaker 10 (15:55):
Because we had the timeline of summer, and we were
told summer. We were told summer by both Silver and
from Bruce Harrel who was on our show, right, and
we knew that. Now we see okay, July owners meetings,
that's when that's the next time, that's the next date.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
And then again, like you, that's exactly right, Saftie.
Speaker 10 (16:11):
The fact that he says Seattle interest, Vegas interest, and
other cities, like.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
It's just you read between the lines.
Speaker 10 (16:18):
Right there, he's telling you it's Seattle in Vegas and
every other city doesn't really matter.
Speaker 9 (16:23):
Well, what I got from it's the first time.
Speaker 10 (16:24):
Over and from Bruce Harald who was on our show, right,
and we knew that. Now we see okay, July owners meetings,
that's when that's the next time, that's the next date.
And then again, like you, that's exactly right, Saftie. The
fact that he says Seattle interest, Vegas interest, and other cities,
like it's just you read between the lines, right there,
he's telling you it's Seattle, in Vegas and every other
(16:47):
city doesn't really matter.
Speaker 8 (16:49):
Well, what I got from it's the first time I
think we've heard him say we will discuss it with
the ownership, right every you know he's been that. That
That just moved the needle for me is that he
we will discuss it with the owners. It was always
kind of on the table for potential discussion in the
future dot dot dot, and he told us right there,
(17:11):
no shadow of a doubt they will discuss expansion with
the ownership.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
On in July.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
Well, I told you a second ago that I had
heard the clip, but I felt like today was kind
of that day where I wanted to go into my
closet and see what still fit me from fifteen years ago.
I have time talking about something that's not going to happen, like, hey,
let's talk about the idea of players playing naked. Okay, Well,
that's never happening. Right When they discuss topics like this,
they're discussing it because there's a reason to discuss it.
Speaker 8 (17:39):
I think what we'll hear in July is that a
committee has been established, right, a committee has been established
to take a look at it la la la la la.
That'll take us to the next Board of Governor's meeting
and then the next Board of Governors meeting at the
beginning of the season. We would hope, we would hope
then that hey, the committee has the committee has discussed it,
the committee has voted, and the committee has recommended Seattle
(18:00):
in Vegas.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Well, and the other thing I was thinking about today too,
And maybe it's also just the timing of the NBA
on NBC announcing Round by Rock. I think you were
gone when they officially made that announcement.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Was it last week? Jackson? Where two weeks ago? Whatever
that was?
Speaker 2 (18:14):
And then the Michael Jordan thing came out yesterday, And
I'm listening to John Tesh and the car, which I
do a lot. I listened to a lot of sports
thems in my car, like puns on YouTube fire you up.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
I just love them. I mean, just going back to
this week in baseball.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
Then there's a documentary on HBO that was called When
It Was a Game, the opening of that's freaking awesome.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
I love hearing that. Man. I listened to that kind
of crap all the time.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
And I'm in the car listening to the NBA on
NBC theme song, thinking Man, the NBA is going back
to NBC and the Sonics are coming home. Everything just
feels right, right, Yes, everything just feels freaking right that
the mid nineties, there's nostalgia, it's all on the way back,
and it's all happening at once, And the Sonnics will
obviously be a couple of years after the NBA goes
(18:56):
back to NBC. But everything is happening at one time, right,
And it just feels like it almost like it's just
natural that today would be the day that, for some
reason you'd feel fired up for this. So I don't know,
maybe the audience feels differently. I'm sure there's some skeptics
out there, and I totally get that. I mean, I
you know what Gas said to us a couple of
weeks ago, Jackson in the air, where he just said, hey.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Wake me up when they come back.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Yeah, because he's getting tired of getting jacked around, tired
of hearing this, tired of hearing that, and he's you know,
he wants this as bad as anybody, sure, for God's sake.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
So I get the skepticism.
Speaker 8 (19:27):
Did he mention jacked around or is that did you
just kind of like, because Jackson you.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
Want to pull the audio. Well, no, that's the audience.
Speaker 10 (19:33):
That's almost exactly what you was. It was just like, listen,
we've waited long in this and then you know. The
thing that Gas specifically referenced was that I believe Adam
Silver had spoken that day and said said something like,
you know what, we also are looking at Europe and
then that kind of stuff as well. And if Gas
basically said was you know, all these different things keep
you know, popping up here and there and there, just
wake me up when when we get a team.
Speaker 8 (19:54):
Yeah, because I mean when when I have visioned somebody
getting jacked around, I envision of like, you know, you're
holding a toy out in front of a six year old,
right and like here you go, and then as soon
as the six year old reaches for it, you pull
it back. And I don't see that at all. I
don't see Adam Silver doing that one time. I think
he has been very meticulous in how he has used
(20:16):
his words. I think he has taken baby steps forward
each and every time. I don't see one iota where
he's jumped forward and said here you go and then
yanked it back.
Speaker 9 (20:26):
That's that's just me.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
Yeah, I mean that's fine.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
And I just think people when you wait eighteen years
for something, you kind of maybe get a little jaded
by the whole process. You know, when you're when you're
when your guy that you thought was buying the Sacramento
Kings and bringing them to town gets gets the rug
yanked out from underneath him.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
You know, when you.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Think you're gonna have an announcement by the end of
the end of twenty four and now it's almost in
the middle of May, I Memorial Day. I mean, it's natural, Dick,
It's natural for some people to just get a little
bit exhausted by the process. But do you agree that?
Do you agree with me? Is I agree with you?
But I also see both sides. I think you got
to see both sides on this, Dick. I mean, I
think we too often than not in this business fail
(21:03):
to see how somebody else can possibly think differently than
we do. And I understand why somebody would be completely
exhausted by this entire process. I think when the Sonics
left in two thousand and eight, if I would have
told you it was going to be.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Eighteen years, eighteen years, I.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
Think you would have said somebody thought's ridiculous, right, So
I think the weight the weight has changed people, you know,
the weight has and and look, I don't have any
problem saying the Sonics will be successful and the NBA
will be successful when they returned. I have no problem
saying that because there's a younger generation of fans that
will eventually take the spot of the older generation of
(21:40):
fans that checked out. So I don't have any problem
saying that it's gonna work here. But I do think
that to just ignore the reality of people that just
don't watch the NBA anymore, and some couldn't even give
a damn.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
I mean, I know buddies of mine that are like that, right.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
I was talking to a guy two days ago who
couldn't they three players of the.
Speaker 4 (22:00):
NBA listen, listen to this.
Speaker 10 (22:02):
We're not gonna give this some textimonials, because textimonials is going.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
To be crazy today.
Speaker 10 (22:06):
But we had a text that came in during the
first update of the show at three o'clock that said,
why do you give NBA scores in the updates?
Speaker 4 (22:12):
The NBA is incredibly boring.
Speaker 10 (22:14):
I mean, there's a large portion of people right now
who are just fully anti NBA.
Speaker 8 (22:18):
Well, there's also a large portion of people in the
country due to the raiding the ratings say that they
also agree with that take because the ratings have been
fantastic Dick playoffs.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
But why do you have a hard time acknowledging both sides?
Speaker 6 (22:30):
Right?
Speaker 8 (22:30):
Here's here's my here's my difference. I have no what
you said. You said exhausted. I think that was a
perfect word. I have no problem at all with Seattle
Sonic fans being exhausted with the process and tired of
the process. But that's different than accusing the NBA of
yanking Seattle around. Those are two completely different things. I
(22:51):
have total sympathy and empathy for one side. I just
don't think the other side is accurate. And you just
admitted you didn't either.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Yeah, uh, I think it's accurate that they feel that way. Correct,
of course, I don't think that Adam Silver would do
that either. But I absolutely understand why people get to
a point where they just create certain narratives. Yes, thousand percent,
one hundred percent, you know. I mean it's like, you know,
the idea that the Mariner ownership doesn't want to win
(23:19):
the World Series, Right, I mean, I don't. I think
that they do right, but their actions say otherwise. And
there's a lot of stuff where actions, you know, will
feed into a certain narrative out there.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
So I don't know.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
I mean, it doesn't bother me that there's people out
there that slam the NBA. It doesn't bother me that
there's people out there that don't like the NBA. You know,
you heard Collaborate on the air with us last week
talking about how much the game has changed. It's a
totally different product now than it was a team.
Speaker 9 (23:46):
Will they like the NBA just because they have a team.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
I would assume, so yes, I would assume.
Speaker 8 (23:51):
Do they not like the NBA because they really don't
like the NBA or because they're just mad at the
NBA so they're going to create this narrative.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
That it's no longer a good spot. But here's the deal.
So what I mean, if they feel like that, then great, whatever.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
I mean. I I think there's parts of the NBA
now that I don't like.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
I don't like how many threes these Celtics have been
paying in the NBA playoffs.
Speaker 9 (24:13):
I think it's gross basket. But you do agree with
the way that have been playing.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
Great defense, of course, But again, I mean this is
not an either or proposition.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
This is a shade of gray.
Speaker 10 (24:26):
Exactly. And the thing is, I think all feelings are valid.
Whether you hate the NBA because of the product right now,
or you hate the NBA because they left Seattle and
still haven't come back yet, your your your feelings are
completely valid to hate the NBA vidict, your feelings are
valid to love the NBA. I think all feelings are
valid here. We shouldn't shun anybody or or talk like
why don't then? Because I just think it's they don't
(24:50):
like it. They're gonna way when it comes back. That's
the end of story.
Speaker 8 (24:53):
And if and if they're if they're giving us their
emotions and their feelings, that's totally fine. But if they're
declaring something that clearly the rest of the country disagrees with,
I kind of shape Twell, you're probably saying that only
because you're mad.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
But what is the rest of the country have to
do with somebody's opinion? So what the NBA ratings are
phenomenal for the playoffs r phenomenal? Okay, how many guys
in this bar don't care about the NBA playoffs, maybe
a couple, So what that's their take?
Speaker 3 (25:22):
It gives a damn.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
Who cares?
Speaker 3 (25:25):
Why?
Speaker 10 (25:26):
Again, I'll repeat myself again that I just said, Dick.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Now I'll say it slower this time. Who cares why
people hate the NBA?
Speaker 10 (25:34):
Right now, let's just hope they all come back when
the Sonics come back.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
I think what you just said, Dick is spot on
that there will be people that will be fans of
the league just because we have a team.
Speaker 8 (25:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
Let me ask you a question.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
How much hockey have you watched in the last four
years versus the previous four? Oh a lot more puns? Yeah,
because because you have a team. I mean, that's that's it, period.
And there were people and there are people that would
say hockey's boring. Well, when you get team, yeah, you're
more invested. So I agree with you.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
I think when they.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
Return, and they will return, I think there's gonna be
a lot of people that will jump back on the wagon.
I mean, there's been this big party going on that
we haven't been a part of. Man, how lame is
it that every year we have to go on the
air and say, well, our favorite team is whoever's playing Okay,
see right, I'm tired of that.
Speaker 8 (26:18):
And that's I'm and I'm totally with those people. If
you haven't been following the NBA, that's totally cool. And
if you want to jump back on the NBA when
the Sonics come back, that's totally cool. What I have
a problem with are the people that claim it's quote
a bad sport now and all, oh so, so is
it automatically going to become a good sport when the
(26:38):
Sonics come back and you're.
Speaker 9 (26:39):
Gonna pay attention.
Speaker 8 (26:40):
That's that's the issue I have is the slamming of
the NBA and the quality of the product. When the
quality of the product this playoffs has been unbelievably well right.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
But the regular season, though, is still a problem. That is,
and you've admitted that it is, right, and that's six months.
The NBA regular season is twice the length of the
NBA playoffs, if not more than, if not sixty percent longer.
So that that that that's an issue that's got to
be resolved. And I mean, look, you know, why would
people now that embrace what they think is a bad product.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
I mean, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
If you saw a kid across the way he was
picking his nose and poopering his pants and yelling profanities
all day long. You'll probably walk away. Unless it's your son,
then you have no choice, right. So if that's yours
team and that's your kid, and that's your there's certain
things that you'll put up with Sam Donald.
Speaker 10 (27:23):
Like feelings about Sam Donald because he's on the Seahawks
absolute different from our feelings if he was on any
other team in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
How about Jalen Milroe, perfect.
Speaker 9 (27:34):
I loved Jalen Milroe before he was a Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
You did, Yeah, you did. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
To Dick's point, he was he would have taken Jayalen
with the first round, second round pick. But I told
you guys on the air that I wanted nothing to
do with him, nothing to do with him in the
first three rounds. And guess what they did. They drafted
him in the first three rounds, all right. I mean
it was almost a fourth round pick, but it was
still the first three rounds. So I it just goes
back to my my take on a player is always
(27:59):
better when he played for your team, because you tend
to want to see the bright side in somebody, and
we are right now focusing on the bright side in
Sam Darnold. That great analogy, Jackson, because clearly Vegas doesn't
think squad of Sam Darnald.
Speaker 8 (28:11):
Right, But like, I don't remember us at the end
of last season when Sam Darnold was having a great season,
I don't remember us saying Sam Donald's terrible.
Speaker 3 (28:19):
I also never remember saying bring him to Seattle.
Speaker 8 (28:21):
Yeah, well, of course I didn't think that was even
because you thought he was a one.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
You didn't think he was that good, right, I mean, look,
I mean it's just it's like I asked you if
if you had Sam Darnold a year ago as the
next he.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Said, no, way stinks.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Then he goes to an opportunity, got a seam and
he looked right. But now we're gonna see the bright
side in somebody. Now, now we're going to embrace the positives.
Now we're going to really try and get behind the guy,
which I get it. I mean, there still are obviously
concerns about him, no question about that love, the contract,
that it's not a killer if it doesn't work out,
all that stuff, blah blah blah.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
All right, four forty one. I need a shower, by
the way, after that.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Yeah, we are at the bottom of a hotel. By
the way, plenty of room, shower, take a bath. What
was the last time you took a bath? Not a
hot just an accident that bathe yourself.
Speaker 5 (29:08):
Years.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Years. We're gonna break
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