May 21, 2025 • 36 mins
In the third hour, Dick Fain and Hugh Millen chat with Larry Stone about the Mariners’ win today in Chicago, their hitting, Ben Williamson and Cal Raleigh, then react to the Ryan Clark and Robert Griffin III debate about the Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese feud.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's time for our weekly conversation with legendary sports writer
Larry Stone, brought to you by the Ram Restaurant and Brewery, Bigger,
better and fresher since nineteen seventy one, with eight fugit
Sound locations from Marysville to Lacey and everywhere in between.
There's a Ram there you now with Softy and Dick.
Here's Larry Stone.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Dad's Day and Grad's Day right around the corner. Celebrate
your loved ones at the RAM with their gift card
promotion between now and June fifteenth.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
For every fifty.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Dollars gift card you purchase, you get.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
A ten dollars gift card free.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Hopefully Larry Stone is using those gift cards well at
the RAM.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
How are you, man?
Speaker 4 (00:40):
I'm doing great, I am You think them well?
Speaker 5 (00:42):
Well?
Speaker 3 (00:42):
And often awesome, very very good.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Well, it's great to have you, you know, watching that
Mariner game today. Really, the last thirty six hours of
Mariner baseball has just been kind of bizarre. You know
that crazy one nothing chilly, rainy, is it even going
to get played? Game yesterday almost kind of a throw
it out game, and then today Larry and I got
the emotional swings First of all, I'll tell you what
(01:06):
I was thinking during this game. At three nothing, literally
five minutes into the game, I was like, well that's over.
I mean, will the White Sox even score three runs
in order to overcome this three nothing deficit? Well, they did,
and it didn't take them along either. And then you
get the home run from Cal you get a Tavaris
home run later on. That was just the emotional swings
(01:27):
for a game in May were a little bit too
much for me today.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
Yeah, it was something. Who would think that the Marrors
would get a better battle from the Chicago White Sox
than the San Diego They did, but those games were tougher.
Those three games were tougher than the three in San
Diego where they thoroughly dominated. But I thought it was
a gutty win today to come back. You just don't
want to go into the Houston having lotched the series
(01:53):
to the White Sox.
Speaker 5 (01:53):
Right. The White Socks actually, unlike last year, they actually
have some promise now.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
I think they have a pretty good pitching staff, which
is why the series was as even as it was.
That the guy that started today was pitching almost as
well as anyone in the league. But teams like the
White Sox find a way to lose, and that's what
happened today. Leody Tavares. I thought maybe before today, I
thought a topic of our conversation was how long they
(02:21):
were going to go with him, But he probably bought
himself a little more time with that big home run today.
Speaker 6 (02:26):
Yeah, indeed, and you brought up the Padre series, so
let's go there. What impressed you about what you saw
in San Diego.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Well, the pitching dominance of a of a really good
lineup that maybe the best lineup in the National League,
and they just throttled them. They shut them down. And
not only did they do that, but they did it
was their's six seven starters, Logan Evanson and Emerson Hancock
starting two of the games and pitching really well. The
bullpen was was fabulous. That the hitting was timely, but
(02:58):
to me, it was the pitching. Just a lineup that
has Takis.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
And Merrill and you.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
Know, Machado and all those guys arise to hold them
one run in each game was just spectacular and very unexpected.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Larry, I'm just looking at the lineup of aces that
the Mariners have either handed a loss to or at
least won the game that that pitcher was pitching. And
I'm looking at the top fifteen in baseball, and let's
see Max Fried's number one in era, Nathan Elvaldi's number
six in era. Croche is number nine, Shane Smith today
(03:36):
is number ten, Michael King the other day is number fourteen.
I mean, they have been just giant killers offensively, particularly
on the road. What do you make of what you're
seeing from this offense, particularly against aces of staffs which
have usually, let's face it, just shoved it up the
mariner's tailpipe the last five years.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
Yeah, And I mean they also won a game started
by Eric Scoba, who might be the best fiture in baseball.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
Yeah, it's a testament to I think.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
Uh, there's they're sort of their new hitting outlook, putting
more balls in play, getting on base more. The Hitger
cites their influence I think is real. Uh, they're just
not used to count on twelve strikeouts the game, night
after night after night, and they're just they're just not
doing that anymore. And when you put the ball in play,
(04:27):
good things happen. And uh and and they got some
real legitimate bats in their lineup. Now, talk the top five. Uh,
it gets a.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
Little weak when you get beyond those. But you know,
cal Rawley's having as you know, he's having a superstar year. Uh,
JP Crawford's tremendous bounce back year. Polanco started off so well,
Julio's coming back strong lately for the last couple of weeks.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
And a Rose Arena. Uh, you know that that's a
that's a really good lineup at the top of it.
So yeah, it's it's the it's the journeymen that are
giving him trouble. Like the guy who started yesterday was
his name Houser. Yeah, uh, you know, making his first
start of the year, just completely shut him down. But
(05:14):
when they go against, like you said, the aces, they
seem to they seem to step up to another level.
Speaker 7 (05:20):
You've seen a lot of young guys come and go.
Speaker 6 (05:22):
Larry Stone, Ben Williamson, curious your take on the twenty
four year old.
Speaker 7 (05:27):
Uh?
Speaker 6 (05:28):
Is this guy somebody you think can be implanted at
third base for a long period time?
Speaker 7 (05:35):
A Blowers type of run?
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Uh?
Speaker 6 (05:37):
Or is it wait, wait and see mode? Just kind
of give us your thoughts on on the youngster.
Speaker 5 (05:43):
Williamson, Uh, I think I'm leaning more towards wait and
see mode. Hugh, I've been That's not to say I've
not been impressed with him. I think he's a He's
a major league defensive third basement above average, There's no
question about that. And uh, that's what they needed out
there at this point with you know, Polanco just wasn't
(06:03):
getting it done defensively. Uh, he's really stabilized that position.
You know, I want to see how he's going to
develop with it with the bat. You know, he's he's
hidden in the two forty to two fifty range, which
is all right, but with with no no pop, right,
with very little pop. Uh, you know, his ops is
under six hundred.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
Will that develop? Will he will he become more of
a Kyle Siegert type guy? Maybe, uh, you know, develop
a little more power. I think it could happen, but
I think for now, I think I think he's They're
they're fine with him at third base. You know, it's
it's usually an offensive position, it's usually a slugger's position,
(06:49):
and they're really not getting that from from him. So
I mean there is I think there is potential to
upgrade there, but for now, I think he's fine.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Ler, Are you an MVP voter or have you been
an MVP voter.
Speaker 5 (07:01):
I've been an MVP voter many times, but now that
I'm no longer eligible, I'm not covering the team.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Anymore, gotcha.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
I mean the reason I ask is because I understand
that Aaron Judge is running away with the MVP award.
My god, he's hitting four h three with a twelve
fifty three ops. I mean, and his war, his war
is almost a full point higher than any other hitter
in baseball.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
So I get that.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
But beyond Aaron Judge, to me, because cal Ray plays
catcher and all these other guys that are between two
and a half and three war don't play catcher, is
there an argument for voting cal Rawley second in the
MVP voting, at least through the first third of the season.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
Yeah. I think it's probably it's him or Bobby Witt Junior.
I mean, you're right, they're both. They all are taking a.
Speaker 4 (07:50):
Back seat to Judge. I mean, if the vote were now,
he'd be unanimous, and deservedly so. But no, I agree
with what you said. You've got arguably the best defensive
catcher in baseball. He won the Platinum Glove and not
only that, but he's one of the best offensive players
in baseball, regardless of position. I don't see how that combination,
(08:12):
plus leading a very good staff defensively, you know, or
pitch calling and all that stuff. I think if I
had a vote'd probably vote him second.
Speaker 6 (08:24):
Right now, Well, you think about he's number one. Dick
mentioned the stat war cal Rawley's at two point three.
You know, so he's first, JP, Crawford second. The gap
between first and second rally to Crawford is greater than
the gap between second and six, which is on Polanco's
(08:46):
tied for six with Dylan Moore. So I'm curious, you know,
I hear this talk about, Hey, at some point rally,
I mean, if he hits forty five bombs or even
pushing fifty like he's been on a pace to at
some point there's talk that maybe he'd be a d
h and despite his greatness as catcher, the longevity, what
(09:09):
have you. Where are you kind of projecting down the
line with Raleigh? Is that is that a legitimate topic
or is that you push that obviously way down the road.
But can you see a day where he just says, hey,
he's no longer the Mariner catcher.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
He's just a d h I could see that day
or maybe even first base or something like that, but
I don't think that's in the near future. I think
he's just too valuable back there. He's so durable. I mean,
he's catching more than probably any catcher in baseball behind
the you know, getting behind the plate, and I don't
see any signs of that showing up. But it does.
You're right, it takes a toll. You know, catchers are
(09:46):
like the running backs of Major League Baseball the peak
of their career because of how much they get beat
up and how tough it is to just crouch pitch
after pitch and take You see the sole balls that
Cal takes on a nightly basis, off his mask, off
his knee, and you know everywhere that just it's going
(10:07):
to take a toll. But right now, I don't see
any signs of the of the UH slowing down. What's
interesting is they've got a blue chip catching prospect down
in the minor leagues and Harry Ford. I don't know
if you checked the numbers lately, but he's he's on
fire right now. Uh, he's close to three hundred. He's
(10:27):
on basing over four hundred, which he's done throughout his career. Uh,
they're gonna have to make a decision on him real
quick because you just don't want to waste him down
in the minor leagues. Honestly, I see him as being
the centerpiece of a of a potential blockbuster, uh trade
deadline deal or off season deal, just because there's the
(10:48):
redundancy there. There's really not a spot for an everyday catcher.
With a new contract that Cal signed for for three
or four more years, even with the wear and tear,
I think he's going to be a regular catcher at
least for three or four Well, you.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Know why he's tearing it up.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
And Jackson can attest to this softy and I talked
to him in person two weeks ago at the Rainiers
game before the game. You just just just go back
and look two weeks from this Friday at what his
ops has been since then. I mean, that is that
is the reason Larry Stone joining us brought to you
by the Ram Restaurant in Brewery. Larry's, as long as
you're on the topic of war, we were talking with Cal.
I mean baseball teams primarily have their top two three
(11:26):
four guys all offensive players. They play every day, so
that makes sense that their war would be higher. Then
maybe an ace would slot in there as you know,
as maybe the fourth or fifth best war guy the team.
You know who the second best war guy on this
baseball team is. It's a dude that has only pitched
twenty one and two thirds innings, but he is sixteen
of sixteen and he has not blown a save, and
(11:48):
he has not given up a run. And Andres Munos, Larry,
I don't care what War says. I guarantee you that
if Andres Munos had not pitched at all this year,
the Mariners would be more than two games worse than
they are right now.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
Would you agree with that?
Speaker 4 (12:05):
Yeah, he's been super valuable. He hasn't given up an
earned run yet, he's almost become automatic. Like today's game,
they were down a run or upper run, and he
gave up a leadoff hit. But I never really felt
that there was any danger him giving up that lead that,
particularly against the White Sox. But yeah, you know, war's
(12:27):
tough with relief pitchers. And what's interesting is if you
look at Fangrass War, you know there's two different war
calculations the fan Grass and there's Baseball Reference, and he's
much better off with Baseball Reference than he is with Fangrass,
where he's way way down there. I'm not sure what
the different what they're looking at differently, but you'd think
that a stat like that would be pretty consistent between
(12:48):
the two groups calculating it, but sometimes it's not. But
regardless of war and what his number is, I think
anyone watching this team knows that a lockdown closer is
hugely important because we've seen in past years what has
happened when they don't have one of those, right, And
(13:09):
I kind of like, you know, with Scott Servis, he
went more for using his best reliever in high leverage situations,
not necessarily in the ninth inning. I like just having
the closer close the game as a better strategy.
Speaker 5 (13:24):
I think s particlarly when you've got another another guy
who can do the leverage work, like a Matt Brash
now that he's back, and you know, was supposed to
be Santos, but it doesn't look like we're going to
see him for a while.
Speaker 4 (13:36):
But I think I think mentally, when a guy like
Munios knows he's working the ninth. I think I think it.
Speaker 6 (13:44):
Helps Larry Stone with us and and Larry in Week
one this year, dick was out and uh I kind
of engaged Softy and uhh, yeah, we can get another
drop on that one. But Softy and Jackson, and the
topic that I brought up was that there's for all
(14:06):
of us, there's a handful of athletes that, yes, being
good is important, but there's a certain aesthetic smoothness and
almost artistic beauty to their craft. For me, Ernie Els,
I had once put a screensaver up of Ernie ELS's swing,
and of course Braddy Couples, and then of course there's
junior swing for me. Eric Dickerson running of football is
(14:30):
just almost poet, you know, it's just beauty in motion.
Damn Marino throwing a football.
Speaker 7 (14:34):
Where I'm going with.
Speaker 6 (14:35):
That and where I went then was there is a
smoothness to this cat want Brian Wu you know, like
Marianna Rivera like in terms of his like everything looks
so buttery and yet he can still touch you know,
well past mid nineties, upper nineties, and there's just something
(14:55):
so graceful and beautiful about his pitching motion. Here we
talked about war he's at one point eight, just behind
Mouni is at one point nine. Just talk about Brian
wu and and who's been the ace if you look
at the numbers, but also maybe touch on on what
you think mechanically or or or or maybe other pictures
that have caught you where you just say, man, there's
(15:16):
there's something pretty about the way he throws a baseball.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Yeah, no, I'm with you, Hugh. I love pictures like
that where it doesn't even look like they're throwing. And
then you then you look at the gun and it's
ninety seven.
Speaker 5 (15:28):
Yeah, and then you know, then there's other guys like
Robbie Ray who have to put everything that they have
into it, and grunt heizer.
Speaker 7 (15:38):
Like her seizer looks so choppy, you know, right.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean Scout's called that max effort guys,
and he's the he's the he's a min effort guy,
you know, the opposite of a max effort guy. Uh,
you know, I think that's really practical.
Speaker 7 (15:52):
I'm gonna interrupt you. I'm sorry.
Speaker 6 (15:53):
I meant Clayton Kershaw, I said hers seizer. My brain
was thinking Clayton Kersheye. I'm sorry. I had to it's
very to interrupt you. But but Clayton Kershaw, you know
that that funky that that is like the ugliest, right,
and so at any rate continue, I'm sorry, but but yeah,
I had to make that distinction.
Speaker 4 (16:10):
Yeah, yeah, I was wondering why you threw her that was.
Speaker 7 (16:15):
That that was a big That's why I had to
correct myself. No, Millan Claytons the other dodger.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
Yeah, yeah, but I think that's what attracted the Mariners
to him when he had a you know, mediocre college
career at cal Poly. I think it was, uh, they
just saw that motion, they saw that delivery, they saw
the stuff and felt that they could refine it and
uh uh they've done that, but a lot of it
(16:44):
is just inherent. And then they smoothed it, smoothed it
out a little. He got healthy, He added a couple
of pitches. But yeah, it's rare to see a picture
who was as smooth as that as that, you know,
I think Madison Bumgarner was kind of like that in
his heyday. James Paxton with the Mariners was a real
(17:04):
smooth guy who you looked up and it was ninety
eight and I put him in you know, he's in
that category.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
As well, Larry, before we let you go, you know,
you get George Kirby back tomorrow. Logan will be coming back,
hopefully very very soon, Bryce Miller, very very soon. Does
this baseball team have a fourteen and six, fifteen and
five twenty game run in them where they can just
really put this division not away, but put a lot
(17:32):
of distance between themselves, or do you still think this
offense is just gonna sputter, particularly at home, and be
in two inconsistent and we're just gonna have to hope
for a whole lot of eleven to nine twenty game stretches.
Speaker 4 (17:46):
I think they do have that potential. I think they've
had a streak like that this year. A lot a
lot will depend on how Kirby comes back. You know,
just because he's coming back doesn't mean he's going to
come back and be George Kirby. Uh so if but
if he is, and and they get Logan Gilbert back
(18:07):
as well, which is also no guarantee that he's going
to come back anytime soon and be Logan Gilbert. But
if they can, I think, uh, that really bodes well
for them, uh distancing themselves from the division, because I
think the rest of the division is kind of mediocre.
I think it's there for the for the taking for sure,
even more than we thought it was.
Speaker 5 (18:28):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
The Astros are having a lot of a lot of
hit pitching injuries. The Rangers for some reason can't hit
even with Brett Boone as they're they're hitting coach. Uh
so uh yeah, I think the potential is definitely there.
The offense has kind of cooled down a little from
that peak in April, so I still think they need
(18:51):
to go out and get a bat or two at
the trade deadline. You know, you still have some real
dead holds and they all show. But despite what he
did today, you know, right field with the airis is
still a problem area. You know, first base has been ye,
I think it can really be upgraded and even even
you know, second or third base could be upgraded as well.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
Larry always a pleasure. We'll talk to you next week.
Speaker 4 (19:14):
All right, Thanks, guys, you've bet Larry.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Stone brought to you by the Ram Restaurant and Brewery.
Don't forget their triple play special.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
Is going on. What is that?
Speaker 2 (19:23):
As a drink, an appetizer, and an entree for as
low as ten ninety nine. Their patios are open, so
outdoor dining is on through the summer. Come join me
and turn a triple play at the RAM. All right,
We're gonna kind of turn the page. We have got
a we've got a battle going on between two media members,
(19:43):
national media members, and we've got some audio from both
of those national ESPN media members. We're gonna play and
kind of dig into it a little bit over the
next few minutes on ninety three point three KJRFM.
Speaker 8 (19:56):
Testing live from the R and R Foundation Specialist Jazz Studio.
Now back to Softie and Dig powered by Emerald Queen Casino,
the Vetty and Capital of the Northwest.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
On Sports Radio and ninties three point three kJ r FF.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
You know, we kind of keep opening conversation between Softie
and myself and Jackson and Hugh. Remember we're a big,
big happy team, big happy family. When we've got ideas
to throw around on the show, you know, he's throw
them around on text, what about this, what about this?
Speaker 3 (20:30):
What about this?
Speaker 2 (20:31):
And you know, Hugh texted me yesterday and say I'd
love to talk about RG three and Ryan Clark, and
I was like, I gave him a little thumbs up
and I was like, I got no idea what he's
talking about because I had not seen it. I had
not seen this, But having watched now what he was
(20:55):
talking about, I could totally understand why, because I if
I would have seen it, I would have wanted to
talk about it, and so and then you talked to it,
and then you texted me about it as well. So like,
I don't know, I don't know how it like kind
of weaved out of my Twitter post thread or something.
It just didn't happen to be falling into people were
talking about. But we've got some audio here from a
(21:17):
couple of very very prominent ESPN analysts, Robert Griffin the
Third and Ryan Clark, and it's you know, became. It
just started kind of innocuously over a basketball play between
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. And we've all seen the
video of Angel Reese, you know, fouling or excuse me,
Caitlin Clark fouling Angel Reese. And you can either say
(21:39):
it was flagrant or it wasn't flagrant. It was dirty
or it wasn't dirty, whatever side you're on. And that's
kind of how it started. And then it took a
very odd twist took a very the topic of conversation
took a left turn at Paducah.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
There is no question about it.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
And so let's start with Ryan Clark ESPN analyst having
a feud with former quarterback Robert Griffin. Third argument centered
around Griffin's take that Angel Reese quote unquote hates Caitlyn Clark. First,
let's hear from Ryan Clark on his Pivot podcast, where
he's also now under fire for sharing other opinions about
(22:18):
Robert Griffin.
Speaker 9 (22:19):
IID, the one thing we know about RG three is
he's not having conversations at his home about what black
women have to endure in this country, about what young
black women and athletes like Angel Reese have had to
deal with being on the opposite side of Caitlyn Clark's
rise and ascension and to startom, Caitlyn Clark is the
(22:39):
most important player in the WNBA and a ton of
her fandom has come along with some racial bias or
some racial pieces to why people love her so much.
And so, now, if you're RG three, when's the last
time within your household you've had a conversation about what
she's done dealing with you haven't been able to do
(23:02):
that because in both of your marriages, you've been married
to white women. You haven't had opportunities to have those
conversations to educate you on what they're feeling, what black
women deal with, what they're seeing when they think of
a young Angel Reaese. But it also leads to what
black women deal with a lot from Black men who
have chose to date or marry outside of their race,
(23:25):
they always feel like they have to go to extra
mile to prop up the woman that they're married or
the woman that they're with, over black women by detegrating
black women.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
So there's the left turn.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
At Paducah, we went from a conversation an RG three
conversation about Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark and it became
very personal by Ryan Clark in that comment, and RG three,
in his Out of Pocket podcast has responded.
Speaker 10 (23:57):
All of you know, there's a line in life that
you just said, don't cross wives and children are always
off limits, and Ryan Clark has sprinted past that line.
Ryan Clark didn't like my sports take that. Andrew Rees
hates Tayling Clark, and that's fine, It's okay, It's part
of the game sports media. I'm gonna have an opinion.
(24:18):
This person might not agree with it. That person might
not agree with it. But what you don't do is
turn around and personally attack me and my family just
because you don't agree with a sports opinion that is
purely based off the sport. I didn't make it personal.
But what that really shows is just how low of
a person Ryan Clark is. Is a bad look for ESPN.
(24:43):
It's cowardly, it's spineless, and it's weak.
Speaker 7 (24:49):
So there you go, wow wow.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
I mean it's interesting because usually when we hear spats
between radio hosts, right, the volume is usually at ninety
seven out of one hundred.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
Right, it's Stephen A.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
Smith, It's mad Dog Russo it's one guy, It's Charles Barkley,
you know, it's it's one guy barking and another guy.
And this, I mean, both of these guys are very
CCC right, calm, cool and collected and in their takes.
And Hugh, I'll start with you and you can kind
of take a direction you want. I mean, we've got
we've really got two different topics here, and I want
(25:22):
to give some appropriate time to these two topics. And
we got the angel Ree Caitlin Clark topic and then
we also have Ryan Clark turning it into something that
has nothing to do with basketball.
Speaker 6 (25:32):
Yeah, and for a little context, I mean, when I'm
filling in for Dave, You'll call me most every morning like, hey,
this is kind of a you know, who our guests are,
what we're going to talk about. And I'm on four
days this week, so about fourteen hours, you know, so
we're saying, okay, what do we get? You know, what
are the topics? And so I had said, hey, this
is this is a topic that you know it is hot, right.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
Yeah, and I hadn't seen and I'm glad I would
just say.
Speaker 6 (25:55):
You brought it up, and you know I would just
I'll start by saying, if a white analyst had sought
to invalidate the opinion of another white analyst because he
had twice been married to a black woman, that analyst
would be fired before the next break.
Speaker 7 (26:15):
So, uh, you know, I just think that.
Speaker 6 (26:18):
So that that was really, uh way overboard on Ryan Clark.
I mean, he clearly made it personal. He wanted to
get the jab in you've twice been married the idea.
I mean, first of all, RG three has three sisters,
he's got a mother, the idea that Ryan Clark can
(26:39):
can profess to be in RG three's head and and
say the kind of conversation that RG three is or
is not having, and and and that somehow RG three
would not have empathy for the plight of a black
woman because he married a white I mean, that is
just a preposterous assertion. And you know, and look, Ryan
(27:01):
Clark has has has had to respond to charges of
being a race baiter uh quarterback MVP with Lamar Jackson.
He uh he asserted there was racial bias in the
door Sanders ball and what have you, and knew. I'm
not gonna list the whole things, but he's had to
go on, He's had to make comments addressing this. So
(27:23):
I think that Ryan Clark, it seems like there's something
personal there. But but the uh uh, the idea that
he would cross that line in many ways, I think
RG three's response was dead on the money. And I
thought that fact, to use your term this, he had
the three c's in his response gave more impact to
(27:45):
his response because he was measured in that. But I
think Ryan Clark was completely out of the line. Now
I'll say this, I do think he would be fired.
I am of the opinion, and I want to hear Jackson.
Jackson's up next, I'm really interested in. But I don't
think that Ryan Clark should be fired. I don't even
think it necessarily should be suspended. I'm of the belief
(28:05):
my standard for that is so freaking the threshold, because
I want to have a marketplace of ideas where people
feel safe to say, hey, here's my take, and then
that without fear of losing their job or major retribution,
Because then what should happen, in my opinion, is that
(28:26):
Ryan Clark lobbed out. You know, Ryan, Hey, you're touching
on some points. You kind of miss it on this
and that and this and that, and maybe Ryan Clark
will refine his take, and then he'll have a better take.
And if we all do that in a generation, we
can all be we can all be more enlightened, more intelligent,
more morally sound in our takes. And so I think
(28:49):
that there should be an idea where we can respond
without fear of retribution. So I don't agree with Ryan Clark,
but I do not want his job taken or threatened.
Speaker 7 (28:58):
As some have said, Jackson.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
We're going to take a quick time out. I want
to hear from Jackson next, I'll give you my thoughts
as well. And you know Jackson is in an interracial marriage.
I think it's an awesome perspective to have on the
radio show.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
We'll do it.
Speaker 8 (29:10):
Next podcasting live from the R and R Foundation Specialist
Broadcast Studio. Now back to Softie and Dig powered by
Emerald Queen Casino, the Betty and Capital of the Northwest
on Sports Radio and ninety three point three kJ R FAF.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
Spending a few more minutes continuing the conversation on this.
Speaker 3 (29:34):
Feud podcast feud.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
It is twenty twenty five, Jackson, we have podcast feuds.
Speaker 11 (29:39):
I mean it's a feud between two respected I would
say respected.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Analysts absolutely, Robert Griffin.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
The third, as you mentioned, former Heisman Trophy winner Ryan Clark,
I mean, one of the top NFL analysts on on ESPN.
And it all started with the Caitlin Clark Angel Reese
dust up over the weekend, which garnered two point seven
million eyeballs by the way, that was just the insane
(30:05):
ratings for that game. And then it kind of devolved
into personal attacks when Ryan Clark, you know, accused RG
three of just not being able to relate to what
a black woman is going through because he's not married
to one.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
He's married to a white woman.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
And Hugh gave his take in the last segment, how
about you, Jackson as a as a you're in a
interracial marriage, and I'm sure this this kind of affected
you when you heard it first.
Speaker 11 (30:31):
Basically, I mean, there's a few things, and I think
Hugh did a really good job of kind of analyzing
the different elements of this last segment, But the basis
of this is the fact that there is clearly something
personal between Ryan Clark and Robert Griffin, and that the
dig of you, you know, this is your second marriage.
I mean, yes, why is that dig in there? Yeah,
it seems completely unnecessary, but it's in there because it
(30:53):
kind of very much lends to the thought of, oh,
there's some history between these two in some way.
Speaker 7 (30:57):
I don't know what that is, but they were teammates earlier.
Speaker 11 (31:00):
Sorry to interact, well then perfect, I mean clearly then
they you know, I don't know if it was a
Sherman Wilson situation like with mat but still, you know,
it's one of those things where there's clearly something. So
I think that it's very obtuse and short sighted of
Ryan Clark not to be able to look past that
and analyze a a argument on its merits and listen,
(31:20):
if you think that, if you think that his take
about you know, Angel Rees hating quote hating Caitlin Clark
is wrong, then have them have the take and give
your take on the merits the fact that he brings
in the marriage aspect. And I think Dick has you
kind of alluded to. I mean, I've been married to
a woman who's whose parents are from Bangladesh. She's fully Bengali,
(31:44):
and I've kind of get gotten, you know, very much
into understanding their culture, and she's gotten very much understanding.
But my culture is a white man and I thought,
you mean your soccer yea.
Speaker 3 (31:57):
To very much so.
Speaker 11 (31:59):
But it's a sort of thing where like just because
it's it's such an obvious it's amazing that I have
to make this clear because I think it's a very
obvious thing. And again this that's why it's just so
ridiculous that Ryan Clark is making this point to think
that a person does not have an understanding of their
own society from the other sex, even though they're married
(32:22):
to somebody of a different sex or sorry, a different race,
excuse me, race is absolutely insane. I mean it's it's
it's mind boggling to think, oh, yeah, he's married to
a white man, so he doesn't understand anything about black women,
like I I don't. I have a mom, I have
a sister. I don't understand anything about white women because
I'm married to a Ben Rally girl. It's absolutely ridiculous.
(32:46):
And and and to use again all coming back to it,
to use that as the reasoning incorporating that absolutely useless
and needless part into this debate that is centered around
Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark in a take that had
I mean, Ryan Clark should be ashamed of himself. I
agree with Hugh no firings needed here, but I also
(33:08):
think that there's there's definitely a bar there.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
This doesn't reach that bar.
Speaker 11 (33:11):
But I would say that that this absolutely easily reaches the.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
Bar of public apologies.
Speaker 11 (33:17):
I believe very heavily in public apologies, and they go
a long way. Ryan Clark, you need to go on Twitter, Instagram,
whatever your preferred things, your Pivot podcast, you need to
go on that today, like right now, five minutes ago
and issue the public apology for your ridiculous argument that
not only it was unnecessary, but it makes absolutely no sense.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
Yeah, well, said Jackson.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
I mean I wrote writing down notes as I was
listening to this, and the quote both of your marriages
stuck out? Why did that need to be said? I mean,
is out of the blue, as the attack on him
having a white wife. Why did both of your marriages
need to be brought up? That had nothing to do
with anything? And then he doesn't RG three doesn't have
(34:06):
these conversations. I mean, at first he says he doesn't
have these conversations, and then he clarified, well, he doesn't
have these conversations in his household. But to your point,
I mean, did he not have those conversations growing up
with his mother? Did he not have conversations growing up
with his sister? Did he not have conversations growing up
with his African American female friends? I mean, my goodness,
(34:27):
are you are you telling me that this that somehow,
some way RG three has been completely insulated from any
conversations with African American women in his life because he's
not married to one.
Speaker 3 (34:39):
It's ridiculous. I was just it's just mind boggling and
You're right, it's not.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
It's not fire worthy, but hey, it is public ridicule worthy,
and he is getting he is getting roasted rightly so.
Speaker 11 (34:52):
And it's just it's so easy and so many cases
where we hammer people. I mean, how many times on
phone with audio do we hear somebody with a ridiculous take? Man,
it's so easy these days to hop on ig live
or to hop on the Twitter video or to literally
just do There's a million day forgive and forget and
just say, man, you know I said something I wasn't thinking,
(35:13):
it was way out of line.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
I'm sorry to this person.
Speaker 7 (35:16):
I hope we can.
Speaker 11 (35:17):
How hard is it to do an apology like that?
Ryan Clark?
Speaker 7 (35:20):
Just do it?
Speaker 3 (35:20):
Final thoughts you?
Speaker 6 (35:21):
Yeah, No, I think an apology would go a long way,
and I would just say we just had Mother's Day.
How does Ryan Ryan Clark know that r G three
didn't have his mother and his three sisters there and
and maybe others, but there would be four black women
right there in his home and they may have had
(35:44):
a lengthy conversation. For Ryan Clark to just make assertions
about the conversations that are are not taking place in
RG three's home, I mean, it's it's just so wildly
what did what did RGI say?
Speaker 7 (36:00):
They he raced past the line of appropriate.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
Yes, well, and I I just mentioned the public. I'm
just gonna give you one small example before we get
a break. Ryan Clark just tweeted out today, do we
have criteria for NFL Protector of the Year. So he's
talking about this new award that's come out for the
offensive lineman. NFL Protector of the Year was announced today.
First response must have a black wife. That was the
(36:24):
first response to the tweet. That response got six hundred
and six likes.
Speaker 3 (36:31):
His original tweet got three hundred and fifty six.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
That's the ratio, boys, there you go. That is the
Dictionary definition of a ratio.
It's time for our weekly conversation with legendary sports writer
Larry Stone, brought to you by the Ram Restaurant and Brewery, Bigger,
better and fresher since nineteen seventy one, with eight fugit
Sound locations from Marysville to Lacey and everywhere in between.
There's a Ram there you now with Softy and Dick.
Here's Larry Stone.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Dad's Day and Grad's Day right around the corner. Celebrate
your loved ones at the RAM with their gift card
promotion between now and June fifteenth.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
For every fifty.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Dollars gift card you purchase, you get.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
A ten dollars gift card free.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Hopefully Larry Stone is using those gift cards well at
the RAM.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
How are you, man?
Speaker 4 (00:40):
I'm doing great, I am You think them well?
Speaker 5 (00:42):
Well?
Speaker 3 (00:42):
And often awesome, very very good.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Well, it's great to have you, you know, watching that
Mariner game today. Really, the last thirty six hours of
Mariner baseball has just been kind of bizarre. You know
that crazy one nothing chilly, rainy, is it even going
to get played? Game yesterday almost kind of a throw
it out game, and then today Larry and I got
the emotional swings First of all, I'll tell you what
(01:06):
I was thinking during this game. At three nothing, literally
five minutes into the game, I was like, well that's over.
I mean, will the White Sox even score three runs
in order to overcome this three nothing deficit? Well, they did,
and it didn't take them along either. And then you
get the home run from Cal you get a Tavaris
home run later on. That was just the emotional swings
(01:27):
for a game in May were a little bit too
much for me today.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
Yeah, it was something. Who would think that the Marrors
would get a better battle from the Chicago White Sox
than the San Diego They did, but those games were tougher.
Those three games were tougher than the three in San
Diego where they thoroughly dominated. But I thought it was
a gutty win today to come back. You just don't
want to go into the Houston having lotched the series
(01:53):
to the White Sox.
Speaker 5 (01:53):
Right. The White Socks actually, unlike last year, they actually
have some promise now.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
I think they have a pretty good pitching staff, which
is why the series was as even as it was.
That the guy that started today was pitching almost as
well as anyone in the league. But teams like the
White Sox find a way to lose, and that's what
happened today. Leody Tavares. I thought maybe before today, I
thought a topic of our conversation was how long they
(02:21):
were going to go with him, But he probably bought
himself a little more time with that big home run today.
Speaker 6 (02:26):
Yeah, indeed, and you brought up the Padre series, so
let's go there. What impressed you about what you saw
in San Diego.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Well, the pitching dominance of a of a really good
lineup that maybe the best lineup in the National League,
and they just throttled them. They shut them down. And
not only did they do that, but they did it
was their's six seven starters, Logan Evanson and Emerson Hancock
starting two of the games and pitching really well. The
bullpen was was fabulous. That the hitting was timely, but
(02:58):
to me, it was the pitching. Just a lineup that
has Takis.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
And Merrill and you.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
Know, Machado and all those guys arise to hold them
one run in each game was just spectacular and very unexpected.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Larry, I'm just looking at the lineup of aces that
the Mariners have either handed a loss to or at
least won the game that that pitcher was pitching. And
I'm looking at the top fifteen in baseball, and let's
see Max Fried's number one in era, Nathan Elvaldi's number
six in era. Croche is number nine, Shane Smith today
(03:36):
is number ten, Michael King the other day is number fourteen.
I mean, they have been just giant killers offensively, particularly
on the road. What do you make of what you're
seeing from this offense, particularly against aces of staffs which
have usually, let's face it, just shoved it up the
mariner's tailpipe the last five years.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
Yeah, And I mean they also won a game started
by Eric Scoba, who might be the best fiture in baseball.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
Yeah, it's a testament to I think.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
Uh, there's they're sort of their new hitting outlook, putting
more balls in play, getting on base more. The Hitger
cites their influence I think is real. Uh, they're just
not used to count on twelve strikeouts the game, night
after night after night, and they're just they're just not
doing that anymore. And when you put the ball in play,
(04:27):
good things happen. And uh and and they got some
real legitimate bats in their lineup. Now, talk the top five. Uh,
it gets a.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
Little weak when you get beyond those. But you know,
cal Rawley's having as you know, he's having a superstar year. Uh,
JP Crawford's tremendous bounce back year. Polanco started off so well,
Julio's coming back strong lately for the last couple of weeks.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
And a Rose Arena. Uh, you know that that's a
that's a really good lineup at the top of it.
So yeah, it's it's the it's the journeymen that are
giving him trouble. Like the guy who started yesterday was
his name Houser. Yeah, uh, you know, making his first
start of the year, just completely shut him down. But
(05:14):
when they go against, like you said, the aces, they
seem to they seem to step up to another level.
Speaker 7 (05:20):
You've seen a lot of young guys come and go.
Speaker 6 (05:22):
Larry Stone, Ben Williamson, curious your take on the twenty
four year old.
Speaker 7 (05:27):
Uh?
Speaker 6 (05:28):
Is this guy somebody you think can be implanted at
third base for a long period time?
Speaker 7 (05:35):
A Blowers type of run?
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Uh?
Speaker 6 (05:37):
Or is it wait, wait and see mode? Just kind
of give us your thoughts on on the youngster.
Speaker 5 (05:43):
Williamson, Uh, I think I'm leaning more towards wait and
see mode. Hugh, I've been That's not to say I've
not been impressed with him. I think he's a He's
a major league defensive third basement above average, There's no
question about that. And uh, that's what they needed out
there at this point with you know, Polanco just wasn't
(06:03):
getting it done defensively. Uh, he's really stabilized that position.
You know, I want to see how he's going to
develop with it with the bat. You know, he's he's
hidden in the two forty to two fifty range, which
is all right, but with with no no pop, right,
with very little pop. Uh, you know, his ops is
under six hundred.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
Will that develop? Will he will he become more of
a Kyle Siegert type guy? Maybe, uh, you know, develop
a little more power. I think it could happen, but
I think for now, I think I think he's They're
they're fine with him at third base. You know, it's
it's usually an offensive position, it's usually a slugger's position,
(06:49):
and they're really not getting that from from him. So
I mean there is I think there is potential to
upgrade there, but for now, I think he's fine.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Ler, Are you an MVP voter or have you been
an MVP voter.
Speaker 5 (07:01):
I've been an MVP voter many times, but now that
I'm no longer eligible, I'm not covering the team.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Anymore, gotcha.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
I mean the reason I ask is because I understand
that Aaron Judge is running away with the MVP award.
My god, he's hitting four h three with a twelve
fifty three ops. I mean, and his war, his war
is almost a full point higher than any other hitter
in baseball.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
So I get that.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
But beyond Aaron Judge, to me, because cal Ray plays
catcher and all these other guys that are between two
and a half and three war don't play catcher, is
there an argument for voting cal Rawley second in the
MVP voting, at least through the first third of the season.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
Yeah. I think it's probably it's him or Bobby Witt Junior.
I mean, you're right, they're both. They all are taking a.
Speaker 4 (07:50):
Back seat to Judge. I mean, if the vote were now,
he'd be unanimous, and deservedly so. But no, I agree
with what you said. You've got arguably the best defensive
catcher in baseball. He won the Platinum Glove and not
only that, but he's one of the best offensive players
in baseball, regardless of position. I don't see how that combination,
(08:12):
plus leading a very good staff defensively, you know, or
pitch calling and all that stuff. I think if I
had a vote'd probably vote him second.
Speaker 6 (08:24):
Right now, Well, you think about he's number one. Dick
mentioned the stat war cal Rawley's at two point three.
You know, so he's first, JP, Crawford second. The gap
between first and second rally to Crawford is greater than
the gap between second and six, which is on Polanco's
(08:46):
tied for six with Dylan Moore. So I'm curious, you know,
I hear this talk about, Hey, at some point rally,
I mean, if he hits forty five bombs or even
pushing fifty like he's been on a pace to at
some point there's talk that maybe he'd be a d
h and despite his greatness as catcher, the longevity, what
(09:09):
have you. Where are you kind of projecting down the
line with Raleigh? Is that is that a legitimate topic
or is that you push that obviously way down the road.
But can you see a day where he just says, hey,
he's no longer the Mariner catcher.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
He's just a d h I could see that day
or maybe even first base or something like that, but
I don't think that's in the near future. I think
he's just too valuable back there. He's so durable. I mean,
he's catching more than probably any catcher in baseball behind
the you know, getting behind the plate, and I don't
see any signs of that showing up. But it does.
You're right, it takes a toll. You know, catchers are
(09:46):
like the running backs of Major League Baseball the peak
of their career because of how much they get beat
up and how tough it is to just crouch pitch
after pitch and take You see the sole balls that
Cal takes on a nightly basis, off his mask, off
his knee, and you know everywhere that just it's going
(10:07):
to take a toll. But right now, I don't see
any signs of the of the UH slowing down. What's
interesting is they've got a blue chip catching prospect down
in the minor leagues and Harry Ford. I don't know
if you checked the numbers lately, but he's he's on
fire right now. Uh, he's close to three hundred. He's
(10:27):
on basing over four hundred, which he's done throughout his career. Uh,
they're gonna have to make a decision on him real
quick because you just don't want to waste him down
in the minor leagues. Honestly, I see him as being
the centerpiece of a of a potential blockbuster, uh trade
deadline deal or off season deal, just because there's the
(10:48):
redundancy there. There's really not a spot for an everyday catcher.
With a new contract that Cal signed for for three
or four more years, even with the wear and tear,
I think he's going to be a regular catcher at
least for three or four Well, you.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Know why he's tearing it up.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
And Jackson can attest to this softy and I talked
to him in person two weeks ago at the Rainiers
game before the game. You just just just go back
and look two weeks from this Friday at what his
ops has been since then. I mean, that is that
is the reason Larry Stone joining us brought to you
by the Ram Restaurant in Brewery. Larry's, as long as
you're on the topic of war, we were talking with Cal.
I mean baseball teams primarily have their top two three
(11:26):
four guys all offensive players. They play every day, so
that makes sense that their war would be higher. Then
maybe an ace would slot in there as you know,
as maybe the fourth or fifth best war guy the team.
You know who the second best war guy on this
baseball team is. It's a dude that has only pitched
twenty one and two thirds innings, but he is sixteen
of sixteen and he has not blown a save, and
(11:48):
he has not given up a run. And Andres Munos, Larry,
I don't care what War says. I guarantee you that
if Andres Munos had not pitched at all this year,
the Mariners would be more than two games worse than
they are right now.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
Would you agree with that?
Speaker 4 (12:05):
Yeah, he's been super valuable. He hasn't given up an
earned run yet, he's almost become automatic. Like today's game,
they were down a run or upper run, and he
gave up a leadoff hit. But I never really felt
that there was any danger him giving up that lead that,
particularly against the White Sox. But yeah, you know, war's
(12:27):
tough with relief pitchers. And what's interesting is if you
look at Fangrass War, you know there's two different war
calculations the fan Grass and there's Baseball Reference, and he's
much better off with Baseball Reference than he is with Fangrass,
where he's way way down there. I'm not sure what
the different what they're looking at differently, but you'd think
that a stat like that would be pretty consistent between
(12:48):
the two groups calculating it, but sometimes it's not. But
regardless of war and what his number is, I think
anyone watching this team knows that a lockdown closer is
hugely important because we've seen in past years what has
happened when they don't have one of those, right, And
(13:09):
I kind of like, you know, with Scott Servis, he
went more for using his best reliever in high leverage situations,
not necessarily in the ninth inning. I like just having
the closer close the game as a better strategy.
Speaker 5 (13:24):
I think s particlarly when you've got another another guy
who can do the leverage work, like a Matt Brash
now that he's back, and you know, was supposed to
be Santos, but it doesn't look like we're going to
see him for a while.
Speaker 4 (13:36):
But I think I think mentally, when a guy like
Munios knows he's working the ninth. I think I think it.
Speaker 6 (13:44):
Helps Larry Stone with us and and Larry in Week
one this year, dick was out and uh I kind
of engaged Softy and uhh, yeah, we can get another
drop on that one. But Softy and Jackson, and the
topic that I brought up was that there's for all
(14:06):
of us, there's a handful of athletes that, yes, being
good is important, but there's a certain aesthetic smoothness and
almost artistic beauty to their craft. For me, Ernie Els,
I had once put a screensaver up of Ernie ELS's swing,
and of course Braddy Couples, and then of course there's
junior swing for me. Eric Dickerson running of football is
(14:30):
just almost poet, you know, it's just beauty in motion.
Damn Marino throwing a football.
Speaker 7 (14:34):
Where I'm going with.
Speaker 6 (14:35):
That and where I went then was there is a
smoothness to this cat want Brian Wu you know, like
Marianna Rivera like in terms of his like everything looks
so buttery and yet he can still touch you know,
well past mid nineties, upper nineties, and there's just something
(14:55):
so graceful and beautiful about his pitching motion. Here we
talked about war he's at one point eight, just behind
Mouni is at one point nine. Just talk about Brian
wu and and who's been the ace if you look
at the numbers, but also maybe touch on on what
you think mechanically or or or or maybe other pictures
that have caught you where you just say, man, there's
(15:16):
there's something pretty about the way he throws a baseball.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Yeah, no, I'm with you, Hugh. I love pictures like
that where it doesn't even look like they're throwing. And
then you then you look at the gun and it's
ninety seven.
Speaker 5 (15:28):
Yeah, and then you know, then there's other guys like
Robbie Ray who have to put everything that they have
into it, and grunt heizer.
Speaker 7 (15:38):
Like her seizer looks so choppy, you know, right.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean Scout's called that max effort guys,
and he's the he's the he's a min effort guy,
you know, the opposite of a max effort guy. Uh,
you know, I think that's really practical.
Speaker 7 (15:52):
I'm gonna interrupt you. I'm sorry.
Speaker 6 (15:53):
I meant Clayton Kershaw, I said hers seizer. My brain
was thinking Clayton Kersheye. I'm sorry. I had to it's
very to interrupt you. But but Clayton Kershaw, you know
that that funky that that is like the ugliest, right,
and so at any rate continue, I'm sorry, but but yeah,
I had to make that distinction.
Speaker 4 (16:10):
Yeah, yeah, I was wondering why you threw her that was.
Speaker 7 (16:15):
That that was a big That's why I had to
correct myself. No, Millan Claytons the other dodger.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
Yeah, yeah, but I think that's what attracted the Mariners
to him when he had a you know, mediocre college
career at cal Poly. I think it was, uh, they
just saw that motion, they saw that delivery, they saw
the stuff and felt that they could refine it and
uh uh they've done that, but a lot of it
(16:44):
is just inherent. And then they smoothed it, smoothed it
out a little. He got healthy, He added a couple
of pitches. But yeah, it's rare to see a picture
who was as smooth as that as that, you know,
I think Madison Bumgarner was kind of like that in
his heyday. James Paxton with the Mariners was a real
(17:04):
smooth guy who you looked up and it was ninety
eight and I put him in you know, he's in
that category.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
As well, Larry, before we let you go, you know,
you get George Kirby back tomorrow. Logan will be coming back,
hopefully very very soon, Bryce Miller, very very soon. Does
this baseball team have a fourteen and six, fifteen and
five twenty game run in them where they can just
really put this division not away, but put a lot
(17:32):
of distance between themselves, or do you still think this
offense is just gonna sputter, particularly at home, and be
in two inconsistent and we're just gonna have to hope
for a whole lot of eleven to nine twenty game stretches.
Speaker 4 (17:46):
I think they do have that potential. I think they've
had a streak like that this year. A lot a
lot will depend on how Kirby comes back. You know,
just because he's coming back doesn't mean he's going to
come back and be George Kirby. Uh so if but
if he is, and and they get Logan Gilbert back
(18:07):
as well, which is also no guarantee that he's going
to come back anytime soon and be Logan Gilbert. But
if they can, I think, uh, that really bodes well
for them, uh distancing themselves from the division, because I
think the rest of the division is kind of mediocre.
I think it's there for the for the taking for sure,
even more than we thought it was.
Speaker 5 (18:28):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
The Astros are having a lot of a lot of
hit pitching injuries. The Rangers for some reason can't hit
even with Brett Boone as they're they're hitting coach. Uh
so uh yeah, I think the potential is definitely there.
The offense has kind of cooled down a little from
that peak in April, so I still think they need
(18:51):
to go out and get a bat or two at
the trade deadline. You know, you still have some real
dead holds and they all show. But despite what he
did today, you know, right field with the airis is
still a problem area. You know, first base has been ye,
I think it can really be upgraded and even even
you know, second or third base could be upgraded as well.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
Larry always a pleasure. We'll talk to you next week.
Speaker 4 (19:14):
All right, Thanks, guys, you've bet Larry.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Stone brought to you by the Ram Restaurant and Brewery.
Don't forget their triple play special.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
Is going on. What is that?
Speaker 2 (19:23):
As a drink, an appetizer, and an entree for as
low as ten ninety nine. Their patios are open, so
outdoor dining is on through the summer. Come join me
and turn a triple play at the RAM. All right,
We're gonna kind of turn the page. We have got
a we've got a battle going on between two media members,
(19:43):
national media members, and we've got some audio from both
of those national ESPN media members. We're gonna play and
kind of dig into it a little bit over the
next few minutes on ninety three point three KJRFM.
Speaker 8 (19:56):
Testing live from the R and R Foundation Specialist Jazz Studio.
Now back to Softie and Dig powered by Emerald Queen Casino,
the Vetty and Capital of the Northwest.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
On Sports Radio and ninties three point three kJ r FF.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
You know, we kind of keep opening conversation between Softie
and myself and Jackson and Hugh. Remember we're a big,
big happy team, big happy family. When we've got ideas
to throw around on the show, you know, he's throw
them around on text, what about this, what about this?
Speaker 3 (20:30):
What about this?
Speaker 2 (20:31):
And you know, Hugh texted me yesterday and say I'd
love to talk about RG three and Ryan Clark, and
I was like, I gave him a little thumbs up
and I was like, I got no idea what he's
talking about because I had not seen it. I had
not seen this, But having watched now what he was
(20:55):
talking about, I could totally understand why, because I if
I would have seen it, I would have wanted to
talk about it, and so and then you talked to it,
and then you texted me about it as well. So like,
I don't know, I don't know how it like kind
of weaved out of my Twitter post thread or something.
It just didn't happen to be falling into people were
talking about. But we've got some audio here from a
(21:17):
couple of very very prominent ESPN analysts, Robert Griffin the
Third and Ryan Clark, and it's you know, became. It
just started kind of innocuously over a basketball play between
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. And we've all seen the
video of Angel Reese, you know, fouling or excuse me,
Caitlin Clark fouling Angel Reese. And you can either say
(21:39):
it was flagrant or it wasn't flagrant. It was dirty
or it wasn't dirty, whatever side you're on. And that's
kind of how it started. And then it took a
very odd twist took a very the topic of conversation
took a left turn at Paducah.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
There is no question about it.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
And so let's start with Ryan Clark ESPN analyst having
a feud with former quarterback Robert Griffin. Third argument centered
around Griffin's take that Angel Reese quote unquote hates Caitlyn Clark. First,
let's hear from Ryan Clark on his Pivot podcast, where
he's also now under fire for sharing other opinions about
(22:18):
Robert Griffin.
Speaker 9 (22:19):
IID, the one thing we know about RG three is
he's not having conversations at his home about what black
women have to endure in this country, about what young
black women and athletes like Angel Reese have had to
deal with being on the opposite side of Caitlyn Clark's
rise and ascension and to startom, Caitlyn Clark is the
(22:39):
most important player in the WNBA and a ton of
her fandom has come along with some racial bias or
some racial pieces to why people love her so much.
And so, now, if you're RG three, when's the last
time within your household you've had a conversation about what
she's done dealing with you haven't been able to do
(23:02):
that because in both of your marriages, you've been married
to white women. You haven't had opportunities to have those
conversations to educate you on what they're feeling, what black
women deal with, what they're seeing when they think of
a young Angel Reaese. But it also leads to what
black women deal with a lot from Black men who
have chose to date or marry outside of their race,
(23:25):
they always feel like they have to go to extra
mile to prop up the woman that they're married or
the woman that they're with, over black women by detegrating
black women.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
So there's the left turn.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
At Paducah, we went from a conversation an RG three
conversation about Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark and it became
very personal by Ryan Clark in that comment, and RG three,
in his Out of Pocket podcast has responded.
Speaker 10 (23:57):
All of you know, there's a line in life that
you just said, don't cross wives and children are always
off limits, and Ryan Clark has sprinted past that line.
Ryan Clark didn't like my sports take that. Andrew Rees
hates Tayling Clark, and that's fine, It's okay, It's part
of the game sports media. I'm gonna have an opinion.
(24:18):
This person might not agree with it. That person might
not agree with it. But what you don't do is
turn around and personally attack me and my family just
because you don't agree with a sports opinion that is
purely based off the sport. I didn't make it personal.
But what that really shows is just how low of
a person Ryan Clark is. Is a bad look for ESPN.
(24:43):
It's cowardly, it's spineless, and it's weak.
Speaker 7 (24:49):
So there you go, wow wow.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
I mean it's interesting because usually when we hear spats
between radio hosts, right, the volume is usually at ninety
seven out of one hundred.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
Right, it's Stephen A.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
Smith, It's mad Dog Russo it's one guy, It's Charles Barkley,
you know, it's it's one guy barking and another guy.
And this, I mean, both of these guys are very
CCC right, calm, cool and collected and in their takes.
And Hugh, I'll start with you and you can kind
of take a direction you want. I mean, we've got
we've really got two different topics here, and I want
(25:22):
to give some appropriate time to these two topics. And
we got the angel Ree Caitlin Clark topic and then
we also have Ryan Clark turning it into something that
has nothing to do with basketball.
Speaker 6 (25:32):
Yeah, and for a little context, I mean, when I'm
filling in for Dave, You'll call me most every morning like, hey,
this is kind of a you know, who our guests are,
what we're going to talk about. And I'm on four
days this week, so about fourteen hours, you know, so
we're saying, okay, what do we get? You know, what
are the topics? And so I had said, hey, this
is this is a topic that you know it is hot, right.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
Yeah, and I hadn't seen and I'm glad I would
just say.
Speaker 6 (25:55):
You brought it up, and you know I would just
I'll start by saying, if a white analyst had sought
to invalidate the opinion of another white analyst because he
had twice been married to a black woman, that analyst
would be fired before the next break.
Speaker 7 (26:15):
So, uh, you know, I just think that.
Speaker 6 (26:18):
So that that was really, uh way overboard on Ryan Clark.
I mean, he clearly made it personal. He wanted to
get the jab in you've twice been married the idea.
I mean, first of all, RG three has three sisters,
he's got a mother, the idea that Ryan Clark can
(26:39):
can profess to be in RG three's head and and
say the kind of conversation that RG three is or
is not having, and and and that somehow RG three
would not have empathy for the plight of a black
woman because he married a white I mean, that is
just a preposterous assertion. And you know, and look, Ryan
(27:01):
Clark has has has had to respond to charges of
being a race baiter uh quarterback MVP with Lamar Jackson.
He uh he asserted there was racial bias in the
door Sanders ball and what have you, and knew. I'm
not gonna list the whole things, but he's had to
go on, He's had to make comments addressing this. So
(27:23):
I think that Ryan Clark, it seems like there's something
personal there. But but the uh uh, the idea that
he would cross that line in many ways, I think
RG three's response was dead on the money. And I
thought that fact, to use your term this, he had
the three c's in his response gave more impact to
(27:45):
his response because he was measured in that. But I
think Ryan Clark was completely out of the line. Now
I'll say this, I do think he would be fired.
I am of the opinion, and I want to hear Jackson.
Jackson's up next, I'm really interested in. But I don't
think that Ryan Clark should be fired. I don't even
think it necessarily should be suspended. I'm of the belief
(28:05):
my standard for that is so freaking the threshold, because
I want to have a marketplace of ideas where people
feel safe to say, hey, here's my take, and then
that without fear of losing their job or major retribution,
Because then what should happen, in my opinion, is that
(28:26):
Ryan Clark lobbed out. You know, Ryan, Hey, you're touching
on some points. You kind of miss it on this
and that and this and that, and maybe Ryan Clark
will refine his take, and then he'll have a better take.
And if we all do that in a generation, we
can all be we can all be more enlightened, more intelligent,
more morally sound in our takes. And so I think
(28:49):
that there should be an idea where we can respond
without fear of retribution. So I don't agree with Ryan Clark,
but I do not want his job taken or threatened.
Speaker 7 (28:58):
As some have said, Jackson.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
We're going to take a quick time out. I want
to hear from Jackson next, I'll give you my thoughts
as well. And you know Jackson is in an interracial marriage.
I think it's an awesome perspective to have on the
radio show.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
We'll do it.
Speaker 8 (29:10):
Next podcasting live from the R and R Foundation Specialist
Broadcast Studio. Now back to Softie and Dig powered by
Emerald Queen Casino, the Betty and Capital of the Northwest
on Sports Radio and ninety three point three kJ R FAF.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
Spending a few more minutes continuing the conversation on this.
Speaker 3 (29:34):
Feud podcast feud.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
It is twenty twenty five, Jackson, we have podcast feuds.
Speaker 11 (29:39):
I mean it's a feud between two respected I would
say respected.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Analysts absolutely, Robert Griffin.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
The third, as you mentioned, former Heisman Trophy winner Ryan Clark,
I mean, one of the top NFL analysts on on ESPN.
And it all started with the Caitlin Clark Angel Reese
dust up over the weekend, which garnered two point seven
million eyeballs by the way, that was just the insane
(30:05):
ratings for that game. And then it kind of devolved
into personal attacks when Ryan Clark, you know, accused RG
three of just not being able to relate to what
a black woman is going through because he's not married
to one.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
He's married to a white woman.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
And Hugh gave his take in the last segment, how
about you, Jackson as a as a you're in a
interracial marriage, and I'm sure this this kind of affected
you when you heard it first.
Speaker 11 (30:31):
Basically, I mean, there's a few things, and I think
Hugh did a really good job of kind of analyzing
the different elements of this last segment, But the basis
of this is the fact that there is clearly something
personal between Ryan Clark and Robert Griffin, and that the
dig of you, you know, this is your second marriage.
I mean, yes, why is that dig in there? Yeah,
it seems completely unnecessary, but it's in there because it
(30:53):
kind of very much lends to the thought of, oh,
there's some history between these two in some way.
Speaker 7 (30:57):
I don't know what that is, but they were teammates earlier.
Speaker 11 (31:00):
Sorry to interact, well then perfect, I mean clearly then
they you know, I don't know if it was a
Sherman Wilson situation like with mat but still, you know,
it's one of those things where there's clearly something. So
I think that it's very obtuse and short sighted of
Ryan Clark not to be able to look past that
and analyze a a argument on its merits and listen,
(31:20):
if you think that, if you think that his take
about you know, Angel Rees hating quote hating Caitlin Clark
is wrong, then have them have the take and give
your take on the merits the fact that he brings
in the marriage aspect. And I think Dick has you
kind of alluded to. I mean, I've been married to
a woman who's whose parents are from Bangladesh. She's fully Bengali,
(31:44):
and I've kind of get gotten, you know, very much
into understanding their culture, and she's gotten very much understanding.
But my culture is a white man and I thought,
you mean your soccer yea.
Speaker 3 (31:57):
To very much so.
Speaker 11 (31:59):
But it's a sort of thing where like just because
it's it's such an obvious it's amazing that I have
to make this clear because I think it's a very
obvious thing. And again this that's why it's just so
ridiculous that Ryan Clark is making this point to think
that a person does not have an understanding of their
own society from the other sex, even though they're married
(32:22):
to somebody of a different sex or sorry, a different race,
excuse me, race is absolutely insane. I mean it's it's
it's mind boggling to think, oh, yeah, he's married to
a white man, so he doesn't understand anything about black women,
like I I don't. I have a mom, I have
a sister. I don't understand anything about white women because
I'm married to a Ben Rally girl. It's absolutely ridiculous.
(32:46):
And and and to use again all coming back to it,
to use that as the reasoning incorporating that absolutely useless
and needless part into this debate that is centered around
Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark in a take that had
I mean, Ryan Clark should be ashamed of himself. I
agree with Hugh no firings needed here, but I also
(33:08):
think that there's there's definitely a bar there.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
This doesn't reach that bar.
Speaker 11 (33:11):
But I would say that that this absolutely easily reaches the.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
Bar of public apologies.
Speaker 11 (33:17):
I believe very heavily in public apologies, and they go
a long way. Ryan Clark, you need to go on Twitter, Instagram,
whatever your preferred things, your Pivot podcast, you need to
go on that today, like right now, five minutes ago
and issue the public apology for your ridiculous argument that
not only it was unnecessary, but it makes absolutely no sense.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
Yeah, well, said Jackson.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
I mean I wrote writing down notes as I was
listening to this, and the quote both of your marriages
stuck out? Why did that need to be said? I mean,
is out of the blue, as the attack on him
having a white wife. Why did both of your marriages
need to be brought up? That had nothing to do
with anything? And then he doesn't RG three doesn't have
(34:06):
these conversations. I mean, at first he says he doesn't
have these conversations, and then he clarified, well, he doesn't
have these conversations in his household. But to your point,
I mean, did he not have those conversations growing up
with his mother? Did he not have conversations growing up
with his sister? Did he not have conversations growing up
with his African American female friends? I mean, my goodness,
(34:27):
are you are you telling me that this that somehow,
some way RG three has been completely insulated from any
conversations with African American women in his life because he's
not married to one.
Speaker 3 (34:39):
It's ridiculous. I was just it's just mind boggling and
You're right, it's not.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
It's not fire worthy, but hey, it is public ridicule worthy,
and he is getting he is getting roasted rightly so.
Speaker 11 (34:52):
And it's just it's so easy and so many cases
where we hammer people. I mean, how many times on
phone with audio do we hear somebody with a ridiculous take? Man,
it's so easy these days to hop on ig live
or to hop on the Twitter video or to literally
just do There's a million day forgive and forget and
just say, man, you know I said something I wasn't thinking,
(35:13):
it was way out of line.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
I'm sorry to this person.
Speaker 7 (35:16):
I hope we can.
Speaker 11 (35:17):
How hard is it to do an apology like that?
Ryan Clark?
Speaker 7 (35:20):
Just do it?
Speaker 3 (35:20):
Final thoughts you?
Speaker 6 (35:21):
Yeah, No, I think an apology would go a long way,
and I would just say we just had Mother's Day.
How does Ryan Ryan Clark know that r G three
didn't have his mother and his three sisters there and
and maybe others, but there would be four black women
right there in his home and they may have had
(35:44):
a lengthy conversation. For Ryan Clark to just make assertions
about the conversations that are are not taking place in
RG three's home, I mean, it's it's just so wildly
what did what did RGI say?
Speaker 7 (36:00):
They he raced past the line of appropriate.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
Yes, well, and I I just mentioned the public. I'm
just gonna give you one small example before we get
a break. Ryan Clark just tweeted out today, do we
have criteria for NFL Protector of the Year. So he's
talking about this new award that's come out for the
offensive lineman. NFL Protector of the Year was announced today.
First response must have a black wife. That was the
(36:24):
first response to the tweet. That response got six hundred
and six likes.
Speaker 3 (36:31):
His original tweet got three hundred and fifty six.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
That's the ratio, boys, there you go. That is the
Dictionary definition of a ratio.
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