June 13, 2025 • 28 mins
In the second hour, Dave Softy Mahler and Dick Fain talk to Hugh Millen about the NBA Finals broadcasts, which sport has the best athletes, Cooper Kupp, Christian Haynes, and more, then they sit down with Samad Taylor from the Tacoma Rainiers at Cheney.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Joining us right now with the radio program normally live
at five on Fridays, but a little.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
More at four today. Our friend Huey Millan, How are
you pal?
Speaker 3 (00:07):
What's happening guys?
Speaker 2 (00:08):
How are you not much getting ready for some NBA basketball?
Speaker 1 (00:11):
I know you're a sonic fan rooting for the Pacers
like we are tonight to take the Commanding three to
one late and the Thunder.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
How are you enjoying the NBA Finals so far? Man?
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Well, I would just say this, I watched my first
Super Bowl, super Bowl seven in nineteen seventy two. I
can remember Reggie Jackson in the World Series, watching him,
not the Yankees, the Oakland A's. So I've been I'm
just a red blooded American boy, you know, dude that
(00:40):
likes most all sports. And and I would say I've
seen a lot of great, great broadcasting. Now, everything I'm
about to say is just one man's opinion. I invite dissent,
and I just have a standard for what I expect
from the broadcasters. I mean, Keith Jackson did an NBA
Finals Albert Brent Mussberger. Uh, you know when you when
(01:04):
you put on a Super Bowl or a World Series,
there's just a standard, and I would say that what
I'm seeing from ESPN one man's opinion. I think Mike Breen,
you know, I think he's solid, you know, give him
a B. But the the Richard Jefferson and Dorris Burke, Yeah,
(01:24):
that that tandem of analysts might be And I just
do this for a discussion on your show, but I
ask the listeners, I think this is the worst championship
level broadcast I've ever I've ever seen. I mean, they've
got Mark Jackson in the building and Reggie Miller and
you know, Jeff Van Gundy like recently we've had We've
(01:46):
had great analysts, and Richard Jefferson is just a fraction
of those guys.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Doris Burke is as.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Well in my opinion. And then and then you get
to halftime in the end of the game. I'll tell
you but in my lifetime, there have been two completely
unexplained absurd cultural phenomenon. Number one, nineteen seventy five pet
rock Dude on a bet marketing execu introduced this pet
(02:15):
rock in middle school. We had these gals that brought
them within a box with holes so that the rocks
could breathe, and that that whole phenomenon.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
They sold.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
They they sold a million and a half units at
four dollars apiece, and four dollars then was the equivalent
of twenty four dollars now in today's dollars. They had
gross revenues of thirty six million dollars on a pet rock.
That's number one, Number two, totally unexplained, h absurd cultural
phenomenon in my lifetime is Steven A. Smith. I don't
(02:51):
get it. I don't get the delivery. Look, I think
it's take it takes her are decent at times, but
here's the absurd part. ESPN, the institution of ESPN they
are going to put at halftime, the very first analyst
question is going to stephen A. Smith.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah, Like like I'm watching.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
The hockey, the first question that at the end of
a period goes to Wayne Gretzky. When you watch TNT basketball,
the first question is going to Charles Barkley or Shaquille
O'Neill and and they're going to Steven A.
Speaker 4 (03:24):
Smith.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
You know what steven A.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Smith's basketball background is. He played one game for Winston
Salem State and he got hurt in that game, so
he didn't even play a full game and he never
played basketball again the rest of his life.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
And ESPN.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
I mean, we're not talking about like Yakamat, like some
D league. We're talking about the NBA Finals. So I
would just say this, I think the broadcast interesting people
that I that I am referencing. I'm racking my brain,
but I'm I'm here to claim just one man's opinion.
It's the worst championship level broadcast I've ever heard.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
All Right, good interesting. Didn't expect that, so that's good stuff. Yeah, Dick, Well,
since you brought up Steven A.
Speaker 4 (04:03):
Smith, we were talking about a last last segment he
and PK Suba and got into it and who was
a better athlete basketball players or hockey players? Do you
have a with with brevity? Do you have an answer
to that question.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
I don't do anything with brevity. Wells missus Milan might
contend that point, but I would just say, when you're
talking about athleticism, you have to prioritize what you value
the most, because I think there's five main attributes of
just about every sport. We watch their speed and quickness,
those are different, but we'll put him in the same
(04:35):
There's hand eye coordination. As you know, Edgar and and
and golfers and everything. There's a strength, there's an endurance
component because if you if you think that the winner
of the Tour de France is is the best athlete,
then you're basically it's all endurance and then body control
exemplified by skiers and gymnasts and and and soccer players
(04:57):
and what have you, and jumping. I never quite know
whether that needs its own category. So so for me,
I value speeding, quickness and hand eye coordination. So I
think basketball has I've always said, basketball to me is
the best representation of athleticism. But if you value and
I think strength, strength and endurance are secondary in basketball.
(05:21):
They're they're a part of it, but it's mindly mainly
speed and and uh hand eye so uh but I
will I'll just close this. I'm watching that hockey and
and in some other world a thought experiment if somebody
said to me, if there there was no hockey and
and somebody said, okay, is this real or is this
ai what those hockey guys can do on skates and
(05:43):
and how they control those pucks and that and actually
shoot to a pocket while they're skating backwards, Like in
another world, I would if somebody said, Hey, is this
real or is this ai fiction? I would look at
that and I'd say that's fiction. There's no way that
anybody can do all of that while on skates, so
edit out. I expect them both. The quickness it.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Takes to play in the NBA may maybe more so
than any sport out there, but the hand eye coordination
it takes to survive in the NHL also maybe more
so than any other sport out there. You're exactly right, Hey,
Hugh Cooper Cupp the other day was just asked about
learning a new playbook, and it's kind of weird. You
spend eight years in LA with the same play caller
(06:27):
and Sean McVay, and now all of a sudden, he's
what thirty.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
One, thirty two years old?
Speaker 1 (06:31):
I think, yeah, whatever he is, he's got to learn
a whole new system and terminology and and all that stuff. So,
I mean, you put yourself into Cooper cups shoes. How
much of a challenge is this going to be for him?
Speaker 3 (06:42):
You think, Well, I was enough of a journeyman. I've
I've had to go through that experience. Obviously, I'm not
anywhere near the caliber of Cooper cup. But I get
what he's saying. And really you're talking about two categories.
Number one and the you know, the easiest is just like, oh, hey, hey,
I know that concept. We called that Honda down at
(07:04):
the Rams and you guys call it spin. But I
know the concept. I've ran it many times. I just
have to I have to to just memorize. And it's
like learning the language. Okay, that you know right, Like
you say, okay, what is house in Spanish?
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Kasa?
Speaker 3 (07:22):
So when you hear kasa, you just you do this translation,
you go, oh, that's house. Well, the same thing when
you're learning a new language. So that's that's the easier
portion that. What would be a little bit more difficult
is if he's now introduced to concepts that he hasn't ran.
I don't think that that will be I'll bet you
ninety percent of what he's learning, or at least eighty percent.
(07:42):
I'll give myself all heads and be conservative. I think
eighty percent of what he's being exposed to he's done
it before. Like he's not looking at that. Oh well,
show me that videotape of that. I don't know how
to do that. So yeah, I get that you a
lot about.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Mini camp is the question is it something?
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Is it nothing?
Speaker 4 (08:00):
And I was thinking about that when I was reading
Greg Bell's piece today where the offense had a dozen
tries to score from the five yard line on seven
on seven scrimmages, and they scored once and the one
score was actually tightly covered and disputed by the defense
because they thought it was out of bound. So maybe
if it was reviewed or reviewable, it might have been
zero times out of twelve. Is that something or is
(08:22):
that nothing?
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Well, you talk about seven on seven?
Speaker 4 (08:27):
Yes, is it something to be concerned about or is
it nothing to be concerned Well?
Speaker 3 (08:33):
No, I mean there is always the reciprocal right that
if you're you're concerned about the offense, then you're praising
just how you know, how a depth the communication is
on the defense, because when you're down there at the
five yard line, you know there's you're you're trying to
run picks and man to man, you know, everything's trying
to happen fast. And if you're gonna play zone, if
(08:53):
you're gonna play man to man, you better you better
have an answer like at the three point line in basketball,
where hey, are we gonna switch? Are we gonna fight
over the top underneath, and then if you're gonna zone it,
then you you've got to be able to to respond
to just you know that that dart you know, quarterback
just oh you're in a zone, I'll just dart it.
(09:13):
You know, throw it low at the front at the
goal line, you know, throw it at the knees of
the receiver at the goal line, and throw it high
at the back, and you know, just try and find
a hole in there. And so there's great communication. You
have to be tethered on a string much more so
I would tend to to just compliment the defense that
they are, you know, continuing. But yeah, I would say,
(09:38):
I don't think anybody on the offense is gonna go
watch seven plays, seven snaps from outside the five with
no pass rush and be you know through it like
oh everything's hunky door. They're gonna say like, hey, okay,
we need to to uh to tighten things up. But
offense takes longer. Offense is a symphony. Defense is a
bee hive.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
I would say that, I mean my gut, Hugh, curious
your thoughts on this that if we were getting reports,
Dick that the offense was shredding the defense at the
vMac Right now, I'd say either A the defense stinks
or B this offense is going to leave the league
in scoring. Yes, right because they I mean, Hugh, shouldn't
the offense be way behind?
Speaker 2 (10:18):
In particular point this defense.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
This defense has the same guys back with the same coaches.
The offense has a new quarterback, they have a new coordinator,
they have a new number two wide receiver, they have
a new scheme.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
They better damn well be behind the defense right now.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Well, and even if you try and isolate the variables,
let's say that it was an entirely new coaching staff,
and let's say they had equal number of new players
on each side of the ball. Let's say there was
four new starters on each side of the ball, new
head coach, new coordinators on both sides. Even if you
if you leveled out those variables and then say, okay,
who would you which side of the ball would you
(10:57):
expect to be ahead? You would expect the defense to
be ahead the offense had there's more cohesion required, there
are more complimentary plays. You know, the defense they may
have three or four bread and butter coverages they want
to run down inside the five yard line. Well, the
offense may have you know, by the time they get
(11:20):
to September, there may be fifteen or twenty plays that
they feel comfortable running from the five yard line.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Hey, hu, we got about five minutes.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
I know Dick wants to get a come into But
Christian Haynes, who was the Seahawks third round pick a
year ago obviously had high hopes for him and didn't
play a ton, was spotted playing a little center during
mini camp.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Does that resonate with you at all or no?
Speaker 3 (11:46):
Well, it's probably one of two things. Number one. I
mean some may say, well, does that mean that Olua,
Timmy and all the other candidates aren't looking sufficient at center?
I don't necessarily read that into it. I think that
it may be that Christian Haynes, you've you've got to
(12:09):
have uh, you know, an emergency center, even though you
have to have a third guy sure at least capable
of snapping the ball, because if you have both your
two centers get hurt, who's gonna be the third guy?
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Right?
Speaker 3 (12:22):
You can't just you know, just wave the white flag
and walk off the field say well we can't play anymore. So,
so the fact that he's getting snaps, I wouldn't read
a lot into it. I think it's just a versatility.
It may it may speak to that he's thought to
be a backup as an inside you know, one of
the inside guys. You you have your backups that can
play tackle, but then you have a versatile you know,
(12:43):
can play any of the three inside positions. He's a
smart guy. He the number one scheme at Yukon was
the outside zone, and so I think that comparatively speaking,
relative to a year ago, Anthony Bradford had our he
had a year, and Christian Haines had none. Now Christian
(13:03):
Hayes has a year. Of course he didn't have as
many reps as Bradford had the year before, but he's
got a year and he's playing a scheme that fits
him better. So I think that that, uh, you know,
we're gonna this isn't gonna be the last time we
talk about Christian Haines because there may be a spot
form well.
Speaker 4 (13:21):
And the reports, I mean it's basically fifty to fifty
Olu and Sundell at center, fifty to fifty Haynes and
Bradford at right guard is for as far as what
they did in camp. Is that a good thing or
a bad thing that you still still have a little
legitimate fifty to fifty split. Should you see somebody taking
over at this point or is that not really start
until training camp?
Speaker 3 (13:42):
In an ideal world, you would know who your five
offensive linemen. I mean, there are teams in the in
the NFL that are bringing back five starters or or
maybe they're right back four starters, and they know exactly
who the replacement is.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Right.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
But but my question is if you do have a doubt
like we do with those two positions, would that doubt
start getting ironed out normally in mini camp or not
until training camp?
Speaker 3 (14:05):
No, I don't think till training camp. Yeah, it's the
same as with the quarterbacks. If you have two, it's
said that you have none. Well, I don't want to
say we have no offensive guards, but in the absence
until we see one of those guys perform at a
high level, right guard is a big problem on this
football team. And yeah, and so in this category, yeah,
(14:28):
they're not gonna nobody's gonna win the job here now, Dick,
you know, uh, when they're not even in pads. But
we go into camp and if you're talking about concerns
for the football team, right guard is probably at the
top of the list, and certainly no lower than third.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Well, they don't have any established interior alignment period. I mean,
you know, look, every team's gonna have a rookie at
some point. Our guys graz Abel feel pretty good about him,
I think, right, but there's nobody established there. There's no
established left guard, right guard, or center. So we'll see
what happens come September. But here we got about ninety seconds.
I just want to give you the floor for anything
else from Mini camp that kind of stood out as
(15:07):
far as impressions for you that you think you're important
for people to know, Well, I would.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
Just say that there. I mean, god, I got a
whole page of notes. How do I get this? The
wide receiver situation you've got now, uh, I'm not going
to get into the numbers, but Coop, we're we're going
to be seeing more two tight ends, you know, full
back and what have you. So the wide rate last
year Cooper Cup was a wide receiver, meaning the widest
(15:31):
guy going against a corner almost assuredly thirty four point
seven percent out of out of all receivers qualifying. There's
one hundred and thirty one qualifiers that had twenty more targets.
Cooper Cup was one hundred and sixteenth out of one
hundred and thirty one. JSN was outside just fifteen point
six percent time. That was one hundred and thirtieth out
(15:51):
of one hundred and thirty one qualifying receiver. So here
here we're talking about on the one hand, while we
got a fullback from Alabama oots and we're doing what
we're gonna We're gonna have more just two receiver sets,
but we've got receivers that were only outside. DK Metcalf
was fifth out of one hundred and thirty one. He
was eighty six point four percent was an outside. You
get Marcus Valdez Scanley and he was an outside. He
(16:14):
was twenty second out of one hundred and thirty one.
He was at seventy eight percent and change. But Marcus
Scanley got cut in the middle of the year, and
he had for the Buffalo Bills, who had this MVP.
In six games, he had two catches zero in the
last three.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
He got cut.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
He was on the street for a week and then
he signs for minimum with the Saints. And so I
like the idea. Yeah, MVS is a wide receiver, but
how accomplished is he? And so I just think the
idea of you know, the best the receivers they have
that they're counting on. They're better in the slot, they
have the experience in the slot, not so much on
(16:50):
the outside. That's that's a big theme for me that
I'm watching moving forward.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Hey, Hewet, great stuff. Enjoy the weekend, and we'll talk
on Monday.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
All right, buddy, rock and roll guys, sammerdown.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Humilling with us. We're gonna break.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Rainiers are on the field right now taking BPS and
Mod Taylor is gonna hop buy and say hello. He's
had a couple of cups of coffee right up in
the big leagues and the last couple of years he's
down here with the Rainiers. Chuck Powell's got the call
with Riley pay on the Am nine to fifty AM
at seven o'clock.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
So check it out.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
We'll get to our bracket as well, the most unforgettable
sports moments of the last twenty five years, and yes,
Kobe Bryant dying on a helicopter crash is on the list.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
We're gonna discuss all that at five live.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
From Cheney at Tacoma. Right here on ninety three three KJRFM.
Speaker 5 (17:35):
Pod casting live from the R and R Foundation Specialist
Broadcast Studio. Now back to Softie and Dick powered by
Emerald Queen Casino, the Betty and Capital of the Northwest
on Sports Radio and NTTI three point three KJR FM.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
You know, I was just thinking to myself, Dick, as
we sit here in Cheney Stadium at Tacoma for the
Rainiers game tonight. Chuck Powell's got the call tonight with
Riley pay Over on AM. I'm at nine fifty Andy,
are you in the broadcast too? You're part of that tonight?
You're getting bumped?
Speaker 2 (18:04):
How about that? Man? You kidding me?
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Kicking them out?
Speaker 1 (18:06):
My guy Andy gro wakes up every day and just
lives for the radio broadcast that has got nothing else
going on, and Chuck Powell, who does our morning show,
is coming down and kicking them off the air and
then make him watch him work. So Chuck does Second
Times People tonight over on nine to fifty AM.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
But some odd Taylor.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
It's kind of becoming a tradition that when we come
down here to Cheney Stadium at Tacoma. At least once
a year we get to talk to our favorite Rainier,
Sam Odd Taylor.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Who's with us? Now? How are you?
Speaker 4 (18:35):
Man?
Speaker 6 (18:35):
I'm doing good? How are we doing it good?
Speaker 1 (18:37):
I you know, I think I'm gonna try to do
an impression of you if I can, so I can
then call Jerry Depoto on the phone and say, Jerry's
some on call my ass up?
Speaker 2 (18:46):
Man? What do I gotta do? And you gotta come
on to the major leagues?
Speaker 4 (18:50):
Ever?
Speaker 1 (18:51):
Look at these numbers, nine ten ops, ten bombs, thirty
seven ribies, nineteen for twenty two stolen bases in fifty
six games. You just mentioned it off the year. You
gotta just control the control of the balls. But you
got to be pretty happy with the way you're performing
down here.
Speaker 6 (19:05):
Man, to go back to last year, I kind of
was riding the road coaster a little, made some adjustments
in the offseason, and then they're showing up on the
field now. So I can't complain about it. I'm I'm
blessed and happy to still be able to put a
uniform on and be a part of the organization.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
What were the adjustments you made? What you work on
just from.
Speaker 6 (19:25):
The mental side and just clear my mind. And big
thing is just be present where you're at. Like you
just said that I should be in the big leagues,
but I'm here in Triple A, I'm in Tacoma, I'm
president where I'm at. I'm happy with what I'm doing,
and just keep doing what I do and see where
the ball rolls at the end of the year.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Love it.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
You mentioned last month, consistency in the box has been
the key. What does consistency in the box mean to
Samant Taylor?
Speaker 6 (19:51):
Consistency is it just goes back to trusting with trusting
what you work on.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
We work, we work our butt.
Speaker 6 (19:58):
Off every off season U seasons five to six months
or a couple of months, whatever it may be, and
you grind, you grind, you grind, and as soon as
you get the season, something happens and you're quick to
veer away from what you worked on. And consistency, to
me and my own game is just trusting everything I
(20:19):
worked on and just keep doing it, keep chucking through
it and know there's a lot at the end of
the tunnel. And like right now, I think two weeks ago,
I started the week off at like three forty two
or something like that, and I'll cool down a little.
But it hasn't really been a cool down. It's just
been swinging out of what my plan is and getting
away from my plan. So I want to get back
(20:40):
to my plan. We'll see those those numbers climb back up.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Gotcha.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
Well, somebad Taylor again is with us. And you've obviously
had the experience of being a Major leaguer thirty eight beautiful,
wonderful games right so far at the big league level.
And you're you're probably too young to know the movie
Bull Durham with Kevin Costner and those guys from back
in the day, but there's a scene and they're on
the bus and Kevin Costner looks at the guys and says,
(21:03):
they throw ungodly breaking stuff and exploding sliders in the
Major So you've now had a taste of it. Is
the accurate? What's the difference? And how filthy are the
pictures up there versus the ones that you're singing down here?
Speaker 2 (21:16):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (21:16):
I mean it's the big leagues, baby, It's a big difference.
I think just consistency around the zone here, you getting
no count foulc cool pitches off by yourself a good
pitch to hit up there. It's battle, battle, battle, and
then you gotta see some nasty some nasty sliders and
splitters or whatever the secondary pitch is. But I would
(21:39):
just say, like just consistency around the zone and the
other stuff may move a little different and whatnot. But
for the most part, the game is really games the same.
Another row of seats, better lights, better food.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
Better food. I was gonna say, better food.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
What's the spread inside your clubhouse now versus the one
like that you got to seeat.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Oh, I mean, tell us that's terrible. I hope Aeron's
not listening right now.
Speaker 6 (22:09):
But I mean, I'm not a real big eater before
the game, right right, try to keep myself light on
the feet. But today I went and got some.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Shrimp fried rice, So okay, I'll.
Speaker 6 (22:20):
Kind of grab some before you get to the field,
just based off of what the schedule says. But for
the most part, the spread after the game is it's
always pretty good.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Gotcha? Gotcha?
Speaker 4 (22:30):
So in those thirty eight games of Softie was talking
about seventy A b's in the bigs, What have you
learned that you will take with you the next time
you go faced all those nasty breaking sliders.
Speaker 6 (22:42):
I would say, just get your swing off early. If
I can close my eyes and go back to the
seventy at bats I've had, I would like to say
probably more than half of them, or with two strikes
and more than half of them, I'm probably taken the
first pitch that I know I could do something with. Like,
as soon as you get up there, you kind of
(23:04):
as a player, you kind of look into a lot
of different things. You don't want to swing at the
pitch that you would swing a head usually in Triple A,
or you don't want to do something this way, you
don't want to do something that way. But as long
as you just keep you keep the same game that
you played in Triple A up in the big leagues. Yeah,
shout out to Dan Wilson. He as soon as I
(23:25):
got up there this year, he was just be the
same player you are. Everybody knows what I do, get
on base calls, Havoc, play a lot of positions, put
together tough at that, but like like I said, you
get to the big leagues and you always feel that
you need to do something more than what you need
to do.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Right.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Well, samat Taylor's was us, and you mentioned it right there.
I was gonna ask you, how much do you communicate
with those guys?
Speaker 6 (23:47):
Right?
Speaker 1 (23:47):
Like, your coaches are down here with you every day,
but whether Edgar or Dan or position coaches or base
running coaches, you know whatever, maybe Holland or to Poto, whatever,
how much conversation is there on a on a daily
basis with those guys.
Speaker 6 (24:02):
Myself slim to none. I talked to Ey about base
running a lot, but other than that, I kinda I
kind of try to stick to the circle that I got,
not necessarily saying I'm opening up my circle, but I
kind of try to just hone into what I'm doing
here and just focus on what I'm doing here, because realistically,
(24:24):
if you're not handling your business here right, there's no
getting back to Seattle. So I feel like just staying
what I'm doing now and just keep working and keep working,
and know the man above has a has a plan
for me, and know that team has a plan for
me when it's when it's there, just be ready and
go out there and have some fun.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Love it.
Speaker 4 (24:41):
When you're tearing the cover off the ball and those
ops numbers get above nine, hundred. Is it harder not
to think about Seattle when you're really really playing good
ball up here? How much does that creep into your mind?
Speaker 3 (24:53):
A little bit?
Speaker 6 (24:57):
I would like to say, not nowhere near as much
as he used to. Being able to have a couple
of coffee in the big leagues in twenty three and
a week or so last year and a week this year,
you kind of you kind of get to a point
where you don't even really worried about the next step, because,
(25:19):
like I said, the next step isn't going to be
accomplished if I don't handle what I have to handle here.
So I just do what I gotta do here, And
like I said, when that, when that call comes, just
be ready and be the same playerff there.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Yeah, it says here in your Wikipedia page. By the way,
let me ask you before you go somebody taylor with us,
how much do you read your own Wikipedia page?
Speaker 2 (25:38):
They were checking out crazy. You just brought it up.
Speaker 6 (25:40):
I looked at it, uh about two weeks ago.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Okay, just randomly. Okay? Is it all accurate? By the way,
Married to Alexia Woodley, your first child, Aisen, Is that right?
Were born in twenty twenty four congrats on grew growing up.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
It says he was a fan of Sean Figgins by
the way, Oh my god, man legend.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Well, I will say.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
This that the Angel fans have a much different vision
of Sean Figgins than we do. Right, So what was
it about Sean Figgins as an Angel that drew you
to him?
Speaker 6 (26:14):
I was growing up, I was always the smallest kid
on the team. Always, I mean I'm still in the
smallest kid on the team, and watching him, like he
always had a baggy uniform, always like he was always
doing stuff the right way. And my dad introduced the
(26:35):
game to me, and I remember sitting at home watching
Angel Dodger series, the Highway series, and Sean Figgins walked
up to the play wear at number nine and.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
I can do that one day.
Speaker 6 (26:50):
And I kind of just followed his game, followed his game,
and for the longest I tried to do exactly what
he did. I tried to hit how he hit, tried
to throw, how he threw, field, how he fielded. I
tried to just do everything just like him. And then
I just kept following him, kept following him, and like
it was just my growing up, all time favorite player.
And then I kind of veered off into Jose Rays
(27:13):
and yep, so they got to Jose Rayes to.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
GoF I love it.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
So basically, any short guy was gonna be on your
favorite list.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
Be short guys.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
Well, there's some short kids somewhere right who's gonna be
in the stands tonight watching you play. Who's gonna say
I want to be like that guy? Because that guy short?
So you're speaking you play for all short kids. Everyone
forget that, right man? Hey, keep kicking ass down here.
Congrats on a hell of a start, and we'll see.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
You back up. I appreciate you. You bet.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
Samad Taylor with us on the air, we're gonna break
a little textimonials and then our bracket coming up. The
most unforgettable sports moment of the last twenty five years.
Kobe Bryant passing away COVID taking out the NBA season,
David Tyree's helmet catch, Lebron's decision.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
Where do these all rank? Will debate them at five?
I'm not three three k J R. F M.
Joining us right now with the radio program normally live
at five on Fridays, but a little.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
More at four today. Our friend Huey Millan, How are
you pal?
Speaker 3 (00:07):
What's happening guys?
Speaker 2 (00:08):
How are you not much getting ready for some NBA basketball?
Speaker 1 (00:11):
I know you're a sonic fan rooting for the Pacers
like we are tonight to take the Commanding three to
one late and the Thunder.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
How are you enjoying the NBA Finals so far? Man?
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Well, I would just say this, I watched my first
Super Bowl, super Bowl seven in nineteen seventy two. I
can remember Reggie Jackson in the World Series, watching him,
not the Yankees, the Oakland A's. So I've been I'm
just a red blooded American boy, you know, dude that
(00:40):
likes most all sports. And and I would say I've
seen a lot of great, great broadcasting. Now, everything I'm
about to say is just one man's opinion. I invite dissent,
and I just have a standard for what I expect
from the broadcasters. I mean, Keith Jackson did an NBA
Finals Albert Brent Mussberger. Uh, you know when you when
(01:04):
you put on a Super Bowl or a World Series,
there's just a standard, and I would say that what
I'm seeing from ESPN one man's opinion. I think Mike Breen,
you know, I think he's solid, you know, give him
a B. But the the Richard Jefferson and Dorris Burke, Yeah,
(01:24):
that that tandem of analysts might be And I just
do this for a discussion on your show, but I
ask the listeners, I think this is the worst championship
level broadcast I've ever I've ever seen. I mean, they've
got Mark Jackson in the building and Reggie Miller and
you know, Jeff Van Gundy like recently we've had We've
(01:46):
had great analysts, and Richard Jefferson is just a fraction
of those guys.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Doris Burke is as.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Well in my opinion. And then and then you get
to halftime in the end of the game. I'll tell
you but in my lifetime, there have been two completely
unexplained absurd cultural phenomenon. Number one, nineteen seventy five pet
rock Dude on a bet marketing execu introduced this pet
(02:15):
rock in middle school. We had these gals that brought
them within a box with holes so that the rocks
could breathe, and that that whole phenomenon.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
They sold.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
They they sold a million and a half units at
four dollars apiece, and four dollars then was the equivalent
of twenty four dollars now in today's dollars. They had
gross revenues of thirty six million dollars on a pet rock.
That's number one, Number two, totally unexplained, h absurd cultural
phenomenon in my lifetime is Steven A. Smith. I don't
(02:51):
get it. I don't get the delivery. Look, I think
it's take it takes her are decent at times, but
here's the absurd part. ESPN, the institution of ESPN they
are going to put at halftime, the very first analyst
question is going to stephen A. Smith.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah, Like like I'm watching.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
The hockey, the first question that at the end of
a period goes to Wayne Gretzky. When you watch TNT basketball,
the first question is going to Charles Barkley or Shaquille
O'Neill and and they're going to Steven A.
Speaker 4 (03:24):
Smith.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
You know what steven A.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Smith's basketball background is. He played one game for Winston
Salem State and he got hurt in that game, so
he didn't even play a full game and he never
played basketball again the rest of his life.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
And ESPN.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
I mean, we're not talking about like Yakamat, like some
D league. We're talking about the NBA Finals. So I
would just say this, I think the broadcast interesting people
that I that I am referencing. I'm racking my brain,
but I'm I'm here to claim just one man's opinion.
It's the worst championship level broadcast I've ever heard.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
All Right, good interesting. Didn't expect that, so that's good stuff. Yeah, Dick, Well,
since you brought up Steven A.
Speaker 4 (04:03):
Smith, we were talking about a last last segment he
and PK Suba and got into it and who was
a better athlete basketball players or hockey players? Do you
have a with with brevity? Do you have an answer
to that question.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
I don't do anything with brevity. Wells missus Milan might
contend that point, but I would just say, when you're
talking about athleticism, you have to prioritize what you value
the most, because I think there's five main attributes of
just about every sport. We watch their speed and quickness,
those are different, but we'll put him in the same
(04:35):
There's hand eye coordination. As you know, Edgar and and
and golfers and everything. There's a strength, there's an endurance
component because if you if you think that the winner
of the Tour de France is is the best athlete,
then you're basically it's all endurance and then body control
exemplified by skiers and gymnasts and and and soccer players
(04:57):
and what have you, and jumping. I never quite know
whether that needs its own category. So so for me,
I value speeding, quickness and hand eye coordination. So I
think basketball has I've always said, basketball to me is
the best representation of athleticism. But if you value and
I think strength, strength and endurance are secondary in basketball.
(05:21):
They're they're a part of it, but it's mindly mainly
speed and and uh hand eye so uh but I
will I'll just close this. I'm watching that hockey and
and in some other world a thought experiment if somebody
said to me, if there there was no hockey and
and somebody said, okay, is this real or is this
ai what those hockey guys can do on skates and
(05:43):
and how they control those pucks and that and actually
shoot to a pocket while they're skating backwards, Like in
another world, I would if somebody said, Hey, is this
real or is this ai fiction? I would look at
that and I'd say that's fiction. There's no way that
anybody can do all of that while on skates, so
edit out. I expect them both. The quickness it.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Takes to play in the NBA may maybe more so
than any sport out there, but the hand eye coordination
it takes to survive in the NHL also maybe more
so than any other sport out there. You're exactly right, Hey,
Hugh Cooper Cupp the other day was just asked about
learning a new playbook, and it's kind of weird. You
spend eight years in LA with the same play caller
(06:27):
and Sean McVay, and now all of a sudden, he's
what thirty.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
One, thirty two years old?
Speaker 1 (06:31):
I think, yeah, whatever he is, he's got to learn
a whole new system and terminology and and all that stuff. So,
I mean, you put yourself into Cooper cups shoes. How
much of a challenge is this going to be for him?
Speaker 3 (06:42):
You think, Well, I was enough of a journeyman. I've
I've had to go through that experience. Obviously, I'm not
anywhere near the caliber of Cooper cup. But I get
what he's saying. And really you're talking about two categories.
Number one and the you know, the easiest is just like, oh, hey, hey,
I know that concept. We called that Honda down at
(07:04):
the Rams and you guys call it spin. But I
know the concept. I've ran it many times. I just
have to I have to to just memorize. And it's
like learning the language. Okay, that you know right, Like
you say, okay, what is house in Spanish?
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Kasa?
Speaker 3 (07:22):
So when you hear kasa, you just you do this translation,
you go, oh, that's house. Well, the same thing when
you're learning a new language. So that's that's the easier
portion that. What would be a little bit more difficult
is if he's now introduced to concepts that he hasn't ran.
I don't think that that will be I'll bet you
ninety percent of what he's learning, or at least eighty percent.
(07:42):
I'll give myself all heads and be conservative. I think
eighty percent of what he's being exposed to he's done
it before. Like he's not looking at that. Oh well,
show me that videotape of that. I don't know how
to do that. So yeah, I get that you a
lot about.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Mini camp is the question is it something?
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Is it nothing?
Speaker 4 (08:00):
And I was thinking about that when I was reading
Greg Bell's piece today where the offense had a dozen
tries to score from the five yard line on seven
on seven scrimmages, and they scored once and the one
score was actually tightly covered and disputed by the defense
because they thought it was out of bound. So maybe
if it was reviewed or reviewable, it might have been
zero times out of twelve. Is that something or is
(08:22):
that nothing?
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Well, you talk about seven on seven?
Speaker 4 (08:27):
Yes, is it something to be concerned about or is
it nothing to be concerned Well?
Speaker 3 (08:33):
No, I mean there is always the reciprocal right that
if you're you're concerned about the offense, then you're praising
just how you know, how a depth the communication is
on the defense, because when you're down there at the
five yard line, you know there's you're you're trying to
run picks and man to man, you know, everything's trying
to happen fast. And if you're gonna play zone, if
(08:53):
you're gonna play man to man, you better you better
have an answer like at the three point line in basketball,
where hey, are we gonna switch? Are we gonna fight
over the top underneath, and then if you're gonna zone it,
then you you've got to be able to to respond
to just you know that that dart you know, quarterback
just oh you're in a zone, I'll just dart it.
(09:13):
You know, throw it low at the front at the
goal line, you know, throw it at the knees of
the receiver at the goal line, and throw it high
at the back, and you know, just try and find
a hole in there. And so there's great communication. You
have to be tethered on a string much more so
I would tend to to just compliment the defense that
they are, you know, continuing. But yeah, I would say,
(09:38):
I don't think anybody on the offense is gonna go
watch seven plays, seven snaps from outside the five with
no pass rush and be you know through it like
oh everything's hunky door. They're gonna say like, hey, okay,
we need to to uh to tighten things up. But
offense takes longer. Offense is a symphony. Defense is a
bee hive.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
I would say that, I mean my gut, Hugh, curious
your thoughts on this that if we were getting reports,
Dick that the offense was shredding the defense at the
vMac Right now, I'd say either A the defense stinks
or B this offense is going to leave the league
in scoring. Yes, right because they I mean, Hugh, shouldn't
the offense be way behind?
Speaker 2 (10:18):
In particular point this defense.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
This defense has the same guys back with the same coaches.
The offense has a new quarterback, they have a new coordinator,
they have a new number two wide receiver, they have
a new scheme.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
They better damn well be behind the defense right now.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Well, and even if you try and isolate the variables,
let's say that it was an entirely new coaching staff,
and let's say they had equal number of new players
on each side of the ball. Let's say there was
four new starters on each side of the ball, new
head coach, new coordinators on both sides. Even if you
if you leveled out those variables and then say, okay,
who would you which side of the ball would you
(10:57):
expect to be ahead? You would expect the defense to
be ahead the offense had there's more cohesion required, there
are more complimentary plays. You know, the defense they may
have three or four bread and butter coverages they want
to run down inside the five yard line. Well, the
offense may have you know, by the time they get
(11:20):
to September, there may be fifteen or twenty plays that
they feel comfortable running from the five yard line.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Hey, hu, we got about five minutes.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
I know Dick wants to get a come into But
Christian Haynes, who was the Seahawks third round pick a
year ago obviously had high hopes for him and didn't
play a ton, was spotted playing a little center during
mini camp.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Does that resonate with you at all or no?
Speaker 3 (11:46):
Well, it's probably one of two things. Number one. I
mean some may say, well, does that mean that Olua,
Timmy and all the other candidates aren't looking sufficient at center?
I don't necessarily read that into it. I think that
it may be that Christian Haynes, you've you've got to
(12:09):
have uh, you know, an emergency center, even though you
have to have a third guy sure at least capable
of snapping the ball, because if you have both your
two centers get hurt, who's gonna be the third guy?
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Right?
Speaker 3 (12:22):
You can't just you know, just wave the white flag
and walk off the field say well we can't play anymore. So,
so the fact that he's getting snaps, I wouldn't read
a lot into it. I think it's just a versatility.
It may it may speak to that he's thought to
be a backup as an inside you know, one of
the inside guys. You you have your backups that can
play tackle, but then you have a versatile you know,
(12:43):
can play any of the three inside positions. He's a
smart guy. He the number one scheme at Yukon was
the outside zone, and so I think that comparatively speaking,
relative to a year ago, Anthony Bradford had our he
had a year, and Christian Haines had none. Now Christian
(13:03):
Hayes has a year. Of course he didn't have as
many reps as Bradford had the year before, but he's
got a year and he's playing a scheme that fits
him better. So I think that that, uh, you know,
we're gonna this isn't gonna be the last time we
talk about Christian Haines because there may be a spot
form well.
Speaker 4 (13:21):
And the reports, I mean it's basically fifty to fifty
Olu and Sundell at center, fifty to fifty Haynes and
Bradford at right guard is for as far as what
they did in camp. Is that a good thing or
a bad thing that you still still have a little
legitimate fifty to fifty split. Should you see somebody taking
over at this point or is that not really start
until training camp?
Speaker 3 (13:42):
In an ideal world, you would know who your five
offensive linemen. I mean, there are teams in the in
the NFL that are bringing back five starters or or
maybe they're right back four starters, and they know exactly
who the replacement is.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Right.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
But but my question is if you do have a doubt
like we do with those two positions, would that doubt
start getting ironed out normally in mini camp or not
until training camp?
Speaker 3 (14:05):
No, I don't think till training camp. Yeah, it's the
same as with the quarterbacks. If you have two, it's
said that you have none. Well, I don't want to
say we have no offensive guards, but in the absence
until we see one of those guys perform at a
high level, right guard is a big problem on this
football team. And yeah, and so in this category, yeah,
(14:28):
they're not gonna nobody's gonna win the job here now, Dick,
you know, uh, when they're not even in pads. But
we go into camp and if you're talking about concerns
for the football team, right guard is probably at the
top of the list, and certainly no lower than third.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Well, they don't have any established interior alignment period. I mean,
you know, look, every team's gonna have a rookie at
some point. Our guys graz Abel feel pretty good about him,
I think, right, but there's nobody established there. There's no
established left guard, right guard, or center. So we'll see
what happens come September. But here we got about ninety seconds.
I just want to give you the floor for anything
else from Mini camp that kind of stood out as
(15:07):
far as impressions for you that you think you're important
for people to know, Well, I would.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
Just say that there. I mean, god, I got a
whole page of notes. How do I get this? The
wide receiver situation you've got now, uh, I'm not going
to get into the numbers, but Coop, we're we're going
to be seeing more two tight ends, you know, full
back and what have you. So the wide rate last
year Cooper Cup was a wide receiver, meaning the widest
(15:31):
guy going against a corner almost assuredly thirty four point
seven percent out of out of all receivers qualifying. There's
one hundred and thirty one qualifiers that had twenty more targets.
Cooper Cup was one hundred and sixteenth out of one
hundred and thirty one. JSN was outside just fifteen point
six percent time. That was one hundred and thirtieth out
(15:51):
of one hundred and thirty one qualifying receiver. So here
here we're talking about on the one hand, while we
got a fullback from Alabama oots and we're doing what
we're gonna We're gonna have more just two receiver sets,
but we've got receivers that were only outside. DK Metcalf
was fifth out of one hundred and thirty one. He
was eighty six point four percent was an outside. You
get Marcus Valdez Scanley and he was an outside. He
(16:14):
was twenty second out of one hundred and thirty one.
He was at seventy eight percent and change. But Marcus
Scanley got cut in the middle of the year, and
he had for the Buffalo Bills, who had this MVP.
In six games, he had two catches zero in the
last three.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
He got cut.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
He was on the street for a week and then
he signs for minimum with the Saints. And so I
like the idea. Yeah, MVS is a wide receiver, but
how accomplished is he? And so I just think the
idea of you know, the best the receivers they have
that they're counting on. They're better in the slot, they
have the experience in the slot, not so much on
(16:50):
the outside. That's that's a big theme for me that
I'm watching moving forward.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Hey, Hewet, great stuff. Enjoy the weekend, and we'll talk
on Monday.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
All right, buddy, rock and roll guys, sammerdown.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Humilling with us. We're gonna break.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Rainiers are on the field right now taking BPS and
Mod Taylor is gonna hop buy and say hello. He's
had a couple of cups of coffee right up in
the big leagues and the last couple of years he's
down here with the Rainiers. Chuck Powell's got the call
with Riley pay on the Am nine to fifty AM
at seven o'clock.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
So check it out.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
We'll get to our bracket as well, the most unforgettable
sports moments of the last twenty five years, and yes,
Kobe Bryant dying on a helicopter crash is on the list.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
We're gonna discuss all that at five live.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
From Cheney at Tacoma. Right here on ninety three three KJRFM.
Speaker 5 (17:35):
Pod casting live from the R and R Foundation Specialist
Broadcast Studio. Now back to Softie and Dick powered by
Emerald Queen Casino, the Betty and Capital of the Northwest
on Sports Radio and NTTI three point three KJR FM.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
You know, I was just thinking to myself, Dick, as
we sit here in Cheney Stadium at Tacoma for the
Rainiers game tonight. Chuck Powell's got the call tonight with
Riley pay Over on AM. I'm at nine fifty Andy,
are you in the broadcast too? You're part of that tonight?
You're getting bumped?
Speaker 2 (18:04):
How about that? Man? You kidding me?
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Kicking them out?
Speaker 1 (18:06):
My guy Andy gro wakes up every day and just
lives for the radio broadcast that has got nothing else
going on, and Chuck Powell, who does our morning show,
is coming down and kicking them off the air and
then make him watch him work. So Chuck does Second
Times People tonight over on nine to fifty AM.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
But some odd Taylor.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
It's kind of becoming a tradition that when we come
down here to Cheney Stadium at Tacoma. At least once
a year we get to talk to our favorite Rainier,
Sam Odd Taylor.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Who's with us? Now? How are you?
Speaker 4 (18:35):
Man?
Speaker 6 (18:35):
I'm doing good? How are we doing it good?
Speaker 1 (18:37):
I you know, I think I'm gonna try to do
an impression of you if I can, so I can
then call Jerry Depoto on the phone and say, Jerry's
some on call my ass up?
Speaker 2 (18:46):
Man? What do I gotta do? And you gotta come
on to the major leagues?
Speaker 4 (18:50):
Ever?
Speaker 1 (18:51):
Look at these numbers, nine ten ops, ten bombs, thirty
seven ribies, nineteen for twenty two stolen bases in fifty
six games. You just mentioned it off the year. You
gotta just control the control of the balls. But you
got to be pretty happy with the way you're performing
down here.
Speaker 6 (19:05):
Man, to go back to last year, I kind of
was riding the road coaster a little, made some adjustments
in the offseason, and then they're showing up on the
field now. So I can't complain about it. I'm I'm
blessed and happy to still be able to put a
uniform on and be a part of the organization.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
What were the adjustments you made? What you work on
just from.
Speaker 6 (19:25):
The mental side and just clear my mind. And big
thing is just be present where you're at. Like you
just said that I should be in the big leagues,
but I'm here in Triple A, I'm in Tacoma, I'm
president where I'm at. I'm happy with what I'm doing,
and just keep doing what I do and see where
the ball rolls at the end of the year.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Love it.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
You mentioned last month, consistency in the box has been
the key. What does consistency in the box mean to
Samant Taylor?
Speaker 6 (19:51):
Consistency is it just goes back to trusting with trusting
what you work on.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
We work, we work our butt.
Speaker 6 (19:58):
Off every off season U seasons five to six months
or a couple of months, whatever it may be, and
you grind, you grind, you grind, and as soon as
you get the season, something happens and you're quick to
veer away from what you worked on. And consistency, to
me and my own game is just trusting everything I
(20:19):
worked on and just keep doing it, keep chucking through
it and know there's a lot at the end of
the tunnel. And like right now, I think two weeks ago,
I started the week off at like three forty two
or something like that, and I'll cool down a little.
But it hasn't really been a cool down. It's just
been swinging out of what my plan is and getting
away from my plan. So I want to get back
(20:40):
to my plan. We'll see those those numbers climb back up.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Gotcha.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
Well, somebad Taylor again is with us. And you've obviously
had the experience of being a Major leaguer thirty eight beautiful,
wonderful games right so far at the big league level.
And you're you're probably too young to know the movie
Bull Durham with Kevin Costner and those guys from back
in the day, but there's a scene and they're on
the bus and Kevin Costner looks at the guys and says,
(21:03):
they throw ungodly breaking stuff and exploding sliders in the
Major So you've now had a taste of it. Is
the accurate? What's the difference? And how filthy are the
pictures up there versus the ones that you're singing down here?
Speaker 2 (21:16):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (21:16):
I mean it's the big leagues, baby, It's a big difference.
I think just consistency around the zone here, you getting
no count foulc cool pitches off by yourself a good
pitch to hit up there. It's battle, battle, battle, and
then you gotta see some nasty some nasty sliders and
splitters or whatever the secondary pitch is. But I would
(21:39):
just say, like just consistency around the zone and the
other stuff may move a little different and whatnot. But
for the most part, the game is really games the same.
Another row of seats, better lights, better food.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
Better food. I was gonna say, better food.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
What's the spread inside your clubhouse now versus the one
like that you got to seeat.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Oh, I mean, tell us that's terrible. I hope Aeron's
not listening right now.
Speaker 6 (22:09):
But I mean, I'm not a real big eater before
the game, right right, try to keep myself light on
the feet. But today I went and got some.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Shrimp fried rice, So okay, I'll.
Speaker 6 (22:20):
Kind of grab some before you get to the field,
just based off of what the schedule says. But for
the most part, the spread after the game is it's
always pretty good.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Gotcha? Gotcha?
Speaker 4 (22:30):
So in those thirty eight games of Softie was talking
about seventy A b's in the bigs, What have you
learned that you will take with you the next time
you go faced all those nasty breaking sliders.
Speaker 6 (22:42):
I would say, just get your swing off early. If
I can close my eyes and go back to the
seventy at bats I've had, I would like to say
probably more than half of them, or with two strikes
and more than half of them, I'm probably taken the
first pitch that I know I could do something with. Like,
as soon as you get up there, you kind of
(23:04):
as a player, you kind of look into a lot
of different things. You don't want to swing at the
pitch that you would swing a head usually in Triple A,
or you don't want to do something this way, you
don't want to do something that way. But as long
as you just keep you keep the same game that
you played in Triple A up in the big leagues. Yeah,
shout out to Dan Wilson. He as soon as I
(23:25):
got up there this year, he was just be the
same player you are. Everybody knows what I do, get
on base calls, Havoc, play a lot of positions, put
together tough at that, but like like I said, you
get to the big leagues and you always feel that
you need to do something more than what you need
to do.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Right.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Well, samat Taylor's was us, and you mentioned it right there.
I was gonna ask you, how much do you communicate
with those guys?
Speaker 6 (23:47):
Right?
Speaker 1 (23:47):
Like, your coaches are down here with you every day,
but whether Edgar or Dan or position coaches or base
running coaches, you know whatever, maybe Holland or to Poto, whatever,
how much conversation is there on a on a daily
basis with those guys.
Speaker 6 (24:02):
Myself slim to none. I talked to Ey about base
running a lot, but other than that, I kinda I
kind of try to stick to the circle that I got,
not necessarily saying I'm opening up my circle, but I
kind of try to just hone into what I'm doing
here and just focus on what I'm doing here, because realistically,
(24:24):
if you're not handling your business here right, there's no
getting back to Seattle. So I feel like just staying
what I'm doing now and just keep working and keep working,
and know the man above has a has a plan
for me, and know that team has a plan for
me when it's when it's there, just be ready and
go out there and have some fun.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Love it.
Speaker 4 (24:41):
When you're tearing the cover off the ball and those
ops numbers get above nine, hundred. Is it harder not
to think about Seattle when you're really really playing good
ball up here? How much does that creep into your mind?
Speaker 3 (24:53):
A little bit?
Speaker 6 (24:57):
I would like to say, not nowhere near as much
as he used to. Being able to have a couple
of coffee in the big leagues in twenty three and
a week or so last year and a week this year,
you kind of you kind of get to a point
where you don't even really worried about the next step, because,
(25:19):
like I said, the next step isn't going to be
accomplished if I don't handle what I have to handle here.
So I just do what I gotta do here, And
like I said, when that, when that call comes, just
be ready and be the same playerff there.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Yeah, it says here in your Wikipedia page. By the way,
let me ask you before you go somebody taylor with us,
how much do you read your own Wikipedia page?
Speaker 2 (25:38):
They were checking out crazy. You just brought it up.
Speaker 6 (25:40):
I looked at it, uh about two weeks ago.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Okay, just randomly. Okay? Is it all accurate? By the way,
Married to Alexia Woodley, your first child, Aisen, Is that right?
Were born in twenty twenty four congrats on grew growing up.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
It says he was a fan of Sean Figgins by
the way, Oh my god, man legend.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Well, I will say.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
This that the Angel fans have a much different vision
of Sean Figgins than we do. Right, So what was
it about Sean Figgins as an Angel that drew you
to him?
Speaker 6 (26:14):
I was growing up, I was always the smallest kid
on the team. Always, I mean I'm still in the
smallest kid on the team, and watching him, like he
always had a baggy uniform, always like he was always
doing stuff the right way. And my dad introduced the
(26:35):
game to me, and I remember sitting at home watching
Angel Dodger series, the Highway series, and Sean Figgins walked
up to the play wear at number nine and.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
I can do that one day.
Speaker 6 (26:50):
And I kind of just followed his game, followed his game,
and for the longest I tried to do exactly what
he did. I tried to hit how he hit, tried
to throw, how he threw, field, how he fielded. I
tried to just do everything just like him. And then
I just kept following him, kept following him, and like
it was just my growing up, all time favorite player.
And then I kind of veered off into Jose Rays
(27:13):
and yep, so they got to Jose Rayes to.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
GoF I love it.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
So basically, any short guy was gonna be on your
favorite list.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
Be short guys.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
Well, there's some short kids somewhere right who's gonna be
in the stands tonight watching you play. Who's gonna say
I want to be like that guy? Because that guy short?
So you're speaking you play for all short kids. Everyone
forget that, right man? Hey, keep kicking ass down here.
Congrats on a hell of a start, and we'll see.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
You back up. I appreciate you. You bet.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
Samad Taylor with us on the air, we're gonna break
a little textimonials and then our bracket coming up. The
most unforgettable sports moment of the last twenty five years.
Kobe Bryant passing away COVID taking out the NBA season,
David Tyree's helmet catch, Lebron's decision.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
Where do these all rank? Will debate them at five?
I'm not three three k J R. F M.
Dave 'Softy' Mahler and Dick Fain News
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Ridiculous History
History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.