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It is. The JR Sport Brief Show here with you on the Infiniti Sports Network. Come to you live from Atlanta, Georgia. Much love and many thanks to everybody tuned in and locked in all over North America. I don't know where you are.
I don't know what you've been doing. But I'm glad that I'm in Atlanta. Thank you so much to our producer, helping to hold things down tonight, Ray Jarvis. And thank you to you again for tuning in. You can always listen on the free Odyssey app, your local Infinity Sports Network affiliate.
If you got SiriusXM, it's channel 375. If you got a smart speaker, ask the speaker, talk to the machine, and demand. That it plays the Infinity Sports Network. We got a lot of things to get into. We got a lot of people to chat with.
We got a lot of things to discuss. How about this? Jeremy Shapp. He he has a whole documentary coming out. this Sunday about Jim Abbott.
We're going to talk to him in about forty minutes. We're going to talk about what we saw last night between Bronnie James and son of Lebrun, and Cooper Flagg. Yeah, we're going to have a chat with my good friend, speaking of basketball, uh Coach Nick from B Ball Breakdown. And speaking of breaking things down, are the Lakers' relationship with LeBron is is that thing breaking down? Got some tennis going on here.
Djokovic, thank God he's out. We're entering into the Major League Baseball All-Star Break. Not quite, not quite. But we're pulling up on it. There's so much to get into.
And then we got people who it's the summertime.
Well, I guess people are going to get in trouble any time of the year. Gervante Davis was arrested. This guy has a big fight next month. Najee Harris is has an eye injury.
Okay, uh Yeah, we mentioned that last night. And then we got Football players getting scammed. Adrian Peterson in a celebrity boxing match. There's so much going on. And then of course at the end of the show We're going to talk about a few things that took place this day in sports history.
It has been July 11th. 2025 All day. Long. If you want to be a part of the show, you can do that too. Here's the number.
888-710-45. That's 888-710-45. Four. I S N. You can find me online.
I exist everywhere. At JR Sport Brief. Good to be here with you all on a Friday. Decided to show up today instead of disappearing off the face of the earth. I'm happy to be here.
Happy to have Ray hanging out as well. Ray, how are you, man? You've been smooth? I can't complain. I was a little bit salty earlier today because Apple Music didn't send me my email to attend the Cliffs listening event last night.
So I was salty seeing some of my friends there posting on the socials, but then I listened to the album and I got over it.
So I'm in a good mood now. I'm on the JR Sports brief as well.
So it's good spirits now. I'm happy. I'm happy. Well, why didn't Apple Music invite you? I think it was more or less a raffle situation.
You apply and you either get in or you don't. Um Wow. You're here now. I know I'm not a pusher to your malice, but I'm happy that you're here. JR was just fine.
Yeah, I'm okay. I'm okay.
Well, good to have you here, man. Uh always a good time hanging out with Ray. Anyway, let me repeat this again, because it's part of my job. 888-710-4ISN is the number if you want to give a holler. 888-710-4ISSNSNSNNN.
For I SN. I am at JR Sport Brief everywhere online. And speaking of jobs, Every day that goes by, we're going to get into Bronnie James and Cooper Flag and what that looked like. But every day that goes by, There's more and more that comes out about LeBron James. I don't think there's any new news as it relates to his tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers.
We know he opted into the final year of his contract at about fifty two million dollars. He has an expiring contract. Luka Doncic is eligible for a contract extension. Lebron James is on the other side of forty. Luca Well, he's in his mid-twenties.
Like we know who the future of the Los Angeles Lakers is. when Lebrun signed his deal? We all remember. His agent Rich Pohl decided to put out a statement. and basically said, Hey, You know, Lebron James still wants to go out here.
And compete. Like he wants to compete for a championship, and it was kinda vague, and it didn't make it clear whether or not LeBron still eventually wanted to be in Los Angeles, but it was pretty clear. that eventually, sooner than later, It's time in LA was gonna be up. And then we got an article today from ESPN. Shout outs to Ramona Shelborne.
We've had her here on the JR Sport Reef Show. Shoutouts to Windhorst. I never met the guy in my life, but I know LeBron doesn't like him. Doesn't matter about the story now, does it? And we got this story that basically just confirmed what makes all the sense in the world, but maybe there's some details that LeBron James did not appreciate.
Is that Lucas the face of the damn team? That's it. It's no longer LeBron. And how do we ascertain this? Where did how did we come to this conclusion?
Because they took Luca out to dinner. They Rob Polenka?
Okay. JJ Reddick His agent? They went to a fancy dinner at Craig's in Los Angeles. And they did not invite LeBron James Boo. Who?
Now let's also be real. Lebron James is not stupid. Did he need to be invited to the dinner? No. Would he have appreciated being invited to the dinner?
I'm sure. Why not? and apparently at this dinner They opened up shop like Luca is the guy, which he is now. What are we going to do with the team? How are we going to build the team?
How we gonna add money and add guys to the team into the future? LeBron James understands this, but he didn't appreciate. The fact that, hey, I signed with the Lakers, I delivered a championship to the Lakers, and you guys are just kind of moving me to the side already? Like Louie didn't want to be here. He would have stayed in Dallas.
LeBron's agent Rich Paul even reached out to Luca's agent and basically said, Oh, okay. Wow. We good. Don't worry about it. We good.
We may not be good, With the Lakers? It's a problem. It was also reported, kind of crazy, that Brooke Lopez, who went to the Clippers, and I'm like, who the hell goes to the Clippers instead of the Lakers? One of the reasons that Brooke Lopez did not return back to Los Angeles, where he played for like a season, is because of the uncertainty surrounding LeBron James. And Lebron James says He's put out some messages, right?
from his agent He's putting up photos of him hanging out in Cleveland and and uh wearing Calves gear, going to the Cavs' gym and everybody's going. What? He's sending. Subliminals. like a teenager would do.
Without having to shout from the mountain tops, I am pissed off. He's doing it. subtly. I mean, damn it, they added DeAndre Ayton. Teontre Ayton was just asked via ESPNL A.
Did you hear from Luca? Did you hear from Lebron? And apparently Lebron James got better things to do than reach out to his new center. Not not really yet, but I've definitely got a text from Lucla. Um I know how the off season go.
Um, you know, this is not my first row. Yo, people are probably busy and you know, training and having times with their families, but I'll I'm just waiting. I'm just really just trying to integrate myself with the team and get to know everybody. Yeah, look, Lebron, it LeBron's busy with his family. LeBron got a wife.
LeBron got three kids. Even one is working with him. The other one's going to college. I don't know how old this daughter is. She's old enough to play volleyball, but he got three kids.
They're all over the place. Come on now. He could take two seconds to reach out to DeAndre Ayton if he wanted to.
Now, does this mean LeBron James is going to wake up and go, I don't want to be here, move me? I don't think so. Not now, not to day I think it's going to be some time before LeBron James. ultimately says I want to move on. Maybe the end of the season.
I think he'll finish out the entire year. You know, let's listen to Brian Windhorst. He talked about this situation with LeBron and Luca and the Lakers on ESPN. There is no update, Dan. LeBron is continuing to watch, but he is still under contract for $53 million, which makes no matter what anything is said, both verbally or non-verbally, his likelihood of remaining a Laker.
I can't emphasize what I'm about to say enough. Regardless of who they sign at center, regardless of what LeBron does with his option, regardless of any backup signings they make, the number one most important thing for the Lakers this offseason is getting Luca Doncic into a contract extension, which they can do after August 2nd. And I'm going to sound this warning now. He's probably not going to sign August 2nd. He's going to be playing with the Slovenian national team until mid-September, and he may not entertain that even issue until he comes back to the U.S.
at that time.
So it could be a long wait, but make no mistake: this offseason is not about LeBron for the Lakers, it is about Luca. Damn, wow LeBron James already doesn't like Brian Winhorst. He says this guy thinks he's my friend he's not. And now we're getting reports like this? Come on now.
I don't think LeBron is going anywhere. I think Lebron is going to go throughout the course of the season. And I think, uh, you know, the rubber might meet the road. Come the NBA trade deadline in in in February, if that But I think LeBron James will play out the entire season with the Lakers. And I think at that point He'll move on.
And so today's article, and all the reports from Ramona Shelborne and Brian Winhorst. They were all nice, but But when you boil it down, Where's Lebron going? Like, what team is going to wake up between now and I don't know, October and just say, yeah, we'll take on LeBron and his $50 million salary? I don't know anybody that's going to do that. I mean, you start thinking about some of the salaries that match up.
The Knicks are going to get rid of Carl Anthony Towns in exchange for LeBron for half a year? Like, I If he's not moved, When they start the season. I don't know how the hell you you you acquire. LeBron James. I don't know, man.
Hey, Ray, you think he's moving? Where's LeBron going? I think he's going to stay, at least through this year. Logic tells us that he's going to stay with the Lakers because. It's just good business for all parties involved, but From my purview, it just looks like Is this Bad breakup.
You know, you're in a relationship, you guys don't like each other anymore, but no one wants to actually make the first step towards breaking up. And it usually leads to somebody sending a cowardly text message and you break up that way. That's what this feels like. This feels like a very long breakup. And quite frankly, I believe LeBron wants to ask for a trade, but he wants to make sure Rob Palinke and Lakers brass front office, Genie Bus, et cetera, look as bad as possible.
He just doesn't want to come out and say, I don't want to be here.
Well, go ahead. That is an important thing. Like at this point the the anniversary of the decision was I think a couple of days ago. LeBron James has always been image conscious.
Now I'm not going to put him in the Russell Wilson category. Russell Wilson is Helping old ladies across the street. He's catching butterflies. He's hanging out with his family. Russell Wilson could never want anything like a.
A football trade. He could never want out. LeBron James, I don't think, is there to that extent. But there's always the veiled messages. There's always the little bits and pieces that let you know.
Hey, I'm I'm I'm thinking about this. And now that he's at the end of his career, let's be real. LeBron James, this is not going to be. I'd be shocked. if this were his last season.
I think he's gonna have at minimum One more after this. Because it I think it's well known. If this was going to be his farewell season, if I were the Los Angeles Lakers, I would be out here trying to monetize it. Let's print up the t-shirts. I'd be kissing his backside.
I would do everything possible. to squeeze every dime, dollar, penny, nickel, and quarter Addle LeBron James. And I know LeBron James would probably want to do the same exact thing.
So I think it's well known that this is not going to be. his last year. But one thing I don't think any athlete wants to do, especially when you have I don't want to call it complicated, but it is. He's played so damn long. When you've had such an illustrious career, when you have all these records like LeBron, do you want to be bouncing around?
And do you want to go to a team that you haven't already been to? Of course it's storybook and If he ends in Cleveland, if he Anything else after that just can get messy. I mean, are we going to think about LeBron James in another 10 or 15 years, like Michael Jordan? In a wizard's jersey, like a novelty, you would think that LeBron James would want to end his career just shooting and being on a team where he can contribute. towards a championship.
And maybe that's Cleveland. They've been pretty good over the years? Do do the Cavaliers need a a Jared Allen? Can they package up a Jarrett Allen in some of their depth and still keep Mobley and have Mitchell? And that that might be a team.
coming out of the East that could definitely compete. For a championship. But I just think the options are limited if you want to think about. His legacy. If you want to avoid the career Rainbow.
Uh a guy like Shaq. all these stupid uniforms that he put on that just looked ridiculous as he chased the ring in in Boston and Phoenix. You know, looking at Hakeem Alajuan. He didn't chase nothing. He was already a two time champ.
But looking at Hakeem in a Raptors jersey No disrespect to all the wonderful people in Toronto, but that was sickening. We've had so many stars. and their careers in different places. Aaron Rogers, we're going to find out sooner than later. Man, you wore that gangrene Yuck.
Now you're a stealer? Great, looks nice, but are is it gonna end nice? Not everybody gets the Tom Brady send off. And if you're LeBron James, I think the only place that you can end up to call it a rap It's just to go back home. To Cleveland.
He should be fortunate that at least right now You know, they're they're as close as can be. to being contenders. But of course the Lakers are gearing towards Lucca.
Next time invite Lebron James out to dinner too, okay? Hold on, but Cleveland, are are the Lakers just gonna let LeBron go to Cleveland for free? I don't know what the cap space is for Cleveland, but they have some very expensive players. Are you suggesting a cap space? Cavaliers and Lakers potential deal to get the king back home?
Yeah, I think we we got the trade deadline in February. I think that might be the only trade that makes sense. The only trade that would keep LeBron I don't want to say scot free the only trade that people would look at him and kind of just roll their eyes. The king goes home, Where it all started. Anything else after that?
Ah, well, Lebrun is well, he's always going to be criticized. Anything else? I think Lebrun, he'd he'd be a looked upon as having wanted to end of the career. It's like you went to the Lakers and then you went where? They say home is where the heart is.
I can't see LeBron James going anywhere else. If you don't want to be in Los Angeles, You already started to tease it on line, Lebron. Go back. To Cleveland. It's the JR Sport Re Show here with you coast to coast on the Infinity Sports Network.
We got so much to get into. I told you about this in about 25 minutes. We're going to have a conversation with Jeremy Schapp, who has a documentary that you can watch on television this upcoming Sunday. About Jim Abbott. Looking forward to that.
We're going to have a whole conversation about the Dallas Mavericks. A matter of fact, I told you, Bronny, the son of LeBron. Played basketball last night against Cooper Flag, or at least the Lakers played the maps. We'll talk about that on the other side of the break. We got a lot of summertime shenanigans.
We got NFL players who are getting shot in the face with fireworks. We got boxers who are unfortunately getting arrested for issues of domestic violence. It's quite horrific. We got my main man, Coach Nick, who's going to come on through. We're going to talk about a few things that took place this day in sports history.
We have so much to get into. We'll talk about Cooper Flag and Bronny on the other side. You locked in. Happy Friday. It's the JR Sport Reshow on the Infinity Sports Network.
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Yeah. It is the JR Sport Richot here with you coast to coast. on the Infiniti Sports Network. Right before we went to break we talked about this situation that is brewing between LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. We know Luca is the face of the franchise now.
Lebron James doesn't get invites to fancy dinners any more. Lebron James apparently didn't know that the Lakers were going to be sold, but Luca did. They're leaving LeBron in the dark. Like all of a sudden he's a little red-headed stepchild. No disrespect, it's a red-headed stepchildren.
Speaking of LeBron, His son was in action last night, Lebron wasn't there. Why, he's seen his son enough over the past year, right? Have to travel with the guy on the road sometimes. when he wasn't playing in the G League. Only in Los Angeles, by the way.
But he he didn't see his son. His mom did. A good portion of the country did. There were people sitting courtside in Las Vegas. who watched Brawny James, Play Cooper flag.
And they p were paying. twenty five hundred, three thousand dollars not me. No thanks. I was very good sitting in the studio watching and I didn't need to go to Las Vegas to watch Cooper Flag and Bronny.
Now, ultimately, the Mavericks won this Summer League game. Who cares? Eighty seven eighty five. And Bronnie James, he missed the the game winning three.
Okay, what a shock, what a surprise, Brawny. We haven't seen him be a great shooter, okay? But anyway. He has Scooper flags numbers. He played thirty-one minutes.
Ten points. Five of twenty-one shooting. That sucks. Six rebounds. Four assists Three steals.
and one block in thirty-one minutes. Yeah. It's his debut. What do you want him to do? He's not Kareem, he's not Yannis.
If you put Yannis out there, Yannis would have eighty. against this entire uh A SUMMER LEAGE SQUAD But Cooper Flag did have some highlights. after Bronnie James was defending him pretty well early on. Cooper Flagg went coast to coast with a one-handed slam. Listen to this from ESPN.
And here's flag. On the bready, punching it home. Welcome to the league Hooper Play. Yeah, that's one of his five shots that he made. He missed sixteen other shots.
This is what Cooper Flagg had to say about his performance. He know he sucked. Not up to my standard. You know, I'm gonna regroup. I'm gonna be alright.
You know, it's a new feeling, new environment, new teammates. But, you know, the guys touted down. You know, Miles, Ryan, they were amazing tonight. Max. Oh, and they were great tonight still.
You know, just, you know, they had my back. You know, I didn't have my best games. But I'm going to just keep going going forward. Yeah, it's his first game. Victor Wembanyama was even worse in his first game of Summer League, and people were looking at Victor Wembanyama like.
Oh, this dude from France. He sucks. He's gonna be a bust. I I I don't think anybody's saying that. Right now.
Cooper Flagg has all the time in the world, and now he's entered into a team if Anthony Davis is healthy. That and that's tough.
Well, now Anthony Davis is probably laying on his stomach right now. as he heals from a detached retina. You can't make this stuff up. When it comes down to anything. His stomach for a detached retina?
Yeah, you have to lay down. You don't know about that, the detached retina? No, you know what? You just broke news for me today. I just thought it sounded very slanderous considering Anthony Davis's injury history.
No. With a detached retina. They have to it see, it sounds weird, right? You would think you'd have a detached retina? And they'd say, hey, lay on your bl back and let the eye reattach.
No, no, no. That's interesting. It's the opposite. When you detach a retina, it is You have to lay on your stomach.
So he's probably in a dark room. With a pillow on his face, He's just laying down, face first, just in a dark room by himself. Man, tough being Anthony Davis.
Well I'm pretty sure you think he's getting like twenty massages while it's happening? I sure hope so. Yeah, I don't know. As long as it's not well, he's married, right? Yes, no Deshaun Watson energy.
Okay, I was just making sure that no Deshaun Watson was in. What's the other one? Robert Kraft, too, that's the. None of that stuff. But anyway, Cooper Flag is going to have a good time playing with him, I guess.
And then also. D'Angelo Russell is now out there, probably to take stupid shots away. From Cooper Flag.
So Cooper Flag can take the good shots. and D'Angelo Russell can take the stupid ones. Cooper Flagg was asked how the NBA compares to college. This is what Cooper Flagg had to say about that. Not up to my standard.
I mean it's just a different game. Different pace, different feel, different spacing. It's a lot of adjustments, but we'll be alright. It'd be fine. Yeah, he'd be fine.
He's just he's eighteen years old. He's already good. Give him a break. Uh Bronny, on the other hand. Uh Bronny is a little older.
Brody has the benefit of his dad being a LeBron James. He's 20 years old. I don't know how much better Bronny's gonna get. It's going to take some time. Bronny had eight points, two of eight from the field in 21 minutes, and then he missed the game winning three.
Bronnie talked about playing against Cooper Flag. And he's like, Yeah, he's gonna be good. I like him. You know, he's just a quick, powerful big.
So, you know, we got to do everything we can to, you know, stop him and slow him down. But he's a great player. He's going to get his sometimes.
So, you know, just got to do a great job to stop him down. And what about you? You suck, Bronny. Tell me about you. Trying to be myself, be as aggressive as I can, and make the right play for my team.
That's my motto, and that's what I'm going to stand by. Browney has played in three Summer League games so far. Ten points, two points, and then eight points last night. We talked about Lebron James and what may happen to him. If LeBron James leaves, he can't leave his son in LA.
Can he be a throw-in in that calves trade? Oh, absolutely. Just throw him in there. We don't want anything else. Just take him.
Come on. Can you imagine? It's impossible to even think about it. LeBron James gets moved to wherever he goes. Bronny's going to stay on the Lakers, you think?
Hell no. He's gotta go. He has to. It's been an internship the entire time anyway. Ye's what?
It's been an internship the entire time anyway. He can go. Ouch. You know what? That that If and when Lebron leaves, And Bronny goes with him or to another team.
Yeah. No, he has to go with him, I guess. You know, that that makes it look even worse. It looked bad enough last year. I put a video up on on social media.
And I I basically said Bronnie James is not that good. This is before he even played. And people were agreeing and other people were tearing me to shreds and I'm just I'm just being honest. Like and now we've we've seen him play partially for a year. I think when he played in the G League I don't know, 17, 27 games.
He averaged about 18 points. Good for him. God bless him. How's that going to translate over to the NBA? And we already know it is a.
It's a nepotism higher.
Okay, fine, great. But it just doesn't look good. It's going to look even worse. If Lebron James decides to leave, he does have no trade clause. He can go wherever the hell he wants, if somebody wants him.
But if he takes his son with him, I mean, l Bronny is here right now at this point in time. Just a git clown. I mean, he's better than any of uh what, Marcus Jordan played college boy. He's better than him. But Man, this Bronnie eventually.
is going to have to stand on his own two feet the best way. That he can. And thank God he's standing on his own two feet. We know about his health issues with his heart. But man, he he just uh can't catch a break.
And he'll look good Last night against Cooper Flag. Played some good defense, but it did not. Look. good at all. And at that point now, dare I say summer league over?
Like I I got no interest in all the games. Like I will wait to see Ace Billy. I I've All of the guys. I'll wait until October. I don't well, I'm here in the studio anyway while the game's on, but I do not need.
to wait. at all. It's the JR Sport Reshow here with you, Coast to Coastal and the Infinity Sports Network. You know, that's something that took place. last night.
I'm going to tell you about something. that's going to take place on Sunday. We have Southpaw, the life and legacy of Jim Abbott. We're going to come back on the other side of the break and we're going to have a chat. With Jeremy Schapp.
Oh, yeah, you know him big time. All things baseball, ESPN.
Well, South Paw is going to be on ESPN. And I'm going to talk to Jeremy Schapp about this documentary, why they're doing it now. We'll talk some baseball. We'll talk some all-star break. We got a lot to get into.
We'll have that chat with Jeremy Schapp on the other side of the break. But right now, it is time for a news flash. Here he is. It's Rich Ackerman. Business owners know every missed call is money left on the table.
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Openphone.com slash odyssey. Open phone. No missed calls. No missed customers. It is the JR Sport Reshow here with you coast to coast on the Infinity Sports Network.
Man, it's so much to watch, so much to pay attention to in the world of sports. We're pulling up on the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. We have NBA's Summer League. I guess every now and then we'll get a crazy NFL story. But something that you should pay attention to this upcoming Sunday on ESPN is Southpaw.
This is a story On the life and legacy of Jim Abbott. You might know Jim Abbott, born without a right hand, made it in Major League Baseball, Cy Young votes, no hitter, had a lot of ups, had a lot of downs coming out of Flint, Michigan. And someone who helped bring this story to life is someone who is on ESPN, multiple-time Emmy winner, ESPN Sports Reporters, here with an E60 documentary. Joining us right now is Jeremy Schapp. Jeremy, thank you for taking the time to chat with us.
Thanks so much for having me on, JR. Absolutely. Thank you for the time.
Well, why now? This is, I know time flies. To me, it seems like yesterday, you know, watching Jim Abbott throw that no-hitter, probably the highest point of his career. But why now at this point in 2025 is this story out with us?
Well, I think one of the things that's really interesting, JR, about Jim Abbott story, and I'm just a couple years younger than Jim. I was covering professional sports. I was covering Major League Baseball when he was pitching in the majors. But You know, it was pre-internet. It was pre-social media.
And there's an entire generation. Maybe a generation and a half of sports fans who are unfamiliar with his story. He's told his story. He wrote a book. There have been previous projects, documentary projects about Kim Abbott, but it's not only that a lot of people don't know it.
and that it's just a different time. But it's also, I think, the approach we took to telling his story for this documentary is a little bit different. Is structured around the no-hitter that he pitched 32 years ago at Yankee Stadium, which is kind of a narrative spine, really, to the story. Uh but then we dip back in and out of his life story. And beyond his life story.
It's also the story of all the lives that he made an impact on. And that's. Legacy piece of it. And sometimes, you know, we say the life and legacy, and it's almost. merely rhetorical.
But in this case, the legacy part of it is the most significant part. ESPN's E60 Jeremy Schapp is here with us as we talk about the life and legacy of Jim Abbott. A lot of times when these documentaries are put together, and I know Jim was integral in this story and telling of it, especially the screening you guys had earlier this week, typically the subject finds out more about themselves or they realize some things and put pieces together. How was it working with Jim? Did he reveal anything?
Did he learn anything? Did you learn anything that you didn't know about them?
Well, I learned a lot through this process, you know. You know, Abbott's story is remarkable and You know, the details. of how he approached being a role model. being an inspiration, what that was like for him. And I think we, you know, we went to a level of emotional candor, I think.
with Jim talking about all of that, that's really interesting. And one of the things that he's been saying, and Jim's been great, he's been so generous with his time, he's such a gracious guy, and he's been talking about the process of making this documentary. And he said I think what it drove home for him more than anything else is just how many lives he affected. How many people were inspired by him? Certainly, people.
in um the limb different community. Which isn't even a term that we used, of course, when Jim was pitching. back in the 1990s and 1980s but It's almost impossible to overstate. how much he means to so many people who had struggles similar to his. Who had disabilities similar to his.
And people. Uh who who who were confronted with any kind of difficulty or challenge that they might have thought was insurmountable. And that's why I think especially when he pitched that no-hitter. I mean, there's the whole arc of his career, the whole. Triumphant arc of reaching the major leagues and winning an Olympic gold medal and finishing third in the Cy Young ballot.
And he was a, you know, a very good. Yeah. Major League pitcher. But that no-hitter, too, right? It's one of these moments that we can seize upon that signifies so much.
Jeremy Shapp is here with us talking about South Paul, the life and legacy of Jim Abbott. It will debut this Sunday, 9 p.m. on ESPN. You guys did the screening. I know you were there.
Michael Kay was there. Of course, Jim was there. How was it to see that screening come to life? What was Jim's reaction at the end of it?
Well, you know, we've done a few events now with Jim, and we've been trying to promote the film, talking about it. um getting people involved um We did three this week, actually. Two in New York. One in Bristol, Connecticut, at ESPN headquarters. But the film was initially screened last November.
At the New York Documentary Film Festival. And it was a great honor for the film to be. included in the film festival. And that was the first time that I was there while Jim got it. It was the first time Jim had seen it actually.
Back in November. And, you know, I think he's very emotional watching it. You know, he's. He was with his wife, Dana. And of course, he was there.
He's on camera for about 95% of it. But seeing it put together the way that it was, and I got to tell you, I'm. I don't think of myself as somebody who wears his emotions on his sleeve or who. Cries a lot in public or anything like that. I don't think of myself as that guy, but every time I watch this, It does bring me to tears.
It's so poignant, and it was so beautifully put together by the director, Mike Farrell, my colleague. At E60, who spent the better part of the last two and a half, three years. putting this film together and with such Uh Such talent and such thoughtfulness. And And again, Jim has been incredibly gracious. He's been out doing a lot of media, he's been doing a lot of screenings.
He was in the booth at Yankee Stadium the other night. He threw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium. I got to say, the Yankees have been incredible too. They've really embraced the project. And it's been remarkable.
We use the stadium We shot one of the main interviews with Jim at the stadium two summers ago. And I had the privilege of being at the stadium watching Watching the broadcast from September 4th, 1993 of the no-hitter on the big screen with him. And it's just the two of us up in the stands, you know, watching it. That was really cool. That's not bad.
Well, let me tell you something, Jeremy. You might want to deliver. I've never met Jim, I don't think. I'll tell you this. The way the Yankees pitching is going right now, they may want to call Jim up, okay?
I think that there was that sentiment was expressed, I think, when he was up in the Bronx. Oh, I'm sure he heard about it. Make sure that you check out South Paul: The Life and Legacy of Jim Abbott. It debuts this Sunday. At 9 p.m.
Eastern Time on ESPN, we're having a chat with Jeremy Schapp. Jeremy, I can't let you get out of here. Without expressing some type of sentiment surrounding a Major League Baseball. One thing that really caught my attention. Is there usage uh this Tuesday during the All Star game?
of this automatic ball strike challenge system. Of course, they want to put it up on the main stage. What are your thoughts on what will ultimately w we're going to see it in the big league sooner than later. What do you think about it? Keep it.
Yeah, you know, it's what I've done some reporting on it. I'm not really up to speed with exactly the way it's going to work right now and what the um but the hopes are I know there was You know, there were the um The way they tried it out in some of the minor leagues, right? But what is the schedule right now? Update me because, you know, I don't. I'm not sure if I can do it.
On Tuesday, specifically, they're going to utilize it in the All-Star game. And so both teams, the AL team, the NL team, they will have the option if they should choose. of utilizing a challenge.
So we're going to see it in the bigs. At least for one night on. Yeah, I think it's interesting. I think it makes sense. Um, I am certainly someone who has been guilty of on multiple occasions, uh, innumerable occasions, human error.
And I've always appreciated the human elements. of officiating um But that argument does not carry as much weight as it used to, you know, and We have so much. technology now. Uh it's become So inexpensive relative to what it used to be like. And if you have the technology, we almost you know it It's almost as if we can't stand in the way of progress, you know, whether it's.
You know, the hawk guy from tennis, or you know, what we're seeing in football, and we have seen. Um You know, the officials want to get it right. They don't want um They don't want to get it wrong. You know, if you can manage it in a way. where um it does not Slow down the game so much, right?
And I think we're figuring them out. I'm in favor of getting things right. Yeah, I feel you on that one. I love the aspect that the the pitcher Or the catcher Well, the batter has to be the one to go out there and make the challenge, which will listen, all the players are always right.
Well, we're going to find out about that sooner than later. We'll find out. Hey, Jeremy. Thank you so much for the time. Please tell everybody again where they can watch.
South Paw and how they can follow you as well.
Well, thank you. Yeah, Southpaw, it's premiering Sunday night after the first round of Major League Baseball draft. 9 o'clock Eastern Time on ESPN and I don't know why anybody would want to follow me, but I'm at Jeremy Schaff on Instagram and Twitter and all that stuff. But I'm terrible at it. I'm a dinosaur.
Well you can't be a dinosaur, you using it. You got it, you're okay. I kind of use it, you know, reluctantly, reluctantly. It still kind of escapes me exactly. But I can see how it's dangerous.
I'm still trying to figure out what the real benefits are. Yeah, well, I think a lot of people are looking for the. You could either make it, it's like any other tool, Jeremy, social media. Either doing something good with it. I could take a hammer and build a house, or I could bash somebody's heads in, and sorry for the extremes.
That's right. It's what it is.
Well, thank you so much, Jeremy. We're all going to be tuned in. Have a wonderful weekend. We look forward to catching you all down the line, okay? Thanks, Chair.
No doubt about it. That Jeremy Schapp, multiple time Emmy Award winner with ESBN, host of E Sixty, host of ESPN's Sports Reporters. Thank you again to Jeremy Schapp for coming on through and having that chat. I'm looking forward to it. Jim Abbott, I remember watching him throw that no-hitter in the Bronx.
And he brings up an excellent point. Like if that were to take place, At any point now in the social media era, the social media time. Jim Abbott would have been one of the world's biggest athletes. Flat, period, no ands, ifs, or Or butts about it. He would be one of the world's biggest athletes.
And so hopefully, this ESPN documentary that is going to debut on Sunday can help shine a light on what he did, what he accomplished, and how he has just continued to inspire. Are so many. There's nothing wrong with telling a good story. You know, we just joked about social media and what can come of it and Most of it is negative. Man, that that that would be a positive story.
that would have been broadcast.
So this this documentary on Sunday Will hopefully open up a lot of eyes to what Jim Abbott accomplished. A lot of positivity. Thank you, Jeremy, for joining us. It's the JR Sport Reef Show here with you coast to coast on the Infinity Sports Network. We're going to take a break.
When we come back on the other side, Unfortunately I got to tell you about something that's not positive. Najee Harris Burn in his eye. Javante Davis using his hands in a way that he's not supposed to. It's the JR Sport Reshow, The Infinity Sports Network. Business owners know every missed call is money left on the table.
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