I'ma put you on, nephew.
Alright, Unc. Welcome to McDonald's. Can I take your order? Miss, I've been hitting up McDonald's for years.
Now it's back. We need snack raps. What's a snack rap? It's the return of something great. Snack rap is back.
Great to have you guys with us, Mark Ryan. Here on the JR Sport Prief, rolling on until 10 p.m. Eastern Time, 7 p.m. Pacific, one more hour, but plenty of time for you to get in. You can do so.
At 888-710-4ISN. That's 888-710-4476 on the show. Hey, I want to tell you that this, we've got a NASCAR race preview coming up, and it's sponsored by WeatherGuard Truck and Van Equipment. They're just as driven as the hardworking pros they serve. This weekend's NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway.
The Auto Trader Echo Park Automotive 400 promises high drama on the Monster Mile. Joey Logano makes his 600th Cup start, becoming the youngest to hit that milestone, while eight drivers battle to reach the in-season challenge final. With its slick concrete surface and narrow groove, Dover puts a premium on tire management and track position. Veterans like Kyle Bush and Austin Dillon excel here, but Rising Stars will push hard in this elimination round. Expect aggressive strategy, physical driving, and potential surprises as every point matters.
Well, unfortunately, there were a couple of people at Gillette Stadium for the Cold Play concert that got cold played. They We're engaging in some warm play of their own, and they were scoring some points, unfortunately, off the field and it outside of their marriage. And I gotta tell you guys, you know, I guess we've reached the portion of the program where I bring you into my personal life and my personal feelings. Um to me, there are three deal breakers in any relationship, and here they are. Abuse, drugs, and cheating.
Anything else besides those three? we can have a conversation. We can talk about that. d different political stances, we can work our way through that. or at least I'm willing to try.
But those three things, that's do not Pasco, do not collect $200. See you later. Don't let the door hit you where the good Lord split you. Cheating, abuse, or drugs. I have somebody who was a very, very, very good friend of mine.
who one day Oh, I want to say this was about Six years ago or so. called me and told me and went on this sob story about how he was cheating on his wife. and he was looking for some empathy. And I lit into him. with a bunch of language that I can't use on the ear.
And I gotta tell ya, I really thought long and hard about telling his wife. Because I knew both of them. I was friends with him. I only knew knew her through him. But I knew both of them and I thought about telling her.
Because why should her life be wasted living a lie? I ended up not doing that. For the simple fact that my family and friends advised me against it, but it took everything I had not to do that. I ate like I detest cheating. I have never cheated.
My wife has never cheated. in our lives. We don't understand cheating. If you want to cheat, get out of your relationship. Then it's not cheating.
The difference between the lifestyle that Derek Jeter led and the lifestyle that Tiger Woods led are two words: I do. Derek Jeter didn't say them. For. The vast majority of his playing career. Tiger Woods did.
That's the problem. We dislike in this country liars. We value a genuine quality. And when these people at the Cold Play concert, ducked and covered and ran. When they were on the kiss cam.
Because they look like a couple. Um you know They were exposed as obviously engaging in something that they shouldn't have been engaging with. You do a little bit of investigation. This is the CEO of the company, Astronomer. This is the HR head of the company, Astronomer.
And they are both married with children to other people. Shame on them. And this has transcended sports. This is everywhere. Tonight, as a matter of fact, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, the Philly Fanatic and his wife started going around tonight with the Kiss Cam, and then they showed the Philly Fanatic and Mrs.
Philly Fanatic. I don't know what her name is, Philly Fantasia. I have no idea. They showed them, and they played these two people from the other night. Imagine the hilarity when two mascots in full mascot regalia are ducking and running behind poles and benches.
I mean this this is on social media right now. They do the kiss cam, and all these couples are laughing, and they're all kissing one another. And there's people that have signs that say, This is my wife, you know, next to me. Then they show the mascots, and the mascots play these two people who were clearly engaging in something they were not supposed to engage with. In case you missed the audio, here's what it sounded like the other night from Gillette Stadium, Cold Play concert playing.
They're doing the kiss cam, and here is the lead singer of Cold Play realizing. that he essentially is catching two people in the act. Oh look at these two.
Alright. Come on, you okay? Oh, what? Either they're having an affair or that it's very shy. Oh, they're not very shy.
They are definitely having an affair. Ryan Botcher. Um,. Did I do the right thing not telling my friend's wife? Or should I have told my friend's wife?
I am still conflicted about this all these years later. I'm not going to go back on it now. I didn't do it, but I had the hardest time not doing that. It just like it It would have been the end of my friendship. Um but it bothered me to such a degree that I almost had to do it.
I heard something that I had to do. And because I put cheating in the same category as abuse or drugs. I would tell somebody about abuse.
So, therefore, why shouldn't I tell somebody about cheating? Did I do the right thing, Ryan? Personally, I I think it depends on how m much and how well. You know? Your friend's girlfriend.
Yeah. If it's someone I've known for a while before my friend, I'm telling them immediately. Or basically right away. Other than that, if you have like known if this like if this girlfriend has they've only been together like Three months, I wouldn't. No, no, no.
They're married. Oh, they were married? They're married. Okay. But they're married, and I had.
I knew her. But I wasn't friends with her. I only knew her because I was friends with the guy. You know? And it like I cursed him out.
I screamed at him on the phone and then I got off the phone and I'm like, I gotta tell her. And then my family and my friends were like, Mark? It's kinda like when, you know, those nature documentaries that you watch, they never interfere. You know, like the bird has a broken leg and they know the bird has no chance to survive, but they say you cannot interfere. That's like the rule of filming nature.
And that's the way it was positioned to me. Like you can't interfere with their life. You have to let it play out. I don't know, man. It killed me.
All of which is to say to you guys: here's the sports tie-in that I want to get to. When have you felt Like your team was cheating on you. Have you ever felt like that in your life? in your existence. I'm sure Ryan Botcher has, and we will get his example.
But I have a set of examples on my own. And what qualifies as cheating? from your team on you. Like, what would you say? What does it take for your team to be cheating on you?
Uh I'm taking advantage of you. showing no sense of Commitment to contending? Just taking your money and cashing in year in and year out, And then betraying your trust. You know, um be betraying your trust. You know, the Miami Marlins were the worst at that.
Jeffrey Lauria. Said, you know, please build me a stadium. I'm going to sign all these incredible players. They get him his stadium, and he sells off all the players. Oh, wait a minute.
We we bought you the stadium under the pretense that you were going to feel the winning team. And as soon as he got his stadium, peace. Deuces. He cheated on the city of Miami. He cheated on the Miami Marlins.
Shame on them. That is Sports's version. of cheating. I would tell you that as a Florida Gator fan, the entirety of the Will Musk Champions. I felt like I was being cheated on.
Like I'm like, oh my god. I have had an urban mire. And I have had Steve Spurrier, and now you are asking me to to stomach this? This is like going from a filet mignon to rump roast. Um and I am not interested in the rump roast.
I'm not interested in the strip steak. None whatsoever. Like I feel like I felt like my program was asking me to accept such a downgrade that it felt tantamount to cheating to me. You know, there was a deep violation of trust. Another one that I have for you.
Is that, you know, I was an Orlando Magic fan back in the day. They traded the Orlando Magic did in his prime. They traded Tracy McGrady For Steve Francis I mean Think about this, a guard who can't shoot. How is this a good idea? Steve Francis, Catino Mobley, and Kelvin Cato.
How about Calvin Helno? That's how I felt about that trade. Um I felt cheated on. Imagine you wake up one day and T-Mac is your guy and you got posters on your wall and you can't wait for every game and now I got a guard who can't shoot. Like I guys, I'm telling you.
I was legitimately cheated on. Conclusively cheated on. by my sports team. And these were things that are so painful. that even all these years later, I haven't forgotten them.
You know, it's like one of those things you never got over. You know, they asked Shaquille O'Neal in the Orlando Sentinel. They asked readers of the Orlando Sentinel, is Shaquille O'Neal worth a hundred million dollars? And ninety percent of people said no. The next day, he signed with the Lakers.
I've never forgiven the people of Orlando for doing that. I've never forgiven the Orlando Sentinel newspaper. for doing that.
Alright, you don't want me here? You don't think I'm worth what they're telling me I'm worth? See you later. I felt cheated on. And I don't know what it's like to be cheated on.
Because I've never felt what it's like to be cheated on. I will not get too far deep into the weeds on this, but there is a serious. Note here too. When I was a kid, I was growing up in Houston, Texas, and I had three really, really, really close friends. And together, the The three of us came to be known by the name the Three Musketeers.
And it was myself, George, and Robert.
Well, Robert was 24 years old, and he was engaged. and during the course of his work day one day, his fiancee, Called him up and told him that. She was cheating on him. And Robert didn't tell anybody this, and Robert went home and ended his life. And that is something that I have never gotten over.
I wish I could have held on to him. and said to him, Robert, There's going to be ten more of these girls. You're 24 years old. It's not worth it, my dear friend. but the pain in the moment was too much for him.
Thankfully, I've never experienced that pain. I've experienced breakups and heartache, and it's brutal. And the hardest thing to do is to get on the air and host a sports talk show. When you're going through a breakup, because you're not feeling it, you're not feeling anything. But I've been through that.
So in what ways has your team your sports team ever cheated on you. 888-710-4ISN. That number again is 888-710-4476. Ryan Botcher, have you ever felt cheated on? by your team.
What did your team do to you? to make you feel like there must be someone out there that's better for me. I fully believe that the Wolpon era of the New York Mets was one of the worst times of my life. Just the fact that he didn't want to pay Zach Wheeler, and he went to a division arrival, and now is. traumatized us for the last, I don't know, five years.
It's just that's hard to take in. And then, on top of that, the Brooklyn Nets and Joe Sai. His whole argument and whole beef With Kyrie Irving. just ruined a potential dynasty. With the franchise because he pissed off Kyrie, Kyrie didn't want to play, Kyrie didn't get vaccinated, he suspends Kyrie, a bunch of other things go down.
Next thing you know, they all request trades. And the team is back in the gutter. Yeah, I mean like you went through something That was proof positive that you You were being taken advantage of. That your owner had no intention to field a winning team, and he was going to continue to play you. He was going to continue to cold play you.
to the point where you had no leg to stand on. You were cheated on. Officially. What is the example for you with your team? of you being cheated on.
Cold play style. The company astronomer style. And if you have not seen this video yet, like my parents were out of town this week, they might be hearing this show right now, and they might be saying, I haven't seen this video. Mom and Dad, it's all over social media. Just look up Cold Play, Boston.
It'll be right there. And it is obvious these people are engaging in something that they're not supposed to be doing, and they're both married to somebody else. And I feel like, okay, you know, I feel like that's a forever meme now. They've become a forever meme. Like a diamond, those faces of O Bleep will last forever.
And they're never going to live that down. And they shouldn't. Shame on them. Shame on them for trying you know, the head of HR Isn't her role supposed to be preventing people from doing the sorts of things that she's engaging in? Every other video I watch when I do these courses for our company is all about avoiding doing things like she's doing.
She is the HR head making people watch videos where she's essentially saying, Do as I say, do not do as I do. Shame on you. Shame on both of you. Andy and Kristen.
Okay. 888-710-4ISN, that's 888-710-4476, is where you can get to us on the show. Coming your way next. Has any league ever been more beholden? On one singular plier.
That's next. My name is Mark Ryan, in for JR. It's JR's Sport Brief right here on the Infinity Sports Network. You're listening to the JR Sport Brief. Great to have you guys with us.
Mark Ryan here with you. In for JR, JR Sport Brief. On the Infinity Sports Network rolling on until 10 p.m. Eastern Time, 7 p.m. Pacific.
Man, oh man, oh man. You know, um now that I am in a market that has all the four major sports teams, It just feels like Your entire meal has been taken away from you when no sports are going on. And like, you know, the the Detroit Tigers last played on the weekend. They next play tonight. There's no other sports going on whatsoever right now.
And it was like the city just took a collective break the entire week. You know, it has been very, very quiet on the Detroit sports front, but we pick up tonight. We pick up tonight. The team with the best record in baseball, the Detroit Tigers, scoreless. In the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers.
Boy, have they been disappointing coming off the World Series win in 2023, not making the playoffs last year, and then sort of scuffling. Below 500 this year. One game under 500. We'll see if they can make something of the second half of their season. In the meantime, we can open it up to you at 888-710-4ISN.
That's 888-710-4476. We have asked you guys in dishonor Of the two people. That were caught apparently engaging in infidelity at the Cold Play concert in Boston. When have you felt like your team cheated on you? Johnny in the Big Easy.
Is up first on the show. Johnny, good to talk to you. You're on JR Sport Brief, the Infinity Sports Network. What's up, man? What's up, Mark?
How you doing tonight? Good, bud. Good to talk to you. I wouldn't really say it was my team. I would say it was the referees with the no or no call.
Dude, I gotta tell you, that was one of the most brutal things I've ever seen in my life. I do not know how that could be allowed to stand. And professional sports. all over the place. wore a black eye for the inability to get that right.
I am so sorry that happened to you. Ever since then, I lost faith in a lot of the officiating, but a lot of these games.
Well, I I can understand why. Because they got it wrong, and that was a game-changing play. And you know, it certainly is coach speak for coaches to say there's not one play that decides a game, B.S. That game was down to the wire and that play decided it. And it cost you guys the chance to advance in the playoffs.
Go to the Super Bowl Tennessee Championship game. Very, very heartbreaking. But the thing with the cold play incident. He could have at least played it off, acting like he was given a a Heimlich maneuver or something. I'm being Fly it off in some kind of way.
That's all. She was, but she was the problem. The problem is, Johnny. The problem is, Johnny, she was choking on her morality, not a piece of chicken. You know, that's the problem there.
But no, to your point, Johnny, we should not be rooting for the cheaters to get a way out. But it would have been such a smaller deal if they didn't even react. I mean, I bet you if they didn't react. In all likelihood, their original spouses would not have found out about it.
Now, I'm glad that they did react because I don't want those people to get away with that nonsense.
So I'm glad they panicked the way they should have. Yes. I do too. I think it's out to their spouses. Like you, I lost somebody about twenty years ago.
He found out his girlfriend was cheating and sure enough, So he could he took his own wife and then three weeks later she found out that she was actually pregnant with his kid. It was tragic. Oh, no. Oh, no. Yeah.
Johnny, I am so sorry for your loss as well. I am so sorry that happened. It's it's you know, these people are going through the worst days of their life, but you know, like, who had a worse day? The people who cheated or the people that were cheated on. Because those people now feel like national fools.
You know, the rest of America found out something. About my husband that I didn't know. And millions of people know something that I didn't know. The wife of that CEO changed her name on her Facebook page to her maiden name. Immediately when she found out that happened.
Right. And good for her. Good for her. My wife said I'd have done the same thing. Johnny, thanks for the call, man.
And I'm so sorry. They're showing it in Japan right now. This is worldwide. I mean, it's just not. in the States.
Great show as usual. I'll be listening for the rest of the night. Thank you, Johnny. I appreciate it very, very much. You know, it's like: if you are the cheater, if you are the criminal, Don't you have it like if i like if if the dude is going to rob the bank, one trait that all bank robbers have is that they're cool, common, collected.
These criminals, and I'm using that in air quotes because cheating isn't technically a crime. These criminals did none of those things. They freaked out the second they were on camera. And I'm glad they were outed. Let's get to Arthur in Louisville, who is up next.
I was in Louisville, Arthur. Uh last fall. Really enjoyed my time there. Go right ahead. Yeah, it's a hundred percent.
How you doing? I'm good, bud. Good to talk to you. So uh my uh franchise shooting its event. as a I'm a Diehard Barris fan.
And when they start Lovely Smith, I felt like I got cheated on. You you felt they you were cheated on when they fired him? Yep. Why when they fired him? Because you wanted him to stay on?
Yes, I wanted them to stay on. We had a ten win season Barely missed the playoffs. And I feel like when they fired him, that was the beginning of about ten years of mediocrity. And what have they done since then? Diddly poo.
Nothing. Diddly poo. They've done zero. since then. Arthur, you have every right to feel cheated on.
You know, the Bears made the move. That is an epidemic in society today. and that is, they thought the grass was greener. They thought there was somebody else that was out there. That was going to be better for them.
Well, you know what we do in society, Arthur, and in sports? We don't look at a relationship that's a seven. and say that's a relationship worth keeping. Hey, how can I make this relationship with Lovey Smith a nine? We say, I don't have a nine, I'm going to fire the seven.
And they never got a seven again. They never got that again. They should have nurtured that relationship and helped Lovey Smith become a better coach because he was doing well. Yep. Well I hope the guy we got now is the breath of the breath of fresh air we need is going to do well.
And uh I'm optimistic. Yeah, I saw Soldier Field in Chicago a couple months ago. I obviously am very familiar with Ben Johnson working in Detroit. I do not know Arthur. I'm not saying he isn't.
I'm just saying we don't have the information. as to whether he's cut out to be Batman. We know he can be Robin. But Wade Phillips in the past couldn't be Batman, was designed to be an assistant. Norv Turner couldn't be Batman, was designed to be an assistant.
Uh you can't make somebody something they're not. We don't yet know. if Ben Johnson can be the Alpha. He was the beta when Dan Campbell was here. We're going to learn and learn quickly.
I think the offense is going to be fun. The offense is going to be exciting. But I think it's going to be readily apparent that they drafted the wrong quarterback and should have gone with Jaden Daniels. Yeah, I wanted him to. I wanted them in real time, Arthur.
Real time. Yeah, you have a right to be optimistic. Arthur, would you believe, and thanks for the call, Arthur, would you believe that in terms of projected wins and losses, That division, the NFC North. There is the smallest gap between the first-place projected team and the last place projected team. The Chicago Bears are projected to finish last in that division.
How many wins are they supposed to have? 8.4. The Detroit Lions are supposed to finish first in that division. How many wins are they supposed to have? 9.6.
The Minnesota Vikings are supposed to have 8.6 wins. The Green Bay Packers are supposed to have 8.8 wins. There's a grand total of 1.2 projected wins. Between first place and last place in that division. What does that mean?
That means anyone could finish first, and anyone can finish last.
So buckle up, hold on to your butts in the NFC South. Let's get to Jeff in also in New Orleans, who is up next. Hey Jeff, good to talk to you man. You are on the Infinity Sports Network. The world's greatest interactive program.
Honors. Ah, buddy, thank you so much. Means a lot. Thank you so much.
Well, it really is. The way you move through the callers, Mark, is just. It don't get much better than that. I really like it. Man.
It means the world. Thank you. Yes, sir. Johnny sold my thunder. I had the NOLA no call as well, so I'm going to ask you a different one.
But first, I'm going to tell you. I want to let you know, Jeff, that you can sue for somebody stealing your thunder in this country. People sue for everything.
So I'll have my attorney talk to your attorney, and we'll get that lawsuit underway. I'm just kidding, of course.
Okay. I I I'll I'll go ahead and start the process. I tell you what, Mark, I gotta tell you, man, some of your expressions, I just Are just unbelievable, man. I use one of them on a daily basis. I hope you don't know.
Which one did you use? No no, it's okay. Go ahead. I don't know. You used it a little while ago.
It's don't let the door split you where the I mean, don't let the door hit you where the good Lord split you. I almost blew it. That's right. That's right. You know where I got that one from?
Jeff, that was something Booker McFarlane said all the time when he was my co-host in Tampa Bay. Uh he said it all the time. And he also took one from me, Which with stats are like bikinis, they show some things, but not all. I got that from somebody I worked with back in the Florida panhandle.
So, you know, like, listen, we've got a mutual admiration society. You can steal mine as often as you want, okay? It won't burn my brownies, I promise you. Oh my God, I gotta write that one down too. Hey, uh, Wooker McFarland said that.
I should have known that. He's an LSU boy. But anyway, I'm going to give you my question here. Uh Another same question since Johnny took mine. How long do you think and I'm not going to hold you any specific years, but How long do you think before the Saints um you know, become relevant given the fact that they have quarterback room full of who's who's.
And Mark, I'll take your answer off the air, sir. You have a good weekend. No, man, thank you very much. And I appreciate greatly, Jeff, all the kind words, man. It means so much to me.
That is the big question. Look, you love Kellen Moore. You love what he's about. You love what you think the future holds for that team. You do.
At the same time, you have to figure out: you know, if you have two quarterbacks, you don't have one.
So who's the quarterback? You know, like it's It's they have one of the worst quarterback situations. that I think I have ever seen. Hunter Deckers from Iowa Western Community College, Jay Koener, Spencer Rattler, Tyler Shuck. I mean like Like, they would have more name recognition, Jeff, if you and I were quarterbacks on the roster.
Give me a break.
So I think they're cruising for a bruise in this year in 2025. The great news is it's an awesome quarterback draft class. Arch Manning and others are going to be available. And so you can reset. If none of these guys are the answer, you can find the answer.
So just this year, view this year not in terms of wins and losses, but in terms of setting the table for the future. And put yourself in the role of the coach and general manager. And say to yourself, okay, I'm not watching in the hopes of winning games. I'm watching in the hopes of figuring out which guys I want on this team long term. Which of these players can be part of our winning core?
And if you do that, temper expectations, you'll be in a much, much, much better space. 888-710-4ISN. That's 888-710-4476. Coming your way next in my life. I do not think one league has ever been more beholden on one individual player.
I will unmask. That's superhero next. My name is Mark Ryan. In4JR Sport Brief, right here on the Infinity Sports Network.
Now it's time for a sports update with Marco Belletti. I'm going to put you on, nephew. All right, um. Welcome to McDonald's. Can I take your order?
Miss, I've been hitting up McDonald's for years.
Now it's back. We need snack wraps. What's a snack rap? It's the return of something great. Snack wrap is back.
Looking to earn a business degree that fits your busy life? UNC Greensboro's Bryan School of Business and Economics offers flexible, fully online programs with courses as short as seven weeks. Get the same high quality education as you would on campus, with the convenience and affordability of online learning. Explore a variety of in-demand programs. Don't wait.
Apply now to start this fall. Visit brian. UNCG.edu to apply today. You're listening to the JR Sport Brief. Mark Ryan in for JR.
It's JR Sport Brief right here on the Infinity Sports Network. Big thanks to Ryan Botcher for such an awesome job done producing today. And the Bart Winkler Show is coming your way next with Bart and Carlos with a K or T's. A show that I really like here on the network. And you guys don't know this behind the scenes, but Bart's been like a real friend to me during this week, you know, about something having to do with Wisconsin, his home state.
So there you go. Excited about that and excited to be listening to them as we turn the clock over to 10 p.m. Eastern time and 7 p.m. Pacific. In the meantime, Jason from California says, My team has cheated on me in dishonor of those fools.
At the Cold Play concert, who were clearly guilty of something, probably infidelity. What was it? Jason, in what way has your team cheated on you? Go right ahead, man. Oh, I'm I'm laughing.
That was a green introduction. You got it. I'm going with my San Diego Chargers back in the day, say about maybe 20 years ago or so. When we were fourteen and two, uh we had Marty Schottenheimer, uh Wade Phillips and Cam Cameron. And L T, it was we were and it was a great season.
And in the playoffs we intercept Tom Brady, which would have ended the game, but instead our DB decided to run it back, which he fumbled and gave Brady another chance, and they then they won the game in the next thirty seconds. The aftermath of that playoff loss is they fired Marty. And Wade went on to Dallas and Cam Cameron went on somewhere else. And it was never the same. Uh with I I still call them the San Diego Church.
I still follow them. I'm not burning jerseys. I'm not one of those guys, but uh That was bad. Jason, Jason, but it's like, it's like, I mean, for you guys in San Diego to still root for the Chargers is like, it's the same thing as rooting for your ex when she's moved on to somebody else. I don't know how you guys do it.
I couldn't do it. The Chargers would be my least favorite team in the NFL, not my most. Yeah, it's tough. You know, like, you know, Jason, like, it's one of those things, and you know, I don't know what this says about me, but almost every single time I've said in my life, I wish you well, I haven't meant it. You know, I don't really wish them well.
You know what I mean? Like, it's just something that you say. You never want to see the email at work about you, and it says we wish him well in your future endeavors. That's the kiss of death, man. Like, I've never really wished somebody well.
You don't wish the Chargers well. You wish the Chargers were still with you. They hurt you. You are allowed. You are allowed to give them the figurative bird.
You really are. Yeah. Yeah. I appreciate it, my man, but yeah. Uh some of those some of those still still hurt.
It's like man. It doesn't make sense. Like you you fire a guy after a 14 and two season. You know, the Knicks did something like that this year. They fired Tom Thibodeau.
They go to the conference final. They almost made the NBA finals. Fire their head coach. Fire their head coach anyway. Like, none of this makes any sense to me.
We are seeing this throughout sports. The Chicago Bears fired Lovie Smith. We had a caller complaining about that when he won 10 games. You know. We have lost all sense of patience in our society.
And that trade, that, you know, if there was going to be a beginning of the end for the San Diego Chargers, that franchise deserved that for firing Marty Schottenheimer then. Jason, thanks so much for the phone call, man. I'm sorry about your sports fate. San Diego is way too big of a market. To have what?
In MLS team. The San Diego Padres Padres and the Aztecs, and that's it. San Diego State, MLS team, Padres. That's it. That's way too big and proud of a market to have only that.
Give me a break.
I feel so badly for you guys. In the meantime, did you guys hear this news? The um the WNBA All-Star game. Yeah. is coming your way.
It's WNBA All-Star Weekend. We've got Team Collier, Team Clark. We've got a three-point shooting contest. It is in Indiana. Gainbridge Field House, which means it's the house that Caitlin built, not the house that Halliburton built, because if not for LeBron James, Caitlin Clark would be the most famous basketball player in America.
And it is my belief that Caitlin Clark is the face of basketball, men's or women's, right now. Did you hear what's going on here? Caitlin Clark. Last minute. Not playing, not participating in anything.
Here's her statement: quote: I'm so excited for Indy to host WNBA All-Star Weekend. I want to thank the Indianapolis Host Committee and all the people that have put endless work in over the past year to put this event together. I know this will be the best All-Star yet. I am incredibly sad and disappointed to say I can't participate in the three-point contest of the All-Star game. Oh my God.
I have to rest my body. I will still be at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for all the action, and I'm looking forward to helping Sandy coach our team to a win. Can't wait to see you all out there.
So says Caitlin Clark.
So, like, there are certain days, ladies and gentlemen. where you can't use a sick day. You cannot. This is a true story that I'm about to tell you. I once had a one hundred and three degree fever, And I was a morning show host for sports.
And I had a 103 degree fever the first day of March Madness. and I knew I was sick as a dog. But I also knew that if I called in sick on that day, I would be fired for lying, because no one gets to call in sick on the first day of March Madness. Um Caitlin Clark can't call in sick here. And she re-aggravated a groin injury, apparently on Tuesday.
You got to figure out a way, Caitlin, to participate in the three-point shooting contest. Participate in something. Check into the game for five minutes. Give the people something. Because since you announced that you have pieced out of this game, number one, The the the ticket price The lowest ticket price has dropped 48% since this news from $121.
That was the cheapest ticket to $64 after the news broke that Caitlin Clark will not be playing. And it's not just money. And if she really is hurt, which, you know, I understand she's got a lingering thing going on here. Like, it it's just that What also is going on is is that she has been seen out socializing and partying. And if you're calling in sick, you can't be doing that.
Now, before you accuse me of being unnecessarily critical of Caitlin, I have been the most supportive of Caitlin Clark, of anybody. She is the face of basketball men and women's. She is the singular reason. And the only reason. why we have paid attention as a country to the WNBA, why we have discovered the WNBA.
Caitlin Clark has officially, in my opinion, founded the WNBA. because they were ignored before now. But Caitlin, Caitlin, Caitlin, number one. Do something. Do the three-point shooting contest.
Play for five minutes. Do something. Then, if you really are out sick. You cannot be out, you know, dancing with the DJ, drink in hand. You have called in sick for this event.
You can't do this, Caitlin. Caitlin, please, you cannot do this. Has there ever in the history of sport Been a league. that was more beholden to one player. Then the WNBA is to Caitlin Clark.
I understand some people take offense to me saying Caitlin Clark founded the WNBA. But in terms of being relevant nationally, how could anyone make any claim to the contrary? We avoided the WNBA like the plague.
Now, I will tell you this. I've worked for station groups before, where you have six stations in a single building in a city, and there's one station that's really popular and one station that isn't at all. And the station that isn't popular, when you buy some advertising, radio ads, They would throw in the station that isn't popular for free.
Okay, if you buy the popular station, we'll throw you some free ads on the non-popular station. The WNBA was the throw-in. Like if you buy the NBA, we'll throw in the WNBA. And the and the networks were like, nah.
So the NBA said, Okay, well, we're going to make you carry the WNBA if you want the NBA. And the networks said, Okay, if we have to.
Now The WNBA. uh many teams are making money hand over fist. Caitlin Clark is responsible for the ten highest attended games in WNBA history. She is the sole and exclusive reason why. We know Who Page Beckers is because of Caitlin.
And Sabrina Nyescu and Angel Reese, because of Caitlin. She is the reason why.
So Caitlin, please find a way to do something. Give us the pleasant surprise. Give us the old sales tactic of under promising and over delivering. And do the three point shooting contest and play five minutes in the game. And if you're really out sick, please really be out sick.
I'm Mark Ryan, and I approve that message. Thank you guys so much. Appreciate JR Sport Brief having me fill in. The Bart Winkler Show is coming your way next, right here. on the Infiniti Sports Network.
Looking to earn a business degree that fits your busy life? UNC Greensboro's Bryan School of Business and Economics offers flexible, fully online programs with courses as short as seven weeks. Get the same high quality education as you would on campus, with the convenience and affordability of online learning. Explore a variety of in-demand programs. Don't wait.
Apply now to start this fall. Visit Brian. UNCG. to apply to day.
