Good. Good afternoon, everybody. I am Bart Winkler. Welcome into. The Winkler Verse, alongside Grant Bills and Paul Immig.
And what a, you know, joyous weekend. It has been for me. Um as the DC defenders. Are champions of the UFL. I know that.
The congratulations from you guys have been, I mean, texts and calls and. I saw someone pumping gas and they're like, oh, DC. And so it's just been, it's been a whirlwind week. It really has. And, you know, as a longtime four-year fan.
It's really, I mean, we had to, the XFL went away, and then there was, we didn't know, and this team's just been surviving, and now to win a title has just been. Really, the reward of a lot of hard work. We were starting to wonder if it was ever going to happen. You know, if not now, when. Yeah, I was starting to think, you know, maybe this team is cursed.
Maybe it's just not in the cards for. the District of Columbia defenders, but they got it done and I'm very excited.
So, with that, is that where you want to start, Paul? It was going to be. You kind of stole some of my thunder. I did, by the way, I did forget. Why you started to be a DC Defenders fan until you recently reminded us via the Twitters.
Um I forgot the backstory, so it all makes more sense now.
Well, they're one of my favorite teams. You know, I know I'm not physically there. In DC. But You don't have to be somewhere to know what it's like to be inside. Of a place's sports talk landscape.
I'm on, you know, the score as a guest, like once every six months. And I. Host three hours there a night, I should be the one doing interviews about Chicago radio. It makes CC's adopted son, some are calling you. They are.
They they really are. They're calling me 48. Um because it's like I've been there. The whole time.
So. I was going to start with DC Defenders and specifically the MVP of the championship game, which was obviously went to. I mean, the DC Defenders are a team. It's a team game. We don't need to get bogged down in individual awards.
No, we don't. Here's the one I want to start with. I'm going to get right into it. Uh full credit. To your boy Nathan Marzion for this topic.
These are the kind of topics that were like created. for me to bring to the three of us. He says you can add any player from the finals to the Bucs, besides. S G A See Yakim. Jalen Williams.
Halliburton and Chet.
So the best five guys in the series. I agree with the five guys. Nobody could, but pick from everyone else. Is that the? I didn't see.
You added that part, didn't you? Did you add that part? Which part? No.
Okay. You can add any player from the finals to the Bucks besides the stars. And he writes in parentheses: SGA, Siakam, Jalen Williams, Halliburton, Chet. Who are you choosing? Um I disagree with even just the premise of your initial response, Grant, which is like, there's a fuckload of great choices.
Well, yeah, but okay, sure. Yeah, like there are other solid options. It's just the topic loses a little luster when you take out all those guys. But it's not your fault. This isn't on you, Paul.
This is on Mark. The answer would be SGA because he's one of the best players in the world. Oh, Jalen Williams, finals MVP, Summer Sane. I would. All right, so.
I'm going to give you some options in no particular order. I wrote down some names. In no order, just jotted them down. Miles Turner, Lou Dort, Alex Caruso, Kason Wallace, Nemhard, Neesmith, Hartenstein, Aaron Wiggins, TJ McConnell, Obi Toppin, Ben Matherin. These are like 12 really good players in the NBA way.
Maybe it's not 12. How many of that is there?
So we are we're adding one to the current makeup of the Bucks team. Current makeup of the Bucks team, you get them for free tomorrow. They're on, but you have to consider their age. You have to consider, you know, they're not just like, okay, like you get them at their current state of talent and at their current state of age and all the fun things that go with it.
So, like, if you say Caruso, you'd say, well, he's 31, but that's okay, because, you know, so there's, there's however you want to take the question. You can add any of these players, Miles Turner, Dort, Caruso, Kayson Wallace, Nemhard, Neesmith, Hartenstein, Aaron Wiggins, T.J. McConnell, Toppin, Matherin. The one that you would add to the box. Lou Dort.
Mm-hmm. Or mm-mm. I feel like Lou Dort is what we thought P.J. Tucker was. Like he's a little smaller, but With a somehow terrific three-point shot during the Those were some massive shots he hit.
Well, he's been doing that this whole run. While being built like PJ Tucker, I mean, similar linebacker. tight end bodies. Yeah I would say I'm out on Hartenstein. Yeah, he would not be one of my top top three choices here.
Which is disappointing. Because he could like Play, he could take over Brooks' role, but they don't. I don't know. I feel like they should be playing him more. The second that we replace Brooke is the second that half of Bucks fandom says, Well, we should play small anyways, and then they just want that person relegated to the bench, whoever it is.
So. I feel like I know what you mean. They should not have re-signed Brooke Lopez. It was a massive misstep. Good take.
Agree to disagree. That's fine. And they had to pay a lot because the Rockets were. Rick Lopez is my Freddy Peralta. Wow.
That's Yeah, I screw you. That's not even that doesn't even make sense. Then he's Myra Sean Gary. Wow. Okay, that's fine.
That that's okay. That's better. But I loved him on the title team. It's just this version. We got to remember too, that was four years ago.
Yeah, he's 37. He was old the last time we did this. I did Lockdown Bucks with Justin last week, and he's like, The Brooke Lopez. It's like the fact that we're talking about Brooke Lopez as a piece that will be on the move with anyone interested, and he'll probably get good money is incredible given we did this four years ago and he seemed old or however long ago that was. You know what I mean?
I'm eliminating the other Thunderbench guys like Wallace and Wiggins. And you did not mention Isaiah Joe. I should have put him in there. I should have, but he hasn't been playing much. Or Kenrick Williams, I don't believe you said either.
No, Kenrich, and none of the other Jalen Williams either. I didn't include him either. Hmm. I also might not include Shepard. Yeah, I'm gonna Dip on Matherin.
Same. I would go Nie Smith over Nemhard. That's a that's like is that a coin flip for just everybody's a I don't know. I'm leaning towards Obi-Toppin'. Ooh, to add to the box?
Of this group? I really like Obi. I've liked Obi for a long time, but interesting. Remember when LeBron shit on Obi Toppin because he said Dennis Smith Jr. should be on the Knicks instead?
Do you guys remember that? I thought about that last night. No, I'll find it. I'll send it to the chat. Yeah, I I don't know.
I'll be off the I mean Would he play would he start for us? Yeah.
Okay, I'll take 25 a night from him. Lee Smith Nemhard like I just feel like the league is full of these guys. Are they just right situation, right team, right coach? I don't know. It's just like these guards that you get a like, it's like, oh, Matherin at 27 points, 22 minutes.
He should start the next game. And then the next game, he doesn't do anything. He does less than nothing. He misses three free throws down the stretch. He was terrible.
Turned the ball over twice. I mean, are we sure we need to include Tyrese Halliburton on the stars portion of this list? He did quite possibly have the worst NBA Finals game of all time. I know the cap strain. As reported today, yeah.
Honestly, I think the mistake there, and it's so, so, so, so hard to do this, and it's so easy to arm chair say, so I acknowledge that. But Carlisle I thought in the moment, I'm not just saying it revisionistly. Should have stuck with McConnell, who was unbelievable in that third quarter. I think McConnell, what, 15 or 17 in the third? And then as soon as they went back to.
Injured Tyrese. I mean, it was a I'm sure that's going to be what keeps Carlisle up. It is. Yeah, I've got two thoughts on that. One is that.
In that position, like, there's a lot of our, you know, the second guessing the next day. But in the moment, I'm like, there's just no possible way. That you're not gonna put him back out there. There's nothing. There's a switch on the side of your phone.
If you flip that, by the way, it'll stop making that noise when you get a text. You'll never know, like, I thought it was Bart. But, Paul, if it was you, you're on your phone. Bart looked down, and I'm like, God damn it.
Sorry to interrupt you, Bart. How does it feel, by the way?
Well, I got an AP alert about the Appalachian Trail. Did you get the same thing? Oh, no, not today. Oh. Um Yep, stall for time.
Camera two? You'll find Sorry. What was I saying?
Something great. Wow, it sucks. You can't go back to it. It really does. It sucks being interrupted.
McConnell, Halliburton, fourth quarter. You can't, you can't armchair. McConnell also. He's like He's one of those rides in front of the grocery store where you put a quarter in the horse and it goes for seven minutes and then it's out. You got to recharge it.
He's got the mindset: like, I'm just going to be a fucking Tasmanian devil for 15 minutes. Sure.
So if he's not You know, prepared for that. And, you know, maybe it would have gone better. I don't think that. that they win. Um Even though they did get within two points and it was getting.
Like I was saying, I'm going to, this is the last show I'll ever do. If they win this game, this is the last show I will ever do. I can't, I've done this show too many times. I can't do it again. I can't do it again.
And Carlos is like, well, I'll dump you if you swear. And I said, I'm just going, that's all I'm going to say is just fuck for 30 seconds because he can dump three times for 30 seconds. And he goes, Well, then I'll take you off the air. And then I go, Well, then I ain't coming back on because I can't do this. Again.
It's the radio version of a DNR on your wrist. It's like, do not bring me back.
So if they win the final, if the Pacers come back to win the finals now, I'm off Thursday, which it won't matter, but then it's Sunday.
So at least I'll have a day where I don't have to witness it live. Mm-hmm. That's what's been the hardest. Part of all this is that every time Halliburton's done this, I'm on the air. Yeah.
For what it's worth, I mean Halliburton was minus 13. McConnell was plus four. Yeah, and that's why at one point, at one point two last night. At one point, too, last night, I had to go, okay, I just got to get just so nobody can come back on this. I don't like the Pacers.
I think they're this. I think I have to say all this to say. None of that matters. When I tell you, Halliburton's performance was like the worst in the finals all time. It's not coming from that place.
This is a rational. take that you'll think is skewed, but it was truly awful. Yeah.
I mean 34 minutes. With three turnovers, a minus 13.
Some of his misses should have counted for more than one miss because they were that bad. Like hitting the backboard next to the rim, airballing. Like, they just even his misses that he had, they look like shit. If they go back home and lose, what's more remembered? His four game winners or his four points in game five?
Think about it. This will be remembered more. Yeah, maybe not. On your original prompt, Paul, I thought that was great. I have nothing to add on the TJ McConnell front.
I think the correct answer for this Bucs team. Is Benedict Matherin? What? Because Because he is a guy with some actual runway. Like I think he's going to get better.
Nie Smith and Nemhard are great, but I think they kind of are what they are. And this Bucs team is not a Nie Smith away. In 2022, you put this version of Nie Smith in Grayson Allen's spot. Like, hey, we are cooking with propane right now. It's like, so they would be better with Nie Smith.
But then again, maybe this is the horse fallacy. He's like, if I just keep swinging for home runs, eventually I'm going to hit one.
Meanwhile, he's passing up doubles and singles, doubles, and singles.
So maybe I'm doing the same thing. Those are also draft picks. Like, that's a little different. If I could take any player. Like I think the correct answer Should be Matherin.
But if you're not. They need something better than a 3D guy to win a title with this current roster, is my point. Yeah, I'll say a couple of things of that. One is As you probably heard this week, Nemhard was supposed to be a buck. Oh, yeah.
That's true. And our boy Marjon Beauchamp was a buck instead. That guy sucked. Ass. I'm glad he's gone.
I wanted Rashad Vaughn to be good. There were guys who I would stick. on the ride with. I could not wait to get off the Marjant Bocham Brad.
So here's my other pushback to Matherin. List, he he gave. What, a 27-point performance in the NBA Finals? Like And then granted, he totally 1000% shift the bed in the game that followed and Perhaps cost them that game. But that's a unique skill.
Now, Nee Smith in the conference finals had, what was it, six, fourth quarter threes grand? To, you know, to your point about like, you know, is. He is a kneesmith, a 3D player. And I think he's a badass man. Like, I just.
I think Nemhard is too, but Neesmith, that dude like physically just steps up a level in the closing few minutes.
Well, and don't, I mean, don't forget, too, like we were talking about like these bucks, draft picks, and everything else. Neesmith was a Celtics bust. Mm-hmm. Like for all of these places. players that I mean the Celtics who have hit a lot through the draft.
Nee Smith was uh Are we just assuming that the Thunder have won the finals? Because against the, I mean, are we not going to learn a lesson here? Don't you love it? The second quarter, the Thunder were up 13 and everyone's like, the NBA may need to change the rules. Otherwise, I don't see how the Thunder don't win the next five titles.
It's like, we did this last, like, why do you people do this? But we're right back to that place, Bart. You're correct. Yeah, I got scolded someone for that the other day.
So the thing I'll say, like, grant too, on top of. the matharin choice and these other options on the table is if you want to go with like this the bigger swing Then I would go Kayson Wallace. I don't know anything about that guy, so you might be right. I mean just young. Affordable, good enough to start for an NBA Finals team.
Maybe he shouldn't have started, but nevertheless, he's still. A key contributor.
So I would have gone.
So, Bart, what is your answer? Mine is Dort.
So, to my topic for yes, Dort. Grant went Matherin. Bart, you go top. How old's Obi Tappen? 20 on is it 28?
29? The research said he might just be the best athlete on the floor last night. 27. The reason I lean towards him. Is I don't think he's had a dud game yet.
He's a spark plug. Like, he is a ball of energy. Like, you think, okay, who's going to step up? McConnell, Toppin. And I feel like Toppin's always.
He's With all these guys making their threes, like. When they miss him, he's there to put it back and demoralize you even further.
So I don't know that that's the right answer, but That's the answer I'm going to give you at this time. You guys went both with Pacers, which is interesting. I mean, I would have probably.
Well, they're just a good old-fashioned American golf club. Yeah.
So Grant, would you also like if if this was a one-year thing One year. You don't understand. Indiana is the heart of basketball. It means more there. Yeah.
Well, I mean, with the fever. That's big too. If this was a one-year thing, if this was a one-year, you don't get the player forever, you get him for one year. Sure.
Does Caruso become your pick? Um, I think I still might like Neesmith more. I don't know. Caruso. Caruso is great as an idea, but God, like sometimes I'm like, he's still out there and he's still, and he makes nice plays, but like you reach a point of diminishing returns really fast with that guy, it would seem to me.
But he would also be a great to answer very clearly. My answer would not be Benedict Mather if I'm only getting him for one year. And my answer might not even be Benedict Mather in general. I'm just saying I want someone with more runway for this Bucs team than Nem Hard or Nee Smith. For three years ago, for that Bucs team, when they were a lot closer, I would love one of those guys.
You'd go higher ceiling. Yeah.
Bigger wild card.
Okay. Um By the way, none of us mentioned. Which again is fine, but like Miles Turner would be. like a seven years younger version of Brooke Lopez. They are very similar players.
defensively, offensively. He's obviously been outplayed on his own team by Toppin. Miles Turner has in this finals.
So I would not choose Miles Turner, but he is. Similar. That's stylistically with Brooke and with Plays in. All right, you guys, by the way, the top comment, and I clipped this to share it with you. Is it Did you see it?
Yeah, what an a-hole. I forgot to mention this. What an a-hole. Go ahead. Go ahead.
The top response as I clip this was from your boy Bukowski. Who said Carlisle? Can't put Peter in a box. How can how can I outsmart this very simple, fun question? When you brought this up, I'm like, oh, I need to poke fun at Bukowski, and I forgot to in my answer, so thank you for You're welcome.
If I was to add to this Marzion tweet. You can add any player from the finals to the Bucs besides the following five. That's so funny. Or you can or you can choose no one from the thunder.
Okay. Or the Pacers, but you can have Spo. Oh, spoil here. Then it's easy because it's spoke. No, I'm just kidding.
Um, would you take if Carlisle was an option? Would that change your answer? You'd still take the player, yeah. I would love to have a different head coach of the Bucks, but You know what's really unfortunate is: did you guys listen to Doc Rivers with Bill Simmons? I'm not listening to that.
I listened to the clip. There's a clip shit. I'm listening to Doc Rivers with Bill Simmons for. I actually think he's a fantastic basketball analyst and a bad.
Well, a mediocre NBA head coach, but a really good analyst. I don't like the celebrity guest. I don't like the guy who's currently playing or currently coaching. Give me Zach Lowe or somebody. Not for me.
Agree. But he had just done Lowe and he had just had Brasillo. And, like, my point, like, even before he was the Bucks coach, and there was that interim period, I was like, oh, Doc Rivers is an analyst. This is. I enjoy this.
This is before he became the Bucs coach, even. Um,. Side bucks question I'm going to ask it like this. There's a new free agent on the market, a former MVP of the league. Former free agent, former MVP, free agent on the market named Russell Westbrook.
Russell Westbrook to the Bucks. Mm-mm, or fuck no.
Well, it's not fuck, it's not fuck no. But what would that be trying to accomplish? I mean, it'd be the same thing that the Nuggets tried to accomplish. This is a minimum player. If you get I mean he's a minimum salary player at this point in his career.
Who You know. I don't know. Maybe Russell Westbrook to the bucks right now would be like. Me trying to mow my long with my snow blower. Woo!
Say more. That's good. What's the What's the point? Wrong place, wrong time. I think I tend to agree.
Win a regular season game or two, but I don't think big picture changes your fortune. Pass. I mean, it'd be sweet. Grant, by the way, I did the button and it still did this on the computer. I don't know why.
Again, you, I don't have a problem. You're on your phone. I thought it was Bart. And I'm like, Bart, just silence it, you dick. Like, you're not even using it, but it's you.
Never mind. My next question. There was the article that Grant passed along today. in our group chat. If in fact Aaron Rodgers is not technically legally married.
This should be Bart Winkler's greatest victory lap in the history of him on the radio. Mm-hmm. Or mm-mm. Grant, I will tell you for context. Oh, I didn't even see that.
What? But You missed our while you're sleeping, makes sense. That's true. Yeah, and then I got Grant's text, and it said: tap to load preview. Oh.
You didn't because yeah.
So now I'm seeing the article as family and friends are convinced he unconvinced he's really married.
Well, there's no evidence legally. Like, there's no marriage license anywhere. Yeah, if you read the article, like, they checked in Vegas, they checked in the Pennsylvania areas.
Well, let me just say this part before you answer. When Simmons has this taken two weeks, Grant, what I you know I When I scam the podcast list in the morning and I'll see what Bart talked about the day before. based on like the little clips uh based on the little uh sidium description is what I'm trying to say. Whatever it was last week, it was like, Is Rogers married? And it was like, I am listening to this now.
And not only did Bart. Take a take that I'm sure no one else. has had publicly like listen I'm just here to tell you. He's not married. I know what you're probably thinking.
Some of you don't care.
Some of you are just rolling your eyes, but like, he's not married. And he did not confirm he's married. I know you all think he thought he confirmed that you heard him confirm that he's married. I know him better. He didn't confirm shit.
He confirmed he has a ring on. He confirmed that it happened a couple months ago. He didn't say I'm married. You need to be more careful when you listen to this man talk. And then, Grant, I listened to the last little section of the show at one in the morning as he's exiting.
And Bart said, if there's one thing I can leave you with today, One thing out of this whole four hours that I want you to walk away with is that Aaron Rodgers is not married. And that's where I want to end the show tonight. Just you gotta take my word for it, he's not married.
So I'll resurface to the top then and say, if in fact Aaron Rodgers is not married, as today's national article is suggesting and quoting family and friends about, This would be the greatest. This should be the biggest victory lap in Bart Winkler radio show history. Or mm-mm. Well, I think Milwaukee Station's not wanting to touch me and me getting a national show was a pretty good achievement. Or the Bucks, the Bucks, the Vucks down 02, guys.
It's a big one. But this, obviously, as I was listening to you say it. on the national show, I was like. Loving it because it was, but also, like, wow, like, you really stuck your neck out for us. Again, I'm sure half the people listening were like, what is this guy's deal?
We're not going to see that on any other show. Not any other host anywhere is gonna even like Even like a kind of guy like Cowherd might, but he's not gonna go there. And not not to the not to the extent that you did, and not like bring up the historical context that says when he says folks, he means this. When he says, you know, wait, you went through the list.
Well, the bigger part, I haven't been wrong about Rogers in a very long time. And I don't think any of us have. We are the Rogers Brain Trust. Yeah.
If people want to know what's going on. They just need to listen to this podcast. I do have to follow a couple of Steelers people just to see them. Chase the tail of the dog. I just want to watch him figure this whole thing out.
Then they should have done that with New York because Then New York had got to play on a national scale. I really think he was going to be bad that first year. He took that away from us. And then he was just like. Statistically good, but actually eyeball test bad last year, which was a shame.
However, I leave the door open a little because he was coming off in Achilles.
So like... He people say, I heard Nick Wright say this last week. It's like, well, actually, you could make the case that he just played better when the game stopped mattering, which could be true, but also, it's reasonable to think that it would take him. A third or half of a season to come back from an Achilles injury, especially at that age.
So I leave the door cracked open a little bit. You know, some guys they'll get like a bump when they become a new dad or when they become married. Does Rogers get that bump? If he is healthy, If he isn't married but in his head believes he's married, mine doesn't matter. It's like when you have pain.
You're supposed to like pretend you don't have pain and then the pain will subside or go away. Because it's all in your brain.
So a placebo type effect. This is the placebo marriage effect. Yeah.
If you think you're married. If you wear a ring. And just say I'm married. And that's my wife. Careful now.
He didn't say shit. He didn't say wife. He didn't say married. When I lied about having a wife at the Super Bowl in multiple conversations, I did get a bump. I did get a bump.
Yeah, I told you about this, though. Yeah, yeah, you did. Right? To circle back to that. Like, I did, like, oh, look at me.
What I didn't know is that it gave you a bump. Like, you're like, oh, oh, shit. I don't know. It definitely, like. If it should, like it should feel a certain way, you know.
I want you guys to keep talking about this. I look forward to listening to it on podcast.
Well, I don't think we're going to talk that long, Paul.
Well, do a little bit more. What are we going to talk about? Say more about Rogers. Leave us with a question or something. I want more on this.
I think this is fascinating. We are not here to serve you. Yes, you are. This is completely for me, 100%. How about some Ms.
Rowski talk would be great? And why the brewers should be careful. using the ms which is a presumably trademarked by The Miz, Mike, Mizana. I don't think anyone gives a shit point. I care.
Like I said, do it for me. All right. See you guys. Bye. But I mean The Miz.
I don't think the Miz Gives a shit. I direct messaged the Miz about it, and he's pissed. All right, I did not. Bye. Paul and McClick, ladies and gentlemen, Paul and McC.
We can talk a few minutes of brewers here after this message from Happy Place Hemp, where the promo code is BART. 25% off each and every order at happyplacehemp.com. You know, I've been looking for reasons more than ever to Take anything that will get me anywhere else other than where I physically stand. And that has been a good product for me. The Delta eights and nines.
The anxiety pills I take have really bad side effects. Like I get weirdly tired. And also Eat or eat or What does that mean? Impact. Certain functions are limited.
Is that what you're saying? Yeah, it fucks me up. Great. I needed to know that. Sucks.
But the delta eights and nines do not do that is what I'm saying. They might be enhancers, if anything. I would say so. I would say so. Also, try the Seltzers.
Different milligrams, different flavors. And you can get everything for 25% off. Each and every order with the promo code BART. You can check them out in Muskego. Or you could visit them happy place hemp.
Yeah.
Um Brewers had an interesting little week there. with Aaron Savalli. Who There was one night That I was doing the show. And uh It was the second hour of the show. And I led with Savali.
And Carlos was like, is this like a big deal for you guys? And I go, I don't know, I'll spin it in a way where it's like. Guy got traded on his birthday. Quickest trade request ever. Gets dumped to the White Sox.
And then I just went through the White Sox. drafts for seven years and all the missteps that they had.
So even when I have like a brewer topic, I gotta make sure that it's you know.
something other than Milwaukee sports or Or I'm gonna be you know, I gotta I gotta play it up to the to the big to the big market But I don't know. I feel like... Where this Brewer team is, it's Probably better than we thought, but also. I just, it's the same I felt last year. Is they're better than I thought.
But then what are they going to do with that?
Okay, at what point At what point do I At what t at what point do I ever truly believe again? That the Brewers are going to win. And again, I'm not upset with what they're doing. Could they always spend more money? We think so.
But do they at least Convince me that they're competitive in the summer of Fun and Entertainment. And passion. And passion? Yeah, I feel like they're I feel like they're trying to win with a hand behind their back, but they're still. They're still trying to win.
I just, I don't know when I ever get to that point again. And even with last year, with. The Alonza home run. And we've talked about that. I wasn't.
devastated that they lost. A chance at the World Series, I was just bummed that they weren't going to win a playoff series. Like for me to have lowered my expectations that much. Is that just me protecting my feelings? Or is that just how baseball Is 'cause then you look at a team like the Giants who go out and just fucking get Raphael Devers.
Yeah, you're pulling your hair out over that one. That to me is both sides are losers in that. The Red Sox signed a shitty deal because they felt they had to after getting rid of Mookie Betts. And then they traded him away just for the purposes of someone taking all the money. And the only reason the Giants did it is because they're dying for a free agent to come there and no one will.
So they're like, okay, well, we'll just force him to come here. Willie and his 187 or whatever the fuck. Yeah, he's not playing very well. But they're like, no one will take our money. We'll just trade for him and we'll just act like it was a free agent signing, which would be a massive success.
So I didn't look at that and be like, how are the brewers ever going to? you know do the thing but i i I feel you. This is the Brewers' weakest team, I think, since 2016. Excluding the pandemic. You want to include the pandemic.
Like, I think this is. The weakest team the Brewers have had since before the 2017 Manny Piña year, where they came within a year of the playoffs. And still, Their pitching is really good. Who was the guy they started in that playoff game? Ryan Healy or something.
Oh, Ryan Healy, who's bad in cleanup. Yeah.
So, like, that team. Who cares about the pandemic? This is probably their weakest team of this era. And still, their rotation is great and deep. Their bullpen is outstanding.
Yelich and Churio, when healthy, have been good. Kintrer's got a broken finger, but like, still, even with their weakest team since this whole thing has kind of started back in 2017, they're still. They're still not bad. And I know that's not what you're getting at, but I I do think you need to tip your cap a little bit. Yeah, I'm going to say a phrase that I've hated forever.
And that's just get me the Packer season. Wow. Yeah.
Well, it's just, I was saying this the other day. When the baseball team is Interesting. Life is more interesting. Like when you're out and about, you see someone. Oh, it's a little small talk.
Or Maybe we should go to a game, comes up more when they're good than when they're bad. Or is the game on T V or you can have a friend over and You know, sometimes you have buddies over and you're like, All right, well, you're here. And we're sitting. But I don't really want to like visit So it'd be nice if there was a game on. And when it's the brewers and they're competitive, that's nice, right?
Better than if they suck. You try to have a friend over and there's nothing on T V, I mean, you m you might as well just He means I scored a bet. Yeah.
Or watch The US Open, which is what we did this last weekend. Ugh. I turned it on, it was tigered. I was like, what did I miss? Tiger, geez.
The rain delay. I saw all the tweets where it's like, this is great. Like people enjoyed that more than the actual golf. the tiger highlights and reliving them. I wasn't really able to come down on a decision with Devers.
Like I think the like his behavior. 'Cause it's the overarching thing, I think, at part of that story was He was kind of being told. three different things from five different people. He was, yeah. And so that would be frustrating, but And I like I get Every like baseball positions are more wildly different than we'd think.
Even like left field to right field, they're different. We think first base is so easy, everybody can do it. I never played it in kickbots. Scary, I hate it. Oh, I hate first base.
Um Because that's the exact same thing. But third base, and then to not be in the field is weird because then you're just like, what do you do all day? You just hit four times? That's weird. And then go back to first base where you're not comfortable.
But Well, he could have like Said, no, I don't. I can't just do that. There could have been a behind-the-scenes, like, all right, well, let's work him at first base. I do feel like you have to. Then he got mad that someone else volunteered to play first base, and he's like, You're making me look stupid.
So I get that it's hard. And it'd be frustrating. And I don't think the money plays like that's not factoring my decision how much much he makes. I just don't know that. I I do think you got a Take one for the team sometimes.
Well, when you have a 10-year, $300 million contract, like that's the time that you should be able to, sure, you want me to do this? You want me to do that? I think the Red Sox are. Ripe with dysfunction from top to bottom. Like, they never told him that they were going after.
Bregman. And then Cora had no interest in ever dealing with this problem. Like he, he, it was like. I don't know. He was like a middle manager when the employee and the president of the company were going at it.
And he's like, I don't want to, like, he just had no interest in doing his job, really, as the onfield manager.
So Devers isn't without blame, but neither are the Red Sox, which isn't surprising because when you have a player on a contract like this dealt, like, It's not just on one person. It can't be. I mean, the way that they were feeling as an organization 10 years ago to now. Insane. Like they were top of the world and now they're Poverty.
Yeah.
The funny thing is they just swept the Yankees. The timing of it's hilarious. Yeah.
It's the best their fan base had felt all year. Then he hit a home run, and then he's like, This is great. And then they got on a plane, and they're like, Yeah, actually, you take a cab. You're going to the airport again, and we don't want to see you. And they play this weekend.
Giants and Red Sox play this weekend. How about that? Another thing that people are wondering, it's like they dealt him right before they go on this 10-day West Coast road trip so they don't have to deal with angry fans at the ballpark like the next night. Like, this is the baseball timing version of a Friday news dump. This is a good topic.
A national radio topic. The Devers deal is. You know, to mix in with the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup finals talk. It's a nice, juicy little thing for you. I'm jealous.
Well, and I'll leave with this, but the thing I'm going to probably talk about tonight is. I really Don't know. What Adam Silver can do. But In terms of covering the NBA. And I hate being a guy who's like.
All right, on tonight's show, I'm going to tell you what they said on GitUp, and then I'm going to tell you what they said on McAfee, and then I'm going to react what they said. I don't want to be that. Yeah.
You don't just want to be another brick in the wall, another cog in the machine, so to speak. But there, like, you know, sometimes it is like. They are I think that Stephen A. Smith is a big problem for Adam Silver. In trying to cover this league.
Him playing solitaire at the NBA Finals. The funny thing is, if Barkley or Shaq would have been caught doing that, it'd be funny. And Barkley and Shaq shit on the product and the teams and the players, probably more than Stephen A. Which is a problem. But but why is it not It is, but not really.
Like, I don't think people look at it like everyone Look up ESPN right now on Twitter. It's just people screaming and pissing and moaning about the halftime show and the coverage and.
Well, but even like uh Today, Tuesday. They're talking about how I've talked to law enforcement in Memphis. Players don't want to play here. Why are we talking about what are we because what you're doing One of the reasons that these finals are getting low ratings. Is not because of the cities that they're in.
We've had. We have a league that shows you can you can have small market teams that people will watch. The problem is the NBA has conditioned their fans. You only need to care about these teams, and you only need to care about these players. And we'll Do the rest.
And the transactions. are more exciting than the actual games.
So now they get into this game Where they have two teams that they've built up very little. And I would understand thinking the Pacers are a fluke to not build them up. No issues there. But then the Thunder, you knew the Thunder eventually were going to be this. We've seen this for years.
Shay's the MVP. Neither of these teams played on Christmas. Ironically enough, they played each other December 26th, which I find interesting.
So you could have got this matchup on Christmas. But now what you're doing is You're taking a team in Memphis. Who we don't know what they're, you know, they made their trade. We don't know what's going to happen. But now you're burying them.
While you're burying them, you're not Building up the other two teams that are in the finals. And now you're getting to a game six clinching, and maybe we get a game seven. Best two words in sports, my brother. But It's just not even like So the problem is. If podcasts shit on somebody, or whatever shits on somebody, or What are you gonna do?
It's open for interpretation. But this is your league partner. Your league partner.
So at some point, does Adam Silver? Have any growling to be like, don't do this, man. But he really doesn't.
So he just kind of fucked. Wouldn't stop David Stern. He'd he'd find a way. You know what I mean? Like, they would have found a way to work this out.
What I don't get, like, I'm just going to mute the halftime show, or I'm going to go on a walk. That's when I like going on a nice evening walk. There's a walking path that goes right by our building. I'm just not going to watch.
Some of you people just tweet constantly: We have to do better than this. This can't be the best possible halftime show. Who gives a sh? A shoot who gives a poop, just mute it, whatever. Uh, Legler's really good.
I liked him after the game last night. What I don't get about Stephen A. Smith is like, is he happy? Does he feel joy? He seems miserable.
all the time. Like he used to, when he was opposite Skip Bayless, like he kind of realized. That his job is a little ridiculous, and that at the end of the day, it is just sports. And we're debating, and like, I want to win, and like, I want to be right, and I feel like I'm right, but. Like Now he just seems miserable.
Well, so is McAfee. Yes, he too. Everyone's like, if someone pokes fun, oh, Stephen A was playing solitaire, like instead said, Yeah, you got me. Remember, this is my job. Like, I gotta people could have laughed it off, but instead, he's like, I cover this many games, I'm on this many.
It's like, I'm gonna be here a long time. It's like, oh, Jesus, like, you understand fun job. It's four hours a day of people that don't Like their job. And when I saw him playing Solitaire, my first thought was: well, remember, folks, he is working technically. You know what I mean?
Like, check your phone during work. I don't think it's that big of a deal. More so than I think. I don't think checking your phone is a big deal. I think the fact that it's solitaire.
Who plays solitaire? Do you know how bad of an addiction you have to have? To solitaire. to bust out sol I mean solitaire. Yeah.
As a guy with Multiple addictions. Including one-time Solitaire. Yeah.
For money or just I would play these apps, but there was one time I just had a free thing on my phone where I would like. had to win five games before I went to bed or I would die. Interesting. Yeah, I got a lot of that going on. It's Kind of a problem.
I just don't understand. He's so angry all the time, and it doesn't make for. Like a good watch. Like Barkley and Shackle rip people and rip things, but they're having fun. Like, it's not life or death, it's just basketball.
Stephen A is like, I haven't even seen the dude smile for like. 10 years, it feels like. Not even when he gets that walk into the arena. No, he's got it. I'm Stephen A.
I'm the balls. Why would I? I'm locked in. It's like, would you chill out? I don't know.
I got some fucking decks to stack in my solitaire game. You're not in my fucking way. It is a little weird.
Alright, well Paul, I hope that was enough for you. Thanks for listening, Paul. His topics were good. Paul, we really appreciate your time and friendship. We're sorry you couldn't stay here a little longer today.
But you can text us anytime. Uh Bukowski Carlisle. What in He's one of one. If he ever hangs up the cape and stops podcasting and tweeting, I will be sad and the world will be worse off for it. It will be noticeable.
The world will miss him. Oh yeah, I agree. We will be missed. Thank you all for stopping into The Winklerverse. Yeah.
