Gentlemen, whether you're two dates in or going 20 years strong, a Valentine's Day gift is always a good idea, even if you let the kiddos pick it out. Just hit the Walmart app and get it delivered in an hour with express delivery.
Sound good? Great. Subject to availability, restrictions and fees apply. You've made it on time for the McDonald's breakfast menu. You think to yourself, finally, I can start my day.
But what if breakfast could be even more perfect? With the hot honey sausage egg biscuit, it finally is. Go to McDonald's and get it while you can. Good. Good morning, everybody.
We're right before noon on the recording on Friday, All-Star Weekend, Friday the. 13th. Jim Ozarski is our guest today on into the Winklerverse.
So he will step into the Winklerverse. Terrain, I don't think you've been yet, Jim.
So thank you. How are you? Yeah. I'm good. I just got in from uh Oh, fluent from Oklahoma City and Where am I?
I'm sorry. No, I yeah, it's been a long January, February of Bucks, man. They have not been home.
So, it is good to be back and have a little break.
So, I'm good. Thanks for having me.
Well, they've not been home. They've not been good. They've not been entertaining. They've not been enjoyable.
So there's a lot of like I think there's a lot of There's a lot of reasons or whatever, excuses or whatever, or contingencies. There's a lot of reasons to look at the game against Oklahoma City. The game heading into the break. as maybe a one-off or an anomaly or all these different things. But I think for a lot of Bucks fans, beating the Thunder, again, they're shorthanded.
It's the last game of the all-star break. Uh, Docs, nod there. Miles Turner. doesn't play. There's a lot of things that were different.
about last night to try to Maybe look at it and say, what are we going to see coming into the second half or the last two months? of the season. But there was a level, I'm just looking at people that we follow and people that. You know, you talk to. There's a just It was a fun day to be a Bucs fan in a season where that hasn't really been true a lot.
So I wonder. With the dock part of it.
Some of these new guys, we've got guys on this team that we're not even a thought. on this roster eight days ago. How much can we expect, do you think? And that's going to be part of the journey, I think. Um, what we saw on Thursday night against Oklahoma City.
Again, they'll have Giannis back at some point. But should we expect a more fun second half? Or was that just, do you think, a blip from what you've covered? Uh I I mean The history of their first 53 games. Uh is that it's a blip?
Um So, you know, we'll see coming out of the break. But what To your broader point, though. Look. The Thunder, yes, they were down their MVP, they were down their all MBA. Guard the Bucks didn't have their MVP.
And Miles Turner is not an all NBA player, but he is unquestionably their second best player or to be. Right.
Okay, Chet Holmgren was the only all-star on the court last night. He played. Um You know, so Lou Dort, Alex Caruso. You know, these guys won a title last year, and the Thunder had only lost five times at home. Bucks now they're both on a back-to-back.
The Bucks flew from Orlando. Look, man, they won the game. It was a hard one. Teams like the Bucs. Typically lose that one.
Right? Like they were up 20 and then they were down. It was only 10 and I'm like.
Okay, yeah, that that yeah. This would have been a nice game to win, but yeah, but then they won. Yeah, and so and look. You mentioned the two new players. Cam Thomas helps them win.
On the 11th in Orlando, and Usman Jang. Helps them win the 12th in Oklahoma City. And let's be honest. Bart, like that's one of the reasons why they are. where they are at 23 and 30.
It's because when Giannis has been out and he has missed a bunch of games. This team has been really bad. uh they they couldn't figure out how to win anything if he didn't play And just the fact that the two newest guys help them win two games. is a good thing. Cam Thomas is explosive enough.
Bart, he's got enough of a history to say. He can probably do that again. two, three more times down the stretch but Usman is the wild card, and he's, I'm sure, what Bucks fans are really, really excited about, hopeful about. When was the last time they had a prospect? Right, that um, I mean, Ryan Rollins is a revelation, but I don't, no one was really like excited about him when.
when he signed a two-way deal two years ago. Um so the Uzban thing is is That will be interesting because here's a four-year vet Bart who. Won a title with the Thunder. He played, not a lot, but he played. Um, no one knows what he is, and so that at least is exciting for Bucks fans who have not had to experience that.
I mean, Don Maker, maybe? Oh yeah, I had a text from a buddy. Um this morning he said Hey, are you on the Geng train or whatever is happening with the bus? Yeah. Because it's like, okay, what is this?
This is something. And there's been so many. It's almost a joke now. You know, since they drafted Giannis, what a big swing that was. That worked out.
Thon Maker was a guy we were excited about. But then, even like guys they drafted, and you're like, okay, can we get excited about. Rashad Vaughan. Can we get excited about DJ Wilson? There's some of these guys.
Can we get excited about Chris Livingston or any of these guys? When there's a guy like this. They haven't panned out those names I've given you, obviously. But I also don't know that they. Like we saw that last night, and he started, and he got a bunch of minutes.
Let's let I want him to play now. And I think Bucks fans, okay, if we've been doing this, we're seven games under. We don't know what the season is going to be. I feel like there's been a history of them relegating that guy back to the bench. Which, if part of the excitement, part of the excitement.
With what last night provided, I think. A realization that maybe the second half of the season doesn't have to suck. They're 23 and 30. If you look at the standings. It's not like, okay, well, they can tank and get a number one, two, three.
Not one, but two, three, four, five, six, seven. There's a lot of other teams doing this. There's a lot of other teams tanking more purposely, and that are just worse. As hard as that is to believe, sometimes you watch this team.
So there could be a push for the play-in. Giannis is going to play. If they make the playoffs, you know, God only knows, could they have like an eight-seed heat run? All of that might seem still even ridiculous to say, but. There's going to be more of a There could be.
It might be. Just the fact that it's not guaranteed to suck. Which this season has, I think. That's why there's a little pep in the step of a Bucks fan today. Yeah, and and that's look how We know Doc's history.
Um By and large, with young players. Obviously, When you coach 27 years. There are no like hard and fast rules. Like, of course, Doc Rivers has played young players in his. Career.
Ryan Rollins is the most recent best example for Bucks fans. This was a two-way player. Bart last year, who when Damian Lillard got hurt, it was. Ryan Rollins starts now. It was like.
Who's this? Right? So. That? That's a real thing that happened.
I think A.J. Green might have gotten into a rotation at some point, but that has also truly happened. Under documents of $45 million player.
So There. Yeah. We'll see how Doc approaches Usman, right? But he did get. Rotation minutes in Orlando.
And he hit five threes.
Now he you know, flirts with a triple double. Against OKC. Proof is in the pudding, and it's kind of hard for a coach to. Say, all right, well, that dude helped us win two games. And now he's not gonna play.
Like, that's that really hasn't. I mean, Andre Jackson Jr. might fit into that when he started all those games, helped the team win a cup. But Andre, like if we're gonna, if fans, your listeners, viewers want to play apples or oranges, obviously Andre is not as offensively gifted. As it was mine.
Steves are now gonna have to defend his family. him at the three-point line if he plays with Giannis. Andre you know um Teams could just kind of leave him alone.
So I do think Usman's going to play.
Now we'll just see when Giannis comes back, when Miles comes back. Where he fits because Bobby's 6'9, 6'10, or 6'11, and Usman's a big guy as well.
So Um but no to your point The hope part of it. Look, they, yeah, they've been bad. They're, I mean, they are bad. They're 12th in the east.
So But the idea of hope is interesting because you're right, like from that youth perspective, that is not what. this team's been about. John Horse is Pivoted off that this past offseason. It didn't work. Or has it worked?
And so maybe now they found a guy who, look, I'm not gonna. call him a starter or this like amazing player right now, but again. He helped them win two games, which is two more. I think they only won like five games without Giannis up until these last couple part.
So just the fact that that even happened. Yeah. Is a good thing for the Bucks, and maybe that builds into something a little further down the line here.
Well, and because it's the all-star break and there's going to be. An extended amount of time until the next game. I don't know. I'm interested to see, like. When you have a week off, that's NFL kind of stuff where you dissect everything that there was about the last thing you just saw.
And one of the things that we were talking about last night. was Doc wasn't coaching.
So di w every everything felt like It's maybe looser, maybe different. The rotations might have been different. Was it like we're playing for the substitute teacher vibes? On Thursday night? Or is that even a thing that I should be thinking about?
Like, okay, they look this way, but Doc was not present in the building. Uh yeah, Doc, so just in case.
So he had a funeral to attend to.
So he he. Um And yeah, Darvin Ham obviously stepped in. I, you know. I I don't think that's the case. I think, maybe, maybe there was a little bit of.
You know, it's something different. It's a different voice. Look, last day before Christmas vacation is a last day before Christmas vacation. It was a long flight from Orlando to OKC, even if when you gain the hour.
So, you know, they land whatever in the morning. And Miles is scratched right before the game. There might have been a freedom. I mean, I Look, they've won five of six. you know, four or five heading in.
So, I think they were kind of feeling themselves just a little bit anyway apart.
So, I think it's all that stuff. I don't think it was just. Doc's not here. Work because they didn't like Darvin didn't scheme up a new offense or anything. Like, they were still doing some of the same stuff that made you just scratch your head, like, what am I watching right here?
However, they did defend very well. Kevin Porter Jr. had another great night. Running an offense against a really high-pressure backcourt. Um And, but he did that the night before because Doc got on him about it, right?
So, yeah, I think it was probably all of those things together, and they just thought, hey, There's a chance for us to steal one. When honestly, Mark, they've been the team where other teams are like, all right. Let's get let's get this win. 'Cause we're playing the Bucs. They actually flipped it on the head last night.
Yeah. This is Steve Smith here, former NFL wide receiver and host of the 89 Show on YouTube. In my day, I go up against defenders twice my size and wasn't afraid of getting hit. But one thing terrified me. People learning, I had a mental health issue.
I thought I'll seem weak, but being open about your struggles isn't weak. It's the only way to overcome them. That's where BetterHelp Online Therapy comes in. Visit betterhelp.com/slash radio, betterhelp.com/slash radio to get started. better hot com slash radio.
Not sure if you have the experience to start your dream job? Good news! These days, it's the skills that count. Udemy can help you get those in-demand skills. Want to be an AI mastermind?
Learn with us. Game developer, we've got you covered. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner? We can help you prep. You'll learn from real world experts who love what they do so that you can love what you do.
Go to udemy.com for the skills to get you started and get set for your dream job. The um Bucks, of course, much of the season has been. The discussion's been with Giannis. uh as as it should be as it will be forever Um When I was Doing the national show, RIP. It was.
Look, the part of the opportunity to do a national radio show for two years was great because I could shine a light on. Things like how we felt about him, not just we Milwaukee, but we Midwest. Uh we fly over country. Because it just felt like For 10 years, Giannis, as soon as they realized he was good. You know, the media is trying to get him out of here, or at least that's.
The storyline, will he go? It's very easy. And then, for these networks, we'll just play it like that today, to say, I'm tired of talking about this. You're the ones that have been manufacturing. A lot of it's been manufactured.
We get into this offseason, though. It makes sense.
Okay, if the Bucs have to trade him, it makes sense. We give him a just trade deadline.
Okay, finally makes sense. Um Now, I feel like we're going to start creeping away to where it doesn't make as much sense. We'll see what happens this summer. But you've seen how it's covered. nationally.
You and Eric are running point on the beat. In a landscape that, you know, we could talk about that. There's not as many, some teams don't even send people anywhere anymore. Any questions? Del K, see ya.
You've seen that online, and that always goes viral when it does, and good because. We need to call that out.
So what what's been like? What's been the difference between I just I'm going to back up a second. I don't trust a lot of what I see on. ESPN. I think there's a lot of um I think it's just like a news network, it's people with agendas.
And the agendas aren't a political thing, but the agendas are like. Agents, or I want this guy out, or we need this. And I don't take things fact of the matter. A lot that they say, and it just feels like. If you watch NBA Live or whatever a show is.
and they talk about the bucks, and then you read your stuff. And listen to you. It's like they're not even covering the same team. How is that disconnect so vast, at least from one? Viewers perspective.
Yeah, so there there's a lot there. I mean, look, ESPN, I mean, whatever. I phrase it in a way where you can answer however you want. Yeah. And I'm not making you say something you don't want to say.
Look, he is for entertainment.
So that's part of it. It's a broadcast enough already, Jim. Uh look I Obviously, I know a lot of their NBA writers when I cover the NFL. I know a lot of their football writers, journalists. Like they're really good at their jobs, but there's also content production and so, and so.
And where I'm going with that is there is a delineation between Talk shows, they're radio shows, they're talk TV shows. And then Reporting and writing, and that type of stuff. And it does, the lines are blurred there. I don't blame them for that. That's the business.
I'm on your show, right? Like, I'm a journalist. You're a talk show host. We're sort of blurring opinion and fact and Whatnot.
So I so let's get that out of the way. They don't make stuff up out of whole cloth. That's not, I know that. That's not, they have editors. I know some of the, like, there's checks and balances there.
Um I think So, other than that, I don't know their internal operation.
So, they're not making stuff up. Um We could talk about timing of things or what What does that reporting actually say when you read it line for line? I think. That's fair. you know I don't Is there an agenda?
It feels like it. I know the Bucs organization. I know members in the team, and this, whether they were here seven. Eight, nine years ago, whether here a year ago, two years ago, like they feel. Like there's an agenda to get Yannis and Decumbo out of Milwaukee.
Um And is that a true thing? I don't know, but. Feelings, you know. Feelings are feelings. You feel how you feel, right?
Like you get, that's. That's a real thing.
So to your point, though, I think what's What I appreciated about Giannis, you know, when he took time to talk to me, you know, February 3rd. Yeah, pretty emotional, very emotional. Actually, the interview ended because he was getting too emotional, and he's like, I gotta stop. Um What I appreciated about that was I think he has tried this season Bart In a way that he hasn't before. to really frame or explain how this stuff happens.
And meaning. Yes, guys, every summer I will sit and I wonder. Are the fucks with me on this? If they're in, I'm in. Are they in?
You know, and he's got to determine that.
So, yes. This summer Giannis will evaluate his future. We will hear this in May. We will hear it in June. Right?
Are the bucks in? Um What's been true though, Bart, is he assigned three Extensions. Why? Because the bucks have been in. If he has said this, if they're in, I'm in.
So that'll be the question. He has said, like, oh, does Giannis have a wandering eye? Does he want to play and? A certain city, he said to me, he's like, I love basketball. What is it like to play KD or play with LeBron or play with Kobe?
So he says, yes. Why wouldn't I think about that? I love the game. What would that look like?
So he sort of like checks that box for fans to say.
So I think he tried to peel that back a little bit, Bart, where. we hear the sources or we've heard the sources for however long. Um And I think he just said it all. Right in the last few months, to just like, all right, guys, like. This is Whatever this is turned into, let me try to explain it so everyone understands.
And I think, Bart. Milwaukeeans, I know you've heard this. I know you've taken the calls. Um There are a segment of Bucks fans who are like. Angsty or tired of it.
Um However, It's undeniably worked. Like. He has applied pressure. The bucks have responded. And up until this year.
They have been a championship contender and a favorite since 2018. That's an incredible run in sports. And Yeah, the playoffs hasn't gone the way anyone wanted, but. Let's not pretend. That they weren't celebrated with the Damian Lillard acquisition and the immediate betting favorites, if that's what people are into.
And then he got hurt. And then they got hurt, and what are you going to do?
So, this is the first year, it just hasn't worked in like a decade. Um And so, yeah, he's coming up on another extension. And I'll be honest, Bart, like. He's not lying when he says if we're aligned, Let's go.
So This summer we're going to find out are the Bucks still in this to win? at a high level. meaning they're going to sign or trade or whatever. If they do, and they are, he's signing the extension October part, and then we're like done with this again for another three years. Wes Edens and ownership, and John Horace decides: you know what?
We've really tried for five years since the ring. It's like it's not working. We've tried five years, it's not working. To your point, as you said, then that makes sense. Five years.
They've tried and it's gotten worse.
So, would any of us blame ownership for saying, ah, Yeah, it's time to go. And then Yana says, Okay, well, it's time for me to go. And I think. locally We could all understand that. On that national level, it's not about the basketball, it's about the star.
And I think that gets conflated because the basketball seems secondary to all of this, but it's Giannis has tried to remind the national audience, I think, Bart. That it's about The basketball and where the Bucs are. and winning and trying to win. And that's up the other thing is. I do want to say this.
It's whatever he thinks. Like this Summer Bart, right? Like, everyone's, oh, the Bucks are going to be terrible. The roster's bad. Why is he?
He believed it. He believed in the team.
So, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. It's what. What do the Bucks do? to make him believe. That's no one can answer that but him.
And they have continually done that, including this last summer. Even if he had reservations or were cured, whatever it may be.
So, yeah, I think that's where the disconnect comes, Bar, is because he is such a. He's a Milwaukee. Superstar. Through and through, and I don't think that makes any sense to anyone, and it's not just. The East Coast based Broadcast.
I've done radio in Chicago. I've done radio. In Oklahoma City and on the West Coast, they don't. They don't get it. Like he's he's Midwest, as you said.
And it doesn't like connect, just doesn't connect with a lot of people, they don't understand. Very good answer. No, very good answer. And then I just want to say. Um This is why you got to subscribe, guys, to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
And read Jim. And this is why you got to keep supporting the Winkler verse.
So I could keep bringing you these interviews.
So thank you. for that. All right, so. With everything, the three things, I've said that a lot. I say that a lot when I was doing that show.
I would say, He signed three different times, like he did it three different times. Win is enough. One thing, when did you switch over from Packers to the Bucs? When did you do that?
So it was right at the start of the championship season in 2020. And it's a real quick, my last Packer story, shockingly, special teams takedown of Sean Menenga and how bad the special teams were for the Packers. And then the next day, I'm asking Yannis about a supermatch.
So the more things change. More they stay the same. But yeah, 2020. Because so since. This is what I find interesting in talking about the two different teams.
Is with the Packers this year. Um I think they needed to make some changes in the offseason. They did not.
Okay. But they look at what's happened, and I think one of their things that they've looked at. Is Micah Parsons got hurt. Tucker Kraft got hurt. Injuries.
are going to Prevent us, we've got that, whether it's a built-in excuse or whatever. Why didn't you win the Super Bowl this year? Injuries. It's going to be wherever they put it, top three or whatever. For the bucks.
They have had Injuries. Big ones. At the worst times, yet they've never said. All right, injuries. Maybe maybe the first year after the finals.
Because then you trade Drew and you're trading Chris and you're firing Bud and then you're firing Griffin. And then now you've got Doc. And then you're doing all these different things when you have.
Now, if it was 2026 and they still had Drew, Middleton, Brooke, I mean, they would be very old, very slow. And if Bud was still here, but I find it interesting that. This is a team that Like So the Packers, I'm criticizing them. Because I think they're trying to stay in this window. They don't want to be bad.
Nine wins is good enough for them because it gets them into the playoffs, whatever. They're never going to be great. They're in this window. The Brewers, they're doing the same thing. They don't want to go all in because if they go all in, it's going to lead to a season where they might win 65, 70 games.
The Bucs have been the team that I feel like has acted the most like we want championships. And yet of the three. They're in the furthest spot from a championship. But they're the ones that are trying. That just that's that's gotta be frustrating for them.
So Okay. First of all, yes. To the point of the Bucks have tried, unlike I would say. Any Any of the three major sports in this state. In the other than maybe signing Reggie White.
Um A partial agency. When free agency literally began. In the NFL. Um Since the the ownership groups with on with Wes Eden since he's still here governor Up through this year, Bart, they have spent almost a billion dollars. And salary and taxes.
A billion. In the last Five seasons. They have traded draft picks through twenty thirty. Um True. And they won one, and they got to an Eastern Conference final.
And you're right. Or In basketball, if you're Three Best and highest paid players get hurt. You're just not going to win. No team is built. No team is built.
to withstand. your three best players getting hurt in the playoffs. Um Giannis got hurt in 2020. We all know against Atlanta. Guess what?
Chris Middleton drops forty. On the Hawks, right? Giannis isn't healthy yet. Uh for the finals. Crystal had a 40-point game.
In the finals, Drew Holly, like, right, like the other. Two stars. were available. We know that's not the case. Yes, I Look, the box We don't talk about their ownership, Bart.
You and I were both here in town when Herb Cole sold and what that. that tanking year was like. That's not what they've been about. In the last decade. And so.
That's that's one thing. What I well I'll disagree. Is that they're the furthest away. And there's two reasons. One is they still have the second or third best player in the world in his prime.
That inherently gives you an advantage. The problem is, he has been hurt, right? You don't expect that. You expect health. And that got to be available.
And so. That's where this summer is interesting with ownership because it's like, okay. You've spent almost a billion dollars. Are you done with that? Do you understand that this year?
Didn't go your way. Giannis has missed. 23 games, Bart, they're not in this place. If Yanis has played. All the games, or 80% of the games, they are not, we're not having this conversation.
Um I think in the way the league has made itself uh has leveled itself with the boring aprons and cap I think the bucks In his prime. Have As good a chance. In the next three to five years, as they had in the last three to five, it's going to look different. Do they need a dame? Or a drew, they probably need a drew.
I don't know if they need a thing. We got a cam and a jing.
So I'll disagree with that, but that's, you know, that's my opinion and how I feel like when you have that guy. You're that much closer. It's sort of like with Rogers in his prime. Uh Bart like The Packers then When he was rolling. Felt they had a chance.
It didn't matter. Like, we got that, dude. You know, just put us on the field, give us a chance. Like Th this could happen. Um And I think the Bucks feel that way.
So that's what this summer's about. But you're right, though. I mean, we could tick through all the owners. of the Brewers and Bucks and the management of the Packers. Since 1996.
I'm an owner. Right.
And like, um. Yeah. And without a doubt, the way the Bucks have handled themselves as an organization the last. Eight, nine years is Yeah. it's unmatched in terms of the resources spent to to try to keep winning.
Let me ask you this. to cap it off and I'm not going to ask you for like a prediction. And how the rest of the season would go. They are A game and a half out of the playing tournament. They are four and a half out of that.
Seven, eight game. They're six and a half out of the sixth seed.
So, you know, we'll see what's going to happen. How what would be the f like What would be the point of, let's say, they go on a playoff journey? What would be the point where you're like How are they here? How how did they How did they get this? Like I'm I'm in the Eastern Conference finals No, I know I The first round of the playoffs?
Look. Man, I this is insane.
So. The last five seasons that have ended in disappointment due to injury. Because I think they can kind of make a little bit of a run. I mean, so the Bucs were favorite. Yeah.
After the title and just didn't work. Again, I don't, I'm going to presume. Yannis Danakumo is not going to come back and play until They determine his calves are good.
So I'm going to operate under the assumption that Giannis is a healthy player. Heading into the playoffs. Um, they're not, I don't think they're going to catch Philadelphia for the sixth seed, so I think they are going to get into play-in. And so they've got to win. One game against the Orlando Magic.
I just saw him win one game against Orlando. With Cam Thomas. Uh And no Yamas. Then they've got to maybe win one game against Charlotte. Or Miami.
Um I've seen them beat Charlotte three times. Miami. As long as they don't have to play Washington. Yeah, right. Washington or Brooklyn.
So now we're talking about.
Now you're in the playoffs.
Now you are the eighth seed or the seventh seed playing the Detroit Pistons or Boston Celtics. And on paper, Like, as a series, you have to put the respect on the seed, right? They did that work. And they would be the favorite. But In reality, if you're a Bucks fan watch and listen to this.
If you were to tell Yaniser Dekumbo, You've got to go into Detroit. And win two games in Detroit. Yeah. You think He's afraid of that. Do you think the Bucs feel they can't beat that?
They beat the Pistons when Giannis pulled his calf the first time. Yeah. At home. Right? They beat the Boston Celtics without Yammus.
Uh They beat the Knicks already. Like. They've They've sort of Done enough. Where yeah, I It's crazy. You can make a legitimate basketball argument.
That if he's healthy. Going into the playoffs. This East is not so dominant, Bart, that. you you're like I mean, he's the big boss. Every team that has beaten the Bucs since twenty one.
Has either gone to the conference finals or finals. The Pacers. A couple years ago, losing in the conference finals was the only one. Everyone else has gone to a final part. If you beat Giannis.
And the box. You're the best team in the East. And so if you're a Bucks fan, Or even if you're the bucks themselves. How do you not think if you have that guy? You're not.
Able. To win a series or two, or through like. 'Cause that's how they think. They're pros. They believe in themselves.
But no, I don't think where you started going there, trust me. It has crossed the mind of some of us because it's just. You know, again, I watched Orlando struggle to score 100 points against a team. in Milwaukee that was hurt and You know. Didn't have any offense.
And now you're going to drop Giannis in there? You know, you can definitely see that. And that's not a prediction because, again, he's got to stay healthy. He hasn't been all year. But If he is.
They're going to be, no one's going to want to see them. I can, that, that much I can. predict. No one was going to be happy. To see Giannis in the box.
coming into their building, either one win and out in the play-in or having to beat that guy four different times. I want it. It's different. It's interesting. Yeah.
You know, we paid off Bucks and six already by winning in-game six, but. To be an eight seed against a one again. That'd be a callback. That's the true Bucks and Six callback. That's Bucks and Six.
Under 500 records. Yeah. Yeah. And then when. As an eighth seed.
Jim, thank you so much, Jim Ozarsky, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. If you're on the Of Dan Shinney YouTube stream. There's going to be more of this episode on the audio platforms. But Jim, thank you as always, and you'll have to come back. Into the Winklerverse.
So that's a good thing for everybody, Mark. This is Steve Smith here, former NFL wide receiver and host of the 89 Show on YouTube. In my day, I'd go up against defenders twice my size and wasn't afraid of getting hit. But one thing terrified me. People learning, I had a mental health issue.
I thought. I'll seem weak, but being open about your struggles isn't weak. It's the only way to overcome them. That's where BetterHelp Online Therapy comes in. Visit betterhelp.com/slash radio, betterhelp.com/slash radio to get started.
better h dot com slash radio. Day or night, VerboCare is here 24-7 to help make every part of your stay seamless. If anything comes up, Or you simply need a little guidance, support is ready whenever you reach out. From the moment you book to the moment you head home, we're here to help things run smoothly. because a great trip starts with the right support.
And hey, a good playlist doesn't hurt either. How do you fix tanking in the NBA? Is the topic of the All-Star weekend? And I have two solutions. Neither.
are feasible. There's There's ways you can fix tanking. You don't like watching games all season long where teams are sucking. On purpose. The Kings have gone into the all-star break, losers of 14 in a row, including against a Jazz team that's trying to tank.
But they're not benching guys. They're benching guys during the game.
So they're playing and then they're not. And now, Jaron Jackson Jr. shut down for the year. There's so many, if you look at the standings, there's so many people. Not trying.
There's so many teams not trying. Wizards, Pacers, Nets, not trying. Kings, Pelicans, Jazz. Mavericks, Grizzlies, not trying. Then there's teams that are like stuck in the playing tournament.
Do we try? Are the Bulls trying? They've lost six in a row. Are the box trying? They might be.
If Cam Thomas is a revelation. Or if this is just what he does. There's two ways to fix it. Two ways to fix tanking. One.
Promotion relegation. That's the way. The way to fix tanking is promotion relegation. They do this overseas. All right, they do it in soccer.
English Premier League, I will use it as an example once again. 20 teams. They play a season. There's no playoffs. It's 38 games.
Whoever wins wins. They have other playoffs that they can do. They have all the different levels of soccer that play each other in a tournament. And then the top teams from England play Spain, and so they have the Championship League, Champions League with Germany, France. And some of the other countries around Europe.
So they still get to play in playoffs and tournaments. But the league itself does not have a playoffs. And so You want to win it, duh, but you don't want to be the bottom three. Because if you're the bottom three, you are relegated to not the Premier League, but the Championship League. Not Division I, but Division II.
How do you prevent the teams at the bottom? of the standings from trying to lose. You have to deincentivize losing. And the incentive for losing is better draft pick. The incentive for losing is if we lose, we'll get a better draft pick.
Oh, we'll tweak the lottery system a little bit. There's all these different things. I've long Had segments on the radio where I say, How do you fix this? And then we take all these suggestions. But they're keeping the thing intact.
Like, yes, you can tweak the lottery. Or I saw one suggestion: do the draft lottery on All-Star Weekend. Because then, yeah, teams will tank now, but then. Later, they won't, and then teams will play their good players, and you'll be able to watch scrappy young teams. They're still going to sit down, guys with injury.
There's a lot of different ideas. That you will hear. But it's all in the same system. It's all in the same system. It's all keeping things as they are.
and trying to fix around that.
So it's like, how do I improve the house I live in? If I really don't want these leaks and that smell and that roof and that fungus. You got to move to a different neighborhood. You got to move to a different house. But this is the house.
The house is. 30 teams. Half of them, two-thirds of them, make the postseason. Or have the chance to. And unless we change that.
We're just gonna make dumb little tweaks. that aren't going to do anything. Yeah, we had the draft lottery odds changed. But that actually encourages more teams to tank because you could be the Mavs, you could go to the play-in tournament, you could trade Luka Doncic, you could still get the number one overall pick. assuming that that's not all rigged.
Okay. So how do you get rid of tanking? There's two ways. There are two ways. One is promotion relegation.
But that will never happen here. But if you want to know how to get rid of it, that's the way. But it will never happen.
So, we're not actually trying to get rid of the problem, we're trying to get rid of the problem. By keeping the structure that begets the problem. As long as we have 16 teams making the playoffs. And another four in the play-in. And then everybody else is fighting for lottery scraps.
As long as we reward the worst teams with the best players in the draft. This will continue.
Now, in promotion relegation in the English Premier League and that soccer tier, there is no draft because all these teams are out on their own.
So, everybody's on their own. There's no minor league affiliates. There's no G League. There's no AAA. Everyone's on their own.
Now, this would bring up more problems.
So promotion relegation would get rid of tanking. But it would actually cause more problems. And I don't think we would like. the world that we get if all of a sudden the NBA was promotion relegation and there was no draft. Because then these college kids.
It would probably blow up college. No one's going to go to college. Why go to college? You're not getting drafted. You only go to college if you can't do what these soccer teams are doing, and that's coming up through their academy.
So here's kind of what happens. Um let's say with a lower level or a Premier League team, but that's not as good. Let's say it was the Milwaukee Bucks. All right, the Milwaukee Bucks. Smaller market.
You know, we do have Giannis. They don't have the TV money, whatever. For the Milwaukee Bucks to be good, what would have to happen is they would have to go out and find a guy like Giannis. They would then develop him, try to win with him. But eventually, they would get priced out and the Bucs would have to sell his rights to another team.
They would get a transfer fee for that. which would help them build up their stadiums and bring in more money, but essentially the best guys are going to still go. To the best teams. and the teams with a lot of money.
So then you've got a bigger imbalance. You think baseball's messed up now? If baseball implemented this, No draft, all academies, and you still have some academies. You know, the Brewers are doing a lot in Latin America trying to find guys. Obviously, the Dodgers have attacked.
Um, the Asian markets.
So there's teams that are trying to find pockets that they can do it without the draft because not everybody, of course. Um plays baseball in America. That's why you have to do these separate things.
So there's a little bit of that. But We don't want promotion relegation. We might. Like I think we we would like it at the level At the top level, it'd be interesting. Teams would have to play to win.
I'm a big West Ham fan. They're third last in the Premier League, but every game is like do or die because they got to win. They gotta win. And a lot of times it looks like they're gonna win until they give up a fucking goal in the 89th minute, like they always fucking do. Wednesday.
Mustang.
So that would work, but then it would make NIL in college look ridic, it would make him look insane. It would not, it would be terrible. It would be terrible. But that's how you fix tanking.
So, we could fix tanking and then have a whole new other set of problems.
So, we don't want that. We don't want that. All right.
So then what would be the other way to actually fix tanking? And again... We can have all these different please in the comments, please. I'd love to see them. I'd love to see some of these wild scenarios.
that people come up with. All right.
How do we fix? Tanking. The other way is Less games. Less games. 82 games is too much.
82 games is too much. We know the teams that are going to make the playoffs. We know the teams that are not. We know the teams that are bad. We know the teams that have a chance to win.
There's a few teams in the middle.
Okay, are you going to be in the plane? Are you not? What are you doing? Milwaukee, what are you doing? Portland, what are you doing?
Charlotte, what are you doing? Is that enough to keep us engaged? The rest of the season, even the teams that are competing. I've been watching a lot of basketball. Oh, last couple of weeks.
Rarely do I watch a game where both teams are healthy. Warriors are sitting, guys. Who sat like their whole lineup the other day? It was insane. Oh, the Wizards?
There's guys that are starting, I just have never heard of. Where are they people? I mean, even the Bucs have a bunch of guys on the roster. Where these guys come from?
So let's less games less games helps. But how many less? 82? To what eighty? Same shit.
Seventy? better but It's just the season ending two weeks earlier. We're already getting it now. I think one of the reasons why this issue is such a talking point in this season is because there's always been tanking. But it's been resigned to about one or two teams.
You are seeing half the league tank. Halfway through the season. The whole season is washed.
So, I will again propose now for the NBA what I've proposed. in Major League Baseball. I just want to see it one time. I just want to see what it would look like one time. Play an NFL game schedule in these other sports.
I want Major League Baseball to be a 17-game schedule. I want the NBA to be a 17-game schedule. Once-a-week games, Monday night, Sunday night. Sunday, you know, red zone or in the paint or strike zone or. rounding home or whatever.
Maybe some random overseas games at 9:30 in the morning on a Sunday, you know. That every game would be intense. Football is king. Partly because The scarcity of it. There's only 17 of these games.
You value everyone. It also improves the media discussion. We'd be talking a lot more about the game. The less games there are, the more we can talk about the games. Because it's just a point.
It's interesting. We can really chew into it. The more games you get, the less you talk about the games.
Now you're talking about. Trades and jersey swaps, and you know, that's what you're talking about. You're not talking about the games. In the NBA, because there's 82 of them.
Okay, we lost them. Who cares? You're not talking about him in Major League Baseball, there's 162 of them. Who cares? We play tomorrow.
Oh, we might play later this afternoon. But that's the way. There's two ways to get rid of tanking. One promotion relegation where You cannot be on the bottom or you go down a level. And there's all other things.
Then he's G-League team. It would just be, it's not going to happen. But that's, you want an answer, that's an answer. The other way is short in the season, and not just a little, but a lot. And that's never going to happen.
So, what we have is what we get. You can continue to tweak. And tweak and tweak. But there will always be a handful of teams. that decide losing is better than winning to help me future win.
Tinking is not a bad Thing. These are teams that are trying to win. But they can't with what they have right now.
So, to get better, they need to get worse. Because, in our system, if you're bad, you get good. That's the socialistic system of sports. that transcends to in the sports. Not the NBA itself.
The NBA itself is a monopoly. The NBA within itself is it's socialism. It's teams. trying to do worse so they can get better. Everybody gets a fare.
Shake. Those are the two ways. We can come up with other ways, it's not going to work.
Well, what if you did this? What if you did this? What if you fine? Try it. You're still going to have.
A handful of teams tank. Unless you Shrink the playoffs down to 14. Everything that would involve. Really a strategy is lowering games, lowering money.
So we just got to suck it up. And that's the route I've taken. I saw a tweet the other night that was like, look, sometimes I just want to come home from work on a random Tuesday. And watch the Pistons just blow the shit out of the Hornets. That's what I want to do.
And that's what I get to do. You either got to embrace the amount of games. or really make a progressive Monumental change, which will never happen. Tanking is here to stay. I guess a third option would be.
It's all randomized. How you do in one season does not affect how you do the next season. Yeah, you could try to lose. Don't matter. You're going to still get one out of 30 odds.
And would that would that would that help? I think it w that would help. That third way I stumbled onto. At the beginning. of this video i had no idea I actually like the third way.
It'd be unfair, but... It would eliminate teams trying to lose. There's no incentive to lose. Right now, there's an incentive to lose. To take away tanking, you got to take away the incentive to lose.
But there is an incentive to lose.
So take it away. But then the Thunder win the championship and then they get the number one pick. Which they're kind of doing anyway. Because they're smart.
So the answer how you eliminate tanking. You got to find a way to D. Incentivize Losing. And unless you're not going to randomize that, which you won't. You got to go extreme, which they won't do either.
So what I think happened is someday we're going to play. 78 games or something, whatever the solution's going to be. It's it's just it's gonna be it's gonna be nothing.
So This was a, you know, hopefully helpful, not waste of your time. How do you fix the all-star game? Luca and Jokic have to not play in it anymore. That's how you fix it. Those two don't care.
Everything that's happened with the Ulster game is because of those two guys. And I'm glad Kevin Durant said it by name, those two guys, because they have ruined it single-handedly. They're the two that don't try. Everybody else has been like. Not trying, but we can't totally not try.
Those two are like: this is the dumbest shit we've ever done. We are going to have tickle fights up and down the court.
So You can't fix that either unless You don't bring them into the game. You gotta have people that want to be there. Like the Slam Dunk contest, which no one's ever heard any of these guys. Carter Bryan's playing well. I found out who he was two days ago.
This is Steve Smith here, former NFL wide receiver and host of the 89 Show on YouTube. In my day, I'd go up against defenders twice my size and wasn't afraid of getting hit. But one thing terrified me. People learning I had a mental health issue. I thought I'll seem weak, but being open about your struggles isn't weak.
It's the only way to overcome them. That's where BetterHelp Online Therapy comes in. Visit betterhelp.com/slash radio. Betterhelp.com/slash radio to get started. better h dot com slash radio.
Life Lock, how can I help? The IRS said I filed my return, but I haven't. One in four tax-paying Americans has paid the price of identity fraud. What do I do? My refundal.
I'm freaking out. Don't worry, I can fix this. LifeLock fixes identity theft guaranteed and gets your money back with up to $3 million in coverage. I'm so relieved. No problem.
I'll be with you every step of the way. One in four was a fraud-paying American. Not anymore. Save up to 40% your first year. Visit lifelock.com slash special offer.
Terms apply. Happy Play Samp. is the sponsor One of them of our podcast wants to shout out Carl's Place and Dan Shaney. And I don't know, insert your business here. You want to get your message in front of Dozens of people?
This is the place. But a passionate Purchasing Power Group. of individuals.
Okay. I tell my listeners to jump. They say How Hi. Of savings can I get with a promo code? And then I'll consider buying the product you're pitching.
Well, at heavy place hemp, it's 25%. 25% off each and every order. Happyplacehemp.com. Promo code is BERT. Seltzers and gummies and tinctures and dog treats.
They can be relaxed a little bit. Two. Check it all out at happyplacehemp.com. They are in Muskego across from Maddie's. which is in New Berlin.
on college court. HappyPlaceHemp.com. Promo code is BART. Go put in an order right now. I uh I'll wait.
Go. Hap H A P P Y All right, pause it and then. and then come back. The Bears Am I playing Iowa now? Uh they won't, but that is the headline.
That has everybody Laughing. A little bit. Senate file 2252. It's a new bill in the Iowa legislature filed by seven state senators. Aiming to modify Iowa's mega program, mega MEGA, major economic growth attraction.
To include incentivizing the building of a professional sports stadium by a National Football League franchise. In the state. Senator Scott Webster, our Iowa, after years of Bears fans seeking refuge across the Mississippi River from the incompetence, corruption, and punitive tax regulatory climate in the state of Illinois. It is time for the team to join their fans on the west side of the river. A couple of things here.
The Bears are going to figure it out, and they're going to play in Illinois. It still feels like Arlington Heights will be the winner. It feels like they're going to play there. I would love to see them still play in downtown. I know it's really hard to get in and out of.
The views are great. The stadium is a shithole. But not inside. It's very comfortable. It's very, like, it's very intimate.
But yeah, getting around that stadium is. Um I don't know what it's like a museum built on top of a train station, built on top of a dump. Built on top of a football field. It's a very weird place. I don't really like getting any oxygen to these kinds of stories, especially like.
A lot of times we're politicians. involve themselves in sports. It's like a Vanity Project. Or it's to score like quick points. And then the Bills never go anywhere.
There was a guy in Ohio that got a big run because he was. Trying to. Introduce Ohio State not playing. Early kickoffs. And there was a story, and then the bill doesn't even go to the floor to die.
Everyone's just like, ah. I always getting the bit. No, they're not. It's just.
Some Iowa politicians. Oh, I think all Packer games should not be on Peacock. Vote for me, yay. It is pandering of the highest levels. And I think we fall for it.
every time. I think we're just days away, though, from a story that says Uh, could the Bears share Lambeau Field for a season? Uh Remember that year that the Cubs Almost, like almost, almost, almost, almost, not like almost. But there was some consideration about redoing Wrigley and then playing a season in Milwaukee on days where the Brewers didn't play. I I hate the Cubs.
I'm going to hate Cubs fans. And I hate when that stadium's filled with Cubs fans. But that would have been that would have been cool. That would have been sweet. That would have been.
Sweet. That'll wrap things up for this edition of Into the Winkler Verse. Keep checking those feeds. You never know when there's going to be a new episode. Because I never know when there's going to be a new episode.
We've been pretty consistent. We've been on the daily. We've been doing good. Uh never know what time. But I'm I'm I'm proud of the efforts here on Winkler versus Winkler verse two point oh I do have a voicemail from David.
I can give you a voicemail from David. 402-915-2278-402-915-BART. Thanks to our friends at Carl's Place. This is David in Buffalo. You call, I'll play.
David In Buffalo. What's happened, Bart? This is David from Buffalo. Man, you're taking about the Olympics. Good.
You know, I haven't really listened to a lot of sports talk radio since the Super Bowl just because it's a good time of year to take a break, man. Just kind of forget about it for a couple of days because I'm sure they're probably already talking about the combine and the draft. And you know, there's probably a few people still reacting to some of the NBA trades. But the the reality is is I think a lot of the reason they don't like to talk about the Olympic Is because they just don't want to research it. I mean, it's that simple.
I mean, most of you guys are lazy. I mean, if you really come to know it, I mean. Cowherd, if it's not about the NFL. I don't say it doesn't exist, but it's hard to get him to talk about it. I mean, I think Cowherd, the only time he ever talked hockey on his show, and it might have been Gottlieb who was actually doing it that day because Cowherd was off, was the day of game seven when the Oilers played Florida a couple of years ago in the Stanley Cup finals.
They did talk about it that day. But while I need to go to sports, They're just afraid to talk about it because they don't really want to. They're lazy. And they don't, I think, Bart, at the end of the day, the reality is, is most of these guys like Rome and Cowherd, and you know, Mad Dog, and some of these guys, when they step out of their lane. and they get into like, you know, a topic that they don't know a lot about.
They're afraid that people might call in and like actually know more about it than that.
So I I think that's the whole thing with that. I mean, like. To me, it it's The Olympics is a once every four-year thing. Just talk about it for. a week or so.
I mean, you then you get back to the NFL and I think here's the problem with a lot of these NFL topics. They're just Every year it's the same stuff, it's just, you know. The draft is crazy. I mean, we love the NFL, but give it five minutes to just take a break and like. Talk about something else in the offseason, especially, you know, like this year, the NHL players are playing in the Olympics, man.
I mean, this isn't, you know, this isn't like. A crazy topic where, like, you know, where Sports Illustrate talked about the circus back in the day, or something like that, or they're interviewing Kearneys or something like that. I mean, these are actual real sports. And we're talking about, you know, an interesting sport.
So At the end of the day, man, do, you know, these guys need to do their homework and they need to understand, man, if you're talking about the NHL or, you know, these other sports in the Olympics. they actually need something, you know, I mean, they need some of these countries and You know, it's big it's a big picture thing. And it's not always about, you know, well, geez, what you know, what kind of, you know, offensive line should New England put in front of his break day next year?
Well, plenty of times it dissect that, I'm sure. Thanks for the time, dude. I'm out. Thanks, David. A lot of good thoughts there.
I think I'm trying to think again: if I was doing my national show, it's going to be a theme of this podcast. If I was doing my national show, how much would I talk about the Olympics? I did watch some of Canada play hockey today. I'll have the USA game on. Uh and watch that.
Um But a lot of it I'm just catching and I'm not. I'm not sure if I can do it. I'm catching it, I'm viewing it, I'm engaged with it, but I'm not. Not an expert on it.
Now, what I would probably do is try to have some guest. But the Olympics were hard because there's a lot of guys that. Are covering the Olympics and you want them on. As uh expert. But they're in Italy and the time's all weird and they're.
Like they don't go there just to like They're super busy. They're super busy. Like those days where you can't even Breathe or check your phone or your email. They're like that for two weeks.
So trying to schedule them on a Rinky ding It's, you know. Satellite or even uh to talk him out of your basement. It's tough. And then I think another thing is. Does the audience want Olympic talk?
You're driving around and you're flipping between two stations. And let's say one guy is still talking about Will Campbell at the Super Bowl, and the other is breaking down the luge. Most people Stay with what they know.
So I I don't So then, my gripe with that is: well, then, if you're going to talk about the Olympics, Don't just take the low-hanging fruit. Don't just be like, oh, you misrepresented the flag. That's not a sports topic. I mean, it is. Politics and sports are more intertwined than people want to admit, but.
I don't know, I've always thought it was sports radio. Like even even at the beginning of this one today. Was I breaking down games or was I breaking down ideas? We break down ideas a lot. We break down.
You don't break down. Oh, he pivoted over here and then ran here. And then not a lot of us know how to do that. It's okay, too, when you say, hey, look, I don't know much about the Olympics, but I sure as hell am enjoying the luge. Who picks who's on top?
How do you understand if you're good at this or not? You're just with your buddy and you're like, lay on me and let's go down a hill? Seriously, though, how do you figure out you're good at Not just the luge, but like... I'm better if I'm on top. Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
I mean, I think. practice. makes perfect, I guess, but you know what I mean. All right.
Appreciate you all. Make sure to like every single.
social media platform that I'm on. And uh And really stand for me, you know? Really make it your personal Make it your personal responsibility to make sure that this works for me. Can we do that, please? I get so mad, I send out these uh I get like LinkedIn.
emails and stuff. And it says one-click resume, and then I send the resume that I had on there from three years ago. I'm like, uh, send. And then I immediately don't get the job and I'm like, fuck you. I mean Yeah.
It's weird. I'm not seeing. I'm applying to jobs that I know I won't get with a resume that sucks just for the chance to be the victim. That's how deep I am, folks. That's how deep this victim blaming goes.
Ooh hoo hee. Thanks for stopping into the Winklerverse. Mr. Hurt. Life Lock, how can I help?
The IRS said I filed my return, but I haven't. One in four tax-paying Americans has paid the price of identity fraud. What do I do? My refund though. I'm freaking out.
Don't worry, I can fix this. LifeLock fixes identity theft guaranteed and gets your money back with up to $3 million in coverage. I'm so relieved. No problem. I'll be with you every step of the way.
One in four was a fraud-paying American. Not anymore. Save up to 40% your first year. Visit lifelock.com/slash special offer. Terms apply.
