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Okay. Good afternoon, everybody. Welcome into the Winklerverse. I'm Bart Winkler. Grant Bill's alongside as is...
Paul Emmigan said mm mm mm mm Thursday. Ah, fuck Tim. Tuesday. Yeah. Maybe because I said something other than random in front of Tuesday, my brain wasn't adjusted to saying a different thing.
Before we get started, if I may. I would like to share a story. And I'd share this story. Yeah. What I hope can be a piece of advice as well.
Oh. Because I think sometimes in our lives. Um I think a lot about worrying. Right. We worry a lot about things, and you spend a lot of time worrying, and then the thing doesn't happen.
You worry so much, you almost want it to happen to justify the amount of time you spent worrying on something. Sure. And sometimes when you worry. You're so laser focused. about the thing you're worried about.
And then you have blinders to any other problem that may emerge.
Okay. So The last time I had an annual checkup, well, let me take you back. When this podcast started, I clocked in at about 220 pounds. I eventually got that up to a good 235. And my doctor had been with me on that.
Um Now this is about weight loss, so you must say journey. And then I show up one physical. With a pep in my step. as I'm 185 pounds. Wow.
And he, this is last year now. And he is like. What have you been doing? Hmm. Almost as if to share.
The gospel with other Patients that may be having a hard time. I say, well, my work hours, I inadvertently fast overnight, and I've been. Getting my steps in, and I'm just trying to. I'm really trying to focus on my weight. And 185, I felt great.
And there's no better feeling. It's maybe a top 10 feeling. When your doctor, you can tell he's proud of you. Yeah. Like when you go to the dentist and he's like.
Guess what? No cavities. But then sometimes they go. You have a cavity, and they're like very disappointed. Oh, why'd you even, why'd you even come here, you cavity mouth-filled fuck?
Yeah. So I was so focused on my weight, and I was already bummed that he was going to see a little more. Cushion pushing on me, and I stepped on the scale, and I just didn't want to be over 200. 200 to me, I just, I can't. I don't like that I'm in the 190s and I'm hugging 200, but I can't get back over 200.
And the doctor scale is typically more than what I experience at home. Hmm. And I stepped on that scale and I was 197. And I thought, you know what? That's what I was laser focused on.
I'm still not where I was. I don't think he'll still be, he's not going to be disappointed in me. But I feel good that I at least didn't come in here. At 200.
So as I'm focused on this. I don't understand what other problems there could even be in my blinders. And it is my Dishonor to report to you today. Uh-oh. That I am I am one full inch shorter than I thought I was.
I uh did my weight. And then I did the height. And I've been walking around saying I'm 5'10 and a half.
Okay. And um Mm. I am 5'9 and 3 quarters. It's not a full inch shorter than you thought. The difference between knowing I'm 5'10 and knowing I'm 5'9.
Has been As hard of an experience as I've had. Despite being laid off two times by the same company. And suffering through massive anxiety, depression, and addiction. Five nine and a half.
Now I could still Well, no, I still would be unable to work on 24 because Kiefer's 5'7 and he never let anyone taller than him on that show. Everyone is shorter than 5'7 that's been on the show. The show 24. For a moment there, I thought you were referring to a local Milwaukee news. channel.
You know, you mean the show with Kiefer Sutherland? Yes. When did that show end, by the way? Or is it still on? I mean through Memories and physical media, everything's ever anytime.
Okay, yes, it was off the air maybe a decade ago.
Sorry, continue. Let me just quickly interject too and just say there were so many things as you paused and you said. It is my dishonor to say to report that I am I'd so many. Yeah, don't do that. I figured you were going to come in comedically.
That's your tone, but I had so many. If there was like a real problem with me, I'd be like, Grant, Paul, great to see you. I'm Bart. I have brain cancer. Let's get to it.
That's how I would do it. You're right, you would. If it was a big deal, you would downplay it. If it's a small deal, you would upplay it. But Several of the comments I wanted to interject in that moment would have absolutely required Tim and Post.
I kept them to myself. Continue on your story. We'll make Tim earn his paycheck. That's fine.
Sorry. What were your comments? Like. Downstair growing growing up related? What?
My doctor still never touched my penis. I thought he might this time, but. He didn't. He knows me from the radio.
So right away there was a, you're not touching my penis. I thought that would like make it more likely. Hey, I love your show. Drop the pants. Yeah, I don't know.
That's a mental pretzel that I'm going to think about today. Which part, Rand? Do your doctors still touch your penis? I tr I Try to go to the doctor as. Infrequently, as human.
That's my largest fear in the world: being at the doctor. The way it smells, the way the air feels in those buildings. Gravity for eeek. Grant, what do you think my opinion is on going to the doctor? More or less?
Weekly. Yeah. If I could, I would. Yeah. You want to hit your deductible by St.
Patrick's Day every year, right? At the latest. It doesn't matter. I got a really good one. I got a really good one.
Hold on. I was going to get the laugh track, but. For Paul, a doctor a day keeps the doctor away. I like it. Yeah.
That's all right. Keeps a different doctor away. Yeah. All right.
So that's my story into the Winklerverse on the Dan Shaney YouTube stream. Brought to you by Carl's place, brought to you by Happy Place Hemp. We're going to be doing things with Tom Watt, Tom's Watch Bar this World Cup season. Ooh, I don't think I can. I'll edit that in post.
For the big soccer tournament, we're going to be doing some things and I'm going to be bouncing around. I would like to go highlight other bars as well. Like, I want to know where, because last time I did this for Milwaukee Pro Soccer RIP. One really good day was when I went to the Croatian Eagles soccer fields. And they had just like this Knights of Columbus type hall where 150.
People were packed in a place watching Croatia, and I was, I want to, I want to find things like that. In Milwaukee.
So if anyone has any tips. Please let me know as I'll probably be the only one in Milwaukee, nay, Wisconsin, nay, America that is attempting to do a post-game show for the USA Games. Mm.
So you can join us Friday night. For that. Pa? All right, we're going to do it. And then we're going to brainstorm a bardometer together.
On the same topic.
Okay, but I'm very excited about this topic. I always hope that I can come in with something that I'm fascinated to. I want a topic one day that you're not excited about. I usually have one or two each week that I'm like, I wish I had someone to talk about this with. Oh, this is so wonderful.
I do. Um Here here's the mm-hmm first. There were at least 10 people. At game three of the NBA Finals, who were more famous than anyone on the court. Mm-hmm.
Or mm mm. There were at least two. Like, like, we can go through. I want to do that. You got Wemby.
I know.
So, Wemby is like, he's on the, like, if you know, if you're going to do like a top eight or a top 10 barnometer, Wemby's like, he, I think he's like, I have, so I have, I've done my research, obviously. You guys are just learning about it right now. You didn't tell me that we were doing this part. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Rascilla.
We'll get through it together. Um there were at least 10 people. at game three of the NBA Finals more famous than anyone on the court. Mm-hmm. Or mm mm.
Bart's initial instinct is mm-hmm, we can do a Bartometer. On who the top of the. Danhausen's somewhere in the top 50. Of celebrities. By the way, the official Madison Square Garden, which puts out a celebrity list, I learned last night, like an official.
Yeah, they are really weird about it there. 96 is officially the number of celebrities that Madison Square Garden officially said there were 96 celebrities here. Apparently, this is a thing that they. put out who's the who was the did they list them all Um Yes, I don't think it's like publicly accessible, but then they shared the number of 96 with. And then there were some people who were at the game, I learned as I was doing this research that didn't appear on screen, but were there and were interviewed by.
Something, but not.
Well, I got a list of a few names that if you didn't see game three, here's who was there.
Okay, good. I am it too. 45 47 was there. Correct. Uh Spikely.
Yeah. Chalami. Chalamay. Uh Ben Stiller. Tina Fey.
Tracy Morgan. Jay-Z. Chris Rock. Chris Rock, Jay-Z. John McEnroe.
Larry David. stabler and What's her name? Cool. Mariska Hardigay. Oh, Marisca Hargate.
Benson. Olivia Benson. And then Christopher Milani, Derek Cheeter, Eli Manning, Jay-Z, you said. Yep. Fat Joe skip.
Zoran Mamdani, Jon Stewart, Patrick Ewing. Jeremy Lynn, friend of... Show Dan Hausen, Cardi B. And by the way, you haven't said, but I think should absolutely be included: Shaq, Charles Barkley. Ernie Johnson, Adam Silver.
Yeah. Nice pregame interview, by the way, I thought. That was nice. It felt big with them there. It felt so much bigger than.
Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins and Malika Andrews. When the halftime show came on with the Inside the NBA, I almost had like a. Where are what? What plane am I on? What planet am I existing in?
So, who is in that list? Victor Webanyama is the most famous basketball player. Yes. Um I won't even I wouldn't even Thank you. No, I would not consider Tom's.
I wouldn't consider Brunson to be anywhere near top 20. I agree. I had Brunson around like 25. As the next basketball player active currently. We're talking world, USA, Milwaukee, St.
Francis, Cudahy, Bayview. I think we should say global.
Well, I'd say then the Wemby one makes it difficult. Yeah, I guess we don't really have a great global sense. Let's say you have 10 people. There are at least 10, at least 10 people. Inside Madison Square Garden during game three, more famous than anyone involved in the actual game.
One more qualifier, if I may.
Sorry, playing in the game.
So, one more qualifier. Yeah. Do I go up to someone? Do I say, Sir. Do you know Victor Webanyama?
Do you know Ben Stiller? Or do I show them a picture? Good question. I actually, because I'm super cool. tried to define in two sentences or less, like Famous.
How would we agree, like, famous means what? um and i don't i mean that was just how i was trying to to work it through in my head But I think part of that is like you would just recognize like Your wife would recognize this person. Your kid would recognize this person.
Well, then my answer is: a person in their 20s, a person in their 60s. Trump Stiller. Jay-Z. Chalamay. Chalamay.
Um Barkley Shaq. I think Shaq for sure, Barkley, I might. Chris rocks above him. John McEnroe is above him. No, I'm putting Wemby ahead of McEnroe.
I think Larry David's ahead of Wembanyama. Larry David's big in the gif game on Twitter. I think that helps him. Genuine. I think the highest that Wemby could be.
is nine. Yeah, I have like nine or ten is the absolute like if you really want to be generous. What an interesting question. And I would say that this is There's no way this has ever happened before. that any sporting event has ever had give or take ten people More famous watching.
than playing. The Super Bowl is packed with celebrities, but the Super Bowl, more often than not, is going to still have Brady and Mahomes and Kelsey and like. More famous people, I think, in the global sphere of sports, at least right now. Than Wembanyama, Brunson, Towns. Cardi B, I don't want to, you know, she could be up there.
Yeah. Like, that's someone I would know less. And, like, I don't have as much of a, you know, Chalamet, but I know Chalamet's top 10. I don't like I've What? No, I'm saying he is.
No, I'm saying you.
Well, I don't know Chalamet them. How is Chalamet not number one? What do you mean you don't know? I'm saying I would think someone in their 20s. Would, okay, you're actually proving my point.
I didn't even mean that about you. Would be more like, well, duh, about Chalamay, whereas I might be more like, duh about Ben Smith. Grant's not in his 20s. Grant's in his pre-30s. True.
Ben Stiller to me and to people know that Chalamet is in there, even though I haven't. Like, you know. And by the way, like the Kendall Jenner thing, I'm sure, plays a big role in saying, oh, he's clearly the most famous or one of the top people up in that booth, Jim Dolan. Dolan. No, I don't think he's ahead of Wenbanyama, but it's Kylie Jenner.
And also, I think a lot of people my age, my first blush, if you say Ben Stiller, the first thing I think of is Night at the Museum. Oh, interesting. Which is a while ago. You know what I mean? Like, he's very, I think going to Knicks games keeps him.
At least in my world. What about Stiller Soda, his brand of... Where he for some reason goes into grocery stores to To to sell it. Yeah. Howard Lutnick.
I don't know who that is. We don't let's yep. Mm-hmm. He was there. Sitting next to Marisco, right?
Well, other people, there were people in the administration.
So who's more famous? Wembinyama Jeter, Eli, rank those three. In the United States. Jeter. Like slice of America.
You pick 50 people from each state across the country. I honestly think EI. Do they recognize?
So, which one's the most recognizable? Eli Jeter? Wemby's nine feet tall. What if you just, what if you did that? Eli looks like your insurance agent.
With headshots, people would know Eli. Most people would recognize Jeter. I think Wemby would be farther down the list. Yeah, I think so. Bro, Oklahoma and Kansas exist.
Like, I know we look at Wemby and we're like, well, duh. Like, yeah. A fuck brilliant exists. Like, forget about. Kansas, like drive an hour outside of Green Bay in that little horseshoe up there.
Like, I don't. There are, there's, you know, you know, when people look at that map. of the United States, when like what goes on here, Montana, Dakotas, Mont yeah. Idaho, Wyoming. There are probably 50 mile radiuses, maybe bigger.
Where an NBA game has not been on a television since Michael Jordan played. I would wager. I would wager. Possible. Yeah.
Yeah, I mean that. UI. Is that partially the football grant? Like a football player is usually just going to outrank a baseball or basketball player of similarity. And he's a Manning.
He's a manicam. And he's a Merrickam. Yeah. Great point, too. Honestly, that he's a Manning is not nothing for sure.
Um Alright, so should we borrow Meeter at? I think we kind of did. Should we order them? Yes, that's why I want to do that. Yeah, I want to like, I really want to work our way through the.
Trump Chalamay would have to be one, two, right? I would think.
So Chalamet's above Jay-Z. Currently, I think yes. I don't I mean, you're talking about a whole yeah, I don't think Chalomay is Top five. Oh yes, he is. I don't even like he's like I said, Grant will have a stronger reaction to that than Duke.
I think Chris Rock, Ben Stiller, Jay-Z. Are going to be more recognizable around the country than Timothy Chalamet.
So I'm actually going to say, possibly, I think my number two, I think my battle for the two position. Is Shaq versus Jay-Z. I know we see Shaq a lot, but he's a one-name. Seven foot Jack's two. I think he's two.
I think it's. I I think he's two. I'm gonna put Jay-Z three, Chalamay four. Coincidentally, I think there's large swaths of America. That would not recognize Jay-Z, but if you ask them about G, Jay-Z would tell you that they if you went up to them and said, Hulva.
They'd say, oh, Jay-Z. Yeah. I don't know what that means. I totally have. Did you never listen to 03, Bonnie, and Clyde?
On repeat. Yeah. Yeah. By the way, Chappelle was there. Where does Chappelle had a Wemby?
Yes. Yes, right?
Okay, here's a topic for you.
Okay. We got through our top four. We should keep going, but go ahead. You really want to rank him out after that? Go ahead.
You can do your thing, but I really do want to. Trump, Shaq. Who's three? Yeah. I'm going to nominate Jay-Z for three.
I'll let you have it. Fine. Take the nomination. And then let's put from. Four to six, Stillard's.
Chris Rock. What about Tina Faye? Tracy Morgan. Larry David. Larry David Cleves.
Tara above Tina Faye. Larry David above Tina Fay. Both are wonderful.
So my question is. unless you're not unless you really wanted me to unless you and me and grant need to stone in Who's number eight? Ideally, yes. Are there people there that we're not even Saying yet? Did we forgot?
So like again. Dude, um Bloomberg. Like, I don't know. Michael Bloomberg. Ari Emmanuel.
David Zaslov. Yeah. I feel like David Zazlov is only known for people just hating him. Yeah, no one ever talks about him ever, and then he's courtside of the game, and they're like. Yeah.
Like, when has anyone ever been like, you know, like, when has there ever been the other side of the coin with Zaslov? I feel like everyone just dumps on him.
Well, at the Thanksgiving, at the last Thanksgiving, we prayed for our good health, our safety, and the continued large bonus checks for David Zaslov, Warner Brothers Paramount. Yeah. So, my, and transition to your topic, and maybe it's right on the same point, but I guess my underscore is. I can't imagine it's ever happened that a sporting event has had. No one playing in the game be more famous than the 10 most famous people watching it.
All right, so my question is. which current NBA players crack the top 10? Yes, I thought about this too. LeBron, certainly. Um Steph?
Yeah. But how high is Steph? I think Steph is below several of those. I think Steph falls in the 7 to 10 range. LeBron is.
But is Steph a creature than Trump? Wait, was Stephen A there last night? Stephen A was there. I had him on my night. He's top 10.
No, he's not. Oh yeah, you didn't hear, you had to leave it like that. Fuck! But Fucking Christ. Jesus.
What? Cramp. Cramp? Oh my fucking lord! Uh Right in the back, right in the back of the hammy.
Or the back. What is this? What is in the back? Quad? No, quas in the front, as in the hamstring.
Woof. Just a pin just a pinch? Fucking non-contact podcast injury? Howo! Wow, that was unexpected.
Stephen A was there. I don't think he cracks the top 15 or top 20. I don't think there's any other player that I would put in the top ten.
So, when you say, I don't know, you're saying is not more famous than Steph Curry. Who's not? Tina Fay. No, Tina Faye's not. But Tina Faye's not in my top 10.
She was in Barts. I ruled her out. I put in Larry David. I didn't put that in stone. Oh, okay.
He's still workshopping. Um But see, Steph Curry though is not a crossover Star. Is he? I mean, I know he's huge in sports. Huge, huge, huge in sports.
But what does crossover mean? What is he crossing over into? Entertainment. What, like LeBron is more famous because he did Space Jam? Yes.
I don't. He's got the number one kids' basketball movie of the year, but he's not in it. But he is the voice of it. But like, who knows that? Who does that add to his, like, I'm more famous now because I voiced a movie in Goat?
I think every kid playing basketball knows that Steph Curry ruined the game by shooting threes. How high?
So Giannis is there last night, let's say. Giannis ranks where? Who was the video that I brought this? I think I showed you guys. What's wait?
Hold on, Grant's pondering. I'd love to know the answer to that. Good, because I don't care. You're not worth my time then.
Okay. Also, thanks for your time today, guys. Tom Brady is there. Tom Brady ranks where? Top five?
Yeah, Brady's ahead of Eli and Jeter. Yes. Yeah. Charles Barkley? Yes.
I don't think it's had a shack. Mm-hmm. Charles Barkley's top 10. No, I don't think so. But he's above Wemby.
You think Barkley's above Wemby? Uh-huh. The round mound of rebound? Who does your kid know, Wemby or Barkley? Or Danhausen.
Or just my kid's six, Paul. But I'm just saying, like, I think we need a flavor of like. We need a f generational flavor.
So, like, who would your wife know? Charles Barclay.
So, I mean, I'm trying to get away from it. The age of kids. That would know Wemby. and not know Charles Barkley. is like six to nine.
So once you're ten, you know Barclay if you know basketball. Or maybe even sooner. He's on TV. And then at some point, at some point, once your kid's into basketball, You know, you're not just gonna be like, all right, let's watch the current stars. You're gonna be like, I need to tell you about Magic Johnson, son.
You know, I need to tell you about the 96 Bulls. Every time I talk to somebody about how my kid knows wrestling, you could show him the entire WWE.com roster. You have to go to the 53rd wrestler before he doesn't know who the War Raiders are.
Meanwhile, everyone's always like, So you you you got him watching Macho Man videos, right? We're watching Seth Rollins versus Braun Breaker.
Okay. If Is the most famous baseball player in the United States? Is the most famous baseball player Shohei in the U.S.? And if yes, or whoever it is, does that baseball player crack the top 10 at last night's game? Shohei is top.
Shohei is.
So it's Shohei v. Wemby? That's, I mean, if hold on, I got to say something because somebody criticizing, and they did a big tweet on it today. The way I say verse or verses. Oh, whoever, I don't know who brought this up, but God bless whoever did.
Thank you. It's a person. What am I doing wrong? It's verses. What do I say?
Verse. Bucks vs. Bulls. Who gives a fuck? I don't bring it up.
Two people, it sounds like. Two and one. My kid always says V, and I try to tell him, No, it's verse or versus. He goes, No, it's Bucks V bulls. Bucks V bulls.
See, but you're abbreviating that. That's fine.
I would rather you say verse. Verse is an abbreviation of verses. No, it's not. It's just the incorrect pronunciation of the word. No, verse Is V S.
No, VS is versus.
So he has a big verse. Because it's wrong. You can. You're allowed to. I can do it even.
This is the Winkler verse. That's a different word. You want the Winkler verses? No, we don't. Into the Winkler V.
Is that what you want? That's a totally different. People want to come into my V? Into the Winkler V is a very different program. What was your topic?
You had something like six minutes ago about. This celebrity thing, maybe but so Shohei versus Wendy. That would be top 10. Current players?
So so where does Mahomes and Kelsey go? Kelsey's pretty darn high because of his New Heights podcast, of course. And his three touchdowns last year. It's hard. It's hard to break in.
I mean, Derek Jeter and Eli are at that game last night and not in the top 10. That's fucking crazy. Yeah. That's crazy. Do you think it was overdone?
What? That's the whole The whole thing. No, I think this I I think one of the stories other than the series is still You know, going, it's not 3-0 at which point it'd be over. It's like. Everybody of notoriety was felt like was there.
Like, how, how, like, it was more like, who wasn't there? I mean, I know it's ridiculous. Remember a couple of years ago when it was Yankees-Dodgers in the World Series? And I was like, okay, these are the two big market teams. I want to see how high these ratings get.
And it was a shitty five-game series, and I think it capped at like 15, 16 million. Yeah. Um Last night in many ways was ridiculous. Yes. The ticket price is insane.
Grant, your point about. Could the Spurs just be the Flint Tropics? Does it matter who they are? Like, it doesn't matter. They're not a part of the story, which they were always obviously going to win that game.
I made a quick $21 soon. But then I also put my left arm up on Twitter and I I won that bet. I don't know what I would have done with it. Probably backed out. Like when I was gonna eat a hat.
That's right. Who shav did Horbot shave his head on a bet during the show? Yeah. And he actually did. Yeah, yeah.
Um But this elevated the finals to a whole new level.
Sorry, Tim. This elevated the finals to a whole new level. Yes. Especially because of the Spurs one. The Spurs needed to win that game.
Yes, they did.
So last night felt, I would say. For a singular non-game seven game. Yes. In any professional sport. Last night felt like the closest to a Super Bowl that we've ever had.
That's a great take. Thank you. This was the biggest non-Super Bowl sporting event. in our lifetime. Non-game seven.
Well, World Cup Olympics. Was it? Boxing matches. There's other things you can throw. I'm just talking for the professional sports that play seven-game series.
In a non-game, and there's many qualifiers now, but in a non-game seven, game three of the 2026 NBA Finals. That is However this series ends. Unless it goes seven. Yeah. Game three will probably be the one that pops up first.
I mean, the president was there. And it's the worst time ever. Which create a full day story about the, you know, the area surrounding the arena. And the whole thing was just, I mean, it was, it was a humongous event. Like, Bart, you've talked in the past about how society and obviously like currently lacks these marquee, we all gather on the TV, we all do the thing together.
And for a Monday in June, like Wha you you couldn't have like Adam Silver from the business perspective, like you couldn't have possibly hoped For a bigger marquee, everyone gathers around.
Something is happening tonight, moment. And it by the way, and it delivered.
So if you did and then you gather around it's like a Super Bowl and it's like, yeah, but it was A blowout and 13 to 3 Rams. Commercials weren't good. But every aspect I felt of. Last night was great. And it's delivered.
Yeah, no, it was great it was great it was a great spectacle. Yes. A media event. Yes. And great basketball on top of it.
The basketball was fine. I actually remember very little of the actual basketball from last night.
Well, that makes one of us. I would like to prove that.
Well, this is a, this is a, we'll do another long form on this another time. But can sports have that kind of moment without the spectacle? Yeah. Not the crossover. Again, like the oh, something's happening tonight.
Crossover appeal. What are we crossing over to? You keep using that word, and I don't know. Different genres: sports, politics, entertainment, fashion.
Okay, okay, okay.
Now I understand what you mean. I understand what you mean. Yeah. Sorry. How many people know about Paul's boy Mike Hild is from Real Housewives.
Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. All right.
Did I lo Did you do you have anything did you watch the Brewers game, Paul? I mean, I'm very familiar with what happened, but no, this is one I unfortunately missed. I know it was a spectacle of its own. Grant, do you have any thoughts on the Las Vegas ballpark that they played in? The dude's home run, Kurtz's home run was a home run in zero of zero parks.
I went to bed early. Here's my take. I could live with the dimensions and the thin air and the home runs. But then the ump can't be a mess, and the camera angle can't be bad, and the infield can't be a parking lot. Like, there were too many things that made it not feel like a baseball game.
You get one. Like, at Coors, you get one. The ball's gonna fly. But the infield can't be way different and too hard, and the camera angle can't be sideways and. The ump was a disaster, which, by the way, last night's a perfect example if you have the take that I have, which is like actually the problem isn't.
Lack of challenges, it's just one or two really bad umps. How many challenges were there last night? Didn't help there because there will never be enough challenges to fix a bad ump on a bad night, and last night's a good example.
So, I didn't stay up. Because there were just too many things. You get one thing, maybe two, and there were like six things. Mm-hmm. Sorry.
That was my point. I made it to the 11th, and then I'm like, and then it ended in the 12th, but I'm just like. Why? What do I need? I've seen what I was interested in.
Yeah. This game quite possibly could never end. Anyway, Paul.
So I do want to do brewers. Do you want to do the thing we were arguing about via text, or do you want to talk about like big Luis Lara contract extensions and how the brewers are capitalizing on this Atlanta Brave strategy? We can go whatever direction interests you.
Well, though, the point that I would make with Lara, like you weren't arguing because you were indifferent, but. Oh. The point that I would make with the Lara extension or any extension is Okay. It just takes another guy off the table that they might trade. Does it though?
Does it take him off the table to be traded? Ooh, okay, maybe not. Probably, yes. Why? I mean, if you're the acquiring team, you would love to have that control too.
Wouldn't that be the like if you were the acquiring team, if you're the Tigers? And you're going to do some major. Why wouldn't the Tigers just trade for a guy and then extend him their self? But they, that's what they would presumably want to do. And it's like, oh, thanks for taking care of that.
Again, whenever people get excited about prospect extensions. To me, it's just the same as like. Oh my God, this three-star linebacker didn't go to Florida. He's coming to Wisconsin instead. I don't agree at all.
I mean, and that's not just because I'm indifferent about like college recruiting topics. But the Braves 10 years ago with Aldi's and Kunya, and like, I feel like there's one more. Yeah, and when's the last time they even won a World Series? Oh, a few years ago.
So, all I would say is the more that I get these alerts. whether from Spencer or from the guy who stole it, Jeff Passon. I want more of these. Like, I want like. I want six more brewers to be signed this offseason who have never played a major league game.
Like, that's that should be your strategy. Does the strike impact them in any way? Do you think they're doing this because of that? I mean, if I was the prospect. I think it makes you don't know what's on the other side.
So if you're being offered 31 million with a maximum of $79 million. And you've never, first off, you might get to the majors and be bad, one. Two, like, what is after the uh do teams hesitate post Post-new CBA, or is it a totally different landscape? Is Luis trajectory as a player? I think the 60-game season in 2020 messed up guys for two or three years after that.
I don't know if you've heard this, but baseball players are creatures of habit. Paul, I've heard that. I don't remember where. Do we like that the brewers are willing to invest? In guys that we don't know if they're going to be good pros, and then at the pro level, we like.
Don't want to give anybody more than $800,000 a year, even if they've proven success.
Well, but that's changing too.
So, when you're talking about like things changing, isn't that one of the big changes that's being proposed? the minimum salary goes from like eight hundred to like one point I thought like double. I don't remember the exact numbers, but I thought like the minimum went substantially like 2x up. Which makes again which makes If you're minimum, let's say you're Laura and you're called up next year. Whether you've signed the extension or not, you're up next year.
And now that number is 1.6 and not 800. Like, even if you're his agent, you're like, well, hey, by the way, it's 800 now, but it might be 1.6 next year. Mm.
Yeah, but you don't know that. Like, give me 31 million guaranteed dollars. And at the same time, if you're the brewers, it's incredibly incredible business. It's the smart, savvy thing to do. And I think that would be true whether or not you had the Mets payroll, the Dodgers payroll, or the Brewers' payroll.
I think it's just. the right thing to do. It's not that large of a contract either. Like, no. The average annual values.
Very reasonable. Like they paid him like a fourth or fifth outfielder. Yeah. My frustration is okay, so you've paid Cooper Pratt, now you've paid Luis Lara, which will put him on 40-man, I believe. What are these guys going to fucking play?
Hey, well, You can never have too many players. You know, guys get hurt. There might be something. Yeah. Yeah.
I don't know. You clearly like Cooper Pratt that much.
So, like, when is he going to? We got Keon Broxton and Domingo Santana. How are they both getting on the field? There's only one baseball. Grant, are you being facetious at all about your comment or your question?
No!
So, I mean, you are about as anti-freelic as a guy can get.
So, like, you don't want to. have Laura ready to come up and say, okay, great.
Now there doesn't have to be this. Commitment to everyday starter or most day starter Sal Freelick. I mean, the Cooper Pratt, or even like if you bring in Jet Williams, who doesn't have an extension. The left side of the infield is garbage. Like as soon as these guys are ready.
To have like these, wait, what? David Hamilton is improving. Here's the problem, though. Like, I don't want Luis Lara up here as a sixth outfielder. Like, I want him to play.
Yes. Coming up, I want him to play. You're not going to put him in a timeshare with Joey Rtiz, who's already getting benched. Like, he has been benched for David Hamilton. And that's why they're not up, though, isn't it?
Like, isn't that the reason? Is because, well, then they're not going to wake up and start every day. I also think they want to trade run eFo, which they can't do until this week or something. Yeah, right, coming up. And they're winning.
They're winning.
So they're like, well. We don't need to do anything at the present time if we don't want. Is playing in Las Vegas going to cost Kyle Harrison an all-star bid? 414. 799.
I do not think so. I think the answer is just obviously yes, and it won't happen. But if the A is Made the World Series. Are they playing the games there? Yes, right?
Oh, I don't think they know. They don't know the answer to the hypothetical: is if we make the World Series, we don't know where our home games are. Last year, I think they were going to try to have a first-round series in Sacramento. Hmm. I thought there was some talk about then having the World Series in San Francisco.
At what, like, interesting. No, what's that? But you know, if you're an A's fan and they leave, just fucking root for the Giants. Doug Russell told me that once. That's true.
I do remember that actually, now that you say that. Yeah, really piss me. You can't host a World Series game. They didn't have enough press box spots for Todd Roziak. They were sitting in the bleachers.
I saw them putting power strips out there.
So, is there not a what was the story there? I know you're being somewhat like, but there's not a press box. Oh, I'm not. That's what that was the picture that I saw. I saw it too, but have you learned is there just not a press box?
And so you just sit out in the left field area? I don't know. All I know is that if you think watching as a fan last night, that was your nightmare back and forth into the wee hours. Imagine being a writer watching that game. I mean, how many times is the script going to flip?
You know what I'm saying? Very niche complaint here. But nothing. Pissed me off more when broadcasting high school football than having to cram in or not get a spot in the press box because the two defensive coordinator staffs of the high school team needed to sit up there in their rooms. Fuck you.
Please set up my fucking Marty and get the fuck out of here. Uh can I give a bigger complaint of broadcasting high school football? Is when you're in the press box and it's one big shared space. But the guy whose kids graduated 40 years ago needs to come up and bullshit with the scoreboard team, and it's 40 degrees, and the wind's howling, and this asshole keeps coming in and out to check in with the other old timers like it's a barbershop. That annoyed me.
And it's not, it's not, oh, I'm trying to be Joe Buck and my broadcast is sacred. I'm fucking cold. It's 40 degrees in October. Shut the door. Stop coming in here to hang out.
Sorry. You want to talk about the other thing? You can if you want. It's your show, The Winkler Versus. Yeah, it's your ver it's your verse.
It's your V. Do you guys remember the versus network? Just side side note. I do. I think WWE was on there, right?
That's the perfect. They were on spike, but they were not on versus. No.
Okay. It was like racing and professional fishing. That's what I remember. Car shows.
Well, prior to that, it was the Outdoor Life Network. And probably that it was TNN. I remember it wasn't.
Well, they were probably on TNN. It was on TNN. That's a fact. The Nashville Network. That's what that stood for.
I couldn't I don't think I would have gotten that. Um Adam McKelvey wrote the article about the Truss Club. Mm-hmm. And at first I read it and it because they're building something out in right left field, right? Right.
Upper right field. Yep. Over there on the other side? Unlike the gold parking lot side area.
Okay, and I thought, okay, there's a club where people can hang out. I thought that was fine. Then I saw front row Amy bitching.
Okay. And I didn't understand, I didn't get it, I didn't understand what she was complaining about.
So I did what most people should do to start is I finally clicked on the article. Yeah. And uh read it. And The seat, if you buy a ticket to the seat. You get access to that club.
But then you also get access to The seat.
Now they're going to redo the first six rows to make the seats wider. Um and more premium. Cushing. Cushiony. Yeah.
So If you have a club seat. And then a club section. Not the worst thing in the world. Right. You buy a seat, you get a section, you get a seat.
I don't like the distance here. I I'm I I you can okay. The distance between these seats. are going to be empty a lot. People will be in the club.
I don't agree. I mean, I think if, like, if they're going to season ticket holders. Mm-hmm. And so Sitting first six rows behind home plate is An experience many Brewers fans will never get to have unless it's at like a little league final that Miller Park hosts. Sure.
And so now You're taking that away. Even the chance of it, making it less likely of a chance that they'll ever sit there. You just think it's more expensive now? Yep. And it's going to be empty a lot.
Why do you think it's a good idea? I don't want to go to... I get it. I get it. What do you get?
I just I'm not arguing. I just want to understand it. I'm not right here, probably, because. I'm a snob myself. I'll pay.
$50 if I can get a good seat on seat geek to sit lower than I would normally would.
Meanwhile, some people are like only going to brewer games if they can get BP vouchers and sit in the 400s.
So I can't. I don't want to be but when you go to a baseball game, it's like Hey! Want to be reminded of Class warfare? Those are all the people that you are better than. Because you're sitting lower, but there's all the people that are better than you in seats you're never gonna get.
And I want to sit in right field for once. I want to sit on that. I want to sit on the field. I've never sat there. I don't know how I'm ever going to get there.
Do you mean uh like in the bullpen thing? Yeah. There's places you shouldn't. I don't think you should buy a ticket to a place and then see seats that are so unattainable to you ever sitting there.
Well, I mean, we can talk capitalism if you want. I don't want to take that quite that topic other than. But I also understand, like. I understand. Why?
The I mean luxury seat. I understand why. I mean If I want that kind of experience in a baseball game, I should be, I should be, and I can afford it, I should be able to get it as well. I understand that. Would it be that expensive?
So it starts at so the starting uh row six is 265 per seat. I think it's Per game, per person, per seed.
So I think my biggest issue on this is twice. They're changing something that was there for 25 years. You in general, though, and I think you know this, I don't think you'll. be taken aback. You don't react well to change.
Ever. Like, that's that's not that bad. I don't either. I don't. That's not bad or good.
Um It's just, it is what it is, like, even just like it's a slightly different topic, but the baseball rule changes. You all, correct me if I'm wrong, Bart, you're now all like, those are all good for the most part, if not entirely. That at first, you were like, bad, this is bad. What McKelvey's article confirmed that I assumed. And apparently is true: is other than the A's aforementioned, the Brewers were the only team that didn't have this.
So, like, are we just a minor league club? It's us and the Yays. Like, good for us to not have.
Something that's differentiated and I don't like watching baseball games, and every time you do. You see the first six rows, like, oh, there's Mary Hart's seat. I don't like that the first six rows have become an exclusive club.
So, if you want to have it already, though, wasn't it? I mean, I don't know. I just don't like it behind home plate. That's my big gripe. But obviously, those are the seats that the people who are willing to pay $265 plus would want to sit.
And so, thus, it should be there. The other thing is, and again, maybe you. You think more people won't be in those seats. I'm guessing because you think they'll, because you said they'll be in the club, but they can also get the free stuff at their seat and have it delivered.
So, If you're there to still watch the game, if you wanted an all-inclusive area at the stadium. You don't have to sit there, they're going to be empty a lot. I'm telling you, four or five. Different areas throughout the ballpark that have. These motherfuckers are already scamming me on a 650 lemonade.
I don't want to fucking see.
Now, that is something you should. That's a good investigation. That's a worthwhile one. It said 650. It said 650.
Then the tax said 730. And then I paid 812. What the fuck? What the fuck? The the brewers are just catching up.
And, like, with the rest of the robbing us, like, the rest of these grocery stores, your lemonade thing, I'm talking about the trust club thing. The lemonade thing, you should investigate. Um, the trust club thing is just like you're you're you're keeping up with the Joneses, and if you want to be You know, minor league and all these areas, like, okay, but I don't know why you would want that. Um bring in more money.
Okay, two more quick things. Yeah. The tailgate on August 6th I'm going to do in the afternoon. How many tickets should I say I think I'm going to get? Do you think a hundred people are going to come to my tailgate?
Is that too many? What was your number four, three, five years ago? Fifty? But if I like actually give a damn and try to make it something. Yeah, but you will you?
How hard are you going to try? I think that's how hard are you going to, how much time are you going to put into it? I don't know. TBD. The other thing is.
Any questions about Banana Ball? I saw your I saw one tweet from you about it. I don't remember. What it said, it must have been enthralling. What was it?
You go to a game, the kids are going to have fun, it's a different experience. They packed the stadium two nights in a row. They probably could have sold out a third or a fourth. I don't know if they keep coming back every year, it's a sellout every year, if this is like a I want to do it once kind of thing. The dancing is way too fucking much.
Well, that was the tweet I saw from you.
Well, and I told Carlos this, but. The thing that Irritated me the most. I'll tell you, and I got to go full screen for this.
So you guys will just see me. Is they would have The jumbotron would be framed where the batter was in the middle like this. But then, and the jumboton the entire time was the batter. But then there'd be guys behind him dancing the whole time.
So, the dancing, if you want to dance after like runs and stuff, that's fine. But basically, you had people on TV dancing for two hours, and it was just too much. It's too much. They have created a sporting event for a generation of iPad kids. This is what we've created.
TikToks and iPads. Just a lot of stimulation, which, by the way, is for kids. It feels like they. They took the wiggle- you remember the wiggles, Bart? It just feels like they put that into baseball.
This for the kids. And I do one thing in business I do respect is when somebody finds a niche. that people didn't know they didn't have filled. And they found like this thing that is filled. They create a demand.
Just like apparently there was a man a demand to read Fucking press conferences about sports radio, and there was no centralized site for it.
So, the guy makes a website, and he's hailed king of sports radio. There are some shocking similarities there, yes. Fuck, his conference is going to be 10 more famous people at his conference than there's going to be at the fucking game three. You're gonna have Brandon Tierney? And fucking.
Other people in the same room? Clay Travis going to be there? Yeah. Stephen A is going to be there. Hopefully, his upcoming debate with President Trump won't interfere.
Ah yeah. To Stephen A. Like Whatever. I don't want to get into it. It's just, it's just so lame.
He doesn't smile anymore. He seems miserable. How do you know if he's tired? When does he breathe? It's the same with Skip Bayless.
When they were together, it seemed like they were both kind of in on the bit. We give each other a hard time. I'm going to pick a fight with you. You're going to say something crazy and I'm going to laugh. And we're like, now they're just, they're both of them are just psychos.
You can't make a career out of yelling all the time. You'll get exhausted and beat down. I'm telling you. Huh. Ah, another one.
Jesus. Another hamstring crime? Mm.
All right, boys. Good to see you. It was great to see you. Paul, fun topic on the game. I wouldn't have thought to think of it that way, and that's why we love you.
Good. Glad to do it. Paul, see you tonight. Let's do it. Poll game?
Yeah, take me on to the Paul Game Live tonight.
Sorry, were we not Tim? No, I said I'd see him. I just I probably should have brought it up earlier then.
Well, this will be a treat for the people who made it 53 minutes in. And thanks for joining us for the last hour. Grant, what would you like to promote?
Well, I'd like to promote my stuff 50 minutes ago, but thank you for stopping into the Winkler V.
