S&P’s Why Not US?!: Episode #5

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Welcome to S&P's Why Not Us?, the podcast that has the fortune to do something we've been waiting decades to do, talk about a Knicks championship.

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The banner's going up, the parade's gonna be thrown, and everything we said this season, every reckless, delusional hope we had for our Knick team has come true.

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I'm your co-host Scott Greenhut, and on the other side of the mic is a man who has earned every second of this moment more than just about anyone alive, and I couldn't be happier for him, my co-host Peter Olczyk.

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Well, it's, uh, it's great to be here on this momentous day, um, which we will get to all of that in a little bit.

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Uh, first of all, very excited to share that the pod is now up on YouTube.

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So Scott, thank you so much for making that happen.

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It's great.

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And- Do what I can and, uh, this week originally, you know, today actually is National Pop Goes the Weasel Day.

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But that has, that conversation has been preempted due to the basketball goings-on.

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So with that, let's actually get into the sports stuff.

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In today's episode, we'll check on baseball's MVP and Cy Young races, talk a little soccer with the World Cup underway in our own backyard, and put a bow on the French Open.

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But let's get right to it.

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For the first time in 53 years, our New York Knicks are NBA champions.

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Wait, did I, did I actually just say that out loud? Uh, we could record over it if we have to.

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Okay.

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I think, I think that is true.

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Oh, actually it's true.

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Oh, we're good.

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We are, we are good.

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So here's a question.

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Just go back to game five for a sec for last night.

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What, what exactly was your viewing experience? What, what did you do for the game? Well, um, I watched with someone that's also a longtime Knick fan.

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Great.

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Yeah.

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Um, spoiler alert, he's sitting across the room.

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Uh, it was a really bizarre experience for me.

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Uh, the game, I just was very frustrated by, by getting off to that slow start again, and it was just sort of more sedated than I kind of had been picturing.

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And then, you know, this team, they s- they did it again.

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And but even, even that being said, I, I have to say last night felt surprising to me.

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I just wasn't feeling the pull the rabbit out of the hat until really when we took the lead.

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But it, it was, it was a bizarro game.

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How about yourself? Watching that game, and it just felt sort of slowly, slowly, slowly since the game didn't quite get away.

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You know, maybe if it had actually gone from that 10 to 12 and then it went back to 20, maybe it would've felt like, okay, this, this is the Spurs night.

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No, there's every reason why they should win the game.

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But this team's destiny, and that's really where my head was at during game five.

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It, it really felt like that was, that was the destiny for this team.

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Jalen Brunson last night, one more jaw-dropping, refuse to lose performance.

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When guys were having a really hard time, I mean, that was really like a '90s struggle, not so pretty basketball game.

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Yes.

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And then you get to, and then you get to- Ernie, Ernie No, it's not Ernie.

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The, uh, the play-by-play guy, sorry.

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Mike Breen called it a rock fight.

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Rock fight, yeah.

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That's what it was.

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It certainly was.

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Scoring was certainly, um, at a premium.

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You know, so on the defensive side last night, OG, you know, didn't have the,, the miraculous stuff from, you know, from the game the other night, but his defense, especially in the fourth quarter, was amazing.

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Mitchell Robinson had to play 20 minutes last night due to KAT's foul trouble.

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Yeah.

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And boy, his rebounding in the fourth quarter, every single board- Oh, so good was huge.

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So good.

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Going right to the last minute when he kinda boxed out Wemby.

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That was, that was a moment where I was like, you know what? We're getting closer and closer- Mm-hmm because we're doing just enough right things.

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Yeah.

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That's, that's when I think I bit straight through the seltzer can.

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Okay.

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You know, and then just finally, you know, Hart and Mikal Bridges, you know, both just incredible parts of the team and last night, both key parts and it was great.

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And Mike Brown's coaching.

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You know, the one moment that I think we both shared last night that we mentioned right when they were about to foul Mitch and put him to the free throw line, Mike Brown gets the timeout in milliseconds before the foul.

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Again, another moment in terms of a team that's just doing enough, and again, it, it, it did feel like destiny.

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Yeah So is it time for me to reflect a little bit on our captain? You can, you, you can, uh- 'Cause, 'cause I wouldn't mind going there you can, yeah, zoom out.

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Go ahead, zoom out a little bit, yeah.

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All right, I'm gonna zoom out just a little bit.

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Uh, let's start with JB.

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In the finals, 32.6

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points a game, four and a half assists, two steals a night, 40 minutes a game the guy was in the spotlight on both sides of the floor.

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Unbelievable.

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And we needed every bit of him because, as we've alluded to, the Knicks had to come back from double digits, in all four wins.

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Game four, down 29, we know what happened there.

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Game five, down 31 to 15 early.

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I mean, he gets to 45 points.

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Didn't you also have a, uh, an attire change during the game last night? Yeah, I had to do the attire change.

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We took off, uh, the Carmelo and, went to a lucky T-shirt.

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Good.

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Yeah.

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Whatever it takes.

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Yeah, I also changed positions, I believe from a chair to the couch, and then a slightly different position on the couch with more back support, which I feel like worked really well right through the end.

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But go ahead.

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Yeah, so those fi- those 45 points to clinch on the road,- ties one Michael Jordan.

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Uh, pretty good company there.

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And here's this one that I've been holding back for a while, but I think it's time.

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If not now, when? Listen, I don't wanna take this segment anywhere away from the Knicks because this is all about the Knicks.

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But there is just briefly one parallel that I simply can't ignore from my background, which is we've seen this in this town before and it's, it's a little eerie in my book.

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In 1991, the Rangers went and got Captain Mark Messier who put the team on his back and after three years took them to the Stanley Cup.

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Now run this back to '22, the greatest Knick free agent signing, or maybe NBA free agent signing of all time.

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We go get our captain, Jalen Brunson.

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Undersized, doubted, and all of the rest, and instilled him as captain, and boy did he live up to it in every which way.

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In case people don't know that much about the Rangers, both of these guys don number 11.

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And it's just to me, like I've been thinking that for so long.

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That's great.

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But just holding it back until, until he delivered us to the top of the mountain.

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Unbelievable.

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The Messiah.

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You got a new one.

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No.

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I, I totally get and I can appreciate that with your, um, overwhelming Rangers fandom since, since you were four or five years old.

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Yeah.

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The...

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I wanna read something actually, and this just kind of came to me this morning.

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"It was bedlam.

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A rocking, stomping, singing, roaring, routing, rowdy kiss-a-stranger moment.

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It had it all.

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Heart-stopping- Nerve-tingling emotion and a gripping comeback that shook the city from the northern reaches of the Bronx to the pulsating tip of Manhattan Island.

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It was vintage stuff, and it turned New York into one monster block party.

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That was the Daily News from October 28th, 1986.

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That was written by my, uh, my late father-in-law- Aw regarding the, uh, the Mets game seven.

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And I gotta tell you, when I was on, uh, in the neighborhood last night after I left and just kind of taking everything in, the, the sounds, the genuine, just genuine happiness of the joyous daze I think that I was in.

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It was all very surreal.

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People just gathering and cheering and not really moving.

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Uh, I just felt grateful and just genuinely happy for this special, overwhelmingly connected team because this team that we've been tracking all year, and p- especially for the last six weeks or so, it's-- that's what's made it so fantastic and why I said it really just felt like destiny.

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It really has.

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And that's where, that's where I'm at.

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I, I f- I love what you just did.

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I had no idea, uh, Bill Bell had written that.

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That's amazing.

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I love that pull, and That's, that's really amazing and touching.

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Um, so, so well, good job by you.

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Good job by him.-

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Just to close that, I mean, it's, I'm not-- you can't top that.

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That, that, that is incredible.

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Uh, but just before we turn off the Knicks, um, for the, for the episode, a bit from me on, on OG.

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Yeah.

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Brunson was the man, but I mean, oh my goodness, OG Anunoby averaging, 21.4

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points during the postseason, shooting 54% from three, 81% from the line and Obviously the tip in, but then even more importantly, believe it or not, is the defense.

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The guy, just so tough on the defensive end.

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Amazing run.

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And for me, like, you know, I'll be, uh, putting that guy's jersey on my back, uh, as soon as I can order one.

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I mean, he played like one of the best two-way players in the NBA that, that he is.

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And the iconic shot/moment, that's the most iconic one, of course, in our 50-plus years of Knick fandom.

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So you can't watch that play enough and, uh- Yeah I couldn't feel happier for OG because wow, what a star he was for the last, uh, you know, six weeks in this run.

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Yeah, absolutely.

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And, and just, yeah, just lo- just love him.

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Um, great teammate.

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All these guys.

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What a team.

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What a team.

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Yeah.

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And that's why, they bring home the title.

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All right.

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Um, we're gonna move on now, somewhat reluctantly- to, uh, some other sports, but, let's do it.

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Uh, let's start off, you know, in terms of the other stuff with baseball.

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Wanted to get your thoughts on MVP leaders, to date.

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Yep.

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So let's start with the American League.

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You know, right now it's kind of a trio, just to sort of level set.

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Of course, Aaron Judge is now out for, for a while, um, the, uh, with the, with the rib.

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However, Yordan Alvarez from Houston is basically having a huge Triple Crown watch.

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Let's just look at some of the stats already.

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Average 327, first.

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Couple of points above Yandy Diaz.

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Leading in home runs with 24.

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Leading in RBIs with 54.

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It's a tight race.

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The last Triple Crown winner in baseball, 2012, Miggy, Miguel Cabrera.

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Before that in the American League, 1967, Carl Yastrzemski.

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Mm.

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Um, so you know, Alvarez is right there at the top.

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Houston's playing a little bit better lately, so we can wait in terms of where that team is at, you know, um, th- whether that becomes part of it, but that's just one thing.

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Bobby Witt, one of the best players in the game, right there again.

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Uh, I'm sure will be in this conversation probably all the way through.

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And Ben Rice of the Yankees, and we'll talk more about the Yankees in a second.

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But also, a little bit of Triple Crown with Ben Rice.

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Seventh in average Eighth in home, uh, excuse me, fourth in home runs, and tied for eighth in RBIs.

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So just a few guys I wanted to highlight on the AL side.

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Just real quickly on the NL, there is no race.

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As long as Shohei Ohtani is healthy.

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Yeah, yeah.

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Uh, which, and just, just a quick thing on that.

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Yeah.

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He did have a little bit of knee inflammation the other day, missed one game.

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Yeah.

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As of, we're talking today, everyone seems pretty okay.

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Something to watch.

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But, um, in addition to the pitching, which we'll get to in a little bit, over the last month, his offense has been very Shohei, uh, on point.

175
00:12:43,790.5669975 --> 00:12:46,0.5679975
So again, no real race there.

176
00:12:46,80.5669975 --> 00:12:46,630.5669975
Right.

177
00:12:47,20.5699975 --> 00:12:47,400.5699975
Yeah.

178
00:12:47,490.5669975 --> 00:12:48,830.5689975
Unbelievable, that guy.

179
00:12:49,70.5689975 --> 00:12:55,650.5669975
Uh, we will get to that in the, uh, pitching, um, as you said, just because of he gets the innings.

180
00:12:55,970.5669975 --> 00:12:59,960.5669975
Anyway, uh, so my turn on, on Cy Young watch.

181
00:13:00,10.5679975 --> 00:13:02,980.5699975
So AL, wow.

182
00:13:03,290.5689975 --> 00:13:06,760.5699975
Cam Schlittler from the Yankees sort of running away from it.

183
00:13:06,760.5699975 --> 00:13:11,10.5709975
Who knew? Uh, 7 and 2, 1.5

184
00:13:11,10.5709975 --> 00:13:11,40.5709975
ERA.

185
00:13:11,370.5699975 --> 00:13:13,640.5659975
Also leads the American League in WHIP.

186
00:13:13,990.5649975 --> 00:13:18,510.5679975
He came into the season at a plus 4,000 odds to win the Cy Young.

187
00:13:18,520.5719975 --> 00:13:18,540.5719975
Wow.

188
00:13:18,550.5699975 --> 00:13:21,470.5679975
So if you, if you knew something- Oh, boy you're in good shape.

189
00:13:21,840.5709975 --> 00:13:27,510.5719975
Uh, obviously when Scuba went down with the elbow, um, that, that changed things a little bit.

190
00:13:27,570.5669975 --> 00:13:27,650.5669975
Yeah.

191
00:13:27,650.5689975 --> 00:13:30,160.5669975
But, uh, this guy, off the chart.

192
00:13:30,180.5679975 --> 00:13:34,200.5659975
I will just give a quick shout-out to, uh, Jake "The Snake" deGrom.

193
00:13:34,230.5709975 --> 00:13:34,510.5709975
Yeah.

194
00:13:34,640.5669975 --> 00:13:38,240.5679975
Uh, doing his thing in Texas.

195
00:13:38,690.5699975 --> 00:13:39,720.5689975
Still grinding.

196
00:13:39,720.5689975 --> 00:13:40,980.5679975
He's 37.

197
00:13:40,990.5649975 --> 00:13:47,910.5639975
He has not been injury-free this year, but he is throwing at a 2.62

198
00:13:47,910.5709975 --> 00:13:47,940.5709975
ERA.

199
00:13:48,40.5649975 --> 00:13:49,660.5659975
So I'm really happy for him.

200
00:13:49,660.5669975 --> 00:13:51,40.5669975
That guy is unbelievable.

201
00:13:51,60.5609975 --> 00:13:56,340.5589975
I, you know, I don't think he's gonna be able to overtake, Cam, but I, I, I did wanna give him a quick shout-out.

202
00:13:56,340.5589975 --> 00:14:10,790.5569975
We, we love Jake, actually, because he too really needs to be, um, you know, his Hall of Fame case is certainly still out there, so the more that he's healthy and still pitching, that's always gonna be great, and we're rooting hard for him on that.

203
00:14:11,190.5629975 --> 00:14:16,910.5659975
Uh, one other just kind of name, which is interesting, the surprising Chicago White Sox, of course, a few games over .500.

204
00:14:17,10.5549975 --> 00:14:17,200.5549975
Yeah.

205
00:14:17,230.5559975 --> 00:14:22,40.5549975
So Davis Martin is having a wonderful season, is in this conversation right now.

206
00:14:22,340.5569975 --> 00:14:30,230.5659975
Let's see where we're at in four to six weeks, whether the team is still kind of competing, but- Yeah they are probably the best story in baseball, you know, th- through where we're at.

207
00:14:30,780.5589975 --> 00:14:31,930.5579975
Uh, so yeah.

208
00:14:31,950.5569975 --> 00:14:35,500.5549975
So the NL Cy Young, that's a, that is a hot one.

209
00:14:35,500.5599975 --> 00:14:37,20.5659975
What do you, what do you got there? Yeah.

210
00:14:37,30.5589975 --> 00:14:39,830.5519975
What do you got? You got Shohei at .82

211
00:14:39,840.5569975 --> 00:14:40,170.5569975
ERA.

212
00:14:40,170.5579975 --> 00:14:43,430.5549975
Uh, uh, sorry, 0.82,

213
00:14:43,430.5549975 --> 00:14:45,370.5519975
in case that wasn't implicit.

214
00:14:45,380.5649975 --> 00:14:48,590.5549975
But he doesn't qualify yet on innings, he's close.

215
00:14:48,890.5569975 --> 00:14:50,940.5559975
Uh, so we shall see.

216
00:14:51,240.5479975 --> 00:14:55,910.5489975
Um, in the meantime, you got, uh, Christopher Sanchez from the Phillies.

217
00:14:56,20.5469975 --> 00:15:06,192.5569975
Um- Doing, doing quite well, and, I like Chris Sale as well, doing, doing pretty, pretty nicely at, uh, 1.89

218
00:15:06,222.5569975 --> 00:15:09,912.5569975
ERA with a 38% chase rate, so don't sleep on him.

219
00:15:10,192.5569975 --> 00:15:10,582.5569975
Yeah.

220
00:15:10,632.5569975 --> 00:15:16,42.5569975
Uh, Christopher Sanchez, 50 and two-thirds scoreless, which was just, uh, snapped, I think, in his last start.

221
00:15:16,342.5569975 --> 00:15:22,712.5559975
That was eight and a third less than Oral, the 59 innings that we remember very well as, as Met fans back in the day.

222
00:15:22,732.5559975 --> 00:15:23,52.5559975
Yeah.

223
00:15:23,52.5559975 --> 00:15:23,102.5569975
Yeah.

224
00:15:23,102.5569975 --> 00:15:26,592.5559975
Um, and let's just talk for a second about Jake Mizerowski, The Miz.

225
00:15:26,752.5559975 --> 00:15:27,42.5559975
Yep.

226
00:15:27,162.5559975 --> 00:15:27,942.5569975
Oh my God.

227
00:15:28,122.5549975 --> 00:15:30,912.5559975
E- even before the game the other night, but let's talk about that one.

228
00:15:30,912.5559975 --> 00:15:34,652.5549975
15 Ks, one hitter, 95 pitches.

229
00:15:35,302.5579975 --> 00:15:40,412.5549975
The fastest pitch by a starter so far since the tracking era, uh, 104.5

230
00:15:40,432.5549975 --> 00:15:41,522.5569975
to Kyle Schwarber.

231
00:15:41,802.5579975 --> 00:15:45,872.5559975
The tracking era technically started in 2008, just as a If you're curious.

232
00:15:46,172.5569975 --> 00:15:50,112.5559975
But overall, uh, his war 3.9,

233
00:15:50,112.5559975 --> 00:15:51,852.5569975
w- ERA 1.34,

234
00:15:51,872.5569975 --> 00:15:53,742.5569975
leading in Ks, leading in whip.

235
00:15:54,152.5559975 --> 00:15:58,362.5549975
Um- Yeah and I was, you know, and with Miz, which he just started last year.

236
00:15:58,362.5549975 --> 00:16:04,192.5549975
By the way, it was the one-year anniversary of when he started, when he had that game the other night- Mm-hmm on that, that one, uh, that one hitter.

237
00:16:04,492.5519975 --> 00:16:04,612.5529975
Mm-hmm.

238
00:16:04,622.5569975 --> 00:16:09,352.5549975
But his motion does look pretty smooth.

239
00:16:09,432.5549975 --> 00:16:21,192.5589975
It looks And when I read about it, everyone feels pretty good about his mechanics, so I knock on wood that with the amount of high-end velocity, and he's in his own category- Yeah that he's able to maintain this.

240
00:16:21,192.5589975 --> 00:16:24,362.5549975
Hasn't had any surgeries to date, so anyway.

241
00:16:24,372.5569975 --> 00:16:35,902.5519975
In a game with such max effort, and we'll, again, as I've always said, we can talk more about this at other times, but where starting pitching is just really an epidemic, I hope that he's able to, uh, keep on because what a talent.

242
00:16:37,402.5559975 --> 00:16:40,422.5559975
We're gonna move to local vibes, I think, right? Yeah, a little New York teams.

243
00:16:40,422.5559975 --> 00:16:44,702.5549975
Um- Yeah we know, we know the grade that you gave our Metsies about a month or so ago.

244
00:16:44,712.5559975 --> 00:16:44,732.5559975
Yeah.

245
00:16:44,742.5549975 --> 00:16:48,902.5559975
How are you feeling on the vibe as we're about six weeks from the trade deadline? Yeah.

246
00:16:48,952.5559975 --> 00:16:52,132.5569975
I'm feeling,, I'm feeling more similar than different.

247
00:16:52,402.5569975 --> 00:16:58,342.5559975
Um, they've played a little better, I guess, but, uh, not enough.

248
00:16:58,422.5559975 --> 00:17:05,642.5549975
They're, what are they? Eight games under 500- Yep, yep I believe as of now, so they're, they're moving up a little bit, uh, with the wild card.

249
00:17:06,182.5579975 --> 00:17:13,402.5569975
You know, you never know, but there's just a bunch of teams between them and, and, and daylight, so you know, whatever.

250
00:17:13,472.5589975 --> 00:17:14,232.5559975
D minus.

251
00:17:14,262.5559975 --> 00:17:17,652.5599975
Like, that's where, that's, the, uh- I'm still, I'm still not feeling great.

252
00:17:17,742.5599975 --> 00:17:28,922.5589975
I'd, you know, I want to think- But by the way- Yes uh, if ever I were gonna hand out a D minus grade to one of my teams, the day that a different team won the championship, kind of softens the blow, but I digress.

253
00:17:29,112.5579975 --> 00:17:31,72.5559975
The Knicks have been the perfect cover for this year's Mets.

254
00:17:31,82.5589975 --> 00:17:31,552.5599975
Yes, yes.

255
00:17:31,552.5599975 --> 00:17:39,672.5559975
Um, but I will say on the positive side of things, uh, Bo Bichette, the, the results have actually positively regressed to the mean over the last few weeks.

256
00:17:39,752.5569975 --> 00:17:39,942.5569975
Right.

257
00:17:39,942.5569975 --> 00:17:41,982.5619975
He had been to a ton of hard luck for this season.

258
00:17:42,12.5589975 --> 00:17:42,152.5589975
Right.

259
00:17:42,162.5609975 --> 00:17:47,242.5559975
It wasn't totally the story, but he found the right fielder's glove with high end velocity quite a bit.

260
00:17:47,442.5599975 --> 00:17:54,62.5619975
But now he's actually showing some pull power, uh, so that's really helpful and could be a key part of lengthening this lineup.

261
00:17:54,472.5589975 --> 00:17:57,782.5559975
Juan Soto is Juan Soto if he stays healthy, doing well.

262
00:17:58,292.5579975 --> 00:18:05,682.5589975
And then as we talked about last time, you know, the two rookies, Carson Benge and AJ Ewing, these guys are two really good, uh, two-way players.

263
00:18:05,882.5619975 --> 00:18:07,492.5609975
The defense has been outstanding.

264
00:18:07,492.5609975 --> 00:18:11,132.5619975
It's been, you know, it passes the eye test, it passes the analytics.

265
00:18:11,692.5609975 --> 00:18:15,352.5609975
And this is the near future of this team, so this can only be good.

266
00:18:15,752.5609975 --> 00:18:23,442.5609975
What it'll probably come down to, to see whether buyer, seller, or that kind of thing as we kind of talk, um, trade deadline, is really the starting pitching.

267
00:18:23,452.5609975 --> 00:18:25,992.5609975
Nolan McLain's gotta be a little bit more consistent.

268
00:18:26,2.5609975 --> 00:18:29,62.5599975
He's uber talented, but he can pitch deep into games.

269
00:18:29,452.5599975 --> 00:18:39,982.5609975
Freddy Peralta, the big acquisition, doesn't need to pitch deep, just needs to pitch consistent and kind of, you know, five innings or so, one run or so, possibly six.

270
00:18:39,982.5609975 --> 00:18:41,132.5589975
But just give us a good chance.

271
00:18:41,132.5599975 --> 00:18:44,962.5599975
When those guys are pitching with our injuries, it really does need to be mostly win day.

272
00:18:45,242.5589975 --> 00:18:47,952.5589975
And of course, Lindor, you know, about two weeks away.

273
00:18:48,202.5619975 --> 00:18:48,222.5619975
Yeah.

274
00:18:48,232.5609975 --> 00:18:55,12.5589975
If we can kind of play a little bit better and he comes in, if we get 80 to 90% of the amazing player that he is, that's just another thing.

275
00:18:55,12.5589975 --> 00:18:57,312.5599975
So let's see where we're at in a month or so.

276
00:18:57,642.5609975 --> 00:18:59,582.5619975
Uh, quickly on the Yankees, Yeah.

277
00:18:59,592.5609975 --> 00:19:01,882.5649975
Hanging around they're doing just fine.

278
00:19:01,892.5629975 --> 00:19:01,912.5629975
Yeah.

279
00:19:01,922.5619975 --> 00:19:07,52.5639975
Hand- handling the Judge injury with the stress fracture, still in first, a game up on the Rays.

280
00:19:07,462.5629975 --> 00:19:08,472.5629975
Two big anchors.

281
00:19:08,472.5629975 --> 00:19:10,122.5609975
We talked about Ben Rice before.

282
00:19:10,372.5629975 --> 00:19:14,782.5619975
Cody Bellinger is probably on some downstream MVP votes as we speak.

283
00:19:14,812.5609975 --> 00:19:15,82.5609975
Yeah.

284
00:19:15,112.5639975 --> 00:19:17,272.5659975
Jazz Chisholm's power is coming up.

285
00:19:17,302.5589975 --> 00:19:17,562.5589975
Yeah.

286
00:19:17,642.5629975 --> 00:19:25,12.5629975
Uh, Paul Goldschmidt having a bit of a turn back the clock season, um, and now he's playing more, not just against lefties with injuries.

287
00:19:25,182.5639975 --> 00:19:25,422.5639975
Yeah.

288
00:19:25,452.5609975 --> 00:19:27,722.5619975
And here's a name for you in the second half.

289
00:19:27,722.5649975 --> 00:19:43,702.5599975
There's a rookie pitcher who has recently been transitioned from a starter to a reliever, Carlos, um, Granja- La Granja, and he could absolutely be a weapon difference maker, which is why they are, um, strategically getting him ready to pitch and relieve.

290
00:19:43,712.5599975 --> 00:19:43,922.5619975
Oh, interesting.

291
00:19:43,922.5619975 --> 00:19:47,132.5619975
And obviously we've talked about Schlitter Yeah anchoring the rotation.

292
00:19:47,152.5649975 --> 00:19:47,382.5649975
Yeah.

293
00:19:47,572.5649975 --> 00:19:47,902.5649975
Yeah.

294
00:19:47,902.5669975 --> 00:19:54,392.5679975
With the wild card and all that, I think, you know, they should be feeling just fine, uh, about, about things.

295
00:19:54,442.5679975 --> 00:19:54,882.5679975
Okay.

296
00:19:55,312.5639975 --> 00:20:07,12.5679975
Uh, so let's move from baseball to, I've, I've been told a, uh, a tournament that, uh, people care about globally has actually started.

297
00:20:07,642.5679975 --> 00:20:08,812.5669975
I looked it up this morning.

298
00:20:08,812.5669975 --> 00:20:09,762.5669975
It's called the World Cup.

299
00:20:10,472.5629975 --> 00:20:11,52.5629975
It is.

300
00:20:11,72.5689975 --> 00:20:17,742.5709975
And just to level set, um, with I think you were just alluding to, we are not sort of, quote-unquote, "soccer guys."

301
00:20:17,982.5719975 --> 00:20:35,742.5699975
However, uh, I am here for this World Cup, and I absolutely saw pretty much through Friday night's game, through, like, the first, uh, water break, which is now a thing, so they're actually- Yes almost playing quarters, you know, rather than halves, which is, which is great, especially in all the heat that we have.

302
00:20:36,362.5619975 --> 00:20:41,96.5679975
That game Friday night- That was the beautiful game that people talk about.

303
00:20:41,96.5679975 --> 00:20:46,586.5679975
What a pleasure actually watching it, and this particular player who's been talked about quite a bit over the last few days.

304
00:20:46,596.5679975 --> 00:20:47,806.5679975
I think I got it right.

305
00:20:47,806.5679975 --> 00:20:52,846.5679975
Folarin Balogun, born in Brooklyn to Nigerian parents, raised in England.

306
00:20:53,66.5679975 --> 00:20:57,626.5669975
So he had a choice a few years ago in terms of three different countries to which to play.

307
00:20:57,916.5669975 --> 00:21:00,406.5679975
He's playing on the US, and he is a, he is a wow.

308
00:21:00,466.5679975 --> 00:21:04,296.5669975
He, he honestly could've had a hat trick in that first half, that close.

309
00:21:04,726.5669975 --> 00:21:10,376.5679975
I think Christian Pulisic, you know that name who's been out there- Yeah um, as a sort of a US phenom, looked great.

310
00:21:10,416.5669975 --> 00:21:19,376.5649975
They took him out after a half just to kind of make sure that there was something that was kinda nagging him with the leg, but he was a real playmaker on the field, so that was a pleasure to watch.

311
00:21:19,906.5689975 --> 00:21:35,496.5649975
And then that's my other thing on the soccer in general, you know, I read something a week or so ago, uh, in Sports Illustrated about the older stars and how they are in such better shape to be ready for tournaments these days with nutrition, prehab, all that kinda good stuff.

312
00:21:36,176.5659975 --> 00:21:44,966.5689975
So I'm definitely watching, uh, Messi from Argentina, who's actually still considered to be ranked about the 15th best player in this tournament- Yeah at age 39.

313
00:21:44,966.5689975 --> 00:21:45,96.5689975
Yeah.

314
00:21:45,96.5689975 --> 00:21:46,876.5649975
He's gonna be 39 in a couple of weeks.

315
00:21:46,956.5639975 --> 00:21:47,296.5639975
Yeah.

316
00:21:47,456.5639975 --> 00:21:49,916.5649975
Ronaldo, Portugal, 41.

317
00:21:49,996.5649975 --> 00:21:52,216.5679975
Look, these are all the guys from the video game.

318
00:21:52,216.5679975 --> 00:21:53,46.5659975
I know them.

319
00:21:53,116.5679975 --> 00:21:55,646.5639975
I don't know about, what about this one? This one I had to, I had to remind myself.

320
00:21:55,696.5699975 --> 00:21:59,106.5659975
Luka Modric, Cro- Croatia, 40, and one more.

321
00:21:59,386.5649975 --> 00:22:05,296.5669975
Edin Dzeko from Bosnian and Hercegov- Gov-govinia, Herzegovina, 40.

322
00:22:05,716.5659975 --> 00:22:11,996.5639975
So there are guys that were still playing who are key parts of really good teams, and I'm curious to see how this all shakes out the next month.

323
00:22:12,246.5649975 --> 00:22:12,656.5649975
Okay...

324
00:22:12,756.5629975 --> 00:22:21,616.5659975
The one thing I'm gonna point out about this, this tournament is, They've really expanded the number of teams- Yeah that are participating.

325
00:22:22,236.5659975 --> 00:22:30,906.5659975
I'm gonna say I get it because they're making a lot of money, but it's, it's actually a little frustrating if you think about what's actually happening.

326
00:22:30,906.5659975 --> 00:22:45,476.5649975
Because what they've done this year is take the number of teams from 32 to 48, and as a result, the group stage matches that we're talking about right now, there's actually 72 of them.

327
00:22:45,476.5649975 --> 00:22:47,896.5649975
There's gonna be 72 matches in total.

328
00:22:47,906.5649975 --> 00:22:47,936.5649975
Yeah.

329
00:22:48,46.5659975 --> 00:22:54,116.5659975
All to just get down to the original 32 teams that they've always started with.

330
00:22:54,116.5659975 --> 00:22:58,306.5669975
So in a way, we're doing a little bit of exhibition here.

331
00:22:58,666.5669975 --> 00:22:59,696.5689975
People are warming up.

332
00:22:59,716.5659975 --> 00:23:14,806.5659975
Obviously, they're making tons of money from, from TV a- a- and the stadium games, but, uh, it's just a little, it's a little askew to me to just, play all these games just to then set up a really extended knockout round.

333
00:23:15,296.5669975 --> 00:23:22,846.5679975
I guess either way, and that's totally fair, the cream will certainly rise to the top, you know, even with this extra round.

334
00:23:23,246.5649975 --> 00:23:35,236.5649975
Um, who knows? For the US to be playing maybe- Yeah a somewhat less intense, uh, group stage, does that actually help them with the confidence to be- Sure truly competitive? Sure.

335
00:23:35,236.5649975 --> 00:23:39,866.5619975
You know, when their, their best has really just been, um, you know, the round of 16 for quite a while.

336
00:23:40,346.5629975 --> 00:23:40,946.5649975
Let's see.

337
00:23:40,946.5649975 --> 00:23:41,439.8996642
Let's see.

338
00:23:41,439.8996642 --> 00:23:42,956.5669975
But, but, uh, yeah.

339
00:23:42,986.5619975 --> 00:23:43,796.5659975
But I'm here for it.

340
00:23:43,796.5679975 --> 00:23:46,976.5659975
I think we're another week or so away from that second game, but we'll be back.

341
00:23:47,356.5649975 --> 00:23:47,706.5649975
Right.

342
00:23:47,796.5679975 --> 00:23:48,116.5679975
Right.

343
00:23:48,166.5629975 --> 00:23:51,846.5669975
And then the knockout, uh, starts June 28th.

344
00:23:52,256.5669975 --> 00:23:52,566.5669975
Okay.

345
00:23:52,846.5629975 --> 00:23:53,216.5629975
So.

346
00:23:53,366.5669975 --> 00:23:55,386.5629975
So we got more World Cup on the pod to talk about.

347
00:23:55,386.5639975 --> 00:23:56,216.5679975
Yeah, we got more.

348
00:23:56,236.5619975 --> 00:23:56,776.5679975
We got more.

349
00:23:56,886.5639975 --> 00:23:57,306.5679975
All right.

350
00:23:57,306.5679975 --> 00:23:59,616.5649975
So let's get into a little bit of the lightning.

351
00:24:07,353.8993308 --> 00:24:11,173.8963308
There's been another finals over the last couple of weeks, the NHL.

352
00:24:11,643.8963308 --> 00:24:12,503.8963308
It's been pretty wild.

353
00:24:12,513.8963308 --> 00:24:14,163.8983308
3-2 Carolina.

354
00:24:14,193.8953308 --> 00:24:16,193.8953308
We got a game six in Vegas tonight.

355
00:24:16,899.9003308 --> 00:24:20,759.9003308
Why don't you tell me over the last couple of weeks where you're at with the hockey? Yep.

356
00:24:20,809.9003308 --> 00:24:28,439.8993308
With the hockey, the games have all been close, decided by a single goal or a late swing back and forth the whole way.

357
00:24:28,769.9003308 --> 00:24:34,449.9003308
And then underneath it all, you have goaltending drama on both sides.

358
00:24:34,489.9003308 --> 00:24:38,609.8993308
So Carolina's Freddie Andersen was getting shelled.

359
00:24:39,9.9003308 --> 00:24:47,109.8993308
Uh, and they've had to bring up a guy that, uh, plays for, um, the Providence Bruins until recently.

360
00:24:47,109.8993308 --> 00:24:55,129.8983308
Brandon Bussi has found himself in high tension, big stake games and, and he keeps on playing.

361
00:24:55,139.8973308 --> 00:25:08,99.8993308
Now, whether that's because he's been playing a little better than Freddie Andersen, or Freddie actually is a little bit more injured than, than the team is letting on, I don't know if we'll really figure that out.

362
00:25:08,109.8993308 --> 00:25:13,559.8983308
Hockey is notoriously cagey about revealing the true extent of injuries, so.

363
00:25:13,559.8983308 --> 00:25:18,449.8923308
So in hockey, which is my personal favorite, and, and, you know this, there's really only two injuries in hockey.

364
00:25:18,459.8893308 --> 00:25:19,989.8953308
Yeah, it's either upper or lower body.

365
00:25:19,999.8903308 --> 00:25:21,229.8963308
Upper body and lower body.

366
00:25:21,469.8913308 --> 00:25:24,139.8913308
And, uh- Yeah and then you get no other information.

367
00:25:24,139.8913308 --> 00:25:25,249.8963308
It is quite something.

368
00:25:25,249.8963308 --> 00:25:28,509.8913308
They've kept that for years, even with all the gambling and all that stuff.

369
00:25:28,789.8913308 --> 00:25:39,419.8933308
On the other side, uh, Carter Hart, he's played all the games, but he's allowed at least four in every single game of the final, which is absolutely insane.

370
00:25:40,9.8923308 --> 00:25:43,119.8943308
Uh, Tortz is committed to him.

371
00:25:43,139.8973308 --> 00:25:44,359.8953308
He says he's his guy.

372
00:25:44,369.8933308 --> 00:25:45,559.8923308
He's sticking with him.

373
00:25:45,769.8943308 --> 00:25:49,659.8903308
Uh, Tortz left his clothes, uh, in- Oh, yeah in Carolina.

374
00:25:49,669.8963308 --> 00:25:49,689.8963308
Yeah.

375
00:25:49,689.8963308 --> 00:25:49,929.8903308
Saw that.

376
00:25:49,929.8903308 --> 00:25:57,719.8873308
And so tonight the Cup will be in the building in Vegas, and we- we'll see whether it, uh, returns back to, uh, to Carolina for a big game seven.

377
00:25:59,595.8913308 --> 00:26:02,625.8913308
All right, so I wanna talk a little bit about college baseball.

378
00:26:02,725.8913308 --> 00:26:08,165.8913308
Um, for those that don't know, the College Baseball World Series, uh, has kicked off this weekend.

379
00:26:08,175.8913308 --> 00:26:10,135.8913308
We're down to eight teams in Omaha.

380
00:26:10,485.8903308 --> 00:26:15,705.8913308
So just a few things, uh, the SEC has actually won six straight titles.

381
00:26:16,215.8913308 --> 00:26:20,405.8913308
LSU, who won 23 and 25, is actually not in the tournament whatsoever.

382
00:26:20,405.8913308 --> 00:26:22,315.8903308
Didn't make the playoffs, so no LSU.

383
00:26:22,485.8913308 --> 00:26:22,725.8913308
Huh.

384
00:26:22,925.8903308 --> 00:26:36,65.8923308
So in terms of kind of the, you know, the corollary SEC part, Georgia ranked three in the country, comes in pretty strong, won a, uh, big game yesterday, great starting pitching performance, complete game, 15 K's.

385
00:26:36,425.8903308 --> 00:26:40,965.8893308
Uh, Joey Vol- uh, Volchoko, I think is his name.

386
00:26:41,385.8893308 --> 00:26:48,15.8893308
And UGA, Georgia, leads five of the eight SEC teams, um, in the tournament.

387
00:26:48,725.8893308 --> 00:26:53,855.8893308
The SEC is actually guaranteed to be in the final due to the way that the brackets work out.

388
00:26:53,905.8893308 --> 00:26:57,565.8893308
Uh, Cinderella's story is the Troy Trojans from Alabama.

389
00:26:57,625.8903308 --> 00:27:00,925.8893308
This was a D2 program up until 1992.

390
00:27:00,995.8863308 --> 00:27:01,115.8863308
Wow.

391
00:27:01,175.8863308 --> 00:27:08,525.8903308
They lost their first game, so they're playing later today, so they, you know, it might be tough, but that's wonderful for that program.

392
00:27:09,5.8883308 --> 00:27:10,505.8883308
And just a little bit on the ballpark.

393
00:27:10,505.8883308 --> 00:27:13,675.8913308
So this ballpark in Omaha tends to play big.

394
00:27:13,975.8893308 --> 00:27:17,375.8873308
There's usually prevailing winds, excuse me, that blow in from right field.

395
00:27:17,865.8883308 --> 00:27:29,735.8893308
So strategy, small ball, um, sacrifice flies, bunting, all the stuff that we kind of like in terms of pure baseball tends to play itself out over this tournament, which, which I particularly enjoy.

396
00:27:30,145.8873308 --> 00:27:31,415.8863308
So, so let's see.

397
00:27:31,415.8913308 --> 00:27:36,795.8913308
This will go on for another eight to 10 days, and the finals is a two out of three Okay.

398
00:27:37,385.8913308 --> 00:27:41,145.8913308
And now we're gonna move to a little bit of, uh, French Open recap.

399
00:27:41,145.8913308 --> 00:27:42,355.8913308
Yeah, let's put a bow on the French.

400
00:27:42,375.8913308 --> 00:27:44,95.8913308
Let's put a bow on the French.

401
00:27:44,155.8913308 --> 00:27:48,485.8913308
Uh, maybe you start with the women- Sure and then I'll pipe in on, on what, uh- Yeah.

402
00:27:48,495.8913308 --> 00:27:58,625.8913308
So the women's final, um, Mirra Andreeva, 19 years old, was the eighth seed from Russia, uh, over a qualifier, Maya Hawilinska from Poland.

403
00:27:59,355.8903308 --> 00:28:07,275.8893308
Mirra Andreeva was a phenom at 15 years old, and again, in this sport, she's talked pretty openly about demons inside.

404
00:28:07,625.8883308 --> 00:28:13,115.8883308
She said, quote, "She can be a tough cookie for her team to deal with," which I particularly enjoyed.

405
00:28:13,135.8913308 --> 00:28:13,155.8893308
Mm-hmm.

406
00:28:13,165.8893308 --> 00:28:21,185.8913308
You know, that's really- Yeah um, I, I just think that that's really helpful when you have the, the confidence to be able to be out there like that.

407
00:28:21,195.8883308 --> 00:28:21,575.8883308
Right.

408
00:28:21,665.8893308 --> 00:28:34,415.8893308
And, and Maya, a promising junior f- was, um, from, from Poland, same country as Iga, Iga Swiatek, you know, the four-time French Open champion, but she had been struggling with depression in 2019.

409
00:28:34,685.8903308 --> 00:28:37,145.8893308
So again, this sport, tennis, here's what she said.

410
00:28:37,335.8913308 --> 00:28:37,625.8913308
Yeah.

411
00:28:37,725.8913308 --> 00:28:41,255.8893308
"Tennis is so individual, the pressure is huge."

412
00:28:41,765.8923308 --> 00:28:56,175.8913308
So I'm hoping that this result for Maya, a real breakthrough obviously in this tournament, can be a nice stepping stone in terms of, um, you know, both her, you know, her, her mental health and her, um, her obviously incredible tennis ability.

413
00:28:56,495.8873308 --> 00:29:00,385.8883308
And let's see as we start maybe to talk about, you know, Wimbledon in a couple of weeks where we're at.

414
00:29:02,259.8913308 --> 00:29:02,819.8913308
Okay.

415
00:29:02,859.8913308 --> 00:29:05,719.8913308
I didn't know that backstory, so that's, that's interesting.

416
00:29:05,719.8913308 --> 00:29:09,949.8913308
I did watch the final of the men's on, uh, last Sunday morning.

417
00:29:10,469.8913308 --> 00:29:11,799.8923308
it was a, it was a pretty good match.

418
00:29:11,809.8923308 --> 00:29:17,19.8913308
You had, uh, Zverev, uh, beating the Italian, Cobolli, in, in five sets.

419
00:29:17,479.8923308 --> 00:29:26,769.8923308
Uh, a little scary moment in set four where, uh, where Sasha needed some attention on his upper right leg to- and treated by a trainer.

420
00:29:26,769.8923308 --> 00:29:42,619.8903308
And everyone who knows about tennis was thinking back to 2022 when he suffered a brutal injury on that exact same court- Wow against Nadal, uh, and had to be carted off in a wheelchair.

421
00:29:42,619.8903308 --> 00:29:59,529.8893308
So obviously, this injury not nearly as serious, but you couldn't help but think what must be going through this guy's mind, being up two sets to one in, in the final, and then potentially having to deal with an injury to actually hoist the trophy.

422
00:29:59,529.8893308 --> 00:30:01,949.8913308
So- Yeah uh, a little drama there at the end.

423
00:30:01,969.8923308 --> 00:30:08,719.8863308
Uh, he did, he did come through quite well, uh, winning six-one in the, in the final set.

424
00:30:08,749.8853308 --> 00:30:10,979.8873308
But, pretty nice Grand Slam final.

425
00:30:11,79.8873308 --> 00:30:14,289.8833308
Um, an Italian not named Sinner doing quite well.

426
00:30:14,289.8833308 --> 00:30:14,314.8863308
Yeah.

427
00:30:14,314.8863308 --> 00:30:14,339.8893308
Yeah.

428
00:30:14,339.8893308 --> 00:30:16,829.8883308
And, uh, we'll see what what Wimbledon holds.

429
00:30:16,859.8923308 --> 00:30:17,259.8923308
Yeah.

430
00:30:18,429.8913308 --> 00:30:18,949.8923308
All right.

431
00:30:18,959.8903308 --> 00:30:21,959.8883308
So let's, let's get into a little PS.

432
00:30:22,9.8863308 --> 00:30:30,989.8873308
This was, uh, your topic this week, so why don't you kick us off what we're talking about, where we shift gears and step away from the field? Yeah.

433
00:30:31,199.8883308 --> 00:30:42,299.8893308
Uh, I asked that each of us come up as native New Yorkers, some place, institution, um, locale that, we are nostalgic for.

434
00:30:42,299.8903308 --> 00:30:49,539.8953308
It no longer exists, and, you know, what was it, why are we nostalgic for it, and, maybe you'll go first, actually.

435
00:30:49,539.8953308 --> 00:30:49,909.8903308
Okay.

436
00:30:49,909.8933308 --> 00:30:50,949.8893308
Who you got? All right.

437
00:30:51,669.8953308 --> 00:31:00,49.8933308
Yeah, so for- Or what do you got? So for some reason, the first thing that went into my head was the Nobody Beats the Wiz jingle.

438
00:31:01,359.8903308 --> 00:31:01,799.8903308
Nobody.

439
00:31:02,429.8893308 --> 00:31:08,489.8873308
But I wanted to pivot from that, which I did, and it took a little bit, but finally the light bulb went off.

440
00:31:09,9.8843308 --> 00:31:45,139.8933308
And I can say that for many years when I've been around the south end of Central Park, so sort of the southeast end, 59th Street, Fifth Avenue, all the time I used to just love, uh, walking over to FAO Schwarz on the outside- Ah watching the people, looking at the gigantic glass windows, strolling around to the huge animals that were all sort of lined up across the top And if you fast-forward a little bit to when, uh, my daughter was born, I decided that I was going into F.A.O.

441
00:31:45,139.8943308 --> 00:31:49,159.8933308
Schwarz, and really had only been in there a few times maybe to, like, host tourists and things.

442
00:31:49,159.8943308 --> 00:31:50,529.8943308
You know, wouldn't really shop there.

443
00:31:50,579.8943308 --> 00:31:50,999.8943308
Yeah.

444
00:31:51,59.8943308 --> 00:32:00,589.8943308
But I was determined to get a large stuffed animal, and I came away with a very big bear, uh, which we still have to this day.

445
00:32:00,589.8943308 --> 00:32:01,269.8943308
Ah, another bear.

446
00:32:01,299.8943308 --> 00:32:01,519.8943308
Yeah.

447
00:32:01,529.8943308 --> 00:32:01,769.8943308
Yeah.

448
00:32:01,769.8943308 --> 00:32:09,269.8933308
Do, do you know the name of, of, of said bear? Oh, well, I don't, but based on this conversation we're gonna go with Schwartz.

449
00:32:09,279.8943308 --> 00:32:12,279.8923308
His name is Schwartz, and, um, yeah.

450
00:32:12,339.8913308 --> 00:32:17,69.8933308
And so he's an important, still very, uh, uh, popular part of the family.

451
00:32:17,329.8933308 --> 00:32:19,339.8923308
And just in terms of, by the way, F.A.O.

452
00:32:19,339.8923308 --> 00:32:23,49.8923308
Schwarz, what I had to look at, so F.A.O.,

453
00:32:23,89.8913308 --> 00:32:26,99.8913308
the Fifth Avenue location, started there in 1986.

454
00:32:26,99.8943308 --> 00:32:27,889.8923308
I didn't realize it wasn't there before that.

455
00:32:27,889.8943308 --> 00:32:29,959.8943308
There were a couple other Fifth Avenue locations.

456
00:32:30,39.8923308 --> 00:32:33,269.8933308
1986? '86 was the Fifth Avenue one there.

457
00:32:33,269.8933308 --> 00:32:33,309.8933308
Okay.

458
00:32:33,309.8933308 --> 00:32:37,79.8923308
There were two other prior Fifth Avenue locations- Right since 1910.

459
00:32:37,79.8923308 --> 00:32:37,469.8923308
Right.

460
00:32:37,469.8923308 --> 00:32:40,839.8923308
But just in terms of 59th and Fifth- Okay like, the, the iconic location.

461
00:32:40,839.8923308 --> 00:32:41,199.8913308
Okay.

462
00:32:41,269.8963308 --> 00:32:50,449.8923308
Um, and then of course it shut down in 2015, but there's been a rebirth- Yeah um, in, uh, Rockefeller Center in 2018.

463
00:32:50,499.8913308 --> 00:32:54,419.8923308
I have not actually been to the new one, although my daughter has with a few friends.

464
00:32:54,739.8893308 --> 00:33:02,399.8893308
So yeah, so it's nice to see it back, but again, the- It makes me think of- Yeah uh, the movie Big with the piano.

465
00:33:02,409.8953308 --> 00:33:03,389.8893308
A- absolutely.

466
00:33:03,439.8943308 --> 00:33:03,739.8943308
Yeah.

467
00:33:03,739.8943308 --> 00:33:08,359.8933308
And they, and, um, I think Big was '88 when it came out.

468
00:33:08,859.8923308 --> 00:33:09,69.8943308
Maybe, yeah.

469
00:33:09,69.8943308 --> 00:33:09,99.8943308
So if you...

470
00:33:09,99.8943308 --> 00:33:12,969.8953308
So it was just really a couple of years- Yeah after it moved to Fifth Avenue.

471
00:33:12,979.8953308 --> 00:33:13,9.8953308
Right.

472
00:33:13,19.8963308 --> 00:33:16,679.8883308
And maybe the piano was probably new to the Fifth Avenue location, 'cause of its size.

473
00:33:16,679.8923308 --> 00:33:17,529.8923308
I'd have to check that.

474
00:33:17,659.8953308 --> 00:33:17,899.8893308
Could be.

475
00:33:17,909.8953308 --> 00:33:20,179.8903308
But anyway, that, that seems to track, so yeah.

476
00:33:20,219.8923308 --> 00:33:20,729.8893308
Got it.

477
00:33:20,869.8943308 --> 00:33:26,199.8913308
Yeah, very good, keeping it completely away from, uh, from, from the field.

478
00:33:26,219.8933308 --> 00:33:31,469.8933308
I'm always, I'm always challenged by this- as I look back, but and, and this, this week will be no exception.

479
00:33:31,469.8933308 --> 00:33:34,809.8903308
But it doesn't matter, because, I'll tie it all together.

480
00:33:35,109.8953308 --> 00:33:37,359.8933308
Uh, I picked the Felt Forum.

481
00:33:37,749.8943308 --> 00:33:38,69.8943308
Ah.

482
00:33:38,89.8913308 --> 00:33:45,339.8973308
I picked the Felt Forum, which was a smaller theater tucked underneath the main Madison Square Garden arena.

483
00:33:46,125.8953308 --> 00:33:49,355.8953308
Uh, it actually opened, I looked this up, in 1968.

484
00:33:49,395.8953308 --> 00:33:49,605.8953308
Right.

485
00:33:49,605.8953308 --> 00:33:52,425.8953308
And it held about 3,000 people.

486
00:33:52,785.8953308 --> 00:34:03,645.8943308
And it was the Garden's intimate little, little sort of sibling, but it holds memories for me because musically I saw some really good artists there.

487
00:34:03,645.8953308 --> 00:34:04,735.8943308
I saw R.E.M.

488
00:34:04,775.8953308 --> 00:34:06,5.8953308
in their early days there.

489
00:34:06,25.8953308 --> 00:34:09,315.8943308
I remember my parents took me to see a Charlie Daniels concert there.

490
00:34:09,315.8943308 --> 00:34:10,485.8953308
Oh, you love Charlie Daniels.

491
00:34:10,495.8943308 --> 00:34:11,115.8953308
I did.

492
00:34:11,115.8953308 --> 00:34:12,505.8953308
So that was kind of cool.

493
00:34:12,535.8953308 --> 00:34:22,285.8963308
And then just to, to tie it back to what, this very special episode, uh, I'll always associate the Felt Forum with the NBA drafts.

494
00:34:22,775.8953308 --> 00:34:23,145.8943308
Oh, yeah.

495
00:34:23,165.8953308 --> 00:34:26,755.8933308
Back in the '80s you didn't need a ticket, you didn't need anything.

496
00:34:26,755.8953308 --> 00:34:30,365.8953308
You just showed up and you took your seat in the Felt Forum.

497
00:34:30,685.8953308 --> 00:34:37,925.8943308
So Andrew Abrams, shout out to Andrew, uh, who I know is listening, and I would go to all of these drafts.

498
00:34:37,955.8923308 --> 00:34:44,655.8913308
In 1983 Ralph Sampson went number one to Houston, beginning the Rockets' run of dominance.

499
00:34:44,715.8933308 --> 00:34:50,565.8893308
Um, the Knicks chose Darryl Walker with the 12th pick, passing over Clyde Drexler at 14.

500
00:34:50,995.8893308 --> 00:34:53,935.8963308
Uh, last one I'll mention is '85.

501
00:34:54,115.8913308 --> 00:35:02,835.8993308
We all knew the Knicks were gonna take their center, Patrick Ewing, in that draft as well, though we were all curious to see where Chris Mullin would go, St.

502
00:35:02,835.8993308 --> 00:35:03,645.8963308
John's favorite.

503
00:35:03,645.8963308 --> 00:35:03,785.9013308
Mm-hmm.

504
00:35:03,785.9013308 --> 00:35:05,665.8983308
He went number seven to Golden State.

505
00:35:05,895.9013308 --> 00:35:09,705.8953308
Karl Malone number 13 to Utah, Joe Dumars 18.

506
00:35:09,975.8953308 --> 00:35:19,675.8993308
So, uh, quite a memorable draft, but, uh, that's, that's what I always remember is the, the fact that you could just kinda walk in and enjoy yourself.

507
00:35:19,675.9003308 --> 00:35:21,95.8953308
It was a simpler time.

508
00:35:21,535.9003308 --> 00:35:24,135.9023308
I think I might not have been on that group text for some reason.

509
00:35:24,565.8993308 --> 00:35:25,545.8983308
'Cause there was no text.

510
00:35:25,585.8963308 --> 00:35:26,25.8963308
Yeah.

511
00:35:27,885.8993308 --> 00:35:28,845.8953308
Well, that, that's great.

512
00:35:28,845.8983308 --> 00:35:33,85.8953308
I didn't realize that you actually went to so many of, um, of those drafts.

513
00:35:33,165.8983308 --> 00:35:33,715.8953308
Yeah, it was...

514
00:35:33,735.8973308 --> 00:35:36,155.8943308
I always felt like it was a little spontaneous too.

515
00:35:36,245.8993308 --> 00:35:37,185.8993308
It was that simple.

516
00:35:37,365.8953308 --> 00:35:39,345.8993308
Yeah, I think that probably sounds right.

517
00:35:39,375.8973308 --> 00:35:39,605.8973308
Yeah.

518
00:35:39,615.8953308 --> 00:35:41,505.8943308
Um, all right.

519
00:35:41,585.8963308 --> 00:35:44,575.8983308
And, and with that, that's it for today.

520
00:35:45,135.8993308 --> 00:35:46,205.9013308
Thank you for listening.

521
00:35:46,625.8973308 --> 00:35:48,875.8963308
Until the next time, I'm Peter Elchuk.

522
00:35:49,735.8973308 --> 00:35:51,455.9043308
And I'm Scott Greenhut.

523
00:35:51,455.9043308 --> 00:35:57,235.8953308
Make sure to subscribe to S&P's Why Not Us? on your favorite podcast player, now including YouTube.

524
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And also feel free to check us out on our new and improved website at whynotuspod.com

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to find show notes and more.

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And until next time, Peter and I are going to joyously put this one- In the books Court, one of the greatest in the sport I guess they must've forgot From every pass, every shot Patrick Ewing with the block, he can't be stopped Shout out Bernard King for the NYC And Willis Reed, he the MVP They was shutting down MSG Schoolyard, and you know what Frontin', slam dunkin', we cookin' this a luncheon.

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Jalen Brunson 'bout to show you somethin'.

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And you can't do nothin', nada.

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Ain't no other team hotter.

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Go New York, go New York, go.

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Let's go.

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Go New York, go New York, go Go New York, go.

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New York, New York.