Bears vs. Flacco | Jordan's Second Insight | World series Game 4

Summary

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Dan Bernstein Unfiltered – Episode Summary

Podcast: Dan Bernstein Unfiltered
Host: Dan Bernstein with Matt Abbatacola
Episode Title: Bears vs. Flacco | Jordan’s Second Insight | World Series Game 4
Date: October 29, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this fast-paced, unfiltered episode, Dan Bernstein and longtime producer Matt Abbatacola slice through Chicago’s biggest sports stories and a few national headlines. The hosts dive into the Chicago Bears’ quarterback drama ahead of their matchup with the Bengals, roast John Smoltz’s baseball commentary during the World Series, break down Michael Jordan’s old-school takes on “load management,” and swap stories about a memorable Blackhawks game and some truly bizarre Louisiana monkey business. Expect sharp wit, honest frustration, and old-school Chicago sports radio banter throughout.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bears vs. Bengals: Flacco, Williams, and Offensive Expectations

• Quarterback Situation:
  Dan and Matt predict Joe Flacco will start for the Bengals despite his sore shoulder, remarking that who plays QB isn’t as important as getting the ball to Jamar Chase and T. Higgins (02:54).

• Analysis of Bears’ Performance:
  Dan calls on Bears rookie QB Caleb Williams to "light these MF’s up" against a weak Bengals defense, pushing back hard against playing it safe:

  “Go have yourself a stat day. Have that day when…people go look back and say, ‘Boy, I don’t remember him throwing for 372 yards and four… Oh, yeah, I guess he did that against the Bengals.’”(03:27)

• Bengals’ Offense:
  Flacco’s approach is simple:

  “Throw the ball to Jamar Chase and T. Higgins. I’d be an idiot not to.” (04:05)

• Terminology Banter:
  Matt and Dan debate offensive terminology—sluggo vs. whip vs. jerk routes—showcasing their deep football nerdery and willingness to admit mistakes (05:02, 49:03).

• Bears’ Pre-snap Penalties:
  Both hosts vent about recurring mental errors—pre-snap penalties, inefficiencies unrelated to the quarterback, and professionalism:

  “The pre snap stuff doesn’t matter if it’s Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagen, Justin Fields, me, or you. That shouldn’t matter at professional athletes.” – Matt (07:16)

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2. World Series Game 4: The Smoltz Rant & Baseball Commentary

• John Smoltz Critique:
  Dan launches a recurring, passionate rant about John Smoltz’s takes during the World Series broadcast, frustrated by Smoltz’s resistance to analytics and penchant for pseudo-science (12:24-14:07). Memorable complaints include:

  • Smoltz’s obsession with contact hitting and criticism of strikeouts (“He thinks strikeouts are bad…The fast break offense...It’s called sequencing.” – 13:22)
  • Smoltz’s bizarre curveball physics (“He said… if you hit it on the right slope, you impart spin with your swing… It’s not about swinging hard. I’m not kidding. He said this. It’s unbelievable. It’s a parody.” – Dan, 14:11)

• Dan's World Series Viewing Rituals:
  The hosts mix in domestic anecdotes—Dan attempting “special breathing” to tolerate Smoltz, cooking for his wife mid-game, and Subscribers sending in the worst Smoltz quotes (15:15, 16:06).

• Smoltz’s Broadcasting Style:
  A cathartic segment examines why Smoltz’s anti-curiosity grates on Dan, contrasting him with more insightful broadcasters like Jim Deshaies who embody humility and a learner’s mentality (23:48–28:20):

  “He’s the guy who would say the giant ball of fire in the sky disappears every day because it’s eaten by a dragon.” — Dan (23:53)

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3. Jordan’s Second Insight: Old School vs. Modern NBA

• “Insights to Excellence” - Jordan/Mike Tirico Interview:
  The hosts recap and analyze Michael Jordan’s much-hyped NBC segment with Mike Tirico, focusing on the GOAT’s views of load management in today’s NBA (32:28–36:55).

  • Jordan’s classic stance:

    “I never wanted to miss a game… the fans are there… I want to impress that guy way up on top who probably worked his ass off to get a ticket… If I can physically do it, I should play.” — Jordan (33:40)

  • Dan notes Jordan immediately goes into “I didn’t need load management. Today’s players are soft.” even before being prompted.
  • Matt highlights Jordan’s lack of self-awareness, bullish self-promotion, and willingness to dunk (again) on the current NBA:

    “Michael Jordan is always going to promote Michael Jordan. Period.” (40:53)

• Cultural Commentary:
  Dan and Matt call out the performative myth-building around the “flu game,” Jordan’s selective memory, and point out that current players do invest heavily in recovery and family, despite Jordan's nostalgia for the “good old days” (37:14–38:57).

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4. Bulls vs. Kings Preview & Bulls Chemistry

• Matchup Breakdown:
  Dan is genuinely excited for the Bulls–Kings game, drawn by emerging players like Matas Buzelis and a rejuvenated locker room culture. He breaks down the Bulls’ offensive sets (“pistol,” “five out of ten,” modern NBA spacing) and highlights Patrick Williams’ improved play (44:39–45:37).

• Locker Room Culture Shift:
  The Bulls are playing with more chemistry, constructive criticism, and team buy-in:

  “Players are heard and feelings stay at home… the 15th guy can say something to the number one guy.” — Reading from Joe Cowley’s report (46:06)

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5. Chicago Blackhawks Game—Nostalgia, Culture, and Changes

• Blackhawks Experience Recap:
  Matt attended a recent Blackhawks game at the United Center and shares observations on lower attendance, more in-game entertainment, and a generational cultural shift away from the gritty, raucous games of the past to today's more family-friendly, sanitized events (51:12–54:41).

• Hat Trick Tradition:
  Matt remains baffled by fans throwing hats after a Bedard hat trick (“It’s your hat you wore to the game…just keep it!” – 52:53), spurring a humorous debate about hockey customs and the sanctity of property.

• Old-Time Hockey Stories:
  The hosts reminisce about the Chicago Stadium’s wild days: cheap seats, marijuana smoke, beer showers, and scrappy fights—contrasting with today’s more sedate NHL experience (55:36–56:46).

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6. The Escaped Monkeys Incident

• Bizarre Louisiana News Story:
  Dan reads a news report about a transport truck crash that set loose research monkeys—rumored to carry Hepatitis, Covid, or Herpes—leading to their elimination by authorities. The hosts riff about the absurdity and southern gothic nature of the story, joking about legal representation for the monkeys and local news anchors possibly drinking on air for their nonchalance (65:24–68:36).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Bears’ offensive urgency:

  "I don't want to hear about complimentary football. Go light these MF's up because they can't cover."
  — Dan, (03:10)

• On John Smoltz’s anti-analytics take:

  "He doesn't understand cause, effect, sample size...None of these basic principles can penetrate his dumb skull."
  — Dan, (14:07)

• On Michael Jordan’s load management stance:

  “…the fans are there… I want to impress that guy way up on top who probably worked his ass off to get a ticket…”
  — Michael Jordan (33:40, quoted by Dan)

• On Bulls’ locker room culture:

  “The number one guy can take that criticism and still go out and compete. That’s huge.”
  — (46:06, Joe Cowley, read by Dan)

• On modern vs. classic Blackhawks culture:

  “It didn’t feel like what I remember hockey games being… drenched in beer, smelling like weed, seeing fights and guys pissing all over the staircase.”
  — Matt, (56:46)

• On the escaped monkeys story:

  “I couldn’t rule out that it was Jason… I went on Find My Friends… made sure that one that they hadn’t destroyed was not actually our son…”
  — Dan, (64:54)

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Timestamps of Key Segments

| Segment | Topic | Timestamp | |---------|-------|-----------| | Opening & Bears QB Drama | Who will play for Bengals; Bears offense needs to attack | 00:39 – 07:33 | | Passing Routes & Nerd Debate | Slant, sluggo, whip, and jerk route banter | 04:41 – 05:40 & 49:03 | | Bears' Mental Mistakes | Venting about recurring penalties | 06:38 – 07:33 | | World Series/Smoltz Rant | Critique of John Smoltz’s baseball commentary | 12:24 – 16:06 | | Analytical vs. Anti-Analytical Broadcasting | Why Smoltz annoys Dan—lack of curiosity | 23:27 – 28:11 | | Jordan Interview Recap | Load management, nostalgia for 90s NBA | 32:28 – 38:45 | | Bulls/Kings Preview, Bulls Culture | Offense, locker room accountability | 44:39 – 48:46 | | Blackhawks Game Recap | Modern vs. classic NHL fans and culture | 51:12 – 56:46 | | Escaped Monkeys News & Jokes | Louisiana’s primate research mishap | 65:24 – 68:36 |

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Final Thoughts

This episode is vintage unfiltered Bernstein—raw takes, sports nostalgia, eye-rolling at old-school mindsets, and a passionate defense of evidence-based analysis. Whether you’re a Bears/Bulls fan or just love irreverent sports conversation, this one delivers.

Transcript

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[B]

Hi, it's Dan Bernstein Unfiltered I'm Dan Bernstein. That is Matt Abaticola and we hello. Hi. We're presented by my bookie. A lot to do because the Bears are getting back to work and they are getting ready for the Cincinnati Bengals not knowing exactly who's going to be quarterbacking them. So we'll discuss. We had another World Series game last night. I had to do my special Smoltz breathing and I was bad at it. I was trying to control myself and I couldn't help myself. I was struggling with Smoltz saying things. I'll be okay. I've got to work on it. We heard the second installment of Insights to Excellence with Michael Jordan being given a ton of money to tell the NBA it sucks. Michael Jordan is handed a check to remind everybody he's Michael Jordan and everybody can kiss his ass and get out of his house. The Bulls at 3 and O are going to take on the Sacramento Kings tonight. They're back, the old Bulls against the new bulls. It's DeMar DeRozan and Zach Levine and DeMata SA. Should be a fun game because everybody knows what's happening. Everybody knows what everybody's trying to do. And can you just don't buy the head fake. Just don't buy Damar's head fake and you got a good chance to go 4 0. And also we had there was an incident late yesterday afternoon that was reported. There was some misreporting that was going on. There was a fog that occurred that created some misunderstandings in what was happening down in Louisiana. But we are going to get to that and everything else here today on Dan Bernstein Unfiltered. I want to start with the fact that the Bears are they want to know who the quarterback is. Obviously we're doing this again this week and now we know. Look, it doesn't matter. I don't care if it's Joe Flacco, or it would be Jake Browning.

[A]

Yeah, but it's going to be Joe Flacco.

[B]

I'm sure it is. Right? He's a sore shoulder, but doesn't really matter.

[A]

Yeah, he left the game against the Jets. He came back in for their final drive. Joe Flacco will be playing.

[B]

All you need is somebody who can break a huddle and get the ball to Jamar Chase as quickly as possible. That's pretty much it. And you can do whatever you want. I don't care if the Bears have this secondary. If you're lining up Nick McLeod and Nishan Wright against T. Higgins and Jamar Chase, this is a game. I don't care who's quarterbacking. It's a game. The good thing is the Bengals defense sucks out loud. And if Caleb Williams can't have an enormous game. And I don't want to hear about managing the game, I don't want to hear about complimentary football. Go light these MF's up because they can't cover. Go drop a huge number on them. And not just your first scripted drives. Move the ball down the field. Go have yourself a stat day. Have that day when no matter what, at the end of your career, people go look back and say, boy, I don't. I don't remember him throwing for 372 yards and four. Oh, yeah, I guess he did that against the Bengals. Go ahead and do that.

[A]

Jamar Chase has had, what is that, 42 targets the last two weeks.

[B]

Good.

[A]

42. And I mean, that Joe Flaccos, he's talked about that. He was like, I would be an idiot not to throw the ball. Like, this is the easiest.

[B]

Stupid.

[A]

This is the easiest portion of my career I've ever had. Throw the ball to Jamar Chase and T. Higgins.

[B]

Jamar's out there down there somewhere, right?

[A]

I'm going to throw them the ball. He's like, it's a no brainer. Like, what do I have to do? Get the ball. Throw the ball to Jamar Chase and T. Higgins.

[B]

Even if it's zero routes, slants, button hooks, they call that the stick now. I guess they don't call it a button hook anymore, but whatever you got to do to put the ball in the hands of guys who are really good, do it.

[A]

They're not very good. You know what a route I've come to love now is the. I don't know if you're familiar with the whip route. Yeah, that slant that turns into this to go. Yeah, I love it.

[B]

No, the whip Is is the inside break that whips to the outside. You're talking about Sluggo.

[A]

Yeah, we all slanted. I've seen it as a way. I've always called it as a wit because that's where I've seen it. No, don't shake your head because I've read it. Don't shake your head at me because I read it.

[B]

Slant and go is a Sluggo.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

That's why I got the name.

[A]

Well, I read it other ways too, where they call that the whip. It's the slant that.

[B]

Okay, maybe I'm thinking of the jerk. The jerk route is a quick little in, out.

[A]

It's very possible they were both right. It's very possible because people use different terminology for it. But I just, I love it. I love it because it just that I love that setup of the slant because not many younger programs run slant routes just because of the quickness of the timing of it and because of.

[B]

The physicality that it takes to sort of make that little basketball. Yeah, yeah.

[A]

We. I was running slants the other day. Jackie took a pop, held onto the ball, took a real hard pop. But then it allowed that to open up for those go routes which it didn't quite have the time we needed. But. Yeah, but it's, it's really simple.

[B]

Why did you throw it?

[A]

Well, I was on the ground. Yes, that was on the ground. Dad, I can't throw from on the ground. It's hard. Yeah, fix that.

[B]

Do it right next time, run it again.

[A]

I mean I, I love, I love hearing Joe Flacco talk about it. He's like, it's, it's not hard. Receive the ball, throw the ball to one of those two guys and that's 42 targets last two weeks.

[B]

You know, this is, and I hate to do this and make all roads lead back to Caleb Williams, but. But what he would. Joe. What is simple to Joe Flacco of rhythm, timing. You're. Here you go here, you take a step here, the ball is on you. That's still. Caleb's got to figure some of that stuff out.

[A]

Yeah, no. And I'm not going to disagree or argue on that fact and why. I just don't understand why it's not happening now 24 games into his pro career. Like why, why has it not gotten. Gotten better yet? We'll get more into it. Afford progress because there are other issues that we've discussed this week with, with the penalties, the pre snap stuff, the red zone efficiency. There are things that are deficient on this Team that don't have anything to do with who the quarterback is.

[B]

Oh, yeah, I don't want to obscure.

[A]

Oh, no, no, no, no. I'm sorry.

[B]

I was.

[A]

I'm sorry. I wasn't indicating or implying that that's what you meant.

[B]

Okay. Okay.

[A]

But there are things this team can clean up regardless of who the quarterback is, and they should be fucking cleaned up, period. Like the pre snap stuff doesn't matter if it's Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagen, Justin Fields, me, or you. That shouldn't matter at professional athletes.

[B]

Well, correct. However, the. The cadence has something to do with that. The way you say these words. You've got to find whatever crutch works for you. Whatever everybody's got, whether it's green 19 or blue 80 or. Or here we go. Or Omaha. Whatever you got to do. Find something that makes you comfortable.

[A]

Yeah. Again, I'm not going to disagree, because there is. There is some accuracy in that statement.

[B]

Accuracy.

[A]

That statement. I know, but. But the ball moving from the center's hand has nothing to do with the cadence.

[B]

Yes, it does. Sure does.

[A]

There is a part to it, Dan, but why the right tackle is moving, Why a fucking tight end is moving before the ball moves. Shouldn't matter who the quarterback is. Shouldn't matter what his cadence is. You move when the ball snapped, there's a call. When that ball is snapped, it's not just. All right, Caleb, you go when you want. I'll go in. The ball moves. No, there's a call right.

[B]

There's. They're not guessing what.

[A]

They're guessing what the snap count is. They know what it is.

[B]

Right.

[A]

That stuff should be cleaned up regardless of the quarterback. Agreed.

[B]

And against a. And against a bad defense, you shouldn't ever be set back behind the chains.

[A]

I didn't want to get angry in dbu. I want to save that for forward progress.

[B]

Okay, well.

[A]

Sorry.

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[A]

To the wrong guy. Were it complete wrong team.

[B]

It's a parlay.

[A]

Yeah. No, and I. I've enjoyed how you've. You've taken some strategy into what you do and some, some thought. The thought process I'm trying I. I.

[B]

Can'T watch every team all the time.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But I can look at numbers and trends.

[A]

But it's fun if there's island games and they're not the Bears and add a little something to it. But I liked how you started off that. That read there. You. You like, you sucked me in. Because I was like, oh, what's he sharing?

[B]

What is this?

[A]

You know, 14 teams? I was like, what?

[B]

I was going back doing football research. Yes.

[A]

I was like, wait, what. What does he got?

[B]

Sorry. Well, so last night I had to do special breathing to deal with John Smoltz. And the problem was I. Everybody wanted a little something different for dinner, and Beth was in. You'll love this. So I've got the game on, and I'm. And I'm listening, and I'm hearing Smoltz make stuff up about what he do.

[A]

You track it every game. Like the stuff he makes up.

[B]

I don't write it down.

[A]

Okay. I was wondering if you did. But he was doing it again because I think you. There might be an idea here for us.

[B]

We'll talk. I knew it. And then on that little. The little flick single for two runs. When he reached, I said, oh, my God, he's going to cream his jeans over that. And of course, he's like, that's contact. That's a good piece of hitting. That's what you do when you're not trying to launch. These strikeouts ruin everything.

[C]

And.

[B]

Yeah, but the. See, the.

[A]

He thinks strikeouts are bad.

[B]

Yeah. Strikeouts, okay. Strikeouts are awful because they. They ruined what he called the fast break offense.

[A]

No, he didn't.

[B]

Yeah, he said the fast break offense. It has to be. You have to make contact with the ball to run a fast break. Baseball offense. Yeah, it's called sequencing. And you don't have enough of a sample size in the postseason for any of it to matter, so. None. He's using post season numbers. He's like, well, on the games they've won, Vlad Guerrero is. His batting average is.325. In the games they've lost in the postseason, his batting average is.225. Like, that's because he's one of their most important hitters. He doesn't understand cause, effect, sample size. None of these basic principles can penetrate his dumb skull.

[A]

They won last night, and Vlad hit a home run. Did he hit that ball hard?

[B]

No, no, no. He said it was the spin. He said with a curveball, you don't have to swing hard because if you hit it on the right slope, you impart spin with your swing. It has nothing to do with the actual velocity. He did a whole thing about how the spin, like the ball spinning this way, and if you make proper contact, you let the spin of the ball carry it out of the park. And it's not about swinging hard. I'm not kidding. He said this. It's unbelievable. It's a parody. It is absolutely a parody. It's maddening. And now what I've done, and I apologize. Everybody's emailing me and Instagramming me things just to make me mad. Like, somebody said that, and I didn't hear everything because I'm cooking. My back is to the television. It was the worst possible thing. Beth is like, I'd like a pasta, but I don't know what sauce. Can you surprise me with something? So I said, all right, we had a little of the good Barilla pesto.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Like, all right, I'm lazy. I'll put some pesto in here. And she goes, yeah. So I put it in the bowl, and because I was gonna let it warm up a little bit, and she's like, anything but pesto.

[A]

Oh, after it was ready.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

So I scraped that out of the bowl.

[A]

Did you throw it across the kitchen like Gordon Ramsay?

[B]

I put it back in the container. I literally scrape it out. I put every little bit back, and then I wash out the bowl. And I did it really good. I did a spicy, like a Calabrian chili ricotta. So a spiced ricotta with wilted arugula and a little drizzle of good olive oil and parmigiano Reggiano. And it was. Yeah, it was fine. But so because my back is to the tv, I have to hear Smoltz. There's nothing I can do about it. And it just. It was making me crazy. But now I'm okay. And I apologize for making everybody crazy. But good for the. Yeah.

[A]

I've told you this. You're making people unhealthy.

[B]

I'm sorry.

[A]

Making them focus in on exactly what he's saying to the point where they're, like, writing it down or emailing it to you now.

[B]

And look, I. I've got enough.

[A]

Or people are reaching out because they're concerned about your mental health, because they're like, dan, are you okay? I just heard Smoltz say this.

[B]

I'm doing it to myself. I have enough anxiety problems, but I want to watch baseball. I like the sound of the game. I'm going to watch tonight. It's an eat well, the Bulls are on too. So I'm going to watch that. We're going to get to them in just a second. But the. This is a good World Series. Oh, and Blake Trinen got his tits lit. I love that. God, I can't stand him. Ever since he's written Charlie Kirk on his hat, he has been a punching bag. Have you seen those numbers?

[A]

I have not.

[B]

Oh, my God. It's hysterical.

[A]

And it runs along with the fact of writing that on his cap.

[B]

Yes. Okay. Yeah, everybody timed it out. Somebody's. There is a guy who's keeping a tracker.

[A]

Oh, boy.

[B]

Yep, there's a guy who is keeping a Blake Trinen tracker.

[A]

That's a guy with a lot of time on his hands.

[B]

Yeah, it is. It's just, I think he's got an 11 ERA ever since, since then. And he's given up. I think in the, in the last, the last 10 batters he's faced, six of them have hits.

[A]

So, you know, John Smoltz would say an 11 era isn't bad if your team isn't losing.

[B]

See here, like the guy on blue sky yesterday just said a leadoff walk is worse than a lead off homer. That's Hawk Harrelson level, stupid.

[A]

No, he didn't, he didn't say that.

[B]

I might have been tuned out by that point, but yeah, that was sent to me.

[A]

A lead off walk is worse than a lead off homer. How many runs is the leadoff walk worth?

[B]

Well, it's, I mean, you can, it's a, it's a percentage of a run that it's worth as far as win expectancy, but it's not.

[A]

It takes another. Takes another action. It takes at least that guy around.

[B]

One more base event, Right. At least one more event. It's called sequencing. Yes.

[A]

At least one more occur. Next pitch is a home run. It's a two run home run. That's good.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Next pitch is a ground ball to the second baseman, turns it into a double play. That's two outs.

[B]

Right. But it just. You don't even have to go that.

[A]

Far or you hit the ball once it goes over the fence and you're, you have a number on the board, Right.

[B]

That's the best possible outcome of anything in baseball is hitting the ball over the fence. That's the best thing you can do because it's a run and it's indefensible. Whatever. However the defense is set up doesn't matter because you've hit it out.

[A]

Yeah. See, I'm not even going to get into it because I Don't want to. I don't want to start listening. I'm going to keep watching the World Series, although I didn't watch it all last night, but I'm going to keep watching it the way I want to watch, which means not listening to anything to say. Yeah, no. No, it's not.

[B]

That's why I bring you donuts.

[A]

It's on you. I know. No, and it's you. You watch the Bulls. You listen to John Smoltz. And by the way, I go to Hawks games. That's. That's our rule.

[B]

Want to hear about that?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Before we get to the escape monkeys.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

Because I definitely want to hear about your. Your hard hog hacky experience. I notice you have your hat.

[A]

I do have my hat.

[B]

I didn't love that hat.

[A]

I do. I didn't wear this hat to the game. Had I worn this hat to the game, it would not have been thrown.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

So just.

[B]

I still don't understand that.

[A]

Get that.

[B]

We'll get into that. I still don't. I mean, congratulations. I like my hat. Yeah. I'm keeping my hat.

[A]

I'm happy for you. If you want me to throw a hat, give me a hat when I walk in. Hey, on the off chance there's a.

[B]

Hat trick, give me a hat trick.

[A]

Here's a hat. Throw it on the ice. If not, there'll be a box. On your way out, drop it back in the box. We can just keep those as the hat trick hats.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Everyone keep their own property.

[B]

Right? Because nobody wants your stinky hat. Right. It's just garbage.

[A]

Like, do people think like, Connor Bedard is collecting those hats and now has like all these hats?

[B]

I throw my hat in tribute to. You have my hat, young man.

[A]

You know, people are going to be angry that you're shitting all over a hockey tradition.

[B]

They are. Because. Because it's.

[A]

I'm not though. I'm just here for the conversation.

[B]

Never ask an open ended hockey question. And if you bring up the idea of hockey tradition, there's. I know. Trust me. I think people know better than to even bother with that now. Otherwise it's just trolling.

[A]

All right.

[B]

But I did enjoy the World Series game. I'm looking forward to the World Series game tonight. There have been all kinds of cool things, and I love watching Blake try and have bad things happen to him.

[A]

Yeah. And then the only thing that would.

[B]

Have been better is after he leaves the game, he has his. His, his foot eaten by, by insects or something.

[A]

Ohtani went, what, six and A third. Would he strike out six or strike out nine? Give up four runs? He walked one.

[B]

He was. He was okay. Yeah. He wasn't getting some calls early. He wasn't as sharp as he definitely could be because according to John Smoltz, not enough adrenaline.

[A]

He didn't say that.

[B]

He said the team that has more adrenaline will win. Mm. Sorry. This will be over soon. This all are long. National nightmare will soon be over.

[A]

Yeah. And it can't go. I don't care what his contract is. It can't go past this season.

[B]

Nobody calls him on any of this. There isn't a single person that broadcast that says, do you know anything about.

[A]

How he is as a person? Like in broadcast? I know because you hear things about guys that they're divas or they're assholes or they're hard to work with or a lot of great to be around or they're really gracious and generous.

[B]

Too many baseball broadcasters are a hole.

[A]

Do we know anything about. About small. I've never bothered to read or look personally.

[B]

No. We know he doesn't like music. Jesus. We know he doesn't like any kind of music. He does. He does even like. Ah, the infernal song of birds. Ah.

[A]

What was the email that came in and he was like, if he was a caged bird, he wouldn't even.

[B]

Yes. Somebody did all these things. Some fake John Smoltz stuff. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. I've never heard anything about.

[B]

I. I don't know. He's a guy.

[A]

I've never looked. I don't know if you heard anything.

[B]

I presume he's. He's. He's horrible, though. Okay.

[A]

You just assume the words.

[B]

Oh, absolutely.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

I'm just being honest.

[A]

That's fair.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Is that.

[A]

Is that based on the things he says?

[B]

Just based on. Possibly. No, it's the fact that he thinks it's virtuous to be ignorant. That's why generally, somebody who's proud, who's proud of ignorance, who's proud. I don't believe in science and I don't need all of these other things and I don't need to be told things by anyone. I can intuit everything and know that I'm absolutely correct instead of saying, I'd like to know more. There's no curiosity. It would be very hard for somebody who feels that aggressive ignorance is virtuous. It would be very hard for that person to be a good person.

[A]

I understand. I agree. And I think we had a major breakthrough. Yeah. This is the crux. This is the root. The source of the problem you have with John Smoltz. This is it. It makes perfect sense. Knowing you, this makes sense. He is not at all curious, does not at all want to get smarter.

[B]

Gain knowledge, and on the biggest insight or intelligence casual fans. He makes everyone else dumber.

[A]

That's it.

[B]

Everyone has to share his ignorance. He's in. Somehow somebody's put him in charge of explaining why things happen. And he's. He's the guy who would say the giant ball of fire in the sky disappears every day because it's eaten by a dragon. In the morning, the dragon spits out giant ball of fire. Oh, he. He must know. He's. He's the wise man.

[A]

All right, this makes. This is good. This is a great breakthrough. Now we understand. You understand. I do. I feel better. Like, ow. I understand where you're coming from with. This is why you had a breakthrough. This is why you have such an issue with John Smoltz. I get it now. It makes a great. Because you are a curious person by nature. You like to learn.

[B]

You're supposed to be. That's why we're here.

[A]

Well, yes, Dan, but most people aren't, though.

[B]

But that's why we're here.

[A]

Most people are.

[B]

What else are we doing?

[A]

Most people are judgmental.

[B]

I'm judgmental.

[A]

And are insecure. I'm insecure and afraid.

[B]

I'm afraid.

[A]

I love those things. So then you're well rounded.

[B]

But I'm also curious.

[A]

No, I don't.

[B]

I can check every one of those boxes. I'm terrified of everything.

[A]

But you can't be curious and want to evolve and grow. Wait. You can't evolve and grow as a person without being curious.

[B]

That's true.

[A]

You cannot. It's impossible. And I think. And I'm gonna venture a guess because I think our viewing habits are a little bit differently. You've never watched Ted Lasso.

[B]

I've watched all of Ted Lasso.

[A]

You have? Okay. That's great to hear. That makes my heart warm.

[B]

I love Ted Lasso.

[A]

The dart scene where he plays Rupert and darts and he talks about the. What's the. Who does he quote? It's better to be to be curious than judgmental. Is it? It's not Walt Whitman. Is that because it's in the scene? I think I'll look it up. But he talks about curiosity. And if Rupert was at all curious about who Ted Lasso was as a person, he would have asked him, do you play darts? Do you like darts? And he would have learned that he played darts from the age of 10 to 16 every Sunday with his father at a sports bar until his father passed away. And he's an ace. He's an ace at it. And it's about being curious. So the fact that John Smoltz is not a curious person, it portrays on his broadcasts because he denies the fact of learning more about the game that he was a successful part in for so long.

[B]

Yeah, it reminds me.

[A]

And he has the opportunity to help people understand the game better.

[B]

That's his not opportunity and job.

[A]

But it's not. It's. See, I disagree though, because it's not really his job to make people smarter in a broadcast. But he, he is. He should share insights and give me a perspective that I will never have because I've never stepped on the mountain.

[B]

He does that, but he only shares it from solipsistic. This is how. But he doesn't say this is how I would approach it when I pitched. He broadens that to apply to everyone, which. That's where he makes mistakes because the stuff he says about, well, he's not throwing hard right now because he's got to save that for later. No, he doesn't. Guys coming down, they throw as hard as they can immediately because that's how they throw. Yes, everybody throws as hard. You execute every pitch from the moment you take that mount. And he says, well, he's. He's not throwing hard right now. He's not, he's not trying to throw as hard as he can. And the whole thing of this guy's not swinging as hard as he can. Yes, he is.

[A]

Yeah, I just.

[B]

Wrong.

[A]

I just think when it comes to broadcast, I think we consume things differently. And I don't expect the play by. Or the, the. The color guy to make me smarter at the game. That's not my expectation. If he does great, that to me isn't. It's just that that's an extra benefit.

[B]

Don't say wrong shit. Don't make shit up that can be easily disproven.

[A]

That I agree with.

[B]

And, and if there's somebody that can measure, there's somebody that can listen to Jim Deshay's. Jim Deshay will always say I would. He. He. He will express his curiosity, right. He will say, boy, I would really like to know how often or. It would be interesting to know if this particular percentage applies in this case. Or like it's.

[A]

Or. Or Jim says, this is what I think because of my experiences, what I've seen my eyes. But maybe it's not let me find out.

[B]

Yes, and then they'll find out.

[A]

It could be a broadcast later where he says, hey, we were talking about this and this is what I learned.

[B]

So I went back and checked, and.

[A]

This is what I found.

[B]

And here's what. Here's what I found about how that pitch moves. And maybe my eye. I shouldn't trust my eye on that one because it's not spinning as much.

[A]

As I thought it was. What I want for a color guy is to not take away from the game, not make it less enjoyable for me to watch. But I don't. My expectation isn't make me smarter, make me better at this game in understanding it. If you do that, that's a great plus. Okay. And I'll accept that. But the fact that he's not curious at all, and it seems to be that way by his broadcasts, that's what offends you.

[B]

That's part of it.

[A]

That's where it's at.

[B]

All right. I'm feeling a little stressed out. Can we. Can we stop?

[C]

Are you?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Why?

[B]

I don't know. I'm just stressing me out a little bit. Okay.

[A]

I thought that was a good conversation.

[B]

I'm not saying it wasn't. Okay.

[A]

I don't want you to be stressed out about it.

[B]

No, it's just like that just stressed me out.

[A]

Okay. All right, well, let's move on. What's next on the board?

[B]

What's next?

[A]

Oh, let's talk about something that won't stress you out.

[B]

Well, I can talk about something that'll make you. Make you thrilled and delighted. Because of what separates the pros from everyone else is not ignoring injuries. A torn ligament doesn't heal itself, and neither does Ed. Well, 30 million men deal with it. That's every major sports fan combined. ED happens when there's not enough blood flow. And that's often combined with decreased arousal signals from your brain. It's not about age or losing your edge. It's just biology. And it's treatable. That's where Rougiet comes in. R U G I e t rougiet.com all those things that he said here. Blood flow, arousal signals. Rougiet treats all of them. Doctors review every case. Tailored treatment. It's not one size fits all. This is an online process with no awkward trips to the pharmacy. It involves medications with FDA approved ingredients and unlimited doctor follow ups are included so you can adjust your dose until it's dialed in. And the thing about Rougiette is you get Apomorphine to boost arousal at the source. It is combined with sildenafil for fast action tadalafil for the long game. And we know that pro sports teams have specialized doctors for every issue. Your health shouldn't be different. So visit rougiette.com r u g I e t.com and get your game plan from a licensed ed doctor. Use our promo code DBU at checkout for a special offer Treatment ships discreetly to your door. Time to get back in the game with rugiert. R u g I e t rugiert.com before we get to the Bulls, I want to get to our second installment of Insights on excellence. I want to just rewind the clock for a second. I don't know if you are also a listener to Organizations Win Championships. That is our 312Sports Bulls podcast that for now we do weekly. And it dropped yesterday afternoon. And knowing that Mike Tirico and Michael Jordan were going to sit down again for another installment that they teased us was going to focus on load management in the NBA. This was around, around 3:30 yesterday afternoon on Organizations Win Championships. Mike Tirico won't even be done asking the question before Jordan says the equivalent of I didn't need any load management. I played every game because I felt I had to give it to the game of basketball to play every game. I felt I didn't play every game. I'd be cheating the game of basketball. And now they don't care about the game of basketball because they got their money and they got paid and I cared about the game of basketball. I played every game. I didn't have to manage anything. I fought through it. So that's what you're going to get tonight. I can't wait. This was on NBC last night. Mike Tirico at the home of Michael Jordan. And by the way, they're wearing the same clothes.

[A]

Yeah, that's when I watched it and I was like, I texted you. I'm like, bro, are you telling me that they, they taped all these segments in one day? It's the. So this is at least two. At least these two were taped on the same day.

[B]

So I'm going to say change your shirt, man. This is highway robbery.

[A]

If they' done all these segments in one day. And he's got that giant golf check and it's one day to get all these things. I could easily see because these are like three minute segments that are edited.

[B]

Here's what he said. The term load management has become such a hot button. In the NBA.

[C]

How I know you're going to talk about that one?

[B]

Because you played 80.

[A]

Talked about it a lot.

[B]

You played 82. What do you think of when you hear the term load management thrown around? It's.

[C]

Well, it shouldn't be needed. First and foremost, you know, I never wanted to miss a game because it was an opportunity to prove it was. It was something that I felt like, you know, the fans are there that watch me play. I want to. I want to impress that guy way up on top who probably worked his ass off to get a ticket or to get money to buy the ticket.

[B]

You really cared about the guy who sat in the top deck at the palace in Auburn Hills to watch you when you came to Detroit.

[C]

Yeah, because I know he's probably yelling at me. I want to shut him up. You know, he's calling me all kinds of names. I. I definitely want to shut him up. Right. You have a duty that if they're wanting to see you, and as an entertainer, I want to show. Right. So if the guys are coming to watch me play, I. I don't want to miss that opportunity. Physically, if I can't do it, then I can't do it. But physically, if I can do it and I just don't feel like doing it, that's a whole different lens. Utah, Great example. You know, everybody said this. It's game five, which is very pivotal game. I was gonna find a way even if I was at D Corps. Well, once I got out there, you know, you never know how, you know, pushing yourself. You never know what happens. Right. Back to your point of what load management is. You play basketball two and a half hours a day, three hours a day. Right. That's your job. That's what you get paid to do as an NBA player. What are you doing the other 21 hours now?

[B]

I'm the worst.

[C]

Maybe I'm not. I'm not one of the guys that you would probably model that or, you.

[A]

Know, I was gonna say, did you.

[B]

Do that every time?

[C]

But you should think about that in. In retrospect of what load management really is.

[B]

He came really. He's like, well, hold on. Yeah, I was busy drinking and gambling and golfing, playing cards, Right?

[A]

Yeah. That's what you did yet. And, you know, here's what else. Here's what NBA guys do today during those other 21 hours.

[B]

Sleep.

[A]

They sleep, they get their body treated. They see their families, they see their kids, which, you know, he's already talked about, he never did. Which is why in the first installment of Insights to Excellence. We learned you haven't seen me much because I've been spending time with family that I didn't, I didn't do that for so many years. Well, that's what people are doing now.

[B]

Yeah. Your kid who's banging your teammate's ex wife.

[A]

Yeah. But they're like the athletes today are taking care of. And here's the thing, like he talked about having an ankle injury and we just taped it up, went back out there. You think guys don't do that today? You think guys don't get their, their ankles retaped or taped up again?

[B]

First of all, give me props.

[A]

No, you're, you were spot on.

[B]

Give me props for also saying before Tirico even finished the question. Yeah, because he, before Tariko finished the question, you heard Jordan laughing about load management.

[A]

You nailed it. But I loved when he was like, how did I know you were going to ask about that? Well, because it was in the segment. We've talked about it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Segment number two was going to be load management.

[B]

How did I know if this was one day?

[A]

So so far it's been one day.

[B]

So far they're wearing the same things.

[A]

Like we'll see what segment three is all about.

[B]

Think to change clothes or throw on a jackass a cardigan.

[A]

But here's the thing though. And I, and I wonder, and I'm sure I'm in the very small minority, I noticed and that I'm probably the only guy. I'm sure there aren't many people that, that really pick up on it or care.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

But for me it stood out immediately. I'm like, are they in the same outfits? I had to go back to the first segment. I'm like, yeah, they sure are. So this was a one day thing and for at least these two segments so far. So I'm going to, I'm going to give them, I'm going to give a little benefit doubt and see that segment three, they have different clothes on.

[B]

It isn't just that is they gave him the money so he could shit all over the product.

[A]

Right.

[B]

These weak ass guys today I don't need, I didn't need any of that. These guys needed because the game sucks and these players are sissies. Like what are you just, just to say the name Michael Jordan and just to have his face there. Insights to excellence. So let me get to the Utah thing for a second here.

[A]

Oh God.

[B]

The whole point of load management is for the playoffs. That was game five of the finals. Everybody plays through Everything in the Finals, unless you're of broken bones and you're bleeding out of the eyes, the whole point of load management is for the Finals and the. And another thing, he wasn't that sick. They couldn't even decide. It's taken years for them to decide what he was sick with. He had a cold. I was there. I was in Salt Lake City. I was at. Shoot around. Everybody was there. Everybody. Come on. He was a little under the weather. And that whole thing at the end. Oh, I can't. Scotty, pick me up. Oh, come on. Come on. And then it turned into the pizza, and then it was food poisoning. And the whole day, there was never. When that game started, people were like, yeah, Mike. I was talking to people before the game. And I said this at the time, everybody said, yeah, he's not feeling that great.

[C]

All right?

[B]

He wasn't feeling that great. He wasn't at death's door. He didn't have some sort of. Like. He wasn't getting IVs. Come on. Football players get IVs all the time. You're constantly getting. Having to get rehydrated. And this has become this myth. It's absolutely ridiculous. And of course he brings it up.

[A]

Yeah. You know what else is pivotal in an NBA finals matchup? Games 1 and 2 and 4 and 3 and 4. Yeah.

[B]

Just. Are we. Why are we doing this?

[A]

So here. Okay. So here. That's the question. And I'm going to. I'm going to give you an answer. This is what I think, because two episodes of Insights to Excellence. He's shit all over the NBA product. That's two.

[B]

That's two. Okay?

[A]

This isn't the NBA bringing him on. It's NBC. And I know they have the partnership with the NBA. I get it, okay?

[B]

Adam Silver, if he wanted, could say, don't do it.

[A]

He could. He could.

[B]

But. But he wouldn't.

[A]

He wouldn't be like, NBC is doing their thing, okay? Whoever makes money that they paid to get to get the NBA back there. Why. Why are they doing it? What's the purpose of this? Okay? Is it really for. Is it for NBC or is it for the NBA? Because here's the thing. They're targeting a guy like me, casual fan, 18 years old, into my 20s, watching the Bulls in the 90s, watching them win all those championships. I will occasionally pick up a Bulls game. I will watch the Bulls every playoff game if they make it. Okay? But I'm not going to watch every regular season game. I'm not going to even watch Five regular season games. I'll watch maybe a half a dozen NBA games total in a season based on the matchup and the time of the year. And if I'm at home and it's a holiday game and I'll watch that. The NBA on Christmas. I enjoy that. I think that's a really cool thing. That's that it's part of Christmas day. But what are they trying to accomplish here? They're targeting a guy like me. They know that with MJ I'm going to be more in tune to the NBA. But I'm going to tune into this segment and watch this whether it's on social media or live.

[B]

But why can't. But what is to talk about if Michael just said, look, I. Right now already four players in the NBA have scored 50 because he's never going to Dan. But he's never going. I understand if he's like Victor Wembanyama might be the greatest player I've ever seen in my life. He's never seen any seven. A 75 guard.

[A]

Michael Jordan is always going to promote Michael Jordan, period.

[B]

I know.

[A]

So the point of this is a guy like me that now I'm intrigued more about it because it's Michael Jordan and I have nostalgia and memories of Michael Jordan. But what it doesn't do is make me watch NBA games. So what are they trying to do? That's what I don't understand.

[B]

Maybe they pull the plug on it. I don't know.

[A]

Oh, they'll never pull the plug on it. He's got to allow it.

[B]

He's got his money.

[A]

Plus the segments are already taped. It's already done. I'm telling you, it's going to be however many there are, same outfits, same setup.

[B]

I can't believe he actually even said I might not be the best example of what to do with your time. No, you're the worst example.

[A]

Right. It's what not to do.

[B]

It's what not to do. He could have played so much longer.

[A]

Like I would. I would say sleep. I would say eat healthy. I would say get your body treated outside of just pre game stuff and post game stuff. Like do the things you need to do. And again, this is like knowledge and information and science and we're getting better at treating our bodies and being able to play longer and, and stay healthier. But you called it though. I mean, you nailed it. You nailed it. I was pretty like four hours before it aired. You had it here, you had it on. And the fact that it was like before he finishes the question he had already started.

[B]

And if you give me whatever next week's segment is going to be, I'll try to do the same. Meanwhile, Bulls and Kings tonight, and if you're a big fan of Zach Levine and DeMar DeRozan, you can watch them take on these scrappy, gritty Bulls. I'm very interested in this game. It's a good matchup because the Kings have some really good players. I love watching Demonis Sabonis. Yeah, often if you defend him, he gets a lot of his rebounds off his own misses because he doesn't jump well. He's not a great athlete. That's why he's not a great defender. And he gets to the basket but often not all the way to the basket and will often try these little like half flip shots that he has a lot of shots that roll off the rim. So I'm a little worried about the interior tonight because Vuch could get in some early foul trouble. And without Zach Collins available, Jalen Smith sometimes has to be reminded to bring his hands up over his head. So I want this could be a really nice day for Patrick Williams to try to play big. He's been really, really good. He's played really hard. I've been super complimentary on a lot of the guys on the Bulls right now. Trey Jones is playing out of his mind. Kevin Herder has been excellent the whole second unit and Patrick with the second unit's been really good. So they've been a good watch. And if you want to hear some breakdowns of some, you know, more X and O stuff, on this most recent edition of OWC, we talk about the Bulls five out of 10 set there. When they do run all five guys, nobody is in the paint and I know Stacy King is always talking about points in the paint and post ups. Get the that's not where you get points in the paint. In the modern NBA, points in the paint come off penetration and what the Bulls are running now is a set called pistol and it is very common in the league. If you are an old Bulls fan, there are a lot of elements of their pistol offense that were employed in the triple post. The initial pass to the foul line extended to a big is very similar to the post entry pass in the triple post as is the triangle that is set up on that side. Then there's all kinds of actions they can do. Zoom action, pinch post action. Then you have split post action on the top weak side. There's all I I and they're doing it very well.

[A]

Is this something newer this year for this team?

[B]

No. Or it's just a running game.

[A]

Better.

[B]

Okay. It just looks like they're doing it better.

[A]

Is it personnel wise?

[B]

I think it's experience. I think they've been practicing hard. And the reason I wanted to bring this.

[A]

Well, and also too. I mean, I think. And maybe I'm completely wrong because. And I'll defer to you on it, but Demar and Zach were kind of like black holes.

[B]

They got out of Demar prison. I noticed that last year. That's just pace. That's just shooting threes. Yeah. They got out of Demar jail where you had to defer to him taking 12 seconds of every shot clock to do Demar stuff to do all his things. And he's still good at it. And you'll see it tonight. And they're gonna. Here's the thing. They will fall for the eyebrow fake. It is. He's so good at it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Demar is such an artist at seeing when you drop your hands, going through your hands or just little twitches on that pump fake.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

That had to be.

[B]

It's reflexive and you can't do anything about it.

[A]

Am I in trouble for not knowing that they were both on the Kings?

[B]

No.

[A]

Okay. I didn't. Did that happen last year? That they both went to the Kings the same time?

[B]

Not exactly the same.

[A]

Okay. Oh, I didn't know.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. So it's. But there's some interesting pieces there.

[A]

Sacramento, right?

[B]

Indeed. And I'm looking forward to the game. I did love this note from Joe Cowley in his piece in the Sun Times today. And you tell me what this says. He says the Bulls locker room here. It says, even in the Zach Levine DeMar DeRozan era, there were often public complaints about teammates unable to have hard conversations with each other without feelings getting hurt. Alex Caruso pointed that out several times. The Bulls locker room is different this season. It doesn't have a veteran or two sticking out as leaders as much as a committee. Second year forward Matas Buzelis is as comfortable speaking to a teammate about effort or a play as 35 year old Nikola Vucevic. Players are heard and feelings stay at home. Isaac Okoro compared it to the good Cavs teams he played on. He said being able to hold each other accountable is very important because at the end of the day, the goal is to win. If you can't hold each accountable, you have to say something lighter than you want to say it, lighter than it should be said. That hurts the team, the 15th guy can say something to the number one guy. The number one guy in this group can take that criticism and still go out and compete. That's huge. And that tells you something about who's not here and what they don't deal with. And it goes back to halftime in Minnesota two years ago when Goran Dragic had to lead the code red against Zach when Zach scored, what is it, 47 points, whatever. And they lost because they weren't playing good basketball.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

This team so far, they're not, they're not great. They're not good, but they're playing good basketball.

[A]

Well, if you, if you play as a team and you have that kind of mindset from the top of the, of the, the bench all the way down to the bottom, that's pretty significant. And that, that can alleviate a lot of issues and create a lot more team basketball. Like you're talking about in the way that they're, they're running that pistol offense or whatever it might be that they do. If you run it better because you're all on the same page. If I can steal from Ben Johnson's book, that's helpful. That's really helpful in a team sport like the NBA.

[B]

And they're missing their top scorer and their best bench big.

[A]

Yeah. And you said Collins is out with.

[B]

Three to four weeks, probably a little longer with that fracture. And White, I don't know. Because they can't take any chances with a calf issue. That could be an Achilles issue. They need shot creation. They miss Kobe White. I think their defense might be a little better on the first unit without, without him.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

But they definitely miss him. There are times when you saw it against Atlanta with the 24 second shot clock violations where they, they just didn't have a creator. They couldn't get an angle because they didn't have somebody who could beat his own guy because Atlanta's got some, some, some kick ass individual defenders all over the floor. They got, they're good.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So we'll see. I, they'll have to, they'll find a place to attack tonight. They'll see if they can keep finding a weak link out there. And it's, it's, it's an interesting time to be a Bulls fan.

[A]

All right. One real quick note as a follow up from our earlier conversation here about the, the whip route. You're 100% right. I was 100% wrong.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I don't know how I came across the whip as being that, but yeah. And we, we've ran that Route. One of my. One of my kids, one of my tight ends.

[B]

He.

[A]

He brought that route up when they practice, and I'm like, oh, I love it. So we would do the whip route at, like, goal line. That was inside the five. But yeah, the sluggo. I hadn't heard that, but that's. I've came across that a couple different times and I've called a couple different things that slant and go, but you are 100% correct on that.

[B]

So.

[A]

Yay.

[B]

I'm having a good day. This is nice.

[A]

Good.

[B]

And with football back and the world series going on and basketball and hockey. We'll talk some hockey in just a second. This is the sports equinox. And what that means when we get to the sports equinox, cold weather is coming, so replace your old windows. And every time you go upstairs or you go to the basement and you say like, oh, why is it cold in here? Or you hear the heat clicking on like Bernstein's right. I gotta call Russ. I got so. I mean it. Do not wait. Just don't wait. Just call Russ Armstrong and the Chicago window guys. You don't have to replace all 42 windows in your house. Russ will work with you to get the job done in phases. And you can say, hey, maybe it's the five windows in the bedroom because they're closing weird or one of them's got a busted seal or you have to wear a sweatshirt upstairs. When you're getting ready to go to.

[A]

Sleep, you take a shower.

[B]

Right? Don't mess with that anymore. Fix it. It also helps the value of your home to have really good windows in there. So they're great. And I know this because when I'm comfortable recommending Russ not just to you, but to neighbors, to coworkers, to other friends. 847-302-9171. Check the 5 star reviews out of windowguys.com it's really good stuff and the process is great. Also, you know the people who are going to be in and around your house because they're Russ's people. There's no subcontracted labor. There's no third parties involved. Like, you get with big window and he's going to get you the best deal. There's a price match guarantee. 847-302-9171. Check out the five star reviews at ChicagoNowGuys.com youm watched a memorable historic Blackhawks night.

[A]

Yes, it was last night. Natalie and I went to the game. We got to go to the Kettle one club and had A little dinner before we went up to our seats.

[B]

I had the. What did I have?

[A]

I had a. Like a fancier Italian beef sandwich. Then she had a turkey burger with mushrooms and Swiss. It was really, really tasty. And then had jalapeno poppers wrapped in bacon. Yeah, they were good.

[B]

Good.

[A]

Had a NA beer from Go Brewing. She had a. A Michelob Ultra, the. The Zero, which I like. They were tasty. Had those at Wrigley. But here's the exciting part about it. But I noticed going to a Hawks game and it's. It's actually was. Last time I went to a hawks game was 2017, January of 17. My brother and I went to a game a lot more empty seats than I expected to see. I haven't not been following the team at all, so I don't know what the crowd's been like, but a lot more empty seats. I think I saw about 15,000 this morning. I read in attendance that's paid. Yes, paid, not attended. A lot of empty seats though. So really easy to get around the United center on a. On a hockey night. Connor Berdard did score a hat trick. Hawks went up four to three. Then Ottawa scored three in the second period. So it was four to. Yeah, four to three. They weren't four to nothing. I should say. Ottawa scored three in the second to make it four to three. And then Hawks scored a bunch in the third as well. We're kind of. Bedard got his. His hat trick. People still throw hats. I still don't. Still don't get it. I still don't understand it. Like it's your hat you wore to the game.

[B]

You're not supposed to understand it. You're not a hockey person. Only hockey people understand hockey things.

[A]

Just keep it. But it was fun. What I noticed they do a lot more in game entertainment stuff at like timeouts and during breaks like Jumbotron. People in microphones around the stadium.

[B]

That's every sport now.

[A]

Yeah. And. But they. I don't remember that at. At Hawks games. You know, again, it's been a while. I don't know how long ago they started but they have like in house entertainers. There was a couple. There was a guy and a gal and they were doing things and they had like trivia questions and you pulled people out of the stands and then they had a scavenger hunt and the guy was going around on. You have a red lipstick. Who's the first of red lip and who's got this body hall like let's make a deal yeah, it was a quick little segment. They put a little movie production where Tommy Hawk was being chased by Michael Myers and it was like horror film type things. And then other people dressed up like Scooby Doo and Shaggy and. Yeah. And the whole gang and so it was interesting. Yeah, that's a lot. It was a lot.

[B]

Do they still have the ice girls?

[A]

No, they have an ice crew.

[B]

There was.

[A]

There was two gals and about eight guys going around.

[B]

Scantily clad anymore?

[A]

No, they're all in sweats and, you know, like three quarter zips and hats and whatnot. So it's very different.

[B]

Not the season where they were given all the players. Venereal disease.

[A]

No, it's. It's where you get to go watch. Watch them scoop up the ice. And the Zambonis. Yes, the. The. You know, but there's the. The before the two Zambonis come out in between periods.

[B]

So.

[A]

Yeah, it just. It's very different. It's very different than what I remember. You know, it felt more about hockey. Nicholson, Nicholas Johnson was there with his family. He got kind of recognized before the game and celebrated a little bit. Ronick, who is a team ambassador as of this year or this month, I should say. I got to see him. He actually came running down, sat like three rows in front of us.

[B]

That's the job you want?

[A]

Yeah. And it's funny. He goes running down, he sits down and Natalie goes, man, he looks. That's a hockey guy right there. Looks like a hockey guy. And I look over, I look over and I'm like, oh, that's Jeremy Ronick. And she's like, no way. Yeah. Then read a little bit about. About Junior, which I was. Wasn't all caught up on all the information on Junior, but some good reading there it was. She read it on the way home and filled me in on stuff, but it just. It was very different. Just very. It just felt very different and different good. No, just not different bad. Not different good. Just different. It just felt. It didn't feel like what I remember hockey games being. You know, I started going the. I've been to more Blackhawks games than anything really in my life. Yeah, I went a lot as a kid at the old Chicago Stadium and we always sat way up high. The cheap seats and, you know, it's where you first really understand what marijuana is. And I would generally leave drenched in beer.

[B]

What an odd man rush. Because you can see it from that angle.

[A]

Be like, dad, why is that? Why does that cigarette smell funny? Well, it's not A cigarette, son. It's not one of dad's Pall Malls, you know, that's. That's called marijuana.

[B]

So I live in my own house.

[A]

And then. Yeah, no, I. My dad never. Never smoked weed. But, you know, you generally had beer spilled on you because there was generally a fight that broke out in that section. And you walk down the stairs to get back out of the building, and there's always somebody pissing in the. In the staircase. I mean, it was just. It was a. That's what I grew up to. And then I always remember a player for the Canucks. I think it's Tiger Williams. Maybe I'm making that up. Is that right?

[B]

I was gonna maybe include him on my list for Friday.

[A]

Oh, really?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

There was a beach ball that was going around and ended up on the ice. And he skated over and stomped on it. And it turned. Oh, no, no. But people wanted to go over the glass to get after him. Which then turned into fights in the seats for whatever reason among Blackhawks fans, just drunk and angry about it. And it turned into fist fight. Like, that's the kind of stuff I remember going. I'm like, that's what, like going to a hockey game was. It's just clean leaving, being drenched in beer, smelling like weed. Seeing fights and guys pissing all over the staircase.

[B]

That.

[A]

That's what hockey game is.

[B]

The only thing better than that was going to a. Like an abandoned condemned movie theater to watch a fight. Watch a boxing match on closed circuit.

[A]

Oh, I never did that.

[B]

Oh, yeah, that was the best.

[A]

Never did that.

[B]

That was the best. Yeah, we would drive down to, like, the Morton Grove Theater to watch the Hagler fight.

[A]

Oh, really?

[B]

Oh, yeah. You'd go into, like, just. You open the door and cigar smoke and come out. I mean, you're talking about. This makes a hockey game look like a polo match. It's. It. That was really gritty.

[A]

Who would like this? You and your dad? Or was it the whole family?

[B]

No, Dave Siegel and me.

[A]

Oh. Oh, seriously?

[B]

Yeah. And you get like a $10 ticket and you watch this horrible projection TV. Like old fuzzy projection TV, the best they could do. Gonna watch the fights. You come. All your clothes would just reek of cigar smoke and human blood and urine and viscera and gore.

[A]

When I was bartending at the. At the racetracks around Chicago area, Hawthorne, I would go and bartend for boxing. They would have boxing matches on, like, closed circuit. And it always ended up in fights. And I remember one time bartending, it was me and another guy and We. A huge fight broke out among the viewers and like full cans of beer were being thrown.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Oh, I remember just being on the ground, on the ground behind the bar. Just sitting there with this guy, hoping it would end soon. And we weren't worried that we were going to be harmed at all. Or it was just like, all right, when's this shit going to end? So cans of beer stop being thrown.

[B]

What was the night in Rockford? Was it Fight Fest?

[A]

Were you there?

[B]

Well, it comes to you, it was any bar you're out on that night, it's the Rockford Metro center. And it was like kick. Was it kickboxing? It was pre mma. Okay. But it was low end barbarism.

[A]

Were you out for that or was you doing something else? And it was.

[B]

It didn't matter. Like wherever it. On that night, was it Rockford, it was like Fight Fest or something. And no matter when it was over, every bar was chaos. Every bar was like normal. In Rockford though, I think it was.

[A]

Been out once in Rockford.

[B]

Was it Fight Fest?

[A]

Oh, Frank. Sports page. You remember that, right? Hell yeah. Yeah, I was one. I had a buddy, lived in Rockford. I was out one night for a. Yeah, I liked Frank's. Frank's. Frank's was a good time.

[B]

Yeah, Frank's wasn't one of my regular haunts back in the day. Lt's was my home base. Okay, there was. Lt's.

[A]

But you knew Frank's.

[B]

That's fine. There was hard times. There was the Cubby Bear.

[A]

Not even a bar.

[B]

That's Rockford. It was fifth Precinct before fifth Precinct expanded into a big club that became Elixir. But oh, man, I think Rockford.

[A]

Joe's the mayor now. No, Joe Dredge. I think he's the mayor. I think he's the mayor of Rockford now. You know, he runs a radio. He's like a program director.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, I know. He runs every arcade. But the. I think it was. I think it was called Fight Night or Fight Fest or something. It was. It was really just ugliness all over the city. People would. If people walked into bars bleeding. You didn't. It was like no big. Just. Oh, it's Fight Fest tonight. Wow.

[A]

Wait, so people are actually fighting each.

[B]

Other all the time, everywhere that night.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

It's just what they did. Every would leave the fights, they go to other bars, they'd fight everybody else.

[A]

Then go to another bar to drink.

[B]

Another bar and leave and fight.

[A]

Okay, interesting. One weird thing about the Blackhawks game that the first quarter or first quarter? First period's coming to an end and coming up on two minutes, and I out loud said two minutes. They don't do it anymore. They do it with one minute left. It's Gene Hondo.

[B]

Honda.

[A]

Honda, yeah. He does it with one minute now because he says it's the kettle. One minute remaining in the period.

[B]

Well, basketball does two minutes, but didn't Hawks.

[A]

Am I making that up?

[B]

It's an NBA thing. It used to be an NBA thing.

[A]

All right, maybe I'm making it up. Or if you're listening, you can tell me. But one minute.

[B]

The kettle. One. One minute.

[A]

Yeah, that's what it was. But I could have. Maybe. Maybe I'm just. Maybe it is just an NBA thing. I thought it was a two minute thing in hockey too. Maybe I'm. I'm just making that.

[B]

Right. Oh, 35 Thomas.

[A]

That's pretty close. That's pretty close. That's pretty good.

[B]

Oh, I don't know. The pipes.

[A]

Oh, God. He's got something special.

[B]

Well, yeah, that and the carton of Marlboro's every 30 minutes. Whatever. It's unbelievable.

[A]

Oh, I didn't know. Oh, yeah, yeah.

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

That was close.

[B]

I don't know. Sort. It's sort of like how you get the Harry Callis voice too.

[A]

I loved Harry, kid.

[B]

Yeah, Harry Callis. And that. That also from the darts.

[A]

The doctor checked that out.

[B]

If you're waiting for Sunday to start betting, you're missing half the fun and half the money. College football's already cooking upsets, blowouts, wild covers. And my bookie lets you hit it all with game lines, player props and more. It's everything you need before the pros even kick off. When Sunday rolls around, you're already up. And my bookie has it all under one roof. Win big on the NFL super contest and survivor pools. And this is what you gotta remember. This is the deal for you. If you are new to my bookie, our code dbu, will make sure that any bet you choose up to $500, it's fully covered. Make that play. If it doesn't hit, you get it right back. Opt in with the bet back bonus token. Again, the code DBU for Dan Bernstein, unfiltered. You're listening to it right now. My bookie is where bettors win together. Because bragging's good, but cashing in is better. We had a little bit of a crisis late afternoon yesterday. All of a sudden, people are blowing me up with this news because of where it was and who was involved and everyone. I'm gonna give you the latest from Nola.com this would be. I believe it's from the Times Picayune. Monkeys leaving Tulane University's Primate Research center on the north shore Tuesday were captured and killed after they escaped a transport truck that crashed on I59 in Mississippi. The truck flipped near mile markers 117, allowing some of the monkeys to escape. The sheriff's department did not say how many monkeys escaped or how many were destroyed, although some that were unable to break free from their cages will be returned to Tulanes research Center. As of 2pm yesterday, one monkey remained on the loose. Officials said the rhesus monkeys weigh about 40 pounds. Next. That's my least favorite candy bar. The rhesus monkey, they. They weigh about 40 pounds and are aggressive to humans, Sheriff's department officials said, adding that an animal disposal company and Mississippi Wildlife and Fisheries were on the scene Tuesday. Tulane spokesperson Michael Strecker said the monkeys involved were not being transported by Tulane officials and were not infectious, despite initial reports from the Sheriff's Department claim monkeys were infected with COVID 19, hepatitis C and herpes and required personal protective equipment for handling. So the truck's driver had advised officers that monkeys were dangerous and posed a threat to humans. They said they're actively collaborating with local authorities. Will send a team of animal care experts to assist as needed. The remains of the truck still present along i59 after the crash on Tuesday, empty crates, black trash bags were stacked in the median. They said terrified monkeys running for their lives into unprotected populated areas is exactly the spark that could ignite the next pandemic. Okay. Now when we. When I saw this, when it said £40 aggressive to humans infected with herpes, hepatitis and Covid, I couldn't rule out that it was Jason. Oh, boy. I said that to Matt. I said, are you sure this isn't our son? But I went on Find My Friends and I wasn't him. Made sure that one of the one that they hadn't destroyed was not actually our son because we'd have to fly down there like the end of American Werewolf in London and stand there and say, no, don't.

[A]

Now I know in the story that there was one monkey that was still in the loose. Yeah, we. I actually tracked him down.

[B]

Did you?

[A]

Yeah. And he. I've got a comment from him about. About what took place because he, he was there. He saw some of the other monkeys eliminated.

[B]

I think that's perfectly reasonable.

[A]

He's upset.

[B]

No, I know. But I, I, I get it. I just, I don't, I don't agree with his choice of lawyer, but I think his reasoning behind hiring that firm. No, I get it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

No, I think that's very well said.

[A]

It's terrible, though.

[B]

So I texted Terry.

[A]

Oh, no.

[B]

Well, of course, because these are sick monkeys. Why are you bothering Terry? I'm bothering Terry because there's sick monkeys on. So I texted Terry and just said, we presume at least one of the sick monkeys has a wet ass.

[A]

That's right. The sick monkey did have a wedding.

[B]

It's not the Sikh monkey and it's not the sink monkey.

[A]

Oh, my God. I totally forgot about those.

[B]

About all of the Iranian space monkey.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

But, yeah, so I did, I had.

[A]

To make sure that wasn't hiding at Terry's house.

[B]

Right. Because immediately that's safe harbor.

[A]

Is Terry hiding it? Does he have it? Did he tell you he has, like.

[B]

An underground railroad for escaped monkeys to come through and be taken care of there? Because you know that Terry has his in the basement, all his monkeys. And I just, I checked in with Terry and I. He just said he didn't really indicate whether or not he has the monkey. I just said, we presume at least one has a wet ass. And he says, perfect call. He said, I hope all is well with you. That's a cryptic comment from Terry. I think he's got that one escape monkey.

[A]

Yeah, I know he has five other monkeys jumping on his bed. So this was the, the actual news report. The news anchor. News. A five o' clock news anchor.

[B]

A truck taking research monkeys from Louisiana's Tulane University to a testing facility overturned in Jasper County, Mississippi, Tuesday. Authorities say 21 monkeys were on board and five that escaped have been eliminated. Not really sure what that means, but I think I have a good idea. One monkey still on the loose, though, and officials are urging everyone, look, don't approach this thing. Early reports suggest the animals might have carried viruses like hepatitis or herpes, maybe even Covid, but Tulane University says that's not true. Why is that guy so casual? Has he been drinking?

[A]

I don't know. There was something going on with that.

[B]

Doesn't he sound like he's had a couple?

[A]

It sure does. And maybe he didn't, but it sounded that way.

[B]

I'm doing another news story here.

[A]

Well, and yeah, they've been eliminated. I don't know what that means, but I got a good idea. All right, well. Eliminated. They've been eliminated, sir. What's confusing about that?

[B]

I know it's New Orleans.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And it's kind of casual. It's like another planet there. Yeah, it really is. But that guy sounds like he's been in the schnapps.

[A]

So when I was hearing it, I'm listening to for the first time, and it was like, they might have viruses. And I was like, oh, shit. Like, maybe they got, like, Ebola or they're testing shit on these.

[B]

These.

[A]

On these poor monkeys.

[B]

They are, yeah.

[A]

But it's Covid. I guess you're down there. Maybe, you know, you don't believe in vaccines or whatnot, but it's like, no.

[B]

Around New Orleans, they do.

[A]

Okay. All right, well, it's good.

[B]

You get too far outside of New Orleans, then.

[A]

Then a monkey with COVID might be a pandemic.

[B]

Might be the mayor. Some of those small towns you get outside of there.

[A]

I've been eliminated. I don't know what that means, but I got an idea.

[B]

Eliminated from playoff contention.

[A]

I eliminated that bottle of Pete Snaps earlier, if you know what I mean.

[B]

I gotta go eliminate some things as soon as we get off the air. I can tell you that. Eliminated. Not really sure what that means, but I think I have a good idea. I think so.

[A]

I don't know. Someone should fill you in on what eliminated me.

[B]

My wife says I don't have any good ideas. That's gonna do it for Dan Bernstein. Unfiltered today, presented by my bookie.

[A]

Oh, boy. Yep. Say bye.

[B]

I did.

[A]

Say it again.

[B]

Again. It again.

[A]

Say bye again.

[B]

Bye again.

[A]

Dan Bernstein. Unfiltered.

[B]

Unfiltered. On three.

[A]

One, two, sports.