← Dan Bernstein Unfiltered
Dan Bernstein Unfiltered
Chicago Cubs owner, Tom Ricketts, sets the tone for 2026 - World Series.
01:06:09
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Dan Bernstein
Out and live a little.
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Dan Bernstein
Can we sleep cooler?
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- [01:34]
Dan Bernstein
Dan Bernstein unfiltered unfiltered on 312 sports it's DBU on 312 sports and we are brought to you in partnership with my bookie Always an important day in the spring when Tom Ricketts descends from the tower to give his preseason speech and it matters more this year for a lot of reasons. Reasons that are Cubs specific and then more league and MLB game of Baseball specific as well. There was a lot going on and a lot of attention paid to what Tom Ricketts had to say and choosing to do it when he did is obviously going to bring a little bit more disproportionate coverage because of the lack of news headlines going on right now. And he understands that. So there were obviously Some people at the major League baseball office level listening very carefully to what he had to say publicly for reasons I'll get into in just a bit, but why don't we hear from him and just for, you know, for start with hearing what he had to say and then we're going to respond on some different levels as to why it's a little more meaningful in a lot of ways this year when the owner of the Cubs speaks publicly.
- [02:57]
Tom Ricketts
Yeah, well, it's, it's going to be a fun summer. I mean, obviously we have a great baseball team, but a lot of the 10 year anniversary stuff and then it's 150th anniversary of the team, so we have a lot going on. It's going to be a really, really great summer. At Wrigley, I mean, everyone had high expectations last year and I think they're higher this year. I mean, obviously we have, you know, effectively the same team last year, plus a couple of key components that should contribute. So. Yeah, I mean, I would, I would expect everyone to have higher expectations this year. Well, obviously we want to win the division. We should win the division. You know, it's just a matter of executing and staying healthy. And I think what we should be right there. You want to win the division for a lot of reasons, not just because it's aggravating not to, but you want to put yourself in the best position for the playoffs as well. And so hopefully that, you know, we'll execute against that plan and be there at the end of the season. Well, I mean, you guys were all there. It was. Wrigley was incredible in those playoff games last year and it did remind you of, you know, some of those games back in 15 and 16 and somewhat 17 where we had, you know, just the kind of energy. And obviously we want to have those games every year. Obviously want to win the World Series every year. But for me too, it's like, it's just, it's just paying off all the, all the loyal fans who have come to so many games for so many years and given so much to the team to be able to pay them back with an incredible experience like what we saw on the playoffs last year. That just means a lot to me personally and I, I want to do that every year. We just have to win more World Series. I mean, it's about winning. I mean, all this other stuff, it all leads to one thing, and that's about winning. And we just, we just have to put the kind of teams on the field that can, that can be in the playoffs every year and get back.
- [04:32]
Dan Bernstein
On top, we should win the division. It's about winning more World Series. All good stuff.
- [04:39]
Co-host/Analyst
That.
- [04:39]
Dan Bernstein
That's what you ask an owner to say. You ask the owner to say that. You ask the owner to back that up with action. But when you say, well, words are cheap. They are, sure. But saying stuff matters. The owners, the owner using the term World Series, the owner saying we should win our division, first of all, it's just objectively true. But for him to say something less than we want to be competitive at the top of our division. He didn't say that. He mentioned the World Series. And that's good. And that's why it matters more this year, because of where they are in their window. How long that window can be extended. Is there going to be baseball next year? Is the larger question looming over everything? And the Cubs are going to play a really significant role in ways that they're going to have some agency and in ways that they may not. The winds of the labor negotiation and internal machinations may push the Cubs in directions that are beyond their control based on what we understand is going on at the league level. Now, Ricketts, several times, once he got into what's going on with Marquis and their investment in Marquis, several times was asked about a national TV deal and, or whether or not he was concerned about a salary cap or whether or not he was supportive of a salary cap salary floor, which is better described as a salary band. And he deferred that to this amorphous concept of the league. And I smiled at that because it was a, an, an artful dodge, to use a Dickensian term by Ricketts, for him to just say, well, that's, that's the league, and the league is doing this. The league is doing that. Dude, you are the league.
- [06:39]
Co-host/Analyst
You're.
- [06:40]
Dan Bernstein
You're the owner of one of the wealthy teams. You're the owner of the Chicago Cubs. You've got your own network. It's doing okay. It's not, it's, it's, it's not breaking the bank. It's not doing great. It's not spinning like a pinball machine, but it's doing okay. And that matters right now in everything. So I also want to note, as we talk about some of these things and where the Cubs stand in it, that there was news right before we started recording today that the head of the MLB Players Association, Tony Clark, the former all Star first baseman, is apparently planning to resign within the next couple of days. It's being announced Right now because a group connected to the union that he also heads was under some scrutiny for using funds for purposes that were something other than maybe union purposes that possibly, possibly personal. I don't know exactly what's going on there. I don't want to speak out of turn. I just know that it was enough that whatever smoke is swirling around his stewardship of the union was enough that either the rank and file or others on their negotiating committee somewhere said, hey, it's better off if you just move on and we take that out completely. So there's, we're waiting for the official announcement of a potential successor. It might just end up being Bruce Meyer who has been the deputy executive director and has been the head of their actual negotiation. He's been the lawyer and he's sort of been the bad cop with Tony Clark Moore as the former player good cop in that relation. Certainly at the table, they've put everything on Bruce Meyer to be the guy who's slamming the binder and walking out or banging his fists and doing all that stuff. I don't know if they want their bad cop to be elegant, elevated to what could be a divisive role as the head of the union, but maybe they do want that and it's not necessarily a bad thing and I'm not decrying it. And if that's what the union wants and that's the message that they want to send, if in fact Bruce Meyer is that guy, we're going to learn a lot or if they keep him there rather than bringing in somebody who might be perceived as deal maker, reach across the table, softer, warmer, executive type. So we'll certainly find out because that's the background that is, is behind everything that Tom Ricketts is saying here about. Well, I'm not going to comment on whether or not we want a salary cap and whether because as always, as always is the case, it's not players versus owners regarding what happens next year, it's owners versus owners. Because your low end grifters are not the same as your high end moneymakers, the Dodgers, the Yankees, the Cubs, the Jays and others with, with their own networks. Even though the Jays don't make the same money as the Dodgers and the Mets because everything is just Dodgers, Mets, everybody else, Yankees a little bit. But your, your Pittsburgh Pirates, et cetera, who are, who've been real happy cash and revenue sharing checks and then not spending the money. They're not going to want a salary floor and you're going to, but they would love to have the national TV deal. Because the secret in this has been the failure of the RSN model. It has been the collapse of. Of bally slash fanduel and the way Rob Manfred is swooped in. And MLB now has essentially the TV rights to half the teams. Half of MLB about has all of their TV production owned and standardized under the auspices of mlb. What Manfred would like, and he's been pretty clear about this, is all the television rights, all of them. And he has some ability unilaterally to take them. It's like eminent domain. He has in their contract the ability to have certain games national. And as I understand what's going on here and actually I think Jeff Passon of espn, as always has done a really good job. I think, I mean, it was a little flowery the way he wrote it. Not that I'm just the. I just thought it was a lot more than just sort of the facts at hand. It was sort of a love letter for. From a fan of the game to both sides in which he said baseball is not in bad shape right now. It's actually got a bounce from having compelling stars, from having all kinds of interesting storylines, from the internationalization of the game, from the pitch clock and what the pitch clock has done to bring people in to speed everything up, to make the consumption of the game a little bit easier, that they're, they're doing well, the numbers have been really good. And if in fact you, you timeline Manfred's plan here, which would be either convince the big hitters that they'll ultimately make more money in a national TV deal where he can go to all of the networks and all the streaming services and say mlb, just like the NBA and the NFL do. And you take the local out of it for the most part, because right now baseball and these individual teams are way too reliant on their local TV deals. He would like to go nationally and sell it that way, but there are going to be some teams are going to take a hit, obviously the Dodgers and the Cubs. And we don't know what Marquis books look like. If Marquis gets popped up to the higher level tier on Comcast, that changes things. We know that Marquis has been laying people off. They, they have not been immune to the pressures on regional sports networks or RSNs. You're going to hear that phrase a lot. You hear that, you're going to hear the term RSN and it just stands for regional sports networks like the White Sox have here with chsn. That model is not healthy, as you can probably tell from Generally, the amount of promos that, that you see and how program is being fleshed out and they're just trying to build this stuff into a 24 hour day on some of these.
- [13:22]
Co-host/Analyst
While I would say, though, Dan, I think that model could be healthy if the team was good.
- [13:26]
Dan Bernstein
No, it's unfortunate. It's hard, it's hard. I mean, it's.
- [13:31]
Co-host/Analyst
I'm sure it's hard. But a shitty team, you're not going to have, you're not going to have anybody watch anything. I don't care what programming you have.
- [13:39]
Dan Bernstein
The teams that are good, that have that programming still, still might make more money if you trust Manfred to sell the thing nationally. And I think that's going to be the pitch to the Cubs. And that's why a lot of what Tom Ricketts said yesterday about Marquis I thought was positioning. I thought he was going out of his way to basically say, we like what we've got, we're making money off of it. When he said we love the network and we love our independence, that I think was really important. That is him telling, not the players, that's him telling Rob Manfred, you're going to have to cut me a massive check. And I don't know privately if the Cubs would love to actually be out of the TV business. I don't know, because they've run into their own headwinds there. They've had, you can see they laid off their entire web department, all of their writers and reporters that had been doing stuff online, and they're basically making this all about the Cubs games themselves. I don't know if, looking forward, they want to stay in the TV business because this is how you might be able to avoid a work stoppage. This is the, the, the moonshot here to avoid a work stoppage. It's something that pass and wrote about that if you can change the game completely. And Manfred is, he's got it. He's working against the clock to do this because he's been. MLB's been very opportunistic with Bally's failing and with these other RSNs failing to go right in and scoop them up, say, all right, we got this. We'll pay the broadcasters, we'll handle the production. Everything is going to be part of MLB because then you take in, it's all going to be streamed. You can get rid of some of these ridiculous blackouts that they've had through the, through the MLB app and say, well, you're too close to a major market and you can't see this and even though you're in Iowa, technically you're a Twins fan based on our maps, and it takes all that silliness out of it. But there's going to be some upfront costs. You're going to have owners against owners here. But I do think it's critical that Ricketts is standing firm when he says we love the network, we love our independence. And he says the regional sports network model has been under pressure for the last few years. That's certainly putting it lightly and mildly. He said certain teams felt it the most this off season. It'll take a while to work out. It's a challenge for the entire league, he said. Given all the market headwinds for RSNs, I think marquee is one of the best things we ever did to be in control of our own destiny, to be able to produce the games we want to produce the way we want to produce them with the right people, the right staff, the right level of production quality. For us, it's been a huge home run baseball metaphor. It's been able to give us a chance to control our own destiny for a while. Maybe the smartest thing we've done in all these years. And I still think that's a way of telling Rob Manfred for the right number, you can have it. Because otherwise Manfred does have the power to take away games, to pull games onto a national deal. If in fact he is going to be going from, from network to network, from streaming service to streaming service and selling MLB itself as a package. And once we start to get a sense of those numbers, then the union has a better sense of where they stand and to what they might agree because the union has always been, and I understand this, I generally also have not bought a lot of the, the cherry picked logic behind what a salary cap can do as far as competitiveness and as far as the floor helping to raise all salaries. Pretty good off season for salaries, pretty good numbers out there with Bo Bashette and with Kyle Tucker and the union sees those and the union does not want to give up those high, high end deals. So it's going to have to be a pretty cleverly negotiated band of salaries that does inflate the bottom quarter, the bottom third massively to make any kind of a cap, to make it even something other than just a non starter right now. But I do think it's a little disingenuous for Ricketts to keep referring to, well, well that's, that's the league, that's at the league level that's something for the league to deal with. You, you, you are the league. And Rob Manford ultimately works for the owners. There's got to be a negotiation that goes on between Guggenheim Partners and Rob Manfred. That's out in LA between Steve Cohen and Manfred in New York. To say you're making all this money. You don't have to share as much of this money as you would have to share, but you're not going to do a national deal. Anybody buying those rights going to be like, if I don't have the Dodgers, the Yankees, the Cubs, the Mets, what are we doing here? So all this is going to happen fairly quickly and then the, the, if I'm the union, I'm just going to sit back and let them trade. When you have it figured out, then come talk to me when you have a unified front. Because if I'm hearing different owners say different things about where this is going, with whom am I negotiating? That's what. Whoever the new union head is going to be. That's where you got to find out that. Rob, are you really representing all your owners right now? Otherwise you're going to have a low rent grifter, owner representative and a high end own, our own networks representative. Because you got essentially a bifurcated MLB right now that you got to bring together first. Before we even sit down and start talking. That's certainly what my position would be. If, if I'm talking to Rob Manfred, I want to know you're speaking on behalf of whom.
- [20:14]
Co-host/Analyst
Yeah, well, that's not going to happen. You're not going to get a unified front for the ownership. It's just not going to happen.
- [20:21]
Dan Bernstein
Well, eventually you have to, I mean, for them, for them to, for there to be only two parties at the table there, there has to be a way of them saying what either MLB represents MLB or they don't. They've just got to get it all in order first. And they're supposed to start in April. Like these negotiations, I just don't see.
- [20:40]
Co-host/Analyst
How they get that in order. How, how did the Yankees, the Dodgers, even other, other teams that maybe not spend as much but are competitive and play well and benefit from, you know, an RSN like Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington, teams like that. I mean, how, like how are you going to get those guys to come to the table and say, yeah, we'll forfeit what we're doing or change what we're doing money?
- [21:02]
Dan Bernstein
I think it's a, I think it's a, I think it's a matter of how they structure it. It might not be immediate. It might be a way that they sunset certain ways of generating revenue and move them into others over time. And say if you get certain thresholds, if this revenue is here, you contribute this. There's all kinds of ways they can do it without it being as abrupt.
- [21:25]
Co-host/Analyst
But I would just. I would just start with having every team spend a minimum. Spend a certain amount, whether you want to call it a band or the, or the floor. I mean, just start spending more money.
- [21:36]
Dan Bernstein
Well, they, they won't do that without a maximum. There's. There's going to be no floor without a cap. No cap without a floor. And it would, it wouldn't. Ultimately, what's hilarious is the data suggests that as far as competitive balance goes, it really doesn't do all that much. Capped leagues are not necessarily. They don't have more, more parody than uncapped leagues, depending on how playoffs are structured. Because the best thing baseball has going in that regard is the randomness of the playoffs that once the small sample size and the randomness of the game is you can have teams that make the playoffs more regularly or give themselves a chance because they're spending that money. But once the playoffs come and now what you got a third of the league, essentially, that makes the playoffs. Once, once you get there, essentially anything can happen. Despite what the Dodgers have done the last couple years. Because I laugh at these narratives because if, if Isaiah Kiner, Falefa, he's only kind of Falafa. He's not Isaiah totally Falafa. He's. He's counterfleffa that if he gets a better lead off a third, all the narratives change. He steps on home plate and they, that he's in, in that split second play at the plate, all these narratives change. All of a sudden it is, well, we can't do business. Look at the Dodgers. The Dodgers win everything. The Dodgers. What can we do? Look at the way the Dodgers doing. We set these, these massive narratives in stone based on these tiny little changes. And if, if his foot gets to the plate, the tone of the negotiation is entirely different right now because, well, look what the Blue Jays did and they aren't talking about what the Dodger. Meanwhile, the Dodgers are always out of pitching every year anyway. Every year they get. They spend on all the pitching and then they're out of pitching. And there are the, the long. The larger sample size of numbers suggests that if you make the playoffs, you certainly have an opportunity right here. I just, I, I do think that Tom Ricketts going out of his way to talk about how happy he is with Marquis is a. It's a bit of a projection. They're not in. They're not 100% happy. Based on everything we know, it has been less than the quote, wheelbarrows full of cash, unquote, that crane Kenny mentioned when they thought that they were just going to be throwing off so much cash, they wouldn't know what to do with it. It's been a little bit tougher sledding with Marquis than perhaps they once thought, which is why they've downsized and it might be easier for them to get a big chunk of money, just simply cash their national checks and exit the local television business in the longer term.
- [24:24]
Co-host/Analyst
Well, if they're not going to make a good product, that's what they should do. Yes.
- [24:27]
Dan Bernstein
Well, that we can debate that. We can certainly debate the quality of the marquee product. I for as far as my tastes go, it's been far less than what I thought it could be, what it should be. And that's just my personal taste. I the only, the only thing I watch on marquee are the games themselves. I have. I get nothing from any pregame or post game that I feel I'm missing out. And really they fired the guy that I thought was doing some of the best stuff, you know, Tony Andraki and a lot of their writers who they got rid of on in various sports, I miss that content more than I miss anything that I see with, you know, various over the counter, you know, pharma infomercials that, that run for hours on end throughout the day. Speaking of commercials, whenever the stakes are high, my bookie is where you turn bets into bankroll. There's always a big matchup on the schedule. Everybody's watching, everybody has a strong opinion. And no matter the sport, as you know from the DBU picks that we do on Mondays and Fridays, I love the props. And if and I always tell people with people say who's going to win? Who's going to win? I don't know. But maybe I've got a better feeling about somebody having more than five assists or scoring a touchdown. That's why my bookie is really fun. Because their prop board at my bookie is deep. It's fun to play player performances, game milestones, everything in between, whatever you like to keep things interesting all game long. Now is the time to get in because of what we can offer you here at Dan Bernstein. Unfiltered. You know those, those three letters for those words, D, B And U, D, B, U, that's your code. You go to MyBookie AG armed with that code, and then your first bet is covered up to 500 bucks. If it doesn't hit, you've got a bet back, bonus token. And then you can run it back. One account, one wallet. You like the spread. You like live bets. You want to jump at the casino during halftime. Between games, everything is right in one place. Everything's at MyBookie AG. Use the code DBU. Go there, register, deposit, and then your first bet's covered up to 500 bucks. Don't just watch the action, make it pay with my bookie.
- [26:48]
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- [27:03]
Dan Bernstein
I. I also got a name for you.
- [27:04]
Co-host/Analyst
I have a name for you real quick.
- [27:05]
Dan Bernstein
A name?
- [27:06]
Co-host/Analyst
Yes. Have you heard the name David Basabi?
- [27:10]
Dan Bernstein
David Basabi. I've not.
- [27:12]
Co-host/Analyst
Okay. He's from Venezuela.
- [27:14]
Dan Bernstein
Okay.
- [27:15]
Co-host/Analyst
Just had a agreement signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. Left hitting shortstop.
- [27:21]
Dan Bernstein
The White Sox had a cut. There was a. Like a Luis Besabe, and then there were two Luis Besabes, remember? And we were confused about which Basab they got in. It was either the. The Eaton deal or the sale deal.
- [27:33]
Co-host/Analyst
Yeah. This is David Besabe. Left handed, hitting shortstop. Signed a deal with the Phillies for 1.8 million. He's 11 years old. Dan.
- [27:45]
Dan Bernstein
He must be really good.
- [27:46]
Co-host/Analyst
He's 11 years old. Okay. He's 11 and he had a pre. Agreement. Was signed with the Phillies for $1.8 million at 11 years old.
- [28:02]
Dan Bernstein
All right. Is that legal?
- [28:06]
Co-host/Analyst
Well, it's done. I can't. Why wouldn't it be legal?
- [28:10]
Dan Bernstein
I don't know. He was born in Venezuela. David Besabe. That's a lot.
- [28:23]
Co-host/Analyst
It's ridiculous is what it is.
- [28:25]
Dan Bernstein
1.8 million. His cousin is Osleevis Besabe. And it does say the baseball culture. Besabe belongs to a surname already present. Venezuelan player Luis Alexander besabe debuted in 2020. His cousin, Oslevas Basabay, 2023, said Basabe grew up surrounded by professional bloodlines. All right. MLB rules require players be 16 before.
- [29:00]
Co-host/Analyst
It's a pre agreement. Yes, pre agreement.
- [29:04]
Dan Bernstein
Okay. Any agreement remains unofficial. So an agreement to agree is not really an agreement.
- [29:14]
Co-host/Analyst
It could. It's still insane. I don't care how you want to dress it up how you want to.
- [29:19]
Dan Bernstein
I mean, is that. Is that really different than a scholarship offer for a seven year old, which is also Insane college basketball.
- [29:25]
Co-host/Analyst
And here's the, the biggest issue I have with this. And you spent a lot of time in youth sports and you, I know you coached kids in baseball in youth sports, spend a lot of time around youth hockey. I've spent the last several years, what now eight years, involved heavily in youth sports. This is the kind of, that ruins parents when it comes to their kids in youth sports.
- [29:49]
Dan Bernstein
Because they think they're gonna get the 1.8 million.
- [29:51]
Co-host/Analyst
They're like, why, why can't that be my kid? My kid's a good lefty hitter.
- [29:55]
Dan Bernstein
Your kid sucks is usually the answer.
- [30:00]
Co-host/Analyst
The bad parts of youth sports aren't the kids and it's not the volunteer umpires.
- [30:05]
Dan Bernstein
I know.
- [30:06]
Co-host/Analyst
And it's not even the, the paid coaches that do it on their own time or the volunteer parent coaches. It's the parents that watch in the bleachers and in the stands. It's the parents that ruin kids sports. And to see this is just, it's, it's really awful. It's, it's really awful. 11 years old gets a pre agreement that really at the end of the day means nothing.
- [30:26]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, I want to know.
- [30:27]
Co-host/Analyst
$1.8 million.
- [30:29]
Dan Bernstein
I would like to know more.
- [30:30]
Co-host/Analyst
11 year old that weighs 100 pounds.
- [30:32]
Dan Bernstein
And because remember this idea of it coming out is like a pre, it could mean that one local agent representing himself said, hey, I got a promise from the Phillies. I, I, before I weigh in too hard, I want to know, I want to hear. I haven't heard anything from the Phillies.
- [30:50]
Co-host/Analyst
About this, but I don't need to know any more than that because unless this guy is making this up completely on his own, the Phillies have somehow been involved and it's insane. It really is. If there's, if there's any conversation happening with a major league baseball team and an 11 year old kid, a kid who knows what happens when they, when they, to talk about a kid who hasn't gone through puberty yet is just insane.
- [31:14]
Dan Bernstein
Yep.
- [31:15]
Co-host/Analyst
When it comes to athletics and sports and potential, it's just, it's insane. But it's just, I heard it this morning. It's just, it's so disgusting. Like, come on fellas, seriously.
- [31:25]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, I would like to find out because I'm sure this will, this will percolate throughout the day. Then maybe it ends with the Phillies saying something like, no, no, no, no, no, I don't, this is somebody speaking out of turn. I just, I would like to get some sort of comment from somebody because I, considering how little is happening in sports, my guess is people will latch on to this.
- [31:48]
Co-host/Analyst
Yeah, I'm sure we'll know more. And maybe, yeah, maybe it's, it's completely maybe fabricated, but that's got some, I mean whoever would bring this up would have some giant balls to, you know, invoke the name of a major league baseball team and say we have a pre agreement in place. Yes, that's real big balls. So to me it sounds like someone at least had a conversation, something was done or said about 11 year old kid. It's just, man, it's really pathetic.
- [32:14]
Dan Bernstein
I have another update on a story that we have covered. If you follow the Chicago White Sox on Instagram, you will see that they have put out a poster of White Sox players. Have you seen this?
- [32:29]
Co-host/Analyst
I have.
- [32:30]
Dan Bernstein
It says American born black All Stars. And on the poster and it's pretty cool looking thing, there's a little some, you know, some action shots, some of the, you know, a smattering of all of the White Sox uniforms over the years. Al Smith, Tommy ag, Carlos May, Pat Kelly, Dick Allen, Chet Lemon, Harold Baines, Frank Thomas, Albert Bell, Ray Durham, James Baldwin, Carl Everett, Jermaine Dye and Tim Anderson. And yes, you heard me. Frank Thomas is front and center, finishing off one of his powerful swings and looking at the ball as my guess as it heads over the fence. And this is breaking news. Guess who's black. Black again.
- [33:22]
Co-host/Analyst
Big hurts black.
- [33:24]
Dan Bernstein
Tell a friend.
- [33:25]
Co-host/Analyst
Well, this is, this is the first thing they've done with Frank Thomas, right? And for Black History Month. So it goes back to February 1, when they put their first thing out on social media and now 16 days.
- [33:38]
Dan Bernstein
Yep, yep. It took him 16 days. Apparently he's, he has passed the test. He has run the gauntlet. He has proved himself in the eyes of the White Sox once again because they did not recognize him before as being a significant black player in their history. But retroactively, congratulations. Frank Thomas is once again, at least per the White Sox, he once again qualifies as black. So that's notable.
- [34:06]
Co-host/Analyst
Congratulations.
- [34:07]
Dan Bernstein
Congratulations. Yes. And he is, there's, you know, Ray Durham just above him and Dick Allen just above him, giving you this, this great traditional through line here. So congrats to Frank Thomas that he's welcomed back to the fold. If and when the White Sox have their barbecue, he certainly will. Once again, he has earned an invite. So congrats, man. I think that's very cool. It actually is kind of a neat looking poster.
- [34:35]
Co-host/Analyst
Yeah, it's cool.
- [34:36]
Dan Bernstein
I did not expect Carl Everett to be on it. I, I just didn't.
- [34:42]
Co-host/Analyst
I thought shooting him on a dinosaur.
- [34:44]
Dan Bernstein
That was interesting, right?
- [34:45]
Tom Ricketts
Yeah.
- [34:46]
Dan Bernstein
I think him writing a triceratops was. Was. I did not expect Carl Everett. He looks good on here, you know, good. I've been, you know, good smiling Ray Durham is always nice to see Chet Lemon one of my original dudes.
- [35:01]
Co-host/Analyst
I love that. One of the best baseball names ever too.
- [35:03]
Dan Bernstein
Oh and his. I'll never Forget Chet Lemon's 1984 because of what he did to left handed pitching and I think it was left he had a, he had a platoon split on the cards for pursue the pennant in 84 where no matter. However the dice came there three dice and however they came up, Chet Lemon was doing something great and he was on that 84 tigers team that the wire to wire 84. 84 tires tigers team. And I just remember always being like, oh, Chet Lemons up. Don't even bother rolling. It's a hit somewhere because it always was. But yeah, good for Frank. Congratulations to him. And you know what this means at this point in Dan Bernstein Unfiltered it is time for a 312 Sports Olympic update. Here is our Olympic correspondent Matt Abaticola.
- [36:17]
Co-host/Analyst
Well, exciting times last night here for USA Dan in what is now my favorite sport ever in Winter Olympics, the women's monobob.
- [36:30]
Dan Bernstein
Monobob.
- [36:31]
Co-host/Analyst
Yep, the monobob Bob slate. It's called the monobob. So that's my favorite and a great story last night for, for yesterday for Ilana Myers Taylor of the U.S. yeah, she's like 60.
- [36:43]
Dan Bernstein
Is it? How old is she?
- [36:44]
Co-host/Analyst
Well, she's 41.
- [36:45]
Dan Bernstein
41, okay, 41.
- [36:46]
Co-host/Analyst
She won gold medal. It's her sixth medal in model bob.
- [36:51]
Dan Bernstein
But first gold.
- [36:53]
Co-host/Analyst
But her first gold. Yes. So really significant. Callie Humphries finished third, got the bronze and then a mono bob driver. Mono bob driver from Germany finished with the, with the silver but her first gold had a really nice feature on her before the race actually took place. She has two young boys that are three and one in that age range. Both are born deaf. And it's just a really nice story on her family and her and the hard work and trying to get this gold medal for the first time ever. And she won the gold medal last night in the women's mono bob.
- [37:26]
Dan Bernstein
Good.
- [37:27]
Co-host/Analyst
The new official winter sport of dbu, the mono bob.
- [37:32]
Dan Bernstein
Mono bob.
- [37:34]
Co-host/Analyst
I love it. All right. Other other news to the the women's ice hockey gold medal game is set and of course it's Canada against the U.S. that game will take place tomorrow at 12:10, bronze game is Switzerland and Sweden going for the bronze. So Canada beat Switzerland 2 to 1.
- [37:53]
Dan Bernstein
Okay.
- [37:53]
Co-host/Analyst
Closer game than expected. The US has five consecutive shutouts going into this gold medal game against Canada tomorrow. On the men's side of things for ice hockey, USA plays. They play tomorrow at 210. They're waiting for their opponent, but it's really just setting up for the gold medal game, which will take place Sunday night in the men's ice hockey between Canada and US I'm sure that'll happen. So we'll look forward to that gold medal game Sunday evening. I do want to give a quick shout out to the nation of Brazil, Dan. With their one medal they have so far.
- [38:25]
Dan Bernstein
I know it. It's the skier. I saw him.
- [38:27]
Co-host/Analyst
It's gold. Yes. And it's alpine skiing.
- [38:30]
Dan Bernstein
I saw it. I watched it.
- [38:31]
Co-host/Analyst
Their only medal was. Was in alpine skiing, men's side for Brazil.
- [38:35]
Dan Bernstein
He is a very charismatic young man. He is. He is quite the. Has he cuts quite the figure. It is. It's very impressive. And to see the Brazil colors going down a snowy mountain. Very odd.
- [38:55]
Co-host/Analyst
Yes, very odd. So shout out there. Also last night, Japan wins the gold in pairs figure skating. Canada, on the women's side, big air freestyle ski. Netherlands. I think they got their fifth gold medal in speed skating. This was the thousand meter. So on the women's side, Netherlands, the Nether region. And then Austria gets the men's gold in the super team ski jump. The metal count right now.
- [39:22]
Dan Bernstein
Norway, super team ski jump.
- [39:25]
Co-host/Analyst
Yeah.
- [39:27]
Dan Bernstein
What's that?
- [39:28]
Co-host/Analyst
I think they're like. They're. They're really good at it.
- [39:31]
Dan Bernstein
Super team. Super friends.
- [39:34]
Co-host/Analyst
It might be okay. Maybe you're a superhero. So that's not fair. That was the Austrian men's team. They win on the gold medal around the medal count. Overall, Norway pulling away from Italy. And Norway with 29. Now Italy, 23, U.S. is in third with 19, Japan 18, and Germany 17. So Italy, U.S. japan, and Germany all chasing Norway in.
- [40:01]
Dan Bernstein
All right. And by the way, the Brazilian skier Lucas Pinero Brothan won the gold medal for men's alpine ski. And that has been a 312 sports Olympic update. You know, when you take a handful, like, you take really, really good ground beef, like a, you know, ground brisket or short rib or ground filet mignon, and you've got everything salted and peppered just right. And then you've got the hot, hot, hot, hot pan on the stove, and you got the fan turned on and just smash that thing down with your spatula. And I have to admit, sometimes I just use my hand because I'm cooking it for me and I don't care. And I've been doing that with the Omaha Steaks burgers that I have. The. It is ground filet mignon. That's the way to do it, man. Because I did patty melts and I've been making these like dark rye, like the really flavorful black rye patty melts. So I toast that up. I toast up the bread. Or if you really want to, you can finish them a little bit in the grease from the beef if you really want to do it right. But I've got it down to a science now because I've got the grilled onions with the caramelized edges. I buy the good. I like American cheese, but not, not the prepackaged slices. The good, it's actual cheese, not Americanized processed cheese food or whatever they call it, but that, that particular beef. Those burgers from Omaha Steaks are unbelievable. And people at home make fun of me because they're like, are you making, Are you making burgers again? Like, no, it looks like you're making burgers. I said, no, I'm making patty melts. Like, oh, so you are making burgers. I said, no, they're different. So get off me. They're different things, but they're all awesome. And the great thing about Omaha Steaks is I always know that I can go downstairs to the chest freezer and open that thing up in the basement and be like, okay, what incredible protein am I going to have tonight? You can also have that very same feeling. Whatever you may like, maybe you like those smash burgers, like I do. Maybe also like I do, you occasionally will do the steak and eggs. I do my sort of waffle house style steak and eggs. Maybe just high protein snacks. Having all of those high quality proteins on hand make dinners easy and unbelievably satisfying. And right now you can get 50% off during the President's Day sale for Omaha Steaks. They have burgers and chicken and pork and seafood and not to mention all the desserts. Their fan favorite, filet mign. The bacon wrapped filet mignons. Those are. You can, you can pop them out, they defrost quickly and then dinner is there or your meal is there. So celebrate President's Day. The exceptional handcrafted flavor and convenience of Omaha Steaks, the choice of steakhouses, professional chefs around the world. This is grass fed grain finished beef with more marbling for exceptional flavor. And you cannot beat this deal. Right now, if you have been waiting to do this or maybe in this weather, my God. God. Perhaps you're already, you know, going out and getting the big thing of propane and starting to fire up the grill. Or maybe you are a year round through the winter griller as well. This is your chance. 50% off. The world's best everyday protein. Go to Omaha steaks.com for 50% off site wide right now during this sale for an extra $35 off. I've got a promo code for you. It's easy to remember. It's my last name. Bernstein. B E R N S T E I N is going to get you an extra $35 off. That's 50% off@omaha steaks.com an extra $35 off with promo code Bernstein at checkout. So go and do that. I've got news about a kind of business that has been in the news in Chicago. Perhaps. You know, I don't know if Chicago is a particularly popular place for sex dungeons. I just like saying sex dungeon. And it's in the news once again because you'll remember, and I think we talked about this three years ago. There was a woman who got in a little bit of trouble because Jessica Nesbitt, Madame Priscilla Bell, as is her nom de guerre, pleaded guilty to prostitution conspiracy. Conspiracy, it was called kink extraordinaires. She had. Guess how many clients she had at this west side sex dungeon.
- [44:49]
Co-host/Analyst
How many is it? Was it over a thousand?
- [44:52]
Dan Bernstein
Nine thousand clients? Oh, Jesus.
- [44:54]
Co-host/Analyst
So that's a yes.
- [44:55]
Dan Bernstein
Nine thousand clients, including people holding, quote, positions of prestige in the community, including in law enforcement and government. Well, here's another business that is. This is new. Chicago's Department of Business affairs and Consumer Protection has at least temporarily, per the sometimes shut down another business operating as a sex dungeon, the Sex Cauldron. I thought they shut that place down. They're trying to determine where it fits in the city's licensing code and whether allowing it to resume operations would have a negative impact on the community.
- [45:37]
Co-host/Analyst
Well, is there a free buffet that goes with it? Because it could be a restaurant then.
- [45:41]
Dan Bernstein
Well, that's part of. See, it's interesting that you say that because they really, they don't know exactly where to put it because they're saying the business is seeking to operate in a gray area of the city's business licensing code that doesn't fall into just one license category. And I don't know that I, that I want like eggs Benedict with, with my bdsm. Maybe some people Do.
- [46:07]
Co-host/Analyst
Have you ever tried it?
- [46:08]
Dan Bernstein
I have not, actually. I haven't tried either. I haven't tried either one.
- [46:12]
Co-host/Analyst
You might try both.
- [46:13]
Dan Bernstein
No, no. I have tried eggs, but I do, and I make wonderful.
- [46:16]
Co-host/Analyst
I was gonna say you've had eggs Benedict.
- [46:17]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. I don't make my own hollandaise. Do you make your own hollandaise? Yeah. Really?
- [46:22]
Co-host/Analyst
Yeah. Why wouldn't you?
- [46:23]
Dan Bernstein
It's not that hard. Yeah, it is. It's not. It is hard.
- [46:26]
Co-host/Analyst
No, it just. You gotta do it right.
- [46:27]
Dan Bernstein
Do you have a copper pan?
- [46:29]
Co-host/Analyst
You do got everything you need, Dan? My kitchen upstairs is like a. It's like a restaurant.
- [46:35]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. I don't have. I don't have a copper pan, so I can't really do it.
- [46:39]
Co-host/Analyst
I usually wear the copper pan on my head, though, when I do the holidays.
- [46:46]
Dan Bernstein
So they said, we're trying to figure out what to do. It's making us think a little bit. We're looking at the code to see where this lands. They're calling it a temporary cease and desist order.
- [46:58]
Co-host/Analyst
Do they give the options of where it's at? Like where they.
- [47:00]
Dan Bernstein
No, they don't tell you. I know, but they're saying that they're not. Not so. This is Ivan Kapafali, the Business affairs and consumer protection commissioner. He said they're very responsible business owners. They're not irresponsible. They came to us. They were very honest and transparent with us. We appreciate that. They explained their business model to us. There's a lot of activities they want to do. We issued a cease and desist order until we can figure this out. Kappa Folli refused to identify the name or location of the alleged sex dungeon, nor would he pinpoint the Chicago neighborhood. They said how long the cease and desist lasts and whether Mayor Brandon Johnson administration will seek to strengthen the code to make the shutdown permanent will depend on the investigation now underway. So they said, we want to make sure we know what they're doing and there is value to the community. Make sure this is not going to cause a problem to the community. This is not something that's going to be seen as a crime. It's just a complicated situation.
- [48:05]
Co-host/Analyst
Can it just be like a. Like a social club? Isn't that. Wouldn't that be a business?
- [48:10]
Dan Bernstein
It could, but it's a social club. But it's a sex dungeon.
- [48:16]
Co-host/Analyst
Okay. A lot of people have a lot of different social activities they enjoy together.
- [48:23]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. I'm not. I'm not judging.
- [48:27]
Co-host/Analyst
Yeah. I mean, if there. If there's nothing illegal Happening and people are doing it, and it's all consensuals type stuff, and the people that are involved want to be there and want to do it, then yeah, just. What's the issue?
- [48:37]
Dan Bernstein
All I'm saying is if the, If Jessica Nesbitt's west side business, if Kink Extraordinaires was shut down, 9000 clients is a massive client base. Like, they've, they're, they're clearly.
- [48:53]
Co-host/Analyst
Why were they shut down? What was the. I mean, it wasn't.
- [48:55]
Dan Bernstein
Didn't you.
- [48:56]
Co-host/Analyst
Did I hear prostitution?
- [48:57]
Dan Bernstein
Because she, she pleaded guilty to a prostitution conspiracy.
- [49:01]
Co-host/Analyst
Okay, well, yeah, that's the issue.
- [49:03]
Dan Bernstein
Because it was. And her lawyers said fetish based eroticism is not unlawful. But then she admitted arranging for prostitution appointments and performing acts herself while charging rates of up to $1,000 per hour depending on the services provided. I wonder what goes for $1,000. She said that foot massage. Then assistant U.S. attorney said Nesbitt used email accounts to invite clients to sex and fetish parties. With names like Black Tie Bizarre and Halloween Mischief, Kink Extraordinaires has been described as the premier dungeon of Chicago. Beautiful, psychologically sophisticated kinksters who play out of a private five floor dungeon with multiple fully equipped theme rooms. Now, Chicago Illusions is the name of this one, and that is a sex dungeon that advertises BDSM services, bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism. And they had taken advantage of a Cook county program to give tax breaks to. To owners of small storefront buildings that also have apartments. The owner of that business used the program to cut his real estate taxes by 60% a year because the building has apartments upstairs that allow the whole building to be taxed as residential rather than commercial. So Chicago Illusions, according to the property records filed with Cook County Assessor Fritz Kagi, he's still on top of the teeter totter right now. Have you seen his commercials? Yes, yes, his. Fritz. And I couldn't tell. You want to go up or like, are you. Are you. I was confused as to the metaphor of why up was bad and down was good. Like it wasn't quite there for me, but go Fritz, I guess. And they said they advertise the BDSM services, but the dungeons operator. Dungeon Master. Is that what you call yourself? Said he doesn't use the apartments for his sex business. It's limited to the 1450 square foot ground floor retail space. And that business is at 1210 West Grand. So what's that near. Is that near like 1210 West Grand. Is that Lascarola? Is that close to Lascarola?
- [51:35]
Co-host/Analyst
No idea.
- [51:36]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, it is. It is because they're, you know, because d' Amatos is right there. Yeah. It's not that. It's not that far. You know, you want to go get.
- [51:44]
Co-host/Analyst
Yourself a pregame it there at the Lascarola.
- [51:49]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. You know, you can go have some. Some eggplant parmesan or a little of their chicken Vesuvio. I like the. The escarole and sausage and white beans, and it's all good. It's really good. You can go to Dimatos, get yourself a cannoli, and then head on over and get naked and fill your cannoli. Yeah. Get whipped by a cat of nine tails if that's what floats your boat. I can get right on. Ogden, zip home. It's perfect. I think we got a night ahead of us.
- [52:18]
Co-host/Analyst
Yeah, give us a full review.
- [52:19]
Dan Bernstein
All right, well, that's your sex dungeon update, if you were looking for that, because I'm going to keep an eye on this story just to make sure we're fully aware. And we got to find out where it is, because somehow if there were 9,000 clients of just one business. Business in this city, that's. That's what you call a growth industry. Hey. Marches around the corner. College basketball is heating up. That means it's time to get in on the action with my bookie. The conference races are tightening bubble. Teams fighting for their lives. Maddie was watching some stuff last night. I put you in charge of scouting the Houston Cougars. Yes. What do you think?
- [52:55]
Co-host/Analyst
Yeah. So they. They lost last night to Iowa State. At Iowa State, 70 to 67. So I covered the two and a half there, which was great. Although my. My Duke. My Duke pick. I lost Syracuse getting 20. Duke won by like 37.
- [53:11]
Dan Bernstein
So that's. That's the old motorboat and. Is what that is. Yeah.
- [53:15]
Co-host/Analyst
But I'm 8 and 2 in my last 10 college games against the spread, so. Looking pretty good. Houston. Houston's. Yeah, Houston. They are. They're second in the nation in points allowed. They're. They're real long, and they're very quick. They play a man defense. And I think one area that you can get to them is on the. The defensive rebounds. So if you ask specifically about Illinois, Illinois is one of the better offensive rebounding teams in the Nation. They're top 30. I think they're 29 right now, but they can get there.
- [53:48]
Dan Bernstein
What makes.
- [53:49]
Co-host/Analyst
What makes Houston really good? Outside of their quick. Their quickness, their length, they take Care of the ball. Offensively, they don't turn the ball over. They're number one in turnovers in the nation. So being very efficient offensively helps lead to really good defensive setup as well, too. So you're not going to get a lot of turnovers. You're not going to create a lot of points off turnovers off of Houston. But yeah, it was a really exciting game and they had the lead for a lot of the game, and that's a really tough environment to go in and play, but it was a fun game to watch. But I split my parlay, though, for. For last night.
- [54:23]
Dan Bernstein
All right, they have two.
- [54:23]
Co-host/Analyst
They have two guys that score. Kingston Flemings and Emmanuel Sharp. They average like 16 points a game. Again, they don't. They don't steal the ball a ton. They're just. They're just really efficient in the way they play defense and really with the ball, too.
- [54:38]
Dan Bernstein
Well done. Appreciate. Appreciate the scout. That's good stuff right there. And maybe Illinois is a better matchup than I thought. If this is an. It might be, yeah, an atypical team from that program. So maybe this, this is Illinois's chance. Who knows? It's not just about picking winners with bookie because their prop board is loaded. If you like player points, team totals, futures, you can already start with the tournament odds. There's value everywhere. So now is when you want to jump in ahead of all this stuff because soon everybody in your office is going to be in. Right now might be a time to start making some of these moves. Or you might want to sit back and wait for some of the casual money to come in and see where some of the opportunities are there. One account, one wallet. Bet the spread, you can live. Bet the second half, you can hit the casino between games. Everything's in the same place. It's all at MyBookie AG. And the code DBU is all you need because that gets your first bet covered up to 500 bucks. If it doesn't hit, you have a bet back bonus token. You can run it back. So MyBookie AG, DBU, that's your $500 worth of bet back bonus. Don't just watch the madness build. Make it pay with my bookie.
- [55:47]
Co-host/Analyst
Yeah. Illinois plays at USC tomorrow. Then they get UCLA before they host number one, currently number one, Michigan got.
- [55:57]
Dan Bernstein
A couple of passings to note here. First of all, and more importantly, the Jesse Jackson died at age 84. And I don't know that I'm really in a position right now having just sort of found out about it when I woke up today to put into context what a massively significant voice he's been. He has been the preeminent civil rights voice in America in my lifetime. No exaggeration and really no debate, certainly for those of us from Chicago. And this is somebody who. Who marched with Dr. King and someone who. The. The tireless efforts of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, which I believe is still headquartered here in Kenwood. A remarkable and powerful significant public figure in my lifetime, since I've been memory, in my entire memory, the most immediate, significant and local, while being also of global importance, public figure Jesse Jackson of Chicago, who passed away at age 84 from complications from Parkinson's disease. Also, Robert Duvall died. And in looking back and some of the retrospectives about everything that he was in what he did in both film and television, I've got to tell you, there were movies that you forget. I didn't know that. Obviously, we knew his first role was Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird, but I forgot that he had a part in the movie Bullet that, you know, the great Steve McQueen cop movie, the great chase movie, but just the going all the way through the filmography of Robert Duvall has really been something. And then watching the scenes that are put up, there's so many. We remember all the famous ones. I mean, you probably know, you know, Godfather and Godfather to, you know well enough to recite the lines. The one I was really happy that I saw again that I hadn't seen.
- [58:14]
Co-host/Analyst
Was the movie Days of Thunder with Tom Cruise.
- [58:17]
Dan Bernstein
Network. I have never seen that.
- [58:19]
Co-host/Analyst
Oh, okay.
- [58:20]
Dan Bernstein
Is that one that you're gonna be mad at me for not having.
- [58:22]
Co-host/Analyst
No, I'm not gonna be mad at you, Port. So not. Not for that one.
- [58:25]
Dan Bernstein
Okay. Because the 1976 Movie Network, which is as dark a satire as you're going to find that unfortunately, even though it tried to be shocking in what it could be as a satire, it's almost quaint in its portrayal of an anything for money news network that exploits the mental illness of its anchor. And I'm not going to give any spoiler alerts here, but do C network if you haven't. And it's an important movie. Robert Duvall plays a guy named Frank Hackett who is the programming head of the network, not the news head of the network. And it shows the battle between money and ratings and the concept of a real newsroom and what it means to exist for the public good. And with everything that has just gone on and is continuing to go on today, particularly with the Washington Post and Jeff Bezos and firing all the people they fired. What is happening at the once great and now sad CBS News? With every passing day that happens there, the movie network is more and more brilliant and applicable and important. But Robert Duvall is in the scene where he fires Max Schumacher when he fires William Holden's character. And he's been waiting to do it, waiting to get rid of him and explains that he's got a hit on his hands and all that matters isn't the news, it's having the big hit. So it's. It plays today better than perhaps it ever even knew. Was it 50 years ago? 1976. 50 years ago. 50, 50 years ago. And it still holds up.
- [60:28]
Co-host/Analyst
His best line he ever delivered was in Four Christmases. Did you see that?
- [60:31]
Dan Bernstein
I thought you were gonna say Apocalypse Now. No.
- [60:34]
Co-host/Analyst
He plays Vince Vaughn's dad and he talks about his ex wife's boyfriend. He calls him a first class ass sniffer. Which is, which is a lie that I've stolen and used against people and driving or, you know, out in public and dealing with public people. You're a first class ass sniffer.
- [60:50]
Dan Bernstein
I like it.
- [60:51]
Co-host/Analyst
Yeah, it's a good one.
- [60:52]
Dan Bernstein
He's of course Tom Hayden.
- [60:53]
Co-host/Analyst
You've seen Four Christmases, right?
- [60:55]
Dan Bernstein
No.
- [60:57]
Tom Ricketts
Okay.
- [60:58]
Dan Bernstein
I couldn't even tell you what it's about.
- [61:00]
Co-host/Analyst
All right. Could you take a guess though, Dan.
- [61:02]
Dan Bernstein
By the title Christmas?
- [61:04]
Co-host/Analyst
Yes. Good job. Way to go. All right, so you were saying he plays Tom Hagen.
- [61:08]
Dan Bernstein
Yes, he of course played Tom Hagen. He won the Oscar in 1983 for his portrayal of a aging, down on his luck country singer in Tender Mercies. Also haven't seen that. Also really not interested seeing that. I'm sure it's great, but that, that's a great. How many didn't Jeff Bridges win his Oscar for? Also playing like a. An aging country singer. What was the name of that movie? Oh, really good movie. He has the drinking problem. He's got the little niece. I loved that movie. But that's, that's, you know, you want to win an Oscar, dude, you know, be the, be the aging country singer guy at some point. Nobody, nobody drinks a long neck beer like Jeff Bridges. Nobody.
- [62:03]
Co-host/Analyst
Did you see have you seen Kicking and Screaming? No. Okay, how about gone in 60 seconds?
- [62:11]
Dan Bernstein
No.
- [62:12]
Co-host/Analyst
Colors.
- [62:13]
Dan Bernstein
Yes.
- [62:13]
Co-host/Analyst
Okay, so you saw colors.
- [62:15]
Dan Bernstein
I liked colors. Yes.
- [62:16]
Co-host/Analyst
Okay.
- [62:17]
Dan Bernstein
Yes. He was the older cop to Sean Penn's younger cop.
- [62:21]
Co-host/Analyst
Correct. How about Sling Blade?
- [62:22]
Dan Bernstein
That was Maria Conchita Alonso in colors. And also Trinidad Silva, whose work I liked.
- [62:28]
Co-host/Analyst
Very good.
- [62:28]
Dan Bernstein
How about Sling Blade Three Blues. I've seen some scenes from Sling Blade, but not in its entirety. No. All right.
- [62:34]
Co-host/Analyst
True Grit came out when you were seen.
- [62:37]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, I've seen the original True Grit. Yes.
- [62:39]
Co-host/Analyst
Better than you would Wild Horses.
- [62:41]
Dan Bernstein
Nope.
- [62:42]
Co-host/Analyst
The Natural.
- [62:43]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, but bad. Not a.
- [62:45]
Co-host/Analyst
It is bad. It's not good.
- [62:46]
Dan Bernstein
No, that's not.
- [62:47]
Co-host/Analyst
That's not a good movie.
- [62:48]
Dan Bernstein
No.
- [62:50]
Co-host/Analyst
He was with Denzel in the movie John Q. Did you see that?
- [62:54]
Dan Bernstein
He did like to work. I'll give him credit.
- [62:56]
Co-host/Analyst
Oh, he's got a lot of movies.
- [62:57]
Dan Bernstein
He liked to work. He's not quite Michael Caine, but he. He's got, what, 90 credits?
- [63:03]
Co-host/Analyst
Yeah, he's got a lot.
- [63:04]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, I think. I think he's at 90. That's pretty good because he died at 95. That's a damn good average right there.
- [63:11]
Co-host/Analyst
Was he 95? Yeah.
- [63:12]
Dan Bernstein
Wow. Yep. So a very important actor from the. The era when. When movies really became the. If you ever want to read Easy Riders, Raging Bulls.
- [63:28]
Co-host/Analyst
Yeah.
- [63:29]
Dan Bernstein
About the. The seventies and what. What exploded in the movie making and what happened with these big, swaggering directors, these auteurs in the 1970s. There's a lot of stuff in that book about Godfather and how Godfather got made and who was up for what role, et cetera. But Robert Duvall was one of those real ones.
- [63:52]
Co-host/Analyst
Did you see Open Range with Kevin Costner and Benning?
- [63:56]
Dan Bernstein
Nope.
- [63:57]
Co-host/Analyst
Western. Okay, how about the Judge with Robert Downey Jr. You come to judge.
- [64:03]
Dan Bernstein
Nope.
- [64:03]
Co-host/Analyst
Nope.
- [64:04]
Dan Bernstein
Okay.
- [64:04]
Co-host/Analyst
You should maybe see Days of Thunder. It's Top Gun in cars.
- [64:09]
Dan Bernstein
I'm good.
- [64:09]
Co-host/Analyst
Cool.
- [64:11]
Dan Bernstein
I think I'm good on that one. Let me guess. He has Tom Cruise has some sort of crisis of confidence late in the movie, and then somehow is able. Thinking back through something that's important to him, able to summon the courage to, I don't know, re. Engage competitively.
- [64:31]
Co-host/Analyst
Correct.
- [64:31]
Dan Bernstein
And I haven't seen it, but that was.
- [64:33]
Co-host/Analyst
Yeah, it was after a terrible accident.
- [64:35]
Dan Bernstein
Oh, there it is. She just had to get over losing Goose in the accident and somehow not blaming himself in getting through all that. Got it. Okay. I'm good then. There.
- [64:47]
Co-host/Analyst
I just.
- [64:48]
Dan Bernstein
I just experienced Days of Thunder and rest in peace, Robert Duvall.
- [64:53]
Co-host/Analyst
Oh, it's also. You know whose birthday it is today?
- [64:55]
Dan Bernstein
I don't.
- [64:56]
Co-host/Analyst
It's Michael Jordan's.
- [64:58]
Dan Bernstein
Oh, 60. 63 today. Three.
- [65:01]
Co-host/Analyst
Yes.
- [65:02]
Dan Bernstein
Well, happy birthday. Years old.
- [65:03]
Co-host/Analyst
Happy birthday, Michael Jordan.
- [65:05]
Dan Bernstein
What a birthday present he got winning the Daytona 500.
- [65:08]
Co-host/Analyst
Yes, he did. You see the. The online controversy that happened after that win?
- [65:13]
Dan Bernstein
Well, he was fondling a little Boy, Right?
- [65:15]
Co-host/Analyst
Like pinching a dude's a little dude's butt.
- [65:18]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. Yes, I did see that. I wasn't really quite sure what was.
- [65:21]
Co-host/Analyst
Going on or if he was doing it.
- [65:24]
Dan Bernstein
I don't.
- [65:24]
Co-host/Analyst
I. I wouldn't really think it. Categorize that as sexual assault. Like, people were saying.
- [65:28]
Dan Bernstein
No. Yeah. When I saw he was just, like, pulling on his shirt, squeezing his top of his butt, and then he tickled his legs.
- [65:35]
Co-host/Analyst
Yeah. So. But happy birthday anyway.
- [65:38]
Dan Bernstein
That's a big deal. I. People are mad at him.
- [65:40]
Co-host/Analyst
Yes. Sexual assault.
- [65:44]
Dan Bernstein
Oh, my God. Really? No. Nobody's actually saying Dan.
- [65:47]
Co-host/Analyst
I've seen it online.
- [65:48]
Dan Bernstein
Look it up.
- [65:49]
Co-host/Analyst
Okay. Yeah.
- [65:51]
Dan Bernstein
All right, well, happy birthday, Mike.
- [65:53]
Co-host/Analyst
Yeah. Happy birthday, Michael, and happy birthday, Mike.
- [65:55]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah.
- [65:55]
Co-host/Analyst
And, you know, and maybe we'll. We can get Michael canceled and Epstein files will be fine.
- [66:00]
Dan Bernstein
Please, I. Come on. I know it's unreal. Well, that will do it for Dan Bernstein, unfiltered, on this Fat Tuesday. Get your punch keys. I learned yesterday that it's punchak is the singular, and punchaki, there's a syllable in there that gets elided. So I learned that yesterday.
- [66:22]
Co-host/Analyst
That's awesome.
- [66:23]
Dan Bernstein
Punchak and punch key. So get that in. Get that today.
- [66:27]
Co-host/Analyst
I used to love his day at the back of the station because Jay Z. Waski would always bring in boxes and boxes.
- [66:32]
Dan Bernstein
Well, Tingle said he was bringing in. He had a bunch ordered, and then he forgot them. He said he paid for him and he was supposed to pick them up at some Polish bakery. How do you fish it? To me, how do you forget?
- [66:45]
Co-host/Analyst
That sounds real fishy. That's real shady, right?
- [66:47]
Dan Bernstein
No, he was mad at himself. He was stomping around the hallways like. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.
- [66:51]
Empower Financial Advisor
No, he was.
- [66:51]
Co-host/Analyst
How'd you forget?
- [66:52]
Dan Bernstein
I don't know. I don't know. I can ask him, but he. He was.
- [66:58]
Co-host/Analyst
No punch keys for you?
- [67:00]
Dan Bernstein
No, I might have had a couple. You know, after dinner tonight, I got.
- [67:04]
Co-host/Analyst
A homemade batch upstairs right now, so I'll go.
- [67:06]
Dan Bernstein
Oh, do you? No. No, you don't. No, But. Well, you. With your. You make your own holidays, you don't make your own bunch.
- [67:12]
Co-host/Analyst
Everything, man. Everything from scratch.
- [67:14]
Dan Bernstein
You don't make your own holidays.
- [67:16]
Co-host/Analyst
I do, dude. I make everything. Everything from scratch. If you're gonna eat it, do it right.
- [67:22]
Dan Bernstein
But you don't make everything. You don't make your own ketchup.
- [67:26]
Co-host/Analyst
Yeah, I do.
- [67:27]
Dan Bernstein
All right, that's enough. No, no, you don't. You should.
- [67:30]
Co-host/Analyst
You should make your own ketchup. It's super easy, and it's just a handful of ingredients. You just need some tomato paste, and you need some vinegar, some spices of your choice. It's all you need.
- [67:40]
Dan Bernstein
And lots of water.
- [67:42]
Co-host/Analyst
Yeah.
- [67:42]
Dan Bernstein
All right, well, that will do it for Dan Bernstein. Unfiltered. Brought to you in partnership with my bookie, Dan Bernstein.
- [67:51]
Co-host/Analyst
Unfiltered.
- [67:51]
Dan Bernstein
Unfiltered.
- [67:52]
Co-host/Analyst
On three.
- [67:53]
Tom Ricketts
One, two.
- [67:53]
Dan Bernstein
Sports.
- [67:59]
VRBoCare Announcer
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