Matt Spiegel (4:42)

And the fact that they haven't done that from the front office, it just shows that they have no plan, they have no direction, they have no idea where this is supposed to go.

Dan Bernstein (4:51)

And the Jaden Ivy thing is just icing on this cake of garbage that the number of deals that have come down now that you know Rob Dillingham is playing. Oh yeah, but he's got a cyst on, on his wrist that makes it difficult for him to shoot. So we can't get a good read on his shooting because he's, he's got this, this benign cyst. All right. Okay. How about Anthony Simons? Oh, well, he's hurt now. And then we found out that he had a fracture in his wrist and he's done for the year. And he probably wasn't going to resign anyway. So what was that? I don't know. Okay, great. Well, you took a flyer on Jaden Ivy and you figured, well, we'll rest him. We'll. We'll get his leg strength back up. And he, there's. He turns out to be. You have to get him away from your team because he's making everybody crazy. And there. He may need some psychological help right now because he seems to be spiraling in a direction that's frightening everybody off all his teammates and pissed off everybody around the team. And people apparently are celebrating now that he's gone. This is what has been wrought by this front office right now. What are the Bulls doing? We're going to get into this more deeply today on organizations win championships. And the aforementioned Julia Poe of the Tribune is going to join us because she's done an outstanding job, particularly the Jaden Ivey story because of her unique perspective. But these are bad times for the Bulls. And I understand you turn on the television for a home game, you wouldn't know it because Benny the Bulls throwing his popcorn all over the place and people are dancing and the music is playing and everything's happy, happy, happy. And they're competitive in these games and people are cheering. But all that is doing is papering over a rotting core here. The, the, the, the wood, the foundations rotting out from underneath. And I'm not the only one saying it right now. This is when you're actually paying attention to people who are there every single day and you're seeing and hearing what's going on. There is a conflict between the bench and the front office. There is a conflict between the locker room and the front office that is not going to get resolved until the season comes to an end. Listen to what Josh Giddey told Julia Poe. You got two guys on the floor right now who really matter. And you can debate everything else. You can debate Trey Jones or Jalen Smith or these other names of guys we like, but it's Giddy and it's Boozelis. And Josh Giddey said everyone wants to know what's going on. We want to know what the strategy is going forward. If you look at the way this team's put together now, I don't know if we're put together to win a championship this year or whether we're going into a rebuild or a younger phase. This is Josh Giddy. This is the guy you signed to a four year, hundred million dollar deal and he has no problem saying this. Pay attention to this Giddy expects to have a longer conversation with Carna Chauvis during his exit interview at the end of the season. He hopes the meeting will offer better clarity toward the executive's intentions for the roster, both for next season and the longer term. But he says, that's their job. That's what they get paid to do. They never come to me and tell me how to play basketball. I try to do my job and trust them to put together a team is going to put us in the best position to win games. But it sure doesn't sound like he understands what's happening around him. That's not fair to him. Right.

Matt Spiegel (8:59)

And they shouldn't go to a player and tell the player what's happening. He's not of that caliber level of player. They should tell the head coach. The head coach then communicates that to the team that this is what's happening. They haven't done any of that.

Dan Bernstein (9:11)

And be transparent publicly. Be much more transparent publicly.

Matt Spiegel (9:15)

Hide publicly.

Dan Bernstein (9:17)

You must. You must be accountable. And Billy Donovan's ability to speak has been the single best thing that has happened to Arturis Karnishovas and to Mark Eversley. Because Donovan, they've put everything on him. And, you know, if. If Josh Giddey is saying this to Julia Poe, if he's saying to a reporter, everybody wants to know what's going on. We want to know what the strategy is going forward. I don't know if we're put together to win a championship, whether we're going into a rebuild or younger phase. That's Josh Giddey saying that. So that means he's already talked to Billy Donovan about it. Right. He's not gotten it. He hasn't gotten an answer from his immediate supervisor at his workplace because he doesn't know. Right. And if Billy Donovan just saying, hey, man, I. Dude, I. I don't know. I don't know. I'm doing my best here. Just let's hear here. Here's the game plan. Here's the guy you're guarding. Here's where we want the ball on this side of the floor at this time. That time. We got a game coming up. Let's just concentrate on this next game. And I get that. But the questions go so far beyond that. And nobody is rising to answer those questions right now. Meanwhile, Cowley is reporting that Donovan may just bolt if he can't get answers. And you know what? I can't blame him.

Matt Spiegel (10:38)

Why would you stay for this?

Dan Bernstein (10:39)

Why? Why would you stay if you've got to deal with all of the consequences of your boss's actions. And you're stuck in the middle knowing that you may be that, that a win gets you further from a championship, that a win gets you further from a percentage possibility at AJ debons or Darren Peterson or somebody like that, that all you're trying to do is max chances and, and you can, you can talk all you want about the anti tanking stuff and what the league is doing, but that's not the Bulls problem right now. The rules are the rules. And the Bulls should be doing once, once they made their decision at the deadline, they should be doing everything they can do to maximize their opportunity to move up in the draft and increase the value of the assets that they have. And they're not. And we don't know why they're not. There's no reasonable explanation as to why they're not. And if in fact this is as Cowley describes a building schism between bench and front office to the point where your most consistent part of your brain trust and most visible is deciding that he doesn't need this aggravation anymore and he would rather go do something else. Where's. At some point Michael Reinsdorf has to see something and do something. But if Michael Reinsdorf is happy enough seeing Benny the Bull throwing his popcorn all over the place and that's what we're doing here, then at least just tell us that's what we're doing here.

Matt Spiegel (12:06)

Right. And, and what it clearly shows is what ownership values as a priority. And it's about getting butts in the seats. You can't tell me otherwise because their actions say that's what the priority is. Well, and if they're not going to hold the people in the front office accountable, which they're not. They're not holding them accountable.

Dan Bernstein (12:26)

I guess not.

Matt Spiegel (12:26)

Why would you expect the front office to act different? And if your boss doesn't hold you accountable for your own actions and behavior, why would you act any different then?

Dan Bernstein (12:34)

And even down to the minutia of if you look at everything they got back at this trade deadline and we're talking about Leonard Miller who actually has played really well and is an unbelievably pleasant surprise there, it shouldn't be a pleasant surprise. Oh, you know what? This throw in guy who we didn't think about out of the G league ignite who hasn't had much of a career, I can play a little bit. That's the headline. That, that, that's, that's what we're talking about on we get to owc. Hey, Leonard Miller. Leonard Miller. This guy Leonard. But that was an accident. They didn't know. Don't tell me if they didn't know. Three guys were already hurt and they didn't know. One guy was an asshole in the league. Would have told him, right? Didn't know. Didn't know. Didn't know. Didn't know. That's enough already.

Matt Spiegel (13:28)

Yeah. If all of this was done to find Leonard Miller.

Dan Bernstein (13:31)

It wasn't. It was an. Finding Leonard Miller was a happy accident. That shouldn't save anybody's job. But it's. I'm getting really tired of this and I'm following the reporting closely. I'm also. I'm talking to some people around the team to find out, to sort through what might be happening here. What is reasonable for. For us to hope could happen at the end of the year in these exit interviews? Or is it just more of the same? Because all of this is okay in my world. This is not okay. This. This team is in between and the. The mistakes that are being made, the avoidable mistakes that are being made. You blew the Jaden Ivy deal on every level. He can't play. Then you're hoping you could fix him so he can play. And there's something really wrong with him where everybody in the organization is ecstatic that he's gone. And the reaction to some of that yesterday. And you know that my policy coming back from my. My issues and not necessarily coming back for. In an ongoing process to deal with some of the issues that I have, it's making sure that I am not looking at Twitter notifications.

Matt Spiegel (14:54)

Sure.

Dan Bernstein (14:55)

And the reason for that is. Is manifest in the fact that it's not a neutral platform anymore. It is overrun by bots, overrun by the conflation of various forces to elevate. Only certain it's not. It's not a real sample of the world. It is a. It's become a very twisted place that gives a skewed fun house mirror version of the world where some of the responses are not literally not even real people. So I don't interact there. But the places where I do, I'm still seeing bizarre responses to Jaden Ivy's completely vile opinions and improper behavior to the point where somebody put a fake tweet out yesterday about Patrick Williams. It was a picture of Patrick Williams and there was a. It was a words attributed to him that were completely made up, 100% made up. Where Patrick Williams said, well, I can't believe they got rid of Jaden Ivy and I stand for everything he stands for and they can get rid of me too. And it was hilarious how quickly so many assholes and losers were like more of this. This is the kind of righteous thing that we need from people in sports. Of course it was fake and nobody cared to find that out. But it's like no the is it maybe it's Covid and people working from home not understanding the concept of what's okay in a workplace and what's not. It's this kind of behavior is indicative of something not being right with Jaden Ivy. And everybody seems to believe that ever since he had his re baptism in the pool in his backyard in 2024 that he hasn't been a normal person.

Matt Spiegel (16:58)

Right Dan and we talked about this yesterday and until I know for sure and until something is said that I'm not going to go on the whole on the side of he has some kind of mental illness and he needs some type of help or therapy. He positive very possibly could. I'm not diminishing that or saying that's not a possibility. This could just very well be his religious beliefs. And that's where it gets me because. And I saw some responses in email and on YouTube about what's wrong with what he's doing. Right. He's talking about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Well, here's the issue I have. He's not actually following what Jesus Christ would do and or say if he were here today. That's the problem. Don't claim to be a follower and a believer in Jesus Christ if you're not going to act like Jesus Christ would. Well, see what Jesus Christ wouldn't do is he wouldn't condemn people. What Jesus Christ would do is condemn the people that are condemning those people. Not what Jaden Ivy would do. He's going against the way Jesus would act. It's really simple. So don't claim to know Jesus and not know your Bible. So please pick it up, take a look at it and see what Jesus would actually do today in this. It's not what Jaden Ivy would do. So don't claim Jesus name behind Jaden Ivey's actions because it's not accurate and

Dan Bernstein (18:18)

I think there's a lot of people ignoring that. He said Catholicism is a false religion. I think people are really going out of their way to ignore that. That, that it's not just that he's denigrating gay people or, or denigrating other. He. He clearly is way out on some fringe. And I'm gonna, I'm gonna tell Pope Bob what he said because I think. I think Pope Bob needs to know that he's leading a false religion in. In the. In mind of Jaden Ivy.

Matt Spiegel (18:53)

So. And then this goes on top of the fact that his mom coaches basketball at Notre Dame.

Dan Bernstein (18:57)

Notre Dame.

Matt Spiegel (18:58)

Right. And then I saw a video. Did you see this video where he had another selfie video saying that his wife wouldn't even respond to him or text him back after his comments he made about the. About, about the gay community?

Dan Bernstein (19:12)

Did you, did you see that? No, I didn't see that.

Matt Spiegel (19:14)

So I don't know. I gotta, you know, I'll try to find that again and see if that's. That's even accurate. But I don't know if there's something wrong with him there, clearly. Maybe because his behavior isn't what reality should say as far as driving and doing the video and then the Delta thing. Or he could just be very mentally healthy and this is what he believes from his religious standpoint. All right, which is completely inaccurate and goes against what the Bible and Jesus would teach.

Dan Bernstein (19:37)

And he's allowed to do it. It just. He's not going to be an NBA player.

Matt Spiegel (19:41)

Absolutely.

Dan Bernstein (19:43)

Apparently, as reported, all of his teammates were sick of him and they all wanted him out.

Matt Spiegel (19:48)

Right. And, you know, we were discussing it this morning. My wife was listening to the shows. And, and there, there probably is a place that would have a job for him with these beliefs, and it's probably on the cabinet. But, but you know what? Go there and, and you know, that says all you need to know about that. It just.

Dan Bernstein (20:03)

He.

Matt Spiegel (20:04)

He's not going to play a professional sport while acting that way. It's not about freedom of speech. It's not about being protected by the Constitution. You can't have those thoughts in a private workplace. Some places that agree with you and feel the same way, sure, you can go work there. They have that right. But the Bulls also have the right to say, we don't want this as part of our organization. It's not a judgment against the Bulls for doing that. They have that right. As many other companies would. Some companies would accept him and embrace that. That's not what the Bulls or the NBA are going to do.

Dan Bernstein (20:36)

Illinois just took down Iowa. Michigan knocked off Tennessee, and a beat down in Yukon sent Duke home at the buzzer to the excitement and pleasure of many.

Matt Spiegel (20:47)

Oh, my God. Did you see one of the. One of the players. Moms was it? Whose mom was it?

Dan Bernstein (20:50)

It was. It was Danny Hurley.

Matt Spiegel (20:52)

It Was her mom. Yes, it was Hurley's mom. Did you. Her reaction was great. Slow Mo video and her. And her word was great.

Dan Bernstein (20:59)

Beth sent that to me.

Matt Spiegel (21:01)

Oh, it was so good.

Dan Bernstein (21:02)

And she said, this is. She said, this is totally me at one of Jason's games.

Matt Spiegel (21:07)

That's great.

Dan Bernstein (21:08)

That's what she said. Because I believe. I believe Mrs. Hurley said something to the extent of, holy fucking shit, we won.

Matt Spiegel (21:16)

Yeah, she was. She was dropping the F bombs.

Dan Bernstein (21:18)

She was great.

Matt Spiegel (21:20)

It was. It was. It was shock and disbelief and. Oh, it was great. And the video was outstanding. Yes.

Dan Bernstein (21:26)

That was absolutely real stuff that entertained everybody. Yeah.

Matt Spiegel (21:30)

Very good.

Dan Bernstein (21:31)

So your bracket might be cooked. Your bankroll doesn't have to be. Final four live bets catch the swing before the odds adjust. And, you know, I find myself thinking that way when the team, you know, you're. That is going to win is down 8 and you're just like, check that money line. There you go. But you got to be fast on it. You don't need a perfect bracket. You just need that right read at the right time. So if you're going to be in it, be in it. To win it with my Bookie, head to MyBookie AG, use the promo code DBU, and then your first bet is covered up to 500 bucks. If it misses, you then have the bet back, bonus token, and you can run it back. So it's just that easy. And by the way, did you watch Galaxy Quest?

Matt Spiegel (22:15)

I didn't yesterday. I didn't have time.

Dan Bernstein (22:17)

Okay, the omega 13. That was the name I was looking for. The omega 13.

Matt Spiegel (22:21)

And what is that? Because I saw that those emails that responded.

Dan Bernstein (22:25)

Spoiler alert. I'm not going to tell you, but I was thinking of that. And thanks to the emailers who reminded me the Omega 13 is what they.

Matt Spiegel (22:32)

I'll watch it. I'll watch it this before the week's up.

Dan Bernstein (22:34)

All right, so my bookie ag. The promo code is dbu, and that gets you that bet back, bonus token, your version of the Omega 13. The tournament's heating up. Don't just watch it. Go big and win. My bookie has got your back. Only at MyBookie AG, promo code D. Be you. Roger Goodell is speaking at this time of year when they all get down to Arizona. Have they taken the coach's picture yet? I don't know if we've seen it. I always look forward to seeing it. Yeah, I always look forward to the coach's picture.

Matt Spiegel (23:08)

Yeah, I think the floor was on Johnson's shoulders for the picture.

Dan Bernstein (23:13)

Well, every year we slowly watch. Andy Reid gets slightly larger and larger.

Matt Spiegel (23:19)

Yeah. Is it appropriate to bring a hoagie to the picture every year? He doesn't need a foot long, does he? In the picture?

Dan Bernstein (23:26)

He should have double cheeseburger in his hand. Oh, and by the way, by the way, last night, double Baconator and a regular Dave's double cheeseburger.

Matt Spiegel (23:39)

That was your dinner?

Dan Bernstein (23:40)

It was perfect. It was perfect. You know, kind of different flavors, but made really fresh, too. The Wendy's near me because it's. If I go out Waveland, make a right on Addison or, excuse me, on Western, I go through the drive thru, then I'm right at Western and Addison. It's a. It's a one block loop and I can go right through and come home and I've got my dinner. And it was perfect because I've been. I was cooking all day. I didn't want to cook for myself. I cooked for. For Beth and Zoe. I'm like, you know what? Screw it. What is the shortest possible route that I can take to have a good dinner, a good hot dinner and bring it right home and watch Cubs baseball?

Matt Spiegel (24:24)

Yeah, the. The picture's out here. I'm seeing it on.

Dan Bernstein (24:27)

Who is the picture of my dinner?

Matt Spiegel (24:29)

No, no, no. Coaches. Okay, Adam Schefter.

Dan Bernstein (24:32)

Adam Schefter has it. We have the coach's picture. All right, save it. I want to save the coach's picture for. For forward progress. Okay. Okay.

Matt Spiegel (24:38)

Yes.

Dan Bernstein (24:39)

Because it's always a thing. Every year, ever since Mark Trestman appeared, they're like, oh, God, what is that? Get that man out of there somehow. But so Goodell is talking, and I do not like what he said about Steve Tish and the issue that they have about Steve Tish getting set up with girls by Jeffrey Epstein. Because I thought when this broke that this would be, as they say, kind of a big deal because it's creepy and gross for a team owner to be in these files and these, These emails that a super villain, this. This dead supervillain was arranging dates for him and he kept using all these, you know, weird working girl. Is this a pro? Is this a civilian? They were discussing Russian girls, Ukrainian girls, Tahitian women, and exchanging emails about everything. And apparently with the NFL, this is all okay. It's all just fine. So Goodell was talking out of both sides of his mouth. And that's what bugs me, because he said when. When asked, is there an update on the situation? Are they going to take action under the personal conduct policy against Giants Owner Steve Tisch after everything we know about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and having Epstein pimp all these girls for him. So Goodell said there hasn't been an update. We're going to follow the facts. We've been doing that. We've been very focused on making sure we know everything that's out there. We've engaged with others to make sure we have that information. Now here's, here's where Goodell loses me. As you know, the Tisch family also made some family changes. Steve and John and Laurie did some transactions as part of their estate planning and are no longer owners. But we have not found anything that's a violation at this stage. Steve Tisch is going to stay on the Giants board. And they did. There were questions asked by reporters of a spokesperson for the Tisch family who said Tish's involvement with the team is status quo. Was the quote. There was a follow up to say does that mean he will continue to have an active role in the team? The answer correct. So despite the family changes with the estate planning, nothing is different at all. Nothing has changed and except they moved technically their ownership shares into a trust for their kids. It doesn't do anything. It doesn't change his role at all. It doesn't change his relationship with the team. It's just an accounting change. So why would Goodell put that forward? Well, they made some family changes. He's not an owner anymore. So clearly he knows something's not right. Right. That is an obvious admission. If you're offering that if the commissioner of the NFL if you're offering the he's no longer an owner. Well, first of all, yeah, he is. And the spokesperson said so that nothing's changed there. Why are you compelled to offer that? And if you're going to follow the facts, you already have enough. You have enough that this is already at the very least creepy and clearly wrong because the they're supposed to hold owners to an even higher standard. That's written in the policy. Higher standard subject to more significant discipline than players. So if you're talking about somebody who in Epstein, who we already knew was. Was already under heavy scrutiny, had pleaded guilty to that one count of solicitation of prostitution with a minor under the age of 18 sentenced to 18 months in prison, a year of house arrest, registered as a sex offender. And. And in the civil lawsuits had settled one after the other. As these victims were pointing out, the sweetheart deals that prevented him from doing more time because of how this was was all personally arranged to be just A slap on the wrist for him. So that had already happened. And Steve Tisch was exchanging emails with Epstein, invited him to the owner's box, talking about young women. He was 63 at the time. Tish was 63.

Matt Spiegel (29:40)

Yeah. If you remember, Dan, when we were talking about this during super bowl week, when Roger Goodell met the media and was asked and brushed it off pretty quickly, one of our listeners made a comment that in Goodell's response is referring to Tish as just Steve. Was the indication, all the indication that that listener needed that nothing was going to happen.

Dan Bernstein (30:01)

Yep, I think it was. I believe it was our friend Glenn who. Who caught that.

Matt Spiegel (30:05)

Oh, you're right. It was Glenn.

Dan Bernstein (30:06)

Yes, it was that email and said he's calling him Steve, for Christ's sake. In all this, like, he's. He's not referring to. Like this is. This is one of their guys.

Matt Spiegel (30:17)

Yeah, but what you point out in the fact that he offers that they've made changes in the ownership shares.

Dan Bernstein (30:29)

Why?

Matt Spiegel (30:29)

Why are you doing that if nothing was wrong?

Dan Bernstein (30:31)

Right.

Matt Spiegel (30:32)

If he didn't do anything wrong, then why point out why? Why. Why volunteer that? Why volunteer that?

Dan Bernstein (30:39)

Why are they scrambling around paying, paying lawyers $2,500 an hour to do all of these things that they could. Oh, I'm not an owner anymore. Let's move these papers over here and give this to my children. Oh, don't look at me. I'm not an owner anymore.

Matt Spiegel (30:52)

And then if you're Roger Goodell and you feel like he didn't do anything wrong to violate this policy, then just say that.

Dan Bernstein (30:57)

Yep.

Matt Spiegel (30:58)

Say, hey, we've investigated it, and, you know, we find that he didn't do anything wrong to violate our policies and, you know, moving forward. And then a reporter would have said, well, then why did they make their own? Well, that's just their personal family decision.

Dan Bernstein (31:10)

Just coincidence.

Matt Spiegel (31:11)

Right? If you believe that, then. Then stay with it. Say it. Say that he didn't violate your policy and that no action will be taken.

Dan Bernstein (31:18)

Guess how many times Tish's name is mentioned in the Epstein files that are publicly available so far?

Matt Spiegel (31:25)

I have no clue. I'll say. 250.

Dan Bernstein (31:28)

440. Okay. The Giants owner Steve Tisch is mentioned 440 times in the Epstein files. Specifically. Specifically Epstein arranging young women to meet him. Okay, come on.

Matt Spiegel (31:45)

I believe one mention would require an investigation. One mention alone would be good enough to say, hey, what's going on here? Let's take a look at this. One mention. Why was this happening 440. I mean, 440. That's a lot now like 3 million makes you the president. But anyway, I just, I don't understand that. If you believe he didn't do anything wrong, then just say that. Don't dance around it. Just say that.

Dan Bernstein (32:12)

No investigation was not really an owner anymore. So we don't really have to worry about that. We haven't found anything. Nothing wrong with him. Talking to this already convicted sex criminal arranging international girl girls to come find him at age 63. Like what are we talking about here? You're supposed to hold him to a higher standard with harsher discipline. And they know that not enough people are going to care. And they're, they're running the playbook on this to protect one of their moneyed interests.

Matt Spiegel (32:41)

Right? One of their white rich guys.

Dan Bernstein (32:44)

That's what they're going to do. It's too bad. Let's be honest. The games are getting really interesting right now. And that's what makes the time of year so good. The last thing you need to worry about right now is the quality of your game day food because we're going into final four weekend hell. There's baseball games starting out, there's everything. But if you're watching these games at home with friends, whatever it is, you need something that delivers. And that's why Giordano's is for you. It's why I go. With Giordano's, you have the full lineup of whatever you want. Whatever might please the room or just yourself. Chicago deep dish. If you want something loaded up. Tavern style pizza, that's the square cut. You know, I got to get one of the little corner pieces because I just think that's good luck. Thin crust, you want to keep it classic. Add in wings, add in cookies, add in their game day deals and then you're talking a real spread. But really the best part is you're not scrambling around at halftime. You're not worried about bad last minute decisions. John Shire. It's just food that shows up the way it's supposed to. The games might be unpredictable. Your setup doesn't have to be. You don't want unpredictability when it comes to the food for you or the folks for whom you're entertaining. So order. Now. You can get delivery@giordano's.com or you can visit a Giordano's location near you for pickup and grab that perfect game day spread. There are game day deals happening now. Some of them even right now, I believe are on that 312 sports apple which you should grab Giordano's. Your bracket may bust your pizza. Shouldn't I want to say some nice things about the NFL after I have said some things that disappoint me about what's going on. There is something here that does look a lot of these things can be true and there are some new rules that have been adopted. We're going to talk about a lot of this in detail on forward progress a little bit later on in the day. But I loved this bullet point about what was agreed to by owners. They have approved an expansion of NFL mental health coverage to require each team to employ a full time clinician or offer full time coverage. This is subject to approval by NFL Players association, part of the collective bargaining agreement. The policy will also provide more support for players on injured reserve. And this surprised me a little bit that only 8 of 32 teams are in compliance with the full time clinician or full time mental health coverage. Only 8 of 32. That's not good enough. And I'm surprised that's the case. And maybe some of this is in the details of what constitutes full time or part time or how they define the availability. But good on the NFL for doing this before it had to be pulled out of them in negotiations with the NFL PA that the NFL is doing this on its own and then we'll take it to the NFL PA or maybe it can be improved or fortified. But good. I hope the NFL is in this way setting an example for not just for other sports teams but other workplaces to do more of this. And partially because I just think it's also really good business. That's the cynical aspect of this. Cynically, I would say. Yeah, of course you want that because when your employees are healthier and happier, they're more productive, they're better at their jobs and you're not spending as much dealing with downtime or health related interruptions in anything. So.

Matt Spiegel (36:36)

Right. And while all of that is true, you're also you have a profession that deals consistently with head trauma.

Dan Bernstein (36:44)

Yeah.

Matt Spiegel (36:44)

And that's really valuable aspect of having someone there to help people talk through any issues that they could be going through within life as they're having more more prone to head trauma and injury.

Dan Bernstein (36:56)

Yeah. Well the, the that you opened up something very complicated in discussing where the physical and mental meet. And a psychiatrist or a therapist will tell you hey, if, if that brain is full of floating taw protein, that's physical. There's that I can't do anything as a therapist. If the neurons are being tangled and clogged with rogue proteins that's preventing the cerebral cortex from working properly. You know, at that point you're, you're just asking for your mental health people to, to be miserable, saying, you know, whatever I'm trying to do therapeutically is going to run up against these literal blockages in a brain that, that. I don't think the NFL is quite ready to deal with some of those questions yet. But regardless of that, good on the NFL, at least for starting here. I think setting that example is, is a very good thing. You know what we did yesterday, we had lunch with Russ Armstrong and it was great to see him again. I always like hanging out with Russ and we were talking about everything that's going on his. And if you have not talked to him yet, well, you're just missing out and having fun talking to Russ because he's a lovely guy. And everybody's still surprised when I say when you want windows, call Russ. Like, oh, sure, he's probably a made up guy. No, he's real. I'm telling you, Russ Armstrong is an actual person who is going to make the windows for your house. And he'll come out and he'll, it's actual pencil and paper. He's not one of these guys that sits there for three hours and brings an iPad and makes you do all these things and shows you. He, it's, he's just a guy who happens to enjoy making windows for you. And there's no subcontracted labor. There's no mystery, you know who the crew is. The same people that have installed my windows twice now where we first did some downstairs and then did some upstairs, same people are going to put the windows into your house. He also, and this is really important, will match any price. So you're like, oh, I don't know. I hear about all these giant window companies that offer what they say are these incredible deals. Just talk to Russ and he's going to explain why they're gimmicks and why they're designed to separate you from your money. With worse windows for a higher price, how about better windows for the best possible price? And that's what you're going to get with Chicago window guys and Russ Armstrong. 847-302-9171. You can check out all his five star reviews@chicagowindowguys.com this is a really good time of year to do that. I know we're kind of in between on the weather, but you're going to be real happy when it gets crazy hot and your house is just holding in all of that good cooler air for the summer. So give Russ Armstrong a call, Chicago Window Guys, 847-302-9171, and check out his five star reviews at ChicagoNowdownGuys.com did you see what happened to umpire C.B. buckner in the brewers game last night?

Matt Spiegel (40:07)

I did see it, yes.

Dan Bernstein (40:08)

What the hell? What the hell, man? I mean, it's bad enough that Buckner is at the bottom of these leaderboards when it comes to ABs having all his calls behind the plate overturned. I like to think that the place where you can do the least damage in a game other than like postseason, when you're just like the guy down the right field line, I think first base, you're probably pretty good. I know there's some bang bang plays that are going to go to video there, but usually you can look at the base, you can hear the ball hit the mitt, and you can have a good idea. The key then being, again, I'm going to go back to that, looking at the base.

Matt Spiegel (40:49)

So you actually have to watch the play is what you're saying.

Dan Bernstein (40:52)

I would advise that.

Matt Spiegel (40:53)

Okay, so if you're the first base umpire, Major League Baseball game, you should actually watch the play on the field.

Dan Bernstein (40:59)

So brewers up four two in the sixth. Got it. Let me write that down. They're playing Tampa Bay. Jake Bowers hits an infield single. Bowers was called out. Buckner ruled that Bowers did not touch first base. So everybody kind of looked at each other like, wait, what?

Matt Spiegel (41:22)

What?

Dan Bernstein (41:23)

Wow, he didn't touch first base. So you went back to the replay and not only did he touch the base, he touched it right in the middle. Touched the top of the bag, right across the middle of the base. So immediate overturn. Bowers happened to steal second and score on a double later in the inning. And Bowers, to his credit, simply played dumb. He said, I don't know what happened. I'm just thankful to get on base and thankful to come around and score. Nicely handled because there's really nothing in it for him to go in on on Buckner. But CB Buckner wasn't looking at the play and the.

Matt Spiegel (42:13)

It's on video, by the way.

Dan Bernstein (42:15)

It is on video.

Matt Spiegel (42:16)

We're not real making the time, exaggerating it. It's on video.

Dan Bernstein (42:19)

It is on video. You can see it in slow motion. I thought the broadcasters did an excellent job pointing out that he's staring off like somewhere up behind the plate. He was not looking at the Base. And even the two managers, Kevin Cash and Pat Murphy, who are buddies, looked at each other across the diamond. And the director got this shot of the two of them laughing like, what the hell was that, man? They're like, I don't know. What amazes me more than anything else, and what's troubling is that if you're CB Buckner, and look, you're going to miss calls. Ron Luciano wrote a whole book about it. The umpire strikes back. My guy, Ron Luciano, really nice guy. And he said, if you're going to get it wrong, just be. Be wrong as hard as you can. And he said he's done it before where he knew a ball was fair and he called it foul. But he said, you got to sell it. And that was his whole thing. But that was before replay. And what if you're Buckner? Why do you go with the.001 possibility of a runner down the line to first completely missing the bag? Why would you default like the judgment of that when you didn't see. Hey, Frank. When you didn't. When you didn't see the play and you're like, I'm just going to make up that he didn't touch the base, rather you might have gotten out of there fine. And I don't know how many times this has happened previously where. Why wouldn't your presumption be the 99.999% possibility that he did step on the bag and you make up? Nope, didn't step on the bag. I didn't see it, but I'm going with that.

Matt Spiegel (44:15)

Why?

Dan Bernstein (44:16)

That's what I don't understand. Why would you do that instead of not seeing the play and being like, whoo, hoo, hoo, got away with one there. Okay, let's just hope that nobody saw anything. All right? Live to fight another day, move on to the next thing, and then it's a nothing and it happened and nobody says anything. Right. And yet you somehow you decide he didn't step in the base. How did you know? Well, I was looking over there.

Matt Spiegel (44:42)

I just sent into the seats.

Dan Bernstein (44:45)

I just.

Matt Spiegel (44:45)

Staring off in the space you got.

Dan Bernstein (44:48)

You. At the very least, you got to call him in and have a talk.

Matt Spiegel (44:51)

You have to. And I know the union of this ABS as well. As you mentioned, he's at the bottom of this tracker.

Dan Bernstein (44:59)

Yep. Well, separate the two, maybe. And I know it's so easy to conflate them right now, but I want to separate the two, because there are angry umpires who don't like abs and don't like the fact that there's accountability here for these bad, these bad strike zones. It isn't to say this umpire is bad, this umpire is good. All human beings have reached the point where they're not good enough. The human eye cannot keep up with major league pitching. And you know, you want the evidence. How do you know, Bernstein? How do you know the. How can you speak for the human eye not keeping up? We have a stat for it, and it's called framing. Framing is umpire fooling. There are, there are runs given to catchers for being able to fool umpires. It is a part of a catcher's job to fool human umpires. It's called pitch framing. It's about making a ball look like a strike, pulling something off the corner. And the fact that framing exists and the fact that catchers are evaluated on that ability and the fact that that ability is so meaningful is because that's how bad umpires are at seeing pitches. That there's a whole stat where catchers are getting paid more money if they're good at fooling human umpires. Right.

Matt Spiegel (46:33)

And it's, it's very hard job what umpires have to do behind the plate.

Dan Bernstein (46:36)

So I'm not going to take it more than hard.

Matt Spiegel (46:38)

I'm not going to take that away. That it's, it's a very difficult thing to do.

Dan Bernstein (46:41)

No, it's more than that. It's literally impossible.

Matt Spiegel (46:45)

Well, it's not impossible because they can do it well.

Dan Bernstein (46:47)

They can't do it well enough because framing exists.

Matt Spiegel (46:51)

Okay. But they, they can do it. It's a very difficult thing to do. While I agree with what you're saying earlier, I. I'm not going to separate the ABS tracker with what CB Buckner did because it's just, it's more data to show he's not very good at his job, that he's one of the worst at it right now. And when you look at the, the current ABS tracker, he's had eight calls challenged, six have been overturned. And then that display last night at first base, as I think you properly argued, is probably one of the easier bases to manage. That display last night is enough to bring him in and say, what's going on? We need to evaluate where this guy fits into our Major League Baseball season.

Dan Bernstein (47:34)

And I would expect that the union would support him and fight for him. Sure.

Matt Spiegel (47:38)

And that's their job.

Dan Bernstein (47:40)

Agree with that. Yes. That is why a union exists, is to protect its weakest members.

Matt Spiegel (47:45)

And he is right now one of their, one of their Weakest members.

Dan Bernstein (47:49)

He may indeed be that. I have a follow up to a story that we were following. Was it yesterday? I talked about this. Monday.

Matt Spiegel (48:02)

Yeah, maybe Monday.

Dan Bernstein (48:04)

The Michael Jordan house. That was going to become potentially a museum.

Matt Spiegel (48:12)

And that's a job that Russ Armstrong needs to the Jordan in the Jordan museum slash house.

Dan Bernstein (48:18)

Look, his crew is good and they're fast, but I think that that would be a minimum three. I'd say four day project.

Matt Spiegel (48:28)

Okay.

Dan Bernstein (48:29)

I'd say for his crew. For his crew. If he doubles the crew, I would say four days because they're really good. We'll give them a week.

Matt Spiegel (48:35)

We'll give them a whole week to get it done before the museum opens.

Dan Bernstein (48:38)

Okay.

Matt Spiegel (48:38)

And then you can get like McDonald's and then you go walk through the museum for free. Just drive your kids there in a school bus. You'll be set.

Dan Bernstein (48:45)

There is a McDonald's right there. Yes, it is. There's. And there's a Heinen's grocery store right there.

Matt Spiegel (48:51)

Very good grocery store. Heinen's is great. Have you been to a.

Dan Bernstein (48:53)

Do you have one near you?

Matt Spiegel (48:55)

There's one in Lake Bluff. Lake Forest. Right. It's so 10 minutes away. It's. I don't go to it regularly, but if I'm needing something and dry. It was generally coming back from baseball. I would drive past it. It's like, oh, I needed to stop at Mariano's or Sunset. I'm right here. Hiden's is great. It's really, really good grocery store.

Dan Bernstein (49:12)

Yep. And their, their wine person's very knowledgeable. Their meat's very good. I, I agree with you. And we're good store. We're very critical of. Of grocery stores here.

Matt Spiegel (49:21)

Yeah, we talk. We have a whole podcast on grocery stores.

Dan Bernstein (49:24)

We should, you know. Yeah, we got it.

Matt Spiegel (49:26)

It's called Checkout Lane.

Dan Bernstein (49:28)

Check out Checkout Lane. The Checkout Lane podcast with Dan and Matt, all about Chicago grocery stores. There you go. You stumbled on something there.

Matt Spiegel (49:37)

I think we should do it.

Dan Bernstein (49:38)

But. So this guy, John Cooper, who bought Jordan's house and has no idea what to do with it because nobody knows what the hell to do with Jordan's house because you can't do anything with it because it's completely useless. And he wanted to turn it into a museum.

Matt Spiegel (49:50)

But Airbnb, right?

Dan Bernstein (49:53)

Well, initially it was an Airbnb that no. And that didn't work. And this was going to be $40 million. And now it's down to sold for $9 million. It's 37,700 square feet and it's completely useless. So he's like, okay, I'm going to make it into a museum which is essentially like Graceland, but at least Graceland can say Elvis Presley lived there. Michael Jordan would not allow his name to be used for this museum. So it would be this person who might have played a sport. And you can come to this museum about this person who cannot be named. So obviously it's a really stupid idea, and nobody liked it. And nobody wanted a museum in the middle of a residential area that was going to be taking advantage of the parking at the Heller Nature Center. That belongs to the Highland park park district. It's a parking lot in Bannockburn. The whole thing is a disaster. The vote was taken late Monday night. With a unanimous 7 to 0 vote, the Highland Park City council shot down plans for the Michael Jordan mansion museum.

Matt Spiegel (51:02)

That's too bad.

Dan Bernstein (51:03)

A.

Matt Spiegel (51:04)

That's too bad because we had our calendar. I mean, we know our baseball schedule now for the summer. We had a couple weekends open. I was going to take the kids. We were going to walk through the unnamed basketball player museum. And you know what, Dan? If I had $9 million or the ability to buy a $9 million home and I wanted to buy that home, I would buy it because I therefore would then have the money or the resources then to make that home livable for my family and myself.

Dan Bernstein (51:31)

You have to tear the whole thing down. You got to.

Matt Spiegel (51:32)

Yeah, whatever. Tear it down and. But do. Like, what was the guy thinking?

Dan Bernstein (51:37)

I don't know.

Matt Spiegel (51:38)

Like, what was he thinking that he had. He had this. These resources to just waste.

Dan Bernstein (51:43)

Several residents spoke out, complaining that if Highland park allowed the museum, it would require a change of the city's zoning code that would result in what Mayor Nancy Rottering called spot zoning. She said no amount of conditions or this. Excuse me. Michael Freitas, whose property adjoins the former Jordan estate. No amount of conditions, restrictions or adjustments will change the fundamental reality. It's a commercial use proposed in a quiet residential cul de sac. There is no version of this proposal that aligns with the character of the neighborhood or that has the support of the people who live here. The John Cooper never explicitly raised Jordan's name in connection with the museum due to trademark and right of publicity concerns. That didn't stop several neighbors from mentioning the Chicago Bulls. Great. By name. This is Alex Ulyanov. Isn't that. Isn't that Vladimir Lenin's actual last name? Isn't Vladimir the guy from the Beatles? No, no, no.

Matt Spiegel (52:43)

Len.

Dan Bernstein (52:44)

I n Isn't he an Ulyanov, I believe. I don't know.

Matt Spiegel (52:47)

I'll Google it.

Dan Bernstein (52:48)

Know your Russian leaders, he said. Or Soviet, he said. This is not in any way an official museum. There is no legal right to use Michael Jordan's name, likeness or any intellectual property in any commercial way. If this is approved, we are no longer making zoning based on land use. We're making it on who used to live in a house. And that is the line that should not be crossed. Well, that's too bad. Sorry. And indeed it was not so Cooper

Matt Spiegel (53:18)

said 7 to 0.

Dan Bernstein (53:19)

7 to 0, he said. We're disappointed by tonight's vote by the city council. I can understand the reaction to neighbors concerns. I have an idea and here's what I would like done with the 37,700 square feet. If it can't be used as a museum and nobody wants to live in the house, nobody wants to rent the house, can that land be actually used by the Heller Nature Center? Is there anything that would be less disruptive to the neighborhood? Whether it would be a local park or. Or find something that the local. That the neighbors would approve. Just raise the whole place and turn it into public parkland. Do that.

Matt Spiegel (54:08)

Or couldn't he like at least tear it down and build two or three other houses?

Dan Bernstein (54:14)

I. I don't know that the. That they'd have to rezone for development at this point. And if he could subdivide the lots in some way. I'm not worried about it. I'm just glad this got shot down and glad that like when I.

Matt Spiegel (54:28)

Well, it was never going to happen.

Dan Bernstein (54:29)

I mean, of course it was. That was pretty clear.

Matt Spiegel (54:31)

Yeah.

Dan Bernstein (54:32)

No, so that's over. That's all over. And I'm glad that it is. It's just when you look at this thing, like the shots of this from the air.

Matt Spiegel (54:42)

Yeah.

Dan Bernstein (54:43)

There's a big pond out there. If that's a bass pond, which it might be because just down the street in Hibernia, if you're driving south on 22 and you go past the entrance to Jordan's and then right before 41, you make a right, I think it's Ridge. And you go in. That's where. I think KU coach is still there. That's where Jerry Krause's house was. And you can see his bass pond back there. Yeah, gotta go. Bass are calling. Gotta go. Then, you know, I don't know, maybe I'll. Maybe I'll put a bid in there.

Matt Spiegel (55:18)

Well, I for one am disappointed it didn't happen. I was looking forward to going to that museum.

Dan Bernstein (55:23)

Well, I'm. I'm sorry. You know, March Madness is already delivering upsets, blowouts, buzzer beaters. And if your bracket happens to be busted, mine is. Mine's completely shot to hell. But it doesn't mean you're out. And your bankroll could be fine because the final four is still a panoply of possibility for you. Live bets. You can catch swings before the odds adjust. And you know that my bookie's got all the props that you want. If you want to talk about the individual player stats and milestones and all that, your opportunities are endless. You don't need a perfect bracket. You just need the right bet at the right time. If you're going to be in it, go win it. Head to MyBookie AG, use the promo code DBU for Dan Bernstein, unfiltered, and then your first bets covered, up to 500 bucks. Then if it misses, you got a bet back, bonus token, and you can run it right back as the tournament heats up. You're not just watching it, then you're going big. You're winning from it. And my bookie's got your back. Head to MyBookie AG with the promo code DBU and get that first bet covered, up to 500 bucks only at my bookie. That is today's DBU, brought to you today by Chicago Window guys and Russ armstrong. Call him 847-302-9171. By our friends at Giordano's and in partnership with my bookie, Dan Bernstein. Unfiltered. Unfiltered. On three. One. Two, Sports.