Team USA LOSES | White Sox - new stadium? | John Smoltz solved

Summary

Dan Bernstein Unfiltered — Episode Summary

Episode: Team USA LOSES | White Sox - new stadium? | John Smoltz solved
Date: March 18, 2026
Host: Dan Bernstein
Co-host: Matt Abbatacola

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Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into Team USA's defeat in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) final, explores the emotional resonance of Venezuela's historic victory, critiques the tone and performance of the U.S. team and its management, and offers a sharp-edged analysis of sports broadcasting trends—particularly John Smoltz's approach on Fox. Later, Bernstein and Abbatacola discuss the potential new White Sox stadium, the Seiya Suzuki injury update, and notable sports gambling and media headlines.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Team USA’s Loss in the World Baseball Classic

[01:27–21:00]

• Emotional Context of Venezuela’s Win

  • Bernstein reflects on the euphoria in Venezuela after their first major international sports title since 1945, lauding the visible joy and camaraderie among the Venezuelan players.
  • “That was a win for happiness over grimness.” — Dan Bernstein [04:50]
  • "The embraces, the expressions of joy...it was a win for happiness." — Bernstein [04:50]

• Game Analysis and Team USA’s Shortcomings

  • The co-host emphasizes how key hitters (Bobby Witt, Aaron Judge, Kyle Schwarber) struggled—0-for-10 with six strikeouts.
  • "You do that with your 1, 3, 4 hitters, you're not going to win a whole lot." — Co-host [06:11]
  • Praise for Venezuelan pitching (Rodriguez, Palencia) and key game moments: Judge’s poor at-bats, Buxton’s missed defensive play, and Harper's homer.
  • Debate over lineup decisions—especially benching Pete Crow-Armstrong in favor of Byron Buxton—criticizing Buxton’s arm and the defensive downgrade.

• Critique of Team USA’s Vibe and Leadership

  • Bernstein frames Team USA as playing tight, joyless baseball, likening their energy to the “big evil Soviets” of sports movie lore.
  • "This, this, this grim militaristic march, squeezing any bit of fun out of everything..." — Bernstein [16:20]
  • The co-host agrees, stating, "Why the military was constantly brought up? This isn’t a military display. It’s a baseball competition among nations." [24:16]
  • Bernstein and the co-host discuss the forced patriotic/militaristic overtones pushed by Team USA, arguing it contributed to a tense atmosphere.

• Mark DeRosa’s Managerial Performance

  • Bernstein brands not knowing the clinching rules and the team’s subsequent behavior (i.e., going out to celebrate and coming back hungover for semifinal) as a “fireable offense.”
    • "...not knowing whether or not you clinched...in and of itself is a bad enough mistake...a fireable offense." — Bernstein [15:03]
  • Critiques DeRosa as a poor tone setter; accuses him of making players uncomfortable and draining fun from the team.

• Larger Reflections on Baseball Parenting and Culture

  • Bernstein blames the travel sports industrial complex and “nervous parents” (including himself) for U.S. teams’ struggles with joy and fun in youth and national baseball.
    • "It's the nervousness of the parents, the insecurities that rub off on the kids...No other country does it..." — Bernstein [26:04]

• Contrasting Joy in Other National Teams

  • Celebrates the authentic emotional display by Team Venezuela—“real masculinity” on display—contrasted with the U.S. team’s stoicism.
  • “You got beaten by guys who were better at displaying [real] masculinity than you were...more real, more vulnerable.” — Bernstein [32:35]
  • The sense that WBC means more to most other countries than to the U.S., which feels entitled but less emotionally invested.

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2. John Smoltz, Broadcasting, and Baseball’s Direction

[28:29–54:00]

• Complaints about John Smoltz’s Commentary

  • Both hosts note being less annoyed by Smoltz this time, but still highlight baffling comments—like "two to nothing feels like four to nothing" [30:00].
  • "I don't know how two to nothing feels like four to nothing when a two-run homer ties the game." — Co-host [30:05]
  • Conversation digresses briefly into a humorous discussion about the co-host’s dinner and float spa experience.

• Bernstein’s Smoltz “Epiphany”

  • Bernstein explains Smoltz is “calling the game he wants to see, not the game that’s actually happening.” [52:43]
  • He outlines Smoltz’s nostalgia for low-power, “action baseball” of the 1970s/80s, disapproval of modern three-true-outcome baseball (strikeouts, homers, walks), and refusal to embrace velocity and power as the game’s central features.
    • "He likes soft hits more than hard hits. He's trying to fit the game in front of him into an idealized version of the game that he wants." — Bernstein [44:34]
  • Criticizes Smoltz for failing to provide statistical context or react with enthusiasm to the realities of the present game.
    • "Don't let that keep you from doing your job." — Bernstein [50:41]

• The "Golden At-Bat" Debate

  • Touches on radical rule ideas—like Theo Epstein reportedly supporting a “golden at-bat” rule (triggering your lineup’s best hitter, use once per game).
  • The co-host is incredulous: "I think that's the stupidest fucking thing I've ever heard." [53:43]
  • Both agree that some change is good, but not all innovation (like the golden at-bat) is warranted.

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3. News & Quick Hits

[39:15–43:45, 55:00–66:00]

• White Sox New Stadium Rumor

  • Reports that prospective new owner Justin Ishbia is interested in buying South Loop rail yard land for a new stadium.
    • "Awesome. Good luck. Because...paying for it, I hope." — Bernstein [39:36]
  • Enthusiasm for a “big, beautiful shot from behind home plate” if the new park lands on the west side of the river.

• Seiya Suzuki Injury Update

  • Confusion over whether Suzuki’s knee injury is a strain or sprain. Bernstein clarifies the difference and notes that current signs are encouraging for his return by Opening Day.
    • "If it's a sprain, that's a partial tear ... But I heard strain, which is less serious." — Bernstein [42:04]

• Sports Gambling: Kalshee Charges

  • Arizona Attorney General files the first criminal charges against Kalshee platform for illegal election gambling, raising questions about the regulation of “prediction markets.”
    • "They just crossed Capone. This has all been in plain sight and they did it." — Bernstein [58:07]
  • Highlights the business and sports significance of how states regulate what is effectively non-sports gambling.

• Miscellaneous Sports Notes

  • Alabama guard Aidan Holloway’s drug arrest, possible tie-in with NIL money, and tournament implications.
  • Brief mention of Bears and NFL content coming up on the “Forward Progress” segment.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• "That was a win for happiness over grimness." — Dan Bernstein [04:50]
• "You do that with your 1, 3, 4 hitters, you're not going to win a whole lot." — Co-host [06:11]
• "This, this, this grim militaristic march, squeezing any bit of fun out of everything..." — Bernstein [16:20]
• "Why the military was constantly brought up? This isn’t a military display. It’s a baseball competition among nations." — Co-host [24:16]
• "It's the nervousness of the parents, the insecurities that rub off on the kids...No other country does it..." — Bernstein [26:04]
• "You got beaten by guys who were better at displaying [real] masculinity than you were...more real, more vulnerable." — Bernstein [32:35]
• "He likes soft hits more than hard hits. He's trying to fit the game in front of him into an idealized version of the game that he wants." — Bernstein [44:34]
• "Don't let that keep you from doing your job." — Bernstein [50:41]
• "I think that's the stupidest fucking thing I've ever heard." — Co-host on the “golden at-bat” [53:43]
• On White Sox stadium rumors: "Awesome. Good luck. Because...paying for it, I hope." — Bernstein [39:36]
• "They just crossed Capone. This has all been in plain sight and they did it." — Bernstein [58:07]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:27] – Show starts, March Madness/Busted Bracket plug
• [01:47] – Team USA loss and Venezuela triumph discussion begins
• [05:53] – Game breakdown, missed offensive opportunities
• [14:09] – Mark DeRosa critique, Team USA’s mood
• [23:15] – Larger reflections on baseball culture and parenting
• [28:29] – John Smoltz and baseball TV commentary
• [39:15] – White Sox new stadium rumors
• [41:36] – Seiya Suzuki knee injury update
• [44:04] – Smoltz’s broadcasting vision vs. modern baseball
• [53:43] – “Golden at-bat” and rules change banter
• [57:38] – Alabama basketball NIL/drugs story
• [58:07] – Kalshee criminal charges and sports gambling talk

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Tone & Style

Dan Bernstein’s trademark unfiltered candor and wit drive the episode, matched by the co-host’s earnest, occasionally exasperated responses. The discussion is richly detailed, emotionally honest, and peppered with sardonic humor and Chicago-centric references.

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For Further Listening

• More on Team USA and managerial strategy
• Upcoming Chicago sports news (Bears, Cubs, Sox)
• Ongoing updates on the Kalshee gambling case and White Sox stadium developments

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This summary captures all major themes, nuanced insights, and spirited debate from the podcast episode, making it a valuable resource for those who missed the show or want a thorough recap.

Transcript

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[Dan Bernstein]

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[Dan Bernstein]

Really?

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[Dan Bernstein]

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[Dan Bernstein]

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[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

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[Dan Bernstein]

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[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Dan Bernstein unfiltered.

[Dan Bernstein]

Unfiltered on 312 sports. It is DBU on 31 2. And we are brought to you in partnership with my bookie and today also by our friends at Chicago Window Guys want to mention Giordano's as well because Giordano's is is one of the sponsors of our 312 Sports Busted Bracket Challenge. And I bring it up here because you don't have much time left because time is running out. Tomorrow at 10am is your deadline. That's it. Tomorrow. Thursday. Thursday at 10am is the deadline to build your bracket before it busts. You're going to build it and then it's going to bust. I built mine. You can see it there. And mine is going to be bad. But because I'm bad at this and I don't pretend to be anything else. My final four, Duke, Houston, Arkansas, Michigan. Duke beats Michigan in the final. And it's not because I care about Duke. I just think that they're really, really good. But the 312 Sports Busted Bracket Challenge is going right now. Brought to you by my bookie. Bet on anything, anywhere, anytime with my bookie and by Giordano's Pizza. Your bracket may bust your Giordano's Pizza shouldn't get your watch party lineup delivered or pick up@giordano's.com gameday or our grand prize winner. We got winners for the top or prizes for the top three. The grand prize winner gets a $250 Giordano's gift card and a Wilson Evo NXT game ball. It is the official basketball of NCAA March Madness that is yours if you win. So get in on that. I did watch baseball last night and I thought I did a pretty good job of not over smolzing myself, of not exposing myself too much to something that makes me angry, outraged. And I think I came to a conclusion on this that sort of helped me understand what's going on. And it's fascinating what I believe is happening on that broadcast. But once you look at it through that prism, it changes things. All I know is I think the international bad guys lost. The international bad guys, who are sort of what the big evil Soviets were back in the Cold War era, lost and the happy guys won. The angry mean guys lost and the happy guys won. And that's happy. You could not, could you have even imagined if you said, what is it going to be like if Venezuela were to win? And you say, well, it's probably going to be a massive party and they're going to be unbelievably happy and thankful and gratified and showing their gratitude. And they did man to a man to a man. Those, the embraces that you saw after the game, the expressions of joy after the game. That was a win for, for happiness over, over grimness. That's what that was. And, and it came through all of those tears and it wasn't tears of relief. It wasn't the relief of the pressure when they went to Eugenio Suarez by one of the great, maybe the greatest Pat Hughes name, if we rank Pat Hughes names, Eugenio Suarez, the number of syllables, it's not a, it's not Eugenio Suarez, it's a Eugenio Suarez. And he was almost statesmanlike or maybe more, more like he was in the pulpit, you know, talking about we, we are a family, we love each other, we believe in each other, and that's what makes this so special. They weren't doing it for any sort of ulterior, militaristic aspect they were doing it because it is. They declared, by the way, they're the. The acting president or who the handpicked president is. Del C. Rodriguez has said that it is a. Today is a national day of celebration. People do not have to go to work in the entire nation of Venezuela. It is their first championship of any kind internationally in sports since 1945.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Yeah, it certainly is the most important game in Venezuelan baseball history. So something that they'll remember forever and celebrate forever. You know, both things can be true for me that it was a very good moment for Venezuela. I said it yesterday, if they win, it's going to mean a lot more. It certainly looked that way and it certainly was true and that it meant so much more to Venezuela than it would have to the United States. But I can also be very disappointed in the loss. I'm. I'm not going to go as hard as you and say that, oh, they're the Soviet Union of today, from the 1980s, late 70s, early 80s. I don't think they're. It's that. That bad. But we certainly have ruined, I don't know for how long many of our relationships with our allies and things around the world. We certainly aren't looked at in the same light that we once were. So I'll agree with you to a certain extent on that. I was very disappointed, though, in the game. I was really pulling for usa, who has now competed in the last three WBC finals and have been runners up twice to now. Japan and Venezuela, they won one, so the last three have included the Team usa, which is great, unfortunately. You know, Bobby Witt, Aaron Judge and Kyle schwaber went over 10 with six strikeouts. You do that with your 1, 3, 4 hitters, you're not going to win a whole lot. Not going to take anything away from Rodriguez, who started one, four and a third give up one hit and struck out four. He looked fantastic. Nolan McClain looked better than I expected.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, when he looked better than I expected, the first couple innings was pure filth.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

He gives up that leadoff hit and then they get the double play in the first, and I'm like, all right, he's, you know, he was looking. He was looking good. He was looking pretty good.

[Dan Bernstein]

And I thought that Will Smith did a good job understanding that he had that breaking ball and then he started to lose the feel for that hard slider a little bit. And then he started pulling it and he lost the release point on it.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Yeah, he started coming across his body way too far to the left and then it just, it would carry outside of the zone and then outside of Will Smith's reach at one point, which a really critical play in that wild.

[Dan Bernstein]

Still should have caught it.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

He still should have caught it. I thought, I didn't think Will Smith had a great game.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, he didn't.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

But that wild pitch was very important, obviously, as they get second and third, because that, because if, if Perez doesn't move to third in that wild pitch, he doesn't score on that play.

[Dan Bernstein]

What a player. He is, too.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

He is. And despite. Well, you know, he might have scored because. I don't know, man. I mean, Byron Buxton, I get why he started over PCA with that lefty, lefty matchup for pca, but Buxton catches that ball in the sac fly. The press scored. Did you see his throw into the infield? First, he missed the cutoff man. And secondly, it landed in the outfield grass still and rolled about 80, 90ft to Bregman.

[Dan Bernstein]

That was a Lance Johnson, Johnny Damon.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Yes, yes, yes, it was a Lance Johnson. Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Juan Pierre, Lance Johnson, Johnny Damon. That's what that was. When you got a cartwheel into everything, you've got to just get it there. They didn't get it there. There is not a, an inning, there is not a plate appearance where Byron Buxton is now in any way a better defensive option than Pete Crowe. Armstrong.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Correct. Now, last year, period, offensively, Buxton had quite the year. I get that.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'm not talking about that at all.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

I know, I know, Dan, but you can't, you can't let that dictate what you do now in these games, in this, in this tournament. He was hitless in the tournament. I get the lefty, lefty matchup, but I'd rather have pca, who was second or tied for second in the team and hits going into this final game, in a team that struggled to get any hits going into this game. So, yeah, I don't get that. But they were able to manufacture some runs. Abreu with the home run makes it to nothing, I think. You know, Judge, if you, if you look back to his at bats, the bottom of the sixth and the bottom of the eighth, at bats for Judge, grounds out the third and then he has the strike out in the bottom of the eighth, he's going to look back at those at bats and regret and want those at. I thought they were terrible at bats. Schwaber had a terrible at bat in the seventh inning. Not to, again, not to take any credit away from the pitching, because the pitching was Great. The relief pitching for Venezuela was fantastic, all wbc. And the only weak spot was Machado. And it showed with that two run homer by Harper. And they were lucky he didn't give up more. And then after Harper hits that, that home run you have, that's when you have Judge come out with that really bad strikeout like he there, there are multiple pitches in the zone he didn't even swing at well, I wasn't sure what he was waiting for. He just, he didn't look comfortable, didn't look good at all. But that was, you know, how the offense looked from the last game going into this game, I think. What, what did they say? At one point there was, I don't know, 14 or 13 innings without even a hit, without a rudder hitting second base. So it just looked bad. And I'm not saying that to take any credit away from Venezuela. They deserved it, they earned it. And then you get arise, gets a walk by Whitlock and then Sonoha comes in, the pinch run. He was 6 for 11 last year.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, he's, he's not some kind of speed demon.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

He's not at all a better throw gets him.

[Dan Bernstein]

I do think that the understanding of where Venezuela was in their pitching defined that level of aggressiveness. And that was, that was one of the rare good notes by the broadcast to say they have to step on the accelerator here because they need to win it now. And if they don't win it now and if this becomes a battle of bullpens, they lose.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Yeah, so he gets the second on what he could have been thrown out on a better throw by Smith. He doesn't hop it in there. So then he scores on the Suarez double to center field. So, you know, it was the right guy, right place, you know, good guy to have that game winning hit. Perez gets the first run of the game. Another, you know, memorable moment for, for their captain, for that, for that guy who's looks a lot older than, what is he, 30? He looks like he's 50. I mean, like, good grief, man. And then Palencia comes in and he looked great in the ninth inning. Well, get the Schwarber to strike out again. Henderson pinch hits for Bregman, which I was, you know, unfortunately, I was happy to see that. But you know, he, he has a pop out to third base and then Anthony strikes out on a great pitch

[Dan Bernstein]

that Palencia and I thought, when we hear the term effective wildness, I loved some of those high outside fastballs that he threw where I know it wasn't on Purpose, but. And most pitchers aren't. Aren't good to, to disguise their coverages, I guess, in quite that way. But I thought going, you know, a spotted hundred and then missing by a. By a foot and a half is, was helpful. If you, you don't let a hitter get a good look, that's a wasted pitch for both of you. It isn't just, you know, he can stomp around and be like, oh, I let that one go. But that, that denies the hitter a look at where you are and what the ball is doing. And you, you keep. It's. I don't know that I would advise it all the time, but I think it worked out well, let me put it that way.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

It certainly did. And then for Palencia, and as a Cubs fan, you know, I was happy to see that. But I mean, it doesn't really mean a whole lot. He could go out and have an outing today and give up seven runs.

[Dan Bernstein]

You know what I mean? Well, he wouldn't go out today because. Because he was only going to pitch if it was the same situation.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

I'm just saying, like Tyson Miller, hypothetically, when. How it works for baseball, he could go out today and get rocked.

[Dan Bernstein]

But of course.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

But I like that, though. I like that he was in that big moment against, you know, the favorites and a team that's been there for three consecutive WBC finals and he gets to close it out in three hitters. I mean, I liked that for him to be able to put that into his bank and say, yeah, that's what I did, and to have that memory for the rest of his life. Couple other points outside of the actual baseball itself. My one John Smoltz. So I did really good, too.

[Dan Bernstein]

Wait, okay. All right.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

And not getting locked in the. John Smoltz.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right, can we. When we save that for a moment, there's a couple of. Before we get into. To sort of what I figured out, sort of a light came on for me with Smoltz, so I want to do that. But let me see just a couple of things here. First of all, Mark DeRosa, if he ever wanted to manage, I think he, he has. He's lost that opportunity.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

All right, so explain, explain that further because I like, I don't care if it was demarc derosa or whoever you think is a really good man, it was Craig Counsel or if you think whoever you think is a really good manager of the game. If they were in that dugout and, you know, your, your one through four guys had two really shitty games in A row outside of, outside of Harper last night.

[Dan Bernstein]

And they face two shitty games in a row. And they faced really good pitching.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

And they faced really good pitching. What's a different manager going to do in that, in that case for those

[Dan Bernstein]

two games, I don't think it is so much tactical, but I do think that the not knowing whether or not you clinched that, that in and of itself is a bad enough mistake. Is a bad enough. And send everybody out to drink and they come in hungover before the game against Italy. That, that is a fireable offense.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

I'm not, I'm not going to disagree with that at all. I can now counter a move that he made though in starting Henderson at third against Dr. Instead of Bregman because of his numbers. He made a good decision there. So again, not always tactical, but I, but I'm not going to disagree on not knowing the rules. We. And then, and then, and then taking four days to finally admit right now, yeah, I made a mistake there.

[Dan Bernstein]

It was, it was bad. It was bad. And to me that is a total deal breaker for. I don't, I don't want him running my team. I also thought the other most important thing a manager does, and we know Mark's a great talker. He's a great talker. As a tone setter, I think he did a terrible job as a tone setter. I think he made them uncomfortable. I think you could tell they were grinding their teeth the whole time. I can't necessarily connect. Cause it's all we got here. And I've got to play in areas where I'm not always comfortable. But it doesn't take a great sports mind to look at one team that was on this, this, this grim militaristic march, squeezing any bit of fun out of everything against teams that were more relaxed, understand the rhythm of baseball a little bit more, know where, certainly know at least where baseball fits into their own culture. I think a little bit more. It was just for, for what I think the job of a national team should be. If you compare the way American athletes in the Olympics, with the exception of the US Hockey team who screwed everything up because they were, they were stupid chuds too. But the other individuals who represented the United States and how much joy they showed a lot of the snowboarders and the skaters and the skiers and we just, we saw it and we saw what it means to evince that kind of feeling. And this team went out of their way to not do that. And I don't know if it's Alderosa or some of that's Rob Manfred. If this is coming from the powers that be in American baseball, to say, oh hey, Paul Skeens was, he could have been in the Air Force. So let's celebrate the fact that Paul Skeens might have been in the Air Force. It's like some of the choices they made in what buttons to push about. And that's why I said what I said when this all began. And I just want to go back, I'm not going to replay it. And I got like 35,000 likes on, on whatever Instagram or TikTok. I don't know, I forgot which one the whatever it is. I said, I said I just wanted them to enjoy themselves. So I've been very consistent on this. And I think I said to, I said, I like Mark derosa. He's a nice guy and a smart guy. I don't like him as much after this, but all I said was win or lose, have fun. Win or lose, just enjoy playing baseball. And they, they did the opposite of what I wanted. Regardless of what happened, I'm. I'm glad we don't have this team to kick around anymore. I'm glad I can get back to liking these guys on their MLB merits and they can get back to maybe being more relaxed and comfortable. I, I would also add to this those who are saying, well the wait till the owners are saying after this season when the owners start talking about the markets that can't draw and the in one of those markets, by the way, is that one is Miami. Did you see and hear the energy in that building? Don't tell me there aren't baseball fans will come to Miami. Don't tell me there aren't baseball fans in and around there. Just make it feel fun, make it matter, make it interesting and do what all teams should do. Compete. Just compete. It doesn't take much. It's not the fans job to subsidize losing. It's not the fans job to do what Bulls fans do. Stop being Bulls fans. Stop rolling out for a shit product that doesn't try to win. And if you don't want to support owners that, that just want to grift you. If the ownership wants a grift, they're not going to get one. And if you want something other than a grift and you want to compete and you want to use all this money and all this stuff to, to ostensibly share the revenue so all the teams can be good and compete instead of pocketing everything and spending it elsewhere. Compete and people will come out and watch your team. Be competitive, be fun, be interesting to watch. And I am not saying that this level of intensity can be sustained over six months. That that is a myth that has been, that has stemmed from the wbc. That's not how baseball can be played all the time. It simply cannot. And if you're asking professional players to do that, that is an unreasonable explanation to have everybody out there giving their all all the time. I know it's sports always try as hard as you can all the time. You can't play baseball harder. And if you try to do that over 162 games, everybody is going to be mentally and physically fried, burned toast. You can't do that. There's a time and a place and sometimes it's the high leverage moment. The key to baseball, the glory of baseball is those moments just show up. They just arise over the 162 and you know it when they do. And it might be a Sunday, it might be. It might be Mother's Day when your rival is there and the end, your division's a little tight but you, you know that there's a chance for that win that you're not going to get back a little bit later on. And for the. It all counts the same people. I believe in some of that. I do think that around the. Just get it right on the margins. Know the moments when it's time to be yourself, when it's time to not let it get to you. And I think that this, I think the US team choked. I think Mark DeRosa led a team that choked. And that's what it looks like. That's what it looks like when you,

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

his biggest hitters choked for sure.

[Dan Bernstein]

When you can't be yourself. I do not believe in clutch. Outside of the definition of clutch. That is can you be yourself when it matters most? Can be. Be who you are? Can you play to your own numbers when it matters most and when you can't. If that's your definition of clutch, if the opposite of clutch is choke and absence of choke is clutch, there are your definitions. And I thought Mark DeRosa's team, too many of his players choked. And I don't know if that was this, this, this, this grim basic training march that this turned into or it was that lunatic in their clubhouse screaming at them with where, where all his previous Navy SEAL buddies roll their eyes and, and, and can't believe this guy's doing all this stuff. Outside of what is believed to be the Navy seals And. And Special Forces code. And they. This guy's a complete yahoo. Where they bring him in there to yell at everybody. I don't know if that was a DeRosa decision. I don't know if that contributed to stuff. But, boy, when. When the. You see how tight they were and you see how they played, I can't give you every single stat that connects everything. But that. That's one that you like to think, you know, when you see and there were guys who weren't themselves. It's an exhibition tournament in the middle of March.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

All right, a few things on all of that. Number one, you're never going to duplicate what happens during the World Baseball Classic in Miami. Now, you can. You can add more fans, you can get more fans to come out if you're a more competitive team, but you're never going to duplicate that in any city. It doesn't matter, because it's a special thing, which is why it's just an exhibition tournament that lasts for a couple of weeks. And it means more to all of these other countries. It means more to all of them than. Than it does to the United States. It doesn't mean that Team USA doesn't compete, doesn't want to win, doesn't matter what the roster makeup is. It's just. It's never going to mean as much. It's going to look different. So whether it's on Mark DeRosa, it's on the higher ups in Major League Baseball, it doesn't come out the same for Team USA Again, it doesn't mean that you can't root for them. It doesn't mean that you don't want them to win. It doesn't mean that they don't want to win. It's just. It's always going to look different. The only thing I can speak intelligently on is about Mark DeRosa setting the tone. Is that Navy SEAL guy. That's a joke. Why? The military was constantly brought up. And this isn't a military display. It's a baseball competition among nations. Like, this has nothing to do with the men and women that are serving in our armed forces.

[Dan Bernstein]

Thank you for saying it that way. Because the country is not the military. You didn't see any other country, any other country making it a celebration of guns and war and death. It's about the country.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

It's about country.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right, Exactly. And being proud of your country doesn't mean you're proud of every aspect of your country. Loving your country doesn't mean you love the military. It doesn't mean you love the engagement and the use of the military, which is designed to kill people.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Correct. And the tone that has been set by the current administration of even calling it the Department of Defense to the Department of War. It just, it sets the tone for what our nation, how our nation appears to other countries right now. So all of that aside, this is not about the military. Why it keeps being brought up. I don't get it. It's about baseball. It's an international baseball tournament. One country against another country in a baseball game. Now, if America, can an American roster ever look like one of these other nations and have as much fun, they certainly can. I don't know if there's too much pressure. If we just feel like we're entitled and we have to win because it's the national pastime. I don't know what sets that tone.

[Dan Bernstein]

I know it sets a tone. It's my fault as a baseball parent. It's all, it's the way we parent our baseball players. It's, it's, it's, it's me. It's nervous parenting. I'm at fault for a lot of this when, when I'm the one.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Do you say that?

[Dan Bernstein]

Because I think it's, it's, I think it is nervous parents who try to, who are pacing around the fields, get out of there. Let your kid play. Go home. Let them, let them have fun on their own terms. Here you go. Listen to your coaches. Have fun. I, having been around from, from the four year olds playing T ball all the way through college ball, now I still think it's my fault. It's the nervousness of the parents, the insecurities of the parents that rub off on the kids. It's the travel industrial complex we've created in this country. We do this. No other country, no other country does it with these clubby capitalistic ways of, of everybody trying to make thousands and thousands of dollars to say that your kid is elite and your kid is elite and your kid goes to these showcases and you got to get your college scholarships, which is only going to be a partial anyway, but you got to get these college scholarships because that's all. Because everything. Public education costs too much money. Like we're the, We've so this up because of our system and because of parents. Because a parents like me who get so nervous watching games that, that we got that people laugh at you because you're pacing around and watching your kid play. It's just baseball, right?

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

It's, it's just baseball and it's Just a baseball tournament, and it's supposed to be for fun and for national pride and, you know, and, I mean, we could go on and on and talk further about this, but whatever the reason is, we just don't have as much fun playing in the WBC as other countries have or are ever going to, I don't think.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I'm still taking my share of blame as a nervous baseball parent.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

I mean, we could talk about youth sports. We can make a whole show out of it, but, you know, I'm still disappointed in the outcome of it. Some of the big hitters just didn't come through when they needed to. All the credit to Venezuela, and their pitching was spectacular all tournament long. And, you know, USA makes it to a third straight WBC final, and they just. They fall short once again. Bryce Harper made it interesting. Got me off the couch, standing in front of the tv. So that was fun. Venezuela wins three to two. One other thing I wanted two other notes. I have John Smoltz, the only John Smoltz that I have. Do you want to share your perspective on what you think.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Is doing, or do you want me to share?

[Dan Bernstein]

You share yours first.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

So this is the last moltism of. Of the wbc. I did a really good job in not. Because. So, first of all, Natalie and I had a date night last night, and we went to Max and Benny's for dinner, which was fantastic. Dude, soul food, man. We weren't even done eating. And I looked at her. I go, when can we come back? Like, she's like, whatever you want. I'm like, yeah, okay. Okay. Because I already had my next order planned.

[Dan Bernstein]

Like, what more do you need?

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

It was good. It was so good on marble with Swiss. I did a lot of the lot of the brown mustard.

[Dan Bernstein]

Any sauerkraut there? Did you?

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

No.

[Dan Bernstein]

Rachel? No.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

No, I didn't do any. Any Reuben or Rachel. And then we. We each got a bowl of soup that we shared. So she had the chicken with matzo ball, and then I had the mushroom barley, and we went back and forth with the bowls. They were so good. She had the turkey dinner. It was so good. And then after that, we went to this. This float spa. This place where you. You float. Like it's a float tank and you're in it. Yeah. So it's like 10 inches of water, 95 degrees, 2,500 pounds of Epsom salt. So you're literally. It's like the Dead Sea.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's like you're in a gel.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Yeah. You're just oh. So it was, it was really relaxing. So. And then we watched the game late and so I think I was just in a really good mindset that I didn't let John Smoltz get to me at all. I just enjoyed the baseball itself.

[Dan Bernstein]

I tried to do that too. I think I'm, I think I'm getting a little bit better at, at engaging the broadcast on my terms.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Yeah. And I think also because it was so boring the first like six innings. Like, like from a Team USA perspective, it was like, all right. And it was going so fast. I didn't really have time to let Smoltz invade my brain. But there was one, and it didn't make me angry. It just one that stood out. We both looked at each other simultaneously, which was funny. John Smoltz says after the sixth inning, two to nothing feels like four to nothing. And she looked at me and I just said, I don't know. I don't know. I'm not sure. I don't know how two to nothing feels like four to nothing when a two run homer ties the game. It certainly doesn't feel like four to nothing. But that was the only thing that stood out to me last night. And then one other note, after the Team USA got their medals, I don't know if you saw or if you saw it live or saw anything online, but Mason Miller.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, and he took it off.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Gets two steps away from getting the medal and this rips it off his neck.

[Dan Bernstein]

Get this off of me.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Like, dude, just, I mean, I, I get being disappointed that you came in second. What, whatever the, whatever the, the why it was done, whatever his motivation was for it, it just, it was a, it was a bad look, that's all.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, there were so many. And I, there were just when I was reading what so many people were saying last night and it just texting around, there were so many great comments about what this all was. There were a couple guys on Blue Sky. This was it said, pretending you're going to war instead of a baseball tournament and then losing at baseball is super funny. Our guy, David Roth, who I adore, he said Bryce Harper just constantly drinking a room temperature pint of raw milk in the clubhouse right now. The, there's this, this guy said, I just want Team USA to know they did let us down, just not in the way that they believe. Which I thought was, was wonderful. There also was when you saw the way that these men on Team Venezuela were hugging and kissing and crying and embracing. There was a lot of commentary about real masculinity about sharing emotion, being there for each other, and with the actual honest, real definition of masculinity being on display rather than the fake hard ass Punisher logo, the. The T shirt, the Cal rallies T shirt celebrating landmines and all. Oh, like, you can see it in the vulnerability, in the joy, in the genuineness that don't give me, like, we know what it means to be real, man. You got beaten. You get beaten by guys who were better at displaying that than you were and were more honest about it, more real, more vulnerable. And that's all being celebrated in the streets of Caracas today.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Yeah, we talked about that. We talked about how it was going to mean more to Venezuela, and it certainly did. And you saw that in the display of emotion and the way they celebrated now. And, And I, you know, Team USA would have celebrated, but the, the motivation behind it, the real, the real feeling behind it would have been, yeah, we won. And we were supposed to win.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, I want you. When you watch the documentary about this, the 1980 Soviet hockey team.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Yeah, I still gotta watch it.

[Dan Bernstein]

When you watch the 30 for 30 and you listen to what they said about the pressure on them and why they felt so much pressure and why they weren't having fun, it's all recapitulated here. Everything those players talked about, about what their government expected of them, what they were told the people wanted, what they were told they had to represent. Mm. They felt that pressure and they. Hell, it's a cliche when. How many times when you see Ivan Drago pick up Gorbachev by the throat and says, I don't fight for you, I fight for me. I don't fight for you in this party, in the Politburo. And it's this moment in this cheesy movie that we all love, but that's it, man. You know, that's. They were doing it in a real way for their country because they love it. They weren't being told that they had to be vessels for some kind of jingoism or puffed up nationalism. And maybe they believe it, maybe they don't, and maybe they were just taking orders. But it was bad. The whole thing was bad, and it failed and stuff like that should. That's why you're rooting for Rocky at the end. That's why the Soviets are all rooting for Rocky at the end, because that was real and they knew that their stuff wasn't.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Well, that's also why the 1980, you know, that. That USA USSR game was so meaningful and special because it was college kids and they weren't supposed to be there. And they just got their asses kicked less than a week before by Russia, that looked like they didn't even belong on the ice with them. And had that been professional hockey players in 1980 that beat Russia, yeah, it would have been a big achievement because Russia was the best hockey team in the world at that moment. But it wouldn't have been celebrated or as memorable, of course, as it was. And here you have the USA going into it thinking this is a tournament on our soil, that we're going to win, that we should win, that we deserve to win and that entitlement to it because we're usa. And all these other countries come together and do it for each other, for their country, for all the players that came from their country before them. And it is different. It's always going to be different. It doesn't make it bad for Team usa, It's just it's always going to be different.

[Dan Bernstein]

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[Dan Bernstein]

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[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

And I would say don't screw Doris in accounting or whatever you're saying. Yeah, just. Just beat her. Beat her in the tournament.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. That's. That's good advice. Thank you.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Yeah. Goodbye. Wait. One other quick baseball note. I don't know if you saw this. I saw this float through. Did you see the story that who's. Who's the owner of the White Sox are going to be Ishbia?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes. Justin Ishbia.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Justin Ishbia is set to or is planning on or is going to buy some land in the South Loop.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

For a new baseball stadium.

[Dan Bernstein]

Awesome.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Good luck. Because I.

[Dan Bernstein]

Paying for it.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

I think so.

[Dan Bernstein]

I hope.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

I hope that. I hope I can look into the story more, but I want to just. I want to throw that out there so we can follow back up through it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

More later in the show. So that would be super exciting. That'd be great. That'd be really fun. Brand new stadium. Let's go.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. If you. If he's. If he's not necessarily asking for money. Yeah. That Justin Ishbia will buy a south loop rail yard for a potential White Sox stadium.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, so that is the. Is that near the 78? I think it is, because I think it would be.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

That's the area that was looked at. Correct.

[Dan Bernstein]

We saw all that. The AI Renderings and all that.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

The fire is building in that area, too, aren't they?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I think it's. It's across the. Oh, it's the other side of the river from the 78, which I think we could get splashdown home runs then.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Oh, that'd be fun.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, so let's just keep an eye on it.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Yeah, keep an eye on it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Some of this stuff. And we just. If we know there's a plot of land there that. Okay. The west side of the river, which would give you. Boy, then you got your camera angle. Because now we're talking about. If you've ever had a youth game at. What is it, 26th and Federal. You know that park? Yep. Right. At 26 and 5. You played there?

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Never played there. No, never did.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, it's awesome. It is. It's. It's a great. When you see your kid is there on the mound and you can get the shot of the. The. Of the city. That. And if. If we're talking about that area, I don't want to lose that field for youth ball, but that's what it sounds like to me. I got to look at a map, though.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

But.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, because that is. That's just, you know, near south side, I think 26 and federal, or 24th and federal. And if he's buying there, you. You've got a chance for a big, beautiful, beautiful shot from behind home plate.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Yeah. So we'll keep an eye on that story. I just saw our guy Jeff Agrest reposted that, so.

[Dan Bernstein]

Good, good.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Wanted to mention that.

[Dan Bernstein]

And then.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Yeah, we'll keep an eye on that for the White Sox.

[Dan Bernstein]

That'd be fun. Glad you did. And we also mentioned that yesterday we're getting the MRI results on Seiya Sea. Suzuki has a strained posterior cruciate ligament, which is a huge sigh of relief.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

It is a big sigh of relief, but depending on what grade it is, I saw anywhere from 10 days to four weeks.

[Dan Bernstein]

But that's if it's a sp. Sprain, not a strain.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Okay, so it is a strain because I saw sprain.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay. I saw strain. Big difference. A sprain is a. Is a tear. A strain can be a stretching, irritation, overuse. If it is sprained, that means a partial tear, which I Don't think they would be saying he's cleared for baseball activities. That's a big difference.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

He's in a soft knee brace. Was walking around.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yep, yep. But it sounds like there's a little bit of swelling. I heard, and I read strain, so.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Okay, it must be a strain. Update. Opening day remains in play.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes. Yeah, I think it just takes some care. He's got a little owie to his knee and should be fine. That. That's how I read that. But good, good news. It could have been worse. And it seems like they don't have to make any larger plans or begin any roster machinations that there aren't. They don't have to set aside a spot for somebody who is going to be there until he's ready, et cetera.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

All right, so this story on MLB.com says an MRI exam on his right knee showed a sprain of the pcl.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, well, that's. I mean, that's significantly worse.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

That is minor in nature, according to Craig counsel, and they quote Counsel saying minor in nature, but a sprain is different than a strain. And this is saying sprain. So unless the writer trying to use the words interchangeably, which they're not. Yeah. A sprain could be 10. 10 days to four weeks.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Much more mild.

[Dan Bernstein]

I see strain.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

And so. Or somebody is just playing fast and loose with those words and defining that

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

they mean the same.

[Dan Bernstein]

Exactly.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, but I, Yeah, I've seen both. But. But when I first saw strained pcl, I thought, okay, we're. Everything's going to be fine. Don't worry about it. Also, let me get to. Let me stipulate to something I think I understand about John Smoltz and Joe Davis and the Fox broadcast.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Oh, yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

And it's also something where I think I can actually agree on some things. And this might surprise you, but the quest to bring more action to baseball is a noble one. I do get the idea that the concept of three true outcomes of velocity, all the strikeouts and the home runs and the walks, making baseball less interesting because there are fewer balls in play. I think that's a totally reasonable argument. That's an aesthetic argument. That's not about necessarily good or bad or good for you or good for me. It's just what you like and what you think people like what you like. As a baseball fan, if you liked the 70s game better, if you liked, you know, pre steroids, if you liked slappier baseball, the idea that strikeouts were bad and you were supposed to try to not strike out Smart people have written about this. The point of the ball and strike system is to make you swing the bat. That's the point. The point is the guy threw three right over the plate and you didn't swing. So go sit down. Or to the pitcher, you threw three and the guy didn't have a chance to swing, so he gets to go to the base. And now those rules have sort of inverted and been exploited. So the idea is that, hey, swing the bat, put it in play, let somebody make a play. I get all that. And that's why they made the bases bigger. That's why they, they, they tried to have fewer shifts and moved the shifts, and it didn't really work in all these ways. And so I started to put it together that even if we agree that maybe there's ways to make baseball, as the players get bigger, stronger, faster, better, that there, there might be ways outside of moving the mound back, which would be the best one. But if that's not necessarily a bad goal to have, eventually to find a way to evolve the sport to have more action in it, I think everybody would agree with that. The problem is today's game is today's game. The way you win at baseball is by driving the ball in the air and by throwing the ball as hard as you can all the time to lessen the possibility that a ball is in play. That's just the way the game is played. And we know that that's how teams are built. That's what, that's what has happened. As long as the bases are 90ft apart or slightly less now with the larger bases, that as long as there is a fence and as long as outs are the capital of the game and the timer of the game being outs. Because I loved it when Smoltz said something like, well, it's a seventh inning, so if they're going to come back, it has to start now. And my thought was, no, it doesn't. It does. It literally doesn't. That it can start with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. It doesn't matter. As long as you get the runs, it doesn't matter when it starts. It's as long as you're not out, you're in the game. It doesn't have to start now. But I, but I, but he, he there. This is the realization that I had and I tried to put it together. Why does Smoltz hate home runs and not even sort of recognize home runs? He likes to talk about all kinds of run creation, but he won't acknowledge what home runs do even as he's watching them. He hates velocity, where he was describing 101 mile an hour pitch boy, he's painting out there. That's not painting. That's not painting. That's a flamethrower. That's blowing people away because they can't hit it because the ball's too fast. He won't even say what's obvious to everybody. He won't say he just blowing people away. You can't catch up with that velocity because it's nearly impossible, which it's obvious. Velocity has changed the game. Filthy stuff has changed the game because of velocity in large part. But he won't acknowledge it. And he also will go out of his way to talk about balls in play and ground balls and things. And I realized something. He likes soft hits more than hard hits. He's calling what he wants. He's trying to fit the game in front of him into an idealized version of the game that he wants. Now, if he were on a podcast and he were just saying, you know, the game today really bugs me, he said, ideally, I would love to go back to the way the game looked in 1982. Guys are running around the bases and you're throwing over here and you're throwing over there, and occasionally you hit a home run, you run into one, and that's great, but you're not trying to hit a home run every time and all that. But to do it within the context of a broadcast, when your job is to call the game in front of you and understand how this is at the moment. And these are. These take years and years and years of rules changes and years, and maybe 20 years from now, he'll get what he wants. Maybe they'll figure out a way to deaden the ball. Maybe they'll figure out a way to. To change the rules, to incentivize something other than a strikeout. I don't know. I'm open to all. I'm open to having these discussions, but for the moment, you've got to do the job in front of you. And it's understand what teams are doing to try to win. What is this? And this team is trying to hit home runs. They're trying to hit the ball in the air on the barrel of the bat as hard as you can. And it's all measured via statcast. And we can quibble about issuing stats and being bothered by what the understanding of stats has done to exploit certain aspects of the game and all these philosophical things, but don't Let that keep you from doing a job. And that's what bothers me, is it's not the job to call the game you would like. You don't hear golf commentators constantly during a broadcast. It's like all these guys are hitting at 350 yards, and they just got to use a gap wedge into this green. This is not this course. It's designed. This isn't how this course is designed. This isn't the way you're supposed to play this golf course. Here's dechamba bombing away on everything. It's ruining everything. They believe that. A lot of people believe that. But they don't clutter up the current broadcast by being annoyed and harping on it and making that a lead blanket over enjoying it. That's the problem I have, is not separating your vision. There's a time and a place. You want to go to a symposium. You want to do a TED Talk. You want to sit in Rob Manfred's office and eat peanuts with your feet on his desk and hash out this stuff. Great, maybe that'll. Maybe some of that will mean there will be a better game. But for the moment, the game you're actually calling what this is right now is not what you want it to be. But you got to let that go for now and get excited about that, because there's so much to get excited about. There's so many great players. There's so much incredible talent. It might not be ideal for you, it might not be ideal for the average fan that maybe the game would and will be better if it's not all three true outcomes and that these guys aren't all throwing 104 all the time. But you can't be mad at it, and you can't fault them, and you can't piss all over your own product for it not being what you wanted because it's what you grew up with. That, I think, was my realization about sort of my fundamental disconnect with just, it's here, and you're supposed to lend some color to what's going on, context and reasons and history and to not want to use stats ever, ever, ever, ever. To not want to tell me a likelihood. To not want to say, this is a big deal because there was only this chance, and everything is, I see this, or it seems like they haven't gotten a leadoff hit or not. Just tell me. You know, either they have or they haven't. You got a guy in your truck, will tell you. Don't give me. Seems like give me what's real. But to me it's sort of a tragedy. It really is a sad tragedy. The inability to get past your distaste for the current game in a way that won't let you see what's in front of you for what still makes it good.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Yeah, I think you summarize it really well when you just say he's calling the game he wants to see. And that makes a lot of sense. And unfortunately he doesn't add a whole lot of insight or color as the color commentator to the broadcast.

[Dan Bernstein]

And if you want to take a time, if you want to convene a panel, I think there's a lot of things where Theo Epstein would nod his head. Theo Epstein is a complete rules progressive when it comes to some of this stuff that talk about the golden at Batman about. I was told that Theo Epstein was a supporter of the golden at bat of at any point after the seventh inning you can, regardless of batting order, if you have your number three hitter who just struck out, you can push the golden at bat button and have him up again. And you can do that. You get one of those every game or something like that. Like that. He's like, yeah, sure, why not? And there's going to be stuff like that.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Yeah, we don't need to go any further into that. I just, I think that's the stupidest fucking thing I've ever heard.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'm just telling you when it comes

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

to baseball, I'm telling at the golden at bat. I mean what is this fucking five year old baseball?

[Dan Bernstein]

It's video game.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Yeah, that's. That is. I hope baseball never ever adopts a stupid rule like that. That's insane.

[Dan Bernstein]

There are there, there were supporters of that who are, who are not just going to cleave to tradition and realize that things have to change and sure

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

change other things, but a made up at bat is fucking stupid.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, no, there, there, there was a lot of support including in the discussions and I was told that, that Theo was one who like okay, yeah, that's, that's not bad. So that was being discussed. So if you want change, if you want just be careful what you wish for. I think and it might just be that if John Smoltz is grumbling now, if he wants some changes that are trying to bring back some aspects of the game, it may not be in the way that he wants. So things will go forward to try to do some of it, but it may be in ways that are disconcerting is all I would, based on the conversations that are being held.

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[Dan Bernstein]

Russ Armstrong's got windows for you. All you got to do is call him. I have to do is say, hey Russ, I need new windows. And he'll say, okay, perfect. Because that's what I do because I'm Chicago window guys and I will absolutely come out to your house and measure and make your windows for you at my Chicago factory. And I will guarantee these windows and is if that weren't good enough, you know what else Russ does? He'll match any price. So when you hear like, oh boy, I got, I know Bernstein, you talk about Russ, but there's all these other deals I hear about. How can I pass up? Buy one, get one free. Don't worry about it. He just, you just say, russ, this is the deal. They came out to my house, they offered me this and then he will match any price and he's going to give you the best product and he's going to guarantee everything. Call 847-302-9171. He's got five star reviews at ChicagoNowBeyond.com when you are getting quotes, ask sales reps who's gonna install your windows. Say, by the way, who's gonna be all over my house and inside my house and parked around my house and doing all this? Those other companies are not gonna know who see Russ does because Russ doesn't use subcontracted labor. He's got his own crew. Your windows are going to be installed correctly the first time. The same people who have been to my house twice to install windows are going to install yours. It's why I recommend Russ to neighbors, to friends, to co workers. And everybody loves these windows. 847-302-9171. There are theories floating around. Yesterday we're telling you about Aiden Holloway, the Alabama guard that got busted. Now we Thought it was a pound of weed and it was apparently more than two pounds of weed. And you said yesterday he, that he makes between 300 and let's call it 4. Call it 400,000.

[Co-host (possibly a sports analyst or commentator)]

Yeah, that was the estimate. The estimate was between 3 to 500,000 and I saw other ones that it could have been mid to upper six figures. So just for fair game, let's call it 500 grand.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay. Let's just say that that's what he was making in nil. Why is he wholesaling that much weed? There have been all this stuff filtering back that there's, there's back channel stuff, there's theories there, there's some loosely based. One of the, One of the, shall we say credible or plausible theories has been that he's got buddies from back home and the moment he got all this money he, he made the dumb choice that he was going to use some of that cash lying around to wholesale product back to his buddies at home. That he wasn't necessarily, you know, selling quarters and eighths out of his dorm room on campus. He was not a retail level guy, but he was actually procuring it there to get it back home where it was being then broken down into dime bags for sale. And that would probably be worse for him. If you are at that level when you start talking about Alabama laws for trafficking and where your role is up the chain, I don't know who they would want him to roll on if they're trying to go upward because they usually don't go downward. They usually don't say, hey, we got a plea deal for you if you can rat out a bunch of street level dealers because those get replaced no matter what. If there's somebody above him that he could turn state's evidence on, yeah, that would work. Then he's got a chance here. But this puts him. If those theories are true, it would just put him in a very untenable position. That would raise a lot of questions about these choices and how somebody in his situation would do something that is that insanely ill advised. And I don't know. And we'll just stay tuned I guess. I know it sucks for them going into the tournament and it definitely should affect your picks when you do the 312 Sports Busted Bracket Challenge via the 312Sports app or 312Sports.com to try to win all the great stuff from Giordano's and we thank my bookie for being a part of that as well. When we are also talking about legalized gambling, there is a huge sports wagering story that hit yesterday. And there are a lot of people who have been watching the larger trends, Business people and people in the legal world who have been keeping an eye on when this was going to happen. And it happened in yesterday. The Attorney General of Arizona, Chris Mays, filed the first criminal charges against Kalshee, the prediction market platform. And the charges have been filed for illegal gambling. What Mays said was Kalshee may brand itself as a prediction market, but what it's actually doing is running an illegal gambling operation and taking bets on Arizona elections, both of which violate Arizona law. Now. And we're going to learn a lot as the discovery phase starts here. But Couchy said, quote, a state can file criminal charges on paper thin arguments. And they said that their business, quote, should not be overseen by a patchwork of inconsistent state laws. Now Kalshee claims that they are only guided by jurisdiction from the cftc, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Now the CFTC is the same group that would be in charge of regulating the commodities trading that we know well in Chicago. If we're talking bean futures and wheat futures and those contracts, pork bellies, those kinds of commodities that are traded, Kalshee says that they are the same, that this group that's monitoring livestock, oil, precious metals should also monitor this particular gambling market. And it allows them to get into areas that other places can't go. And there have been all kinds of civil cases filed. This is the first, the first criminal charge here because Kalshee's based in New York City and they're being accused of running unlicensed online gambling. And they're saying our state regulators have not approved this because sports betting regulated in large part by state gaming commissions and they don't want people gambling on elections for obvious reasons. Now we know at the national level Kalshi has been hugely and in large part unconditionally supported in their business by the current administration who has massive investments in it, which are obvious conflicts of interest. If you look at who the people are who might just be, you know, the son of the head of the executive branch who is investing millions and millions and millions of dollars in this and is getting preferential treatment in, in Kalshee and Polymarket who are operating similarly here, what I will say is there were a lot of people waiting to see who would be the first to file the obvious charges to be filed. And it reminds me of the scene in the Untouchables when Sean Connery's character just walks through into where all the illegal booze is being bottled and Elliot Ness, well, how did you know it was. Here he goes. The question isn't where the booze is. The question is who wants to CR Capone. Well, they just crossed Capone. They this has all been in plain sight and they did it. And this is going to work its way through the courts. I don't know how it's going to jump shift perhaps from state court to federal court and who's going to try to do what or whether or not it makes a this. I know the Kalsi and polymarket would want their case in, in, in all likelihood before this particular Supreme Court. But it's, it is a massive business and sports story to see if, in fact for Arizona to say, all right, here we go, we're going to do it. And in fact, those three words were accompanying a lot of the social media around this. Here we go. Because there was that feeling across the board that this was going to be something absolutely enormous. So keep an eye on it is all. And if this are, this is something in which you're invested or involved, definitely keep an eye on it. 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's got to take. No matter the sport, the props can be just as fun as the final score. I always give you props and I actually hit my parlay from Monday. My bookie is there for you with a prop board that is deep and fun to play no matter what's going on, especially as we get ready for the tournament. Player performances, game milestones, everything in between. The kind of action that keeps everything interesting all game long. Get in right to now. It's one account, it's one wallet. Everything lives at MyBookie AG. Whatever you like to do, it's there. MyBookie AG with the code DBU for Dan Bernstein unfiltered. You get your first bet covered up to 500 bucks. And if it doesn't hit you then have a bet back. Bonus token, you can run it back. DBU is your code. MyBookie AG is the place so you register, you deposit, you punch in the code and then you're rolling. Don't just watch the action, make it all pay. With my bookie, you want all the latest Bears and NFL stuff that is coming up for you on forward progress. This has been Dan Bernstein Unfiltered, brought to you in partnership with my bookie, brought to you in part by our friend Russ Armstrong in Chicago window guys. 8473029171 and by Giordano's. Your bracket may bust your Giordano's pizza shouldn't get your Watch party lineup delivered or Pick up at Giordano's.com forward/Gameday Dan Bernstein Unfiltered Unfiltered on 312 Sports.

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