Why is Bruce Levine Apologizing?

Summary

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Dan Bernstein Unfiltered

Episode: Why is Bruce Levine Apologizing?
Date: July 15, 2026
Host: Dan Bernstein
Co-host: Matt Abbatacola (and/or unnamed analyst)

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Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the controversy surrounding longtime Cubs reporter Bruce Levine, who recently apologized to Cubs executives Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins after a private message containing critical remarks became public. Dan Bernstein and his co-host grapple with what this incident says about sports journalism, team/media relations, and the integrity of reporting in the age of blurred lines between journalism and PR. The discussion also branches into media transparency, the responsibility of insiders, and plenty of classic Chicago sports candor.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Bruce Levine Apology Controversy (01:01 – 15:41)

• What Happened:
  Bruce Levine, a prominent Cubs reporter/analyst, accidentally made public a private message criticizing the Cubs’ management (Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins), referring to them as “Twinkle D and Twinkle Dumb” in the context of last year’s trade deadline.

• The Cubs’ Response:
  The Cubs, through a spokesperson (Maria Sapienza), announced to the Sun Times that Levine had apologized to Jed and Carter and that the team had accepted the apology and "moved on".

• Dan’s Take:
  Dan is incredulous and disturbed that the team would publicize a private apology and see it as a blurring of lines between journalism and PR.

  “This is a reporter whose job it is...blurring the lines between reporter and analyst...there's an apology that is probably necessitated in this. The apology is to whoever you were trying to text...But that's private, and the Cubs shouldn't be sharing that.” — Dan Bernstein (04:13)

• Co-host's Perspective:
  The apology for name-calling is acceptable if it stays private; the issue is the club making it public.

• Bigger Media Implications:
  Dan and his co-host stress the importance of reporters offering real, sometimes harsh, opinions about the teams they cover—without fear of retribution or expectation of a public grovel.

  "Journalism is reporting what the subject does not want reported. All else is public relations." — Dan Bernstein quoting Orwell (09:09)

• Questions of Integrity:
  The panel questions Levine’s consistency—did he express similar criticism publicly at the time, or is there a split between on-air commentary and private beliefs? If so, what’s his role as a reporter?

  “If you feel like they didn't do enough and went out and deliberately said the opposite, then why do you have that job?” — Co-host (22:38)

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2. Public vs. Private Apologies and Team/Image Management (15:41 – 33:46)

• Who Deserves an Apology?
  Consensus: The only person owed a real apology was the source who received the text, not the executives indirectly referenced.

• Damage to Sources:
  Sharing critical thoughts with a team insider—a source—can be damaging if those comments leak, and the risk to both reporter and source is underscored.

  “If you're getting good stuff like that. Not now. It's burned.” — Dan Bernstein (16:33)

• Missed Transparency Opportunity:
  They propose it would have been better and more honest for the team/network to have an on-air conversation between Levine, Jed, and Carter, turning the controversy into content and transparency and restoring credibility, instead of backchannel drama.

  “I would have taken full advantage of it and said, all right, hey, we're going to get those guys on with Bruce...to talk through this on air. That's what I would have done. Oh, I would have done that.” — Co-host (24:59)

• Media Blurring:
  The hosts discuss the challenges modern sports journalists face when team-owned outlets (like Marquee for the Cubs) blur editorial independence, and the threat to honest critique.

  “If the job is PR, then I guess, I guess everybody is kind of in on the theatrical aspect of this. Then we're just playing characters. And that is even stranger.” — Dan Bernstein (13:51)

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3. Reporting, PR, and Modern News Consumption (33:49 – 37:27)

• Who Controls the Narrative?
  The Cubs’ announcement of the apology raises concerns about who controls information and the potential chilling effect on honest reporting.

• Audience Role:
  Dan reminds listeners that as sports consumers, we crave authentic opinions—not filtered corporate speak.

  “As a consumer, I want thoughts like that. I go out of my way to find people who are willing to tell me truths...” — Dan Bernstein (12:27)

• Media Critique:
  The episode closes this topic by warning about the larger trend of public relations overtaking journalistic truth in sports coverage, especially with team-controlled media.

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4. Lighter Segment: Cubs Sustainability Initiatives & Ballpark Beer Ideas (43:00 – 48:11)

• The Cubs have started capturing rainwater and keeping beehives for honey production at Wrigley Field to move toward sustainability.

• Dan jokingly laments that the Cubs might steal his idea—brewing a proprietary Wrigley Field beer using hops grown at the ballpark, a suggestion he claims to have pitched years prior.

  “My thought was somewhere in the ivy...see if you can grow hops and use them in a proprietary Wrigley field beer...It's not about getting your beer in the ballpark. It's making your beer from the ballpark.” — Dan Bernstein (44:50)

• Segment is lighthearted—an example of Dan's irreverent, insider-y tone.

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5. Bulls Summer League & Caleb Wilson Hype (51:00 – 54:06)

• Quick discussion on Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson’s strong summer league performance.
• Dan confesses excitement, even blurting to his dog: “This kid’s a star.”
• He weighs Wilson's upside, calling this rookie “potentially the best player in his draft class.”

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6. Olive Garden’s Never-Ending Pasta Pass & Miscellany (57:12 – 66:57)

• A playful deep dive into the economics and “strategy” of Olive Garden’s 13-week unlimited pasta deal.
• The segment turns into a hilarious debate on whether anyone actually drinks milk with pasta (Dan did as a kid; his co-host finds it gross).
• This portion brings signature banter and lightness, with plenty of laughs and quick pivots—“If someone came over and I had dinner with and they were like, hey, do you have any milk?...there’s the door.” (64:08, Co-host)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Journalism vs PR:
  “Journalism is reporting what the subject does not want reported. All else is public relations.” — Dan Bernstein paraphrasing George Orwell (09:09)

• On who’s owed an apology:
  “That's to whom you owe an apology...because those are your, those are your lifeline. If you're really doing your job, and if you’re getting good stuff like that, not now. It's burned.” — Dan Bernstein (16:28)

• On content vs. apology:
  “If you want to be a hard O about it, you're allowed to call them names...I'd refer to them as Tweedledee and Tweedledum if that's what I thought...because that's not hard. That's almost laughable.” — Dan Bernstein (20:22)

• Turning a controversy into programming:
  “I would have taken full advantage of it...get those guys on with Bruce to talk through this on the air. That's what I would have done.” — Co-host (24:59)

• On Cubs management’s reaction:
  “There is not a doubt in my mind that this doesn't really bug them at all. They're so beyond this...” — Dan Bernstein (29:03)

• On insider reporting:
  “If you're the insider, you're the baseball insider. That means you’re privy to stuff other people aren’t. You’re allowed to formulate an opinion because you’re there every day. And then we tune in and we get to hear your real opinion based on all that stuff you get to see...” — Dan Bernstein (07:24)

• On the joy of summer league NBA hope:
  “I think he's a star. And then did you hear him after the game? You see how comfortable he is with a microphone, how comfortable a 19 year old is. [...] Everything about this kid, he is confident. He is cute. He plays his ass off...it is not off the table he’s the best player in this class.” — Dan Bernstein (51:00)

• On mixing milk with pasta:
  “If someone came over and I had dinner with and they were like, hey, do you have any milk?...there's the door.” — Co-host (64:08)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:01] — Introduction to the Bruce Levine apology situation
• [04:13] — Dan’s first reaction, and the private vs. public apology debate
• [09:09] — Dan quotes Orwell on journalism vs PR
• [13:51] — Discussion on reporting, PR, and the authenticity of media coverage
• [16:28] — Who really deserves an apology (the source)
• [24:59] — Missed opportunity: why not turn the apology into programming?
• [33:49] — Broader discussion on transparency and sports media
• [44:50] — Cubs’ sustainability story & Dan’s “ivy beer” idea
• [51:00] — Excitement about Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson
• [57:12] — Olive Garden pasta pass: banter and cultural commentary
• [64:08] — Banter about milk with pasta

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Overall Tone and Takeaway

Dan Bernstein brings sharp criticism, humor, and a sense of old-school journalistic integrity to dissect the Levine apology episode. The show is unflinching about Chicago sports but even more concerned with the standards and ethics of reporting. The hosts advocate for honesty and transparency, irked by the increasing corporatization of sports media—and they keep the whole thing lively with irreverence, vivid analogies, and classic Chicago sarcasm. If you want to understand the evolving relationship between teams and their “insiders,” this episode is essential Chicago sports listening.

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Transcript

[Jenny V]

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[Dan Bernstein]

Dan Bernstein Unfiltered Unfiltered on 312 Sports DBU on 312 brought to you in partnership with my bookie and today also by Chicago Window Guys. Russ Armstrong is the owner. Call him when you need windows 847-302-9171, chicagowindow guys.com and today by Harley Davidson Woodstock. Visit them [e-mail] lot to discuss today, but man, I I I could not believe that Bruce Levine had to apologize for having a strong invalid thought about the Cubs and the way they're being run and the trade deadline of last year and now it's like you have to be, you have to apologize to the team that you cover. This is not, to me very, very surprising and a little unsettling that the Cubs would publicly come out and say to Jeff Agrest of the Sun Times, this is a this is on the record from a Cubs spokesperson. Bruce has apologized to Jed and Carter and they've accepted his apology. We've moved on and we're focused on an exciting second half of the season. So whoever sent that email to Jeff Agrest or gave that specific statement to Jeff Agrest at the Sun Times was putting out there a couple things. First of all, that Jed and Carter are indeed twinkle D and Twinkle dumb, parenthetically S I C sick for it should be Tweedledee and Tweedledum. But man, this is talk about being through the looking glass. This is a reporter whose job it is as blurring the lines between reporter and analyst, someone who's on every day around 7:30 in the morning, every single day is on to give opinions about the Cubs. Here's a perfectly valid opinion. Now, it got out the wrong way. There is an apology that is. That is probably necessitated in this. The apology is to whoever you were trying to text. And the, the best triangulation that I have based on everything, all the, the sleuthing and everything that I'm hearing is that my, My understanding there is that it's John Maley. But that's just, you know, I, I can't have p. I don't have subpoena power. But that. To whoever that is, that's to whom an apology is owed. Because that's the person you put in a trick bag. That's the person who clearly agrees with you. It's not confirmed that person agrees with you. But you. If you've had this kind of relationship, being able to text this person and they're unhappy with their own bosses and they know who you're talking about and there. There's some undercurrent that the team was sold out. But that. See, but that's. That's what you tune in for. That's the good stuff. That's a reporter's job. That's an analyst job, is to get that information and have strong thoughts and not apologize for them. You want to apologize to a source. Yeah, but that's private, and the Cubs shouldn't be sharing that. Like, if this were. It just was. The whole thing's been mishandled. You do this private. If, if you feel, first of all, it's the. It's the Cubs confirming that it's Jed and Carter. There was all kinds of speculation as to who twinkledee and twinkledum were. Everybody was wondering, gee, is this Tom Riggins? Who are they talking about? Could it be Tom Riggins and Jed Hoyer? It's clearly big, powerful people. Okay, well, there's the confirmation. It's Jed and Carter. Great. Ultimately, big deal. Whatever. They've heard worse. They're the president of baseball operations and general manager of the Chicago damn Cubs. Like, this is some sort of treasonous activity to have a thought about the way the Chicago Cubs are being run or how they were handled the trade deadline. That. That's. That's high treason. That necessitates emasculating oneself to apologize to the people you ostensibly cover.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

And then I think he. He owed them apology. An apology for calling them those names. That's just respectful. And if you have a good.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's. That's fine, but that's Private.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

But that's private. Yes. Yeah. I mean, yeah. There is no reason for a Cub spokesperson to talk to a reporter at all about that. That is a conversation. Now, the bigger issue for me as a Cubs fan is if you have these thoughts.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

As the main guy covering the teams, why didn't you share those? I'm trying to go back through Twitter to see what he may have said at last year's trade deadline. And it just. It doesn't go back far enough for me, for whatever reason. But I'd be curious to hear what he had to say about what they did then. Did he really feel like they sold a team out? Did he really feel. Did he really feel like they acted like Twinkle D and Twinkle Dumb with the moves they didn't make or the move they did make?

[Sponsor or Ad Voice]

Well, I.

[Dan Bernstein]

You could. I could make it even bigger. At what point did you believe that these two people running the Cubs deserved those nicknames? It might not have been the trade deadline. Might have been something before it. It might have been overall, that. That's what I tune in to hear.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Right?

[Dan Bernstein]

That's. That's what I want to know. If you're the insider, you're the baseball insider. That means you're privy to stuff other people aren't. You're allowed to formulate an opinion because you're there every day. And then we tune in and we get to hear your real opinion based on all that stuff you get to see. And then we finally threw a back door, get some really good stuff, and the team publicly announces, you've apologized. Like we did that story about the guy last week that cut his dick off and set it on fire. I think the Cubs just did that here. Like, come on. It really bugged me. It bugged me. As a longtime reporter, there was a. There was a mistake made. There was a screw up. The screw up was not having a valid opinion about the Cubs. That was not the mistake. The mistake was sharing a text with a source and then letting everybody play the game, then everybody else's name until there's a name put on there. Well, and everybody's speculating. Is it Tommy Hodavi? Is it Johnny? Who it is. And then everybody's like, oh, whoa, whoa, whoa. Now there's a bunch of names out there because of this mistake. But the. For the Cubs to announce Bruce has apologized to Jed and Carter. No. If you say, hey, the reason I called you, that is. I didn't like. I don't like the job you're doing, and that's my job. To have that opinion and my job, to observe and to feel strongly. And I think. I think Jed and Carter would understand that reporters are there to report. I know I'm sounding idealistic, and I know that lines get blurred of where the money's coming from and who's working for whom. I'm not an idiot. So you can. You can save whatever that response is. What. What kind of fantasy world do you live in where the teams don't get to control the media narrative? Come on. They call me an idealist, but that's just not how it's supposed to be. That's not how it's supposed to be. Reporting journalism, whatever you want to call it. And it's just sports. These are. There is a parallel discussion going on here, and there's certainly parallel thoughts in my head as I'm talking about this, about much more important things and what the powerful will do to avoid sunlight and. But that's for a different time. But in just this case, as Orwell said, journalism is reporting what the subject does not want reported. All else is public relations. Journalism is reporting what the subject does not want report reported. All else is public relations. For the team to be the one issuing this tells me that this is someone who is part of the PR staff. Oh, I'm so sorry. I had a completely valid thought. Don't apologize for that, man. Not now, not ever. Not now, not ever. That.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

That.

[Sponsor or Ad Voice]

Who.

[Dan Bernstein]

Because you might not be wrong and to know you might be right and then to have. To have to grovel, to have to emasculate yourself in front of the president of baseball operations. The hell is that? Oh, I apologize to you guys for thinking you're bad at your job. That's. Your job, is to think they're bad at their job. If that's what you think, I'll never have that thought again. What are we doing? What's the point of it? There. There's. If you. You want to. If you want to personally, like you say, Maddie, if you want to personally say, hey, I'm sorry, but he didn't even. He didn't name them. He didn't name them. The Cubs named them. So that's weird, whoever it may be.

[Progressive Insurance Announcer]

If you.

[Dan Bernstein]

If you want to go to those guys. And I'm trying to think, like, if that happened to me, what would I do? And I could. It's. It's easy for me to think that I would do all the right things in the moment and that I would somehow be an exemplar of professionalism and That I can't assume that maybe I'd be scared and wounded and feel panicked and threatened. I don't know what, internally, what kind of support one would have and who's arguing on whose behalf. But the way it's supposed to work is that the news gathering outlet would say, yeah, you screwed up, you know, mend some fences, fix it with your source. But you should never have to apologize for having an opinion and in a very informed opinion about how the team is being run. That's what you're there to do. So I can't speak in this case as anything but a consumer who also has some experience inside the various places. But as a consumer, I want thoughts like that. I go out of my way to find people who are willing to tell me truths like how you think, like, hey, I think they sold this team out in 2025. Not only that report who else thinks it. That's. That's the good stuff. Say, hey, there's an undercurrent here. There are people within the Cubs that feel betrayed. There are people on this team that feel like they had a real shot and they could have added something more than Mike Soroka, that they could have added somebody where they could have traded away some prospects to really help them down the stretch, and they feel that they didn't. That's reporting. Otherwise, it's pr. And if the job is pr, then I guess, I guess everybody is kind of in on the theatrical aspect of this. Then we're, then we're just playing characters. And that is even stranger. That's even more uncomfortable. But you can go to Jed and, and Carter and say, yeah, I shouldn't, I shouldn't have said that. But, but I'm not going to apologize for thinking that more could have been done in 2025. The actual problem is now what Jed and Carter think of the people under him with whom the information is being shared. Say, hey, is this, is this an issue here? Do people really think that we undersold that team or that we didn't do enough, that we, that we kind of cashed in a year thinking that or didn't. Didn't do they feel betrayed, you know, they should be concerned about that.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yeah, I agree with you there, Dan. And just looking at what he did send out, thinking it was a text, if you want to say to your, to your source, hey, have a great break. You guys have been doing awesome. That's one thing. But to almost a year later bring that back into that text, that means that's, that's been a regular conversation then or a conversation leading up to this year's deadline. Like, hey, do you think they're going to do the same they did last year? Do you guys like you? You don't, you don't bring that into a text of saying, hey, enjoy your time off with the family. You guys are on a great first half of the year. Unless that's been a regular part of your conversation. Like, you don't, you don't just drop that in a text unless you're talking about it or have those same shared feelings. Correct.

[Dan Bernstein]

Correct. And that's why that's to whom you owe an apology.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

That really. Because that, that's a big mis. That is a reporting mistake because those are you, you take your utmost care with your sources, with those relationships. Those are your, those are your lifeline. If you're, if you really are doing your job, you are trying to like and, and if you're, if you're getting good stuff like that. Not now. It's burned.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yeah, I don't, I don't talk to him again. If I'm that, if I'm that, that individual, you're done. You know, you're going to be cordial and friendly and kind and nice, but you're not sharing any information at all.

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[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yeah, and I think it's just, it's just too bad that. And again, I would love to be able to find out what he said at last year's trade deadline if he had those thoughts and shared something completely different. What are you doing then, man?

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

And maybe he did share those thoughts in different terms, but I can't go back to find it and, or listen to it. But, but if he didn't and it was like, oh, this is going to work out and this is why they've done this. This is why. This is a good move then, dude, what do you. What are you doing? Like, what are you here for then?

[Sponsor or Ad Voice]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

When I saw this post last night in the Sun Times, I could not believe that it was the Cubs on the Record announcing that a reporter had apologized to them.

[Progressive Insurance Announcer]

Yeah.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

And again, I get the apology for

[Dan Bernstein]

calling them those names, but that's private.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

It is private. That's not something to be talked about. Now, the apology wasn't about the contents, the, the context of the Cubs. Correct. What was he. I think we don't, we don't even know what the exact apology was it.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, it just says Bruce has apologized to Jed and Carter. And you know what? He doesn't owe it necessarily. If you want to be a hard O about it, you're allowed to call them names.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Right. And that's, and that's pretty mild.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's totally my. He's not saying that somebody. He's not reporting that somebody's cheating on their wife or is on part of some online cult. I mean, this is just, isn't serious. He's just coming with silly names, implying that they're bad at their job.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Right. If you were to.

[Dan Bernstein]

Actually, that's your job to have opinions about the job that they're doing. He's not attacking them personally. He's not saying somebody's a bad father. He's not saying somebody's a bad person.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Right. So I want to know, has he said that though? Has he reported that he feels like they're not doing their job? That's what I want to know. Has he made it known his feelings of. They didn't. They failed last year. The trade deadline. Yeah. You want to call them Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Get, get the actual words correct. That's very mild and that's fine. Yeah, I would even. I would use that on the air if I was hosting a radio show. I'd refer to them as Tweedledee and Tweedledum if that's what I thought. Because that's not hard. That's not bad. It's almost laughable. So if that's what he apologized for. Yes. That's a private matter and certainly not something the Cubs need to report through a spokesperson to the media.

[Dan Bernstein]

This all seems ass backwards to me.

[Jenny V]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think people are apologizing for the wrong things to the wrong people and the apology is being announced publicly by the wrong organization.

[Jenny V]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

Like you. This is something that, that a public facing person should be handling on one's own.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yeah. And dude. And put yourself in your baseball reporting shoes. I'll do the same. If I felt last year as a Cubs beat reporter that they didn't do a good enough job at the trade deadline, you could say that. And not with, with no, with no expectations of repercussion from Jed or Carter or the team. If you feel like they didn't do their job at the deadline, that's what you're supposed to say. And there was no GM in baseball that would say, well, I'm done talking to you. We're going to pull your credentials. You think I didn't do enough of the trade deadline.

[Sponsor or Ad Voice]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's what you're supposed to talk about and supposed to have opinions. Yeah, that's, that's. I keep saying your job is to have opinions about baseball news and how they do their jobs.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Now if you feel like what they did in the trade deadline last year was a good move and you truly believe that and you say that, then great, say that too. And you can be wrong as a reporter, but if you feel like they didn't do enough and went out and deliberately said the opposite, then why do you have that job?

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

If you're, if you're trying to make friends with them, then go get a job with them. Go work for them.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, but that's what this says. The fact that the, that the Cubs talked this over and that their PR department, their media Relations department answered, I presume, a request from the Sun Times and responded on the record. Like you could say on. It would be so easy to do this on background and say, hey, if you, if you want to report this, you didn't hear this from me, but here's what's going on. Just so you know, this is, this is. And then, and you can do this and you can present this in a way that doesn't make it look like I was like, oh, well, the Cubs have accepted an apology from someone who covers the Cubs. It doesn't sit right with me. The whole thing doesn't sit right with me. It's one unfortunate mistake that is being made worse by the responses and lack of responses. I guess talk it through. Give us a little transparency. It'll just make everything better if there's some transparency here. Because you. Look, reporters do say stuff. You don't report everything, you know, all the time.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Like there, there's some stuff never gets reported.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. And there's reasons for it too. Sometimes you're, you're protecting something, you know, because somebody's kid is sick and they don't want it out there or somebody's going through something awful and personal and, and there's, there's, there's stuff that you just can't report, you know, and we,

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

we, you and I haven't discussed this, but I, I think it was a missed opportunity as well.

[Dan Bernstein]

How so?

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

I would, I would have taken full advantage of it and said, all right, hey, we're going to, you know, we have this partnership, this business relationship. We're going to get those guys on with Bruce to talk through this on the air. That's what I would have done. Oh, I would have done that.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's a can't miss tune in is what that.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

100%, dude. It would have been like. Yeah, listen, I, and again, I can't confirm what Bruce said last year at the trade deadline, but let's say that, that Bruce had more positive things to say than what he really felt. And then you, you start off with, hey, I'm sorry I called you guys know, Twinkle D and Twinkle Dumb. I'm an idiot, first of all, for not even knowing it's Tweedle. You know, make fun of yourself. Get out in front of that. Yeah. And then, and then say, look.

[Dan Bernstein]

But here, here's why I've got a. I had an issue.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yeah, right. Because why didn't you guys do more like get into it, get out in front of it instead of hiding and having stuff like this Yeah, I would have taken advantage of it. Fully taken advantage of it. I mean, this is a 50 year guy in baseball with executives and veterans and World Series winners. Like, sit down and have a conversation about it. Like, the worst thing he did was call them Twinkle D and Twinkle Dumb. Big fucking deal. Like, if they can't get over that without laughing about it. Come on. They've been called, as you said, they've been called far worse.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'm sure, and they know it. They signed up for that when they.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

I would have. I would have taken advantage of this opportunity and had that conversation and hashed it out. And the only place that this conversation could have been heard is, Is my network, because we have this business relationship.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, it also makes you question then, what else? What are. Where are the other real thoughts?

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Correct. That's what, that's what I said while we were. Before the show. Like, the credibility stuff comes.

[Dan Bernstein]

What are we getting? What if these are the real thoughts and you have to apologize for the real thoughts? What are we getting? Like, I'm, I'm signing up and tuning in for the real thoughts. Right, Here we go. Here's our insider. All right, insider, what you got? Well, we gotta have. It's a mistake. That gets us the good stuff. Okay. And don't apologize because there are a lot of people agree with you. And there, like you say, it's evidence that there are people within the organization who agree with you.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Right. Because you're not, you're not just texting that out of the blue, right? You're not texting that.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, that's the story.

[Sponsor or Ad Voice]

Right?

[Dan Bernstein]

The story that's right here is that this is clearly an un. Either unspoken or. But, but widely enough held that a text like this to somebody in the organization, that somebody on the coaching staff is a sympathetic ear.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Right?

[Dan Bernstein]

It's somebody on the coaching staff's like, yeah, well, yeah, we know. We all know that. We all know what happened last year. There you go.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

I mean, Dan, like, if you, if you were going on vacation for a week, you're. You're in. Beth are going and you're going to Europe for a week. Lucky you. And I were to text you, hey, you know, pal, have a great time in Europe with Beth. They're going to miss you around, but enjoy your time. Shut down everything. Oh, my God. And you know, John, go forth. Our boss. John is such a jerk. I, you know, hate working with this guy. And if you, and if you didn't have any response, like, why are you bringing John up? Like, what is this about. Yeah.

[Progressive Insurance Announcer]

That's weird.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Then it would be very clear that you and I both have discussed this, and that's what we both agree on. Like, he totally torched that guy there in that. In that tweet. Yep.

[Dan Bernstein]

You burned a source and you made his life really difficult.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Now it may not have any impact. Jed and Carter, true professionals, could just say whatever if that's what in house guys think.

[Progressive Insurance Announcer]

Or.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, they could say that's part of our job too.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Correct.

[Dan Bernstein]

And here's the thing. And let me just.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Not everyone's going to agree with everything I do. That's. That's the responsibility I take on as a GM and president. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

And I, in.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

I.

[Dan Bernstein]

My dealings with Jed and Carter, talk

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

to them a lot.

[Dan Bernstein]

There is. There is not a doubt in my mind that this doesn't really bug them at all.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

At all. At all. They're. They're so beyond this and they're there. My bet is. And I liked what Matthew True Blood put on Blue sky where he said, if Jed and Carter don't show up when the team comes home with their Tweedle or Twinkle D and Twinkle Dumb Obvious shirts, they're doing it wrong.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yes. Oh, my God. I would. I would totally go the other way with it and just. And live it. And I would have name placards or press conferences with Twinkle Twinkle dumb.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Have fun with this.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Because I. I was around.

[Dan Bernstein]

Or get.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Or get.

[Dan Bernstein]

You see, if. If you. If you did it right, if you said Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the illustrations of them from the original. I think the original illustrations. Yeah. I know that that's hilarious that he got it wrong.

[Sponsor or Ad Voice]

But.

[Dan Bernstein]

But if I. If I remember correctly, there. Aren't they wearing propeller beanies or don't they?

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Correct.

[Dan Bernstein]

Do an image search. Do an image search of Tweedledee and Tweedle Dumb. Like. Oh, boy. That comes up real fast. Yes. They're wearing little. In the. In the Disney movie, they're. They're wearing beanies with flags on them.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

That would be hysterical.

[Dan Bernstein]

The little pennants that look. They look like baseball pennants, even.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

That would be hysterical.

[Dan Bernstein]

Big old, you know, blue bow ties.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yeah. Because then when. When.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, my God.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

When Theo was first hired and the transition was happening, I was there covering the team, so I was around those guys a little bit. And you. Again, a lot more experience talking with them on the air. I would say that this. This was just something that would brush off and wouldn't even have a second thought to.

[Jenny V]

Mm.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's a nothing in that regard.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Correct.

[Dan Bernstein]

And then, but then you make it a something. You make it a something by hiding, by, by mishandling, by not aligning who's returning what phone call when the Sun Times calls, what's on the record, what's off the record. It doesn't, it really doesn't have to be difficult. You can have a laugh about it or you say, hey, come on, talk about it. But in Jed, if asked to do that, say, hey, Jed Carter, you want to come out with Bruce and, and, and put this thing to bed forever and kind of own it and be inside on it. And, and they might be like, I what? They probably forgot already. They're busy.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yeah. Or they could just say, no, it's not that important.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, yeah, it's our All Star break too.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Whatever. Timing the case though, Dan, then your guy has to be present to talk about it and get out in front of it and kill it. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

You have to let him, you have to let him do it.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

And, and that's the other thing too is trust. Trust that he can do it.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Saying, look, this is, hey, you, you, you, you made your bed on this one. You're gonna have to fix this. You can sleep, you got to sleep in this.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

He certainly could do that. I mean it would, it would take one, one appearance.

[Dan Bernstein]

Come on. It's a 75 year old, how old? Veteran. Right.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

50 years doing this. I'm sure he could, he could kill it in one 10 minute conversation.

[Dan Bernstein]

Exactly. And then it's over. But they got the timing, first of all to send that out in the middle of the Home Run Derby, which is more a social media baseball event than it is than anything.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

And going into the All Star break when there's no content. Oh, I believe, you know what? I, I, I, I know this and believe me, I, I know the times that we're doing something stupid or being the target of this or being the butt of jokes. I've, I've, I've been doing this for enough decades to have been in these positions. I know when, when a mishap can be oddly timed or badly timed. This is one of them. This is one of them, you know, So I, part of the reason I feel qualified to talk about this stuff is I know bad tweeting and I know uncomfortable situations and this idea. Should you apologize to this? Should you apologize to this? Who do you want to apologize? Man, I've been through this with, with corporate PR people and lawyers and not sleeping and being miserable and, and, and it sucks. I'm not I'm not lacking empathy in that regard. Trust me. I know it sucks.

[Progressive Insurance Announcer]

But

[Dan Bernstein]

it's news, it's interesting and it does, I think, shed a light on the whole dance that's being done in a lot of ways. What's happened to reporting where reporting and analysis have blended? The idea of is this a column or is this a story? We were like what's a newspaper even? What do any of those old terms even mean? Content is content. Okay, who's paying for the content? Well, are the Cubs paying? Because somebody works for Marquis and if you work for Marquis, does that mean you work for the Cubs? We know that Marquis at one point shut down down their, their Sunday round table. Remember that show, this, the, the Sunday round Table where there's like oh no no no, you criticize Jed Hoyer. Stop talking about this. And they're like oh, we didn't do that. And we didn't never said that even though they did. And to what extent are are comments on a team owned outlet policed for cutting too close to the bone that those are all. These are media stories and they're absolutely worthy of attention. And I do hope the curiosity is still there because you'll get the reaction. Who cares? It's just sports. I don't care. Wherever I get myself, I don't like. If you have any kind of critical thought left in your head from where do I get my info? How do I vet this information? It was one of the things anybody who's got kids who get most of their information from Instagram or somewhere else, how you or TikTok, how do you vet the information and, and understanding that stuff and, and using places like News Guard that's out there that there are businesses that say this is real news, this is fake news, this is trustworthy, this is eh, this, this is kind of trustworthy. But they've done this this, this and this that. It's one of the hardest things we do now is have the Ernest Hemingway built in shock proof shit detector. And this just makes it harder. This, this is, this is, makes things more difficult. And it's a marking point for me when you have a reporter apologizing to the subject of the reporting and then that organization announces officially your public apology. It's gross. And it's too bad because the only person who's really owed an apology is the source, is the person to whom you were texting. And it just, it, it's always going to make me wonder, you know, every time I hear stuff like okay, was, was this, did this had to be. Was this approved? Was this something that is. Or. Or somebody afraid of having to apologize again? Because once somebody does that, once. Once you make somebody grovel for forgiveness in, like, I can't even imagine. You know, I. I covered the Bears full time on the beat, and I covered the Bulls full time on the beat for years. And this is like. I would have to apologize to Jerry Krause. That ain't happening.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Well, again, I hope the apology only centered around the names that he called them and not the actual content of what he had to say or think.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yep, that's. That's true. We don't know exactly what it was.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

What it was.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'm sorry for having a. I'm sorry for having a valid thought about the job that you're doing.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

No, I'm. I'm sorry for calling you guys those names. That was stupid and disrespectful, but it just. I meant no harm by it. Something like that. That's. That's what I hope it is. But.

[Dan Bernstein]

But that was a private conversation. That's the thing. You don't have to apologize for what you say in private. The mistake was made. The fact that it was made public by accident. Yeah. I'm not a poly. Wouldn't apologize for something I say to a confidant about how I feel about somebody. That's my thought. And I'm allowed to have it. And if. And if the Cubs say he's not allowed to have it, or the kids say, well, now. Now you've got a lot of work to do to get back to the good graces of our. They're not your friends. That's not the job. The job isn't to have those people like you. It's to find stuff out and tell the audience.

[Jenny V]

Right.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

But one of those things, though, Dan, is you're right. They don't have to like you. But you hope on a professional level there's respect.

[Dan Bernstein]

There is. But there. There are. Look. But the truth is, there are a lot of people who are very, very good reporters, and they're. And they're also dicks.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Mm.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's okay, too. Yeah, that's okay. It's. It's not how everybody does the job, but there are some. Some really good reporters who. Who are. Would rather make enemies than friends in pursuit of the truth. And that's. That's just a different way of doing the job. It's. It can be really lonely and tough, but it is a valid way of doing the job. So there were a lot of lines that got blurred here. And I know we're tiptoeing around bigger things. And if anything, the fact that this happened about, you know, silly. Not just silly, funny comments about sports, to me, truthfully hits at other things. It hits at the essence of some larger trends about truth telling and about what Orwell said about the difference between journalism and public relations. We're down to the final four of the World cup this week, France and Spain. We saw that and we. It's. It's over. So it's Spain against the winner of England and Argentina. What time is that game?

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Three o', clock, I believe.

[Dan Bernstein]

Three o'. Clock. England, Argentina, Messi and Bellingham. You can spend hours breaking down the tactics or you can ask this question, will both teams score? It's an easy bet, and it's available for you in one place. And that's on my bookie. No injury reports, no xg, no pretending. You watch qualifying matches from six different confederations. One of the biggest sporting events in the world coming down to the wire. And you can be there with my bookie. And we have a special promo code for you. It's dbu, as in Dan Bernstein Unfiltered. And you can use that promo code to claim a deposit bonus and get up to $500 in protection on your first bet. You register, you deposit, you use the code dbu, and then you have all of these opportunities wide open to you and a deposit bonus and $500 in bet protection on your first bet. And it is only at MyBookie. You know, I think it's really important to be smart about managing your finances, and that's why I believe Monarch is the app that can help you in doing so. Monarch's like having a financial advisor in your pocket. It's a personal finance app and it tracks everything that can help you take care of your financial picture, account investments, saving goals and spending. Most apps only tell you what you've already spent. Monarch helps set goals, map out big purchases, and see if you're actually on track before it's too late to adjust. There's an AI weekly recap. It flags spending spikes, net worth shifts and upcoming expenses. And you can ask the AI assistant anything about your finances. How much did I spend on travel last summer? Can I afford this vacation without touching my savings? Write your own money story with Monarch. Use the code [e-mail] to get your first year of Monarch Core half off at just 50 bucks. That's 50% off your first [e-mail] with

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[Dan Bernstein]

I hadn't seen it until you pointed this out to me, but I'm a little worried the Cubs are stealing an idea of mine or about to steal an idea of mine. And this is an idea that I did bring up to Theo Epstein at one point. I don't remember exactly when, but I brought it up and I think it was. I knew it was. It was a crane. It might have been crane that I mentioned this to and I just kind of got a look like, yeah, what are you, what are you talking about? So bear with me. Tracy Butler did a story on ABC7 that at Wrigley, assistant groundskeeper Graham Flora, while tending to the juniper plants in the batter's eye, he noticed an opportunity. He saw rainwater from the scoreboard draining away. And then he got rain barrels out to capture the rainwater. He said, I was thinking about using rainwater. We have the drains on the roof on the scoreboard. Let's get rain barrels to him. One thing led to another. The system captures enough rainwater to save the Cubs 1500 gallons of water each year. Great. And most groundskeepers will tell you rainwater is better than water from a hose as far as the job that it does with the grass. And the ballpark is moving towards sustainability. They're trying to waste less. And this is Maria Sapienza, the Cubs director of analysis and planning operations, who also announced that Bruce Levine apologized. She said, it's in the ballpark. Waste less in the community, give more. And the ballpark energized responsibly. And the community power change. Did you know that they also are making their own honey? The Cubs installed beehives on a rooftop after receiving guidance from a neighbor. The team now produces its own honey and hopes to eventually use it in food served at Wrigley Field. And if, if here, that's great. And if hearing that makes you think, wait, didn't Bernstein, years ago, have a thought about this? And I did. You remember it. My thought was somewhere in the ivy, however you have to do it, figure out one little spot or sprinkle it through or just. Or just an area near the ivy or in a corner or somewhere. You can do this. Hops. See if you can grow hops and use them in a proprietary Wrigley field beer. You're laughing. I'm not. I'm. I. This was my thing 10 years ago. I brought this up. Had to be more than that. Ten years ago was the World Series already. So it. Twenty years ago, I said that what they have to do. It was. It was during the craft brew explosion, the whole craft brew craze, when my. When my cousin was launching Halfacre and I was thinking about it for half Acre. I think, hey, you know what you guys should do? It's not about getting your beer in the ballpark. It's making your beer from the ballpark. And if you could, somebody could do a proprietary Wrigley Field Ivy grown. You're drinking the ballpark. This. These are the hops grown within the ivy. I don't know the horticultural headwinds here about. Well, hops. Well, Bernstein, I'm a professional hops grower, and the. The hollertail hops and the citra hops only grow in certain weather conditions. That would be impossible. Whatever, man. Don't harsh my mellow.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

I love the citra hops too. I always look for beers that had citra.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, well, just find a way to do it. Find a way. Or. Or you bring the Wrigley ivy somewhere else and you grow the hops within the ivy so they get the character of, you know, something you could sell and say it's in Wrigley and of Wrigley and you. The essence of the Wrigley earth is part of this beer. I don't know if it's all or not, but it's. It's. It's marketing you. It would sell. So don't steal my idea. And if you eventually do that, just.

[Progressive Insurance Announcer]

Just.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's. I'm not going to see a dollar out of it because I already gave it away. On. When I was talking to. I think. I think it was a crane.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

It was probably Kane. I don't. I don't. I don't remember it, but I'm sure it was.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'm sure it was probably. Yeah, but I thought it might have been Theo, too. Maybe it was a spring training, and I kind of had this idea and

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

nobody was off the air.

[Dan Bernstein]

Maybe nobody wanted to hear it. No, it was on the air. I think nobody wanted to hear it. It was just like. Is Bernstein done talking yet?

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

All right, I don't think it was the idea. It was probably the, the messenger.

[Dan Bernstein]

Is Bernstein's mouth moving? I'm not interested.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Not listening.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, no, thank you. Not definitely not interested. So I'm just. All I'm doing is I'm keeping an eye on it. Because at some point, all I need is one person to just say, wait a second. I think, I think I heard that somewhere. I know you've heard from me telling you about when you need Windows, what to do. And it's simple. You got to call Russ Armstrong when you need Windows because it eliminates all of the stuff that's going to pain your ass. And that is, first of all, subjecting yourself to big window and being taken in by these teasers and going through the rigmarole of having this one group say, well, oh yeah, we're just, just the national umbrella for this. So we're going to assign you to some local window person who is part of our network. That's not how it works with Chicago window guys. Because Russ Armstrong owns the factory. The factory is here in Chicago. He comes to your house, he gives you an estimate, and then he will custom make the windows for your home at his factory here in Chicago. Then when it comes time for installation, he's not sending a white van to go pick people up in a parking lot and then bring them to your house. His crew will install the windows. The same people that installed mine are going to install yours. He will match any price. Then you don't have to deal with these gimmicks. It's just the best product with the best price guaranteed. He's got a warranty on all parts and labor for lifetime. So in this, these are his words that if Junior throws a ball through the window out front, he'll replace it for free. He won't replace Junior. He'll replace the window. Call Russ 847-302-9171. Check out his 5 star reviews at ChicagoNowBeyond.com I didn't watch a whole lot of the all star game because like I say that I can't. I can't. I watched the pca. I tuned in for that. I saw the home run. But I get over smoltzed and it makes me mad. And I can control whether or not my level of smolting because I just can't have somebody who doesn't like baseball trying to sell me baseball. I've just. John Smoltz selling other things. Hot dogs. Yeah, the hot dogs used to be a lot better. These are bad now. I used to like hot dogs, but here, you want this one? It was so much better. Used to be so much better. But here, here's this one. It's what it is.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, you like it? Okay, good for you. Hot dogs. So I was watching Bulls and talk about. I will share something that I said off the record, I will share with you. When I watched Caleb Wilson last night, I've seen every minute that he has played so far in their three games. I've watched every single minute live that he's played. And last night after he hit that second three pointer, the swish from the top of the key, I got all kinds of basketball feelings and I got. I scared. We had the dog last night. We had Maggie and I scared Maggie. She gave me a look because I was making all sorts of excited basketball noises that we're going to talk about today on owc. I can't wait. But I turned to the dog and I said, this kid's a star. I said that. And then I said to the dog, I don't think I should say that on the podcast. I don't think I should, I should go that far yet. I think what I should say is he's got the potential to be a star. But I'll be honest with you about what I said to the dog. So Maggie knows. She can vouch for it. I said, oh, I think he's a star. And then did you hear him after the game? You see how comfortable he is with a microphone, how comfortable a 19 year old is. And he's talking about Jaylen Sellers and he's talking about who was Malik Williams or a Walker, whoever it was. And he's like, they saved me. They saved my life today. Go Bulls. Any big smile. What a smile. Like everything about this kid, he is confident. He is cute. He is. He play. He plays his ass off. And he, he looks free and easy out there. And he's just beginning to tap into this well of talent. It is not off the table early on, earliest possible returns. It is not off the table that he's the best player in this class, that he's better than Peterson, better than Debonsa, better than Boozer. That is. That is not an outlandish thing to say. And he's already better than Patrick Williams. And here's the thing, it's clear his ceiling is already higher than that of Modest Boozalis.

[Progressive Insurance Announcer]

I don't know.

[Dan Bernstein]

He's. He's got a lot to learn and I think, you know, Modest right now is a better NBA player. But if you, if you're buying stock, if you're buying stock, I think you're late to this trade. I think you're late to the Caleb Wilson buy here. You're not, you're not getting this. And, and he's, and he hasn't played in five months and he's coming off a thumb surgery like he hasn't played. So get, get excited. Get excited. I, I have and I am, and I'm paying close attention. I can't say the same for Dale and Swain right now, but that's a, that's a longer term project. I think I'm realizing, you know, watching some, you know, mechanically, there's got to be some stuff done there and if they're trying to switch his position and all that, that looks like a, a heavy lift. And I do think it's possible maybe the Dalen Swain needs some G league time if you are going to make him a point guard. And you know that there's a very specific skill set that he's got to hone. And it's only going to be a function of minutes that you can't just impose some of this stuff or pretended or do virtual reality or try to get this in the limited practice time that NBA teams have. He needs a plan, a real strict development plan to say, do this, do that, get better at this. His jumper is a little janky where there's a, there's a pause and a. What he's doing with his shooting hand, kind of the way his elbow turns under. I'm not, I don't quite get it, but we'll, we'll see. But it's. It is absolutely. This, this Caleb Wilson thing is. It merits all of our attention. If you are a Bulls fan, this is different. So I'll say it's different. This July, it is time to ride smoke. Repeat, ride away on any qualifying new Harley Davidson motorcycle from Woodstock Harley Davidson. And you will take home a free Traeger smoker. A new bike for the open road, a new smoker for the backyard. That is one incredible summer. But don't wait. This offer is only available through July 31, and it's while supplies. Last stop by Woodstock Harley Davidson today before this deal goes up in smoke. Offer valid through July 31, 2026. One Traeger smoker with Qualifying new motorcycle purchase. No substitutions or cash value. C Dealer. For complete details or check it out [e-mail] Olive Garden is bringing back the never ending pasta pass. Did you see this?

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Why'd you say it like that?

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

I did see. Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, so what this is, it gives you 13 weeks of unlimited pasta, breadsticks and more. Olive Garden has joined restaurant chains.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Wait, is that more? Is that like the beyond in Bed and Bath?

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know what more is.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Pasta, breadsticks and more.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I don't think it's wine. I think it's. I don't know, maybe it's napkins.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Like the beyond section.

[Dan Bernstein]

Olive Garden joins Buffalo wild wings and Applebee's. And offering all you can eat deals at a time when many Americans are eating out less frequently due to a tight wallet. So it's a $100 plus tax. Olive Garden is only selling 10,000 total passes. When they last offered them in 2019, they sold out within minutes. Wow. If they've done the math on this, obviously they know it's just about getting you in the door. So they get $100. Pasta cost them nothing. Breadsticks cost them nothing. So if you order, what, two glasses of wine or how many. You never go alone, so you're bringing in other people there who don't have the pasta pass. Right. Hey, come out to dinner with me. I have a pasta pass. I don't have to pay for anything. You all have to pay. Like, it's just. It's so, so clearly down to the cent and down to the. The hundredths of a cent. They figured out the, the. That the math is going to make them money by doing this. And me talking about it obviously helps them as well. The one near me is always crowded.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

The one in, the one in Vernon Hills is always. The parking lot is always full. Yeah, the one what day, what time? It's always. It's always full.

[Dan Bernstein]

The one at Addison and the Kennedy, right there, Addison and Central park is always full. So they know what they're doing. They know something about their business. They know their audience, they know their clientele better than I do. But that is, you must really like pasta. You gotta really like pasta because you. And. And usually I say this, you know, it was the Shane Reardon idea, you know, saying, well, making your own chicken sandwich is easier than buying one at Popeyes. Well, it's making a chicken. A fried chicken sandwich is not. No, it's not making pasta. I think most 8 year olds can make pasta and put some sauce on it or not. Or just put a little bit of good olive oil and good fresh grated parmesan. That's all you really need if it's, if the pasta is done to a perfect al dente. So this is it. Once you buy that, like, what's the mentality once you have that card? Once you get the coveted opportunity to spend $100 for unlimited pasta and breadsticks,

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

I think that's at least a once a week trip. You're eating there at least once a week.

[Dan Bernstein]

If you're running marathons all the time, it might make sense, but that's, that's all because pasta is not expensive. I got two pounds of celentani for $1.79 the other day. Right. That, that lasts a long time. And that's, that's my favorite pasta to make my homemade macaroni and cheese with, actually, because it really, it's, it's like a one little spiral of macaroni. I mean, it's a rigate. It's got ridges in it, so it picks up the sauce really well. And I can make my really rich, gloppy Mac and cheese. Oh, it's so good. Maybe I'll make that tonight. That sounds yummy.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

All right.

[Dan Bernstein]

Too early in the day to start doing food talk.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

But I just, I wonder, do you know anybody that's ever had one of these hundred? I've, I've got it. Stay away from me. I've got the never ending pasta.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

No, I've, I've, I've, I've never known anyone that's had a pasta pass.

[Dan Bernstein]

Because you remember, this put Red Lobster nearly out of business. They fired the woman that did their unlimited shrimp. Remember? They, they underestimated the amount of shrimp Americans could eat.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

And, and they were nearly bankrupted. But that's, that's shrimp. You're going to pull those out of the ocean or pull them out of a fire. Do something. Pasta. You're not. That doesn't cost you anything. So this, this, I think probably is, for business wise, a better move there. Also, the, there is the, for 1499, there is the never ending pasta bowl that's returning August 31st, and for 14.99, they get never ending soup or salad and breadsticks in addition to unlimited refills of pasta.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yeah, it's a lot of food.

[Dan Bernstein]

So do you need the card? Why do you need the card if for 14.99 you can have unlimited soup, salad, breadsticks, and unlimited refills of pasta?

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Well, because if you go enough in this 13 weeks, you. You make up. I mean, you're. It's going to cost you a lot less.

[Dan Bernstein]

But then you're going just to make it up.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yeah. Maybe people like. What? Maybe people want to go twice a week and have pasta at olive garden and.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, but you need something to drink. Like, you're. It just ultimately spending. Okay, but aren't you supposed. Isn't nutritionally. Aren't you supposed to have a milk product with pasta to, like, complete the proteins or something like that? I always.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

I don't know. I was never part of the Brady family.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, I was.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Milk with spaghetti.

[Dan Bernstein]

Ugh.

[Sponsor or Ad Voice]

I know.

[Dan Bernstein]

But I was.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

If I sat down at a friend's house and they poured a glass of milk and gave me spaghetti, I'd be like, you know what? I think I'm good on dinner. I'm gonna head.

[Dan Bernstein]

Really?

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

I was always told that there was something about the combination of dairy and pasta that made the. Something about exploding? No, Something about the nutritional completion of it.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

I want to get extra full and my pants. Well, here's some milk with your pasta.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, what's macaroni and cheese, then?

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

That's different than a glass of milk.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, man.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

I just make myself sick thinking about it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, maybe have a bowl of cereal afterward.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

If someone came over and I had dinner with and they were like, hey, do you have any milk? And be like, what for? I want to drink milk with my dinner. I'd be like, all right, there's the door.

[Dan Bernstein]

I gotta tell you.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

I would take their plate away.

[Dan Bernstein]

I gotta tell you. You know what's good every once in a while? Pasta and cottage cheese. Never had that mixed together.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yeah, No, I. I. You know what? I wouldn't. I've never done it. I wouldn't. I probably wouldn't try it, but I. I can see it not being terrible.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's not the. The. When the kids were little.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yeah. I could see that. Loved that. I could see that working. It's a cheese. I get that.

[Dan Bernstein]

Pasta and cottage cheese works, but just

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

like, a cold glass of milk with pasta and, like.

[Dan Bernstein]

Marin, like, it sounds like you don't like milk.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Well, I don't like milk.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay. Well, I mean, I. I do, actually.

[Jenny V]

That.

[Dan Bernstein]

That is something that was, I. I think a mistake I made in my life or a mistake that was made in my upbringing.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

You didn't buy a cow.

[Dan Bernstein]

I didn't. I haven't. Whole milk is great. Not raw milk. I want to be very careful about that. No, whole milk's like pasteurized actual milk. Pasteurized whole milk is such a pleasure in life and makes such a huge difference. As opposed to skim milk.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yeah. I don't mind milk because I'll have a bowl of cereal every so often, you know, for a snack or dinner even. But. Yeah, just drinking a glass of milk and doing it with food. With dinner.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, no. That's how I not welcome here. That's how I grew up. Yeah. And it's. And anybody who keeps kosher would feel exactly how you feel because, like. But I would. I'd sit down and eat a steak and pour a huge glass of milk with my.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Oh, it sounds disgusting. As kids, we would sit down for a steak and with like a PBR

[Dan Bernstein]

or an old style in the Abana Cola house.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yeah. And dad would toss us a carton of smoke. So we'd go out back and that was a day.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'm surprised you didn't have the giant wicker bottle of Chianti sitting there.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Oh, we did. And then mom would fill them with candle wax. We'd make candles out of them. Yeah. Had the red and white.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's somewhat tablecloth.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yes. And then Uncle Luigi would come in from Italy. We'd take him to Olive Garden, and

[Dan Bernstein]

he's like, I already got the pass. Luigi got the special pass. It fell off a truck.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

Yeah. Hey.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, where you taking me? Well, I do know if we're talking about other countries here, that the ones we're watching today are England and Argentina. This is it. This is the other semi. This is. We're going to find out if it's coming home, if Ari Kane is going to bring it home. But England's got to get past Argentina first. Messi and Bellingham, Here we go. And Harry Kane. You can spend hours breaking down all the tactics and lineups, or you can ask if both teams are going to score. That's a bet.

[Co-host or Guest Analyst]

You say, I don't know.

[Dan Bernstein]

What about soccer? I don't know anything about soccer. It's okay. It's all right. You got a bet available for you at MyBookie AG. You go there. You go, you register, you make your deposit, and then you use the promo code dbu and you can claim your deposit bonus and get up to $500 in protection on your first bet. At my bookie, it's one of the biggest sporting events in the world. It is coming down to the wire. There are two games that remain. There is a semi, and then there's the finals. And you can be there with my bookie with the promo code DBU. That gets your deposit bonus. That gets you the bet protection. And it is only at MyBookie. And that is today's Dan Bernstein Unfiltered. It has been brought to you by Chicago Window Guys, 847-302-9171. It has been brought to you by Harley Davidson Woodstock. Check them out [e-mail] and it's been brought to you in partnership with with my bookie, Dan Bernstein Unfiltered. Unfiltered on 312 Sports

[Jenny V]

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