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- [00:00]
A
Study and play come together on a Windows 11 PC. And for a limited time, college students get the best of both worlds. Get the unreal college deal. Everything you need to study and play with select Windows 11 PCs. Eligible students get a year of Microsoft 365 Premium and a year of Xbox Game Pass ultimate with a custom color Xbox wireless controller. Learn more@windows.com studentoffer while supplies last ends June 30th terms at aka mscollegepc.
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Pardon the interruption, but I'm Mike Lobon. Tony, an Idaho man set a Guinness world record by balancing a running chainsaw on his chin for 4 minutes and 1 second.
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C
I'm Tony Kornheiser. Wow. That beats my personal best by 4 minutes and 1 second. I would never. I. I don't want to hold. I don't even want to hold a running chainsaw.
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B
I want to hold still. Chainsaw. I don't want to when it's out of gas. Chainsaw. What are you doing putting a chainsaw near your face.
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C
Wow. Cloak. Welcome to pti, boys and girls. In today's episode, Texas Tech challenges Texas. Novak Djokovic goes out of the French Open and Tim Leger joins us for five good minutes. But we begin today with the San Antonio spurs blowing out the Oklahoma City Thunder last night 118 to 91 in game six to force a game seven. Victor Wembanyama More than made up for his anemic game five by scoring 11 points in the first quarter to go along with five rebounds, a block and a steal in the first quarter. Shai Gilgis Alexander continued his struggles, scoring just 15 points on 6 of 18 shooting, his fourth straight sub 40% shooting night. Wilbon, what did last night's results say to you?
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B
That we're in for a great game seven. That's what they said.
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C
That's what we expected.
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B
You and I both expected Winbonyama to come out and put his fist imprint on this game. And he did. And they, you know, to some degree later, smackdown on sga. And so it was I, I thought it was an entertaining game, though. There was no drama in the score late. It was because when I just came out when he buried those two threes early like, okay, this, that's right. But to be fair, OKC did hang in there. Every time San Antonio would lengthen that thing to 13 points or so. They got it to six and eight and one time they got it to five and they missed a three. They could have gotten it to two, but San Antonio controlled the game. And now we get what I Want to see from the best series in basketball. Sorry Knicks fans. And the next one may be better, but so far this is the best basketball can offer.
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C
Yeah, we're on opposite sides on this. I'm going to go off book here. I am. I believe that NBA players are the greatest athletes in the world. I really do. They make shots from impossible angles. They soar like eagles. But the playoffs to this point, they're rugged to watch. They're just not very good. The differential in scores is just so high. I know that you like to sit here and say that you find this series irresistible, but I've been able to resist this series. Let me give you a couple of numbers here. Game one of this series was fantastic because Wembanyama announced himself. That was a great game. But Games 2, 3, 3, 4 and 5 and 6 have not been on that level at all.
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B
Heard me say the games were irresistible. The series is the back.
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C
The winning score is an average of 17 points and the Knicks is no different. The Knicks are beating people by 40 points, but yet their game one with that comeback, that was breathtaking. But then games two, three and four were as we like to say in the street garbage. Now you're headed for a game seven. Now those are the magic words for sports writers. Game 7, we expect the most in the world.
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D
But.
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C
Here's the but, Mike. In the other four game sevens, the margin of victory is 18 and a half points. Only the closest one was nine. I sit down to watch these games knowing I'm not going to have to watch the fourth quarter, which is good for my sleep. It's good for me.
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B
You're looking for a reason to turn off. I'm looking for a reason to see what is going on in these matchups. So Steve Kirk got this right about the three point shot and it's not going to be a referendum because Steve's the only one who's smart enough to say it and mean it, even though he made his living that way. These games get. The blowouts happen, Tony, because the team gets a momentum and all of a sudden you hit four straight threes and boom, you got an enormous lead. And the games go like that. The series can still be compelling.
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C
I'm going to say one other thing here. It's about Shay Gilgeous Alexander, two time MVP having troubles. Now we walked into this series, both you and I and we said Victor Wembanyama has something to prove right here in the opportunity. Game 7 may be more about Shay Gilous Alexander than everybody knew. Not maybe and everybody knew.
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B
Definitely. Because you know what? In his rearview and things are larger than they appear. Is Wim Banyama coming up on him?
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C
His team is minus when he's on the court and plus when he's off.
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B
What. What do you expect in game seven tomorrow night? You expect them to be plus at the end of the game?
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C
I do. And I, I hope it's, I hope it's a great game. There's been one great game.
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B
Just one game.
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C
One. Just one.
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B
But I still love the series. You know, you can go watch the Nats if you want.
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C
Oh, I will.
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B
So I know you will. So let's. Because they're so, they're, they're compelling, they're irresistible. Let's move to college football where Texas Tech is telling Texas put up or shut up. Last week Longhorns coach State Steve Sarkeesian mocked the red Raiders Big 12 strength of schedule, suggesting the Longhorns second or third teamers could run through Tech's schedule unbeaten. So yesterday Red Raiders coach Joey Maguire offered to pay the buyouts for Both Schools Week 1 opponents in order to make a head to head matchup happen.
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C
Ha.
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B
So Tony should Sark back up his big talk and, and accept the challenge?
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It's a great story. I love this story. Here's what Sarkeesian said. This is a direct quote. There's a team in our state in another conference with a schedule that I would argue if I played with our twos and threes we would go undefeated and they'll probably make the playoffs. That's a direct shot at Texas Tech, a Big 12 school. Texas left the Big 12 in order to go into the SEC. Now remember Sarkeesian took a shot at an SEC school recently at Ole Miss where he said the academic standards were so lax that if you transferred in you would major in basket weaving. So let me help me out on this. How many national championships has Steve Sarkeesian won in Texas? Oh that's right, he has won zero. Last year with Arch Manning, did not make the playoffs. Ended up in a Citrus Bowl. And you know you can't spell citrus without ut, right? And they were the number one ranked team in the entire country last year going into it. So the Texas Tech coach said, okay, we want to play you now. We will give you money, guarantee you money if you play us now. This is a dream. They play it in Jerry world cuz the World cup will be out by then. They won't do it. Every single person in Texas should be agitating for this game.
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Texas has the Ohio State on the schedule. I think it's Ohio State, so it's not going to happen. I don't want to go too crazy on the Sarkeesian family, which has history at Northwestern, so I'm not going to do that. But you left some meat on the bone so I can go after everybody in the SEC together at once. Because Sarkeesian ran his mouth and, and now he doesn't, you know, he doesn't want any part of that. It reminds me of wrestling, when a guy would stand in the ring in the old days of wrestling and issue a challenge and you'd have a match or roll a derby. Kirby Smart, he goes and says, you know, we'll just pull out of the league and we can do our own. We'll pull out of the country, the whole nation.
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C
We'll pull the league out, we'll pull
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the league out and we'll do our own thing. And then Sankey runs his mouth and says, we're the best. And all three of them since the SEC hasn't won a damn thing in football and in at least three years. I wasn't a math major, but I can count that high. All the SEC people shut up.
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C
Can I ask you right now?
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Right now you're just losers and you're loud losers.
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C
Can I ask you a question? Can I ask you a question?
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B
Yes.
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C
Would you open your jacket and reveal where that sweater is from? Oh, is that a Northwestern sweater, isn't it? Yeah, Northwestern, Mr. Big Ten. That's right. Let's move. Just when the French Open looked to be wide open for Novak Djokovic. He's out. The three time French Open winner was up two sets to none over Brazilian Joao Fonseca in their third round match. But the 19 year old started chipping away, winning the third, then the fourth. And with the 39 year old Djokovic just one point from pushing the fifth to a deciding tiebreak, Fonseca went ace, ace, ace to win. Wilbon, what did you make of the match? Where does this leave the draw?
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B
I'm in despair. And while both of us sort of like to see Joker get popped a little bit. Yes.
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C
Well, one of us for certain, you
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B
more so than me. I like to see him get popped and then remain in the draw. The French Open is when I start watching tennis. I may watch a couple of warmups, but the French Open is when, you know, let's go now we're into the season of professional tennis and matches tournaments that matter now. I mean, you know, when you're missing Too much. You've had all the recent retirements. Federer, Nadal. You've got Alcaraz, who's injured with the wrist and he's not in it. You, you got the loss of Sinner who goes out in the heat. And now you have no joker. I mean, what. Can we just have Serena Williams, forget about this double she's playing and bring her in because, like, I don't know who's left in the tournament.
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C
This was Djokovic's last great chance, maybe last great chance to win number 25 majors because Alcaraz was entered and Sinner just went out. And you could look at the draw opening up and he couldn't close. He could not close. I watched the last set. He could not close.
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B
Maybe it's over.
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C
Am I correct? He was a three seed, right?
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B
I think he was.
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C
He lost to the 28th seed. Now I know because I listened to this on the broadcast. They called this kid a Brazilian superstar.
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B
19.
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C
He's the 28th seed. You know, he's a Brazilian superstar. Pele is a Brazilian superstar. I don't know.
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B
Maybe you're going to regret. Downgrade.
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C
Maybe he wins Wimbledon because Alcaraz is not going to play. Maybe Sinner gets upset. Maybe he wins. He's won Wimbledon seven times. But the last time he won Wimbledon, I believe, was 2022. And he's won all the other majors since then. He's 39. Do you know the oldest guy to ever win a major? Ken Roswell at 37. So nobody 39, nobody 38.
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B
Are you happy? Djokovic is not now in the draw. You're gonna watch the French Open this weekend.
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C
No, you're not. I'm gonna watch. I'm going to watch. I'm not happy.
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B
You like stars.
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C
There's no love lost between me and him. I understand that, but he' a great player. I'm just not. I think within a year he's. He's going to pull the plug like Federer did. Like he'd be 40 years old.
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B
He's had a great career.
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C
Oh, he said one of the two or three greatest careers of all time. But I don't think he's getting another one. That's your position, not mine. Let's take one. Excuse me. Let's take one. Last break. Still to come, why is she Alexander struggling from the field? We're going to ask Tim Legler and
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also whether the Knicks would match up better against the Thunder or the Spurs. Christian Sarkeesian. I like Christian Sarkeesian.
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C
They're minus when he's on the floor, they're minus.
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E
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- [11:38]
A
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C
Let's get back into the spurs and Thunder going to Game seven with our great friend ESPN NBA analyst Tim Ledl at whose career we were at the start.
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His whole thing is going to put up with us for a long time.
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Let's start with this. Victor Wembanyama slumped in Game five definitely, but came out on fire last night in Game six. Did he do anything differently?
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D
Well, I think two things. One mindset was different. He was definitely more aggressive and he challenged himself after the previous game that he needed to be because of the pressure that he puts on defenses when he's aggressive. So that's first. It's a mindset and he clearly was aggressive at the start. But the other thing that helps early returns, and by that I mean you knock down a couple of jump shots early and he hit two threes early in that game. It definitely changes the start of your night and in some cases can set the table for your entire night. So he definitely got off to great rhythm. But here's the other thing I thought the where he was starting, his actions as a screener, which is a very big part of their offense, were inside the three point line a lot more often. And here's why that's important. When you set that screen 20 to 23ft, he's one stride, he's at the rim coming out of that screen. It's a totally different level of pressure that he's putting on the back line defense. Then if he sets that screen at 28 to 30ft and now it's two or three strides sometimes to get down there, he can get bumped more, chipped more. It's just not as much of a threat. And the Data backs that up. By the way, the points per possession when he sets that screen tighter are significantly better than when he sets that screen further out on the floor. And I thought the spurs recognized it and they did a great job of making that a focal point of how they wanted to run their half court offense.
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All right, Tim, let's similarly zero in a second on SGA who's shooting 38% from the floor in this series, way down from his 55% in the regular season. Give us sort of the list in order, if you if you will, of why this is I think couple of
- [14:21]
D
things for me when I look at it and you're no, there's no doubt this is different for SGA and anything we've seen in the past in terms of his efficiency. So you're looking at these two teams and they have to me the best sets of perimeter defensive shells in the entire NBA. The number of guys they can throw at elite ball handlers and scorers, the amount of help that they give up to dribble their communications and rotations are just better than anybody else. So he's going up one of against one of the top defensive perimeter teams in the league. But here's where they're making it tough on him. He's not getting the early stuff that he's used to, whether that's an early push up the floor to the backcourt that leads to a quick shot for himself or even if it is a half court walking upset. He is so used to his initial action, whether that's a ball screen or a quick ISO immediately within 3, 4, 5 dribbles he gets into something good for himself and he's so used to that that's not happening against the Spurs. Their initial defense on him is so good that oftentimes he has to give it up and when he does get it back, it's much deeper into the clock. It's his second time that he's got to try to generate offense on that possession. It wears you out. So for me he looks like he's getting worn down in these games because the easier stuff is not coming to him and that he doesn't have to Work that hard for. It's an elite defensive team. They're on point with their game plan and I think they're doing a great job making sure his night is not easy by giving him easy possessions where he gets into his shot before he's had to work for it.
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All right, let's broaden this out for a second then and look at game seven. There, there. There's. There's been a flurry of road teams winning game Sevens, which we've never seen historically. But given all that, Tim, for the champs tomorrow night, do you see them having at home a little edge of big edge or no real edge at all?
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D
I would probably go no edge to. If I gave the home team the tiniest edge, it's simply because they are at home. I know what that building looks like. I've been there. In the postseason, they're going to have an incredible home environment. But right now, when you get to a seventh game, I think all bets are off the table. Particularly you alluded to it, Mike. It's not like it used to be. That was a death sentence going on the road for a Game 7 in the playoffs in the NBA. Recent data over the last five to 10 years, that's just not the case. Teams are pulling this off. So I think now you get to a seventh game, you've seen each other this much, it's going to come down to who rises to the occasion on that stage under that kind of pressure. And you certainly, you need your stars to play well. But for me, it's going to be those next guys. And we don't know who that's going to be. And that's why the uncertainty of it all means that this to me, right down the middle. And if you give an edge, it's got to be Oklahoma City by the slightest amount because they are at home. But I don't think home court advantage means what it used to under these circumstances.
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C
We will get you out of here on this. You call the Knicks sweep. Which of these Western teams would be a better matchup for the Knicks?
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D
Well, and listen, I don't want to sit on the fence or hedge the question, but I really believe that's what I'm about to say. I don't think either one of those represents necessarily something that you go, oh, this is what the Knicks needed or wanted now in the regular season. And I don't know that it means that much because this isn't the Knicks team from the regular season. The Knicks scored 100 points a game against OKC. They scored 128 against San Antonio. And Victor Webanyama played in those games. And so they did. For some reason, they were able to get into a better rhythm against San Antonio on that end of the floor. But the regular season is so far removed from what these teams have become. And for the Western Conference, if you survive that, you've got to feel so good about your chances about, you know, beating that other guy that everybody knew was a foregone conclusion. We're going to meet in the Western Conference finals. You survive that, you've got to feel pretty good about your shot in the finals. For the Knicks, I don't know that it matters. They're both elite defensive teams. They're both incredibly deep. They both have superstars you've got to deal with. But for whatever reason, they did have a lot more success offensively against the spurs in the regular season than they did the Thunder.
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C
Thank you, Tim. It's a great.
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D
Appreciate it, man.
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B
Love having.
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C
Great having you. Thank you.
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D
Always, always.
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C
Guys, let's take one last break. When we come back, the Vegas Golden Knights famously fired Bruce Cassidy. So why won't they let him coach somewhere else, huh?
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B
And Montreal faces elimination tonight in Game 5. Can the Canadians hold off the cans?
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C
Tim Ledler is brilliant. Great. The analysis is brilliant.
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B
We saw this coming.
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D
I know.
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B
We did say our scouting report on Tim Legler.
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We were right.
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We knew he'd be great.
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E
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- [20:01]
C
Happy time, people. Happy 94th birthday, Richie Guerin. History lesson Kids, as talking heads babble about the Knicks and who the greatest Knick player ever was. There was a time when Richie Guerin was the greatest Knick player who ever was. Gerrin was a tough 64 guard out of Iona who began his NBA career in 1956 after a couple of years of military service. Garron was before Reed and Frazier, before King, way before Ewing, way, way before Brunson. The Knicks were terrible in the late 50s and early 60s, but Garron averaged 20 points at game when 20 points was a lot. Garron played 13 seasons in New York, St. Louis and Atlanta, made six All Star teams.
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Can we agree at least on three heads on the Knicks, Mount Rushmore, Frazier, Reed and Ewing? I didn't go to the fourth. I didn't name a fourth. Can we agree on those three? No, no, not even on those three.
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C
Happy anniversary, Lenny Randall we continue with the highlights of Randle's career. Earlier this week we showed Randle as a spot Seattle third baseman down on his hands and knees trying to blow a fair ball foul across the third baseline. Now we show Randle with the Texas Rangers on this day 52 years ago. Randle deftly laid down a bunt down the first baseline to give himself the opportunity to leave the base path and plow over Cleveland pitcher Wilcox, who had thrown behind Randle and same at bat. We give props to Randall for very creative activity, revenge and props to first baseman John Ellis for decleaning Randle before he crossed first.
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B
That was even better than Burt Campaneris throwing the bat at Laren Legro. The pitch, which we didn't show, goes behind Randle and Randle's like what, maybe 5, 10, 180? Not big, but took him out. It's great.
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C
He did love it. Happy trails to a home run for Brandon Nimmo. The Rangers outfielder sent a deep fly ball to race in the first inning of last night's game against the Astros, but Houston's Cam Smith leaped brought it back to end the inning in a game the Strohs went on to win 5 1.
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B
Wow.
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C
Smith leads the league in key defensive metrics at his position, and pitcher Spencer Arrighetti said of him, quote, that guy's going to win five Gold Gloves at minimum in his career. Smith came up with your Cubs, who traded him for one year of your boy Kyle Tucker. Tucker is now making $60 million per year on the Smith makes 810,000 for the Astros, and while Smith is terrific in the field, he's just hitting.215.
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B
That trade was only going to work if Tucker re signed with the Cubs. I wouldn't have re signed him for that money. And as terrific as Kyle Tucker is, you want to have him. He may be the most overrated, overstated player in baseball. Stop. We shouldn't have made that truth.
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C
I have no words for that omission. Brewers reliever Abner Uribe was suspended one game for his crotch chop celebration the other night. He's appealing the decision. Let's go to the big finish. US Men's soccer has a friendly against Senegal on Sunday. Is that significant?
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B
Depends who's in the lineup. Depends who plays. They don't play all their guys who are going. Looking ahead to the World cup, then? No. Fired Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy told the Spitting Chicklets podcast he wants to coach another team, but Vegas will not let him. Does he have a case?
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C
Hey, Vegas, you fired the guy. You didn't want the guy. Let him coach. Don't punish him. Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammond ripped the officiating last night's loss to the Wings. Give me my fine your thoughts.
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B
Becky Hammond gets her money's worth.
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C
She does.
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B
She does. She can swing. Her sound bites are great. She does. The Hurricanes can eliminate the Canadian tonight. Will they?
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C
It feels like they will. It's in Carolina and Montreal's good on the road, but they're not getting any shots on goal.
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B
Shoot the puck.
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C
Last one. Defending softball champ Texas could be eliminated tonight by Mississippi State. Your prediction?
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B
Texas is not going to lose. They're going to win at something they can win at. Because it won't be the other sport. It won't be the fall sport. It won't be that one. So Texas should win this sport.
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C
Show the people your Northwestern sport. We are out of time.
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B
Big Ten score.
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C
We'll try to do better the next time. I'm Tony Kornheiser.
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B
I'm Mike Wilbot. Have a great weekend, knuckleheads.
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C
Hey sports fans, the ESPN app has all of ESPN all in one place. The ESPN app is your home to thousands of live events, ESPN shows and originals across across every ESPN network and service. And now you can check if you already have ESPN Unlimited as part of your TV package for no additional cost. Visit activate.espn.com to learn how to access your account or sign up, then start streaming in the ESPN app. It's all of ESPN all in one place. Sign up or activate now.