Best of The Herd

Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Best of The Herd — May 8, 2026

Guest Hosts: Israel Gutierrez, Stu Gotz, Taylor, Mike A.
Notable Guests: Sean McDonough, Jeff Passan

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Episode Overview

This installment substitutes Colin Cowherd with a loose, energetic roundtable led by Israel Gutierrez, Stu Gotz, Taylor, and Mike A., broadcasting from multiple cities. The team flushes out top sports stories with humor and candor, tackling “ring culture,” the careers of Draymond Green vs. Charles Barkley, James Harden’s postseason legacy, MLB debates, and who truly shapes a franchise’s winning culture. Later, baseball insider Jeff Passan joins to dissect major Yankees prospects, the value of “fit” for legendary players, and share in the hosts’ free-flowing, raucous gamesmanship.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Broadcast Tales, Throwback Vibes, and The "Right Place, Right Time" Question

• Setting & Vibe: Israel Gutierrez celebrates broadcasting from Syracuse’s fabled Newhouse School, trading self-deprecating jokes about being among Newhouse alumni legends like Sean McDonough, Marv Albert, and Iron Eagle.
  • “Had I gone to a school like this, man, would I be good at broadcasting. Oh, my God. The facilities here." — Israel Gutierrez (03:39)
• Hosts reflect on their own radio journeys, referencing media legends and former radio slots (“10 to 1 is the best slot in radio”).
• Personal anecdotes about gym mishaps and wardrobe choices set a playful, relatable tone.
• "Signs" of Bad Days: The segment humorously explores locker room misadventures and how small mishaps (exploding water flossers, etc.) can set the tone.

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2. Ring Culture, Draymond Green vs. Charles Barkley, and Legacy Debates

(10:05-18:47)

• The show pivots to the viral Draymond Green–Charles Barkley TNT segment, questioning the value of championships in defining legacy.

Key Quotes and Thoughts:

• [12:14] “Whose career would you rather have, Draymond Green's or Charles Barkley's?” — Israel Gutierrez
• [12:28] "Does Draymond Green seem happy to you?" — Stu Gotz
• [14:28] “Rings don't define who you are... Draymond Green is not going to be the next Charles Barkley of broadcasting, because those four rings aren’t going to make him entertaining.” — Stu Gotz
• Consensus emerges that mental satisfaction, individuality, and post-career achievements (Barkley's broadcasting success) mean more than “ring culture.”
• Taylor on Ring Culture: “Ring culture has gotten completely out of control…”
• Playful debates include whose career is preferable if you could choose, with the hosts generally siding with Barkley over Draymond, except Israel Gutierrez who briefly opts for Draymond’s four rings before conceding to Barkley as the more “complete” career.

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3. The James Harden Postseason Paradox: More Turnovers than Buckets

(24:39-38:38)

• AI Colin on Cavs–Pistons series: “Detroit going up 2 zip on Cleveland tells you everything. This isn’t a cute story. It’s a power move.” (25:04)
• The panel lambasts James Harden’s continued postseason woes—his inefficiency becomes a stand-in for the pitfalls of stat-driven “regular season greatness.”
• Memorable Quotes & Stats:
  • [26:17] "Can you think of a career highlight defensive play of James Harden?" — Stu Gotz
  • [30:22] Taylor read a stat: “James Harden played his 182nd career playoff game tonight… his 46th playoff game with as many or more turnovers than made field goals. That’s over 25% of his career playoff games.”
• Ribbing on the “laughable debate” of Harden vs. Dwyane Wade as all-time 2-guard.
• Debates whether Harden, like Clayton Kershaw in MLB, is “playing his way out” of all-time great status.
• "We’re obsessed with scoring in a way that maybe we weren’t before… when you really break it down, if you really defend it hard during a seven-game series, it’s not going to be as effective." — Stu Gotz (32:27)

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4. "Right Place, Right Time" Hall of Fame / Jeter Hypotheticals

(39:30-44:46)

• The panel tackles whether some Hall of Famers are “right place, right time” products.
• Debate Focus: Would Derek Jeter be as iconic if he played for the Pirates or Royals?
  • [41:45] Taylor (sarcastic): “If Derek Jeter was a Pirate… Brian Giles would be Bernie Williams. David Wells? They had Kip Wells. He becomes the same thing.”
  • [43:13] Israel Gutierrez: “Take Derek Jeter off the Yankees… it’s right place, right time, that’s all he was.”
  • Pushback from Stu and Taylor insists Jeter’s greatness would’ve shone through almost anywhere, not just in New York.
• Comparison: “Do you agree, Scottie Pippen, right place, right time?” (43:31)

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5. Baseball Deep Dive With Jeff Passan

(48:24-59:32)

• On the Scene: Jeff Passan joins from Syracuse, discussing:
  • The burden and cost of sports broadcasting education.
  • His ESPN podcast “Sources Tell Jeff Passan.”
  • The grind of creating original audio content vs. live reporting: “It’s hard doing what you do. My job at ESPN is often reacting… doing a show like this is creating something... not something I’ve done before.” (50:19)
• Yankees Prospect Talk:
  • Cam Schlitler, already pitching like a frontline ace, is compared to Paul Skenes.
  • [52:47] “I think you were stupid before the season as well.” — Passan to Taylor’s ‘no’ on a Schlitler-for-Skenes trade.
  • High hopes for Spencer Jones, but questions about contact rate: "If his plate discipline can get even better... we're talking about a perennial MVP candidate." (54:56)
• MLB’s Newfound Joy: Praise for elaborate dugout celebrations (Rockies’ faux fur coat, Blue Jays’ “flags” jacket).

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6. Artificial Intelligence, Market Fit, and the Dodgers as MLB’s Villain

(62:47-67:39)

• AI Colin Analysis & Skepticism:
  • AI Colin (in segment stingers) provides surprisingly nuanced takes on trades (e.g., Schlitler vs. Skenes), team-building, and the Dodgers as MLB’s “measuring stick.”
  • "Let the Dodgers be great and let everybody else chase them. What’s bad for baseball is the dead weight... don’t spin, don’t develop, and don’t try." — AI Colin (65:56)
• Jeff Passan: “If we are leaning on AI for baseball analysis, then we have lost the plot, gentlemen.” (64:56)
• Hosts joke about the “future AI wars,” with some nervously claiming, “I am not on Jeff Passon’s side on this.”

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7. "One Table" Game – Greatness, Cities, and Dinner Tables

(69:12-73:34)

• Hypothetical: If the all-time greats show up for dinner in their cities, who gets the only table?
  • Maddox vs. Glavine vs. Smoltz (Braves): Maddox wins for skill and humor.
  • Jeter vs. Judge (NY): “Derek Jeter always.” But “as a Pirate,” Judge would win!
  • Votto vs. Rose (Cincy): Dead Pete Rose still gets the table.
  • Koufax vs. Ohtani (LA): Passan reluctantly says today’s Ohtani would get it, but if it’s his restaurant, “I would see Sandy Koufax over goddamn himself.” (72:49)

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Draymond Green:
  “Draymond already reached the top four different times and is still unhappy.” — Stu Gotz (15:40)
  “He's not going to be the next Charles Barkley of broadcasting, because those four rings aren’t going to make him entertaining.” — Stu Gotz (14:28)
• On Harden vs. Wade:
  “Dwyane Wade impacted the games in ways that James Harden couldn’t… if my team is missing 17 consecutive three pointers… I, meaning Dwyane Wade, would have done something, whether it be a pump fake and get to the line, something to slow that down.” — Stu Gotz (27:11)
• On AI Colin:
  “If we are leaning on AI for baseball analysis, then we have lost the plot, gentlemen.” — Jeff Passan (64:56)
• On Yankees Legends:
  “If Derek Jeter was a Pirate… Brian Giles would be Bernie Williams.” — Taylor (41:22)
• On Modern Baseball:
  "Baseball for so long was like the dry chicken breast of professional sports... now we've finally got some sabor. Some seasoning. Some flavor." — Jeff Passan (57:08)
• Maddox at the Table:
  “Greg Maddux was the king of clubhouse poop jokes. That's who I want dining at my restaurant.” — Jeff Passan (69:42)
• On the Dodgers as a "Villain" Brand:
  "When you've got a monster brand... it gives the sport a villain, a measuring stick, and a reason to watch on a random Tuesday night." — AI Colin (65:56)
• On Aging and Fitness:
  “Welcome to my life. All of our lives.” (at the gym being least fit) — Israel Gutierrez (06:08)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:39 – Reflections on Syracuse and legendary broadcasting halls
• 10:05-18:47 – Draymond Green, Charles Barkley legacy and “ring culture” debate
• 24:39-38:38 – Harden’s postseason failures and the myth of playoff transformations
• 39:30-44:46 – “Right place, right time” Hall of Fame: Jeter, Pippen, and hypothetical scenarios
• 48:24-62:30 – Jeff Passan joins: Yankees prospects, fit & legacy, dugout celebrations
• 62:47-67:39 – AI Colin, Dodgers’ impact on baseball, and AI’s growing sports role
• 69:12-73:34 – “One table”: Who gets the city’s restaurant table—debates across sports icons

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Tone & Style

The episode is playful, irreverent, and obsessed with dissecting sports mythology. No take is too extreme, and every legend is fair game for debate. There’s an “inside baseball” feel—both literally and figuratively—appealing to informed fans but delivered with enough comedy and personality for mass appeal.

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For Listeners Who Missed It

Even in Cowherd’s absence, the show remains a rollicking, high-energy blend of wit, analysis, and barroom-style debates, with memorable riffs on ring culture, player legacies, and why context (and city) matters as much as talent. Jeff Passan’s cameo strengthens the baseball focus, and the show’s lively games and AI-supported arguments showcase just how fluid and fun big sports conversations can be.

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Skip references to commercials, intros, and outros — All content above covers the heart of the episode.

Transcript

[Stu Gotz]

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[Jeff Passon]

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[Israel Gutierrez]

What is this, your first date? Oh, no.

[Stu Gotz]

We help people customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual together. We're married. Me to a human, him to a bird. Yeah, the bird looks out of your league. Anyways, get a [e-mail] or with your local agent.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Liberty, Liberty. Liberty.

[Jeff Passon]

Liberty.

[Israel Gutierrez]

It's smart to always have a few

[Stu Gotz]

financial goals, and a really smart one. You can set earning cash back on

[Israel Gutierrez]

what you buy every day.

[Stu Gotz]

And with Discover, you can get this

[AI Colin]

Discover automatically matches all the cash back

[Stu Gotz]

you've earned at the end of your first year.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Seriously, all of it. And we trust you to make smart decisions. I mean, after all, you listen to this show.

[Stu Gotz]

See [e-mail] credit card support for the

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[Stu Gotz]

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[AI Colin]

Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every Weekday on Fox sports radio and noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.

[Israel Gutierrez]

This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. I see a smile on Mikey A's face. Was it the customized open what did it for you? Yeah. Or just fill it in for college. It wasn't. I was expecting you to start with. Oh, it's the her. I was thinking about it. I really was. Israel Gutierrez at Taylor back in Miami. Mike eh in Connecticut. I am in Syracuse, New York, at the Newhouse School of Broadcasting. Sean McDonough, a proud alum of Syracuse University, going to join us coming up at 12:25. Izzy, I don't belong here. I have done shows from the Medill school at Northwestern. I have a key to that building. And now I'm at the Newhouse School of Broadcasting. And legends have graduated from this place. Legends like Sean McDonough, like Marv Albert, like Kenny Albert, like Iron Eagle. I don't belong here. And so. But I. This is funny, Izzy. I was thinking about this. Had I gone to a school like this, man, would I be good at broadcasting. Oh, my God. The facilities here.

[Stu Gotz]

Oh, just because of the facilities, I was gonna say. Are you sure

[Israel Gutierrez]

the teachers.

[Stu Gotz]

Yeah, you know, I don't really know what's happening today. It feels like a throwback Thursday on a Friday because I was at home earlier and I saw Skip Bayless on first take with Stephen A. And I was like, that's weird. And then it's me effectively kind of working with Colin again like we did in the ESPN days. That's weird. The amount of times that I was on what's the segment spanning the globe. I mean, I felt like I was a regular on Colin's old show. And then, yeah, you walk in here and like, I don't know what's going on. Taylor's wearing a Miami Dolphins shirt. It's very confusing.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Why are you wearing a Dolphin shirt, Taylor?

[Taylor]

Just a laundry day.

[Stu Gotz]

I had this shirt.

[Taylor]

So I was. I was Mack Hollins, roommate in college. So I really just cheer for whatever team Mac Hollins is on. And throughout the years, I've collected a lot of teams. Gears, the Raiders, the Dolphins, the Patriots, now the Bills stint with the Falcons. This is just. This just happened to. This was just in the rotation.

[Israel Gutierrez]

It was the only available shirt is what you're saying. Basically because the Rest is in the law. Laundry, Right? I mean.

[Taylor]

Correct. It wasn't the only available shirt, but it was one of the last few remaining shirts.

[Stu Gotz]

You know what's, dude? And sometimes even that, right there is a sign. Like, sometimes you wake up in the day and it's just like, there's a sign your day is going to be bad. And I kind of knew today. Maybe not bad, but weird because I woke up this morning and my water flosser exploded in my face.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Wow.

[Stu Gotz]

And does your day ever really start well when it's something exploded in your face? Put that on the poll, Taylor. Does your day ever start well when something explodes in your face?

[Israel Gutierrez]

Actually, here's what I'll tell you. It could only get better, though. That's it. I mean, it can only get better from there, right?

[Stu Gotz]

Well, then it got immediately worse because. Yeah. I mean, I don't know how many people experience this, but probably a lot. I got to the gym and I was the least fit person in the room. And it made me very angry.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Welcome to my life. All of our lives.

[Stu Gotz]

I was like, at least I can go to my getaway, you know, place where I don't have to think. And I walk in and it's like, I don't know, a fitness show. Just like a muscle lifting show. And I'm just like, what is going on today?

[Taylor]

I was gonna ask who's in the room? Adonis and Rocky Balboa.

[Stu Gotz]

It was two people that I had to ask. Once they left, I was like, are those two Florida Panthers players that I don't recognize? Because that's ridiculous.

[Taylor]

Izzy, call me when you're the least

[Israel Gutierrez]

fit person that walks into a McDonald's.

[Taylor]

Not the chip.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Okay, then you can talk to me. That's who you feel bad for?

[Stu Gotz]

Exactly.

[Israel Gutierrez]

You went Roc there. Is that what you did? Taylor? Rocky Balboa.

[Taylor]

Yeah, Adonis. Apollo Creed's son. That's why I went a little Creed, too.

[Israel Gutierrez]

No, I. I realized that Adonis was perfect. It's the Rocky Balboa I'm questioning.

[Stu Gotz]

Very funny.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Rocky. Perhaps Rocky 4. He was chiseled. I mean, listen, you go to Siberia and you work out, you're trying to take down Drago. That's the best shape Stallone has ever been in. I'm serious. It's the greatest workout seed in the history of movies. Period. End of discussion. I mean, it's just him and the elements. How about that?

[Stu Gotz]

Anyway, getting back to your. For your point, Stu, if you went to Syracuse, I think you would still be this level of Successful broadcasting which is wildly successful.

[Israel Gutierrez]

No, I've had a great ride considering that I have no schooling in this a great ride. I'm just imagining what kind of ride I would have had had I had actual schooling. Like if I had facilities like this and I had great teachers and a great alumni base that I work how much better the career. But I would say it's nearly impossible to top the career that I've had doing this for over 20 years. I replaced Colin.

[Stu Gotz]

Well, I'm not going to let him up replace this strong.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Right. Well listen, I mean he left, he was doing 10 to 1 at ESPN. We were doing afternoons. He left, we took over that slot. And I do remember saying on the air I was trying because I wanted 10 to 1. I think that's the best slot in radio, especially for national radio because stations taking you inside the business here, local stations want to run their morning and afternoon drive. Where you get the clearance is in the middays plus you're done, your, your day is done at one o'. Clock. And so I remember going out of my way telling Colin on the air, not directly to him, although I know Colin and I've spoken to him. I remember saying, trying to convince him to leave ESPN radio not because it was good for him but because it was good for me.

[Stu Gotz]

And I'm sure he's happy now.

[Israel Gutierrez]

And then what he did, I immediately. And we took over 10 to 1. I changed all my fantasy teams to 2pm tea time.

[Stu Gotz]

How about that? And I'm sure he's so happy somewhere as we're starting off filling in for him that we're going deep inside radio. Right. To start, yes.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Is he okay, by the way? Colin loves to go deep inside radio. He does. He loves talking about the industry and the business. Yeah, 100%. Is Colin okay? There was like he was transportation. There was an accident. You know, we, we failed to make the joke yesterday when we found out he was supposed to join us that Colin heard the news that we were filling in and he drove his car off the road.

[Taylor]

So I believe Colin was on a train yesterday.

[Israel Gutierrez]

That's right. Okay.

[Taylor]

He takes a train to his car but Colin, Colin is okay. This was already a scheduled off day. The hiccup yesterday was I believe his train hit a car or a car hit his train and then Colin had to get an Uber from said train station and he was going to miss the time that he was supposed to join. But that's neither here nor there. He was never supposed to be in today regardless. But I'm curious how his listeners are listening to the show and be like, are these guys ever going to get to basketball?

[Stu Gotz]

Where's the tape?

[Israel Gutierrez]

Come on.

[Stu Gotz]

We're going to get to come to the Herd for.

[Israel Gutierrez]

We're going to get to Sean McDonough in a couple of minutes. We will get to basketball right now. In fact, Jason ep. Jason back at Sherman Oaks. If we have that Draymond Green sound again when he was on the set with Charles Barkley, I want to play it for the audience. I want to ask Israel Gutierrez a question. A difficult, a tricky question for Israel Gutierrez. Coming up, after we play this out, here's Draymond Green on the set of TNT with Charles Barkley.

[Stu Gotz]

Sports are for young people. You hope to have a great, long career, but sports, Nobody WINS when they're 37, 38. I bet you said what you said. I want to hear if he believes what you're talking.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yeah, I mean, I think the goal

[Stu Gotz]

is just to not look like you in the Houston Rockers uniform. Yeah, it's ultimately the goal for us.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Like, we don't want to.

[Stu Gotz]

What does that look like? Did you see it? I'm just asking. I saw it.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Izzy, here's the question for you. I realized, Raymond, people don't like him. I get it. He's annoying. He won't stop talking. That's not the thing to say to Charles Barkley when you're sitting on his show, on his set, being interviewed by those guys. Okay. It's not right. But I ask you this question because I had this. You know, I had this debate years ago with LeBatard about whose career do you think Barkley would rather have, his own or Robert Horry's? And then we got big shot Bob on the show, and he said he would rather have Charles Barkley's career than his own career. But Draymond Green is a lot better historically, in terms of career than Robert Horry. He is. He's a Hall of Famer. He's considered one of the great defensive players we've ever seen in. In the NBA. And he has, what, four rings? So I ask you this, Izzy, who's. You set out your entire life, you work, you want to play in the NBA, and you get there. Whose career would you rather have, Draymond Greens or Charles Barclays?

[Stu Gotz]

Well, this one isn't really tricky to me anyway, because I'll ask you this. I'll answer a question with a question. Is that a cowherd thing? I'm not 100% sure if it is. I'M sorry for stealing his thing. Does Draymond Green seem happy to you?

[Israel Gutierrez]

No.

[Stu Gotz]

Doesn't he seem defensive at all times?

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yeah.

[Stu Gotz]

Doesn't he? Isn't he the guy who is constantly still. Still being criticized or being called Steph Curry's backpack?

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yep.

[Stu Gotz]

You think he's happy about that? You think the four rings really, really make him happy when he sits there every single day and has to defend himself against people who call him a glorified role player, against people who say that you. We leave you wide open all the time. There's a reason for that. Steve Martin. And there's no chance that he is completely satisfied with who he is. I'm sorry, Taylor, first segment. That's rough.

[Israel Gutierrez]

By the way, the audience. We were doing a bit, and Steve Martin's a prop. We were talking about great prop comics of all time, and someone said, Steve Martin. I said it, you know, three names later, and now it's become a running joke on this show. Anyway, go ahead.

[Stu Gotz]

So if you repeat what somebody just said, you're just Steve Martin.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Steve Martin.

[Stu Gotz]

But now go to Charles Barkley, right? And while Charles Barkley was an angry player right through people out of a bar window, I believe, was a guy who always stood up for himself. He seems pretty happy. Like, he seems pretty satisfied with his life. Like, and this is what I was talking about yesterday when I said, you know, whether you're Klay Thompson, who is, like, bragging about having four rings after a breakup, which those two aren't even on the same playing field, and then you've got Draymond Green thinking that his four rings can allow him to be disrespectful to a legend like Charles Barkley. The rings don't define who you are. It's the same way that Draymond Green is not going to be the char. The next Charles Barkley of broadcasting, because those four rings aren't going to make him entertaining. Like, he's a good basketball, you know, analyst. He can tell you stuff, you know, that they'll tell you in the coach's huddle, but he's not going to entertain you. That whole Charles Barkley thing was probably supposed to be a joke that just didn't land. And he just tried to, you know, go past it. Kenny Smith was trying to make it funny, but it really wasn't funny. And so in that same respect, I would much rather have Charles Barkley's career and say, look me as an individual, did all I can do. It's a team sport. It's not Tennis. I'm not a failure. And so if you want to call me a failure because Michael Jordan went 60 in the, in the finals, great. That's you creating the ring culture and making it even worse than it already is by saying you're a failure. Right?

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yeah.

[Stu Gotz]

So I'd much rather have Charles Barkley's career. You know what they say in basketball, Stugach.

[Jeff Passon]

Right.

[Stu Gotz]

When you're talking smack to each other, the one thing that you could really land on, hey, if I play you a one on one, I'm going to kick your butt.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Right.

[Stu Gotz]

Draymond Green's not kicking Charles Barkley's anything. Draymond Green and one on one will struggle to score against Charles Barkley. Even a 40 year old Charles Barkley.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Izzy. There were times though, during Barkley's playing career where people would say the same thing. He doesn't appear to be happy. He's mad, he's angry. He's not winning titles. He's in Philadelphia. He wants to get out of Philadelphia. He eventually did. He went to Phoenix. He led that team to the NBA finals and lost to Michael Jordan because everyone did so. So.

[Stu Gotz]

But he was trying to get there. Draymond already reached the top four different times and is still unhappy.

[Israel Gutierrez]

My point in saying all that is, I think where you've seen Barkley be the happiest is with his post career. No one was expecting, not even Charles, for him to turn into what he's turned into in his post NBA career, which is maybe the biggest media member we have going. I mean, he has carte blanche. He could say whatever he wants with no ramifications whatsoever. And Draymond said something to him and Barkley got upset about it, and everyone is outraged about it. Coming from the guy who for his entire career has said anything he's wanted to say. If you could take all the personality stuff and just put it aside for a second, resume side by side, you enter the NBA. Would you rather have Barkley's career take all the other stuff out of it or Draymond Green? Because I'd rather have Draymond Greens.

[Stu Gotz]

It's still Barkley. It's still Barkley. If you're asking me would I rather have Steph Curry's career or Charles Barkley, I'd rather have Steph Curry's, but I would rather be Barkley as an individual. It doesn't matter about my personality as an individual. If I say I've exhausted not only my ability 1000% and it happened to be one of the Best at that in the game. I've done everything I could. Damarino's not losing sleep because a GM couldn't get him a running back in a defense. He was the greatest.

[Taylor]

I think the Draymond Green, Charles Barkley conversation is further proof that ring culture has gotten completely out of control. And the most ironic part about ring culture being out of control is on this show, we have the. The Tim Robinson. We're all trying to find the guy who got ring culture out of control. Looking right back at us, at Stu.

[Stu Gotz]

Yeah. It's so true.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yeah. But I want you to think about this, okay? If I told you, okay, you could be player A, who's defensive player of the year. He's going to the hall of Fame. He plays on legendary teams with Stephen Clay, and he wins four titles. Or you could be player B, doesn't win a ring, but is considered one of the 20 greatest NBA players of all time. Which career, Taylor? Honestly, which career would you take? Because I take Draymond's.

[Taylor]

Let me flip this back to you. Player A has 11 rings and is a Hall of Famer. Player B is a Hall of Famer and has six rings. Whose career would you rather have?

[Israel Gutierrez]

11. No, six. I'm sorry. You see? There you go.

[Taylor]

Got him. You just got Russell over Michael Jordan.

[Stu Gotz]

You know where you're never going to find Draymond?

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yeah. The rule on the show is if I correct myself before you speak again, then I correct myself and I'm right. Jordan's career. Yes.

[Stu Gotz]

Do you know where you'll never find Draymond?

[Israel Gutierrez]

Made that up on one of those

[Stu Gotz]

graphics that say, who's going to beat this squad? He's never going to be on those ever.

[Israel Gutierrez]

They don't play one on one, though.

[Stu Gotz]

I mean, doesn't matter.

[Taylor]

No, no, no.

[Stu Gotz]

Doesn't matter. I'm saying, like, you know, UCO, it's Steph, it's Michael, it's LeBron, it's Tim Duncan, and it's Shaq versus Magic Johnson. You know, Reggie Miller. And he's never going to be on that graphic because people don't think of him as one of the greats. He's a great defender and a great role player on a great team who has a large mouth.

[Taylor]

I'm not sure how good Shaq would be as a one on one player because you would think he would have a tough time defending some people like LeBron. For me, first ballot, one on one, hall of Fame, Carmelo Anthony.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Really? Wow. Better than Jordan is what you're saying. That's what you're doing there. I mean, one on one. I mean, Iverson, Jordan.

[Taylor]

Jordan, best player of all time. Carmelo Anthony, best bucket getter of all time.

[Stu Gotz]

That's tough, man. You know what? Whenever I get to choose my Mount Rushmore Monday topic, it will be basket getters of all time.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Okay? Yes. Mikey.

[Taylor]

Is it just me or was that a heat check by Taylor?

[Israel Gutierrez]

That take right there was just Taylor chucking one up.

[Taylor]

Let's just see if I'm gonna drain him from half. Listen, when you're on the Herd.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yes.

[Taylor]

Dress for the job you want.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yes. And listen to the audience of the herd. This is a T shirt. This is the most sports we have spoken in six months. Okay. Like, we have never done this much sports in an entire show, let alone one segment. We'll take a quick time out. Sean McDonough wonders. He is wondering, he's been texting me. How did they let you into the new house school of broadcasting where I graduated from? He's outraged by it and he doesn't want me to tarnish its name. He will join us coming up next.

[Stu Gotz]

All right, so you're not confused. You can listen to us. That's stu Gats and company live from 3 to 5 Eastern Monday through Friday on Fox Sports Radio. Also stream us live wherever you happen to be in the iHeart app. Catch us and all of our Fox Sports Radio host shows Live24.7 in the new and improved iHeart app. Just search Fox Sports Radio in the app to stream us live all day every day. And be sure to select Fox Sports Radio as one of your presets in the iHeart app. So it will always pop up on the top of your screen.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. Hey, is Cavino and Rich from Fox Sports Radio now, in addition to hearing hearing us live weekdays from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific on

[Jeff Passon]

Fox Sports Radio, we're excited to announce

[Israel Gutierrez]

a brand new YouTube channel for the show. Yup, that's right. You can now watch Covino and rich

[Ad/Promo Voice]

live on YouTube every day.

[AI Colin]

All you gotta do search COVINO and RICH FSR on YouTube again.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Go to YouTube search COVINOENRICH FSR.

[Ad/Promo Voice]

Check us out on YouTube. Subscribe. Hit that thumbs up icon and comment away. Support for the show comes from public. Lately, the line between investing and gambling has started to blur. But let's be real, you can't build actual wealth on A coin flip. That's why Public takes a different approach. It's the investing platform where you can build a serious long term portfolio. Stocks, options, bonds, crypto. They have it all. But unlike platforms that basically just give you a buy button, Public provides actual context. So when you see volatility in your portfolio, you aren't just staring at a chart. You're reading a helpful explanation about why the stock is up or down. You can even go deeper with the built in AI research assistant. It's all about giving you the information you need to invest with conviction. Be right more often. Go to public.com and earn an uncapped 1% match when you transfer your investments. Public Investing for those who take it seriously Ad paid for by Public Holdings Brokerage Services by Public Investors Member finra, SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors SEC Registered Advisor all investing involves risk of loss. See complete [e-mail] Disclosures WARNING this product contains nicotine.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Nicotine is an addictive chemical.

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[AI Colin]

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[Israel Gutierrez]

Why?

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[Wilmer Valderrama]

this live check in is brought to you by State Farm. Okay, real talk. I'm about to become a dad again. And wow, it hits different the second time. Hi, I'm Wilmer Valderrama and I've done, you know, I've done the red carpets, the long days on set and all that. But nothing prepares you for that moment when you're building a crib and you realize you're building a future. Familia is everything to me. The laughs, the chaos, the unconditional love. But also the pressure. La respona. If you're stepping into something big right now, starting a family, getting engaged, moving cities, you're not alone. Take one step at a time. Why breathe? Be present and lean into the people. They've got your back. It is fruit. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

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[Israel Gutierrez]

877 for the herd. Our thanks to Sean McDonough for joining us in hour number one. Jeff Passon's gonna join us in the third hour of today's show. We will get to the Cavs and Pistons here in just a second, but I realize the audience is missing Collins, so let's get AI Collins thoughts here. Quickly, guys. On the Pistons Cav series,

[AI Colin]

Detroit going up 2 zip on Cleveland tells you everything. This isn't a cute story. It's a power move. Cade Cunningham closes again with 25 and 10. Tobias Harris gives you 21 and the Pistons are dictating the terms of the series like the one seed should. Cleveland's getting big nights. Donovan Mitchell had 31, Jared Allen had 22, and it still feels like they're playing catch up the whole game.

[Israel Gutierrez]

There's a name there for the Cavs. He left out. He was 3 of 13 from the field. He's terrible in the postseason. He's James Harden, Stu.

[Stu Gotz]

He is so laughable. It is funny to me that now it was sort of reawakened the James Harden versus Dwyane Wade, who was the better two guard. It is such a laughable debate. Such a laughable debate when you really think about it. Because James Harden is. Well, first of all, can you think of the career highlight defensive play of James Harden?

[Israel Gutierrez]

I cannot. No. No.

[Stu Gotz]

I can think of one. It was a no look swipe that he had on somebody. I want to say it was Patrick Bev. No, maybe not. He just looked the other way and swiped down and eventually got a steal out of that. That's it. Okay. There are so many highlight blocks and steals from Dwyane Wade, in fairness.

[Israel Gutierrez]

All right. But I don't remember any of them. So, like, in fairness, James Harden, you didn't want to. There aren't many defensive plays that I rem individuals in the NBA over the course of time. I just don't. I remember the steal From Jordan, Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz because he's the greatest of

[Stu Gotz]

all famous calls of all time. Larry steals the ball, lays it after DJ lays it out, gives it off to dj.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Excuse me.

[Taylor]

Also, what strange circles is Izzy rolling in where he's saying the. The conversations between Dwyane Wade and James Harden have been awakened stuff? Those conversations aren't happening in any of my circles.

[Israel Gutierrez]

I've never had it. I've never had it with anyone at any time, at any point, with any person.

[Stu Gotz]

Yes, Pat Beverly just reawakened those things by saying that he was better than Dwyane Wade. Then Dwyane Wade himself, the man himself went on a pod and said, he shouldn't be talking about me. He can't do anything I can do. And then he's basically been defending himself against the James Harden conversation without insulting James Harden by saying, look, after five years, I already had a Hall of Fame career and I don't think you can say the same thing about him. And so that, that, to me is a laughable debate. Dwayne impacted the games in ways that, you know, James Harden couldn't. And it's just more of a, hey, if my team is missing 17 consecutive three pointers like his Houston Rockets did against the Golden State warriors one game in the playoffs, I, meaning Dwyane Wade, would have done something, whether it be a pump fake and get to the line, something to slow that down, something to keep my team afloat. I think it's not even a convers who the best 2 guard is, although coming from me, that's going to be looked at as bias. But in this series, in these playoffs, Stu, James Harden is officially, officially in, like, Clayton Kershaw territory because when the playoffs come, he's an entirely different person. I think it's. It's either four out of five or five straight games in these postseason, or he had more turnovers than field goals made. And when you watch him play, he looks like he can't do anything out there. And then he takes out his frustration by getting mad at a SAR Thompson, who is the most, like, innocent defender in the league. He's just a ridiculously good defender, but is not a smack talker, is not really somebody that really gets into arguments. James Harden, it's just laughable. It's laughable that we see this guy in the postseason and think because he goes between the legs ten times every time he dribbles that he is some sort of effective basketball player. It's absolutely maddening to watch him Play at this level and you've got other people. I forget who it was, but somebody on a podcast recently just bragging, bragging about how James Harden would be out till 4 or 5 in the morning with Houston during his MVP days and then just come back to work the next day and drop 60. I'm like, imagine if he didn't do that. Like that.

[Israel Gutierrez]

You don't.

[Stu Gotz]

That's not something to, you know, to be proud of in your career. Oh, I could have been better, but I was out clubbing till five in the morning. Like, I know people want to put that Michael Jordan thing. Oh, he played golf till whatever hours of the day and still dropped 40 on a team that I think is even a little bit more acceptable because you're at least doing some other sort of physical activity that is not drinking alcohol the whole time. It's just, I don't know, it really gets to me how embarrassing that is for somebody who is supposed to be an all time great.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yeah, you're really taking this one personally. It seems like, I mean, you just like the disdain for Jason brought Dwyane Wade into the conversation. Well, no, it's amazing. Like, like, listen, this is how I do it. 3 of 13. He's terrible in the postseason. Everything looks good until he starts shooting and then it starts to look bad when it clanks off the rim because he's not good in the postseason. But Izzy somehow made it about Dwight Wade, and God bless him, he loves Dwayne Wade. But I'm not certain anyone's having those conversations. And if Dwyane Wade is responding to any sort of conversation where someone is saying James Harden is better than he is, he shouldn't respond. His game did all.

[Stu Gotz]

They're talking Dwayne Wade having the conversation, then people are having the conversation.

[Israel Gutierrez]

He should stop having that conversation. It's a dumb conversation for Wade to have. Of course he's better than James Harden. Stop talking about it. Not you, Dwyane Wade. No.

[Stu Gotz]

And a lot of people would say James Harden is better. That's why it's a conversation.

[Israel Gutierrez]

No one, no one, no one would say that. Who would say that?

[Taylor]

And if they did say it, they will not say it. After I read this stat here that I saw on NBA Reddit, I had a fact check this maybe 40 times because it's that unbelievable. James Harden played his 182nd career playoff game tonight with four turnovers and three made field goals. It was his 46th playoff game that he's had as many or more turnovers than Made field goals. That's over 25% of his career playoff games.

[Stu Gotz]

Like I saw somebody say that he is now getting into it might have been Stephen A. The Russell Wilson conversation. Are you playing your way out of maybe not the hall of Fame, but all time great conversations like it is just becoming painfully obvious.

[Taylor]

So the way Stephen A. Smith worded it, Stu, he said James Harden's hall of Fame status is on the verge of being revoked.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Oh, that's ridiculous. Really? So he was in and now he's revoking his status. Wow, that's pretty amazing.

[Taylor]

Stephen A. Smith had his card and it's, it's on the verge of being taken away from.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Here's, here's.

[Stu Gotz]

What the problem is, is.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yes, go ahead. Sorry Izzy, go.

[Stu Gotz]

No, no, the problem is, is that we're obsessed with scoring in a way that maybe we weren't before. Right. Because there were times where we would see a guy have big scoring numbers and then just recognize okay, it's a little gimmicky. It's. It's regular season quality, right. And effectiveness. But when you really like break it down or if you really defend it hard over the course of a seven game series, it's not going to be as effective. Because if you think about what Harden's go tos are, it's step back three, which again even if he is the best in the league at it percentage wise, not a great shot and then drawing fouls when, when getting to the rim. Well, if you're not drawing those fouls anymore, I mean where are you going? What is your go to? How are you affecting the game? It's certainly not on defense and it's certainly not with what like mid range pull ups. He just doesn't have that. He's a two level scorer effectively either threes or layups. And so it's just not effective come playoff time. And it's really frustrating to see whether it be all time great conversations or people convincing themselves that he is going to be different with the Cleveland Cavaliers when. Why are we convincing himself ourselves of this? We've seen enough evidence. Evidence to the contrary.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Stephen A. Smith is the guy to

[Taylor]

revoke your NBA hall of Fame card.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Right?

[Stu Gotz]

Like he's the guy that gets to

[Taylor]

take it away from you.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Hammer Doris Burke. Yeah, Bob Doris maybe. Yeah.

[Stu Gotz]

Jackie McMullen maybe. I think there's people ahead of Stevenson.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Very Boston. That's very Boston.

[Stu Gotz]

Well, I mean I grew up reading them so the first name that came to mind.

[Israel Gutierrez]

But Izzy, I don't mean to say this, like, I'm not trying to upset you, just who was having these conversations about James Harden being an all time great?

[Stu Gotz]

That's where, I mean, I could, I could list them for you, but just, just look it up.

[Taylor]

Does James Harden have this big fan base? Like I don't associate James Harden with, with having like this devoted following that's going to defend James Harden to the end of the earth. Because he seems like a tough player to kind of defend to the end of the earth. Like, listen, Jalen Brunson is my guy. I will defend Jalen Brunson till the end of time. But that's Knicks fan saying they'll defend Harden or Knicks fans saying they'll defend Brunson. Brunson, Harden doesn't really have that team that he's really associated with anymore.

[Stu Gotz]

There are people who suggest James Harden change the game forever. Like they'll just show you the images of people defending him from the side, from the side so that he wouldn't be able to do his, you know, little step back move and everything else. And really all that is, is just James Harden perfecting the act of a, like the referees, right? He's using the, the way the game is officiated to his benefit. And so therefore the other players were literally throwing their hands up in and saying, I don't know what you want me to do, I'm going to try this crazy stuff over here. When really he wasn't this dynamic athlete or basketball player who was doing all of these amazing things. He basically took advantage of a couple of rules where you can't touch a shooter and you know he's going to reach down and make you reach his arm and slap at his arm when he goes to the, to the bucket and he's going to get his free throws.

[Jeff Passon]

That's it.

[Stu Gotz]

That's his power. That's his superpower. And when that's not going to be there all the time, he's going to look like a less than average player. That's not who you want leading your team.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Those people are dumb. Who's ever saying that? Who's ever having these conversations? They're just, I'm not saying they're not having those conversations. It's just I never thought of James Harden as an all time great. I'll never think of James Harden as an all time great. I think he would have been, had a better chance of being an all time great. And Kevin Durant, by the way, if the three of them just stayed together. Westbrook, Durant and Harden, if they somehow just stayed together. Perhaps James Harden would be in the conversation of all time. Great. I just wasn't aware. And again, I don't say this to upset you, that there's some weird James Harden colt who defends him at all costs. You know, it's crazy.

[Taylor]

One of the names mentioned for the hall of Fame card status holder was Bob Ryan. And I have my. I have my Twitter notifications on for any time Bob Ryan tweets. And once I heard the name Bob Ryan, I was like, this is my lane to talk a little Bob Ryan. Somebody tweeted a picture that said, name a famous queen not named Victoria or Elizabeth. And Bob Ryan responded to the tweet and said, latifah,

[Israel Gutierrez]

Get him on Bob.

[Stu Gotz]

Classic Bob.

[Israel Gutierrez]

It is classic Bob.

[Taylor]

You're right.

[Israel Gutierrez]

We used to do a segment called we used to have Bob on to explain his tweets. Because sometimes they're a bit all over the place. And Bob would come on. I'd read them to him, I'd read them to the audience and then he would explain what he was trying to say. Go ahead, Taylor.

[Taylor]

But we don't need any explanation there. Like,

[Stu Gotz]

Bob Ryan has always had his thumb on the pulse of pop culture in the 90s.

[Israel Gutierrez]

And that tweet should be on the Mount Rushmore of tweets. Seriously, that is a great job. It's so unsuspecting from Bob Ryan. Speaking of Mount Rushmore's, listen, Bordot Ricardo, I'm going to AI Colin here, okay? I just want to let you know, so you take your eyes off the TV and stop watching soccer for a minute. The Mount Rushmore, according to AI Colin of New York Knicks.

[AI Colin]

More of New York Knicks starts with Patrick Ewing. 15 years franchise cornerstone, the face of the Garden. Then I'm going Walt Clyde, Frazier, Willis Reed, and I'll put Jalen Brunson on it right now because he's already stacking 40 point nights and dragging them through big moments. That's the mix titles, Legacy and the modern Engine.

[Stu Gotz]

I don't know. I think AI Colin might be a victim to recency bias. Also, you had mellow, probably. No, not necessarily mellow.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Bernard King.

[Stu Gotz]

Yeah, I gotta go, Bernard. I mean, look, while we were talking to Greenie yesterday, I spent most of the time just looking at Bernard King stats. That dude was good. Talk about the King, he should have been the chosen one, right?

[Taylor]

I also have another. Yes, I also have another athlete if they were named after a designer brand.

[Israel Gutierrez]

What? Okay, it's an Oli. What is this right Jeff.

[Taylor]

Giorgio Armani.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yeah, that's a good one.

[Stu Gotz]

Do you have demarcia? I pronounced that wrong. I'm so stupid.

[Israel Gutierrez]

877 for the herd. 8, 7, 7 for the herd.

[Stu Gotz]

By the way, I also believe that. No, I'm going to sort of run right through this. I also believe that James Harden is going to ruin these Cavaliers. He's going to ruin these Cavaliers. Donovan Mitchell is already not like the vocal, like, rah, rah, let's go, leader. And then James Harden is definitely not that. Right. So if James Harden is playing like poo poo, you're not going to see Donovan Mitchell go after him. In fact, I don't know if you saw this after the game where Donovan Mitchell is like, we're not worried he's James Harden. That's exactly why you should be worried. Like, honestly, if I'm the coach there, I'm probably lessening his minutes to, like, 24, 22. And then just see what happens, because it's pretty obvious when you continually have more turnovers and field goals made, you should not be the point guard.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Taylor, put it on the poll. Does Izzy care about James Harden more than any other person on the planet?

[Stu Gotz]

I've never cared about a Cleveland Cavaliers basketball playoff series more than this one because of James Harden.

[Israel Gutierrez]

So, I mean, I'm not gonna. Yeah, go ahead, Taylor. Go ahead.

[Taylor]

As a Yankee fan, to me, what this feels like is I am hyper aware to any time anybody says anything about Derek Jeter, to where if I'll, like, just be walking down the street. And all of a sudden my spidey senses start tingling, being like, I could. I know somebody right now in Boston on. On. Wei is talking about Derek Jeter not being that great of a defender.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Right? Taylor, I think you. We were talking about, you know, wrong place, wrong time, kind of hall of Fame. Right place, right time. Taylor, leave the room for a second. Okay, Just. If you wouldn't mind, because I want to ask these guys a question.

[Taylor]

Don't you dare. Don't you dare.

[Stu Gotz]

Dangerous game. Everything together over here.

[Israel Gutierrez]

No, I really. Because. Because I do believe, like, with Draymond Green, I was thinking about this. Michael Irvin once told me, you've really

[Stu Gotz]

thinking about Draymond Green a lot the last 24 hours.

[Israel Gutierrez]

I really have. Because I don'. Listen, I've been thinking about his career and whether or not I would like to have his career, but. J. But. But Draymond Green is not a guy. If you placed him, if he was drafted by the Hornets, okay? There's no way that Draymond Green has the career that he's had. So he landed right place, right time. Okay? Michael Irvin used to tell me that there are guys who win championships and there are guys who win those guys championships, Meaning the reason they have rings is because of guys like Michael Jordan. And there's a big, big difference. Now, basketball is a different sport. You're playing five at a time. One guy is as important in that sport than any other sport. So, Taylor, I need you to leave the room for a second when I ask these guys this question, because I want them to guess what your reaction is going to be. Okay? He's gone. Derek Jeter. If he goes to the Pirates, okay, Right place, right time, Mikey's going to get mad at me. I already see it. But if Derek Jeter plays out his entire career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, we do not think of Derek Jeter the way we do today. Is that fair?

[Stu Gotz]

So you're saying. How do you think Taylor's going to react to that?

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yes.

[Stu Gotz]

Is right place, right time. Hall of fame?

[Israel Gutierrez]

100%. Yes. I'm saying if he played for the Pirates, he would not be Derek Jeter. He would be, but you know what I'm saying. Yeah.

[Stu Gotz]

I think Taylor will divorce you on the spot. I think it's just the new show is just going to be Stu Bats and maybe Izzy.

[Israel Gutierrez]

That's no company.

[Stu Gotz]

No company. No Taylor Company's leaving now. The VIP room. Gone.

[Taylor]

I'll tell you what happens. If Derek Jeter was a Pirate.

[Stu Gotz]

Wait, how'd you get back in here?

[Israel Gutierrez]

You weren't supposed to be listening.

[Taylor]

Jason Kendall becomes Jorge Posada. Oliver Perez becomes Andy Pettit. The. The pieces around Derek Jeter. Derek Jeter is an elevator. Everybody around Derek Jeter gets better. Aramis Ramirez today is a Hall of Famer. If Derek Jeter was a Pirate, right?

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yep.

[Stu Gotz]

Terrible person to choose. Derek Jeter, of all people.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Worst one. No, it's. No, it is. Guys, come on, serious. If Derek Jeter was. If he came up in the Pirates farm system and played his entire career for Pittsburgh, you think Jeter's good enough? Where Pittsburgh would have won World Series.

[Stu Gotz]

What are you crazy?

[Jeff Passon]

I'll tell you.

[Stu Gotz]

I'll tell you another thing. Not only that good, but Jim Leland was the manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1996, which was Derek Jeter's rookie year, okay? With the Yankees.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yes.

[Stu Gotz]

If Jim Leland had been managing Derek Jeter as a rookie, he never would have left Pittsburgh, never would have gotten to Florida, never would have Won a World Series with the Marlins.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Okay.

[Stu Gotz]

He would have stayed there.

[Israel Gutierrez]

He would have been.

[Stu Gotz]

Yeah, he would have stayed there and. And managed Derek Jeter for the entirety of his career.

[Taylor]

Brian Giles would be Bernie Williams.

[Israel Gutierrez]

What are you guys taught? So wait a second. What are you doing, o'? Neill? So the Pirates would be the Yankees. There'd be a Monument park out in Pittsburgh Stadium right now, where I'm actually

[Stu Gotz]

sitting here flipping through the seasons of Pittsburgh starting in 96, not a 500 season among them. And so, yeah, Derek Jeter would have turned this into more than a respectable organization again.

[Taylor]

Remember David Wells?

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yeah.

[Taylor]

Pirates had Kip Wells.

[Stu Gotz]

He becomes the same thing.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Seriously. Same couple of Wells cutting it up.

[Stu Gotz]

Yeah. Now I'm looking at 2009 to see if he would have won the World Series with those Pittsburgh Pirates. Man, 62 and 99 would have had

[Israel Gutierrez]

a lot of work to do. Do. Right. That's what I'm saying. One guy does not make up that difference. Not in that sport. Not when you're playing nine guys at a time. Doesn't work like that. I mean, come on.

[Stu Gotz]

But to suggest that Derek Jeter is in the right place, right time. Hall of Fame.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yeah.

[Stu Gotz]

Might be one of your worst takes.

[Israel Gutierrez]

No, it's not. No. Take Derek Jeter off the Yankees. Okay? He goes. It's the right place at the right time. That's all he was. It's right place. Right, Right. That's all.

[Stu Gotz]

But I could have picked about a dozen organizations that would have been the right place for the right time for that guy. Because that guy is that good.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Right. Do you agree? Scotty Pippen, right place, right time.

[Stu Gotz]

Yes.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yes. Right. Like Scotty Pippen goes to the LA Clippers and he's not Scotty Pippen. That's what I'm saying.

[Stu Gotz]

He's not in the right place. Right place, right time. Hall of Fame. Because I still think he would have had a Hall of Fame career. It might have been fringe as opposed to automatic first ballot hall of Famer, but he still would have been a five, six, maybe seven time All Star, great defender. Probably would have had a Hall of Fame career for himself.

[Israel Gutierrez]

So every year would have been similar to the year he played without Jordan, where they get to the Eastern Conference semifinals. He was still a very good player. He was in the conversation that year. Yeah, for sure. The mvp. All right, all right, that's fair. But Jeter to the Royals. I mean, come on. I mean, what do you guys.

[Stu Gotz]

All right, let me check the 1996 Royals and see what they were doing.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Do the Pirates play in pinstripes? Like, what are we doing? I don't understand.

[Taylor]

We would have got pinstripes added to the Pirates uniforms. Pittsburgh and Pirates would have stood for pinstripes.

[Stu Gotz]

What we're doing right now, Stu, is going to break Listen to us, stu Gotz and company live from 3 to 5 Eastern Monday through Friday on Fox Sports Radio. Also, stream us live wherever you happen to be in the iHeart app. Catch us in all our Fox sports radio shows live 24. 7 in the new and improved iHeart app. Just search Fox Sports Radio in the app to stream us live all day, every day. And be sure to select Fox Sports Radio as one of your presets in the iHeart app so it'll always pop up at the top of your screen.

[Taylor]

Want more?

[Israel Gutierrez]

Heard the herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search heard to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like.

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[Wilmer Valderrama]

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[Israel Gutierrez]

Jeff Passon is with us. He graduated here from Syracuse. This is a very nice school. It's a school, Jeff, that I feel like I don't really belong being in. And if I had this equipment growing up, you know, and actually had some training in this, perhaps I would be better if I attended the Newhouse School of Broadcasting. I'd be pretty good at this. I mean, this place is amazing. Jeff.

[Jeff Passon]

Well, on one hand, you've made a career out of defiling things, so this is kind of par for the course. But. But beyond that, beyond that, you have contributed in the neighborhood of $350,000 over

[Stu Gotz]

the last four years. Syracuse University.

[Jeff Passon]

So I think you can do whatever

[Israel Gutierrez]

you want right now.

[Jeff Passon]

I think you can make a mockery, smash a window, going graffiti all over the place. You know, cross out to Rico, cross out Costas. I am Eagle. Whatever. You've earned it.

[Israel Gutierrez]

So thank you. I appreciate it.

[Jeff Passon]

My permission at least.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yes. Listen, I bought my way into the Newhouse School of Broadcasting through my daughter. But, but like McDonough was on earlier and he was making the joke. Congratulations. Of getting that bill off of your expense sheet.

[Stu Gotz]

I mean, it's.

[Jeff Passon]

Listen, I'm starting next year, so I understand completely. And, and here's the thing. You had a division one athlete too, so at very least I would hope that some of that was taken care of. My kids go into D3, so I have the combination of playing sports but getting no benefit out of it. So, yeah, I'm 90k in the hole every year for the next four years and not looking forward to it.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Enjoy it, buddy. I love the podcast. I texted you earlier this week. Sources tell Jeff, Pass it. It's a great name for your podcast. Are you enjoying it?

[Jeff Passon]

I'm loving it, man. Like, it's. It's hard doing what you do. That's. That's what I'm figuring out. Like, we're, we're treating this like a weekly television show and, you know, being as involved as I am with more or less everything, I did not understand the second full time job I was going to be taking on. But it's, it's, you know, my, my job at espn, my main job is often reacting to or at least chasing down something that's happening. It's a passive endeavor doing a show like this. It's creating something and it's coming up with ideas that you hope are gonna be interesting and compelling and seeing them from start to finish. And that's not something I've done before. So it's been an absolute blast and I'm not sleeping at all and loving

[Israel Gutierrez]

every minute of it.

[Taylor]

A pass it endeavor.

[Israel Gutierrez]

I knew it was coming. You did. The filling of time is hard. Me and Bobani Jones laugh about this all the time. Just how hard it is to do this now that we're patting ourselves on the back. But it originates our conversation from a story on Radio Row where Travis Hunter was trying to launch a podcast during super bowl week on Radio Row and Bomani walked past him and somehow struck up a conversation with him and he said, man, what you do for a living is really hard. And that guy plays football for a living, Jeff.

[Jeff Passon]

Yeah, that guy plays football and he plays cornerback and wide receiver. So he plays football at like the Ohtani level. And, and he's having a tough time. But Monty Jones is also the, the person who, among everybody in our industry, I have great faith, could talk uninterrupted and pull off like a 20 hour filibuster on Capitol Hill if he needed to. Bo's never had a difficult time filling air, has he?

[Israel Gutierrez]

No, I've heard him do that actually. He's never had trouble. Now, Taylor, this is interesting. So I am not certain we discussed this with you. Taylor is such a big Yankee fan and Cam Schlitler is having such a great year that he has said on record on national radio, Jeff, pass it that he would not trade Cam straight up for Paul Skeens. How do you feel about that, Jeff?

[Taylor]

I said it before the season. 2.

[Jeff Passon]

Yeah, well, I think you were stupid before the season as well.

[Stu Gotz]

This is why he doesn't text you. Yes, that's, that's, here's the thing.

[Jeff Passon]

You could name just about any other pitcher and I would actually agree with you. Cam Schlitler is awesome. Paul Skins is just on another level. And with Tarek Scubal out right now, I think Paul Skeens is unequivocally, undoubtedly without any competition, the best pitcher in baseball going right now. But to me, the most interesting part of Cam Schlitler speaks to what the New York Yankees have been able to do. And for a long time the Yankees had a difficult time growing pitching internally. You know, they would have guys who had decent strikeout rates in the minor league leagues. Other teams would want to trade for him. But once they got to the big league level, they were just like, you know, Clark Schmidt was good, got hurt. Will Warren last year wasn't a whole lot. Gave up that monster grand slam to Vlad Guerrero in the playoffs that knocked the Yankees out. But a dominant like frontline starter. It's been a long time since the Yankees that even Luis heel, you know, going and winning rookie of the year, couldn't, couldn't nab a rotation spot this season. So. So to see Schlitler go from drafted and throwing 88 to 90 miles per hour to a guy who now sits 97 to 99, will hit triple digits regularly. He's awesome. And he's part of the reason that the Yankees are the overwhelming favorites in the American League right now because not only are they doing this with the staff they've got now, but Carlos Rodan's coming back this weekend. Garrett Cole's not far off. Yankees are going to get better. And that is a scary thing for the rest of the al.

[Taylor]

Jeff, on the topic of Yankee prospects, the Yankees are calling up Spencer Jones. Yankee fans have heard a ton about him. They're already comparing him to Aaron Judge.

[Israel Gutierrez]

They're.

[Taylor]

They're putting the numbers side by side to what they did in the minor leagues. What do you think are fair expectations for Jones as he makes his MLB debut?

[Jeff Passon]

Spencer Jones is going to hit home runs. I think that much we know. He is 6 foot 7 and 240 pounds and an absolute unit and has a beautiful left handed swing. That being said, the reason that Aaron Judge has managed to become the best hitter in Major League Baseball over the past few seasons is because he has cut down on the swing and miss and he still strikes out a fair bit. But Spencer Jones's strikeouts have been off the charts bad. And the fact that he still managed to be as productive as he has in the minor league speaks to those other skills. So, so if he can evolve to maybe swing and miss a little bit less, even if he cut it down by 5%, that takes him from big leaguer to all star. And if his plate discipline can get even better than that, you know, cuts down his strikeout rate by 10%. Let's say we're talking about a perennial MVP candidate. That's how good the power is. But it's difficult to, especially when you're in the big leagues facing better stuff than you ever have before, to limit the strikeouts like he's going to need to, to reach that talent that he has.

[Stu Gotz]

Jeff, One of my favorite adjustments to baseball over the last several years is the elaborate dugout celebration for home runs. And I, I want to ask you your favorite because I ju. I came across one this week of the Colorado Rockies when they throw on that purple faux fur coat, which is absolutely beautiful. I don't care how fake it is.

[Israel Gutierrez]

That's my favorite by far.

[Stu Gotz]

I don't know if you have a favorite favorite.

[Jeff Passon]

I like the Blue Jays home run jacket only because I feel like it speaks to the team and its character and who it is more than anything. They have the flags of all the countries that the players play for on it. I like the Mariners trident too, just because it looks kind of that one. But I'm, I'm all for dugout celebrations of any variety. Like, like baseball is a sport that for so long was like the dry chicken breast of professional sports. It was unappealing and unseasoned and just not fun at all. And it's like we finally got some sabor going on here. We got some seasoning. We got some flavor. We. Baseball's needed it for a long time. And, hey, if that is, you know, pushing a cart through the dugout, wearing a helmet in the dugout, a faux purple coat, or any of the other celebrations, I'm here for it.

[Taylor]

Jeff, Stu was very quick to throw out.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Sorry.

[Taylor]

Stu was very quick to throw out Taylor's terrible trade idea. So let me ask you one of Stu's terrible ideas. If Derek Jeter had come up with the Pirates.

[Israel Gutierrez]

He's not.

[Taylor]

He's not Derek Jeter, as Stu would say.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yes. Yes. Thank you.

[Ad/Promo Voice]

Boom.

[Israel Gutierrez]

What are we doing?

[Stu Gotz]

What he tried to do, Jeff. He went as far as saying that Derek Jeter is in the right place, right time, hall of Fame, which I

[Israel Gutierrez]

think is a bit much.

[Jeff Passon]

I. I agree. That's a bit much. I just don't think he's Derek Jeter. I think he's more like Bobby Witt, which is that you. You are not appreciated nearly as much when you're not in one of those huge markets. I think that's a reasonable thing. And I don't know that Derek Jeter is going to be less of a player, but I'll say this. I think Derek Jeter is going to get fewer opportunities in that situation to do the sorts of historic things that we remember him for. And so I do think time and place matter with guys, and I. I think ignoring the idea that one franchise is going to be a more ideal fit. And part of what made Derek Jeter as great as he was, guys, was the fact that he could survive the snake pit that can be New York Sports and emerge not just, you know, with. With his full health and with his full production, but having benefited from it and having been a part of it. I. I think that you put Derek Jeter in Pittsburgh, and the full Derek Jeterness of him just never is. Is brought to the forefront.

[Stu Gotz]

Even if there were pinstripes, he's still.

[Jeff Passon]

He's still a great player. Don't get me wrong. He's great wherever he is. But. But the level that he's at, I think was in. I'm not gonna say in large part, but certainly in part because he was a Yankee, and I think he would probably say that, too.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yeah. You see what's happening here, guys. Us Newhouse guys, we stick together. We do. That's. That's a couple of Newhouse guys cutting it up. I mean, that's really.

[Stu Gotz]

You can still go to school there, right? There's no like, age limit.

[Israel Gutierrez]

I want to, I want to go back when he said he agreed with you. He's right. I'm right. Taylor, go ahead. I know Taylor.

[Jeff Passon]

Do you think they would accept him? What was your, what was your sat, Steve?

[Israel Gutierrez]

What. What's an sat? I mean, his Saturdays. Score like, you know, like a 92, 18 holes.

[Ad/Promo Voice]

All right.

[Jeff Passon]

Sounds very accurate, Jeff.

[Israel Gutierrez]

I was off spot.

[Taylor]

I have a soft spot in my heart for the Chicago Cubs team because if you go to summer in, in Wrigley Field, it's unbelievable. Is this Cubs team built to win in the postseason? Because I know they're off to a great start, but when you look at this team, it doesn't really feel like they have the pitching, although they're great in on defense, almost across the board. And they do have players that could put the ball in.

[Stu Gotz]

Why'd you have to preface that with them having a soft spot in your heart?

[Taylor]

Because I want the Cubs success.

[Stu Gotz]

Okay.

[Israel Gutierrez]

It was necessary. Yeah.

[Jeff Passon]

It's a perfectly reasonable question because I think they are a, an excellent regular season team. They are one through nine in that lineup. It reminds me somewhat of the Blue Jays last year where they have guys who have slug, but they also can put the ball in play and they are deep. And it's tough to pitch that lineup, you know, when, when Petro Armstrong, who hit 30 home runs last year, is hitting eighth in your lineup. Like, you know, you run deep. And the defense, I do not want to undersell that one bit. It's the best defense in baseball. They are so solid everywhere across the diamond, but especially up the middle with PCA in center field, Dansby Swanson at short, Nico Horner at second. Like it's, it's a really good team. But the pitching issues warranted, fair, understandable. And that's what concerns me about the Cubs because let's think about who they're going to have to go up against in the postseason. If it's the Dodgers, you've got Yamamoto and Ohtani and Snell and Glass now. Not fun to face. And frankly, the number one pitcher for the Cubs, whether it's Matt Boyd coming back from knee surgery or Shoda Yamanaga. I don't even know if they make the top four of the Dodgers. And I'm not sure that the Cubs bullpen at this point, frankly, is deep enough because you can navigate a postseason without a whole lot of starting pitching. We've seen the Houston Astros do that before. We saw the Dodgers do that a couple of years ago. You don't need like all of this frontline pitching to find success. But if you don't have that, you better have a damn good bullpen. And the Cubs bullpen at this point. It's. It's fine. Is it good? I wouldn't put it up there yet, Jeff.

[Israel Gutierrez]

I failed.

[Stu Gotz]

I'm sorry, Go ahead.

[Israel Gutierrez]

I was going to say I failed us here because we were talking about skins for Cam straight up. And you know, Collins audience, they miss. And so we have Colin's thoughts, AI Collins thoughts on skiings for Schlitler, straight up. Go ahead, AI.

[AI Colin]

Colin, a one for one swap makes no sense for the Yankees because Cam Schlitler is already pitching like a frontline ace. 5 and 1, a.152 earned run average, 53 strikeouts and a.087 WHIP. And you're not paying the new toy tax to get it. Paul Skeens is a monster. Reigning National League Cy Young, and he's dealing again. 236 earned run average, 46 strikeouts and 42 innings. But if your guy is already in that neighborhood, you keep the extra year of control and the organizational stability. Also, trading your own ace in the making for another ace doesn't fix the stuff that usually breaks October teams. Defense, situational hitting, bullpen, volatility. So, yes, Skeens is the headline, but Schlitler is the smart money.

[Israel Gutierrez]

It doesn't even know what to do with that.

[Stu Gotz]

Okay.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Oh, he couldn't hear it. Oh, you couldn't hear AI column. I had no idea. I mean, why did anyone tell me you could hear?

[Ad/Promo Voice]

So you guys acted like fools.

[Jeff Passon]

Yeah.

[Stu Gotz]

So you should just know that AI calling entirely agreed with Taylor.

[Jeff Passon]

I'm like, right.

[Israel Gutierrez]

So listen, AI call, it's. Listen, it's one thing for CC Sabathia who actually came on our show and agreed with Taylor, okay? He got caught up in the moment. He's a Yankee guy. He didn't want to upset Cam. All right. But AI Colin also just disagreed with me and you two Newhouse guys and agreed with Taylor. How about that, huh?

[Jeff Passon]

Honestly, it makes me feel good.

[Israel Gutierrez]

I don't want to.

[Jeff Passon]

Do you know how often AI is wrong? Like, all of us have used AI in some form or fashion.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Careful.

[Jeff Passon]

And do we ever step away from it thinking, you know, that was a pleasant experience. I really feel like I answered my question. No, they answer a question in a terrifyingly, like, pleasant manner. They say, oh, oh, that. That's a good. You know, that's a great question. That's a good premise that you have. No, they get Things wrong all the time. If we are leaning on AI for baseball analysis, then we have lost the plot, gentlemen.

[Stu Gotz]

Are you saying AI likes to gaslight people? Because I don't believe that.

[Jeff Passon]

No, of course not. Of course. Why would it ever do that?

[Israel Gutierrez]

Come on. I would pass it on this, but again, we went to the same school, so, I mean, I have his back, he has my back. I am so glad that someone finally alerted me because we were about to play a game which requires you hearing imaging. And I am so thrilled that someone finally figured out that passing can't hear any sound that's being fired off from Sherman Oaks or Miami. How about that?

[Stu Gotz]

Let me ask you a question.

[Jeff Passon]

I'll tell you this. I heard the back end of it. So if we want to try it one more time, by all means. I'd love to have a conversation with AI. This is exactly what I thought my day was going to get.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Let's ask, let's see if you could hear this. AI Collins, thoughts on whether or not the Dodgers, the LA Dodgers, they, you know, they have a dynasty going on and they're, I've, I've questioned whether or not they're good for baseball. Let's see if AI Colin agrees with me.

[AI Colin]

No, the Los Angeles Dodgers aren't bad for baseball. They're gasoline on the fire. When you've got a monster brand that travels well and everybody wants to beat it gives the sport a villain, a measuring stick, and a reason to watch on a random Tuesday night. What's bad for baseball is the dead weight. Franchises that don't spin, don't develop, and don't try. Those teams drain the energy out of the whole league. So let the Dodgers be great and let everybody else chase them.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Did you hear it?

[Jeff Passon]

I did. I did hear that. I didn't realize that, that AI Colin was part of the Democratic Socialists of America.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Wow.

[Jeff Passon]

That was, that was quite a thing right there. I mean, it's like, here's the thing. You're gonna see this. Over the next year, as the labor negotiation plays out. Collective bargaining agreement up December 1, there's almost certainly going to be a lockout. And there are very pro labor sects of the fan base that essentially made the argument that AI Colin made right there. And there's some validity to it. Actually, I, I think the Dodgers are good in the same way that the Yankees were good back in the 1990s. It's a, a, it is a measuring stick. It's something that every other team can aspire to beat. And when somebody does Beat them. It's a big deal. So, yeah, as long as the Dodgers are playing within the rules, which they are, I feel like what they're doing actually does, as AI Colin said, expose those teams that aren't.

[Stu Gotz]

I just want to say this out loud because I know everything is listening when we inevitably go to war with our artificial intelligence. I am not on Jeff Passon's side on this.

[Israel Gutierrez]

I am.

[Stu Gotz]

Jeff is on his own on this one.

[Israel Gutierrez]

I got your back.

[Jeff Passon]

I'm fine. I will admit I'm polite to AI when I talk to him.

[Israel Gutierrez]

I ask please.

[Jeff Passon]

I don't know how I feel about that, but it's just like there's this entity that's trying to help me, and I don't want to be a turd toward it, even though I know there's no humanity there. You're just a compendium of things that all of us have written throughout history and somehow process it into knowledge. This, like, I feel like, you know, I. I'm like the anti Carol Sturka. I would much rather be like Carol and. And look at the machine as if it's a. A force of evil. But it's just so helpful sometimes.

[Stu Gotz]

Jeff, when my partner does get things

[Jeff Passon]

wrong, I've still pleasant to it.

[Stu Gotz]

When my partner curses at Alexa, I get so cringy. I'm like, oh, no, why are you talking to her like that?

[Israel Gutierrez]

Izzy is selling out the human race hard in the. In the future wars. Jeff, we're. We're glad you. You could hear that, AI Colin. And so we hope that means you could hear this. We're going to play a game with you and get you out of here in just a second. It's a game we like to call One Table. Who's getting it and who's getting left. Outside. Greatness gets seated. Everyone else waits. This is one table.

[Taylor]

So, Jeff, there's one table at the hottest restaurant in Atlanta.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yes.

[Taylor]

Greg Maddox walks in, Tom Glavin walks in, and John Smoltz walks in. Who gets the table?

[Stu Gotz]

Table?

[Israel Gutierrez]

That's a good question. Excellent.

[Jeff Passon]

Who? Who gets it or who should get it?

[Taylor]

Who gets it?

[Israel Gutierrez]

Who gets the T? You're running that restaurant. And those three walk in at the exact same time. You have one table. They're with their families. Who gets the table?

[Jeff Passon]

Greg Maddox all day.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Really? Wow.

[Jeff Passon]

Yeah. Best. Best pitcher of the bunch. But beyond that, Greg Maddox was the king of, like, clubhouse poop jokes. And that's the kind of guy who I want dining at my restaurant.

[Stu Gotz]

He was a real low talker. He used to really tick me off. And I was in the back of the crowd, and he was in there telling me his answers like this. I think he did that on purpose.

[Israel Gutierrez]

He did.

[Jeff Passon]

And also, you should have. You should have been there earlier. Like, elbow your way to the front.

[Stu Gotz]

This guy. This is how he became a Hall

[Israel Gutierrez]

of Fame baseball writer. Yeah.

[Jeff Passon]

You could kick the ass of 99% of reporters, I imagine. I've seen you shirtless. It's majestic. And, like, why are you not using that to your advantage?

[Israel Gutierrez]

You're right.

[Stu Gotz]

I should just take off my shirt. They'll all just make room.

[Israel Gutierrez]

No part.

[Jeff Passon]

No.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Izzy's the kind of guy that will drive you crazy, Jeff, because you're right. When he takes his shirt off, he does look majestic. He's in better shape than any of us will ever be. And Izzy thinks he doesn't look good. He thinks he's in bad shape.

[Jeff Passon]

Shape.

[Stu Gotz]

No, that's a whole different thing. Also, I was 22, so I was not.

[Taylor]

Not in this shape.

[Israel Gutierrez]

I mean. Yeah, but no one likes that guy who's in better shape than we are and is. Is constantly getting upset and telling everyone, hey, I'm not in good shape. Cincinnati. There's a restaurant in Cincinnati. Okay. Joey Votto walks in. Okay. The Vados. I'm trying to think of another Cincinnati rest, because if I say the roses, you're going to give the table to the roses. But people don't realize just how popular Joey Votto is in Cincinnati. So I'm going to go Vottos and the roses. Who gets the table? Pete Rose. Good player. Not a good dude.

[Stu Gotz]

I would have gone Sean Casey.

[Israel Gutierrez]

I was trying to sway him.

[Jeff Passon]

Well, Pete Rose isn't alive.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Well, I know.

[Stu Gotz]

I mean, he doesn't need nourishment in the.

[Israel Gutierrez]

This situation. Doesn't matter. I mean, just, you know. You know, Pete Rose in his prime. Vo is prime. Weird.

[Taylor]

Pete Rose to kind of get brought into the restaurant.

[Israel Gutierrez]

I'd be surprised if they weakened at Bernie's.

[Jeff Passon]

Pete Rose, he would still get the table.

[Israel Gutierrez]

A dead Pete Rose still gets the table. Okay, Beat Rose, I think, Mikey.

[Stu Gotz]

Yeah, I think.

[Israel Gutierrez]

All right, go ahead, Izzy. You have one.

[Stu Gotz]

No.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Oh, really? I have one. Go ahead.

[Taylor]

This table is in Los Angeles, Jeff.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Oh, boy.

[Taylor]

Sandy Koufax walks in. And Shohei Ohtani walks in. Who gets the table?

[Jeff Passon]

Oh, my.

[Stu Gotz]

Time travel again.

[Jeff Passon]

Oh, that's a really good one. I think. I think they give it. I think they give it to Ohtani.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Wow. What? What?

[Stu Gotz]

He just got there.

[Jeff Passon]

I think they bro. It's la.

[Stu Gotz]

It's la.

[Jeff Passon]

Once you're like once, you're not a thing anymore. I know Sandy Koufax will always be a thing, but I don't think that at restaurants. Is this my restaurant?

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yes. You decide. Yes. No, no.

[Jeff Passon]

If it's my restaurant, it's Sandy Koufax. You're asking a Jewish guy if he's

[Israel Gutierrez]

gonna see Sandy go back versus anyone?

[Jeff Passon]

I would see Sandy Koufax over goddamn himself.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Wait, so if it's your restaurant, are you allowing the dead Pete Rose to sit in it?

[Jeff Passon]

I'm going V there.

[Stu Gotz]

I don't think God was that good at baseball.

[Jeff Passon]

All right, back to the no shirt, no shoes, no breathing, no service. Like, we gotta have that on the front.

[Israel Gutierrez]

I'm going back to New York for a second. Aaron Judge. Derek Jeter, one table.

[Jeff Passon]

Derek Jeter always.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Wow, that was easy.

[Stu Gotz]

Derek Jeter has a Pittsburgh Pirate. Probably doesn't get the tape.

[Jeff Passon]

Yeah, I think it would be Judge. I think it would be judge at that point. Because Derek Jeter's not Derek Jeter if he's a Pittsburgh Pirate.

[Israel Gutierrez]

Yeah, you're right. Just like that, we ran out of time. What a game. Dead Pete Rose. Jeff. Pass it. Thank you for the time. Get out of here. Check out his new podcast. Wherever you get your podcast, he's the best doing it right now. We appreciate it, buddy. Thank you.

[Ad/Promo Voice]

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[AI Colin]

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[Israel Gutierrez]

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[Stu Gotz]

Based on analysis by Euclid's B test intelligence data 2H 2025 speeds vary due

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[Stu Gotz]

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[Israel Gutierrez]

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[Stu Gotz]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.