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Covino
This is an iHeart podcast.
Rich
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Rich
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Covino
For listening to the Cavino Enrich podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 5 to 7 Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific on Fox Sports Radio.
Iowa Sam
Find your local station for cavino enrich@foxsportsradio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR. Yo.
Covino
Hey, we made it.
Iowa Sam
We are here.
Covino
We are live. Vegas. What's up? Broadcasting live from the Circle Hotel and Casino, downtown Las Vegas stadium. Swim. The other half of the crew is back at the FOX Sports Radio studio. Remember, you could stream our show all the Fox sports radio shows live 24. 7 on the new and improved iHeartradio app. Just search Fox Sports Radio in the app. Stream us live. And the newest feature, you can make us number one on your presets. Hey, we're number one in life. We're having the best party right now. Yeah. Who's cooler than us? Covino and Rich. I can't hear anything but we be rocking out. Bringing the party to you. All right, let's go.
Iowa Sam
Listen, I'm going to tell you right now. I'm going to tell you right now, buddy boy. I was Sam might be the party star of the event so far. I was Sam has a Wayne's World hat on and a skin tight Iowa T shirt.
Covino
Mean, would we expect anything else?
Iowa Sam
I mean, I don't know, maybe Lorena and Monty are the party stars.
Covino
Oh, yeah. I mean, their outfit is way cooler than iOS am. I would say so. Yeah. You can see all of that on our social media pages at Covino and Rich at fox Sports Radio CRC 20. And I promise you, after this big party, we're gonna have to start lying about how long we've been doing this because we're still the youngest in the game. Let's make that clear. All right? Yeah, but it could get crazy. You never know who's going to stop by riches drinking. I mean, apparently supposedly. But hey guys, thank you all for being here live and for everybody who couldn't be here live. Hey, we'll do it again next time we'll do it again. We'll bring the party to you. But thank you for listening wherever you are, whoever you are. Thanks. Being part of our family. Thanks again to everybody at Fox sports radio and iHeart.
Iowa Sam
So I want to start where we left off last night. I meet you at the airport, you and our buddy Shea.
Covino
Yeah.
Iowa Sam
Who works at Fox Sports Radio. You're sitting at the bar at the airport and I look at the screen, I'm like, oh, yeah. NBA Finals. The Pacers forcing a Game 7. Does that make Caliburton look like the G? Even though he really didn't do that.
Covino
Much, it was the whole Daniel LaRusso's gonna fight laced him up. And I think just his presence alone really sparked the team because they just wiped him out yesterday. They dominated that game. SGA didn't have a great game. And superstars always step up. I know that's the theory. That's the thought that when it comes down to a game seven, whoever has the best player, a lot of people say usually wins it. But the Pacers looked strong yesterday and Halliburton even play that much. But he was impactful.
Danny G
Yesterday we talked about how the Pacers rarely lose back to back games.
Iowa Sam
Yeah.
Danny G
And with that crowd behind him and Howie coming out the way he did and we said he would probably be a facilitator, which he was. That steal and that no look pass to Siakam was insane. It was a poster moment.
Covino
Awesome. And by the way, the smoothest voice in radio. Let's give it up for Danny G. Producer Danny G on the mic. And again, the phones are open. 87799 on Fox.
Iowa Sam
What I thought was interesting is that this is the first game seven in 10 years. 2016. So it's been a minute since we've seen a Game seven in the NBA Finals. So we get that Sunday night and again we have to wait so long. It's Friday work Saturday, Sunday. But you know what that could mean. Arrested Halliburton and a real battle.
Covino
Well, dude, that's the plus side here too because that gives him more chance to heal up, make sure the calf is right. I don't think he overextended. He played with the spark and adrenaline. I think that rest benefits the Pacers moving forward even though it's away. So, guys, your thoughts? Let's open it up. And you know, keep this whole game, this whole series in mind because in a few minutes we're going to talk about growing rivalries. Yeah. Because I think even though it's not the greatest for ratings. And there's a lack of star power, as people say, dude, we're going to a game seven. So hey, if you're not vibing it, maybe you're just old, maybe you're just not feeling it. But I'm telling you, this has been a great series so far.
Iowa Sam
I know early to say it's a rivalry, but they all start somewhere, right? Like, like the Celtics, Lakers rivalry started somewhere. Every rivalry started somewhere. But I think the question Kavino, could very well be, can a new rivalry surpass an old one? Because when you think back, think of your favorite team, did they always have the same rival? Big Mike, who runs this place?
J. Stu
Who?
Covino
Mike? He was talking about the Reds and Dodgers.
Iowa Sam
He was like, yeah, there was a.
Covino
Military rivalry at one point. You know, old school organizations, teams with history, rivalries, they sort of dwindle and fizzle after a while. And maybe we're seeing one grow here. Can it surpass like Rich said, 87799 on Fox? Because as a Yankees fan, everybody knows the biggest rivalry is the Red Sox. But is it really the biggest rivalry? I feel like it's grown in the past few series, but that's.
Iowa Sam
That would be Siri.
Covino
Siri.
Danny G
Yeah, but in there, there used to be a bigger rivalry between your Yankees and my Dodgers.
Covino
I was just gonna say that though, with the World Series last year, with the interleague play recently, I was at the game, Rich.
Iowa Sam
But that was like a late 70s, early 80s, East Coast, west coast, Dodgers, Yankees. And it took like a 40 year hiatus.
Danny G
Yeah, well, even prior to that.
Iowa Sam
Yeah.
Covino
But dude, that one I feel is stronger than Yankees Red. So Sox again, that one is back. And I even think the Yankees, Mets, because of the Mets stealing Sodo and all the animosity there. And the, the Mets are trying to prove they're the, the bigger team in New York. They're not the little brother team that builds a big bigger rivalry to me than Yankees, Red Sox. So, yeah, I think we could be seeing the start of something new here and something better. I think it can surpass Rich. The classic ones will always be classic, but there's room for new.
Iowa Sam
I think what happens is your team has a rival. When one of those teams suck, you have to find the new rival. Right. Like, I'm a, I'm a Mets fan. When the Mets were sucking, do you think the Braves were like, mets are still our rivals. They're like, no, the Mets stink. So I.
Covino
How about this theory? If you don't have a rival, you sort of Suck because rivals push each other. And if no one's pushing you, you're probably not that good. Like, you have to have someone after you, someone that you hate. It's great for ratings, great for drama, great for the fandom. It's great for pushing your team to the next level. We say it all the time. My favorite example, I do all this stuff on the History Channel as we jokingly talk about he's history boy, I'm history boy, look out for me. Sunday nights, hazardous history, new show. But every Coca Cola needs their Pepsi, their Pepsi to push them further. Every Muhammad Ali needs their Joe Frazier to push them further. If you don't have a rivalry, you're not bringing the best. That means no one cares about you. It's kind of like if you don't have haters, then you're not that dope.
Iowa Sam
Yeah. If you're, if you're in the entertainment world and no one hates you.
Covino
So rivalries are a good thing. And we need to honestly start embracing that. As sports fans, we just love drama. Like the biggest rivalry now is the Dodgers Padres.
Iowa Sam
We're going to get to that. To back up your point before we get to Dodgers Padres because I think that's the hot story. Right. What makes the WNBA have a heartbeat for the first time in ever, let's be honest, rivalry. It's Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and it's people going after Caitlin Clark.
Covino
Genuine heated rivalry.
Iowa Sam
And it seems like there's players that genuinely don't like each other and that is what they need.
Covino
The key word there is genuinely. And think about that. Fox Sports Radio Nation 87799 on Fox. Would you rather tune into a fight, a fight where people are buddy chummy and they have this sort of respect for each other? Yeah, that's great sportsmanship. But isn't it more intriguing when they genuinely hate each other?
Iowa Sam
When there's a pre fight stare down. Yeah. And a press conference and the fighters are like, yo, I hate that guy, yo. I like, I just, I, I'm so.
Danny G
Hard to tell which ones are real though.
Covino
Hey.
Danny G
Because we've even heard some of the boxers afterwards. Some of the events we've been to where they're like, yeah, I was playing it up. I don't hate them that much.
Covino
Sometimes it's showmanship. We get all that. But I'd rather see some showmanship than nothing at all. Right, so again, we're Covino Enriched live from Circa Stadium Swimming, celebrating the show's history, bringing the fun to you. But we do want to Take phone calls. I want to give props. Back at the studio, Perfett and J Stew are on the phones at 877-99-FOX if you want to chime in. Because the question the core of it, Based on the NBA Finals Game 7, based on Dodgers, Padres, they're hitting each other. This animosity, we love the drama, we love the growing rivalry. Can the new rivalry surpass the classics?
Iowa Sam
I think it could. And I want to ask Jay Stu because I know he's a big Dodgers fan like you. J. Stu, thanks for hanging, brother. Do you.
Rich
Hello everybody.
Iowa Sam
Do you look at this? Padres, Dodgers hitting each other, bench, benches clearing, Dave Roberts pushing people. This is first of all great for baseball. But do you look at the Dodgers Padres as now the hottest rivalry in Major League Baseball?
J. Stu
You know what, just earlier this week.
Covino
We had NFL draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah.
Iowa Sam
On the Doug Gottlieb show.
Covino
And I think he put it perfectly.
Iowa Sam
I think it's the best matchup in baseball right now.
J. Stu
But he was very careful not to.
Covino
Use the word rivalry because we have.
Iowa Sam
A rival up north in San Francisco.
Covino
That goes back 130 years and I.
Iowa Sam
Consider just one rivalry per team. So I can't call it a rival.
Covino
Oh, so you're saying great matchup because there's a younger generation that sports that everything is always marketing to. So that old school rivalry may sit in our hearts, but young people don't know diddly squat about it. So what they see is all they know. So if a young person is tuning in to see the Dodgers Padres and they're seeing the benches clear, that's what gets the headlines. And we need to embrace it and honestly just admit that we love this stuff.
Iowa Sam
Yeah. And this weekend, by the way, you know, I'm always going to bring it back to the Mets. When you think Mets, they're tied right now, same exact record as the Phillies and they have a three game set that starts today. Do you look at the Mets Phillies as a rivalry or do you think Mets, Braves or do you think Braves Phillies? Like how do you look at it?
Covino
Because I look at it like again, almost the opposite of what jstu said. But I love his point because it makes you think. I think there's room for plenty. Do you have one person you hate or do you have multiple people?
Iowa Sam
So let's say the Orioles you just.
Covino
Hate a little more.
Iowa Sam
So let's say the Orioles are good for five years, five, six years and the Yankees and Orioles are battling. Do the Orioles sort of step in if the Sox are Stinking at that time.
Covino
Yes. I think it goes through cycles. It goes. Goes through phases. I'm trying to think of your Mets though. Who's the biggest one?
Iowa Sam
Because I. I would say Mets.
Covino
I'd say Mets, Phillies, believe it or not. I don't know why that's. That's the one. I think of Danny as an LA guy.
Iowa Sam
Do you think Mets, Phillies or do you think Braves?
Danny G
I has a tough one.
J. Stu
I.
Danny G
Since I didn't grow up with those rivalries or rivalry, I'm not sure. But as far as the west coast goes, as far as what J. Stu is saying, I kind of agree that the Padres would like to be the Giants. They'd like to take their place as the Dodgers.
Iowa Sam
No doubt. Let me ask you about this all.
Danny G
Started with those old white rappers Covino likes to joke about. Remember what was their rap that they were doing on Morning Show?
Covino
Those lame O's on social media. They were trying to hype up the Padres.
J. Stu
Yeah.
Danny G
And then there were parades through the streets because they made it to the playoffs, remember? And then it's been this heated thing, especially on the loose.
Covino
What's up, Goose? That's what's it.
Rich
Yeah.
Covino
Social media does help build those rivalries and fan bases and people love it.
Danny G
That, and I think that's the core of the argument. To count as a rivalry, does it have to go back X amount of.
Iowa Sam
Years and ask yourself this? Think of all your teams and all your sports. Danny, you're a big Raiders fan. Is it Chiefs.
Danny G
In our division? Yes.
Iowa Sam
Like, all right, I'm a Niners fan. Is it. Am I going to always be like, yo, Dan Byer, your Seahawks, my Niners. Or do you say Niners, Cowboys, because of the history. Like, I. I just feel like Camino's making the point that it could change.
Covino
It could change because generations change. Teams change division sometimes. Sometimes that team's no longer in the division. How does that even matter?
Iowa Sam
Then again, I feel like the Bears, packers, that's always going to be right.
Covino
I mean, it's a classic.
Iowa Sam
Cardinals, Cubs will always be a rivalry. Red Sox, Yankees. But I think there's some that pop up once in a while because of some bad blood. And I know the Giants are playing great baseball, but right now, even as a guy that doesn't care about the no West, I am glued to Dodgers pod.
Covino
Dodgers, Padres. But keep in mind that the Giants just got that Des move. Posey's talking a lot of smack. Devers is going to bring a lot more action to that rivalry. So look I think there's room for plenty of them. Your calls, your thoughts. And on a side note, on a side note, by the way, my dad is here. Let's give it up to Big Steve, everybody. Let's give it up to my parents. My parents are at this party stadium swim and ass in Vegas. I know. I got to say, it is like a weird dream to see your parents poolside in Vegas. There's like, butt cheeks out and my parents hanging out. It's so weird.
Iowa Sam
What's hanging out more, your parents or butt cheeks?
Covino
Well, you know what it's like people watching in Vegas, right? And then you see that and you see your family. It's sort of a weird contrast, you know? But, hey, we're here celebrating, and we're happy to be here with you. But the question at hand is when Dave Roberts puts in a rookie pitcher, right? Because Danny G. And I were sort of debating this. His whole thing is like, you think I'm gonna have him throw a Tattis?
Danny G
Yeah.
Covino
I'm saying yes. I think sometimes a manager says, hey, rookie, you want to earn your place on this team? You want to show us that you belong. You want to win over some.
Danny G
You see his reaction, though, when he hit Tatis.
Covino
Maybe that's good acting. You want to win over. You want to win over your teammates. Hit the guy. And it's almost like a Johnny Lawrence crease sort of thing. He's like, what do you mean, hit the guy? Like, take him out. I think that's intentional. I think you tell the young player to earn his place on the team by hitting the start. These are old school baseball. And why not?
Danny G
Why not hit Machado then?
Covino
Because I think if you want to show that you belong and you got your team's back as the young guy, it's like being initiated in a gang. Like, you got to prove yourself. And I think by hitting Tatis, it was intentional.
Iowa Sam
I'm going to take you back.
Covino
That's why I love the drama.
Iowa Sam
I'm going to take you back to the 90s when Robin Ventura was told by his team, if Nolan Ryan hits you, you charge. And remember, Nolan Ryan was ready. Robin Ventura has said since, like, I reluctantly, I did not want to charge and fight Nolan Ryan, but to earn the respect. At the time, Nolan Ryan was, you know, 40 years old, and, you know, Robin Ventura was a young dude in baseball, but he had to do it.
Covino
All right, so your thoughts. Can new rivalries surpass the classics? Is there room for both? Says, hey, just one. You got to have one hated enemy. And do you think that was an intentional beanball yesterday to send a message? I really believe the more I think about it, it was. And Dave Roberts, of course, is going to say, why would I do that? And when we see these highlights, we're here in Vegas too, schmoozing and boozing. When you see these things happening, it's so great for sports. And that's why the WNBA needs to also just lean into that every chance.
Iowa Sam
We talked about the other day.
Covino
I know it's ugly and it's bad sportsmanship, but it's great.
Iowa Sam
Every Caitlin Clark, you know, I poke or push to the floor is just good for the wnba.
Danny G
I was at LAX at my terminal and the center bar, had the Dodgers game on a couple of screens and you should have seen all of the LA Dodgers fans go and nuts. Yeah, no doubt during this game. It was crazy.
Covino
It's a great rivalry on a side note, seriously, I just got to piggyback with Danny G Said there's nothing more exciting than when the bench is clear. I know. It's like 90% of the time it's corny and it ends up with just a little smack talk. Like, oh, yeah, yeah, oh, yeah. Have you seen some, have you seen.
Iowa Sam
Some of the fan footage from like the first few rows?
Covino
When you see people come running off, you're like, oh. Again, most of the time it's anticlimactic, but it still gets the adrenaline going.
Iowa Sam
Dave Roberts was saying, I'm going to F you up in the tunnels. You see like he, Dave Roberts was, he wanted to fight last night.
Covino
So your thoughts on rivalries? Start thinking about it. Fox Sports Radio Nation, you heard all angles here. What about the growing Dodgers, Padres, the growing OKC Pacers rivalry? What are your thoughts on these things? And we're going to play a game too. So start getting ready. It's a little twist. You know how we do Chipotle worker or WNBA player.
Iowa Sam
It's a fun one.
Covino
We're putting a little twist on that today. Just our way of bringing the fun and party from Vegas to you. We want to give you some giveaways because we're giving away a lot of stuff here on site, but everybody hanging out in their car at work getting ready for the weekend. Juneteenth weekend, the first official weekend of the summer. This is our kickoff. We want to give away a swiggy and some prizes. So stick around. We'll tell you when to call if you want to play our new game today.
Iowa Sam
I don't know what's growing more the the Padres Dodgers rivalry or the line of people wanting to take a photo with your dad?
Covino
Oh, my God.
Iowa Sam
Have you seen all the. Everyone wants to take a selfie with big Steve.
Covino
Oh, it's hilarious. Yeah, it's so weird, dude.
Iowa Sam
Well, hey, we're in Vegas if you're in the area. Hey, I know Vegas is one of our big affiliates. Hey, we're at Circa pool party. Let them know you're here for us. We get there's like hundreds of people hanging out by the broadcast booth. So come hang.
Covino
Oh, and if you could just make it tonight, we'll be rooftop tonight. So, yeah, we're here all weekend and if not this time, next time. But I want to hear from you guys, your thoughts on rivalries. We'll get ready for this game. KD's in the news and I got a bone to pick with Rick. I have a rivalry with Rich that I want to talk about and address.
Iowa Sam
This guy's head's up his ass.
Covino
All right, so why we'll do that, but we are live. Yes, Vegas, let's hear you. Let's hear from my dad, who's here and my mom. Look at.
Iowa Sam
She's hugging men.
Covino
Look at that. My mom. Hey guys. Thank you guys for hanging out. We got more Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. FOX Sports radio has the best sports.
Rich
Talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows@foxsportsradio.com and within.
Covino
The iHeartRadio app.
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Iowa Sam
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Covino
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So to help us we brought in a reverse auctionee, which is apparently a.
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Iowa Sam
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Covino
Live from the circa Hotel and Casino Downtown Las Vegas Las Vegas live from Stadium Swim and we are live. We have a very special guest but can we do a little crc?
Iowa Sam
Crc CRC crc.
Covino
All right, thank you, guys. It's so cool to be here, guys. We have lots to get to. We have prizes to give away. We are going to play a new game, putting a twist on a classic.
Iowa Sam
Yeah.
Covino
Stick around for that weekend. Hobnobbing like we always do on Fridays. But without further ado, with Gloria Renowned. Let's do it. Let's welcome the owner of circa Derrick Stevenson.
Iowa Sam
Hey, what's up, Derek? How are you, man?
J. Stu
Hey, great to see you guys here. I, I'm, I'm honored to be on the show. You guys don't know this, but I was driving around Reno about a year ago when we had. We have a sportsbook up in Legends Bay up in Sparks. And I turned the radio. I'm in a rental car. I turned the radio on, I listened to you guys. I immediately when I got out of the car, I. My first text was to our director of marketing. I go, I gotta, I gotta learn more about you guys. I love the show. I love your show, guys.
Covino
So awesome. Thank you. And thank you for having us and all of our listeners and friends and even family here. This is a remarkable place, man. We've been to Vegas. This is my first time here, though. And it's, it's everything and more.
Iowa Sam
I gotta ask Derek. I mean, we're at Stadium Swim. This is the most impressive setup I've ever seen. Do you, since you run this place, do you ever just sit out here by yourself and watch a game on the big tv?
J. Stu
I do. I love it. I actually do. I'm not joking. I do. I love it. I mean, I mean, the way this thing came about was my wife loves, loves music, it loves going to day clubs. I love going to the day clubs. I love the sunshine. But every day club I went to had a little, little, little tv. With what you know, I could be at one game. Yeah, well, I like to bet on every game. So I figured if I ever enchant to do something like this, we're going to build a big screen. This 143 foot screen right here.
Iowa Sam
Wow.
J. Stu
You got odds boards, you get all the games on. Like right now we're just watching golf. We had a Cubs game on earlier, but tonight, you know, we're going to have everything. So, yeah, this is kind of exactly what I wanted to build.
Covino
We're in the cabana now and it's a perfect view for everybody. On a personal note, can I just say, it puts a tingle in my radio broadcasting dingle to see our logo up there too. Our Logo up there with all the great games and on these big screens. Screens. It is so impressive, man.
Iowa Sam
Yeah. Derek, we were just talking about sports rivalries. Have you been seeing what's going on with the Padres and Dodgers? I think it's great for baseball. What's happening with Caitlin Clark, people roughing her up. These things are great for sports, in my opinion.
J. Stu
I, I agree. I mean, I grew up in the Midwest. I grew up. I grew up with seeing Michigan, Ohio State as a great rivalry. Got to see a lot of these great rivalries on television. You know, Yankees, Red Sox in the day. Yeah, yeah. This thing with the Dodgers and Padres. Yeah, it's getting a little heated. It's a heck of a rivalry. You know, Padres, Padres had had a good couple years here, but all of a sudden now it looks like, you know, the Dodgers pull it away and maybe the Padres might not even make the playoffs this year.
Covino
Derek Stevens, the owner of Circa the Question we were asking too. Can new viral rivalries surpass the classic ones?
J. Stu
Oh, yeah, that's the great thing about sports. You don't know what rivalries are going to, are going to come to pass here. I mean, yeah, there's new rivalries being built every year, every season, every sport. So I think we're, I think we're seeing that a little bit more in hockey. I think we're seeing that in the NBA. Absolutely. There's. There's always new rivalries, and that's a fun part of being a fan.
Covino
And what does that mean on the business side of things for you when there's great, you know, rivalries and fights and sports and things? As a casino owner?
J. Stu
Well, I love rivalries because, I mean, means people have opinions, and when people have opinions, it means they like to put a couple bucks down. So I'm, I'm all about the handle and I'm all about getting people to have an interest. And I think everybody understands that I, that gambling, sports gambling is a good thing. I mean, it's good for the leagues, it's good for the team owners, it's good for the players, it's good for the players unions, it's good for fans because you get a little. You're a little more invested in it. You put 20 bucks on a game, you're paying a little more attention. It's a little more fun.
Iowa Sam
Yeah. Derek, the other day we were talking about Troy Aikman came out and said, because there's so much sports wagering now, and it's part of the mainstream Fox sports, we do DraftKings, other people do, FanDuel, BET, MGM, all these different sites, they said the refs and umps need to get it right.
Covino
They owe it to the fans.
Iowa Sam
They owe it to the fans to get the calls right now.
J. Stu
Yeah, I mean, I think, I think, you know, we saw WNBA coach talk about how, how all the athletics have gotten better and better, but maybe, maybe umpires and maybe the referees haven't kept up with that same pace. You know, I think what we're seeing in baseball, a lot more of the electric baseball I think is doing a really good job. I think they're getting more, more, more of the decisions correct. And then with the challenge rule, it seems to work. Football is getting better. But I think you're right. I think people need to have people you don't want to get, you don't want to have a bad beat. That, that was a referee induced bad beat.
Covino
How wild was it for you to see the progression of where gambling has gone today in sports from taboo back in the day to embraced in the way we see it now?
J. Stu
Yeah, you know, it's crazy. I owned, I owned the AAA baseball team here in Vegas for six years. And we were the Las Vegas 51s. We were, we were Triple A team. A couple years with the Dodgers, I had four years with the Blue Jays and then I sold the team. And at that point in time, that was like 2007 to 2012, you know, people that, they thought, you know, Vegas would still never have a team, forget about football, forget about baseball, will never happen. Never happen. And boy, in a decade things really changed. It all changed when the Golden Knights came here. And remember all the skeptics said hockey will never work in the desert. And it's become one of the most, one of the most successful franchises. I think it's been sold out every game for the last, for the eight years they've been in existence. And then when the Raiders came, that was the whole thing that, that's when like, okay, you know, it's changed. But also realize, I mean, in every city in America, you're more than likely going to have a casino right next door to you. It's not like the old days where the only place you could come to come to a casino is either Vegas or Atlantic City.
Iowa Sam
Derek, I gotta ask because not to kiss your ass. Kiss an ass.
Covino
That's my dad's big hang up, kiss his ass kiss.
Iowa Sam
But let me tell you, when you guys design this place has, it has the feel of the strip slightly off the strip, like this Place is by far the nicest place in downtown Las Vegas. Was the idea to make this place like the spot in downtown? Was that the initial thought?
J. Stu
Yeah, I mean a lot of things I wanted to do. I like downtown better than the Strip, cuz. Yeah, yeah, it's, it's a fun vibe. I like it, it down here. Real estate was a little less expensive, so I could afford to build something a little bit better. And I love it down here. But you know, with building stadium swim, I wasn't trying to build the best pool in the downtown or the best pool in Vegas. I was trying to create a destination that people would fly to. I wanted to design something that I thought would be the best pool in history. On a Saturday or Sunday in September. People understand this is where you're going to watch every football game. Gave all that.
Covino
I'm waiting to do a cannonball as soon as this show's over. By the way, I gotta, I gotta.
Iowa Sam
Ask you about the Circa Survivor pool you got going on because there's so many cool things. But just tell us about this one because I love me some NFL wagering. So tell me how this is working out for you.
J. Stu
It's good. Now I, I'll tell you. We started off with Circa Million. Okay, that was, that was about six years ago. And that's a traditional, traditional football handicapping contest where you pick five games to get to spread every, every week you pick, we have quarterly prizes. You have the prizes for the overall winner and we guarantee $6 million in payouts. In that contest. It's $1,000 to enter. You got to enter in Las Vegas, but you can play from anywhere because proxies put your picks in for you. Matter of fact, like 95% of the participants don't even live in Nevada. They live throughout the country, around the world. That's the traditional football contest. If we have more than $6 million of entry, all that money goes back into the, into the pot. We don't take a rake, so it's rake free. The next contest is called Circuit Survivor. We started that up a year later, that's the same thing. $1,000 to enter. And it's real simple. You just pick one game each week, no point spread. What, what the catch is though. Every week that goes by, you can't, you can't pick a team twice.
Iowa Sam
Yeah.
J. Stu
So you have a smaller pool of who to pick from every week. And you know, at Circa we celebrate holidays, so we consider Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's all week, so you got to go 20 and oh, to make it through the year. Last year we had, we had 14,266 entrants. So 14.2 million odd dollars. And there were four entrants that made it the distance with 20. And oh, and they split up, they chopped up the 14.2 million.
Iowa Sam
How amazing is that?
J. Stu
This year we're kicking it up a notch. So we're, we're guaranteeing at least 15 million. And I'm hoping we blow right through that for Circus Survivor.
Iowa Sam
Yo.
Covino
We're kicking off the weekend here at Circa and we're hanging out with Derek Stevens, the owner of Circa. It's not every day you have the owner of one of the coolest casinos on your show hanging out. So I got to ask you, much like sports, sports is competitive, life is competitive, business is competitive. How do you get to this point, Derek? Is it like some sort of crazy tenacity you have? Are you a super competitive guy? How do you, how do you own a casino like this and live this sort of life?
J. Stu
Yeah, you know, I'll tell you, when you get to ask that question like that tells you you've been around for a little while. I, I bought my first casino in 2006, right across the street, literally across the street here. 80ft across Fremont street, called the Golden Gate. About 50% of it, it wasn't, it was single digit millions. That, that's what it cost. And then we renovated it, added to it this little casino. It closed at 10 o' clock at night. Like the doors closed.
Iowa Sam
Wow.
J. Stu
And I figured, well, let's see if we can get people to show up between 10pm and 6am And I kind of figured I had a free roll because how could I screw it up? There was nobody there to begin with. So we just, we just tried a couple different things. Start cranking some music and got some dancing girls in there. And all of a sudden it took off and it worked out pretty pretty well. And then kind of parlayed that into buying Fitzgerald's, which is now the D, right down the block a couple, couple blocks. That worked out pretty good. And then somehow after got these two casinos under my belt, we developed a great team. Had the ability to purchase up this city block that Circus sits on and had a crazy idea of building a sports orientated casino. And just had a lot of ideas over the years and then never really thought it would happen. But we went to Wall street, we pitched them our idea and somehow those lunatics loaned me the money.
Covino
And I do have one more question. Congrats on all your success too. It's awesome. We're happy to be here. What's the wildest event or wildest game to watch here? What was the wildest scene that you had going on at Stadium Swim?
J. Stu
I, I would say is it a.
Covino
Fight or is it football? Like what is it?
J. Stu
I would say, I would say, yeah. I mean we do massive crowds here. We do a deal with Dana White here. So this is the only place in Vegas you can watch ufc. So we do, we do, we do that. But I would say there's a certain electricity that comes about out here during Super Bowls or during the first week of March Madness. Some of these March Madness upsets, when you're sitting in the water and you get these upsets coming and the whole crowd just roars when there's an upset. It's pretty awesome.
Covino
Speaking of the NFL, Rich, we'll be talking some quarterbacks later on in the show, right? There's a, there's a list that's out that's really controversial. We're going to talk about it on the show.
Iowa Sam
Nice. Derek, we want to thank you. Thank you so much for hosting us here at Circa. Appreciate you, man.
J. Stu
I'll tell you what, you guys, thank you very much. Look at this crowd. You guys got a fun crowd, huh? I love this. I mean, bringing everybody up. Check out Vegas. Thank you, man.
Covino
Oh yeah, wait, thank you so much.
J. Stu
See you guys. See you guys later on. Thank you.
Covino
Brother Steven, the owner of Circa. Again, appreciate you. Stadium swim. We got more. Covino and Rich to get to. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports.
Rich
Talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows@foxsportsradio.com and within.
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Now. I was looking for fun ways to tell you that Mint's offer of unlimited.
Iowa Sam
Premium Wireless for $15 a month is back. So I thought it would be fun if we made $15 bills. But it turns out that's very illegal.
Covino
So there goes my big idea for the commercial.
Iowa Sam
Give it a try@mintmobile.com Switch upfront payment.
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Covino
We are live from Circa hotel and Casino, downtown Las Vegas Stadium Swim and Derek Stevens. The owner was not lying. This place is impressive. If you want to watch a game and do things big, can you imagine March madness here? Rich, I hope this is the first of many events. And if you're listening at work, at the office on your way home, you know we'll do it again. You gotta come. What up, Iowa? Sam.
Iowa Sam
Yo, guys. Yo. I wanted to ask out with Sam because he's been to a Cavino Enrich event, but this is a. A party. I was saying, I feel like you're working the room. You having fun or what? I am having a great time and I'm working the room and I'm losing my voice, like pretty much all you guys here. Yeah.
Covino
And he's running around so much. I think he's losing weight.
Iowa Sam
I am losing weight.
Covino
Yeah.
Iowa Sam
I'm losing water weight.
Covino
You're. Yeah. You're just sweating all over the place. We love having you, bro.
Iowa Sam
Oh, dude, this has been fantastic. And I am on the liquid diet right now, so.
Covino
Hey, behind the scenes for people that been following Fox Sports Radio for years.
Iowa Sam
Yeah.
Covino
Iowa, Sam's a party star. Monsieurina. And of course, Danny G. Is holding it down. In the meantime, he's here producing Covino and Rich and back at the studio J, Stu and perfect. And thank you guys again for hanging out with us now. It's time, Rich.
Iowa Sam
Yes, it is time.
Covino
It's time for the tire rack play of the day. It was all Pacers last night.
Iowa Sam
It was all Pacers last night.
Covino
Don't worry.
J. Stu
Nemhardt with five to shoot. Can't clear the shot up top. Siakam beats the shot clock and delivers a three. Siakam in shot.
Iowa Sam
Ready position.
J. Stu
Just waiting to receive that pass. Just beautiful execution. Lets it go.
Iowa Sam
Well, you can hardly ask for a better performance.
J. Stu
Particularly given the fact that if you.
Iowa Sam
Didn'T play well, your season would have ended.
J. Stu
MJB this team, just in case you didn't know, NBA finals game seven.
Iowa Sam
And they still have an opportunity to win a championship. How cool is that? Well, as Danny G and Dan Byer said yesterday, hey, we're gonna get a Game 7 on Sunday. That's courtesy of the Pacers radio network. And that's our tire rack play of the day. For over 40 years, our friends at Tire Rack have been helping customers find the right tires for how, what and where they drive ship fast and free. Backed by free road hazard protection. Convenient mobile tire installation options. Tirerack.com the way tire buying ship.
Covino
Halliburton lifted the spirits, set the tone, and the Pacers dominated. We have a game seven and we reap all the benefits.
Iowa Sam
You know, Halliburton, you know, grabbing the old huevos and saying, I'm, I'm playing. Even though they were able to use him in a limited way.
Covino
He looked good, though.
Iowa Sam
It just showed that he was in it to win it. And I think that message alone sent. Sent the message to the team and everyone that, like, the Pacers are not. They're not just, you know, like, not laying down, not letting us get away from them.
Covino
And you know what? We have a lot of people on hold still. Rich.
Iowa Sam
Yeah, let's do it.
Covino
Let's get J. Stu back on the phone. Skies 87799 on Fox. Tony in Virginia, Jesse in Indiana. Jane, Kentucky.
Iowa Sam
Let's do it.
Covino
Let's get to the phone calls now. The most interactive show on radio. Live from Vegas. Do these new rivalries get you pumped up? Can they surpass the old ones? What do you think?
Iowa Sam
What's up? Tony in Virginia. How are you, bud?
Covino
Hey, I'm well again. Thank you, fellas.
Rich
Sometimes the best rivalries are between cities.
Covino
I was born and raised in Baltimore, and the Orioles lost to the Pirates twice in the World Series.
J. Stu
The Steelers knocked out the Colts twice in the 70s.
Rich
That carried on to the Ravens and Steelers.
J. Stu
And I still think Raven, Steelers, the best rivalry in the NFL.
Iowa Sam
That's a damn good rivalry. So, yeah, sometimes it is just the city, and you end up hating a city for that reason.
Covino
I love that. I do. I. Look, I don't like the ugly side of it when you're just a fan trying to go to a game, but when the teams don't like each other and, you know, you don't have. I love it.
Iowa Sam
We live in LA now. I grew up in New York. Everything about Philadelphia is hateable to most.
Covino
Right?
Iowa Sam
Right. I mean, if you're a New Yorker, you're like all the Eagles. Oh, the Phillies. Oh, the Flyers. Oh, the Sixers. Like, everything about Philadelphia to a New Yorker stinks. And that's the best part about it. Let's go to Jesse in Indiana. Jesse, you got to be fired up, man. You get a Game 7 on Sunday night.
Covino
Oh, yeah.
J. Stu
It's great to be here in Indiana.
Iowa Sam
And mine kind of goes with the Pacers.
J. Stu
I got two for you once.
Iowa Sam
The Pacers.
J. Stu
It's a new one, though. We've seen it two years in a row.
Covino
Pacers mix.
Iowa Sam
I mean, name.
J. Stu
I mean, just the Amount of aggression you see between each of those teams as they're going to try and play either in the finals, like this year, or to play the. Go and play the Celtics.
Covino
You know, it's a good point. It's a double doozy because he kept Halliburton and the Pacers kept that Pacers Knicks rivalry.
Iowa Sam
And I think by Halliburton. By Halliburton. Paying tribute to Reggie Miller doing the choke thing.
Covino
It was so hateful.
Iowa Sam
It was a way of doubling down on, like, hey, remember our rivalry? It's back.
Covino
Remember that luckiest shot we've ever seen of all time? Yeah, I think. Yeah, they're doing a great job of just stirring it up. Great call, man. Thank you, guys for hanging out with us. We'll take more phone calls. 87799 on Fox now, we sort of referenced it before. We're gonna give away prizes. We're gonna play some games. But I have a lame question to ask. Do you have to coordinate with your buds when you're going to parties or events?
Iowa Sam
Yeah, because I wore a black tank top thinking, what's the chances of Kavina wearing a black shirt? He's wearing a black sleevel shirt.
Covino
I'm wearing.
Iowa Sam
He looked like. We're in a, like a music group.
Covino
But it happens so often and. And so many times. It has to be addressed, like, as buds and boys. Do you have to. It sounds like it's a girl thing or a woman thing, but do buddies have to coordinate these things to not look like fools? We look like two fools right now. We're in the same outfit.
Iowa Sam
No, you guys are fine.
Danny G
No, it's not okay.
Covino
I know.
Danny G
You two look like you're part of some show. Yeah, it looks like being advertised here.
Covino
Because it looks like we coordinated that and that's not it at all.
Danny G
Like, like you're about to dance on Sprockets.
Covino
We did.
Iowa Sam
We did a speaking engagement for Iheart in Chicago. We both showed up with a black T shirt and, like, a green, like, jacket.
Covino
Same exact thing.
Iowa Sam
I look, I looked at, like, what are we doing? Company man.
Covino
All right, well, your thoughts, let us know. Plus, we got games to play and we talk NFL. Live from Vegas. Live from circa downtown is Cabino and Rich.
Iowa Sam
More next. Hang tight, everybody.
Covino
Yeah.
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This is an iHeart podcast.
Podcast Title: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
Episode: Covino & Rich - New Sports Rivalries
Release Date: June 20, 2025
Timestamp: [03:23] - [05:07]
Covino and Rich kick off the episode live from the Circa Hotel and Casino in downtown Las Vegas, broadcasting from the vibrant Stadium Swim event. They set an energetic tone, highlighting the live atmosphere and engaging with their co-host, Iowa Sam, and producer Danny G. The hosts emphasize the accessibility of their show through the new iHeartRadio app, encouraging listeners to tune in anytime.
Timestamp: [05:07] - [09:03]
The main focus shifts to the ongoing NBA Finals, specifically discussing the Indiana Pacers' performance in Game 7 against their rivals. Covino remarks, "The Pacers looked strong yesterday and Halliburton even played that much. But he was impactful." [05:23]. Danny G highlights key moments, such as a critical steal and a "no-look pass" to Siakam, describing it as "insane. It was a poster moment." [05:53].
The conversation delves into the rarity of Game 7s in the NBA Finals, with Sam noting, "This is the first game seven in 10 years. 2016. So it's been a minute since we've seen a Game seven in the NBA Finals." [06:19]. They discuss the potential impact of key players like Halliburton on the series outcome, emphasizing his role in energizing the team despite any injuries.
Timestamp: [07:16] - [11:47]
Covino and Sam explore the concept of new rivalries in sports, questioning whether emerging rivalries can rival or even surpass classic ones. Covino posits, "If you don't have a rival, you sort of suck because rivals push each other. And if no one's pushing you, you're probably not that good." [09:03]. They compare longstanding rivalries, such as the Yankees vs. Red Sox, with newer ones like the Dodgers vs. Padres, debating their potential to become defining matchups in their respective leagues.
Sam adds, "Early to say it's a rivalry, but they all start somewhere, right?" [07:41], suggesting that every rivalry has its genesis and can evolve over time. Covino agrees, stating, "There's room for new rivalries. The classic ones will always be classic, but there's room for new." [08:10].
Timestamp: [10:15] - [17:20]
The discussion broadens to the impact of rivalries on fan engagement and the sports business. Covino emphasizes the importance of genuine antagonism, saying, "Would you rather tune into a fight where people are buddy chummy or when they genuinely hate each other? It's more intriguing when they genuinely hate each other." [10:36]. This sentiment is echoed when discussing rivalries in the WNBA, particularly between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, highlighting how personal animosities can elevate the league's profile.
The hosts also touch upon the role of rivalries in sports gambling, with guest Derek Stevenson elaborating on how heated matchups drive betting activity and overall interest. Stevenson mentions, "Rivalries mean people have opinions, and when people have opinions, it means they like to put a couple bucks down." [27:56], underscoring the symbiotic relationship between competitive sports and the gambling industry.
Timestamp: [24:24] - [36:15]
Derek Stevenson, the owner of Circa Hotel and Casino, joins Covino and Rich to discuss the intersection of sports rivalries and the casino business. Stevenson shares his journey in the casino industry, highlighting the success of Stadium Swim as a premier sports-viewing destination. He states, "I wanted to create a destination that people would fly to. I wanted to design something that I thought would be the best pool in history." [26:16].
Stevenson elaborates on how rivalries enhance the gambling experience, saying, "Rivalries push fan engagement, which in turn drives betting activity. It's good for the leagues, it's good for the team owners, it's good for the players, and it's good for fans." [27:56]. He also discusses the evolution of sports gambling from a taboo subject to a mainstream staple, particularly in Las Vegas.
During the segment, Stevenson shares insights into Circa Casino's offerings, including viewing parties for major events like the Super Bowl and March Madness, and the innovative Circa Survivor Pool contest, which engages fans through high-stakes betting without any rake taken from the pot.
Timestamp: [42:30] - [45:50]
Covino and Sam invite listeners to call in and share their thoughts on the episode's central theme: new rivalries vs. classic rivalries.
Tony from Virginia emphasizes city-based rivalries, saying, "Sometimes the best rivalries are between cities." [42:51].
Jesse from Indiana discusses the Pacers vs. Knicks rivalry, highlighting its aggressive nature and historical context: "The Pacers kept that Pacers Knicks rivalry." [43:44].
The hosts and callers debate whether new rivalries like Dodgers vs. Padres can achieve the same intensity and fan investment as traditional matchups, concluding that while classic rivalries hold a special place, new ones bring fresh excitement and engagement to the sports landscape.
Timestamp: [45:43] - [49:27]
Wrapping up the live segment, Covino and Sam continue to engage with their Las Vegas audience, sharing humorous anecdotes and interacting with party attendees, including Covino's parents. They reiterate the importance of rivalries in enhancing sports entertainment and tease upcoming segments, including a discussion on quarterbacks and a new interactive game for listeners.
The episode concludes with a series of sponsor messages, promoting various products and services, before transitioning back to live content.
Covino:
Sam:
Danny G:
Derek Stevenson:
Tony from Virginia:
Emerging Rivalries Enhance Engagement: New rivalries in sports, such as the Dodgers vs. Padres and Pacers vs. Knicks, inject fresh excitement and can potentially rival traditional matchups in intensity and fan investment.
Genuine Antagonism Drives Interest: Authentic rivalries where competitors genuinely dislike each other are more captivating for audiences compared to friendlier competitions.
Impact on Sports Business: Rivalries boost fan engagement, increase viewership, and drive sports gambling, benefiting leagues, teams, and ancillary businesses like casinos.
Adaptability of Classic Rivalries: While classic rivalries hold nostalgic value, the sports landscape is dynamic, allowing new rivalries to emerge and gain prominence, especially with effective marketing and heightened competition.
Role of Social Media and Events: Platforms like social media and live events at venues like Stadium Swim play a crucial role in fostering and highlighting rivalries, making them more accessible and engaging for fans.
This detailed summary encapsulates the dynamic discussions between Covino and Rich on the evolution and impact of new sports rivalries, enriched with guest insights and interactive listener engagement, all while maintaining an engaging narrative flow for those who haven't tuned into the episode.