Dan discusses "The Wall" at the Clippers new arena. Chris “Mad Dog” Russo shares his opinion on Bronny James’ debut. And baseball Hall of Famer Randy Johnson explains how he'd pitch to Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge.
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Football coming up tonight, Vikings at the Rams. Rams getting two and a half here, And as I said yesterday, and I was told by a source over the weekend, this could be a real tail tail game for the Rams moving forward, the Rams as we know them? Will there be changes if they lose? Will they be sellers? Is there a chance Cooper Cup is traded? After that? And I know that there was some chatter about maybe Matthew Stafford being available. There was a story that came out that maybe the Vikings were interested in him. I think everybody has denied that, but I was told two weeks ago, is Matthew Stafford going to be available if the Rams are not in a race for the playoffs? And then Cooper Cup, that name came up. And then I talked to my source and I said, would they trade them? Trade him to the forty nine ers. You know, Tampa Bay lost Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, god went out for the year. You got the Chargers. Who could use a weapon. I mean there's a variety of suitors out there, the Steelers as well, but just some of the things. So it's it's a standalone game. But there's a lot more that could be attached to this depending on the outcome. But the Vikings they are favored by two and a half in Los Angeles. Los Angeles has been the epicenter of sports, certainly with Opening Night with the Lakers with Bronning and his dad, and then you have what's going on with the World Series on Friday night. You have this Rutgers against USC football game coming up as well this week, Socibi do.
You say Rutgers USC as a feature?
Yeah? Host the coast? Yeah, yeah, yeah, the coast. Paul, it's a big ten matcha Paul all An, A vintage. Yes, that's an old school big ten MATCHA.
A lot more juicy than you guys realize.
I know, you know, you'll be a facetious Paul Is. I'm not Carlett Knight's Trojans.
That's going to be something.
It's tomorrow night. I don't know which one I'm going to watch. World Series, Suns, Lakers, Rutgers USC. Yes, do we want to guess on that that game on Rutgers USC, Like somebody from Rutgers.
Somebody from the News Tribune covering the local.
Yeah, New Brunswickataway Area.
Yeah, USC losers at the Coliseum to the Scarlet Knights. Things are gonna get very messy if they're not already.
You know, you heard it here first all that, Thank you, captain. But you know my attention is going to be tonight. What I'm going to watch is Yes.
It's funny too, because if your Rutgers going to USC, You're like, hell, yeah, man, we're going to be in California for a couple of days. La, this rules your USC going to Rutgers. You're like, we got to go to Piscataway.
Yeah, but this will this will be at the Coliseu. It will be. It will be to say it's not fair when you yeah, what what is the line on that one?
USC is favored by thirteen and a half.
Okay, Now, I know Rutgers football is better than it has been in the path or they're a solid squad. But if you're in southern California and you wake up in the morning and you hear your team lost, USC lost of Rutgers, that is unrecoverable, unrecoverable.
That's't worry coverable.
Yes, because you would be three and five in mid October. The loss of Rutgers, which perception? What does that mean?
Though? So you do you get embarrassed at home against Rutgers, But what's the fallout.
That Lincoln Riley's on the clock.
I think he's on the clock, but you know he's also on the payroll. They gotta get him a lot of money to get rid of him. I don't from what I was told that he's not on the hot seat. And I was like, okay, you know he's an offensive minded coach. We all know that. But you know the game against the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers coming cross country? Lookout, Yes, Marvin.
Bigger, New York, LA matchup Rutgers versus USC or Yankees Dodgers.
Fair question.
Okay, well let me ask Tom Todd brought up USC Rutgers wow earlier today about that's a big game.
I'm excited about that game. I know my brother went there. But the Scarlet Knights, that's Greg Ciano choppin. You may do some chopping in LA and could surprise some folks at USCE. Everyone's talking about Rutors basketball and all of a sudden, Records football slides in and causes Lincoln Riley to be I don't know.
Everybody is talking about that.
It's word on the street.
No, no records is gonna be like in the Sweet sixteen in basketball.
Well okay, but I have other things to worry about. I got the Spurs against the Mavericks coming up tonight. And you know what that means. Victor Wembnyama against Klay Thompson.
So I mean they're guarding each other, They're just playing against each other in the same.
So earlier this morning, about an hour ago, Paulie brought up the game games that are coming up tonight, and Fritzy goes, yeah, I'm looking forward to that matchup, Klay Thompson versus Victor Wembenyama, and I go, they're not guarding each other. In fact, do you think the ticket stub is going to have Victor Wemby Victor Wembnyama against Clay Thompson tonight?
The graphics people should put that.
No, no, no, no, They would probably have Luca Lucas both of them though, or Kyrie versus.
I'm disappointed you guys thought I meant that. I thought they'd be guarding each other the weast.
You made it seem like that's the game that The reason why we're going to watch this game is Victor wem Ben Yama versus Klay Thompson.
Right, because them both Ay're both gonna be on the court. Clay's going to be now in a Maverick's uniform for the first time.
That's what I meant.
If I said it.
To I misspoke, But I think I know a little bit more about the NBA than I think that Wenby and Klay Thomps would be guarding one another.
But that's okay, you guys gonna.
Be You made it seem like that was the matchup, Like the promo was going to be Victor wem Ben Yama versus Klay Thompson. I was saying and elbowing each other or my wrong on Marvin. Is that how it was presented this morning?
I think it was because Fritzy goes Klay Thompson. He's available tonight, right. I was like, Yeah, it's been hurt a lot.
I'm glad he's going to be actually playing in Game one for his new team.
Well, he's got a guard, Victor web Benyama, so it's gonna be tough. I hope he's healthy.
Should probably find someone else to do that.
Yeah, So that's why we're kind of in a weird mood today because well Todd for a couple of reasons there, but Rutgers USC. I'm going to circle that one on my calendar.
Take a peek at the baseball but you really want to walk to work as USC.
Yeah, you stay on your phone. Lakers sons, Lakers sons as well.
Yeah, Ston, I'm glad that you brought this up because it is our first poll question for the day. If you were a graphic designer working for the TNT, that game.
Oh I don't. I think you have to have your best team on that one.
If you were a graphic designer working for tn T, who would you put on the poster for Spurs? Matt Victor Wimbanyama or or and rather not or but and Luca Kyrie or Clay or Mark Cuban Cubes?
Yeah Cube, I'm going to guess Luca. Yes, Paulie.
Just the iteam has a direct quote from Fritzy. I said, you know one game to tune in tonight, Spurs at Matt Fricaues. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm looking forward to Wembama versus Klay Thompson.
As if that's the that was the that was the quote.
I still don't think that necessarily means that they're guarding each other. That's a different phraseology to me, and that's where I may be mistaken.
Okay, so tonight it's Vikings Rams. Well, I'm sorry, tonight it's the MAVs versus the Spurs. Then you have Vikings Rams, Syracusean Pitts and College Football World Series tomorrow and uh to a tongue of Ioloa returns to practice with the Miami Dolphins.
I have a question.
Yes, I say that's gonna be a fun game tonight. Sam Donald versus Matthew Stafford, do you think that. I don't think one's gonna sack the other one. They're gonna like try, No, Sam Donald versus Matthew Stafford. One's not going to tackle the other one on the field.
Okay, they both play offers Klay Thompson and Victor Wembnyama on the court at the same time. Yes, are Sam Donald? It all looks for a little Matthew Stafford on the field.
Just the wording.
One guarding the other.
That's what you do.
You doubled down, used to take it quietly, and now all of a sudden.
I'm sicking.
It's an L. Just take the L, I know, but you double down and then you get a couple of l's in there. You're L McPherson.
Yeah, Yes, I have the official Thursday Night football promo from Is that on Apple? Amazon Prime? Yes, the picture is. It's not Justin Jefferson, it's Sam Darnold and Matthew Staff.
Kind of like Klay Thompson and Victoria.
But then I have a secondary one where it's Justin Jefferson, who definitely won't be covered by Matthew Staff.
That exact stat of the day brought to you by Pennini America, The Official Trading Cards to the Dan Patrick Show eight seven seven three d P Show Operator Tyler sitting by to take your phone calls. Let Express Employment Professionals help you hire your next pro. Maybe they could help me in this room forget about posting jobs, sifting through resumes, interviews with unqualified applicants. Move up to the pros expresspros dot Com. Find the location nearest to you expresspros dot Com. All right, see what do you have for me?
Let's see we also have up there other than that one which is going up right now, this is from the t dubs. Might as well keep the train rolling if the product is bad. Would you still go see a team played just because they're new in a new arena, Yes or no.
I have done that. I did that with the Pittsburgh Pirates when they moved into their new stadium. I was in Pittsburgh, got tickets, walked across the bridge because I wanted to see that stadium and I loved it. The game wasn't good, but the views of downtown Pittsburgh, everything they did with that, they did it right in my opinion. So yeah, I have done that before. Where I'd go see, you know, I mean I went to Cowboys Stadium. I wanted to see. Is this what we're headed? You know, the direction we're headed into with stadiums and jumbo trons and everything that bells and whistles, and hopefully we're not. But what the Clippers did with their new arena is it would be It'll take away from I think how bad the team is going to be. I think the experience that's there and the opposing players. Kevin Durant and Devin Booker were talking about it that this is a true home court advantage, something they had never seen before, and the Clippers did lose a close game to the Phoenix Suns. Here's Kevin Durant, uh and the question to Kevin Durant and his answer anthy much.
It liked to play in this building incredible.
I loved it last I absolutely loved the water. They guys, yeah, I says, saying I knowing the playoffs, and you know, once people get more and more comfortable with the arena, it's going to be insane here. So I always love when lou venues go up in our league. Is always cool, always sets the standard for what they come down the line.
You know.
So Steve is doing great job this franchise.
Kevin Durant effusive there talking about the Clippers and Steve Balmer. Twelve of his twenty five points came in the fourth quarter, went into overtime. James Harden is the only thing to see so far with the Clippers, says he had a pretty good night. He had twenty nine, twelve rebounds and eight assists. But you know, the wall is what they talk about and there's certain requirements of being there on the wall there, but it is a two billion dollar arena, which is nothing to Steve Balmer, and he's really kind of set the standard here if you're building an arena. It's like when Camden Yards opened up and you're like, godly, is that awesome? It was new, but it was old. It had retro. You had the warehouse there, the fences were you know, six feet high.
Uh.
It was downtown revitalization on the waterfront there. They did a great job with that. It's weird how we're trying to get you know, it's modern, but you want old school like Fenway and Wrigley. I'm you know, thrilled that they're still kept those buildings because Yankee Stadium got torn down Old Yankee Stadium to basically replicate old Yankee Stadium a few blocks away. But I love the fact that they kept it with that feel of of old, you know. And I had gone to Metropolitan Stadium. I was there for the last game the Orioles played, and that was a terrible ballpark. Great players, great franchise, but that was not a good friend, you know ballpark. But Camden Yards, that was kind of like ushering in the Hey, if you're going to build a stadium, this is what you need to do, and that might be the case with what the Clippers have done with you know, the into it Dome. Also, if you miss back to back free throws, everybody gets Chick fil a sandwiches. There. So Durand shoots eighty eight from the line. He misses two free throws and people are going crazy and he's like, wait, what's going on here? And then he realized he missed back to back free throws. Everybody got Chick fil a sandwiches. Yes, Paulie.
Yeah.
And the wall has a lot of restrictions. I'm looking at the official Clippers website. You know, the typical of no profanity. But you get to enter the stadium a little earlier the normal fans, and they funnel you into the wall area. It's like a fan zone. But you've got to be a fan of the Clippers. If you are seen wearing any other NBA team's gear, you can't go into the wall.
Things like that. You have to be an all pro Clipper gear.
Yeah, but how does that work? If I have a ticket, I go in and I have a son's jersey.
On, they have a wallguard.
I know, but I got that's my ticket.
They're not They will physically not let you into the wall area. Even if you have a ticket for the wall, but you're wearing opposing teams merchandise, it's on the ticket where that.
You buy feels like a Yeah, I'm not saying this about you, but if you are a Suns fan and you buy a ticket in the wall knowing that that's what that is, you're a massive loser.
Fair and it says that in the thing.
No you are say that, you know language, go in there and be a gigantic loser.
Fifty one uninterrupted rows of seats. The first thirteen rows are filled with Clipper fans, diehard fans. They vetted them by the franchise beforehand to get those seats. And the first thirteen rows are expected to stand and chant for the entire game. So that's your atmosphere. And Devin Booker and Kevin Durant talked about a collegiate like atmosphere that it felt like and that's what you want. There are a lot of times, you know where I've gone to arenas and they have something on the jumbo tron to make you clap or make you cheer, or there'll be music constantly. Everybody cut their hands. Oh, don't tell me what to do, yes, but that's what they're trying to do. And you never have to do that at college basketball, like at Duke, you could never think that they would go and come on, get on your feet. It'd be like, we're on our feet, we never sit down. Yes, there are that whole idea of the wall.
There's like soccer stadiums all over the world that have that, Like Liverpool have the cop which is like at anfield, very famous fan area. They're usually located right behind the goal. And yeah, it's like where like the supporter sections sit. I think Minnesota United they have one. There's a lot of places that do that. It's super effective.
And the Premier League does have the diehard fans that do have special access or they give them something extra, like what the Clippers are doing is.
That yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, Like if you go in there, if you're gonna go sit in the supporter section, then you have to be a fan of the team. And then they'll have a supporter section for the other team and they're usually separate, rated and they usually have to go in different entrances just so there's not any issues.
Yeah, I think you know you're you're trying to get people to go to games because watching a game at home, they've made it so good, surround sound, the quality of the TV. It's like, wait a minute, what were we doing? What were we thinking? The TV experience is so good that you don't want to go to a game or you if you are given the choice, you might say, you know what, I'm not going to fight the crowd, you know, to go and have an experience. That's what it's all about. Going to a ballpark and that first time. I think we all remember the first time you went to a baseball game or a football game. That just the smell of it, the you know, kind of the feel of you know, being in this environment. Though, And good for the Clippers. I don't think they're a good team. You know, you've got Kawhi out for a while. That's James Harden's team, and that's not necessarily a good team thing because the West is loaded.
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Christopher mad Dog Russo, host of mad Dog Unleashed on Sirius XM channel eighty two also brings the high heat on MLB Network and contributor to First Take on ESPN. You gotta love this World Series. This is right up your alley. This is old school. You're going to get the entire Dodger infield probably on the show.
I Ron say, good morning, Danny.
Ron say, wait, wait, did you give any thought to your hair today?
I know I didn't.
I know that time. I wait, but your wife helps you, doesn't she?
You know, she's away right now. My children on the West Coast, so I don't have and I can't ask my daughter Kira to do my makeup, so osresot. I came up here, and I know that you guys put it up last time. I look, but I mean I figured out what the heck for you. I just want to come on and chat. I did have Ron say on yesterday at the top of the show. And you know, partly Fernando who passed away, and partly because of those Yankee Dodgers series, and he was still very aggravated when Reggie Jackson stuck out his hip. You remember that in game four of the seventy eight World Series had changed the whole game. Dodgers dropped two games to one at the time they ended up losing in six games. It was still ticked off by that. But you know the amazing thing about this World Series when you think about it, Dan, there's two things. One, you know, they've been in the playoffs, these two franchises before this year twelve times at the same time together, and this is the first time in thirteen they both made the World Series, which I find interesting since nineteen eighty one, and I find that interesting. And the second thing that's interesting here Edmonton when I lost to Florida, what are you gonna do? They had a great year? Dallas when I lost the Celtics, do they had a great year. You know, most of the time, if you get to a Super Bowl, if you get to an NBA Final, you get to a World Series. The Mets had a great year, The Guardians had a good year. Not the case in this World Series. The loser because of their payroll, Because of the fact the Yankees haven't won in fifteen years, the Dodgers only won that pandemic in forty years. You can make the argument the loser year is going to be bitterly disappointed. So I think that makes for a fascinating World series, and I also think it's very close. You can make a case of the Dodgers, you can make case of the Yankees. I don't think there's a prohibited favorite in this World Series, so they should have length and drama.
We had the commissioner on yesterday and I said he deserved a victory. Lamp I think baseball had a really good year. If you look at how we were starting the year with Otani with the gambling situation, and then you end up with Dodgers Yankees in the World Series, how would you rank the season that baseball had excellent point?
You know, they had drama late in the year with the wild card. You know, Oltani has their record performance year. Judge it's fifty something home runs. They would never admit it, but Yankees and Dodgers is better than Guardians and Mets. So from that standpoint, they got drama there. You know, they had a very good performance at the rick Wood Stadium when Willie Mays passed away. They with the game down there in Alabama where Willie played, So that turned out. Do they do a great job at that field, the Dreams and you know the Williams Port games. You know they do an excellent job of that. I agree with you, Danny, and I think you're the expert with this. Last year the World Series with Arizona and Texas, they didn't do that well. You know, nine to ten million the average. I would think this World Series, if it goes length deep, I got to figure what fifteen eighteen million on the average. You would be the better rate judge of that because you know the ratings game better than I do.
What you thought.
I hope that you're approaching fifteen million. I hope that that's sort of where we start. You can't ask for a better matchup because you have you know, you have Otani, you have the Dodgers, you have the Yankees, and you have a judge, and you know this is worldwide too. When you bring in Otani, now it's worldwide. Now. I know you don't get credit for those ratings in Japan, but this will be a monstrous rating as well. But it's good for baseball that more eyes are on this. I think there's a younger demo watching. I think the game now it's sped up. Now, there's movement, stolen bases are back. It just feels like there's a lot of momentum there, and I know we're going to go to the automatic balls and strikes here, and the commissioner said that in the next four years we're going to have some version of that. I don't And he even said, you got to get past the first month when you have changed, whether it's the size of the bases or the pitch clock, once you get past the first thirty day. Nobody brought up the pitch clock. Nobody's know about a base, none of that.
Nobody.
Now we accept it, and I think the big key, the big jump is going to be automatic balls and strikes over the next couple of years.
Be interesting if they do a challenge system with that, or if they actually have the automated scenario.
That I think he talked about, there would be a challenge scenario attached to this.
Yeah, so I mean that will be interesting. And I know, listen, I don't love that. But okay, they want to go use technology for it, let them do it.
But you're a tennis fan, Chris, you want to get the calls right. They've mastered it. That's I mean, can you like it in tennis and not like it in baseball?
Fair point?
The fair point, I guess you could make that argument. I mean, in tennis, you also can make an argument that a line call is much more significant than it would be a ball and strike call on a second in it that's true. I mean, you can make that argument that the decision with line calls from a three or a five set match are more important than a ball and strike call on the bottom of the third. So that's the argument I would make. And I also don't want a huge delay, but I understand that I do like the human element. See, the other thing is there is an apple, there's a there's a there's some charm to the umpire with balls and strikes. There's no charm to a lines person making a call. So I think that So I'm not in love with it. But listen, I can't argue with the scenario, with the situation with the pitch, with the pitch clock, and it moved quickly on everything else. But I think a very very good World Series. I think the big edge the Yankee saff Danny is they got a better starting rotation. Yeah, I mean, I got five or six pitchers. The Dodgers don't really have that. Dodgers have other advantages, but the Yankee advantage in the rotation to me, gives them a little ledge. Now I could not. I would not be shocked if the Dodgers won. Here's the thing I would be shocked at. I would be very surprised if this goes in less than six games. I can this going to be a ball game A week from fine night, Game six at Dodger Stadium. Somebody's up three to two, I would say that.
We're talking to Christopher mad Dog Russo you were doing high heat yesterday on MLB I think yesterday this week, and you had Brian Cashman on the Yankee GM. I'm going to play your question and then here's his answer.
Give me your thoughts here fun of getting back and winning a pennant after a fifteen year I don't want to say drought, that's not fair. But you want to say what I'm saying with the gap? How about being a pennant?
How does that mean to you?
It means a lot.
And I hate the fifteen year thing because it doesn't It completely forgets some discounts that some other organization cheated us when we were all the way in the end. You know, if you knew what was going on, I don't think they would be your dancing at that during that time thing, I think we would have been advancing. So I hate that fifteen year thing because I don't think it accurately reflects history.
Okay, is Brian being fair to the word cheating?
It's always nuts. First off, Brian's for getting two other about four things. The Astros beat the Yankees in twenty and fifteen. The Astros beat the Yankees in two thousand and nineteen. The Astros beat the Yankees in two thousand and then they beat him again two years ago in four straight games. So the Astros eliminated the Yankees in three other rounds in three other years. Number two, if you be fair about it, what did the Yankees hit in that series against Houston? They hit about one sixty. What did the Yankees hit with runners in scoring position in that well in that seven game series, they hit about one eighty five. I understand he's frustrated. I understand that. You know, maybe there was a scenario where the Yankees, you know, you can I know the Astros shooting is a is a joke and they should have been punished as they were. But remember in Game seven, the Yankees pitched C. C. Sabbathia. I mean, he was old and he was shot at that point of Hall of Famer, So, I mean, it's not like the Yankees pitched, you know, Whitey Ford and for someone god the reason, he gave up eight runs in the first in it. I know the Yankees feel that way. I know the Dodgers feel that way. The Dodgers in the World Series lost that year in seven games.
They had.
Dodgers lost two games at home that year in the World Series at the Astros cheat in Dodger Stadium, the addfields also that year in the World Series, in Game two, they trailed and they buried Jansen in the ninth inning to win the game. So well did the Astros chet when he happened when the Dodgers had a blown safe. I understand Bryan's frust. Jason, he's a great general manager. I think that's a little unfair to pin the seventeen loss on the idea that the Yankees were jobbed. When the Yankees in that World Series in Houston hit one fifty, they hit one fifty in twenty runs in four games they lost two nothing to one. Erlander beat him, So I think it's a little misleading when the Yankees bring that up, and it's still sore as you can say. The Yankees are still ticked off about the seventeen World Series, about the seventeen Alcs.
I didn't see this that I read it where you kind of dismiss the Bronni Lebron James concocted scratch can What.
A waste of time that is? Yes, I think that's so stupid. That is so dan, that is so artificial, that is so I mean, come on, he had one rebound in three minutes. He's going to be in the G League in about a week. You know, they listen. Lebron is a wonderful player, and I understand that Lakers are trying to make sure that he is motivated and he's galvanized and it meant something to him. So I understand that. But I walked around town all the time. I did not have one person tell me, wow, did you see that Bronni played with Lebron last night? The American sports fan could care less. Let's be fair and don't compare it to Griffy. I looked it up when Ken Griffy played with his son with Seattle. You know, he hit three to zero six that year, and he and one year and then another year he had a three eighty batting average. Griffy could still hit when he was forty one years of age. Bronni's not an NBA player right now. Olakers did this to pacify Lebron, which I understand. He's the second greatest player of all time. It meant something to him, Okay, but don't try to convince the American sports fan that this is a big deal that Lebron played with his kid and it's the first effort, because I think it's fake. That's my take. I know a lot of people disagree. That's my take.
Okay, your son's just starting out in the business. He doesn't warrant being on a big stage. But let's say you say to management, I'd like to do a radio show with my son on Serious XCM.
Well, I wouldn't say that, but I understand what your point is. I wouldn't say that because these jobs are very difficult to get and I think that that advantage of him wouldn't be be unfair, So I would not tell. You know, bosses, hey do me a favor. Make sure Colin Russo gets on Serious and does a once a week show with me.
Way to God.
You can tell anybody that in West com I wouldn't say that. And I'll say this, and I'll say this right now. Well, I won't say that because that will get me in trouble.
Your wife's out of town. You can't get in I say it.
I'll say it, Colin Well, on a radio perspective, he is better at what he does right now, then Bronnie is what he does, has that, I'll say that all sorts of confidence. Okay, I just think to me it was You don't think that was a little artificial.
Yes, yes, yes, the whole draft was artificial.
Okay, so you agree with yeah, yeah.
But I still think it was pretty cool that they were able to pull this off. Now, Bronnie is a g lead player, and but this is this was just a Lebron If it keeps Lebron engaged, Chris, yeah, I understand he's one of the top ten players in the game at age twenty. Yes, you're two years in better me means that he's going to be excited still playing. If I'm a Laker fan or the NBA, like, I want Lebron still in the game playing at a very high level at some point. Excellent point, and Bronni should go. This is what I think is going to happen. Bronnie's twelfth man. He got in. He he'll get seasoned in the G the G League, and then they'll bringing up, probably for the Christmas Day game. Like I think they'll pick spots to bring him up, let him play a little bit, and then send him back down. That's what I would hope. I Dalton connect is the rookie that we should be talking about.
And he's good.
James, I agree.
So so your point is you're okay with it because it's good for the Lebron and what's good for Lebron is good for the game, which means is good for us. That's where you come down on this.
Yeah, because he didn't play that long, I think it was all right. We'll put him in. It's kind of a like a ceremonial first pitch.
Well, they'll make it historical. Then don't say, wow, this is the.
First places don't like the Griffies. I agree with you.
Don't make it historical. If if your point is, hey, listen, Lebron's earned this, and that's your point, that's fair. I'll give you that. But don't make this some unbelievable event that the sports fans got to pay attention to because because they're pacifying Lebron James.
Yeah, but you work part time for a network that makes this bigger than what it needs to be.
I agree, I agree, and that is why yesterday part time is a little strong. Then you're you're a ESPN. I'm on there at two hours a week to give them to help Stephen Eddie. I mean to say that I'm an esp employees a little strong.
But do you have ESPN? I d no, I don't. Okay, all right, then you're not an I can.
Get into Disney World with a discount that it passaged me. Now I tell you a little secret I told him yesterday. I said, guys, listen, I'll play the You know, this is how I feel about Ronnie. If you don't want me to get into this, because if it's gonna bother people, all lay low and to Stephen, as Krety said, Chris, you say what you have to say. If you get pounded, who cares? We all get pounded on first, Dad, say what you have to say. So that's what I said.
Yeah, I know, but that's where I couldn't do it anymore. And I did it when I was there where they'd say, hey, you got to go Duke North Carolina basketball, you gotta talk Yankees, Red Sox and you know you guys are told here's topics there and the amount of times that you can create. Now everybody's doing this. What's the cowboy angle today?
Oh?
I know, Doc Prescott, But I love when you fight back because you're gonna stand, You're gonna speak to more people instead of playing the hits like they do.
Like, Well, here's what I would say, and I'm pat myself on the back. This is just me telling you because you and I have been together and known each other for a very long time, is what I would say. How many people? And I didn't do this on purpose. I just did this because this is how I felt. How many people are gonna go on ESPN, no matter what the show and not the idea that I've seen too much of Jason Kelsey. How many people are going to do that? Yes, because he was all of that Atlanta Philadelphia game.
I mean that was that was not good.
That was too much. Let's be fair. Yes, right along, Danny, I'm a runner, a.
Wround no, but Steven a going to a Knicks playoff game and you would have thought that he was playing.
I said that yesterday bad I said, Steve, how about a T shirt?
That?
How are you doing?
Most importantly, everything's great, everything's great.
That's a good spot with Manford. That's a good spot with Manford.
Yeah, And you know, I like him, he's a good guy. I like him. I did. I haven't liked everything he's done. But you know what it's like David Stern. I really loved Stern. We had battles, but you know what, I thought, at least he would listen. I thought at least he was honest with me. And that's all I can ask for when you have these like the commissioner Goodell doesn't come on the show. The other commissioners come on, and I feel like I can say to Adam Silver, this is wrong, or you got to change the all NBA don't make it. You know, positions, it's positionless. Basketball is positionless. And he changed that, and so.
I had some influence with that.
I do appreciate that. All Right, I gotta go, and you need to comb you here. You got to comb your heart comment. Thank you dog. That's Christopher mad Dog Russo be sure to catch the live edition of The Dan Patrick Show weekdays at nine am Eastern six am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio WAPP. He's Randy Johnson joining us on behalf of direct TV, where fans can catch all of their sports world series NFL, NBA, NHL, all satellite free. The bird Ballpark campaign, launched earlier this year, has been an acknowledgment by the Baseball Hall of Fame Randy Johnson joining us on the program. Where are your cy Young's?
Uh, one's a door stop here in my office, and the others are throughout the house. One's a paper way to hear on my desk, and one is a doorstop, and then the other two or three or somewhere, I don't know.
Let me let me see the one on your desk there.
Uh, it's not it's not viewable right now because I'm talking with with my desktop computer.
Oh you can't lift that up and just hold it and show it to us?
No, Yah?
Can I have one of them?
Yes?
Yes, thank you, Yes.
As soon as you as soon as you personally get off the disabled list.
I understand you had shoulder surgery.
Yep. Yeah, when's the last time you had shoulder surgery?
Uh?
Well, I tore my rotator cuff my last year in San Francisco and I just let it scar over. I never went and had surgery, and that's the.
Way my career ended.
And so but I have had knee replacement surgery last year in November. A lot of wear and tear on my landing leg, and I liked it so much that surgery part of it that I'm going back next week and having them clean up scar tissue I had because just because I liked the meds that they give me.
I had the knee done a couple of years ago, and it's one of those where you go, why didn't I do this sooner? Because they they got hips and knees down shoulders, they don't have down to an exact science.
Yeah.
Well, you know, I've been retired for about fourteen years, Dan, And when you're playing, you've got youth in and you got trainers and doctors and things like that that you know, the aches and pains don't seem to show up as much. But when you get away from the game, you're removed from it fourteen years, the aches and pains, and the injuries seem to circle back and they let you know that they're still here. So I hope you get up the disabled US soon because someone will be come calling for you for your free agent year this year.
Yeah, if I was only a left handed pitcher, you know, I got a couple of random questions here. Why is it still a big deal when a left handed batter has to face a left handed pitcher, Like, oh my god, what an advantage?
Like why don't they talk about right handed pictures face a right handed hitter?
Well, I don't know. That's a good question. I'm going to have my staff work.
On that question and hopefully we can get the answer before we're done here.
But haven't we evolved where it's not a novelty Where you go, we don't see left handers very often, I would think with.
I think it's just a novel idea to talk about it, because there's not that many left handed pitchers in baseball. There's not that many left handed people generally in the world, let alone in sports, and so I guess it's just kind of a novel idea.
How would you pitch to Otani carefully? I still watch seriously.
I mean, you know, and Soto and Judge, I mean these people that you know. And I faced a lot of big home run hitters, you know, for twenty two years.
I gave up a lot of home runs.
I don't know where, you know, I gave up four hundred and something home runs.
And we walk me through this. Otani's at the plate, let's say first and bat against you well.
And I've seen I've seen he pulls off the ball a lot, and so I would probably be very careful pitching any left hander down and in. The swing plane for a left handed hitter is usually down and up, where as a right handed hitter usually has a more level swing plane. If you throw a ball, if you look at a lot of home runs hit by a left handed hitter, the ball is usually down and in because that's the swing plane for a left handed hitter, whereas a right handed hitter out over the middle of the plate. The swing plane is more straight across, sweeping across home plate. But I would be very careful with them. I would start off, whether it was a ball or strike, letting him know that I'm pitching in, get him off the plate, and then I would try to elevate pitches.
I wouldn't pitch down and in.
I would elevate, but I know he can hit a ball up too as well, and then I would work them down and.
A way, what about Judge, Judge.
I would pitch like a Frank Thomas someone like that. I've made mistakes to Frank and the ball still orbiting somewhere. But but I would get ahead, hopefully hopefully, and then throw my breaking ball down and in, and hopefully I wouldn't hang it because if I did, he's going to hit at six hundred feet.
If I would have told you your rookie year that you would win five cy Youngs, what would you have said, I.
Would have had you administer to some kind of pee test or drug test. I don't think that would have.
Uh.
You know, a lot a lot happened, uh, and it's well documented. After I'd you know, got together and and uh talked to Tom House and Nolan Ryan. You know, that was really a pivotal and turning point of my career. I had had a lot of pitching coaches in the minor leagues up to that point, uh, and I'm very thankful for all of them, but none of them really had that one little thing where it got me over the hill and really got my you know, uh, consistency with my mechanics. Having a conversation with them was you know, a fifteen minute conversation down the in the bullpen, Tom House talking to me, watching Noel and Ryan do what Tom House is talking and then and then it was really up to me to you know, go out there and do that and work on it. It was the middle of the season when we had that conversation. Uh, and then it was you know, a matter of me working on this. And when you've been doing something wrong or you know your way and now all of a sudden you're trying to change something, it's not easy. It's just like you know, I had hitters tell me that I was tipping my pitches, and you know, I would fan my glove on a breaking ball and I would squeeze my glove on a fastball, and hitters, Wow, when you're looking at me getting ready to deliver, it's just that fraction of a second that they need to determine whether what's coming. And evidently I was doing that. I would see it after they would tell me. But you know what, I talked to lots of Hall of Fame pitchers, and they said that they were doing it. It's not the easiest thing to change, even though you want to, because you don't want to go out. You might as well just say, hey, fastballs coming, kind of like.
You're throwing batting practice.
But yeah, I mean, I just think changing things, whether it's mechanics, you know, it's just difficult. But you know I was able to do that, and then it was early enough of my career and then and then really reap the benefits of having those conversations with Nolan and Tom.
But what kind of picture would you be today? Let's say you know you're ready to be in the major leagues, But how would baseball use Randy Johnson?
I don't think. I don't think.
I think the only picture that would probably be still really special as he was when he played, because he was so good. He would be that same kind of pitcher in today's game. I don't think is Greg Maddox people like that. I don't think a power pitcher like myself or Pedro or Roger in today's game would be looked at in the same regards as we were in our era. I think because velocity is more prevalent in today's game, I think hitters can hit more velocity, high velocity pitches. It's coming out of your starting pitchers, coming out of your bullpen all the time. And I just think they're adjusted to do it more now than they were back in the nineties. Win maybe a handful of people through the upper nineties, you know, ninety five to one hundred, whatever it was.
I'm talking to Randy Johnson, Hall of Famer and joining us on behalf of DirecTV the bird Ballpark campaign. We got one of those that you sent to me. That thing still, I mean, I was gonna say it lives on. The bird doesn't live on, But just you blasting a bird in spring training twenty three years ago, Dan, and.
And that seems to be running into anybody you know here there. That seems to be the highlight of my career or what they may remember.
And so it was a great h It's been a great partnership with direct TV.
They used their Direct TV satellite dishes in mimicking these these bird ballparks, and so it was a lot of fun to be a part of that. And they're going to bring one now to the Hall of Fame. And so I think more there'll be more exposure and it's just been a great campaign, a lot of fun and you know, Dan, for more information on on streaming DirecTV Satellite free, go to DirecTV dot com.
Look at you being a salesman. You're a you're a regular Peyton Manning.
Did you oh yeah, sure?
Did you go to USC for baseball and basketball? I see you got your Trojan Henna baseball and basketball.
Well, let's be honest, Dan, I couldn't really jump, and I didn't start playing basketball until my freshman year in high school.
Uh. But the story is the.
When I got to high school being a freshman, I was probably around you know, six eight, six nine then maybe about one hundred and sixties hundred and seventy pounds.
If you can.
Imagine intimidating, very intimidating.
Yoh yeah, sure.
Uh. My pe teacher was also the basketball coach and asked, because there wasn't a lot of you know, tall people at my high school, he asked if I had any interest in playing basketball, and I said, well, I've never really played organized basketball before. You know, I played Pop Warner football, was a quarterback in a tennis and obviously baseball. I would try, but I don't know much about, you know, my footwork and playing basketball. So we worked at it in pe classes and then I went out and played three years of high school and I actually got offered scholarships to play basketball.
And that's not to say that I was.
Going to be any good, but you know, it just goes to show for.
Anybody that's listening right now.
You know, if you, you know, put your time and effort into something, you never know what will come from it. And so, but the USC thing was strictly baseball, Okay, I think, but you know how you know, scholarships work. There's a limited amount of scholarships in sports, and there probably was even less or more of a little bit more back in the eighties. So I think they just kind of said it was baseball slash basketball.
In nineteen ninety two, Randy Johnson led the league in strike ounce walks, batters hit by pitch, and wild pitches. Congratulations, thank you, you were new to us.
That's a record, they were. Surely they would be broken.
Nobody wants to break that. Did you ever feel bad when you hit somebody?
Not always no.
But you know what a lot of times it was my breaking ball, my slider that and I would hit their back foot.
Okay? Yeah, But how many guys do you think you hit on purpose in your career?
What's that?
How many guys do you think you hit on purpose?
And I don't know, Dan? Where do I rank as your staff right now?
My staff is out on the front sidewalk right now because I overworked them and pay them.
So that's your staff?
Okay? Where you rank on hit by pitches?
Yes?
Okay?
So where do I rank?
All right? PAULI do you know how many is that? Okay?
I'm checking.
It's easier to find batter's hit by pitch, But Randy Johnson I haven't hitting one hundred and ninety people in his career, which is up there.
But where does that rank? Is there any pitcher there's thrown hit batter more than that we're.
Checking right now.
I gotta believe Nolan Ryan hit more guys than you, y, I would think, and probably on purpose too, probably half of them. He might have been the meanest guy. Him and Bob Gibson might have been the meanest guys I ever saw in the mound.
Yeah, I obviously I got to see Nolan pitch. I actually even pitched against him.
Wait, you have more? Does he have more hit by pitches than Nolan Ryan?
Randy Johnson one ninety Nolan Ryan one fifty eight?
What is wrong with Nolan? Damn? I think I could get Nolan Ryan throwing ninety miles an hour if I gave him six weeks. Randy, I don't doubt it.
Don't you know?
He's just he's one of those.
Truly pitchers, athletes that come along once in a lifetime, not once in a decade or whatever, you know, just once in a lifetime. You won't you know that movie that facing Nolan? Uh, you watch the end of it. And when when you're usually rolling the credits for a movie, you know the names and all that stuff, those are all of his accomplishments. It's just like, come on you wh.
Do you have an update?
PAULI, yeah, this is big news unit your second all time only too. I got Walter Johnson no relation and.
Yes, absolutely look that up to Walter john family tree.
No, that was different. Walter Johnson pitched when you pitched like sixty games a year than Randy Johnson. If you look at in the modern day, Randy Johnson hit more guys than any other pitch.
Yes and hit batsman by start, you're the all time champ.
Congratulate about a round of a pause for a hitting.
Yeah, yeah, right, I'm talking.
About But you're not sure that I didn't know before this conversation today. But you don't know how many you hit on purpose?
No, I wouldn't say very many.
Well, who pissed you off for? You go? You know what, somebody's got to take. Somebody's getting drilled here?
Well, you know it was. Uh.
I usually only retaliated if and I would always ask my hitter if he felt like he got hit on purpose, and if he did, then I obviously would hit retaliate. Uh. But what I come to realize, uh, and what would be kind of like the inside joke on the bench during the game was the days that I was pitching most of our hitters.
My hitters didn't have to worry about.
Getting hit because if they did, then there was going to be you know, hell to pay, you know. And so I'm sure though hitters on the other team told the picture, make sure you don't put inside too much today. But I but I did protect my hitters, and I didn't have a problem with that at all. I'm not out there to you know, hit anybody, or not out there to hurt anybody, but I'm out there to protect my players, and that was just a way the game has always been played.
Who's your pick on the World Series?
Well, I saw today that it's Coal and Flahrity. I was kind of hoping. I wanted to see Cole and Yakamoto.
Is that is that his name? I'm unpronounced it yamamot. Excuse me, excuse me.
I was kind of hoping to see that matchup because I think that will be the tail tale of how this whole thing is going to pan out. But uh, I think anything can happen. I don't think it's going to be a short series. I think, you know, I watched the National League much more than the American League, so I've been watching the dog a lot, and obviously when they come through Arizona, I see them.
I watched this series against San Diego.
I think I think, excuse me, I think the Dodgers will inevitably win, but I think it's gonna be a close series. I'm just kind of curious to see how Roberts uses the bullpen.
Like he's been doing.
You know, if they can hold up and keep doing what they've been doing for the most part successfully.
You know.
Then I then I think, uh, the pitching is really what's going to you know, have to you know, rise to the top. That's what That's what's gonna shut down both mega offenses.
Great to talk to you again, my pleasure next.
Year at some point the State of the Union address again.
Okay, I appreciate that. And uh, if you you know, once you find that cy Young that I mean, you got five of them, Like, what's what's losing one really mattered to you?
How About how about like some kind of baseball or patcher, like a bablehead for your desk right here.
M cy Young, I would look a whole lot better.
All right, Well, you.
Know what, next time we have a conversation, I'll have all five of them right behind me.
Okay, there'd be a nice little backdrop. Okay, be nice. Great to talk to you. Thank you, Randy, and good luck to your shoulder. Thank you. That's Randy Johnson.