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Sports news from pro football, baseball, basketball and college as well.
98 Plays5 months ago
After a longer than expected break I am back, talking about new rules in the NFL, Bronny James, The current state of baseball, NIL and the Transfer porta in the NCAA, with some special focus on the St Louis Cardinals and the Fighting Illini of the University of Illinois.
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Transcript
Introduction
00:00:13
Speaker
The rumors are true.
00:00:31
Speaker
This is Talking Sports on the Bleachers with John Glenn. A confident young man, a superb athlete. A look at the sports issues of the day. Holy cow! Grab a seat, pop a cold one. Gee, that sounds kind of interesting. And let's talk some sports. You got to get it done!
00:01:00
Speaker
Ghouls with the widespread stance, arms out over the plate. Bickford from the stretch. The 1-1 pitch. A swing, and there it goes! Left field! Way back!
Sports Highlights: Pujols & Illini
00:01:12
Speaker
That's home run number 700! Pujols hits a three-run homer, and he hits 699 and 700 at Dodger Stadium on September 23, 2022. 8.23 PM Pacific time.
00:01:47
Speaker
Badgers have no timeouts. They can't stop it. McCork for the win in the air. It is up and it is good! Yes! Good! Let's go baby! Upset in champagne! The Illini win it! 24-23!
00:02:28
Speaker
You don't understand. I could have had class. I could have been a contender. I could have been somebody.
00:02:45
Speaker
Are you crying? There's no crying? There's no crying in baseball?
00:02:58
Speaker
playoffs don't talk about playoffs you kidding me playoffs
00:03:35
Speaker
Hey, Dad?
00:03:40
Speaker
You want to have a catch? I'd like that.
Gateway City Sports Rebrand & NFL Rule Changes
00:03:51
Speaker
Well, hello there. It's been a while, about six months. Uh, but I'm back and there's been some changes that have taken place. Uh, the biggest, which is the gateway city sports is now the fuel sports network. So if you want to know anything about St. Louis sports, check out the fuel sports network for the battle Hawks, the blues, the Cardinals, city soccer, as well as college sports. Check it out at fuel sports network.com. Well, it is great to be back. And the first thing I want to do is apologize for taking such a long absence. I had some, uh, something called life getting away. Uh, but Hey, I'm back now and we're ready to go. So let's do this. Shall we, you know, the last time we talked, it was January and the college basketball was, uh, middle of full swing there and the whole hum winter meetings and baseball just kind of went, came and went with nobody noticing.
00:04:49
Speaker
The NFL playoffs were going on. So first, congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs and Taylor Swift, I'm sorry I had to do that, for winning the Super Bowl. And I'll get to this in NCAA sports a little bit later, but the Michigan Wolverines won the men's college football championship. UConn Huskies won the men's basketball championship. The University of South Carolina women's team took the women's basketball championship.
00:05:20
Speaker
Oklahoma state set a record. We'll get to those guys in a little bit, uh, for women's softball. Um, congrats to the Boston Celtics winning the NBA title and to the university of Tennessee for winning their very first NCAA baseball championship. And then, uh, just to hear it a little bit a month ago, the Florida Panthers, uh, taking home Lord Stanley's cup. So that's kind of the major things that have gone on at today. I want to cover the state of major league baseball. We'll go over kind of the good things that have been going on as well as I'm going to harp on some old haunts, if you will. Uh, I want to get into the Cardinals a little bit and we'll talk about some NCAA sports concerning the I N I L the transfer portal.
00:06:11
Speaker
And like I said, I'll get into the goings on at Michigan and we'll talk about just some other things here and there. So just kind of sit back and let's let's see where we go here. Then this first segment is brought to you by Fifth Street Motors, located 2044 Rose Lane in Pacific, Missouri. At Fifth Street Motors, they are will find you a pre-owned vehicle that fits your needs and your budget. They want to take out the stress of car buying. They offer an absolute best price no matter what brand. So check out what stress free car buying can be. Give Brandon or Donna a call at 573-259-1306. That number again is 573-259-1306 and tell them Don Glenn from Talking Sports on the Bleachers sent you.
00:06:58
Speaker
There's going to be a couple new rules in the NFL, a hip drop tackle, which I never knew was a thing, but I guess it is. Um, so for the 24 season NFL clubs voted unanimously unanimously to remove the hip drop tackle from the game. Now a hip drop tackle, for those of you who don't know, and I include myself in that cause I had to look it up. ah is It occurs when the defender wraps the ball carrier and rotates or swivels his hips and basically dropping himself onto the ball carrier's legs during the tackle.
00:07:37
Speaker
Uh, so I can see where this can, you know, you want to try and eliminate that to eliminate injuries. So, but I just never, knew the hip drop tackle was a thing, you know, when I was playing football in high school and a, you know, coach, you know, basically was take your shoulder and drive it through his chest. That was the, that was the way to tackle. I didn't know there was the hip drop method. um There's a new kickoff rule adjustment and this is going to be very interesting and probably a little hard to get used to for initially anyway. It kind of comes from the UFL or XFL slash yeah whatever that that designation is now.
00:08:17
Speaker
They still gonna kick off from the 35 the remaining members of the kicking team or the kicker will out lack off at the 35 the remaining members of kicking team Will line up on the receiving teams 40 yard line So they're gonna be five yard, you know fifty Not what we what that would be 15 25 yards up from the kicker I guess and and a minimum of nine receiving team members will line up between the 30 and the 35 yard line with a maximum of two players lined up on or behind the 20 yard line.
00:08:56
Speaker
So there's a little bit of an alignment change there. So now the next part is where it's going to get a little dicey for some people and it may take some getting used to. The area between the 20 yard line in the end zone is now going to be considered the landing zone and that's going to come up here in just a second. A player, the the play cannot begin until the ball is caught by a returner or it touches the ground. Now this is a change because um in the old kickoff rule you kick the ball off the minute then play start of the minute the foot hit the football. Any kick that hits in the landing zone must be returned so if it lands in that 20 between the goal line and the 20 it has to be returned. Now if it
00:09:50
Speaker
if there will be no fair, cause there's no fair catch. And this is the one thing that there will be no fair catch rule. Um, so that's, I said, if it goes into 20, you can't sit there and wave it off and, and, and catch it. You then stand there. You have to try to an attempt a return. Uh, now that you can grab it and run out of bounds, uh, you know, whatever you want to do, but you have to try a return. Any ball that lands in the landing zone. and bounces or rolls orke yeah or rolls into the end zone must be returned or downed. So if it lands in a landing zone, but it trickles into the end zone, you have to pick it up, but you you do have the option at that point to down it or return it. Now, if you down it, it comes out to the 40 yard line.
00:10:44
Speaker
No, 30 yard line, excuse me, 30 yard line. Now, if the kick fails to make the landing zone and say goes out of bounds at the 25, the receiving team will take possession at the 40. So if you down it, you get to the 30. If it doesn't make the landing zone, you get at the 40. Now, onside kicks will be allowed only in the fourth quarter, but must be announced to the referee. Now this is to promote more ah returns in the game. And and you know if you're telling him you have to return to football, I guess it's going to. It's also they say it's another safety measure they're looking at of not getting so many guys running full speed, um you know unfettered and and taking out the the receiver when he's trying to catch a football. And and I kind of get that. I see where that's that's coming from. So we'll see how that one plays out.
Bronnie James & MLB Schedule
00:11:42
Speaker
Uh, moving on to the and NBA and Los Angeles, the Lakers drafted Bronnie James, son of LeBron James. Now this is a presumably so that the two can play as father and son on the same team, but a lot of experts are saying that, um, you know, Ronnie's probably going to spend the majority of his first year or so in the G league. Um, And he was drafted 55th, I guess it was like second round, which is okay. But if you look at it, there were four players from US or three players from US, the top three scores from USC, where James went to school. Presumably he attended classes. But anyway, and those three players, top scores were never drafted, but Brownie James was.
00:12:38
Speaker
um And here's his stats and see if see if you think this is worth the draft pick. Okay, I mean I Don't know Two is a four point eight points per game two point nine or two point eight rebounds per game two point one assists per game and point eight steals per game That sound like a draft an NBA participant or draft pick to you and I'm not seeing where that's benefiting anybody in the NBA. Now sign him, like I said, you if sign him for the G league, you know, without drafting him. Hey, that's great. You know, he's getting a guaranteed contract to do this. What the hell? So this is nothing more than, and this is one reason im I have parted ways with the NBA many years ago is
00:13:31
Speaker
It's a superstar telling the team he's playing for what to do. And that should never be the case in any sport. I don't care how good you are. You should never be dictating to any team how who's on there and who they draft or anything of that nature. i I don't think Jordan should have been able to do it. I don't think Albert Pujols for the Cardinals should have been able to do it. You know you don't sit there and dictate to a team owner, general manager, or whatever, and say, I'll play, but only if you do this. um I'm sorry. i just
00:14:10
Speaker
I just think that's wrong. it's It just is. I mean, it's just the way it is. So moving on to baseball. So when last we talked, like I said, the winter meetings went by and nobody noticed. And then all the big fish started falling after the meetings like Otani. Yamamoto and then it kind of died and You didn't have a whole lot going on and Blake Snell Jordan Montgomery were two names. Everybody kept talking about and It was like spring training before both of them were were signed um Snell was signed by the Giants for 32 million with a
00:14:51
Speaker
For one year, 32 million with a $30 million dollar player option. um And, you know, okay, $30 million. dollars He was 14 and nine last season with a 225 ERA, which is very, very good. 234 strikeouts. He had a whip of 1.189 in 32 games. Now before this is all, after he got signed, he had an abductor problem, abductor strain. Then he has ah had a groin injury, so he hasn't really pitched much. um He's been in just six games. He's 0 and 3 with a 9.51 ERA, only 31 strikeouts and a 1.944 whip.
00:15:38
Speaker
I'm not sure that $30 million is working out for the Giants. Jordan Montgomery was traded to Texas last year. And between there and and St. Louis, he was 10 and 11, 3.2 ERA, 1.09 WIPI. 3.46 strikeout to walk ratio. He signed a 1 million dollar deal or one year 25 million dollar deal with a player option at 20 million for next season to Pitch for Arizona and he's fared a little bit better than snow I mean he is six and four the IRA is high of 571 his whip is high with the 1.571 and
00:16:19
Speaker
His strikeout to walk ratio is down to two in the 12 games he's pitched. You know, there's that. Max Scherzer, who got a one year deal with the Rangers, put up last year 13 and eight record with 3.77 ERA and almost six innings per game pitching. And this year following some back surgery, he went on the aisle for his thumb. I think he's just now getting back. um he seems to be bouncing back but you know they missed him they've missed him for almost
00:16:52
Speaker
half a year um yeah so i'm not sure how it's actually gonna work out with with him now Other guys like Yamamoto like glass now, they've actually worked out well for the Dodgers. Sonny Graves worked out pretty good for the Cardinals. So you know you did get some good deals going there. But all in all, again, it was just ah ah an off season that was very surreal, if you will. The season has just been strange to this point. I mean if you looked at it say I think it was back in May um The National League had only four teams with a 500 or better record And if that's a large part in due to the balance schedule I think and that's just me talking but I have heard it said a couple of the people but I think it's the balance schedule that is that could be the issue on that because if you looked at it
00:17:49
Speaker
um And it's still kind of right now happening going on a little bit. Although there are some more teams finally coming around or you're getting into actually more um league play rather than interleague play. um But the American league in interleague games this year is 257 and 176. So, okay. That's a lot.
00:18:18
Speaker
it's big difference you know a big gap I should say not difference big gap um and I think a lot of it is With, like I said, this balance schedule, you're, instead of playing, and I don't know how the best way to fix it is, I really don't. I mean, I think the only way to really fix it is you get 16 teams in each league and then you can go from there and make it work a little better. But, you know, with 15 teams in each league, you're going to have to have some type of an overlap, some type of an early game is going to have to apply.
00:18:52
Speaker
you know so But I think what we're doing with the bounce schedule, you're playing so many inter-league games early, and maybe that's a good thing. maybe you know Maybe the idea would be get all the inter-league games, and the thing is you can't get rid of all of them. you know You've gotta have some throughout the season with 15 teams in each league, as I said before. But you're playing so many inter-league games early, And then you're playing a lot of league games and you're playing a sprinkling of division games. you know The division games went down. ah Two years ago, there was 19 games per team. You played 19 games per team in your division. So that was 76 games. So almost half your schedule was in your division. And then they split it up.
00:19:37
Speaker
but Things are home and home versus and the way they had it split up was like four teams. You got played six times Six teams you played seven times and just I don't know if I liked that ones I think you could even that went out a little bit better Then you had like 20 games against the American League, you know now with the balance schedule and You're playing everybody in the American league. So you're playing six, 15 teams in the American league. Uh, and only one of those is a home and home series. And that's against your geological geological geographical, excuse me, uh, rival. Um, they've cut the division games down to 13 per team.
00:20:20
Speaker
And I don't know, I just don't think that's enough. i think I think there's probably a happy medium in there where they could have said 16 and cut back on the interleague games because you know you're only gonna see the Dodgers twice, you know whereas before you got to see them maybe a couple different times, but you're only gonna see them twice this you know in in a given season. So, you know, I think they still have a lot to work out with that schedule, and I think that's what's going to maybe cure some of it. But it's not going to be cured, I think, like I said, until you see 16 teams in each league.
00:21:01
Speaker
and you know And don't get me wrong, they're they're talking about it. And I've heard a lot of team or ah cities floated around Montreal, which I wouldn't mind seeing another team in Montreal again. um They're talking Nashville, who was making a big push. Somewhere in North Carolina, I think they're making a big push. um Now, Vegas is getting the Oakland A's. So there's that one. um You don't see much out west outside of that. I think there's been some interest in Portland has been mentioned.
00:21:38
Speaker
yeah Maybe they say another team in Texas. I don't know. I mean, you've already got Arlington Houston, maybe you put a team in Dallas, I could be. You know, there's ah there's talk and maybe going to the south of the Gulf Coast. I don't know of any names that have been mentioned, but there's I remember I should say any names mentioned about that, but they're going to expand and that I think will help smooth some of that out. So a couple of things here.
MLB Rule Changes & Promotions
00:22:08
Speaker
Since General Isimo Manfred took over as the commissioner,
00:22:13
Speaker
ah All the rule changes he's put in we've talked about some of them before and you guys know I do not like the Commissioners runner if you will, I think that's stupid It's something that was it's a softball rule that I don't but believe belongs in baseball um You know because you know really they said it there was to limit ah Extra inning games, you know by having extra offense out there. And you know really, how many extra inning games went past 12 innings? Not that many. So why was it even necessary to put that in there? you know um is it It really wasn't. and i don't And I just think that Manfred overstepped his bounds and was feeling like he is the general czar and decided this is what it's going to be because his millennial friends said so.
00:23:12
Speaker
Um, and pardon me, but if you have a problem with the links of a baseball game. and you think it has to conform to a time limit, find another sport. That's all I'm gonna tell you. I mean, baseball has never been a sport, was never designed to be a time ah timed affair. Like football, where you've got 40 minutes, I think, or an hour, yeah, an hour ah total between you know for 15 minute quarters.
00:23:44
Speaker
college basketball, two 20-minute halves, NBA, I think it's 48 minutes for a game. and Now the NHL, they're, what, 45 minutes, I think, something like that. But those are different sports. Those are sports that, that's what the the rule came up will have a specific amount of time to play this first part of the ball game. but Baseball's never been a baseball says nine innings And that's how you go now. I am glad they he abandoned the seven inning double headers That's a I mean, that's a college Rule that again, I'm not sure I like I I just I don't know I mean I know it helps a little bit in managing pitching staffs and doesn't over which as I guess is a good thing
00:24:38
Speaker
But I also like the idea of the way Major League Baseball does it by being able to add an extra player for those double headers so you can bring up a pitcher so you're not worrying about taxing your pitching staff that bad. Uh, I think maybe they should actually allow two, but that way you can add an extra bench player as well. Uh, or dad do two pictures, whatever you want to go, but I just don't think that this extra runners, I'm going to rail against it until my last breath or until Manford's gone or whatever happens, but I just don't like that. I never have never will, you know, and I will say I am.
00:25:15
Speaker
a baseball purist. i've I've always been against a designated hitter, even though you know I deal with it. Now it's an international league. One reason why I was a national league fan, because they didn't have the designated hitter. but you know it is what it is. it And the designated hitter really hasn't, I mean, it's changed strategy for sure, but if you look around, I mean, it hasn't changed the length of a ball game, hasn't really changed any offensive output per se. I mean, yeah, there's a couple of guys that are mashing the ball as a DH, but yeah all all in all, it hasn't really done much to it. It is what it is on that. One thing that I've,
00:25:57
Speaker
is the whole pitch clock disengagement crap that they do. ah Last year it was 20 if you, bases were not occupied, or 15 seconds if the bases were not occupied, 20 if there was a man. On this year it's 18 seconds no matter what. Personally I think it ought to be 25 seconds no matter what. Give that pitcher a little more time between pitches. You know, i i I have no big issue with putting a pitch clock in place. Just make it realistic. Then the disengagements, I think, are stupid. um You know, you can only throw over to a base twice. And if you throw over a third time, if the guy's not picked off, you automatically gets to the next base. That's wrong. um Because, you know, a good base stealer is going to sit there and
00:26:49
Speaker
draw those two throws, be able to get back, and then he has carte blanche to run, and the pitcher cannot stop him. He can walk halfway down to the next base with the pitcher in the set position, and the pitcher can't disengage. I guess he could, and yeah you would stand a chance of getting him out, but you also stand a chance of throwing the ball away and in a rundown, and the batter and and the runner ending up at third base. You know, that's that's the reality of that. So yeah, that's going to help stolen bases, but you're artificially doing it. You know, let the guys compete. You know, part part of the game, they they want to increase the run production and scoring. Okay. Well, it goes against what they're trying to do by shortening the game. Okay. Let's shorten the game so we can score more runs. Where does that make sense?
00:27:40
Speaker
Where in God's green earth does that make sense? It doesn't. This is plain and simple. It doesn't. So anyway, so there's there's just some rules I'd like to see gone again. I'd like to see and you know, I've put this challenge out before and um I'm going to try and reach out again. But I want Rob Manfred on this program to explain why he thinks these rules are necessary. And then I will explain to him why they're not and we'll see if he has any answers. But I'm not holding my breath that he will come on this program. So, you know, but we'll see what happens.
00:28:21
Speaker
Now, one thing that they've, that I think MLB is starting to get right is how they're promoting most of the game with these, with, with, uh, A few years ago they started with the Little League World Series, playing a one game over and at in that ballpark or that area. um Then the Field of Dream game, ah which is I think is and hopefully they can get back to that once they get all the remodeling done over there.
00:28:56
Speaker
And this year they did a salute to the Negro Leagues by playing the Giants and the Cardinals played a game at Historic Rickwood Field home with the Negro League era team Birmingham black barons now it's I think it's a double eight franchise the just the Barons. um But it was a tribute to the Negro Leagues and it was done because finally ah in the infinite wisdom and they did is actually they announced this a few years ago and it's just finally gotten through where they've got it all worked out. um The stats from the Negro Leagues are now going to be or have been incorporated into the Major Leagues
00:29:37
Speaker
um Josh Gibson has become a pretty a prominent name at top atop the offensive categories now, which is good to see. you know Good to see guys like Gibson and and you know Willie Mays played and and in the Negro League. So did Hank Aaron, so did, of course, Jackie Robinson and a number of it, Satchel Paige. You know, uh, now some of their, their Negro league stats are going to be incorporated into their major league stats. So I think that's a very good thing.
00:30:11
Speaker
Um, you know, now the playing the international games, I'm not as, I'm not really as big on. Um, I mean, if you're going to start saying, okay, well, and that could be, yeah that could be an expansion thing. If they're going to go and say, well, we're going to put two teams, we're going to put a team in Mexico and a team in England. The team in England is going to be a bear to schedule, so I don't think that would be good. The only way they could really do that is if they expanded and put two teams in England, you know, then maybe you might be able to make scheduling a little bit easier, still would be ah a bear and a half. You know, I think moving internationally, yeah, it's a nice little well add-on, but I don't think it's something they really should pursue unless they are
00:30:59
Speaker
Basically planning two separate leagues and that could be something down the road. They might be doing I mean with the world baseball classic Maybe you're gonna see a European baseball league, you know where you've got teams France, Germany, Great Britain, Wales, Italy, you know, forming teams and, you know, maybe that's something that might happen out of this. I don't know. Uh, but, uh, I want to get that a Cardinals here, but first I want to talk about all state agent Sean Wiley and his team located at both Festus and Arnold, Missouri. Um,
00:31:36
Speaker
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00:32:19
Speaker
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Cardinals' Performance & Roster Changes
00:32:35
Speaker
So a quick look at the Cardinals, you know, April and into May, this team was, it was looking like a replay of last year. People were calling for, their and they still are calling for Ali's head. They've always been, they've been calling for Moe's head for the last three years. um They, people were getting down on Goldschmidt and Aronado and Gorman, Walker was,
00:32:59
Speaker
Um, had issues was sent down. Uh, they brought up Victor Scott the second, which I said was a mistake at the time it happened. Uh, but he really, I mean, with the injuries, he was about the only option they had, but it didn't work out well. Um. You know, there's been a few bright spots during that time. Michael Ciani is a excellent center field defender. One of the best I've seen. You've got ah Mason Wynn who came up ah tail end of last year.
00:33:37
Speaker
Didn't really impress many people ah But he is now. I mean he's hitting near 300 He's scoring runs and he's a fantastic fielder at shortstop You've got Alec Burleson and let me extend an apology to Alec Burleson I've been not on his bandwagon for the last couple of years. excuse me I thought he's a and just not was just not ready that, you know, I don't think he was going to be that much. And he has opened my eyes and shut my mouth on that. He's done very well. He's like second in the team in home runs, hitting like 280, I think, or something like that at this point. ah You know, so we had some performers going on at that point Donovan, of course,
00:34:29
Speaker
Wilson Contreras, then he broke his arm. You already had Newt Barr out. You already had Edmund out. And then all of a sudden, the team has caught fire since May 11th. I think they're from May 11th to July 20, or July 12th or 10th, something like that. They were 30 and 22. Not bad, considering where they were at ah prior to that. Uh, they've moved from last place in the division to second place, five and a half games behind Milwaukee. Uh, they are second in the all star or excuse me, the wildcard race. Uh, they got the second spot. I think they're four and a half games behind the Braves in the wildcard. Um, now they just lost a, um, a two game series, which ended up being a double header to the Royals, which, you know, the Royals are playing better. It's not, it's not a shame. It's not ah a sin to lose the Royals in that.
00:35:27
Speaker
you know Not like it was the sin to lose like three straight to the Marlins, but Pitching has been what's carried him through, and now the offense is starting to to click here and there. I mean, you know, Aronado still, he's not done hitting for power, but his average is up. um Goldie is still having a ah struggle year, but he is producing. ah Gorman after a horrible, horrible May and June, I should say late May and June, he's picked it up again. I think he's hopefully got himself righted.
00:36:02
Speaker
Um, the pitching staff, like I said, has been, has been very good, uh, between Gibson and Lynn and, and, and Sonny Gray, the new guys, uh, Michael is his. outside of a few games here and there has really done well. He had a stretch of like seven straight games of six innings or more. I think this team is, is is they are very good option to win the division, central division for the National League. I really believe that. i I've said it before the season started, this they could take the division quite frankly because I didn't think anybody else in the division really knew
00:36:38
Speaker
or had the ability to do it. and now The Brewers have been holding court all year. The Cubs were there at the start of the season, but they have fallen back. ah Pittsburgh's making a move. um And for once, Pittsburgh could be buyers at the deadline. So keep an eye on that. Reds could be too, really. I mean, it just depends how close they get. The bullpen with adding Andrew Kittredge and Ryan Fernandez and i I first when I saw that rule five Ryan Fernandez pick, I'm like, okay, you know, this is the guy they're gonna trot out there when someone needs to get drubbed. And really he's been very, very good out of the bullpen, helping, you know, bridge that gap between the starters and getting to the big three on the back end of Kittredge Romero and Helsley.
00:37:36
Speaker
Matt Libertor has kind of done doing the same thing John King, you know, those three guys have really done well Now the Kittredge and Romero there they've had a a little bit of a rough run here lately but I think I don't want to say they were overused and But I think they got used too much in succession where I think maybe their stuff started to lose something and other teams were actually seeing them enough that they've, okay, we we know what this guy's gonna do. And you know so maybe ah they've kind of backed off for those guys for a little bit here and there. So maybe that's gonna end with the all-star break coming up. Hopefully they'll they'll get their arms rejuvenated and we can go back to having a big three in the back end.
00:38:20
Speaker
ah But it's that big one on the back end that's really doing the job. And that's Ryan Halesley. 31 out of 33 saves. He is ah leading the major leagues in saves after only saving 14 games last year. Now he was hurt a good significant portion of last year. But he has really proven now a lot of people get on him because now he comes in he'll give up a walk or give up a couple of hits or you know something like that. But in the end he gets the job done.
00:38:54
Speaker
In the end, he walks out of there and it's a win in the Cardinals back pockets. Would I like to see him be that shut down one, two, three guy every time he goes out? Of course, everybody would. But you know it is what it is. He's getting the job done. So you know let's let's just enjoy it while we got it. I mentioned earlier that we had some guys hurt. Wilson and Trares is also back with the team now. Ivan Herrera I think is en in rehab start. I think he's in Springfield rehabbing from his injury. Newt Barr is now back with the team. Edmund will be back I think soon. So we're gonna start seeing that shape up. And it's gonna be interesting when Edmund gets back.
00:39:41
Speaker
because you've got a couple of guys on the bench right now that are really are into performing and Dylan Carlson and Brandon Crawford, you know, Crawford was brought in as this elder guy who can, you know, fill in at short and lead, the help the young guys out. ah You know, but he's hitting like 30 points below the Mendoza line. And yeah, he's filled in at third, filled in at short here and there, and he's done okay. but I think once Edmund gets back, you could probably see, and they may wait until the trade deadline for Edmund, although I don't think they will, they might. If they wait for the trade deadline, then I would think you'd see Brandon Crawford and possibly Dylan Carlson offered up in trades. um If not, I think you probably will see Brandon Crawford just DFA'd, at least I would anyway at this point.
00:40:36
Speaker
That's a little bit about the Cardinals and I'll keep doing stuff on the Cardinals here and I'm writing on the Cardinals. I've written a couple different articles about the birds. ah This last one was about Pedro Pajas. If you want to check that out at fuelsportsnetwork dot.com. I want to shift to college sports here in this making a minute, but first let's talk about liquid IV. It is the number one powdered sports drink in America. It delivers two times faster hydration than water and three times the electrolytes of traditional sports drinks. It uses cellular transport technology, which acts as a hydration multiplier. It's designed to deliver more rapid absorption of water into the body and delivers key vitamins like B3, B5, B6, B12, and vitamin C. Its non-GMO contains no soy or dairy and gluten-free.
00:41:24
Speaker
It comes in a variety of formulas. um They have an electrolyte replacement formula that I've used. um you know I'm out in the yard sweating a bunch sweating a bunch doing yard work. you know Get me a tumbler of that and I feel a lot better. ah They have an energy hydration formula for when you need a little pick me up and you don't want to have all that caffeine. There's an immune boosting formula which I've used an it and I think it works pretty well. There's a kombucha blend for dietary health and even a formula for better sleep through hydration.
00:42:00
Speaker
They have a multitude of flavors. All are very light and refreshing. I'm partial to the golden cherry, azu pineapple, strawberry lemonade. ah They also have other flavors like lemon lime and green grape and white peach and piña colada. No alcohol though. It also comes in a sugar free that uses an amino acid blend instead of artificial sweeteners. So, you know, better for you. There's even a hydration formula that they designed for kids and it's in flavors they want. Concord grape, crisp apple, tropical punch, banana and cotton candy. Liquid IV is conveniently packaged in individual sticks that you can take with you literally anywhere, at the beach, the gym, the office, school, even on an airplane.
00:42:45
Speaker
Did you know that humidity in an airplane is five to twelve percent less than the Sahara Desert? So long flights get you dehydrated, which causes jet lag. Coffee and tea, alcohol, they won't help. They actually increase the the jet lag, if you will, the dehydration. ah So just get a bottle of water, drop in a stick of liquid IV, and you're hydrated. Liquid IV also cares about the world we live in, so are they resource sustainable materials from family farms. They use 100% recycled materials in their packaging and they have provided grants to help expand access to clean and abundant water in other countries. So right now go to liquidiv.com and use the promo code GCS at checkout. Well actually let's wait till after the podcast then go to liquidiv and you but you use that code you get 20% off.
00:43:34
Speaker
You can also shop better hydration anytime by using my link zn.ai slash talking sports on the bleachers and you'll get 20% off anything you buy. Check out um ah hydration multiplication. Try like what i e Liquid Go to liquidiv.com. Use the promo code GCS at checkout.
Jim Harbaugh & UConn Triumph
00:43:57
Speaker
Okay, when we last touched, and I was said to get to some of the football and and basketball happenings here, um as I said, the Michigan Wolverines won the college football championship. And shortly thereafter, Jim Harbaugh, the head coach, i decided to take his coaching duties to the NFL and coach the Las Vegas Raiders.
00:44:26
Speaker
Assistant coach Sharon Moore has been named as Harbaugh's replacement And you know, maybe some of that, you know, I think Harbaugh was maybe feeling a little bit pressure there with all the supposed scandals and stuff that have happened so maybe it was time for him to get back to the NFL and Who knows? But good luck to Sean Moore and the ah Michigan Wolverines. like I guess that UConn won the basketball championship being produced 75 to 60. And you know, in in truth, UConn was never, they weren't challenged at all in that tournament. I don't think they, they played a tight game at all. I think maybe they might've had a tight game for 15 minutes to the first half and one or two of them. And then after that, it was,
00:45:13
Speaker
You know, Katie bar the door. I said Tennessee claimed their first baseball championship, ah beating the Texas Aggies in a three game series in Omaha, Nebraska. Now on the women's side in basketball, South Carolina denied Caitlin Clark in Iowa, a second our NCAA title for the second straight year. ah Now last season the Hawkeyes were upended by LSU in the championship game. um Clark has was drafted by the Indiana Fever of the WNBA, so and she's she's having a rough go over there. I mean she's, um I don't want to say
00:45:55
Speaker
bullied, but she's being targeted. you know um She's coming in as the hot new fresh face and there's a few people there that asists say they don't care for that. So and hopefully they'll get their their order straightened out and she can win over some players as well as fans. Staying on the women's side a University of Oklahoma women's softball team won the college softball World Series for the fourth year in a row a four-peat In that time their record is 239 and 15
00:46:30
Speaker
That is dominance, folks. They've had the same coach, Patty Grasso, for the last 30 seasons. In her time there, she has compiled a 1,015, wins 352 losses and two ties while at Oklahoma, and makes her third on the all-time list for softball division one coaches.
College Sports Concerns & Illinois Teams
00:46:57
Speaker
ah I was talking I I've talked on this before and i want I want to really belabor it but I still think really it's getting more apparent something needs to be done about the transfer portal and and I out because I think the two are really becoming a problem for college sports, you know again this year we had 3200 players enter the football portal ah and a thousand eighty-nine entered the basketball portal and with only 1,900 of the 3,200 football entrants finding a new school. And on the basketball was a little bit better. um Over 828 actually found new homes in the college in the transfer portal. But I'm wondering, have we gone too far with the NIL?
00:47:51
Speaker
Because we're looking at guys right now that are getting multi-million dollar deals, really. You know, they're getting a million dollars or two million dollars for to promote whatever products or services. And they have no loyalty. Because if, you know, they're at, say, University of Massachusetts, and they're getting $800,000, You know, and they hear that University of Michigan, they're getting NIL deals of $1.5 million. dollars And if they think they can transfer over, they think their game is going to work.
00:48:32
Speaker
Why not? Why not hit the transfer portal and hope like heck one of those big boys pick you up. See, and that's the only problem with it is the big boys got to come looking for you and they are. Don't get me wrong. I mean, they're looking, I mean, yeah Illinois is a good example. I mean, Brad Underwood is the last two years as. Had to go very deep into the portal to to pick up players and because if you don't You're falling behind um And I think the really and it's starting to trickle down now. I mean we've got high school kids that um Are and it's happened to the University of Illinois ah Jeremiah fears he's a It was a 2025 recruit that has reclassified to be eligible for And for this year, and he decommitted from Illinois because they weren't ready for him this year. They've already got their transfers and filled their their needs, so to speak. So having him come in a year earlier than it expected, he wouldn't have played. ah But now he's reclassified, he's decommitted, his recruitment is open again, and it's all
00:49:44
Speaker
To me, and i don't I don't think it's been said publicly, but it's been hinted publicly that he's looking for NIL deals. He figured he could get better NIL deals this year than if he waited a year. And that's the sad part. You're supposed to be playing basketball to better yourself skill wise. And I was, NIL needed. Yes, it was because universities have been taking, universities have been taking advantage of but ah players all over. You know, they put them on posters, they put them on this and they, you know, and you know, those kids got nothing for years. So yeah, I can see where you need to give them a little something for being basically an employee, but.
00:50:28
Speaker
It has gotten way out of hand. And I just don't know where the end is. So to get off my soapbox now, and we'll talk a little lion eye sports. The basketball team went through the Elite Eight, got beat by UConn, no shame in that at all. The football team, not quite as a good season. They were only five and seven. um They let a few games slip away that they should have won. I mean, they in in realistic terms, they should have been eight and four. um They really should have and there was three games definitely that they should have won that they didn't. um They had some injuries that Luke Altmeyer went down, Michael Bailey went down from injuries. They had a running back scene to get heard about every week.
00:51:14
Speaker
at One point they were down to the fourth string running back. There's been some coaching turnaround now as Andy Boo, the linebacker coach, defensive back coach Antonio Fenless were both let go. Wide receiver coach Georgia McDonald accepted a job at Ole Miss and outside linebacker coach Charlie Bullen left for the New York Giants. Archie McDaniel is the new linebacker coach. Clint Sinton is the new offensive line coach. Justin Stepp is the new wide receiver coach and Corey Parker
00:51:47
Speaker
is the newest defensive back coach. He replaces David Gibbs, who had to step down for medical reasons. Gibbs did originally place finless. They also lost some talent due to graduation. I mean, the law firm is no longer there. Tip Ryman is gone. ah Reggie Lev III and Trayvon Nicholson are transferred out. Still have some good dream contributors and they got some kids coming back hopefully from injury. Like I said, with Michael Bailey, Kevin Fagan is still there, Josh McCray is still there. ah Adrian Law, the fourth string running back, got some good time in so he can be somebody that they can look at.
00:52:27
Speaker
Seth Coleman and Gabe Jacobs will still be there. um Mark Ellsley, Malik Ellsley, I'd like to see how he's gonna step up. I think he can be a real big asset as a receiver, cuz they lost Isaiah Williams. The offensive line received some help getting a four star transfer of JC Davis in Mexico. They also picked up a four star recruit for the defensive backfield in Terrence Brooks from Texas. Wiped receiving core, they got a good one there from Ole Miss, Hari Franklin, and Dennis Briggs, defensive lineman from Florida State. So they picked up some some replacements. that's We'll see how they gel and how they do. The schedule's not not a bad one, really, if you stop and look at it.
00:53:14
Speaker
Non-conference, they have Eastern Illinois Central Michigan and Kansas a Conference home games against Purdue, Michigan, Minnesota, Michigan State. They go on the road versus Nebraska Penn State. New conference member Oregon, Rutgers and Northwestern. With a redo in the field up there, so there that game is going to be played at Wrigley Field. So they i mean they've got a good chance of winning a few of those games and they should I mean, I don't they should win at Purdue or Purdue at home um They should I would think be able to beat Minnesota, Michigan State at home Northwestern on the road You know, then you've got at least two of the three non-conference games they should win and I'm not gonna say that they should be a eight win team, but they've got that capability depending on how they can upset people or if they can upset people.
00:54:08
Speaker
There will be a rededication game on versus Michigan on October 19th a rededication in Memorial Stadium when it first came into being in 1925 was it and The opponent was Michigan so they've got it lined up perfectly for that for a rededication game now as for the basketball program ah Brad Underwood has, I the did last year what I think is one of his best seasons ever, while at the U of I. They went to the Elite Eight, were defeated by UConn, but hey, you know, that's not a big problem as UConn was beating everybody anyway. um But, you know, it's it's one of those things coach knew he was gonna have to do a ah portal run this year because he was losing
00:55:02
Speaker
You know, you're losing basically starting lineup with Terence Shannon Jr. and Coleman Hawkins, Quincy Gettier, Marcus Damasc and Justin Harmon. All those guys are gone. You've only got two freshmen coming in and Morris Johnson and Jason Jackstis. I'll get that name right one of these days. Jack Stas, that's it. Okay, there we go. ah But like I said, he knew he'd have to run on a portal again. So he just didn't know how much ah because shortly after the
00:55:36
Speaker
games were over. Dane Danger entered the transfer portal. He has now moved on to Memphis. Then after Coach Chester Frazier left to take the assistance job at West Virginia, Amari Hansberry forward and guard sincere Harris, entered a transporter transfer, transfer portal and followed him. Uh, and then a few guys came in from the transfer portal and wing, Luke, a goodie and guard Nico Moretti both entered the portal. Goodie ended up at in the Anna.
00:56:11
Speaker
Moretti is transferred to Florida Atlantic so with what you had coming in and mores mores Johnson and Jackus jackstas You've got still Guard forward Ty Rogers and 62 point guard Dre Dre van Gibbs law horn and you need more people. So he's go he went out and during all this they were getting people in as people were leaving. So some of the guys that have come in now, um and mind but one thing I need to mention too is that ah during all this and Chester Frazier leaving, as they were bringing in these recruits, John Calipari left Kentucky. Well
00:56:57
Speaker
Evidently that didn't sit well with Orlando Antigua, former Illinois coach. So Coach Underwood is now reunited with his former assistants. So Orlando Antigua is back in the fold and I'll tell you in a minute what he's done what he's done for Illinois so far. Early in the portal season they landed 6-6 sophomore Jake Davis from Mercer shooting forward or small forward ah They also got some wing help in 6-7 Trey White a junior from Louisville now pay attention to these these Years, okay, we're not just getting these 50 year senior guys, okay um Let's see. Okay, so there was Trey White then under what was able to get former champagne native Kylan
00:57:40
Speaker
Boswell, a 6'2 point guard from Arizona. He's a junior. Then they come up with 6'10 carry booth. I think he's a sophomore from Notre Dame, a power forward. And his father is former p Penn State star and GM of the Denver Nuggets Calvin booth so a little bit there they were able to get sophomore Ben or junior I think it has been you and I'm gonna screw this name up Ben humor
00:58:12
Speaker
home Rikers, uh, from Evansville. Um, this is when Orlando Antigua took over and he went out and does what he does best. He went overseas and he picked up, uh, creation of Croatian big man, Thomas love eyes. I visit a seven foot one, 230 pounder and six, six guard Casparis, Jack, a six, six garden Lithuania. These are guys going to be incoming freshmen. Uh, and then not done yet. The Illini were also able to land Will Riley. Now, as I mentioned with Jeremiah Fiers, reclassifying, this is what Riley did. um He's from Melvin,
00:58:59
Speaker
and pennsylvania mel van Pennsylvania, and played for Phelps School, or the Phelps School. He's a 6'6", five-star wing, rated 19th in the country by 24-7 Sports.
00:59:12
Speaker
Now I'm going to say this, and I could be off base. I don't think I am, but I could be. But I think this team for Underwood and for 24-25 may be a better team than last year. I know that sounds like a big boast. And these guys have got to gel. But I think this team has more overall size. Uh, as much, if not better length, they've got some great athleticism. That's got some good shooters coming in. Good ball handlers. I, to me, if I'm going to predict, they're going back to the elite eight at least, if not the final four. I mean, I think this team could be that good. Now they could also be a big bust if they don't gel. So that's going to have to see what happens there.
01:00:03
Speaker
Before I get out of here I want to give a big kudos to Shawna Green and the Illini women's basketball team. Green took over that team a year ago in the 22-23 season and right away she came well she came from Dayton ah where she had a record of 127-50 and right away in her first year the Illini were ended up fifth in the Big Ten which is a huge mark for them a huge big step forward. They made the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2002-2003 and it was their first postseason appearance since 2012 under Matt Bolant.
01:00:37
Speaker
and Now, this past season, they had a bit of a rough going. They had only finished ninth in the Big Ten, but they received an at-large bid through the Women's Basketball Invitational Tournament, the the successor to the women's NIT. Lady Illini won that tournament. They won the first ever inaugural b it women's BIT, defeating Villanova 71 to 57. And it's the first ever basketball championship of any kind for the Lady Illini. So kudos to Coach Screen. Uh, it's also the first time that the line at wound have been, been in post season in back to back years since 2006, seven under Teresa Grintz. And then the following year, 2007, eight under Jolette law.
01:01:20
Speaker
Along with the trophy in the title, of the line i three Illini players took home individual awards as well. Kendall Bostic, Genesis Bryant, and Makira Cook took home all tournament team honors, with Cook being named the most outstanding player of the tournament. ah Coach Green's got those three gals returning next year and a number of other ones in Bryn Shoup Hill, Shay Boylan, Adeia McKenzie. Incoming transfers, Jasmine Hager, bro Jasmine Brown Hager, excuse me, A 5'9 sophomore from Mississippi State. Lete Vasconcelos, a 6'7 sophomore center from Baylor. Also, incoming freshman 6'6 center, Haven Smith and 6'1 guard Barry Wallace.
01:02:05
Speaker
um And this line of teams going to be fairly big. I mean, uh, Bostic, I think has already started. Bostic is six, three, I think shape bowl into six, four. Um, so when you're adding these other two gals in there and they've got a number of gals in that five 11 six, one category. So they're going to be a pretty good sized team and they can make us, they're going to give some people some trouble next year. And four years to come too, as long as coach Green stays there. So, uh, that's all for me tonight. I've droned on long enough. Some of us wind it down by saying, don't forget to check out the new fuel sports network.com and see what we have for you. You can still find the articles by me, Russ Robinson, Tito Rivera Vasquez, and Derek King, amongst others. Also, you can still find your favorite podcasts like this one or.
01:02:50
Speaker
The team of rivals po podcast with Ron Nuttle, Pete Geddes and Elliott Dewey. And of course the often imitated, never duplicated, Derek King Show with the man himself, Derek King. Also check out At The Park, all about city soccer with Ron Nuttle and Chris Ambleton. check it out at Fuel Sports Network dot com. You can find me on this show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or tell your friends. Also follow this show on Facebook at Talking Sports on the Bleachers and you can email the show at tso tb dot gcs at gmail dot com or contact me on x at tso tb gcs.
01:03:30
Speaker
So, as always, have fun, stay safe, and I'll see you again when we're talking sports on the bleachers. Good night, everybody.