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Looking Towards This Flyers' Rebuild (PST Episode 509) · The Philadelphia Sports Table | Philly Sports News & Views

0:24
All right, everybody, you're listening to the Philadelphia Sports Table podcast show,
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the longest running weekly Philly sports podcast show in the world. That's right here
0:31
in April ten years we are celebrating and commemorating the PST podcast show. We've
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got a great show for You've got some listener feedback that we're gonna be getting
0:41
into about something that's been a tradition in the world of baseball. And also,
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of course we've got to get into the Philadelphia Phillies. They are having
0:47
a rather bizarre season thus far, specifically from a starting pitching perspective. And
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then the NFL Draft is right around the corner. We're gonna get into some
0:56
Eagles talk. How might the Eagles look at this draft that is coming at
1:00
the end of April here, and the Sixers they're entering the postseason, they're
1:04
gonna be taking on the nets in the first round. We're certainly gonna be
1:07
getting into that. And then yes, we're gonna get into some hockey talk.
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We're going to get into some Flyers talk. Now that the season is
1:14
over. We've got our good friend of the pod, Bill Matts from the
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Brush Street Hockey Radio Podcast BSh Radio he's gonna join us to talk about this
1:22
upcoming Flyers rebuild and what that's gonna look like during the offseason. I'm Jeff
1:26
Warren. I am here with my good buddy Eric Leonard, Eric Mann.
1:30
It's it's good to talk to you. Man. How you doing, buddy.
1:34
I know you've I know you're doing some little league stuff. Oh yeah,
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I am. I told you a couple weeks ago. The busy season
1:42
just started. I'm coaching au basketball and little league. We had a baseball
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tonight. We had two hours of basketball Monday. I have two hours basketball
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tomorrow. It's just it's just a ship show, Jeff. I mean,
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the kids are great, They're all really good. But holy hell, man,
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like I don't know which way is up and down, Like I'm in
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that I'm in that place right now where I'm working a full time job and
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coaching two teams and managing tournaments, and holy hell man, I don't know.
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I can't imagine being a like Thom's like, like like an actual manager
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of a sports team. Yeah, because that sounds like a shit job.
2:23
Dude. I'm managing kids and I'm exhausted, so God bless them. We
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got a show. You and I are going to see a metal show that's
2:30
coming Friday. You and I both we work our tails off during the weekend.
2:35
And not that other people don't out there, but I'm just saying it
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is going to be a well deserved Friday night metal show where we're gonna kick
2:43
back, We're gonna enjoy some live music. It's gonna be well deserved,
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my friend, it really is. Yeah. I can barely hear from all
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the whistling I do anyway, So what's the metal show gonna hurt? Right?
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Right? Yeah? All right? Well, uh, like I,
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like I mentioned, uh, you know, at the top of the show,
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we are celebrating, commemorating whatever you wanna call it, ten years of
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doing this podcast when Lenn and I started in my basement of the first house.
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You know that my wife and I were in again ten years ago and
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uh, we're still going obviously, and it's something something that's pretty cool just
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to think about, you know, where this podcast has been, where it's
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just where it's gone, you know, how we've grown over the years,
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and uh, and how stagnant as well in certain cases the podcast has been.
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But next week, actually, I just wanted to announce that hopefully Lenn
3:38
is gonna be on. I actually haven't even talked to him about this yet,
3:39
but hopefully Len's gonna be on to intro the very very first episode,
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the very first podcast that Len and I did back on April seventeenth, twenty
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thirteen, and it was just awful, folks. It was absolutely horrendous.
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We had no idea what we were doing, and the conversation was not only
4:00
we were a bunch of dollards, but but we were able to grow from
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it. And Eric, you weren't on the show back then, you know,
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thankfully, Yeah, thankfully you weren't wasting your time, and but you
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came on, you know, a few years down the road and stuff.
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But man, it's it's pretty interesting. Ten years and it's been fun.
4:20
I still enjoy it. I'm so glad that I don't look at the seriously,
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I don't look at the analytics. It's probably one of the reasons why
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I'm still really into doing this show. I don't do it because I know
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if I do, I'm going to lose the passion for what we're doing here.
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So I don't know, if I don't know, if you have anything
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to add there, Yeah, I listened to the first show, but it
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was ages ago. Oh, I'm fully anticipating it an extremely hyper jeff any
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subdued Len, very subdued Len. Yes. Yeah, you have to pull
4:50
Len out of Len to really get the Len going. Yeah, you and
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I both know what I mean. I actually did the I think did like
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the one year anniversary show in your basement. I gotta look it up.
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I got I gotta figure out when you actually really came on the show,
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was it? Well, my first time ever was twenty fourteen April um.
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I was living with my brother and you were like, hey, come on
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up and do the show some night, and I and I did. I
5:19
drove up to Easton and I did the sha Yes, yeah, And it
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was definitely April of twenty fourteen, And I do remember I was nervous and
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you. I was given a chair where I was like really laid back,
5:35
like not a bean bag, but like I was given one of those like
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h like beach chairs kind of thing. Yeah. I was almost laying backwards
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and I was talking like this. I was like really laid back, and
5:46
eventually you you gave me some signal like sit up straight? Did I really?
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Yeah? Because I was the way I was talking was so laid back,
5:55
and I kind of sat up, and I was like, my whole
5:57
demeanor change and my voice changed. But it was really like I didn't I
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didn't like, I didn't think like now I do, like I think about
6:03
what the audience is, like I picture the audience looking at me as I
6:06
talk. Now, yeah, as I stare at my wood panel basement.
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But but I like, back then, I wasn't thinking it that I was
6:14
just talking to you guys, and I was just chilling, having a beer
6:16
and the Phillies were on, and yeah, you must recognize something because within
6:21
a five or ten minutes you're like, dude, you sound like you're asleep.
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Sit up. Yes, I gotta find that. Maybe we can play
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that here in April as well. That would be fantastic. I would,
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Oh my god, I gotta get that. I would love to hear that.
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I'm gonna I'm gonna search for it for sure. Um So, yeah,
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folks out there, get in touch with us Philadelphia Sports Table at gmail
6:41
dot com. Let us know what you think of the show after these ten
6:44
years. Would absolutely love to hear from you, not that we're necessarily going
6:47
to do a mail bag show. But what have you liked over the years?
6:49
What have you really disliked? Aside from my laugh, aside from my
6:53
very excited voice every now and then, you know, because we all know,
6:56
y'all don't like that. We got it, we got it. I
6:58
get it. You know y'all don't like that. And that's fine. My
7:01
blatant racism? What what was that? I don't ever remember you talking poorly
7:09
of Native Americans. I don't know was it, because I know, I
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know you gotta love the internet, you gotta love these you gotta love goons
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out there. Who gosh, was it? Did it have anything to do
7:21
with it? I remember your son one year dressed up as an Indian,
7:26
I believe for Halloween, if I'm remembering this right, And somebody in the
7:30
neighborhood was really mad and upset about that. And it's like, this is
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my young son. He doesn't know anything. This is what he wanted to
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dress up as for Halloween. Here, he's not hurting anybody. We're not
7:40
hurting anybody. We're not racist, We're not you know. Maybe it was
7:45
that. I don't know, No, it was my I said. When
7:48
the Redskins finally decided to change their name. Oh was that what it was?
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Okay? Yeah? And I was like, screw the Redskin organization.
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I'm going to keep saying it as a like in a pox on them.
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Oh okay shit yeah, And I guess the guy took offense to that.
8:03
I was like, they've been the Redskins for forty years. Like, why
8:05
would you yell at me? Go? He yelled at the Redskins organization?
8:09
Yep, I got you, I got you. All right, Well,
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we're gonna find we're gonna find some good audio, and you guys are gonna
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hear some good audio next week for sure, boy, Lenn and I I'm
8:20
like, I think I started off by going all right, yeah, we're
8:22
the Philadelphia Sports Table. Yeah, all right, and Len goes hello,
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he'd never seen a mic before exactly. He guess, hello, just very
8:37
tidied, all right, if he didn't tap and go test, Yes,
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all right, let's get into some baseball talk. Let's get into some Phillies
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talk as well. We're first gonna start off by responding to some listener feedback
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we got from one of our very long time listeners. We absolutely cherished April
8:58
her she thank you so much for shooting off a tweet at us and I
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thought this was pretty interesting. It's something we've never talked about here on this
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podcast. And she said, booing a pitcher's throw to first base to try
9:11
to tag the runner or slow down an inning under the new pitch clock rules.
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What do you guys think. I despise the booze of any kind at
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sporting events, but this one feels especially in poor taste to me for some
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reason. April, thanks so much for the listener feedback. And you know
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what, I'm glad we're actually getting into this topic, Eric, because I
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have hated this traditional aspect of baseball for the longest time. The pitcher throws
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over to first base, and if if it's the opposing team's pitcher, everybody
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booze in the stadium boo It's like, oh my gosh, it's it's like
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a hack bit that the stadium and the patrons and audience are doing. It's
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like a hack bit after decades and decades, I don't really care. I
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don't know. I'll say this. I don't like despise people for booing at
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sporting events for certain things, but after a while, this really does get
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stupid, and I think It's been stupid for quite some time. Just booing
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a pictures throw to first base. I can't stand it. I think it's
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ridiculous. It's one of those traditional aspects of baseball that somehow has stuck with
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the game, and it's not going anywhere anytime soon. I completely get where
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April's coming from. I think booze at sporting events overall are like, okay,
10:28
depending on what the situation is, So I'll say that. But booing
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a picture's throw to first base, I just wish it would stop. Man,
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where are you coming out on this one? It's become one of those
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programmable reactions for fans. Yeah, not unlike where you know, regally kind
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of started to throw the home run ball back onto the field. Now every
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stadium does it, every team does it. Yeah, and it's lame as
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hell. I'm gonna I'm gonna come off really negative here in two ways.
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Okay, but I'm shooting negativity at both sides. I hate the booing because
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it's it is cliche, it's kind of programming to the fans. But at
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the same time, I hate when it picture throws ten times to first base
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when he Dan well knows he's not going to pick him off. I'm talking
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about the lazy, like the guys that are really good at it. There's
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like Greg Maddox was really good at like some of the great pictures were awesome
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at throwing out people at first, second, or third. But when you're
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just kind of lackadaisically doing it to slow down the game or maybe mess with
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the hitter. I can't stand it either. But I also can't stand the
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rain of booze that come down every single time. I hate every aspect of
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it. I just kind of wish they wouldn't do it, Like if the
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pictures stopped doing it, there wouldn't be any booing, right, So if
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we can maybe figure that out, Like there's MLB is finally making rule changes
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that are cool, and the games are like two and a half hours to
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the three hours now, which I know Uncle Lenn wishes. I call Uncle
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Lena my kids, Um, he wishes the games for four hours. But
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I'm okay with the two and a half hour game. What can we do
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to a limit, not a limited, but like like draw back the amount
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of throws to first base because I can't stand the ten in a row.
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I also can't stand the fans booing. I have a weird take, but
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I hate I hate every aspect of it. So how do you get rid
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of it? I mean, do you share? Do you have to shame
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the pictures enough over a certain period of time on social media? Or does
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something have to happen within the audience watching the game? You went dark?
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You wanted them to get shamed on social media? Do you want them to
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docks their families? Jeff, jeez, oh boy, I don't know.
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But okay, so they put all these like pitch counts in or pitch clocks,
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right, maybe maybe there's a limit to how many times you can throw
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it at first, I don't know. There you go. They called off
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the shift. I'm sure there's something else they could do, but I just
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don't like any first of you're never gonna stop the fans, right, so
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you have to change the picture behavior, which I if you're really good at
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it, and you can, you can, you can actually tag the guy
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out, awesome. It's the guys that just it just kind of lazily chuck
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at the first. Well, throw it back, I'm gonna pitch. No
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like that part I can't stand. And that is the part of baseball.
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That's been in place for like thirty forty fifty years. That is just so
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borning to watch. But I don't like any aspect of it, That's what
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I say. Yeah, I'd love to hear what you folks are thinking out
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there feedback. I'm sorry, Philadelphia Sports Table at gmail dot com. What
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are you thinking about this? I mean, I mean, I think Eric
13:46
is right. You know, comes down to Major League Baseball needing to make
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some sort of change in order for the pictures to not throw over to first
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base, you know, six eight times in a row, and it just
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be it just gets ridiculous. So ut, Eric, you mentioned the new
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rule changes Baseball has altered I think for the better this season here, not
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necessarily for the Philadelphia Phillies. Man, this freaking team is having a bizarre
14:13
season here. We wanted to give our thoughts on you know, the good
14:16
and you know what has been the bad so far here Interestingly enough, so
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we're recording this on Tuesday, April eleventh. The Phillies just got done losing
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to the Marlins at home and Aaron Nola again coming up with a big zero
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in this game. It's unbelievable how the Phillies are oh and seven in games
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started by Aaron Nola, Zach Wheeler, and Taylan Walker so far this year
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oh and seven. Eric, The pitching is not good. The the quote,
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I don't want to call him aces, but the top guys in terms
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of the starting rotation are just having an absolute terror le time this year so
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far. This is not good yet this team is there's home runs Alec Bom,
15:09
Holy cow, what a season he's having. Brandon Marsh is actually doing
15:13
some good stuff as of late. Yes, does this team possibly need to
15:18
go back to the drawing board and fundamentals in terms of how to run bases
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properly because they're getting a little over zealous And I want to get into that
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in a little bit. But from a pitching standpoint, man, it is
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concerning that your top pitchers are and seven at this part at this particular juncture
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of the season. Again, Nola, Wheeler, and Walker. They haven't
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won this year at all, not one win. Eric. It's concerning is
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that your expert analysis, by the way hashtag analysis. Oh, it's pathetic.
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And if you go back to this show you and I did, we
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did the Phillies preview, like what are the big what are the top three
16:00
things we're looking forward going in the season. Yeah, alec Bone was a
16:03
big one and he's having a killer year. UM. And we talked about
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Nick Castellano's he's playing well. You know, I actually expected a slower start
16:12
from him. UM. And Trey Turner was another one. We talked about
16:17
a lot and he's having an awesome season. The offense is you know,
16:21
your standard offensive stats for Major League Baseball. They are second in average batting
16:25
average um OPS or third overall, but RBIs I think they're like near the
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bottom the twentieth and runs scored home runs are near the near the bottom.
16:36
Because Shoarber is just getting's. I know, I know he starts slow,
16:41
but holy shit, this is a slow start for college schuarberk he'll pick it
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up. But yeah, the story of the season so far is the starting
16:51
pitching are quote aces, which are they hurt? Are they tired? They
16:57
pitched a lot last year. They pitched in October almost November. UM.
17:03
I mean when Bailey Falter is your best starter, you know, trouble.
17:07
But the bullpen, good lord, I mean you just look at their whip,
17:14
their their strikeouts, strikeouts over nine. Craig Kimberrell not getting it done.
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Do you think so, Oh my god. You know, like like
17:22
five or six years ago, the signing of k Craig Crimble Craig Kimberrell would
17:27
have been like, oh my god, what a signing. And now it's
17:30
like, oh, we signed my dad who's seventy four years old. He's
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been horrendous this year, um Connor, Brogden, Sir Anthony just like the
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bottom of the barrel. And they were really bad tonight, like they actually
17:44
had the kind of had this game in hand tonight and then they gave up
17:47
a bunch of runs to the Marlins. It's been all the pitching. The
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offense is there, and you don't even have Bryce Bryce Harper, you know,
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like like the offense is doing well enough to win plenty of games.
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It's all the arms and opening, Nola Wheeler. The ra's aren't at completely
18:04
out of whack. But you look at Walker, He's not a three at
18:10
all, and you were hoping he was going to be your four, and
18:12
you're kind of seeing what the detriment of having him is your is your number
18:17
three pitcher, especially when Wheeler and Nola are aren't performing that that that's kind
18:22
of the story of the season so far. It is, and I think
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it's important though to note I think that Bryce Harper is going to be back
18:29
sooner rather than later. Rob Thompson was asked today about Bryce Harper and his
18:34
recovery, and he was specifically asked if Bryce Harper would be ready to face
18:40
pitching in a minor league game today, and Rob Thompson actually said, I
18:44
would say he is. He still has to be cleared medically to slide.
18:48
So at this point, I don't think it's gonna be June until we see
18:52
Bryce Harper like many thought, or even possibly may I mean, we may
18:56
actually see Bryce Harper toward the you know, toward the end to April.
19:00
Perhaps, I don't know. It seems like he is on the trajectory to
19:03
come back to this lineup sooner rather than later. They're definitely going to need
19:07
him, and I think they're definitely going to need him in the outfield too,
19:11
and just even in key situations, even if he is going to be
19:12
a DH every now and again, Bryce Harper needs to be back in this
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lineup so very bad, just the leadership as well, because they did lose
19:22
rees Reese Hoskins is Reese Hoskins. We've known what type of player he is
19:26
over the years, but the guy is a leader in the locker room.
19:29
And when you have two leaders in Bryce Harper and Reese Hoskins who aren't there,
19:33
you're gonna see this bizarre kind of season here that we are seeing from
19:36
this Phillies team. Or you know what I mean. It's early in the
19:38
season there. Of course they're not completely out of it. You know,
19:41
they're digging themselves a hole. But Bryce Harper, when he gets back,
19:44
I think we may see some things change for this team for the better.
19:48
Can he play first base because we're in trouble there were a lot of trouble
19:53
there. But if he comes back and he can replace Jake Cave that that
20:00
name alone is tired of seeing him at this point, Jake Cave. Can
20:04
we just can he go to go to city Hall and get his name change?
20:07
Please? Awful name for baseball, um, But that's but that's it
20:14
though, Like you look look at the rest of the guys, like real
20:15
Muto, but he's always a slow starter though. Yeah, right off,
20:19
this is just even Bryson Stott is crushed in the ball. Brandon Marsh having
20:23
a great, great year. If Schwarber can pick it up, like if
20:26
they can get Harper back into the lineup maybe in May, maybe early June.
20:32
I'm okay with that because like, let's make sure he's rested up and
20:34
healthy. Like the offense is like it is totally there. We just have
20:38
to get the starting pitching like in order that that that's the that's the problem.
20:44
And I just hope those guys aren't tired or possibly hurt, because I
20:47
if it comes out like in a week or two that one of them is
20:48
like has to go out for like thirty days, then we're in deep trouble.
20:53
Absolutely where's the pitching coming from after? You know? After that?
20:56
Absolutely absolutely? I mean the other thing I wanted to get in too as
21:00
well. And I'm not sure if you've been seeing it as much, Eric,
21:03
just because you have been coaching. You know, you have been coaching
21:07
the kids and stuff, but like the fundamentals that are just getting missed.
21:12
And I would like to think that this Phillies team and these players are being
21:18
aggressive on the field, because if they are, then yes, I like
21:22
it, but just consistently game after game overrunning bases and there's an out to
21:27
either end the inning or to put them in some sort of just really tough
21:32
situation. We're seeing it constantly where I think Rob Thompson might actually need to
21:37
do base running drills with these guys for like a week or something, or
21:41
it's unbelievable. I mean, aside from you know, Bryson Stott doing some
21:45
great things at the plate. I mean tonight again losing to the Marlins and
21:51
they were rallying and they were putting up some runs, and even Bryson Stott
21:55
putting up some putting up some nice runs, but he overruns like first base
21:59
as though he's got to go to second and he's out and end the inning.
22:02
And it was like, oh my gosh. I loved what he did
22:04
at the plate, driving in two runs, but from a base running perspective,
22:10
the fundamentals just getting missed. It is really frustrating to watch. Then
22:15
again, I think, Okay, are these guys trying to be aggressive,
22:18
trying to dig themselves out of this hole that they have gotten themselves into,
22:22
Because if they are, then I'm all for it. If they are trying
22:26
to be aggressive, then you're going to see good things happen with this Phillies
22:29
team. If this Phillies team is not aggressive, we are going to see
22:33
pass a type of bullshit coming from them in the batter's box, on the
22:40
mound, in the field, defense, everything. I want this team to
22:44
be aggressive. And yes, if they are over running some bases every now
22:47
and then, so be it. But I want an aggressive team because when
22:49
we have an aggressive team, that's when we see wins. And again,
22:53
hashtag analysis here, Eric, but really it's something that over the years.
23:00
You know, before going to the playoffs in the World Series last year,
23:03
we didn't see a lot of aggressiveness coming from this team and certain players,
23:07
and I think after last year started seeing that a lot more. And I
23:10
think when they're aggressive, good things happen. So I don't know the base
23:14
running while it is frustrating at times, and again they're missing the fundamentals every
23:18
now and again, if it's because they're being aggressive, then just keep being
23:23
aggressive. That's where I'm coming down on it. Listen, there's a screw
23:27
it, risk it all attitude to baseball, and but there's also discipline involved
23:33
and to do for all the base running errors that is like unacceptable, Like
23:41
come to anvil. Pennsylvania VFW team I'll show you how to run the basis.
23:45
I show my kids how to run the basis, Like that is something
23:48
you cannot screw up. And you cannot be overly aggressive when your team can't
23:52
pitch, Like if you can't, if you can't hold a lead, they
23:56
need to be smarter. And I know last year's team was really risky,
24:03
not the greatest fundamental the best in terms of fundamentals. Reese Hoskins was probably
24:10
the number one on the list of like probably not having the best fundamentals and
24:15
he's hurt, he's not even playing. So you would hope it would have
24:18
decreased this year, but it's actually getting worse. And to see base running
24:22
airs while you're starting pitching is just collapsing. You can't have it because like
24:29
this team will give you seven or eight runs, but the starting pitching is
24:33
gonna and the bullpen is gonna give up ten. So pick your poison,
24:37
yeah, is what I'm trying to say. Yeah, absolutely, let us
24:41
know what you're thinking about this Phillies team Philadelphia Sports Table at gmail dot com.
24:45
We would love to read your email and feedback here on the show and
24:48
respond to it. And while you are added, if you are new to
24:52
listening to us, subscribe on whatever podcast platform you're on. If you were
24:55
on Apple Podcasts, we'd appreciate a follow, And if anything happens to your
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25:00
in the past, head on over to Philadelphia Sports Table dot com. Make
25:06
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25:10
and you can follow me at Jeffrey Underscore Warren The Show at Philadelphia PST.
25:15
We are going to take a quick break right now, and when we
25:18
come back, we're gonna talk NFL Draft, Eagles as well as the Sixers
25:22
and the postseason as they're going to be facing the nets in the first round,
25:26
and then some hockey talk too. Stick around. We'll be back in
25:29
just a bit. All right, we are back. The NFL Draft is
25:33
right around the corner, and in fact, next week we are going to
25:37
have a draft expert and scout Matt Waldman, one of the best in the
25:41
business. He's going to be on the podcast to talk about the draft and
25:45
the talent we're going to be seeing. But in the meantime, Eric and
25:48
I wanted to kind of just give our thoughts on what we may be seeing
25:51
from the Eagles in this draft. As so many of us know, probably
25:55
doesn't need to be said, but they have two first round picks, the
25:57
number ten and number thirtieth overall pick. They have a second round pick that's
26:02
number sixty two and a third round pick, number ninety four. Then they
26:06
don't pick again until the seventh round, where they have two more picks there.
26:11
And I think the Eagles are going to be making some moves eric as
26:15
Howie Roseman does every single year to garner more assets. I'm not sure they're
26:21
gonna be drafting at number ten. Quite frankly, I have a feeling they
26:25
are not going to be. There are various scenarios that are surrounding, and
26:30
I think that will surround this number ten pick and what the Eagles are going
26:33
to do. So yeah, at the end of the day, I do
26:36
not believe that Howie Roseman in this Philadelphia Eagles organization is going to draft a
26:41
player at number ten. I do not believe they will. I believe somebody
26:45
is gonna want to move up and they're gonna trade with them and they're gonna
26:48
get some more assets. That's how I think it's gonna go What are your
26:51
thoughts here, I'll throw it to you though. Should Howie pull a sunny
26:56
weaver and take the ten and thirtieth pick? I'm serious, like, like,
27:02
take take the ten and thirtieth pick to move up, because do you
27:06
go for depth or do you do you go for like for talent with it
27:10
with this roster, I mean they lost some players. Um, I'm kind
27:15
of hoping he does does the latter. I think I'm hoping he actually moves
27:19
up and tries to get like the top talent, like like a number seven
27:22
pick, because I think the thirtieth pick and the tenth movie up to seven
27:27
maybe something like that is a quarterback? Like what what do you think about
27:32
that? Like? I kind of hoping that he would move up. I
27:34
think it's interesting because of how they want how he wants to in the front
27:41
office, wants to continue to get younger. And I think if you're you're
27:47
giving away giving away another pick to another team to move up, that's one
27:52
less younger player, one less piece of talent. You know, that's a
27:56
top thirty two talent on a board that you're not going to have on your
28:00
team. I see. I think if anything. I see where you're coming
28:03
from with it. I do, because if they do want, say Christian
28:07
Gonzalez, and for whatever reason they do not think that they get are going
28:11
to be able to get him at number ten. If there's another team that's
28:15
they hear is jock in for position to get him in draft Christian Gonzales cornerback
28:18
out of Oregon, then yes, I can absolutely see how he's doing that
28:22
if that's the guy that they want. But I really do think they are
28:26
going to be drafting. I honestly think they're going to be drafting in the
28:29
trenches. I don't necessarily think that cornerback is going to be or even you
28:37
know, even even safety as some are saying. I don't think that that
28:41
is going to be a position in the first round that they're going to be
28:45
looking to get. And I think the talent on the defensive line stamp point
28:48
in the first round, and even there's a few offensive linemen as well that
28:52
could go in the first round that the Eagles may want to look out from
28:55
a look at from a depth perspective. As you know, Lane Johnson is
29:00
coming up on potential. I don't want to say retirement, but boy,
29:03
what's gone on with his body all these years. I can see them actually
29:07
moving back instead of moving up. That's where I'm coming from here, and
29:12
I agree. I just want to kind of play Devil's advocate. Yeah,
29:18
yeah, and they should because they have to pay. They have to pay
29:22
Jalen Hurts that's coming. So I do agree with moving back from ten and
29:27
like maybe getting in an asset down the road. Um, but I just
29:32
want to throw that out to you. By the way, like we're having
29:37
a hunk draft weekend at your place right, Yes, our buddies are coming
29:40
over to my house. Yes. Yeah. The Eagle schedule for draft is
29:45
like, what are we doing like on Saturday, Like, we're gonna watch
29:48
terrible movies because they got nothing Saturday, dude, we'll watch Mannequin two?
29:56
What? Well? Watch teen Wolf three? Is there a three? No,
30:03
I'm just kidding. I just made it. We watched bad movies when
30:07
the drafts over. But um, we'll have to find some good ones.
30:11
By the way, you once brought Super Mario Brothers the original movie too,
30:15
and that was so bad, Like I couldn't even watch it. It was
30:19
like unwatchable. It was. It was terrible. It was I remember Len
30:26
bought me one year and I think I brought it also fifteen and pregnant MTV
30:33
just with with with the classics. Yes, um, but no, I'm
30:37
hoping I'm hoping he trades back to because it's the smart move, having to
30:41
pay the big you know, the top quarterback pay, and just just creating
30:45
depth because you did lose some players. But I don't think you have to
30:49
go cornerback, considering you brought you know, Bradberry and slay Back. Yeah.
30:53
Um? And would you want to go high in a safety that doesn't
30:57
seem like the kind of position you want to do that? Right? If
31:02
there's a nice defensive lineman there coming off the edge, for sure, I
31:06
would just take him. But I'll throw this to you too, like,
31:11
do you look at tackle even though you drafted Davis last year? Like,
31:15
because that is such an important position now in the NFL. It is.
31:18
And I was actually going to go back to what you had actually proposed you
31:22
were playing Devil's advocate, But I can actually see a scenario. I know
31:26
it's getting talked about because of the off the field stuff and even some of
31:30
the on the field stuff, but how how the off the field stuff may
31:33
have contributed to the on the field, like with his weight and all that
31:36
stuff. With Jail and Carter, you know where I could see the Eagles
31:40
possibly trading up, say possibly to pick number seven overall with the Raiders.
31:45
Then the Raiders get picked ten and maybe they get a second rounder maybe maybe
31:51
not a second rounder in two twenty four, and then the Eagles take Jail
31:55
and Carter. I mean, can you imagine I'm all for that? Oh
31:59
my god, I would absolutely love it. I would love That's a really
32:01
smart move because you fill in the trenches, You're you're you're filling in depth
32:07
at the same time. And how much is it s the seventh pick of
32:10
the draft makes. It's not a crazy amount of money, right, and
32:14
you still you still keep thirty in your scenario? Oh yeah, and yes
32:19
in the scenario because I remember, um, I remember reading an article about
32:23
it. I think it was on NBC Sports somewhere where it would actually only
32:28
cost them a second rounder next year, you know, and look if if
32:34
you're going to be able to put Jail and Carter next to Jordan Davis for
32:37
years and years to come, Holy freaking crap. I mean, I mean,
32:42
the gaps that they are able to close and and what that would do
32:46
to the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants and in Washington as well. Holy
32:52
cow, those two guys, let's see, I'd be all for that.
32:53
If they're moving up for Jail and Carter, I would be all for it.
32:57
Yeah, me too. I think that'd be the The one guy you
33:00
move up forward would be him because that was solidified in the middle of your
33:02
defensive line for years and you could probably get away with not having a great
33:07
edge rusher, which we don't we won't have in the next couple of years.
33:13
But if you can solidify the middle man, I'm okay with that.
33:16
And what do you do by the offensive line? Do you sign players?
33:22
Do you use that second round pick this year for an offensive lineman? They've
33:24
they've done well. They got Henry what's the kid's named Dickerson? Yeah,
33:30
yeah, So I to me that that is the move. That's what I
33:34
would do. Like like, you don't want to move up for a cornerback
33:36
or a safety. I would never do that. That's always risky. But
33:39
yeah, a big dude to put next to Davis, who's injury prone as
33:45
it is already this first year. Yeah, Um, that's what I would
33:51
do if I was Howie or Sunny. Weber or Sun the two best gms
33:54
in the past twenty ten years. Yes, yeah, absolutely. If they
33:59
do stay at ten, I can actually see them drafting an edge rusher or
34:01
possibly a cornerback, like if Christian Gonzalez is there, I can see them
34:06
absolutely doing that. I can see an edge rusher as well at number ten
34:09
if they decide, if how he decides to stay there. So, um,
34:14
Eric, why don't we get into some Philadelphia seventy six ers talk here?
34:16
Because the freaking playoffs are here, Thank god. I feel like,
34:20
I feel like the NBA playoffs is it's been a slow road to it because
34:25
we've known what basically we are going to be seeing from the Sixers in terms
34:30
of, you know, their first round play probably and I think it could
34:34
be. I don't want to call it a slog going through the first round,
34:37
but they're playing the Brooklyn Nets here. Mikel Bridges. I'm a little,
34:42
you know, a little, a little concerned about him, But man,
34:45
I feel like it's been I'm just waiting and waiting and waiting for this
34:49
NBA postseason and for the Sixers postseason. Here and it's like, oh my
34:52
gosh, it's finally freaking here. And by the way, Joe ellenbid,
34:55
he's got He's got to win MVP. A just it has to happen.
34:59
Is it the mo It's important thing in the world. No, it's not.
35:01
However, he needs to. He needs to with this scoring title.
35:06
You're again, he has to win MVP this year. It's got to happen.
35:09
I don't know where do you want to go in terms of the Sixers
35:12
here m a championship? Okay, Um, I'm not seeing it this year.
35:20
Harden's performance has kind of scared me down the stretch. Um, Tobias
35:24
Harris has kind of disappeared in spots like he always does. And I saw
35:29
someone on Twitter the other day, right, uh, Tobias Harris is the
35:32
key to the playoffs. And I'm like, oh, so we're gonna lose.
35:35
So you're saying like, yeah, not good. Um. The first
35:38
round matchup is interesting only because Brooklyn's a totally different team now, like just
35:45
from two months ago. Like they're they overhaul the roster and they're fun to
35:50
watch. But I think the six the Sixers should beat them in five,
35:52
maybe even six if Bridges kind of goes off. We have no idea what
35:58
Bensimon's gonna bring the table kidding, what you know, what's gonna bring purple
36:05
pants in an orange sweatshirt and his camera to takes some shots, Yeah,
36:09
and some like yellow sunglasses, like what we could do entire show about Ben,
36:15
the Ben Simmons saga, Like I can't believe what happened to Guy's career.
36:19
It's it's incredible. It's gonna bring that Instagram app. Oh cool,
36:23
you have a Ferrari. Nice. You'll be out of the league in three
36:25
years. You're playing in China. Awesome. Um, they should house the
36:31
nets pretty quickly. Yeah, but then let's just say it, like,
36:36
I don't think they can beat any of the other teams the second round between
36:40
Milwaukee and Boston. That's the sad part. Um. I think Doc Rivers
36:45
is probably gonna get second or third place votes for best Coach of the Year.
36:50
He's actually done a really good job considering man the personalities on this team
36:55
and the like the the roster chain and the line of changes you have to
37:00
do and to keep Harden and Bead engaged like he has, Like he's done
37:07
a really damn good job as a coach. And I've criticized him all year
37:12
long, but you know, this season's over and I'm like, wow,
37:15
nice job, Doc, not bad like you. You've actually earned your spot.
37:17
Yeah. But if he goes out, if you go out in the
37:21
second round, which I think, I don't think they can't beat Boston in
37:24
the second round. Well, here's what I think with Boston though, I
37:28
think, like and and this is this is terrible to say this, and
37:30
it means your team is not good. If this is what you're hoping for.
37:34
If Robert Williams isn't there, if for some reason he reaggravates geez,
37:39
excuse me, which he will. Yeah, if he re aggravates his injury,
37:45
then I can actually see the Sixers having a chance. I actually can.
37:51
If he's not on the court, they are, they are somewhat of
37:53
a different team. But if he is there, and if he's if he's
37:58
balling out, then no, I think you're right. Then I don't think
38:00
the Sixers are gonna win. Okay, So two weeks ago, they week
38:05
and a half ago they beat Boston at home. Yeah, with Jalen Brown
38:07
and Rob Williams on the bench, and they won by like two points,
38:12
and I remember texting my buddy Macra, my my key Sixers fan buddy,
38:17
and we were like, nice win, not good enough, like scary because
38:23
you barely beat them without two of their best players. And I walked away
38:28
just thinking like man and me, can put up? Can put up sixty?
38:31
And were still we're still not going to beat them in a seven game
38:34
series. Yeah, if he ever to sixty points a game. I hate,
38:37
I hate bringing the whole show down, but I'm just afraid of what
38:43
I'm seeing is gonna happen is and BID's gonna win the MVP, and it's
38:47
gonna be an awesome trophy ceremony. We're all gonna be like, yes,
38:51
he finally did it. And then they're going in the second round and lose
38:52
by losing five games of the Celtics, and then we're gonna be like,
38:57
oh shit, as embiid, I don't want to leave after this? Do
39:01
we let Harden walk? Like? What the hell do we do in free
39:05
agency? Yeah? I think this seems gonna be a major flux if like
39:10
this is the last stand. If they can't get past the second round this
39:14
year, I don't know what the hell they do next year again, I
39:17
think the gam that is not gonna not gonna sit back right wait right again.
39:22
I think it all comes down to Robert Williams whether or not he's going
39:25
to be in the lineup, because when he is, Celtics are one of
39:29
the best teams in this league. No, my take is this is scary.
39:35
It's all if James Harden decides he wants to win a championship, and
39:38
we've seen that not happen many many times over and over and over with Houston,
39:45
with Brooklyn, and if he if Doc maybe takes him aside and gives
39:50
him this crazy speech like this is your last shot and it works awesome,
39:55
and he puts it like twenty five and twelve every game, and then b
39:59
puts thirty eight, fourteen every game. We have a chance, but I'm
40:04
afraid of them getting the second round. And defensively, you have Harden and
40:09
Maxie trying to cover Brown and Tatum for thirty minutes game. Holy shit.
40:15
Yeah, and then you're gonna like, okay, Harris, carry us,
40:20
buddy, and he's like, I don't know how to I do fourteen points
40:24
and six three pounds of game. I don't know to tell you. That's
40:29
what I'm fearful of. That that's where I'm at right now with the Sixers,
40:31
So should well we should be fearful. However, like I think the
40:35
first round they're gonna take care of business and then yeah, oh my gosh,
40:39
all right, well, uh, if you're a gambler, put your
40:43
money on the Sixers in the first round, do not touch him the second
40:45
round. Yeah, just don't do it. Yeah, all right, well,
40:49
Eric, that's gonna do it for us, buddy. I am going
40:52
to let you go here before we get to our interview and discussion with Bill.
40:55
Matt's getting some flyers talk because this offseason is is upon this team.
41:01
So what you have any final thoughts here? Anything you want to mention before
41:05
I let you go here, buddy, you know, right before your tenth
41:08
anniversary show. I just want to point I am truly the negative aspect of
41:13
the show. No, you're not like no, just like like like the
41:19
picture to the first base, I'm like, both sides suck, Sixers are
41:22
gonna do scred I feel like Nikadelphia but which But but that's okay because I'm
41:28
a real fan, Like, yeah, that's how I look at the team.
41:30
So exactly. No, I feel the same way. I feel the
41:32
same way. It's look, it's not always gonna be positive. It's not
41:36
always gonna be lollypops and rainbows here, right, they have stomped on my
41:42
heart so many times. Okay, let's just yeah, all right, all
41:45
right, folks, we are going to take a quick break. But before
41:50
that, make sure you're following Eric on Twitter at brick Polite and we are
41:52
going to again, yes, take a quick break. We will be back
41:55
in just a bit. All right, we are back. Let's get into
41:59
some Flyers talk what this rebuild is going to look like during this offseason.
42:04
We've got a great discussion. It's what we're throwing down on the table and
42:07
now on the table. It's great to have back on the podcast to get
42:14
into this Philadelphia Flyers team, this organization. Thank god, the season is
42:19
over. I honestly cannot remember a worst season, and there's certainly been some
42:24
terrible Flyers seasons that I have seen in my forty five years on this earth.
42:29
But coming to us from the BSh radio podcast Broadstreet Hockey Radio. You
42:34
can also hear him on WIP as well. He's our good friend of the
42:37
pod. Mister Bill Matts. How you doing, Bill, Hey, what's
42:40
going on today? Glad to be here. It's great to have you,
42:43
and I do have to say it was great talking with you in person down
42:46
at the tailgate that your co host Kelly Hinkle put on as kind of,
42:50
you know, the kind of the relaunch of Broadstreet Hockey dot Com and everything
42:54
that's going on with regard to Broadstreet Hockey. It was great to see you,
42:59
Steph, Charlie and Kelly. It was it was. It was a
43:01
fantastic time. It was good talking to a lot of Flyers fans too.
43:05
It's always fun when we were able to plan parties and get together as the
43:08
tailgate was really successful. Have to give Kelly all the credit in the world
43:13
there. She put a ton of hard work into it and I was I
43:16
couldn't have been happier with it. Dylan's food, O, my God.
43:20
To the brisket, it just it was just so tender. It just like
43:23
fell apart, like that's what you want with brisket, that's what you want.
43:27
Bill. I hate going to Eagles games, like football is a television
43:31
show to me. Okay, I might just start going to the tailgates and
43:35
leave him. Yeah, there you go. I mean, why not,
43:37
because you're gonna get You're gonna get more certainty in the tailgates. You're gonna
43:40
get more certainty that the brisket is gonna be fantastic and tasty and just wonderful.
43:45
So it was. It was a great time. It was a great
43:47
time for sure. But I actually, you know what, maybe we should
43:51
just talk about the tailgate for your time here instead of the Philadelphia Flyers,
43:55
because look, it was. It was a terrible season. Yes, we
44:00
all know that you've all talked about on the BSh Radio podcast pull Back the
44:04
Curtain before we hit the record button. Bills, like, you know,
44:06
when I'm trying to make an agenda, I'm like, you know, what,
44:07
what do we talk about here? What do we talk about with this
44:10
team? But I mean, yes, it was bad. But I kind
44:15
have a two part question for you to start things off here. Aside from
44:17
Chuck Fletcher, him being let go, his firing, Dave Scott out the
44:22
door as well in terms of him resigning, I'm wondering, what do you
44:27
think was actually if there was, if you can find one the best part
44:31
of this Flyer season on the ice, you know, for this team for
44:36
any particular player. Was there a best part that we should kind of hone
44:39
in on as we look towards this inevitable rebuild. Yeah, there's still a
44:44
lot of questions with the team. But the best thing is you really found
44:47
out about certain guys, Owen Tippetts specifically. I mean, of all of
44:52
the things Chuck Fletcher got wrong, and we made a joke about this a
44:58
show or two a go on BA stage, Like the hardest thing he had
45:01
to do was the Claude Jeru trading because of all the constraints. He would
45:06
only trade him to like Drew would only wave to go to Florida. You
45:09
don't have a lot of leverage there when you only are going when it's known
45:13
you're only going to one place, right, And he got while it's a
45:15
future first to twenty twenty four first and Owen Tippett, who seems like he
45:21
could be a big part of the future of this team. Very impressed with
45:24
Tippett. Morgan Frost at least earned no more, Like, Okay, let's
45:30
let's keep Let's not give up on Morgan Frost like Noah Cats earned more.
45:35
Okay, how much can we put on this kid's plate, Is he his
45:37
center? Is he a second liner? Could he potentially be you know,
45:42
a sulky candidate sometime down the line. You learned about guys who could be
45:46
part of the future. Here not saying they're key pieces, core pieces,
45:51
you're star players, but guys you're gonna need right absolutely well. On the
45:54
flip side of the coin, what do you think was the worst part of
45:59
the season on the for the Flyers this past season? There's a there could
46:01
be a laundry list to choose from her build, but really, how much
46:06
time we got exactly wait, we didn't think about it, like what really
46:08
was from an on the ice perspective? Just the worst? I mean again,
46:13
it could be a long list. Here are your thoughts. The worst
46:16
part is, I guess it's twofold. They weren't bad enough, like they're
46:22
horrible yea. And they weren't bad enough because there's so many teams that were
46:25
purposefully trying to be bad to be at the top of this draft, at
46:30
least the top of the draft lottery, and it was totally predictable. Yeah,
46:36
it's it's oh, well, hindsights this and no, we all laughed
46:39
at the it's a rebuild, Charlie, or it's a retool, Charlie,
46:43
like you retooled. What the defense the only offseason movie you made Tony D'Angelo
46:49
the coach hates him like he's dressing five defensemen against the Bruins, rather than
46:52
play him like he's gonna be traded. It's like you didn't see this,
46:59
Oh man, we didn't know how bad he was at defense? Why not?
47:01
Right? Exactly? It was like they weren't bad enough to be where
47:06
they need to be. They need superstars. They're superstars at the top of
47:09
this draft. Maybe they get lucky with the seventh highest odds. It's possible
47:14
teams jump all the time. Twenty two thousand and seven, Chicago jumped from
47:17
five to one to pass the Flyers for Patrick Kane. It's possible, but
47:23
this was also predictable. And it's it's just frustrating because I can't run a
47:28
team right. I wouldn't build a champion, but I know to do better
47:32
than this. Absolutely. You mentioned one particular word, and I think that
47:37
the Flyers organization. I think this team is really gonna need a lot of
47:40
that. And it's luck in terms of this rebuild, and there's no strategy
47:44
around luck. There's absolutely no strategy when it comes to luck. But I
47:47
think for them to get out from underneath this absolute pile of garbage that they
47:52
have been just on, they need to have some sort of luck, whether
47:59
it is in the draft or something with within this off season where we get
48:02
lucky with this or that. I mean, I would think one of the
48:07
most unlucky things to happen to this Flyers team and organization from a pure unlucky
48:12
standpoint, has been the Ryan Ellis saga. I mean, do you think
48:15
that's like up there in terms of the all the decades that you've been watching
48:19
this team, Like I think that is up there in terms of the most
48:22
unlucky it's not and maybe not like Lynn Dross luck, Like, oh right,
48:28
he has the next superstar hype guy and he really is that good.
48:31
He just is too big and has to skate with his head down and therefore
48:36
keeps getting hit in the head. Yeah, Like it's not quite that right,
48:38
But you have Carter Hart, you had Claudjeru still good, Sean Contrye
48:44
is still good. You needed a number one defenseman, thought you thought you
48:49
got him for nothing? Yeah, and he played or five games, six
48:53
games, maybe, like it was horrible, horrible again, like of all
48:58
of Chuck Fletcher's mistakes, Like it's hard to pin that one on him right
49:01
now. You know, Nashville is they have a garden where they grow defenceman
49:07
somewhere, and they're all the best defenseman in the league. And if they're
49:09
just giving one up for the bust you drafted second overall and an undrafted guy
49:15
you think is kind of good, Like maybe you should have known something was
49:19
up, But he's never gonna plays, He's never gonna Like that's impossible,
49:23
it's incredible possible. Bad luck, it is absolutely and that's why this team
49:29
and organization absolutely needs some luck here in twenty twenty three and even in twenty
49:32
twenty four next year. But I'm wondering, like what this rebuild actually will
49:37
look like, what we think it may look like over these next couple of
49:40
years, Like what does build what does that rebuild look like for you,
49:45
whether it's in terms of the strategy or the rebuild. And I mean,
49:47
we could certainly say just get just get some fast guys out there that can
49:51
skate and score some goals. Let mean, of course, you know we
49:52
can say that However, like what does it from I guess you would say
49:57
an analytical standpoint, what does the rebuild actually look like? For you?
50:01
There is such a tough spot, like, Okay, they're gonna have Cutter
50:06
Goccia in a couple of maybe even next year, they're gonna have him.
50:08
Whoever they draft at seven, or if they move Bob move back, whatever,
50:12
they're gonna have a top ten pick this year. Next year, I
50:15
can't imagine they're much better. Right, They're gonna have another pretty good pick.
50:20
Now we're talking about guys who are eighteen, nineteen, twenty years old.
50:24
The players I mentioned earlier, Owen Tippett, Noah Kates, Morgan Frost.
50:28
It's great that what we've seen from them, and it looks like they
50:31
could be good role players. They're like twenty four. Yeah, so where
50:36
does where? You know, we were told they didn't get Johnny Gudreaux because
50:40
he doesn't fit the timeline. It's still really hard to think of what this
50:45
timeline's going to be. So like what the rebuild looks like, first and
50:47
foremost is getting out from as many contracts as you can, because you,
50:52
no matter what, are going to need to spend some money. If you
50:55
playing on winning in the twenty twenties, Like, if you play on winning
50:59
this day, you ain't doing it with homegrown talent, right, You're gonna
51:01
have to go out and spend. And so the first thing they have to
51:05
do is just move on from Yeah, it's it's gonna suck because Travis is
51:08
Connecty is good. But if you can get out from that, you're gonna
51:10
need that money. Ivan Provov see it, Rasmussers de line and oh you
51:15
look better this year. Maybe someone wants you goodbye. It doesn't even matter
51:17
what the return is. You have to get some money under the cat.
51:22
Yeah. Absolutely, And I think it's a good segue into the next topic
51:27
I wanted to get into with you because we know that as we look at
51:30
it how this team is currently structured, some of the guys are gonna be
51:32
staying on this team. Some of the guys are gonna be gone. You
51:35
talk about those contracts, you know there are certain guys that we know just
51:37
are not going to be back. And you know a one that I'm looking
51:39
forward actually not being back is Ivan Provab because I'm tired of the narratives surrounding
51:45
him on various fronts. But I'm wondering, which talent do you think will
51:49
be with this team long term? And of course Noah Kates we talked about,
51:52
you know, I mean, you know Ronnie Attard. I'm wondering if
51:55
he's maybe gonna be part of the equation. You know, there's there's some
52:00
other middling talent on this team, and I'm wondering from a developmental standpoint,
52:05
if you see anybody that maybe with this team long term, that that might
52:07
not be too too obvious. Yeah, I really have started to wonder if
52:14
Scott Lawton is gonna be here long terms, because they're not naming a captain,
52:19
so it's like we'd like him. But again, if you can get
52:21
those three million bucks back, maybe you want to do that. So like,
52:24
maybe not Lawton. The players I mentioned earlier obviously, um plus Joel
52:30
Farrabe, everyone's on the table. Like there's not a guy who isn't on
52:35
the table, and that includes Carter Hart. Second, yeah, you have
52:39
to, Yeah, you have to believe certain young guys under team control.
52:45
You're just gonna want to keep around and see what happens, like Florida didn't
52:49
do with oh and Tippet. You're gonna tell me Florida, who just barely
52:52
is like qualifying for the playoffs, couldn't use O and Tippet this year after
52:55
what they've lost. So like, guys like that, you're gonna want to
52:59
keep around and I would love to be able to trade him, But coming
53:02
off the year he's had, Travis San I'm is gonna be here. He's
53:07
got an eight year contract that starts next season. I don't see him getting
53:10
moved anytime soon. Yeah, So I think it's there's there's a pretty basic
53:15
core here and we're gonna see a lot of what we saw this year,
53:20
guys getting tryouts. You know, maybe Tyson Forsters up here full time next
53:23
year, maybe Wade Allison can stay healthy. But you know, the Adam
53:28
Inning and all the guys who are getting these tryouts, I can see just
53:32
their roles expanding and we find out if they're the next like, oh,
53:37
is he the next Noah Caates guy we were at on who turns out to
53:40
be something. It's interesting how you mentioned Carter Heart too, because of course
53:45
we know there's been a lot of talk about, you know, whether Carter
53:49
Hart should be traded, which like like when when I look at it.
53:52
It makes my head explode, you know what. It depends on what they
53:57
would obviously get for him, and I want to get your thoughts, like
54:00
on that potential trade. What are your thoughts about his value? What kind
54:04
of assets the Flyers could get by dealing him in the future. But I
54:08
do much of the time think that he is the goalie of the future.
54:12
That's kind of how I look at it. I mean, when we started
54:14
this podcast ten years ago, I mean, we had we had Brazgolov and
54:17
the freaking and net and then you know, the years of Steve Mason,
54:22
Michael neuvererth It's just I feel like Carter Hart presents some sort of stability for
54:28
the future. And maybe I'm wrong. I mean, maybe I'm wrong with
54:30
that, and maybe the type of assets they can get for him would absolutely
54:36
outweigh that. I don't know, but I wanted to get your thoughts with
54:37
regard to that particular narrative, that storyline Carter Hart. I mean, you
54:42
said everybody's going to probably be on the table, and I would agree with
54:45
that too, But I wonder about Carter Hart, what are your thoughts.
54:51
It's it's such an interesting question with Carter Hart, because he's not twenty five
54:57
until August, he's already played two HL games. He's got franchise goaltender potential.
55:06
I don't know if he's an elite star goalie, but you can definitely
55:08
win with Carter Hart. He can be the number one on a Cup team
55:12
without a doubt. A guy this young, with that sort of pedigree and
55:16
potential, like I can't remember when getting moved right, Like it's it's so,
55:22
it's just so unique. But talking about timeline, he's got next year
55:29
on his deal and then he's a restricted free agent again, He's already making
55:32
close to four million bucks. What are you gonna have to pay Carter Hart
55:37
as if you're gonna want to keep him long term? Is he gonna want
55:39
to stay here through a rebuild like he's gonna spend his twenties rebuilding and hope
55:44
at twenty eight, twenty nine we're a Cup team. It's a great point.
55:46
I don't know, Like it's so there's a lot to consider here.
55:51
You know, these guys, I'll tell you they want to stick around.
55:52
They want to be part of the solution, you know, until someone else
55:57
is offering the same money, like you know, say oh, Edmonton wants
56:01
me. I don't want to go play with Connor McDavid. Of course I
56:06
do, like I can I can have ten assists, right, Carter Heart's
56:09
looking at it like I can have ten assists in a season just by shooting
56:14
the buck up ice. So it's really interesting. I don't want to trade
56:20
Carter Heart, but if it's again everything's on the table, I'm not.
56:24
They've been so bad and so stuck for so long. I can't say,
56:29
oh no, won't do that because I have no idea what it's going to
56:31
take to make this team good again. I You're right, there is no
56:37
silver bullet here at all that we do, we who have been following this
56:39
team now for decades, We don't know what's gonna make the team better.
56:44
But I do have some sort of hope, And man, I hate using
56:46
that word when it comes to this Flyers organization and team. I do have
56:51
hope because Chuck Fletcher's not there, because David Scott's not there, and who
56:55
knows, you know, the new leadership at Comcast may maybe is as terrible,
57:01
you know as I thought Dave Scott was, or hands off you know,
57:06
who knows what is going to happen with the new GM, and I
57:09
just there's so many unknowns here and I think with that though, do you
57:15
think that gives you any hope for the future the unknown? Does the unknown
57:19
actually give you hope? Yeah? Yeah, no it does. Like you
57:25
know, the draft lottery hasn't happened yet, so in my mind, like
57:30
Connor Badar could be a Flyer right right now, Like it's it's a possibility,
57:34
right that hope it's a sickness, like there's something seriously the matter with
57:37
anyone who's holding on to hope. But I am one of those people.
57:42
Yeah, it's it's it's such a tough spot and you're just looking at the
57:46
success. I love all the teams in this city and looking at what you
57:50
know, the Eagles coming off the season they had, the Phillies just getting
57:52
started, coming off a National League championship, sixers playoffs about to get going.
57:58
I want that again. Yeah, it's I fell down a rabbit hole.
58:02
I had a couple of beers during the game last night. Fell down
58:05
a rabbit hole of history will be made those old NHL commercials, what if
58:09
Ritchie didn't play like Clarkey And I'm like emotional that was ten years ago.
58:15
Yeah, nineteen years ago. Yeah, I still have hope. I'm I'm
58:20
crazy in my brain just like you, I do have hope. And Folks,
58:23
again, we're talking to Bill Matts from the broad Street Hockey Radio podcast
58:28
BSh Radio. You can hear him on ninety four one w IP as well.
58:31
And I guess to close us out here, Bill, Flyers fans used
58:37
to be so incredibly loyal, and I think we still have seen that loyalty
58:42
over time with some of the fan base. But man, just over the
58:45
past few years, I think the fan base loyalty has just begun to a
58:49
road and just chip away. And I know my fandom, as much as
58:52
I'm crazy with hope for the future with this rebuild, I know that my
58:58
fandom has kind of been chipping away as well. So I'm wondering, how
59:00
do you think this team can kind of just get back some of that fan
59:04
base maybe in the short term, even though we know this rebuild is coming
59:08
and we're gonna still have pain in the twenty three twenty four season, how
59:14
do you think this team and organization can get back some of that fan base
59:16
in the short term. You know, I really thought that they were going
59:22
to take the shortcut last summer with Johnny Gudreau, Like that's that's the answer
59:27
to this question a year ago, and now it's like something like that we
59:31
all know is a bad idea, Like it was a bad idea last year,
59:35
but it was okay. Well, if you're really retooling and you're gonna
59:37
try to compete, then go get the good player. And they're like,
59:40
no, no, we're gonna do it. But without him. Okay,
59:43
that doesn't make sense, but good luck. Now it's it's it's more of
59:46
that hope. It's the hope of anything new. Show me that things are.
59:52
I don't know if it's good or bad, show me different. I
59:55
know what wasn't working. Maybe the next thing you try won't work either,
1:00:00
but I don't know that yet. I already know the old way doesn't work.
1:00:02
Right, Just keep showing me new, like and there's little stuff always
1:00:06
like there's gonna be a Jersey redesign. Cool, people love that stuff.
1:00:10
But it's just gonna take this team being good. And I don't know if
1:00:14
there's any short term solution to that. Yeah, like the real loyal fans,
1:00:17
they'll be there, Like the attendance this year wasn't nearly as bad I
1:00:22
expected. Everything look like look like the Columbus game. Yeah, you know,
1:00:27
but that final home game is what I thought every game was gonna look
1:00:30
like. And they averaged like, oh close to eighteen thousand this year.
1:00:34
Yeah, they did pretty well, so that loyal fan base will be there.
1:00:37
But just to have some like a larger grasp of the market, it's
1:00:42
just gonna take being good. I don't know if there's a short term solution,
1:00:45
it's it's gonna be interesting, for sure. Follow them on Twitter,
1:00:49
folks at Philadelphia One if you are not already, and again the BSAH Radio
1:00:53
podcast. You can hear them on ninety four one wi P. Bill Matts.
1:00:57
Thank you so much, buddy for joining me this week here on the
1:01:00
show, and I look forward to talking to you down the road. Come
1:01:02
back and join us, my friend. Always a pleasure. Thanks for having
1:01:06
me, folks. It is gonna be a long road for this Philadelphia Flyers
1:01:10
team and organization. But as I was talking about with Bill, and we
1:01:15
use that word hope, I do have hope that this organization is just gonna
1:01:21
get it together. There's new leadership going to be you know, creating a
1:01:24
foundation, hopefully a positive foundation for the future. We don't know what that
1:01:29
foundation is going to be, but I think the fact that a new foundation
1:01:32
is currently being set with Danny Brier as the intern GM likely probably the GM
1:01:37
of the future, at least for the foreseeable future for this Flyers team an
1:01:42
organization. I do have hope that that foundation is going to be positive.
1:01:46
And like Bill was saying, it's gonna take time, and we don't know
1:01:49
what this is gonna look like. We don't know what it's gonna look like.
1:01:52
But little moves, little positive moves here and there, I think can
1:01:55
kind of rally the troops and kind of get us back to thinking and hoping
1:02:00
and again that word hope that this Flyers team is going to be relevant at
1:02:05
some point over the next couple of years. Here. So what a great
1:02:07
podcast. It was great of course have an Eric on this week. It
1:02:13
was great talking to Bill again at Philadelphia One on Twitter, the BSh Radio
1:02:17
podcast, And if you are new to listening to us and you're listening on
1:02:22
Apple podcasts, we'd greatly appreciate a rate and review, subscribe on whatever podcast
1:02:25
platform you are on, and if anything ever happens to your podcast feed,
1:02:30
you can head on over to Philadelphia Sportstable dot com. We've got all of
1:02:31
our shows over there, and yeah, that's gonna do it for us this
1:02:36
week, folks. We got a great regular show next week where we are
1:02:39
going to be replaying the very first show that Lenn and I ever did as
1:02:46
part of our ten year anniversary show. So that being said, folks,
1:02:50
we will catch you on the next one. Take care now,