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0:31

Oh, I can't wait for this. This is going

0:33

to be a big time card. And I've got

0:35

the man himself, the president of the UFC, the

0:37

man who built this into what it is today,

0:40

the one and only Dana White right

0:42

here with Stephen A. What's going on big time? How are

0:44

you, sir? How's everything? Good morning,

0:46

my friend. I'm awesome. How are you? I'm doing great, man.

0:48

It's great to see you. You know, you became the president

0:50

in 2001. It's 23 years later

0:53

now. And we're looking at UFC 300.

0:55

How would you describe the journey to

0:58

reach UFC

1:00

300? Put it into your words. Yeah,

1:03

I mean, it's been amazing. Obviously, taking

1:05

this thing from a sport that wasn't

1:07

allowed on pay-per-view and making it mainstream,

1:10

not just in the United States, but

1:12

globally all over the world. It's been

1:14

fun. And, you know, when we hit

1:16

UFC 100, the fans sort of played

1:18

around it, made a big thing. So then 200 and then now here's 300. So

1:21

how do you beat

1:24

100 and 200? You put on

1:26

the greatest combat sports card

1:28

ever assembled. And that's you've been

1:30

talking about the UFC 300 in that

1:32

fashion. You've been raving about this card. I want

1:34

you to get into how did you go about

1:36

building the card for this historic event? Talk about

1:39

that for a second. Well,

1:41

you know, when you look at we had 12

1:43

current and former champions, seven

1:45

fighters are ranked in the pound for

1:47

pound 16 in the top

1:50

15. So basically this card from the

1:52

first fight of the night, the very

1:54

first prelim to the main

1:56

event are all big time fights

1:58

and all important. Big about

2:00

it, it's it's the greatest card ever assembled

2:02

and combat sports history. not just the U

2:05

F C. not just gonna make ever. Thought.

2:08

Would you say that? I mean I look that

2:10

up in one of the greatest, the best I've

2:12

ever been to my life and my thirty years

2:14

assaults and or of working in this business I

2:16

don't know about ever been to a bigger events

2:18

big Conor Mcgregor vs know Mega Medal of Honor

2:20

Gop area versus the Logs is a big time

2:22

made a bit but when you talk about it

2:24

in that fashion what do you think makes this

2:26

comparable to any event that we see the you

2:28

have the history. Yet. Origami.

2:30

When you think about any slight that we've

2:32

ever done as a boxing does, there's

2:34

always big main events, big homemade events with

2:37

stars, or when you talk about. A

2:39

card from top to bottom the very

2:42

first fight of the night and Silverman

2:44

of then hundreds of the first. The

2:46

lights on Asean says is a little

2:49

vs.reds are both for the world's happiest

2:51

stilettos. Both it's not a resin most

2:53

not thousand you will see as long

2:56

as with most. Of it's an attempt

2:58

and plants. Are tied most thought thousand

3:00

family history the goes on. A lot

3:02

of all these ah references is as

3:04

broke as as the very first part

3:06

of the night that. The Main event. On.

3:09

A card. So basically the first part of the

3:11

night good man of that and that's how every

3:13

single fight throughout the rest of the night is

3:15

suing We think about the you have see. One

3:17

of the things that I love about Yossi Data

3:19

Watch New Got so much for such a profound

3:21

respect for the these by this is war going

3:23

into dog the guy you gotta have a level

3:25

of bravery step most people simply don't have. But

3:27

what I love about what you've done with the

3:29

sport which of what like box and hasn't done

3:31

this somebody gets one last one blemish on their

3:33

records. Best a review the V away from them

3:35

and not look at them in the same passes.

3:38

That's not what happens in. The Us seats you

3:40

can have a lot. You can have a couple

3:42

of losses and your appeal still doesn't necessarily diminish.

3:44

What do you think? That is the case with

3:46

the you have see and how have you assistant

3:49

and pulling that off for the audience. Who.

3:51

You're absolutely right. I mean and box in the

3:53

way that it works is you would pass these

3:55

records and get these guys to a certain number

3:57

where they are undefeated with so many not out.

4:00

Or there was somebody that was great enough to do it.

4:03

You know, like a Floyd and Basically

4:08

what I love others. Yep. Yeah. Yeah.

4:10

Yeah There

4:12

was a guy named arturo gotti. Okay,

4:15

and He had

4:17

several losses yet kept signing

4:19

massive deals with hbo Because

4:22

what people really want people want the warriors

4:24

the guys who go out and leave it

4:26

all out there Fight the best fight the

4:28

fights that people want to see when you

4:30

go out and you do that like in

4:32

the ufc There's no padding of records You

4:34

come right in and you start fighting the

4:36

best of the best And if you make

4:38

it into the top 10 and into the

4:40

top five or a world champion You have

4:42

run through the gauntlet of the nastiest dudes

4:44

in the world in your weight class And

4:46

at the end of the

4:48

day what people want to see are

4:51

great fights You don't have to be

4:53

if you become very special and unique

4:55

in this sport like a john jones

4:57

and become Undefeated then it's just that

4:59

much more, you know amazing when it

5:01

happens And like you said

5:03

hubbeep. Yeah, verrear versus hill that's

5:06

the main event And I want you to

5:08

talk about verrear for a second because his

5:10

nickname is the hands of stone back in

5:12

the day Where people that were watching boxing

5:14

before they were watching ufc when we heard

5:16

our hands of stone We thought about roberto

5:18

duran when you look at this guy right

5:20

here. He's a knockout artist He can definitely

5:22

definitely an elite striker Talk about him and

5:24

what he means to the sport at this

5:26

particular moment in time because he's definitely somebody

5:28

I consider to be box office I

5:31

agree and when you think about uh brazil

5:33

brazil is where it all started and

5:35

we're always Um, you know, there's

5:37

always been these huge stars that have come out of brazil

5:40

He is the new big star for

5:42

brazil. I mean, he's obviously big everywhere,

5:44

but you know, he's one of the

5:47

greatest kick boxers ever He's

5:49

the first and only fighter to win the

5:51

middleweight and lightlight heavyweight titles did it in

5:54

the shortest and fewest fights To win two

5:56

titles in two different divisions. He did it

5:58

in two years in seven The points.

6:00

And when you think about a guy

6:02

like this. Alex. Knox people

6:04

out who have never the last

6:06

out before. The guy is an

6:08

absolute stud. I'm looking at

6:11

just The Gates versus Max Holloway. I'm

6:13

interested in that. There's no question about

6:15

you got Kayla Harris's make and how

6:17

you Fc debut against always tough Holly

6:19

Holm was affairs expect from those matchups.

6:22

Yeah I mean Holly Holm of the

6:24

is an absolute legend of not system

6:27

and and that's martial arts. Been in

6:29

combat sports period to Boston Box and

6:31

ah you know where the most decorated

6:33

female fighters vault not the most decorated

6:35

stores and good scale. Harrison who is

6:37

a two time Olympic gold medalist a

6:39

judo and is that a slight well

6:42

lot of or sixteen opponent so on

6:44

it's a bit tough for tell it

6:46

obviously huge fight for how is this

6:48

point of we have she to be

6:50

Taylor Harrison and are just some as.

6:53

I need some Mad Men absolutely already.

6:55

Incredible author. We're the to that you've

6:57

got America was always a bit sad.

6:59

say that probably was the greatest not

7:02

aware of all time lot. Of

7:04

us going up against Casey who is a human.

7:07

Highlight reel. You've got sappy that the

7:09

last courses you got see a pizza. So

7:11

many different weight divisions obviously. but then you

7:13

come out would have a beer, math title,

7:15

hobbies do you have see couple law stop

7:17

might get. I mean where is that? Where

7:20

did that ideas come from And I can't

7:22

think of a person a person a far

7:24

better than just against the I want you

7:26

to talk about that more suggests that what's

7:28

that has meant to uplifting the sport that

7:30

is the U S C. Lies.

7:33

Reason that actually the idea of the

7:35

be a mouth was built right here

7:37

in this room in a dark. You

7:39

know we're here one day there. There's

7:41

always these fights that the fans love.

7:43

Like whether it's a mad but all

7:46

vs Be as are you know those

7:48

type of fights Gates, Max Holloway and.

7:51

We. we we were sitting in his one

7:53

day and we thought about building as be

7:55

enough title and to fight you said i

7:57

mean who's better sit for this then than

8:00

Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway. Um,

8:03

yeah, we thought about it in here. I

8:06

told the guys, tell me if you think I'm crazy,

8:08

but what do you think of this idea? They loved it. The

8:10

fans love it. And, uh, here

8:13

we go. Well, listen, it's not, it's not, it's not

8:15

much not to love to be quite honest with you.

8:17

Listen, here's the thing that I want to see on

8:19

national television right here. The first thing, cause I had

8:21

the platform to do it. Damn it. You know, years

8:23

and years and years I've loved boxing. I've

8:25

grown to love the UFC more and

8:27

more. Don't know it like Onik and

8:29

Rogan and Cormier and those guys. Okay.

8:31

I defer to the experts, but I

8:33

love watching the UFC and you're the

8:35

number one reason why, for one reason

8:37

above all else, you give

8:39

us the fights. We want to see when

8:41

we want to see it and we don't

8:43

have to wait years for it. The one

8:46

and only Dana White. Appreciate you. My brother

8:48

UFC 300 coming up the

8:50

greatest event in the sports history. We're looking

8:52

forward to it. Appreciate you big time. Thank

8:54

you so much. Thank you, my

8:56

friend. Have a great day. All right. You do the same. The one

8:58

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crossing casino and hotel. Hey,

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I'm Molly Karam and thanks so much

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for listening to the First Take Podcast.

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10:58

want to personally say, Kaitlyn

11:01

Clark, for lifting up our

11:03

sport. She

11:08

carried a heavy load for

11:10

our sport and it just is

11:13

not going to stop here on the collegiate

11:15

tour but when she is the number

11:17

one pick in the WNBA draft, she's

11:19

going to lift that league up

11:22

as well. So Kaitlyn Clark,

11:24

if you're out there, you

11:26

are one of the goats

11:29

of our games and we appreciate you. The

11:34

WNBA draft is Monday, April 15th on

11:36

ESPN. It'll be headlined by

11:38

the likes of Kaitlyn Clark who is expected to

11:40

be the number one overall pick. Also joining Clark is

11:42

this year's draft. Our stars

11:44

like Stanford's Cameron Drinks, that's Carolina

11:47

Camille Cordoso and LSU's Angel

11:50

Rees. We are now joined by the person

11:52

who will be announcing the picks Monday in

11:54

Brooklyn. That would be WNBA Commissioner Kathy Engelbert.

11:56

Kathy, good morning. Thank you so much for

11:58

being with us. Good

12:02

morning. Great to be here. What

12:04

an exciting time in women's basketball.

12:06

Women's college basketball has reached a

12:08

new level of popularity with the

12:10

women's national championship game, out drawing

12:12

the men's game by 4 million

12:15

viewers. Let's just give that a moment. Yes,

12:17

Kathy. How do you see that engagement carrying

12:20

over to the W? Yeah,

12:23

absolutely. We're seeing this confluence of a

12:25

ton of positive things on both the

12:27

basketball and the business side of

12:30

women's basketball. So obviously, you know,

12:32

generational talent with big followings because

12:34

of social media, increased media covers.

12:36

Thanks to you all and ESPN

12:38

and Disney. Our asset

12:40

values are going up. We raised some capital

12:42

a couple years ago and those were can

12:44

expand the league. We've announced one expansion team

12:46

and more to come. So we're

12:49

really excited to carry this momentum into

12:51

the WNBA's 28th season. We

12:54

all know, Kathy, that Caitlin Clark in all

12:56

likelihood is going to be the number one

12:58

overall pick in the WNBA draft by the

13:00

Indiana Fever. What role specifically

13:02

do you see her playing in growing

13:05

the WNBA in terms of how you

13:08

see that happening? Yeah,

13:10

I think using the platform she has that

13:13

she's gained with all these followers nationally, but

13:15

also globally now. She'll be able to have

13:17

a big global platform with the coming

13:19

into the professional. And I

13:21

just think her style play resonates with

13:23

the big basketball fan, the big game

13:25

fan, but it's in sports. As you

13:27

know, Stephen A. You need household names,

13:29

rivalries and games of consequence and obviously

13:32

March Madness had all of that and

13:34

we're hoping certainly replicate it. Now we have

13:37

a 40 game season. So not every game you

13:39

might call a game a consequence, but we're really

13:41

excited for what Caitlin and this really strong

13:43

rookie class with Cameron Brink and Camilla Cardoso

13:45

and so many others coming in. I've had

13:47

fun the last couple days calling them to

13:49

invite them to Brooklyn for our draft next

13:51

Monday night. So it's kind of a fun

13:54

time of year for us. Well,

13:56

we've seen it before Kathy. I know it was

13:58

two players, but you had bird and magic. Nineteen

14:00

Seventy. Nine Bird Dogs, The Boss and

14:02

Magical Dalai. Highest rated college basketball game

14:05

of all time and be. I was

14:07

really struggling and all of a sudden

14:09

knows who lifted the league you could

14:11

see. cannot the under poppy seed, the

14:13

South Carolina this thick thick the center.

14:15

She's very difficult since you don't you

14:17

could see the same thing developing here.

14:19

But as I B M B A

14:22

she's that. Dynamic as a player

14:24

at Bird. A magic same thing. Say

14:26

fifty years ago about that number. You're. Absolutely

14:29

certain he bird magic on the big study

14:31

of history, a big rivalry coming out of.

14:33

College sent them led to the rise of the

14:35

N B. A meteorite. Michael.

14:38

Jordan and that big marketing machine called Nike

14:40

who's agree partner of ours as well. So

14:42

I think all of that are You know

14:44

we can replicate. This is our

14:46

moment. Twenty eight years in. Ah my think

14:48

they were forty years in. So we're We're.

14:50

Excited to and I think it's a

14:52

great analogy. I think I am today

14:54

because of the way these players. Are

14:57

coming in with these filings because the

14:59

social media and and I L events

15:01

because the flour players who have big

15:03

national brands arm and they're coming in

15:05

with them already. So it it's actually

15:08

really helpful odds on and is undeniable.

15:10

What does young ladies are doing and

15:12

how wonderful they have been? It's undeniable

15:14

how marketable a lot of them are.

15:16

You see them a commercial now with

15:18

things of that nature but I want

15:21

to transition directly to the W A

15:23

Ba in talking About or Becky Hammonds

15:25

and phase you. Will. Since the to

15:27

time raining defending W in Bgp Las

15:29

Vegas A says talk about what they

15:31

done to uplift a sport because up

15:33

one of those people believe just you

15:35

know job the oven on a record

15:37

say this is melting coated women's sports

15:40

Women should be Goats in A men's

15:42

sports are not pick their Becky I'm

15:44

as one day smooth be the first

15:46

woman to go spend N B A

15:48

thematic that's how great she is obviously

15:50

real. Wanted to leave the W B

15:52

A right now. Talk about what they

15:54

meant to the uplift mint of. The

15:56

sport itself. yeah

15:58

huge that odds power like

16:01

Asia and the Sparkers on the Aces and

16:03

obviously Chelsea Gray and Kelsey Plum and Jackie

16:05

Young who was the number one pick a

16:07

few years ago. So huge talent

16:10

and then playing the other super team last

16:12

year in the WNBA Finals you know the

16:14

New York Liberty and now this year Seattle's

16:16

made some moves, Phoenix has made some moves

16:18

to strengthen their rosters obviously Indiana, Atlanta, Dallas.

16:20

So parity in the sport is good it's

16:22

great the Aces won back-to-back and this year

16:25

they'll be going for their third

16:27

a three-peat which hasn't been done since the Houston

16:29

Commons won the first four when the WNBA first

16:31

started 28 years ago. So but

16:34

it's a great story Becky and coming into the league

16:36

from an assistant at the San Antonio Spurs

16:38

like you said Stephen A back and back

16:41

you know into the NBA but now the

16:43

WNBA where she played her professional ball it's

16:45

a great story and I think the

16:47

investments that our owners are making in

16:49

brand and lifting them from a marketing

16:51

perspective helping as well. I'd like you

16:53

to tell our audience rewind

16:56

the clock three years ago and

17:00

think about what you would talk

17:02

and say to players about what

17:04

it takes to help uplift the

17:06

sport. What you said then

17:09

compared to what you would say

17:11

now. Yeah

17:14

again we were in a very different place three years

17:16

ago I think the quality of the game was

17:18

there but the marketing wasn't there the

17:20

dollars and everything that it takes to

17:22

get a national exposure and I think

17:25

our broadcast partners like ESPN have stepped

17:27

up in a huge way. Our

17:30

marketing partners our corporate partners we've done

17:32

great from a revenue perspective there so

17:34

I would have said three years ago maybe

17:36

we weren't ready for this moment but that's

17:38

why we raised that capital we came off the

17:40

pandemic year which was tough for us because that

17:42

was a pretty existential time for this league to

17:45

either survive or go away and we survived and

17:47

now we're thriving and so three years ago I

17:49

would have said something very different about where we

17:51

were today I can talk to the players about

17:54

how we've moved from survive to thrive and wasn't

17:56

sure we were gonna make it back in that pandemic year

17:59

but I'm so grateful. glad we had a competitive

18:01

season that year because to be out of the

18:03

sports landscape for 20 months would not have been good if

18:05

we didn't have a season. And I think the players had a

18:07

ton of courage back then to come play. And

18:09

now and that was coming off our collective bargaining

18:11

agreement in 2020 early 2020. So now I think

18:13

we're in a much better place. The players know

18:16

it and now they come in with these big

18:18

brands and a lot of excitement. Right.

18:20

Kathy Sharpe as heck here. I will look at

18:22

this from a fan me a

18:24

fan standpoint. I think it's nothing you

18:26

can do about it. I think sometimes

18:28

the timing of the WNBA is tricky

18:30

as far as the season goes because

18:32

we just go through the college. We

18:34

go through the NBA playoffs and

18:37

then we had the WNBA in the summertime

18:39

and then you got to compete your championship

18:41

against the start of the NFL. I

18:43

mean we all see the league. That's tricky.

18:46

So this with Caitlin

18:48

Clark with high draft maybe

18:50

that sustained some momentum to get people

18:52

the casual fan to pay attention in

18:55

a part of the year where they're

18:57

not necessarily thinking about basketball. How about

18:59

that for a sec. Let me hear.

19:02

Yeah. I get asked that a lot. I thought that

19:04

when I came into the league that maybe it was

19:06

a disadvantage playing in the summer. But if

19:09

we get great media coverage great broadcast

19:11

windows even when we go up against the

19:13

NFL like we did in our finals last year you

19:15

know we had great viewership because

19:17

people are home watching sports. And

19:20

so you turn on ABC and there's the

19:22

WNBA finals while you know maybe it's halftime

19:24

at the football game. So but the more

19:26

people we bring into our sport like has

19:28

happened in March Madness and the more we

19:30

have to do a better job bringing that

19:32

NCAA viewer into the WNBA. So no matter

19:35

sports always compete against one another for viewership.

19:37

So we feel confident that we can bring

19:39

in those viewers and whether there's other sports

19:41

on we always compete with other sports no

19:43

matter what time of year you're playing. And

19:46

this year we have the added

19:48

benefit but sometimes detriment of the

19:50

Olympics where we'll break for a few

19:52

weeks during the Olympics or USA women's national

19:54

team can go win their eighth consecutive gold

19:57

medal. But we'll get a bump off of

19:59

that to coming. off of hopefully a

20:01

great successful Olympics for the US. So

20:04

a lot of things there to unpack, I know, but,

20:06

you know, definitely some challenges with

20:08

that being a summer sport. But also, I

20:10

think we also benefit, you

20:12

know, from people watching sports and

20:14

tuning into the W. And once they tune in or

20:16

come to a game, they're hooked. Molly,

20:18

doggy, I was at courtside for the

20:21

Liberty Aces Digits Championship. I was there.

20:23

I was there. I had a blast.

20:25

OK, it's got one thing on my

20:27

bucket list, Cassie. Just one thing. I

20:29

got to go see my girl Diana

20:31

Tarasi. I got to go

20:33

see in a summertime as hot as it

20:35

is in Phoenix. I got

20:37

to get there to see you. That's all I

20:39

got. That's

20:42

great. Well, Diana has been such a great player in

20:44

this league for such a long time. I mean, when

20:46

she got drafted, you know, 20 years ago, that

20:49

brought in huge viewership. And obviously we have

20:51

a lot more. Hopefully we'll view

20:53

this draft on Monday night. Yeah, she's

20:55

been a star since college. Obviously, Kathy,

20:57

thank you so much for the congrats

21:00

on all the success. We look forward

21:02

to Monday night's WNBA draft right here

21:04

on ESPN 730. I have

21:06

a feeling there will be record breaking ratings

21:09

again on this one. Hey, Molly Karam

21:11

here. And thanks so much for listening to the first

21:13

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22:20

Oh, good day! Baby, baby,

22:22

Chrissy from Mad Dog Russo.

22:24

Of course, that's something that

22:26

has him fired up. Chris.

22:29

We have a lot to do. I don't have

22:31

a third. I don't have my get on. You

22:33

don't need it. You don't need it. You don't

22:35

need it. You don't need it. You have a

22:37

lot. Oh, that's important, but where is Kimberly, JJ,

22:39

Marcus? I need, I mean, here we go. Hi.

22:41

We got three good ones today. I don't

22:43

know about you, and I understand they wanted Kaitlyn Clark

22:46

to get to the championship game, but

22:48

4-0-4, that call drive me crazy

22:50

on Friday night. That offensive screen

22:52

foul call. You cannot call this

22:54

with a season on the line.

22:56

Oh, you're right. It's not something

22:58

for going with

23:00

the game. It's 17-59. This is a

23:03

game 7 of an NBA. And you call

23:05

that offensive foul there and end

23:07

the game. Oh, my God. I

23:09

had to say that I live in Connecticut. I had

23:11

to hear one of Connecticut fans. Morning grown. Molly now

23:14

had me about it either. I had to say that maybe I

23:16

was a little biased, but that call could not be made. I

23:18

was gonna run my brain. I

23:20

can't remember ever. I never watched

23:22

an NBA foul since 1968. I

23:25

can't remember ever where I saw

23:27

an elimination game end on a

23:29

possession that becomes an official quarter-lingual

23:32

block. I was on the team

23:34

down by one with the ball.

23:36

That call was all incredible. We're

23:39

sticking to who you don't and

23:41

seasons on plays like that. That's

23:43

number one. And sticking to UConn, if anybody

23:45

out there in Kentucky, this is a double

23:47

whammy. If anybody out there in Kentucky,

23:49

they're sorry I'm behind me. Think that Danny

23:51

Hurley is gonna end these one

23:53

back-to-back championships, is gonna go to Lexington

23:56

to deal with that Mob

23:58

that connects the Kentucky State. No.

24:15

One. Had it

24:18

As I get out. To

24:22

forces about him not going to consult.

24:24

He's absolutely right. videos depicting probably say

24:27

right stores that have a wonderful wife

24:29

said he isn't what they used to

24:31

be. that someone never to The most

24:33

important your wife's in terms of how

24:36

was discussed with the call center happened.

24:38

You don't make that call. Five.

24:40

Was it the wrong? See? we can't

24:42

have it both ways. To kids that

24:44

have this is the right call. That

24:50

was and be a. Final Our lot. More

24:56

had added. like I didn't like the corner. Like

24:59

the. Idea

25:01

of like to call the gives you

25:03

fall at all. I hated it. Was

25:07

wrong with. A

25:09

group of. seven

25:13

oneself as someone are inherently that

25:15

point unless they. Really

25:24

bother me. I screamed about it on radio.

25:26

This has like a couple seconds to explain.

25:28

saved up money upon did you see the

25:30

old timey all month for the Dodgers is

25:32

for a former uniform had happened last Wednesday.

25:34

We're going to store to hear this is

25:36

against San Francisco see his. There

25:46

was a couple there was Twenty

25:48

seven Point nine years of

25:50

a successful. And then I'll let

25:52

an Al Capone. Goons Foot massage

25:55

your marketing department more.

25:58

Right Field. They bring

26:01

the lady outside the pavilion with

26:03

her fiancé and separate them. So

26:06

she can't talk to her fiancé about

26:08

the ball, which by the way

26:10

is worth a hundred thousand dollars

26:12

in memorabilia. But Otani wanted the

26:14

ball. So the marketing guys tell

26:16

the woman 27 years of

26:18

age, second language, Be smart. We're

26:21

not going to authenticate the ball if

26:23

you keep it. So give us the ball. We'll

26:25

give you a couple of hats and a hat. Give

26:27

us the ball. So what is she?

26:29

Can't talk to her boyfriend. He's 20 years old.

26:31

He would say, honey, what are you, nothing for?

26:34

That young fool went to get point two by

26:36

man. So she gives him the

26:38

ball. They give him a

26:40

couple of memorabilia and they don't

26:42

even bring her with a chaperone at the

26:44

end of the game. They go to the party

26:47

lap and she gets mopped. And then Otani asks

26:49

the game, strolling into case,

26:51

going into Japanese media, that he

26:54

took pictures with the band in

26:56

exchange for the ball. Otani just

26:58

takes pictures. What do you think he wore? Is that

27:00

the right field? When there's a little orange on it,

27:03

it takes more wear. We're so cool. What

27:06

are we supposed to do? What are

27:08

we supposed to do? What are we

27:10

supposed to do? What are we supposed

27:12

to do? There's no comment.

27:14

The only time still blessed to give

27:17

him credit. Last Friday, what about this?

27:19

And then the doctor says, well, we'll

27:21

show her the doctor experience. She's invited

27:24

again. Not yet. You want the

27:26

ball back? Have somebody from the doctor's write

27:28

a $50,000 check. Have

27:30

Otani's first sentence. Let him write

27:33

a $50,000 check. Otani,

27:36

Otani, Otani, Otani.

27:40

He's been getting a

27:42

scratch. Number two. Okay,

27:44

can I ask a couple questions? Yes.

27:46

First of all, can you even do

27:49

that? Like separate the two of them? It's

27:51

not even like legal. Why? They didn't print

27:53

them off. What are you supposed to do? So

27:56

that's my first question. That's my second

27:59

question. Why

28:01

did Ohtani lie and say that he took

28:03

pictures if he never took pictures with him? He

28:05

totally indicated in his trip to Thomas that night

28:07

that he missed a thing. He does not

28:10

mean anything! And why did he

28:12

want that particular ball? Because it's his first

28:14

ever ball as home run as a doctor.

28:16

Okay. Now let me say this. You're

28:19

one thousandth of serious runners, but

28:21

it's even worse than you are typically. Here's

28:24

why. On one hand, again,

28:28

the ball is worth about a hundred thousand. You

28:30

could have given the couple some money. You understand?

28:32

Rather than being cheap. Secondly, the

28:34

separation. That's a legal matter as far

28:36

as we can do a separation. That's

28:38

number two. Number three. Since

28:41

he gave indications that,

28:44

dare I say, were erroneous or

28:46

downright false as you just articulated,

28:50

he was not being removed from

28:52

an investigation. Which he

28:54

claimed. Which he had claims of innocence.

28:56

Oh, I don't see him playing the

28:58

guy's best. And he blamed the

29:00

guy. So what I'm saying is, is that, excuse

29:03

me, with anybody else we would have connected, Dot,

29:05

then we would have said, wait a minute, what

29:07

kind of behavior is this? You're

29:09

lying about something this innocuous. That's

29:12

an investigation in the betting on

29:14

baseball. That's what we're

29:16

talking about. That's what we were talking about weeks ago.

29:19

In other words, of course they were saying they had nothing to

29:21

do with baseball. But it was a question

29:23

because people weren't necessarily believing it. So

29:26

just weeks removed from that

29:28

to lie about something this

29:31

innocuous. If you're willing to

29:33

lie about that, how

29:36

honest at what level of veracity do

29:38

you entertain on stuff that so far

29:41

was that serious? I'm just wondering. Say

29:44

he really wanted it. His first home run is a

29:46

die-off. Right, how about a check? But that's what I'm

29:48

saying. You keep it and then you do something for

29:50

the couple. You do some type of gesture, whatever. It's

29:52

monetary. Give them, you know, from

29:54

a repeat, whatever that is. Give Platt, give the other time,

29:56

get it. give

30:00

him credit because he's the one who made this and

30:02

then the athletic jumped up the

30:05

voice of LA him and Jim Hill good

30:07

job that was number that really bothered me

30:10

that's a rotten thing to do to some

30:12

poor couple they were separating them I

30:15

mean I'm right about it cause you guys are great I got some

30:17

fun that was number 3 okay

30:20

I hope it rains like

30:22

that sickens a couple

30:24

days ago on Monday the last thing

30:26

I want to get wrapped up in

30:28

is that stupid sky with that toppy

30:30

moon and that toppy sun I

30:32

got the toppy glasses you know I put

30:35

the glasses on and looked up what a

30:37

what a disaster and how about the poor

30:39

fan think about this for a second

30:41

we had Americans, they's me, and

30:44

oh look at you what a

30:46

joke that is we had Americans

30:48

who traveled around the country buffalo

30:50

Cleveland and spent twelve hundred dollars

30:52

when hotels are gouging them for

30:54

rooms and see the moon open

30:56

a sun for a couple minutes they gotta have

30:58

something more important to do to that you have

31:00

to have something more important to do to that oh

31:02

my god so I'm getting credit because I'm having a

31:04

10 second for the second bite isn't it that's

31:08

me but I was in my garage

31:10

I went outside and put the toppy glasses on and

31:12

pulled the waggin what did you say? were

31:15

you moved? I was in for a second

31:17

I went in time with a buffalo Cleveland

31:21

oh oh oh it's time

31:23

to make open chairs they moved

31:26

back to baseball games sir, I promise they did

31:28

how do they move back opening day?

31:30

they moved back to guardians game to

31:32

show the stupid sun and the moon

31:34

nobody in America can't number

31:37

three well first of all you

31:39

gotta have those glasses on to protect your eyes so

31:41

it's perfectly understandable why they would delay some baseball games because you don't

31:43

want to look up to the sky cause they'd be damaging that's number

31:45

one this looks like a model pose right now

31:48

number two number two I was outside of my studio

31:50

alright and I went outside of my studio to look

31:52

at were you looking at DQ magazine? no it wasn't

31:54

but that's what I was wearing today I did my

31:57

show which was Monday so I'm looking at this

31:59

and my door is just that I

32:01

watched. So daddy went out there to

32:03

watch because my daughter told me to

32:05

and it was a nice... But how

32:07

about the people who actually spent the

32:09

fortune to travel 300 miles to watch

32:11

something like this? They're addicted to nature.

32:13

But it's stupid. It's stupid. Come on.

32:17

They're addicted to nature. But don't make the money no

32:19

more charity! What

32:22

money here? Well, I mean, 12 and a half

32:24

is a Santa Hotel to see the moon over

32:26

the sun, but that's any matter. Clearly they could

32:28

afford it. You see gummies and bat with

32:30

that rob on your couch. People might think

32:32

that's stupid. Some people want to look at

32:34

celestial things. And by the way, they

32:36

spent their money on what they wanted to spend

32:38

it on. You spent your money to lose it.

32:41

When you gamble it over. Which

32:43

is more ridiculous. Well, hopefully you

32:45

better bet on the F-16 bet. I

32:48

thought this was the first of three guns I've done. This is

32:50

your best in a long time. It really

32:52

brought your egg in. First Take

32:54

fans, listen up. Have you heard you can listen

32:56

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to amazon.com/First Take. That's

33:35

amazon.com/ First Take to catch up

33:37

on the latest episodes without the ads. Earlier

33:43

this morning, Arkansas made it official by announcing that

33:45

former Kentucky head coach John Calipari will

33:47

become the next head coach of the men's

33:49

basketball program. This off the heels of Calipari

33:51

addressing leaving Kentucky after 15 years

33:54

saying the program quote, probably needs

33:56

to hear another voice. Dogs,

33:59

I'm hearing this news. have you wanting to give us

34:01

an a-list? I got your good a-list

34:03

here. These are the most attractive parts

34:05

of the Bojabs. I made some calls

34:07

on this. Okay. And I did some

34:09

research with NIL. So this is not just

34:11

some hot, hazard, pickin' tight ends and leaving

34:13

grating grunts off the out with these never-forgive-me-for.

34:16

Put the combination. Calls. This

34:19

is an a-list. A-list. This is the same board

34:21

I used. That better be good. There was a

34:23

stand. You better step up

34:25

and be good. Fluid. It

34:28

ain't no fluid either. Good. Hand me your

34:30

business. Number five. Gonzaga. We're

34:32

gonna say why Gonzaga? Hey, Mark Few could

34:34

have taken a Kentucky job. Didn't take it

34:37

a few years ago. They have

34:39

a great program. They win easy in that

34:41

conference. They're in NCAA every single year.

34:43

They got a good NIL thing. They've got

34:45

a good arena. It's the only game in

34:47

town. That's a layup. Gonzaga is a much

34:49

better job than most people think. Few's been

34:51

there a long time. They were good before

34:53

Few with Dan Munson. I

34:56

know that's a strange one, but it's

34:58

accurate. Five. Don't give me that.

35:00

Go ahead. Number four. Texas. They

35:02

have a great facility. They got all the

35:05

great players. They have money like you wouldn't

35:07

believe. They can piggyback off the football

35:10

team. It's a great area to live. Austin,

35:12

Texas. That's next to this town. Miami and

35:14

LA. Here go to Austin next time. It's

35:16

a great job. I was in Austin two

35:18

months ago. I'm glad to have a one yet.

35:20

So if you ever win in Austin, you're a

35:23

god. I love that job. I go there

35:25

at a minute. Texas is number four. Number three.

35:27

I put a little higher. If it wasn't

35:29

for stores, it's UConn. They've won six championships in

35:31

26 years. Nobody's done that in 50

35:33

years. They won with three different coaches. Calhoun built

35:36

it with a job. Cleven Ali won one. And

35:38

how good is Hone? I mean, he

35:40

won back to back. Every game he won by double digits. They

35:42

draw 10,000 every game. It's

35:44

the only game in town. The Big East is a

35:46

little dangerous because they don't have the good football. So

35:48

I'd be a little worried about that. That is a

35:50

tremendous... They called you right now to take the UConn

35:53

job. You know, you got a good chance to win.

35:55

That's a no-brainer. That is number three. Number two is

35:57

Kansas. I mean, you have to put the place where

35:59

basketball is... discovered I don't think the

36:01

Kansas right there with fog Allen shelter

36:04

in the old long time will shame

36:06

well and play there. Plus the arena

36:08

is great. Kansas, Kansas basketball got

36:10

a catch into it. God I like that

36:13

job. I've never been in that arena. I

36:15

hear it's wonderful. It's one of the top two or three

36:17

in the country. Kansas is the second best job and then

36:19

number one is an easy one to pull off Carolina. If

36:21

you could go anywhere in the country, you got to go

36:23

to North Carolina. It's a great arena. Steve Smith,

36:26

Frank Maguire, Jordan, you

36:29

know, Billy Cunningham, Larry Brown. Kenny

36:36

Smith. I got that dirty worthy.

36:39

That is that basketball. North Carolina,

36:41

the Dean dumb. It's an easy

36:43

I need to out. I'm

36:46

leaving Kentucky out because I don't want to go to

36:48

Kentucky. And then I lose the game in December and

36:50

I got my little eight year old coming home fine

36:52

because the kids at school give them a hard time.

36:54

How dare you fall to lose the game to LSU.

36:57

That's out of line. I Kentucky thinks they're bigger

36:59

than they really are. I want to go

37:01

near Kentucky. And I'm not putting Duke in

37:04

here either. Because in two Duke shows that

37:06

they can win without your chef's key, who

37:08

is this and he is to Shire's done

37:10

a decent job. But they got to win

37:12

some championships without Coach K. When they do

37:14

that, plus the second team in the state

37:16

they way behind North Carolina. So I'm not

37:18

putting Dookie at every there. I love the

37:20

list. Gonzaga, Texas, Yukon, Kansas, North Carolina. Now

37:22

he is the guy in the you know, out

37:24

of Guinness here, the man in the white suit is going

37:26

to try to go out there in front of me and say

37:29

I'm not that good. That is a great person.

37:32

Look, my little children on this one. You

37:35

know, your

37:38

nostril hair. Say that.

37:40

Go ahead. Hot shot. Let me hear this

37:42

list. It's horrible.

37:44

Oh, my God. How is it?

37:49

Stay with me. Stay with me right now. Okay. Gonzaga,

37:52

get him out They

37:54

ain't even on this list. The right Pacific Northwest. Don't

37:56

get me started with all of that. I mean,

37:58

I don't know people are waiting. watching

38:01

them. This is not an attractive job.

38:03

More few than exceptional coaches than exceptional

38:05

programs, but my lord, please. I mean

38:07

they're in the oblivion for crying out

38:09

loud. They might as well be in

38:11

Vancouver. Get them out of there, okay?

38:13

You want to give me Texas, Austin,

38:15

Texas, that program down there? I like

38:17

the idea of them being in this

38:19

loop. UConn, I get where

38:21

you're coming from. My issue with UConn

38:24

is that because of the six titles,

38:26

because of what they've established over the

38:28

last 25 years, it

38:30

might not be attractive to somebody to walk into

38:32

those shoes because those are big shoes to fill.

38:35

You gotta take that into that. You gotta have

38:37

them. So UConn, if

38:39

they gotta at least drop, they'd probably

38:41

be out. Gonzaga's definitely out. Kansas, I'm

38:44

good with you. UNC,

38:46

I'm good with you. You gotta put

38:48

the ducchini in. Let me tell you

38:50

why. Because

38:53

of this thing, eight

38:55

miles away, they

38:57

go to the party, they hang out

38:59

with the eight pools. They

39:01

don't want to get this

39:04

to be combative. It's the

39:06

best basketball environment in America.

39:08

College basketball. Listen, he

39:10

went to the farm there. He

39:13

always distracted from the focus.

39:15

The focus. UNC

39:17

and Duke, who gets

39:20

to compete with somebody eight

39:22

miles apart where you're

39:24

literally bumping heads from the

39:26

student bodies to the athletes.

39:28

It's all about the environment. Here's what I will

39:31

add. Are you ready for this? Bad

39:37

Five never won the championship for

39:39

you, but they still elevated the

39:41

game, the profile. When Jawan

39:43

Howard was there a few years ago

39:45

and took them deep into the NCAA

39:47

tournament, look at how the basketball world

39:49

was galvanized. It started reminding you about

39:51

them. I

39:54

gotta look. I Thought

39:56

of it. I Thought of It. You

40:00

will see a new you can leave

40:03

a silly as you can leave such

40:05

as yours. You for all right? I

40:07

miss. Go when

40:09

they have. To

40:12

go on this our take his eyes as

40:14

you cod idea. Of

40:17

a sudden another because I'm to say

40:19

is so this is Danny holding his

40:21

no way the gop a doubt the

40:23

greatest sin again go to the greatest

40:25

voted again the greatest program in the

40:27

game is no way to go but

40:29

down. Because they've been so great. If

40:31

you think that jobs will be like

40:34

the folks who sit and like, that's

40:36

exactly why. Because my daughter got suddenly

40:38

they put not the final four. Oh

40:40

my God. What thirty gave ability to

40:42

miles act like a party. That's what

40:44

I'm talking about. How. Hi

40:46

Molly care of and things like

40:48

Felicity to the First Take podcast.

40:50

You can now stream the most

40:52

on all the games on Directv

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with out a satellite dish. Yes!

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your rails so levers up there

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whether it's roof or Santa Birds

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all time chimney sweep or moody

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Name it, they won't find a satellite

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dish, but you will find your Mlb

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games on Directv. Now means Directv is

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to sign up today claim based on

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the total games carried on Sports Networks.

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Sports availability varied by zip code and

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requires Toys Packers. Thanks for listening to

41:33

the first! I have a fabulous. So

41:39

far, three contests from a dust to

41:41

dust off three sir. New emphasis on

41:44

the Athena Coverage begins at noon Eastern

41:46

Ninety of the says it on here

41:48

in class and you can see Christopher

41:50

Madoff Russo their lives as a fan.

41:52

Smile. Be of right side of. The

41:54

solar eclipses Monday mad I love that was a

41:56

son. May still be out and see. This is

41:58

the Clippers with alkali Leonard. So the 31 point

42:00

lead in the first quarter holding the sun to just

42:03

10 points in their 105 92 win Devin

42:06

Booker had a rough showing going one

42:09

for 11 from the field for only

42:11

12 points Stephen

42:13

how bad was this performance? It was a

42:15

pathetic atrocious embarrassing performance Yeah, everybody

42:18

in Phoenix should have been giving

42:20

their money back. These guys

42:22

never showed up from opening tap I think they were

42:24

down as much as 30 to 4 or something like

42:27

that Just embarrassing and

42:29

it's not it might be an aberration

42:31

in terms of how the game started

42:33

but what's not an aberration is the

42:35

fact that Phoenix hasn't

42:37

been what we expected them to

42:39

be all season long It's

42:42

just not good and not it would surprise me at all if

42:44

they went home in the first round They need to get it

42:46

together quick. I think they're gonna get knocked out. I'm with you

42:48

35 for so they're not 31 points In

42:51

the first few minutes of the game. This is

42:53

a you know, this franchise It's out of history

42:55

of doing this two years ago. We never the

42:57

Mavericks in game seven I don't forget

42:59

last year Denver in game six. They killed them. They

43:01

don't seem to show up in these Oh, that's a

43:04

huge game last night to the Clippers awful

43:06

awful defeat. We talked about it earlier I

43:08

think the Lakers in Golden State might make

43:10

the main body and Sacramento and

43:13

Phoenix may not as far as they

43:15

play in as far as the postseason

43:17

is concerned Kevin Durant Devin Booker and

43:19

Bradley Beale if they go out like

43:21

that I think you won't see

43:23

any more big threes being assembled in the

43:25

future because that's just this is just bad

43:28

You happen? Absolutely. Hey

43:30

good job today, baby. Good job Unique

43:46

in special talent thrown in football

43:48

and what sets them apart the

43:50

height and trophy winner is Jaden

43:52

Daniel All of the great people were

43:54

hiding here The

44:01

2021 NFL draft begins Thursday,

44:03

April 25th on ESPN, ABC,

44:06

and NFL News.