Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - Full Show — July 2, 2026

Episode Date: July 2, 2026

Leila Rahimi discussed the red-hot Cubs and was joined by Bulls Radio play-by-play announcer Chuck Swirsky to discuss the flurry of action across the NBA as free agency has opened.

The views and opinions of Laila Rahimi, Marshall Harris, and Mark Grotty should not be taken too seriously. Especially when they give advice. Do not take Marshall's analogies, literally. Especially when it comes to Russell Dorsey. The sports thoughts of Rahimi Harrison Grody may change at any time. It's just sports. Gay thanks. Bye.

Bye. Rahimi Harrison Grody. 10 to 2 on 104 3. The score. Chicago Cubs baseball is on the air from Wrigley Field in Chicago. It's a scorching summer day at the friendly confines. 91 degrees, and the Cubs are as hot as the weather looking for their fifth consecutive win. Sayya, with 12 homers for the year, hits a fly ball, left center field and deep.

This ball's got a chance. It's gone. Three-run Homer, Sayya, Suzuki, number 100 for his career. Deep drive to left off the bat of Dansby, Swamp. That is a long home run. And the Cubs lead 4 to nothing. A few moments later. And Danesby drives one in the air to center field.

It's well hit. Back goes Merrill to the wall. It's gone. Another home run for Danesby Swanson. And the Cubs take a commanding nine to nothing lead. But wait. Dish Blot. Here comes the two O.

Conforto hits a line. Line drive, deep left center field, Merrill looks up. It's in the basket. Two-run, home run, Michael Conforto. And it is now 15 to 2 Cubs over the Padres in the 6th. No, we're not done. Danesby Swanson the batter. Hits a fly ball into deep left center.

Back toward the wall, Grand Slam. Dansby Swanson with a grand slam to left. He has three home runs. and eight runs batted in for the day. And the Cubs lead 22 to 3. Now the 3-2 to Taylor from Wix. Hit on the ground a short. Danesby Swanson makes the play.

Cubs win the ball game. It's an easy one today. 23 to 3. They finish off a three-game sweep over San Diego. The Cubs have won five in a row. they have won nine of their last 10 and 15 of their last 19. Marshall Harris, Mark Grody, midday's 10 a.m. 2 on Chicago Sports Radio 1043, the score. Welcome on this holiday eve, or maybe you are already celebrating the 250th birthday of our nation.

This is Brahimi Harrison Grody. On 1043, the score, it is Laylorahimmy and Dustin William, William Rhodes, hang it out with me. for the first hour of the show. How are you, Leila? Thanks for letting me be here. Yeah, I might have already been heading back to the burbs and maybe opening up my first Mick Ultra of the long holiday weekend. Red, white and blue can, right? So we could celebrate that.

You've got a big red, white and blue can that you're celebrating, what, tonight or tomorrow night? Tomorrow night. Fresh Budweiser. That is. Yeah, we're doing a Budweiser bar crawl. I think I can call it that, where you can win Cubs and Cardinals tickets. Big, big deal.

That's a big series. five different locations around town. We're going from Navy Pier to West Loop, and then all the way up, we'll end it at Gaslight on North Clark. We're going to start at the, I think we're starting, I got to look,

because there's five places. We're starting at Navy Pier, actually, at five o'clock. So it's Billy Goe Tavern, then it's Crossroads Bar and Grill on West Madison at 540. So can we Seinfeld Frogger our way from Navy Pier

all the way to Crossroads by 540. They gave us 20 minutes. So that's also the challenge. I hope you have a very good Uber driver or is Ryan Porth manning the 104-3 FM score vehicle. Okay. So right city or right city wrong zip code. Okay.

Mitch Rosen is manning the... Mitch is zipping you around. Yeah. Interesting. So we joke that it's Mitchie shuffle practice where you're going to learn how to Irish goodbye. There you go. Yeah. I think I'm pretty decent at it, but nobody's as good as Mitch.

Nobody is as good as Mitch. Nope. So it's Billy Go Tavern. Then it's Crossroads Bar and Grill. Then it's the rabbit hole on North Wells. The reveler on North Damon at 7 and gaslight on North Clark at 740. So yeah, I'm definitely looking forward to it. It's a good way to get your holiday weekend going.

But yeah, my friends are like, oh, what are your plans for Friday? And I'm like, well, I have this. I'm like, I'm like, I'm working. And they're like, oh, what are you, you're doing the show? And I'm like, no, I have a bar crawl. And they're like, that's not work, Leila. And that's just one of those days for us. It's not, it's not, it's not being outside.

and like cutting lawns or tarring roofs and the, you know, heat dome that's covering us still. It's a commitment. That's a good way to put it. I get to show up and hang out. Yeah, so hang out with me. I'll give you a little more details. They're also on our Twitter and they're on the score page and the score Instagram. And Dustin, the reason you're like, thank you for having me and I'm always happy to talk Cubs with you. I'm a loyal listener to the pregame show. Thank you. Thank you. So hopefully you're not up that early. Maybe you're using that rewind feature, but I appreciate it. I'm a 6 a.m. Riser or not 5, but I will. say that I did not expect. Like if you were giving me the score, and I mentioned this earlier, we had great fans over at Gallagher Way yesterday. I bet. And the estimate I had was like, okay, maybe another nine to seven game. You know, I could see that happening. We knew the win was going to be a factor. I did not expect 23 to 3. And for, by the way, Colin Ray on his birthday to go out and yet again be the guy. How about that? Happy 36th birthday to Colin Ray.

gets out of two bases loaded jams. You just mentioned the 23 runs the Cubs put up. So the Padres, who might be the second or third most disappointing team in the National League this year, clearly behind the Mets would be number one, right? Yeah. With a bullet, they're number one. I just don't know if the fan base in San Diego is good enough to be that upset. But they've got a lot of big name people on that team, and their owner doesn't shy away from

spending the D'O-Rae means. so they have been just horrifically bad and obviously every time the Padres come to town you've got the Tatis Jr. thing, his connection to the White Sox. Of course.

So you always have to reference that. The many machado sweep stakes that the Cubs were partially in. The point is that Colin Ray was pitching in the same conditions that the Padres pitchers were pitching in. So they didn't like roll over a dome over Wrigley Field

and try to mess with the weather. It was hot, it was humid. What, Wrigley Field wins, that Twitter account showed wind gus of almost 20 plus miles an hour. You guys were there live. Maybe your tent was flickering a little bit in the wind. Yeah, we put up a partition to just block from the sun. We figured out how to construct an apartment over a Gallagher way after all the shows we did last year. And we did have, we did have a side partition

because poor Marshall, his computer wouldn't even work in the sun when it hits on that side of Gallagher way. He was on the outside closest to the home plate entrance. Gotcha. And at some points, the wind was so strong that the partition was blowing apart. We've got it figured out. But yeah, you're right. The win was an absolute factor. But you know, Dustin, you're so right to bring up the fact that it wasn't just a factor for the winning team. You know what I go back to is that series almost, it was a year ago. It was the late June Seattle series when they were just an absolute offensive buzzsaw.

And they came in and they did not stop it wriggly and it was hot. It was steamy. The wind was blowing. And everybody talked about how good Seattle was in the world. weather. Well, the Cubs were hitting in the same weather, and they didn't have the same luck then. And we did not see that in this series. They swept that thing with a bullet, man. That was awesome. They needed that. But it's amazing. At the end of May, they were really struggling. And if you would have told me that when we woke up on June 30th, they were 10 games

over 500, but still five and a half behind the brewers, I would have said no. So as well as the Cubs have been playing, the brewers just don't. Stop. They just don't lose. It's an amazing story up there. And they're almost, not quite yet with me, I'd love to hear what others think. They're not quite the team I dislike the most in the National League Central. That is still the Cardinals. They are coming to Wrigley this weekend. I don't like their fans. I like a lot of other things about St. Louis. It's a fine place to visit for a weekend. They're not the best fans in baseball. No, no, they're not the best fans. I don't like their fans. I agree with you on that.

I still dislike them more than the brewers because they're a longer rival. I mean, remember, I mean, the brewers used to play in the American League. Yes, yeah, that was the old Bud Seleague special. And then we saw the Astros later switch from the NL to the AL. I do agree with you, Dustin. Like the Cardinals series is all important, especially after just the egg they laid the last time they got to face them. We were so hype for that series. And it did, it did not deliver.

But wasn't it around this time last year? and I know we're up against it. I'm going to be the bad on-air host. Hell yeah, Dustin. This is your time now. Push the break. But was- He's the captain now?

Wasn't it right around the 4th of July when the Cardinals were in town and the Cubs absolutely bombed them? There was some big home runs, some big grand slams. I think it might have been actually on the 4th of July at Wrigley Field. Double-digit runs on the 4th of July last year. They absolutely clobbered them.

So let's hope they can duplicate that. I remember that because it was a Friday game on 4th of July and they were in the special edition. and right blue. Blues hoodie uniforms. I want to say Patrick Wisdom might have had a big day that day.

Might have had a big day. That was 23. We got to open up that box for baby T. Was that the 2023 one you were talking about with that? Patrick Wisdom, that's two years ago, right? No, that was two years ago.

But the one last year, last year was a Cardinals. It was Michael Bush. Michael Bush was Dominion. But it was Michael Bush, Carson Kelly, and there was someone else. They had like a big three that. To the internet. I've got it right here.

Oh, hell yeah, Tyler. July 4th last year, 113, eight home runs, a franchise record. Michael Bush had three, three home runs. PCA 2, Suzuki, Conforto, and Swanson, or not Conforto, I don't know why that says that, but PCA hit 2 and Suzuki and Swanson also added in on the phone. Because AI is weird and conflate stuff with games.

It can't separate all the game info sometimes. It's true. It's true. Disclaimer, I did put 2025. No, no, you did, but I'm saying AI sees it all as the same. it doesn't know how to differentiate between games like that. That's why you, a human, is still superior right now because you don't have that bad of a game differentiation setup.

Our hour, by the way, is brought to you by Cars for Kids. You just heard Dustin Rhodes. Tyler Ferengel and Ray Diaz are our producers today. Dustin is helping out for this hour. We are looking forward to talking more baseball with him. We've got to get into a special segment next, studying Dansby Swanson. In the meantime, this is Rahimi Harris and Grotie.

we broadcast live from our score Hyundai Studios brought to you by your local Hyundai dealers. Breaking news on the score is sponsored by IDOT. Running late, speeding will not save you time. No need to speed. It's not a game. Peter Jurich, our intern is helping us out as well. And we are on Twitch.

Twitch.tv slash the score Chicago YouTube 2. Dustin is waving to you. You can see him now. Special guest host. Our Twitch mob is up and chatting. Our video producers are Connor O'Donnell, Jacob Stutz, Max Curtis, and Cody Westerlin working hard for you every day. So we'll get into yet another Dansby game.

It's great to talk about. We'll examine what we can about what the changes have been. He sounds like he's not ready to talk about it, but we are. So we'll do it next. Rahimi Harris and Grody. I don't want to break time. I want to yell at him. Can we handle more Anthony Herron?

Midday's 10 to 2 on 1043, the score. Dansby Swanson the batter hits a flybone into deep left center. Back toward the wall, Grand Slam! Dansby Swanson with a grand slam to left. He has three home runs and eight runs batted in for the day. And the Cubs lead 22 to 3. It's just not a real score. not a real score. That is courtesy

of the Cubs Radio Network. Pat Hughes, Ron Coomer, Zach Seidman, the crew. You know them well. This is Rahimi Harrison Grotie. Dustin William, William Rhodes of the morning show is in the house for this hour because I wanted him to talk about baseball with me and he obliged. Thanks for letting me hang out for a couple more minutes with you guys. And I'm just

going to go for it. I love that Dan Sby Swanson has found his swing again. And I know that's something we're going to talk about. But we just heard the Grand Slam. Pat did a great job. It was great. to have Pat back. Zach did a nice job, always does a nice job.

It's always best when the whole crew, all three of them are there. It's a great radio call that we get to have right here on 104, three of the score. Absolutely. But that grand slam, as far as his baseball card,

I don't think should count. Because if you watch the video, the backup catcher or the catcher of the Padres is the field position plane. And I know that really aggravates, Pat Hughes. He hates. Position player pitching. Yes, he hates that. Ozzie does too, by the way. And I agree. And I agree with it as well. He's leaning back. It was almost like whiffle ball or bad softball or throwing it to a little kid. Dansby's up there like he's

going to hit a softball or its home run derby. He pops that thing. That should not, it should count in the score of the game because that's the game. But I don't know that if that's his first and only three home run game, I'm not so sure. You want to have that as your first three run, home run game over that pitcher. That's all I'm saying. Which may be why he was a little more reticent after the game. It wasn't like he was here to like take the flowers and the sash and the crown and wave to the crowd. He wasn't like that.

Yeah, Rodolfo Duran, the catcher pitching at that point. So maybe, you know, he's like that. I could see him not wanting to take full credit for that because of the nature of the situation. Correct. However. It went out of the park. It went out of the park. What was the last time we got to talk about this team scoring runs like this?

And it's fun to do it. You still did the work to get there. And with the way the pitching staff is beat up, this is what you have to do, right? You have to put as many runs across the plate. Listen, what was it the other night? The Cubs had a nice lead and all of a sudden. Nine to three. Yeah. Nine to three lead. And all of a sudden it was nine to six or nine to seven. That was the final. They hung on to win that game. So it's really, it's really never over. But when it's 23 to three to three. or 22 or 19. And again, you can't take everybody out of the game, right? Because Ian Hap had been removed from the game at that point. Yeah, and the Padres had been removed from the game. The Padres had done a lot of substitutions too.

But you only have so many people available too. Exactly, right. So you had to leave. Again, and I guess I can see it both ways. I'm just talking about from the back of the baseball card. If that was his first three home run game, might need a little asterisk. I think you're right to give that the appropriate context. And we don't do that enough.

so that that's beyond fair. But in the meantime, we know what we're seeing. This goes back to June 17th. That's against the Rockies. There's discussion, Dustin, about him, Dansby Swanson, going over the iPad with John Maley and Tently. This is a guy who also, I think we forget this, prior to him coming here when he was with the Atlanta Braves,

the year that the Braves won the World Series, they talked about how during the season, in the middle of the season somewhere around July, they were not happy with the way the Enfield was playing. So they and Ron Washington, who was at the time in charge of the infield, decided to adjust. And Dan Spee's got that on his resume. We're not happy with this. We're going to do something about we're going to adjust.

And then we saw what happened. It paid off in tenfold for them. They won the World Series. That's enough of a resume. So we know he's capable of making these in-season adjustments. Hitting is a little more difficult. You know, infield alignment is a group project. But since June 17th, he has hit 366.

with nine home runs and 29 RBIs. He had the 11 RBI day, as we know against the Mets. But this is not a flash in the pan. Oh, no. No, I mean, listen, he is really good. I understood why about two and a half weeks ago, most people wanted him to take a couple days off. Right.

I mean, myself included. But the problem was, and I believe he said it to Mully and Haw, Jed Hoyer talked about the backbone of this team is the defense. And that really upset a lot of good Cub fans that you're going to go out there and say this team is built on defense, defense, defense. Well, then you can't take Danesby Swanson out because he is arguably the second best defender on that team behind PCA. He's your best infield defender. Now, don't get me wrong. It's either him or Nico.

Nico is very good as well. But Swanson, I think, is touch better as far as a defensive player. I agree with that. And we forget about the fact that, you know, you and I both know that there were a couple of years where definitively and purposefully, this team was built to win two to one ball games. Absolutely.

And acquiring Dan Sby-Swans and was part of that. Is that how you would in modern baseball? I don't think so. Probably not, no. But that is, I see why they hold that position so dear and why that is so important. It's why they extended PCA. It wasn't the bat necessarily.

It was his center field defense. Right. You can't, that's not, I don't think you can teach that kind of defense. Those are God-given abilities. You can, to your point about placement, strategy, knowing, okay, this is the way we're going to approach the hitter. So I might shade a little bit that way.

I might shade a little bit this way. Based on the runners, I'll play a little bit farther in. I'll play a little bit far. That kind of stuff. But there are catches that he makes that, you know, they have those probabilities where, you know, 95% of the time that is a hit. And he takes those hits away. That's it.

He does. And that's how it turns into defensive runs. saves that how it turns into wins of our replacement. And Dansby, to his credit, I think has really made the adjustments. Now, if you talk to Dansby, he doesn't sound like he wants to bring it up as much. So we're going to hear from Craig Counsel as far as what he's seen out of Dansby during this stretch. Yeah, I mean, I don't, you know, we never have it figured out. We never have baseball figured out. And, you know, I think this tells you that. You think you, you think you, you know a guy is probably he probably went through the roughest patch of his career and

on the other side that is the best stretch of his career. You figured out. I don't think, I don't think Danesby could explain it to you either. But, you know, I think it's the same thing as say it. Like now, you know, I think moving forward, Danzby just try to try to keep it, keep it rolling as long as you can because he's impacting the game. He's impacted so many games the last 10 days in a major way. So it's been great.

It's been fun to watch. That's Craig Counsel. Our baseball coverage on the score is presented by Xfinity. Score the most reliable Wi-Fi, one price, five years guaranteed. Xfinity, imagine that. Dustin, why do I feel like this is an episode of all shucks with Pat Murphy when I heard Craig Counsel say that? Do they just not want to talk about the adjustments that have been made yet?

Because it's not just as simple as math is happening and this is all just happening to him at the plate. Well, you get a lot of the Craig's famous lines. Like, if you were going to create like a sound. board of like drops that we play here on the score. A rotation. You're right. That's baseball. Like, you know, you're going to have good days.

You're going to have bad days. If we could figure it all out, then why would you need me? Craig Counsel, the $8 million a year skipper of your Chicago Cubs. But they also maybe don't want to give away the secret sauce. Yeah. And that's okay. Like your KFC, right, really protects that recipe, right? It's like, you know, locked down.

But what, you know, you might know one or two, but we're not going to give you all 11. Now, he has been. This is baseball, unfortunately. He's been working his rear end. off. And it's nice to see it pays off. And that's kind of big picture, big life, right? If you work hard, eventually you're going to get out of your rut, but you've got to keep going. It's not going to happen in a day. It's not going to happen in 48 hours. It's not the karate kid where the

montage happens and then suddenly you're able to win the All Valley Championship. Love those movies, though, I love the karate kid. It taught us too much, though. We can't just montage our way into this. I mean, who hasn't tried to do that that kick. The crane? The crane. We all have. Who hasn't, you know, and then with the, you know, sweep the leg. You got a problem that, right? I mean, these are classics. I mean, Cobra Kai. I know they tried to make Coburkeye sound like it was misunderstood, but I think we'd all know what Cobra Kai was about.

Oh, everybody who went to a halfway middle-sized or bigger high school, knew some Cobra-Kai types. No, no, did I, you know, my ordering sweep the leg on, say, the Packers? Maybe. You know, maybe, but not for everybody. So our friend Jesse Rogers did have this quote, and he says, here's Danesby Swanson late last night

on working with hitting coach John Mayley more recently. Really good stuff. So I want you to hear this, Dustin. he says, I think the one thing that he's really done for me personally is just like I'm always best when I'm just convicted in something. So this kind of goes back to the karate kid idea. Or I believe in something in he, meaning Maley, is just really, really bent on me in a good way of just walking me through it, coaching me, not coaching me hard, but like holding me to a higher

standard and just kind of creating an avenue of like work that I can believe in. You can go into the cage and you can try to fix your swing. If you go to the driving range, you can go there and try to fix your swing. It's also nice to be able to get to the point where you're like, I'm not in there trying to fix anything. I'm in there trying to groove my swing to repeat the same good thing every time. So muscle memory, something else you'll hear from golfers, right? Muscle memory.

And similarly in pitching, repeatable mechanics, right? So there's a couple more here from this quote to Jesse. And it starts to just show up in game because you're just doing the same right thing over and over and over again. and so essentially that that's what he's done for me. I mean, I straight up asked him. I was like, dude, I may be 32. I may be close to 10 years. And when he says, I mean service time, which is a big deal in baseball.

I may have had a lot of success in this game, but I still like being coached. I still sometimes like having my handheld and walk through with. And he was just the one that has been doing it for me lately. But all the hitting guys, they've also been awesome and positive and consistent and supportive. and I think they've all put their heads together and kind of just like said, hey, this is what we are going to do. And Males, John Maley, was just the one that was able to kind of relay the message to get through it to me. And it's obviously made such a difference.

Good reporting. Excellent to be able to get that kind of info. John Maley gets a lot of love from his hitters. I've heard Niko on the station talk about John Maley quite a bit. if you've been watching the Love Will Reunion stuff, there's an episode with John Maley that can't miss, Marquis re-showing those episodes. You're right about that.

I worked with John in Houston. Okay. And same thing. Jose Al-Tuvae definitely credits him with becoming who he was as a hitter. You saw the progress there out of that team. There's a reason he's got such a good reputation in baseball. But it is curious to me that Dansby doesn't necessarily need,

hey, this is not a leg kick. This is not a toe tap. It's what I'm telling myself. And that sounds like what's happening here a bit. Absolutely. And he's just repeating to what we just spoke about. He's repeating what he's been doing. And it sounds like Maley reinforced to him.

You just got to keep doing. And it's, you know, keep doing what you're doing. Let's not really change too much up. And you'll work your way out of it. And that's why it's 162, right? That's why it's 162 games. And you need that in this sport to really figure out what you got. Now, Dustin's price, I'm bribing him with iced tea from Starbucks to stay another segment.

That's Dustin William. William Rhodes, our morning show producer here on Rahimi Harrison Grody and Dustin's hanging out with the first hour with us today, talking a little baseball, which I certainly enjoy. We'll get Dustin to talk about the White Sox, what you do in the pregame show? People only think you do Cubs, but I know that's not true. No, I've got thoughts on the Sox. There's a massive series coming up against The Guardian, so I want to get Dustin's thoughts on it next. I know they lost, but come on. is what it's all about. And then we'll talk with Dustin for another segment. And then Chuck Swirski is set to join us at 11. So thanks for hanging with us today on Rahimi Harrison Grotie on the

score. Rahimi Harrison Grody. That sounds so crazy. 104.4.2. Wow. I like that. Midday's 10 to 2 on 104.3, the score. And now four in their park. Chopper over the middle. This could do Henderson on the move. Britt Montgomery is retired. It's a final on this Wednesday afternoon. The White Sox fall in the finale, six to one against the Orioles. That is courtesy of CHSN. That is John Schiffin.

Steve Stone on the call. This is Rahimi Harris and Grody. And Dustin Rhodes filling in for this hour. Happy to talk baseball with Dustin. You know him from producing Mully and Ha every morning. So thanks, Dustin. Thanks for asking, Leila. Nice to be here for a little bit longer before.

Chuck Swirsky comes in and puts me on my way. It's a Rahimian company type of show. Layland and friends. That joke. Layland, friends. Dustin is, Dustin knows the joke I'm making. I'm pushing it. So, yes, okay, unfortunately for the socks, they couldn't get the sweep in Baltimore.

They lose to the Orioles by final of six to one. And I think you made the appropriate observation as well that they faced a noted, I don't know if you call him a socks killer, but he's definitely a socks nuisance in Dean Kramer. That guy can deal against this White Sox team. He can deal indeed. They've got to be happy. Not like clicking their heels, but they won a road series. And that had not happened in what eight consecutive tries?

Yeah, it was May 1st through the third against San Diego, who we just saw. Who are now the punching bag of Chicago baseball teams. So they got to feel good about that. But this upcoming four-game series is more important than sweeping the Orioles. Yes, the Orioles are obviously an American League team, but it's more important to win these games in that division. So this is absolutely monumental. And I believe the White Sox gave a couple guys a day off yesterday, right? They did not necessarily have their best starting lineup going yesterday.

They had a little bit of a day game after a night game situation. So your lineup was Antonacci Vargas, but intendi Montgomery Gonzalez. So that kind of shows you how high he was it in the lineup. there. And then it's Midroth, Peter, is Acuna, so he was at shore. And then Romo, Dromo, Romo was catching. So that gives you an indication. So listen, because you want all hands on deck starting tonight. I mean, it's a four-game series on the road. You have your ace going.

You've got your best lefty going Friday night. And you've got to do whatever you can. I think the bare minimum, you've got to split. Four-game series are no fun. Yeah. Because here's the thing in a four-game series, you know you're, what, 99% likely to not get a sweep? That's not even on the table. But I agree with you. Unless you're playing the Mets. Yeah, there it is.

And that is true. But when you see this, I thought the same thing, Dustin. I thought when I looked at this ahead of after what they just did against Baltimore, I'm like, well, you got to ask for a split. That was my first thought when I saw the four-game set, even on the road, where progressive field can be so much fun for the home crowd. Cleveland is starting to heat up as we know. But this is an excellent chance when you got your stopper on the mound tonight in Davis Martin. He's all-star caliber starting pitcher.

But this is almost like a playoff game feel to me. So you now have the socks, have a one-game lead over them. You're at their place. You've been playing above your skis. They're ahead of schedule for sure. How about outperforming? You know how we always talk about Jed who you're saying outperforming expectations? Well, that's what the socks are doing.

Nobody had these. Nobody had these. Even the direst, hardest white socks fan would not have expected this to have happened. And they're actually, they're a likable bunch. They're more likable than the last team that was put together that was supposed to do something. You know, the old, you know, remind me after the parade, that line that will live in infamy that never happened. It did not. Did not happen.

That group was not as likable as this group is. opinion. No, I agree with you because there were a lot of expectations placed on those individual players. Yoamankato was one of the top five prospects in baseball, you know, as part of that Chris Sale trade, for example. Tim Anderson was a polarizing figure to some, loved him here, of course. I can't believe how the bottom, he was the change the game guy. We've got a bobblehead of him. Portia lost his hand here. Right in the middle of the council here. And I can't, I just can't believe that he's not in baseball right now. That's, that's the part that makes it so hard.

Eloy Jimenez had a cup of coffee with the raise. The Blue Jays earlier this season. Yeah, he was with the raise as well. But these are guys that we thought were going to hit, potentially five were players, you know, maybe not for a career, but at least a year or two.

And that core fell apart so quickly. And then this group of players, it really is a whole performance. You know, it's an up and down the lineup effort right now without Mune. And without Mune. Yes. And without,

and he's already gotten to the point where they were hoping he might be back. at this point the way they're playing, I wonder if now you just take your time, you just wait until after the All-Star game and make sure he is, I don't believe in 110%. There's only 100%. Make sure he's 100%. Right.

I think the way you're playing right now, unless the bottom drops out, something terrible happens, like you get swept by the Guardians, you could wait on him coming back until after the All-Star game. And at that point, he should be 100%. You know what I was thinking about, and I know this is a sock segment, but you're here and you kind of know how my brain works is, I wonder if the All-Star break is coming at a bad time for both the White Sox and the Cubs. It's a great, it's a great point, Laila.

It's a great point because I think the day's off, a day off is okay, but it's a long break. You want to stay hot and what both of these teams are doing right now. Like, think about the fact that we had a 22-run performance by the White Sox last week to be followed up with a 23-run performance here by the Cubs. Right. I mean, you would have never, you would have never thought that. These are the blessings.

These are the good times. These are, it's, it's great to be a Chicago baseball fan right now. How many other teams have two teams in the top ten of the power rankings? If you go to the big cities, you know, the Yankees, the Yankees are in there. You can't say the angels. Yeah, the Yankees are in there, but the Mets are. Right. The Dodgers are obviously in there, but the angels are not.

We'll go down to Florida, okay? They've got multiple teams. The rays are in there, but the Marlins are not. Yeah, and that's different, you know, it's kind of like, that's, that's kind of a similar scenario to like cardinals and royals, you know, when it's interstate like that. So that's a little bit different situation. No, these are good times. And I know that we held everybody to high standards, but there's a reason. Yeah, it's Chicago, right? It's Chicago. They should be held to high standards. Amen. Anthony

K. may be the wild card in this. Like if Anthony K. Pitches on Friday. He's got to bounce back. Not the greatest of his outings the last time out. Sean Burke did a nice job. His last outing, he's set to go Saturday and then it's Eric Fetty on Sunday. And Feddy was okay the other night? He was, and it was the same opener combination that worked again. You might see that same. If it works.

Why not run it back out? But Anthony K. May be your X factor this weekend to me, because if he has a good outing, if he goes, I'm not going to say a quality start. Let's give him five. Are you feeling better about the series split that you and I talked about? Absolutely. I am too. He may be out of all the players that we know, he may be the ex-backer.

But it really all starts to not. night. Like, I think it... Absolutely. But I'm chocking this up as a stopper. I chuck it up as a good year. I like to say the must win statement games kind of thing. It's definitely not a must win, but I think it's a statement game. When you have your stopper or your ace on the hill on the road with a one game lead in the division, a week out of the All-Star break, like, all right, let's go. The time is now. Let's see what everybody's got.

You're right, because if you drop the game with your stopper, I'm like already chalking it up as the W, but you're right. If you, if you, Dustin is being the coach, here. If you don't have this game, then your split is like a real tricky. It can put a little, you know, bad mindset in the rest of the team, the rest of the way. So like, they should be pumped. They should

be pumped. I expect like a playoff atmosphere. If you are one of those people, which I am not, that claim to be a Chicago sports fan, I am a Cubs fan. And I pay attention to the Sox because this is what I do for work. But if I did not do this for work, I would not be a Sox fan. I think

you are either a Cubs or a Sox. But if you are one of those. I'm a Chicago sports fan. Tonight's your night. Because the Cubs have the day off and first place is on the line in the A.L. Central with the ace. So pay attention. Get behind him, Chicago. You heard the man. That is the command of Dustin William Rhodes, who was kind enough to sit in for this hour on Rahini-Duris and Grotie. Yeah. I mean, you're welcome to hang if you want. We've bribed you with iced tea. Well, this show has had three co-hosts at the same time. We do three-man weave all the time. Yeah, that is, it's the more the merrier. You know that. Everybody's welcome to hang out with us on the midday show.

Chuck Swirsky is set to come in next. And we will talk to Mike Florio, the creator and editor-in-chief of pro football talk because the NFL news never sleeps. Destino, thanks again for coming in. Thanks for inviting me. And yeah, you got a lot of compliments on the text line. So they're. Shocking. Chuck Sworski and Mike Floreo next. This is Rahimi Harris and Grotie on 1043. The score. Thanks again to Dustin Rose, filling in on the baseball talk for this first hour. And now we have another special guest today, which makes me happy. It is Bulls Play-by-Playman, my partner on Chicago Sky broadcast as well.

You may know him as Joey Bag of Donuts and an overnight host extraordinaire, Chuck Sworski. Chuck, thanks for coming in on this Thursday. It's a pleasure. Lately, how are you? I'm good. So much NBA news that took place. And we had a short show yesterday. We really didn't get to get into it a lot.

But I think we've got to start with what we now know is an idea of a starting five with the Bulls with the Nick Claxton News. And then we see Norm Powell, who a lot of people think is a very savvy pickup. There's the shooting that we've talked about. And then, you know, they also make the move in resigning Zach Collins, which was a bit of a surprise to me. So how are you feeling about what you've seen so far out of the Bulls moves? Well, there's a lot to dissect there. Number one, they also have 9.4 million left. The mid-level exception.

Very important to know when we consider all of this. Yeah. So let's start with Zach Collins because when he was healthy, and that's been a situation throughout his career as we know, with Portland, San Antonio the Bulls. But when healthy, he's a very, very good part-time starter, role player, whatever they ask him to do. And remember, before he got hurt,

Billy Donovan was going with Vouch and Zach in the starting lineup. And they were producing. Zach had like two or three double doubles in about a week and a half. I got to tell you, I was very excited about, it may sound silly now. But at the time, at the beginning of last season, I was excited for a healthy Zach Collins because I thought he would have really completed the team. And even the season before that, when he got traded for,

I always thought he would make a lot of their defensive needs make more sense. He was a compliment to Vooch. He's a compliment to Vouch. And also when someone came through the lane for a layup, he was going to probably end up on the floor. Fair enough. But you need guys like Zach Collins. And I've read like online people are ripping.

I'm thinking, wait a minute. You have to understand that this is the new NBA. People are saying, look at all this money. You're right. It's a lot of money. But it's also the new landscape of the NBA with the cap. I mean, Laila, look at the TV revenue. The NBA is making.

And so money's going up. up. I mean, we just saw Jalen Brown got traded, and he's eligible for an extension coming up very soon. So right now he's probably making you, probably having in front of you, anywhere between 50 to 60 million each year over the next three years. Yeah, his numbers especially, it's the supermax of all supermaxes, right? Like Chegildeghist Alexander. Yeah. He's getting paid, and he should. I mean, he's, he hasn't even hit the midpoint. of his prime career yet.

No, I completely agree. But for the Bulls, I like what they're doing. I'm excited if they run, you've got Getty, you've got Bezellis, you've got Wilson. I mean, this is a really potent from baseline to baseline opportunity for the Bulls. And I love Powell. You know, the irony of it is, the only who his teammate was at UCLA, Zach Levine. Oh, I didn't even think about that. I didn't even think about that.

Yep. And Zach barely claims UCLA. LA, I feel like. Isn't he like a USC soft football fan? There's a reason for that. I think the reason is Steve Alford. I'm not sure they were on the same page, the one year, Zach. And the reason why is because I think Steve Alford's son was a starter on that ball club. And I just think it probably was not the best situation because Zach Levine is from my hometown, actually. Seattle, thank you very much. And we are 20 minutes apart from his home in Seattle where I grew up. So he was recruited by everyone.

And I'm talking everyone. He was a five star. And Seattle has a lot of great high school players. And so he went to UCLA. And he turned down a lot of great schools. Because if you have ever been on the campus of UCLA, and I don't know if you ever been to Brentwood. My brother went there. Did he?

It's a requirement. I can make the joke. I'm of the hair. I want somebody in our family because I'm Persian and our family lives in Tarangelois as we like to joke somebody had to go to UCLA so of course that was my brother who is now a doctor because you have three three career options doctor lawyer or engineer notice how I'm not one of those one brother's a doctor one brother's an engineer so but do they love their job like you do they they're very they're

both very good but yeah so my brother went to UCLA with the big brewing in the center of campus right yeah I mean, it is a beautiful campus. And Pauley Pavilion's great. But I think you're on to something about Alford, though, because remember how he got there, too? He had that massive contract with New Mexico. Was it something like 10 years? It was some wild contract.

And then he's like, uh, never mind, go into UCLA. But guess what? He has never coached his alma mater. And if you told me 30 years ago, one day Steve Alford is going to be a college basketball coach. And he's going to have three stops along the way, three, five. whatever the case may be. Right. I would have bet 99.9% or even 100%

one of those stops would have been in Bloomington at his alma model. And what happens? He goes to Iowa and he coaches against Bob Knight. Yeah. Irony of irony. Yeah. And the point being Steve Alford, you know,

who's very close with Bill Wennington because they were teammates at Dallas. You are now playing six degrees of separation of Chuck Swirsky here on Rahimi Harrison Grotie. That's something. Yep. But that is cool that Dorman Powell was a teammate of Zach Lewis. We forget how good some of those college teams are because of the ones and duns.

Yeah, but now, I mean, you've got kids that are going to be in three or four schools during their career because of NIL and they're getting moved. They're getting – I mean, these young people, men and women, they're being recruited while they're still playing. And you know what? We really saw that, Chuck, affect the second round of the draft this year. Like, I think there's a couple – truths that are being told right now. Number one, we're still trying to figure out with the new post new CBA NBA NBA is. Yes. I loved the, oh, it's trade deadline. Everybody's making deals.

You're trading several years into the future. You know, first round picks are everything. Like, we knew what it was, and I had a lot of fun in that. I don't love this new CBA, but we have to accept it. And then another part of it was July 1st was always free for all. You know, whoa, just got like 95 updates an hour. You're finding out whoever. everybody's signing and where the money is unstoppable. And you're right. This is not the same type of framework. We're seeing that with the second round.

You know, the Bulls essentially ended up again trading out of it because the one player they got, they ended up trading away. Cash considerations is not just a Bulls thing. There were a lot of teams who decided to do that. Was it 29 out of 30 picks were traded in the second round? Correct. And then we hear last week on our station, Chuck Brights and Graham say when he was live in our studio that we just didn't like some of the players available. And because of NIL, it's worth it for

these guys to stay in school now, which is great too. Get paid for what you're good at. You know, that's a good thing ultimately. So here's another reason with the NBA changing landscape. Yeah. How many champions have we had over the last eight years? Oh, it's been many, right? Eight. Yeah, it's been a different one every year. We've had a different one every year. That's, that's crazy. That's wild. Now, some people say, well, we need a good, and a bad cop. We need a team wearing the black hat, so to speak, like the Wild Wild West, you know?

The piston's 4.0 at this point, yeah. That's right. You know, we need a villain. And so, but those days are over because you can't keep a team anymore. It used to be you know, like in my generation, you had

the Oakland Athletics had a run of three straight World Series Championships. 72, 73, 74. Yankees had a great run. You could go in the NBA back in the day with Boston. Yep. And then in hockey, the Montreal Canadians, the New York Islanders. I mean, you know, even if you would, if you think about it, the Patriots, Dynasty, if you think about it, the Blackhawks won three cups in what, seven years. Is that right? Yeah, three and three and, yeah, three and six or three and seven. Yeah. Okay. To me, in today's world of sports,

That is a dynasty. It is. You win three championships in a window of five, six, seven years. Okay. No doubt. Especially the third. You know, that's what makes it so challenging. I mean, even how long did we go before we saw back-to-back world series again in baseball?

It was the Yankees. It was 98, 99 or 99, 2000. It was those Yankees. But, but Layla, make no mistake about it. This front office has a lot of work to do. I mean, I hope people, and maybe you can call this up, Leila, look at the Bulls roster, the last season of Garin Pax. So that was 2020. Was it 29?

2019, 2020 season. Look at the roster. I can go off of that at the top of my head. And look at the roster of the last two or three seasons. And I invite our listeners to do that, except if you're driving. Yeah, be safe. Don't do that. Yes, please.

But look at the roster of Gar and Pax. from 19, 18, and 17. And look at the players on that roster. Okay? You had Marketing All-Star. And you had Wendell Carter Jr. You had Daniel Gaffer. You had Zach Levine.

You had Zach Levine. You had Chris Dunn. Yeah. I mean, you had some really good players. And so they're gone. So all I'm saying is... Lou Cornette? Yeah.

I mean, you know what, but... Part of a finals team? Yes. And, you know, they put them in the corner shooting threes, which I never got. But that's another story. You and me both, my friend. That this is not going to happen overnight. And I know Bulls fans wanted to happen overnight. All I'm saying is, I do like in the short span of what we've seen out of Bryson Graham. Direction. We've seen it a clear direction. And it's honesty. Address the Biggs. It's transparency. Amazing.

Address the Biggs. Yes. Laugh at us for asking where the shooting is. He was pointing his finger at me. and then, hey, here's her shooting with Norm Powell, who should have been a perennial All-Star. But, you know, you're in the Western conference. Yeah, that's the other part of this. And people are critical of the contract, and I get it. But you needed a rip protector.

You need a rim protector because there are two shots right now in the NBA, Layla. It's a three-pointer, more than likely in the corner, from the corner, a three-point shot. Yes. And at the rim. Yeah. Now, if you can't stop at the rim shots and the Bulls have one, one of the worst opponent's field goal percentage against the Bulls. It was very, very high.

If you can't at least intimidate, block, or alter shots, you're in big trouble. Guess who couldn't stop enough at the rim shots? The spurs. Yep. How about that? And it turned out okay for the Knicks on the other side, didn't it? Even with Wembe, when you get going downhill, you see how this benefits you? When you go downhill and look how many times,

players dart in the lane, they see Wembe, and what do they do? They run right out of it. Don't think so. I'll just screen or something. Okay, so here's your roster. Do you want it from 2019, 2020, since we're cooking and we're having fun here. Special guest, Chuck Swirsky, in on Rahimi Harrison Brody. Ryan Archie De Acheno. Okay. Villanova. We just talked about the Knicks. Wendell Carter Jr., Chris Dunn. Chris Felicio. I believe that was Felicio's last year with the Bulls. Yeah, that was not good. But, Dunnobner. is a starter, right? Wendell Carter Jr. is a start.

Absolutely. Rookie Daniel Gafford, who was a starting five on a finals team. Yep, and he started for Dallas. That's three. Jack Harrison, who I think had a lot of potential. You know, people talk about his potential. He's on the cusp, but probably a G-League guy. Yeah, Chandler Hutchison, who also positional size.

That was always the top of the comment. I thought he had a chance to make it. Yeah, the positional size comment because he was 6-6. You know, that was always talked about with Chandler Hutchinson. Luke Cornett, as we mentioned. Still in the league. Zach Levine, who at that point starter.

He had not gotten the max yet, but he was an all-star. So that's four right now, four starters off that club. Larry Morgonan. That's five, and an all-star. Adam McCona. I forgot about that. Yeah, you know what? Let me just say this.

So Paxingard did not cut Adam McCock. That was from the previous administration. They kept Adam McCokka over Max Truce. Yeah, Max Truce listed. on the roster. Max Struz. Max Truce. Who's a free agent, by the way. He's a free agent.

I'd love to see him here. And you know what? He was so disappointed. I love Max as a person as a player. Lately, he wanted to come back. He didn't want to be cut, number one. He had an ACL and they cut him. Yes.

Yeah. And why can you save yourself, hey, you know what? This guy is a proven shooter. Let's put him on the shelf for a year. Let's get him healthy. Then let's see what he can do. But they kept that, but they kept McCococon. who has never seen the NBA again.

Never panned out. Otto Porter. Otto Porter Jr., you know what? Otto Porter Jr. came in the league and it was a very high pick by Washington, like the third player was taking. Coming out of Georgetown, too. Yes.

Yeah. And he got that big contract. He got the contract from the Nets. Washington matched it, and all of a sudden the injuries start coming. Yes, that is what happened for him. Tomash Satiransky, a part of that. team as well.

Role player. Denzel Valentine, a lottery pick. Not a good pick. Kobe White. Kobe, that was their last pick. And Thaddeus Young. Yeah. Just a respected veteran.

What a team. I forgot. But the Max Truce of it all, that's the hardest part. Because wouldn't a dream scenario for you and me like Bulls Observers, wouldn't it have been the combination of Max Drews and Peter Patton? How about that? And you know what? I saw Peter.

Shakespeare. Peter's on the floor. Peter Patton, by the way, was a guard at DePaul. He's from Chicago. I actually, my last year, calling DePaul, he was a freshman. And so that's how old I am, and that's Peter Patton. But Peter Patton was here. I mean, I heard it was three days ago, guys.

You know, that's the time frame I heard. It was three days ago for Chuck and Peter Patton. Yeah, well, Peter Patton is a very well-respected shooting coach. Absolutely. And the players love him. Wherever he's been, the players have loved him. He was fabulous here. Yes. And so he gets a ring with New York.

Yeah. No, I was very happy to see that for him. That was quite a, this is real hoops junkie, and we don't have time for it because we're coming up to a break here. But that is a really interesting staff when you consider a lot of the names that became part of Mike Brown staff in New York. Like Gerson Roses, who has been part of many front offices around the league, he was a part of it. You know, you just mentioned Peter Patton. Well, he had not only the father of, you know, Rick Brunson. Yes, a former Bulls player, as we know, and a former Bulls assistant coach. Jaylin and Stevenson product. I mean, Chris Gent, Brandon O'Connor, I mean, these are really good assistants. And people say, well, wait a minute, how can a guy like Peter Patton be a shooting coach? He's never played in the NBA.

There are certain people with minds that work that don't need to be a star. In fact, some of the greatest players who have attempted to manage in baseball or coach in the NBA and NHL have not done well because their standards are so high that when players can't match what they've accomplished in their own right, they get disappointed as a coach. And, you know, I look at Charlie Lau, and I'm dating myself again with the White Sox. Charlie Lau, that's L-A-U, was one of the finest hitting coaches ever in baseball. And yet if you look at his Major League Baseball record as a player, it was okay, but it wasn't, you know, like All-Star. Yeah, the NFL is the clear, I think, calm for this because there are so many successful coaches in the NFL head coaches who were not the best players, you know, or they were, it's like Kevin O'Connell who, you know, had a brief career as a backup quarterback. Ben Johnson played quarterback in college. You know, that type of thing.

That's what I always think about. If you look at it, Don Shula played in the NFL, but he was along with Tom Landrieu, who played in the NFL. Sure. But, you know, Bill Belichick, he didn't play in the NFL. Yeah, the Dan Campbell's, who had an excellent career as a tight end for years in the league, and also is now a successful head coach with playoffs on his resume. Those are fewer and far between, I think, the guys who have been good at both. Yes. I feel like that is a good time.

And Jim Harbaugh had a really good NFL career. Outstanding NFL career quarterback. Yeah. So he's the rarity. He's not, he's the exception. He's not the rule. Right. I feel like that speaks to him. Whether it's Shanahan, Schottenheimer, all these coaches, I mean, it's in their bloodlines because their fathers and whatnot. They grew up in a, yeah. Yeah. But McDonald with Seattle, I mean, he didn't play in the NFL, and he has a really sharp mind to get things done. I mean, Mike McDonald's, he's, I don't know how you don't look at that Seattle team and say that's the standard now. You get enough out of Sam Darnold. Kevin O'Connell, of course,

helps develop his career. And then that defense just, I think about that game often. I'm so shocked, though, Leila, that Seattle isn't playing the bearous opening night. Oh, we all are. We all thought that was going to be the game. I get it, the Patriots or whatever. But, you know, I mean, it would have been, it would have been so nice to see Caleb go into Seattle and come away with a dub.

Well, a dub. See, that's why he's here. Chuck Swirsky is here to bring the positivity today. A dub at the University of Washington dub. And that's another layer to this. Let's also shout out Olin Cruz, noted Washington players. My grad school. Yeah, yeah, I love it.

Coming up next year on Rahimi Harrison Grotie with Chuck Swirski filling in with me, Laila Rahimi. We'll shift gears next and talk some football with Mike Florio. Pro football talks, Mike Floreo, is here next. Ladies and gentlemen, joining us now is a man who's got a massive brain. Mike Floreo. He used to be a lawyer. and he decided to take his talents to the internet.

NBC Sports. I'm sorry I'm late. I was talking to Robert Kraft. That is at the time for an airing of grievances. Pro football talk. I got a lot of problems with you, people. No, you're going to hear about it. On Chicago Sports Radio, 1043, the score.

I want to keep talking Legos. Mike Florio, you know him as the creator and editor-in-chief of Pro Football Talk. He is a man who knows how to construct a Lego set or two. Ghostbusters, anyone? and he joins us on Twitch, twitch.tv.tv.tv slash the score Chicago, and he is on our hotline as well. Mike, thanks for coming on on a Thursday day and a bit of a later time slot. We appreciate the adjustment. Hey, my pleasure, anytime.

And I was able to eat my lunch, which makes it even better than usual. Chuck Swirsky is in for Marshall Harris on this show. And Chuck, what you don't know is that Mike Florio moves his lunch every Wednesday for us. because he eats it at the same time every time. So Mike got his lunch in thanks to him adjusting to him. Wow, that's great. I think that's very considerate of him. You want, Mike, Mike, we have never met on the broadcaster for the Bulls, and I'm Philly

didn't. But I have to tell you, and I'm not patronizing you, I'm a big fan of yours. And I love the NFL, and I love what you do. And I got two questions, maybe three, if you don't mind, Leila. No. Number one, what do you have for lunch? Well, this is embarrassing to admit, but I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and I had some crackers with cheese. How about that?

Okay, so the PB&J, did you get them in the box? Like you pull them out, like in the freezer section and grocery stores, and you let them thaw. And I mean, they got the soft bread and they got the strawberry jelly and they got the peanut butter or the grape. It's pretty good. I still make my own. You do. the one thing I can make. You know, this is some synergy, some cross over here.

Chuck, the Bulls announcer and Mike Florio, the football scribe, the longtime football expert. You know that peanut butter and jelly is like one of the official foods of the NBA. I've always heard that the peanut butter and jelly sandwich is crucial in the NBA when it comes to... It is. And you know what? That's what I have at halftime. No way. Yes, I do.

See, this is why I want to know you guys. The second question is, did you get an invite for the Kelsey Swift wedding? No, it's funny. I was at the grocery store a couple of weeks ago, and I ran into an old client of mine from when I was practicing law. And she said, hey, you're going to the big wedding? And I'm thinking, is there some big wedding locally that I have not been invited to? And she said, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey. So no, I just missed the list. A thousand guests. There has been a thousand and one, Chuck, I'd be there. Okay, you two. Do you actually think that it's going to be at Madison Square Garden? Or is this all an elaborate ruse for another location? I think it's going to be there. There's been too many reports.

The Associated Press had something recently. It's happening. Garden Party tonight and some sort of a castle theme tomorrow. So it's happening. Yeah, I saw there was a, you know, I love a good internet sleuthing. I myself will be an internet sleuth from time to time. And there was film of somebody, I guess a grand piano was being wheeled into the garden, supposedly.

And that was like, well, wait, if nobody's playing there, then where is, what is this? or is it just another ruse? That was the big question. Was the piano a bluff? Well, six degrees of separation. Kelsey's mother attended Ohio U when I was there. She graduated in 74. I graduated in 76. And as you know, the boys played at the University of Cincinnati. And they're from Cleveland, of course. And so speaking of Cincinnati, this is what I want to get to with you, Mike. No one's talking about Cincinnati. Well, people like you are. But give me reasons why I should believe in this ball club because I've read some things that they've got a shot at going to the Super Bowl.

They're the kind of team that if they get to the playoffs, they have a chance to get to the Super Bowl because Joe Burrow morphs into a higher level of superhero when he gets into the single elimination setting. We've seen it the two times in his career, and it's amazing. It's only happened twice that he's had an opportunity to get to the postseason. And in 2021, they went all over to the Super Bowl and almost won it. And in 2022, they were back in Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium. And they had the dragon slayed again.

And it felt like they were going to win the game. And then things just went the other way. Chris Jones made a big play. There was a penalty on linebacker Joseph, a sigh on the sideline. Next thing you know, the chiefs are in field goal range. And that was that for the Bengals. But they haven't been to the playoffs for three straight years. They got to get there this year.

Or you're going to see a new head coach in Cincinnati. It's unavoidable. Four straight years with Joe Burrow or Jamar Chase. and you don't get to the playoffs once, that's unforgivable. A lot of it comes down to Will Burroughs stay healthy all year. He's had significant injuries in recent years. And secondly, what kind of a difference will Dexter Lawrence make defensively? How much better will the defense be?

But when you consider the fact that the other three teams in the division all have new head coaches, Zach Taylor, by default, is the dean of the AFC North coaches, that's just another reason to expect, not hope, but expect they get to the playoffs. And if they get there, they can make a lot of noise. And if they don't, there's going to be a lot of changes in Cincinnati. And frankly, if they don't make it this year, next year could be the moment that Joe Burrow makes it clear that he wants to go somewhere else. Just like Carlson Palmer did after he had eight NFL seasons, he was ready to leave.

I could see Burrow, if they fail again to get to the postseason, coming to the conclusion that he's never going to get to where he wants to go if he stays in Cincinnati. I feel all of that. And I would like to give Chuck some credit for an incredible segue just now. But guys, I wonder how much of this also had to do with their assistance. Like, there's a lot of people who think that firing Lou Aniruma was not the right move. Well, no, he ended up becoming the scapegoat. And we see that from time to time.

When a team doesn't achieve, we got to do something. We got to change something. And the Bengals are one of the teams. The Bengals and the Cowboys are the two that fall into this category. They will not fire a coach who has years left on his contract that are guaranteed. When Marvin Lewis was fired by the Bengals, I was stunned because they had a year left on his contract. Then it came out. Oh, that year was at the team's option. So it didn't cost them anything. Jerry Jones kept Mike McCarthy at a time when we thought he was going to be fired.

Why did he keep him? He had one more year guaranteed under his contract. So in lieu of firing Zach Taylor and owing him multiple years of a buyout, they moved on from somebody cheaper, somebody who may not have even had a buyout just to shake things up. But you're right, it didn't make the defense any better. And this year, there's just more pressure on every one, starting at the top and working its way down to every player on the team. By the way, just a little trivia. Joe Burroughs' father was an assistant coach at Ohio U. So there you go.

Unbelievable. Six degrees of Mike Floreo. Hey, Mike, who is the, if you were shopping for a head coach, let's say there's an expansion team, and they say, Mike, you're a general manager. Pick a guy, we want to lead our team. what one coach, not currently a head coach, what one coach either in college or an assistant right now in the NFL, would you pick up the phone and say, I need you?

Mike Tomlin, but I don't think Tomlin's coming back anytime soon. I think what Tomlin did with the Steelers over the years won't be fully appreciated until they go 6 and 11 or 5 and 12 or whatever they may be this year. And I'm not predicting that's what they're going to do. But I think that the Steelers fans, and there's about 30% of them. Anytime the Steelers would lose two or three games in a row during Tomlin's tenure,

they would get out the torches and pitchforks and they'd want to fire Tomlin. I think Tomlin has covered up a lot of flaws in that organization from a talent standpoint, and he finds a way to will the combination of the players into something more than what they would individually suggest. And I think we're going to find that out this year. All due respect to Mike McCarthy, who took the Packers to the Super Bowl and coached, the Cowboys. I mean, what a resume. Three bedrock franchises, Packers, Cowboys, and Steelers. But I think there's a chance we're going to find out this year what Mike Tomlin meant to that team for the 19 years he was the head coach. We're talking to Mike Florio, creator and editor-in-chief

of pro football talk on Rahimi Harrison Grotie, Chuck Swarsky filling in today. And Mike, I feel like there's just been some incredibly upsetting news in the NFL just regarding individuals lately. You know, we get the terrible news about the ALS diagnosed for Chris Johnson, and that's awful. And then there was the news that broke yesterday regarding Callais Campbell and just an unspeakable tragedy in his family. You know, what do you make of just some really upsetting stuff for some people? It's a crazy time, and a lot of things are happening that are unrelated to football, which is keeping the slow time from slowing down. You've got the Terry on Arnold criminal case. A former Titan Scout named Blaze Taylor was on trial for seven days, allegedly poisoned his pregnant girlfriend by lacing her pink lemonade with a lethal amount of cocaine.

He was convicted of killing his girlfriend and the unborn child yesterday in Tennessee. There is a Mark Sanchez trial coming up on July the 13th. That hasn't been continued yet. there's just all sorts of stuff going on. And right, Chris Johnson's diagnosis, Callais Campbell's personal tragedy, there's just a lot of things that are just kind of heavy and sad

and they're all clustering together at the same time. Yeah, in the Callais Campbell situation, if you guys aren't familiar, because it broke like later during our show yesterday, the report saying that his mother was found dead and his brother has been charged with murder in that case. Just incredible. I just feel terrible for him.

You know, the Cardinals came out with a statement of support. That was very kind to see. But just how anybody is supposed to get it together or even try to within a matter of weeks. I just feel awful for him. Yeah, training camp opens, and he said it's going to be his last year, and it's going to be a very heavy burden for him. And he's one of the true great guys in the NFL, a Walter Patent Man of the Year award winner, and just he's been doing it forever.

And it's one thing to play into your 40s, as a quarterback or a kicker, he's in the middle of the fray constantly, banging around his body constantly, and he's still going strong. You know, Michael Strayhan on Good Morning America has taken a lot of heat of the last 24, 48 hours on the profile of Chris Johnson because he failed to, you know, delve into the fact that did CTE or did football create a situation where ALS now has come and, the forefront of this story, a very sad story it is. And we saw ALS front and center here in Chicago with Steve McMichael.

Yes. And it is an insidious disease. But I'm wondering, do you feel that was the time and place to go there? Or would you have said, you know what, we need to address it? I think it needed to be addressed either during the interview or if they felt that there was some sensitivity and they respected Chris Johnson's wishes. And we know how some of these interviews go. Ground rules are set ahead of time. But even if there had been a conversation with Chris Johnson and his wife

that they didn't want to point to football at this time, when the interview ends and you come back to the studio and you have the conversation with George Stephanopoulos and Robin Roberts, that's the time to mention it. Because it goes without saying that there's a connection between ALS and football. I'll give you two reasons. One, the concussion settlement, that was reached initially 13 years ago

and eventually the NFL agreed to an unlimited fund that would be paid to players, no questions asked, anybody who played and retired before July 7 of 2014, if you had a qualifying condition, you got payment. And one of a handful of conditions was ALS. So how can we not say there's a connection between ALS and football? If that's a condition that gets you an automatic payment

from this fund, of course there is. And then there was a study done more recently that looked at 19,000 plus players who spent at least one year in the NFL and the incidents of ALS, among them was four times higher than the average population. So I think that it's important to point it out because when players say we know what we signed up for, it's one thing to know that you may get a broken bone or suffer a concussion or tear a ligament or lose a spleen like Chris Sims did. You have a very, very small risk of paralysis.

but to understand the long-term risks, ALS, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, dementia, I don't know that we keep that at the forefront as we get more and more waves of kids who play and play well and work their way up the ladder to the NFL. I think everybody needs to know it, and we just assume everybody does. I think people need to be reminded because every year there's a new crop of football players who are taking up the sport. Well said, so, having said that, the NFL, and we see it like 24-7 during the course of a game with their promos,

flag football is becoming more and more relevant in our sports society. Girls are playing, kids are playing, adults are playing. There's a lot of money invested. Do you foresee this as the NFL is saying, you know, we see something coming and we need to make sure that flag football is in our mind? mindset. I mean, how do you look at flag football and where this is going? I think the motivation for the expansion of flag football is more about the globalization of the sport. It's so much easier to get people in other countries to play organized flag football when all

you need is a ball and the flags. You don't need 11 on 11. You don't need all the pads. You don't need organize training and education on techniques. It's a safer version of the game. And there's a belief in the commissioner said this recently, especially as it relates to girls. If they play, they're more likely to become fans of the NFL. So I think it's about growth, but it would be foolish not to regard it as the ultimate break glass in event of emergency option for the NFL. If we ever get to the point, and who knows how society is going to change and evolve over the next 50 years, 100 years, 200 years, who knows? But if we ever get to the point where it's decided that football is just unsafe and it's not going to continue in the tackle with helmets and pads form, boom, you just pivot to flag football.

So I don't know that that's part of the plan, but it's there and it's going to be useful if we ever do. And I think one key will be the ability to diagnose CTE in living patients. Yes. If you have guys who are in the NFL and they're able to get a test to tell. them if they have CTE and what level they have and they have a choice to make then as to whether or not they're going to keep playing. If we ever get to that point, that could be the thing that starts the dominoes falling. And hey, they'll just play flag football instead. Mike Florio, thanks for changing your shift yet again for us. And thanks for hanging with us on a

very expansive conversation today. Great talking to y'all. I appreciate everything. Everybody have a safe force. Stay away from the fireworks. Light fuse and get away. Amen. It's not worth losing a finger. Jason Pierre Paul. Don't never forget. No to fireworks and yes to PBJs. Yes. That's right.

I am for this message. That is Mike Floreo of Pro Football Talk. Coming up next, it is halftime. And why do I get the feeling that my guest host today, Chuck Swirsky, is going to be very offended by activities that happened in New York yesterday? Activity in New York that happened yesterday. That will offend your sensibilities. Let's go over it next.

Okay. What time is it? It is halftime here on Rahimi Harrison Grotia on 1043, the score. We thank you for joining us on this Thursday ahead of a July 4th weekend, number 250 to the United States. And we had Dustin Rose from the morning show, filling for the first hour talking a lot of baseball, Dansby Swanson's tear that he has been on at the plate that comes scoring 23 runs. And then the Guardian series coming up with the socks. And then Chuck Swirsky, kind enough to join us, broke down some of the Bulls moves that they made recently, Norm Powell, Nick Claxton, re-signing Zach Collins.

And we just talked to Mike Floreo. It's laptop. Okay, so Chuck, I said this was going to offend you. Yes. How do you feel about ballpark proposals? You know what? I'm ambivalent about them. Okay.

I, too, am kind of the same way. They don't really bother me. Like, love is not common. so whatever, like live your lives. It's usually during a break between action, so it doesn't really bother me. But I know a lot of people are offended by the ballpark proposal. What about a proposal that involves climbing up the Empire State Building?

Yeah, I struggle with that yesterday. All right, well, let's listen to what happened in New York, courtesy of ABC. Oh, dear God, Kira. This guy is getting down on a knee, perhaps proposing to this individual. Oh, my gosh. It appears now that one of these protesters has, paused at the platform there beneath the full height of a spire either to position something or to move something, whether there's going to be an additional unfurling or not. We don't

know the intention of these people. But if these people can get up to where they are, that raises a host of security questions. And they've seemingly done it, Kira. Without any carabiner or belay ropes, this, oh, dear God, this guy is getting down on a knee, perhaps proposing to this individual? Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. Aaron, I think that's exactly what could be happening. I wish WABC would just move a little bit more around so we could see what he's doing down on his knee.

That's right. Get out of the way, cameras. This is crazy. If it's a proposal, it's an elaborate one, and I hope she said yes. But it is... Aaron, I hope this is not Taylor. I hope this is not Taylor and Travis. But then again, he already proposed.

Never mind. I mean, see, okay, here's the thing. Yes. To climb the Empire State Building. And as he said, without your typical equipment. Now, the headline from Reuters, Chuck says, that they are Russian daredevils. I'd say so if you didn't qualify before.

So they climb up the Empire State Building, and I'm saying that as if it's something casual that one is to do that day. And then they unfurled a banner that requested world peace. Yes. Love conquers all. I think.

I think if you were just stuck with the world peace and the illegal climb, there are a lot more people would have been on board with your cause. But then you go and make it about yourself with the proposal. Yes. And that's where you lost me.

Well, number one, like, do you have phobia? Like, I'm afraid of heights. I'll be honest. I've had times where I was afraid of heights and I'm not anymore and I can't tell you why. Well, having grown up in Seattle, we have the Seattle Space Needle. Oh, yes. And the first time it was just a little boy and my parents took my sisters, myself, up the space needle, 500 plus feet, right?

And my dad picked me up and I was so out of my mind. I was scared. I'm holding on. And like, you know, some people like heights. Some people don't. I don't know how they did that yesterday. Your colleague, Ozzy Gian, is not a fan of heights. Really? Yeah, no.

One time my friends were in town from Philly, and we all went to the observation deck over at the Sears Tower. And we took a picture, and Ozzy's like, you could not catch me at that glass observation deck. Or it's like a plexiglass where you could just see straight down. So yeah, I'm into it. Well, they call it the lift, right? At the Hancock or something?

Yeah, I think I just have to trust engineering at that point. It's kind of like flying. Like, you just have to trust that it happens and you can't have the answers to everything. You know what I mean? You hope you have the answer to that. Well, I just know millions of people do it every day. I mean, Hancock is, what, 98, 99 floors? Yeah, millions of people do it every day.

Yes, they do. Everybody hangs out on the upper floors of these high rises. You have to have confidence that the people, the engineers, make sure that they use the WD40 to... That's it. You just, it's confidence in delegation for me at this point, rather than accepting that I am suspended in air. Right, exactly. I mean, even where we are, even up just nine floors, that's kind of amazing, isn't it? See, I'm in high-rise.

I've lived in a lot of high-rises. Yeah. So now I'm accustomed to it, but it's the first time when you look outside and then you say, Oh, boy. Okay. I'm going back to the desk. But I thought it was weird. How did they get down, by the way? Did they have a crane that took them down? That's an excellent question. We never, I did not look into this. Also, I'm getting some conflicting reports here on our text line. 2-24 says, sheesh, no love for love, huh? I mean, yeah, I'm fine with people being in love. Like I just said, I like ballpark proposals. But like, here you are asking for World Peace Committee and crime and then you're going to be like, oh, let me propose. No. You get what? or the other. You do not get Pope, okay? But they were arrested, right? They had three charges against them. They were arrested. And then 630 says, he said we need love, not war. Then he expressed his

own love for his woman. Okay, fair. But this isn't a, this isn't a movie. This is real life. Okay. So, so just making it, I guarantee you, making it about yourself with the proposal is not going to go over as well in a trial situation, although they'll probably settle because it's all kind of out there on camera. Well, the reporter... Now, we're not done yet, Tyler. But the reporter, the reporter did have a good point when he was doing play-by-play. And by the way, he was very effective with that play-by-play.

But there is a security element to this. Because if two people, Russian daredevils, or whoever they are, were able to get on top... And members of Russian daredevils. Yeah. Yeah, they'll go to a store and get those printed up. Hey, we got a golf shirt. Russian daredevils. in jail.

In jail. But there is a security issue because if two people just went up the Empire State Building, what's that to say about their security period as a whole? Yeah, that's an infinitely good point. I mean, if you worked in that building today, wouldn't you say? Like, what are you guys doing? Yes. Who's just walking in here and you guys don't even make sure of something like this?

No, you're exactly right. But then again, they probably were on the lookout for climbing equipment that they clearly didn't have. That is the voice of Chuck Swirsk, I'm Laila Rahimi, joining you today before this July 4th holiday weekend. Let's do five on it. Five questions for Chuck. Ooh, next. Yeah. It's time for five. Oh, right. Harrison Rooney. Bring you five topics on their minds today. On 104-3 the score. Number one.

What was hotter Thursday at Wrigley Field? The temperature or the Cubs bats? I mean. I did not see that coming. I did not see the 23 run outburst coming. I mean, I thought it might be a 9 to 7 special again. And I mentioned this, Ray Diaz, Tyler Ferengal, Chuck Swirsky. I mentioned that there were two fans in front of us in our booth at Gallagher Way yesterday. And one of the guys goes, what do you think the score is going to be?

And he's with a buddy of his. And I said, I don't know, probably another 9 to 7 game. And then the buddy goes, I don't know, man. What about 15 to 3? And then he goes, the other guy goes, yeah, 15 to 3. And I was like, I didn't say that. Well, I should have taken credit because he was way closer to the correct score than I was. The temperature was hot.

And I don't recommend for those of you who don't like the hot weather, you don't like the heat. Just stay inside. This isn't even a challenge. It's just the right thing to do. But 23 runs. Do you think the Padres went out the night before? I don't know. I'm just saying.

A day game after a night game? You lose two games. One, in the Ivy. and then the next day you give up 23 runs. If I'm the new owner to the Padres, I'm calling a team meeting. Where were you last night? That was ridiculous. And you know, the normally solid Walker Bueller gave up nine earned runs over four innings.

I mean, and that's how you knew that the wheels were off. But here's the funny part, Chuck is... No, the wheels were off at about three in the morning when they went back to their hotel. An allegation by Chuck Swarsky. I mean, come on. You can't give up 23. You just lost two tough games. Yeah.

And you come back, you've got to be kidding me. 23 runs. That is an embarrassment. It offended your baseball sensibilities. It did. And then the third home run hit by Swanson, I get it. You know, it's Major League Baseball and all that stuff. That was a lollipop.

Well, that was a position player pitching. It was like wiffleball. There should be an asterisk. Do you know what Dustin Rhodes in our first hour said the same thing? And what's funny is I don't know that Dan's be. Swanza would disagree. Like he understands. But when he was circling the bases you saw,

and I love Swanson. I think he's, you know, I've never met the guy. I don't know him. Right. But I've heard the interviews and I've seen him. I think he's a class act. But he was circling the basis. When he got around the third,

he put like the Michael Jordan two hands up in the air. Shruggy. Shrugging, you know, against Portland with MJ, with, you know, beating Cliff Robinson with the three ball, right in the grill, and then Cliff Robinson's, looking at the heaven saying, come on. Well, Danesby Swanson did the shrug.

I mean, because what are you going to do? Your job is to hit. It's not your fault that there's a position player out there. And it's kind of the fault of the team, if you will, for being so good that a position player is out there. That's like the guys across from us in the studio. And when they have a bad day at the office, and it happens to all of us.

But when they hit the wrong button, they give the shrug. Hey, it happens. It does happen. It does. See, they're shrugging respectfully right now, Tyler and Ray. I think we should do a segment called The Shrug. The Shruggy.

Like who gets the shrug today? So who gets the shrug then? You think Dan Zbyswans and gives it or do you think the Padres receive it? Oh, the Padres. Okay then. Yeah, that was brutal. And how about the fact that the Cubs scored 23 runs and then, oh, last week, don't forget, the White Sox had 22. Yes, they did.

Now, for those of you, Seamheads out. there. There is a question that is being asked by Levi Weaver and Andy McCullough of the athletic and I think they do tremendous work asking if Major League Baseball is changing the balls again. And those two games would give you an indication that that might be the case. Because you know they're in charge of that. They're in charge of ball production. So they're able to do that with Rawlings and that is that is at their discretion if they so choose. So what was Major League Baseball's response? Well, this is just a, they've never actually, they only respond about the process.

They never give an indication as to whether or not the ball changes. And then all these other people will collect samples where they can. Meredith Wills is a astrophysicist who will collect balls to see what the difference is in the makeup of the ball. Oh yeah.

Yeah, that's definitely where I'm in sports talk radio. Terrifying the astrophysicist. I have a cousin who's a physicist. What do you do for a living? I saw baseballs. Yeah, exactly. But so they measure them. But yeah, it's just right now

they're doing this based on data and runs per game. But the 23 and the 22 might indicate that the ball has changed. Yeah. I mean, you're happy about it because it's us, but you know. Yeah. Listen, the weather is changing around the country, around the globe for that matter. True. And when it gets hot, balls fly out of the ballpark. Yes.

23 runs. Come on. So here's another nugget since we're here, Chuck. You're talking Denver? No. We can. But yeah. Yes. Who did we see Bagley resigned? No. So how about this? In the humid.

the ball is more likely to travel far. The humidity will aim to run. So there you go. There you go. We solved nothing. Absolutely nothing. Number two. Cubs shortstop, Dansby Swanson had his first career three homer game on Wednesday,

which included a grand slam. This capped off a 10-game span in which Swanson has hit a total of eight homers and 26 RBI. Here's a multiple choice question for you, Leila and Chuck. Do you believe Dansby Swanson? Danesby Swanson's offense is A, sustainable, B, a flash in the pan, or C, somewhere in the middle. I think it

is somewhere in the middle. Yeah. Now, Dansby has not had the best average in the years that he has been the Cubs shortstop, but I do think that he wants to make adjustments, and it sure sounds like there's been some real intent, Chuck, when it comes to him

trying to be his best self offensively. And I think that looks a little more like the numbers he had in Atlanta before he left for Chicago. So while I don't think it is necessarily sustainable because you don't expect Danes Bonson to hit for power, that was never part of the expectation. I do think that we are starting to see a guy

putting good swings on the bat, being more consistent. And then, yeah, when you do that, a home run will come to you. And I feel like that's what we're seeing. The RBIs are as good a vacation as any, though, as to the success he's had over the past few weeks. Well, to quote, Bill Parcell's different sport. Bill Parcells, you are who you are. And sooner or later, those numbers are going to reflect what Swanson is done throughout his career.

So I would agree with you. I think somewhere in the middle. If not, put him in the hall. Put him in the Hall of Fame. I mean, he is on his terror. We got a Chuck call for baseball for Hall of Fame? Unbelievable. I did not see that coming.

I wonder if Danesby Swanson is a hawk stand. Oh, yeah, that's a good question because he's an Atlanta guy. Yes. Yeah, I guess we should ask him. The Hawks have had an interesting run recently. I like actually what they're doing. But anyway, we digress. No, that's kind of the idea. It's a talk show.

We got time. We got time to digress. Yeah. So, you know, that would be the first question. You come in, like three home runs. Danesvue, Chuck Swirsky with the score. Are you a Hawks fan? See, this is why we need more crossovers. because none of us have asked Danesby Swanson and he's a Hawks fan.

Hawks, what? You know, the Atlanta Hawks. Oh, yeah. I just hit three home runs. Have we even asked him about the Falcons? Like, we've never, have we as a collective ever asked Danesby Swanson about, you know, the other sport of focus in the South,

a.k.a. football. Who is your favorite all-time Atlanta Falcon? Oh, is it Andre Arisen? Is it Julio Jones? Bad Moon Arison. Yep. Why am I only naming receivers? I feel like I'm missing a running back in there somewhere.

I have a running back. Dirty Bird. Junior coffee. Dang. Yes. And when he would make a first down, a little cream in the coffee. I love that. Is that the call that you would use?

No, junior coffee was with the expansion ball club way back in the day. But they had a linebacker about the name of Tommy Nobus. Yeah. It was a great player at Texas. Texas Longhorn, yep. Yeah. Yeah, that's a good call as well. You know, we try to.

Jamal Anderson probably is up there. You know, dirty bird. But yeah, it might be Hunter Rising for me. Is that crazy? How about Dion Sanders? Dion. I think of him as a cowboy, though, because of me being from Dallas. There you go.

Yeah, Julio Jones is up there. Yes, excellent player. Yeah, yeah. And he was a beast at Alabama. He was. Falcons talk on the score. Five on it. Number three.

This is five out and out of 104. Three, the score with Laylorheamy and Bulls Radio Network Play-by-Play announcer, Chuck Swirsky, onions, baby, onions. Here's question number three. Who is your pick-to-click for the White Sox series against the Guardians?

I've taken the first two questions first. Chuck, I would like you to go. Well, yeah, but... Who's your individual? I was on your show. Who's your pick-to-click? Who's going to lead the way in order for the socks to get a series win?

Yeah, if you had to pick one guy in the way, the lineup that you think is going to do well? Who's it going to be? I'm talking Vargas. I like Vargas. Solid choice. Usually one of mine, frankly. You know what? I think this is, there are a lot of feel-good stories in sports. To me, in baseball this year, again, we have a lot to be played. But I think the White Sox are the story in baseball, period. They got, what, the third best record in the American League? With all due respect to Tampa Bay. They're right now first in the AL Central. So there's that. So do you have the standings in front of you?

Let me get them right now. MLV.com slash savings. I think they've got the third best record in the American League. The problem is the American League is just not good. I get it. But somebody has to win. Amen. So I would have said the Yankees, but I forgot they had a bit of a slide.

Yeah, they're in a slide. They're seven in a row. So yeah, right now the Braves are 50 and 33. Yankees are 48 and 38. Rangers are 44 and 43, which is basically the entire record of the AL West. like Seattle's 44, 43, Astros are 43 and 46, the A's are 41 and 46. And then your Chicago White Sox. I'm not going to try, sometimes I try to do the Gene Honda, but Gene is irreplicable.

Yes, he is. The socks are 45 and 40. So yeah, that would indicate the third best record. I mean, really think about where this club has been and where they're going. I mean, they've got a really good farm system. They got the number one picking the draft with the kid, Chowalsky, from you, They might pick Rock Chilowski. I feel like there's been some discussion as to whether or not they want to.

But that's kind of the idea of the 1-1, right? It depends because they got the shortstop that's going to go number two in the draft, the high school kid. And then they got the catcher from Georgia Tech. Those are the top three players. They're going one, two, three, or three, one-two, whatever you want to say it. It's kind of reminiscent of the 2019 draft in that way to me. You know, like Adley Rushman and Bobby Whit Jr.

Yep. Yeah. Now who would you rather have right now? Bobby Wood Jr. Thank you. Yeah. So that's why I think there is some discussion there, you know. That's why I don't think it's a, it's not necessarily a lock for rock.

But I did a show just before that draft, and they asked me, who would I take? And I love Oregon State players. Yeah, great program. Great program in Corvallis, Oregon. But I love Witt. And you know what? They signed him to a really good contract for KZ. I mean, yeah, the fact that they gave him that contract was really notable.

And then, you know, he's, he's played into the contract and more. Yeah, absolutely. Okay, so there you go. The White Sox are going to beat the Guardians. Chuck is picking the White Sox as his pick to click, but specifically Miguel Vargas. So I have to now pick a pick to click. And in the spirit of the midday show, somebody's got to take Sam Antanachi. And that girl is me.

There you go. So I will take Sam Antinachi as my pick to click because Chuck Swirsky took Vargas. You know Alyssa Bergamini very well, right? Yeah. She's a part of our Bulls broadcast. Her dad has even called it to our show. Really? Yeah, Jim.

See, Alyssa lives and dies because she works for the entertainment package in games. She's the arena host. She is. In this case, the ballpark goes. She lives and dies, along with her mother, by the way. Rhonda. They love the White Sox. They do.

Now, my mom actually taught a former White Sox player. Which one? And there's a little history to this. His name is Bruce Howard. Bruce Howard pitched for the White Sox in the 60s. He was, here's the story, and it's true. So it came down to an intra-squad game in spring training. They had to take one pitcher, Bruce Howard or Denny McLean.

And Bruce Howard got the call from the White Sox and said, you're staying with us. Denny McLean, who won 30 games last 30-game winner in baseball, was released and he signs with Detroit. Incredible. And my mom taught Bruce Howard in high school. Well, shout out to Chuck Swirsky's mom. Mama Swirsky. Lover.

Number four. United States men's national soccer team striker Flo Bowlagan will miss the team's round of 16 match against Belgium after being red-carded in last night's 2-0. against Bosnia and Herzegovina, is this a World Cup injustice? Yes. I don't know a person who watches sports who thought that that was the right call on the red card. The fact that it was a possible red card and even being discussed.

When it happened with Messi and did Messi get a red card? No, he did not. No, but I want to state right here. And now he's out for the Belgium game. I want to give that referee the red card. He should never, ever do it again. Man, it's just nobody knows corruption like FIFA. You know?

Yeah. I mean, let's just state the facts. That was ridiculous. That changes the whole World Cup. Did you know that that was Team USA's first win out of the knockout stage in 24 years? Wow. And we can't even get to enjoy this because of the ridiculous red car call. Do you know who agrees with me, by the way, other than everybody?

Caleb Williams. Did you see he posted about it? Because even he thought it wasn't, this is a ridiculous call. It was a bad call enough to put that guy, the referee, in a one-way flight to Siberia. I mean, that's where, you know what? It might be nice this time of year, though, actually, given the heat and everything.

But you know what else? The fact that it was a VAR situation, too, the whole thing just reeks of a poor decision-making. It was very, very bad. Merga. That is... What do we think? I think we can do it, guys.

I believe in us. Yesterday, friend of the show, Brandon Pope, who is the president of the Chicago chapter of the National Association of Black journalists took to X to share the following summertime shy experience. Quote, my Chicago summer nightmare is sitting on a CTA bus in sweltering hot temps with no AC going 25 plus stops. And I just lived it, unquote.

So I ask you, Layla and Chuck, what is your summer nightmare? Okay, first of all, shout out to El Presidente Brandon Pope, who is always a storyteller. And this is an excellent and yet unfortunate example of that being the case. Ray Diaz, not to be outdone, didn't you get on a train where the heat was on yesterday? Coincidentally, my morning commute to Wrigley Field yesterday included getting on the blue line and the train car I got onto had the heat blasting. So I had to remove myself out of that train car, went over to another one and the AC was fine. But that was not the way I wanted to start my morning, Chuck.

That is my summer nightmare, is that scenario right there with the heat on. bus with no 25 stops and no AC is also pretty bad. One of those is probably up there for me. Do you have a summer nightmare, Chuck? Well, my summer nightmare is because I take the red line a lot. Yeah, we're CTA people, Ricky and Swarkey. I take the red line, and it's wall to wall. And it doesn't matter whether it's 8 in the morning or 8 at night.

A lot of people smoke weed, and the whole thing, just the, the aroma in the train car, I mean, it's like too strong, too much. Hey, if you want to, if you want to smoke weed, that's, that's your prerogative. But you know what? Just don't come into a red line and everyone's like gagging. It's bad weed a lot of the times too. It just smells bad. Don't they have gummies for that stuff?

I think that is an option for people. Okay. So, you know, but there's a lot of people out here publicly, confidently smoking some very bad weed. Wouldn't you guys say so? Oh, no doubt about it. Okay, so, I mean, I wouldn't know good wheat from bad wheat, by the smell. Is that how you know? I think the closer to a skunk, I think the more it's bad.

That's how I feel. That's just me. One more quick CTA, PSA. Please remove your backpacks when the train car is crowded and you walk in with your backpack. Take your backpack off, you jerk. Yeah, you just, you hold it and you set it down so that way you take up less space standing. Common decency, people. And you know what?

I was on the red line two days ago, and a guy was hit, on a young lady. They had never met. On the train? On the train? And I'm listening. Game. And I mean, I can't, I mean, I'm watching this. I'm saying, hey, you know, like, what are you doing? You're stalking somebody? No. And the other thing is, like, I don't get it. I just don't get it. Why people are on their phones having a private conversation and 30 people

are listening. Yeah, that's inconsiderate. Is it that important? Sometimes, but not always. Not always. I agree. Check. CTA etiquette. Who knew that that would be the topic of the day on Rahimi Harrison Grody? Megan Montemarro, the Cubs beat writer for the Chicago Tribune, who has been covering the offensive outburst that is the Chicago Cubs next. Rahimi Harrison Grody. I'm not a fan of any team. I'm just a fan of being right. Middays 10 to 2 on 1043, the score. Another 3-2 to Taylor from Wicks. Hit on the ground to short. Dan's be a bit. Swanson makes the play. Cubs win the ball game. It's an easy one today. 23 to 3. They finish off a three-game sweep over San Diego. The Cubs have won five in a row. They have won nine of their last

10 and 15 of their last 19. Pat Hughes and Ron Cumer of On the Call, courtesy of the Northwestern Cubs Radio Network, and we go to our hotline for more Cubs talk. That is where we find Megan Montemarro, the Cubs beatwriter for the Chicago Tribune. She has a new Twitter account. She is at Meg Montemoreau, just in case you wanted to know. So happy to have her on our show on this Thursday with Chuck Swirsky. Hi, Megan. How are you?

I'm good. How are you guys? Good. Yeah, that's my first public service announcement. I know you're trying to get more people to your Twitter account. your other one got hacked, right? So it's at Meg Montemarro with two R's. Correct.

Okay, so good to know. Everybody make note of that on the Twitter list. In the meantime, did you think that you would be covering a 23-run Cubs output yesterday? Yeah, I mean, when you look at just what the offense has been doing over the last, you know, seven to 10 days, I mean, obviously the terrible, you know, four to six weeks stretched they had offensively where it just seemed like no one was really hitting. That obviously wasn't going to last forever. And, you know, I think obviously during that those pair of, you know, 10-game winnings

the offense showed what it's capable of doing. And obviously, you know, the conditions against the Padres for all three games were obviously very hitter-friendly. And, you know, you saw the offense show up in a big way. We're talking to Megan Montemarro, Cubs beat writer for the Tribune here on Rahimi Harrison-Grady with Chuck Swirsky. and what did you make of how Dansby Swanson has kind of talked about the offensive output that he's had pretty much since June 17th. I think a lot of people have isolated that Rocky series is when we've started to see a change.

What's his demeanor been like, Megan, when he's talked about this? Yeah, I mean, I think it's really been a mix of, you know, working to address some of the mechanical issues that had been in his delivery, you know, at the start of the season, you know, when he had a couple of good weeks to open the year, you know, a real focal point for him in the offseason and into spring training was, you know, being more athletic in the box. You know, he's such an athletic defender. He has a lot of natural athleticism. And so, you know, the focal point was really like, you know, bring that into the batter's box.

Like try and not get too much into your head about, like, you know, is your elbow at the right angle? Are you perfectly, you know, keeping your shoulder tucked in? Like, you know, he really focused on trying to focus on, you know, what you can control, which is how you set up in the box. And then after that, you know, try and let things take over naturally. And then obviously the other side of it is the mental side. And, you know, he talked about that, you know, even if you've been in the league for years, sometimes you just need, you know, coaches, teammates just to believe in you.

And, like, you know, reiterate, you know, you're a good hit. hitter. Like, you're not, the numbers you're putting up aren't who you are. And so really, I think it was a combination of factors. But obviously, I mean, the slug has been the biggest thing. The number of home runs he's hit, obviously, super impressive. And, you know, obviously, you know, getting that kind of production out of the number nine spot in the order, too, obviously really just changes the dynamic top to bottom.

Hey, Megan, I'm a big fan of yours. I'm just Joe Bag of Donuts here, fill it in. But my name is. My name is Chuck Swirsky. I do the Bulls, but he's coming out of the bullpen today. But I love your work. By the way, you covered the Phillies for a while, right? Correct, yes. Well, you know what? I grew up with Larry Anderson as kids. Oh, okay. And Larry was a major league pitcher, and he pitched close to 20 years in the big leagues.

Yeah. And we grew up together in Bellevue, Washington. And little known fact. So Larry got traded for Jeff Bagwell. Yeah. Larry was with Houston. And I spoke to him the day after the trade. And he goes, I got some good news. I got some bad news. I said, what's the good news?

He goes, well, I'm going to Boston and we got a chance to win. I said, what's the bad news? He goes, these guys are telling me around here that they are the number one prospect in their system, Jeff Bagwell. I said, I've never heard of him. Oh, no. So there you go. Anyway, Megan, a little story there. Love the connection.

Which is true. Yeah. But you're, I'm looking at the division, okay, and Milwaukee is Milwaukee. How they do it every year is amazing. But I'm looking at St. Louis coming to town and the Cardinals. I don't want to say they're a surprise, but, you know, they kind of are. And then you get Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh is doing much better. They're finally at least competitive.

I'm very disappointed with Cincinnati. I don't know what's going. on there, whether it's their ownership or GM, and I feel badly for Terry Francona. But I want to talk about the division. How do you look at it right now with 80-plus games played? Yeah, I mean, I still understand, you know, the brewers are the brewers, and I'm a believer of, you know, if there's a team that's been dominating the division, like they need to be considered the favorites until they get dethroned.

And so, you know, I think understandably, you know, Milwaukee is the team to beat in the division. right now. But I just feel like it's just too early to really, I didn't count out the Cubs from the division. I understand that Milwaukee has looked really good. I think the biggest question for the Cubs in trying to chip away at that division lead is can they stay close enough and get some of their pitchers healthy? Because, I mean, I think that's the biggest thing. The offense has shown what it can do when it's locked in. It can be one of the best offenses in baseball. They showed that last year, too. If they get a little bit more consistency in terms of not, you know, such insane peaks and valleys collectively, you know, they're going to be one of the toughest lineups in the majors.

And so I think the biggest thing is, you know, you still have a couple more series against Milwaukee left on the schedule. Obviously, you have to take care of business against the rest of the division, you know, getting a look at St. Louis again this weekend. But I don't think, you know, being five and a half games out, I just, I think it's, it's, it's, too soon. You know, they're four back in the win column. So, you know, for the Cubs, they have to get their pitching healthy, especially the rotation. There's too much talent on the aisle right now to make it, you know, another three months of the schedule. And so to me, that's really the key for them to run down Milwaukee. Okay, just one question, completely unrelated. But if you could be

as transparent as possible, Kyle Schwerver, to me, I mean, I'm thinking this guy has legitimate shot at the Hall of Fame. Is that too far-fetched, or are you buying that? I mean, it's hard to say. I mean, as a Hall of Fame voter, I honestly don't know how I would feel on his candidacy. I would need to see, you know, what does the last few years of his career look like? You know, is he able to have pretty steady production, you know, until he retires? I think that's a big question.

I know there's the career milestones, you know, So 500 career homers and all that, you know, I would need to see what other numbers look like. You know, I obviously know his bat average isn't great, but that's also not what his strength is. And so I think it's too soon. I think it'll be a very interesting test case if he does get to 500 homers, which obviously he's trending towards. So, yeah, it'll be a really fascinating case. And I mean, obviously, if the Phillies find a way to win a World Series too while he's there, you know, I think you can't overlook that if he's one of the best players on a World Series team.

So it'll be interesting to see what his full body of work looks like at the end of his career. Yeah, I mean, Megan Lila, I mean, he's had seasons of 30, 38, 32, 46, 47, 38, 56. He's already at 30. Yeah, I mean, I do think it helps that, like, you know, I don't think maybe 20 years ago, a DH only type player, I think obviously would have a much more difficult chance of getting into the Hall of Fame. But I think youth have evolved on that, especially now that there's the DH in both leagues. So, yeah, I mean, obviously those power numbers are super impressive. No, I think that that's, it's been a discussion.

And you know this, Megan, I feel like it's percolated over the past couple of weeks is based on the power numbers he's put up. It's something that will obviously keep tracking. But the playoffs may matter and their playoff success, the World Series. if that happens may matter more than anything, especially when you consider the Dodgers. I also want to get back to what we talked about with the pitching. So the probabilities right now, as it stands for this Cardinal series, it's David Peterson, who was great in his first outing with the Cubs gave up only two earned runs over five and two thirds against Milwaukee. Then you've got Shodi and Mnaga, who kept it in the park well in his last outing. And then you've got Javier Assad,

who we saw in relief, give up four earned runs. I don't know if that holds on Sunday, but that's it at least right now. You know, what are you? you make of Peterson's next outing? What are you looking for? And then do you end up, do you think we'll see Assad end up pitching that outing on Sunday? Yeah, I mean, in terms of Peterson, I mean, given the fact, you know, he basically had been around the team for like a maximum of 48 hours before he debuted in Milwaukee. I mean, I thought, you know, he was really, really impressive in exactly what they need. I know, obviously, you know, he gave up that, that home run to begin the game. But, um,

You know, they need a guy who can keep the ball on the ground. He has a track record of that. You know, he showed in that outing. He's capable of continuing to do that. Obviously, the defense played well behind them. So he really should get a boost in that regard. And I think it'll help to, you know, talking to Carson Kelly after Peterson's Cub's debut.

And, you know, he basically was like, yeah, I didn't have a chance to catch a bullpen. So I didn't really have an idea of maybe how his pitches move in person and fully discuss. you know, diving deep into his repertoire. And so they really focused on his strengths. And, you know, in a situation like that, it's basically being like, what's your go-to, like, put-away pitch or when you need a strike? And what's the pitch that gets your delivery back on track if you're feeling out of whack?

And so it was really a crash course, and he did well against Milwaukee. And so, yeah, I think it'll be really interesting to see, you know, what he looks like in his second start. But I think the early returns were really valuable. And then in terms of Assad, I mean, you, you know, Yeah, I would expect him to start Sunday, how many innings that looks like, you know, unclear. But he got enough pitches in release the other night. I think he was around like 55 that he, you know, should be able to go a couple of innings.

And the off days obviously help them move things around as needed. Megan Montemarrow, thanks, as always for taking the time and have a wonderful holiday weekend. Sounds good. Have a great holiday weekend to you guys as well. Thank you. That's Megan Montemoreau. writer for the Chicago Tribune. She has a new Twitter account, Meg Montemarrow. You can follow her there. Friendly reminder, we will be out tomorrow. We won't be doing the show, but I will be at many different places. Join me as I lead Budweiser Celebration Road Show to commemorate America's pastime and

250th birthday with your chance to win tickets to see the Cubs and Cardinals Saturday night at Wrigley Field. It is five locations, Chuck. You ask me how many? Yes. Five. So here's the timeline. A chance to win tickets, by the way, at each stop along the way. Billy Go Tavern at Navy Pier at 5, then Crossroads Bar and Grill on West Madison, that's by Chuck's office at 540. That's going to be the challenge. Can we get to Navy, from Navy Pier to almost the United Center?

And who's driving again? Mitch Rosen. Mitch Rosen, the czar? Yeah, Mitch is in on this. Then, so after Crossroads, then we go to the rabbit hole on North Wales at 620. So a little bit north and split the difference. The Reveler on North Damon at 7.

and then gaslight on North Clark at 740. Wow. I hear the Blues Brothers review, like in the back of my head while reading this. Come out to drink fresh Budweiser, register for your chance to win a pair of tickets to see Cubs and Cardinals on Saturday night, courtesy of Budweiser, official beer of the Chicago Cubs.

There was a monumental trade that went down in the league yesterday, the association, Chuck. We should probably discuss it, right? Well, it's the talk of the NBA. That it is, and it's going to shake up the Eastern Conference. Boston Celtics, trading away Jalen Brown. We'll do it next.

Rahimi Harris and Grody. We are the best show in this town to have the coach and or quarterback sit right here. Because we're here for a good time. We are here for a good time. We're fun. We're funny. We're serious sometimes. Sometimes we cry.

Sometimes we laugh. Like, this is perfect. If you wanted a high chance of a drink spilled all over the studio, we are definitely for people. Middays 10 to 2. Maybe we're the show for you. On 104. The score.

It is the summertime. This is Rahimi-Ares and Grotia 104-3, The Score. Chuck Swirsky is in for Marshall Harris today with me, Leila Rahimi. And, I mean, if we're going to have a basketball guy in, especially on July 2nd, that we have to talk about the massive trade that took place,

not Janus, the Jalen Brown trade, sends him out of Boston, sends him to Philly. And I think this is one of those, Chuck, where I know you said you aren't surprised by this, but I know, I know his name was brought up when it came to the Yannis discussion. I understand that probably meant the Celtics were willing to go ahead and part with him,

but this still seems like such a, an absolute game changer in the Eastern Conference in the NBA. I don't know what Boston and Milwaukee, what they offered in the Yonest deal with Dailan Brown, but once that happened and Milwaukee pivoted to Miami and got a really good package, by the way.

But that was it. Once that happened, Jalen Brown was being shopped. And I don't know. I mean, he's a terrific player, great player. On the cusp, if he puts together another three, four years, you could see Jailen Brown in the Hall of Fame, speaking of the Hall of Fame. Put him in the Hall.

But I'm seriously, there was, everyone in the league knew that he had played his last game in Boston. The question is, where was he going? Now, if somebody told me a week ago, oh, he's going to Philadelphia for Paul George and Picks, I said, what? But as we talked off the air, I'm a big believer in Brad Stevens. I think he was a great coach with Boston, and as an executive, he has made a seamless transition.

He knows talent, he has vision, he has a grasp on players, and something happened along the way that there was a breakdown. And I don't know specifically because I'm not in Boston. Right. But they obviously reached a point where they said, even with three years to go, Leila, usually you want to get rid of a player with a year to go, three years where he's under contract

and you know exactly what you've got with your cap, right? And they dealt him. Now, Paul George is coming off the books in a year and you also have picks. Yeah. So if you're Boston, you're saying, okay, we are going to not necessarily rebuild, but we're going to reload. And draft capital right now with the aprons and with the CBA. Laila, as you mentioned this a couple hours ago, first round picks are very, very precious to an organization.

And now if you're Philadelphia, you're saying to yourself, wow, we just got a great player. can he play with Mbid. I'm not worried about Maxi. Maxi can play with anyone. I love Maxi. Defense is amazing. Yes. No, you're right about Embedd,

and what's funny, Chuck, is you stumbled into some sound that we have to go along with this segment. Back in May, when the Celtics were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Sixers, Jalen Brown was on Twitch and had a big discussion about Joel Embed.

This is my personal opinion on basketball. Some of y'all might disagree. You know what I mean? But argue with your grandma. Flopping has ruined our game. Joel Embed is a great player. One of the best bigs in basketball history. Flops.

He knows it. This ain't breaking news. It's saying, you know what I mean? It is what it is. I can clip it up. Like I said, y'all can post it on these paid accounts that you all these bought, whatever.

That's just my opinion. I think he's going to have to have a, chat with Joe L. Embed at some point. He's not wrong about the flopping. No, he's not. But, and you know what? Players talk and they'll work things out. It'll be interesting to see how this comes together with Embed, Maxie, and Jalen

Brown. Because I think one thing about great players, they want to play with great players. If you can check your ego at the door, they'll open the door for great players to come in. So I think this was a dynamic trade, one of the biggest, again, with the Yonah Steel. If you're the NBA, you've got to love it. People are talking basketball in July, in the second day of July. People are talking basketball. If you go to any website right now on a national level, it's either story one or two.

Not story five, one or two. And Leila, you know the television world as well as the, anybody. If you're ESPN, if you're Peacock, if you're Amazon, if you're a holder of national rights, you don't think you want the first Boston-Filly game. Christmas Day, man. You want that to be the Christmas Day game. First time Janus returns to Milwaukee in a Miami uniform, you want that game. You want the Lakers now, the new-look Lakers. You want LeBron if he goes to Cleveland in the first Cleveland Lakers game? I mean, there are so many storylines already in the NBA. And if you're Adam Silver, you know, because there have been a lot of bad stories,

you know, about the NBA with the gambling situation, the Malik Beasley situation. The three-point barrage that took out a playoff run last year, yeah. And so you've got a lot of stuff, but this is really good for the league to because people are talking back. basketball, and this is a star-driven league. So you think LeBron's going to Cleveland? I think that if Golden State could manage to get Anthony Davis there, I think LeBron would go to Golden State. I don't know in the cap world, and I don't know the assets Golden State has to really make that deal with Washington.

That's why I still believe he's going to Cleveland. Yeah, Draymond opted out, so we know that, but that seems to be understood as possible restructure. Yeah, and he and LeBron are super tight. Very tight. I initially my first blush thought is Golden State, but I know there's been a lot, especially in the last 24 hours, a lot of groundswell for Cleveland, that that seems to have taken the lead. But those are my two is where I assume he'd go. But when you said Cleveland, I had to ask, because you know, you're here and you know the league. Well, thank you. But I've been doing this a long time. Amen. But I think at LeBron at this point, he's chasing another ring. And while I find that kind of like,

well, let's just say I don't like it. I really don't want to go in depth about that because I really think if you're in that position from an ego standpoint where you want to chase a ring, what are we doing here? I mean, like, but it was very apparent the Lakers didn't want them back. They made some wholesale changes, man. They absolutely. I mean, I like Walker Kessler. I love Luca. I like Luca. I love Luca.

Big money for Austin Reeves. So, I mean, if, if, for people to complain about these three players, Walker Kessler could start for the majority of teams in the NBA. True. That's not, you know, I'm not. I am not in agreement. Okay. Austin Reeves, despite his defense, and he does get targeted defensively, but he would be a

starter on most, if not all NBA teams. Would you agree with that? I think that that's fair too. Okay, and we know Luca. Okay. Now, what we didn't see... Should be the leading score in the league next year. Yes, he should be. And he probably will be.

Yeah. And they signed as a free agent, Sandra Mamaski-Lishvili, who played at Seaton Hall, played for Toronto last year. He's a really good role player, very good role player. Colin Sexton, as we know with the Bulls, you know, his sample size with the Bulls, he was playing for a contract, let's be honest. Yeah. And so he wasn't coming back. With the $9 million that the Bulls have, it'll be interesting to see if Anthony Simons comes here.

Or, you know, there are a lot of teams right now, and Simon's very, very patient, and he's seeing the landscape of what's going on elsewhere with teams. and there are a lot of teams right now who need three-point shooters. Want to make this discussion a three-man weave? Sure. Joelle Lorenzi, the NBA writer of the Athletic. joins us next. I'm Rahimi Harrison Grosk with Chuck Swarsky. Norman Powell with the Eurostep and a floater with right hand good from three feet.

Norman Powell in 22 minutes has hurt the Bulls with 13. Powell, unattended, topside three good. Wow. I mean, Bill, this is the second time he's having an open triple. The guy shooting 45% from 3-point range and 48% over the last 10. I know that, boys. Well, he was wide open, Leila. You can't give Norman Powell a good look.

That's the guy named Chuck Swersky on the call. He's here in studio right now and Bill Weddington on the Bulls Radio Network. It's a great way to introduce our, and yes, you are, Joelle Lorenzi, a valued guest of our show. Yes, he is. The Chicago-based C, the Chicago-based beatwriter for the athletic, covering the NBA. He joins us on Twitch. Twitch.tv slash The ScoreChicago. Hey, Joelle.

What's going on, guys? Feeling very valued. Yeah, see, you got backup. That's three hosts now who have told you this on our station. I will keep going. I will keep building numbers for this. No, Joelle is great. I always tell him that.

I love his work. In fact, during the finals, or the Western Conference finals, I saw him at courts. I told him the other day. He had a great seat at midcourt right there. I mean, that speaks for itself, Joelle. Yeah, the world can see the LTV. We are always happy to talk to you. What a day to be able to catch up with you after just a massive day in the NBA.

We discussed the Jalen Browntray. We wanted to get your thoughts. We played highlights of Norm Powell, thanks to Chuck and Bill, that you heard there. So what is on your mind first? What would you like to start discussing? Bulls are just what you've observed? the league so far. Yeah, I think it's the craziest offseason of my lifetime.

I don't know how Chuck feels. I think it's the craziest offseason I've ever witnessed. Certainly the craziest since I've been on the NBA beat. It's just been so explosive. Like even before free agency started and then, you know, I just thought that, you know, free agency couldn't be that crazy because we got some stuff out of the way before then.

And it's exceeded expectations. the sheer the level of surprises the volume of like oh my gosh headlines it's um it's been crazy like Janice is kind of like a backdrop

to this whole thing now I mean obviously that thing's not official yet so maybe that's part of the reason but like Jaylen Brown just got traded for a horrible package man so like this is

this is what we're talking about Kawai is like a like fall into the background The East is like, the East is no longer sneaky, man. Like I'm kind of waiting on LeBron to go to the East, so this thing can really be back. Well, I think he's going to Cleveland, Joel, to be honest with you, unless Washington parts with Davis to Golden State and somehow they'll make it work with LeBron going to the Warriors. But for now, my thought process is that LeBron has said to Cleveland,

and that will bookend his career with the Cavaliers. But, Joelle, you know, you don't, not mentioning not necessarily, necessarily you. We don't know a player unless we're with them day and day out. And I've dealt with Jaylen on a, Jalen on a few times. He's always been great, very professional, very thoughtful, very considerate. And I like him a lot. Something happened in Boston that made Brad Stevens and ownership make this deal. And there's a lot of stuff on the internet about their personality. They had classes. They weren't sold on them. So on and so forth. I want to know why they move Jalen Brown.

Right. Yeah, I mean, upon first seeing the Sean suite, my first thought was this was not, you trade a guy like Jalen Brown who like at any point could be like a top 10ish player, like it's on the table. For Paul George, who we know his best days are behind him, he's maybe a top 30 player, had his moments in the playoffs last year.

But by most accounts, on all facets of worst player than Jaylon Brown. And the picks were not all that great. They did not get their best assets. They did not get a lot of assets. I get that, but this was really not an NBA trade. That's what I'm saying. I said all that to say that my first thought was this was not a basketball trade.

This was, I've read about their ownership, their new ownership that is, and the involvement of private equity. Yes. I know there are priorities And I do think that was a good chunk of it Obviously you get deeper into Jaylen Brown's contract He's paid like much more than a top 10 player He's paid like a top three player

I would agree If you are greedy and you do Sort of prioritize profit And really have no No skin in the game on a basketball front And that's not your priority Then I could see why you do that Also like this is speculation

but I imagine once it becomes public that Jalen Brown's name is like firmly being tossed in trades even if it is for a guy like Yonazantacompo, I imagine it rubs him the wrong way. I mean, I've seen posts on Twitter. I haven't verified this myself, but I don't know. I mean, the videos are in front of us. I don't know why people would doctor this

of Jalen Brown liking comments on Instagram where people are commenting well, he should go to organization where they actually respect him and he's liking those comments on Instagram so I imagine at some point this summer some of these things brought him the wrong way and it was this culmination of all these things where somebody forced Brad Stephen's hand I had to imagine I don't just think he I guarantee a mind as great as Brad Stevens did not make this trade with with the Boston Celtics getting back to tier one in mind like this it feels like his hand was kind of forced yeah I mean that's

That's kind of where I sit with it, Joel. And Chuck and I were talking about this, both on the show and then during the break, is I get why your name would be brought up for Janus. You're talking about some of the biggest names in the league who were brought up for Janus. But then the fact that it stayed there, that's what made it so shocking. And then to see him move it, I agree with you, Paul George being part of the return. And George had that suspension, too, if you guys recall. 25 games.

Yeah. I also think that that may have factored into the return on this in a way where we're, were we as a man are looking at this saying, you know, what was the move here? Yeah. Well, Paul George's market. It's well documented. Paul George's market was poor.

Like, it was not great. And it was, I mean, there was talk out there to Janlon Brown's market was not what it would be for a player of his caliber, mostly because of the contract. But, yeah. Yeah, I mean, mostly because of the contract. And so, like, neither of these players' market was where you would want. want it to be and it's all about leverage. And I think you've, I think, I think, I think you've seen that across this whole free agency

slash offseason period where like people are, people are comparing the, the, that return to the Walker Kessler return because obviously I do think Danny Aege fleece the Lakers. But like, these trades are not one for one, man. All trades are not created equal. Like leverage is different based on decision makers and team settings and cap. And I mean, there's so, so many things involved here. safe to say, like, neither of these guys, markets were what they should have been. I mean, Paul George's was especially poor from what I understand. So, Joel, here's my question. I think

we can all agree. Great signing by the Bulls for Norman Powell, and they have a team option for you or two, so in case things don't work out, the Bulls can pivot and move on. But they've got this mid-level for $9 million. What are you expecting with that? Do you think the Bulls are going to use do you think they could revisit Anthony Simons or where do you see that going? Yeah, it's interesting. We'll see right.

I do think Anthony Simons is a very it's not unlikely. I do know there are other suitors like I believe Dallas is one. Clearly he can be more useful to teams than I think the Bulls, which is like when I see people drawing certain tariff to the Bulls this off season.

It's like my first thought is, well, how much more useful, like Isaiah Joe, how much more would Isaiah Joe serve Detroit than he would, the Bulls? That's where my mind goes. And so I think Anthony Simons could better serve. And it's just not like he's on contract like Isaiah Joe. He's a free agent. So while I do think it's not unlikely, I don't know. I mean, there's also the possibility.

I don't know if people are talking about this, like leaving the spot open. for flexibility. Like every time I was around in Thunder, the Thunder always did that because they would leave themselves some room to sort of do something at the deadline if that was what they wanted to do,

if they wanted to help facilitate something. Like, there's always that possibility. But yeah, I think this could go a bunch of different ways. We're talking to Joel Lorenzi of the Athletic covering the NBA. He's based here in Chicago. On Rahimi Harrison Brody, Chuck Swirsky, fill it in for Marshall.

You can see, Joel on Twitch, twitch.tv.tv.tv.com slash the score Chicago. And Joelle, what do you think of just the whole way the Bulls got put together that we've seen? Claxton, then you see the resigning of Zach Collins. Norm Powell gets out at which addresses the shooting conversation that a lot of us wanted to have. What are your impressions of this whole picture now that we get to see of this team? Yeah. And totality, I think the offseason has been fine. It didn't blow me away, but it did not hamage the bulls either.

I think they have a lot of flexibility and optionality, especially with the three deals you mentioned, the extension of Zach Collins and Norman Powell and obviously Nick Claxton. Like those are guys that potentially, like, if you decide, one, I think they serve two purposes. One, if you decide that, you know, should they be healthy, mostly in the case of Claxton and especially Zach Collins. If they're healthy, if they serve their purpose, can you flip these guys at the deadline or next summer?

Can you give them a short-term look and get value at this? Because I do think the priority for this front office is still future assets. So that's one purpose. But I do also think in the short term, specifically with Claxton and Norman Powell, you get a couple guys, a couple of archetypes of players that should be beneficial as you're trying to develop. develop Caleb Wilson and Dalen Swain and play with a team that also involves Josh Giddy. Like Norman Powell, like by no means is the shooting like completely addressed. Like this is still, this is a team full of guys who don't have reputations as shooters.

They're still going to play Isaac O'Coro, still going to play Josh Giddy. They're still going to play Trey Jones. I would have seen what a Senge can do, you know? Sure. As far as I know, he's not a shooter either, Chuck. No, he's not. But I want to see him on the floor just so I can evaluate his skill set. Yeah, fair enough.

And so I do think Norman Powell, while the shooting is not completely addressed, he is this volume of shooter, this historically efficient shooter, both on, off the ball. He can attack close-outs. He can create a little bit. He can get you 20 if that is what that night requires. He gives you this versatility as a shooter that frankly, like, if Caleb Wilson is going to play in a post sum or create inside the arc, like he needs that space. And this team needs that space and to sort of grow into the things they need to grow into. And then Nick Claxton, as far as I can tell, like, Zach Collins has only played so much. Even still, Nick Clackson, the idea of him is that he can be a sort of lob threat and vertical spacer, which this Bulls team, this core, has not really had yet.

So it'll be something I think Caleb Wilson and really Josh Giddy can use as they sort of develop. No, I think that's fair. It's trying to kind of put this all together. And Chuck and Joelle, I feel like we're on a three-man weave here trying to envision how this picture gets put together with the Bulls. I do want to ask you, since you are the NBA guy, and there have been so many moves. Like Chuck and I didn't even get to them all, like Kawhi being a part of this, for example, is an afterthought in all of this, like you just said. what else have you noticed that has been notable like Mitch Robinson going to the Celtics to me is also pretty big leaving the Knicks after they just won the title what stands out to you both I'll start with Joelle and then Chuck obviously fill in the gaps

I think I think two things I've been wondering about this I do think it's amazing to see how much really strong executives are really kneeling to the new apron rules like it's like I'm watching Sam you do things he never have to do at a rate i've never seen him do uh to trade i mean look isa joe and erin wiggins they did not feature all that much in their playoff run but those are guys who are like regular season innings either like king value rotational players for them who usually they could just stash and and covet and not be bothered but now they're trading them for scraps and they have no leverage because people know the situation they're in. I'm seeing that across the league. And there's just sort of, there's a sort of different value in picks now as far as I can

tell. Like, it seems kind of hard to just shed contracts and be able to, you know, like, teams, teams can't, as far as I can tell, acquire bad contracts and get good draft conversation out of it. Like, it doesn't seem like teams are doing it. this time around. There are some weird trends kind of being buried by the sheer names that are being dealt here. Well, I'll say this. I've been covering the NBA for five, maybe six decades. It's hard to believe that it's true. And I will say this, I have never seen an offseason. I think

Joelle is right like this. Yeah. I mean, there are superstar trade after superstar. Now, the Raptors ownership has a great relationship with Kwai. You know, he went a championship there in 2019. Yeah. They have a good relationship with their alums like tomorrow too. Yes, they do. So I'm not surprised that Kwai got moved, but I will say this. I think with, and people, and I'm not a capologist, but the aprons have changed the mindset of owners who are going to their GMs and say, this is as much as I can go and you're not going over it. I mean, think about this, Joelle.

The Knicks win the championship. Two days after they win the championship in an interview, James Dolan, the owner of the New York Knickabockers, probably the number one revenue producing franchise in the NBA says,

you know what, not going second apron. And here they just won the title. And I was taking it back. I'm thinking, okay, they're going to go over, they're going to get in the second apron, and yeah, it'll probably tie their hands for a pick. Who cares? They're going to draft like 27, 28. Yeah.

But no Mitchell Robinson. I mean, like, what do you think, Joelle? Yeah, I agree. I mean, Mitchell Robinson is a Boston Celtic. And what world would that happen without these restrictions and owner who can unabashedly say something like that, like James Dolham? it's a it's a strange strange world man and you're seeing stuff like that all around the league it's actually scary and it's why i really i really tread water when i try to critique like like like throw a blanket on my critiques of decision makers because the job is is already hard to

like team build but like now even when you get like close to the finish line it it's becoming especially hard so so we'll see uh we'll see what happens in the league this next year. But it feels like the teams, like, let's say you like what the Sixers did. I mean, they are a better team than they were yesterday. I think they're probably in Tier 1 of the East right now. But their runway, I don't know that it's all that great. Like, you're kind of walking into these things,

knowing that your runway is not all that sustainable because of the apron, because of these restrictions, because other teams can. and sort of act on the leverage of the thunder and the spurs and all these other teams who are eventually going to have to deal with the same thing. Like there are teams, if you're sitting in the back, if you're sitting in the proverbial bleachers, you can get good off leveraging these teams who are facing an apron. Like that might be the best way to net assets, waiting on the, waiting on the thunder, waiting on the Celtics, waiting on the Sixers, they'd be like, okay, like, you're going to have

to get off of Payton Pritchard pretty soon. I need a Payton Pritcher. Like it's, it's, it's really weird stuff. Well, and that's, I want to give you credit, Joel, for putting that out there. Because the way you said it, you know, we're seeing these, these sea change moments in the league. You know, whether it's, it's the Thunder Pacer series last year in the finals or whether it's, I thought it was going to be, the Spurs are going to be a dynasty again. And I growing up in Dallas just to have to accept it and deal with that. And I was not emotionally ready for it.

So I'm very happy the next one. But I think you're right. Like, these trades are. there's some sort of warning. I just can't figure out what it is yet. So I credit you for also kind of seeing that in advance how you guys are talking about. Yeah. Again, Layla, we're starting to see a trend.

Yeah. And I don't know if it's healthy or not, but when major players in their prime are getting moved, with the exception of Paul George. Yes. Yonis is still in his prime. The needle is going, but he still in his prime. Yes, he did. That built the thunder as we've talked about.

Yeah, yeah. Twice. Well knows about that all too well. Yes, he does. But I'm saying these trades are not, as Joel and I discuss with you, they are not basketball trades. There is the financial reasons for this. And I do believe that the owners are going to their general managers and say, we need to talk. Okay, where are we at right now? Are we a first-tier team, second-tier team? Are we on the cusp? because if you can't look at me in the eyes and say, we need to make this move to go into the top five or six in the conference,

I don't want to do this because I don't want to pay the tax. And so do your best. Come to me. Look at the roster. Tell me what we have and then go from there. Yeah, Joel, I'll give you the last word on that too. And it makes me wonder, I do think, like, Isaiah Stewart and no other summer.

gets dealt for second round picks. Correct. I love Isaiah Stewart. I love Isaiah Stewart, too. And I know that I was a critique of Bryson Graham from a faction of Bulls fans this summer, which is like fair. Like, why couldn't you go get Isaiah Stewart? To me, it's kind of signals that I do think,

because Isaiah Joe was also dealt for second. One, I do think there's this perspective. I can only speak to San Presti here, But San Presti, I know, would make it a priority to get his guys to a destination where they can continue to compete. That's a priority. That's why Aaron Wiggins is in Atlanta, and that's why Isaiah Joe is in Detroit. It's a big part of it. But also, they really had less leverage to it.

And I just think it makes me wonder if Bryson Graham liked any of these guys who were from these teams. Like, Isaiah Joe, you would think is a seamless fit. why would you pass on him? But it makes me wonder how far ahead he's thinking if he's looking at the teams who are going to be up against the apron next year and saying, well, we could pluck this guy from them. And he's sort of on our age timeline. Can we make a push for him?

That's what that makes me believe. If you did not want Isaiah Joe or if you could not even get into Isaiah Joe race or beef stew, maybe Beef Stew wasn't your kind of player, then who are you eyeing a summer? from now because it's going to come for all these scenes eventually. Yes, and don't think for a moment they aren't thinking about

already the summer of 27. They are because the Collins the Collins contract alone tells you they are just based on how it's structured. Well, I mean, Joe, how about this? I mean, there are team options now on many of these contracts in the old regime. It was a player option.

Yeah, this is true. I don't have to remind Bulls fans of that. So that optionality is I suppose refreshing. for somebody who wants to be a good team build. You know what's refreshing about this whole thing is that Bryson Graham has come in and been as transparent as one could possibly be in the position.

He's not going to tell us everything, and I respect that. I get it. He's told us a lot, though. But, yeah, and you know what? I already appreciate the fact that he is speaking for the organization and not sending out his head coach to be the face of the franchise. I love Billy Donovan. I think he was put in some very difficult, tough, awkward situations.

Absolutely. That's all I got to say, Joelle. That's fire, Chuck. But I will say this just in a Shams tweet, Anthony Simons is a sixer. Whoa. Wow. Oh, man. What a savvy move that is for them.

Bob Myers. You can't tell me Bob Myers is a part of this. You can't tell me. I know Mike Gansy's the guy, Joelle. But listen, everything runs through. Bob Myers. I just got the text from Ray because the Wi-Fi here is spotty in my chair. Damn, that's good stuff. Joel, thank you so much for being a part of this. You see? You're awesome, Joel, you know that. I've told you that all the time.

I know how many times do we need to tell you you're a valued guest? Now you're breaking news too. Man. We love it. Joel, thank you so much. You're welcome anytime. You know that. That is Joelle Lorenzi, who really is a valued guest. There he is telling us about the Anthony sign. We, oh, this is, this is the time, Chuck. July 1st, July 2nd, things are just cooking. Yep. How about that? We'll wait to a break.

We'll address this a little bit on the other side. And then there's also an article that came in, just a lot of trade talk. NBA trades happening. The MLB trade deadline is coming up. The athletic reported about the Cubs. We'll do it all next. You're listening to Rahimi Harrison Grody on Sports Radio 1043, the score. Doors closing.

We just talked about CTA etiquette, and there it is. This is your CTA crew right here. Actually, the midday show is because Grody takes it, Marshall takes it. Chuck Swerski is in today on Rahimi Harris and Grody. And just an awesome conversation. Every single time we have Joelle Lorenzi on from The Athletic. He does a great job. And then at the very end, he reported this.

And we were just talking about this guy, which is why I'm so lucky to have Chuck here on July 1st and or second, because this is NBA time, okay? It's baseball time, but most importantly, it is also NBA time. Shams Sharania, local guy, local guy made good. I knew when he was in college at Loyola. And he'd hang around the, I am so proud of him. And he also still goes to Bulls games and just chats it up with people. Like, Shams is not this untouchable guy.

Like he's still like, he's put together, but he's a man of the people. Yes, he is. So shout out Shams for also breaking this. Although we wish Shams had reported it differently. We do. Free agent guard, Anfurny Simons, has agreed to a two-year $12.3 million deal with the Philadelphia 76-arts. I'm shaking my fist. With a player option in a second season, sources tell ESPN. Simons chose the Sixers over other suitors. That's a big part of this tweet, believing his fit is perfect with the revamped 76ers roster that now has Jalen Brown. Look at that all come together. We were just talking about him. turns out we're not the only ones who thought that Anthony Simons would be a gift with the team, Chuck, not with the Bulls. Well, again, he's going to a Philadelphia ball club that's ready to win now, right? Fair.

And did you say the second year is a team option or a player option? I believe that's a team option. Let me see. With a player option. So it's a player option, which is not what we've been seeing recently. So that's a nice deal for him. It's a nice deal. And I like how Bryson is handling the roster. regarding the options.

Because, you know, let the team decide what's going on compared to the previous administration where players had the option. And God bless the players, I will never, ever, ever complain if a player can get more cash. You know what? It's a two-way street. And if the contracts negotiated in good faith, go for it. And we've seen, you know, when you pay players, you get a better version of the player, which means we get a better version of the game.

Yes. So, yeah, it benefits everybody to have that happen. Yes, it does. But I think the big wild card here, and we talked about some of them with Joel, and he's right. He's right to say that there's some names he didn't expect to see moving, that this is a different offseason, one that's wild in some of the big names we see and move,

and how they've moved, not necessarily where they were empowered under free agency, is that the fact of the matter is you can't outright tank. something had to be done after a third of the league was trying its hardest last year to get to the bottom. So I understand that part of it. But we don't know how teams are responding

as to how they need to be good but not bad enough to be in the bottom three of either conference. So that to me is the wild card in this too. Well, you can already tell in the Eastern Conference unless a catastrophic injury curtails their progress, I mean, lately

you can look right now. If you go in the Eastern Conference. Yeah. Okay, so let's say New York, obviously, right? Yeah, who just lost Mitchell Robinson, as we discussed, which you and I think is significant. Okay, so you got New York, Detroit, right? Yeah. You've got Boston, which will be interesting to see where they're at, but. Healthyer Boston, but they got Tatum. Yeah. Okay, so you got New York, Philly, Boston, Detroit. Correct. Yep. And then you've got Cleveland. I was going to say Cleveland. Yeah. That's five. I don't count their success as a flash in the pan. Okay.

So we're already at five teams, right? Easily. Okay. So then you've got Miami. That's six. Yep. So, and then you've got Orlando. You've got Atlanta.

Yeah. Wait, so we're, what now? About eight, nine, whatever the case may be. You're at like nine, yeah. And then you're trying to figure out with Charlotte. They're going to be in it. Charlotte who just gave Kobe a big deal. And I love what Charlotte.

But you know what? Their front office evaluated Lamello. And they also, you know, we're looking at the big picture with bridges. And they're saying, you know what? Let's do it. Let's move on with an eye towards 27. Yeah. Now, they may take a step back this year, but they've got Kobe now signed for three years. Right. And so I really like what they've done. They made the trade with Phoenix.

And so, you know what? I think the East right now, the interesting team is going to be Washington. Yes, completely agree. The trade, you know, Anthony Davis being a part of that, and then obviously getting DeBonsa, like how are they going to put this all together in a way that makes sense for them. And again, they can move Anthony Davis any time they want. Yeah, the myth is that teams don't want Anthony Davis. The reality is teams very much do.

Yes, they do on a short-term deal. But I think that's important to note here, is, is, as much as, for example, as we've talked about Paul Pierce being traded in his prime and now even being a centerpiece in one of the biggest deals in the league. You know, Anthony Davis is just as good at an example of, yeah, you may have the reputation for injury, but we saw him be healthy with the Lakers, and he was an absolute force when he was. Yeah, for a stopgap for 40 games or 40 games and then the following season, you've got to make that deal if you feel that you're right there.

but the cap the cap is everything and Major League Baseball if there's a lockout it'll be because of the cap players don't want a cap but for the good of the sport you need a cap

you really do or else we wouldn't have if we didn't have a cap there are no eight different champions in the NBA I can tell you that right now I think what you're looking at though is a cohesive ownership understanding in the NBA like everybody's playing by the

same set of rules because of the cap. But in Major League Baseball, the owners had all previously been playing by a similar set of rules. And then the Dodgers deal happened where the ownership changed. And then Steve Cohen bought the Mets. And that's where you started to see ownership get fast. Not fast. It is the right word.

Fractured. Ownership got fractured. So then you have ownership like the pirates in practice disagreeing with ownership of the Dodgers. and I think that's where the issue became. Players don't want a cap. It had worked for decades where you didn't need a cap in baseball.

But within the last few years, where ownership doesn't agree with themselves, that's where the issue is as much as anything. It's not even players. And the Dodgers can get along with the Mets. I'd love to see the contracts of the players with the Dodgers. And maybe you have it available, Lela,

about deferred payments. Well, that's the thing. We know, we know, Otani has like millions deferred. Kyle Tucker. Kyle Tucker, millions deferred. Some of their pitchers probably have millions deferred. Justin Turner is still getting paid multiple millions of dollars by the Dodgers this year because of deferral.

According to a brief quick search, the Dodgers owe over a billion dollars in deferred payments to nine players, including Shohei Otani, Moogie Betts, and Edwin Diaz. Now the list that I got quickly and I need to check it. I don't trust just the AI overview. Blake Snell, according to this, 66 million. Shohei 680. 680. Mookie bets at 115. Freddie Freeman 57.

Will Smith 50. Tay Oscar Hernandez 32. Tommy Edmund of the Tommy Edmund going to the Dodgers because of the Eric Feddy trade. We recall. That was a three-team deal. 25 million. Tanner Scott 21. Edwin Diaz undisclosed. But those are just those. Like I mentioned Justin Turner, for example,

there's more than that on their books that's deferred. Think about that. They're paying Turner this year, but that is a previous contract that was deferred. Yes. I made this note, and you being of Team Reinsdor, if you probably know this well, everybody talks about Bobby Bonilla Day. Right. But people forget that Dennis Go-Go Gilbert was a reason that Bobby Bonilla Day happened. That was his agent. That's true. And Dennis and Jerry Reinsor very close. I've met Dennis. briefly on the fourth floor of the sweet level of a socks game with Ozzie one day. And Ozzie's one who told me that Go-Go was Bonilla's agent. Yes, he was.

So everybody forgets about that, the agent who did the deal. Yeah, Bobby Bonilla was true for Jose de Leon with the White Sox and the Pittsburgh Pirates when that deal happened. And actually, Bobby Bonilla, when he was in Chicago, had a great relationship with the media. But then he went to New York and it went down to fast. All bets are off. But you know what's funny is a lot of times people loop New York and Chicago and together when it comes to media relationships. But I feel like we have our favorites here too. Like we're kind to the people who do the work.

I would say the Chicago media is very kind. Yes. Yeah. And I think there are some people that we particularly like, like Johnny Quedo comes to mind. We appreciate the veterans who put in the work who are underappreciated elsewhere. The Mike Talkman's, the Johnny Quitos of the world, people like that. The Anthony Simons. See, one thing I'll say this about whether it's a columnist, a talk show host, if you criticize a player, if there's a column that is, you know, just from one opinion to another regarding a player, if you show up in the locker room every day, I can deal with that. I think it's great.

Yeah. Because it's not going to be perfect every day with people. You're exactly right. That's a true relationship. actually is when sometimes on a day-to-day basis with a team, you're not always going to have a pleasant conversation with every single person every day. Right. You're going to, we annoy people. I do. Well, I'll say, I'll say this. When I first came to Chicago, there was no sports talk show. And I had the first on a nightly basis from 7 to 11. And believe me, that was a forum where we talked

everything. And there were players. and I'm not mean-spirited by any stretch of the imagination. But I had to make opinions. But I would always go in to the locker room. Because I was working at night, I couldn't show up at a game, but I would be there during the weekend. And there were players who said, I want to talk to you, I heard about something. Now, sometimes they got the facts straight. Sometimes, well, we heard.

Well, if you didn't hear it, I'll tell you exactly what I've said. But they at least wanted to have a conversation. They wanted to have a conversation. and they were totally professional. Yeah, I mean, that's a lost relationship now. So I think that's pretty cool too. But yeah, shout out to Bobby Bonilla and also Dennis Gilbert Go-Go for putting together what is now considered kind of the template for the ideal deal.

Pretty cool stuff. I think Paul Kurnurko also had. Did he? Yeah, if I'm not mistaken, you can Google that, but I think he had deferred payments. Yeah, and Lawrence Holmes yesterday, I know they did a segment. he and Matt Spiegel where they went over a lot of the deferrals to just celebrate Bobby Boni and Day. Caller 6 and 7 to our score contest line. 312 540-0-670 will win two general admission tickets to Moe and Humphreys McGee at Hunter Pavilion on August 15th, provided by Ravinia.

From tickets and more info, visit ravinia.org. Now you know, Chuck Swirski's in the house. We do have some fun with the Chuck and Bill Whittington, play-by-play back and forth. How about we turn the tables a bit, Chuck? How about we listen to some fun with Pat and Ron and Zach Zadman? Rahimi Harris and Grody. We are family here. We are family.

Midday's 10 to 2 on 1043, the score. Oh, I see what you did here. This is a throwback to the Disney channel. You said this is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse? Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Oh, my goodness. Nicely done, Tyler Ferris. wringle. And, you know, it's that season. It's season for hot dogs. Because you're everywhere tomorrow, right?

Yeah, you know what? You're speaking to hot dogs. Good idea, Chuck, because I need to tell the people about this. Join me tomorrow. I lead Budweiser's Celebration Road Show to commemorate America's pastime in 250th birthday. With your chance to win tickets to see the Cubs and Cardinals Saturday night at Wrigley, a holiday weekend. Cubs and Cardinals, one of the best referees. Come on now. That's at Riggily. I will have five locations. We're going to try to be at five locations in two hours. guys, let's see if we make our deadlines. So it starts at Billy Go Tavern at Navy Pier at 5. Crossroads, Bar and Grill, West Madison at 540. Okay? So we've got like 20 minutes in between and 20 minute windows.

Rabbit Hole on North Wells at 620. The Reveler on North Damon at 7. And gaslight on North Clark at 740. Come out, drink fresh Budweiser. Register for your chance to win a pair of tickets to see Cubs Cardinals Saturday night, courtesy of Budweiser, the official beer of the Chicago Cubs. Now, Chuck, you know that during basketball season, we love the back and forth with you and Bill Winnington.

So baseball season, let's have some fun with Pat Hughes, Ron Coomer, and Zach Zainman discussing hot dogs and more. Pat, have I got a treat for you? On Saturday, July 18th, the Cubs take on the twins at 120 in the afternoon. Up to the first 4,000 early arriving fans in the Budweiser bleachers will receive a The Cubs National Hot Dog Day Cap, presented by Vienna Beef. Be sure to arrive early. Zach, one key question.

Would that be a dry dog? For you, anything can be arranged. Oh, yeah. We get all the dry dogs you want. First pitch to Miguel Amaya is outside from Walker Bueller. Second pitch in there for a strike one-on-one. You know, folks, there's a lot of argument, you know, whether you go Chicago and what you put on your hot dog, the New Yorkers. Don't know what they do, but it's kind of odd, but we'll go with it because Zach's in the boot.

And then my partner, straight dry dog. The dryer the better. Here's the one-two pitch from Walker Bueller to Miguel Amaya. And folks, I am not kidding. And it's outside for a ball. A little bit about Zach because we've all eaten dogs in New York. You know, we've had to give that a sample. but Pat likes his hot dog on the bun and that is it.

Swinging a foul back. I used to put a little mustard, sometimes a little ketchup, sometimes both. But I found that with a dry dog, you're never really disappointed. I think putting the ketchup on it probably was the reason for some of the disappointment. Could be. But that's just the Chicago enemy. And mixing the ketchup and the mustard was probably not the smartest thing either. I'm sure glad we're having this.

conversation. You're on to something. This conversation is long overdue. Yeah, I think we could do this maybe on the off day tomorrow. It's real. You bring the dry dogs. I'll be there. Here's a pitch, swang, and a miss. And Amaya

is out number one. What away in the battered Dansby Swanson. Yeah, the dry dog thing was the originator of the dry dog was our executive producer Mitch Rosen during the World Series. That was what our diet consisted of at the

ballpark from one o'clock to about midnight every day during the world series on the road he would always put about 10 of the dogs in a carton yeah with the gray cardboard I guess you'd call it and he would have a smile on his face I got food for us let me guess I'll never forget Len Casper at the end of the world series we're getting you know we've been celebrating for a while and he's like I can't wait to go home and just have something good for me. I think his exact quote was,

this is the worst I've ever eaten in my entire life. What do you make of that? Play-by-play, man. Well, speaking of hot dogs, Joey Chestnut, he's the guy every July 4th. It's kind of disgusting, to be honest with you. I've been very opinion

about that. Some people disagree with me, but he forces his hot dogs like stuffs in his mouth and his ears. It's just crazy. It's an athlete thing now that he does, the competitive. I'm surprised he hasn't just had a heart attack on the air. Yeah, there's that.

I mean, they do train for it, you know. They train for it? Oh, yeah. What do you do? You put dry dogs and you eat it? I don't exactly know what the process is, but you can look it up. They do train. Bill Wennington, my main man, you know, puts mayonnaise on his hot dog.

Wild. I'll tell you why. when Bill people failed to realize and don't understand, Bill grew up very poor. And mayonnaise, his mom would put mayonnaise as a sandwich. Yeah. And that's why he, to this day, puts mayonnaise on his hot dog. Rich Wyatt will verify this. But on your hot dog, what do you like?

So I am, believe it or not, you don't have to be from here to like mustard on your hot talk. Okay. There's always a mustard on my hot dog girl. But no ketchup. No. I, and I love the Chicago dog. Like I love giving the celery salt, the aramatics, the peppers, the whole thing. I'm into it. Yep.

So, yeah, that was a nice fit. But yes, there are people from outside of Chicago who also love mustard on their hot dogs. Well, I love mustard. I just don't go ketchup. No ketchup. It tastes weird. It just does. But, you know, I'm not here to tell the people how to live their lives.

No, if people want to do that, but they're wrong. Anyway. I love it. Chuck, this has been so much fun. Thank you so much. Thank you for filling in, especially on a busy NBA day. Hey, we got two of the crew coming in. I think you know them from a little network called CHSN.

Cam Smith and Gabe Ramirez are next. Bull Station here attending this game to get a sandwich. Oh, I think it's a hot dog. I'm pretty sure it's a hot dog. You got bread and you got meat. And it's a sandwich. and let's see what George can do. It is up and it is good.