The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Inside the Parker - Springer Jays Debut; Harper Hot Start; Tatis Starpower; Betting on the Bases

Episode Date: April 29, 2021

This week on Inside the (Rob) Parker, Rob looks at George Springer's much anticipated Blue Jays debut, Bryce Harper's hot start, and why Fernando Tatis, Jr. may be the best young MLB star since Ken Griffey, Jr. Also, Fair or Foul, Betting on the Bases, Guests: Former Major Leaguer and A's Analyst Bib Roberts discusses the A's scratching back from a slow start to lead the AL West. Author Andrew Maranniss discusses his new book about MLB's first openly gay player, Glenn Burke .Click here to subscribe and download all of the latest Inside the Parker podcasts and follow Rob on Twitter!! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win.

A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes,

creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok. On the Look Back at it podcast.

For 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians,

and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. As a few-wean, we can't get your podcasts. Now, we have to ensure them more important to the best tool. We're doing the most important thing is, is for kids to get home to prevent COVID-19.

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in MLB America this is inside the Parker you give us 22 minutes and we'll

give you the scoop on major league baseball now here's baseball Hall of Fame voter

number 83 Rob Parker Welcome into Inside the Parker I'm your host Rob Parker What a show we have for you today We'll talk with former major leaguer And current NBC Bay Area A's analyst Bip Roberts

Plus we'll talk about a new book Andrew Marinus is the author He talks about the life of Glenn Burke That and much more Let's go It's getting rough It's getting robbed. And keep him up.

Rob's hot take on the three biggest stories in Major League Baseball. Number one. Wednesday night, George Springer finally was activated from the injured list and made his long-awaited Blue Jays debut, yes, against the Nationals in Dunedin, Florida. And my goodness, it took forever. Everybody's waiting to see George Springer, who of course signed that big $150 million. contract to leave Houston and go and play for the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays are playing much better.

Vlad Guerrero Jr.'s playing well and to add him at the top of the lineup will be a big boost to the Blue Jays. So it'll be interesting to see how he fits in. He was injured in spring training and obviously it took a while. He was slated Wednesday night to start as the Blue Jays DH and B.A. in the lead off spot. So it's good to see George Springer healthy and back out there playing baseball. Number two.

It was nine years to the day on Wednesday that Bryce Harper made his major league debut with the Washington Nationals. That's right. And nine years later, say it isn't so. He might be as good as he's. ever been over his first 93 plate appearances this year for the Phillies. The outfield is hitting 329. He has six home runs, a 200 OPS plus, which is three points better than his career mark from his 2015 National League MVP award winning season. So he's playing very, very well for the Phillies. And, you know, when he's

signed that big contract. People were ripping on him, and the Phillies didn't make the playoffs. And remember, the Nationals won the World Series. So everybody was just saying, hey, good riddance. The Nationals are better off without Bryce Harper. But Bryce Harper is a big star, and people need to get off of it. He moves the needle. Remember, when he signed with the Phillies, he sold more jerseys and more tickets than any baseball

player we can remember. In fact, he sold more jerseys. than LeBron did when he came to L.A. More people bought Phillies, Bryce Harper jerseys, than bought Lakers, LeBron James jerseys. That's a star in baseball. He's a guy who can move the needle.

I love watching Bryce Harper play. I'm glad he's healthy. He's playing great. And the Phillies will be in the mix. It's a tough division in the National League East. But Bryce Harper continues to play as he's capable. the Phillies will be in the hunt. Number three.

It is hard not to go Gaga over Fernando Tatis Jr. I get it. He's a young player. He's 22 years old. People are already saying, is he the best young player in baseball since Ken Griffey Jr. Or A-Rod or players of that ilk? And it's hard to look at Tatis Jr.

And I think so. And I don't want to be a prisoner. the moment, but what he did to the Dodgers in that four-game series in L.A. Over the weekend was as impressive as anything. He had five home runs. No shortstop had ever done that, hit that many home runs. And then this was the greatest part on the anniversary of when his dad hit two grand slams against the Dodgers in the same inning.

Yes, it wasn't a mistake. In the same inning, Fernando Tatis, his dad. Fernando Tatis Jr. hit two home runs against the Dodgers. And he's just fun. One of the broadcasters doing the game Sunday night said this guy has so much swag, and it's not even an act. He can't help it. He's just the way he carries itself, the way he's stealing bases, the way he plays in the field.

He's not perfect. But man, is he worth the price of admission? I haven't seen a player in a long time to grab that much attention from people. And the Dodgers and Padres is a real rivalry. Don't kid yourself, and a lot of it has to do with Fernando Tatis Jr. Here comes the big interview. Listen and learn. Oh, it's so good.

All right, now let's welcome to the podcast, former Major League outfielder. Right, man. I'm just down here at the church ministry trying to help people get groceries. And we're just trying to do that thing, man, making sure everybody's okay. Man, great work, as always. Appreciate that. I want to talk about the Oakland A's, and we know they had the big 13 game win streak before we get there, BIP. Wahap and Lucy for the first six, where they were outscored 50 to 13, started out 0 and 6,

and things were looking really bleak when the season started. What happened? You know how sneaky baseball is, and how early in the season guys have not found that rhythm, according to going from spring training day games, the season night game, and you have to find that happy medium. And I think what happened was the ages came out flat.

They had played well in spring training, but then you have to transfer that to the season, and the season is much different than the regular event preseason. So I think they had to find their niche, and they got off to a slow start. But remember, they played Houston, they played the Dodgers, and then they played Houston again.

Two teams where the Dodgers were in defending champ, and Houston are the team that they're going to play in a short, and Houston are the team that they're going to have to compete with. So I read out the box, they were thrown into the fire, and they didn't come out and play well. They didn't play well in any facet of the game. They started pitching and getting beat up. Guys are striking out with runners in scoring position,

and the defense is making errors. And then, as you know, as streaky as baseball is, they turned it around all of a sudden. They started playing against teams that weren't as good as Houston. But the funny part is they beat Houston in Houston in that next series, and then, you know, they were playing Detroit, They played a couple of teams that we thought they were superior then, and they showed once they got their confidence and once they got their rhythm,

and the pitching started coming around. All fast-up the game took off, and they won 13 straight. Amazing streak, 13 straight. The longest in the American League since the Indians won 22 in a row back in 2017, and the A's back in 2002, 120 in a row. So it fell short of that, obviously, but still a great run. This is a team that won the AL West last year. People know that the A's were good.

I was surprised that they got off to the start, but I didn't think they were going to be a bad team. What did Bob Melvin do not to panic? You know, when you start off as bad as they were, is he a calming force for that team? He is a calming force, but he has a fire inside of him. You know, he's that quiet fire that he just simmers. And if there's a time, he needs to go,

off on the team or let the team know they're not playing well, he will do that. And during that 0- and 7 start, they did have a manager's meeting where he let the guys know they weren't playing well and up to their capabilities. And after he left the room, they had a player's only meeting. And after that, they were able to start turning around. And I think, you know, when you have guys in there who have our leaders in the Mark Kama and guys like that, they understand, you know, Chapman, Olson. They know and understand what it's like to be on a winning team.

So they just stepped forward and said, hey, guys, we're better than this. We've got to show better at all factors of the game. And collectively, they galvanize as a team. Our guest here on Inside the Parker is former Major Leagueer and current NBC Bay Area pregame show host for the Oakland A's. Bip Roberts. Bip, what about Jed Lowry? I mean, he's a guy who turned it around and got things going. How big of an impact has he had for the A's?

He is unbelievable. You talk about a veteran guy who understands his role and what his job is. He's a professional hitter. He played a solid second base. And I think what happened is when Jeff came here and he started, when he left New York, he left there unhealthy. But when he got here for some reason, I think that California air, it just got into his lungs. And he just all of a sudden became Jed Lowry again.

And it's like he never left the team. And what he does at the plate on both sides is he gives you a professional at that. he squares the ball up. It's the ball extremely hard, and at times he'll drive the ball in the gap, sometimes they'll hit it out the yard. But I just look at his leadership, and when he's healthy,

he goes to the post every day, and he brings something to the table. And I think he shows, by example, more than by verbal, and I think the guys have shown or seen now that he's a guy that you can follow, especially when it's healthy. He's going to lead you in the right direction. He has a very calming influence in the locker room

because he's been around, and he understands the game. And so when guys have questions, they can go to him, and he can help answer those. But by answer them, he can still go out there and show them what the answer totally is. Who are the pitching stars for the Aids for people who are listening, who don't follow the Oakland Aids and say,

you know, who's getting it done on the mound for them? When Maia is doing pretty well, he's still learning. He's still trying to understand how to use that fastball, use that cutter and that slider to both sides of the plate. Montau's had a tough game yesterday, but he gives you a chance to win every game. He throws extremely hard. You've got a good cutter. He can move the ball up in the zone.

He can hit the corners. He can expand the zone. When you look at it and you look at Lazzardo, he's still young. He still tries to throw the ball by people, and sometimes his basketball straightens out. You've got to learn how to change speed, use both sides to the plate, and read the hitters a little better. But he's got outstanding stuff. He can throw the ball 98-99 miles an hour. And once he learns that 10-point accuracy,

he's going to be tough. And I just believe that Chris Bassett, I've always said that this guy has stuff that is no-hitter-type stuff. And I think that he is the leader of this staff. He's the number one guy right now. He's the guy that's come up with the wave. He's a ride-the-wave. He's a guy that's come up with must-ride-the-wave guys.

But he also is a very outstanding pitcher. And when you watch and pitch, you know, you'll get a chance to get above-average fastball, above-average command with his secondary and third and his third pitch, And his third pitch, but the bottom of it is that he will attack the zone. And when he attacks the zone, he's almost unhittable. Last thing, Bip, I mean, the AOS has gotten better. Mariners are good. Astros, of course, are there.

Angels have gotten better. Rangers are hovering around near closer to 500. Do the A's win this division? I think they win this division again. Even with our Marcus Kimian, who was their leader last year, I think Elvis Andrews had stepped in and played really well at shortstop. And, you know, that's a key position where it comes to having a solid defense. Matt Chapman is going to be good.

Olson has been tremendous. That first still-picking thing. And Jed Lowry at second has been outstanding. Smurphy behind the plate is outstanding as well. Call the great game can throw you out. And so he can minimize the running game. I just believe that these guys know how to compete a nine-inning. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged.

It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media.

Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment.

And the next, we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok. Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at It podcast. I'm Sam Jett.

And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now.

Thank you for finishing that sentence. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist,

Keer Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough

because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely.

And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast. Learn the hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app.

Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. They look forward to the walkoff win. They enjoy that. And I think that Bob Melvin is the perfect leader for this team. Through the good or through the bad, he's going to guide them in the right direction. And I think at the end, they're going to win this west. All right, there he is.

Bip Roberts, former Major Leaguer and current NBC Bay Area pregame show host for the Oakland A's. Hey, Bip, thanks for the next. knowledge, man. We appreciate you. Stay well, buddy. All right, Rob. Thanks for having me, my brother. You take care of yourself, too. Look, Valentine's Day is almost here, and you know what that means. It's time to... Luckily, you know what makes her blush. Fresh blooms and gifts from Proflowers. Head over to Proflowers.com and use code Crush 15 through February 14th and get 15% off all the best blooms and gifts that will really make your special someone on Valentine's Day. Get fresh

this Valentine's Day with pro flowers. See website for details. Look through your children's eyes to see the true magic of a forest. It's a storybook world for them. You look and see a tree. They see the wrinkled face of a wizard with arms outstretched to the sky.

They see treasure and pebbles. They see a windy path that could lead to adventure. And they see you. Their fearless guide is this fascinating world. Find a forest near you and start exploring at Discovertheforest.org. Brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the ad council.

What grows in the forest? Trees? Sure. Know what else grows in the forest? Our imagination, our sense of wonder, and our family bonds grow too. Because when we disconnect from this and connect with this, we reconnect with each other.

The forest is closer than you think. Find a forest near you and start exploring at Discovertheforest.org. by the United States Forest Service and the Ad Council. It's time for the Pocket Protector Central. The analytic numbers you need to know, well, maybe. Anthony Masterson is his name.

BS analytics is his game. What do you got for me, Anthony? It's so cliche for a stat guy to talk about Mike Trout, isn't it? We know he's awesome, could probably be the best ever, but it's boring, right? I mean, how much better could he possibly get? Well, if early returns are anything, The 2021 version of Mike Trout could somehow be the best ever.

Yes, it is true. Just take a look at his numbers so far. 431 average, 538 on base percentage. Good for a 1353 OPS. All the best marks in the league. In fact, this could be the best month Trout has ever had in his illustrious career. The average OBP and OPS are his best in any month ever and is weighted on base average or Wobah,

a metric that works like on base percentage, but adds value based on how the player reads. reach base, not just if they reach base of 556, is also tops in his career for any month. The league average, by the way, is around 320. So Trout was about 70% better than league average. And just looking at a slash line, you start whittling down players who have ever accomplished this feat. The list of AL players to slash 400, 500, 800, 800, in April is short.

In fact, the last to do it was the Yankees Paul O'Neill in 1994. But the eight-player list also includes luminaries like, George Brett, Frank Robinson, Al Kalyne, and yeah, some guy named Babe Ruth. Trout is impossibly still getting better. That ball is. It was a big week in the big leagues. Who's up? Who's up?

Or is it fair? And now, from MLBBro.com, here's J.R. Gamble. J.R., at this junction of the season, is it foul or fair to say that Vlad Guerr Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr. are the two best players in the game. Fair. It's a fair ball. Fernando Tatis and Vlad Guerrero Jr. are two of the future superstar faces of baseball. They may not statistically be the best two players in the game yet, but they are the most talented and impactful. The time is now. They aren't prospects anymore. Vlad and Tatis are both tied for second in homers.

Vlad Jr. is fifth in batting average. The performances delivered by these young Latin lords the past week should leave no doubt as to why they are considered future Hall of Famers despite having played less than 400 games between them.

When you got it, you got it. And if they were talking raw power numbers, baby Vlad is booming. Guerrero launched three home runs against the nationals on Tuesday night. If it's at all fathomable, little Vlad might be better than its Hall of Fame father, who finished his career with 2,590 hits, 449 home runs, and a 318 lifetime batting average.

I mean, Pop never hit less than 315 full seasons. Tatis, he's already better than his dad, and the explosiveness in his swing was evident in the series against the arch rival Dodgers, where he hit two homes. on the anniversary of when his dad hit two grand slams and one inning against the Dodgers, Black in the Dead. Tatis Jr. hit five jacks for the Dodgers series. MLB had some great players, but only the legends do stuff like Vlad and Tatis Jr. are doing. It's like, you know when you are watching something special. Jordan and LeBron in the early years. Michael Vic with Atlanta and Naomi Osaka. Right. now in tennis. There's an electricity involved with their performance. These two guys remain

the creme de la creme. And the scary part is they are just 22 years old. Nobody's messing with these guys over the next decade. Turn money into more money. Now it's time for betting on the bases with Dave Gasco. Love that money. Love that money. Thank you very much. A brand new week of baseball. How about last weekend though, right? Dodgers and Padres, San Diego took three or four from Los Angeles coming from behind the final game when they were down seven to one. No money on that, but we did a fine job, at least bringing home some cash. And now we look forward to another week of baseball. I'm taking a little bit of chalk.

I'm taking a dog. And then I'm also doing some overs as well. First off with the over, we're going to be a lot of firepower, especially down in Texas, between the Rangers and the Red Sox. Red Sox surprisingly have done well to open up this season, swinging the bats and getting some decent pitching. because of that, I like them and the Rangers to hit the total over in that affair. Now, the chock I'm going to take, unfortunately, is with the New York Yankees. And I understand there's going to be a lot of chalk on this ball game. But I'm taking Garrett Cole and the New York Yankees versus the Detroit Tigers in this matchup.

Tigers are one of the worst pitching staffs in all major league baseball. Take them. And then also I'm taking at home the Chicago White Sox against Shane Bieber and the Cleveland Indians. Take the dog and the White Sox at home. book it and make some coin. When Rob was a newspaper columnist, he lived by this motto. If I'm writing, I'm ripping. Let's bring in a writer or broadcaster, older new.

All right, now let's welcome to the podcast, a New York Times bestselling author, Andrew Marinus, and he has a new book out called The True Story of Glenn Burke singled out the first openly gay major league player and the inventor of the High Five. Andrew, welcome to Inside the Parker. Thanks so much, Rob. It's fun to be on with you. I enjoy listening to you on all your podcasts and the radio. Thank you.

I appreciate that. And Glenn Burke's story is a fascinating one for people who do not know, but he played in the Major League for the Dodgers and A's in 1976 through 1979. And he was the first Major League player to come out as gay to his teammates and team owners. How traumatic was that for Glenn? It was quite traumatic for him. You know, as a minor league player is when he first discovered himself, you know, that he was gay. And as minor league teammates in the Dodgers system were kind of in on this open secret,

he was traded from the Dodgers when management of the organization learned about his sexuality. And they attempted to bribe him to get married to it. And he said to a woman, and when they said, yes, he said, no, I'm not going for that. And so Al Campanis and Tommy Lassord had traded Glenn away from the Dodgers after he had started two games in the playoffs in 77 and game one of the World Series against the Yankees. He's traded immediately during the next season. And then went to Oakland A's, Billy Martin becomes the manager while Glenn is there. And Martin says he's not going to let a player like Glenn, quote-unquote, contaminate his team. So Glenn Burke, who one of the Dodger coaches, Junior Gilliam, had said, had the potential to be the next Willie Mays, you know, had a very short major league career because of the homophobia of the two franchises that he played for.

Yeah, and Glenn Burke died at age 42, very young, age complicated, right? That's right. That's right. Yeah, and he had been living long stretches just on the streets of San Francisco. You know, he goes from starting at Yankee Stadium in the World Series to living homeless in the Castro District of San Francisco over not that long a period of time. After he's run out of baseball, he struggles. Financially, he sort of struggles like a lot of athletes do, you know, what's next in life. You know, he had put a lot of his eggs in the sports basket, you know, and really struggled after that and faced discrimination on multiple fronts and died of aid.

you know, destitute. Our guest is New York Times bestselling author, Andrew Marinus, and he has a new book out, the true story of Glenn Burke, singled out. And talk about the other thing that's

very interesting, is that he was involved with Dusty Baker, and a lot of people don't know this, as the inventors of the high five back in 1977, and it came, Dusty at a big home run and was coming around third base. And instead of what was back then, Andrew, the tradition of guys patting each other on the butt

or slap at five, he put his hand up high and Dusty Baker agreed with it, you know, and kind of went there. And now, as we know, we see it all over the place and everybody does it. Tell us a little bit more about that story. Yeah, and it's great that there is this aspect of the story because other aspects of Glenn's life are tragic. But then there is this sort of joy that was always a part of Glenn. He was the most popular player in the Dodgers Clubhouse,

even as a fourth outfielder, even as a rookie, you know, such a veteran successful team. It was Glenn who they considered the funniest guy, kind of the glue guy in the clubhouse when he was traded to the A's Steve Garvey and Don Sutton were seen at their lockers crying. Dusty Baker, I interviewed him for the book, he loved Glenn Burke. And he said it was no surprise that it was Glenn who invented the high five after Dusty hit what was his 30th home run of the season in the very final game of the year off of J.R. Richard,

who had owned him. And this was, Dusty became the fourth Dodger in 1977 to hit 30 homers. They set a major league record. That's the history that has made. and as Dusty's running back to the dugout, Glenn raises his arm in celebration, you know, and Dusty slaps it, and that's the first high-five. And so some people will say, and of course it takes two people to high-five,

and they say, well, did Dusty invented or did Glenn invented, and Dusty Baker told me, and I know you're an L.A. guy now, but he said pretty much anything that's cool or hip-in-life comes from the Bay Area, so you have to give Glenn credit. Glenn was from Oakland, Berkeley. You have to give Glenn credit for inventing it. Yeah, it's one of those things, Because if Dusty doesn't go there, it doesn't happen.

Do you know what I mean? It really is. It's both because he had to kind of agree to do it that way. What else would we learn in this book about Glenn Burke that maybe people don't know? Those are two big things that I think are very interesting and people might have heard about. But is there anything else as we read this book that we'll find out? Yeah. You know, one thing I think would be surprising to people, or certainly was surprising to people back in the 1970s,

and they had stereotypes about what it meant to be gay. Glenn Burke was just a phenomenal athlete. He was a better basketball player than he was a baseball player. In his senior year of high school at Berkeley High, they went undefeated and won the Northern California championship when the NCAA changed its rules in 1974 that would allow a professional athlete in one sport to play collegiately in another. Glenn immediately enrolled in Nevada Reno

and scored over 30 points in his first game. game in college basketball when he hadn't even... Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever. you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me,

Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined.

And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, to be heard but celebrated.

One week I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger.

So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people.

I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont. Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s.

To be clear, 84 was big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so you all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. to look back at it on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests.

I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch life becomes about wins and losses Steve Burns Dustin Ross because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth or are you a good person because you're afraid because that's two different intentions bro absolutely and that that's two different levels of trust I want you to just really be a good person join me Keer games is we have real conversations about healing growth fathers

pressure and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. I played a real basketball game in a couple of years. Glenn was also, and this is just some fun trivia, and I know you talk about your shoes a lot. He was the first Major League player to wear Nikes in a Major League game.

Wow. And I found the Nike rep that met him at Dodger Stadium and gave him the shoes. And I interviewed him for the book. after he was run out of baseball, Glenn became a star on the gay softball circuit of San Francisco. I imagine the Dodgers, center field are showing up on your softball team. So they won a couple national championships in softball.

They had what was known as the gay games back then, and Glenn won medals and softball and basketball and track. So he was just, first and foremost, he considered himself an athlete. And part of this disintegration of his life, is not only as you run out of baseball, but he's hit by a car crossing the street in San Francisco, and his legs are broken, and he loses his identity as an athlete, period, even as a softball player. And that was a crushing blow to him.

So there's a lot of really interesting and unexpected aspects to Glenn's life. He was a great singer. As a kid, he was on a live album of a folk group called The Limelighters. You see little Glenn's picture on the cover of their album, kind of like in a lot of different interesting spots at different times over the course of his life. An inspiring and tragic story all wrapped into one. No doubt. Interesting read, Andrew Marinus. Where can people pick up your book? They can find it pretty much at any bookstore. It's online. There's also an e-version of the book and an audio version of the book if they're interested. They can check me out on my website,

Andrew Marinus.com. I'm on Twitter as well. So I really appreciate anybody who's interested in the book and happy to answer their questions about it if they'd find me on Twitter. All right, Andrew. Thank you so much. Thanks for joining the podcast. We appreciate you. All right, Rob. I really appreciate it.

Great talking to you. A story of the rose is a story of love. From farms to our florists and right into the arms of sweetheart savoring a date night in. Best friends showing their Galantines how much they adore them. And those giving themselves a little love. Go to FTD.com and save 15% through February 14th with Code Crush 15. And celebrate your love story with iconic roses, florals, and gifts from FD.

If I could be you. And you could be me for just one hour. If you could find a way to get inside. Each other's mind. Walk a mile in my shoes. Walk a mile in my shoes. Walk a mile in my shoes. We've all felt left out.

And for some, that feeling lasts. more than a moment. We can change that. Learn how at belonging begins with us.org, brought to you by the ad council. What grows in the forest? Trees? Sure. Know what else grows in the forest? Our imagination, our sense of wonder, and our family bonds grow too, because when we disconnect from this and connect with this, we reconnect with each other. The forest is closer than you think. Find a forest near you and start exploring at Discovertheforest.org. Brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the Ad Council. Now it's time for some diamond dust with Wish TV's Phil Sanchez.

Out of here! He played baseball in college. Now here is MLB knowledge. All right, let's talk about my team, the Mets, and their shortstop, Francisco Lindor. So everyone knows he signed a huge contract with the Mets over the off season, but he hasn't really lived up to the hype so far. Numbers not great in the first month. And that's fine in places like Cleveland or Cincinnati, but in a city like New York where the fans have very little patience, they're going to let you know when you're not playing well and they're not happy.

And that's exactly what happened Tuesday night in the game against the Boston Red Sox. Moments after Lindor slowly grounded out in his final at bat and their lost to Boston, the crowd of a little more than 7,000 people booed the team's new $341 million die. Now, listen, I grew up in Queens. I'm a diehard Mets fan like a lot of them out there. I get it. The fans are frustrated. I am as well. But what good does booing him do?

I mean, do you want him to succeed or not? He signed for 10 years, going to be around for a while, booing him, probably not the best way to introduce him to New York. And I know you're probably saying to yourself, Phil, I don't care. He's paid enough money, so he has to deal with it. And I get that. I get that mindset. But this is 2021. Not everybody's the same.

Not everybody performs well under those types of circumstances. And if we want him to succeed, booing him definitely not going to help. Let's be better, Mets fans. Closer. Track one. Strike one. Why MLB is better than the NFL or NBA. And it isn't even close.

Here's why baseball is better than the NBA in the NFL. And I'm talking about betting. Did you hear me? Is this on? I know when people talk about. betting, they think about the NFL, they think about betting on the games with the point spreads. Football seems a lot easier to bet on. But hey, don't sleep on betting on baseball.

And all you need to do is read the story about Bob Ross, who's a paint instructor who, on opening day, secured $200,000 when he picked every single opening game correctly. Did you hear me? Every single game. And there was a glitch in his computer where wiped out his original picks. He changed two of his picks, one involving the Yankees and one involving the Tigers. And actually because he changed them, got them right and won $200,000, which is incredible. And this is why baseball and betting is going to be a big thing as we go forward.

People will be able to bet on everything, every pitch. every at bat, you'll be able to sit around, sit at the game or sit at home and bet as the game is going on the entire way. There's so many different bets and so many different things. It will generate a ton of money and a ton of fan interest for guys who like to bet the game. In the words of New York TV legend, the late Bill Jorgensen, thanking you for your time this time until next time. Rob Parker, out. He can't get it. This could be an inside of Parker.

See you next week. Same bad time, same bad station. Your Valentine's Day shouldn't start with a Hail Mary. We've got you covered on the big day when you order flowers and gifts from Proflowers early this year. Head on over to ProFlowers.com to get 15% off our entire collection of blooms, gifts and more for your cutie with promo code Crush 15 until February 14. The clock is running out, so don't wait until everyone's rushing the field for those last minute gifts on February 14th. Be the MVP this Valentine's Day and go to Proflowers.com to save 15% with code Crush 15%. at checkout. See website for more details.

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite on Humor Me with Robert Smygel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an

a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app. or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged.

It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app,

Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. On The Look Back at it podcast. 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.

With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrating. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeard radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.