Welcome everyone to WFHR's playmakers for this March 25th 2024 304 the clock have your
host James J behind the mic.
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We're going to talk a little River Kings of course talk about the NFL.
We'll even get in some major league baseball talk.
I want to make sure to get to and we're going to kick off our show with a assistant GM of
your Wisconsin Rapids Raptors Tyler Miller in a moment.
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But right now I want to welcome in to our studios our good friend Tyler Miller assistant
GM with your Wisconsin rabbits rafters Tyler good to see you man.
Good to see you James.
I see you and you're just a friendly face it's always good to see you man.
But right away Pam and I were joking about this we like a baseball that we start thinking
about baseball we think start thinking about spring that's that's a nice selling point
for you as you walk into some buildings and establishments it's got to be a nice feeling
it's going.
It is especially two weeks ago when we had yeah 60 and 70 degree weather.
It was real we had the busiest period we've had since the end of the season.
I believe I had about eight or nine phone calls seven or eight people stopped into the
office again we're new in season tickets doing miscellaneous just talking baseball.
So yeah no always a always an interesting time obviously with this weather right now
not but we're still baseball minded and and unfortunately we'll not we'll skip the white
socks talk for now.
Oh yeah that's probably a really good idea for both of us.
When it comes to the baseball sports just in general nowadays we've talked about this
with the NFL lap but there is no real offseason anymore.
It's a 24-7 business now and it really has to be under on every level it really seems
to be at least.
It is I mean again that's I noticed that was one of my biggest notes take away from league
meetings by first one ever that I went to two years ago it was they said that even as
a summer collegiate organization we are a year long operation nowadays and if we're not
doing stuff to stay relevant or to again do different events and do whatever throughout
the offseason we're behind.
So that is our biggest goal is to again we've been trying to do newsletters and different
stuff throughout the offseason.
So people remember I know we're not going anywhere but the rafters but that people just
think about rafters baseball all year round kind of build up that height be ready to go
for the season in the spring.
It keeps the energy there and even if it's dormant or it's hibernating for a little bit
it pops up and every spring we are filling that winter field we are filling at ballpark
and we'll be doing so especially on May 27th opening day cannot wait.
Great way to kick off a week.
It feels like when you're excited about it feels like it's forever away but we're getting
closer and closer.
You're telling me.
It's exciting.
I want to get into talking a little bit about some of the things that you guys are
doing over there as far as looking for interlocal entertainment and you announce one of your
promotion ideas already so we want to touch on that but you came in and you and I get
together we always have these interesting conversations I think and one of the things
you brought up is something that during the regular season we just never really have
a chance to talk about but it's really we love to win championships.
We've got a banner literally right over our door that you walk in and you can't leave
without seeing of their other rafters championship.
We've just been following the Kings like crazy as they were chasing one down.
We love to win around here.
This area supports that a lot.
You look at our local assumption girls.
You look at how our wrestling is in this area.
This area has always been a big supporter of those things but as much as we love that
we take a lot of pride in these kids.
These kids to take the time to be here stay in town for a couple of months with us sometimes
over a year after year and spend time with our families, our kids, our people and really
put back into our community to a point where we're going to follow them the rest of their
careers.
So while we love winning I think loyalty is the thing that we love so much around here
that's such a Midwest quality and something that we take a lot of pride in and one of
the things that I think that has been so cool about seeing the rafters and then around
now for over a decade doing this is getting to see these kids that we come to town here
and then all of a sudden you see them on Sunday night baseball or something like that.
So the development of players is that really the mission truly of the rafters?
I think it is.
I think that's the mission of the Northwoods League.
I think if you look it up, I don't have a memorized but if you look up the Northwoods League
Mission Statement I'm almost positive the development is that the word development's
in there.
And again just to your point we had our marketing and sales manager Griffin who's last week
got to go on vacation in Florida it was a work work slash fun trip.
He actually he got connected with Richie Polesios who is on the Tampa Bay race who just got
traded from the Guardians to the race who played here in one world series for us in 2016.
He had a quick chat with them got to take a selfie video with them.
We've got a nice video that we're going to show an opening day kind of kicking off the
season that he took and again it's stuff like that it's it's it's it's the loyalty it
really was like he didn't even know us I mean he doesn't know me he doesn't know Griffin
at all he was we weren't here when when they won the championship but it's the loyalty
to the team that he has forever and he's told us that he's anytime we message him it's
the loyalty to the team so yeah no again it's kind of all about the development and and
like our point when I kind of came in and what we were saying was a lot of these guys come
in here really trying to develop and find a home again a lot of these guys that we find
are from D2 D3 even junior college schools they come here wanting to showcase their skills
show the world that they could play at a D1 level and hope to get recruited by a D1 school
um that again maybe we have somebody else that plays for them and they're into the portal
and they come here and they see him play and they get a scholarship because of it so it's
just really cool the development of of it all and you know uh we uh other major other
major sports have great development pools and great scouting systems you know uh basketballs
is gotten really good at this especially they've had to because it's it's turned into a world
sport um football uh they do a great job of recruiting in the country here I think uh and they
have a lot of connections I think you you have so many football recruits it's football
over here on the top of the connection it's all about connections with that baseball feels like
the the if not the hardest one to scout the the the one where there's just so many players there's
so many players there's so much and with that if you're a player there's so many uh opportunities
but also so many chances that just kind of get lost in the shuffle um I I don't want to say it's
the same thing at all but I know a little bit of like this with as an actor um that you know I I want
to be an actor my mom and my dad's like that's great you better be the best otherwise nobody's
going to hear from you you know you you there's a billion actors right behind me in front of me they'll
want to do this job it's tough um but when you when you when you find the right fit that's what it's
so much about it's not so much about the biggest of breaks as it is about finding the right fit for
you and it feels like the especially in the north woods league uh scouts take that in the
consideration it's not just about batting average but what kind of killer are they yeah no I I
fully agree and I love what you say that it's about your fit we just had this talk in the office
the other day about how unlucky it can be sometimes right so like we have a we have a player Jorge
DeGotti who was here last year led the team in batting average kind of is coming as coming back
one of the three returners that's coming back is a locker room guy going to be that leader
that we have this year he started his career highly recruited out of Miami Florida he committed to
University of Florida got there didn't see as much playing time as he would think transferred to
Indiana University where he spent last season we that's where we recruited him he was sitting behind
what is going to be a first-round draft pick at shortstop third base so didn't get the playing time
there yeah came here showcased himself did really well is now transferred to a school in Florida
Nova southeastern University a small school there again Griffin actually went and talked to him
this this this past week too so that's kind of where I'm getting some of the story from but
so he goes there he applies for a waiver because he can only transfer once he's transferred too
many times so he has to apply to be able to play he's not playing this year and so again you just
talk about the unluckyness of sometimes at the university level so he's he told us he straight
up pulled us that this summer is really he'll decide whether he's playing baseball for the rest
of his life or not after like because he just hasn't gotten the time in university in college yet
so he comes here really trying to develop his skill find that home and here we are so again it's
just really interesting the impact that this team can have especially because of the impact a
university can have on somebody for different reasons of playing time or who you're sitting behind
and how all that goes so no you talk about it it's it's all about the perfect fit I think that is
the number one thing when it comes to this year's class of kids coming in we've got some returning
players we've got some new players coming in as well that's got to lead for a really exciting club
house even right now just building up to it I imagine it is it is and that's always the hard part
James I we we say it every year we're like we wish we had the same team every year right it's like
again I want them back they were such a fun great group of guys high energy all of that kind of
stuff but it also feels nice when I look at the roster and only see Jorge de Gadi as the main
guy coming back a couple of their pictures and so it's just interesting to see that because now
we're going to have a whole new group of guys that come in here and form their relationship and
have Jorge be the guy kind of the locker room leader and can show things where they are because
you spent the summer here but it's an interesting dynamic we find all the time because we we
talk to fans and they're like we want the same team we want to say and it's like you don't know
if they're going to play like that again because of this because of what they just went through
the last fall I mean they go back to the university and things change and do whatever so that you
get the same guys to come back they may not be the same people anymore so it's just so interesting
it's a weird dynamic there's so many layers to this and I love diving into it with you I'm really
looking forward to as well seeing how this plays out in the field of course and and being able to
have more conversations like this you're gonna I will bring it back what I'd like to get into
the next time you join us is how how the players like if there's any opportunity for them to
gel in the meantime as they lead up to the season and talking a little more about this as we're
building these players up talking a little bit more about how that's done but we did before we let
you go we did have some notes on a couple players including one of our favorites around yeah no
no no I was doing some research again it's I think the hardest thing ever especially since I've
been here for a couple years now is to keep track of everybody it's like yeah I need to hire somebody
to literally sit there and watch the Twitter feed every time there's a game on to see what's
happening so I figured out no no it's not I would do it so I figured I'd give a quick update on
Brennan Bobo who was life life huge huge huge huge yeah and he just a great guy so he came here
transferred to Loyola Marymount at the end of our season and committed to theirs so this year
he has played in 23 games he's batting 302 and the home run king himself has six home runs
and 26 RBI's this season so off to a really good start at Loyola it's interesting they're in the
West Coast conference they play a bunch of a bunch of good teams with Gensak they just played
Gensaga last weekend and so some interesting match up there always if you're interested in
keeping an eye on somebody Brennan Bobo out of Loyola Marymount is one to keep an eye on yeah
I'm gonna be following him we also wanted to remind everybody that the rafters are looking for
the people to do national anthems and pre-game performances and interactive activities as well
we know we got a lot of great local entertainers and singers around here it is it is the one thing
that I will fully admit is it's so hard to look back and see who we've had out before so again I
know we've had great balloon artists out there and different anthem singers and all of that and
again we just we want we want them back and we want to be able to create a spreadsheet that I can
have the contact information on forever this person is going to have some work to get inside
it is so my intern that I'm but yeah my assistant that I want to hire but no so that's that's
the biggest thing is yes we are looking for entertainment we're actually rebranding our pre-game
picnic and do like a pre-game party kind of create more of a tailgate atmosphere and so we're
looking for some live entertainment for some of our big sponsors they have 500 person picnics
parties and so we're looking for some entertainment for there so anthem singers live entertainment
up close entertainment balloon animals face painting all that kind of fun stuff get a hold of
us we definitely love to have you out at the ballpark and as we let you go you guys did it now it's
not only are there single game tickets available for sale for April 15th but you've announced your
first promotional giveaway of the year yeah it's exciting and a really nice partnership it is
Solaris is a great partner of ours and life partner for us and stay one is from what I understand
and so huge huge supporter of the rafters we love what Solaris does and they will be sponsoring
our mini bat giveaway that'll be one of the first few games of the season it's a great piece
to get autographed so again I think it'll be a hit for the kids a lot of them will end up leaving with
the mini bat autographed so we do have a thousand of those so we'll be giving out those during opening
week and yes single game tickets on sale here in the next couple weeks get those tickets everybody
and find out more and support your rafters northwoodsleague.com is the website northwoodsleague.com
Tyler if people want to reach out to you as far as the entertainments and some of these other
things we've talked about today how can they reach you. Yeah again that's way probably just a
quick phone call to the office I'm managing the phone and checking all that so area code 715 424
5400 again northwoodsleague.com it's our website and it's got all that information
but yeah no feel free to stop by stop by our office and come say hi now that's the once the snow
melts that's yes yeah yeah maybe this is a good idea wait until the slush is out of the way
and everything but assistant general manager Tyler Miller with here was cons rafters joining us
we'll talk again real soon man thanks a lot for being here thanks so much and we of course
are looking forward to these home games coming up as in these the whole season coming up as you
we are the home of your was cons rafters have been since day one every pitch every hit every win
of rafter baseball right here at WFHR be back with more playmakers on am 1320 WFHR locally grown radio
welcome back everyone to WFHRs playmakers proudly brought to you by quality plus printing
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fun things going on with them more more of that coming up later in the week here on our morning
show we are hoping to be joined by a head coach GM if you're with us rafter river kings coach
paul backman today if we're unable to we'll have coach join us real soon is been as if you've been
paying attention is at a very busy weekend very busy couple of weeks if coaches and able to we'll
get to get in touch with them real soon but I do want to send a real quick shout out to the river
kings big thank you to them and more information on the river kings and how you can celebrate with
them tonight coming up we'll get into that in a little bit we're just talking a baseball with
Tyler Miller assistant GM with your rafters that was a lot of fun looking forward to that enjoy
talking baseball tonight I know you guys got baseball stats for us sometimes feel free to hit us
up seven one five four two four twenty six hundred with any of your sports thoughts and feelings
call up and join the conversation everybody I'm I'm I'm batting by myself today here so go ahead
and call them up and join the conversation I've got a baseball stat I am dying to get to so we
will get to that soon but first let's see what's on your mind good morning good afternoon you're on
the show well good morning James I'm doing all right how you doing that not too bad I like you
a Tyler on and as much as I'm looking forward to the rafters hot pitching prospects because they
always seem to really farm really good pitchers yeah I'm got a stat for you all right all right all
right we'll have dueling stats here all right you go ahead the slowest pitch ever recorded in
majorly baseball history it was thrown by a catcher named Tucker Barnhart from the Chicago Cubs
and July 16th in 2023 he threw he threw an EFIS pitch oh oh yeah yeah and it was recorded at 39
miles an hour man that's not fair that's not that's that's that's just yeah it's not fair for
anybody it's not fair for him that he can throw that it's not fair to the batter that strikes out
and has to go back and look at the dugout and look at everybody it make me guy contact with his
pitching coach or is hitting coaches that is tough yeah if you ever get if you ever get a chance
to look it up on YouTube an EFIS pitch oh I got to look that one actually I think I think doc
bird was the one the last one that recorded it um prior to that and it was for the Savannah
bananas oh god that's a great name oh that's a good name I think that he threw it and I I believe
you was uh I want to say about 71 years old when you threw it last professional pitch wow yeah that's
my fat of the day the slowest fish 39 miles an hour and it was thrown by a catcher from the Chicago
Cubs just over a year ago that's hilarious that's I vaguely remember that but that's a pretty good one
that the baseball season is so long it feels like there's so many of those things that happen
and especially towards the end of the season when you've got a catcher throwing you know there's
a 16 inning game and you've got an outfielder throwing or something like that and these kind of
things happen sometimes uh you're pulling the right fielder yeah yeah I that's one of my favorite
things about baseball to be honest with you I love it uh that's a really good one man that's
a really good one appreciate the call is always you two man have a great day thanks for the call
best listeners and radio that was a really good stat I got one here for you this kind of interesting
and might even take us into break so I I love talking old school baseball like a lot of men with
my father it's kind of what if it's a it's a it's an American thing maybe but I don't know but I know
it's something that we love to do and we were talking the other day and my dad grew up and got
to see Bob Gibson and and I didn't I didn't see much about Gibson his legacy his legend is what I
know of uh and and hearing stories like Bob Euker's story with about one of the best baseball stories
you'll ever hear is Bob Euker catching for Bob Gibson you know it's his great story there's a
couple of those out there but I came across one the other day that I hadn't heard before that I think
may be the second greatest Bob Gibson story ever the first is gotta be the Euker story uh that's
gotta be number one this is number two it's interesting maybe number three is the fact that the
Bob Gibson is the reason why we use the term game changer in sports for those that don't realize
that or know that they literally changed the game because of him they lowered the mound that is
by definition a game changer we throw that term around a lot nowadays not like that though that's
a whole different ball game my father believes that it's a wonderful debate to have the greatest
baseball player of all time Hank Aaron Willie Mays you know a Mickey Man all throwing these names
around there but my dad thinks that as far as the most intimidating baseball player of all time
it's unquestionable it's Bob Gibson but without question the Randy Johnson's up there there's
some names up there and everything but Bob Gibson number one on the list and if you were wondering
how he got on that list well I have a really good one here for you we go to Bob Gibson giving up
in 1975 Bob Gibson get Bob Gibson gives up a grand slam to light hitting Pete LeCoc and Gibson's
final game it actually turned out to be Bob Gibson's final pitch gives up a grand slam years later
Gibson face LeCoc in an old timers game and being him 10 year over 10 years later this guy just
by the randomness of baseball fates they end up playing each other at an old timers game and Gibson
without even taking a beat beans the guy afterwards Bob costus asked him why'd you do it
Bob said the books must be balanced actually he said the books must be balanced Robert call the
Robert I mean I look I've been out of the air many times saying how I feel about beating players
I think it's a cowardly act it doesn't make any sense you really want to beat a guy strike him out
why put him on base but this story makes me a hypocrite because I love this story
how old were they when they did this Bob Gibson it's not letting it not let it go not let it go
Bob gives it beat him god I'd love to see that play that's that's pretty good man that's a
pretty good stat right there encourage you to find out more about your ear rafters at northwoods
league dot com be sure to follow them in northwoods league dot com everybody and we're going to talk
a little river kings when we get back and got some exciting news about the river kings something
fun going on with them tonight that is coming up for you and plenty more right here on playmakers
brought to you by quality plus printing getting your words out here in wf HR locally grown radio
welcome back everyone to wf HR's playmakers here at 97 5 FM 13 20 a.m locally grown radio
got your host James j here thanks for joining me everybody solo show today Randy and Seth out
taking a much deserved break that they have earned and not really a break because both of them are
doing other things so they're not really just sit back and watch you know get ready for march madness
or anything like that which by the way we've gone a half an hour into the show and not talked about
I don't know what that says about the tournament or if it says anything at all about the tournament
but we're going to get into march madness before the show wraps up but uh this right here in this
time slot usually when we didn't do the fourth period with our head coach and GM of our Wisconsin
rabbits rafters coach Paul peckman coach not with us right now uh but I know that he would want
all of you to know how much he appreciates this audience this community this town I know that he'll
be joining us real soon we'll be talking with him and I want to let you guys know that you could
join the rafters to river kings tonight tonight there'll be a lot of takaria Wisconsin rapids
players will be there from six to nine after the event players going to be heading home so let's
make sure to wish him a good trip thank them for everything for a great season man what an amazing
season this may have been the most memorable river king season yet uh it was it was a heck of a
season you guys uh it's been a lot of fun talking hockey and having coach on the air with us appreciate
the time from him appreciate the friendship from him and looking forward to catching up with him
again real soon find out more and help your kings build a hockey up and down the river river kings
hockey.com and join them tonight at a lot of takaria wishing to play as well from six to nine tonight
at a lot of takaria man love takaria it's a great place let's go ahead and get to the phone lines
here good afternoon what's on your mind you're good afternoon James hey how's it going man
but that bracket busted but I guess we got to talk about the elephant in the room
hmm yeah yeah I was waiting for this one yeah uh yeah because honestly um I I think I was the
only person in the country that that picked Wisconsin to move on I I felt like all right everybody
it seems like everybody even last week when you and I were talking um you know they've it's gonna
be an upset uh Wisconsin's gonna be out in the first round and I really felt like well yeah but
we've counted them out so many times and every time I feel like great guards like it should be
renting and not buying he does he has a good season or the team pulls off like six or seven wins
in a row or wins a big 10 championship or something like that so they're just one of those teams
that I've never really been able to figure out especially since guard has been there um now I
I think we know I think we got a pretty good idea we're getting a if not we don't know we're
getting a darn good idea of the kind of teams that he coaches well I don't I don't think I don't
disagree with you I mean I actually had them I mean I was on the fence it was almost like a coin
flip the furthest I was gonna pick them because I truly don't believe I mean although they did
look like it on last night once Duke kind of gave it to them but I didn't think that James Madison
deserved a tossy I think it didn't have a better speed than that but it just the way they came out
I mean it just like James Madison came out with a fire and what Wisconsin had no idea what to do
so to me on that end that kind of reminds me of Juleberry yeah how he you know they get
flat in the face they could it makes the adjustments in time and they were to get themselves out of
the holds from the get called it feels like it feels like they're able to recruit it feels
like they're able to bring the talent and it comes down to coaching it to your point about
Barry you know Barry had the talent had six seven first rounders on that defense it just couldn't
seem to get it through great you know and if I think about what what Chris Mackentosh has done
it was got in the last few years okay they they he fired you know he fires the coach that
gentlemen are there but he wanted to change the culture it was Wisconsin football so what he
do he brought out and he'll pick them yeah Greg Nattle their coach and hockey and they had
something you know had some good seasons and they needed a coaching change and I brought
these things and look where they're at now they're in the NBA tournament juice for a national
championship in hockey with the same players that Greg Nattle had last year
what you know so I think it's time for a culture change the basketball they guard yeah he could
be a great coach but it's I mean it's just I think it's time you know and I kind of start to see
you're going to kind of see it now maybe the next week there's already one one one player gone
with why do you teach him yeah you think at the point of time like you did last year there's rumors
that AJ started talking about going to the championship football or school so you really I think
that we would like his sports fans to be able to say that perception that image doesn't matter
it's all about what you put on the field you know proving the doubters wrong you know us against
the world that's every coach and every sport and every league but when it comes right down to it
whether you like it or not it matters and especially to kids and that's what you're that's your
business that's your oil is the kids is youth and if you look like a team that gets knocked out
in the first round every year that yeah I mean you're that's the perception that's the image
you're right great guards I don't think anybody denies a great guards a good coach and it does a
good job and everything but even even a good coach eventually it gets the voice gets old it gets
old Chuck Knowles voice got old eventually every great coach it happens to I know I brought it
up many times with coach Quinnville in Chicago there this is a guy who won three Stanley cups this is
a guy who his players would have given him a kidney would have done anything for that man his voice got
tired after a while it just happens and especially the only thing that really keeps that voice fresh
and going is winning and if you ain't winning it gets really old real quick right yeah you know
it then you know so I get you get people that you know what we can bring in we can bring in while
there's one guy I mean I've been saying this and I think I've even talked to you about this
is bringing Jay right it yeah yeah yeah yeah I actually think if they were able to bring Jay
right and I think this is this feels like a take but I mean it that would be bigger than the
fickle signing I think and that was the biggest signing in college sports period like not just
in college football college sports nobody saw that coming nobody saw him leaving Cincinnati to go
to Wisconsin and that it's the biggest get still I still don't think that there was a bigger get
than that now that then I'm thinking about it even with this most recent coaching cycle and everything
I don't think anybody's made a bigger get than pulling fickle from Cincinnati you bring Jay right
out of it out of retirement that guy with that recruiting playoffs and those rings and everything
yeah that's a new and I could see how Jay right I'm sorry to cut you off I could see how Jay
right I haven't even thought about this I know you mentioned it before but we had so many other
things going on I never thought much about it now that I'm thinking about it Wisconsin has so many
things going every big 10 team really has so many things going for it right now and Wisconsin's got
you're not you're not starting from ground zero you've got a good record you got pipelines you've
got a good you know recruiting base it was constant that could be a very tempting offer to him I
would think you would think you know and especially now with the pack 10 pack 12 or whatever it is
out there yeah coming in we need it needs to be done I mean we could end up now you make an
internment with you know once the teams are coming in so it's I really hope Chris McIntouch sits down
I mean yeah he might have some some players coming in because you recruited him but I mean that's
why you would want instead of going you know going down to his assistance maybe bring in a Jay
right or or somebody a bigger name to Wisconsin and it'll keep those recruits here and I mean yeah
who knows I mean with the way the things are with this transfer portal maybe Jay right doesn't
want to be in there I mean that's why he's tired because he didn't want to fight you know fight
with the transfer portal I mean that's why you know Mike Chessesky I mean you hear some of his
kind of interviews it's just getting the hard to recruit it's getting hard to coach these kids
you know if they don't get their playing time then they're gone see you later yeah I do empathize
with that I you know it changes always difficult I think we can all relate to that too and many
degrees but I also I gotta say the all these gold coaches they're the they're some of the greatest
if not the greatest ever do it and they may they may always be who knows but they're really
showing their hand here I really feel like they're showing their hand here of how they just they
happen to be retiring or leaving the game right as it's changing like this and how many of them
and I don't think this is you know a take or anything like that or I'm saying anything out there
out of the ordinary how many of them were doing this behind the scenes before and now that it's
above ground and everybody's on the same you know right everybody's on the same playing field
all of a sudden the rules change and now it's these greedy players and how dare these players
not playing for the love of the game meanwhile every single coach is not going to take a contract
it's not thousands of dollars and and they can leave that job at the blink of a at the blink of an
eye for a better paying gig but they want to talk about loyalty they want to talk about how these
players are not playing for the love of the game or worrying about playing time or this or that
it's a business it's a business what are you doing like if you can't adjust to the business and
grow with it get out like they have and let the young team let the younger players in the younger
coaches do their job because the game has changed if you can't evolve with the game I question
how good of a coach you are that that if you can't reach these players if you can't be able to
if you know NIL this and these players nowadays man kids ain't changed people haven't changed
the rules have changed a little bit but the it's just made it more now everybody everything's
above ground and everybody's on the same playing field and all of a sudden when that happens you can
adjust I question in your passion for the game I question how much you love this game when things
aren't going your way well you know they've always had a transfer portal but you had a city
year and he lost your year of eligibility you know but I mean there's still a point on this transfer
portal and yeah a lot of times it comes down to the money how much you know the kids are going to
get from NIL but you know like with losing a speech and he played 27 minutes average last year
and he got seven this year yeah so I mean I've got I think that if that was your if that was your
child I think that it might be something that you could see I'm not talking about you specifically
I mean in generalist it's just people and stuff you have a little more maybe feel a little
differently about it than that but I just can't I don't feel like it has changed that much
to where it's all the sudden we can't love this game anymore I'll say this to like especially
to like Nick Saban and some of these these guys that are really coming out right now really
badgering this and everything how about I'll tell you the players will play for free like they
have for over a hundred years if you do you go ahead and coach free you coach free you do what
they were doing for a hundred years you do you do what they were I let's see your love of the
game let's see how much you care about this game let's see I'm like let's question your will
your your care of of the love of this and all that because I didn't see any I don't I don't believe
I've ever seen a head coach coach for free I don't think I've ever seen that happen I don't
believe I've ever seen a university give away tickets for free all season long and not charge
anything if you want a jersey in the store downstairs and the you know fan store you can just
pick that up just go ahead and grab it it's yours but that doesn't how this works why are we
treating them a little differently than others that doesn't make any sense to me I mean I'm
I remember back because obviously when you and I are you know in high school or college you know
back down we had to fight fat five from Michigan like Chris Weber and one hard okay and I remember
there was a story I think when Chris Weber first came out as a rookie that when he was at Michigan
they were selling his jersey like for 40 or 50 bucks but he can't that you know with his day
mind and everything yeah but he couldn't even go to afford to go to McDonald's I have a burger
back when he was in college because he had no money yeah you know now you know now they're you
know doing the NIL and stuff like that but how many times old you know you know it happens I mean
I mean they had they got you know sometimes they got caught doing it sometimes and then they got
a slap on the wrist we lost a year of recruiting or whatever you got a slap on the wrist but really
how much to make to even offer some of those kids to go there to Alabama yeah yeah yeah I you know
it's it's it's unrealistic even statistically if you just want to look at the numbers just look
no emotions just data it's unrealistic to think that a player a coach like him or any of these
big name coaches that were around for 10 20 30 years did not do that with at least one player if
not multiple players it is it is a childish to think otherwise basically it we're just talking
logic here we're not even throwing anybody under the bus or be talking trash about anybody that's
just logic right it's interesting to see some of this old guard the way that they have been handling
this it's it's they these are these are men that were in charge of raising other men that are
acting like children now if I think which kind of fits with a lot of the narrative nowadays it seems
you know that it's it's it's it's it's I think it's something also that that does it it falls on
a deaf ears too because all you're doing for one you're not saying anything that we haven't
already thought of I think most of us with a conscience or a thought has you know this wow this
game has really changed it has become about these things but you keep moving you're like all right
yeah the game has changed so who's playing at noon today you know I mean that that's the that's
the world that's business that's sports yeah and then that's I mean it's just the way we're going
and um but yeah I just it's tough to see you know you know the small mark you know even if you
want to talk small market I mean kind of bad you know Wisconsin there's a small market even if
you think about it because but I mean I don't I think I get that you know back you back kind of
where we started there's need to be a change I mean I just I just I mean I hate to see it
and and but I I mean it's proven and hopefully um Macintosh is I mean I'm sure he's probably
had this conversation many times with many people and um I don't know I just hope that yeah
hopefully it gets it gets figured out soon because it's just I don't know if it was if what's
going to happen because if you watch I mean I don't know how many times they had a chance to watch
the badger games this year but back when like Bo Ryan and even with Bennett coach and that place
was packed yeah this year well especially especially in the month of February when they had the
home games there are a lot of open seats yeah open seat and that you know and it's just like yeah
people are you know Macintosh teams seems too good at this job not to the only way I think guard
keeps his job is if they they don't have a better replacement in mind um that I think that's
the only way he keeps it right if for any other reason you know the perception and so many of the
things you're talking about they see the same things and that I it needs to be a changing of the
guard I said it I did I'm so sorry I apologize I really I really should thank you thank you
before I let you go I did want to with you send a shout out to our lady badgers and a great great
season big thank you to them I know that you and I have touched on the team a while it feels like
we're the only ones watching sometimes pay attention to women's athletics everybody especially
your Wisconsin Badger hockey team like that those ladies are killing it they're an amazing team
great season a big thank you to them for a great season you know the worst thing about that is
I turned it on in the third period oh no so it wasn't long after that I saw that goal
man you know and well we'll see what happens I mean I think the badgers picked for the for the
men I think they got a pretty tough draw because they play the defending defending national champions
which I still can't figure out what that school's from yeah nobody knows nobody knows
though I didn't think the kids know and I'm pretty sure uppers always good talking to you man
thanks for a good chill all right you have a great week you too you too have a good one best
listeners and radio appreciate you guys will take our last time out we'll come back and have
some more fun on playmakers brought you by quality plus printing here at WF HR
welcome back everybody to the playmakers here at WF HR locally grown radio
playmakers probably brought you by quality plus printing get your words out here in Wisconsin
rapids big shout out and thank you to them hopefully afternoon is treating them good over there
hope it's treating you guys good we're going to take it right to the top of the hour good stuff
coming up for you right here at the radio station I wanted to get into our schedule here in a moment
before I do and talk a little NFL rule changes and get you up to date on your brewers
taking on the Colorado Rockies they're in the bottom of the second right now brewers up to nothing
not bad not bad continuing on one of the make sure to mention that our ride in the spring text
to win statewide contest we're holding here at civic media throughout all of our stations
has been a great success we've been having a lot of fun with this but we need more representation
from here in central Wisconsin need more WF HR representation get in there go ahead and download
the app get ready to text us that keyword for this hour it's your final opportunity for today to
enter in win but we will have more of the opportunities throughout the whole week we're going to do
this for another couple of days do this right up until Friday we're at the top of the 7 o'clock
10 a.m. 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. hours we're going to give you a keyword all you got to do is text that
word to us on the civic media app and boom just like that you are in on this awesome opportunity
where daily we're going to have four daily winners that are going to receive an overnight get away
to Chula Vista resort in the beautiful delts and all entrants are entered to win one of two grand
prices and include this awesome new bike this like Cadillac of blenders is three and one blender this
outdoor patio love seat that's a lot of great stuff for you get in and win with the civic media
right in the spring text to win statewide contest and your word for this hour is
Chula yeah Chula CHULA go ahead and text that to us get in on the contest and a big thank you again
to everybody who is playing along and having fun with this one taking a look at our schedule
tomorrow box basketball on your radio dial hosting the LA Lakers
that should be a good one got LeBron AD coming to town hitting up Milwaukee it's going to be a good one
that's Tuesday our pregame kicks off at six o'clock we'll follow Wisconsin women's basketball
they advance of course we're going to find out today to keep that in mind Thursday more bucks
basketball at New Orleans taking on Zion and them and that weird king kick baby that they got
down there and then nothing weird that that's weird Friday Wisconsin men's hockey taking on
Quinn a bit of a kapa Quinn Quinn a pakia Quinn quaint quaint no it's going to be a good game that's
going to be a good one on Wisconsin yeah it should be a good one and keep in mind just as a note if
Wisconsin if your badgers hockey team advances in the NCAA men's hockey tournament then April 11th
the semi-final and April 13th will be the championship yeah a bit of fun season already for the
the for the badgers see how this one goes 424 2600 424 2600 is a number feel free to call up
and join the conversation we'd love to hear from y'all I am just in the middle and I wanted to
look this up so the university that our caller a good friend and I were joking about where where
is Quinn a packer where is Quinn pack or Quinn a pack however you say it hamden Connecticut
yes hamden Connecticut is where they're from there you go in case you were wondering
wanted to make sure to get to this too before we wrapped up today for those that didn't hear the
NFL committee got together and made some announcements NFL owners have approved the ban on the
swivel hip drop tackle technique decided unanimously about this a violation will result in a 15-yard
penalty and could ultimately result in fines for players however Troy Vincent big name in this
state I imagine has said that the rule is going to be looked at very much like like they do with
the use of helmet rule which typically leads to a warning letters and fines before it gets to a
15-yard penalty in addition to other proposals were approved teams will receive a third challenge
after one successful challenge previously teams had to be successful on two challenges to receive a
third and if there is a double file during a down in which there is a change of changes or changes
of possession including if one of the files is a post possession file by a team during a
scrimmage kick the team last game possession will keep the ball after enforce enforcement all for
its file provided it did not file before last gaining possession and if you knew know what any of
that means I imagine you're going to be very useful come this NFL season yeah as a couple of
rule changes that I was expecting that didn't see happen here I'm waiting for them to just completely
get rid of the kick off it feels like it's bound to happen which I look player safety is much
much much much more important than my enjoyment my favorite one of my favorite things if not my
favorite thing in sports has always been the kick and punt returns so it it it stings I will admit
but I don't mind them getting rid of them if they truly did believe in player safety
but the NFL is kind of proven to us over and over again that it talks out of one side of its mouth
and you know not the other I will see you have a football coming up at the end of the month here
if you didn't know yeah I know football UFL football you know wait wait wait it's it's going to be
interesting don't go don't go we got five minutes to show left please stay up how many people are
interested in UFL football I'm very curious we we love football you can have a preseason game in
the second or the last preseason game of football on TV and it will outrate in out rating just about
anything if anything that is up against including uh you know games that matter in baseball or other
sports it'll blow it out the way it'll blow it out the water but what brings us to the games
is that the game itself is that the team is it the players I think that's going to be tested with
the UFL UFL kicks off their season Saturday March 30th Birmingham's Dallas against the Arlington
Renegades it's going to be interesting to see if they want this to work the UFL obviously you're
going to need good players going to need you know good advertising and marketing and all those
things that all seems that all matters but the biggest thing you're going to need if you are a
fan of the UFL or you were an investor or a player or anything else the biggest thing they need
with this is patience pay shunts take a look at the season ticket sales for any loss angelist
team you can do that over this year you can do it over years past you can do it at any point in
NFL history whether it was the chargers or the Rams or any other team of the Raiders in LA
and you don't see the greatest numbers in ticket sales and you might think that though that
fan base just doesn't care they don't have a fan base or anything like that but they have fans
they're just building them the thing that Al Davis I feel like got wrong is such a smart
businessman I can never understand is that if you want these teams to be successful if you want
this lead to be successful you're going to have to give it time to build a fan base if you don't
give it time to build a fan base it's never going to work we hand down our sports teams to our kids
to our friends you got to give it time to be able to build let's take one call before we get out
of here good afternoon you're on here hey I'll give you a little airtime filler there James
what you got a recent a record fell that was held by Nick Van Exel believe it or not you
with the all-time single season three-point leader for the Los Angeles Lakers
and I dated all the way back to his rookie year 94 95 he had 183 three-pointers and there was
just eclipsed by DeAngelo Russell wow wow that and I'll put a little bow tie on it and say
Troy Pumagali is a still a free agent oh oh Pumagali still a free agent how is that possible
so packer fans Viking fans everybody in the midway tonight Pumagali is available
sign him sign him right now there's no reason that man should be a free agent none whatsoever
that's going to look good on somebody's jersey this year that's good that's some great stats man
thank you so much always appreciate you take it easy that's good that's a good call
that's good Pumagali uh Troy he should be out of team he should be out of team um I I'm curious
to see how you guys feel about the UFL if you want to even if you're paying attention if you're
paying attention to March madness um had the phone lines open all show and note and you know we
talked a little bit about the team you know Wisconsin but not really much more madness so curious
about that too maybe we'll talk about it next week on another edition of playmakers uh be sure to
join us then uh we'll have Randy or Seth in with us probably it should be a good show and we'll
have you so that's what matters we'll have all you guys with us it's going to be a lot of fun
looking forward to it have yourselves a great day be good to each other we'll talk to you soon
in the later right here at 975 FM 1320 AM WF HR locally grown radio
