Good afternoon, Wisconsin. Welcome to WFHRs Playmakers.
Welcome to the show. Hope y'all are having a great Monday afternoon. Happy start of the
week. We hope it's treating you good. We're here to have some fun. Talk some sports this
hour. Your host James is here. Join by my partner in sports Randy Paul does seem like the
weekend already doesn't it does a little bit. It's only Monday. It's all bad. I don't
ride myself of that. We got so much fun to do today. We're going to kick off the show,
talk with Ross Provo, some burden eights in just a moment. We got, you know, Turkey
season coming up. Want to recap the expo with him all of that on the way. We got to talk
masters. Even I know some golf this after this weekend. Big moment in sports over the
weekend with the masters and we'll talk some maybe a playoffs and not that the seedings
are set up. Want to get into the baseball. But a little bit differently with your Randy
because ESPN had something interesting come out watchability index. The teams that are
most exciting a lot of fun to watch. And I thought that was an interesting way to rank
that. I got to talk rafters with you and Randy has some local stuff for us as well. Even
a little NFL talk I've got for us everybody. But before all of that, let's be joined by one
of our older friends here at Playmakers, Ross Provo, some burden eights. Ross, how
you doing, man? Good. Well, you guys doing good here. We're doing all right here at everything.
We're, Randy and I were just joking that we couldn't believe it's already. It's Monday.
But other than that, I mean, things are going good over here, man. How are you doing?
I know. It feels like at least a Wednesday, doesn't it? Well, yeah, once we're already
halfway through April here, so times flying. Yeah. Yeah. That's kind of funny. I just
mentioned to James when I walked in today that it's hard to believe that it was exactly
one month ago. Go today on March 14th at the Muskie Expo started. Yeah. And that seems
like we just got done with it. I mean, we're still obviously kind of coming down from
you know, organizing stuff and, you know, packing up from the big weekend and putting stuff
away and getting inventory all calculated and everything. But yeah, it's crazy that a
month that flown by and here we are already looking onto the horizon of a new Turkey season
and summer coming. So, you know, it's kind of funny because we were talking that if I
didn't get to the Expo on Friday or Saturday, that would be a good thing because I'd be
in Green Bay covering the assumption Royals playing for a state championship, which came
true. And then on Sunday, on Sunday, when I get over there, the first person I ran into
was just talking about the number of people that were there on Friday and Saturday. And
I guess it was just an incredible turnout this year. Yeah. It was some of the best numbers
they've ever seen, which was, you know, it's encouraging as a very, very encouraging
as a vendor to, you know, have a great turnout like that. I mean, I think there was, there
was talk that on, there was, there's only a huge line to Friday at 2 p.m. to first start
up and the opening day of the Expo. And they said they set a record for the longest line
to get into the Expo. So that was pretty, that was impressive to hear. And, and Friday the
numbers were just great. So it, it was awesome to see that the, the sport of musky fishing
is alive and well. And, you know, very encouraging to talk to people that are excited about
a new season. And all around great weekend it was. I know one of the things that we talked
about when we had you on the year before the Expo was that you had some new colors that
you're going to add to some baits. And, and you were excited about that with opportunity
to sell those to the folks as well. How did that turn out for you?
Yeah, that was, those went over really well. We had, like I think, I think I mentioned
that when we talked last time we were working with a bait maker over in Polver, Wisconsin,
so a local guy. And, we had two of his colors in a number of, you know, just two of his
colors in his bait. And, we were sold out within the first half hour on those. I mean,
people were making B lines to his booth that he had there. And then also our booth just
to grab the custom colors that we had. And it was, it was, it's awesome to see because
I mean, people are, you know, excited about his bait. And then they're even there, it's
great to see that they're excited about the colors that we have in his bait. So that's
fun to, you know, people are excited to get that new next bait that can hopefully put
the next big fish in the boat for him.
I know one of the things we also talked about with you on the year was the fact that we're
hoping there'd be more vendors there this year and not as if there was a lot of room to put
them in. But I think that came true as well.
Yeah, I think they, they pushed their limit again as far as, you know, being able to give
out guys an opportunity to, you get their, get their baits out there, get their new products,
whatever it might be that they're, they have the offer to the muskie community. And,
you know, they, it definitely expanded down a little bit farther and allowed more, you
know, more bait makers to get in there and just, you know, had offer their product to people.
And I was, it's cool to see because it's, it's neat that, you know, the sport is alive
and well, like I said earlier, but it's also, there's still guys that are, you know,
ingenuity. What can they come up with next as far as something new, something different
and, you know, what, what can they offer to the sport of muskie fish? And so it's a fun
week and all and all and it's very, very fun and getting amped up for a new season,
that's for sure.
Ross, you hit on something that I really wanted to bring up with you and just doing a
little homework this weekend and hearing, you know, the last conversation we had with
you in Randy and everything, we've been fishing longer than most things in society and
life in general, let alone it being a sport or a hobby or anything, but of course for
so long, it was a matter of survival. And we're still coming up with new techniques and
new lures and some of these things. Is that something that excites you about this hop,
about this sport? Because to me, I found that really exciting when I was reading about
that and seeing how there's still so much work being done on, on all of these fronts.
Yeah, it is exciting. It's kind of fascinating to see what people come up with, you know,
I mean, because it's like, you're trying to find that new twist that's going to convert
a fish to eat. And, you know, obviously trick them into eat, you know, what's the new thing
that you can do a different vibration, a different sound, a different presentation of a bait
swimming through the water? And it's kind of, I think of what we've seen as the possibilities.
I mean, obviously they have a limit, but it is kind of limitless. Like, what can you,
what little tweak can you put on a bait that's been around for years that, that, you know,
is a slight change that now is a game changer in the musky world because the muskies have never seen
it. They've never felt that vibration. And it tricks them. And I think a lot of what we're
kind of seeing too is that I would say some of the stuff that kind of phased out years ago
is kind of coming back full circle to being back in, being back in mind with, you know,
I mean, it may be phased out because, yeah, it ran its course, but now, you know, like,
there was a big fad years ago with double tens, the size of, that was the size of the blade that
they're using on these bucktails, big plated bucktails. And it was a craze. I mean, it went,
it was wildfire for catching muskies. And now, I think, you know, people have kind of swung,
like that, that is kind of ran its course. They're still working great. But, um, people,
almost, it seems like people have come back around to smaller blades now. So, like, this kind of
full circle of, like, you see within, you know, bait making, and we obviously haven't been around
in the industry as long as some of these other people, like, um, the guy that runs the,
the expo and his knowledge of what he's seen in baits in the last 40, you know, 40 years is,
is impressive. I, uh, I never would have thought of this in it without talking to you, Ross,
that there was a parallel between, uh, trying to get a muskie to eat and, and trying to get a
toddler and tricking them. Uh, there's a, there's a, there's a little bit of a, a similar thing
there for me. I did never would have done that connection. That's great. You know, it's also
interesting. You talk about the size of those, uh, bucktails and those tens. It's an interesting
when you walk around the expo that you can see all of variety of lures that are available.
But some of the size of those lures are what always just are amazing to me. I just can't believe
that those muskies are going after that, but those big ones they feed on them, don't they?
Right. Yeah. I mean, it's, it's, it, to me, it's, you know, I mean, we, we fish a lot in northern
Wisconsin waters. So we, you know, we, we tend to err on the smaller side of baits.
But if you go out to like Lake Stain Claire, which is over in Michigan, which we fished and then,
um, a lot of the Minnesota waters, guys over there are throwing pretty big, I mean, you kind of
trying to match the hatch, essentially, like what's the forage the bait in the, in the system,
the water that you're fishing that muskies are chasing. Um, so it's like, but yeah, there's definitely,
the size of these baits. I mean, it obviously, it can take its toll on your body for
casting them for hours and hours on end. But guys are willing to do it for the next big fish.
So, you know, it's interesting. My, some of my family and friends were over in Green Bay this last
weekend. They were doing some walleye fishing over there. And it kind of reminded me of the,
upcoming muskies season. And there's different zones at that open at different times, aren't they?
Correct. Yeah, so it's, you know, realistically, you know, 30 season is underway.
We're just about to start here. But yeah, I mean, muskies season is only a couple of weeks off
for the, so they, they, they break the, they basically essentially break the state in half. So,
the southern zone of Wisconsin, south of Highway 10, um, that'll be open in the first weekend in May.
And then north of Highway 10, roughly, is the northern zone. And that's, that's the, the first,
that's the Saturday closest to Memorial Day is how they, they were that. So, I always figure
Memorial Day weekend is, that's kind of our go time. That's when we start is, um, we fish primarily
in the northern zone. And, um, that's basically that's when we, that's when we always usually start is
that Memorial Day weekend. So, is that split just because of the spawn?
Yeah, and that's a big part of it. It's just the, uh, you know, they figure that these,
these fish around different schedules. And, you know, there's a little bit more delay with the,
the fish that are up north with the older weather later ice is, later ice off, things like that. So,
I think one of the things that we wanted to touch on yet too was you talked a little bit about,
uh, the turkey season that's coming up. And I think I, I heard that the youth hunter is under way
in that Wednesday. I believe in two days here is going to be the, you know, the turkey hunt for,
for adults. Um, I think you mentioned one time that you had an opportunity to get one in a different
method last year. Yeah, that is, that is true. That was, that was a good, uh, good memory.
Usually we're, uh, I mean, primarily how we hunt them is with shotguns. Um, so like this,
this last year, um, one of my buddies had, he had just, he started exploring crossbows and he said,
you know, we want to try to get in our tree, um, kill with a turkey. And I said, let's, let's,
let's go for it. You know, it's just something unique and something different that I'd have to learn.
So we got a crash course on it, went out and, uh, you know, later and hunted and ended up getting
my first archery turkey with a crossbow. So that was, that was a cool experience. I mean,
usually, obviously, like I said, we're, we're used to dealing with a shotgun, which is a totally
different, you know, feel as far as the hunt. And, uh, it really, it panned out perfectly and turned
out to be an awesome hunt that we captured on film too. So I still got to get that video. I would
actually, and I'm hoping to get it all during the turkey season here. If time allows them to get
some editing time in. So I know that was one thing I'm just going to bring up with your,
with your website for those people who haven't been a chance, had a chance to go there yet. Not
only I can see some great musky action, but there's another thing that they can look at and,
and we'll be able to look at in the future is hunting as well. Yeah, the, the thing, I mean, we,
we do have a couple of turkey videos from prior years that we just haven't had time to release,
that we're looking to get out this season. And then hopefully we can capture, it's going to be,
it's going to be a blur the next few weeks, but we're hoping that we can at least capture a,
a couple new videos this year during turkey season. And actually, I just got a, I was taught,
I was texting my buddy that I, um, fish and film with. He actually just bought some new bow on
and stuff for the fall for, um, for, for deer hunting. So he's, uh, he's already planning out
different techniques for that as far as, um, he's looking at different stand setups and whatnot.
So he's looking way ahead. So, you know, we could potentially even be getting some new deer,
deer on footage if all goes well this fall. You know, before we let you go, we got to ask you,
how's that little one of yours doing? He's doing good. Yeah, it's, uh, it's been, uh, we,
I just spent the day with him today watching him and, uh, his teeth are, his teeth are sprouting
and growing. So, uh, it's such a fun time. It's gonna be eight, gonna be eight months enough.
What is today? Today's the, in a couple days, it's gonna be eight months of time flying with that
two and, but we're enjoying it, definitely. Gotta get him on more videos. It was awesome. Yeah.
We gotta get him on the air. We gotta get him on the air. Yeah, we'll work on, we'll work on
a little bit of, uh, some language skills here, but maybe, maybe, maybe soon. So, first words,
radial and burden eights. There you go. I like it. We appreciate your loss. Uh, we really,
really do appreciate everything. Not only spend time with us, but, uh, you know, keeping this
sport alive, uh, and helping do that. Uh, we appreciate the work that you and Burnin'
Aits are doing. Say how to the team over there for us and, uh, we'll catch up real soon, man.
We'll do a song. We go to appreciate the time, guys, and it's always great being out with you,
guys. It's great to catch up. Talk to you later. Take care. Uh, Ross Provost from Burnin' Aits
joining us right there. Be sure to find out more in bookmark their webpage, burnin8.com. That's
Burnin' and Aits is spelled out. Be sure to bookmark it. You throw it in your, uh,
Google or it'll pop up right away for you. No, it did for me years ago. Uh, when I first bookmarked
that page, there, uh, Paral, Bates, uh, Gear, there's all kinds of stuff. Check out their blog,
and as Randy was touching on, they got an amazing YouTube page. Um, I, you know, I've been honest
with Randy and, and, and the audience in, in Ross and everything. I don't fish or hunt at
really much. I don't, I fish. I've never really been a hunter. I can't get enough of their videos,
man. I love their stuff. It's fantastic. Um, and it helps me not only doing, knowing more about
this, but even being able to talk about it with friends that do hunt in some of that stuff and
gives me a little more empathy and understanding of hunting, uh, and understanding the sport a little
bit more. Um, then, then for most, I think it's a, they do some really cool work over there. And
the, the, the way that nowadays the, the footage that they can get, uh, is just unmatched. It's awesome.
If you haven't seen it, you have to watch some of their videos because they have slow motion
of fish coming out of the water going into the nap. It's really good. I've got drones flying
as they're, as they're driving out to the spot. Uh, it, it's, like I've said before, it's
more professional. I think than some of the ones I've seen on television, uh, burden8s.com and
be again, uh, throw that into your search bar on YouTube and subscribe to the work that they
are doing everybody. Uh, I would say that, uh, so Randy, uh, last week, it kind of, uh, uh,
like a lot of the best things in radio can, can, you know, really create our created, um,
we came up with an idea for instead of, we're going to keep doing, you know, stats of the show
because we all love stats. Anybody that loves sports like stats, but everybody's got a stat of the
show, you know, lebitard, Patrick, everybody's got one of those things. So we're going to do a
story of the show. And, uh, I, I think that weirdly, we, we, our first story of the show was really
already right there. Ross and burden8s, um, that little one, you know, all the above. But I think
that a good second story of the show is, uh, what just wrapped up, uh, about 24 hours ago, uh,
just about, and that's some masters. Right. And I want to talk about that with you before we go
to break and get into some local coverage with you and everything. Uh, I was really excited to
have you in today because you're kind of our golf guy and, and you have been for years. You and
my brother, the people I talked to when I want to know something about golf. And I, you know,
been honest about that part too. I don't really know golf that well. I know the sport. I know the
players, um, but I have not played a lot of golf. But I don't, I don't think that you have to be
even, even know like even even more than I do about golf. To have been brought in yesterday
in a Sunday and the masters. And especially for my generation, Randy, where we were the tiger
generation, uh, of really, uh, you know, people that were never into golf before, all the sudden
paying attention to golf and getting to see like people that didn't watch the masters results for
Sundays at the mass on the masters for 20 years for our first experiences seeing tiger and seeing
excitement where all, you know, that's not typical for a master's win. It's, there's a solumeness
to it. There's a, you know, there's a respect and honor to it and everything. And I kind of like
that too. As much as I enjoyed seeing tiger following the ball into the hole and some of that,
I'll never forget it. Um, what we saw yesterday was something that I touched on last week with
a story of the show with Luca Doncic and him going to Dallas. And the, the emotions and the tears
and him fighting back tears when the videos playing and all that and just, you know, emotions,
you don't see out of athletes anymore. They've done, they've done such a disservice to the sport
in trying to protect the sport. The NFL did got on this first, but now every league has done it,
where if you are a player and even before you're drafted, one of the things they're doing is sending
you through PR training and how to answer questions and how to, how to handle, you know, different things
and different moments in the media, a win, a loss, all of this. Um, and so now when you get
patch of my home's interviewed after a win or after a loss, well, I could tell you what he's going to
say. I could write it down right now for you. Um, any, and that's not just, I'm just picking him
because he's the face of the league, but that's anybody, any, any, the backup guard, uh, you know,
any player is all they go through this regiment and now you're told, hey, this is how you answer
questions and it's every sport that's like this to where they've killed the personality in sports.
And we don't get it anymore. And then people wonder why people are pulling away from sports more
and more. There's plenty of reasons for that. But I think, uh, if not the number two reason,
the number three reason for is this. The number one reason is everything going to streaming and
everything going to money. Uh, that's, to me, the number one reason why you're going to,
you're going to kill the golden goose in football and you might hurt all the sports. Are you
are hurting all the sports with this? When you forget about your older audience, the core
audience that made you, uh, you're, that never, no business models ever done well doing that.
And it's all the major sports are doing that right now with their senior population. And by
that, I mean, anything 50 and above, heck 45 and above, uh, you, you are forgotten. They don't
care about us, uh, and, and they've proven that over and over again, every major sport, especially
football. But what we, what, and then they take away the personality in sports. So now it's all
boring. There's never going to be another Charles Barkley. There's never going to be any of that
anymore until after the game. And once they retire, that's totally different. But while they're
playing, um, it's why when you see a little personality out of an Aaron Rodgers and he spells out
relax, it becomes such a national thing and people remember it because it's a, that's the closest
we get to any personality with these guys anymore. Um, nobody, we don't know any of these guys
anymore as much as we've got as social media and all that. So to see the emotion in Luca last week,
to see Rory fall on his knees and every one of us, again, that are you are a diehard golf fan or
you're just tuning in to see something cool on sports. Uh, you are eating immediately in his
shoes and brought to where he is. And, and you, you got to feel it. You're just, yeah, you have
to feel the emotions and the relief in him. Um, I saw a stat, uh, most people to get there,
to get the grand slam and golf, uh, you took him three tries took Rory 11. I mean, knowing some
of that stuff, whether you do or you don't, but knowing some of that stuff, watching that moment
and everything, I'm, I got goosebumps right now and it's 20, it's a day later. I, I can't imagine
as a fan of this sport, somebody who truly deserves this moment, not people like myself that are
kind of just tuning in, but like you, Randy, my brother, people that really love golf. How,
how, how excited were you for that moment? And did, were you, uh, was there any, you know,
were you rooting for anything or, you know, one direction or the other going into the Masters in
general? You know, it's interesting watching Rory's reaction because the whole, the same whole
that he had played and he had missed that putt, which was probably about a four or five footer.
You could just, he handled it very calmly, but inside of you had to be thinking, he's thinking
to himself, oh no, here was my one chance and now I got to go to a playoff and who knows what's
going to happen in a playoff, right? And like you said, he waited 11 years for this to happen. He's
only one of what, one of six people, seven people out of our one, this, the grand slam and only one
person did it and one of your amazing staff. I think the guy that did it was Bobby Jones back in
1930 and they weren't even the same four that they are now. And so, um, to have all that weighing
on him after all these years and he's had a lot of Sunday opportunities in the past where he just
didn't, wasn't able to do it. But the amount of pressure, you know, when he's going to make going
for that last putt, I said to one of the people I was there with, I said, how does he even pull that
putter back? You know, just, not only just knowing the pressure of all that he's gone through all
these years, but then you've got this entire massive crowd that was huge yesterday there. Not even
to mention a worldwide audience, right? Yeah. And to do that. And I saw a couple of guys during the
week that, well, I think it was one guy was missing like a one foot putt seriously, a one or two foot
putt. And I'm like, you know what? I could miss that. So, and I think that's the thing about golf
because there are shots that you watch and you go, I could do that. You know, but, you know, 99 out of
100, you know, you're like, there's no way I can do what they're doing. After the drive yesterday
that he had on that last tool, I said, I could do that in three shots. This is, so I heard a little
bit of noise. Some people, because some people are never going to be happy. And, and you know,
when you've got an athlete like this, he's going to have, you know, lovers and haters. And I saw
some people saying that it would have been more interesting if he had had some more competitive
golfers chasing him down at the end. For one, like, he didn't need it. Rory was his own enemy.
Rory was the most difficult golfer for him to face on that green himself. It didn't matter if
that the ghost of, you know, any, Arnold Palmer, any great Bobby Jones, any of these guys were
chasing him. None of those guys could have competed with the voice in his own head. Nothing can.
And anybody out there knows exactly what I'm talking about. And, you know, and, and to be honest,
Justin Rose has been around for a long time and is a great champion as well. Scotty Sheffler,
the number one in the world. He was only three shots back. He was. I was wondering about
Umbricing to Shambo was four shots back. And he let for a while. That was the most, I feel like
one of the underlying thing or one of the things that's gotten lost in all of this is that the
D-Shambo thing. Because I thought for sure we are going to a face off of those two. And that was
going to be pretty darn exciting. Yeah. And D-Shambo is too behind to start the day and after
whole number one, they're tied. Because Roy starts off with the double and people are like,
oh no, here he goes again, right? And it's kind of interesting too because D-Shambo went to that
live golf. And so there's that divide for some people that, you know, they just, they're against it
or others are forward. So it depends where you stand on that. But the thing that I really enjoyed
about D-Shambo, whether you're on the side of the live golf or not, was how he plays up to the
crowd. And he's kind of reinvented himself that way. So you watched him walking from green to
T-Box, you know, from one hole to the next. And he's constantly high-fiving guys giving out golf balls.
You know, even after the 18th hole on Saturday stopped, got a ball, signed it, gave it to a little
kid right in the front. Yeah. You know, how does that not warm the cockles of your heart? Right.
Exactly. Yeah. It's hard not to. I know my brother was feeling a similar thing there. And I actually,
I hadn't gotten a chance to really ask him much about the live golf situation. And he just looked at
this. Well, it's rich golfers getting more money. I mean, you know, it, I think it was at first,
it certainly had its, you know, feelings and stuff. But unfortunately, this is another one of those
things where when people talk about the live golf situation, that's fine. I wish they would talk
about why they have this. This is a money laundering situation, what live golf is. All it is is
just money laundering. I mean, this is, I didn't look at everybody. There's few things that I know more
about than the other side of the tracks. I know when something like that, I know a hustle when I see one.
And the little bit I've heard is that they're trying somehow to merge the two again and get back
to the having all the best golfers together all the time again instead of just for the four majors.
So it'll be interesting to see where this goes. It's one of the things that I find disappointing
in sports because I thought that sports would be one of those places, maybe even one of the last
hills to stand on because sports is not rational. We, we care about these things. We call them our team
and things like that. When we don't own a stake in the franchise or any of this, we all yell at
our screens when we know they can't hear us. All this stuff, it's irrational. The way we feel
about this stuff. And apart because of that, I really thought that the live golf thing was going to
be an example to the rest of the world as we can't be bought. We're not going to let the money
completely take over our sports. We're not going to let you get away with this. We understand that
what this is, all live golf is all that any of these Saudi Arabian sports are is a way to kind
of clean up their, the oil money. And it's, I'm not saying anything that's an opinion. This is
all that's been reported on by actual journalists many, many times over since the first inception of
all this. I thought there'd be a pushback on that. I was, I was dead wrong because now we're seeing
that some of these businesses are going to be able to put money into college universities.
And we're, we're seeing it already in the NFL and some of that. So the money laundering has already
made its, it was here a long time ago. I'm not a fool. I'm just talking about in sports. We're
seeing it more and more. When I, what I have a problem with, with live is not so much with the live
or golfers making more money. I'm going to problem with any of that where they got a problem with
as the actual organization and what they're actually trying to do and what they're getting away with.
And that we're letting them get away with. And nobody's really, they just kind of like, well,
that's just the way it is. Like, no, no, they're doing some really horrible things over there.
And they're trying to whitewash it now. They're trying to clean it up. And I, I, I don't see
enough people standing up for that. I really thought the sports community would be the last,
the last line of the fence that would do that because we're passionate, we're crazy. And that's,
you know, just who we are. And we all accept that about ourselves. It was fun when you're rewarded
by that with the, the, the story that was yesterday in Rory McAroy doing that. One other thing,
one, I'm a little surprised that more people weren't talking about D-shambo. And I want to say a
collapse, but him kind of not really coming through at the end there. And just because I thought
people loved to pick on that guy. But also what this means for Rory going forward. Because this
was the big thing holding him, the big albatross on his shoulders. With that released, I mean,
is this going to release an even better Rory or at least maybe not a better Rory. But the only
thing again that's ever gotten hidden in his way is him. There's been plenty of times as you
touched on Randy. He was going into Sunday as the favorite or something like that. And he lost.
And it's not like in other sports. Well, well, somebody blocked his shot or somebody was playing
good defense. No, Rory was his own defense. So if that's out of the way now, man, what could he do?
What, what could he accomplish going forward here? I'm not saying he's going to catch up to Jack
or Tiger or something. But maybe he makes it interesting. Maybe, you know, it makes it more exciting
him going forward with this off of his shoulders. I think that could be a really exciting storyline
going forward for him and golf. And I think, you know, probably in his own mind being what, 35
years old already. Yeah. It's like you get to be that, that old in the world of golf. You know,
you start to think too, how many more chances an opportunism am I going to have? Because I can play
three super rounds and you look at this up and down the scoreboard. And there's guys who are
shooting 65, 67, 66. And one of the four rounds, they'll shoot like a 77. And that's the thing about
golf. One day you can just play golf and even for us, just hackers out there, right? You know,
we can go out there and we can have a very nice round one day. We call it the very next day and
you're like, what am I holding in my hands? How did I get a stick instead of a golf club? This
doesn't even feel right. So you can imagine that the number of balls that they hit as much as they
practice. There are still times, you know, that you listen to interviews and they're just like,
I just lost it. You know, I just, I didn't have it today. It's kind of like a picture, right?
They just didn't have their stuff that day. So, so going forward, yeah, you don't know. I think
just having that pressure off of him will let maybe let him play more freely on the one hand,
but on the other hand, it is a tough game. So yeah, there's that part of it too that if this was
a motivating factor without that fire under him, that motivator, you know, maybe it goes the other
route. Yeah, who knows? Either way, it'll be fun to watch about. And the story of the week,
that's for sure a weekend, for sure. Randy and I will be back. We're going to get in some
local coverage for you. Will we get back here on Playmakers? Probably brought you by Quattie
Plus printing and family natural foods here at WFHR. Welcome back to Playmakers, everybody.
Monday edition of the show, Randy and James hanging out with you. Thanks so much for joining us.
Feel free to call up and join the conversation. 715-424-2600. Look at forward to talk with y'all.
We'll get into the NBA playoff seating in a little bit. Got some NFL and MLB news to
get into as well. Maybe talk some rafters we have time. Speaking of local stuff, Randy's got a
local update for us. What do you got to run? Well, we can begin with some area baseball scores and
highlights from last week. Wisconsin Rapids won two out of three. On Friday, they were winners at
home against Aquinas, 10 to three. And then they split a double header on Saturday at Thomas,
getting the W in the opener, five to three before falling in the nightcaps, seven to six.
Raiders will be at Wasau East tomorrow afternoon. A assumption picked up a pair of wins as they
popped Pecheli at home, eight to four. Ron Bord went six and a third strong innings on the hill,
scattering five hits while striking out nine. The Royals also got a road victory over Owen
Witte, 15 to four. And they'll travel over to Auburndale this afternoon. Port Edwards also had
a couple of games last week, losing at Tri Coney, Ford and nothing. Max Michaels only allowed five
hits and struck out 10 penguins. The Black Hawks also lost a home contest to Rochelle, 10 to two,
and they will host Boehler tomorrow. And Akusa fell at Pitsville eight to five thanks to a late rally
by the Panthers. Brody Withers got the W for Pitsville. Akusa is hosting Athens as the Blue Jays
flew into town earlier today. Taking a look at the girl's side of the ledger in softball action,
Wisconsin Rapids, they're five and one on the young season. As they played four games last week and
they went three and one, first on Tuesday, they whipped Wasa East 16 to one as Bailey Williams got
the win. Next on Thursday, they fell at DC Everest five to three before sweeping a double dip at
La Crosse Central on Saturday. Well, this is what I read. I don't know, it sounds kind of odd, but
the final said 15, nothing, 15, nothing. Huh. So that's what I read. That is interesting. Yeah,
tomorrow the Lady Raiders will host Marshfield. Assumption one at Ampers, two to nothing on Tuesday,
as Macy Valor to loud only two hits while striking a 13 Felcons. On Saturday at the Pichelli
Triangular, the Royals were blanked by the host Cardinals 10 to zero before beating Lakonia six to two.
Assumption will be that Auburn Dale today while the Eagles return the favor by coming here tomorrow.
Michael and Seth will have it for you at about 435 on 105 5 FM. Port Edwards came up short on the
road against Pichelli 20 to zip also to Tri County 12 to 9 as well as to Roshold at home 25 to six.
The Black Hawks are scheduled host molar regression co-op tomorrow afternoon and on Tuesday for
Nikusa Reagan will horn scattered six hits and had seven case in a 25 to six pounding of Pitzville
while on Friday the Lady Paper Makers lost at I scan eight to one and they are scheduled to be
hosting Athens right now as we speak. Next up Girl Soccer as the Lady Raiders lost three tight matches
this week on Tuesday at home to Analaska 1-0. There's that NIL thing again. Also at home on Thursday
two to nothing to Appleton West and on the road at Bayport on Saturday two to one to the pirates are
tomorrow Rapidshead's North to face off against the whole day. For Assumption they went three and one
this past week losing at Wasau West on Monday two to NIL as three dubs scored a goal in each half.
Haley Hins had 14 saves for the royals on Tuesday was an eight to three road victory over the co-op
team of Melrose Mendoro and Gay electric tremolo Sarah Shaw led the way for Assumption as she had
four goals on the contest. Friday was a home victory over Moss to nine to three while Saturday was
another away win two to zip at Northland Pines and tomorrow the royals are back at Washington
as they entertain the Green Devils of Adams friendship. And finally at the Mara Wood conference
indoor track meet which was held at UWSP this past Monday for the girls Stratford Grab First Place
while Assumption took second. Bella Thomas had three firsts one in the 60 meter dash as well as in
the 200 and 400 meters while Lucy Dolan grabbed first in both the 1600 and 3200 meter races.
For the boys Stratford again took first while Assumption finished in eighth place Joseph Johnson
captured the only first place in the 60 meter dash for the royals so it's just some of the area
things that are taking place last week here in the Rapids area. Great coverage Randy thank you so
much for that. Exciting to hear about some of these local teams and you know how they're doing in
a young season already got my eyes all over it we'll be covering it for you keeping a close eye on
it again tomorrow we'll have some baseball on the radio softball on the radio for you tomorrow
WRI will have it they'll be hosting this for you at 105 at 435 softball Auburnale vs Assumption
Mike and Seth are going to have that one for you be sure to check it out everybody we'll talk
more about it tomorrow I want to get into NBA playoffs with you a little bit Randy the seedings
have been announced the playing games will be tomorrow and the rest of the playoffs will begin on
Saturday bunch of great teams and a lot of exciting things going on there teams that didn't make it
are you know they didn't make it because they're firing their head coaches right now not that
that exact is exactly a so here's the thing if they fired their coach a week ago they might
have a shot in the playoffs there's a playoff team if they fired them today their season's over
right I don't know what's going on in the NBA anymore but this is the way this is the world
in the NBA for apparently that's the way it's going um the bucks are the number five seed taking
on Indianapolis again I believe the second year in a row and I think they were three and two
against them this year yeah um I certainly like the odds of that one they win they would go on
uh to face the uh oh you probably Cleveland uh because Cleveland will be facing whoever wins
in the play on game between Chicago and Miami um I I feel like Chicago's gonna win that one but
I wouldn't be surprised if Miami wanted they're in the play on game I mean they're you know there's
a the either team is exactly you know lighting it up or anything right now like most playoffs in any
sport there's only a handful of teams that I think can win this uh so I really love the early rounds
in playoffs especially in basketball kind of like the NCAA tournament right yes yes I think it's
a lot like that's a great comp I think for Randy going back to seeing uh the nuggets uh getting
upset or seeing Dallas get upset the year Dirk won an MVP and everything um I find that that's
really where you get a lot of the more exciting basketball and after that it becomes a lot more
chalk and a lot more what do you expect um as far as the whole series go certainly locally we're
locked in on Milwaukee Indianapolis but outside of that the uh number three seeded Lakers taking
on the number six seed Minnesota timber wolves I find that one really exciting it would not be
surprised to see either team in the western conference finals um that's what makes it so
interesting to me if you tell me that the Minnesota gets back there neck you know they were there
last year uh you know and uh Anthony Edwards is only ascending um I think that they've got some
nice pieces over there and obviously the Lakers are the Lakers are LeBron and Luca and you know
some of the pieces they have over there you know the other one is two things first of all if I would
tell you that the Phoenix Suns with Kevin Durant and the guard Michael uh Devin Booker or Bradley
Beale we're not going to make the playoffs I mean not even the play in games you would have said go
check again right yes yeah come on that's crazy and they had a championship winning coach who they
just fired and if you would say golden state you got Steph Curry I don't care what you got you got
Steph Curry yeah I mean they got a chance right right right yes yes yes so you know the the west
is always interesting right they got a lot of good teams over there out of the east I don't
are you a believer in Cleveland I just haven't seen them enough that you know they're just shocking
that they're there right but I don't know they're number one seed Boston's number two I think
I guess realistically it's probably those two teams oh yeah yeah you know um I I will say I
with you on the Cleveland thing uh and and I felt the same way about Boston uh and honestly it
took me a week until after they won the championship to really look at Boston as a champion
um that team doesn't normally yeah I mean that that team just doesn't normally that type of team
not the Boston franchise but that type of team when I was a kid would never win a championship
uh the way that the game is being played now and stuff so I was still surprised by that even a
week later uh so I wonder if Cleveland's just got to do it you know and I don't mean win the whole
thing but even getting a making a run in the farm getting to the conference finals for sure
but making that a challenge um I I'm with you on the east almost in general like you could almost
said any team in the east and I would have followed you on it uh I I wonder if this playoffs is
going to be a playoffs of believers uh of making believers out of people and I wonder if this is
going to be a playoffs of the new guard okay because with okay see it's this the third year now we're
talking about okay see and oh what can they do where they're gonna go and all this and you know
at a certain point it's like okay well you know clock's ticking here uh when are you gonna do
something and so this is a I think I make it or break it here for clea for Oklahoma City now they're
gonna be around for years they're not going anywhere they can easily win a championship three seasons
from now with that core that they have but I think as far as you know people paying attention
and being a storyline in the NBA you gotta you gotta make a run here you if not get to the finals
with that okay C team they've been a darling all season long going into the season I think the same
thing about Cleveland and in the oddest we weirdest way Boston the still has something to prove now
I don't know that I don't think that franchise thinks that and the players think that but almost
everybody outside of Massachusetts uh thinks that so there are some interesting storylines I I think
with some of the top or one you know chalk teams so if you're gonna talk you know teams that are
the top and if they make the NBA championship do you think it would be a television network NBA
nightmare if it was Cleveland against O.K.C. oh yeah okay you imagine to know the rest of it oh no
west coast oh my god it's all that got to do something to get the lakeers what is it gonna be
you gotta do something what can we so they're sitting around in in conference rooms they come up
Adam Silver invents the trades in playoffs uh yeah yeah we're we're gonna trade the broad look at
okay C um I you know I love that I would love that kind of any mashup of that but especially
that particular matchup would be fantastic if you like the Kansas City Chiefs in the Green Bay Packers
yes yes like that um wanted to talk a little NFL don't have a whole lot here but I am
getting very very very excited about the NFL draft we're so close to it um next Thursday in
Green Bay whoo I'm gonna keep putting this into the ether keep putting this out there just in hopes
it'll happen not that I actually think it will but I really hope the Packers make a move during
the draft whatever that is I just hope it's exciting and I'd love to see a home team a hosting
uh city uh do something like that and I think it'd be fun and good for football let alone for the
Packer fans of course and everything um because uh well let me get to a couple of other notes real quick
first Patrick Peterson retired today he time Pro Bowler retired with the Cardinals thought that
was cool yeah we don't get to single these guys out very often when they retire a shout out to him
that was a lot of fun watching him play I know it was usually for a team that I was not rooting for
um but I liked him in college liked him in the pros one of the few um I don't know how much we're
gonna see the corner returner anymore but a guy who would would make a play on defense and stay on
the field to return the ball you know I that kind of athletes I love watching those guys play and
he was a lot of fun a big tip of that to him enjoy retirement for those that did not see this um
football did something that was very similar to baseball a couple of years ago when baseball
included the Negro League stats okay and everything changed where we're seeing guys that we always
put it the number one spot and other tied with somebody else and that kind of thing so for those
that did not see I got my stat of the show here and that is seven and we all know that Tom Brady
won seven super bowls and he is the all-time winning a super bowl you know player and all that well
the NFL recently um began uh including 1940 stats which really means the all-american football
conference okay and including those stats now so with that being said Tom Brady now has uh
a partner with him at the number seven spot Otto Graham oh sure who also has seven uh
championship titles it under his belt so it's not just Brady anymore but Brady and Otto share
this uh you know almost unimaginable feat that to think of any any player actually getting seven
super bowls let alone a quarterback getting seven super bowl wins um now Brady shares that
championship uh holds that with Otto Graham interesting you know and I'm with uh with uh
taking the risk of sounding foolish did he play for Cleveland Browns also in his pro career I'm
trying to recall Otto Graham that's a good question uh I I I like to double check that but yeah
it does it it does look like he did yeah does look like he did okay it's pretty impressive yeah
and well Bart Stark I think he won five you know if you consciously NFL championships and the two
super bowls that that they picked up because I think what Marty had five championships in nine
years or something and Bart was the quarterback for all those so he's got to be not too far behind
Otto Graham did play his entire career for the uh oh um oh okay yeah okay yes so Cleveland
there's his two teams Northwestern Wildcats because he is a what Keegan boy they put that out
there I don't want to get to say that very often uh but uh he's also he played for Northwestern
and Cleveland and those are his two teams he did coach uh with Washington commanders he did coach
over there for a little bit so that was what threw me I knew they were somewhere else by the way
they have Otto Graham listed as a quarterback half back yeah that's awesome that's fantastic
those old guys what fun just to watch some of those old NFL films the the little bit they have on
them it's just great to see the way that they played in the mud and the benches and I know I saw
some old films on Packer games no no okay they play like the the the bears yeah with that great
rivalry they would be 15 yards out of bounds where the benches were and they'd be tackling them
yet yeah and that's a lot of it wasn't even a penalty it's crazy they're after just run over
their kind of separate them they go back out in the field it's when football was football Jonathan
these guys with their helmets and we'll take time up we'll go back with more playbakers
you know we couldn't stop talking hockey could yeah could not stop could not stop still talking
about the lady Badger's winning uh and and a shout out to western Michigan yeah when the men's
four yeah uh but we shift gears uh and change shifts uh to get to baseball a little bit here
good thing and uh one of the go ahead and get into this because I thought this was an interesting
thing and honestly I didn't have a lot uh baseball talk uh to do today but um I did see this article
from major league based uh from ESPN I should say and uh David uh shown field uh with a interesting
idea and an interesting take on baseball and they've got the 2025 watchability indexed
ranking the most fun teams to watch so to give you a barameter on this one for example like he
has at number 30 everybody say with me the Chicago white socks that they everybody saw that one
coming right um they are the least uh exciting team to watch um no star power not a lot of uh
organization um a very very young team and an experienced even the players going to locker room
while they're hitting yeah yes absolutely absolutely um what do you mean I'm next but uh on the
other side of this you know where of course are the uh brewers where where do the brewers rank in
this list well at numbers at number nine uh in the top 10 and not surprising I think to most people
if you think about it for a second you might you know be surprised at first but when you think about
it a little bit you might even think they should be higher they're young they're exciting they
I mean their speed is fun to watch they beat all the crown balls that look routine they
sell them to get into double plays because of that speed and with the young churro you know
being 21 years old how fun is that right yes yeah well and uh and speaking of uh churro is in
we're seeing this from him and he's still learning yeah he's not even close to his prime he's
still learning uh discipline in the plate you know I mean as soon as he learns that takes a couple
walks and everything and I think and I think the thing that a lot of people forget is how banged up
their pitching staff is yeah I looked a week or two well they had like six seven guys and since then
I think other people have gone out into the DL for a while or the injured list for a while now and
if they ever get healthy and get a starting rotation because right now you know to be where they are
what are they 500 right now I mean that's they're doing it with mirrors really yeah um well and
and there's uh there's a model that um that that you're seeing in like the Yankees and the
Brewers and some teams like this of if I can't get starting pitching I'm just going to try to beat
you I'm just going to try to beat your old fashioned score more runs and they've been doing pretty
well yeah yeah uh it's not so bad Christian Yelich uh you speak of health um none of us can guarantee
we get a hundred games from this guy and everything so I take every game I enjoy and especially
seeing the hot start from him and the way he's been playing Bryce Turang is one of the most underrated
players in baseball this is part of the reason why I wasn't worried about Willie Adamus leaving
not only him but the Ortiz kid uh you got a great infield of Milwaukee that's a nice infield
we all know that during the once the trade deadline gets closer and everything in Milwaukee is in
the running that they could make a move there for starting pitching so we'll see but one name I
want to shout out and I don't think that in well and the state of Wisconsin I don't think he's
underrated but I do think major league baseball is not is is not paying enough attention to
Contreras he's the most underrated catcher in baseball started off a little slow this year we
starting to come around he's such a fun catcher to watch I I love um the angle in and um and
baseball that had been around forever behind the pitcher the starting pitcher or the pitcher
in general and getting to see the catcher's hand and in the signals that he makes the movement he
does uh Contreras is old school reminds me of the Santiago's uh and and and in the Alamars and
some of those catcher's types uh which not surprisingly comes from a catcher family toy didn't
mean to do that but the Contreras family of course he um he's a fun catcher to watch watch his game
not just at the bat but his defense the other night we're watching uh get the brewers they were taking
on the uh diamond backs and and the catcher for the diamond backs you know if he's trying to frame
a pitch he pull off his outside he really jerk his love in and then we said now watch the
difference with Contreras and he just really smoothly moves in and I said you know the Alamars
not going to be fooled by that quick jerk but boy you just just that little swift little smooth move
makes a huge difference he's a guy um what I was saying about Jackson Cheerio I thought the Contreras
was really um quick to learn behind the plate and really learned uh major league baseball defense
really ahead of his time when I watched him at the beginning of the year last year when they got him
I just looked at somebody said how did we get this guy yeah most underrated trade uh most
undercover to an underrated trade all of all in all of sports may be lassies that was crazy yeah
that's nice move and and part of why they're an exciting team to watch and should be for uh I
mean all summer long yeah my favorite is when he does an interview with Sophie and she has to speak
Spanish to him and then he goes out to the mall and then talks yes yes it's like screws just messing
with us I uh you know that's something that I was talking about last week about Ellie De La Cruz
uh one of the more exciting players to watch and everything he's gone out of his way to really
learn English yes and he has a teacher with him and everything that's yeah it's really cool
yeah I mean I don't I don't hold I don't expect a player to do that but if I'm if I'm him if
if I'm looking to not only embrace myself with the major league baseball fans but heck look at
this as a business thing too and marketing wise and you're you're that much more uh sellable uh
and and you know to the sport and to fans when you could do that when you can speak their language
it's no different than a player going overseas and learning their language yeah isn't he fun
though to watch he's so much was it last year till second third and in whole mind like three
streets it's crazy I I feel like he gets the the the game too you know he he's he gets the history
of the game while also being one of these younger players that are exciting and and have some fun
out there and he just looks so smooth and everything he does right isn't he he's um he's got it
he's another one where we haven't even seen him in his prize yes and it's it's kind of fun to
watch and and speaking of like Christian Yellich I wanted to make sure to bring this up too because he's
another one that I we got to appreciate while we got him Mike Trout's been playing some great
baseball like he's 27 like he's been out there just playing great um you know injury wise who knows
how long he'll have or anything like that so instead of getting caught up in how long we're
gonna have the or you know if these guys are gonna be around I say just enjoying while we got him
and let's just have some fun while the seasons young uh speaking I'm enjoying yesterday the
Cubs took two out of three from Los Angeles and I'm like wait yeah right yeah that was crazy yeah um
raptors baseball got a great uh a tax day promotion for you everybody get on over there and get a
deal on tickets uh uncle sam took 50 percent so the raptors are giving it back uh baby score 50
percent off weekday grandstand tickets right now get to northwoods league dot com and get those
tickets will meet you at the ballpark Randy great show today fun time have a great night everybody
we'll be back on wednesday this is locally grown radio wfh r 13 20 in half w24 ade wisconsin
rapids and always streaming on the civic media app
