Good evening everybody. Normally I would be allowed and obnoxious and say fire up. But in the beginning, before I even introduce my crew, I think we all should take a moment and a moment of silence for those that we lost in that plane crash. There were sports figures in there. Whether you're a figure skating fan or not. Young prospects, sixteen year olds were on that plane. They had just gone from training and they were going home.
We lost at least sixty four people last night, shortly like twenty four hours ago when they're plane crashed into Blackhawk helicopter. So let's just take thirty seconds or twenty seconds of silence to show Okay, now I'm going to introduce my crew. Thank you for that moment, everybody. Pettin's man is right next to me. Pettins man, how are you tonight?
I'm all right? And you forgot to add that we had three military people in the helicopter doing training. So I'm a huge military back back boy. Won't call it defender, So just won't let you guys know that we had three people at the helicopter.
And they were army.
I believe Yeah, I think so too.
Yes from all the reports and we and we're not here. We're not here to place blame. We're not here to talk about any of that. We're just here to pay our respects to all those that lost their lives as innocent as they were. Like you know, I was talking earlier that a couple of them were sixteen year olds and they were great prospects that were doing really well, and some of them had actually won national championships that
were from Russia as well. So I know the figure skating community has suffered a huge, huge loss over this, and I know that the Olympics is going to take a hit coming out up.
Oh yeah no.
Also on my panel, mister Ralph Williams, how are you tonight?
I'm doing good, Thank you, Candy. That's pleasure being here as always, Thank you.
Thank you. And then none other than the person that wrote the forward to my husband's book, mister George the Uncle Icorn, how are you?
Yeah?
I'm well, Eddie.
Thank you.
Couldn't make it last week, a little bit of health issued by h on my skin, but you know, getting trying to get over that, and and I agree with everything you said. It's a terrible loss for this country, not only that, but for Russia and the military. So we got to keep these families in our prayers and thoughts. Just a terrible, terrible accident, it was.
Yeah, but it's good to see you back here. You haven't been on Thursday nights on a regular basis for a while, so welcome.
Back, Thank you.
Good to have you as part of the show. And yes, you're doing a doubleheader as Pencil and Sports Knows.
So.
Okay, on too. We're going to talk a little bit about Dwayne Wayne and I don't know if you guys saw the story that came out, but this tells you that you have to take your health seriously. You do need to get checked out because he actually had cancer and lucky for him that it was on I believe it was on his liver they said, or no, his kidney. Excuse me, he had a cancerous tumor removed from his kidney.
In December of twenty twenty three, he visited the doctor after he turned forty to undergo a physical for the first time since his playing days. The Hall of Fame guard had been experiencing cramps and slow urination. He underwent a full body scan that showed a potential cyst or
tumor on one of his kidneys. They were able to see that on my right kidney, and they didn't know at the time if it was a sister a tumor, but it was nothing that could be biopsy, so the only way to take care of it was to actually go in and surgically remove it. He consulted multiple doctors to confirm his cancer diagnosis before undergoing surgery, which required
removing forty percent of his right kidney. I had a personal decision to make if this is cancer, if this is tumor, this cyst is cancerous on your kidney, you're forty one years old, you probably need surgery because it's something that needs to be removed so it doesn't spread. Wade said, I made the decision to have surgery. I had surgery on December eighteenth, twenty twenty three. Find out, obviously, at forty one years old, pretty healthy guy, that I
did have cancer. Thank God that I did do the surgery because the tumor was cancerous. He played fourteen of his fifteenth I'm sorry, fifteen out of his sixteen NBA seasons with the Heat, leading to the franchise to three NBA Championships. He was a thirteen time All Star in eight time NBA selection. He remains Miami's all time leader in several categories, including points, assists, steals, and games played. The heat retired way it's number three in twenty twenty. Any thoughts, George.
Well, they said in the article too that he had been putting off having a physical but then as you mentioned about having some issues there with with urinating and things like that, you know, and it just was things weren't right, things weren't right. He also said that he did not want his kids and his family to see him weak. Well, Dwyane, You've got nothing to be ashamed of. Okay, you're not weak. You're a strong man for coming forward.
You're a strong man for getting yourself checked in and checked out, as they say, physically, there's no shame in that. I mean, you know, I got a lot of friends and family that have been through a lot, a lot as far as health issues as we all have. And really that's not anything everybody likes to talk about or sometimes converse about out But uh, you know, and I know Dwayne is you know, part of that whole Macho
you know, I macho Macho I be. I mean, uh, macho NBA player, macho athlete that always is is is prevalent with a lot of the men especially, but the women as well. But anyways, I plaud you, Dwayne for stepping forward, for doing this, and uh hopefully that'll give you any many many more years of joy and and and pleasure here on this earth. And uh, I've always
admired you as a player too, I really have. Uh With the Piston said, it's a little bit of rivalry at one time against Miami, not recently, but you know, there were always great games against the two teams. But more importantly is his health now that he's retired. So I'm just so glad that you know that he found out what was wrong. Candy and guys, Yeah.
Ralph, your thoughts, Well, here's a Hall of famer here, I mean this guy. Uh, you know, we played for the Miami Heat. As as George's head indicated, there had been some competition there in the NBA with him, and you know, but you see, sometimes everyone here, people let pride get in a way. And I know this because I was the personal cab driver for Mike Webster and Mike Webster told me that it took him a lot,
a lot. He had a lot of pride to accept money from his fellow teammates when he was broke and couldn't afford a Hall of Fame jacket and then didn't have a place to live and he was homeless. Okay, Elsie Greenwood, Rocky Blair, they all chewed him out because they said, why didn't you come and talk to us? Lynn Swann got mad, They all got angry with him, and they finally they pitched in. They got him a place to stay, They paid for his Hall of Fame jacket.
There's nothing wrong with telling your family you're sick. I mean, you know, you know I have I have health issues. I'm in a wheelchair, I'm diabetic. I mean, you know I have all that. But I'm not afraid to say that to my family. And my family has been very supportive of it. And I'm not weak. I'm strong because I'm strong because I don't let that get to me. I'm here going this and that's what I like to do. But see, Dwayne Wade shouldn't shouldn't take it like that.
He should say, Okay, look, I you know I'm sick. I need help, and I maybe I am weak, but you know what, his family will be there.
Form Pensman, what is your thoughts on Dwayne.
Wade Penceman, sports guy it right, he is in Miami legend and he is a whole famer. I couldn't stand him as a player because he always beat the sixers. He always had his the sixers number. George can understand that fan so but he's a good player. He went to the court, he kept his mouth shut. He went to the games to debt. But if you're sick and you're not feeling good, you gotta tell your family members here. You can't have the NBA ego in outside the NBA is when you're in the NBA, you have to have
that ego, that batcho man ego. But when you're in the house, you're supposed to have. Hey, guys, I think something's wrong, and I'm glad he finally got to it, and I'm glad he's doing it right now.
And one of the things that I'm going to say is, yes, he made Maybe he'd hit it for a long time and didn't, but kudos to him for finally coming out. And it's telling everybody because what that tells or should tell everybody is that someone that you would think is very healthy can get still can get cancer. Nobody's immune to it. So you have to get checked out and make sure that you are taking care of yourself. And when things aren't right, you have to listen to your
own body. You know, when something isn't right, go check it out. Go ahead, and I don't care if you tell anybody else, but go check it out. And Pennsilman, I'm not going to get too much into that, but I do agree Jimmy Butler could learn take some advice from Dwayne Wade. I have to admit I am a Wade fan. Wade obviously played for the Marquette Golden Eagles at the time, so and I am definitely a Dwayne Wade fan. Am I a Miami fan, No, even though I live down here, But I am a Dwayde Wade fan.
And I'm not crazy about the statute they made out there, but hey, they're still honoring him. So with that being said, we're gonna stay in the NBA for a little bit longer. And typically that's not really a sport I talk a lot about, but Adam Silver is floating the idea of ten minute quarters as opposed to the twelve minute quarters it is now. They think it'll shorten the game to about a two hour format, which he thinks is more
consistent with modern television habits. Your thoughts, and I will start with Relph.
Well, you know, Candy, when things get a little too long, it gets boring. And I you know, I agree with the with with the NBA doing that. Look at Major League Baseball with the pitch count. Look at how you know they're trying to keep the make the game go shorter. You know, I've seen some shortened games this year that the Pirates played in, and some you know, and some other teams war some shortened games with baseball. NBA is
trying to do the same thing. Everybody's attention span now is not for sitting there for out many hours watching a game. It starts to get boring a little while, and people's mindset starts to drift away or after a couple hours ago home, you know what I mean. So I mean it's it's you know, everyone's mindset is different. But I think the NBA is doing the right thing if they want to speed up the game a little bit.
George, your thoughts, Well, when I first heard it, I thought, oh my gosh, here we go again, trying to meddle with the with the tradition here.
But I agree with you, Ralph. I think that what's happening now is the appetite is more more compact, and by that I mean for the sports fan and for the casual viewer. And you give a great, great example, Ralph, by the way on Manor League Baseball and the changes that they have implemented. And by the way, those changes go back to when Steve Palermo, who was a great umpire who actually had to leave the game due to health, he was the head of that committee that looked at speeding up baseball.
But as far as the NBA goes.
I'll tell you what. And another one that really bothers me is college football. Oh my gosh, that's another day. I know, another subject, Candy, don't get me started, because they have stretched their games out way too long, so many replays and all that. The NBA, I think is a microcosm of pro sports. I mean, you know, it's it is more compact. Obviously, twelve minutes is the shortest period.
I mean, hockey's got twenty minutes, and football the NFL's got fifteen in baseball really doesn't have a clock in that sense, but they have implemented this pitching clock. But I think that the NBA is still trying to find their you know, look for different ways, like Brolv said, and you guys might agree that, you know, looking for ways to speed up their game without necessarily losing any revenue.
And that's the key. As we know, they can't lose any revenue, nor do their sponsors want to lose any revenue. So they may say I want to go to ten minutes. Don't think they're going to cut out a few of those commercials because obviously that pays the bills, as they say. So even though he talks like it's cutting it back, I don't think it's gonna cut a whole lot because, like I said, they need their commercial space and they're going back to NBC next year. I can't wait the NBA on NBC.
And George, you're on fired, Like man, I'm telling.
You on fire.
The second other sports that were not I know, I know George is on fire, really really really look out the apple don't fall from the tree. So I was gonna say, is it's the twelve minute quarters. College basketball has two twenty minute halves, so they want if they want to speed it up, why don't they do like college basketball, just do twenty minute hals. Nobody's complaining about college basketball. And I'm a big Duke fan, and I'll watch any other any other team, but Duke's. My teams
is all the kid. But I have no issues with college basketball. Hit runs smooth. Half taunted is about fifteen to twenty minutes, and then they get back to the second half about hour and a half two hours, and that's it. They don't need the four quarters if they want to speed it up, I don't think ten minutes is necessary. So that's my opinion.
So one of the things that one of the reasons why Silver has proposed this is so that the set of rules is for basketball is consistent across all leagues, because right now in Olympic basketball they do it, and college basketball already play forty minute games. He also believes shortening quarters could solve some of the NBA's issues with rest and load management, which we all have complained about.
Oh boy, that's what I said, is just embiid.
Emba. It's the only one that complaints about rest and he has his own chair.
They all do load management. Well, that's true, that's true. Silver is keenly aware that MLB has implemented changes that have made a positive impact. So he said if the league that is more locked into tradition like MLB can do it, the NBA should be open to more changes. He also recently addressed the narrative that NBA games have too many three point shot attempts, and I know that's
been another point of contention with some people. He says he likes the three point shot and appreciates the skill level of big men who are able to shoot from deep because it shows how the game has evolved over time. My issue with that is it's taken the physicality of the inside game out of the game. I think, and he's and people don't defend where's defense really on these teams? I mean games? You know, that's what I miss A
lot of that. But to each its own. So any other thoughts on ten minutes or changing any other rules for the NBA, guys.
College basketball has three pointers. There's no issues there.
No, Yeah, a whole different animal with college, the NBA, the NBA about showing off college. They're worrying about the ones, you know, worrying about making their careers, you know, and stuff like that, just and just like college, yeah, exactly.
Yeah, but you gotta admit, Rah Ralph. The college game especially, I think it's gone way too much to the al ups and the dunking and the.
Yeah it has yes, I know.
I know, and it didn't used to be that way. But when the kids see it happening in the pros, they're obviously going to be trying to emulate that. And I don't know how the coaches are. I mean, Tom Izzo. I see a lot of Tom Mizzle being in Detroit, man at Michigan, and he don't like all that shenanigans. You know, you get some of these coaches that are really good about it in the college ranks. All I'm saying is, no, I do like the college product better
I do, And I think you guys nailed it. The two the two twenty minute halves would be would be better.
I think cal Perry doesn't have a has a problem with it.
Two Okay, Yeah, A lot the college basketball has could work in the NBA. If they make it work, you know.
Keep the is, keep the three pointers, make it competitive. Get rid of the All Star Game and the All Star Game they get like two hundred and fifty points combined. Oh, it's like it's like, it's like the score the final scores like one forty five to one thirty five. It's like, hello, where's this that?
Yeah?
Exactly, Get rid of the All Star Game and get like college and.
Good.
Okay, guys, we're gonna switch topics. We're gonna switch sports to the sport that we all know and love and talk probably the most about. We're gonna talk about NFL, but we're gonna talk about it in a little different way. A report came out today the concussions are an all time low this season since NFL began tracking. NFL players suffered the fewest concussions in the season of twenty twenty four since the league began tracking data nine years ago.
The total decline from twenty twenty three was seventeen per That includes all practices and games in both preseason and regular season. Number of different things, safer equipment, enforcement of safety rules, broader efforts to foster a culture of safety regarding concussions. They said. One of the things that I thought was very interesting. They said that twenty eight percent of all players evaluated for concussion are diagnosed with one.
The number of players self reporting increased to forty one percent. There was a thirty five percent increase in the number of players upgraded to safer helmets or position specific helmets that are designed to reduce the impact of hits. So your thoughts and we'll start with pensmen on this topic.
I'm glad that the concussions are lowering down. I'm glad that everything's going to a safer route because NFL is buy apple Pie in America. You could ask everybody that knows me. I love football with a passion, college, high school, everything, I'll watch. I'll even watch UFL sometimes.
So but.
Why I was talking to somebody that if you go, if the quarterback goes out of the pocket, he should be notified as a running back. So it does not matter how he's hit the flags of him going out of the pocket. Once he leaves that pocket, he's a It's a free game, like there's no safety thing. Once here in the pocket, that's where the safety comes in. But I'm glad that they lowered the concussions. I'm glad the injuries are going down, so Roger Cadell's doing something right in that category.
Ralph your thoughts, Well, the NFL had to start stepping up, Pensman, because you know, they got sued and then you know, and what all these concussion problems and everything else and the settlement. Uh you know, I know, uh a professional wrestler name Baron Corbin who played for it was alignment for the Jets and offensive lineman. Uh, he ended up getting a concussion settlement and he had to sit out
for a couple of years because of concussion syndrome. And now he's uh he works with well did work with the w w's now moved on. But I know some other football players who have, you know, concussion problems and committed suicide. Terry Long drank Annafrees and committed suicide. Former Steeler lineman, Justin Straulzik, former Steeler lineman. Uh, you know, just to name a few of the ones that because of concussion syndrome, had major problems in their lives and
and and with what was going on. Watched a movie and uh, you know you'll understand it a little bit better about how how the concussion thing worked, you know, with the NFL players.
George your thoughts.
Yeah, I'm I'm glad to see that there's an indication, like you said, of the downward trend, because it is a very serious issue, very sensitive issue. There is so much hitting and so much piling on and everything else that goes on in a football game, whether it's you know, high school, college or professionals. You know, A couple of people even what you know said to me during a while we're at Alliance game, you know, Georgia, I can't believe there's not more injuries the way these guys go
at each other and hit each other. So what could be the reason? Well, obviously our medical advances. Obviously they're testing different helmets, at least wearing those helmets in training camp and that practices. I know those helmets are not pretty, those new helmets that protect the skull and the tissue and the and their faces.
Better, but.
That doesn't matter to me. I mean, I know, you know, you know, a helmet is a big thing. We all I know that. But I'm sure some of those new helmets, if we do adopt those league wide, they could be painted in the team colors. That's a that's not a showstopper, but yeah, it's a very serious issue. And we all have seen some of our favorite athletes in our favorite.
Teams, you know, and and and you know you Candy with Green Bay, myself with the Lions, and Ralph the Steelers, and Pensman with all the football that you watch. I mean, we've all seen so many young players and no matter what age they are, but I mean going out and having these terrible injuries and concussions, it's just so sad.
It's so sad right now. Lem Barney is really struggling. The former Detroit Lions great Lem Barney, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Keep them in your thoughts in prayers, I ask all of you, because he's one of the greatest Lions of all time and he's had a lot of issues again coming off of his career, lengthy career with the Lion into the NFL's Alembarney is a great guy. But yeah, it happens to a lot
of that happens so much. So I am glad though, Candy, like you said, the statistics are I'm looking at a little bit more better exactly.
It was the Guardian cap. I think that's what you were looking for, right And I'm glad they came out with that. Whether we've seen some players adapt to it, some players haven't. We've seen the change and the kickoff rules obviously that I think has teamed some of the
hits down. Whether that's completely done it or not, I don't know, but it's a sport I love to watch, So they need to do something because I feel, even though these guys make a boatload of money, they only play a short time for their life, so they need to be able to continue on. And we hear of like Brett Favre, now that he you know, he's taken
how many hits, now he's developed a serious disease. So whatever they can do to make the game as safe as they can for the players, for all of us that like to enjoy watching it, kudos to them.
And and far best part of the bounty too. Yes, yes, don't forget that.
Mm hmm. Can't. So speaking of which, I'm headed to New Orleans starting on I'm leaving Saturday. I get to cover Super Bowl week super stoked. So with that being said, we got to talk a little bit about the Super Bowl because it's coming up. It's the next big game. It's a rematch I have to say all these Kansas City chief people that say they could possibly three peat, well great, then you'll be in good company because you
are not the only ones if you do that. There have been NFL teams that have won championships three years in a row, and it's namely my Green Bay Packers, and they did it twice. Yes it's before it was the Super Bowl era, but they did do it. So thoughts about what you're looking forward to for the game, and it can be whatever about the game. And I'm going to start with you, George.
Well, it's not really the matchup I wanted, obviously, and I'm not trying to sound like a Homer, but you know, the Detroit Lions were just thoroughly beaten and shocked by what happened in their playoff opener, which as we know was was the divisional round. They got to buy the first round, and to be quite frank with you, guys,
I would have preferred to see wash it Jack. They've done a great job over there and Dan Quinn and and Jalen and and all the stars that they've got, but they just again, you know, they were beaten fair and square, obviously by a better team Philadelphia. I'm gonna stick with the NFC. I would like to see Philadelphia win. I'm getting just a little bit tired of the Kansas City stuff, as you all know. And I'd be interesting
here what you guys all say. No question, they're a great team and a great franchise, but all that other stuff and that we have to put up with. And now now we got teams saying that the referees and fans more so fans, I guess maybe than team executives. You know, the favoritism, whether it's true or not, some people think it is. I happen to think not, but that the officials are in on it as well. But
it doesn't matter. I mean to me, you know, made the best team win, but my heart is going with Philly. I'm I'm a National Football Conference guy. I would like to see keeping that Super Bowl over here, and quite frankly, i'd like to see Kansas City. I guess denied to get three three beat should be a hell of a game. And Candy, you and Scott and your team, and that is going to be down there. You're going to enjoy it. I've had the privilege of covering two Super Bowls, one
was a very great one. If you guys remember when when Kurt Warner took to the Saint Louis Rams to the Champion and Georgia Frontira was the owner, of course, and and that was a great game down in Atlanta. I stayed with some friends down there, and then of course that's privileged to see one in Detroit, which was at Ford Field as Jerome Bettis and the great Steeler team.
As you guys know, Ralph defeated Seattle here in Detroit, and and that was a great super Bowl from my perspective too, because we all love the bus being from from Detroit. So yeah, so I'm looking forward to it. I'll i'll be interesting to see what everybody else does. But I'm pulling for Philadelphia and I'm hoping that the Eagles can bring home a title.
Ralph.
Your thoughts, well, it's a coin flip for me, and I'll tell you why. Number one, I don't want to see Casey get three in a row, and number two, I don't want to see Kenny Pickett get a Super Bowl ring. So I'm torn between the two teams in that perspective. So I call it a coin flip. I'm just gonna sit there and watch it, and whoever wins wins. I can't control the outcome of it, you know, so well,
you know we'll go from there. Maybe all the swifters will, you know, move Kansas City along there or whatever, you know, that kind of thing, so you know, but yeah, that's I'm torn between the two. I'm gonna sit there and watch it. Whoever wins wins. I really don't have a favor because, like I said, I don't want either team to win, to be frankly honest with you, because of those two reasons.
So yeah, Pensman, I'm in the same boat as Ralph. But I can't stand the Eagles because my family's a big Eagles fans. I can't stand the Kansas City Chiefs. I like Patrick Maholmes, but he's getting away with too much stuff. But I just can't stand the Kansas City Chiefs. But Patrick Mahomes I respect really, really bad. But is the Kansas City Chiefs rigged his because he can't even spike the bull? What isn't his on his hands? That it was that is sticky? Is it sticky stuff? I
don't know if that is or not. I put it short up and I got ten thousand views on that because of the hesitation spike. And then I don't know if they're even gonna play the game because Pat McAfee and a bunch of YouTubers are talking about the NFL's about boycotting it. So I don't know if they're actually going to boycott the gamer. I don't think they should because I want to know who the champion is. So that's what I think. But I'm just gonna sit there
and watch it, and whoever wins wins. And as far as Kenny Pickett, he's a backup everybody. He might be part of the team, but he didn't take them to the super Bowl. He's a backup.
But I don't want to see him get a ring at all. That's the could care Less cleans toilets.
I got it, I get it. I'm just saying everybody's like, oh, Katy Picketts gotta get super Bowl. He's a backup. I get your I get where. I get where you're saying, Ralph. But I'm just saying that. Everybody's like, oh, Okay, Pickett's the seruper Bowl. He's a backup.
And again, but then again, you know what, maybe I do want Philly to win because I want the Steelers to be wrong about what they what they did with Kenny Pickett. That's another story, you know what I mean?
You know, possibly do.
Yeah, So it's kind of almost something like we're all kind of leaning leaning towards the Eagles, not quite convincingly. But here's what I'll say is I like Andy Reid. I think he I respect him wholeheartedly as a good coach. I think what he's done is has been pretty phenomenal. Kansas City has been how should I say it, finding ways to win when you didn't think they were necessarily gonna win. I don't think they've had as dominant of a season as they've had the last couple of years.
For the time, it's been lucky luck. Whether you say the refs are in it or not.
I'm not almost lost the Broncos. Yeah, they lost the almost lost the Broncos for a block, but black field goal.
I understand. Like I said, they have been they have found the ways to win. What I will say about the game, and I would encourage all of you to watch Scott on the MotorCity man Mouth on YouTube you can find it. Did an interview with Don Beebe and he played for the Buffalo Bills, the inaugural season of the Carolin Panthers and my Green Bay Packers Championship Super
Bowl champion. He and he talked about how it's about not making mistakes, not letting mental not making mental mistakes, so if something happens, it's happens to go wrong, or you don't you know, some call you don't get or whatever like that, to not let that affect the rest of your game. The fact that Philly's defense is as dominant as it has been, he thinks Philadelphia will win, but he says it's going to be up to that running game and up to Philly's defense. And I agree,
if they're up for the task. And let's face it, Berkeley has had a phenomenal year. Changing teams was the best thing for him that he could have ever asked for. The caveat would be that the krem de la creme him getting a Super Bowl ring. So Jay likes your hat, mister George.
I got it from a guy named Dan Cable.
And hello, j It's good to see you j I.
And say this our friend Butch Davids from Detroit, good to see you, Budge.
Jim Pensylman. We've had a couple of little people and some people here, Eddie Prather, Ralph you commented rx J, we've had a couple of people in the chat room. That's awesome.
Love it now. I got to ask you guys something, Candy and and guys. I guess I didn't see the announcement that they were changing the kick off from six thirty to seven thirty. Do you remember when that was decided? Was it a league meeting or something. I mean, I don't actually remember.
I don't I don't know.
I don't like it because that means less kids we'll see the game. You know, they got school the next morning and that whole thing. But I mean, one hour is one hour. It's not the end of the world. But I just thought for viewership or something. I don't know what their ideal is why they moved into seven thirty.
I don't like it.
I honestly had not heard that.
Yeah, I don't like it either. I like the six thirty seven kickoff, George, I agree with you. I don't like that either.
Yeah, I don't know. I obviously the owner they must have a meeting.
I mean, it isn't done it again.
Yeah, or are they just talking about it?
No, I looked at my Candy's got the computer. You guys got computers there. I looked the other day in the team guy. I hate to publicize the TV Guide, but now they're the ones that had an Eastern.
Time jay Eastern time what time zone?
Eastern?
It's Eastern time zone.
It sells us to me six thirty Eastern Central.
Then maybe the TV guide screwed up. Maybe they're the ones that are to blame because, uh, you know, I'm in the Eastern Times on Detroit and they they said it was seven thirty. But okay, I'll go with you Candy on that one.
That's a good topic, George.
Yeah, I checked myself, and.
I think TV guy needs to stick to TV and then stay away from time, you know, worry about the that's right.
Well, if they want to give the time at the wrong time, they're going to be missing out then, because yeah, eastern kickoff.
Okay, thank you for clarifying.
I might have fewer readers, a few if reader is a miss.
That kind of thing for that for sure.
But don't worry. Don't worry if you have the catered food or you're ordering pizza man. But you want to put kickoff?
Yeah, I never heard that full time.
You know what, George TV Guide might be just saying something to say something, to put something out there for print. You know. You know there's a Rooney's Reports all over the place.
I think George's magazine central time zone.
They didn't they concuse me with the Eastern and the Central.
There you go, Okay, let's reel it in. Let's go to by Town. We are going to start with Ralph, what is happening in your town?
Well? Uh are Rooney the Second, the owner of the Steelers, says he still wants to win a championship, but there was a key ingredient in today's interview that he did with Channel eleven's Jenna Harnet. Today, he said that he's starting to get away from the game and he's letting his kids start to run it a little bit. And I hope that if that's the case, Art the Second, I hope they do a better job than you're doing, because I got to tell you what, You're not doing
a really good job with it. This team is mediocre, have a mediocre coach, and it's getting tiring and people in Pittsburgh are hungry for another Super Bowl and you know it's getting really really out of control. Penguins won their first game in a while, and what I think about maybe six years or something. Jeez, it's been a while since they won a game against the Utah Hockey Club. They don't even have a name, They're called the Hockey Club. So you know they won that game. And spring training's
coming up. Pitchers and catchers report February twelve for the parts, and this Tuesday on Sports Corner, I will have no House from the Post Gazette and we're gonna talk about the Pirates what they're up to this season, which is, of course nothing like they always are. So that's my town, George.
Because I know that Ralph and Pensman are from the same We'll give Pensman a little time to figure out his George. So I'm gonna go to you. What's happening in your town.
Well, we've got a great new coach of the right wing. So far so good. Uh, Tom mccollin. It took over for for Lolane, the Tampa Bay guy that they brought Stevie. I's been brought back because Steevie of course, was the president and general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning for many years. It didn't work out well. I shouldn't say that now. Last year they went to the final game of the season and the final period in the final goal, I mean, Washington edged out the Red Wings for that
final playoff spot. As you guys might remember, last April, everybody was depressed in the hockey town, the city of Detroit, so there was optimism, but they started out terrible this year. Oh my gosh, Lolone and his coaching staff just couldn't figure things out. So it was only a matter of time before Eisman would pull the plug on him, and he brought it in a real good band. You gotta remember, Todd has been around a while. Okay, he's been with
the La Kings. He was a former coach under Mike Babcock when Mike had the Red Wings and Todd was He was an assistant coach under Babcock here in Detroit, so he had some familiarity at least with the Red Wings, although at that time they played in a different arena, Joe Louis Arena. He is lighting a fire under their butts, is the only way I could put it, and I don't know if they took lolone for granted, they tried
to just easy, easy game, don't skate his hard. Who knows what the heck was going on, but it's been like a magic potion for the red Wings. Okay, now down two to nothing, right now on the road to Edmonton. This is a very crucial trip to Western Canada and to Seattle. Four games, four tough games on the road to Detroit right now, Pittsburgh, you're right, Ralph, you guys won on the road and Salt Lake City last than congrats. Yes, that grace for the Eastern Conference playoffs is always a
dog fight, and that's all Detroit wants. They want one of those spots wild card. It's been way too long, seven eight years since Detroit was in the playoffs. Unacceptable. As far as the Pistons, briefly, they're playing very well too. Bickerstaff has done a great job. The Pistons, of course, brought him over from after he was let go by Cleveland and Kate Cunningham if you didn't hear the news, was finally named to the NBA All Star Reserve squad today. I'm very happy for Kaid.
He's had a.
Great year so far, and so as the team. I won't talk about the Lions. We've talked about them too much right now. Just sad, sad to see all these great coaches leave. And I know they get promotions and they all the interview and all that, but it is really sad because not only the dagger of losing to the Commanders, but then now you lose such great talent on the sidelines, especially Aaron Glenn going to the Jets, and and of course the Bear is hiring the offensive coordinator here in Detroit.
I just don't like it.
But hey, we knew it was coming.
That's it for me right now. It's going to be a challenge real quick here, George, for the Detroit Lions and Dan Campbell to find good assistance like Ben Johnson and Aaron Klinn. You know. I mean, it's it's not it's not easy. They're not they don't grow on trees. I mean, you know there are you know, so it's going to be real difficult. We'll see what happens this year.
Yeah, George, you want to Jay I has a question. Do you know the answer?
Well, the red Wings the logo was a winged wheel, and that that comes with Detroit being the automotive capital, and there's the great little wheel covers, and you remember at the front of the big cars they'd have a nice little emblem a statue like Well, anyways, the wing wheel. I don't know exactly where they were labeled red that I don't know, but the wings. That goes back to their logo and and and their their love of automobiles
here in Detroit. I don't know where it is, but that is one traditional logo they better never tamper with that were red wing, winged, winged wheel they call it. But I'll do I'll do some check it on that.
The Detroit Red Wings got their name from the wing wheel logo of the Montreal Winged Wheelers, a hockey team that James E. Norris played for earlier in his life. Norris bought the Detroit Falcons in nineteen thirty two and renamed the team to the Red Wings. Here you go, okay, Pensman, what is happening in your neck of the woods?
Well, Ralph took all the teams, so I'm going to switch it up a little bit and talk about the seventy six ers a little bit. The seventy six ers are currently nineteen and twenty seven of the year they were in the last three four years, they were averaging fifty wins a season. I don't know what happened between last year and this year, but they are going from top to bottom in a hurry. And the Penguins are dropping from top to bottom quick. The Steelers are dropping
top to bottom. Where is my team's going? And hal Steinberner, I am very disappointed in you. You own a three billion dollar team and you can't and you say that you can't put a team together because of fans, because you can't put the players on the team. You gotta looking at both sides of the business perspective and the fan perspective. How well, I don't know what your dad did to you, but whatever your dad taught you, go back to what your dad was teaching you. Please. That's what's going on my.
Town, Okay, in my town. I'm gonna steal a couple of things that I talked a little bit about last night on the Sports Exchange. First of all, kudos to Wisconsin Probe Baseball Park District. They approved a fifty four point nine million dollars needed to winterize American Family Field, which is where the Milwaukee Brewers play. This means that as soon as next year, the home of the Brewers will be able to host concerts and other events year round.
Winterize this winterrizing the stadium means the stadium will be able to be heated to sixty eight degrees inside, while outside temperatures could be dropped to minus ten degrees. And we all though Wisconsin it can get really cold. So kudos to them, because here you have a stadium, you pay, I mean, you build it, you spent how many millions of dollars, and yet in Wisconsin you can only you know, use it for a short time. So ji, Yes, it's
a dome. It's a retractable dome, so they can they can open it up and during the summer when the Brewers play if it's great outside, or they can close the roof if they're thinking it's gonna rain. So the nice thing about that is that for the Brewers that means that everybody was they're always guaranteed the game is gonna happen on the day that it's scheduled, which is nice because they have fans from all over the state that can take bus they do, they take bus trips
and they come down and bust them down. And before you never knew if it was gonna rain, it might have a rain delay or it might be canceled. And so I think there's more of that now. And now that they're gonna winterize the stadium. Great it is natural grass, yes, because they can open up the open up the roof. So on another note, we talked a little bit about this last night. We talked about tennis. Do you know
that the new era of dominance? Four different American women have won a major title since Serena's last title, So maybe tennis is on the rise in America. The second thing, did you know the hardest row in NFL history by a quarterback Number one is Jordan Love.
He threw it.
Sixty one point nine to eight miles per hour. Imagine that. But the one thing I'm gonna say, Bill Belichick better shut his mouth. The Vince Lombardi Trophy has been the that's been the name of the trophy for forever. Don't change it, you change stadiums because people buy that. So do you want Brady to buy the Vince Lombardi Trophy
so it can be named the Brady Trophy? Come on, then, you're gonna say, oh, Patrick Mahomes, if you win, how many times you're gonna be named It's gonna be the named after you.
Stop.
It's already the Vince Lombardi Trophy. There's no need to change that name. He's an iconic coach. Leave it alone. Bill Belichick, you're no longer in the NFL. Stick to your new job. That's what I have to say for you.
I was just getting ready to say that, Candy. He needs to worry about recruiting kids, and and and getting his team together in North Carolina, you know, and stay with that rather than sticking his nose in the NFL business.
You know, can can't you have one question for you, and I have a topic for everybody if I have time. Sure did the eight? Did the North Carolina? Did they leave ACC or do they go to the SEC or the Big Ten? I heard that today. All isn't sure if that's actually legitimate or not.
North Carolina leaving the ACCA. I haven't heard that.
I haven't heard I heard that on ESPN, but I don't know if that's actually if it's talking or actually in the works or what. I don't know. If you were George, George or Ralph heard anything else? No, okay, I wasn't sure if that. I wanted to bring that up to the lead to make sure that see if you guys.
I don't see nothing here, Pennsylvan. I'm on the North Carolina football website.
Nothing, okay, they might be just talking about that. Yeah, okay, yeah, all right. I just want to get clarification on that.
Yeah, I appreciate you getting.
Kevin Colbert got hired today by a college team as a consultant. Yes you are excuse me, Colorado State hired him as a consultant.
Oh very good.
Yeah, so Pensman as well. Kevin Colbert, former GM of the Steelers.
Yeah, I heard that. I heard that too. I just let you know, George that Mike McCarthy's available for offensive coordinator if you're interested.
No, no, we're not interested. They already hired John Martin. John Marton got the job, Okay, John Morton got the job in Kelvin Uh? Is it is it? Calvin the uh got the head the defensive coordinator job, Kelvin Samson.
I believe I thought Larry Foot was supposed to get that job. Somebody told me Larry Foot.
No, he did not now they might bring him in as an assistant because the Pans have also lost a bunch of their assistant coaches.
Too, or just say, you have a lot of coaching vacancies and Mike McCarthy, you don't want him sitting on the couch watching I know.
Yeah, Cam Pensman don't have to worry very long. Steelers just hired him. He's going to be the assistant to the assistant in the movie Theater.
So you know. Oh, okay, guys, okay, guys, let me do some promoting. My husband wrote a book, Lessons from the Microphone, Tuning into the Enduring Wisdom of Visionary Leaders. George icor it on this panel. He was gracious enough and did an awesome job writing the forward. My husband did a beautiful job writing the book. I have to admit. It's a great book, great read. You gotta get a copy today. It's available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kindle,
Google and Apple Books. There's also a link on our website www dot South Florida Tribune dot com, where there is a link to our merchandise store. There is also the writings of George Korn. My husband Pensman wrote something we got to get him to write a second article and keep him going.
But I can't.
Why I can't, that's true, he's kind of recovering right now. Yeah, but I take pictures. There's a plethora of all kinds of other great content on there. Go check out the website. If you see the red subscribe button that lower right hand corner, click it. Like us, Share us with all your friends and family. Again for all of the Buffalo Bills fans out there, the Carolina Panthers fans out there, and of course the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, go out to our YouTube channel and check out the
MotorCity Mad Mel Show. On Monday night, he interviewed none other than Super Bowl champion Don Phoebe, who is coaching right now. He excuse me. He has written three books of his own, so go check out that interview. It was a great It's a fifty eight minute video, but it's a great interview. He talks about a lot of different things, so go check it out. Check out the rest of our YouTube channel. If you like to listen to podcasts, you can find us wherever you get your podcast.
Let's see. If you want to advertise with us, call Scott nine five four three oh four four nine four one. If you have show ideas or want to be a guest, email us at self flirt Attribune at gmail dot com. Oh, we appreciate everybody that's been in the chat room. C Ji. He bought the book, you read it, he shared it, he loves it. It's a good book and it has an amazing forehead forward.
All right down two no one more, go up one more. There you go. There's one for you.
Oh yeah, yeah, right and thenk you know, sir Ralph for being over two hundred.
That's awesome, awesome, yeah, thank you.
So with that being said, and tell everybody how they can see you watch you. I will tell everybody that we are taking a week off because we will be on the road and we do not know what we're going to be doing besides covering Super Bowl coverage. And we'll see what that means, because, let's face it, Scott has covered If you don't know, Scott has covered four Super Bowls in the past. But as we all know, New Orleans had us Scare just not too long ago.
So security has been heightened, tightened, So we will see what kind of access we have and what we will bring. So I would say check our YouTube channel often to see what you might see on it, and check our social media threads as well, because you just never know what we're going to be posting up there and we're traveling, so please say a prayer and keep us in your prayers as we travel. With that, George, how can people find you and get a hold of you, Well.
They can find me on the South Florida Tribune website where I'm under the Motors City Tribune as a contributor, and of course I write locally for the paper called the Downtown Detroit Monitor. In that column of mine at the very end, Candy always puts a link to my book, which is called Detroit Sports Broadcasters on the Air, featuring not only Scott and myself, but the great Ernie Harwell and Bob Reynolds, Bud Lynch, Bruce Martin, Oh my god, so many great announcers, Paul Carey, Ray Lane, Alist.
Goes on and on and on.
And also you can find me at Yahoo at gi Cornert yahoo dot com. I LinkedIn under my name, and you can also track me down on Twitter or ex at Sanjy Sports ninety nine. And you don't ever know where I'm gonna pop up Sports Exchange fire up an hundred each ditches maybe the Football Show. Yeah, yeah, it's just fun because every every week I like to visit with my friends there.
And you are good and knowledgeable, so hey, hey, you are good. Let's be honest, George, you and Scott go how far back?
Well, we probably have hit forty five years. I know it was forty three or forty four the right around there. Awesome, it's part a number of years that.
Is, and you guys started the Sports Exchange together.
So yeah, yeah, back in the day.
Oh yes, today Okay, mister Ralph Holp, can people find you.
YouTube? Facebook, Twitter X, please follow, YouTube, please subscribe. I just uploaded my Ralph Williams show, which I'm starting to upload stuff onto YouTube here as soon as I figured some more technical ends of it out there. But check out all my archive versions of all my shows there as well. You can also reach me on LinkedIn. I'm also in Tumbler. And also don't forget Saturday the External Bum Show. We have a new well a semi new lineup.
It's gonna be Scott Well, Scott's going away with you Candy on Saturday so it will not be part of the show, but it's gonna be my off Leo Haggerty and we have a guest, Ray Fittipaldo from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and Pensman. If you want to join us, you're welcome because Scott will be traveling with Candy, so I'm going to need a fourth person, so you know whatever, All right, there you go, so all right. But anyway, also today today I signed a new contract with AM
twelve fifty ninety two point five FM. My contract runs out in March. I signed a brand new contract to be with them for another year. And I want to thank the management of Salem Media and the management of the Answer for letting me put my shows on as well. So don't forget to catch the triple header of Ralph The Ralph Williams Tony Moreno Show eight to nine am, nine AM, the ten am The External Bum Show on YouTube, Facebook, to which, Twitter x platforms and also on the Huddle
Sports Network. And then also don't forget two to three pm The Sports Corner Radio Show with Me, Ralph Williams, Smoking, Jim Frassuer, Claudia Wassano and Luthor Degree and Police say a prayer. Smoking Gym's in the hospital. Uh so please someone please say a prayer for him. Thank you.
Okay, Pensman, how can people find you?
Well, you can find me on YouTube on Pensman Sports, and I'll apparently gonna be busy with Ralph on Saturday, so you can you can find me on Saturday, and you can find me on on X on Pensman Sports.
We're gonna gang up on Leo Haggerty because Leo said.
Oh, that's kind of funny.
It's gonna be It's gonna be three Pittsburgh's against Leo's.
Gonna I could just imagine him.
I will be broadcasting it from my church because my wife has choir practice.
So your best behavior.
Pets Man.
Originally One Last Plug. My husband wrote a book, Lessons from the Microphone Tuning in the during Wisdom of Visionary Leaders. George I. Corner wrote the forward. My husband wrote the rest of it. It talks about his forty five plus years in the business. It's got a picture of him with young Muhammad Ali. Go get your copy on Amazon, Burns and Noble, Kindle, Google and Apple Books so you can see the picture and read all his great writing. Stories.
He's a storyteller any rants, So if you want to listen to his audio version of him, you got to check us out wherever you get your podcast, or go back and listen. Tonight he did NHL. He talked about the NHL and the Red Wings and he kind of went off on a rant on George. So I'm not gonna say anymore. You got to check it out, see it earlier, go check it out please, And as always, I want to thank everybody that's been in commenting in
chat room. We love all the people there, really, seriously, really Jay yes, and if you listen to us earlier, and if you didn't, you can hear me because I actually ranted that earlier. My voice is kind of not there to do it again. But hey, thank you all for watching, Thank you all for participating. I appreciate all of you. I want all of you to go watch and support all of our panelists from all of our shows. They you know, comment, they come in and help us out,
so please go help them out as well. With that being said, we will not be back next week. It'll be two weeks, so enjoy the super Bowl and all of its glitz and glamour. I know I'm going to I can what we get when we're there, and you never know what will be uploading, So check out our you know, our YouTube station. Even though we won't be doing our regular broadcast, you never know what we're going
to be uploading to the channels. So with that being said, have a great night and enjoy the Super Bowl everybody.
Thanks guys, good night, Welcome