The Sports Page with Mike Bianchi April 9, 2025

In the sports page with The Orlando Sentinel at FM ninety six to nine the Games, Mike the Bulldog beyond you jr R.

All right, Bulldog, I assume you're back here in town, safe and sound from your travel to the National Championship game over the weekend.

Absolutely flew in last night to beautiful Orlando International Airport, welcomed there by Buddy Dyer as I got on the tram obviously.

Sure yes, and the welcomes me home.

You know that That was what Pat and I have talked about doing, is being the voice of the tram after this little stint oh at Patton my joking, hello and welcome to Orlando International Airport, and then I say, boy in venitez Zorlando International Labord.

The Gators were welcomed home yesterday and gains all thousands of people, students, Gator fans met them at the airport. They had a big celebration yesterday. I guess they're gonna have an even bigger celebration on Saturday. I think they're having their spring games Saturday. They're gonna have a big National Championship celebration at the stadium before that. The Gators, by the way, uh saw a stat as I was

Settle down there, Bud.

But we did have a listener that texted that in yesterday and said, see if bulldog has this nugget, this nugget three and three right right some presses though, Yeah, absolutely magic impressive last night as well.

Could the Magic be peaking at just the right time? They took another major step last night in their quest to finish seventh in the Eastern Conference, which would ensure them to host the play in game throughout the play in tournament. They beat the Hawks last night one nineteen to one twelve.

That's their third straight win. That gives them a two game.

Cushion over the Hawks for the seven seed three games to play.

So, and here's the other thing.

The Cavaliers clinch number one seed in the East last night, which means the Celtics now really have nothing to play for the Celtics playing the Magic tonight. So you know, maybe the Celtics will be resting their starters. Palo last night thirty three points, ten rebounds. His buddy the Franz he Franz Wagner he had twenty two point six rebounds, six assists.

Say.

It was the eleventh straight.

Game they each scored twenty plus points, so they are rolling right now. Windell Carter Junior had one of his best games of the year seventeen points, nine rebounds, three block, career high six deals for Windell. So the Magic looking pretty good right now heading into the playoff.

Dog, I know you were out of town, but did you hear the stat This might have just been local news, but our G League team, your boy, what is it? Oh yeah, Mac McClung or whatever, Yeah, Mac mclung. Yeah, dude, Pat brought brought the Magic G League to the finals, right.

Oh yeah, the the Ossiola Magic or you know, they're a powerhouse in the G League.

And Mac McClung.

I still don't know why he hasn't gotten a serious look with the with the big club. I think he had forty six last week. He had forty six points in one of their victories. They better give him a shot before the Lakers scoop him up.

Just stop it.

But if you take him in right now to have a backup on the bench going into the I'm just saying magic.

Come on, Hey, what'd you make of Denver blown out their coaching GM with four game left in the season.

Unbelievable. Mike Malone gets fired by the Nuggets. They won the championship just two years ago. They're the four seed right now, let's fire everybody. So they fire him, they fired the GM. I don't get it. I really don't get it. I'll tell you what. There are a lot of NBA coaches now on existing teams that they are now looking over their shoulders because there's a lot of teams that would love to hire Mike Malone.

That guy's a great coach. And I don't know what happened. I'm usual.

I would hope that the Nuggets checked with Nicola Jokic, who's the best player in the NBA, before they fired the coach, because.

Wow, do you think I mean, it's in the name Nugs. Do you think it might have something to do with the weed Denver Nugs? And you know it's legal their dog. I might be reaching, but.

I think he might have had something to do with Nicola Joki. Let's face that players get coaches fired all the time. And if they didn't check with Jokicic on this before they made the firing, they're idiots because he's the best player in the NBA and it's not even close in my opinion.

So we'll see what happens there.

What else we have you get the par three tournament for the Masters today is that you know gets ramping up here.

Absolutely, we're gonna make our picks tomorrow. I know you're gonna pick the big meat head.

I already told talk of that on Monday. I'm in on d Schambeau.

Yes, they did a little interview and some reporting on him that seventy five percent This is unofficial, of course, but when they when he was out there doing the chip and put over the past weekend, seventy five percent of kids will love that guy, even though he's on a totally different tours.

They did, of course they do.

That's why they need to get together so we can see Bryce and de Shambeau, John Rahm and some of these other players back on the PG eight tour. Real quick did on hell Cabrera, remember him Yeah. On hel Cabrera won the Masters a few years ago. He was smoking on the course. He's from Argentine. He was smoking.

Yeah. And didn't he get in trouble for some sort of yeah, yeah he got.

He he was in prison for a couple of years for harassing some of his ex girlfriends. He got put in prison and now he's back playing in the Masters. So that's one of the big stories.

Doug.

You picking them, I'm not picking some guy who believe they would allow like golf or the smoke.

Can light up during the Masters.

He did, he did, He did turn the Masters. Yeah you can.

You can't have cell phones, but you can spark up on the course as a player.

Wow, yes you can.

Fun. That's old school right there. Smoking during that's like competition.

By the way. He and John Daly and watch out John nods and approval by the way.

Being UCF alums, I hope you glad. Guys are glad to know that UCF football coach Scott Frost donated five hundred thousand dollars to the Competitive Success Fund, which is the fund to help pay players. That's done to help spur alumnus to do the same. So you guys, now that Frosty has donated five hundred thousand dollars, what's your pledge going to be?

I seem to have misplaced my checkbook.

I can't be able to check book.

I donated yesterday. For every five hundred thousand given, I give five.

Hey before we let you go.

Bulldog Lightning big game tonight at home against Toronto. Toronto is in first place of Lightning, just a handful of games left. A bunch of those are at home. They do have a chance to surpass and take the number one spot in the Atlantic as just as the playoffs are getting set to start. So we'll keep an eye on that ball.

Yeah, Paul Porter will be announcing for the Lightning, although he got forced out.

Mike the Bulldog Bianchi, host of Open Mic on AM seven forty and FM ninety six to ninety game weekday mornings on at Jason does and he takes time from his show, did join us for the sports page here on JRR each morning.

By the way, a happy birthday, thank you hefnay this again day Helf Happy birthday, oh Brisendako on demand to download the iHeartRadio app