And we continue on Fred rog and Rodney Pete on a Friday on a five seventy LA Sports. Don't forget if you missed any of the program, get the app, the iHeartRadio App. We put the podcast up the minute we get off the air, so go back check it out here. What we've had to say, Dan Wiki, terrific an hour one about Darvin Ham getting fired. The Salta Adam Austlin on the program as well. Terrific insight, terrific background. If you missed our one, all you have to do is
get the app and listen to the podcast. And if you have the app, you can stream the show live wherever you go. People listening all over the country. We had a call from Georgia today, Rodney. Yes, of course, people are also listening where all over the world. All over the world. Get the free iHeartRadio app. All right, let's bring on David Vassis, the Dodgers and Braves get ready for a weekend series. Dave, good afternoon to you. Hey, I missed Rodney at the Galla last
night. I was so hoping to see you guys by the obviously you know I was. I was in the back with guys like Jerry Harriston, Junior, John Hardtung, Mickey Hatcher. We did not have the Rick Monday Rodney Peak houch seats. We snuck in there, Dave there. Oh yeah, I was thinking about it too. Yeah yeah, if I saw you, it just said you come with us because we are family, and I just kind of ride in our day's coattails basically is what I did. Yeah, yeah, for sure, you know, honestly, uh we uh we had
to get back home. But it was a great night, and I thought the highlight of last night, Rodney was the expectations of a World Series became even more real when Mark Walkers said, yes, the ownership would donate fifty more million dollars to the Foundation if this team can do what the set out to do. So yeah, I wonder what the players were feeling when they
heard that. Oh man, I was. I told Fred that story earlier about that, and the whole crowd is like, you could feel like, okay, okay, because when he first came out and said I'm I'm a chip in fifty million dollars, that was like one thing, and then he threw out, I'll double it if we win it. It's like whoa whoaoa whoa. Not if they win it, if they just get there. Me personally, if you really wanted to send the message, you should have said
if you win it, because that's the goal. It's not just to make it correct. I would have said the same thing. But man, just to throw it out there like that, it was. It was pretty impressive. But yeah, look at his h Hey Rodney, if you go back and look at the video and look at the face of Mark Walter, he was dead serious. And oh he had eyes for a few of the you know, top people in the organization when he said it. Oh yeah, oh yeah, he was dead serious. And he goes back to, you
know, expectations on the season. But yeah, make no make no mistake. It is World Series or bust. Hey, Dave, you were working the Blue carpet, you had all your stuff on Instagram. Any stories from their best dressed that kind of thing, Well, I will tell you this. My better half thought that Otani's wife was dressed the classiest of anybody else. So there's that. As far as the Blue Carpet itself, you know, I have to admit I was a little starstruck when I saw Captain comeback.
Jim Harbaugh striding on the blue carpet. I was not expecting Jim Harbaugh to make an appearance at the Blue Diamond Gala, but the Chargers were one of the sponsors that donated to the gala. I saw Dean Spanos and I said, oh, yeah, Spanos, okay, And then I saw Jim freaking Harbaugh nod in Khaki's Last Night stride down there, and I just lost it. I don't know what came over me, but yeah. The last
time I was nose to nose was with Jim Harbaugh. Was at a Lax Airport hotel for Pac ten Media Day when he was coaching Stanford and before that, Rodney, you can appreciate this. At the two thousand and two Super Bowl, I was at the Commissioner's party and I had drinks with Captain come Back at the Center Bar when the Raiders were in there against the Bucks. Jim Harbaugh was the quarterback coach. Yeah, no, for the Raiders quarterback coach. Yeah. Yeah, that was in San Diego, right exactly.
Yeah, Well did you talk to him? That was my highlight? Did you talk to him? Did you talk to him last? Yeah? It's on Instagram, It's on that officially vast a Instagram. Oh yeah, we did a whole interview nice, very so. Yeah. I saw the Chargers. They had a big presence there last night. You know, you miss a lot of people because we we of course were running a little bit late. But you miss a lot of people and then you find out who was
actually there because you don't get a chance. As they mentioned, people coming from everywhere and all walks of life and uh and uh you you miss people? Did was there? I saw Lottie, but I also saw my girl, Juju Watkins. Got a chance to hang out with her a little bit. Oh here he is, front row couch, Rick Monday right in the booth after being in the front row couch with you, Rodney Hey, Rodney
Pete sends his regards. The other the Blue carpet yesterday was Bobby Miller stopping and telling us today was going to be the first day that he throws off the mound. He's been thrown for a little over a week, but today will be the first day that he throws off the mound. He's going to have a bullpen session, so things are going in the right direction for him, all right. And tonight Dave the Braves are in town. I made the point. Yeah, it's two of the best teams they could meet for
the National League Championship Series. But to me, it's a series in early May. How do you look at it. I look at it as both these teams sizing each other up. You don't get this type of series this early in the season, two of the best teams in the National League, obviously record wise, and you know, everybody has lamented the fact that Otani has not had a chance to play in October or big games. Well, let's see how mister Otani performs on this stage, because this is October atmosphere
in May. No, you're absolutely right, absolutely right. But I also steel the same way, Dave. Even though yeah it's early May, it's still the Atlanta Braves. It's still the team of the last five seven years that at the start of every season, teams predict that those two teams will will face off in the NLCS. I've had multiple MVPs all that type of things, and at the end of the day, it is about sizing you guys up and sizing each other up and figuring out, Okay, where are
you now? Where you know, what do I need to see that, I'm gonna remember come October, and look, these two teams are going to look considerably different by the time the end of the season rolls around. But it's exciting for all of us involved, the spectators, the people that cover the sport. This is like Lakers Warriors in December. It's like Celtics Sixers in December. It's like any NFL matchup in Week five that you get excited
about. So I don't feel like anybody should begrudge us to hype this up because these are the two best teams in the National League and arguably in all a Major league baseball. So it's going to be a treat. It's going to be fun. Max Freed on Sunday Glass Now, Tomorrow and tonight, we're going to see what young Gavin Stone has as far as what he's got against one of the best lineups in baseball. Yeah, I think that'll be interesting. Give him a shot against one of the best lineups and let's find
out about his metal right here, right now. If he does well, I think everybody's got to feel pretty good about it. Dave, same with Otani. I mean, like I just said, this will be October atmosphere at Dodger Stadium in May. Let's see what he's got. Well, let's see what Andy pa Has has as well. I think he's got something. I'm loving his game, Dave. Oh, Andy Paie has no fear, no fear. I don't have any questions about him. I have no questions
about him. I don't believe he's going to be intimidated by this atmosphere at all. Like I said, this is all about how Otani reacts in this environment. Usually the great ones embrace it and rise and put on a show. So let's see if Otani can put on that show. Yeah, you're right. I mean that is a very interesting point, Dave, because he has not been in big game type of situations, and he's certainly going to
be in there in October. But yeah, I can't even think of a series maybe, you know, maybe playing the you know, the Yankees, But I can't think of another team that would have this type of magnitude or hype that is not a playoff game or a playoff series like it is going to be tonight in this in this weekend, Ronnie. Even when the Angels went to New York to play the Yankees. Yeah, there was a lot of pomp and circumstance, but let's be realistic, those games meant absolutely nothing.
So I mean, this is arguably higher stakes regular season series that O'tani has ever played in. I mean, think back six years. If you think of a big series the Angels played in, or the competition across the field, I can't think of one where you know, this is center stage in baseball. This is the biggest series of the weekend in Major League Baseball. Yeah, because even when he was with the Angels, didn't nobody ever thought the Angels were going to meet the Yankees in the in the American League
Championship Series. It was like, Okay, the Yankees make it there, but the Angels ain't getting there. But now everybody knows that it's a collision course with these two teams at some point. And the only reason why I don't question whether or not O'tani will be an October performer is the way he
led Team Japan over Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. We all know the story now that it was him giving a rallying cry in the clubhouse before that game to really inspire his teammates, and he went toe to toe in the ninth inning against the best hitters in the world and delivered, striking out Mike Trout. So I don't have any doubts that he can't do it. I just want to see it in a regular season game in Major League Baseball. All right, Well, Dave, thanks for jumping on. Enjoy the
weekend, and we'll talk to again soon. All right, Fred, look forward to it. Rodney, have a great weekend, right all day? Okay, as the weekend approaches, spirituality need it, gotta have it. And he'll have some comments about Darvin Ham as well when we come back. That's right, that's right. We the guys, Rodney p Fred Rogan on a Friday, and it's that time, y'all. It's that time. We
desperately need some spirituality. It's gonna get us through the weekend. Come on now, Rodney, don't we have to just take one second and thank you everybody that came out to Hollywood Park yesterday. Absolutely absolutely it was. It was a great, great afternoon at Hollywood Park. The excitement in the room big time thanks to kikiro and and and no, he was tired, just
got off a late plane ride home from a long road trip. Had the gallery to get ready for that that night last night, but showed up and gave us, gave us all that energy. Man in the crowd loved it, and thank everybody for showing up and getting there early and being such a lively crowd. Man, it was. It was a great day yesterday. Yeah, that was a big one. That was a big crowd, a
lot of people. A lot of people stayed till the end. And when we said get there early, because we always tell you that you might as well get there early, yesterday, you should have got there early. People got there at eight thirty in the morning and we went on. Yeah, they were ready. They got there at eight thirty in the morning. We went on at noon. So we do have another one coming up in July. I don't have the exact date yet, and I do know the Dodger
player that's going to be there. We do not say it. No, I'm not, I'm not. I'm not. I'm not gonna say it yet, but you should think about middle of July, we'll be back and we'll have another Dodger with us. And so when we tell you to get there early for that one, get there early, you damn right. Cause some people got there little later. I don't think they got an autograph. Hmm. Can't get there late, Fred, He told them, I mean there was no Let me just say this, and I didn't say it on the
air. Yesterday, as the crowd got larger, and of course we're at a casino and security moved in. That big guy in front of us. That guy was packing too. Nobody was going where they weren't supposed to go. Yesterday, they had a security this all of a sudden, a giant security person showed up and I looked down and that guy was the real deal. That wasn't like a guy we hired in a yellow coat. That guy was a real deal. And he was right there, and he had his
buddy with him. And when the time was up, and KEYK, I think did stay a little later then he was supposed to. But when the time was up and it was time for him to go, those two guys got him out of there. And if you remember Rodney, people tried to chase him. They tried to chase him in a back room. Yeah, into the parking lot as well. Yeah. So for the next one in July, get there early. Okay. Now we need spirituality to provide that there was only one man on this Friday, only one, probably only one
stinging from the news of Darvin Ham. That man is Victor Brick with the Daily Haikup and Vic Good Afternoon. In the wake of the Lakers head coaching flux, he's still sensitive to mother Nature, giddy with the discovery of the rare bird up in Oregon, the blue rock thrush, first ever spotted in the USA. It's Fred Rogan. I don't even know what that meant, Hello, Vick, the blue rock What nobody knows what that means? The
blue rock thrush? Fred? What is that? Oh? It's a bird never seen before in North America. It's a bird, a bird, the blue rock thrush. All right, blue rock thrush? Okay, And why are we bringing the bird up today? Vic? Why give me the bird? It's it's historic for the first ever spotted in North America. All right, the blue rock thrush. All right, let's just see he's a bird lover, he's a birder. Oh wait, you're right, Victor. It was the first time a blue rock thrush has been seen in North America.
Where what did they see in Oregon? On a beach in Oregon? Yeah, not a bad looking bird, the beautiful bird. You like birds, VIC love birds. Bird chased me one time. Oh Lord, here we go. True a bird in Morocco. No, not Morocco, in Calabasas. Oh my god, True. Why did the bird and what kind of bird was it? Fred? I don't know, but it was not a happy bird. And that birds little bird. I told you about the crow. You remember the crow story. Crows loves you. The crows love you.
Fred. I go home one day, I look and I'm terrified because I see this giant black crow. It's not moving. It's right in front of my gate. I see it and I think, oh my god. I mean, it was enormous. It was enormous. It was the size of an eagle. That's how big this crow was. And I'm looking at it and I'm thinking, oh God, this crow. Something happened and the crow died right in front of my gate. Not as the crow flies, as the crow dies. So I freak out. I run in the house
immediately, and I close the door. I come back out, I peer over the gate. The crow is still there. I go back in the house and now I don't know why I'm freaked out by this so I start calling animal control. I mean it was a gigantic rodney. It was like the size of a llama. No, it was huge. You said, the size of a llama. Yeah, it was giant. It's not ludicrous. It was actually real. So I see it. I go call the animal control. They tell me they'll come out and get it. I go
back out there five minutes later to see if it's there. You thought it was dead. I thought it was dead. It was not dead. It flew away. It was playing dead. It was waiting for you to get close, Freds as you could pick your eyeballs out. That's exactly right, Ronnie, That's exactly right. It was playing dead because if I reached down and did something, it would have attacked me. And I know that. I don't like the crows, you know, Fred. It's also bad luck,
Fred, to find a dead crow on your property. Bad luck. Well, thank god, thank god for you that he was playing dead, and also that you didn't approach. Otherwise you would have had your eyeballs pecked out. Now, I think you're right, So I'm not. I'm not a fan of birds. Vic, you were counting crows. Hello, we understand that. Yeah, maybe maybe a scarecrow. He's a bird lover. He's a birder. They call him mister football rodby Pete my Man. Yeah, wait a minute, it's a bird, it's a plane. It's not
Kawhi Leonard no claw. Tonight in Dallas clips fatal flaw, no claw, Adam Auslin jun And he'll play tunes from the Eagles, flock of Seagulls, the birds. So you want to be a rock and roll star, Roddie Fossio his favorite birds are turkey vulture. It's King flavor, y'all. Yeah, Turkey vulture, Turkey vulture. So d Ham two years as Laker head coach and audios, how do you feel about Isaac? You feel good or bad about it? Well, A's welve documented. I'm a d ham Man.
I love d Ham. Obviously the Lakers squad is this not equipped to beat the Denver Nuggets. It's well documented as well these last two years that they don't have the team. It's not d Ham's fault, but there was some negative signs obviously the last few weeks. Did he lose control of the
flow. Yes, when Ad declared we didn't know what the hell was going going on on both sides of the court during the playoffs, the dye was cast, perhaps for de Ham Lebron talking with everybody at the bench, but d Ham during timeouts, maybe the die was cast for de Ham the erratic rotations. The bottom line is took them to the Western Finals last year, took them to the first round this year, but the squad not equipped to beat the Denver Nuggets. So now what it's ludicrous, It's simple. It's
t Lou. T Lou has won a title with Bron eight years ago in Cleveland. T Lou the strong Laker roots. Remember he played with Kobe. That's invaluable and that's profound. There's a magnificent strategic coach. There's there's only one issue with T Lou. Should I share it with you or no? Of course, the Clippers just came out and said they want to sign him to a long term deal. The firing of d Ham just made Telu fifty million dollars. Because you're right, Fred, Steve Balmer loves Lou and the
massive extension is on the horizon for t Lou. Do you know he loves him, Vic loves him. You need Blu in Inglewood, he needs Lou at you know at the new arena in Inglewood. He needs the switch up by Vic. Here is legendary. This is a legendary flip flop from the Lakers needing to get You can't let Tlu go if you're the Clippers. So Vic, what's the new solution. Well, obviously, the Lakers blew it
with Lou years ago. Remember from the time you came on and about two minutes in they went cheap and refusing to give Lou the multi years a few years ago. You remember, everyone remembers that yes and his choice of assistant coaches, Yes, and t Lou walked away from the table. Yes. And obviously the Lakers were then forced into hiring Frank Vogel. Vogel did a nice job, but Lou walked away. But they had Lou if they wanted Lou. But that was years ago. There was a whole different time in
space. They never birthday party for him, brought on a Laker cake in Vegas, didn't they run any remedy had a birthday, That's what everybody said. He was going to be coaching the Lakers, and somebody got him a Laker birthday cake. Then the deal fell apart. Isn't that the one call me brown dropped? No, ro oh, sorry, there was a botch negotiation with Telu. The Lakers are just cheap. There wasn't at all. That's called the botch negotiation. Fred. They had t Lou, but they
low balled him. They low balled them exactly. So what jj Ron know? Coach Bud, who's going to be vic? Not? What do you mean? Everyone's got the usual the usual suspects. But I'm going a different direction. I want to go into the general manager of the Denver Nuggets. No one's mentioned his name. He's put the Denver Nuggets into a dynastics situation and deserves respect and reserves and deserves some love from the Lakers, you know, to help out Polinka. Who does I'm talking about Calvin Booth? To
help Polenka? Who's Calvin Booth? Calvin Booth is the general manager of the Denver Nuggets and Nugget squad together. So what what is he What is he going to do? Take take Palinka's job? Is that what you're saying? I'm not. I don't know where they want to go in the front office, but this team has so so many weaknesses. What do you as I've been saying, Pivot, legendary pivot, Lebron James and Anthony Davis. It's who you surround your stars with. Henna leave Nuggets did Look what Calvin Booth
did. Put that name in you know your membrane. Calvin Booth, a six to ten journeyman in the NBA for ten years, understands the game. Calvin Booth, So he's gonna leave Denver to come to work under Rob.
I don't know. I don't know the dynamic of Calvin Booth's contract. I'm just shooting it out there because you know, everyone knows you got the JJ Reddicks and the you know in the mix he does the podcast with Lebron talking about being the coach, you're saying Calvin Booth should be the general manager. Vi Polenka didn't get fired today, it was Darbnham. I'm putting him into
the front office to help the situation. Well, I'm looking for solutions, okay, But if you're gonna hire the general manager of the Denver Nuggets, who we just today learned was John will Booth, grandson Calvin Booth, if you're gonna do that, that means you have to get run of Rob Polinka. No, no, I'm saying you add Calvin Booth into the mix. No, you can't. You need help. That worked well with Plinka and Magic Johnson sharing duties there, right, Vick. It's gotta be one sheriff
in the town that was a disaster. Calvin Booth gonna work with Rob Polinka and why would he leave Denver? Exactly? My god? Absolutely, these are all you know Coljing statements. So can we get one from you? Now? It's not colding at all. Look, I can tell you, Jj Reddick, it's not gonna happen. Go to Charlotte or Detroit. Detroit money Williams is a ten year deal to Detroitick, But Mani's coming to the Lakers, y'all. It desperate times for the Lakers. Desperate. It's the
operative word there. Listen, you put together a team you know of the Joker, Murray Gordon, Porter KPC, the solid bench. I mean, this is the basketball blueprint the Lakers have to be after. Is the head coach gonna put that together? No, he's gonna. He's gonna navigate a fabulous squad right now, the Lakes, the Lakers squad, and so many holes they have so much work to do. Yeah, but on the on the forging of a squad, who has to do the work? Is it
the coach or the general manager? Everybody? I think everyone for it has to do the work. So what are you saying, just clean house, new GM, new coach. I'm not saying clean house. You'll look at well obviously looking for a new coach right now? And and the names you know throw thrown out there. I don't believe he's going to Charlotte apparently. Hey, Vic, let me tell you a secret here. Denver didn't draft Jokis with the top ten pick. They had no idea, just like everyone
else, that he would turn into this. In fact, he was drafted in the second round. Talk Bell commercial. Sometimes you get lucky as strike gold, especially if you're the Nuggets. Hey remember our conversation with David Vasse. That was Spotlight on in Blue and it's presented by Spotlight twenty nine Casino, Eric Dickerson's favorite spot in the Coachella Valley. Check out Spotlight twenty nine dot com and find out how to join Club twenty nine for instant rewards and
players club benefits. Tune into Spotlight on Blue every Friday with Rodney, myself, Eric Dickerson's favorite spot in the Coachella Valley. Check out Spotlight twenty nine dot com and find out how to join Club twenty nine for instant rewards and players club benefits. Spotlight twenty nine casino Coachella's best bet, and they want somebody to go out there and enjoy Blues Traveler eight six six nine, eight seven two five seventy. Rodney, who is going to Spotlight twenty nine don't
know. I don't know, fredlu No, somebody's got to go. What number we adom? You pick it, Colvin boothf y'all, I'll go with number five. All right, caller five. It's like six ninety seven two five seventy. You'll see Blues Traveler at Spotlight twenty nine casino. Good luck to you. When we come back, Vic will continue his in depth analysis of what the Lakers must do. All right, come on back. If you're confused, it's all gonna be cleared up. Now, let's go,
Rodney, Pete Fred Rogan. Vic is going to clear up all the confusions that you may have had over the last five minutes. Yeah, he's got it now, he's got to figure it out. I got it down now, Yeah, all right, Vic cleared up Philliston, total clarity, okay, in the midst of this Laker coaching chaos. But who is Carlos Booth? Calvin? What is do you think Carlos Boozer? Now? Who is it? Calvin Booth? Alvin Booth six' nine, ten year NBA veteran.
What are you talking about his height? Like he's going to be playing for the Lakers. He's a GM Charlotte, not Carolina. I want to give fred a visual of someone no one knows and who was instrumental in a world championship squad, the Denver Nuggets because they tripped into Yok the Joker in the second round. He wanted him if they knew so much about him.
What's the bottom line? They've assembled the best team in the association, that's the bottom line, and the Lakers of Lakers have a lot of work to do to beat the Denver Nuggets in the seven game series. This is the reality. That's why Laker fans are frustrated and exasperated because they realized the journey is long. You got your Braan, you got your a D. Those are no branders. Although in the Anthony Davis trade. As we all remember, the Lakers gave up a lot and one guy who I love, a
blue collar hero. I'm a blue collar guy. That's where I played the game. I played the game underneath glass Fred you you were, you were underneath glass man. Yeah, boxing out fundamentals, fundamentals. I love Josh Hart of the New York Knickerbockers. Oh yeah, wasn't he a Laker? They just kind of threw him in his flotsam and jetsam and Anthony Davis deel uh. I mean, there's so many former Lakers with incredible success around the league. But the bottom line is, you gotta go. You gotta know
the intangibles. The Lakers don't get the intangibles because you know, they they're obviously led by superstars. And from the the history of the Lakers, they have superstars on the squad, but you don't know the intangibles till they reveal themselves. VIC that's why they call intangibles. Yeah, as a league has evolved, though, you need a squad led by stars. You know, Denver has stars, of course, Joker Murray, but it's it's their complimentary
crew. And that's what the Lakers are seeking right now. I don't know if de Ham he couldn't have all he couldn't have willed his team to victory. They just didn't have the squad to compete and fred as you said, someone had to go. And unfortunately de Ham after two years, has been exiled. But the next Laker head coach, he's going to have to have a squad and how to handle a complimentary, a complementary squad. Vic you know what the best way to get past Denver is you let somebody else beat
them. You don't end up in their bracket in a first round matchup. If Minnesota takes out Denver, there's gonna be a lot of people saying, oh, the window was open. We could have taken on Denver in the Western Converce finals. You have to go through them sometime. Double A, No, you don't. If Minnesota beats them, you don't have to go through them to get to the Western Conference finals. You're saying if I'm saying,
you know what's real? What's real was the first round. It was an unfortunate matchup for the Lakers to meet the defending champions, but that was their first round matchup, And why was that a very erratic regular season, okay, and put them in, you know, in a bad position in the first round. But listen, whatever happens with Minnesota and Denver is is basically irrelevant to the Lakers situation. They need answers, they need solutions.
Yeah, and it's a lot of hard work ahead of them, and you know, you know what they really need to get that work started to get where they need to be. You know what they need. They have to get to the source, yes, big. And before I get there, I just want to say bless you Mark Walter for the incredible donation last night at the at the Dodger Gala. And one of the missions last I was to get Otani Shan on the floor on the dance floor with at Shearan but
they did take selfies together, so that was a great moment. Let's get to the source. Yes, the haiku for you on this Friday, May the third, you know that they're running a Kentucky Derby at Churchill Down Sunday. Yes, who knew? Well the horses do? You're telling me? This is from issa Oka Koyobashi Isa. Right from the nostril of the Great Buddha comes a swallow I'm feeling you. Isa. That is a giant nostril Wallo can fly out of it. Is it talking about the sinus issues?
Ronnie? Thank you appreciate it. Adam, thanks for sitting in for Kevin this week. Rodney, have a terrific weekend and we'll get him on Monday. Right home. Happy weekend, have a great one.