The Fifth Hour: Kevin Harlan Loves Ben

Kabooms.

If you thought four hours a day, twelve hundred minutes a week was enough, think again. He's the last remnants of the Old Republic, a sol fastion of fairness. He treats crackheads in the ghetto gutter the same as the rich pill poppers in the penthouse.

Wow.

The clearing House of Hot takes break free for something special. The Fifth Hour with Ben Mallard starts right.

Now in the air everywhere, live on tape from Radio ro.

In Vegas, Super Bowl fifty eight.

The show continues, Danny g right there, you got me, big Ben. As we're hanging out here as there's a lot of movement and shaking and all that stuff where we are scheduled to have someone on the podcast later.

Danny, Yes, we don't know exactly who. We're not sure if they don't name, are you know?

Little he told me who it's gonna be.

Okay, all right, well we'll see what happened to you.

I have to keep listening to the podcast, but I I did have somebody for the first time ever. Usually people come up to me, they'll say you look like some random like old like baseball player, like I got a lot of John Lackey references. But I was walking around, uh, and this guy came up to me. He's like, hey, I thought I was one of the guys from that that History Channel show Okay Flusters.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think it's because of the hat.

You look like the guy from Pond Stars too. I'll do it so our our guest booker lead. Maybe she could walk you around later and get you on some other shows.

Yes, the Pond Stars look like a reality show.

That would be That would be good. The money from the reality show. Well, you were on TV this week, Danny Reay. I saw a photo on social media. Yeah, he got off the plane.

It was cool. As soon as we got off the plane, this reporter ran up to me and there was a bright light and a camera in my face and she said, so you're all raided out. Which team are you going to root for in the Super Bowl? And I told her neither. I hate those colors. And it was kind of cool. She was joking around with me about you know what it would be like in the city of Las Vegas as a Raider fan with those two red teams here in the building.

Yeah, yeah, for sure. So you didn't see it though, you don't know if you made the actual cut.

Her camera guy afterwards told me this will be on Channel thirteen later and I was like, okay, cool, Yeah, I don't who knows if I was on the cutting room floor or not.

Though maybe something. Maybe some of their website you can check out.

I have such a punchable face. I doubt they used the footage. Oh, come on, they probably did. They probably used it.

Yeah. So we're obviously here hanging out for the super Bowl and the TV show which is airing today, and this is the last weekend Benny versus the Penny. You can check that out.

So I did a bunch of research for the TV show for the Super Bowl.

I finally, so this is yeah, exactly, since this, I gotta use.

This stuff because it's all gonna be dated tomorrow by tomorrow, right, so I gotta use something.

I thought, this is interesting because everyone's gonna.

Be watching this thing, and some of the stuff I've used on the TV show, but not all of these are the interesting things. Danny, and we'll just do a few minutes of the interesting things about Super Bowl fifty eight to get you ready for the game. So, the forty nine ers, who are a slight favorite in this game over Kansas City have been favored in every single game they played this season, and they are favored, as we said in the super Bowl. But is it true, Danny,

Fly in and all that.

And yeah, so brock Purty is his negative drop back rate, which is I think got a stat for everything, twenty three percent, and that's actually just in the postseason, and those are the home games. And if that had been the regular season, worst of all, worst of all quarterbacks.

In the NFL.

So he's not he's winning, but he hasn't been playing that great and he's had his worst performances actually on the road.

If you look at the regular season. So I know that was interesting.

And Patrick Mahomes on the other side in the in Allegian Stadium, Danny, and you know this as a Raider fan. He's played there four times and he's four to ozher in that stadium and he has ten touchdown passes and one interception in that building.

Do you think Patrick Mahomes is going to vomit all over his or do you think he'll show up in crunch time the way he's been known to do.

Uh?

Yeah, Well, I'm picking Kansas City, so I trust him more. Plus like the forty nine Ers defenses, and this was the story this week, they weren't even playing hard in the NFC Championship game.

How do you not do that? What's up with that?

Right?

You can't play hard in the NFC Championship game? My goodness. Anyway, Yeah, I'm picking the and the Chiefs on the other hand, they have a great record when they've been an underdog with Patrick Mahomes ten one and one against suspend. I mean to give you all kinds of random numbers.

I mentioned brock Purty has the most negative graded drop backs in the playoffs. But Patrick Mahomes I actually on the TV show, I predicted, we did some prop bets. I did predict he's gonna have an interception. He said, zero turnover worthy throws. They keep track of that stuff too in the in the postseason so far, and he's not. He's it's the last six games in the playoffs he hasn't had an interception.

So there is that's the longest streak in the NFL. Yeah, how about that? You got crickets. You're staring at me. What is wrong with you?

Daddy?

You have no no other stories. That's it. You're done. You've been here all week and you don't have anything. That's it.

No.

You know what I see?

I see Arthur Blanco. He's wearing a red jacket. Oh, that looks like a smoking jackets. He's the guy that started Home Depot. That guy.

Yeah, imagine how much money he's got right start Home Depot.

Two nights ago, got to go see the Ti Femo fight and the crowd was booing, even even his fans were booing on Ben because he was fighting Ortiz and Ortiz danced around in the ring the entire twelve rounds, pulled to de la Hoya, especially at the end. He just didn't want h T. Femo to get a fist anywhere near and so it was one of those fights where you could tell the puncher TiO was frustrated and Ortiz just didn't want to. He's a good they call

Boo.

The Mandalay Bay Event Center was just booing NonStop. I don't know if you're into boxing that much, but no, I like.

I'm more into boxing than like in the MMA, stough not as much.

So this is straight boxing. And I sat next year boy Rob Parker.

The Great Rob, and must have been free tickets.

Free tickets, Well, it's funny you should say that. Not just free tickets to get in, but they had these meal cards where you could get a food menu item of your choice and a free drink. So some of us in the Covino and rich party didn't even get a meal ticket. Guess how many Rob had. He had a stack of them in his wallet.

Yeah, I came here last timer was here.

A couple of weeks ago was Rob's birthday party and it was unbelievable.

Man.

He had an open open bar, promoted open.

Bar, and as I think we talked about two tickets to drink tickets.

To me, that's not an open bar. But I don't know.

Maybe maybe it is, you know, maybe it is. And the vegan meatballs thing that also blew me away. Yeah, I mean I actually wasn't bad. Just put enough tomato marinera song.

You're making me hungry. Yeah, you're making me hungry right now. So to change the subject just for a second. We know who you picked now, you picked the Chiefs. Yes, while you are here in Las Vegas, are you going to wager any of your hard earned TV dollars?

Yeah?

So I am planning on putting a little money down, a little money down, but I'm not gonna you know, I'm not likely.

Yeah kind of cash were talking here.

Yeah, i'd be I'd make a couple of small bets. I'll bet on some props, like I'll definitely bet on the Chiefs.

I came here two like a three. Yeah, that's all that's all I know.

All right?

Oh, is that Sham's over there? Sham's Sharani walking around. That's what the hell is he doing here? He's a basketball guy? What the hell is that? What is there an NBA with the NBA trade deadline was a few days ago?

What is he?

Maybe he was gonna get in the NFL, is gonna take.

Adam Schefter's job or what is That's the place to be no matter what sports shams.

That's people I did not expect to see at the at the super Bowl. And the great Dave Singer over there by the way, who he worked with him in San Diego at the mighty six ninety in San Diego.

I saw our good buddy a Rash the other day.

Great Rosch MARCOSI. Yeah, he's got a place here in Vegas.

Yeah.

And but now instead of a throng of women models following him around, yeah, because he's like their best they're my best friend. Now his fiance follows him around, right, honest thing? Yeah?

Oh good, Yeah, I'm happy. I've I've known Rosh was my intern at the at the station back in the day at AM eleven fifty.

That's right, you're the pummeler of producers.

Yes, yeah, I remember him kicking a soccer ball in the hall. Oh there's Mark Myers. Look at this which are dropping random names people. Mark Myers just walking around aimlessly.

Ben is media watching right now.

It's like being at the zoo. Psych We're pulling the head fake. Now, we were going to have on a NFL player who were not going to name because the guy blew us off. He ran past us or ghost us or whatever you want to say. So in his place, I'm actually more excited to talk to this person. I've known this guy longer than almost anyone at Fox Sports Radio. We're going to take you behind the scenes at Super Bowl fifty eight. The network has been here all day,

It's Big Mike. Hi, Mike, Hey, what's going on?

Ben Miller?

Now, you didn't play for the Carolina Panthers, but in my head you did because I first met you.

You always wore Carolina Panther gear.

Yeah. Absolutely, I'm a big Panthers fan.

Yes I know, and but you don't. Now you're professional.

Now, you're like management, right, so you don't wear it as much because you know you've got to represent the company.

Correct, So you can't do that?

Yeah, yeah, I'm not. I'm not out here in my panthers, gear. I got business business to attend.

Professional.

You're professional, You're not some amateur, no, sir, So I've had I can tell this story now with you and for those who don't know, Mike, what is your role at the company you've been I've known you for many, many years, and you you like to me, I know you as like the god of the editing wing. Right, You're sure you do a lot of that stuff and you do a multiple roles.

Well, the best part is I don't actually have to do much editing anymore. I'm more supervising the staff. And so my official title is the uh, I'm the executive News to direct and Operations manager at Fox Sports Radio Network.

That's a big title. Yeah, that's a sexy title.

Yeah, that's a sexy title they give me instead of giving me more money. Right, that is not how it works.

I can't take you, my man, not, I hear you.

So, yeah, my job is basically to make sure everybody has what they need in order to make the magic, the radio magic happen.

Audio go, that's right, string it into audio go on a nightly basis, and you have had a similar experience to me because I had. I've been in radio long time, and up until a couple of years ago, I had never been to a radio row. I'd always been denied and they finally threw me a bone when the game was in LA and then last year in Phoenix, and so now I'm here this year. But you have been in radio long time too, and this is your first Super Bowl week and you're doing the whole week.

You have the full Monty. Yeah, from zero to one hundred, just like that. Yeah, after twenty years, been here twenty years, twenty years, my first time. I'm well most of the time. You know, I'm back at the main studio and I'm the intake bringing everything in.

As the z Dog used to say, you're holding down the fort.

That's right, I used to tell any I don't want to hold down the fourth hold the Fort's good.

I don't need to hold down the fort.

It's not going anywhere exactly. It's not even very windy.

So you was was this they three they popped up, say hey, we wanted it be this year.

How did how did they hows this happen?

So the truth of the matter is our our enterprise. Our production has grown so much over the years with all the new platforms, and everybody's got a podcast now. Look, I'm on one right now, the fifth hour recording. That's right, I've on tape right. Ten years ago we were not, there was none of this going on. There were no podcast recordings, and now we're doing tons of them while we're here. Plus we're doing four live shows on a

So yeah, and so like to describe it. You've probably seen photos on on social media and all that. But there's this massive set which I think is worth more than me. The net worth of this set is.

I would agree, more than I'm worth, and you, by the way, certainly.

Put us both together and it's still worth more than both. Yes.

So there's this main set which is like all the bells and whistles, get the Fox Sports Radio logo and all that. It's a really beautiful I would say it's to me, it's the most impressive thing in this whole radio row.

Well, it really catches your eye when you walk in the door. First thing you see Pops, Yeah, Pops. So then behind it's the we're in the podcast wing. Yes, And there's like two different portals for podcasting, right, there's that now that side and then where we are, which I think is what is that side for? Is that

Know that was the thing, Like, I wanted to talk to you because I know you and you're interesting. Some With all due respect, I don't mind putt athletes on Mike, but let's be honest, some of these guys, uh very dull.

So I don't want to do a dull podcast.

I think what you do is interesting in the fact that I've known you for a long time and all that stuff.

But yeah, Lee runs around and.

She grabs him and drags him over here, and maybe most of the time against their will.

By the way, not to make you feel important, but we we almost had Tyreek Hill.

Oh but then he I guess he's only doing TV stuff or something like that.

Oh, podcast the cheetah. The cheetah ran past us, but we can close to him. So, who's the coolest person that you've met? I've seen a lot of photos, You've you've met some some big names here.

He've been around some big names. Like what's the what are some of the ones that stand out to you?

Well, truth, I'll tell you the truth. I got a picture with Luke Keikley of course, Carolina Panthers fan. I almost you know, when I found out he was going to appear on our show, I almost texted my wife and told her to FedEx me.

Get that sor.

Yeah. Yeah, it seemed like it was gonna be a little much.

He's a cool guy, yeah, really nice.

Yeah. We talked for a little bit after the show, and he was great, man.

Nice.

He talked about Jerry Richardson a lot, and he said, you know, I really love Jerry Richardson, the old owner there. Yeah. Yeah, and gave us, you know, gave me some sage words of advice, that kind of thing. Did he tell you who to invest? Speaking of Panthers, there's a cam newical about randomly walking bike.

Yeah he's not going to us, No, no, god, no, no, he does not know who we are. Well, he probably does. I used to rip him back at the day, so he might. He might know that, but.

It certainly doesn't know who I am, that's for sure.

So Luke Heigley was the top. That was the top.

Yeah for me, that was the top guy for me. I I after twenty years, it's hard to be impressed by, you know, one guy over another guy. Yeah, overall, it's impressive.

I actually had a really cool moment. I'm going to use this on the radio show. So if you're listening here to the Fifth Hour podcast today, this is the day before the Super Bowl. I will use this, maybe not Sunday night, but I'll use it at some point here. So I was, I was hanging out with their old buddy, Tony Bruno. Yeah, Tony. Tony's got started. Fox Sports Radio was a They started the network around Tony Bruno.

Tony was the king of LA sports radio in the nineties.

King of Tony.

We were talking about all the people that have worked with Tony. He's like the godfather of sports radio. There's guy's all over the.

Country that either learned from Tony. I learned.

I was a fan of Tony's when he started out back in the day and I used to listen to him and I was.

Like, oh, I want to be like Tony Bruno man.

So I'm hanging out with Tony and this like major ego boost. I might be able to just float back to LA. So he's uh, I'm getting bumped because Kevin Harlan, you know, Kevin Harlan played guy. So Kevin and Tony's like, hey, Kevin, you know Ben Mouth, and He's like, but I listened to your show. I was like, holy crap. Nice, Yeah, he's a listener. I was like, nuts, God's fantastic. I don't think he was you know, some of these guys

That was awesome.

I love Kevin Harley and I'm happy because I've kissed his ass a lot.

And I didn't know he listened.

I had no I know, I think he's wonder like the over the top on TNT, the NBA games in the NFL CBS.

He's just awesome and I think he's and.

Even though he just the radio Westwood won and him and Kurt Warner, you know, when there's a guy running on the field and all that stuff and screaming and shouting and that whole thing. Hey, you jesus, what's the party situation here this week?

Mike?

Have you been invited? Have you been able to sneak in in any parties here? You're hanging out with all the big shots.

They had the NFL media party on Tuesday.

How was that it was?

It was nice? They went all out, you know, I mean the important part, as you know, being in radio as long as you have been, these parties are food free boots.

Yeah, yeah, it's really in all you can eat situation.

So that's the whole reason I was there, absolutely one. Although they did have they didn't have a guy in really tight shorts on a stripper pole at one point. Well yeah, twenty four. No, it's progressive, That's what I'm saying. It very It's not my taste, you know, but hey, you know, to each their own.

Whatever floats your boat, right, Just yeah, that's pretty wild man.

Yeah, it's a good time.

Yeah, that's like the greatest you invited these parties.

And the greatest thing I ever food wise ever went to was actually the Stanley Cup Final of all things, really when the remember the Kings were in a couple of times and won Stanley Cups.

Right, yeah, twenty twelve insane. It was like five star.

They had a Mexican food booth, they had a Chinese food or you know, Asian food, they had American food and it was like amazing.

Everything was great and it was all you could eat. They had open bar.

Yeah, that reminds me. The best one for me that I've been to was was opening of the ESPN Zone at Downtown Disney background back of the Old Show. I got invited to that and it was very similar. They had just massive amounts of food. The best thing though, was they had a hostess like display where it was just ding dongs and ho hos and twinkies and all that sort of stuff. Oh yeah, my blood sugar went through the roof that day. That's for damn sure.

Well, as you know you knew me when I was much bigger, I've lost a fair amount of weight and so I do this inter minute fasting thing, right, but I do believe in rare and appropriate and media freeloading events are rare and appropriate prop for it. All diets are out the window for the day I can fall off the wagon. I can, I can get back right, not consistently off exactly, yeah, exactly. And this last year I've done the TV show, so I'm.

Extra paranoid, right, extra paranoid about the whole You know, you don't want to look fat.

I already look fat. I tell Looney all the time, and he has the same.

That it's not fair. You can't compare yourself to.

Well Looney's you know, goes to Mexico for steroids or but I tell them that, But kid, because I care, as Chris Myers would say all that, Hey, don't judge me, byer. How dare you damn bayer over there judging This guy played for the Carolina Panthers.

No, there's no man, No that's not that's not you did.

He was the left tackle for the Carolina Patters in the year two thousand and three. For the Carolina fans, I don't think so you could say that, though you could probably claim.

Nobody will have any idea whether it's.

Exactly I mean you'd be like the ultimate heart. Oh, you would have to be the ultimate heart to know who these people are, right right, that's the good thing about offensivelignment. And you only know who they are when they're drafted, if they're in the first round, because people get all excited left tackle for the next ten years and this is gonna be the greatest thing we're b and then if they suck, because then you rip them, you call radio shows.

He is post on the sea when they throw the flag, you know who the offensive line y?

Yeah, yeah, right, yeah, if you're if you're a left tackle is leading, like like the Chiefs this weekend, tomorrow and the Super Bowl, they have the most penalized offensive lineman this year. Like it just the ones that kill you that they jump off sides, the false start ones, like what are you doing?

You can't even wait for the snap, Like, seriously, it's not it's not rocket surgery.

Yeah, I mean, come on, it's not that. Its job is not that hard. It is not that difficult.

And then on the other side, you got Trent Williams, who may be rock you know, he's maybe the greatest left tackle in the game right now.

Yeah, right now, yeah, my favorite tackle.

Jackie Slater my age, and I've i've uh, I've.

Told the story.

We had Jackie on the podcast actually a couple of years ago. But with the Rams when I was a kid, I've told this story a few times. I haven't told a while. So I was a kid my mom, you know, growing up in Olich Canyon of the Rams trained in Irvine and cal State Fullerton, and so my mom would occasionally drop me off at Rams training camp nice and since I was a little fat kid, I thought I was gonna play in the off offensive line. Of course Jackie was playing for the Rams, and so I would

Told you, Jackie, oh yeah, I remember those days.

You know.

It was very as a child, that was very impressionable. I was like great memories, like you could never have that expouse.

Yeah, that doesn't happen.

Now, everything's if you've been to the NFL Experience thing, which is around Have you gone through that whole rigamor that's a giant.

Yeah, I gotta tell you didn't bother. No, I mean, it's just there's too much. It's frankly, it is too far away. I don't feel like walking on that far.

Oh I don't even know. I don't even know. It's a massive complex.

Yeah, it's huge. And but you know, I've seen the pictures in the video and it looks exciting for you know, fans. But again, you know, in a round roll were veterans, right, it's hard to get excited about stuff like that anymore.

Have you picked up any souvenirs? Are gonna take anything at all?

I get a shirt, I got something for the wife, something for the daughter, you know, our hats yay?

All right, Well, a little behind the scenes, thank you. You're hitting back right soon, you're hitting back. I'm getting on a plane, Charler.

Actually, after we're done with this, I'm gonna go grab my bags, getting the taxi in the head to the airport.

All right.

The great Mike Linguard, he works behind the scenes here a Fox Sports. He's been here all week, all week long, making sure everyone sounds good on the air. Have a wonderful rest of your Saturday. Don't forget. We will have the mail bag, me and Danny g on Sundays, Sunday Sunday. In't that right, Danergy, we have the mail bag?

Right? Hold on, I said, we tore your mic on, Danny.

I know you didn't want to talk to ling Guard, your big time ling guard here out there, you schmuck.

This is Mike Linguard, Big Mike.

Yeah, Mike who runs the stage here.

I know he runs the whole place, right, I know.

I said, listen, we were gonna get some NFL, but I don't wanted to talk to an NFL P Yeah.

He is a guy I've known. We're like family.

Me and him, clearly much more interesting than some random NFL guy.

I told him he could pass for a Carolina Panther lineman from like two thousand and three.

No one would know. He could probably do interviews around here and say that he played for the Panthers, just create a backstory.

Did you hear how Kevin Harlan went crazy when he.

Found out idea?

Yeah, tell me about it. It was amazing. Mind.

Oh man, that was a big the famous Ben mole. You thought I was going to say the famous Harlan No, the famous Ben Mallin.

That was pretty cool, man. I gotta tell you that's I'm a bit of a broadcasting nerd. You guys know that.

Yeah, I'm more I'm more excited about that than like some of the players that might be listening, Like, to me, that's like that. He's like at the very near the top of play by play guys in the NFL.

Well, Ben, I can't wait for our mail bag episode tomorrow. But I had to come on at the end right now because you can't end your podcast without me saying later skater my fla