04-04-25 FULL SHOW - Rossover of the Mandyverse at Rockies Home Opener

All right, Well this is okay, all right, let's see if this works.

Ye breath, see breath everybody.

Ross and I were just.

All right, we'll we'll explain it all later because we want to get right to right to our guest. So, and by the way, I'm Ross and I was going to have Randy Cromwell with me. Randy is just amazing, but he was busy. Uh, I got Indy Connell here instead. We're gonna have a hell of a lot of fun like we do every Rockies opening day.

Actually, yes, because baseball is my favorite sport and Ross is my favorite talk show host. Who's not me?

There you go, and Mandy's my favorite talk show host maybe even including me. And another person whose favorite sport is baseball, uh is the one and only George will And we had George on two years ago for.

Just an amazing conversation.

We missed him last year, and he kindly agreed to join us again this morning. Hi, George, how are you?

I'll go anywhere any Hello?

We know that.

George. When did you first become a baseball fan? What is your first memory of baseball?

Well? I became a baseball fan about age seven, nineteen forty eight, I became a Cubs fan, and that was the year that Cubs ownership took out ads in the Chicago papers to apologize for the team being as lousy as it was. But she said, you all know, once you start as a child, you can't turn back. You've done the suffering. You want to wait for the reward, although it may take some waiting. I saw my first

Are they playing?

Who are the pirates?

There?

The Cardinals? They beat them, not nothing, while the waste like kid.

Grant Ram home.

You remember to me, Brandy.

Because that's a pretty impressive thing.

Well, we've got all these synopses firing in our brain. Why do I waste mine on knowing that Ted Suzuski played for the Cincinnati Reds information I wrote anyone but me?

You know, Maine and I talk like all day every day, and so a lot of stuff goes in one air and out the other, and I don't tend to remember a lot of things. But I remember last time we did this, you said, line, I'll never forget that that you do all the political stuff just so you can afford to do the baseball stuff, because you really, if you could afford to do just base you would.

Oh absolutely. My My primary email is office at baseballhabit dot com because I do this to support my baseball habit, which is more intense than anything cocaine.

To you, George, there have been a lot of changes to the game over the last few years as baseball works to capture shorter and shorter attention spans, and they've really enforced the pitch clock, which is sped up the game. And I have to tell you, I'm kind of a curmudgeon a little bit about it. I enjoyed the slow, slow pace of baseball. But do you think these changes

Well, they're already having that effect because they've taken twenty five minutes of otherwise dead time out of the game and reversed a seven consecutive years of attendance to climb and that really doesn't affect the Rockies because the Rockies has some of the best fans in baseball, as it's

For or baseball. I'm sure you know it's already George Will every year. I don't know for how many uses and doesn't Open Day quiz, So just go to the Google and type it George Will Opening Day Quiz. You can find it over at the Washington Post. George, I have one tribute quick for you, and then I know Mandy has a question for you about in their potential change to baseball. Uh, George, who has and will give you?

Oh gosh, I don't know the answer. The best picture there is Pedro Martinez, but so I'm going to guess that's not him. So I'm gonna say.

Nomo, and in fact you are correct. It is.

It is Nomo Todayo Nomo is throwing the only no hitter in Corsfield history. And that's why you're George Will And I'm not all right? So what I know? You wanted to ask George about another potential change.

George, I had a chance to go to spring training this year and I got to see the new automatic balls and strike system, the ABS system in play, and I got to tell you. After the second time of seeing it, I thought, bring it up now to the majors. Do you think technology entering the game in that fashion is net positive because it will clarify those sort of shifting strike zones that players have had to deal with since the beginning of the game.

Yeah, for years we've heard umpires say, well I call my strike zone. Well, them strikethon doesn't belong to the individual umpires defined in the rules. And what amazed me I spend a week at Foix's spring training, as I always do, how much the fans love it. It's about a five second interruption of the game, so it doesn't

Well, the thing I really liked about it is it sort of takes away the ump here the problem, you know, yelling and screaming after a call, because it clarifies whether they were right or wrong. And in the four challenges that I saw, the umpire was right all four times, and I thought that was kind of interesting.

That's the one thing people are going to learn is just how extraordinary good most major league umpires are. And in fact, if in a tight game, let's say the eighth inning tie game, the difference between two balls and no strikes and a one ball on one strike count can be game changing. So let's get it right, particularly since it doesn't take any time.

George, last question for you, just about out of time here. If you had to play some wagers, who do you think will be the American League champion?

Who do you think will be the National League champion?

And who do you think will win the World Series?

Well, once you get into October. In the postseason, randomness takes over because in a short series, randomness can be decisive. Doesn't even out of one hundred and sixty two games. I'm going to surprise you a little bit. I think I think the team to watch in the National League is the Arizona Diamondbacks. I know they're in a tough division. They got the eight no Dodgers and the seven to no Padres, but still watch the Diamondbacks. And then they in the American League. I have no idea, but if

I'm kind of shocked that the rest of the teams aren't handing out torpedo bats to all of their players yet. That seems a little short sighted. As long as they're legal, take advantage.

Of it, right, Yeah, And I'm kind of surprised that George didn't mention the Rockies in you know, in the hunt.

Yeah, all right, we got to leave it there.

George will thank you so much for making time for us. I really appreciate it. We love talking baseball with you.

Always enjoy being with you. Entucky next year, all right, yeah, yeah, you got it.

All right, We'll take a quick break, Mandy and I'll be right back on k away.

At order.

This is a rossover from the Remember That Ross, So if you're just joining Mandy and I are broadcasting from twentieth and Blake right right in front of course Field.

Actually talk about how good looking Toyota's next to us.

I kind of will have a little envy there.

The land Cruiser, Like I want that car. So in any case, we're right next.

To the Do you remember the land cruisers from the seventies, we had one. They were cool, they were so they weren't fancy though land cruisers are fancy now.

Well now they are just like the jeep chaerkeys and and now they're like luxury brands.

So a couple of days ago, uh, we learned that Val Kilmer passed away. Yeah, and you told me to watch Tombstone.

Yes, and you told me you would never see it. Immediately check to see if you had traded in your junk for a JJ, but had not you had ordered.

She didn't actually physically check.

It was a metaphorical check.

But you said I should watch it by Friday, and that was do what you tell me to do as well, you show. So I did watch it by Friday. I watched it last night, and give me a review, A little hokey.

Stop it, stop it right now.

I mean it was it was.

But see Vel Kilber kill me that movie?

Yes he did.

So that movie is your Huckleberry. Yeah that was Mike drop.

But she mastered that dialect. It was like the perfect slow, condescending drawl of a Southern gentleman at that time. And I just it was so good.

I think what I what I appreciated about the movie was it. It didn't take itself too seriously. It was like kind of making fun of me.

So you had a feeling that on that set, those guys they must have had an amazing, such a fun time.

Can you imagine like just hanging around that crew. I mean, Val Kilmer and Kurt Russell, yep, freaking Sam the Mustache, Elliott Gosh.

I were so many dreamy men in Maybe that's why I love that movie so far.

I were gay and I am not.

That's why I love that movie so so much. For me, I just like Alkilmer made the movie. He was the movie.

Yeah.

It's like, honestly, I don't even remember who else was in the movie. I was like, yeah, but Kurt Russell also dreaming.

There were a bunch of actors who I recognized but couldn't name him, right, Like the main bad guy who played Ringo. I know he's a famous actor, but I don't know. I don't know who it is.

We're getting to that age though, where you have those conversations where it's like, hey, remember that guy in that movie with the kid and the dog and the chick that we like. These are the conversations I have with my husband, you know the woman we like, and he's like, oh, yeah, her. I totally know the blonde we like. Yeah, that's her.

I have since my thirties. I could watch a movie for at least half an hour before realizing I've seen it already.

I can't be the only.

As I get older, like with shows, you know, we watched the same shows over and over again. When we have him on in the house and I have realized that, I'm like, I get to the end and I'm oh, yeah, I totally remember that guy did it now. But it's fun because then you don't have to worry about finding new entertainment. You can just rewatch what you've already watched because you don't remember.

I know, I asked you this the other day and it's kind of old news now. But is that your favorite Val Kilmer role?

That is my favorite Val Kilmer roll close second is real genius, one of his first movies that he made. And then third is of course Top Gun, where he played the ultimate jerk and he was so good. You remember, like back in the day, he was an absolute heart rock. He dated all the hot women in Hollywood. I mean all of the hot women in Hollywood. Went out with val Kilmer and he's been single for like twenty years now.

Well, and you know, his health didn't treat him very well. Yeah.

It was a heavy smoker and he ended up with throat cancer. And I'm not saying, oh, you deserved it, but you know, I mean, if you if you're a heavy smoker and you end up with throat cancer, it's like I kind of understand that, you know.

So let me just get folks out ring played by Power Smooth Powers Booth.

There you go. Yeah, really good. So coming up over the course of the show, we're gonna have Jack Corrigan, We're gonna have Jesse Thomas. We may or may not have a Rockies player. We're still trying to work that out. And one more time, eleven forty eleven forty people should do what.

We're having Tournament of the Day. If you want to come down, if you are familiar with my program, even though this is the rossover into the Mandy verse, you could come down and try and beat me at a Jeopardy category. And it seems really easy when you're playing in your car, but I'm telling you, it's like it's kind of like name that tune. Yeah, when you're in the studio for name that tune, or when you're when I'm in your chair, like when I'm doing hosting, it

And we're gonna hit a quick break here when we come back.

The only you know, sort of truly nonsports or serious thing we're going to do today, the Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright, is going to join the show. Keep it here on KOA.

Ross over to the Mandy Verse.

Exactly are we are right in front of course Field.

At twentieth and Blake And and we thought my friend Chris would come down here, but he got a little busy, and so he joins us from wherever he wherever he is right now. And my friend Chris is actually one of the one of the smartest and most interesting people.

That's the way you just casually say my friend Chris, Yeah, like he's just some dude, you know, he is my buddy. Yeah, but he's also.

Really one of the smartest people I know.

And somebody figured that out because Chris Wright is now Secretary of Energy.

Kind of good gig, not a bad gig, except he has to.

Go to DC a lot, which is not as good as being here in Colorado. Chris, right, welcome back. It's good to talk to you again.

Hey, Ron, Hello, Ross and Mandy. Great to be with you guys and Ross. Yeah, this is only my second trip at to Denver since mid December. So yeah, Liz and I live in DC.

Now it's probably still worth it.

Let me ask you a couple of questions that before we get to energy policy stuff, and just give me some quick answers because we've got lots of stuff to talk about.

Were you surprised when you got the job offer?

Well, I'd had a dinner with Trump a month a year before, and he said would you do it? I said I would, and so actually I wasn't surprised.

What is Donald Trump like in person when you're talking with him, you know.

In public, he's always talking, and he's loud and boysterous. In private, he listens a lot. He asked questions, he asked follow up questions. He want to learn, he wants to understand. So I would say, very very personable and very inquisitive, Chris.

When you were having that conversation a year ago with Donald Trump, did he express to you the direction that he would like to see the Department of Energy go in? Did you guys have that kind of conversation about policy? Then?

Well, what I was so impressed with him by was here's an East Coast, real essych developer. But he was very passionate about energy. He thought energy was the most important industry. He thought lower energy prices were good for America and good for Americans. And he thought much more American energy production would be good for our economy and good for our global security. And I was like, I agree with all three of those one.

Hundred percent, Chris. Did you have to give up ownership stake in your company, Liberty Energy to take the job?

Oh? Everything? I had their resigned from the company, sell every share of stock in the company I founded, resigned from all the other boys them on, including nonprofit boards. I have to sell crazy stuff that has nothing to do with energy but potentially could. So, as my wife and I joke all the time, we didn't go to DC to better our financial situation. You know, we're there to serve our country, and you know, whatever sacrifice it took, we did.

All Right, one more question for you, and then we want to talk some policy stuff. I don't know that every listener will be aware of the report that you put out for quite a few years in a row, and I would like you to describe that report and tell us why it's important to you, because I think understanding that will help people understand how you think about energy policy.

Well, in January of twenty twenty, Blackrock the biggest owner of public equities in the world, and you know they own about ten percent of every public company there is, so they were a big owner of Liberty and the head of that sent out a letter to all public company CEOs and said they to publish their paras aligned zero twenty fifty plan. And look, as a guy who studied energy and climate change, my whole life net zero twenty fifty is just a horrifically bad idea. And even

Chris, do you think that? And I want to talk about a little policy question here. Do you think that we're finally ready in the United States to fully embrace some form of nuclear We just passed a bill here in Colorado that adds it to the list of green energy things that we can embrace in our green dream being promoted by our governor here. But we've really had our time getting it off the ground, which the sort

Wow? So Mandy. You know, in high school, I was passionate about nuclear just how dirty I was. But I went to college to work on nuclear, so I am passionate about it. But we haven't built any meaningful nuclear in this country for over forty years, so we've lost that industrial muscle and techniques to build it. But it's a great energy source that works whether the wind is blowing or the sun is shining. It takes a small amount of land and materials to develop a lot of energy.

Just follow me off, Chris, So, do you think the nuclear renaissance will include a blend of large facilities and SMRs or do you think one of those is going to be very dominant.

I think it will be a blend. Like there's the US nuclear technology is going to take the US large reactor technology and build three of these reactors in Poland. You know that deal will be going relatively fill. It's near finalizing a deal for that. There are definitely utilities

Chris, what is the policy of the Energy Department now? How is that shifting from the policy decisions and choices that were made by the prior administration.

By nine points? The first one is it's a policy of energy addition, not energy subtraction. So it is an abrupt pivot. That Energy Department under the Biden administration was entirely focused on climate change, or at least the name climate change. They didn't do things really aligned with that. Really, their position was we're against hydrocarbons, and we're going to look for ways to put barriers in front of hydrocarbons. And if I can, I'll tell you one quick story.

Big pivot it all right, give me a quick answer on this one. This is sort of a political question. But when you took over the job, did you find staff, either senior staff or junior staff resistant to your new approach. Did you find an institutional bias toward thinking that climate change is the most important thing? Or are you finding that your staff at all level or any levels, are very much breaking your correct viewpoint.

So it's a mix of the two. Rocks, the Department of Energy about thirty percent of the employees are former military members. So it's not like Department of Interior or EPA, where it's almost entirely left in the department. BOE is kind of a mix of the two. And there's a lot of scientists. Of course, on a scientists are pretty sober about climate. What are there institutionally people who want to grow government and yet So I would say it's a mix of the two, but not nearly as bad

Chris Stone from the Tech Line is a great question. In addition to nuclear, we need to update the US electrical grid. Is there a plan to do that?

Yeah, Mandy, this is just a huge question because during the Biden administration, we had almost no growth in US electricity demand, yet prices went up over twenty percent. Now we're going to see rapid growth because of AI and this reshoring of manufacturing. So we've got to build a lot of new generating capacity. We've got to strengthen our grid, make it more secure, not just from demand, but from you know, sabotage, cyber attacks from our adversaries overseas. So

Chris, In recent days, in recent weeks, there's been a lot of talk in some market turmoil around terraffs. And I don't want to drag you into a larger tariff discussion because you don't set that policy. But I have a narrower question for you, how, if at all, do you see tariffs impacting your job and the and the energy industry broadly.

Speaking, so since energy is sort of its infrastructure, it's foundational for society. I was an advocate, and I would say successful advocate that there's no tariff on energy of any kind. That principle the President brought into and held onto. The other broader picture for the president, really, the indigender was driven by two days One is he wants to reindustrialize America. All the stuff that we shut down our factories here and stuff gets made in Asia and then

For me, and that is the Department of Energy was founded in nineteen seventy seven, and one of explicit balls was to reduce and eliminate dependence on foreign energy source. Is that silly goal? And if so is impossible in this world economy that we live in.

Well, there's always going to be some trade in exchange of products. But look, I'm very proud to say today the US is by far the world's largest producer of oil, and we are actually a small net exporter of oil. We are by far the world's largest producer of natural gas, and we are the largest net exporter of natural gas on the planet. So at some level we've achieved energy independence. We produce more energy today of all forms than we consume for the first time since the nineteen fifties early

All right, Chris, And my last question for you, possibly the most important one, sock sock shoe shoe or sock shoe, sock shoe.

Sock sock shoe shoe.

Because he's not a maniac. He's a good and decent human being.

Exactly.

It's like that's how you put your shoe.

Fox.

You didn't have to think very long about that. But that's because he went to MI T so he understands all the right answers. Oh boy, Secretary of Energy, Chris right, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to come join us. I know you're you're touring around Colorado visiting national facilities and having some conversations, So welcome home, even if only brief.

Thanks so much, Ross. I appreciate you, my friend. Sorry I didn't get to see in person this time, but I'm sure I will next time. Appreciate the great show that you and Mandy do, and you're pushing for American freedom and prosperity. Thank you very much for your great show.

All right, Thanks Chris, all right, that was Secretary of Energy, Chris Right for a founder formercy but he had to sell all that stuff of Libert Energy with if you don't know, second biggest fracking company in the world, I'm for a serious company and said where we started. He is really one smartest people I've ever had.

Nice to hear someone in that position. It has a very real sick approach to energy, you know what I mean, Like, it's not pie in the sky, It's not this stuff that we don't have the technology to do. Yeah, we're gonna do any kind of thing. It's just it's nice to hear someone who that we're gonna do this in America is gonna flourish, and I just like that.

I also love that there's someone there who's that principles. You know, if you hang out with with him, maybe you'll talk energy, but a lot of times we talk economics and we talk about freedom and the Constitution, and if he really cares about that stuff, I know people.

Don't belong in Washington, detail, you know, isn't that weird?

What was your what was your main takeaway from that conversation.

My main takeaway is that we're all in on whatever can help us succeed and flourish in the country, and that's all I want. Like if it is wind technology, if it's solar, if it's nuclear, if it's liquefied natural gas, I want all of the above. I want everything that's going to help us continue to flourish provide lower energy costs. I don't know about you, but I've been following along the energy prices in Germany and Spain very very closely, because they're both all in on green energy. It has

His life and you don't want life to be more expensive than it has to be. Cheap energy is a win for everybody. It is human flourishing, and that's Chris's report is all about human flourishing, all right, So we gonna do a lot more baseball over the course of the show.

So we're going to hit a quick break here when we come back.

If all goes according to plant Voice of the Rockies Jack Corrigan, it's gonna join us right here and come stay hi to us. We're at twentieth and Blake, and if you stop by at eleven forty you can try to beat mandyt of the day and win some tickets to the Rockies game. Will be right back.

It's currently gray for sex. Throu just asks the weather a little bit gray, a little bit chilly, but not horrible.

No, not horrible, not snowing. All right, we'll be right back.

Us.

That's Mandy, and you are a guy who hangs around at this place a lot.

Of Yeah, that would be that would be the Voice of the Rockies Jack Corgan, who didn't want to introduce himself wearing wearing the purple the purple scarf. You're looking very dapper.

Yeah, very Dapper's been a tradition. Jesse Thomas, Jerry Shemel and myself for the home opener.

Yeah, we always.

Ties and yeah, all of that, and take our picture for the year because we'll not be in coach and ties for the rest of the year, so it's kind of a benchmark for each season.

Well, we are working radio because we have to dress right.

You should have known he was going to be outside for a couple of hours. He's dressed like he's you know, may or something.

These jeans have a fleece lining in him. They're actually pretty warm.

I'm gonna ask you.

One baseball question, and then Mandy's probably gonna ask you most of the rest of them because she knows more about baseball than I do. But, uh, last year wasn't great for the Rockies, and there's a fair bit of hope for this year that it was going to be ba not so great to start the year. But what are you seeing as I want to focus on the bright spots, Like, what do you think could make this team better than last year? Well, there's no question.

With guys like Marcus and Sensatela healthy again, the starting rotation has greatly improved. Kyle Freelance had two great starts, Sensatella has allowed one unearned run and his two starts, Marcus six shutout innings. Ryan Feltner pitched well and his game and he's going to start today, and everything moves

That was going to be my first question because he was pitching when I came in and Scott to sit with you in spring training. The kid has an arm, Yeah, I mean, he really has an arm. Why didn't he start well?

I think just you know that from the Rockies perspective, he had not pitched it at true altitude at all, so they wanted him to at least have some sense of that he probably if he does come up Sunday, it's in part because Austin Gomber, who was going to pitch, is not ready to come off the injured list, and he's going to be the first guy up. So I mean, I think they just want him not to They don't want to rah yeah, not to make too much of

He is as.

Composure yeah, and has composure for a twenty three year old question. He is with more velocity if you could, as long as I use my morph word. He's kind of a combination of a number of the good things Kyle Freeland does and a number of the good things that Ermon Marcus does. So that's why he was, you know, our number one pick a couple of years ago.

I have been and I am not alone when I say this. I speak for a lot of Rockies fans. I've been a little bit frustrated over the last few years, specifically because I think Kyle Freeland has incredible talent, but we've often seen him get into that one inning where he gives up eight runs in that one inning. But he got himself out of a jam. The other night, I was listening to you guys on the way home, and I was cheering in the car as he strikes out three great hitters in a row to get out

Yeah.

I think last year, especially the opening day last year, when he had that horrendous game in Arizona, I don't think he.

Was totally healthy.

And obviously within a month he went on the injured list, and while he went through the physical rehabilitation, I think he also went through, you know, some self analysis and work with the you know, the coaches and all that as to who you are as you age in this job.

Who do you want to be?

You know, he's only thirty, but that's an old man or middle aged anyway in baseball. And I think now he has an even better mind said about how to operate in the intensity that he has, He's learned how to channel it. In the example you just gave Mandy, I mean, yeah, that was an inning many times that it would have blown up. I mean it was Bryce Harper Alec Bohm and Nick Castianus bing bang boom, inning over with the three punch outs. So yeah, I'm I'm real happy for Kyle. Kyle and Ashley do so much

I want to ask you a question that Mandy asked George Will this morning. How do you feel about the automated ball and strike thing checking, you know, like the.

ABS is to replay for baseball.

Well, I heard Mandy's response when you guys were talking about as I was driving to the ballpark, and I'm with her. You know, it's like, hey, this works. Why are we going to wait a year? Yeah, some of it is they have to technology wise get all the ball parks set up for it. But it's as smooth as system. It's better than the typical video replay review of plays. Now, I mean it's yeah, it's ten seconds, A long one is fifteen seconds, and that's usually a

Yeah, let's talk.

A little bit about the Rockies offense right now. It's been really disappointing. What, if anything, can training staff, can batting coaches, what can they do in this situation to help these guys get this offense going.

I was talking this morning on one of our other iHeart shows, Are Good Buddy rick Lewis and I talked about the contagious nature of baseball, and I think that's some of it, with younger guys and all of that. But I mean, they struck out a lot last year, and there is a mindset that coaches and players can work with. I mean, you do have to shorten your swing at times, you do have to be willing.

Jerry and I talked about it a number.

Of times in Philadelphia, to take a swing and put the ball the opposite way, to be willing to do anything that gets the ball and play rather then nothing good from an offense perspective happens with a strikeout other than if the catcher misses the ball and you get on first base that way.

So so let's see, can you stick around? Yeah?

All right, and so for a few more minutes. All right, we're going to hit a short break here. And I don't know if folks.

Listening want to want to play along, but I'll give you the opportunity if you've got a question for Jack Corrigan. You don't often have the opportunity to ask Jack a question, and we don't promise to ask Jack every question you sent in, but if you'd want to text us a question or two for Jack at five six, six, nine zero, we'll ask Jack some of the good questions right after this. I'm ross.

That's many, and.

You are Jack. Keep it here on KOA.

And joining us. Jack and Jack Corgan is that voice you hear, just like you hear him call the Rockies games, and he does such an amazing job. We got a lot of questions on the text line for you, But I want to start with one that I already asked you off the air. Our starting pitching is just likes out right now. Our bullpen is not What do we do there? Or why should we not be as concerned as I currently am.

Yeah, I don't think we should be overly concerned yet, because there's more talent physically than we've had in a bullpen in a long time. I think for some of the young guys, it's the transition from really getting into the big leagues last year without any pressure and getting their feet wet a little bit, which was good too. Now the expectations have been raised beyond just getting to the big leagues and it's going to take a little time.

Yeah, when you say kids, what are we talking about.

I think the oldest of the group is twenty five.

Oh my gosh.

Their baby Chiv is twenty two. Oh my gosh. Yeah.

Yeah, no pressure there, especially when they're getting the ball with no runs, you know.

Yeah, the margin the margin for air is pretty slim right now until we see the Rockies offense start to get it going.

I mean, it's not like we play in a hard division well, and.

It's not likely, and it's not like we just played the team that had the best home record in baseball and went sixteen and two against the West last year, including sweeping three games from the world champion Dodgers. So I mean the Phillies. The schedule makers didn't make it easy between Tampa and in Philadelphia for a team in transition like the Rockies.

So one of these questions, good listener question here. I don't want you to think about the answer too much. Just the first thing that comes to mind. The listener asks what's your favorite Rockies moment?

Favorite Rockies moment is one in one A obviously the play at the plate where Matt Holliday slides in in the play in game against San Diego to get to the postseason, and then the final out of the National League Championship Series, and see Todd Helton with his arms upraised after catching the throw for the final out, and the level of emotion for a guy who really kept a tight out of Todd made that a great moment.

This listener asked a question that I said the other day with Ryan Edwards. I think this is going to be the year that we have serious salary cap conversations at the end of the year, and the Yankees and the Dodgers will have no one to blame but themselves, right. I mean, they have distorted the marketplace at such a level that I think you have to have those conversations.

Well, I don't know if we'll have a salary cap, but some kind of adjustment gonna have to be made when you have such spirity. Give you the best example of it last year, the monies for that season, the twenty four season, deferred from the contracts of Shoheo, Tani Mooki, Freddy Freeman, and Yamamoto, the other young Japanese star. The money they deferred last year exceeded the total payroll of

Tilted it that when the new.

Contract comes up after the twenty six season. I think before that point there's going to be as much discussion within the ranks of ownership between the haves and the have nots, and there are a lot more have nots than halves. That is going to be very It'll be fascinating to watch beginning early next year when things start to get underway with that. But yeah, something has to be done because it's the biggest thing is the TV

But when you're out in the field with.

Them, the expectation of the fans, the expectation of the players themselves is well, we got to beat this team. But the reality is a much bigger challenge for the clubs that aren't in those situations.

We got about a minute left. I want to stick with this. Actually, I don't know anything about the business structure of Major League Baseball. Is it like the NFL in a way where they could kind of force the Yankees and Dodgers to do something, or is the power more distributed and less kind of you know, centralized ability to say we're all going to do this.

Well, the owner of the Indians when I worked in Cleveland said to me once, he said, young man, do you know what major League Baseball is? And I was like, I tuck question two you and I said, I'm not really sure, mister Jacobs. And he said, major League Baseball is thirty teams joined together in mutual distrust. And that because the national TV revenue for the other sports, the NBA and the and the NFL is shared at a

So would that make it harder than to yay, the salary cap deal happened, harder than it might be in football?

Yeah, I mean it'll it'll be it'll be some real interesting owner meetings, you know, even before they start dealing with owners and the players union.

All right, last quick thing, just about out of time. What's the main thing you're gonna be looking for in today's game.

Well, I'm gonna I'm gonna not let you do this.

I got my quest. Oh, okay, I forgot, Yeah, I forgot.

You had a question walk up songs if you know, you know when guy walks up to the plate and they play some music, what's.

Your walk up song?

I recently changed mine.

Okay, go ahead me.

For a long time, I just wanted that one section of Reeven McIntyre's fancy, here's your one chance fancy, don't let me do. But I've decided I want it to be Hail to the Chief. I realized that the President of the United States has the best walk up song in the history of walk up songs because they play Hail with the Chief. That's gonna be mine, And I'm just gonna go on the assumed I'm the chief. Get out of my way. There you go.

My thing for you with me?

As you walk up to the plate, we would hear Vell Kilmer say.

I'm your huckleberry.

Yeah, that would be fair, that would be fabulous. Stick.

Mine would be Albert Collins singing, I ain't drunk, I've just been drinking.

Oh I love that you.

Oh my gosh, almost anything by rush. But I'm trying to think of something that has just a message that I want to you still have made a choice. That would be that would be pretty good, working man free will. I don't know.

Fun talking walk up, so yeah, believe me.

Yeah, very good.

I've always had a mental walk up song, like sometimes before I sit in front of the microphone, I just play it in my head and you go, I'm ready to go.

Yeah. It's a great tradition. Yeah, you're fabulous.

And Jack and Darry call the gate today right here on KOA first.

A first pregame Rookies at one and people get here early so you can see all the pregame festivities. Thirtieth anniversary of this place still looks new.

It really does. Such a spectacular stadium.

It is held up beautifully indeed, Thanks guys, Thanks Jack.

Thanks for jooning up again.

All Right, the fabulous Jesse Thomas, who does.

Mandy's favorite pregame bit is Pioneers of the Game because he talks about baseball history. We're going to talk to Jesse about that when we get back.

Keep it here.

This is KOA Rockies Opening Day presented by Pellow Windows and Doors of Denver and Northern Coloradopella dot com for more of that. And sitting in between me and Mandy, you are Jesse Thomas, Jesse Thomas and your title Jesse Thomas would be.

What executive producer of the KOA, Colorado Rockies Radio Network.

I am told by someone who would know that Mandy Connell's favorite segment about baseball is something that you do. And the person who told me is named Mandy Connell. Yes, so it must be true.

Then it must be true.

What a bast fangirl for the pioneers of the game segment that Jesse puts together in the pregame show.

I like it.

I like it, Thank you Manny very much. I enjoy putting them together.

So this started. I mean, how did they say, Jesse, we want you to do something on the history of baseball.

It was historical, and to be honest with you, it came down to us being able to fill some time, right, you know, and baseball has such a colorful past and it goes back, you know, mid eighteen hundreds. So there's a target rich environment. It is a target rich environment, and you can always find something entertaining, funny, historical, some sad, some inspiring. But there's countless stories out there. So the thing for me is just figuring out a way to fit it into a three minute segment.

You know, one of the things that strikes me when I listened to some of your segments and you talk about some of these insane, over the top characters that have inhabited baseball over all these years. I feel like we don't have that now. We don't have the guys who are outrageous or prone to these kind of crazy things. Why is that?

It's not people more sessional now one hundred percent?

And obviously with social media, you can't get away with anything now, So that's the biggest one. You know, back in the day, you could act a fool on a train trip and you know, Duke smoking, the dugout and all those things, but it is frowned upon and.

Now you can't get away with anything.

So people are definitely more buttoned up and don't show their true characters anymore.

Who's your favorite colorful character that you have maybe talked about over the years. And they all have names like, yeah, like Bob bust your legs, skimmittens or something, you know, I mean, they're all they're all bizarros.

There's some crazy nicknames Vinegar Ben, Mazelle, stuff like that.

You know, stuff that you're.

Thinking like a John Grisham book or something like a Character and a John Grisham book. I did a story yesterday on Rubot l who was eighteen eighties, and he had a tendency to just leave the pitching mound in the middle of a game to go chase fire trucks. You'd go into the stands to pet people's dogs just in the middle of a three te you know, as one dog. So yeah, people like that, and I like going back in. Some of the old Negro League players

That gets enough play.

It has.

I'd say over the last ten years, we now know more about the Negro.

Leaves than we've ever known before.

Yep, which is a definite positive one hundred percent, and their stats are starting to count to which kind of changed the record books and going. You know, some of those stories you like in my books that I use for these stories that I put together, it's hard to tell. I like to think that's ninety percent of those things are true, but it's really hard to tell, you know. So I just try to find something entertaining and get a good chuckle out of them.

Source like, yeah, you know, where do you get your inspiration?

I have a couple of baseball almanacs, and then there's some historical books of those were the Days, I think is my favorite ones. I don't know the author off the top of my head. But and then there's the Dead Legend Good website that I go to and there's all kinds of stories on there that you pick and choose from. So, like I said, I enjoy I really enjoy doing it in Baseball's, as you said, target rich environment.

Yes, Jesse, why don't you explain to people? Because I always forget the people that are listening to us. They think what we do is super cool. They don't know what it is the actual job that an executive producer does. Yes, what does an executive producer do?

So, contrary to popular belief, we don't just show up, turn the power on, and get going. So in my particular case, I'm in charge of taking care of all the gear, making sure it's set up properly. Majure Jack and Jay, can you hear each other properly? Make sure we're going over the air properly, and most importantly that

Second.

So I'm basically big at sure, it's policy, it gets travel country Tomit sure that we make some money.

But it's super cool job it is.

I wouldn't st for the world.

It's not for everybody out of a suitcase for seven months of the year.

I'm used to that.

So it gives me an opportunity to see the tree and meets amazing people, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

And it's super different from football because you know, guy's gonna go cover an awake game. You're gone for two days. Yeah, I mean, what's what's a normal amount of time that you're away on a road once If you know, what's the longest time you have ever been away laws of the road trip.

The longest one we did was fifteen three cities, So it was three cities, twelve games, fifteen days. That's the longest we've ever been I've been doing with the Rockies.

But you're right.

For the Nuggets and the Abs, it was different because you would.

Fly in in the middle of the night, you go to.

The hotel, you'd sleep, and you went to the arena at three, you played the game, you left. You never really got to see the city you were in, you know. So this way baseball is awesome. We set up, we played game one, and then there's usually a three game set. Occasionally you'll have a one off, two game set, but you always get a chance to see a little bit of the city you're in, which makes it awesome.

And how much stuff do you travel with?

So it's about two hundred pounds of gear and it's two Pelican cases basically, and it takes me about ninety minutes to set our booths up from beginning to end game one, and then it takes me about twenty minutes to tear it all down. So testing everything, like setup day is.

My longest day. It's usually about a twelve hour day.

I'll get there six hours before first pitch, usually on a typical Game one experience, and then I usually come on the first bus for games two and three, so we're always there three hours before first pitch, and it's never less than a ten hour day for me.

So what is what you just had the opportunity. You opened up the season this year in Tampa and they're playing in the in the Yankees spring training facility because of the damage to the trot.

What was that like?

It was quite a challenge.

We definitely drew the short straw, but it depends on out you look at it. We're lucky we're not there in July when it's ninety degrees and ninety percent humidity. But unfortunately we were the first visiting team in there after MLB went in after the Yankees last spring training game and flipped everything around, so there was, you.

Know, wires everywhere.

They did more than that, like.

At least seventy two hours the night that I went the day before our game, they were still cutting holes with power saws and the batter's eye to install cameras in center field. Like it was absolutely wow wow. And our booth is super tiny. It was very intimate. As I like to say, me, Jack and Jerry tolerate each other pretty well. And we're right there on the concourse, so the fans were right in front of us. It was a challenge to say the least, but I'm glad we're out of there.

So, yeah, do you have a favorite stadium that and not so much like the game or whatever, but because of your job, is a favorite booth. I'm glad you asked that.

So it's yes, Miami and Anaheim are my favorite. Of Miami because huge, THEA air conditionings cranky.

Yeah, and I have plenty of space.

Anaheim awesome because it's kind of like beating at Disneylander's Fake Rocks. I enjoy that U And then I'm trying to think of least favorite is Cincinnati is up there because all the rain delays. I've ever been to that town. Harp another, Well, Tampa up there? Now to challenging, did they give.

You any idea like when the trump is going to be back in play?

No, nobody seems to know, mostly because they were punting some FEMA money to restore and it's getting all commuted with Yeah, they're probaby to fix it.

But Major League Baseball is also.

Leaning on the owner down there pretty hard just just outright sell it.

So we'll really yeah, well, you know what what is sell the troup or sell the team?

Sell the team?

Well, they suck. Their ownership sucks as well, and a stuff for a long time. Why under what justification is the is major League Baseball saying team.

I think it has to do with revenue sharing.

And I don't know exactly what that conversation looks like, like I don't know if they try to strong arm him, if they.

Try to buy him out, like I don't I don't know how that is.

I've just heard though that there has been discussions in they're asking him politely to maybe step aside.

So who knows.

I will tell you to your point, They're gonna play one season in Tampa, not in a dome, and everybody's gonna go, oh god, I love the trop I can't wait. It is miserable.

Sometimes you don't know what you have until it's gone right, and I can't imagine. First of all, those Florida rainstorms that pop up at four pm like here, those are no joke. And the humidity, like the camera operator, somebody's they better have medics on standby man, because if you're standing out there in left center field operating a camera, but I mean who, it's gonna be brutal.

And this is why when people make front of field, I'm like, you're you're not. You don't understand why tel because it is.

Awful and it was charming, charming and had its sound to it, you know, and the rings that were of the.

If you hit ring a something happened, met something else. It was wild.

Yeah, Jesse, when you are are traveling all this time, like what are some of your favorite cities to visit baseball aside, Like where do you see it on the schedule, We're like, yes, that's gonna be a.

Great So I this all resolves around food for me. So San Francisco food wise is really tough to beat. I don't really much enjoy the city anymore because it's chaos, but the culinary experience out there is awesome. Chicago is a close second. Yeah. I like Boston because I'm a shellfish guy, so going out.

There and be able to eat.

You can get good oysters here, but you can get.

Really good fresh clams out there, which I really enjoy. And then a sneaky town that really has grown on me is Milwaukee.

Every time.

I love it. It reminds me of old Denver. Those are my kind of people out there. They're built like me, they talk like me, they can soume the same amount of beer, sausage and cheese. Those are my people. I always yeah, talk about right, he's up. So I always uh dad on the list as soon as I see the schedule of when we're going to Milwaukee.

Is there, don't leave to leave the hotel four more?

Oh yes, I.

Am, well I'm gonna that's in my mind.

Go ahead one of them really because of where we stay.

It's not on Off.

Beach southeast side, right kind of the Frickle area, And it's just I can't. I can't do club music throughs, know what I mean?

Yeah, I just assume.

Sounds like yeah, I just assume staying in the hotel.

How about Cleveland in Miami. I love Cleveland.

Yeah, towny.

Cleveland's another sneaky town. It can be really really cold. But Jack Corgan is from Cleveland, so he always shows us a good time and shout out to Brunos. We always go to a place called Brunos in Cleveland, which is amazing. So I would look forward to going. We're going here in a couple of months to Cleveland.

I got a question, but I'm not sure what this person means, Jesse. Do you have to break down every game for a series, but you don't have to rebreak them?

So what I do is once we're set up in a visiting city. Once we're done and we sign off the air, I will power most everything down, and I will pull all of my laptops, but I will leave all the codex and all the wiring and all the matrixes and all that stuff up, and then they lock it behind me and I just take my laptops, and sometimes I lock up the headsets. But those are the pretty much the most secure places.

On Wait a minute, Wait a minute, So you're telling me that even in a press booth, headsets are a hot commodity and you have to lock them up like in a radio station.

Yes, I learned that the hard way.

Oh No, Dodger Stadium my first year doing this. Of course, I left my stuff up overnight and I came back the next morning, Sunday getaway day, and it was all gone, and I had to scramble and my guys and file a police and you know, the cops said to me, he said, welcome to la I bet I think, sir, what would.

Your walk up song be?

Jack asked us, well, oh, man, so it's an old hip hop song from the nineties. Iiny Camosie, Here comes the hot Stepper.

I've thought about that.

You know, when you walk away, I'm gonna expect to see you hot.

Step away from this movie. I wonder if Zach can find that while we're talking, sure.

He can't hit, Yeah, Audrey can't.

Sure?

Wait?

What was yours?

I've actually changed mine because it used to be I wanted that one part of that Reba McIntire song, here's your One chance, fancy, don't let me down? Okay, like I thought that would be. But now I'm deciding that the greatest walk up song in the history is Hail to the Chief. Jal To the Chief would be fantastic.

Reaba strong too, but nothing hot stepper. Is this this hit? I mean it gives the crowd participation.

Right, Yeah, it's awesome.

Yeah, good job Jack.

Do you guys have like a fraternity of producers?

Yes?

That are like traveling with all these Yes? Did you get to know each other?

So this is my ninth season doing this, and I am the second least tenured guy doing this. So once you get this gig that I have, there's only twenty nine other people that do it, and they've all been there for over thirteen years other than me and another guy.

Cities we hate and the buds we hate and.

All those things.

So, yeah, do you ever have an old dude give you a piece of advice and you think, oh my gosh, that is brilliant. I need to incorporate that and now I do my job.

Yes, Now, I can't give you an exact example, mostly of who to kind of avoid, you know what I mean, like, hey, that guy over in Baltimore, don't cross him, you know, stuff like that.

Yeah, And some.

Of these guys have been doing it for so long that they've seen technology change so much. I mean they've gone from analog phone lines to broadcast to ISDN lines. Now everything's done over the internet. To old copper pairs like Shannon knows, you know. So it's it's fun to kind of pick their brain about all the stuff that they used to have to do.

My husband when he was a kid, so he was like fifteen, he's sixty Now, he got his first radio job was running the board for the Cincinnati Reds games for his little station in Athens, Ohio. And they had the punchboard thing where you had to pull out a cord and put it in another cord. Oh, you're like manually operating like old telephone lines to get the feed in here and then put this in. I mean it

I'll tell you, Ridley, they still have cloth covered wiring in the original press box from when like Kerry Carey was doing his family. I mean, it's not active or anything, but it's still there. You can still see the old punch blocks and the cloth covered copper pairs.

Like it's wild.

Is what is the booth like at the cub Stadium oh Man in Boston? Two historical parks?

Boston's awesome. It's once you're up there. It takes a little bit to navigate your way up to the booth, but has big windows that are on a switch that open vertically.

Now, Rigley is a old other animal.

There used to not be elevators to go up to the top, so you had to haul your cases up the concrete ramps and then there's a straight up vertical staircase about twenty yards that goes up to the press boxes that you've had to hump your cases up there. It was brutal and by the time you got your cases up there, you're out of breath and sweaty and all.

The ninth and then it's tiny.

It's kind of like climbing into a submarine. It's really really tiny for where Jack and Jerry said below me.

So once they're down there, they're down there.

Like you don't want to move around a whole lot, no sudden movements, or you'll kick something out of the wall that gets wild.

I know it's blasphemy, but like I've been to the State Stadium in Boston and I walked away go in the stadiums are dump because I'm spoiled and I like nice new stadiums with amenities, history, be damned, green monster and all that.

That it is is a dump. It is a bit of a dump. It has a unique smell to.

Its people like saying the New York Subway.

Yeah, yeah, it's ammonia driven ammonia and alcohol. So yeah, it's but there's lots of history at Finway, I mean from the elephants they used to march on the field.

I like going back and looking.

At all the events some of these ballparks, if FOSA, like old boxing matches, people get shot out of a cannon, and you know, Wrigley once held a ski jumping event of theirs.

Of course.

Yeah, some of my most of my baseball experience actually at Wrigley when I lived in Chicago before they put lights in, right, So every game was a day game, and I worked downtown and everybody would get on the l at eleven am and go and the city would empty out, and it was kind of crazy to think of it, especially such a major team in a major city with no lights.

Yeah.

Well, some would argue that it used to be one of their biggest advantages was playing all those day games, because it would screw up other teams body clocks, you know. But yeah, sitting down the center field stands at Wrigley drinking a couple of old styles and how bad when you get off work ross, you know what I mean?

Yeah, I mean I used to sing, you know, take me out to the ballgame with Harry Carey that's when I was there. It was pretty fabulous if.

You were talking to them that on Pioneers the Game, how that started? How the Harry Carey thing has.

I haven't done Harry Carey specifically. I did do one on the history of the game or the song itself right, and it goes all the way back to like the nineteen tens or something.

I've heard that the reason Harry Carey started singing take Me Out to the Ballgame is it was a bet from the other guy that was in the booth with him, and they had been drinking as Harry Carey was brown in and it was like, I bet you can't get all these people to sing take Me out to the ballgame. And Harry Carey was like game on, and he got up and sang take Me out to the Ballgame, and the crowd just went crazy for it. So we started that tradition.

And at Wrigley now they have I know, we got a break here.

But they will have live.

You know, celebrities come up and sing take Me out to the Ball Game now from the same booth that Harry.

Used to do it.

But nobody gets a louder cheer than when they replay Harriet actually doing it on the scoreboard.

People will just lose their mind. It was. It's awesome. Jesse Thomas, executive producer from Colorado Rockies have.

A tremendous Game and creator of creator game.

Best pregame segment, no offense to any other segment, best pregame segment of the show.

Thank you guys very much for having me. And we're looking forward to today. So come on down Rockies fans and let's get a win.

Yeah.

And if you if you see Jesse, you'll see him.

In a in a suit and a sport coat and you will never see him wearing that any other day. Yes, once a year, we like it or not.

Before we broke late. Yeah, in one out less than one hour. We need listeners down here to play Tournament of the Day against if they want and gets to the game. So come on down to the corner of twentieth and Blake. We're going to do this at eleven forty, right, ay, right, be here at eleven thirty and somebody's gonna win tickets.

Keep it here on k Away Friday, Happy Rocky's Home Opener Day. Playing the Oakland A's today one of my favorite shows of the year because I get to do this with Randy Cromwell. But Randy was available, Randy was booked, So so I've gotten Vertrandy Cromwell very popular.

Actually I should in all honesty.

One of the reasons I love doing the opening day show with Mandy is that Mandy knows more about baseball than I do.

It's my favorite sport.

When did it become your favorite sport?

It's not obvious to me that in Northern Florida person that that would be the sport.

Part of it goes back to spending time with my dad, right, because so my dad was a Braves fan in the seventies when they were god awful and we were five hours away from Atlanta driving. So every baseball season we would like get slept in the car for five hours and we would go watch a series for the Braves, like a three or four game series. They lost all the time, I mean, they just never won. And when I became an adult, the Tampa Bay Race kicked in, right,

How how nerdy are you about it? Like so you wouldn't let me just clarify, so you and I are, or I'll just talk about you because you're more into baseball than I am. I mean, you're not George will and you're not Jack Corrigan. But if I were to ask you just some question about a player, like stats, now, would you have a sense?

Now? No, I could have a sense. I could have a sense of, Yeah, that guy swung I mean bat. But I'm not gonna sit here and go he bat at three forty nine. You're in the majors. I don't care about the stats. That's not why I watch the game. I'm not going to sit there with my little you know, my little clipboard, and I'm gonna make notations. My late mother in law was one of those people she would sit there with her little sheet and she would score the game properly, and that she loved it. But I

Right, And do you normally watch you with does.

Chuck Chuck.

Q?

Actually we started taking her to Louisville Bats games when we lived in Louisville, Kentucky. Phenomenal minor league franchise. They are a franchise for the Cincinnati Reds, so they were exciting and fun and they catered to families. So she enjoys going to a baseball game, but is she gonna sit? She will occasionally sit and watch some of the game with us, but I don't think, you know, especially fifteen year old girls, it's not necessarily going to be for

Just had to have to hit a break here in a moment.

But are you one of these folks who has a goal to go to every stadium?

That is actually one of my retirement things that I have on my list of things to do for retirement, Yeah, is to do all of the Great Fruit League and then all of the Cactus League, because I've done a lot of the Great Fruit League spring training, but not there's a lot of new stadiums since I had the opportunity in Florida to do some of that stuff. And then, yeah, I'd like to go to every sea. I've into probably fourteen or fifteen major League ballparks already that are currently

So I think what we might do for a little bit in the next segment, if you're up for it, is a little ask me anything. Yeh for that, I've.

Asked me anything, so so good.

All right, So here's what we're doing because it got me and Mandy at the same time. You can ask a text to question at five six six nine zero.

We don't promise to answer every question.

To make them most seen.

Yeah, I get those like I do proably not so much. And you can ask me a question.

You can ask Mandy a question or best would be a question for both of us. Yeah, that would be honest. That would be a lot of fun. Five six six nine zero. Text us your questions and we'll answer them right after this. Keep it here on KOA and in a little bit, Mandy, you're gonna play a game.

Yes, I'm gonna play Tournament of the Day. If you think you could beat me in a jeopardy category. We got some tickets for you to today's game. But you got to get here soon because we may have a super secret guest coming here.

Maybe we'll see.

We'll see, but we do have some ask me anything questions on the go for it.

You're in charge, Ross and.

Mandy, when you leave read a live ad spot, are you able to just laugh it off when you read it wrong? And what is the worst one you remember? Well, Ross, you don't read spots. Now, we make them up.

As we go. Yeah, we don't read them.

Yeah, so if they sound horrible, it's because we just made it up on the fly.

Yeah. And yeah, that's why everyone's a little different. We're making them up. And you know, giving a slightly serious answer to that question, Mandy and I both try to make sure we understand our show partners businesses well enough that like we could be their marketing department, and in a sense we sort of are. And so we know what we're talking about. And so we're not reading. We're not reading.

We can't all be winners, right, right, So sometimes they're better than others.

Yeah, you just kind of moved on. I don't remember a huge blunder.

I'm sure there've been a couple of blunders, but I don't remember a big bad one.

Here's one, Ross, Ross, have you guys ever thought about starting your own separate podcast. They suggest Mandy and Ross Save America kind of thing.

Yeah, well, first of all, it's very important that you put Mandy's name first.

I am prettier because she's She's definitely prettier.

You know, I would love to do something with Mandy. We're just both so darned busy, and Mandy has another side project already, and you know, we should do a little bit more of the Ross over that. I know, we should just like to put it on the calendar every whatever and ruin each other's shows a little more.

Mandy, what is tik Tech two a winner? And why do you play it? It was Nancy Pelosi on the floor of the house trying to make a smart, kind of zippy comment about the TikTok situation, and it made me laugh when I heard it the first time, so hard that a Rod has now incorporated it into our show because it makes me laugh every single time.

I don't think I know what we're talking about.

Just Nancy Pelosi saying tick Tech toe a winner because they were talking about kick and TikTok out of the country and she was just trying to be hip and cool, uh huh. And that was somebody who told her to say that. It just makes me laugh every times, every single Okay, let's see. Do you still think Trump will be better than Harris would have been? I am, without question a solid yes, because I think she would have been an unmitigated disaster. What's going on right now? I

There you go, That's that's Nancy.

I think it depends what he does on this terriffic.

Would she have been? Would it? Would he be better than a different Democrat? That might be a different answer.

I think Kamala Harris had a very high chance of being bad for this country. And I think Donald Trump could be anything till he could be terrible and he could be amazing. And it's too soon to tell. One knows, too soon to tell.

No one knows. Ross. I've always wanted to ask you this. If Colorado was a swing state and you knew your voice would have mattered more, would you have voted for Trump?

No?

What you want to think about it?

Ross, I ponder that, give roll it around it to be clear for listeners who don't know.

Though I absolutely never considered voted for Harrison doesn't mean yes for her.

I'm dandy and Ross when she's one of her famous half hour shows, Ross to cover it. Surely you guys could get worth his while she's for that.

I've done it a time or two.

You have, Honestly, you guys, I feel like a layupout, you know, because I get up and I do the blog all of those because in our job, you don't have the luxury of not reading the news. You kind of have to read it every day anyway, so why not be productive. And I do it for my house sales, so it's not a.

Big deal, and I'm I'm happy to volunteer, even even publicly. Like if if you're gonna like you're gonna travel, like you could have a long weekend, but you'd have a half hour show on Friday, I'll do it for you.

Except the half hour shows are always on Wednesday, Ross, They're never on the weekend. Yeah, they're never helpful.

Okay.

And if there's a rain.

Out, Yeah, that's the other thing. You got to be ready.

Yeah, I prepare for a show as if there's going to be a rain out or something like that.

Yeah.

I love Ross's Boner's RS commercial.

That's from a text right there.

Ross and Mandy, what are you wearing today? That sounds like a sexty question until you hear what we're actually wearing. A scale of one to four hundred and sixty one. How cold are you? I'm actually pretty good right now.

Yeah, there's a heater here.

I think I'm only at about twenty three on that scale.

I would even say I'm probably like a sixteen on the scale.

Yeah, I'm not not you that that listener knew to create a scale that was a prime number ninety to give an an that's a prime number.

And then you said sixteen.

I want something to visible by four hurts. That's what I want.

Let's do It'll break in this next man.

It must you down together on the broadcast. Hearing you both on radio Mandy And there was a movie in nineteen ninety called Pump Up the Volumes starring Christian Slater, whose character's name was Hard Harry, who's a pirate DJ who railed against the government in the system. Does that movie have any influence on your radio careers today? Do you remember the movie?

Nope?

It was so good. It was Christian Slater, who was so cute at the time. I loved the movie, But at that point in my life. It never occurred to me that I could do this job because there were no women on the radio when I was a kid, none, not even in music radio. So it just didn't occur to me that that could be a thing.

Yeah, and I didn't think about radio until way after Mandy thought about it. I'm relatively new to radio, so, but all the railing against the government stuff, Yeah, that's that's both me.

And Mandy for many many years.

I've even before radio.

You'll see that, Mandy, if you were were a celebrity couple, your name would be Ramen Room or no, it would be either Randy or Mott. As Gina Gondak pointed out earlier, she was trying to ship up. The kids call it. When you make somebody a relationship and you ship them, you ship them because you made him into a relationship.

If you get shipped, does that mean you get riz?

I think you have to have riz to get shipped.

I think you have those backwards.

We're gonna take a quick break. We'll be back.

We might do some more questions. We might have a special.

Yeah, come down and try and win some tickets.

Yeah, come on over in a few minutes and you'll have a chance to win tickets to today's game. If you can beat Mandy or we're gonna make Ryan Edwards do it again, you might be able to get in. Anyway, keep it here on Kaoe, We'll be right back, all right, Happy Friday.

I forget So.

I'm Ross and your name is Mandy, and you I should know your name. But you told us last time we talked to you, told us what your walk up.

Song should be? What's your walk up song?

I'm gonna want to be hockey. Let's just leave it at that.

And I think they could use my talent. I'm Jared Poulis. Yeah, you're right, what do you what's your walk up today? Let's walk up sign? Let's see your your song? So maybe Zach can play your walk up? What you give me a chance to walk up? You can play whatever song you like.

Ross, I've actually recently changed mind. My walk up song would be Healed to the Chief because that's ultimately the ultimate walk up song.

I probably be a better one than our third one.

You are against the tariffs, right, I don't.

Think they're a great idea.

I vote for you, for you and see situation in case in case you didn't hear him introduce himself.

I should have introduced properly.

Governor Jared Poulis joins us on the show You Rockeys fan?

Uh not first pitch this game?

You know what I would say, Look, we have one win already, I'm ready for our second win.

Let's do this, let's.

Talk the message message today. Oh.

I grew up with it.

You know.

My mom was my little league coach when I was five six. I of course played through high school so and I played on the Congressional Baseball team. Yeah I remember RBI leader. Ye, I'm a big baseball guy player. And now my daughter's in little league.

So we have a lot of where'd you go to elementary school out of San Diego? Yeah? Yeah, but no, this was a little league for the community.

The team, you know, like, yeah, what position did your dog play?

My daughter, well, you know, she pitches center field and pitcher, and I'm a first basement and third basement.

I played the hot corners. I pitched a bit in high school as well.

Yeah.

See, when you come to these Rockies games, are you here as the governor to glad hand and talk to people and kind of do that or do you really have the opportunity to sit and watch.

You know, when people see me there, feel free to say hi. Obviously I'm there to watch the game, but like, yeah, I'm nice and people can say hi and I'll say hi back, so.

That's that's cool. But yeah, of course I'm there to like watch the game. And do they like you?

Because I'm gonna and I'm gonna talk about the Kentucky Derby, which is a phenomenal end if you've never been. But the politicians there, they don't get a break. They don't get to sit and enjoy it. And I always wonder, like, do you have a chance did they put the little velvet rope around you?

It's because you know, you're usually seeing you know, you're seated in a certain area and you say how the people around you, and then you know a few people might walk by during it, but generally you get to watch the game, so.

It goes pretty well.

You're doing a thing in the fourth inning today?

What are you doing?

I am going to be calling the game for an inning. I'm excited about that, my second time doing that. I hope it's a good inning for the Rockies. I think I'm doing the top and the bottom of the inning, So got my my little stories ready?

Is that you use an old timey radio voice like, oh you know.

How about that? Man?

That's that's what I did.

This politics out for you and I'm on for you one of your roles.

So you know what, you're gonna have to fight Jack and Jerry because that's a pretty good gig. That when you were a kid, did you want to be a professional? Was that like a thought in your day?

I always, yeah, I would love to be a baseball player. And uh, you know I never quite had the the skills. But you know, maybe maybe now I'm measuring, I'm now they have a d h I can, I can?

Uh you know I could do that.

Can't be worse than Chris Bryan has started out.

Oh my gosh to come through.

I have confidence.

We got a faith here.

Do you hit for power or off season training? Yeah, let's see if it starts paying off. I'm a good hitter, I I know, I'm more of a you know, single doubles hitter. Yeah, so you put it in play though, put it in play.

You know? Uh you know line drives out of the in. Are you a base stealer? No?

I want to look if you played the if you're your again first baseman.

That probably says enough.

Usually one of the slower playoffs on the team.

Know, but you could probably add, you know, a solid ten percent Jewish sports legends, the pamphlet one Day, There you.

Go, There you go, There you go.

Something that just happened? That baseball what just happened?

You know?

The Sundance film Fester.

That's really cool.

It's what they do a baseball field films from time to time.

Even that Baseball Yeah yeah, oh I'll go to Natural.

The Natural. That's good with solid yeah, but not the best one.

Dream what I go rogue on this?

Okay.

My favorite baseball movie of all time is For the Love of the Game Kevin Costner, because it's about the end of a guy's career and he has this whole life retrospective as he's pitching his final no hitter during this game, and it's just such a great movie about baseball and about aging and about realizing that you're your brighter most you know, amazing days are behind you. And it's a great baseball movie. I love that movie, and I think it's underrated.

Let's check it out. I want to ask you a question about a different sport just for a second. Okay, are you hearing anything that you're.

Allowed to tell us? So this would be I can tell you.

But I have to kill you about what might happen with the Broncos stadium.

Well, so we are excited about we talked about sun Dad's you know.

Look, I mean we are the.

Broncos are committed to our state and our city, and that's great. So I mean, I think we're happy to work with them, and we want to make sure there's a long term way to keep them in Denver and keep them in Colorado?

Is that it?

I mean the ball in the court, right, I mean, I mean they're a great partner for this state.

They're a great partner.

They want to stay here, and we just have to, you know, make it happen.

All right now, if the Rockies win today, when you dip into the fourth to call the game, you realize that in baseball lore, that means that you're the lucky charm. So are you going to be able to carve out time to be able to come back to call the fourth inning for the foreseeable future to keep the good luck going?

Is that if we have a good inning and then I'll come back.

For another fourth.

You got to commit.

Are you looking for Are you a little bit superstitious? Ill? A little bit, especially when it comes to baseball stuff.

Yeah, and give me an example, oh, you know baseball stuff. Yeah, I mean, as I said, you know, if if I call the fourth, Anon goes and.

I'll be back. But it could be uh, you know, wearing your hat a certain way.

What are the blue shoes a superstition or just a habit?

I uh, yeah, these are kind of a dark Luther I like to think of Rockies purple, but they're kind of like they're Colorado shoes. Yeah, they're Colorado.

They're very cool.

Yeah, aren't they cool.

They're made by Zero It's a Colorado company, and they have.

They make a bunch of them.

They make like eighty different models or something.

But this one has a color.

I've never seen those. And there's a we love the Colorado flat clothing. Here is fun. I've never lived in a state where they wore the flag as often as we wear the Colorado logos.

We have a really cool flag. I mean you look at some other states they do ye wants to wear their flag. We have good branding, you know.

Brand good, good Colorado.

You know, like, even when you're traveling wherever in New York or Texas or California, you see every now and then you see someone with like a Colorado flag on their cap, and you're like, oh, yeah, where are you from.

You know, and they're always like Mississippi. But I about the hat when.

I was there. Yeah, exactly what I was gonna say.

Clearly the best movie about Baseball's Major League. This is a movie I'm telling you people watch for the love of the game, and you will begin to see the over arching genius of that movie.

It's a great genre of baseball films, and you know it's it's a fun one.

We got to go like the Bad News Bears.

All that stuff too, is funny stuff.

Well, we had a guy earlier stop by. He's a lovely man. His name is Roger. And you do know that there's a historical baseball league here in Colorado and they go out and play. I saw them play.

Okay, so I actually saw people, and I thought I was dreaming it first, So they're like, what the hell's going on?

It was outside, I don't some was on some field somewhere.

I was driving by and they're wearing these old timey uniforms and it looked like something from the nineteen twenties, And I'm like, am I dreaming with the old ball and it's like the not regular gloves they played with either no gloves or like maybe the old like barely gloves.

I feel like that is where you need to go.

I'm ready for real pays.

The dude came by before, and I think, I actually think you'll probably get more out of the book than I will. So I'm going to give that to you great.

And I think you would book full of like a lot of pictures of the old time in uniforms we were talking about they would they seemed kind of baggy.

I mean it was kind of.

Where they had wol I mean the wool uniforms would be good for a day like today, like forty degrees maybe for Lucky.

Did you just regift on the air?

Ye?

He's that private, No, I know the show.

He is a huge baseball fans for you.

Yeah right, I bought this rot this rockel.

I thought it just for you.

Oh my guys, I hope he's not listening now.

Can I ask a question? Godnor are you good at Jeopardy. Do you play Jeopardy?

You know?

I mean, like years ago or decades ago, used to play like that video game version of.

Do you just like watch it on TV?

And yell out I answered, I never, I don't watch on TV, but I used to play the video game version.

I bet you'd be good at It's fun.

It's fun.

I think this may be going somewhere.

There may be a per is a question once again?

Do we have someone to play of the day? Well, okay, we've got it.

Never mind stick around anyway, and for sure, I'll take Rockies.

Hilton. That's pretty much destroy up his first basement, Hilton Hilton.

So tell Jared what this is about, what we're doing.

Game at the end of the show. Show, I'd love to have you on anytime, Governor, But all of the day, we've got four people out here. We're gonna try and beat me in a Jeopardy category in order to win tickets to I don't know which topic it is. A rod is the one who chooses? Did you leave it with Zach? Who's calling?

Who's callowing the topic for today?

You already chose the topic you usually usually lose.

I've been playing a game my show for twenty years. I pretty much I win a lot, but I don't win every time.

I got it.

You look formidable.

One of them is like, ready, they look pretty formidive.

Okay, this guy's running smack at me over here.

He's like, I'm kicking down.

You're going to beat you.

Okay, So, Governor, thank you, Thank you, Man Ross, good to see you go yacky.

All right, I'm going to be listening in on you calling the game, and if I don't hear an old time radio voice, I'm going to be disappointed. I'm not lying.

Ready to go for just one call, just one that would.

Be fabulous, fast headed a second, like.

One of those fourth inning on KOA. Governor Poula is calling the game.

Make it happen.

Thanks for stopping by.

Let's help.

Enjoyed the book, went to the bookstore.

Che much. Appreciate it.

All right, Thank you, thank you, governor.

Appreciate it all right, Ay, Rod, you need governor's headphones there you go. Thanks for stopping by. Thank you guys for making this app and appreciate it all right. Let's grab it heads and I'm gonna host leave this to you. Yeah, I mean I might play along.

Too, I should say.

We're in the little internet here a Rockies opening issued by the door of Denver in northern Colorado. Thank you Pella right next to us here, Thank you guys. Tela calm mora sim last time we did all the windows pell so I do love this.

Stuff, all right?

You all right, Anthony got the spiel. It's time and for the mosting segment on the radio, I'm inside. Hey, what is First of all, what is your name?

Well?

First of all, hold on, hold real.

We got to do out the day right, do everything right.

First, we got to do a dad joke for the day. First, it's our dad, Joe pleasing.

How long did the baseball player spend in the library? Five minutes? It was a short stop. Which baseball player loved fireplaces?

What Mickey Mantle?

Which player?

Which baseball player makes flapjacks?

I don't know the batter.

Why did the sausage quit playing baseball? I don't know, because he was the worst on his team. Okay, what's your what's your trivia question?

That awful trivia question today is how many leaders of water would it take to fill a container which is one cubic meter in volume.

This isn't. This isn't.

I'm going to say ten. Oh jeez, am I wrong?

A thousand?

A thousand, Yeah, that was a correct answer that I got wrong. What is our word of the day, please?

Word of the day is nothing?

Okay? Nothing is the word. It means nothing?

Yes, not because together after the whole.

The word

Okay now ready