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 Now, get ready to roll Shoals, Decatur, Athens, and all of Northwest Alabama and Southern Tennessee.

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 It's time for the Valley's exclusive FM Sports Voice.

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 The Boomo Bugg Show.

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 Your exclusive inside track to the Tigers, Tennessee, and the rest of the SEC.

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 Now, your host, Harold Bugg on 93.9, the story.

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 Good afternoon and welcome in to the Boomo Bugg Show.

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 I'm Harold Bugg alongside Brett Beaird.

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 Thank you so much for giving us free ride around the Tennessee Valley.

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 Brett Beaird, welcome in where, simply put, a day to remember Bobby.

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 Good afternoon, welcome in, and how are you?

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 The listeners, Harold, really a horrible week for the Braves' family losing John Sterling, Ted Turner, and then, of course, number six, Bobby Cox.

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 And we'll be talking about these guys throughout the course of the week.

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 Randy Burns, the athletic director, Florence Sports Place, will update us a little bit later, North Regional Softball.

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 But Adam is here right now with an update on Missouri running back Ahmaud Hardy and SEC baseball and basketball.

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 We know you get busy over the weekend.

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 You say, Missouri football, it's May, what's going on?

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 Well, Adam Spencer on that and everything else.

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 There, it's Saturday down south.

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 Adam, welcome in.

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 Ooh, what a way to start the week.

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 How are you?

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 I'm doing all right, guys.

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 How are you?

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 Hey, Ben.

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 Well, it's crazy.

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 I mean, we got to the, like Brent said, what a week it's been for Braves fans and, for that matter, baseball fans.

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 We know you are a Missouri fan slash grad.

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 So, let's start with what's near and dear to your heart and what's shocking to a lot of folks out there.

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 And if you want to call it the offseason, Missouri running back Ahmaud Hardy, a dream season, toting the ball for your Tigers and a nightmare of a weekend.

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 Adam, I won't spoil your thunder.

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 Give us the latest in the back story with Ahmaud Hardy.

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 Yeah, I mean, there's not too many details now, but he was shot at a concert in Mississippi this weekend, according to the statement released by the school.

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 The shooting happened yesterday, and he underwent surgery yesterday, it said, in stable condition, so that's good.

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 But, you know, it doesn't obviously mean good condition.

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 So, just not a lot of details right now.

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 You know, they're trying to figure all that out, and I'm sure there'll be more information that breaks over the week.

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 But, for right now, just a real shame and a scary situation involving, you know, one of the, not only one of the best runners in the SEC, but one of the, you know, seems to be really liked by teammates and coaches and everything.

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 So, just a really great guy, too, it sounds like.

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 Yeah, Adam, that's what I was going to say.

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 He just needs to get healthy, be with his family.

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 I know a lot of Missouri fans would like to see him break 1,600 yards again, but God bless him.

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 He just needs to get healthy now.

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 Yeah, absolutely.

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 I mean, when a situation like this happens, you know, obviously football is the reason that he is, you know, in the collective public image here.

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 But, you know, you always root for the person to recover at a time like this, and football becomes secondary.

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 So, yeah, just thoughts and prayers with Ahmad and his family and his friends and the entire Missouri program where he's a beloved member of the team.

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 Adam, obviously, hooking up with us, Adam Spencer from Saturday down south.

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 Adam, let's talk a little bit about so-called offseason.

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 And, you know, this is, let's face it, every coach across the board, I don't care what color shirt they've got on, they've got one common worry, and that's what happens in the offseason.

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 And maybe especially now, kids have always been kids, but the difference between now, this generation, and generations past, they got a lot of bling-bling.

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 They can go a lot of places, kids back in the day couldn't, from a business standpoint, hats off to them.

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 But your thoughts just about some of the other effects of the modern era, and that is, back to our neck of the woods, Alabama canceling a home-and-home series with Oklahoma State.

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 They keep Ohio State, I think I saw where Georgia's canceling Florida State.

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 Your thoughts about what this does for college football, with the increased number of conference games, these coaches that say,

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 okay, if you're going to do that, then we've got to do some adjusting on the back end, because we just can't go out there and lose three or four or five ballgames.

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 You can, and still maybe make the playoffs, but let's face it, you're not going to please the fans.

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 I don't care, Alabama and Georgia fans ain't ever going to be happy with four and five losses.

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 Right, and I also wonder too, though, speaking of the NIL era and all this money grab that's going on in all of college sports right now,

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 I do wonder, I know that Georgia canceled the home-and-home with Florida State, but there was this, Duke agreed to play,

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 I forget who Duke agreed to play, maybe it was, I don't know, but they agreed, the basketball team agreed to play,

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 some big-name opponent, but it's only available on Amazon or something like that.

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 Oh, my goodness.

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 It's a one-off situation there, and I just wonder if that's something that these football programs are going to look into now, too,

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 is like, well, can we just bypass our media rights obligations and go directly to a streaming service like Amazon

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 and get, you know, a blank check, basically, to put on these games at a neutral site, you know, by ourselves.

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 So, you know, I wonder if that's part of the calculus here with this decision and some of these series getting canceled,

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 but, you know, I think the other side of the coin is you're right, that, you know, they don't want to have four or five losses,

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 because even if you make a 2014 playoff with four or five losses, what you're doing is, you know,

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 you're hurting your potential path.

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 So, you know, I think that, you know, because a team with four or five losses, I don't care how many teams you expand the playoff to,

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 that team's probably not going to host in round one.

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 So, you know, you want to make sure that the math is adding up here and you're playing good games,

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 but not too many good games and all of those considerations.

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 So, you know, we'll see. I'm glad that Alabama kept the Ohio State series, but, you know, we'll see how many more of these get canceled in the coming.

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 Well, to answer your question, will they keep doing it?

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 The answer is absolutely yes, until somebody somewhere says, here's the reason you're not.

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 It's going to cost them more to obey with those rules and what they're doing now.

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 We're not political here, but I saw the past few days where the president says, this is the NFL.

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 The blueprint is the same. More of these NFL games are now going behind a paywall.

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 And like the president said, this used to be free.

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 We get things changed.

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 But come on, man, you're making billions of dollars.

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 At what point do you say enough is enough?

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 And what about the fans who simply cannot afford to keep on paying for these increases to the prices?

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 Yeah, I mean, this all comes down to, you know, I just keep going on my business rants on your show to start Monday morning here.

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 But, you know, basically what we've done is with all these tech bros and these tech companies is recreate a more inconvenient version of cable that costs more.

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 And you can't just flip back and forth between channels.

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 Like the other night, there was MLB games on.

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 There were two playoff hockey games.

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 And there was NBA playoffs.

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 And one was on Amazon.

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 One I could watch on YouTube TV because it was on ESPN.

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 And the other was on like Peacock or something.

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 And it's just like how it's been, you know, the MLB games are on MLB.TV because there's only like three of those broadcast nationally a week.

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 So it's just like how, like, do I just need to become a wizard with my remote to try to watch these?

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 So, yeah, I mean, you know, to a certain extent, yeah, like the NFL grew because it was allowed to, you know, be broadcast on over-the-air channels like Fox and CBS and then eventually NBC where everybody with an antenna could watch them.

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 So, I mean, yeah, it's worth looking into if they're violating, like, antitrust stuff and, you know, time to start playing hardball with them as they continue to make their product less and less accessible for common viewers.

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 I think that that's fair and something that, you know, no matter who's the president, somebody should be looking into that always.

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 Adam, I think to answer your question, it was Duke and Michigan, the other team you were trying to think of.

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 It's now officially official.

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 We have gone to 76, expanded to 76 teams beginning in 20, 27.

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 Adam, I think we had one guest out of about 10 last week who said they were actually in favor of this.

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 Now, again, I know once you get through the expanded play-in games, it's going to be 64 and the tournament pretty much resumes to being normal.

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 But I don't know if I've ever heard so much negativity than I did last week as far as this move by the NCAA to go from 68 to 76.

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 Yeah, I just don't.

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 I just don't get it.

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 I mean, it's just more saturation.

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 It's more money.

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 And, you know, like we talked about last week, it's just if people are watching, though, it's just going to continue to expand.

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 And so, I mean, as consumers, we're the ones that have to stop it.

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 But, you know, it's going to be interesting because, you know, the first day of the tournament used to be such an event.

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 Even with the first four, like that first Thursday of the tournament is still like must-see viewing where, you know, productivity, jobs is down.

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 And, you know, everybody has their iPads that they're trying to secretly watch the games on and work and stuff.

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 Or you just take that day off and go, you know, hang out with your friends at a bar or something to watch the games.

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 So, you know, if that, if this expansion and the expansion of the first four, if that cuts into, you know, maybe it's still more net viewers overall.

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 But, you know, if it starts cutting into that Thursday spike and it's just a flatter transition where, you know, you have 30 million people watching the first four games and like 35 million tune in on Thursday instead of, you know, what it used to be, you know, 60 million tuning in or whatever for the first day.

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 So, you know, it's all going to come down to TV viewership numbers and those sort of metrics to drive whether they expand it to 84 or 92 or whatever, you know, 100, however many teams there are.

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 Let's get all 360 of them in there.

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 Adam, a very interesting story here.

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 Did you ever think we'd have this conversation where you come up with coaches in college football with a richest contract and you got two here making over $10 million and they don't make.

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 They don't make your top 10 list.

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 Florida State's Mike Norvell, Florida State fans saying, man, this guy's cashing checks.

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 And a fellow by the name of Eli Drinkwiz, so you may be familiar with it, Missouri.

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 They don't make it.

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 In spite of making 10 plus, that's because at number 10 is Dan Lanning at over 10 and a half.

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 Here's what I find interesting about this list.

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 You got Steve Sarkeesian.

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 Everybody thinks Texas just prints money.

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 He's making a mere $11 million plus.

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 Lincoln Riley talking about stealing money, $11 and a half at USC.

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 He's tied at six on the list.

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 But number one is Kurt Signetti, $13.2.

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 He makes $3 million more or $1 million more than Ryan Day at Ohio State and another million more than Kevin DeBoer.

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 Kurt, did you ever think a guy from Indiana would be leading the way when it comes to coaches' salaries?

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 No, that's hard to believe.

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 You know, that's been the biggest takeaway of the NIL era is that, you know, when you have those Mark Cubans in your alumni fan base and, you know, they have the willingness and the knowledge of sports.

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 You know, Cubans specifically, it was a big reason that they were able to get the NIL money to bring Fernando Mendoza to Bloomington last year.

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 So as long as you have that, you know, that is why I think part of the reason why we're seeing the Big Ten on this run because the Big Ten just has bigger alumni bases and, you know, bigger donor pools than a lot of these SEC programs.

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 And that's not saying that the SEC programs are crying poor by any means, but, you know, when you have the ability to do that, then, you know, that's a big step in the right direction.

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 And that's why you're going to see these schools like Indiana and Texas Tech who haven't had much historical success start to be real players in this era of college football.

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 Because, you know, Kirby Smart said it best.

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 You know, he was talking last week about how, you know, the mid-2000s, early 2010s Alabama teams would, you know, I think he said dog walk the current best teams in the country.

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 And it's true because you would just stockpile all these five stars and see who panned out.

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 But now, if a five-star doesn't get playing time, he's going to go where he can make the most NIL money the next year.

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 So, yeah, I think Indiana is the poster child, along with Texas Tech, of this new era that we're in.

146
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 Yeah, Harold and I laugh about this.

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 When Nick Saban was paid $4 million to start coaching at Alabama in 2007, he was wailing and gnashing of teeth.

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 Now there are 15 coaches who are making over $10 million, and it's just only going to go up.

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 Great stuff.

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 Always enjoy beginning the week with you.

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 Again, our thoughts and prayers with Ahmaud Hardy and the Missouri family.

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 Adam, a lot of good stuff going on baseball, softball this week.

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 Where can we get online to get all the good stuff from SDS?

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 Yeah, SaturdayDownSouth.com.

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00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:46,440
 We've got a newsletter coming out tomorrow.

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 Baseball power rankings on Friday.

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 Another baseball column coming out later this afternoon.

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 So, yeah, we've got baseball.

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 We've got some football preseason rankings coming out here later this week.

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 So, yeah, stay tuned to Saturday Down South for everything.

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 Hard to believe we're coming up on just 100 days or so to the beginning of a thing called college football.

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00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:09,220
 Adam, in the meantime, have a great week, and thank you so much for your time today.

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 Yeah, thanks for having me, guys.

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00:14:11,140 --> 00:14:11,360
 Thank you, bud.

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00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:11,800
 I really appreciate it.

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00:14:12,280 --> 00:14:13,340
 Appreciate you very much.

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 Adam Spencer, Saturday Down South.

168
00:14:16,700 --> 00:14:22,420
 Well, if you're driving around the Shoals area, you're going to see a lot of cars here, there, and everywhere that you don't recognize.

169
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 Randy Burns may have a little hint wide next to Hyundai.

170
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 Stay with us.

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195
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236
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237
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238
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239
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241
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242
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243
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244
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245
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247
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286
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287
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 The score.

288
00:20:05,660 --> 00:20:10,840
 Now, back with Boomo Bugg on 93.9 The Score.

289
00:20:11,300 --> 00:20:12,000
 Welcome back in.

290
00:20:12,060 --> 00:20:13,540
 It is that time of the year, BB.

291
00:20:13,700 --> 00:20:16,440
 If you love softball, I don't care what direction you go.

292
00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:17,940
 Life is good.

293
00:20:18,020 --> 00:20:22,120
 Over the weekend, a very interesting weekend for the Alabama softball team.

294
00:20:22,120 --> 00:20:22,640
 Do you agree?

295
00:20:22,980 --> 00:20:29,000
 Yeah, they lost to Texas, but they were named the number one seed, which is interesting.

296
00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:31,160
 Patrick Murphy's had a very good season.

297
00:20:31,300 --> 00:20:36,040
 By the way, Patrick Murphy and his team have been to the sportsplex.

298
00:20:36,260 --> 00:20:36,760
 That's right.

299
00:20:37,120 --> 00:20:40,140
 Previously, that I know our next guest knows very well.

300
00:20:40,500 --> 00:20:42,220
 Well, that may be the secret to the sauce.

301
00:20:42,300 --> 00:20:42,700
 Who knows?

302
00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:45,120
 We can ask the man responsible for that, Randy Burns.

303
00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:51,820
 He's the athletic director for the City of Florence, Parks and Recreation Department, overseeing a thing called the Florence Sportsplex.

304
00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:53,080
 Randy, welcome in.

305
00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:53,980
 How are you?

306
00:20:54,420 --> 00:20:55,280
 Doing great, guys.

307
00:20:55,340 --> 00:20:55,700
 How are y'all?

308
00:20:56,560 --> 00:20:59,540
 Man, we're busy, but I got a feeling you can top it.

309
00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:01,720
 We may be the king of busy, but you're the ace.

310
00:21:02,340 --> 00:21:03,580
 You trump us, Randy.

311
00:21:03,580 --> 00:21:09,400
 We were joking coming in to you that if you're driving around town, you see a lot of tags that you don't recognize.

312
00:21:09,500 --> 00:21:10,520
 There may be a good reason.

313
00:21:11,220 --> 00:21:14,220
 Basically, you're in the middle of softball heaven this week, are you not?

314
00:21:14,820 --> 00:21:15,320
 Yes, sir.

315
00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:22,060
 We have the Alabama High School Athletic Association North Regional Softball Tournament here at the sportsplex.

316
00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:29,720
 For folks who don't know exactly what that means, talk to us as far as the number of teams and who all may be represented.

317
00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:34,280
 I know you can't run down the specific list, but in general, the list of folks coming in.

318
00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:40,640
 So we've got 52 teams here this week from all over the North region.

319
00:21:40,900 --> 00:21:43,740
 I mean, right now we have two 7-8 games going on.

320
00:21:43,900 --> 00:21:50,920
 We've got Hewitt Trust for, we have Spartan, we have Huntsville, and we have Vestavia playing now.

321
00:21:50,920 --> 00:21:53,360
 We had 4-8, we had four games going a while ago.

322
00:21:54,100 --> 00:22:01,940
 Two of our local teams, Central, beat Cordova, and Wilson beat Dora earlier.

323
00:22:03,540 --> 00:22:11,920
 Randy, one of the things I'm impressed with, I saw this in the Times Daily, you're always working to improve the sportsplex.

324
00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:18,800
 You've now got 1,759 parking spots.

325
00:22:19,420 --> 00:22:21,520
 57 of those are handicapped.

326
00:22:21,940 --> 00:22:27,220
 That's actually more, and I was kidding with you yesterday, than they've got around Bryant-Denny Stadium now.

327
00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:30,560
 You've also upgraded the turf.

328
00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:33,200
 You had a contract with Pro Rain Irrigation.

329
00:22:34,300 --> 00:22:35,780
 It's a lot of work, Randy.

330
00:22:35,900 --> 00:22:39,600
 We talk about this every time we come on and talk about a special event.

331
00:22:39,820 --> 00:22:41,760
 You've got an army of volunteers.

332
00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:44,400
 Your staff works around the clock to get this done.

333
00:22:44,860 --> 00:22:47,700
 Talk about some of the improvements you've had at the sportsplex.

334
00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:52,980
 Well, this year, you know, when we have a tournament like this magnitude and stuff,

335
00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:57,880
 sometimes we have to use what's called sure-dry to help if it rains, dry the fields and stuff.

336
00:22:57,980 --> 00:23:01,860
 But once you do that, your texture is never the same again.

337
00:23:02,100 --> 00:23:08,140
 So about every other year, if it's for this tournament here for sure, or the World Series,

338
00:23:08,140 --> 00:23:12,780
 we have to put that chemical dry solution out and rake it in.

339
00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:20,540
 So this year, we had four inches of clay taken out of our infields and put brand-new clay in, laser-graded.

340
00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:22,620
 They cut the lips out.

341
00:23:23,180 --> 00:23:27,680
 They took warning track material out and got those back like they should be.

342
00:23:28,460 --> 00:23:32,980
 And then they come in and put our field conditioner on top of it.

343
00:23:33,140 --> 00:23:35,340
 So, you know, it's always something.

344
00:23:35,780 --> 00:23:38,740
 And one, we want our fields to look good.

345
00:23:39,380 --> 00:23:41,880
 We want them to be playable and we want them safe.

346
00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:48,460
 And that's for league ball, tournament ball, whatever we do, we want everything to look good.

347
00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:53,120
 And the maintenance guys do a good job once we do all that, maintaining everything.

348
00:23:55,120 --> 00:24:00,080
 The other side of that coin, Randy, is it's always, what's the secret to sales?

349
00:24:00,380 --> 00:24:03,380
 You want to keep the client happy and you want to keep going.

350
00:24:03,580 --> 00:24:07,700
 So when the state comes up and they see that, they say, wow, this is pretty impressive.

351
00:24:07,860 --> 00:24:09,640
 Maybe we need to sit here and renew the contract.

352
00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:12,020
 And a lot of folks are going to say, well, that's a lot of money.

353
00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:12,980
 But here's the bottom line.

354
00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:16,060
 Did we realize how much money comes back?

355
00:24:16,120 --> 00:24:18,100
 You got to, what's the old saying, got to spend to make.

356
00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:25,600
 And I would imagine hotels, restaurants, you name it, anything that's tourist oriented in the show's area,

357
00:24:25,900 --> 00:24:27,260
 they appreciate your investment.

358
00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:35,020
 I don't think a lot of people understand the word economic impact, if you want to know the truth.

359
00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:35,420
 Right.

360
00:24:36,100 --> 00:24:41,980
 I just don't think they realize the tax dollars from an event like this and the World Series and stuff

361
00:24:41,980 --> 00:24:44,360
 actually bring in to the city.

362
00:24:44,360 --> 00:24:49,620
 I mean, you know, you can tell them that, but they say, well, I just don't see that.

363
00:24:49,900 --> 00:24:53,800
 Well, you know, and a lot of our people don't see it that work here.

364
00:24:53,980 --> 00:24:56,420
 You know, look at our equipment we have.

365
00:24:56,520 --> 00:24:59,220
 You look at us renovating our fields.

366
00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:04,740
 We have all kinds of stuff we do that we couldn't do, probably, if we didn't do events like this.

367
00:25:05,120 --> 00:25:11,320
 So, you know, it even helps the restaurants, like you said, the hotels.

368
00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:18,560
 And then they're calling, you know, so here's the day I feed, I feed umpires every day, breakfast, lunch, and supper.

369
00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:21,400
 I feed volunteers, breakfast, lunch, and supper.

370
00:25:22,260 --> 00:25:27,900
 And schoolkeepers, bookkeepers, and anybody involved, we're feeding our maintenance guys.

371
00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:28,500
 We feed business.

372
00:25:28,620 --> 00:25:31,360
 They can't leave the field because they don't know when the game's going to get over.

373
00:25:31,580 --> 00:25:35,380
 Because they've got to flip a field, line it, drag it, pack, home plate, pictures, mouth.

374
00:25:35,980 --> 00:25:44,140
 So, if it wasn't for our restaurants, donating, and all that, this would be a big expense.

375
00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:48,140
 But thankfully, we make them a lot of money, and they give back to us.

376
00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:53,240
 And we can't, I'm not even going to start naming people because I'll leave somebody out, and I don't want to do that.

377
00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:59,220
 But I promise you, we couldn't do what we do without our restaurants and local establishments.

378
00:25:59,900 --> 00:26:05,620
 Randy, I think you told us your ground crew has got, what, six minutes to turn over a field?

379
00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:07,320
 You've got so many games.

380
00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:08,800
 I know you've got a lot of fields.

381
00:26:09,360 --> 00:26:12,500
 Talk about the ground crew, what they've got to do in between games.

382
00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:15,200
 So, in between games, they're going to drag the fields.

383
00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:20,100
 They're going to go out there to the pitching rubber, and they're going to pack clay in there and pack it

384
00:26:20,100 --> 00:26:23,700
 and get it back like it normally would without a game, you know.

385
00:26:23,780 --> 00:26:25,200
 Then they're going to the batter's boxes.

386
00:26:25,360 --> 00:26:29,420
 They're going to pack clay, new clay, pack it with a pound and all that.

387
00:26:29,520 --> 00:26:33,640
 And then they're going to line the fields after they finish dragging it and get everything ready to play.

388
00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:37,140
 Six and a half minutes, it's got to be ready to flip a game.

389
00:26:38,220 --> 00:26:40,440
 Not six, not seven, but six and a half, right?

390
00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:41,360
 They practice this.

391
00:26:41,580 --> 00:26:43,080
 They practice during the week.

392
00:26:43,420 --> 00:26:43,880
 Yes, sir.

393
00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:48,900
 Randy, obviously, this is an ongoing thing.

394
00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:53,880
 I guess, in a way, this event has prepared for the rest of the summer.

395
00:26:54,420 --> 00:26:57,380
 It's not like you can get down here and then go on vacation.

396
00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:03,640
 Talk to us about what you've got right around the corner with the Babe Ruth Softball World Series coming up in July.

397
00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:09,200
 Well, they arrive July 23rd, the softball side of it,

398
00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:13,220
 and we're expecting probably 12 international teams or more this year.

399
00:27:14,260 --> 00:27:19,540
 There will be 58, 50-something teams like that, could be more.

400
00:27:20,100 --> 00:27:22,260
 But they come in July 23rd.

401
00:27:22,300 --> 00:27:23,780
 They'll leave August the 2nd.

402
00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:28,100
 On August the 2nd, the Cal Ripken baseball side comes in.

403
00:27:28,100 --> 00:27:31,380
 The 8-year-old coach pitch and the 9-year-old kid pitch.

404
00:27:31,380 --> 00:27:33,680
 They come in, and they'll be here for 10 days.

405
00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:41,640
 So that's another 20 days of hotels and restaurants and everything being packed.

406
00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:45,500
 And, you know, and like I say, they help us in that World Series, too.

407
00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:48,420
 So, I mean, they donate food for us.

408
00:27:49,060 --> 00:27:52,520
 You know, there's just a lot of moving parts that goes into this.

409
00:27:52,720 --> 00:27:55,020
 And, you know, I'm just one piece.

410
00:27:55,140 --> 00:28:00,480
 But my guys and gals that work for us, our concession kids, are amazing.

411
00:28:00,780 --> 00:28:03,280
 I mean, there are a lot of them out of school today.

412
00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:04,960
 We got them excused this week.

413
00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:12,800
 I mean, that's big because we didn't have our high school kids here running the concession stand in our local schools.

414
00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:16,480
 And I'm talking about every one of them, all the county schools or city schools.

415
00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:18,260
 Mars Hill shows Christian.

416
00:28:19,700 --> 00:28:22,560
 Dashler, we got kids at work that go through at Dashler.

417
00:28:22,780 --> 00:28:27,540
 So, you know, it's a big deal that everybody realizes how big this is.

418
00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:28,900
 They love you, man.

419
00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:30,580
 I guarantee you those kids love you to peace.

420
00:28:30,660 --> 00:28:32,280
 If anything they get out of school, it's a good deal.

421
00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:33,740
 But talk to us about this.

422
00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:37,600
 We know that this is, for people who think big, they know this is an investment,

423
00:28:38,060 --> 00:28:41,800
 which means you've got communities all over the state of Alabama,

424
00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:43,640
 I'm sure bidding hard to get it.

425
00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:47,080
 Talk to us about the team, the process of just going to whomever.

426
00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:50,360
 And let's face it, at the end of the day, it's like Tommy Tubble says,

427
00:28:50,460 --> 00:28:51,720
 college football is about sales.

428
00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:53,160
 Everything is at the end of the day.

429
00:28:53,500 --> 00:28:57,480
 Talk to us about the sales they ever put together to outbid some of these other communities

430
00:28:57,480 --> 00:28:58,520
 trying to get the business.

431
00:28:59,460 --> 00:29:02,580
 So this was at the Hospital Kiwanis Park for 15 years.

432
00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:05,660
 And for six years, I went down there and made notes.

433
00:29:05,820 --> 00:29:10,440
 And just, you know, this is one thing that I had on the list that I would really like to try to bring to.

434
00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:12,620
 And, you know, making notes.

435
00:29:12,940 --> 00:29:19,880
 The last year I went, Rob Carnegie went, and Todd Nitz, who was the director of parking rec at that time,

436
00:29:19,940 --> 00:29:21,240
 I got them to go with me.

437
00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:26,300
 And then, so when we got there, me and Rob, we just went around to teams and asked them,

438
00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:27,320
 are you staying down here?

439
00:29:27,500 --> 00:29:28,000
 Are you staying?

440
00:29:28,100 --> 00:29:29,080
 I mean, no, are you staying?

441
00:29:29,900 --> 00:29:35,480
 And then, you know, you have to put together and just figure out, okay, I got to bid on this.

442
00:29:35,540 --> 00:29:38,440
 Well, the first year we bid, we didn't get it.

443
00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:41,340
 And so we knew, well, we got to do something different.

444
00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:44,900
 So tourism has always been a great partner also.

445
00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:49,400
 So we met with tourism, Rob and myself met with his board.

446
00:29:49,580 --> 00:29:53,140
 And now we split the bid, and we could go a little higher.

447
00:29:53,740 --> 00:29:56,980
 And I don't want to say how much, because I don't want nobody starting out bidding.

448
00:29:57,940 --> 00:30:03,580
 You know, so this is our eighth, ninth year, I think.

449
00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:05,020
 COVID hurt us one year.

450
00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:06,000
 We didn't get to host it.

451
00:30:06,540 --> 00:30:08,980
 And so we got one more year left on the contract.

452
00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:14,260
 And I don't see any reason that they're going to move this thing away from us.

453
00:30:14,380 --> 00:30:16,400
 Because I think we do a great job.

454
00:30:16,500 --> 00:30:20,360
 I think they see how invested we are and what we want to do for them.

455
00:30:20,860 --> 00:30:23,480
 Randy, these are the best teams in North Alabama.

456
00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:29,080
 They went here, they go to Choclocka Park and play for Blue Mouth.

457
00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:31,040
 There are a lot of good teams.

458
00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:36,740
 For example, 3A is on Wednesday, Mars Hill, Colbert Heights, they're 31-9.

459
00:30:37,260 --> 00:30:41,360
 Rogers, Colbert County, Colbert County's 45-8.

460
00:30:41,560 --> 00:30:43,920
 Malachi Davis is a pitcher for them.

461
00:30:44,540 --> 00:30:47,340
 She's got over 400 strikeouts this year.

462
00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:50,280
 These girls can club a softball.

463
00:30:50,780 --> 00:30:54,740
 You've got some of the best talent in North Alabama.

464
00:30:55,320 --> 00:30:59,760
 Randy, I know you can pay at the gate, but as far as can you get online, pay in advance?

465
00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:06,300
 As far as getting ready to come to a game, how can you do that online?

466
00:31:06,860 --> 00:31:09,780
 You could go to GoFan and buy tickets on GoFan.

467
00:31:09,940 --> 00:31:13,060
 And then when you come to the gate, they'll just redeem you tickets.

468
00:31:13,260 --> 00:31:18,000
 You'll show them your phone, they'll redeem you tickets and give you your wristbands for the day.

469
00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:21,580
 It's $5 parking to get in.

470
00:31:21,700 --> 00:31:29,820
 A lot of people sometimes complain about that, but they don't realize, we've got to make a little money because we spend a whole lot of money to get this.

471
00:31:30,660 --> 00:31:33,000
 But they can do GoFan.

472
00:31:33,100 --> 00:31:34,520
 They can pay cash at the gate.

473
00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:35,800
 And they can do that.

474
00:31:35,860 --> 00:31:39,960
 I think it's $12 at the gate and $12 GoFan.

475
00:31:41,260 --> 00:31:42,640
 So you can do either.

476
00:31:42,840 --> 00:31:51,640
 You can go GoFan.com and you'll search for Florence Sports Flex, the North Regional, because there's three other sites.

477
00:31:51,740 --> 00:31:55,440
 Make sure you click on the North Regional and buy your tickets there.

478
00:31:55,780 --> 00:31:56,260
 Absolutely.

479
00:31:56,720 --> 00:31:58,640
 Listen, good luck with your Army.

480
00:31:59,040 --> 00:32:07,460
 And again, we all appreciate a lot of the businesses in the community donating food, helping you with food for all the volunteers.

481
00:32:08,040 --> 00:32:09,340
 Randy, good luck this week.

482
00:32:09,480 --> 00:32:11,680
 Certainly wish it for the players and the coaches.

483
00:32:12,260 --> 00:32:13,060
 Have a fun week.

484
00:32:13,120 --> 00:32:15,000
 I think you got the rain out of the way finally.

485
00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:17,940
 Maybe you got sunshine the rest of the week.

486
00:32:18,620 --> 00:32:19,160
 That's right.

487
00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:19,760
 I hope so.

488
00:32:19,760 --> 00:32:24,920
 I really appreciate you all always being interested in what happens out here and stuff.

489
00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:27,060
 And thank you for always including us.

490
00:32:27,180 --> 00:32:31,860
 I appreciate what you do for Florence Park and Rick and all the high schools and colleges around.

491
00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:32,860
 Thank you very much.

492
00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:34,340
 You're more than welcome, Randy.

493
00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:35,100
 Happy to do it.

494
00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:37,200
 Keep up the good work and thank you so much.

495
00:32:37,420 --> 00:32:41,820
 Randy Burns, hard working out with the Florence Parks and Recreation Department.

496
00:32:41,940 --> 00:32:43,040
 Great week for softball.

497
00:32:43,540 --> 00:32:45,660
 Coming up, what's the week like for Auburn fans?

498
00:32:45,780 --> 00:32:47,380
 Brian Matthews, the latest next.

499
00:32:47,460 --> 00:32:47,900
 Stay with us.

500
00:32:50,860 --> 00:32:56,800
 For nearly 30 years, Washington has stayed the same, while Alabama's 4th District has been left waiting.

501
00:32:57,360 --> 00:33:00,700
 Tommy Barnes believes Washington works for itself, not for us.

502
00:33:01,020 --> 00:33:03,160
 After nearly 30 years, we deserve better.

503
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 He's not a career politician.

504
00:33:05,260 --> 00:33:09,720
 He's a local leader who's fixed roads, managed utilities, and solved real problems right here at home.

505
00:33:09,720 --> 00:33:16,080
 Tommy Barnes supports term limits, better health care access, real infrastructure, and high-paying jobs built for North Alabama.

506
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 Tommy Barnes.

507
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 Conservative.

508
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511
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 Did you know about one in three people with plaque psoriasis may also develop psoriatic arthritis, which causes joint pain, stiffness, and swelling?

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 Ask your doctor about TrimFaya.

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 Visit TrimFaya.com or call 1-800-526-7736.

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 Rich Eisen here with some advice.

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 My dad passed away unexpectedly.

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 Of course, it was awful in every way.

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 But we are very grateful that he had life insurance.

530
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 So even after he was gone, he was still able to provide for us.

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 Harry Douglas here.

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 PayPal is now the official peer-to-peer payment sponsor of the NFL,

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555
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 When you're vacationing in your RV, there are some things you can always count on.

556
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 Laying out on a hammock, waking up to birds chirping, and board games with the family.

557
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 What?

558
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 It's not cheating.

559
00:36:06,140 --> 00:36:07,380
 Frank, you're scaring the kids.

560
00:36:07,400 --> 00:36:08,400
 Oh, come on, guys.

561
00:36:08,420 --> 00:36:09,680
 We're having fun.

562
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 It's family time.

563
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 With Progressive, your RV is protected 24-7, so you're prepared for whatever you don't see coming.

564
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565
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566
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 You're a grown man, Frank.

567
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 Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates not available in D.C.

568
00:36:23,660 --> 00:36:27,540
 Progressive presents the Sports Flash on 93-9, the score.

569
00:36:27,940 --> 00:36:30,220
 Atlanta Braves picked up a win yesterday in L.A.

570
00:36:30,220 --> 00:36:33,940
 They beat the Dodgers 7-2, holding the Dodgers to just two hits.

571
00:36:34,040 --> 00:36:35,160
 Bryce Elder earned the victory.

572
00:36:35,300 --> 00:36:38,720
 He's 4-1 as the Braves improved to 28-13.

573
00:36:39,300 --> 00:36:41,780
 The Atlanta Braves will have today off.

574
00:36:41,860 --> 00:36:45,860
 They're back home tomorrow to start a series with the Cubs at Truist Park.

575
00:36:46,420 --> 00:36:47,860
 College baseball action this weekend.

576
00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:49,360
 Alabama a winner yesterday.

577
00:36:49,500 --> 00:36:51,200
 The Beats, South Carolina, 7-6.

578
00:36:51,300 --> 00:36:53,760
 The win caps off a weekend sweep of the Gamecocks.

579
00:36:54,140 --> 00:36:59,120
 Alabama now 35-17 overall, 16-11 in the SEC.

580
00:36:59,720 --> 00:37:02,780
 Troy a winner yesterday over South Alabama, 8-1.

581
00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:05,980
 The Trojans with the victory improved to 15-12 in the Sun Belt.

582
00:37:06,140 --> 00:37:09,100
 South Alabama now 15-12 in Sun Belt play.

583
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 Bundle auto and home, renters or condo, and save with Progressive.

584
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 I'm John Thayer with the Sports Flash, presented by Progressive on 93.9 The Score.

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605
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 Now, back with Boomo Bugg on 93.9 The Score.

606
00:38:31,360 --> 00:38:32,040
 Welcome back in.

607
00:38:32,080 --> 00:38:34,580
 Really appreciate giving us a free ride around the Tennessee Valley.

608
00:38:34,900 --> 00:38:40,940
 And for Brian Matthews, taking time out of his busy schedule as senior editor for AuburnSports.com.

609
00:38:41,020 --> 00:38:41,840
 Brian, welcome in.

610
00:38:41,900 --> 00:38:43,180
 Happy Monday to you.

611
00:38:43,200 --> 00:38:43,840
 How are you?

612
00:38:44,520 --> 00:38:45,700
 I'm doing great, guys.

613
00:38:45,760 --> 00:38:46,400
 Thanks for having me in.

614
00:38:47,080 --> 00:38:49,300
 Brian, we are almost in shock.

615
00:38:49,380 --> 00:38:54,820
 Is it true that the end of the regular season in SEC baseball is near?

616
00:38:55,320 --> 00:38:58,180
 We know George over the weekend clinched the top spot.

617
00:38:58,280 --> 00:39:00,260
 They are the part of the pond top dog.

618
00:39:00,460 --> 00:39:04,720
 But, let's face it, the season's not over for the rest of the folks in the SEC.

619
00:39:04,980 --> 00:39:05,960
 You've got the tourney coming up.

620
00:39:06,060 --> 00:39:10,900
 Talk to us about Auburn still being basically, if you will, speaking of George and the dogs,

621
00:39:10,900 --> 00:39:14,600
 in a dogfight with Alabama for that coveted top four spot.

622
00:39:15,680 --> 00:39:19,820
 Yeah, it's going to be quite a finish in SEC baseball, as you said.

623
00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:24,840
 You know, Georgia has got that spot wrapped up in clinched Saturday.

624
00:39:25,600 --> 00:39:31,280
 And I think it's seven teams for the last four spots, all within one and a half games of each other.

625
00:39:31,620 --> 00:39:33,640
 So, it could really go any way.

626
00:39:34,220 --> 00:39:35,260
 You know, Auburn plays Georgia.

627
00:39:35,360 --> 00:39:36,600
 That's probably the toughest test.

628
00:39:36,900 --> 00:39:39,860
 But then again, Auburn's won six straight SEC series,

629
00:39:39,860 --> 00:39:42,360
 which is by far the hottest team in the conference right now.

630
00:39:42,480 --> 00:39:44,600
 So, it's going to be a wild finish.

631
00:39:44,800 --> 00:39:50,500
 And it should be really exciting to sort of, you know, finish out the SEC,

632
00:39:51,440 --> 00:39:54,340
 figure out who's going to be top four and get that double-binded SEC tournament,

633
00:39:54,700 --> 00:39:57,400
 and also a fight for, you know, national seeds.

634
00:39:57,720 --> 00:39:59,460
 I think a lot of those are really, really close.

635
00:39:59,900 --> 00:40:02,500
 I think Auburn's in great shape with the number one streak in the schedule.

636
00:40:03,040 --> 00:40:06,600
 I think they're up to third or fourth in RPI, I haven't looked at this morning.

637
00:40:07,120 --> 00:40:08,420
 But it's really, really high.

638
00:40:08,580 --> 00:40:11,560
 So, they're doing a terrific job.

639
00:40:11,800 --> 00:40:13,820
 And, you know, it should be an exciting series.

640
00:40:14,040 --> 00:40:19,640
 I know Georgia's wrapped it up to there, I think, around 14, 15 RPI.

641
00:40:19,720 --> 00:40:22,920
 So, they still have a lot to fight for when it comes to a national seed.

642
00:40:23,340 --> 00:40:25,100
 Well, you mentioned something there.

643
00:40:25,320 --> 00:40:29,880
 And I think in any sport, it's maybe more so in baseball in some ways than any other sport.

644
00:40:30,080 --> 00:40:31,460
 Sometimes, a double-bind can hurt you.

645
00:40:31,500 --> 00:40:32,620
 In football, you get rusty.

646
00:40:33,180 --> 00:40:38,720
 It can in baseball, but it all comes back relative to the depth of your pitching staff.

647
00:40:38,880 --> 00:40:43,500
 Your thoughts, Brian, as far as how Auburn sets up here at this point in the season.

648
00:40:43,500 --> 00:40:47,540
 To me, it all comes down as no baseball boy with defense and pitching.

649
00:40:48,020 --> 00:40:49,540
 And you've got to have depth on both ends.

650
00:40:49,620 --> 00:40:52,880
 But your thoughts, where Auburn is as far as pitching coming at this point in the season.

651
00:40:53,460 --> 00:40:57,840
 Well, you know, Auburn is a team that could thrive in an SEC tournament situation.

652
00:40:57,940 --> 00:40:59,120
 Pat, play more than three games.

653
00:40:59,340 --> 00:41:01,040
 Now, you know, it's different.

654
00:41:01,280 --> 00:41:03,700
 There's not the, you know, double elimination anymore.

655
00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:05,300
 It's all straight, single elimination.

656
00:41:06,180 --> 00:41:09,500
 And if you get the double-by, you know, you get to wait and you don't have to play Friday.

657
00:41:09,500 --> 00:41:12,560
 And if you go all the way to the finals, you're going Friday, Saturday, Sunday, you're done.

658
00:41:12,600 --> 00:41:14,540
 It's just like a SEC weekend.

659
00:41:15,240 --> 00:41:18,120
 So, you know, even if you don't get a double-by, it's only four games.

660
00:41:18,240 --> 00:41:23,860
 And, of course, if you're one of the bottom teams there in the league, you have to play potentially five games to win.

661
00:41:24,760 --> 00:41:29,280
 But, you know, Auburn's pitching staff is as deep as it's been.

662
00:41:29,720 --> 00:41:36,060
 You know, they've got five to six guys who could potentially start, you know, a big game.

663
00:41:36,060 --> 00:41:49,640
 You know, some, of course, you know, like Alex Petrovich and Dre Alvarez and Jake Marciano, of course, have started just about every weekend here, especially in this winning streak, and have been really effective.

664
00:41:49,920 --> 00:41:55,120
 So I think that's a big advantage for Auburn to have those three guys going if they can.

665
00:41:56,180 --> 00:42:05,480
 And then have guys like Jackson Sanders come out of the bullpen because he's been so effective, he's been key since he's moved there, of being able for Auburn to close out some important games.

666
00:42:05,740 --> 00:42:13,500
 So, you know, I think if Auburn can get that double-by, they're in great shape to possibly win the, you know, make a run at the SEC title, first time since 1998.

667
00:42:14,220 --> 00:42:20,740
 And even if they come up a little short and they have to play on Thursday, I still think this team is built to make a run or if they get going.

668
00:42:21,360 --> 00:42:28,220
 It's amazing to me when I remember Alabama swept Auburn, and then they've won six series since then.

669
00:42:28,920 --> 00:42:31,440
 Brian, there are two games that stand out to me.

670
00:42:31,440 --> 00:42:39,100
 Winning the doubleheader against Texas A&M last Saturday, I think they scored 17 runs in the first game.

671
00:42:39,700 --> 00:42:46,540
 Then Saturday night on the road against Mississippi State, hitting that home run in the top of the ninth and winning five to four.

672
00:42:46,960 --> 00:42:54,280
 Again, it's just clutch, clutch hits, clutch pitching, and that's led to six consecutive series wins.

673
00:42:54,920 --> 00:43:02,540
 Yeah, you know, Mississippi State had come back and you're worried, you know, is Auburn going to be able to, you know, handle the momentum they had.

674
00:43:02,540 --> 00:43:05,840
 And then Chase Braylett stepped up Friday night and hit that big home run.

675
00:43:05,960 --> 00:43:13,220
 That was huge for that team to get that win and then set up another big rubber game in game three.

676
00:43:13,400 --> 00:43:16,340
 And then five of those six series have come down to that final game.

677
00:43:17,160 --> 00:43:21,440
 And Auburn has outscored its opponents 54-14 in game three.

678
00:43:22,100 --> 00:43:29,960
 So I think that says a whole lot about how this team competes, you know, when the series is on the line in these big games.

679
00:43:30,220 --> 00:43:32,460
 And they've been playing much better baseball.

680
00:43:32,740 --> 00:43:39,120
 I think the big thing early in SEC play was the pitching's been consistent all year, but the hitting, it just took a while to get going.

681
00:43:39,200 --> 00:43:42,200
 But that certainly changed here over the last couple of months.

682
00:43:42,860 --> 00:43:45,540
 Brian Matthews, senior editor from AuburnSports.com.

683
00:43:45,580 --> 00:43:48,840
 We know it's always football season in our neck of the woods.

684
00:43:49,020 --> 00:43:51,620
 And any time you talk in recruiting, it's always a hot buzz.

685
00:43:52,180 --> 00:43:56,040
 Any time you talk about recruiting and getting quarterbacks, that's even hotter.

686
00:43:56,240 --> 00:44:03,280
 Talk to us about Auburn adding to the 2027 class with a wide receiver and some other folks on the list.

687
00:44:04,240 --> 00:44:08,980
 Well, of course, they got their big, you know, quarterback, which I thought was huge.

688
00:44:09,440 --> 00:44:17,700
 And, you know, I know that Gary Chapman's not a highly ranked kid, but he was committed to Wake Forest.

689
00:44:18,120 --> 00:44:23,840
 And, you know, when you're doing this in recruiting, you've got to sort of kind of decide,

690
00:44:23,960 --> 00:44:28,180
 is this in this recruiting window, are we going to pay big for a quarterback?

691
00:44:28,520 --> 00:44:31,960
 Are we going to, are we feel good about the quarterbacks we think are coming back?

692
00:44:32,000 --> 00:44:34,520
 And are we going to invest that money in other areas?

693
00:44:34,520 --> 00:44:36,340
 So, it's a give and take.

694
00:44:36,580 --> 00:44:41,580
 Auburn has pursued some top quarterbacks, so it doesn't mean they might not go after one in the portal now.

695
00:44:41,840 --> 00:44:47,200
 But Gary Chapman from Snellville, Georgia, is going to be their high school quarterback.

696
00:44:47,440 --> 00:44:52,340
 He's about 6'1", 6'1 1⁄2", very athletic, close to 200 pounds.

697
00:44:52,740 --> 00:44:53,980
 He's got a really, really strong arm.

698
00:44:54,080 --> 00:44:55,720
 So, I think he's a guy that can develop.

699
00:44:56,160 --> 00:44:58,980
 I don't think he's an instant impact type quarterback.

700
00:44:58,980 --> 00:45:05,700
 I think Byron O'Dore, who received it from Riverdale in Missouri, Tennessee.

701
00:45:06,460 --> 00:45:10,460
 I think he is a guy that's 6'3", 200 pounds or so.

702
00:45:11,880 --> 00:45:14,720
 Maybe more of an athlete, but really grown into a receiver.

703
00:45:15,600 --> 00:45:20,020
 And moving into a new school that's going to throw the ball a little bit more, I think it's going to help him.

704
00:45:20,300 --> 00:45:23,860
 I would not be surprised to see him make a big step forward his senior year.

705
00:45:23,860 --> 00:45:29,420
 And I think he is a guy that can contribute right away just because of his great combination of size and speed.

706
00:45:29,980 --> 00:45:32,820
 And I just think Cody Burns has a really good eye for talent, too.

707
00:45:33,340 --> 00:45:39,440
 We have been talking with you, young man, about Big Cat Weekend since it started in 2009.

708
00:45:40,120 --> 00:45:43,040
 With Gene Chizik, golly, that's hard to believe.

709
00:45:44,100 --> 00:45:49,440
 Will Alex Golich, again, when you've got something successful, you don't want to change it.

710
00:45:49,480 --> 00:45:52,980
 And I know he's come in and just wanted to survey a little bit.

711
00:45:52,980 --> 00:45:55,880
 I know he's already put his DNA on some things.

712
00:45:56,480 --> 00:45:59,220
 Will he change Big Cat very much?

713
00:45:59,460 --> 00:46:08,320
 Will they continue to be just a fun, you know, watermelon eating contest, jump in the pool, stuff like that?

714
00:46:08,320 --> 00:46:09,920
 Will there still be a fun Saturday?

715
00:46:10,780 --> 00:46:14,140
 I'm sure it will be, and it is coming up this Saturday.

716
00:46:15,060 --> 00:46:17,240
 And, you know, we don't have the full list out.

717
00:46:17,280 --> 00:46:24,460
 We'll have that on our site, though, but we have been confirming people as we've gone on over the last couple of weeks, and it should be a really big event.

718
00:46:24,780 --> 00:46:37,760
 I have not heard exactly what they're going to do, but I don't see any reason why they should stray from the script, make it a big family event, try to get the kids down here and their parents and grandparents and whoever else is important to them.

719
00:46:37,760 --> 00:46:40,720
 And spend as much one-on-one time as possible with them.

720
00:46:40,880 --> 00:46:44,900
 So it'll be interesting to see, you know, how it looks on their goal list, right?

721
00:46:44,940 --> 00:46:51,740
 Because it changes a little bit from year to year as it grows, from coaching staff and what they view as important.

722
00:46:51,980 --> 00:47:01,480
 But I think, you know, the basics remain the same, getting your top guys in, treating them like a part of the family, and just letting Auburn sell itself.

723
00:47:02,340 --> 00:47:05,960
 Looks like two guys with roots to Auburn will not be attending that event.

724
00:47:06,080 --> 00:47:08,880
 That's Jason Campbell and Tommy Tuberville.

725
00:47:09,460 --> 00:47:18,800
 The reason they're both going to be inducted this weekend into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame is Tommy going to get a waiver from Washington to come down and be a part of that.

726
00:47:18,800 --> 00:47:27,720
 Your thoughts about Tommy Tuberville and Jason Campbell, I would imagine Tommy can't wait because I think he's running for another office in the state.

727
00:47:27,800 --> 00:47:32,540
 Your thoughts about the latest two from Auburn to go in to the Alabama Sports HOF?

728
00:47:33,220 --> 00:47:35,480
 Yeah, it's just a great achievement for both of them.

729
00:47:35,760 --> 00:47:42,060
 You know, that 2014 with Jason Campbell, one of my most favorite teams to cover.

730
00:47:42,800 --> 00:47:44,940
 Jason was such a great player, a great leader.

731
00:47:45,160 --> 00:47:53,120
 That team had a bunch of seniors on it, a bunch of great players, four first-round draft picks there with Carnell and Ronnie and Carlos Rodgers.

732
00:47:53,880 --> 00:47:56,800
 And, of course, a great coaching staff led by Tommy Tuberville, too.

733
00:47:57,000 --> 00:48:04,920
 So, yeah, it's just great memories, thinking back to those times and, you know, what that team was able to accomplish.

734
00:48:05,340 --> 00:48:09,720
 And Tommy, of course, had a terrific record at Auburn, had some really, really good teams.

735
00:48:10,040 --> 00:48:12,060
 And that 2004 was certainly the best of events.

736
00:48:12,300 --> 00:48:19,760
 I always enjoy Monday musings in the title of today's new 76-team NCAA tournament.

737
00:48:19,960 --> 00:48:23,700
 A foolish endeavor in this week's Monday musings.

738
00:48:25,400 --> 00:48:27,800
 Summarize Monday musings today for us.

739
00:48:28,260 --> 00:48:31,040
 Well, I think there's universal scorn for this, right?

740
00:48:31,120 --> 00:48:33,920
 I have not heard too many people speak out in favor of it.

741
00:48:34,820 --> 00:48:38,460
 So, you know, and so I'm just kind of piling on here.

742
00:48:38,560 --> 00:48:40,300
 I'm not providing great insight into it.

743
00:48:40,460 --> 00:48:44,840
 But it's just, to me, it's just a short-sighted move, right?

744
00:48:45,140 --> 00:48:46,140
 They need more money.

745
00:48:46,580 --> 00:48:52,640
 This is a way for them to get more money by stuffing more very average to below-average teams in a tournament that doesn't need that.

746
00:48:54,100 --> 00:49:00,740
 And then, you know, getting this money now, what's it going to matter two or three years ago if they don't start regulating the market better?

747
00:49:01,240 --> 00:49:04,400
 And, you know, the price of doing business is just going to go up.

748
00:49:04,500 --> 00:49:06,060
 It's just going to need it, and they're going to need more money.

749
00:49:06,800 --> 00:49:09,160
 And they're really not taking the steps to regulate things.

750
00:49:09,280 --> 00:49:15,900
 The only steps that I know of that are going to work is for them to sit down and work out some sort of employment agreement,

751
00:49:15,900 --> 00:49:23,280
 do some collective bargaining, start, you know, treating players as they are paid athletes to play for that school

752
00:49:23,280 --> 00:49:27,340
 and pretending that we have student-athletes anymore, especially with the revenue sports.

753
00:49:27,340 --> 00:49:28,040
 It's just silly.

754
00:49:28,200 --> 00:49:29,140
 It's gone on too long.

755
00:49:29,560 --> 00:49:34,400
 They've lost, I would say, billions of dollars, at least hundreds of millions of dollars in bargaining power

756
00:49:34,400 --> 00:49:38,260
 by continuing to delay this, and this will be just another delay tactic.

757
00:49:39,220 --> 00:49:42,920
 Yeah, you've been advocating collective bargaining for about three years.

758
00:49:43,840 --> 00:49:51,300
 So, yeah, and listen, 95% of our guests have said the same thing, and particularly last week,

759
00:49:51,380 --> 00:49:57,520
 that it was, again, once you get to 64, it's going to be pretty much the same tournament,

760
00:49:57,660 --> 00:50:00,380
 but everybody's more or less had the same attitude.

761
00:50:00,680 --> 00:50:06,180
 A lot of things going on, weekend, baseball is going on, recruiting.

762
00:50:06,720 --> 00:50:10,280
 Where can we get online and get all the great stuff?

763
00:50:10,540 --> 00:50:14,360
 Yeah, it should be a great week here at AuburnSports.com with coverage of all that.

764
00:50:14,480 --> 00:50:18,580
 I'll be at Jacksonville tomorrow night for a big game at Jacksonville State.

765
00:50:18,680 --> 00:50:22,480
 I think people are overlooking that, but Jacksonville State has been ranked.

766
00:50:22,620 --> 00:50:27,140
 They came to Auburn and run-ruled Auburn and plays a park, so this is going to be a big game for this team.

767
00:50:27,240 --> 00:50:30,500
 And, of course, I'll be there for all three games of the Georgia Series this weekend,

768
00:50:30,920 --> 00:50:35,740
 and Big Cat will have blowout coverage of that, including a big list of expected visitors

769
00:50:35,740 --> 00:50:42,540
 and coverage after the visits and much more as we continue to monitor the basketball portal and all that.

770
00:50:42,800 --> 00:50:44,580
 But check us out, AuburnSports.com.

771
00:50:44,860 --> 00:50:45,800
 You can sign up online.

772
00:50:45,880 --> 00:50:47,980
 You can follow me on Twitter, such as X at BMATAU.

773
00:50:48,800 --> 00:50:51,960
 Sounded like it's going to be a while before you get to the beach on that vacation, Brian.

774
00:50:51,960 --> 00:50:55,100
 Listen, in the meantime, thanks so much, and stay safe out there, okay?

775
00:50:55,860 --> 00:50:56,660
 Yeah, appreciate you guys.

776
00:50:56,720 --> 00:50:57,240
 Thank you, bud.

777
00:50:57,620 --> 00:51:00,200
 Brian Matthews, senior editor at AuburnSports.com.

778
00:51:00,280 --> 00:51:02,780
 BB, two words, Bobby Cox.

779
00:51:03,080 --> 00:51:05,000
 Yeah, Harold, he had a stroke.

780
00:51:05,100 --> 00:51:09,420
 He had fought through that, but passed away at the age of 84.

781
00:51:09,700 --> 00:51:14,780
 All of the comments, Bill Shanks, we'll try to get him on a little bit later this week.

782
00:51:14,960 --> 00:51:19,920
 He's got a lot of comments, but everybody, I got tickled at Terry Pendleton, Harold.

783
00:51:20,420 --> 00:51:24,980
 Instead of saying Skipper or Bobby, he just calls him number six.

784
00:51:25,460 --> 00:51:28,920
 Every time somebody talks to him about it, yeah, I love number six.

785
00:51:29,040 --> 00:51:35,340
 Number six did this, but there's no question the impressions that he made on so many people

786
00:51:35,340 --> 00:51:40,660
 around Major League Baseball fans, players, owners was just incredible.

787
00:51:41,220 --> 00:51:43,060
 I think he made an impression on umpires, too.

788
00:51:43,160 --> 00:51:47,160
 I think I saw he was ejected 162 times, and here's the funny story.

789
00:51:47,680 --> 00:51:49,880
 They let, of course, Bobby come back there at the end.

790
00:51:49,940 --> 00:51:50,920
 He was sick and everything.

791
00:51:51,320 --> 00:51:54,520
 He threw out the honorary first pitch, and all the umpires gathered around.

792
00:51:55,140 --> 00:51:57,800
 After he made the first pitch, he got together with the umpires.

793
00:51:58,380 --> 00:51:59,520
 They threw him out of the game.

794
00:52:00,520 --> 00:52:01,360
 H*** symbolic.

795
00:52:03,160 --> 00:52:07,040
 As an honorary first pitcher, the one, the only, Bobby Cox.

796
00:52:07,540 --> 00:52:10,240
 Coming up in the next hour, speaking of Major League Baseball players

797
00:52:10,240 --> 00:52:13,900
 with roots to the Tennessee Valley, you know Josh Willingham at Amara Seal.

798
00:52:14,020 --> 00:52:16,640
 What about his opponent, Donovan Tan, at Red Bay?

799
00:52:16,980 --> 00:52:19,160
 He's going to be on board the V-Man Talk in Tennessee,

800
00:52:19,280 --> 00:52:23,260
 and Ben Thomas says it's busy from one end of the state of Alabama to the next.

801
00:52:23,800 --> 00:52:25,280
 Ben's checking in from AL.com.

802
00:52:25,340 --> 00:52:26,200
 It's all straight ahead.

803
00:52:26,280 --> 00:52:26,800
 Stay with us.

804
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 Straight Talk Wireless presents Pickup Truck Wisdom.

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814
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815
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816
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817
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 Straight Talk Wireless presents Pickup Truck Wisdom.

818
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819
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820
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821
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822
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823
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824
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825
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826
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 Straightforward.

827
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828
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829
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830
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 My dad passed away unexpectedly.

831
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 Of course, it was awful in every way.

832
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 But we are very grateful that he had life insurance.

833
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 So even after he was gone, he was still able to provide for us.

834
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 And that's why I have life insurance for my family.

835
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846
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847
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848
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 Four in 10 kids?

849
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 Let it sink in.

850
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 Just four in 10 kids.

851
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 ESPN is building a nationwide coalition powered by Disney called Take Back Sports

852
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 with the purpose of training more coaches, expanding access, and creating community-driven sports

853
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854
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855
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856
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 Visit TakeBackSports.org to learn more.

857
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 Evan Cohen here.

858
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 In life, as in sports, the pros make it look easy.

859
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860
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861
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879
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 This is the story of The One.

880
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881
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884
00:56:00,980 --> 00:56:08,600
 Well, in case you missed it, there was quite a disruption in the Alabama House last Friday

885
00:56:08,600 --> 00:56:14,740
 as a bill was being moved through the special legislative session in regards to Alabama and its congressional districts.

886
00:56:14,740 --> 00:56:19,420
 Those who were in the viewing gallery caused quite a commotion in opposition to that bill,

887
00:56:19,420 --> 00:56:25,900
 which led to the halting of the legislative process while police were sent to the gallery to deal with those protesters.

888
00:56:26,220 --> 00:56:31,520
 One woman with Black Voters Matter had to be removed physically from the gallery by police.

889
00:56:31,780 --> 00:56:36,380
 Two Democratic state lawmakers, Wondalyn Gavan and Mary Moore, ran up to help the woman

890
00:56:36,380 --> 00:56:39,820
 as police were trying to lift her off the floor where she had thrown herself.

891
00:56:40,040 --> 00:56:46,040
 State lawmaker Gavan could be seen physically jostling with another law enforcement officer during that process.

892
00:56:46,040 --> 00:56:53,200
 Now, State Representative Russell Betzel, who is also a current law enforcement officer within Shelby County, is commenting on the behavior.

893
00:56:53,440 --> 00:56:58,400
 Wendal says the actions from Gavan and Moore are concerning since this was a clear case of interference

894
00:56:58,400 --> 00:57:01,100
 with officers who were carrying out their lawful duties.

895
00:57:01,180 --> 00:57:07,760
 Wendal said that at no point should residents or state lawmakers place their hands on an officer as they're doing their job.

896
00:57:08,000 --> 00:57:12,720
 There were no arrests made after the fracas, and the House did continue forward and pass that bill.

897
00:57:12,900 --> 00:57:15,140
 I'll be back with more Alabama stories after this.

898
00:57:15,260 --> 00:57:20,920
 Covenant Aggressive Group seeks to directly support organizations and agencies that are fighting the global battle against human trafficking.

899
00:57:21,320 --> 00:57:24,600
 They do this through funding, procuring, and advocating.

900
00:57:24,920 --> 00:57:28,180
 You can go to covenantrescue.org for further details.

901
00:57:28,480 --> 00:57:29,720
 They need your donations, guys.

902
00:57:30,100 --> 00:57:31,180
 Hop on and donate.

903
00:57:31,180 --> 00:57:39,840
 The Alabama Charter School Commission issued a unanimous vote to deny the expansion application coming from the Magic City Acceptance Academy in Birmingham.

904
00:57:40,280 --> 00:57:46,780
 That school promotes LGBTQ ideology to its students and was seeking to expand to the building next door of its current campus.

905
00:57:47,040 --> 00:57:50,540
 The school was seeking expansion despite its diminishing enrollment numbers.

906
00:57:50,900 --> 00:57:51,680
 I'm Andrea Theis.

907
00:57:51,960 --> 00:57:56,280
 For more news affecting Alabamians, go to 1819news.com.

908
00:57:56,460 --> 00:57:59,380
 And while you're there, subscribe to the Daily Newsletter.

909
00:58:00,820 --> 00:58:05,100
 I keep seeing celebrities' posts, me in the 90s versus now.

910
00:58:05,360 --> 00:58:13,060
 While the person staring at me in the mirror is definitely not the same person that could pull off bootcut jeans, time creeps up on us so slowly.

911
00:58:13,360 --> 00:58:15,920
 You don't see it until suddenly you do.

912
00:58:16,280 --> 00:58:17,760
 Same thing goes for your bills.

913
00:58:17,980 --> 00:58:19,760
 A dollar here, an uptick there.

914
00:58:19,900 --> 00:58:25,260
 It's a slow burn until one day you realize the price you're paying now is way higher than when you signed up.

915
00:58:25,540 --> 00:58:31,800
 But at T-Mobile, customers had the lowest wireless bills versus Verizon and AT&T over the past five years.

916
00:58:32,180 --> 00:58:39,800
 And with T-Mobile on their experience plans, you get a five-year price guarantee so you know exactly what your plan price will be for the next five years.

917
00:58:40,120 --> 00:58:42,800
 So at least that's one thing that won't change over time.

918
00:58:42,880 --> 00:58:49,180
 I can't guarantee you'll still look good with frosted tips, but T-Mobile can give you a clear guarantee on your wireless plan.

919
00:58:49,900 --> 00:58:55,120
 Lower bills based on Harris-X billing snapshots from Q321 to Q425 compared to average AT&T and Verizon bills.

920
00:58:55,240 --> 00:58:57,380
 Comparison excludes discounts, credits, and optional charges.

921
00:58:57,500 --> 00:58:58,680
 Price guarantee on talk, text, and data.

922
00:58:58,800 --> 00:59:00,040
 Exclusions like taxes and fees apply.

923
00:59:00,160 --> 00:59:01,160
 See T-Mobile.com.

924
00:59:02,440 --> 00:59:10,280
 Valley Broadcasting Corporation, WITK-FM, Rogersville, Athens, Decatur, The Shores, Sports Radio 93.9, The Score.

925
00:59:11,200 --> 00:59:13,480
 The Atlanta Braves are on a mission.

926
00:59:13,840 --> 00:59:18,040
 And night after night, they're making their case as one of the best teams in baseball.

927
00:59:18,040 --> 00:59:18,960
 3-2 to Drake.

928
00:59:19,660 --> 00:59:24,440
 And he swings and hits a missile to deep right field to the chop house and out of here.

929
00:59:24,920 --> 00:59:33,160
 Tomorrow night, the Braves welcome the Chicago Cubs to Truist Park for a big National League showdown as Atlanta opens up a three-game set at home.

930
00:59:33,600 --> 00:59:38,700
 Braves Radio goes on the air at 6 p.m. Central on the Braves Radio Network.

931
00:59:39,420 --> 01:00:00,740
 Brought to you locally by the law firm of Johnson, Pesher, Medley, and Virtual, J.C. Hammonson, First Metro Bank, nationwide insurance agents Michael Doe and Bill Cochran, Medford Jewelers, Valley Credit Union, Certified Alarm, Lost Pizza, and Alabama Health Guidance.

932
01:00:00,740 --> 01:00:06,120
 Atlanta Braves baseball tomorrow night versus the Chicago Cubs on 93.9, The Score.

933
01:00:07,120 --> 01:00:09,360
 93.9, The Score weather.

934
01:00:09,960 --> 01:00:11,840
 Today sunny with a high around 75.

935
01:00:12,720 --> 01:00:14,700
 Tonight mostly clear with a low near 45.

936
01:00:15,420 --> 01:00:17,420
 Tomorrow sunny with a high around 75.

937
01:00:18,120 --> 01:00:20,020
 Tomorrow night clear with a low near 50.

938
01:00:20,020 --> 01:00:23,100
 And for your Wednesday, sunny with a high around 80.

939
01:00:23,460 --> 01:00:26,120
 Your weather from 93.9, The Score.

940
01:00:31,120 --> 01:00:39,780
 Now, get ready to roll, Shoals, Decatur, Athens, and all of northwest Alabama and southern Tennessee.

941
01:00:40,360 --> 01:00:43,740
 It's time for the Valley's exclusive FM Sports Voice.

942
01:00:43,740 --> 01:00:49,240
 The Boomo Bugg Show.

943
01:00:49,580 --> 01:00:54,840
 Your exclusive inside track to the Tide, Tigers, Tennessee, and the rest of the SEC.

944
01:00:55,640 --> 01:01:01,040
 Now, your host, Harold Bugg on 93.9, The Score.

945
01:01:01,680 --> 01:01:03,720
 Welcome back in, our tour of the Boomo Bugg Show.

946
01:01:03,820 --> 01:01:05,460
 I'm Harold Bugg alongside Brett Beaird.

947
01:01:05,560 --> 01:01:08,380
 Thank you so much for giving us free ride around the Tennessee Valley.

948
01:01:08,380 --> 01:01:14,660
 BB, is it safe to say that when you say AL, the initials BT come to mind?

949
01:01:15,540 --> 01:01:16,640
 Well, yes.

950
01:01:16,880 --> 01:01:17,780
 Yes, it is.

951
01:01:18,000 --> 01:01:20,820
 And you're talking about a busy time of the year, Harold Bugg.

952
01:01:20,900 --> 01:01:26,060
 You've got spring football games this week, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

953
01:01:26,300 --> 01:01:30,400
 And next week, we talked about softball, the Final Four, and baseball.

954
01:01:30,620 --> 01:01:32,160
 They had a lot of things going on.

955
01:01:32,640 --> 01:01:35,060
 BT does not stand, as we say down south, about through.

956
01:01:35,060 --> 01:01:38,120
 It stands for Ben Thomas, and he's anything but through.

957
01:01:38,700 --> 01:01:40,340
 Busy there at AL.com.

958
01:01:40,400 --> 01:01:41,080
 Ben, welcome in.

959
01:01:41,140 --> 01:01:41,720
 How are you?

960
01:01:45,420 --> 01:01:46,420
 Told you he was busy.

961
01:01:46,660 --> 01:01:48,420
 In a second, he's going to be able to pick up his.

962
01:01:48,480 --> 01:01:50,060
 He probably dropped it just for a second.

963
01:01:50,160 --> 01:01:51,200
 He'll join us here in a second.

964
01:01:51,320 --> 01:01:54,540
 But I'll tell you what, why were you able to get Ben on the line with us, BB?

965
01:01:55,260 --> 01:01:56,400
 There's so many games.

966
01:01:56,500 --> 01:01:57,520
 Where in the world do you start?

967
01:01:57,600 --> 01:02:00,420
 But one of the highlights that I thought was amazing,

968
01:02:00,640 --> 01:02:03,520
 it just shows you how some, what's the big word, tenacity.

969
01:02:03,920 --> 01:02:09,740
 That Mars Hill-Lindsey Lane series might have been one of the more dramatic series in the entire state.

970
01:02:10,480 --> 01:02:11,520
 Harold, it was.

971
01:02:11,620 --> 01:02:13,620
 And again, it went to three games.

972
01:02:13,880 --> 01:02:17,840
 Mars Hill scored five runs, I believe, in the sixth inning to win,

973
01:02:18,520 --> 01:02:20,920
 setting up the game with Red Bay.

974
01:02:21,060 --> 01:02:22,660
 But no, those are two good teams.

975
01:02:22,840 --> 01:02:25,700
 Lindsay Lane really impressed me this year.

976
01:02:25,800 --> 01:02:28,820
 They won 32 games and took Mars Hill to the limit.

977
01:02:29,600 --> 01:02:32,340
 Thing is, now it sets up a very interesting matchup.

978
01:02:32,460 --> 01:02:37,180
 And that is Josh Willingham, who played, of course, in Major League Baseball for a number of years,

979
01:02:37,240 --> 01:02:40,340
 including a World Series run with the Kansas City Royals.

980
01:02:40,360 --> 01:02:41,680
 And now they'll take on Red Bay.

981
01:02:41,800 --> 01:02:46,600
 Donovan Hand, who, by the way, BB, kind enough, like Josh did last week.

982
01:02:46,700 --> 01:02:49,920
 Donovan's going to join us today, a little bit later on, down at Red Bay.

983
01:02:49,920 --> 01:02:55,600
 How often, especially at this level of play, would it not be fun to go and do the research?

984
01:02:56,120 --> 01:03:01,920
 How many matchups across the entire country could you see two former Major League Baseball players?

985
01:03:02,020 --> 01:03:03,520
 As a matter of fact, they face each other.

986
01:03:03,640 --> 01:03:08,160
 Donovan was a pitcher of Josh, former Silver Slugger, award winner of the Major League Baseball world.

987
01:03:08,300 --> 01:03:09,980
 They face each other at the highest level.

988
01:03:10,100 --> 01:03:13,220
 Now they're going to be facing each other from opposing dugouts.

989
01:03:13,380 --> 01:03:16,600
 And no one knows that better than Ben Thomas at AL.com.

990
01:03:16,680 --> 01:03:17,340
 Ben, welcome in.

991
01:03:17,360 --> 01:03:18,540
 We said you were busy.

992
01:03:18,940 --> 01:03:21,180
 I'm amazed that you've got time to join us at all.

993
01:03:21,220 --> 01:03:21,840
 How are you?

994
01:03:22,860 --> 01:03:24,780
 Oh, man, I always got time for you guys.

995
01:03:24,780 --> 01:03:26,340
 Yes, I'm doing good.

996
01:03:26,420 --> 01:03:33,700
 I was actually just talking to Greg Sykes, former North Alabama graduate, AD of Jacksonville State, about something.

997
01:03:33,960 --> 01:03:35,300
 And so, sorry I missed your call.

998
01:03:35,660 --> 01:03:37,900
 But, yeah, it's been busy.

999
01:03:38,160 --> 01:03:39,140
 It looks like we might.

1000
01:03:39,200 --> 01:03:45,100
 I don't know how y'all are looking up there weather-wise, but it looks like we might have good weather down here for this week.

1001
01:03:45,160 --> 01:03:48,740
 I'm sure the baseball and softball teams are glad to hear that.

1002
01:03:49,080 --> 01:03:50,100
 Let's hold our breath.

1003
01:03:50,160 --> 01:03:52,100
 We were just talking about all these matches.

1004
01:03:52,280 --> 01:03:53,420
 I don't care where they are.

1005
01:03:54,160 --> 01:03:55,260
 They're all phenomenal.

1006
01:03:55,420 --> 01:03:58,980
 To make it this far, and anyone who's ever played remembers just how tough it was.

1007
01:03:59,140 --> 01:04:06,920
 So, you can't say one is more as far as tougher than the other because at this level, everybody's good or lucky or both.

1008
01:04:07,060 --> 01:04:12,160
 But one of the more interesting matches, we were just talking about it, and that's, you ready for this?

1009
01:04:12,280 --> 01:04:15,880
 Marseille Bible and Red Bay for many reasons.

1010
01:04:15,880 --> 01:04:20,840
 You got two former Major League Baseball players facing off each other.

1011
01:04:20,920 --> 01:04:21,820
 How rare is that?

1012
01:04:22,260 --> 01:04:28,840
 Now, Josh Willingham, who played in the MLB, and Donovan Hand, he's going to be on the show with us a little bit later on facing each other.

1013
01:04:28,940 --> 01:04:31,700
 It just shows you these guys are competitive.

1014
01:04:31,820 --> 01:04:36,080
 They don't care if they're getting paid as a player or now as a coach at the high school level.

1015
01:04:37,160 --> 01:04:43,460
 Yeah, that's going to be a great series, and that's the Tuesday series, right, along with Ayrton and GW Long.

1016
01:04:43,460 --> 01:04:48,460
 I mean, we're going to have baseball every day this week because we've still got one series that hasn't even started yet.

1017
01:04:48,460 --> 01:04:48,680
 That's right.

1018
01:04:48,700 --> 01:04:54,740
 From the quarterfinal round, Auburn and Enterprise have yet to play the first game of their quarterfinal series.

1019
01:04:54,740 --> 01:05:04,340
 They're playing it today at Troy, a doubleheader there, and so they could go to Tuesday before they finish that series with a semifinal series on tap for the winner.

1020
01:05:04,340 --> 01:05:13,360
 So, there's going to be baseball, you know, rain, weather permitting, baseball every day this week until at least Friday and probably Saturday.

1021
01:05:13,460 --> 01:05:17,520
 And then we start off, like I said, the semifinals, that Mars Hill, Red Bay.

1022
01:05:17,620 --> 01:05:23,440
 Mars Hill with that great victory, tremendous series with Lindsey Lane going to Red Bay.

1023
01:05:23,560 --> 01:05:28,240
 And then on the other half of that 2A bracket, two teams that know something about winning.

1024
01:05:28,420 --> 01:05:35,640
 Ayrton, right, which won the state championship just a couple years ago, and GW Long, which has won about 100 state championships over the year.

1025
01:05:35,740 --> 01:05:40,960
 So, man, those are four good teams competing for those final two spots in the 2A championship series.

1026
01:05:41,180 --> 01:05:45,560
 Yeah, and BT, another team that knows a little bit about winning is Hartzell.

1027
01:05:46,300 --> 01:05:50,920
 In Class 6A, they swept Health City 2-1, 13-5.

1028
01:05:51,840 --> 01:05:57,380
 They're facing Hazel Green out of Madison County, which I think surprised a few people.

1029
01:05:58,000 --> 01:05:59,160
 They're awfully good, too.

1030
01:05:59,320 --> 01:06:08,640
 Asher Doppel, who was the MVP last year in the state championship, BT, not too surprised to see Hartzell again in the Final Four.

1031
01:06:09,700 --> 01:06:11,480
 No, Hazel Green is a bit of a surprise.

1032
01:06:11,620 --> 01:06:12,320
 They've played well.

1033
01:06:12,460 --> 01:06:17,740
 You know, they won in the top 10 at the end of the regular season, and they've secured a few upsets.

1034
01:06:18,100 --> 01:06:23,800
 I mean, you know, you get into this time of year, and you get some momentum on your side, and it's hard to stop.

1035
01:06:23,960 --> 01:06:26,420
 Hartzell, you know, you just always expect them to be there.

1036
01:06:26,420 --> 01:06:27,280
 They were number five.

1037
01:06:27,440 --> 01:06:31,540
 They kind of started out a little bit slow this year, but they always play such a tough schedule.

1038
01:06:31,920 --> 01:06:33,860
 You know, you can't ever take them for granted.

1039
01:06:34,000 --> 01:06:40,340
 They finished, I think, the regular season number five in the rankings, and here they are again under Brad Phillips, who won it last year,

1040
01:06:40,820 --> 01:06:44,140
 trying to find another spot in the 6A championship series.

1041
01:06:44,260 --> 01:06:48,620
 And on the other side, two really good teams as well, Northridge and Spain Park.

1042
01:06:49,440 --> 01:06:53,800
 That's going to be, I mean, you just look up and down these semifinal series,

1043
01:06:53,800 --> 01:06:57,540
 and you find one quality team after another, as you would expect at the time of the year.

1044
01:06:58,460 --> 01:07:01,320
 Ben Thomas, got it all covered there at AL.com.

1045
01:07:01,420 --> 01:07:04,120
 The final four in 4A, very interesting matchup.

1046
01:07:04,240 --> 01:07:07,000
 Mike Dubose's old butt, foot stomping grounds.

1047
01:07:07,180 --> 01:07:11,000
 Op, I remember going to Florida one year and had to stop an alligator across the road.

1048
01:07:11,060 --> 01:07:12,200
 They're crossing the water at Op.

1049
01:07:12,260 --> 01:07:13,540
 They take on Beham County.

1050
01:07:14,120 --> 01:07:18,180
 And the other one, our neighbors, you're talking about a community on fire.

1051
01:07:18,300 --> 01:07:19,680
 That's Central Florence.

1052
01:07:20,300 --> 01:07:22,040
 They're taking on Westbrook Christian.

1053
01:07:22,440 --> 01:07:23,860
 Talk to us about that matchup.

1054
01:07:23,940 --> 01:07:27,820
 For the folks out at Central Florence, what can they expect out of Westbrook?

1055
01:07:29,360 --> 01:07:31,080
 Well, Brody Crowell's alma mater.

1056
01:07:31,220 --> 01:07:31,600
 That's right.

1057
01:07:32,100 --> 01:07:32,220
 Yeah.

1058
01:07:32,380 --> 01:07:33,540
 That's what they can expect.

1059
01:07:33,640 --> 01:07:36,540
 I saw Brody was at the game last week.

1060
01:07:36,740 --> 01:07:42,500
 But, yeah, Westbrook, you know, is the traditional team that we've seen here a lot of different times.

1061
01:07:43,180 --> 01:07:46,920
 Central Florida, Florence is kind of a little bit of a newcomer in this round.

1062
01:07:47,260 --> 01:07:49,020
 So that should be a good series.

1063
01:07:49,100 --> 01:07:51,280
 They've got to go to Westbrook, which I think will be tough.

1064
01:07:51,580 --> 01:07:53,820
 But that will be a fun series.

1065
01:07:53,820 --> 01:07:58,780
 And like I said, OPP, the land of opportunity, and Beham County on the other half.

1066
01:07:59,500 --> 01:08:04,440
 You know, a lot of the top teams, obviously, that were ranked at the end of the year are not here anymore.

1067
01:08:05,640 --> 01:08:07,120
 Westbrook was number five.

1068
01:08:07,240 --> 01:08:08,260
 OPP was number six.

1069
01:08:08,440 --> 01:08:14,920
 But Nashville, Madison County, Alexandria, and Cordova were the top teams in our last sportswriters poll.

1070
01:08:15,000 --> 01:08:17,260
 And they're all eliminated now.

1071
01:08:17,260 --> 01:08:20,480
 So, Beham County was number 10, by the way, in the last ranking.

1072
01:08:20,660 --> 01:08:22,960
 So we've got three ranked teams remaining there.

1073
01:08:23,060 --> 01:08:25,480
 But Central Florida kind of surprised some people.

1074
01:08:25,780 --> 01:08:29,400
 BT, we talked a little bit about softball again in that minute.

1075
01:08:29,620 --> 01:08:32,000
 But there's some football spring games.

1076
01:08:32,120 --> 01:08:36,180
 You've had your latest seven must-see games.

1077
01:08:37,040 --> 01:08:41,400
 One of them is Clay Chalkville at James Clemens at Madison City School Stadium.

1078
01:08:42,100 --> 01:08:49,380
 Now, a lot of these teams, you can go through spring, have a spring game, or you can have an extra week during the summer.

1079
01:08:49,380 --> 01:08:51,920
 But you highlighted some of the games.

1080
01:08:52,040 --> 01:08:56,480
 Hewitt Trussell at Parker, two playoff contenders every year.

1081
01:08:57,200 --> 01:08:58,880
 McGill Toon at Guff Shores.

1082
01:08:59,060 --> 01:09:02,500
 Mark Hutspeth, of course, with Guff Shores.

1083
01:09:02,700 --> 01:09:07,620
 But a lot of games Thursday, Friday, Buckhorn at Hartzell.

1084
01:09:07,840 --> 01:09:11,320
 Ramsey at May, Jemison in West Morgan, Drew Phillips.

1085
01:09:11,860 --> 01:09:13,740
 They play Giles County on Monday.

1086
01:09:13,960 --> 01:09:18,100
 But quite a few Husky games Thursday through Monday.

1087
01:09:19,240 --> 01:09:19,980
 There are.

1088
01:09:20,540 --> 01:09:22,960
 And, you know, I was just talking to Greg Sykes about this.

1089
01:09:23,040 --> 01:09:27,340
 The weeks are a little bit off because usually the baseball championships are this week.

1090
01:09:27,440 --> 01:09:29,120
 And, actually, it's a week later this year.

1091
01:09:29,200 --> 01:09:31,020
 So that's kind of throwing me off.

1092
01:09:31,160 --> 01:09:33,220
 But I actually went to a spring game last week.

1093
01:09:33,300 --> 01:09:34,500
 Mary G. Montgomery played.

1094
01:09:34,500 --> 01:09:39,060
 And, obviously, there's some controversy swirling around there, if you haven't heard about it.

1095
01:09:39,660 --> 01:09:45,220
 A head football coach on administrative leave, AHSAA, investigating that situation.

1096
01:09:45,580 --> 01:09:47,940
 But these spring games are interesting.

1097
01:09:48,140 --> 01:09:51,540
 I mean, you know, one of the big ones in my mind is Sarah Land and Fairhope.

1098
01:09:52,280 --> 01:09:55,780
 Obviously, Sarah Land has an Oklahoma State, Oklahoma commit.

1099
01:09:56,480 --> 01:09:58,040
 Jemison Roberts at quarterback.

1100
01:09:58,300 --> 01:10:00,540
 Seems like they always have an SEC commit at quarterback.

1101
01:10:01,180 --> 01:10:02,040
 That's Sarah Land.

1102
01:10:02,180 --> 01:10:03,500
 And they're going to play Fairhope.

1103
01:10:03,920 --> 01:10:05,520
 And that's where Caleb Ross is now.

1104
01:10:05,520 --> 01:10:11,520
 So, Caleb Ross back in high school coaching after being in college in a year with the AHSAA.

1105
01:10:11,900 --> 01:10:16,860
 So, you know, a lot of these games are really not typical games like you would see on a Friday night.

1106
01:10:17,280 --> 01:10:19,580
 You know, and I think there'll be some different rules.

1107
01:10:19,740 --> 01:10:24,700
 When I was at the Mary G. Montgomery game last week, it was, you know, they did kickoff, but they didn't really cover.

1108
01:10:24,920 --> 01:10:28,160
 And then they said, well, you know, let's start out at the 40 this time.

1109
01:10:28,280 --> 01:10:29,820
 You know, they move it back and forth.

1110
01:10:30,060 --> 01:10:34,180
 And, obviously, in the second half, usually they get a lot of young players involved in the game.

1111
01:10:34,180 --> 01:10:38,920
 But it'll be fun to wet our tongue a little bit for what's the time of the fall.

1112
01:10:39,040 --> 01:10:41,080
 And that'll be here before we know it.

1113
01:10:42,220 --> 01:10:43,020
 Talk to us.

1114
01:10:43,160 --> 01:10:44,500
 By the way, where's Rush?

1115
01:10:45,760 --> 01:10:47,400
 Remember the old kid game?

1116
01:10:47,520 --> 01:10:48,000
 Where's Waldo?

1117
01:10:48,120 --> 01:10:49,360
 Where's Rush these days?

1118
01:10:49,440 --> 01:10:50,060
 Rush pros.

1119
01:10:52,400 --> 01:10:58,540
 Well, last time I talked to Rush, he was working on a business outside of coaching in the Gadsden-Aniston area.

1120
01:10:59,680 --> 01:11:05,220
 I'd heard some rumors that he might be back in it as an assistant in the north part of the state.

1121
01:11:05,320 --> 01:11:06,840
 I don't know if that's happened or not.

1122
01:11:07,320 --> 01:11:09,480
 I'm sure we'll see when it starts.

1123
01:11:09,900 --> 01:11:13,240
 But I don't think he – we know that he doesn't want to be done coaching.

1124
01:11:13,640 --> 01:11:18,320
 So, if the opportunity arises that he likes, I'm sure he'll take part in it.

1125
01:11:18,540 --> 01:11:20,760
 I like Rush's post-game interview.

1126
01:11:20,880 --> 01:11:22,220
 He says, basically, I'm still in business.

1127
01:11:22,280 --> 01:11:22,900
 Anybody hiring?

1128
01:11:23,340 --> 01:11:25,900
 I'm a gun for – remember the old Western have gun for hire?

1129
01:11:26,560 --> 01:11:28,740
 I think that's Rush when it comes to coaching.

1130
01:11:28,900 --> 01:11:30,380
 But let's switch gears a little bit.

1131
01:11:30,560 --> 01:11:32,120
 Brett alluded to it in softball.

1132
01:11:32,640 --> 01:11:36,340
 Randy Burns and the crew ready to host the north up here in our Shoals area.

1133
01:11:36,840 --> 01:11:42,000
 But your thoughts just about how popular this sport is at the high school level across the state now

1134
01:11:42,000 --> 01:11:46,800
 and how much of that can be attributed to folks like Pat Murphy at Alabama

1135
01:11:46,800 --> 01:11:51,540
 and the success they're having, number one seed overall in the upcoming regionals.

1136
01:11:51,800 --> 01:11:55,180
 Your thoughts just about the popularity now of girls' softball.

1137
01:11:56,660 --> 01:11:57,840
 Well, it's a great sport.

1138
01:11:57,980 --> 01:12:03,020
 I mean, if you've watched it, I mean, it's a little bit quicker than baseball, moves a little bit faster.

1139
01:12:04,560 --> 01:12:09,620
 You know, a lot should be credited to the transition from – remember, it didn't seem like that.

1140
01:12:09,840 --> 01:12:13,420
 We all remember when we played slow pitch and they transitioned into fast pitch

1141
01:12:13,420 --> 01:12:16,040
 because that's what people were playing in college, you know,

1142
01:12:16,080 --> 01:12:19,560
 and to get these young ladies ready for that, they needed to make that happen.

1143
01:12:19,840 --> 01:12:22,980
 For a while we had – I don't know if you guys remember – we had a slow pitch tournament

1144
01:12:22,980 --> 01:12:27,380
 and a fast pitch tournament before everybody transitioned to fast pitch.

1145
01:12:27,720 --> 01:12:32,640
 So it's really taken hold in Alabama.

1146
01:12:32,940 --> 01:12:38,640
 I do think probably the success of Alabama, the University of Alabama, as well as, you know,

1147
01:12:39,100 --> 01:12:43,200
 back in the day – it seemed like a long time ago – but Auburn was having success there for a while,

1148
01:12:43,260 --> 01:12:44,220
 went to a World Series.

1149
01:12:44,460 --> 01:12:48,440
 And I think that – South Alabama won a conference championship this year.

1150
01:12:48,500 --> 01:12:51,000
 Jacksonville State, I mean, if you look at the college programs,

1151
01:12:51,000 --> 01:12:55,420
 it's kind of natural that that drifts down to the high school programs.

1152
01:12:55,680 --> 01:12:59,200
 And we've had a lot of stars come out of, you know, Vic Moten,

1153
01:12:59,540 --> 01:13:02,840
 the star pitcher for Alabama now, played at Daphne High School.

1154
01:13:02,980 --> 01:13:03,960
 She was in the softball.

1155
01:13:04,140 --> 01:13:06,320
 So we've got a lot of talent in this state.

1156
01:13:06,860 --> 01:13:08,780
 The championships are first class.

1157
01:13:08,960 --> 01:13:10,080
 I mean, they moved them to Oxford.

1158
01:13:10,280 --> 01:13:13,140
 They have the stadium, you know, the championship stadium now

1159
01:13:13,140 --> 01:13:16,100
 where they play the championship games for each classification.

1160
01:13:16,900 --> 01:13:20,920
 So I think the high school's move under Steve Savarese and Alvin Briggs

1161
01:13:20,920 --> 01:13:26,820
 and now under Keith Harmon to make sure every sport was treated on a championship level

1162
01:13:26,820 --> 01:13:30,500
 has been a great adjustment to every sport.

1163
01:13:30,580 --> 01:13:32,420
 But softball certainly is included in that.

1164
01:13:32,840 --> 01:13:38,380
 BT, DennisVictoryofAL.com had some of the stats for the softball players

1165
01:13:38,380 --> 01:13:40,760
 throughout the four regions.

1166
01:13:42,100 --> 01:13:47,200
 Wicksburg, young lady, Ann Lee Wood is a sophomore, 26 home runs.

1167
01:13:47,980 --> 01:13:52,440
 Arden Breedlove of Austin's got 25 home runs and 90 RBIs.

1168
01:13:52,940 --> 01:13:56,220
 And we keep talking about the young talent in the state.

1169
01:13:56,320 --> 01:13:58,980
 I know we talk about that a lot in girls' basketball.

1170
01:13:59,860 --> 01:14:02,480
 A lady by the name of Bradley Baggett from Brantley.

1171
01:14:02,660 --> 01:14:04,140
 She's in the seventh grade.

1172
01:14:04,560 --> 01:14:11,640
 Seventh grade, 17-9, 270 strikeouts, a 2.15 ERA.

1173
01:14:12,600 --> 01:14:18,960
 Here's the young lady from Madison Academy, Evie Stevenson, a 528 batting average.

1174
01:14:19,360 --> 01:14:25,340
 Lady from Kaylee Cohen from Huntsville, nine home runs, 56 RBIs.

1175
01:14:25,460 --> 01:14:27,220
 She's, again, in the eighth grade.

1176
01:14:28,220 --> 01:14:30,520
 And it just goes on and on and on, BT.

1177
01:14:31,200 --> 01:14:35,540
 Seventh, eighth, and freshman at how good these kids are.

1178
01:14:37,400 --> 01:14:38,160
 It is.

1179
01:14:38,260 --> 01:14:39,420
 And Dennis does a great job.

1180
01:14:39,480 --> 01:14:41,620
 He posted that on Sunday.

1181
01:14:41,760 --> 01:14:43,340
 And you can find it on AL.com now.

1182
01:14:43,420 --> 01:14:45,400
 It's kind of just a preview of what to expect.

1183
01:14:45,520 --> 01:14:48,660
 And we've got four regionals going on around the state.

1184
01:14:48,840 --> 01:14:52,340
 They're up there where you guys are in Florence and Albertville, Montgomery,

1185
01:14:52,480 --> 01:14:54,280
 and down here where I am at Gold Shores.

1186
01:14:54,880 --> 01:14:58,320
 And we'll have each day we'll have kind of a rundown of, you know,

1187
01:14:58,340 --> 01:15:02,560
 who qualified for the state tournament and that type thing on AL.com.

1188
01:15:02,660 --> 01:15:05,340
 It'll be fun to watch as we get ready for next week.

1189
01:15:05,400 --> 01:15:07,620
 And also, I want to shout out Thomas Ashworth.

1190
01:15:08,300 --> 01:15:10,540
 He did a great job last week covering the soccer.

1191
01:15:11,060 --> 01:15:13,540
 You know, the big rain up there on Thursday.

1192
01:15:13,760 --> 01:15:17,220
 But then they weathered the storm the rest of the weekend.

1193
01:15:17,440 --> 01:15:20,180
 And he had a good recap today of some of the top players

1194
01:15:20,180 --> 01:15:23,520
 and all the championships that happened up there in Huntsville.

1195
01:15:23,520 --> 01:15:26,480
 So, I mean, we've got, you know, golf, state golf going on today

1196
01:15:26,480 --> 01:15:27,860
 and tomorrow around the state.

1197
01:15:28,200 --> 01:15:30,240
 So, Harold, it don't stop, man.

1198
01:15:30,460 --> 01:15:30,560
 No.

1199
01:15:32,420 --> 01:15:33,380
 You're on a roll.

1200
01:15:35,080 --> 01:15:40,580
 B.T., where can we get online to get all the great stuff this week?

1201
01:15:41,500 --> 01:15:44,540
 Yeah, just go to AL.com backslash highschoolsports.

1202
01:15:44,880 --> 01:15:47,220
 And like I said, we've got softball starting today.

1203
01:15:48,040 --> 01:15:50,900
 Baseball, we're going to have at least one series every day, you know,

1204
01:15:50,940 --> 01:15:52,360
 weather permitting it looks like.

1205
01:15:52,840 --> 01:15:55,920
 And then we'll, you know, we get up there next week starting Monday

1206
01:15:55,920 --> 01:15:57,400
 for state softball and baseball.

1207
01:15:57,400 --> 01:16:03,460
 So, it's slowly coming to an end for this academic year and athletic year,

1208
01:16:03,540 --> 01:16:06,020
 but it won't be long before we're talking football again.

1209
01:16:06,620 --> 01:16:07,940
 Man, we can't let you go.

1210
01:16:08,080 --> 01:16:12,260
 You're the only one who can properly pronounce the host site for the situation

1211
01:16:12,260 --> 01:16:13,140
 there in Gaston.

1212
01:16:13,220 --> 01:16:13,500
 Go ahead.

1213
01:16:13,560 --> 01:16:14,680
 The stage is all year.

1214
01:16:14,820 --> 01:16:17,940
 Pronounce the host stadium coming up for softball.

1215
01:16:20,040 --> 01:16:23,500
 The host stadium for, oh, for Chakalaka Park.

1216
01:16:23,600 --> 01:16:24,340
 Yes, that's it.

1217
01:16:24,340 --> 01:16:24,940
 Chakalaka, that's it.

1218
01:16:25,940 --> 01:16:27,820
 Yeah, you know, yeah, Oxford.

1219
01:16:27,980 --> 01:16:28,900
 It's in Oxford, Harold.

1220
01:16:29,260 --> 01:16:34,860
 The, you know, when you first said Gaston, my first thought was Murphy Stadium.

1221
01:16:35,160 --> 01:16:38,680
 Not many people probably will know what I'm talking about,

1222
01:16:38,740 --> 01:16:42,080
 but that is the old stadium that Gaston High School used to play at

1223
01:16:42,080 --> 01:16:43,360
 when I was back in Gaston.

1224
01:16:43,360 --> 01:16:46,680
 But Chakalaka Park is where the softball will be in Oxford.

1225
01:16:47,200 --> 01:16:51,600
 And then Jim Kaye Stadium will host the baseball championships in Jacksonville.

1226
01:16:51,680 --> 01:16:51,860
 Great.

1227
01:16:51,960 --> 01:16:53,380
 That's a great place, by the way.

1228
01:16:53,840 --> 01:16:55,860
 If any of your baseball teams may have you need to go

1229
01:16:55,860 --> 01:16:57,560
 because it's a great setting for baseball.

1230
01:16:58,340 --> 01:17:00,020
 Appreciate the pronunciation there, Ben.

1231
01:17:00,080 --> 01:17:01,200
 Listen, man, thank you so much.

1232
01:17:01,260 --> 01:17:03,580
 We know you're busy, but thanks so much for taking time out

1233
01:17:03,580 --> 01:17:04,460
 and joining us today, buddy.

1234
01:17:05,100 --> 01:17:06,260
 All right, guys, have a good week.

1235
01:17:06,280 --> 01:17:06,760
 You too, bud.

1236
01:17:06,960 --> 01:17:07,400
 You too.

1237
01:17:07,480 --> 01:17:09,340
 Ben Thomas, AL.com.

1238
01:17:09,340 --> 01:17:10,920
 Coming up, he's got UT covered.

1239
01:17:11,040 --> 01:17:12,000
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1240
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1338
01:21:43,080 --> 01:21:45,600
 Visit roberthalf.com slash talent today.

1339
01:21:46,040 --> 01:21:47,220
 Rich Eisen here.

1340
01:21:47,420 --> 01:21:49,500
 For small businesses, every hire counts.

1341
01:21:49,840 --> 01:21:50,780
 And so does your time.

1342
01:21:51,160 --> 01:21:56,320
 Hiring can quickly become overwhelming from sorting applications to figuring out who's truly qualified.

1343
01:21:56,800 --> 01:21:58,880
 That's where LinkedIn Hiring Pro helps.

1344
01:21:59,180 --> 01:22:03,900
 It streamlines the process so you can focus on connecting with the right candidates, not managing the noise.

1345
01:22:04,280 --> 01:22:05,900
 Hire right the first time.

1346
01:22:05,900 --> 01:22:11,180
 Post your job and get $100 off towards your job post at linkedin.com slash Eisen.

1347
01:22:11,500 --> 01:22:13,460
 That's linkedin.com slash Eisen.

1348
01:22:13,820 --> 01:22:15,280
 Terms and conditions apply.

1349
01:22:15,700 --> 01:22:20,800
 Less than four in 10 kids, age 6 through 12, are playing sports regularly.

1350
01:22:21,440 --> 01:22:22,480
 Four in 10 kids?

1351
01:22:22,560 --> 01:22:23,320
 Let it sink in.

1352
01:22:23,660 --> 01:22:25,660
 Just four in 10 kids.

1353
01:22:25,980 --> 01:22:30,920
 ESPN is building a nationwide coalition powered by Disney called Take Back Sports.

1354
01:22:30,920 --> 01:22:39,440
 With the purpose of training more coaches, expanding access, and creating community-driven sports programming that puts kids and fun first.

1355
01:22:39,940 --> 01:22:41,580
 We're working on that store.

1356
01:22:41,900 --> 01:22:43,120
 We hope you'll join us.

1357
01:22:43,120 --> 01:22:45,360
 Visit TakeBackSports.org to learn more.

1358
01:22:46,400 --> 01:22:47,340
 The score.

1359
01:22:47,860 --> 01:22:52,380
 Now, back with Boomo Bugg on 93.9 The Score.

1360
01:22:53,060 --> 01:22:54,340
 Welcome back in with the comms.

1361
01:22:54,340 --> 01:22:55,520
 Knowing what's going on in Tennessee.

1362
01:22:55,840 --> 01:22:58,140
 Just throw out the World Book Encyclopedia.

1363
01:22:58,540 --> 01:23:00,220
 Vince Ferrara is the source.

1364
01:23:00,440 --> 01:23:03,280
 He's there on the radio and drives his work on 99.1.

1365
01:23:03,340 --> 01:23:04,920
 The sports animal in Knoxville.

1366
01:23:05,000 --> 01:23:06,560
 Also on the Ball Radio Network.

1367
01:23:07,200 --> 01:23:07,560
 Hey, man.

1368
01:23:07,620 --> 01:23:08,060
 Welcome in.

1369
01:23:08,140 --> 01:23:09,080
 Happy Monday to you.

1370
01:23:09,120 --> 01:23:09,600
 How are you?

1371
01:23:10,380 --> 01:23:11,200
 I'm good, gentlemen.

1372
01:23:11,300 --> 01:23:11,620
 How are you doing?

1373
01:23:11,620 --> 01:23:11,900
 I'm good.

1374
01:23:12,340 --> 01:23:14,520
 Got a question for you, Vince.

1375
01:23:14,780 --> 01:23:19,880
 If you were going to spend $4 million, would you rather have Nick Saban or Duke Harris?

1376
01:23:21,940 --> 01:23:22,720
 What did you say?

1377
01:23:23,020 --> 01:23:24,560
 Nick Saban or Duke Harris?

1378
01:23:25,120 --> 01:23:26,440
 Depends on what I'm doing.

1379
01:23:26,760 --> 01:23:27,000
 Yep.

1380
01:23:29,820 --> 01:23:32,320
 The folks say, what the heck is he talking about?

1381
01:23:32,780 --> 01:23:37,820
 Mal Moore was crazy for giving Nick Saban $4 million to come to Alabama.

1382
01:23:39,320 --> 01:23:41,200
 Tennessee now says, no, no, no, no, no.

1383
01:23:41,200 --> 01:23:44,680
 We did not pay Duke Harris $5 million to play basketball for Tennessee.

1384
01:23:45,020 --> 01:23:47,060
 It was only $4 million.

1385
01:23:47,800 --> 01:23:49,000
 Vince, what is truth?

1386
01:23:49,140 --> 01:23:50,720
 What is rumor up there?

1387
01:23:52,420 --> 01:24:02,000
 Well, so much of it is great because you can package these things into side deals, right?

1388
01:24:02,340 --> 01:24:07,080
 So it depends on where the calculations are.

1389
01:24:07,080 --> 01:24:12,040
 It wouldn't surprise me if it's in the $4 million range versus the $5 million range.

1390
01:24:12,320 --> 01:24:15,860
 But, you know, there may be other things that incentivize it.

1391
01:24:15,920 --> 01:24:23,040
 Like when we heard about the Brendan Swarsby deal at Texas Tech, they first were reporting $5 million.

1392
01:24:23,240 --> 01:24:26,480
 And then, you know, then they wanted included in that.

1393
01:24:26,560 --> 01:24:28,240
 And I've heard that this happens a lot.

1394
01:24:29,020 --> 01:24:33,980
 Travel for the family and extra incentives and hotel stay.

1395
01:24:34,200 --> 01:24:40,020
 So are you calculating those things or those part of the total dollar figures?

1396
01:24:40,480 --> 01:24:46,000
 So, you know, then they're like, oh, if you count all that stuff, then it's like north of $7 million.

1397
01:24:46,160 --> 01:24:49,060
 So it just depends on how you spend the math.

1398
01:24:50,440 --> 01:24:58,220
 So he was an expensive portal piece, but he was really the only one that they went after in that range.

1399
01:24:58,300 --> 01:25:11,000
 It's not like Miami in football where every quarterback, they're seemingly, they're trying to get and throwing, you know, top dollar at every single one of them, including Ty Simpson.

1400
01:25:11,560 --> 01:25:15,280
 So, yeah, they're selective in how they spent their money.

1401
01:25:15,440 --> 01:25:22,340
 And he's really the only one that I think is anywhere in that ballpark in terms of dollars.

1402
01:25:22,920 --> 01:25:23,960
 Well, here's the deal of him, man.

1403
01:25:24,020 --> 01:25:25,300
 Let's say he is the only one.

1404
01:25:25,720 --> 01:25:29,100
 I don't think this one is going to win games on a regular basis.

1405
01:25:29,220 --> 01:25:32,880
 He can be a big factor, but unless I'm wrong, this is a team sport.

1406
01:25:33,140 --> 01:25:40,320
 So what's going to be the reaction to these guys saying he's making this much money, we're making this much money, but the expectations are the same.

1407
01:25:40,660 --> 01:25:42,660
 And where's Tennessee getting all this money?

1408
01:25:42,800 --> 01:25:46,660
 For that matter, where are all these schools getting all this money?

1409
01:25:46,740 --> 01:25:55,160
 Because either they had it and they kept it to themselves all these years, or all of a sudden they have found the door open at Fort Knox.

1410
01:25:55,980 --> 01:26:01,920
 Yeah, and, you know, with donors, just because they had it doesn't mean UT had it, you know?

1411
01:26:01,920 --> 01:26:13,480
 So I think it's a combination of things where we talked about this on the TV show a little bit yesterday where Tennessee's gotten to the Elite Eight three consecutive years, so they've been close.

1412
01:26:14,320 --> 01:26:19,980
 You don't know how much longer Rick Barnes is going to do it, even though I don't think he's on the cusp of retiring or anything.

1413
01:26:20,640 --> 01:26:26,560
 But he's on the back end, and I think there's this feeling of, hey, we're so close.

1414
01:26:26,740 --> 01:26:29,180
 Let's get Barnes over the top.

1415
01:26:29,260 --> 01:26:30,900
 Let's get the school over the top.

1416
01:26:31,280 --> 01:26:35,240
 And whatever we have to do to help the university, we'll get it done.

1417
01:26:35,400 --> 01:26:37,000
 So I think that's where those dollars are.

1418
01:26:37,420 --> 01:26:51,040
 I would not be surprised if there was more money if they needed it, whether it was Nate Amen coming back, whether it was if they didn't get a couple pieces in the portal, that they went the international route, whatever the case may be.

1419
01:26:51,400 --> 01:26:54,320
 I still think that there would have been more.

1420
01:26:54,780 --> 01:27:03,380
 But, like, money today doesn't mean money tomorrow, and money yesterday doesn't mean money today, or, you know, just those kind of things.

1421
01:27:03,380 --> 01:27:11,380
 I don't think it's either we have it in the bank account or we don't, because it's much more than just the schools with their revenue share.

1422
01:27:11,780 --> 01:27:12,360
 It's NIL.

1423
01:27:13,060 --> 01:27:17,220
 It's those donors that are willing to step up to cut those deals.

1424
01:27:17,600 --> 01:27:19,880
 So where is everybody else getting it?

1425
01:27:19,940 --> 01:27:21,680
 I think probably similar routes.

1426
01:27:22,160 --> 01:27:28,680
 But I know there are the what's happening is a lot of these kids beyond the money.

1427
01:27:29,420 --> 01:27:45,900
 Like, I had, I talked to someone that is very connected in NIL for a number of schools, and he said, once you get the dollar figure worked out with the kids, especially the higher-end guys, you're halfway done.

1428
01:27:46,380 --> 01:27:48,400
 Then they want all the extra stuff.

1429
01:27:49,180 --> 01:27:57,360
 So, yeah, it's probably a coordinated effort of a bunch of different avenues you've got to go to do all those things.

1430
01:27:57,460 --> 01:28:02,240
 You would think with all the money, you would need all the extra stuff you could actually pay for it.

1431
01:28:02,500 --> 01:28:04,040
 But, no, it's like NFL deals.

1432
01:28:04,260 --> 01:28:07,920
 They want their cake and eat it, too, so to speak.

1433
01:28:08,360 --> 01:28:12,520
 The other thing is, too, it's almost like in a neighborhood where everybody's trying to keep up with the Joneses.

1434
01:28:12,580 --> 01:28:14,420
 These boosters seem to have the same blueprint.

1435
01:28:15,100 --> 01:28:17,580
 If Bob has the big house, I'm getting a bigger one.

1436
01:28:17,940 --> 01:28:23,920
 And you keep driving down the street, and the guy with real money is one driving a 1980 Plymouth and shots with coupons.

1437
01:28:26,060 --> 01:28:26,740
 That's fair.

1438
01:28:26,740 --> 01:28:37,040
 And, look, Tennessee has not overspent in NIL and other sports, which has actually frustrated fans if they haven't been the ones to overpay for a quarterback.

1439
01:28:37,760 --> 01:28:52,460
 Tennessee really has not been crazy active in the portal until this year in football, where they brought in really a little bit more than three times the number of players that they typically do.

1440
01:28:52,460 --> 01:28:54,600
 They used to be in the 7-8 range.

1441
01:28:54,680 --> 01:28:57,080
 This year they were, you know, 21-22.

1442
01:28:58,020 --> 01:28:58,840
 But, you know what?

1443
01:28:58,900 --> 01:29:01,620
 Times are changing, and you have to be able to adjust.

1444
01:29:02,180 --> 01:29:05,300
 And last year is completely different than this year.

1445
01:29:05,540 --> 01:29:10,000
 So, you know, you mentioned, you know, kidding coming in, Nick Saban.

1446
01:29:10,800 --> 01:29:18,740
 Nick Saban, when he first took the Alabama job, $4 million, a little bit different price tag than what he would garner today.

1447
01:29:18,740 --> 01:29:22,620
 So, it is constantly a fluid-changing situation.

1448
01:29:23,000 --> 01:29:26,580
 Yeah, V, the market's changed a little bit since 2007.

1449
01:29:27,900 --> 01:29:36,820
 One of the ways that Tennessee can enhance the NIL budget is to play in the Players' Era Tournament in Las Vegas.

1450
01:29:37,040 --> 01:29:39,660
 Tennessee's going to do that again, along with Alabama.

1451
01:29:40,300 --> 01:29:45,980
 24 teams, V, and you're playing for literally NIL money.

1452
01:29:46,080 --> 01:29:49,580
 And I think you're going to begin to see this more and more as we move forward.

1453
01:29:50,320 --> 01:29:51,200
 There's no doubt.

1454
01:29:51,560 --> 01:29:55,060
 And, you know, it may be the future of bowl games.

1455
01:29:55,180 --> 01:29:55,960
 Yeah, I agree.

1456
01:29:56,740 --> 01:30:07,420
 We're already seeing some of the, in football, this type of thing where teams are canceling the home-and-home to do the non-conference neutral site deals.

1457
01:30:07,740 --> 01:30:13,620
 But those are involving television networks to where those are individually sold type of deals.

1458
01:30:13,960 --> 01:30:17,400
 So, yeah, it's what you have to do.

1459
01:30:17,540 --> 01:30:22,320
 And then everything is about money, which, you know, certainly takes away from the fans.

1460
01:30:22,500 --> 01:30:28,380
 We hear from, I'm sure you guys do, whether it's on the air or off the air, I do all the time.

1461
01:30:28,480 --> 01:30:35,980
 It doesn't matter if I'm in the grocery store or doctor's office, wherever the case may be, you run into our listeners.

1462
01:30:36,360 --> 01:30:44,140
 They're like, gosh, I tell you, this transfer portal and NIL stuff, man, it's just pushed me away.

1463
01:30:44,260 --> 01:30:45,640
 It is just not enjoyable.

1464
01:30:46,340 --> 01:30:56,880
 So, you know, but as long as fans watch and or pay their money to go, it's not going to change anytime soon.

1465
01:30:57,120 --> 01:30:59,500
 So, yeah, it's what we've got to deal with.

1466
01:30:59,800 --> 01:31:09,800
 V, in about an hour and a half, Kenneth Simon, a four-star linebacker at Brentwood, Tennessee, is going to announce if he's going to Alabama or Tennessee.

1467
01:31:10,480 --> 01:31:20,160
 Our sources down here are saying Alabama, but you know his dad, Kevin, well, V, your instincts, what is he going to do at 3 o'clock?

1468
01:31:20,800 --> 01:31:26,780
 You know, a lot of people that have been reporting on this are, you know, recently have started to say Alabama.

1469
01:31:26,780 --> 01:31:33,100
 I have not bugged his dad, Kevin, about it.

1470
01:31:33,560 --> 01:31:39,900
 Kevin has not told Kenneth and will not tell him what to do or where to go.

1471
01:31:40,560 --> 01:31:45,160
 And maybe that's why there's some talk about Alabama.

1472
01:31:45,560 --> 01:31:49,940
 But I know Jim Knowles was a very positive addition.

1473
01:31:49,940 --> 01:31:59,860
 He enjoyed the time at Tennessee when he sat down with the coaches and everything, and he liked Tennessee and William Inge, but he also likes Alabama.

1474
01:32:00,820 --> 01:32:04,240
 He liked all four of those teams that are finalists.

1475
01:32:04,480 --> 01:32:11,660
 So, it would not surprise me either way, but even though Kevin is a good friend, I know he's getting bombarded.

1476
01:32:11,720 --> 01:32:17,520
 And he's not going to give it up because he's not going to take away from his son's day.

1477
01:32:18,100 --> 01:32:26,400
 We've talked about the whole process, but in terms of his decision, I'm not going to put him in a position to try to pull it out of him.

1478
01:32:26,400 --> 01:32:29,960
 And he wouldn't anyway, out of respect for his son.

1479
01:32:30,560 --> 01:32:33,340
 So, you know, to me, it's kind of 50-50.

1480
01:32:33,620 --> 01:32:36,380
 Even though he's a good friend, I don't have intel.

1481
01:32:36,740 --> 01:32:38,560
 I just want to kind of give them their moment.

1482
01:32:38,740 --> 01:32:38,900
 Sure.

1483
01:32:39,880 --> 01:32:42,680
 Great attitude there for both you and he.

1484
01:32:43,240 --> 01:32:44,280
 A lot of stuff going on.

1485
01:32:44,840 --> 01:32:47,880
 Tennessee wins the series over Texas.

1486
01:32:48,580 --> 01:32:52,080
 We're going to be in Hoover next time we turn around with the SEC tournament.

1487
01:32:52,600 --> 01:32:56,980
 Where can we get online and get your stuff and Daphne's good stuff online, bud?

1488
01:32:57,600 --> 01:32:58,940
 Yeah, I appreciate it.

1489
01:32:58,940 --> 01:33:03,300
 Just every time you start to throw dirt on this Tennessee baseball team.

1490
01:33:03,620 --> 01:33:04,900
 They wake up from the dead.

1491
01:33:05,360 --> 01:33:06,900
 And they do like the Undertaker.

1492
01:33:07,140 --> 01:33:07,880
 He just sits up.

1493
01:33:07,940 --> 01:33:10,000
 It's like they're still alive.

1494
01:33:10,420 --> 01:33:14,740
 But, yeah, probably want to get at least one more win against Oklahoma to feel secure.

1495
01:33:15,000 --> 01:33:16,240
 But RPI is 31.

1496
01:33:16,520 --> 01:33:20,260
 That was Texas' only second series loss of the year.

1497
01:33:20,640 --> 01:33:23,820
 So, to win, that was big for them.

1498
01:33:25,040 --> 01:33:29,680
 And then tomorrow is the last regular season home game against Belmont.

1499
01:33:29,680 --> 01:33:34,440
 So, yeah, follow me on all the socials, Vince Sports, V-I-N-C-E Sports.

1500
01:33:34,760 --> 01:33:37,660
 And you'll see Daphne, my cute mini-gold and doodle.

1501
01:33:38,240 --> 01:33:41,340
 And then we'll have, you know, plenty on everything else going on as well.

1502
01:33:42,000 --> 01:33:42,640
 Sounds great.

1503
01:33:42,680 --> 01:33:44,800
 I believe Daphne loves underdogs anyway.

1504
01:33:44,920 --> 01:33:45,800
 Does she not be, man?

1505
01:33:46,920 --> 01:33:47,760
 She does.

1506
01:33:47,980 --> 01:33:50,280
 And you know what happened just before you guys called?

1507
01:33:51,140 --> 01:33:54,340
 The smoke alarm in my apartment started beeping.

1508
01:33:54,640 --> 01:33:56,340
 So, she was like, I don't love that.

1509
01:33:56,440 --> 01:33:57,300
 What is going on?

1510
01:33:57,640 --> 01:34:05,480
 So, I'm actually outside on the patio talking to you guys versus with the smoke alarm beeping during our visit.

1511
01:34:05,600 --> 01:34:06,960
 But, anyway, great to talk to you guys.

1512
01:34:07,500 --> 01:34:08,140
 You too.

1513
01:34:08,220 --> 01:34:09,640
 Thanks, Dad, for having your priorities.

1514
01:34:09,800 --> 01:34:10,200
 That's right.

1515
01:34:10,200 --> 01:34:12,140
 The house running down to me, man.

1516
01:34:12,360 --> 01:34:14,780
 He's a trooper right there still on the phone with us.

1517
01:34:15,220 --> 01:34:15,700
 Hooking up.

1518
01:34:15,940 --> 01:34:18,720
 You're talking about a situation that's crazy, man.

1519
01:34:19,020 --> 01:34:26,780
 Two former major league players who faced each other on the big league diamonds now facing each other in opposing playoff dugouts.

1520
01:34:26,940 --> 01:34:28,840
 Donovan Hand checking in from Red Bay next.

1521
01:34:28,940 --> 01:34:29,420
 Stay with us.

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 Did you know about one in three people with plaque psoriasis may also develop psoriatic arthritis, which causes joint pain, stiffness, and swelling?

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1525
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1542
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1543
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1545
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1558
01:37:07,480 --> 01:37:15,240
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1559
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1560
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1561
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1562
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1563
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 In a world in need of a hero, one man rises to the challenge in style.

1564
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1565
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1566
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1567
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1568
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1569
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1570
01:38:05,060 --> 01:38:06,160
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1571
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1572
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1574
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1577
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1578
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 Progressive presents the Sports Flash on 93.9 The Score.

1579
01:38:39,800 --> 01:38:44,600
 Alabama softball team is the number one overall seed in the NCAA softball tournament.

1580
01:38:44,760 --> 01:38:47,760
 The Tide will host the Tuscaloosa Regional this weekend.

1581
01:38:48,260 --> 01:38:50,800
 Alabama will play USC Upstate on Friday.

1582
01:38:50,960 --> 01:38:55,400
 The other matchup in the regional is Belmont against Southeastern Louisiana.

1583
01:38:56,040 --> 01:39:01,260
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1584
01:39:01,620 --> 01:39:07,880
 Jaguars are set to play Virginia Tech in the first game, while LSU will play against Akron.

1585
01:39:08,340 --> 01:39:12,560
 On the NASCAR Cup Series yesterday, Shane Van Gisburgh and a winner at Watkins Glen.

1586
01:39:12,640 --> 01:39:14,100
 Michael McDowell was second.

1587
01:39:14,580 --> 01:39:15,980
 Ty Gibbs was third.

1588
01:39:16,400 --> 01:39:20,640
 Chase Briscoe and Tyler Reddick rounded out the top five.

1589
01:39:21,060 --> 01:39:25,320
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1590
01:39:25,320 --> 01:39:30,900
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1591
01:39:36,740 --> 01:39:39,960
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1592
01:39:40,220 --> 01:39:42,600
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1593
01:39:42,860 --> 01:39:44,360
 Like the touchscreen at fast food places.

1594
01:39:44,580 --> 01:39:48,940
 It's not like you save time because it takes you longer to use a touchscreen than, I don't know, someone who works there.

1595
01:39:49,180 --> 01:39:52,920
 And another thing, you'd think it would save money because they're not paying a cashier, right?

1596
01:39:53,000 --> 01:39:54,260
 But no, same price.

1597
01:39:54,580 --> 01:39:56,360
 Also, why is there an option to tip?

1598
01:39:56,580 --> 01:39:57,080
 Who am I tipping?

1599
01:39:57,320 --> 01:39:57,560
 Exactly.

1600
01:39:58,060 --> 01:40:02,420
 Anyway, even if you can't save money and time with some things, you could with a Progressive home and auto bundle.

1601
01:40:03,040 --> 01:40:05,980
 Progressive casualty insurance company affiliates and other insurers not available in all states or situations.

1602
01:40:09,760 --> 01:40:16,720
 Welcome back in.

1603
01:40:16,800 --> 01:40:19,040
 It's safe to say, I don't care the sport.

1604
01:40:19,160 --> 01:40:23,040
 If you make the Final Four, you are doing something right.

1605
01:40:23,120 --> 01:40:26,980
 If you don't believe me, just ask one of the teams that now is red hot.

1606
01:40:27,620 --> 01:40:28,480
 And that's Red Bay.

1607
01:40:28,560 --> 01:40:29,840
 That community on fire.

1608
01:40:29,980 --> 01:40:31,360
 First, that's Coach Donovan Hand.

1609
01:40:31,440 --> 01:40:32,360
 Coach, welcome in.

1610
01:40:33,100 --> 01:40:33,460
 Congratulations.

1611
01:40:34,180 --> 01:40:35,020
 It's been a while.

1612
01:40:35,120 --> 01:40:36,060
 It seemed like just yesterday.

1613
01:40:36,680 --> 01:40:37,620
 But here we go again.

1614
01:40:37,720 --> 01:40:38,260
 How are you?

1615
01:40:39,060 --> 01:40:39,680
 I'm doing great.

1616
01:40:39,780 --> 01:40:40,540
 Thanks for having me on.

1617
01:40:40,620 --> 01:40:41,400
 I appreciate the opportunity.

1618
01:40:41,500 --> 01:40:41,940
 Hey, Coach.

1619
01:40:42,080 --> 01:40:43,160
 Man, we appreciate you.

1620
01:40:43,280 --> 01:40:50,820
 First of all, before we get into the topic de jure about the upcoming matchup, let's talk about the road back here, Donovan, if you will.

1621
01:40:50,820 --> 01:40:55,740
 Anytime you take the broom at this point in the season and switch to somebody, that's a pretty good indicator.

1622
01:40:55,840 --> 01:40:56,960
 It's pretty doggone good.

1623
01:40:57,780 --> 01:41:02,280
 Your thoughts about the season and the way you got to this point sweeping North Sand Mountain.

1624
01:41:02,420 --> 01:41:03,040
 Let's face it.

1625
01:41:03,440 --> 01:41:08,920
 At this point in the season, that's a long trip for high school players either way, there to here or here to there.

1626
01:41:09,380 --> 01:41:14,360
 But 4-3-13-5, congratulations, Coach, on sweeping North Sand Mountain.

1627
01:41:14,560 --> 01:41:16,620
 And your thoughts about the season to date.

1628
01:41:17,680 --> 01:41:18,540
 Yeah, I appreciate that.

1629
01:41:18,580 --> 01:41:19,420
 It's been a good year.

1630
01:41:20,440 --> 01:41:24,020
 Kind of going into the season, probably thought it might have been a little bit of a rebuilding year.

1631
01:41:24,020 --> 01:41:29,660
 I've said that a few times, and losing five starters after last year at a 2A level is definitely a rebuilding.

1632
01:41:29,800 --> 01:41:32,160
 But we've had some guys that have really stepped up.

1633
01:41:32,240 --> 01:41:37,280
 We've had some guys that have been here, Jeremiah Thorne, Carson McGee, Aiden Pruitt, Landon Louis,

1634
01:41:37,960 --> 01:41:43,040
 some guys that's been on the last two teams, the Final Four in 24, and then the Elite Eight last year in 25.

1635
01:41:43,240 --> 01:41:48,700
 So they know what it takes to get to this point of the year and then give yourself the best opportunity to win.

1636
01:41:48,800 --> 01:41:52,740
 There's some younger guys, some ninth and 10th graders that have really come into their own,

1637
01:41:52,980 --> 01:41:55,780
 but they were allowed to do that because of some older guys and good leadership.

1638
01:41:56,060 --> 01:42:01,360
 So we've had a solid year, played a really good schedule, had a couple trips, went to Rittwood Field and played twice,

1639
01:42:01,520 --> 01:42:05,460
 and then Toyota Field and played once, also the Northwest Show against Brooks.

1640
01:42:05,460 --> 01:42:11,660
 So we've played some good opponents and had a good year and honestly just come out on the other end of this thing in a good shape.

1641
01:42:11,900 --> 01:42:13,480
 And this team loves each other.

1642
01:42:13,740 --> 01:42:18,280
 The past teams have been really good and really talented and played together.

1643
01:42:18,460 --> 01:42:22,660
 But this team is just a little bit of a different feel this year, not in a knock towards the last two teams.

1644
01:42:22,800 --> 01:42:26,440
 But, you know, you just get some team bonding, some continuity about you,

1645
01:42:26,440 --> 01:42:30,520
 and they believe in each other, and it's just next man up, and nobody's jealous.

1646
01:42:30,640 --> 01:42:35,360
 If anybody gets a big hit today, it wasn't them, they're just happy that we get the win in the end.

1647
01:42:35,440 --> 01:42:41,300
 So it's been a really good year, a really satisfaction year for us as a coaching staff and for our team.

1648
01:42:41,800 --> 01:42:46,560
 I wanted to ask you about your philosophy and the reasons for success.

1649
01:42:46,820 --> 01:42:52,300
 When you get to the Final Four, you know, everybody would like to hit five home runs a game,

1650
01:42:52,300 --> 01:42:55,500
 but when you get here, it's pitching and defense.

1651
01:42:55,860 --> 01:43:01,860
 That's the foundation of winning postseason baseball games, and particularly pitching.

1652
01:43:02,500 --> 01:43:04,940
 Talk about how these guys have been able to do that.

1653
01:43:05,020 --> 01:43:10,840
 I know coming into the year, I was reading some of the preseason stories about the team,

1654
01:43:10,900 --> 01:43:13,340
 and you emphasized that quite a bit.

1655
01:43:13,740 --> 01:43:15,560
 Harold and I talk about that all the time.

1656
01:43:15,680 --> 01:43:20,420
 Offense is going to win a lot of games, but pitching and defense wins championships.

1657
01:43:21,420 --> 01:43:22,340
 That's exactly right.

1658
01:43:22,420 --> 01:43:29,040
 That's the thing that I have lived by for probably 25 years now, going back to when I played high school through pro ball.

1659
01:43:29,220 --> 01:43:33,520
 And, you know, if my teams don't pitch well, I'm probably not doing my job in my background,

1660
01:43:33,840 --> 01:43:39,960
 but high school baseball, especially at our level, it dictates who's on the mound on a given day.

1661
01:43:39,960 --> 01:43:46,120
 Because you may go up a guy that's 85 on one day, and you can catch the Sultan-Christian series, and no knock on them.

1662
01:43:46,220 --> 01:43:49,020
 But they had a lefty at 76 the first game.

1663
01:43:49,120 --> 01:43:50,360
 We're able to win 13-3.

1664
01:43:50,880 --> 01:43:56,500
 They have a lefty at 82-85 with two very good breaking balls and a good change-up in game two, and we went 2-1.

1665
01:43:57,340 --> 01:44:02,340
 But if you can pitch it and you can catch it, you can throw strikes and you can catch it consistently,

1666
01:44:02,860 --> 01:44:04,620
 it gives you a chance to win in different ways.

1667
01:44:04,760 --> 01:44:05,680
 Timely hitting is going to come.

1668
01:44:05,680 --> 01:44:09,200
 We're dealing with 15- to 18-year-old young men, kids, whatever you want to call them.

1669
01:44:09,900 --> 01:44:14,380
 And so, you know, stuff changes throughout the game, throughout a series, throughout a season.

1670
01:44:14,580 --> 01:44:20,300
 And so, if you can pitch and play defense, it keeps you in every game and gives you a chance to win for that time of hitting to come along.

1671
01:44:20,460 --> 01:44:22,260
 So, we've been very good at that.

1672
01:44:22,340 --> 01:44:27,620
 Two guys at top of our rotation that have through a lot of playoff innings, a lot of big innings.

1673
01:44:28,360 --> 01:44:31,940
 And then our number three is, I mean, we've got five guys that I trust.

1674
01:44:31,940 --> 01:44:36,820
 Now, two of them take the headlines because they kind of separate themselves, but you can look at our stats this year.

1675
01:44:36,900 --> 01:44:39,220
 And there's been five guys that's really pitched really, really well.

1676
01:44:39,920 --> 01:44:45,440
 You know, Aiden Pruitt comes in game three against Westminster and goes seven, gives up one, and we win 5-1.

1677
01:44:45,680 --> 01:44:51,440
 So, the first two guys, obviously, get the headlines, but we're pretty – I think we're pretty deep to the pitching staff, if need be.

1678
01:44:52,280 --> 01:44:54,920
 Doesn't matter if you've been pitching here or there.

1679
01:44:55,440 --> 01:44:56,920
 You're now the head coach at Red Bay.

1680
01:44:57,040 --> 01:45:00,220
 You took that with the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers.

1681
01:45:00,220 --> 01:45:05,180
 Talk to us about how, as far as the challenge of being at that level, you don't get to that level.

1682
01:45:05,720 --> 01:45:06,780
 What would be the percentage?

1683
01:45:06,920 --> 01:45:09,180
 Very small without a lot of God-given talent.

1684
01:45:09,620 --> 01:45:11,500
 Sometimes, as you mentioned, these are kids.

1685
01:45:11,640 --> 01:45:15,920
 How do you balance basically that standard with having to deal with kids?

1686
01:45:15,980 --> 01:45:17,820
 And we'll get to the other part of that here in a second.

1687
01:45:18,000 --> 01:45:20,480
 You're not the only one that's going to have to be dealing with that formula.

1688
01:45:21,040 --> 01:45:29,220
 But, if you will, talk to us just the challenge you face in trying to sit here and have so much God-given talent, but these are kids.

1689
01:45:30,260 --> 01:45:31,020
 Well, you're right.

1690
01:45:31,180 --> 01:45:32,880
 And nothing came easy for me.

1691
01:45:32,960 --> 01:45:37,120
 And I'm very thankful every day that I had very good high school coaches.

1692
01:45:37,280 --> 01:45:41,960
 I had a very good college coach that didn't abuse me as far as my talent.

1693
01:45:42,040 --> 01:45:43,420
 I was talented at high school level.

1694
01:45:43,540 --> 01:45:47,340
 It would have been easy to throw me every third or fourth day and do that thing that way.

1695
01:45:47,560 --> 01:45:52,760
 Coach Gillespie at Hatton managed me very well and gave me an opportunity to go to college.

1696
01:45:52,880 --> 01:45:56,240
 And then Coach Case at college managed me very well and gave me a chance to go into pro ball.

1697
01:45:56,500 --> 01:45:58,320
 And, you know, some things come easy for me.

1698
01:45:58,400 --> 01:46:03,560
 But, throughout my career, you know, I started in the first few years and made it to the big leagues in Milwaukee.

1699
01:46:03,780 --> 01:46:05,800
 I was a, you know, 92, 93 guy.

1700
01:46:06,260 --> 01:46:08,720
 By the time I got finished with the Mets, never made it up to them.

1701
01:46:08,840 --> 01:46:12,840
 By the time I got finished in 2017, I was 88, 90.

1702
01:46:13,000 --> 01:46:17,740
 I had logged 1,200 innings in my career, plus bullpens, long toss, you know, all the throwing that goes.

1703
01:46:17,740 --> 01:46:20,240
 So, I found different ways to pitch.

1704
01:46:20,800 --> 01:46:26,280
 And so, now as guys come through my program, we have different ways to get people out.

1705
01:46:26,380 --> 01:46:28,080
 The main goal is to get people out.

1706
01:46:28,140 --> 01:46:29,900
 And you can do it in so many different ways.

1707
01:46:30,020 --> 01:46:38,160
 And I think my career allowed me to kind of know and have the philosophy of multiple ways to get somebody out.

1708
01:46:38,180 --> 01:46:39,740
 I don't believe pitching is a cookie cutter.

1709
01:46:39,860 --> 01:46:41,460
 I don't believe there's one mechanic.

1710
01:46:41,600 --> 01:46:43,220
 I don't believe there's one way you hold your slider.

1711
01:46:43,340 --> 01:46:44,460
 I don't believe in any of that.

1712
01:46:44,460 --> 01:46:47,860
 I believe it's individually based.

1713
01:46:48,460 --> 01:46:51,280
 And we try to evaluate our kids on a daily basis.

1714
01:46:51,740 --> 01:47:01,100
 When we start pre-off-season practice up until today, right now, we try to evaluate our kids on a daily basis and give them the best opportunity to succeed in their own way.

1715
01:47:01,740 --> 01:47:02,960
 And I think that's big for us.

1716
01:47:03,620 --> 01:47:05,300
 I remember a guy named Ted Aberneth.

1717
01:47:05,380 --> 01:47:06,140
 He threw underhanded.

1718
01:47:06,260 --> 01:47:07,540
 Phil Necro threw knuckleballs.

1719
01:47:07,640 --> 01:47:08,920
 I think it worked for both of them.

1720
01:47:09,100 --> 01:47:13,960
 But let's talk a little bit about the uniqueness of this upcoming matchup.

1721
01:47:14,080 --> 01:47:20,060
 Whatever we said to you, obviously, Donovan, we can say about your opponent in the upcoming game.

1722
01:47:20,100 --> 01:47:21,120
 And that's Josh Willingham.

1723
01:47:21,660 --> 01:47:23,300
 You guys, I'm sure you love each other.

1724
01:47:23,360 --> 01:47:24,780
 But you ain't going to back down.

1725
01:47:24,900 --> 01:47:35,540
 Your thoughts, how rare is it at any level, but especially at this level, to have that kind of situation where you've got two former Major League Baseball players now coaching at respective teams?

1726
01:47:36,400 --> 01:47:36,880
 That's right.

1727
01:47:36,960 --> 01:47:37,920
 Three years in a row now.

1728
01:47:38,180 --> 01:47:39,040
 So we play each other.

1729
01:47:39,200 --> 01:47:41,080
 This is the third year, Final Four and 24.

1730
01:47:41,780 --> 01:47:42,720
 A lead eight last year.

1731
01:47:42,760 --> 01:47:46,080
 And we go back to the Final Four this year with a chance to go down there.

1732
01:47:46,160 --> 01:47:47,260
 I mean, I respect Josh.

1733
01:47:47,420 --> 01:47:48,820
 We talk throughout the season.

1734
01:47:48,820 --> 01:47:50,300
 We really talk a lot of times.

1735
01:47:50,940 --> 01:47:56,840
 We probably talk more this time of the year because scouting reports and teams we're playing and different things.

1736
01:47:56,960 --> 01:47:57,840
 So we have the us both.

1737
01:47:57,940 --> 01:48:01,100
 Now, we haven't talked as much this past three or four days as we normally do.

1738
01:48:01,880 --> 01:48:04,100
 But what can you say?

1739
01:48:04,220 --> 01:48:08,460
 I mean, he's been as good as anybody the last few years with this thing.

1740
01:48:08,800 --> 01:48:10,680
 And, you know, I took some stuff from him.

1741
01:48:10,740 --> 01:48:13,740
 I hope he's able to take some stuff from me as we kind of do this thing.

1742
01:48:13,880 --> 01:48:16,980
 And, I mean, it's just an opportunity to do it again.

1743
01:48:16,980 --> 01:48:20,240
 At this point of the year, that's what I told our guys yesterday at our post-practice meeting.

1744
01:48:20,940 --> 01:48:23,600
 You know, yeah, everybody's good, but so are we.

1745
01:48:23,700 --> 01:48:25,380
 So we've got to just go in and be consistent.

1746
01:48:25,560 --> 01:48:32,900
 I think the team that is more consistent, that can control the emotions and take the roller coaster and not go too high, not too low,

1747
01:48:33,380 --> 01:48:34,920
 will have the best chance to win this season.

1748
01:48:35,060 --> 01:48:37,700
 I mean, we haven't hosted a Final Four here probably ever.

1749
01:48:38,340 --> 01:48:40,140
 So the atmosphere is going to be electric.

1750
01:48:40,260 --> 01:48:41,020
 It's going to be fun.

1751
01:48:41,340 --> 01:48:42,780
 And it's going to be a lot of emotion.

1752
01:48:43,160 --> 01:48:48,680
 And then, you know, with the last two years with him and us, it's just going to be fun.

1753
01:48:48,840 --> 01:48:49,600
 It's going to be good.

1754
01:48:49,720 --> 01:48:52,280
 But, you know, I'm ready to get it going.

1755
01:48:52,680 --> 01:48:54,120
 Anticipation is what's killing us a little bit.

1756
01:48:54,200 --> 01:48:57,000
 Just a few days off here and just trying to manage.

1757
01:48:57,080 --> 01:48:58,320
 You run out of ideas and practice.

1758
01:48:59,220 --> 01:49:00,600
 But I'm excited for them to come.

1759
01:49:00,720 --> 01:49:04,420
 I'm excited for it to be here this year in Red Bay instead of having to go to Marseille.

1760
01:49:04,620 --> 01:49:06,680
 But, I mean, Josh does an outstanding job.

1761
01:49:06,760 --> 01:49:08,280
 We're preparing the best we can for him.

1762
01:49:08,280 --> 01:49:14,120
 And, like I said, consistency, I think, will be what the defined siding factor is.

1763
01:49:14,180 --> 01:49:16,180
 On paper, we're probably pretty similar.

1764
01:49:16,320 --> 01:49:17,220
 They pitch it very well.

1765
01:49:17,320 --> 01:49:18,480
 They play outstanding defense.

1766
01:49:19,100 --> 01:49:20,200
 They have timely hitting.

1767
01:49:20,380 --> 01:49:25,180
 So you look at the stats, look at kind of the records, look at the schedules, look at a lot of things.

1768
01:49:25,860 --> 01:49:31,800
 We're probably as close, as similar as two teams to get at this point of the year.

1769
01:49:32,140 --> 01:49:33,980
 Coach, that's what I was going to ask you.

1770
01:49:34,260 --> 01:49:37,200
 Being the third year, they know you.

1771
01:49:37,420 --> 01:49:38,240
 You know them.

1772
01:49:38,900 --> 01:49:41,780
 The Willis boys, Chris Willis, his two sons.

1773
01:49:41,920 --> 01:49:43,320
 Bo Willis is really good.

1774
01:49:43,440 --> 01:49:45,800
 Noah Handback, Luke Fowler.

1775
01:49:46,760 --> 01:49:50,840
 Again, execution and preparation, I'm sure, is going to be the key.

1776
01:49:51,580 --> 01:49:52,520
 I think so.

1777
01:49:52,520 --> 01:49:55,620
 And I try not to get too caught up into that.

1778
01:49:55,700 --> 01:49:57,100
 Like you said, we do know each other.

1779
01:49:57,280 --> 01:50:00,440
 And we have some recent history together, especially.

1780
01:50:00,840 --> 01:50:03,320
 And for our guys, execution.

1781
01:50:03,540 --> 01:50:04,300
 Just go execute.

1782
01:50:04,300 --> 01:50:08,280
 If they beat us doing what we do the best, then they deserve to win.

1783
01:50:08,440 --> 01:50:09,380
 And I said, that's okay.

1784
01:50:10,020 --> 01:50:15,100
 But I think if we execute and make pitches, and like I said, don't get too excited.

1785
01:50:15,320 --> 01:50:16,080
 Don't get too high.

1786
01:50:16,140 --> 01:50:16,860
 Don't get too low.

1787
01:50:16,980 --> 01:50:20,200
 If we do something really well, well, act like we've done it before.

1788
01:50:20,200 --> 01:50:25,020
 If we don't do something very well, act like the type of a four and play the next play both ways.

1789
01:50:25,680 --> 01:50:27,240
 But there is so much familiarity.

1790
01:50:27,480 --> 01:50:34,140
 That's why I really think the key is going to be who executes and who can just save and kill and let the game play.

1791
01:50:34,640 --> 01:50:36,220
 Well, you've earned that wisdom.

1792
01:50:36,600 --> 01:50:42,380
 A lot of folks may not realize it, but you played in Huntsville coming up through the minors of the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds.

1793
01:50:42,420 --> 01:50:46,300
 And I thought one of the more intriguing teams you played for, Brother Elephants.

1794
01:50:46,500 --> 01:50:50,880
 Not a lot of folks anywhere, especially in Tennessee Valley, can say they played for the Brother Elephants.

1795
01:50:50,980 --> 01:50:52,060
 What's the back story there?

1796
01:50:53,820 --> 01:50:57,400
 Kind of towards the end of my career, I wanted to go to Asia and play.

1797
01:50:57,860 --> 01:51:05,620
 And Taiwan offered me a pretty nice contract to go over there as a way just to kind of see the world, I guess, and play the game I love.

1798
01:51:06,120 --> 01:51:08,380
 And plus, I mean, it all boils down to money and the contract.

1799
01:51:08,580 --> 01:51:13,420
 So I was trying to get to Korea and Japan, and that was kind of having me to do that, realizing completely that wasn't for me.

1800
01:51:13,420 --> 01:51:16,340
 But yeah, it was the China Trust Brothers Elephants.

1801
01:51:16,440 --> 01:51:18,120
 I should send you a uniform to put up in your office.

1802
01:51:19,520 --> 01:51:19,880
 Wonderful.

1803
01:51:21,400 --> 01:51:23,700
 We look like the Savannah Bananas out there.

1804
01:51:23,820 --> 01:51:24,580
 There you go.

1805
01:51:24,740 --> 01:51:28,980
 Sure, yellow pants, yellow jersey, you know, the Chinese letters.

1806
01:51:29,200 --> 01:51:30,300
 And so it was a cool experience.

1807
01:51:30,400 --> 01:51:32,180
 My daughter and wife got going for about a month.

1808
01:51:32,760 --> 01:51:33,860
 So it was a cool experience.

1809
01:51:34,020 --> 01:51:35,560
 It was well worth it.

1810
01:51:35,960 --> 01:51:39,680
 Glad I'd done it, but I just realized it wasn't probably the avenue that I needed to go.

1811
01:51:39,740 --> 01:51:42,560
 So come back to the States and finally hung it up in 18.

1812
01:51:42,800 --> 01:51:44,840
 But yeah, I don't know.

1813
01:51:44,900 --> 01:51:46,000
 One of those things, it just happens.

1814
01:51:46,660 --> 01:51:47,160
 There you go.

1815
01:51:47,160 --> 01:51:50,720
 Coach, listen, we know you're busy getting ready for the game.

1816
01:51:50,800 --> 01:51:51,380
 Good luck.

1817
01:51:52,020 --> 01:51:56,820
 Listen, I hope it is an overflow crowd, and I'm sure it is going to be.

1818
01:51:57,240 --> 01:52:01,020
 We're delighted you've got two Shoals teams in the Final Four.

1819
01:52:01,500 --> 01:52:06,580
 And there is a tremendous amount of talent in the Shoals in North Alabama.

1820
01:52:06,820 --> 01:52:10,440
 As you mentioned, the schedule you played this year got you ready for this.

1821
01:52:10,900 --> 01:52:12,500
 Listen, good luck starting tomorrow.

1822
01:52:12,620 --> 01:52:15,140
 God bless you and the coaches and the players.

1823
01:52:15,400 --> 01:52:17,780
 Wish you the best of luck in the series this week.

1824
01:52:18,140 --> 01:52:18,540
 Absolutely.

1825
01:52:18,740 --> 01:52:20,060
 Appreciate the opportunity to be on.

1826
01:52:20,440 --> 01:52:23,340
 And I look back, May the 7th of 24, we've done this.

1827
01:52:23,400 --> 01:52:25,100
 So maybe we can be on again next year and be on another one.

1828
01:52:25,100 --> 01:52:25,660
 There you go.

1829
01:52:25,660 --> 01:52:26,520
 We're going to book you right now.

1830
01:52:26,520 --> 01:52:28,080
 Thank you so much, Coach.

1831
01:52:29,360 --> 01:52:31,760
 Coach Donovan, hand down at Red Bay.

1832
01:52:31,920 --> 01:52:35,400
 Coming up, BB, will it be the Crimson Red or the Tennessee Orange?

1833
01:52:35,480 --> 01:52:37,240
 For one, Kenneth Simon II.

1834
01:52:37,720 --> 01:52:40,460
 Announcement coming up, what, just over an hour or some change now.

1835
01:52:40,700 --> 01:52:47,400
 Harold, everything I've read this morning, of course, again, you've got different viewpoints from the different sites.

1836
01:52:48,040 --> 01:52:49,880
 Tennessee, of course, looks at the legacy.

1837
01:52:50,660 --> 01:52:53,880
 Alabama looks at how many times he's visited, et cetera.

1838
01:52:54,460 --> 01:52:56,160
 Right now, I'm leaning toward Alabama.

1839
01:52:57,000 --> 01:53:00,260
 I think the family's probably looking at the NIL offer as well.

1840
01:53:00,400 --> 01:53:03,460
 So we'll see in just over an hour from now.

1841
01:53:03,780 --> 01:53:05,380
 That's going to take care of business for now.

1842
01:53:05,480 --> 01:53:07,800
 On behalf of BB, Greg, James Blair, the entire crew here.

1843
01:53:07,880 --> 01:53:09,900
 Harold Buck, thank you so much for your time today.

1844
01:53:10,380 --> 01:53:15,600
 Let's do it again tomorrow, noon to 2, for the Boomwell Buck Show, back here on Sports Radio 93.9, The Score.