[MUSIC] >> Good morning, Joe Sports at 5'9" in the van, Ben and his front downing. That was the general manager of Roger Living. They also needed like the skill on the power play. >> You made a point in the back. >> You made a point of saying you didn't want to get rid of it. >> Yep, yep, yep, yep. But yeah, there's clearly other things that play in this sport. Specifically, at this time of year, are you aware that the betting markets for the Leafs next head coach odds? >> I've been keeping tabs not as closely since the news drop, but Barouba, imagine still a healthy favorite. >> Yeah, he's minus money. He's minus 125 to be the next head coach of the- >> Take it on the Leafs. >> Todd McClellan plus 150, he's second favorite. Any other coach plus 300, Gerard Gleean plus 800. Joel Quenville plus 1,500, Gebouché plus 1,700, like as much as Brendan Jann loves Gebouché, like come on, what are we talking about? >> That'd be so tough. >> God, that'd be, it's like, I actually think if they named Gebouché and coach Keith Pelly with all the other press conference going. >> You know what, change my mind, not a winner, not a champion. >> No longer president of Toronto, I believe. >> You're friend of mine, Gabby Bruce Boudreau plus 1,800. But yeah, Craig Barouba with his Stanley Cup ring as a head coach. Firmly cemented as the odds on favorite, no odds on Rod Brindomor. But yeah, I mean, I guess he's any other coach plus 300. >> Yeah, it does feel like we're just in a waiting period until they definitively get told no by Rod Brindomor. >> Mm-hm. >> I don't know, like what else could be, I know they interviewed McClellan on Monday. And I know that they've spoke to Barouba over the weekend as everybody's belief there. Well, what's the most taken so long? >> Yeah, I mean, nobody else has pulled the trigger on this either, right? So everybody's kind of in a holding pattern. >> Or else is the Leafs now, I know everybody's probably waiting on the Leafs, right? >> Yeah, no offense to the Devils and they're good young core, but they're not the Toronto Maple Leafs. Anyways, it does feel like Craig Barouba is rightly the favorite. And I think that if you pull most Leaf fans who are in favor of Craig Barouba, it would be because of things like this. So I'm going to play a clip from February of 2023. So keep in mind, so this is important context. This is after he's already led this team to a Stanley Cup victory, right? Like he's a Stanley Cup winning head coach. February 2023, disappointing stretch of hockey for the St. Louis Blues. Here's Craig Barouba in a post game media availability. >> Our best players don't play with any passion, no emotion and no inspiration at all. They don't play inspired hockey. You cannot play in this league without a motion grit, being inspired. They're getting paid lots of money and they're not doing the job. End of story, that's it. >> Okay, Brett. >> You would have thought he put that in a lab for everyone in Mimico that's clamoring for him to be the Leafs head coach. Specifically with the line, they make a lot of money. >> They make a lot of money. Not as much as these guys are going to say, it's like Gordon Kyrie doesn't. >> You thought that was a lot of money? >> I know, Jordan Kyrie makes a little like, he makes more than Riley money. That's nothing. >> Okay, and yeah, that's interesting, appealing to the base for sure. There were a lot of people whose necks aren't like, they're going to have to go see a car. You want to talk about appealing to the base? It's like they were going to start chanting like, lock her up at that press conference. Yeah, anyways, again, New Jersey, not the same as Toronto? >> No. >> St. Louis. >> Certainly not. >> Not the same as Toronto, but I mean beyond that, so this is the most high profile job in the sport. This is, you say something like that, the whole year is surrounds that comment in the city of Toronto. Secondarily, are we sure that Brendan Chan-Ann and Brad for Living would want that from their next head coach? >> Yeah, I think that these are all, that's the crux of the interview. Obviously, more goes into it than that. You want to know about team structure and how you want to play and what's your forecheck look like, but a big crux of it is exactly that. I think a coach coming in empowered to do that is very different than a coach growing into that during his time in Toronto, and I think if Sheldon Keefe wanted to be that guy, he was kind of trying to grow into that and it just never happened. And I'm not going to take blame off of him for that. He could have found a way, like it's certainly part of it, but I think that it is different. If you're brought in to be the disciplinarian, Craig Barouba, that yeah, I'm pulling no punches, and I imagine that's part of what he's saying when he's in the interview of, yes, this is how I want to do it, and I want to do it publicly. I don't think, to your point, I don't think Shanahan and Tre living want to circus five, six, seven times a year, but that story got out that Brad your living went and talked to the team after the incident against Marshawn with Lillegrine, you know, they could have tried to keep that a little more quiet. They wanted that part of it out a little bit that they care about this. So I don't think they want somebody that's going to have five or six flashpoint moments in pressers or post-game scrums a year, but I can easily see whoever they hire, be it Barouba, be it Quenville, be it Gerard Galant, having a couple of the tone setting pressers early on. I'm not so sure, and I'm not so sure that that's what this organization is looking for. We did this already, and Mike Babcock didn't put like everybody on blast all the time, but he's not afraid to do it to bump Mitch Marner down to the fourth line. I mean, different with Jason Spencer, but like, yeah, he was, they did this, and they played for him for the first couple of seasons, and then they had post-season failure, and then Quen. Austin Matthews was like the leader, listen, I don't have explicit knowledge of this, but like, they all quit. I watched that game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, it was the last game Mike Babcock coached as the head coach of the Leafs. Gino Malkin walked in, had time to unleash a clapper from the hash marks all alone, about 14 seconds into that game. They quit that night. It's okay, we could say it. And maybe you can say that, hey, well, this is going to be a different team, because there's going to be no Mitch Marner on it. And I would say that he is generally, when we think of the comments being walked back, whether it's after the Arizona game, or like, yeah, the multitude of very tepid criticisms of the core of this team, it's like, oh, well, they had to do that because Mitch Marner doesn't respond to that type of criticism. So maybe that changes the equation. But like I said, like, Austin Matthews was on that team, and yeah, I know for a fact that Mike Babcock had to go to Arizona, like seemingly every off-season, and smooth things over. Which by the way, probably the worst two days of Austin Matthews summer. Yeah. And I also know he's the most important player on this team. So if he doesn't respond to that type of coaching, how can that be part of the new coach's MO? Also, man, Sheldon Keefe, especially by the end, he knows the stakes, right? And if he thought doing that publicly would result in the best version of his team, I'd like to think he would have done it. He didn't do it. I just, I that, I know you're right, the guy in Mimical right now, I don't know why Mimical would bridge. Sure, sure. Throw them in there too. I like Mimical. It feels a little greasy, right? I got to be honest. I know that guy. And I could say that because I have friends out there. And even me, I'm like, God, yeah, that would boy, that would be cathartic for me to see. I think you got a pretty good indication that not only is that not helping Craig Barupi's case to be the next head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, it might be inhibiting it. Okay. So I don't, I think a lot of what you say makes a lot of sense. A couple of things about that, though, one, we, whatever you think changes are coming this offseason, we can be pretty certain that William Nevander is not among them. He will be here and he responds well to that. I was going to say he is, he has been joined tomorrow as has been I publicly called out to. I don't need the carrot. I need the stick to get me going. Put me on the third line, put me on blast, take me off a power play, whatever it is. Nevander has, as openly said, I responded to that. Tavares, again, you could say whatever you want to him, just like make it about him. And he could take it. He's a big boy. He responds to all of this. When Austin Matthews and Mike Babcock were in their blood feud or whatever was going on that made Babcock after travel to Arizona every offseason. Do you know what I bet a lot of those arguments were about? Becoming a Selkie level center in this league. I imagine there was a lot of them. Mike Babcock was right. Honestly, on a lot of things. I don't disagree with him. I know on a lot of things. Mike Babcock was right on a lot. He wasn't, you know, leave my phone alone. I mean, does Mitch Marner turn into the player? He became, I know, like it's, it's just nothing but Mitch Marner slander. But the guy literally did get Selkie votes and 99 point players. And it's literally a 99 point player. Yeah, almost almost 100. Maybe one day. But I think that Austin Matthews is a completely different hockey player. And that's not to say that Craig Barubay wouldn't call him out if he felt he needed to. And Austin Matthews would love it. I don't think that'd be the case. But I also think how many games have we had over the past two seasons when I go back to the 60 goal season, because it does feel like that was a mark, a point of demarcation where Matthews hit a different stratosphere as a player. How many nights do you say he was no good? Do you have nights where you want more from them? You have nights where, but the idea that Craig Barubay is going to have 20 nights a year that he's sitting there going, Oh gee, should I put Austin Matthews on blast? I don't think that's going to happen. It's a matter of if he wants to push the button in the one or two games that that player doesn't have it. So I think so much of this does go back to Mitch Marner and he is somebody who has not responded to that. Now I also think that some of it's a little overstated. It's like, yeah, he went and smashed the stick. I don't like it. It's not the way I want him to go about it. But smash stick came back sat in the bench and cry about it. I mean, maybe he whined and maybe someone had to tell him it wasn't junior. I don't know. But I think that that's the guy we keep coming back to with this. And if he is not going to be a part of this and we don't know that one way or another, I think that also has to go into it as well. Yeah, I think the other interesting part of this is whether it happens publicly, whether it was happening behind closed doors. It was. It was. We've seen we have seen the clip in the moment that it matters the most right before over time of a game that they should have won to and God, which game? How can you know it's happened so many times. He point blank in the room in front of everybody. Matty Mitch Himes, your line is getting bleeping dominated out there. I don't. Do we want him to go to Nathan Philip Square and hold up one of these guys by the scruff of their neck and say, Oh, look at this. He's no good. It can't get more pointed than that in front of the whole team in a moment that matters the most where it's just naked coaching. There's no, how's this going to come across? That's just him reacting to the situation. So is that one moment I can point to? I don't think that Sheldon Keefe decided to coach the team in a completely different way in that moment. I think that was pretty good insight into how he coaches those guys. So I think that's the part that has always been so tough is we have this thought of Keefe doesn't like to criticize. But we've seen it on tape cameras in the room as point blank at the guys who matters the most. Well, okay. So then how do you get the thing that we played that Brad for living clip at the start of the segment? How do you get that thing? The unquantifiable thing that is not happening for this team in the postseason? If it if the coaching that is supposed to elicit that is happening behind closed doors is not the next logical step to take it to the public realm. Yeah. Well, I think there is an element to that, but I think it goes to and I think this is where the coach and if you come in with more gravitas and Sheldon Keefe gained himself some gravitas in his time here, it's weird because he it was always going to be his first stop. But Craig Barubay coming in and being Craig Barubay. Again, if he has one or two of those kind of tone setting public comments early on, does that allow him to, you know, like we hear this with Matt Renpe is basically doing it this year. It's like you come in, you punch everybody in the face for a year and you know, have to do it again ever hardly. And I think that that's kind of what you're going to see from Barubay. You'll see a lot of the if it's him, see a lot of those comments and a lot is relative. It's not going to be every day taking this team to task publicly. I think you're going to see it early on. And then it will be understood that that's part of a lexicon. And if he goes to it, it won't be Sheldon Keefe calling the team soft and purposeless after he's been patting him on the back for three and a half years. So you think that this move, if they go to Barubay, it will be with the explicit understanding between all parties that this is part of what they want the next head coach to be. I think it will be. But part of that understanding is that this is Toronto. And hey, Craig, we want you to use this bullhorn. We do. You just need to understand there's a lot more bulls here than there were in St. Louis. So use it. We want you to have the ability coach the team as you see fit. But you have to realize what it's going to do when you do when you when you pull the trigger on that here. I just and he has bona fides, right? Like he did. He won a cup in his first weirdo season in St. Louis, where they were dead last middle of the season and then came back in one game seven of a Stanley Cup final and then limited success since then. He doesn't have as many bona fides as Mike Babcock did. No, but I don't I don't think you can compare how this group reacted to Mike Babcock is head coach to how this group will react to Craig Barubay or again, hard-ass coach X. Because one, I mean, the core is all still here, but the fringe pieces are totally different. Like Tyler Bozack ain't walking through that door. Now, as I'm cadre, our boy, hockey and construction equipment, Jake Gardner, none of those guys are walking through that door. But also Austin Matthews, William Newlander and Mitch Marner are different humans than they were. Yeah, they're more established and they have more financial security. And to me, like are they also prone to be like, what are you talking about? Okay, I can see that side of it, but you you also, I think, if you're going to stick with this core, you have to be of the belief. And I don't take that as a complete run it back. But if you're going to stick with some semblance of this core, you have to be of the belief that those guys have gone through all the pain of it and thinking, yes, I do want to be coached in that way. It's a class. This is a classic. I mean, the public comments aren't that that it's like, Hey, we're so close. I the public comments thing. I can't. We've done it a billion times. The Marner. I mean, Marner is a different pile, Riley's a different pile, Tavares, a different pile. But the, the, I'll just quickly say that again, the idea that Austin Matthews and William Newlander who like missed half the series in each one of games single handedly, that they were supposed to come up there and say it's my fault. I'm the reason why we didn't get it done. No, go talk to the other guys who played all the series. That and it wasn't entirely his fault. Yeah, the general man said that before. The head coach who's who's like a dead man walking and was about to let it go and is auditioning for his next job. Sure. I mean, the GM with lots of security and no one's going to actually put it on. I mean, who has more security than Austin Matthews or William Newlander just got paid. Like, what are we talking about? But the idea that those guys each miss half of the series and one, they only won three games and they each won one of them single handedly. And then they each miss nearly half the series that they should have been up there going. Yes, it was, yes, I couldn't see for the first three games of the series, but I should have done more. Yes, the doctors pulled me with a, you know, quasi concussion or whatever we're going to call this. Brent, of course, you'd love to hear them say it, but if they don't mean it, then there's no point in them saying it. But when you say stuff like that, it makes me think that you're like, God, just run it back. No, no, no, no, no, not run it back. But those two guys specifically, the idea that they have, not that they couldn't have done more, sure. But the idea that they have sins from that series loss against Boston, those two guys, I mean, they're part of it. They're a part of it, sure. But the idea that they're supposed to get up there and say, yeah, this is all my, this is all my fault. Again, I couldn't see for the first three games of the series. And the other guy got pulled in them was a shell of himself in the, in the last game that he did play it. So when we're talking about this next head coach and his, him making this team accountable, it's like everybody but those guys. No, if they need, if they're not doing what is asked and expected of them, hold them accountable. But if William Neelander has a two gold night and they win to one, don't sit here and say he's to blame, not that he couldn't have done more, not that he couldn't have found a way to get a third, sure. But don't hold him specifically accountable for it. Hold them all accountable. Yes. But the idea that that that not that those two guys shouldn't wear some of it, of course they should. But the idea that those two guys were going to walk into the dressing room after the locker clean out day, after the specific, again, we all want to make this about the entirety of this era. But after the circumstances, that specific series, the comments from Matthews and Neelander did not bother me one lick. Okay. So let's play out the entirety of the Sheldon Keith era when it comes to the post season and his public facing comments, because that's all we can go on. We don't, I mean, say for the Amazon series and the bubble thing, which was weird. We're weird. We don't know what happens behind closed doors. How does it play out? How differently does a Craig Barouby at like his most Craig Baroubyist? Yep. How, like where does the hammer come down? I just like off the top of the show, told, played the, the, the, the Rick Talkett clip, you know, his, his Canucks team, yeah, they could win a Stanley Cup, but they're underdogs in this series, but he understands the, the fact that, hey, maybe this is our best kick of the can, calling his team out publicly after they just, you know, tied a game in the third period and gave up a last minute goal and the series is still tied. I'd still called out his team pretty publicly, like multiple different times. It was very hard on his team. How does the last half decade of Maple Leaf playoff games play out? And just from like a media narrative perspective, it's Craig Barouby controlling it at the end of these games. I mean, I think that because so much of it, and you're going to, you're going to hate this answer from me, but it's like so much of it does come down to they lost so many one goal over time games that you literally change anything. And then it is different. But I think the thing that's different is, again, I referenced that Sheldon Keefe speech or the like calling out of those guys. I do think you see a lot more of that, but I think we're Craig Barouby where you get something out of him as a motivator. It's not to motivate Austin Matthews. It's to, and, you know, Max Domi's maybe a bad example because he clearly doesn't need any more motivation to be a leaf. But it's to go up to Domi when Matthews is not playing and go, hey, you're the number one center for the Toronto Maple Leafs. I could never have dreamed what it would have been like. I know what it's like to be a leaf. I could never have dreamed have the opportunity that you did when you were watching Matt's run around this room be in the man. That's you tonight, like, and get it. Man, I'm so good at that. I'm getting goosebumps myself. But the, I know I just love everything I say so much. I guess. But I think you look at it. And those are the guys that Barouba is able to, instead of those guys giving 100%, Barouba is able to get 110% out of them. I think that's just as much. We make this so much about the stars and Kenny Polk and prod to get the best out of them. And of course, that is a big, big part of this. But I think with Barouba and the motivator type, you is just as much about getting the extra bit out of a Bobby McMahon than it is about making Austin Matthews run through a wall. I'd be shorting Craig Barouba's stock right now as the next head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. I think, well, one, they could have had them in the middle of the season. They could have pulled the lever to fire, shell, and keep in the middle of the season, hired Craig Barouba when many people thought they should. Two, he's like, they've had plenty of time to do their research on Craig Barouba. Understanding that this moment might arrive if they lose in the first round. Clearly, Sheldon Keef was going to be gone. They'd be looking for a new head coach. How, to your point, why is it taking so long? Like, why are there more rumblings about the devils in Barouba than really the Leafs in Barouba? I hope it's because Keith Kelly and Brett and Shanahan are in New York arguing with Gary Batman about Joel Quenville. That's what I hope. Okay, so to, I mean, you're making my point that I'd be short. Like, to me, there are indicators that tell you, one, they're not so keen on Craig Barouba from the outset, and two, that that style, they're not too keen on that either. I think, I think Barouba is their guy of the guys they can have. But I think Brindomor and Quenville are the dream candidates for them. And it's just a matter of if they can one through the league and two through, you know, coaxing him out of Carolina. That's what I think. Again, if only you could short the coaching market, I guess, you know, do any other coach for plus 300? Yeah, you do. Wow, you figured it out. Good job. I'm so proud. I mean, the value is not really that there. No, no. But if that thing starts to get ratcheted up, yeah, because I think there's those little breadcrumbs that Craig Barouba is not their guy. I did go back into my gambling account, which, because it's a golf major week, and I forgot that I had hit, I had bet on Boston to win an overtime against the Leafs. I had more money in there than I did, but it's always sad because I'm like, Oh, right? That's why. Yeah, because of the thing. Because of the thing. All right, time to make more money this weekend, though, is we got another major PGA Championship week starting tomorrow at Valhalla. We'll talk to Joe House, host of the Fairway Roland podcast next is the fan morning show continues. Ben and his Brent Gunning Sportsnet 590 the fan. Big guests and bigger opinions on everything happening in leafsland. Real kipper and born. Be sure to subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Same morning, Joe Sportsnet 590 the fan Ben and his Brent Gunning have they changed the messaging around the PGA Championship? It used to be Glorious last chance, which is obviously not the case. Yeah, it'd be the second major of the year. Yeah, be tough. They got rid of that. Now, I think it's your second chance. No, I think it's just big ass trophy. Yeah, it does. Wanna make her baby. Yeah. Good name for the trophy and a ginormous trophy. So huge. PGA Championship starting tomorrow at Valhalla Brooks, Kepka, the defending champion looking to do what he's already done once in his career when back-to-back PGA Championships, Scotty Sheffler. He just had a kid, Rory McElroy. He's getting a divorce. Lots of narratives headed into this thing. Let's talk to Joe House, host of the Fairway Roland podcast. How's it going, Joe? Well, what's happening? We're less than 24 hours from balls in the air. Yeah, how about that? Like I said, Scotty Sheffler had had his kid. Apparently he's gonna lose his caddy on the weekend because he's got a graduation to attend to, but he's gonna make it all four rounds, we assume, because he's Scotty Sheffler. He's gonna make the cut, has six top 10s, two wins in his last nine major starts. He's the best player on planet Earth. Does he feel as automatic right now as peak tiger? The answer is yes, but if there was ever an occasion upon which you might consider dabbling with some other favorites, I think this week would be it. Now, look, he leads the statistical analytical categories. You know, there's 12 to 15. He's number one across the board in every measurement you want. He's number one off the tee. He's number one on approach. He's number one around the grade. He's not number one at putting, but he only needs to be a mediocre putter to win golf tournaments because he's so good at everything else. But with the stuff that's going on in his life, the fact that he hasn't played competitive golf in a few weeks, I mean, we're really grasping it strong to come up with a chinky the armor for this guy. But you know, we do have this very rich opportunity. We have the number one player in the world, the number two player in the world, and the defending champion, all coming off of wins. So it should be a good time. Even if Scotty though comes out and motorboats everybody again, I still think it's going to be a good championship. Yeah, I do as well. And you know, it really does feel like, you know, I know Scotty Scheffler and God have a close relationship, but it feels like he's testing him here. It's like, all right, a new baby, and you're losing your caddy for one round on the weekend. It's like, can you still do it? Let's see how great you truly are. What is we know, there's a lot of good stories we could have. I mean, it's not limited to the guys you kind of hinted at there. But what is the sexier story for golf? Is it Scheffler continuing this coronation and marching towards a, you know, a tiger slam or a, you know, a single single season grand slam here? Or is it kind of Rory returning? We have all the stuff of the 2014 of Valhalla and driving it down fill at the dark and all that. What is to you the kind of sexier storyline of just those two Scotty or Rory? Well, I had to choose between those two because like, I feel disrespectful not bringing Brooks to the table. Bring them, you know, bring them here. Yeah, bring them in. Yeah, it would be the fourth PGA championship for him. There's only been three guys in the history of golf that have ever done that. And, you know, another big animal killer, big animal hunter right there, staring into the face. But you know, those those stories are all tremendous stories. Like the grand slam, the fact that we're actually talking about it, you know, kind of treating it seriously with a guy hasn't happened. Obviously, since Jordan speech back in 2015 when he started off his year with wins at the Masters and then at the US Open. And, you know, everybody's dying for some more Rory action a full decade since his last major win. I will say this is just a fact he has never won a major when he's been married or engaged. Maybe his stars are aligning. I don't know. And seriously, kept cutting the live guys were pissed off about how poorly they played at the Masters. They did have four guys in the top 12. And they had two guys who finished tied for six. But on balance, the live guys were not pleased with how that contingency showed out. So I think that this golf course sets up really good for the live guys. And there's going to be some live story making as well out there. Oh, Taylor Guich wasn't there. So like how they didn't even have a chance, right? There's just no way after it. What do we do with the live results because Brooks kept one there in his last start. Obviously, you don't need many excuses to think about him contending. But like that, I mean, if if there's a good sign, as far as results on that tour, it would be that that it feels like he's playing at the peak of his powers coming into this thing. Right. It continues to be somewhat confounding to try and anticipate form based on live results. All of the handicapping that I've kind of done research wise with the live guys is just looking at guys who performed well at US Open's at a PGA Championship because there has been this trend over the last half decade. The PGA of America has been choosing these gigantic golf courses, these big ballparks, to compete their championships. And it really does has taken on the characteristic of what was traditionally regarded as the US Open style of championship, which is here's golf course. You have to be great off the tee. You have to be able to drive it far. You have to be relatively accurate. And you know, they're around the green stuff. There is some room for creativity. And I think that's all of those factors are in play with this golf course. So guys like Justin Johnson, who we haven't heard from in a long time, he won in Vegas earlier this year on Live Tour. What does that mean? I don't know, but he plays the US Open pretty good. He played some great PGA Championship. He's been off the radar. Steve Smith played well at the Masters. He's a guy that you always know can say he's saved far from kind of anywhere. So there's a couple of the names in addition to Brooks Kepka, obviously. And what the hell to do with John Rahm? I mean, he gave a press conference yesterday where it sounds like he once again is regretful of the decision that he made. Now the 600 million dollars could be helping him get over it, but he's not quite there for some reason. God, if I was John Rahm, I would just keep out like a physical receipt of it. Like I'd have to go to an ATM every morning, print out balance and put it in my pocket. And it's like that should be the thing he looks at during press conferences. Every time he starts talking about how sad he is or how he still considers himself. Just look at the figures in the account because yeah, you did it for this reason. And it really seems like he regrets. Well, he did it for the money, but I think also he thought with the framework agreement between the PIF and the PGA tour that eventually they would come to a deal, which feels like less and less likely as the days go on, Joe. Like, I don't know how you feel about it. It feels like, you know, with Jimmy Dunn, like he's waving goodbye. Like, I think there's some real negativity about those live guys competing with the PGA tour guys in some capacity in the near future. Yeah, I think that's the right way to characterize it, which is to say, in the near future. I think it's going to take longer than folks might have anticipated at the end of the year. Definitely longer than John Rahm was anticipating. And whatever bill of goods he was sold in terms of his joining live and the dynamic that would create, you know, that's all gobbledygook nonsense. There's too much money in the industry for kind of any one player, not named Prime Tiger to like really swing the momentum, but they are going to get a deal done. I bet they get a deal done this calendar year. I don't think they're going to be competing together again until like 2026 at the earliest. But I do think we will stop hearing about, you know, policy boards and the constituencies of, you know, who who wants to work. I'd be all that kind of nonsense soon enough. Why are you so optimistic about that? Because yeah, again, like the narrative has been very negative. And it feels like that that $3 billion that all the richest sports owners threw into the PGA tour was almost like, yeah, we can wait you out. And like, no, I get it. You have all the money in the world. But like, how long are you really going to lose money on this live tour, which nobody's watching? So this is exactly the tension, right? On the one hand, you're asking the Saudis, how long are you willing to invest, whatever it costs to run that tour every year, because they're not seeing one single penny in return. And that's sort of one thing. And I think the Saudis, they have patience, right? Because they have money. And for them, if you said to them, it's going to cost you $10 billion that the outset of this whole enterprise, this whole investment. And what they're doing is essentially a marketing effort to, you know, bring some Western acceptance to, you know, some what they're characterizing as innovation in their own culture and making themselves more attractive on the world stage, not just an oil country. I think they would, they would have told you at the beginning, sure, we'll pay $10 billion. And right now, it seems like they're only in for about $5 billion. So they have some, there's still some leash there from the tour side. They have pressure because ultimately what the professional golf boils down to, it's a television show. It's a television show on Saturdays and Sundays. And they want people to watch their television show with the best characters, the best actors, the best storylines are not on your television show on Sunday. Who the hell wants to watch? And that is why the ratings overwhelmingly have been going down. Now, the last two events where ratings have gone up have both been instances where Roy McElroy played well and won. So there is this sort of observation out there now that maybe Rory is the guy that's catching folks' attention because we don't have Tiger to point to, but both of Rory's wins, the win in New Orleans and this most recent win down in Charlotte Quill Hollow, those Sunday broadcasts had higher ratings than the previous year. So remains to be seen how this shakes out. It is funny when you put it in terms of like a TV show, right? Like, I know you're a big succession guy, Ben and I loved it as well. It's like, it would be tough watching it all of a sudden. It's like, no, Tom's not here. He's on AMC. Sorry, if you want some Tom's wams games in your life, that's where you got to go. It's like, no, I want him with all the other characters. You're right to put it that way. When you look kind of down the road, what do you ultimately want this to look like? Do you just want to return to basically the PGA tour as it once was? I mean, Rory has made a lot of noise. One of the things he wants in this is the idea of a true world tour where, you know, he obviously wants the Irish open elevated, but we've heard noise about maybe the Australian masters should be, you know, an event that carries more weight. I as somebody here, we've got our national open. I love it when guys come up here for it, but I wonder for the American golf fan, how much would that hurt your interest if all of a sudden it's like, Hey, the guys are in Italy. The guys are in Spain one given week and it's not as concentrated in the States. Obviously, it'll always be concentrated there. But if there is more of a kind of worldly component, how would that kind of effect you think American interest? Well, I think for me, and I don't want to speak for the entire American viewing public. No, that's very un-American of you to be like, I know I shouldn't talk for all of us. Yeah. Well, the only wrinkle with the world aspect of it is what time are the broadcast, right? Like, yeah, there is a charm every year to waking up to watch the British Open, you know, coffee golf, exactly, right? We like that kind of once a year, but man, if you're, and it was very fun, the year that the President's Cup was in Australia, and that was in December, I think that was in 2019, you know, timing some of those broadcasts, waking up and watching some of that. And those were really good. And I don't know off the top of my head what the time zone difference is, but I don't remember having to do extraordinary things to watch that. So if you if they can sort of put the world events, you know, string them in to the schedule in a way that that lets that's predictable, that folks know when to turn on the TV to watch the television show, the golf television show, then I think it could work. I do like seeing the best guys play places that they haven't seen. I I'm not a big fan of the redundant US, you know, PGA tour standard, TPC course, plug and play. So, you know, seeing the guys on a world stage makes them sense to me, but it also has to fit, you know, a TV schedule, it makes sense. Tiger Woods teeing off at 804 tomorrow in his first round of action at the PGA championship. And he's still he's trying to hawk some clothing, right? The Sunday red stuff that he's wearing. That's that's part of his appearances at these major champions. I got a major championships. I got to believe. I mean, he's been on the record of saying he's never going to be just a guy that makes appearances with no intention of winning. But like, how close are we to that? Nowhere. We're nowhere close to that. I mean, we're nowhere close to seeing him in red in connection with the start of it. I save all of my reverence and all of the holy talk for Tiger at Augusta. Now that, you know, that's in our rear view mirror. I think we can be honest. I have placed some of my own hard run money on Tiger to miss the cut. I don't think there's any chance for him to make the cut at this, this venue, this kind of golf course. It's just too hard physically for him to get around. It is why he's been accommodated with it for the time on Thursday and a late tea time on Friday so that he can have as much time as possible between his golf rounds to get his body in shape. But this place now Augusta is a hard walk, but it's a walk that is like in his DNA and he can handle it. He knows where to get his rest. This giant golf course that they're going to go play this week in Louisville, Kentucky, it's just, it's too hard. It asks too much of him. And it's why, you know, the vast majority of tournaments that he's played over the last four years have ended in withdrawals and missed cuts. And that's what I expect this week. You buy yourself some Sunday red attire. What do you think of the new logo? Absolutely not. I mean, here's the thing. I don't know anybody at the end of his run with Nike that was buying Tigerwood red at clothing. It was only Scotty Sheffler. It was just Scotty Sheffler. For some reason, he always wore the Tiger branded stuff, but and it's because he's the next one, I guess. But yeah, he's the only guy. Here we go. Yeah. Heyness. Yeah. And they were giving it to him. Yeah. And making him wear it, I imagine. Yeah. Joe, thanks for this man. Enjoy the golf tomorrow. You guys as well. I can't wait. It's going to be a great week. Yes, it is. Thanks, Joe. Joe House, host of the Fairway Roland podcast. I don't know who I'm not Mr. Graphic Design. It's not your passion. It's not. Yeah. I had to say it. I do. I didn't know what that's right. I do. Yeah. It's just people doing like a Microsoft paint thing. And I like, listen, I can all buddy operates a Microsoft paint as a child of the 90s. Oh my God. Yeah. Give me a second. I can do a crude Photoshop. But yeah, I probably couldn't come up with a good logo, but I know what's good and what's bad and what Tiger has put forth with this new brand is bad. It's actually quasi growing on me. It's not terrible. I would never buy it. Like my hard wear it for free. Obviously, of course, I'd wear it for free. And my hard earned dollars would not go to pay for it because I think I could buy like a new house in Oakville for the price of like outfitting myself fully in Sunday red. But yeah, it is kind of kind of growing on me, but it feels very, feels very perfect that like truly dead and God and Tiger never competing again. Sorry is wearing not Nike. Like what's nice that will just have this clear donation point. And in my mind's eye, the second the 2019 masters ended, he handed overall his Nike year and then it went to Sunday, my mind tiring, giving in the bad. Exactly. Yeah. Listen, I'm still flying the flag using a Nike golf bag, but yeah, they don't make golf stuff anymore. Okay. Yeah, love Nike golf stuff. Yeah. Stop angling for free stuff. Hey, if you want to give me free stuff, no, no, no, no, no, it's our thing. So, I don't know, maybe it's untoward to talk about people. You better, you better join me angling for free stuff. We go to these charity golf tournaments. I was alone last year working with Justin Cuthwell. I guess he was with me, but he was not, he was he was of no help angling for free golf stuff. So you better better get your bag in face on. I love free stuff. I know we both like to have some maybe it's a passion. Maybe it's untoward to talk about people's personal lives when it when it comes to their performance in the field to play whatever sport we're talking about. But I think it's applicable. Like if you're a public figure, I don't think it's that out of out of bounds to be talking about Rory McElroy. Yeah, being on the verge of divorce and playing in his first major since then. I don't know how long like maybe this was already percolating in the Masters. Yeah. And maybe it's unfair to like judge him just on this major performance and not we should have just taken what happened to Augusta also as part of that. But it does feel like there's an interesting time for this news to come out here. I'm not saying that he's putting it out there. Right, right, right. But it is interesting that a guy has gone a decade without a major championship. He's had some notable engagements to Carolyn Wozniakie and then breakups and then a marriage and now a dissolution of marriage. It appears. I forgot about the spell she put on him. Yeah, Wozniakie, there's like a picture with her at like the witch's cauldron. I totally forgot about this. Yeah. So I mean, does that what is the statute of limitations? I don't know. We've as oh, I'd like to talk to her get her on the show. There's two competing things here because there's also like the baby bomb that Scotty Sheffler like as if he needs it. Right. Also, don't worry about him not competing for a while. He's been playing some money games with his buddies and his complex, he says. So he's he's recreated. Also, like how what do the strokes look like in these money? Like, and you know, the guy like the guy's Scotty Sheffler plays these games with their scratch or whatever. Of course, they're disgusting golfers, but like, is he giving him five shots aside? Like, also, is that not a sin? Like, I don't think he can gamble. No, it's there. It is the funniest thing in the world that it's like he is Mr. Religious and Augustus missed like if it were a person, it is Mr. Like within the rules and keep things proper. And they posted a picture of Tom Kim handing a just wad of hundred dollar bills to Scotty Sheffler on the putting green. It's almost like gambling and golf are in a completely intertwined. Yeah. So I don't know. There's a couple of things going here. Like, what's what's more powerful? The baby bomb or the like unencumbered like I'm on a mission to do it for myself and change the narrative around me of Rory McElroy. Different strokes for different folks. It's like you have Mr. God that he's just following the path that he's supposed to. It's like married is high school sweetheart. They have the baby. He's Mr. Champion. I genuinely feel like the kid will spurn. Well, I guess the kid can't spurn Scotty Sheffler to success because he was going to have success regardless. But I think that this is just, I made this point before it's like there is no time and well, I shouldn't say no time. But one of the times in my life that I was feeling the best, it's like I got married. Things started going a little better at work. You have the kid like do you have these moments in your life where you just kind of feel like you're taken steps and for Rory, I wonder if his superpower is going to be the exact opposite. You know, I don't, I'm not saying he wouldn't have been drunk or I guess he wasn't drunk, but having a couple beers singing Journey with Shane Lowry after winning in New Orleans a couple of weeks ago. Well, I don't know. I said, I shouldn't say one way or another. But I'm not saying he's not doing that if he's married or his marriage isn't dissolving or whatever, but I don't know. I look at that in a slightly different light. I'm like, guys, but this boy is cutting loose a little. It's a new life for him. And I wonder if, you know, if things were, nobody's marriage just breaks up in a day. You don't just look at each other one day and go, maybe no, that's not how it works. I don't think. So I hope not. I love you, honey. But you can see a world where this stuff's been kind of percolating for a while. And maybe there is this freeing nature of it for him. And he feels like he's free and easy. You're right. Like the idea of we don't, we have no idea how it's impacting him, but I can't tie. I can't not tie the last two results for him being wins. And one of them him, like having some beers, cutting loose, singing a song with his buddy. How can you not tie it all together? Yeah, it's pretty crazy. And what does Caroline Wozniak think? But yeah, or was he accurate? And I always forget. Yeah, it was. Thanks. Probably rooting against him would be. I don't know, man. Time he was all wounds or something. I don't know. Maybe you just think she feels sorry for him. That's even worse. That would be so much worse. Oh, could you imagine? It's like unspell. Like she posted on Twitter. Oh, tough for him. Anyways, what a, what a, I'm influence of events that Rory's coming off a win, that Scotty Shepler is coming off a win, albeit it's a while ago. A hundred years ago. Yeah. And that Brooks Kepka is also coming off a quote unquote win. We think nobody saw any of them. Honestly, they could announce Chase Kepka having won the tournament night. Okay, sure. I believe you. Anyways, all right. Time now for the Waken Reich presented by Sports Interaction, your homegrown sports book 19 plus bet responsibly. Why don't we talk about the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla? No surprise. In fact, you kind of get good odds on Scotty Shepler. He is your favorite plus 450. What was he plus 300 doing the Masters? Now that was a place he had won before. He's not won a major outside of Augusta National. Rory McElroy second favorite plus 750 Brooks Kepka defending champ plus 1400 Sander Schoffley also plus 1400. I mean, man, Ludwig Obers plus 1800. You know he's going to win one, don't you? Yes. Don't you just like before every major until he wins his first, just put a couple ducats down on him. I think there, I think there's not a bad idea there at all. There's also something for him of we so quickly expect guys to win that it's insane to say about a guy playing in his second major. He needs to win one soon before the pressure ratchets up to, Hey, you're this guy and you haven't done it yet. Every more power one one early. It's like Shoffley land. You don't want to get the Shoffley land or Victor or Victor Hovland Boulevard. Yeah, or Ricky Fowler back when he was a living figure. Yeah, you let me put it this way. If Ludwig Obergens up being Ricky Fowler, he not happy where I want to draw your attention is just a couple names below that on the list. Bryson de Shambo plus 2500 Skyward. Good form of the gusta. I don't, did you just hear everything that Jojo said? It's a big ballpark there. That's the big golfer. He smashes it a mile. He's more used to his 3d printed irons because it won't be the first time he's using them. Never going to be hilarious. I think honestly, as far as value goes, Bryson at 25 to 1 is as good as you're going to get. I like that. That was the Waken Reich presented by Sports Interaction, your homegrown sports book 19 plus bet responsibly before you tease the next topic. I just need to quickly get this in. I loathe it when guys miss playoff games or stuff for births of their children. I don't care who's graduating. Ted Scott should not be missing a second of a major. Just let me get that on the record. I know they both love their family and I'm sure. Sheffler's totally fine with it. That's that's terrible. How dare you? I tend to think that it's a caddy and it's fine. I got to be consistent with these things for you to get mad at guys for missing like, you know, births of their children. Yeah. And I also think even like the Scotty Sheffler thing where he was going to walk away from Augusta no matter what was happening. Yeah. First child is different. It is like the mark to share a 700 child. Yeah. Yeah, it's a different deal than low of the mark to share one. Anyways. All right. When we come back, perhaps there will be baseball in Baltimore today. No guarantees though. You can say Blue Jays and Orioles. Dan Schulman will have a pretty good idea. He joins us next. As the fan morning show continues, Ben and his Brent Gunning Sports 4.590 the fan.
