The Downbeat on ninety seventy one with the Tree. Okay, so a little
bit later in the show, a few things in the world of Hollywood to
cover, including, you know, a little discussion on this Nickelodeon documentary that's
getting a lot of headlines. I know you guys didn't see it, and
I'll just tell you a few headlining things about it because it is a part
of the national discourse. A little bit a new photo shocked the world as
well, and much more. Eight o'clock some Kyrie and Jason Kidd. Very
interesting. We've been I would say critical of Jason Kidd on this show,
and I think a lot of MAVs fans have been mm hmm. Boy,
sure sounds like him and Kyrie get along really good. Eight o'clock with that,
that's about the sport stuff as well, and then in thirty minutes,
dude, we had a plane story that involved an unruly passenger. But the
details are pretty fun and it does involve one number of our show. It
seems I'm here for. But all right, now, let's do some spokes
sports, sports and now sports our gambling man Bruno Mars takes us into Otani.
Otani will speak today. Now, who's gonna interpret this if his interpreter
can't. Yeah, we're all just gonna be confused and staring at him.
I watch show gun. Okay, go ahead and give us a preview.
Dan, he's ready. What you think I'll sound like? I mean,
I'll just like what like says, and then I will interpret it and I
will present it to the media in English. Happy to do it? Just
call me. Do you think he can speak English better than yes? You
Darvish? What's it when you? Darvis ended up with the Cubs. The
interview came out with him and he was talking country. He was very strange,
really had little Texas. Yeah, I enjoyed my time in Texas.
But it's good to be here in Chicago. Like what we were told,
we were totally getting doctored. Like, no, it's genius when they do,
you do it the whole time. But why do it you get left
alone if you just yeah, like I bet Deckie Matt's Yama same way.
Yeah, he played in the program with you, and you guys are just
shooting this s I think when it comes to media that they there's a reason
the term lost in translation exists that they don't want to screw up and say
something. Yeah, there is that too, who is it? Steven Adams
got in trouble and he's Australian, but he just said something that was I
don't know, mildly offensive and then you have to answer for it. Yeah,
and he's like, why don't I just never talk? Yeah, that's
the thing. That's where like it's really easy when people start taking something and
running with it, whether it's ack it or not or do something. There's
almost should be leeway when something's not intentional, and it's kind of clear that
it's not intentional, that they just misspoke because they're not from here. It's
so I'm lucas very careful, Yeah, very fifth language. I think that's
why he takes it easy. Yeah, as you say anything, as he
should. Uh but yeah, interesting to see how this O tawny thing.
There are people who are already starting to kind of go, is this our
next Pete Rose situation? Like this didn't I already cracked this case last week?
I think you did. But we will hear from him because it's time
for well, he's been trained up by that lawyer he is. They're going
to continue to pin this on the interpreter. Although even like if these boys,
if I was right, you know, and he does gamble and the
interpreter is just kind of taking the fall for him. If they keep screaming
this is theft of four and a half million dollars, he goes to jail
for a long time, so that needs to change. He said that strangely,
What do you mean. I don't know. Normally you would say a
long time. I think I did. No, you didn't. You said
it's strange, but I'm gonna let you get away with it. I don't
know what you're talking about. I don't. He's gonna basically speak poor English
and and keep it nice and simple, you know, surrounded by multiple lawyers
and yeah, and he will have a new interpreter, which I've always said
the greatest job on earth. All you have to do is know how to
speak two languages, and you get to hang out with the richest one of
the richest dudes in the world. They are so close with their interpreters though
the amount of time they spend together, they have to be like really good
friends. I remember, was it Hideki a Rabu that pitched for the Rangers
way back in the day, early two thousands. He traveled with his guy
and I remember being out there with the old hard Line way back in the
day in Port Charlotte, and we stayed at this garbage motel that was kind
of attached to this this twenty four hour diner called Johnny's, which was,
you know, it was convenient but okay, but I remember one one night
went in there to get like a burger, and a Rabu was sitting there
with his interpreter, just those two guys. Yeah, and they had he
scheduled to pitch the next day, and they're sitting there with a pitcher of
beer and Hideki is just crushing one Marborough red after another. Ah, I
love it. Yeah, boy, he was not the healthiest of guys.
I think Jim Rome used to call him the toad. Yeah, they used
to mess with them. He had cool elvis sideburns. Man. It was
weird that he was here too, Yeah, because it was a big deal
when he s sounded the Yankees the first time. Huh So, yeah,
there's that Time's that any idea West Coast time too? I bet it's like
so it's just his big media day, like his presser. Yeah, actual,
they're back from South Korea. So there's a season starts Thursday. Probably
if he has nothing to do with this and it's all the interpreter, why
even speak well? But he still has to do a introductory right, Okay,
so this isn't specifically for probably to address this. It's probably their media
availability and his is going to turn into that. Right Will it be the
first question asked? Or will they kind of piss ready with the season?
Yeah? Some of that? Does it feel to be a Dodger? Do
you like baseball today if you knew that this guy? So? Obviously the
the prediction that is a massive that they're going to pin this on the interpreter,
that Otani was the gambling man here. He can't be four point five
million dollars of massive theft. Is that they've called it quote massive theft because
they were in the dugout together at that game and then very quickly like there
then I mean, there's a couple of interviews with ESPN and then the story
changed from the interpreter. But then for it to go that way, it's
almost like Otani's team is like, no, this guy's gonna have to go
to jail for a little bit too for this, and Otani might not be
okay with that. Maybe what if he's like a really good guy. Well
it's like a really gay He's like, no, it's my friend. He's
not gonna go to jail for this. I got to own up to it.
Like, what if some like honorable thing is done, because to change
it to theft have that much money is multiple years in jail. Yeah,
exactly, So I don't I think I think he might backpedal from it unless
he is heartless and his buddy will take the fall. That's assuming that Otani
was the one gambling. But we all have a pretty good conspiracy theory here,
or maybe it's the likely thing. You know, interpreter whose salary is
half a million dollars a year is not betting half a million dollars per game.
I gotta say I didn't think of that until you brought it up last
Thursday or Friday. I did not think. I did not think about Otani
gambling. That's the first thing I thought, And it just makes the most
sense. You guys, see this tweet. This is a funny tweet from
the weekend. Someone just had a quote Welcome back to Sports Center, presented
by ESPN BET for more on our ow Twani situation. We go to fan
duel MLB insider Jeff Passing and our Draft Kings studio in Los Angeles, brought
to you by Caesar's Sports Book. Jeff, how could something like this happen?
I mean, for really, he's going to be given the third degree.
You you were gambling, you and like look at the green screen behind
where I bat and has nothing but yeah, either casinos or you know,
Games of Chance or whatever they call the legal version games of Skill presented by
DraftKings. I mean, the world is a change and it's not what it
was when Pete Rose got in trouble, and it actually might be an incredibly
powerful statement and lead to a very big conversation by MLB if Otwani's like,
yeah, this is I was again he was using a bookie and gambling.
I guess as much like Texas is not technic is not legal in California.
Right, it's not legal in California. But it was better on DraftKings.
But he was DraftKings sports book, not the DraftKings and the prize picks and
FanDuel that is legal here, which is you know that bizarre gray area because
he's game of skill versus game of chance. But what if he says,
yeah, you know, I I do like gambling. I look around at
ballparks. It's promoted in almost everyone we go to. There's an official partner
of Major League Baseball that is, you know, a form of wagering.
And I was confused. I don't know. I mean, he's not going
to do that. But what if he does? I mean, that might
lead to a real big conversation of fine, we have to address this because
in some states, Oh no, how dare ye? Yeah? Yeah,
you have to either evolve with that, you know, the baseball, all
the other sports have to evolve. I mean they're already taking their money,
they're putting their banners in their names on I mean, is there any stadiums
that have naming rights that are one of these gambling outfits? Not yet that
I know of. We have a draft Kings Field or anything. No,
I really don't know. No, I don't think there is that I know
of. So you either have to like outlaw it completely like you did cigarettes,
or you lean into it and just kind of be a little more I
don't know, easy going about all this stuff because it is hip. It
does look It just reeks of hypocrisy for them to have some real, looking
down the end of their nose stuck up stance on this stuff. The problem
is this guy got raided in October by the FBI. That's the problem.
Is the guy that they were placing bets with had had his illegal operations shut
down. So there's you know, there's a you trace those steps and go
okay, you can't be doing business there. And that's the problem. Now.
I think playing that I was confused card could work if it was him.
I'm with you on that, And I get because he has different rules
than the law of America, pending what state you're in, which is already
kind of confusing. Yeah, and I understand the slippery slope of bet on
baseball, which from what I understand, he's not even alleged to have done.
No, it's football of pro college basketball, and soccer. Yeah,
I mean, I do know hockey, understand how a player should not be
betting on a game that they're participating in, but it just seems kind of
odd. I mean, do you really think you're gonna have it? Who's
works at your office? A bunch of dudes. They're all age nineteen through
thirty five. They're all multi millionaires too, and they play sports, so
they really like sports. Yeah, oh no, that doesn't sound like a
swath of people that are probably down to throw down a little bit. And
I get like, you're in March madness. The Calvin Ridley thing is whatever
Madhouse spring. It's a tournament that happens in this part of the year.
The Calvin Ridley thing's the other interesting one because he was with the Falcons and
then he no, he was with the Jaguars. No, yeah, he's
with the Falcons and he was hurt, but was betting on football. And
I do get where you just can't bet on your own sport, like you
could be so privy to so much information and tied trading. I would do
you have to put it back into your own life. Imagine if let's just
use an example, We'll just say if Dak Prescott was betting on NFL games
and you were in that same pool, you know with Dak on DraftKings,
Well, that would suck. Dak would have an advantage on you that I
wouldn't have, you know, So I get why they suspended Calvin Ridley.
I did not think they should have suspended Calvin Ridley that much like a whole
year. Yeah, but I do think a big slap on the risk and
like half the season, like yeah, absolutely, you can't bet on football,
dude, I get that. But don't NFL players play fantasy football?
Yes, they've talked about as like Eckler or somebody was like, man,
I was playing against the guy who had me. Yeah, they're not playing
for free. And he scored three touchdowns and there's no doing that. First
scored three touchdowns in a game that made him lose fans. No, dude,
Yeah, ten thousand dollars ahead as a joke minimum in the NFL players
fantasy football league. I don't know. That's what I'm saying. Probably illegal,
but we had filling out a bracket for March. Basketball is technically illegal
in this state or you know. I don't know, but it's the ultimate
turn your head and don't worry about it. How are they going to police
that anywhere? It is being just like while the snowball in America is just
trundling down the hill and laws are changing state by state, so it's not
worth fighting or policing. Have you ever wondered about the the thought or the
dynamic of the NFL player that's on a team and has a friend or multiple
friends that are way into gambling and they are able to get a read on
how their team's going to perform by the intangibles that we would never know about
outside of injury reports, like just the vibe of a locker room. It's
like, dude, this team is going to lose today. They are not
into it. This guy's going through a divorce, Dak's got diarrhea. You
know all the things that you would never know that only a true insider that's
in the locker room would know and say, I would bet heavily on the
Bengals today because wing, Oh my god, that's massive. And do you
don't think friends of that that happens. Or how about look here's our offensive
game plan. We know they're gonna lock down seedee Lamb. Let's say they're
gonna double team him. You know, like there's stuff that they know and
they would be smart in your draft, Kings or FanDuel lineup to put in
the number two receiver. We're targeting Ferguson on the board. Dude, this
is gonna be Yeah. Watch Ferguson's gonna get five catches in the first two
series because we've scripted some plays like wonder we're pounding thunder that happens one hundred.
It absolutely does. So again, you think, let's say you're growing
up one of your best friends is that made the Dallas Cowboys, and you're
still best friends. He's not suddenly a puritan who doesn't gamble or care like
you're like, dude, what's the word? Yes? Do you think that
players, via whatever avenues that the team has in resources, that they have
kind of instruct against this, or have you know, meetings to talk about
this specific incident. It's like, look, you're gonna have your buddies coming
up to you asking you. You know, you may have a friend that
really likes to gamble. They're gonna be asking you, what's the state of
day? You can't disclose this stuff. Do you think that that's part of
the conversation when you're on a team like that. I had a friend who
was a seventh round pick in the NFL and this was twenty plus years ago,
and they have that rookie symposium where a lot of it is gambling,
you know, at least back then, even back then, Yeah, yeah
back then, but it was more harshly judged back then, because again we're
in this gray area right now that it's just hopefully ignored. Well, but
when the biggest player in Major League Baseball and one of the most famous athletes
in the player it is now embroiled in this bizarre thing and speaking to the
media today, it makes it an interesting conversation. I think ESPN will quietly.
I think they'll they'll cover it, but I think it will be way
less than other places because they just launched ESPN bet until Igo. And the
other thing is of Tawani. Baseball is going to step into and be smart
here too. Like I know their commissioner's an idiot, but Baseball is not
going to like try to lay down the law here unless something really bad happen
because they know that they can't get rid of their most marketable star. They
just can't. So like, I think they'll play this smart. I think
nothing will happen. The real tense thing is labeling it a five million dollar
theft and someone has to go to prison for that, So that's that's where
it gets tense. So he could come clean on some stuff today, but
I don't think Baseball is going to do anything about it. He come and
clean on nothing today? Probably not. Nothing's going to implicate him. And
look, there's a there's a there's a very good chance that all of this
as it's is, as it is presented, that this guy had access to
his accounts and was able to zell himself money or transfer or wire himself money
from Otani's account unbeknownst to Otani. It's possible. I don't know if I
believe that. It doesn't seem plausible, but it is possible. Yeah,
all right, this is the least verified information I'll ever give you. But
a friend just text he said, apparently some bets placed against Angels in otani
hometown in Japan, over on runs, et cetera, millions, And I'm
trying to look it up. So in his hometown, like okay, So
if he told some friends and on Angels games and over on runs, that's
the thing with the Fed. What's the FEDS get involved? Well, I
guess any suspension that's more powerful than base Do they have any jurisdiction on bets
placed in Japan and any ability to really prove I don't know, but I
hear what you bring that element of law enforcement into it. That their reach
is pretty broad. And and that's the thing about the FBI is if they
find a scent and they have a mission, an objective, or even a
want to to investigate something, they will do it to the fullest. And
if they want to implicate Otani, if they think that they're if they see
enough smoke and think that there's a fire there, you bet you're ass they're
going to go after him. Right, But is that a priority for the
FBI nowadays? Again, they love these cases. I know they love the
big, high profile cases. If if it's a legal bet placed in a
distant land, yeah, and really hard to you know, was it made
through that bookie? Though? Well, I don't know that's placed from Japan
right in Japan, because if it's made with that bookie, then it is
illegal no in Japan by for buy someone else in his hometown and a yeah,
that's a text I got, I'm not reporting that. But what if
a million dollar I mean, I don't know, wish a million bucks?
If five and a half rounds get scored in this game? Yeah? And
is it? But well we'll be tracking. Uh, well, I'll call
norm. What's it he doesn't know. He might know, he knows things.
Just nice to catch up with Norm. It would be nice. We
had less than two minutes next Norm, Norm. I wonder if he would
Probably not he would the right. Hi, Norm, if you're listening,
he's not listening to you. He loves me, my best friend. Real
quick. Listen to how smoky Boachi is. This is behind the scenes footage
the Rangers released. They bring White Langford into the coach's office and to tell
him that he's made the team. Clost moments, Uh, you know,
for manager is a moment like now, that's being able to tell you here
with the major they team here and I could be happier, it could be
prouder for you. I mean, would know how fast this is all happening
for you. And I got to tell you there's never any doubt in our
mind. Ice work again. I'm excited they win some game. It's awesome.
White, Congratulations, you've already man, and this is just the beginning
and you got the best of you have to comsop probably rang job. Thank
you. Yeah, that's White walks out. It's awesome. That what a
studs. That's Chris Young? Why what whe like oh, really I made
the team. Oh yeah, wow, I better call my family. Could
have made it last is the beginning for you. I need an apartment.
You think boat chopper, good breath. I just wanted you to know now
you did real good and spring training. I think it smells like when you
hug carry at a remote as I hugged him on Saturday night. He smells
fine. It's just you know, he's a smoker, and you could tell,
you know, hugged too many people these days, that are right,
you know? Yeah? Yeah, Come give me a big old hug,
Mike. That's all right. Give me a good old Benson and the hedges.
Let's all right. By the way, Mike, I want you.
You made the team a team cigarette. Come here, boy, give it
a big old, big old cigarette. God, you have a large head
coming up. Love him and the scuttle but a funny planet, but also
one of the biggest names in pop music ever was in town and no one
even talked about it. Next to ninety seven one's freak