The Broncos sat out the opening wave of NFL free agency, choosing continuity instead of splashy signings. Woody Paige, Ron Zappolo, and Tom Green debate whether Denver is being patient — or missing an opportunity. Then the focus shifts to the Nuggets after a tough loss to the Knicks and a physical showdown with the Thunder. Is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander becoming Denver’s biggest problem in the West, and does Nikola Jokic need more protection from physical defenders like Lu Dort? The Avs, meanwhile, are surging after the trade deadline. With Nazem Kadri back in Denver and the team stacking big wins, Colorado looks like a legitimate Stanley Cup contender again.
The Broncos entered the legal tampering period with plenty of cap flexibility, but instead of making a splash they chose to retain much of the roster from a 15-win season. Woody Paige questions why Denver didn’t take advantage of the money freed up from Russell Wilson’s contract situation, while Ron Zappolo argues the biggest mistake teams make in free agency is waiting too long to strike.
From there the conversation turns to the Nuggets and their recent stretch of games. After an ugly performance against the Knicks and a competitive loss to Oklahoma City, the panel examines whether Denver has an answer for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder. The discussion also dives into the physical play Nikola Jokic faces, particularly from Lu Dort, and whether the Nuggets need someone to respond when their superstar gets hit.
The Avalanche are trending in the opposite direction. With Nazem Kadri returning and the team putting together high-level wins over Dallas and Minnesota, Colorado is playing playoff-caliber hockey again. The crew breaks down why the Avs suddenly look dangerous in the Western Conference and why their goaltending stability could be the key to another Cup run.
00:00 Broncos quiet in NFL free agency
02:14 Why Denver didn’t make a splash
05:36 Running back debate and J.K. Dobbins concerns
11:02 Russell Wilson money finally off the books
12:27 Media relationships with coaches
17:54 Toughest coaches to cover in Colorado sports
22:33 Nuggets’ ugly loss to the Knicks
23:41 OKC showdown and SGA problem for Denver
26:48 Lu Dort physicality with Nikola Jokic
28:53 Nuggets playoff concerns and lineup questions
32:01 Jamal Murray toughness and injuries
33:54 Sponsor: American Financing
35:32 Broncos free agency recap — “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”
36:38 Avalanche trade deadline success and Kadri’s return
38:45 Why players seem genuinely happy to join the Avs
40:15 Avs goaltending stability (Blackwood vs Wedgewood)
40:45 Possible Stanley Cup opponents from the Eastern Conference
41:51 Peter Forsberg vs Nathan MacKinnon debate
44:00 Colorado sports legends discussion
46:00 World Baseball Classic timing discussion
48:45 Rockies expectations this season
50:19 Woody predicts the Rockies will win 70 games
51:23 Show wrap-up
00;00;00;14 - 00;00;35;28
Tom Green
As we hit after the horn, we got to talk about NFL free agency and legal tampering. But we're going to focus on punishment Lou Dort was dishing it out again on Nikola Jokic. And who feels worse about the Cup that the Avs are pursuing. Is it the Stanley Cup or would they just like Gabriel Landeskog Cup.
00;00;36;00 - 00;00;52;27
Ron Zappolo
Again after extensive research and it took me at least a half hour last night, I found out that we're the only three man podcast team in the country that is not mentioned in the Epstein files. We are good to go on. So follow Tom green. Woody page, happy to be with you once again.
00;00;52;29 - 00;00;59;28
Woody Paige
And sitting in these, incredible chairs that we get from Furniture Row. Is that. Oh, yes.
00;00;59;28 - 00;01;00;17
Tom Green
You're doing great.
00;01;00;17 - 00;01;00;27
Ron Zappolo
You're doing.
00;01;00;27 - 00;01;32;10
Woody Paige
Good. I have to tell you guys, I make it very short. I bought yesterday a base for a mattress that gives you a massage, produces white noise and rain sounds and stuff. If you if you got one of those, that is the most incredible thing. I mean, it does separate beds and stuff. And I went, man, I spent more for that, base for bed than I have for car in the past.
00;01;32;12 - 00;01;33;23
Ron Zappolo
But it might be worth it, though.
00;01;33;29 - 00;01;35;08
Tom Green
Furniture is good because.
00;01;35;08 - 00;01;36;04
Ron Zappolo
Things are nice.
00;01;36;04 - 00;01;44;25
Woody Paige
I said that, you know, I think a mattress bed is the most important thing in your life. As you get older, you want something that really does do the work.
00;01;44;25 - 00;01;45;26
Tom Green
We'll get a full review.
00;01;46;00 - 00;01;50;01
Woody Paige
So, yeah, give it a week. You're out of Furniture Row. Check out the mattresses.
00;01;50;01 - 00;02;14;01
Tom Green
All right. Hey, legal tampering, which is always a great term, underway. The Denver Broncos, primarily spectators, just comfortable in their own yard, resigning players and and watching the world go by, watching the millions be spent. And it seems like, after all the excitement, the possibility of the Broncos leaning in and purchasing some fine, fast young machine, they did not.
00;02;14;05 - 00;02;15;13
Tom Green
They did, very little.
00;02;15;13 - 00;02;22;05
Woody Paige
If anything, I like that, military intelligence, working media and legal tampering.
00;02;22;06 - 00;02;22;25
Ron Zappolo
Tampering.
00;02;22;27 - 00;02;25;13
Tom Green
Tamper away. I will I will look the other way.
00;02;25;16 - 00;02;56;07
Woody Paige
I think they're trying to be smart, but they were stupid about one thing. We've all heard for two years about that choking process around their neck. Russell Wilson's cap number, and you suddenly have all. That's all that's gone away. It's like, are those salaries finally going away this year for you to spend from the, Kowalski's make a splash.
00;02;56;09 - 00;03;17;29
Woody Paige
You you say to people, okay, we finally got the money. Let's make a splash. They didn't make one splash. There were only three teams that didn't tamper legally. We were, basically agreed to, to, new contracts that they are one of only Seahawks or another. But all three of those teams that I'm forgetting the third team, I think.
00;03;17;29 - 00;03;20;01
Ron Zappolo
The Eagles didn't do much lot of good, good.
00;03;20;01 - 00;03;21;12
Tom Green
Teams were the ones, you know what I'm.
00;03;21;12 - 00;03;38;23
Ron Zappolo
Saying? What's it is? It's the same thing every year. I don't know why the Broncos don't notice this the first day. The first 4 or 5 hours is when it happens. And if you don't go out and really make a splash on the first day, you're at the drugstore picking over what's.
00;03;38;23 - 00;03;40;01
Tom Green
Left, like Black Friday.
00;03;40;01 - 00;03;45;06
Ron Zappolo
Yeah, you may get a good deal, but you're not getting the, you know, the heavyweights.
00;03;45;06 - 00;04;06;19
Tom Green
So they did keep players on a team that was very successful last year. The question is you know I like Jake Dobbins. Good running back I think they're overpaying for J.K. Dobbins. So they felt they had to. Adam Trautman seems to be a serviceable tight end. I think he'd be a really good backup tight end. They're paying him pretty good money too.
00;04;06;19 - 00;04;23;08
Tom Green
So how they're spending and it's funny because I think of it's a very smart organization. From the top down Greg Penner smart talk. Payton smart. Sean Payton smart. They know what they're doing. But I wonder if they're at sometimes a little too smart. Well we tried I think.
00;04;23;08 - 00;04;40;22
Ron Zappolo
The way we did our free agency show here what, three weeks ago. Yeah. And the three of us laid out for them kind of a well thought out template. You bring up the tight ends. Okay? You want to resign Adam Trautman, you Evan Ingram, what would you rather have Isaiah likely. Or the four guys that the Broncos have under contract.
00;04;40;27 - 00;04;46;12
Ron Zappolo
He got three years and like 36 million. You got to spend a little bit for some of these people.
00;04;46;12 - 00;05;04;22
Woody Paige
Sure. And I thought we brought up three different positions. Yeah. Running back Hall is going to be you know franchise but stuck with the just going to let you go. We had tight ends and and running backs. Walker is going to the Broncos.
00;05;04;24 - 00;05;07;23
Tom Green
Rival Kenneth Walker Super Bowl MVP going to Kansas.
00;05;07;23 - 00;05;36;20
Woody Paige
What's happening. We're seeing the Los Angeles Raiders I'm sorry. Las Vegas Raiders are spending a ton of money on players. We see the Chiefs signing the most valuable player in the Super Bowl as a running back, which has been a little bit of a problem for them. They did trade away at cornerback, and we're not really seeing a lot from the Chargers, but we're not seeing anything from the that's fresh and new from the Broncos.
00;05;36;23 - 00;05;40;14
Woody Paige
And for somebody that I heard say that Trautman.
00;05;40;17 - 00;05;41;21
Speaker 4
Is that.
00;05;41;24 - 00;06;05;26
Woody Paige
They bring him back because he's versatile. He not only catches but blocks. Have you ever seen him throw a block in a game, maybe out in the open field when somebody got 20 yards. But they did bring back this important to to be totally fair, 92% of the plays on offense. They brought those players back on defense, it's 95%.
00;06;05;29 - 00;06;11;16
Tom Green
So on the defense, I get it. On the offense. I thought the offense was an underperforming group last year, and I just say.
00;06;11;18 - 00;06;31;26
Woody Paige
They they have they've made that initial decision to bring back a team they had last year. Except for Greenlaw, who just a week ago, the general manager was saying that was one of the best pickups they've ever had. I mean, you mentioned it at the combine. They they've got it still got to have a running back.
00;06;31;28 - 00;06;36;17
Woody Paige
He just took it out of a tight end. They still have to have an inside linebacker. Those are the three positions.
00;06;36;17 - 00;06;52;08
Ron Zappolo
Well they're going to tell you they have their running back Jake Dobbins I kind of agree with you. I like J.K. Dobbins, but I looked at his, history. Yeah. He's never healthy. You're paying somebody. He's not going to play every game. He's going to be hurt. He's a young guy who's been hurt.
00;06;52;08 - 00;07;12;26
Tom Green
They also found this year, when he did get hurt, that they suddenly had the wrong room behind him. They couldn't replace him. They, like RJ Harvey's good back. He's very versatile guy. You can plug into a lot of situations, but they need an NFL veteran running back, someone who can take all those carries and belong on an NFL football field.
00;07;12;28 - 00;07;14;25
Tom Green
They'll be curious to see if they do add one well.
00;07;14;25 - 00;07;39;18
Woody Paige
And then they let McLaughlin go, who was I felt their best running back when Dobbins got hurt. I know you're talking about Harvey, but I I've liked him. Undrafted free agent. However, he's never learned to block, so they camp every time they put him in the defensive team knows that he's going to run the football, and he's not much of a catcher of the ball.
00;07;39;26 - 00;07;55;22
Woody Paige
So they have got to go get, I think someone between Dobbins and Harvey, that insert that guy who is a veteran that you have to expect that Dobbins going to get hurt.
00;07;55;24 - 00;07;59;15
Ron Zappolo
A guy like this who signed with Tampa Bay yesterday.
00;07;59;22 - 00;08;01;01
Tom Green
Well.
00;08;01;03 - 00;08;08;05
Ron Zappolo
He's what you're talking about. Somebody who, in a pinch can carry it 17 times in a game and get you through.
00;08;08;06 - 00;08;21;25
Tom Green
But will they? That's the thing I wonder about with the math for the Broncos, if they just look at it and they say, okay, we're going to have JK Dobbins and, you know, healthy or not, let's just say, do you want to pay a guy who's not going to get 240 carries? Yes. The money.
00;08;21;26 - 00;08;23;25
Speaker 4
Let me. Yes. Can I confess.
00;08;23;25 - 00;08;24;27
Woody Paige
They got their money.
00;08;24;29 - 00;08;51;11
Ron Zappolo
The reason they're not going to do it is because they're they subscribe to the theory. Now that is very popular that the running back position is the most useless, overvalued position in the NFL. And I still don't understand that when a good running back has his hands on the ball 20 or more times a game, are you telling me that's the weakest position on the team?
00;08;51;14 - 00;09;00;10
Woody Paige
I saw yesterday a list of average salaries at all the positions, and who would you think would be at the top.
00;09;00;12 - 00;09;01;14
Tom Green
Of pay.
00;09;01;15 - 00;09;24;28
Woody Paige
Would be quarterback quarterbacks? Number one. Number two would be wide receivers. Number three would be cornerbacks. And you go down the list and you go to like 16. Like that's where the running backs I don't get it. And so we've seen a couple of examples of guys that are switching teams that are getting a lot of money. And all I've heard, and including from my friends in the media that I really do respect.
00;09;24;28 - 00;09;45;10
Woody Paige
And they go, no, you didn't want those guys. You want to bring Dobbins back because you know what? I'm not sure you want to bring Dobbins back because you're going to think about it every week. How is he going to be able to play this week? Even when he was healthy, he was hurt. If you go back before when he was out for the season, he was questionable.
00;09;45;10 - 00;09;46;02
Woody Paige
I think probably.
00;09;46;04 - 00;09;54;07
Tom Green
I think good teams have good running backs and good running games. You look at teams that are playing late in the season, they have running backs who can carry the load.
00;09;54;08 - 00;09;56;29
Woody Paige
You mentioned old Cisco Warrior. Save.
00;09;57;02 - 00;10;01;09
Ron Zappolo
How about the last two Super Bowl champions? They take one. Barkley and Kenneth Walker.
00;10;01;09 - 00;10;06;07
Tom Green
Yeah. It's if you're going to play at the top of the food chain, you're going to need to have a running back.
00;10;06;07 - 00;10;08;00
Woody Paige
Because you haven't had a running game.
00;10;08;00 - 00;10;09;23
Tom Green
Yeah, exactly. We haven't seen.
00;10;09;23 - 00;10;14;09
Woody Paige
A running game here. And since a guy that's now the one.
00;10;14;12 - 00;10;18;06
Ron Zappolo
Of the best quarterback in football, they must think a running game is important.
00;10;18;06 - 00;10;44;00
Woody Paige
Sure. And the Cowboys win picked up a cheap running back. That would have been nice here after the year he had last year. So here's what I think's going to happen that you're saying it. You're absolutely right. I was in it in high school. I was in work for department store, and people come in toward the end of the day of a sale and they go, is this all you got that go.
00;10;44;03 - 00;10;44;15
Speaker 4
That's what's.
00;10;44;15 - 00;10;50;07
Woody Paige
Left. It's been picked over exactly where you use it. Picked over. Can't you see? I mean.
00;10;50;09 - 00;10;51;15
Ron Zappolo
There's a thick of it.
00;10;51;16 - 00;10;58;09
Woody Paige
Yeah. I can't even I can't even stock them. I mean, I can't organize them now because people are coming in and they're take turns so.
00;10;58;09 - 00;11;02;23
Tom Green
Well this rich team that now has that joke taken off them of Russell Wilson's money.
00;11;02;24 - 00;11;14;06
Woody Paige
Plus they plus not only to the count, but they got the ability with their ownership to go out and say, we're going to give you a bonus for $11 million right up our pocket today.
00;11;14;06 - 00;11;31;04
Tom Green
Well, that's what's interesting, because if everyone who's an expensive free agent has already been picked over in day one, who is going to get all this money that the Broncos still have sitting on the sideline because they did not step into the first day free agent pool, which means the prices, you know, everything must go at this sale.
00;11;31;05 - 00;11;32;06
Tom Green
I mean, ever buy one.
00;11;32;06 - 00;11;50;00
Ron Zappolo
That was for the Broncos are so happy with the team that won 15 games last year that they've made an organizational decision that we're going to bring Baxter nad, Jake Dobbins, Alex Singleton, and we're just going to get the band back together.
00;11;50;02 - 00;11;52;09
Woody Paige
So they could have been in the Super Bowl. So I mean.
00;11;52;09 - 00;11;52;22
Ron Zappolo
Yes, they.
00;11;52;23 - 00;12;00;11
Woody Paige
If you want to play both sides about it, they got to play. They got to pay bonito quickly. They didn't play him did they. Last year. They didn't they didn't.
00;12;00;14 - 00;12;16;28
Tom Green
He did get a new deal last year. Yeah. Yeah which was a good deal for the Broncos ultimately. Yeah. But the, the thing I was thinking if they're this far under the cap and they do have this much extra money to spend sponsoring this program would be a strong move by the Denver Broncos. I think a solid.
00;12;16;28 - 00;12;17;17
Speaker 4
Offense.
00;12;17;17 - 00;12;18;15
Tom Green
For them would be game.
00;12;18;22 - 00;12;27;17
Woody Paige
If they were sponsoring this show. We have to be like the other shows that are sponsored by the Broncos or have an affiliation. No, no, we've got both that we.
00;12;27;17 - 00;12;28;17
Tom Green
Can't be bought.
00;12;28;18 - 00;12;30;25
Ron Zappolo
We can still give them the finger.
00;12;30;28 - 00;12;34;14
Woody Paige
When you were when you were doing the Broncos all those years, were you told not to?
00;12;34;16 - 00;12;58;05
Ron Zappolo
No, I was never told. I was never once told. You can't take the Broncos on now. What would happen? It would depend what the regime was with the Broncos. I did it for years with Dan Reeves and Dan Reeves was much different than Mike Shanahan. He and we and we made many mistakes. And one of them was we had a live studio audience.
00;12;58;09 - 00;13;17;29
Ron Zappolo
So it was made it almost impossible for me to walk out there and in front of a live studio audience, all dressed up in orange to say, Hey Dan, the team sucks. But Dan would constantly be mad at me over the line of questioning, so it was kind of a give and take. But the Broncos, to their credit, or the station never said to me, did.
00;13;17;29 - 00;13;19;13
Woody Paige
You ever have the situation.
00;13;19;13 - 00;13;38;11
Tom Green
Where I have my favorite story would be with Earl Bruce? That's the one I had. Rob Bruce came in and was coaching CSU, and he came in and he actually bought the time on channel nine. He bought a half hour and then he would sell it. That's how he would make money. So I went out and met him the first time and I was like, you know, he's a rough, gruff guy.
00;13;38;11 - 00;13;52;12
Tom Green
I said, Earl, what happens if on fourth and so on? So you go for it and don't get it? Do you want me to ask you about that? He goes, you damn right I do. That's what the people want to know. And I said, well, it's your show, but I just want he goes, nope, come at me. And I thought, that's great.
00;13;52;12 - 00;13;56;06
Tom Green
Earl or wasn't afraid of questions. Others a little more thin skinned.
00;13;56;06 - 00;13;56;29
Speaker 4
Yes.
00;13;57;01 - 00;14;10;19
Ron Zappolo
Although I did the Doug most show, which was one of my great joys. And before we ever started, Doug said, make sure you just, like, beat the shit out of me, all right? Because I can handle it. And I said, just be regular. Then, yeah, just be like, we always.
00;14;10;21 - 00;14;37;02
Woody Paige
And you're real professionals. And I did to John. I would show a channel seven and I said, John, you know, I'm. Yeah. He said, be as tough as you want to be. And then they said to me, we're going to do the show. None of you got to do it like we did. We're going to do it at the zoo this week, and you are going to open up with the CEO with the ball football.
00;14;37;06 - 00;14;47;06
Woody Paige
Yeah. Knows, next week we're doing the circus third in town. I said, what do you mean? Well, you're right in on it all, but. And that was it. I'm glad I'm not having to do.
00;14;47;06 - 00;14;47;22
Speaker 4
All that.
00;14;47;22 - 00;15;06;01
Woody Paige
Stuff. He said you could ask me whatever you want to, but at the end of the year, they said Elway's quitting the show, and we believe it's because of you. Because I asked, you were asking all the tough questions. So call John and said, you know, I'll quit. You stay. They'll get someone to ask you questions. Had nothing to do with that.
00;15;06;01 - 00;15;08;12
Woody Paige
He said, I want out of the deal story.
00;15;08;15 - 00;15;09;04
Speaker 4
Yeah, yeah.
00;15;09;09 - 00;15;10;04
Woody Paige
So that was, you.
00;15;10;04 - 00;15;20;10
Ron Zappolo
Know, the only guy show I ever I did a lot of coaches show. Sure. And the only show I think I ever did where I love the guy so much that I couldn't get on him was Sonny Lubeck.
00;15;20;11 - 00;15;21;03
Tom Green
Yeah.
00;15;21;05 - 00;15;48;03
Ron Zappolo
He was just the sweetest man. And I loved them. And I did it when the show was that the program was taking off. And, you know, I would come in there on Sunday morning and do it. And every week he would say to me, I really appreciate you doing this. Yeah. And so I'm at Fox when he retires and he's got a laundry list of people he wants to thank, and he gets to my name and he starts talking about me.
00;15;48;03 - 00;15;57;09
Ron Zappolo
And I'm sitting there at Fox and I'm getting a little teary eyed. And to this day, he's still one of the nicest people I've ever met in sports.
00;15;57;14 - 00;16;00;12
Tom Green
You talk about irreplaceable figures in sir. Yes.
00;16;00;12 - 00;16;03;08
Ron Zappolo
You know, when they know Colorado, when they name the stadium after you?
00;16;03;09 - 00;16;04;24
Tom Green
Yeah, it does say something.
00;16;04;24 - 00;16;05;01
Ron Zappolo
Yeah.
00;16;05;01 - 00;16;21;29
Woody Paige
And to have him call me and say, I want you to introduce me at the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, and I will. Why? You're in Fort Collins. I mean, you got sons that are coaches. And he said, I just like you. He said you were the first guy to call me when I got the job. He was with Miami.
00;16;22;01 - 00;16;23;12
Ron Zappolo
Yeah, yeah, he was a defensive end.
00;16;23;13 - 00;16;44;05
Woody Paige
I got him at the Orange Bowl and he said, and I just. I really do like you. And he was being genuine about it. And that shocked the hell out of me. They played in the Liberty Bowl where I'm from, Memphis. And he said, why do you come to the Liberty Bowl? You could come see you or something.
00;16;44;05 - 00;16;55;08
Woody Paige
Like I said, my mom lives here. She he said, bring your mom out. So I took my mom out, but and so I said, I just want to tell you, your son's the greatest in the world. He. Yeah, that was Sonny. Yeah.
00;16;55;10 - 00;17;23;08
Ron Zappolo
That was Sonny. That was underneath, you know, 100%. You guys threw me a really cool little party when I went to Fox. You and Mike Nolan and, Colebrook and Sonny came. Yeah. And I've still got that picture then. And all of us had been a great group and was great. And here's the best thing about Sonny. So right about that time, my youngest daughter ends up going to CSU, and out of the blue, he calls me one day and says, don't worry, Carol, Joe, and I'll keep an eye on her.
00;17;23;15 - 00;17;26;10
Ron Zappolo
And that. And that was Sonny.
00;17;26;13 - 00;17;36;15
Tom Green
Well, he called he called me one time just to say how much he liked you and that he was going to have you introduce him with all the them. And he hung up. But it was sweet, you.
00;17;36;15 - 00;17;41;24
Ron Zappolo
Know, coach, you know. So I don't know how we got on coaches. Well but they're, they're, they're difficult.
00;17;41;26 - 00;17;53;28
Woody Paige
Because he wanted the Broncos to sponsor says I need to know that whether we had to suddenly become become the, your least favorite coach of all time in Colorado that you dealt with?
00;17;54;05 - 00;17;56;10
Tom Green
Oh, man, I'd have to think about it.
00;17;56;13 - 00;18;01;00
Ron Zappolo
I'd have to. Do you have one in mind? The whole. Let me think about that for a second.
00;18;01;02 - 00;18;02;15
Tom Green
Go ahead. Would you let me finish?
00;18;02;17 - 00;18;05;26
Woody Paige
Maybe a hint he won a national championship with Oklahoma.
00;18;05;28 - 00;18;08;19
Speaker 4
Oh, you go show that. That would,
00;18;08;22 - 00;18;10;20
Tom Green
Yeah, I had a brush with him, but that was.
00;18;10;20 - 00;18;13;15
Ron Zappolo
All I had more than a brush, and he would be a knockout.
00;18;13;15 - 00;18;15;06
Speaker 4
Champion. Chuck.
00;18;15;11 - 00;18;29;14
Woody Paige
Chuck, you had to finish his senators. I would say to him, so what do you think you're going to do at tight end this year? Well, I'm thinking about the guy who started last year. I think just.
00;18;29;17 - 00;18;30;04
Speaker 4
He.
00;18;30;05 - 00;18;31;17
Woody Paige
Was so.
00;18;31;19 - 00;18;32;15
Speaker 4
Oh.
00;18;32;17 - 00;18;37;19
Woody Paige
And he wasn't a pleasant it was not a pleasant. He lost a Drake twice.
00;18;37;19 - 00;18;41;15
Ron Zappolo
Twice I did the games I remember well.
00;18;41;17 - 00;18;42;00
Tom Green
I.
00;18;42;02 - 00;19;00;12
Ron Zappolo
My favorite Chuck Fairbanks story. He gets the job and I'm doing the games on K radio with Larry Zimmer. And so back in those days, they would have a big media day like Kansas City, and all the coaches would go. And so we would fly in and I'd take my tape recorder and camera guy and you'd get a ton of stuff for two weeks.
00;19;00;15 - 00;19;17;23
Ron Zappolo
And so I haven't met Chuck Fairbanks. So I see him in the airport, I go, I'm just going to go up and introduce myself and I go up and introduce myself, and I, I'm the color guy in the radio broadcast, and I'm coming out here and Chuck Fairbanks, I'll never forget, this takes a long drag on his cigaret.
00;19;17;23 - 00;19;23;18
Ron Zappolo
That must've lasted for 20s.
00;19;23;21 - 00;19;26;03
Speaker 4
Oh, yeah.
00;19;26;05 - 00;19;52;07
Woody Paige
I went into his office. Good to meet you. Oh, wait. In the office. And I said, man, this is nice. I said, when the coaches before you, had just a regular office, he said, I spent $180,000 on this office, and I didn't pay much attention to that. And then it became some sort of, in the boulder camera.
00;19;52;11 - 00;19;53;03
Tom Green
Oh, it was a big.
00;19;53;03 - 00;19;55;07
Speaker 4
About how much did.
00;19;55;09 - 00;19;59;23
Tom Green
He not. He had spent that the school. Yes. Had. But that you the taxpayer.
00;19;59;23 - 00;20;18;20
Woody Paige
All this stuff with Diane, I think he back to man that was a story where and I, I'm sitting in the middle of it and I go, well, you know, it's a nice, nice thing. And it became, the big story, Chuck, was the worst of all the people I ever dealt with because you couldn't get anything out of him.
00;20;18;28 - 00;20;20;11
Woody Paige
He didn't like anybody.
00;20;20;11 - 00;20;37;04
Ron Zappolo
Wasn't a nice person. I mean, they lose twice to Drake. I still remember with Logan doing the games and Drake comes out. Their uniforms were so bad that a weak high school team would have thrown them out. You couldn't see their numbers on their back, were.
00;20;37;04 - 00;20;38;17
Tom Green
Really beating on Drake and.
00;20;38;17 - 00;20;40;01
Ron Zappolo
They and Drake beat him.
00;20;40;01 - 00;20;42;00
Speaker 4
Twice. Yeah, Chuck Shelton.
00;20;42;00 - 00;20;48;12
Woody Paige
And my my runner up was the coach of the Denver Nuggets, who would call me all the time and accuse me of being.
00;20;48;12 - 00;20;49;16
Ron Zappolo
A racist. Bernie Bickerstaff.
00;20;49;19 - 00;20;50;12
Tom Green
Bernie.
00;20;50;14 - 00;20;55;09
Ron Zappolo
I'll tell you what, though. His son might be in the running for coach of the year this year.
00;20;55;09 - 00;21;06;18
Tom Green
So I will say just just to finish, you thoughts on, or my thought. Anyway, on on coaches, I didn't like, working with and one of them is going to be my guest, another Tom green show this week. Little hands. Like, I hated that.
00;21;06;18 - 00;21;09;00
Ron Zappolo
Oh, man. Was it difficult or.
00;21;09;02 - 00;21;17;28
Tom Green
Extremely difficult to work with and, you know, win or lose. Well, mostly lose, but he was he. I thought he was very tough.
00;21;17;28 - 00;21;30;13
Woody Paige
Tough guy. I liked, I tell you who I like that is underrated for liking John Fox was good guy. I thought he and he was successful here, but I think I think John Fox.
00;21;30;16 - 00;21;37;03
Ron Zappolo
I'll give you one. I liked this under the radar, and I was critical of him and he never held it against me. Was Paul Westhead.
00;21;37;08 - 00;21;37;21
Tom Green
Oh, yeah.
00;21;37;21 - 00;21;57;20
Ron Zappolo
And I got to know him and he was a lot of fun. And I would go to a game on my off day, and I'd walk by the press row and he'd look at me and go, oh, busman's holiday. And then he would always have something pithy to say. And then I watched that show time yeah thing on him, and I got a different view of them.
00;21;57;20 - 00;22;11;02
Ron Zappolo
I really liked him. I thought he was a lunatic when it came to what he did with the nuggets, and how he thought basketball should be played, but I liked him as a as a person.
00;22;11;02 - 00;22;17;22
Woody Paige
Well, but you got to remember, the one thing he did is he allowed the can be Mutombo to average like 48 points a game.
00;22;17;29 - 00;22;19;06
Speaker 4
Well, this is like.
00;22;19;09 - 00;22;23;07
Ron Zappolo
My favorite thing was if they had the ball for more than 10s, it was.
00;22;23;07 - 00;22;26;22
Speaker 4
Shoot, you know. So hey, the.
00;22;26;24 - 00;22;33;13
Tom Green
The Broncos probably aren't going to pick up the sponsorship, but, we do have some great friends who have stepped up, including our friends at Red.
00;22;33;13 - 00;22;55;22
Ron Zappolo
Bell. But how about Redbird chicken? I mean, and listen, we all know this. Any time is great. Time to have chicken. Cold. Whether you grill it, whatever you want to do. It's one of those brands, Redbird, that once you try it, you don't go a second place twice. No antibiotics at all. Vegetarian fed. You're not paying for any of the water weight stuff like you do with other chickens.
00;22;55;22 - 00;23;15;15
Ron Zappolo
Chefs use it at restaurants. What more do you need to know? And if you care about what you're feeding your family, Redbird is the way to go. It cooks better. It tastes better. It's just once you've tried Redbird, you will stick it. Stick with it. It's got all the good stuff. Redbird chicken were thrilled to have you as a sponsor.
00;23;15;16 - 00;23;19;09
Ron Zappolo
Go out and get some. Take it from us. You won't be disappointed.
00;23;19;12 - 00;23;29;09
Tom Green
All right, let's talk about the Denver Nuggets. What an interesting last few games. I had the, misfortune of going to the Friday night game against the Knicks, which was.
00;23;29;10 - 00;23;30;27
Ron Zappolo
Why did you go to that game?
00;23;31;00 - 00;23;31;28
Tom Green
Because someone invited.
00;23;31;28 - 00;23;32;20
Ron Zappolo
Well, okay.
00;23;32;23 - 00;23;41;19
Tom Green
But I went to that game, and it was not only the worst game they've played in a long time. It was worse than I could have ever imagined them playing.
00;23;41;19 - 00;23;43;11
Ron Zappolo
They quit so.
00;23;43;11 - 00;24;01;17
Tom Green
Hard to watch in the arena that night. And then, you know, Jamal gets hurt. They go to Oklahoma City for another big showdown with the Thunder. And it was a terrific game Monday night in Oklahoma City. And the nuggets certainly, for the most part showed up, showed up late, tried to win the game and couldn't.
00;24;01;17 - 00;24;27;21
Ron Zappolo
But it was a great game. It was one of the best games of the year. Watched it from start to finish. Gordon was sensational in the first quarter. The only thing that bothered me about the game Oklahoma City played without their two starting big men, Isaiah Hartenstein and, Chet Holmgren, and they still beat the nuggets. So to me, the gap between the two is still incredible.
00;24;27;21 - 00;24;30;17
Ron Zappolo
And SGA.
00;24;30;19 - 00;24;31;12
Tom Green
He's a problem.
00;24;31;12 - 00;24;49;14
Ron Zappolo
He he's a problem for everybody. And I sat there and studied him last night. I it's been a long time since there's been a guard in the NBA who can get to the rack like he can and can do something with it, can distribute the ball. And when you know, you got to have it, hey, just get me the ball.
00;24;49;14 - 00;24;55;27
Ron Zappolo
I'm sitting there watching my grandson and he says to me, don't let SGA get the ball. He's 12.
00;24;56;00 - 00;24;56;10
Tom Green
Good.
00;24;56;11 - 00;24;59;17
Ron Zappolo
And I said, yeah, that's pretty. As soon as he got the ball. So I told.
00;24;59;23 - 00;25;03;17
Speaker 4
Papa, I told you so.
00;25;03;19 - 00;25;04;15
Woody Paige
Nice grandkid.
00;25;04;17 - 00;25;10;16
Ron Zappolo
Yes, he's a basketball savant. I can give you some more of the stuff he asks me, which is crazy.
00;25;10;19 - 00;25;17;01
Woody Paige
The Knicks figured out a way to guard Jokic, and they just put a short bed and a tall man.
00;25;17;02 - 00;25;18;00
Tom Green
Well yeah 38.
00;25;18;07 - 00;25;44;17
Woody Paige
Yeah. And the reason why I bring that up is you know teams worked at stopping him. And they do that somewhat effectively because they say okay we're going to take away the pass tonight. And so they they're making sure that, they don't double team him so he can fine up, old man. You know, other teams will go, we're going to put a short man and a tall man or they somebody that's like a hands like that will just pass.
00;25;44;19 - 00;25;47;01
Woody Paige
Pest.
00;25;47;04 - 00;25;52;11
Woody Paige
The nuggets have not figured out how to guard SGA. No.
00;25;52;14 - 00;25;54;01
Speaker 4
And they're not alone though.
00;25;54;01 - 00;25;58;04
Woody Paige
On the last play. Last night you put three guys on him.
00;25;58;08 - 00;26;01;16
Ron Zappolo
You deny him the ball. You just deny him the ball.
00;26;01;16 - 00;26;22;01
Woody Paige
Say let one of the other guys beat us. I when I was first covering pro basketball, I ask a question to players, do you want the ball at the end of the game or do you want the lead at the end of the game? Close game, end it all say, oh, I want the ball at the end of the game.
00;26;22;01 - 00;26;41;22
Woody Paige
I said, no, that's the wrong answer. Yeah, you want to lead it in the game because teams don't shoot 50%. This is going back years and years. Now they do shoot 50%. But I want the lead. But if you got SGA you want the ball.
00;26;41;28 - 00;26;42;22
Speaker 4
Yeah.
00;26;42;25 - 00;26;48;26
Woody Paige
And that's because the ball get going. He's going to beat him. He's going to beat him. He beat them twice at the end of the game.
00;26;48;27 - 00;27;16;22
Tom Green
Let's go let's let's let's go to Lou Dort though. Well what we want to talk about Oklahoma City Dort and Jokic. And it happened again. And it's it's actually a an interesting play to see because of Dort throwing his elbow in the wrong direction while fighting over a screen. And it's intentional. It's the way he plays. And I'm not sure that the nuggets have an answer because you talk about do you talk about SGA?
00;27;16;28 - 00;27;22;11
Tom Green
You don't go after Dort. SGA becomes your target and he does like to go to talk about we.
00;27;22;11 - 00;27;34;10
Woody Paige
Talked about this in hockey. And you know, we're were the ones you were the ones specifically talking about. They need to get a tough guy and they were looking for Kadri kind of guy.
00;27;34;12 - 00;27;36;21
Speaker 4
They finally got a guy like me. Yes.
00;27;36;23 - 00;27;50;18
Woody Paige
So we were talking about that to Gordon was the toughest man they have. Yeah. How do you stop him? As soon as that happened last night, you you go to look at the other bit. Who's at the end of bench? The kid from see you.
00;27;50;20 - 00;27;51;08
Tom Green
Gave it, right.
00;27;51;10 - 00;27;52;06
Ron Zappolo
David Roddy.
00;27;52;07 - 00;28;01;08
Woody Paige
Your lousy bigot, you know, earn your money, you get the fortune, and you're not playing sentiment and say, just haul off and knock this shit up.
00;28;01;10 - 00;28;23;22
Ron Zappolo
You know what I like about the game the last night? There's a little rivalry developing, like in the pregame, right before they jumped it up. And, Marlowe and Scott were talking about this about let's see if there's any handshakes because there's such a fraternity of love in the NBA league. And I joke it just standing there, standing there, Jalen William standing there.
00;28;23;25 - 00;28;26;03
Ron Zappolo
There was nothing. Know there was nothing.
00;28;26;03 - 00;28;27;05
Woody Paige
There was nothing at the end.
00;28;27;10 - 00;28;36;28
Ron Zappolo
And there was nothing at the end. Did you see how quickly both teams. Yeah. Normally at the end of the game it was a five minute lovefest. And you didn't see that.
00;28;37;02 - 00;28;53;04
Woody Paige
Nuggets are now six. They're barely hanging on I wrote last week good I felt with this run they're going through with the rockets coming up. They got to play the Spurs. Who. Yeah. And Jokic was quoted as saying that he wants to get out of the league before.
00;28;53;06 - 00;28;56;12
Ron Zappolo
Before Wanyama gets too good you better. And he's going to retire.
00;28;56;15 - 00;29;17;05
Woody Paige
They're going to feel they're there. We touched one on a week ago. They're to fall into the seven seven spot. There could be any place coming on. They can't beat OKC. They cannot beat them because they are intimidated by SGA. I'm going to call it that because they just don't. They put Christian Brown on him and he.
00;29;17;05 - 00;29;18;23
Tom Green
Brown couldn't handle him last night at all.
00;29;18;23 - 00;29;25;03
Ron Zappolo
You got it. So what would you do? Who I was thinking about this last night. You bring up a great point. He's killing Christian Brown.
00;29;25;06 - 00;29;26;29
Tom Green
So do you. Have you know.
00;29;26;29 - 00;29;36;14
Ron Zappolo
What you need? You need a guy like when there's 2 or 3 of these guys that are the best player on the team, that gets up and says, I'll check.
00;29;36;20 - 00;29;37;01
Tom Green
Right?
00;29;37;01 - 00;29;42;03
Ron Zappolo
SGA, I don't know if the nuggets have a guy like that. There's one guy I think Aaron.
00;29;42;03 - 00;29;42;14
Tom Green
Gordon.
00;29;42;14 - 00;29;44;02
Ron Zappolo
Would be. Gordon would be might be the.
00;29;44;02 - 00;29;44;29
Tom Green
One would raise his hand.
00;29;45;02 - 00;29;51;03
Ron Zappolo
But I think he's got to raise his hand and say, hey, if we matchup with them in the playoffs, I'll check them.
00;29;51;03 - 00;29;53;11
Tom Green
Yeah, not all the time. But he can get a steady.
00;29;53;11 - 00;29;55;08
Ron Zappolo
Diet but first steady diet of it.
00;29;55;15 - 00;30;14;27
Tom Green
Here's the question for the for the nuggets going forward though is Christian Brown ever going to be Christian Brown that we've seen this year because he's not come back since he's been hurt to be the same player. And Cam Johnson remains the biggest mystery on the nuggets team. When Payton Watson gets healthy.
00;30;15;00 - 00;30;17;07
Ron Zappolo
Cam Johnson won't be playing.
00;30;17;11 - 00;30;24;17
Tom Green
He could go on a milk carton. Yeah but but that's what it looks like when he's playing now he's a good player who suddenly isn't at home.
00;30;24;17 - 00;30;44;06
Ron Zappolo
You can tell Tom I'll tell you what. When the playoffs come the starting five is going to be Jokic. Murray Gordon Christian Brown and Peyton Watson. They're going to come off with Valanciunas Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway. And that's it. That's it. They'll play eight guys because the the roster the yeah the it always.
00;30;44;13 - 00;30;45;06
Tom Green
Tim Johnson won't be.
00;30;45;06 - 00;30;48;08
Ron Zappolo
One Johnson won't be in the rotation.
00;30;48;11 - 00;30;50;27
Speaker 4
I'm I'm sitting here.
00;30;51;00 - 00;31;04;12
Woody Paige
Listening carefully to what you're saying Christian Brown has not lived up to the tune. Well and you get this. Pardon me Christian, but yes you got all that money. Now you're going to get all the grief that.
00;31;04;12 - 00;31;04;25
Tom Green
Comes with.
00;31;04;25 - 00;31;14;01
Woody Paige
It. Sure. Whatever you deserve, you're now going to get that. So it's big money. What is it that, spider man was told by his late father?
00;31;14;03 - 00;31;15;22
Tom Green
With something comes great response.
00;31;15;29 - 00;31;16;07
Ron Zappolo
With.
00;31;16;07 - 00;31;20;13
Speaker 5
Great power comes great responsibility. Great. It was his uncle, not his dad.
00;31;20;13 - 00;31;21;15
Ron Zappolo
Yeah, I thank you for that.
00;31;21;17 - 00;31;22;04
Woody Paige
I didn't know too.
00;31;22;08 - 00;31;22;21
Speaker 4
Big Marvel.
00;31;22;21 - 00;31;24;20
Ron Zappolo
Started. But you were right, though. You ever.
00;31;24;22 - 00;31;26;19
Woody Paige
Yeah. When it when I started making money.
00;31;26;19 - 00;31;30;09
Ron Zappolo
There's too much is given much. He started getting spectacular something.
00;31;30;09 - 00;31;30;23
Speaker 4
Yeah, yeah.
00;31;30;23 - 00;31;32;26
Tom Green
He who laughs laughs laughs whatever.
00;31;32;26 - 00;31;35;26
Speaker 4
Everyone else early bird. Yeah. So Christian was doing great.
00;31;36;00 - 00;31;43;23
Woody Paige
He didn't get before because oh he's only making $3 million. And you know he's doing a great job. He's playing golf. So is it good. Guess what. He's playing awful good.
00;31;43;23 - 00;31;46;02
Tom Green
News Aaron Gordon looked healthy.
00;31;46;02 - 00;31;48;19
Ron Zappolo
Looks strong looked good in the first quarter that's for sure.
00;31;48;21 - 00;32;01;29
Tom Green
Back man. And Jamal Murray when he went down against the Knicks there was that two week four week six week time. But about three days later he drops 20 plays in a big game in Oklahoma City. He is a tough kid.
00;32;02;01 - 00;32;12;09
Woody Paige
Gordon. No, can't be your guy yet for toughness because he just try to get healthy. Yeah, just trying to he's trying to figure out how I don't get a hamstring.
00;32;12;11 - 00;32;13;28
Ron Zappolo
So who is it? Is it Bruce Brown?
00;32;14;03 - 00;32;20;09
Woody Paige
Chris Bruce Brown is the only thing they got. But they got a center. And I've said, who.
00;32;20;09 - 00;32;21;05
Ron Zappolo
Doesn't play the big.
00;32;21;05 - 00;32;22;03
Woody Paige
Game and.
00;32;22;05 - 00;32;23;07
Tom Green
Struggled to play?
00;32;23;08 - 00;32;24;03
Ron Zappolo
He played 20 games.
00;32;24;06 - 00;32;24;18
Speaker 4
But he.
00;32;24;18 - 00;32;39;19
Woody Paige
Said he is the toughest guy on the team. Why do you think that? Oh sure. I don't think opposing teams want to face him because he he has no boundary. He'll he'll whack you like.
00;32;39;19 - 00;32;44;10
Ron Zappolo
Well, he's the guy you're talking about when somebody knocks the shit out of Nikola Jokic.
00;32;44;13 - 00;32;52;01
Tom Green
But he can't like the door thing. Monday night in Oklahoma City you can't retaliate there. There's no time left in the game.
00;32;52;01 - 00;32;59;07
Ron Zappolo
No but they got to make a point going forward. Yeah. Whether it's in the playoffs or next year
00;32;59;09 - 00;33;00;27
Woody Paige
They have one more game.
00;33;01;00 - 00;33;03;01
Tom Green
But it'll be a meeting like last off season game.
00;33;03;04 - 00;33;04;10
Woody Paige
Well, it may not be.
00;33;04;10 - 00;33;05;11
Ron Zappolo
For may not. You never.
00;33;05;12 - 00;33;05;25
Tom Green
Know.
00;33;05;27 - 00;33;07;26
Ron Zappolo
Yeah. It could be for seeding. It could be the.
00;33;07;27 - 00;33;09;17
Woody Paige
One where you not.
00;33;09;17 - 00;33;10;24
Ron Zappolo
Only send a message.
00;33;10;24 - 00;33;27;26
Woody Paige
Go all out, but you say we're going to see you again. So here we've got this guy over here that is a legitimate seven footer. Yeah. And he's got elbows. He's he's got elbows going all the time. And he could he looks around and go why do you call offensive fellow me. Because you got the elbow. That's good I.
00;33;27;28 - 00;33;30;19
Ron Zappolo
Can't I can't let loose. Don't get away with that.
00;33;30;22 - 00;33;32;20
Tom Green
Well the league should come back.
00;33;32;23 - 00;33;37;27
Woody Paige
Look at the last game he went okay let's get you ready for the playoffs. That's but you I.
00;33;37;27 - 00;33;40;25
Ron Zappolo
Mean they had to go to a review to see if that was a flagrant.
00;33;40;25 - 00;33;45;16
Tom Green
One. It was an odd play when I saw it live I didn't notice it as much. I didn't.
00;33;45;16 - 00;33;48;13
Ron Zappolo
Either, but as soon as I saw it on the replay it.
00;33;48;13 - 00;33;50;04
Woody Paige
Was his nose connect with.
00;33;50;04 - 00;33;50;28
Speaker 4
Yeah, yeah.
00;33;51;01 - 00;33;54;10
Woody Paige
Okay. All right.
00;33;54;13 - 00;34;30;07
Tom Green
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00;34;30;09 - 00;34;57;27
Tom Green
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00;34;57;29 - 00;34;58;18
Speaker 4
I always.
00;34;58;18 - 00;35;01;01
Woody Paige
Loved the Marx Brothers.
00;35;01;04 - 00;35;01;26
Tom Green
Yeah, sure.
00;35;01;26 - 00;35;09;05
Woody Paige
And they had one brother that never talked. And Harpo were kind of like that. And I'd like to say. Natasha, is there anything you'd like to say?
00;35;09;05 - 00;35;11;01
Speaker 4
Well, we're.
00;35;11;03 - 00;35;12;18
Woody Paige
Penn and Teller.
00;35;12;21 - 00;35;16;03
Speaker 5
Oh. I'm good. I like to chime in and do my my corrections.
00;35;16;04 - 00;35;18;02
Speaker 4
Yeah, I like that.
00;35;18;04 - 00;35;21;17
Tom Green
Yeah. The limitless role of. Yeah. Correcting. Yeah.
00;35;21;20 - 00;35;22;01
Speaker 4
Just.
00;35;22;06 - 00;35;32;07
Woody Paige
Before we get so far away from the Broncos, your response to the fact that you haven't heard anybody that's new on the free agency?
00;35;32;10 - 00;35;49;21
Speaker 5
I can respect what they're doing. I believe they're saying there would be. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. So, you know, they they could do better in the draft. There is that's the opportunity to get the few players that we do need. But as far as what they've done thus far, I'm not upset about it.
00;35;49;23 - 00;35;50;24
Speaker 4
Okay. Well all right.
00;35;50;25 - 00;35;58;19
Woody Paige
We just want to touch base with you. If you were upset and she says if it ain't broke, you don't fix.
00;35;58;19 - 00;36;01;06
Speaker 5
It. Well, to your point, to tell.
00;36;01;07 - 00;36;04;11
Woody Paige
People where you went to college and got a degree from.
00;36;04;14 - 00;36;05;28
Speaker 5
The University of Colorado. Okay.
00;36;05;28 - 00;36;10;07
Woody Paige
All right. Tennessee, we learned not to say, hey.
00;36;10;10 - 00;36;11;17
Speaker 4
Oh.
00;36;11;19 - 00;36;14;10
Speaker 5
Is that where that originated? What do you mean?
00;36;14;15 - 00;36;15;05
Speaker 4
I mean.
00;36;15;07 - 00;36;24;03
Woody Paige
The toothbrush head. You know, the toothbrush was invented. Tennessee. Don't you know that it would have been called the teeth brush in any other state? Because we had one.
00;36;24;04 - 00;36;38;17
Tom Green
Beaten up on your fellow Vols? Yes. Hey, avalanche had a huge week last week. At the very buzzer of the trading deadline, they brought the fan favorite Nazem Kadri back. And then they posted consecutive shootout wins over over Dallas in Minnesota.
00;36;38;17 - 00;36;39;14
Ron Zappolo
Two great games.
00;36;39;16 - 00;37;04;13
Tom Green
Yeah I mean really playoff edgy hockey games. There won't be shootouts in the playoffs though. But the avalanche continue to establish themselves or reestablish themselves as the class of the league back to comfortable leads with games at hand over both Dallas and Minnesota and, and playing high level, healthy hockey. Unless, of course, you're Gabe Landeskog. Got a tough, tough, weekend.
00;37;04;13 - 00;37;05;29
Tom Green
He took one to the cup.
00;37;05;29 - 00;37;26;21
Ron Zappolo
Yeah. Well, leave Gabe minus Gogol alone. I just like the fact that the Avs hadn't done much in shootouts up until recently here in the shoosh get. And McKinnon all of sudden, I don't know if they've come up with a and the shooters can scored in both shootouts kind of the same way. Hold the pucks and the Forsberg move.
00;37;26;21 - 00;37;45;02
Ron Zappolo
And I just thought to beat Dallas when you're down the whole game and you come back and score there, I think with 13 seconds to go. And then the Minnesota game, which was a really high level game because I don't watch all of the avalanche games. I watch a lot of nugget games, but I watch both of those games.
00;37;45;05 - 00;37;53;22
Ron Zappolo
I was very impressed with where the avalanche sit right now, and let's go into the playoffs and take our best shot.
00;37;53;25 - 00;38;00;02
Woody Paige
You always hear when a guy's, acquired in a trade. Oh, I'm happy to be here. You know, I like that.
00;38;00;05 - 00;38;00;27
Ron Zappolo
He's happy to be.
00;38;00;27 - 00;38;01;20
Woody Paige
I'm telling.
00;38;01;20 - 00;38;02;05
Speaker 4
You.
00;38;02;08 - 00;38;29;02
Woody Paige
All these players they have picked up in the last two weeks genuinely seemed like they're so happy. Man, I hated coming here so loud in here. Oh, gee, I would name Denver as one of the top three cities in all of North America that I'd like to play it. So they not only obtain some good players, including a diminutive defenseman.
00;38;29;04 - 00;38;45;22
Woody Paige
Who is the guy that's a tough guy on penalty kills, but they've hired guys that want to be here that well and especially Dadri, man. He said, great quote. You said, I've been traded twice to the same team. And he said they must like me.
00;38;45;27 - 00;38;48;03
Ron Zappolo
So he was traded to the pen.
00;38;48;03 - 00;38;58;21
Tom Green
Well that's the thing. You look at Nikola and and Nazem Kadri. I mean those two guys suddenly went from watching the playoffs to like in the driver's seat. This year was great up here.
00;38;58;21 - 00;39;06;11
Woody Paige
Yeah. Not right. Could you keep him at the arena and say, you know, we just could use you like two minutes a game where the nuggets win.
00;39;06;14 - 00;39;12;24
Ron Zappolo
Or he can go over to the nuggets. Here's what you do it when somebody takes a run at one of your stars. Let me show you.
00;39;12;24 - 00;39;13;12
Speaker 4
Yeah.
00;39;13;14 - 00;39;34;23
Tom Green
In hockey. So the other thing that that keeps staying just below the radar a bit. And hockey fans have seen it throughout the year, but their goaltending has been steady and tremendous and noncompetitive. And everyone wants everyone wants to anoint one of Mackenzie Blackwood or, you know, or Wedgewood is as the starter. And it's like, I don't.
00;39;34;25 - 00;39;51;13
Woody Paige
Know if one is going bad. We saw that the other night against Dallas. You Wedgewood was going bad that he gave up four goals in left 11 attempts. Watching it, they go, yeah, let's get the other wood. It's brotherhood.
00;39;51;15 - 00;39;53;29
Tom Green
But but those guys also when.
00;39;53;29 - 00;39;55;18
Speaker 4
You look at.
00;39;55;21 - 00;40;15;21
Tom Green
How poorly they've done in shootouts, it's partially you know, they haven't scored a lot of goals until this, this weekend. But they also had been allowing a lot of shootout goals. And it seems like those two guys have tightened up to to set the base for, for the, Avs to, you know, really turn the corner because all those little shootout points do add up.
00;40;15;24 - 00;40;24;02
Ron Zappolo
You know, one hand, as a fan, I can't wait to see the avalanche play the stars in the playoffs. That'll be phenomenal.
00;40;24;02 - 00;40;25;21
Tom Green
You got them beating the wild on the.
00;40;25;21 - 00;40;34;27
Ron Zappolo
Yeah. On the other hand I don't want to see the avalanche in the wild and the stars play each other until they have to play each other.
00;40;34;27 - 00;40;37;20
Tom Green
Yeah well Dallas and Minnesota are going to sort it out.
00;40;37;26 - 00;40;40;18
Ron Zappolo
They'll figure it out. We don't know yet how it's going to come out.
00;40;40;18 - 00;40;45;24
Woody Paige
Who won from the Eastern Conference. Do you kind of fear grit thing. Yeah.
00;40;45;24 - 00;40;48;06
Tom Green
Well did you see the Buffalo game on Sunday. Buffalo.
00;40;48;06 - 00;40;52;22
Ron Zappolo
Buffalo it's come from nowhere. Buffalo's played really well the last couple.
00;40;52;24 - 00;41;01;24
Tom Green
They beat Tampa eight seven in a wild and wooly game. And they probably aren't there yet. But they might be the story of the National Hockey League this year. Because even.
00;41;02;00 - 00;41;07;05
Woody Paige
When it be interesting that two teams from Denver play Buffalo in.
00;41;07;05 - 00;41;08;05
Ron Zappolo
Play, I know couldn't.
00;41;08;05 - 00;41;09;01
Speaker 4
Happen.
00;41;09;04 - 00;41;12;21
Ron Zappolo
Carolina's pretty good. Carolina's Carolina is what's.
00;41;12;24 - 00;41;15;08
Woody Paige
Said the Florida teams and Carolina.
00;41;15;14 - 00;41;23;29
Ron Zappolo
I think the Florida teams are good. But I think Florida they've had such a great run. I don't see them doing it again.
00;41;23;29 - 00;41;29;21
Tom Green
But you know, it's I think for Avs fans who you'd love to see anybody from the East.
00;41;29;21 - 00;41;33;20
Ron Zappolo
Yeah. Because I mean Montreal Toronto Boston I don't you.
00;41;33;20 - 00;41;51;17
Woody Paige
Know yeah I can't I gotta repeat what was said earlier that you show those players an hour's worth of Peter Forsberg. Yeah. When he does that 360 move you know on ice when he you coming at you and you're prepared for a minute. He does a move on you.
00;41;51;20 - 00;41;58;08
Ron Zappolo
It's Peter Forsberg the greatest avalanche player of all time. Or is Nathan MacKinnon.
00;41;58;10 - 00;42;04;01
Woody Paige
David Thompson is the most athletic player in the history of the nuggets.
00;42;04;01 - 00;42;05;07
Ron Zappolo
Most luck. Peter.
00;42;05;09 - 00;42;06;20
Woody Paige
Yes,
00;42;06;22 - 00;42;07;27
Ron Zappolo
Entertaining, entertaining.
00;42;07;27 - 00;42;30;19
Woody Paige
Everything you want to say about a hockey player. Lovable. And David Thomas and Thompson, until he started having a drug problem, was the most athletic, electrifying, entertaining player. Those are the two in history. I would throw any Cassidy in there, because if you throw a fastball.
00;42;30;21 - 00;42;42;11
Ron Zappolo
You can't get a fastball by Benny. But I still want to say I want to. You're a good hockey guy. Is it Forsberg or is it McKinnon, or is it some mixture? Joe. It's just I think it's Joe.
00;42;42;14 - 00;42;46;13
Tom Green
Joe. Joe. You know, and partially part of that is best player.
00;42;46;15 - 00;42;48;06
Ron Zappolo
Joe. Joe is the best player.
00;42;48;07 - 00;42;49;06
Tom Green
Best player.
00;42;49;09 - 00;42;55;03
Ron Zappolo
But he loves Joe I think. I think Joe hung the moon talent wise.
00;42;55;03 - 00;43;01;03
Tom Green
Like if you had to watch one guy play one game, Forsberg might be that guy. I mean, he's going to make.
00;43;01;05 - 00;43;02;08
Ron Zappolo
Could do.
00;43;02;10 - 00;43;03;13
Tom Green
More. More.
00;43;03;15 - 00;43;18;03
Ron Zappolo
Joe had a wrister that no one could. Yeah, but Forsberg could take it on the play. Forsberg was a tough European guy at up to that point. That was an oxymoron.
00;43;18;06 - 00;43;18;25
Speaker 4
You know.
00;43;18;27 - 00;43;21;13
Woody Paige
And he couldn't get into fights. He wouldn't.
00;43;21;15 - 00;43;23;02
Ron Zappolo
He got him. Oh he was.
00;43;23;02 - 00;43;24;15
Tom Green
He hit guys. Well he had the puck.
00;43;24;15 - 00;43;29;25
Ron Zappolo
Yes. He could have the puck with one hand and hold the guy off with the other hand.
00;43;29;26 - 00;43;32;17
Woody Paige
But MacKinnon could end up with that.
00;43;32;21 - 00;43;33;28
Ron Zappolo
Sure. That's where I'm going.
00;43;34;00 - 00;43;39;25
Woody Paige
I would say having the three of us having watched the entire history.
00;43;39;25 - 00;43;40;23
Ron Zappolo
Of their their.
00;43;40;24 - 00;43;53;03
Woody Paige
For the avalanche since I came from Quebec. The MacKinnon is the most talented. Is that affairs? Yes, it is most talented except in a seventh game so you know. Yeah.
00;43;53;03 - 00;43;54;19
Ron Zappolo
But when I watch MacKinnon, when we.
00;43;54;19 - 00;44;04;03
Tom Green
Were kids watching hockey and they didn't have helmets, you could always tell who had the puck. You'd see their number or you wouldn't. But you tell by their hair the way they move. MacKinnon you can. It's more robotic.
00;44;04;03 - 00;44;05;01
Ron Zappolo
You can tell.
00;44;05;03 - 00;44;07;04
Tom Green
Hockey where they all look alike. You go, oh, jeez.
00;44;07;04 - 00;44;11;23
Ron Zappolo
Yeah. Because he's his significantly faster than everybody else.
00;44;11;26 - 00;44;14;22
Tom Green
All right. You mentioned Vinnie Castillo. I want to talk about the World Baseball.
00;44;14;22 - 00;44;16;08
Woody Paige
Classic transitioning for.
00;44;16;08 - 00;44;16;13
Ron Zappolo
You.
00;44;16;13 - 00;44;37;05
Tom Green
Very good. It's been a hit. Everyone is. You know, baseball fans especially been starved all winter. And the World Baseball Classic has been fun. I want to bring up one thing that interested me about it is how it helps us as Americans who I think, look at a Latin American player and just not really know where he's from.
00;44;37;07 - 00;44;55;10
Tom Green
And it does make a big difference to Latin American players. But now you watch the Dominican Republic and you say, oh, he's from the D.R. like, you know, Venezuela. Did you know that? You know, Andres Galarraga was a Venezuelan? Did you know that Mariano Rivera was it was a Panamanian. You know, you just it didn't matter. You just thought, oh, it's that that's him.
00;44;55;13 - 00;45;03;21
Tom Green
And it does matter where you're from. And I think it's important to see it during the tournament. And then there's the baseball and the crowds. It's been lights out.
00;45;03;26 - 00;45;07;01
Ron Zappolo
Listen, last night that crowd was pro Mexico.
00;45;07;02 - 00;45;08;21
Tom Green
USA, Mexico. Yes. Down in.
00;45;08;21 - 00;45;10;01
Ron Zappolo
Houston. Yeah.
00;45;10;03 - 00;45;35;07
Woody Paige
It was the most fascinating day of my life was to go in Havana, Cuba, to see the Cuban League play. And I didn't even get this in Japan, where it's like a college football game, where there's cheerleaders and chants and stuff, but Cuba, because and people say Latino players play slow and they kind of slow the game down.
00;45;35;10 - 00;45;55;07
Woody Paige
Because when I was in Cuba, I realized why they didn't want to go home. Yeah, they didn't want to leave the ballpark. It was like when we were eight, we didn't want to go home at sundown. We wanted to keep playing. And that's Cuban players. So Latin players, there's no negative. Latin players want the games to keep. They don't want it to be a two hour affair.
00;45;55;11 - 00;45;57;28
Woody Paige
They want it to be 3.5 hours. That's why they're tired.
00;45;58;00 - 00;46;06;02
Ron Zappolo
How much bigger would the World Baseball Classic be if instead of playing it during spring training, they played it over the All-Star.
00;46;06;02 - 00;46;08;07
Tom Green
Break where, like Paul, Skins could give you a six.
00;46;08;07 - 00;46;17;06
Ron Zappolo
Where he could give you six, or Gary Crochet could give you seven. And would it be bigger if everybody was in midseason form?
00;46;17;13 - 00;46;25;00
Tom Green
Well, I it doesn't seem to me like the hitters and not necessarily the field as much or out of, but the part of the for the pitchers is about length.
00;46;25;05 - 00;46;26;29
Ron Zappolo
Yes. Every game is a bullpen game.
00;46;26;29 - 00;46;28;00
Speaker 4
Yeah.
00;46;28;02 - 00;46;47;29
Tom Green
But I've loved it. And it's I to the Rockies. You know they're playing along at eight and eight. You know just going through the motions of spring training people, you know, may or may not have any excitement level. But tonight the Italians will take on the Americans, and the Italians will be starting the Rockies. New starter, Michael Lorenzen.
00;46;48;06 - 00;46;49;06
Speaker 4
Yeah.
00;46;49;09 - 00;46;55;14
Woody Paige
He does have a great Italian background. I saw him at my. You almost say.
00;46;55;17 - 00;47;01;02
Ron Zappolo
That. Yes, that's good enough. I don't think there's a vowel at the end of his name, but that's okay.
00;47;01;03 - 00;47;04;28
Tom Green
Well, everyone's got a connection somewhere, you know. Oh, great. Britain's got a team.
00;47;04;28 - 00;47;12;25
Ron Zappolo
Oh, listen, there's guys there that their great grandmother eight times removed and I can play for Mexico. But in the end.
00;47;12;25 - 00;47;15;29
Tom Green
Yeah, it'll be Japan, Dominican Republic. Well, what's cool is.
00;47;15;29 - 00;47;20;24
Ron Zappolo
It's going to get down to Japan, the doctor, the U.S. and those games are really going to matter.
00;47;20;24 - 00;47;22;00
Speaker 4
And,
00;47;22;03 - 00;47;26;03
Woody Paige
Japan went, we're doing okay. Ohtani, you sit this one out.
00;47;26;03 - 00;47;26;29
Speaker 4
Yeah.
00;47;27;01 - 00;47;48;29
Ron Zappolo
Did you see what happened in the Mexico game last night? This was kind of neat and I didn't see it. We watched well, I was going back and forth with the nuggets in that because I wanted to keep track. I didn't see it till this morning. I saw the clip. So Randy Arozarena and Cal Raleigh, our teammates on the Seattle Mariners, and Randy Arozarena goes up to bat.
00;47;49;03 - 00;48;03;28
Ron Zappolo
Cal Raleigh's catching for the U.S.. Arozarena puts his hand out to shake his hand. Raleigh refuses to shake his hand. And so after the game, Randy Arozarena goes, fuck him.
00;48;04;01 - 00;48;14;21
Tom Green
But I wonder, though, because I, I did hear some stories told that catchers have to be careful about getting pine tar on their hands, and so touching hitters, bats, touching hitters.
00;48;14;21 - 00;48;15;20
Ron Zappolo
But there's a lot of ways.
00;48;15;28 - 00;48;17;02
Tom Green
They can get ejected.
00;48;17;02 - 00;48;22;05
Ron Zappolo
He could adapt him well. He could have used his glove. He didn't want to do it.
00;48;22;05 - 00;48;24;16
Tom Green
Or he could have said, no, I don't want to get any.
00;48;24;18 - 00;48;33;09
Ron Zappolo
Yeah, there's a lot of things he could have done. He just ignored me. I think Arozarena said. He said, good to see you. And I said in Spanish, go fuck yourself.
00;48;33;09 - 00;48;36;15
Tom Green
So I think maybe. Cal said, I hit 60 home runs late.
00;48;36;17 - 00;48;47;16
Ron Zappolo
Maybe so. But Randy Arozarena could see you might hit 60 home runs. But I've had more postseason success than you've had. There you go. I'm better in the postseason, so you better bring it when we get there.
00;48;47;18 - 00;48;48;15
Speaker 4
Yeah, I.
00;48;48;18 - 00;49;04;04
Woody Paige
Talked to pitcher, catcher woods, who said that, he was friends with the guy on the other team, and they talk before every game, and he said the pitcher walked up to him and said, where would you like the ball today? And he said, what do you mean? He said, where do you want me to throw it?
00;49;04;04 - 00;49;15;14
Woody Paige
They'll throw you a nice one. He said, like, right here, fastball. He said, I get up there, he throws right there fastball. But it's right.
00;49;15;16 - 00;49;17;01
Speaker 4
At the ribs. Yeah, yeah.
00;49;17;04 - 00;49;18;11
Woody Paige
I didn't make it clear.
00;49;18;16 - 00;49;21;26
Speaker 4
Oh, exactly. But it is kind of that's kind of what you got.
00;49;21;26 - 00;49;25;06
Woody Paige
Again, you've got these guys playing teammates. Yeah, that's what I've done.
00;49;25;09 - 00;49;27;13
Ron Zappolo
Yeah yeah it's kind of interesting.
00;49;27;13 - 00;49;34;01
Woody Paige
Yeah I, I enjoy this. You know when it first started and everybody went.
00;49;34;04 - 00;49;36;10
Tom Green
And players like that's how the players went to.
00;49;36;15 - 00;49;37;14
Woody Paige
Jail.
00;49;37;16 - 00;49;38;08
Ron Zappolo
I caught on.
00;49;38;09 - 00;49;59;11
Woody Paige
Yeah. And I think I don't know if they're going to do it because of concern for pitchers pitching during that. How many pitchers do you have? It would be almost if you could do it at the end of the season, right after the World Series, but now you're into November.
00;49;59;13 - 00;50;00;08
Tom Green
And some players.
00;50;00;12 - 00;50;01;03
Woody Paige
Guys haven't.
00;50;01;03 - 00;50;05;00
Ron Zappolo
Played for months. And right after the World Series, it might be kind of an.
00;50;05;01 - 00;50;06;14
Tom Green
Anticlimactic.
00;50;06;15 - 00;50;19;03
Woody Paige
But it's. But but it's great what it is for, right now. It's good where they break up while they're in spring training. That where do you you mentioned the Rockies record. I look it up about every three days and go, well.
00;50;19;06 - 00;50;19;16
Tom Green
What does it.
00;50;19;16 - 00;50;20;12
Woody Paige
Mean? Well hey.
00;50;20;13 - 00;50;24;15
Ron Zappolo
Don't worry about it because they're going to win 70 games. I heard a guy on the show say it.
00;50;24;15 - 00;50;25;27
Tom Green
The other what? He nailed that one.
00;50;26;02 - 00;50;28;20
Ron Zappolo
I had to go back and look to make sure that he said 70.
00;50;28;25 - 00;50;54;19
Woody Paige
So there's a writer for the Denver Gazette, Kevin Henry, that, I don't personally know him. He's out of Fort Collins, he's covering the Rockies, and he picked the the the division this week, and he had the Dodgers winning. And he has, the Padres second, San Francisco, third Arizona, then the Rockies and a go through. And I'm looking at the records he's picked because he does this full time and he gets to the Rockies.
00;50;54;21 - 00;50;59;29
Woody Paige
And I know what this guy is a pro Rockies kind of guy. And it's he.
00;50;59;29 - 00;51;01;28
Ron Zappolo
Says.
00;51;02;01 - 00;51;03;15
Woody Paige
61. Yeah.
00;51;03;18 - 00;51;06;05
Speaker 4
And 1011 yeah. And I said well.
00;51;06;08 - 00;51;06;29
Ron Zappolo
That would be a big.
00;51;06;29 - 00;51;08;19
Woody Paige
Impression. I just hope I live long enough.
00;51;08;19 - 00;51;10;00
Speaker 4
To.
00;51;10;02 - 00;51;14;16
Woody Paige
Show you that. Going down to the final week, if they could just win this final series.
00;51;14;17 - 00;51;16;02
Speaker 4
Oh, they would do it.
00;51;16;04 - 00;51;19;28
Woody Paige
I was trying to say 60 to 70 games and I started with the 70.
00;51;20;02 - 00;51;21;21
Ron Zappolo
I'm going to give you a pass, bill.
00;51;21;24 - 00;51;23;27
Woody Paige
70 games. I'm sticking with 70 games.
00;51;23;27 - 00;51;33;11
Tom Green
Good show today guys. That is going to wrap up this edition on the Rockies Road to 70. After the horn will be back, of course, next week. You can always reach us here years.
00;51;33;11 - 00;51;35;09
Ron Zappolo
And they could do it.
00;51;35;11 - 00;51;38;16
Tom Green
At Ted gorilla Sportsnet. Have a great week.