I Love Mondays-Ep49, May 7, 2026

The Brewers got some "thump" back in their game with Jackson Chourio and Andrew Vaughn. Vinny Rottino shared his thoughts on the Crew and their tough upcoming schedule.  MadDog from www.Maddogandmerrill.com is coming to Waunakee this Saturday...and I'm joining them...so he joined me today.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:06

I love Mondays with Mike Heller.

SPEAKER_01 0:16

Broadcasting live from an undisclosed bunker in the Badgers State. This is I Love Mondays with Mike Heller. Powered by determination and a little bit of duct tape. Here's your host, Mike Heller.

SPEAKER_03 0:30

So a year ago, the Milwaukee Brewers had win streaks of 14 games and 11 games and eight games en route to a 97 and 65 regular season. 14-game winning streak was August 1st through the 16th, 11-game winning streak July 11th or July 6th through the 21, and an eight-game winning streak at the end of May, beginning of June, 25th through June 2nd. So the Brewers had three at 8 plus last year and two into double digits. Why do I bring it up? Because out of the gate, the Cubs have had a 10-game winning streak and a current eight-game winning streak. And when you look at the standings in the National League Central, it reflects those two runs for Chicago. They were seven and nine in the first 16 games of the season. They've won 18 of 21 cents. They're 25 and 12. They're plus 45 in run differential. They've won 14 straight at home, eight straight overall. So, and the last three have been in walk-off variety. I bring it up because Vinny Rutino will join us in just a little bit. Part of the conversation will be about them. But then I would remind and and I have to remind myself of this because I find myself guilty of it because I do a standing sheet every day and kind of give uh a lay of the land. It's May 7th. So you're 21% of the way through a season right now, and they all matter. However, you know, I heard uh I don't know if it was Levering who said it last week on one of his appearances with somebody where he said, I don't look at the standings. I'm not gonna look at them until we get past or to the trade deadline. And and I get that, and I understand and respect it. We have to talk about it. But I just I bring it up because I want people not to freak out about what's going on. There's joy on in the Cub fan base, and there should be. I don't like it, but I understand it. I had a a friend of mine, uh Laura, texted me yesterday and said, Would you share with your sister how excited I am about our Cubs? I was like, I'll give you her number. You share with my sister how excited you guys are. I don't want any part of it. I recognize you got to recognize game. And right now the Cubs have a lot of game. And they're finding extraordinary ways to win. That game, by the way, I don't, I'm not gonna, you're not gonna find me very often leading a show talking about the Cubs. However, last night they give up a two-run sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth. The put the Reds up by two. A two-run sacrifice fly by Ellie De La Cruz. Because the outfielder, when he caught it at the wall, banged into the wall and fell down. Two runs scored. And then Pete Crow Armstrong, who has sucked all year, strong. It's true. He sucked all year. And then he delivers a two-run blast in the bottom of the ninth to send it to extras. They get a double play in the top of the tenth to avoid giving up a run. And then the Reds walk in the game winner in the bottom of the tenth. It's the third straight walk-off for the Cubs. They'll play a matinee today. All right, let me do what I'm supposed to do out of the gate. And do uh Mike, good morning, all. Thank you, Mike. Good morning to you. James echoes that sentiment. Good morning to Mike. Uh Craig says, Great interview with Paul Brown on Badger Connect. So fun to hear the stories. Yeah, that's a great point. Uh every Thursday I release a Badger Connect podcast. So that released today. Last week it was with the Hall of Famer Joe Thomas. This week with the Hall of Famer Paul Brown. What a great set of stories Paul got to share that we got to uh to talk about. And that podcast is at badgerconnect.com and it's there today. Paul has had a Hall of Fame career and life in this game. And sometimes Hall of Fame careers are not marked all by greatness. Paul lost his wife, Karen, to Alzheimer's, and what he has done to raise money and awareness for Alzheimer's since that's Hall of Fame worthy of its own. But his calls of Wisconsin hockey, men, for the longest time, and now for the last couple of years, women's, his voice is unmistakable and it defines hockey in the state of Wisconsin. So that podcast is up and running right now at badgerconnect.com. And I appreciate Craig bringing it up. Yovan, even my Cubs guy, Yovan, the 630 guy, says good morning. Uh, we get a little happy good morning from Mark, uh, who says good morning to I can't soon to be Vinny, yeah, in just a minute. And then he he gives a little love to uh to Paul Brown. So if you're watching on YouTube, thank you. Uh share with your sports-like-minded friends uh our subscription. It's free, obviously, but a subscription many times denotes that you have to pay for it. You don't pay for this. I would I would hope that you would support our sponsors because that is what kind of pays for this. But uh share that link on YouTube or watch on Twitter, or you can download it, download it on any of our platforms on Apple Music, Amazon, Spotify. It's there for you every day. Without further oh, but let me tell you, Mad Dog is gonna join us from uh Mad Dog and Merrill, Midwest Grillin. He's gonna join me today at 1045. They're gonna be in Wanuke this weekend for a community festival that's going on, and I'm gonna be on their uh Midwest Grillin TV show on Saturday. So I'm gonna bring in Mad Dog. Uh, we'll talk about that at 1045. Right now I bring in uh a different kind of dog. His name is Vinny Rettino. Vinny uh joins us, the TV analyst for the Milwaukee Brewers, and we haven't talked in a couple of weeks because you you had uh substitute guest hosts in my stead. Everything go okay? Oh, I don't have Vinny on the audio. That's that's probably on me. Uh let's see if I can fix this. Uh you I probably have you. I just couldn't hear you because it's a me issue. How about now? No? Still don't have you. All right. So this is where I need my YouTube uh listeners and viewers to say, can you hear him? Because if you can hear him, then the issue is with me, and I I can figure that out as we go. Um otherwise, let's see. Uh Vinny, keep keep chatting at me just for a minute. No, I'm not I'm not. Oh no, check one, two, check one. There we go.

SPEAKER_02 7:38

Now you got me. Yeah, I got you. Is it coming through clear though? Because is it through the microphone? Or I'm wondering if it's through this. I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 7:46

I don't know which one it is, but it is clean. So let's let's just roll with it. Roll with it. Okay, yeah, appreciate that. All right, yeah. Um, how how did it go in my absence? I mean, those are it, you know, treadmill's a good dude, uh, and I think he was enamored in visiting with you, so your end was good. It was everything good for you.

SPEAKER_02 8:05

Great, yeah, Jeff. Um, treadmill. I love that nickname. But he was he was absolutely great. We we did talk and envision you in in Europe being like Chevy Chase on European vacation. I don't know if that's kind of how it played out for you, but yeah, that's what it felt like for us. Yeah, but uh no, it was great. It was great to to to chat with him. Uh, but really nice to have you back, Mike.

SPEAKER_03 8:26

Uh, it's good to be back. All right, let's let's talk a little bit about where we sit. Um, let's start with uh the the greatness that is the return of Jackson Churio and Andrew Vaughn. And Churio is just ridiculous. You and I have had this conversation. You you could have your eyes closed around the batting cage in uh at Merrivale and know when he's in the box because it sounds different. Um, and you could see it just from moment one, his first swing in St. Louis on Monday. The dude is ready and he's next level. He's just different.

SPEAKER_02 9:03

It's different, it's special, it's all the hyperbole you want to say about a guy. I mean, the first at bat that he had, the double that he hit, uh 108 off the bat. I was like, this just doesn't this doesn't happen. Um, it's just unbelievable. So it was 108. So this is his his here's are the four or the eight balls that he put in play so far in his first two games back 108, 102, uh double at 108, single at 102, single at 106. He walked, then he had a double 109. So by the way, four for four on base five times in his first game back after missing an entire month with a broken hand, then ground out at 99 miles per hour in the game yesterday. That was his first at bat, single at 94, just 94 off the bat. That was the softest ball he hit first eight at bats, fly out at 102, and then double at 109 off the wall to right center field to add on an important, um, an important uh insurance run for the Brewers yesterday. I mean, it's just I I can't I don't know. Look, I know that I've seen it from other guys. Like you think about Albert Poohholtz uh and how good he was against the Brewers for so many years, the ability to barrel up a baseball could you know the cliche is the guy could come out Christmas morning and barrel up a ball. That that's Jackson Churio. He's got the hitting gene, it's special. It's it's it's the hitting gene and then some, right? So he was born to hit, and then it's even it's even more than that. So this kid is absolutely special, and what a welcome addition back into this lineup because they certainly needed him.

SPEAKER_03 10:35

The Brewer survived without him and Vaughn and Yelich, but now that he's back, why I have uh I have lost Vinny for the moment. You got me, Mike? Yeah, now I got you. Lost you just uh you froze up on me for a moment. Um so yeah, and and by the way, Vilker sends in Treadmill. Uh he says uh he's sorry that you're stuck with a B team today. Uh and if you need to vent after the session, uh he's there for you. Uh very nice of Treadmill to do that. Uh I don't know if Treadmill's back next week. We might uh on Super Fan Tuesday, I might I might go another route. See, I have control of the microphone and the camera, Vilker, so just careful where you where you go on where where you step on those grounds. Um we talk about thump, and the Brewers without Vaughn and Churio and Yelich have had little or no thump. So getting those two guys back and then Vaughn hitting the three-run Homer in the first yesterday, which is really the difference in the game because they get a 4-0 lead in the first, and they didn't get much after until Churio added the uh insurance run on that double that you referenced. So having the thump back matters because this team does everything else. They steal bases, they get on base, they pitched well, they play great defense, but you gotta have some thump, and it was a lineup that didn't have any.

SPEAKER_02 12:05

It's easy and early, it's easy and quick offense, a three-run home run. Um, I want to say the winning percentage for a team that hits a three-run home run is in the 700s. I mean, it's just it's so important to have that. Pat Murphy had a great line, you know. They had a power outage, right, for a while in the first month of the season. So they had to light some candles and they got it done with manufacturing runs. How many times did they bunt for hits?

SPEAKER_06 12:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:30

So and then stealing bases, taking the extra base. And so it's super important that they get that thump back in the lineup because it's a momentum changer in a game. And so when you can get a through even a two-run homer, even a solo shot, it changes the momentum, it adds that quick early offense. It's one mistake by a pitcher that gets hit out of the ballpark, as opposed to needing three mistakes with three singles, right? In order to score runs, and it is a little bit of a backbreaker, it hurts um a pitching staff, it hurts an opposing defense when that quick offense happens. Um, and so yeah, getting especially, you know, yes, Churio, but you know, Vaughn, he's kind of an underrated guy. I mean, he has been um, not underrated is the wrong word, but such a key piece to this robust offense that the Brewers have when everybody's hitting and everybody's healthy and in the lineup. And uh yeah, it's uh what a big swing from him yesterday. Especially remember, Mike, the hammaid injury is typically an injury that has been historically where guys take a little bit of time. It takes a little while for that injury to kind of heal and for the guys to to find their power stroke again. That's anecdotal, anecdotally what people have said over the the course of uh baseball history. You know, as soon as you get that that hammaid bone removed, it takes a little while for the guys to get the strength back in the hands. But it looks like not for not for Andrew Vaughn, that was a great swing, and and his power certainly looks like it's there.

SPEAKER_03 14:03

Let me let me talk uh about pitching a shift off of this just for a minute. Uh losing on hell Zerpa is a big deal because right now they don't have Jared Koenig either. Those are two critical left-handers, those are high-leverage left-handers in the back half of a game that come out of the bullpen that you would have counted on before the season began, and right now you have neither. Correct, but guys are stepping up, right?

SPEAKER_02 14:30

Like, like uh typically the Brewers do, they give opportunities, next man up type of mentality. You had to get rid of Nick Mears, you had to trade Nick Mears and Isaac Collins, a couple of key pieces, a little cogs in the wheel for the Brewers last couple of seasons or last season with Isaac Collins for sure. Um, so it was an expensive trade to acquire. You still are hopeful that you're gonna get some value out of Anhell's Serpa next year after he recovers from from uh Tommy John surgery. He still has an electric arm. Hopefully, he can recover fully. Now, losing him is a big blow, but guys are stepping up. DL Hall is all of a sudden back up to 97 miles per hour. I talked to DL Hall in the clubhouse, Mike. Yeah, and and I talked to him, I said, Wow, I saw 97. Yeah, this was last week. I saw 97 on the on the board yesterday. He's like, Yeah, I feel very, very good. He goes, I used to throw 100. And I said, I forgot about that. We haven't seen that from DL Hall, right? He's battled some oblique injuries, he's battled some shoulder stuff. He used to throw 100 miles per hour when he was with the Baltimore Orioles. Will we see that? I don't know. We'll see. He's had back problems, and that's the reason why he can't really get through as explosively on the fastball. But 96-97, all of a sudden he's a key left-hander in the bullpen. Aaron Ashby's been unbelievable. Uh, and now all of a sudden, this Brian Fitzpatrick kid is coming out of nowhere, right?

SPEAKER_06 15:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:52

Uh, last year he started in low A or in high A, I should say. He was in Appleton to start the season last year and moved up three levels, and all of a sudden now he's in the big leagues, and he looks like a guy. Maybe he's not gonna be Jared Koenig and how impactful he was, but he certainly looks like to be a left-hander that can get both lefties and righties out. Now, remember that's a key. If you're a left-handed pitcher, you have to get both-handed hitters out consistently because you have to face a three-batter minimum now in the big leagues. That rule has been in place now for four years now. But um, it's gonna be really important um for those guys to continue to step up and to stay healthy. So uh, especially with Sarah Pyle, that's a good call, Mike. On that's a key loss, but again, more guys are stepping up.

SPEAKER_03 16:34

Vinny, let's uh uh let me talk about it. I hesitate to do this because I did it the other day, but I wanted to bring you into the conversation about Sal Freelick. And I I get I want to bring up the calendar. When I talk about Sal, I also want to mention the calendar that it's May 7th. This isn't a full sample set. It's a it's not quite the quarter pole of the major league season. But Sal in uh in May, five games, he's five and nineteen. But it's the lack of extra base hits. This is his total for the year. 33 games played, 24 hits. That's a 220 batting average, two doubles, those three home runs, uh, a 315 on base percentage and a 636 OPS. You're a scout at your core. What is it that we're not getting from what is it that he's not getting out of his approach at the plate?

SPEAKER_02 17:26

Well, it's important to point out, and and I've gotten some pushback on uh Twitter at times for saying stuff like this, which you know it's fine, it's part of it, right? Part of the new role that I'm in, not a scout anymore, now a broadcast analyst. So, you know, he's got a 221 Babit. Okay, that's part of it. So, what does that mean? Batting average on balls in play, 221. So his career average is around 300. That should regress to the mean. That's kind of a nerdy way of saying some of these softer hit balls that he puts in play. We saw it a lot last year, will go for hits. He's super fast, they should start going for hits. Now, what you're talking about is the lack of extra base hit uh uh hitting that's going on right now. I mean, he's never been a guy, I mean, he's a 400 slugging percentage last year. I think when you see Sal Freelich slugging, I think you're seeing him really feel like he's locked in, and that takes a while, right? For any hitter, unless you're Jackson Churio, right? It takes a while to get locked in, to find that rhythm, to find um where okay, now I'm gonna take my shot, and then having that feel of feeling good. Now I'm gonna take my shot, but then also getting a mistake pitch to hit that's all part of it. It all goes into the hitting part of things. It should even out over time. I think you know what Sal Freelich did last year at a slugging percentage of over 400, which isn't great, right? But it is great for Sal. I think if you can get him slugging around the that 400 mark with a on base around 350, I think that's certainly something in the realm of possibility for him over the long run. And I just think he's got to get back into that flow. He's got it matters when he gets those blue pits to any player, right? So he's got to get some of those soft. I call them soggy knocks. He's got to get some of those, those broken back hits, those infield hits. He's getting a few, but not as many as he had last year. That gives you confidence as a player. Once he gets that confidence, he's gonna feel like, okay, now I'm gonna take my shot here, and then getting those mistakes is part of it as well. So and and Mike, let me just also say this getting Churio and Vaughn and Yelits back in the lineup is 100% going to help him because you not that they were keying on Sal, but without those other guys, it takes the pressure off of the opposing pitcher. And guess what happens when that happens? Less mistakes for everybody to hit. So I think you're gonna see see Sal come around.

SPEAKER_03 19:54

And that bottom third of the lineup, um, you know, I mean, you also have zero extra base hits from Joey Ortiz, which is hard to do, by the way. I mean, it it is hard to be, it is hard to go this long without blooping a double, you know, that little soggy knock that falls behind the third baseman and spins towards the fence and and ends up being so you know the back half, the bottom of their lineup um has produced in other ways, but not in that way.

SPEAKER_02 20:21

Yeah, Joe, yeah, I agree. And and look, I'm a Joey Ortiz apologist. I am, I love him. I think he can really pick it. The the lack of the lack of not only slug, but just lack of hitting is a is an issue. We we all know that, okay. Um, and yes, so him, I think David Hamilton, he's getting his he's getting his hits uh on the infield. Seven bunt hits. Seven already. He had four his entire career with the Boston Red Sox. So if you want to if you want to question whether or not the the Brewers know how to get the most out of their players, just look at David Hamilton and the fact that the Red Sox said, don't bunt. We want you to pull Homers. Okay, well, that's not real smart. He's one of the fastest. He's like Willie Mays Hayes fast, right? So keep the ball on the ground, bunt. Um, and so yeah, you're not getting the production from the bottom. But again, the fact that Vaughn and Turio are back is gonna lengthen that lineup. It's gonna look a lot different. It's gonna look so much different here going forward. Um, now they do have to play the Yankees and the Padres coming up here, but so hopefully they can you know get hot and stay hot here, even despite having to play this juggernaut, the New York Yankees coming up.

SPEAKER_03 21:33

Yeah, let me let me go back on Hamilton just for a second. And you may or may not know this, but you you certainly have an understanding. Do you think it's directed by Vogelbach and Pat Murphy, or do you think it was Hamilton saying, you know what, I'm just gonna bunt more, or a collaboration of those three guys getting together and saying, Hey, with your wheels and and from the left hand side especially, you put it down. If you get it down, you're you're on first base.

SPEAKER_02 21:56

It goes even deeper than that, Mike. It goes all the way to the front office. Uh, the research and development team and who they're gonna acquire, the scouts who they're gonna acquire. So, part of the reason why the Brewers have been so good is they find undervalued players and they and they find what they're really good at. And the scouts and the research and development team, and Matt Arnold and the GM, the front office, they all collaborate with Pat Murphy. Hey, we're looking to add this guy to the deal, and I think we can get more out of the value here because look, he's one of the fastest players in the big leagues. You can measure that, anyone can see that. But we also think that you have a way of getting guys to buy into a certain approach. We want him to buy into this approach where he's gonna hit the ball the other way on the ground, and also let's have him bunt a lot. And so um, that's how deep it goes. It's a team effort, it's um quite amazing how they do it. A lot of other organizations, I've said this on the show, are siloed. You have their scouts not really communicating with your player development team, your research. That's what the Brewers do so well. Their research and development people communicate so well with the scouts and and the and the player development people, and that's rare because they have a lot of really great information. Um, you're talking about really smart people, right? However, you know, Ivy League degrees that can understand all the numbers inside and out, and so I think that's where the brewers differ from a lot of teams, is they can find a David Hamilton and get the most out of them.

SPEAKER_03 23:22

How much attention does a clubhouse pay to what other teams are doing, especially in the month of May? And I refer to it because of the Cubs. Is it a conversation? Is it seen? Is it talked about? How much is seen in the clubhouse?

SPEAKER_02 23:35

So I'm on the bus last year going to Kansas City, and as the guys are getting off the bus, you know, they're talking the players, they're talking about, oh man, the Royals are on a heater right now, and that's the extent of it. They don't really care, they can't, they're paying attention, um, but they don't, you know, especially the Brewers in this group of people, they they just don't really care about what other organizations are doing. And I've talked to Charlie Green about this too. And I and Charlie Green's a good friend of mine, and and I'm like, Charlie, ooh, you guys got to face so-and-so tonight. And he'll his response is but our approach is gonna be able to get to this guy, right? It's always positive. It's yes, an acknowledgement of what other teams, what other players, what other organizations are doing, but it's always, but this is what we're gonna be able to do against them because we're gonna play our game. We're not really gonna focus on that. Now, I will say what the Cubs are doing is pretty uh, it's not what we want to see, but you know, it's it's um exciting for their fan base. Hopefully, I can't wait. I'm doing the games in 11 days. I I've actually counted down on the calendar. The Cubs Brewers at Wrigley, those are gonna be like playoff type games. Um, it's gonna be really fun.

SPEAKER_03 24:49

Well, and it it is momentum is real, uh, and the Cubs have it and feel it. Like, even after they give up a two-run sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth to put them down to, you still know you've been around those dugouts at the and the Brewers had them last year. The Brewers had uh you know three winning streaks of significant value a year ago, including a 14 gamer. You just think you're gonna win it with two outs and down three in the ninth. You think you're gonna win?

SPEAKER_02 25:23

Yeah, it's that yeah. And I actually read a quote from Craig Counsel. He said, Yeah, it's that tough to beat mentality that these guys have. And you're right, once you get that momentum, it's almost weird that you lose. Yeah, and so that's a that's a really special feeling in the clubhouse. Um I've felt that a bunch uh in the on the teams that I play. It doesn't matter what level you're playing at either. I mean, you could be playing City League basketball or softball or something, and you just have that feel when you have that at the big league level, that is fun, that's special. Um, you know, it's um it's rare. And so you want to hold on to that for sure, but you don't want to, and Pat Murphy talks about this a lot, you don't want to hold too tightly and squeeze that egg too tightly, right? Um, but it feels weird to lose. That's the feeling that the club, the Cubs clearly have right now, which the Brewers it's so in order to beat a team like that, you have to kind of do something out of the ordinary. You have to you have to make them feel weird, right? Again, feel weird for losing, especially at home. I think they've won 14 or 15.

SPEAKER_03 26:25

14 in a row at home.

SPEAKER_02 26:26

14. Ouch, ouch. So we don't like to see that, we don't like to hear that, but it is good for the game. It's in this NL Central. My goodness. Um it's uh it's kind of crazy right now. And I think the Reds are are they all all the way in last place after the start? They're two, they're two and eight, their last 10.

SPEAKER_03 26:45

They're they're uh yeah, they're they're sitting in last place right now in a in a division in which they're what two games over 500.

SPEAKER_02 26:53

They're three. They're three, they're 20 and 17. Yeah, it's uh it's a remarkable, it's crazy how good this division is. The Cardinals, you know, look, I think they're gonna have some holes. We just saw the Cardinals. I think they're gonna have some holes as far as their pitching depth. I don't think it's gonna last all year long, but they're they're playing a version of baseball that the Brewers are kind of playing, right? Uh the Brewers teams are copying what the Brewers are doing. Haim Bloom has done a good job allowing their younger players to play. And let's not forget, Wilson Contreras leaves and they get rid of Wilson Contreras and he goes over to the Boston Red Sox. And look who's a terrible team this season that were wasn't expected to be a terrible team. The Boston Red Sox who are 16 and 21 right now. Now they're six and six and ten or six and four in their last 10. So they are playing better. But that's what happens when you get rid of guys that are cancers to your clubhouse, and they go somewhere else and they're a cancer to another clubhouse. That's Wilson Contreras to a T, and that's why the Cardinals are playing better. I I strongly believe that they're giving their younger guys an opportunity to play, and you get rid of a guy that's hurting your clubhouse at Wilson Contreras.

SPEAKER_03 28:00

Here's a little standings anomaly for you as we're you know what 22% of the way through the season. There are 10 teams, only 10 in all of baseball with a record above 500. There are 30 teams in baseball, only 10 of them are above 500, and five of them are in this division. Half of the half of major league baseball teams above 500 are in the NL Central.

SPEAKER_02 28:25

Is the best, it's the easily the best division of baseball. Now, the question is what how many wins is it gonna take to win the division? I mean, because they're gonna beat up on each other all year, right?

SPEAKER_03 28:38

Yeah, and that's what's happening to the Reds right now, right? The Reds are getting beat up on, and the Brewers and Cardinals they split in the two, but yeah, the teams are now playing one another, and we didn't really play one another in the NL Central in the entire month of April, right?

SPEAKER_02 28:51

And and let's not forget the Brewers are only three games over, five games back in the division. Now, people say, and I know that you were talking about this when in Levering says that he doesn't look at the standings. Well, I'm looking at the standings this year because again, the because early, because this division is so nasty, right? It is it's a problem. So the the thing that you need to kind of look at is the Brewers have a plus 46 run differential. That's third best in the national league, only behind it the Braves, the Dodgers, and then it's the Brewers. And so the fact that the Brewers are five games out of first, and the Cubs are you know leading the division at 25 and 12.

SPEAKER_03 29:30

And remember, the Cubs, I think, started three and seven or something, or they were they were seven and nine, and since then have won 18 of 21. Oh my goodness, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 29:40

So yeah, so that's not gonna last for sure, right? But at the same time, you don't want them to get too far ahead of you. That's a five-game lead right now. And so you're looking at that calendar in 11 days, they're playing the Cubs at Wrigley, and certainly you got to try and win that series, hopefully, hopefully win that series. So we'll see what happens, but you don't want to get too far behind. I know it's only May 7th, but still, um, I'm looking at the standings just because it's gonna be a fun year in the center.

SPEAKER_03 30:05

Yeah, Brewers are fourth best in Major League Baseball. I think you pointed this out in run differential. In fact, they're a run better than the Cubs in run differential. It's just a tell. It's not an absolute, but it is something that over the course of the long period of time usually reflects well on what your record is gonna be. Talking about schedule and records, here's what the Brewers have in the next 18 games. Uh, five of those series are against the second best, two, two against the teams tied for second best record in baseball, and two of those series against the teams tied with the fifth best record in baseball, and another one against the seventh best record in baseball. So the Brewers are going to see the Yankees and then the Padres, then the Twins, who haven't been so good, then at Chicago against the Cubs, and then home with the Dodgers and home with St. Louis. It it is a it is a tremendously challenging run. But Vinny, this is this is where I go to you and go, it's less I'm gonna lead you to this because I think this is how you think. It's less about them and more about you. And if the Brewers are playing good baseball, the schedule won't matter as much.

SPEAKER_02 31:17

Yes, I totally agree, especially if they can get through this stretch, and I think it's all starts here. This stretch is tough because it all starts with the New York Yankees. The New York Yankees can can really obliterate, they really can a starting pitching staff, right?

SPEAKER_03 31:34

Yeah, we're a home runs here on the opening weekend.

SPEAKER_02 31:37

Exactly. And so now all of a sudden, if you're going through this really tough stretch of really tough opponents, and all of a sudden your bullpen has to cover a ton of innings just to try and then you lose a game. That's the tough one. When when the starter goes three, you come back in the game, you fight, your bullpen covers six innings, seven innings, and then all of a sudden you know you end up losing that game, maybe in extra innings or something like that. Those are backbreakers because now all of a sudden you have a tired bullpen, and then you have to face the Yankees again the next day, and then maybe you're you know your fourth best starters on the mount. So you have to make sure that your starters, and they've done a good job of this so far this season, they've done a pretty good job of covering the innings and not blowing up the pen and not going a super short start, despite being the youngest staff in all of baseball, right? So, especially with Brandon Woodruff out. So they have the depth to could to do this, they have the starting pitching depth, but this is a vitally important stretch that you know you have to make sure you take care of your own business, but those starters do go long in these games because this is uh this is a gauntlet right here, especially you got the Yankees and Dodgers and Cubs. My goodness, that's uh that's a tough stretch.

SPEAKER_03 32:46

Yeah, and and when we talk about starting pitching um for right now, although Woodruff had a little uh a little he they took some fluid out of the shoulder, and then he's gonna do a throwing session on Saturday. But we're still probably he's not gonna be there for this entire run of the difficult schedule, but he might get back for some of it. And no good news on Quinn Priester yet. Uh continues to be in a holding pattern. So you are who you are. You get Miz and Max Fried. Kyle Harrison has been good. We saw a very good performance by Sprout yesterday. Um, Patrick has struggled a little bit. Logan Henderson in his uh brief views have been very good. So they're gonna have to do it with uh Johnny Holstaff, and that crew has been pretty good.

SPEAKER_02 33:34

It has been good. You want more length from Sprout. He's still learning. You can sense that he's still learning, but he's he has the potential to be like an ace. Uh, stuff is unbelievable. 100 miles per hour and then breaking balls, changeups. He's he's breaking out, but he's just got to get more consistent. Uh, especially that second and third time through the order, I think he will. That 60 pitch mark is what you kind of look at with him. But Logan Henderson, he's been tremendous. You have Shane Drowan, who's been good out of the bullpen, so you have an option there. He's been a starter his entire career. Um, you have uh down in triple, you have you know Coleman Crow. He he was really good in his big league debut. You have a kid named Tate Keener, he's a left-handed arm down in triple A, who they have high hopes for. He's not on the 40-man roster yet. So you have all this depth despite Quinn Priester not being healthy and ready to go. In fact, Mike, I think they have the best depth for starting for a starting staff in all of baseball. I've heard a couple of even you know pretty prominent baseball voices say the same exact thing. Um, and so it's um it's a group that they did a great job of planning for the entire 162. Do you want do you want Quinn Priester back? Absolutely. I think they're gonna really, really take it slow. And maybe, Mike, you have a situation where you take it slow with both Woodruff and kind of baby him all year long and Quinn Priester. And now all of a sudden you're getting into maybe the month of September and October, and these guys are ramping up. That that could be a situation that really bodes well for them. And again, hopefully they make the playoffs because it's gonna be such a dogfight all year. But that could be that could bode well for them in September, October. And that's remember, that's what the Dodgers did last year. They kind of you know took it slow with Yamamoto, they took it slow with Glasnow, they took it slow with Snell all year long, and um, that's why they were able to look so great in in October. Um, maybe that's kind of the blueprint they're thinking about because they have so many options at starting at starting pitcher, but um, we'll see, but we'll see how it all plays out. But that could be something that they're looking at.

SPEAKER_03 35:45

Where do you come down on a banana cream pie? What's your opinion?

SPEAKER_02 35:50

My opinion on Murph's answers in those clubhouse sessions are amazing. Um, I think he didn't know where he was going with it and then just went with it. I we've all been there and talking to the media. Um, I love a banana cream pie, and so yeah, I will I was all for it. That was funny. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 36:07

Yeah, good stuff. It is uh it'd be a really interesting weekend with the Yankees in town and uh this series of games that come up over the next 21 days or so gonna be a challenge, uh, but it's fun to watch. And it's and for those who want to go to the ballpark, go to the ballpark uh and then tune in when we're on the road because this is this is musty TV now as we get into they all are, but this is a really good matchup, and it kind of gives you a sense of who are you? Uh who is this team? And if you play bad, I I I said it earlier, let me flip it back the other way. If you're not playing good baseball, you'll get exposed in the next 21 days. Uh, you can be a good team and play bad baseball for three weeks, and and it could be a killer against this type of a schedule.

SPEAKER_02 36:55

No, you're right. And at this point, and it's only May 7th, yeah. It just feels like you have to play such clean baseball right now, especially with the stretch. It's hard to do. You're gonna have to be really clean on uh you know defensively, you're gonna have to have guys step up. I think David Hamilton, he really needs the stuff. He's getting a lot of playing time, getting a lot of at-bats and a lot of innings, Mike, in on defense. And and he hasn't shown out real well on defense. Now he's capable of playing solid major league infield, and we've you know that's part of the reason why they acquired him. They see a lot of potential there. He's not you know naturally a third baseman, he's getting a lot of run there. Um, and so he's got to be a little bit crisper, especially in this stretch. But yes, defensively and and and look, I just think everyone kind of breathes a sigh of relief or just kind of relaxes their shoulders a little bit and says, Okay, we have Churio, we have Vaughn back. I tell you, yeah, it when you get guys like that back in your lineup, everyone kind of gets lifted up. It's an individual game, so you it's you against the pitcher in the box. Yes, yes, but we knowing that those guys are hitting behind you or in front of you, it just does take off the pressure just a little bit. And you do get more mistakes from pitchers just because those guys are looming in the back of their mind. And so I think that's all factored into it. But you're right, they have to they have to start playing like really, really good baseball here, and it's only May 7th. Uh, because you could you could uh you know, with these opponents coming up, you could really, you know, get lose some ground. And again, it's too it's early to say that, but at the same time, you don't want to lose too much ground at any point in the season.

SPEAKER_03 38:38

Well one one final note, and that is minus Yelich, and hopefully we get Christian back relatively soon. This is the Brewers' best offensive roster that's at the major league level right now. A confident Tyler Black added to the mix, Lockridge available coming off the bench, but Greg Jones and and Perk, you know, trying to get it right down to triple A. This minus Yelich is the best offensive lineup that the Brewers have on their roster, is at the major league level right now.

SPEAKER_02 39:08

Yeah, no, that's a that's a really good call. Um, I think, and then you look, you're seeing Jake Bowers, right? Just kind of stepping up as well. So, you know, were you really expecting that kind of production from Jake Bowers? And then you have Garrett Mitchell, so he's kind of been a surprise as well. So and William Contreras showed like a flash in two games that he was, you know, wasn't able to get him out, uh, you know, last season or last series against the Nationals. And then um, so yeah, uh this this lineup is is really good. So it's not the humble we're just gonna try and manufacture runs anymore. This is this is a lineup where you stack guys up against other lineups around baseball. It's like you the Brewers have some really, really talented and really, really good players up and down the lineup, and uh there's not a lot of holes in that lineup. So yeah, yeah, you talked about Sal Freelick, him getting it going as well. So um it the you know the Brewers, the Brewers are when they're playing their best, yeah, they can stack up against anybody. We saw it last year when they swept the Dodgers all six games in during the regular season. So hopefully we see that version of this team really start to hit on all cylinders really consistently.

SPEAKER_03 40:23

Vinny, always uh look forward to it. Good to visit with you again, always uh brought to you by Pottawatomie Sportsbook and Casino Bet Above the Rest. We'll look forward to talking to you next week, and we'll see you at the ballpark.

SPEAKER_02 40:33

Sounds good, Mike. Talk to you.

SPEAKER_03 40:34

Thank you, Vinny. Vinny Rutino joining us, one of the Brewers television analysts that I get to talk to on a weekly basis. And his time here is brought to you by our friends uh at Pottawatomi Sportsbook and Casino Bet Above the Rest. And not alone, also brought to you by Habish Habish and Rotier. 13 locations to make sure and ensure you get a hometown attorney because that always works better in your case. That attorney understands your life and the impacts of your injury and is personally committed to your recovery. Pottawatomi Sportsbook and Casino Bet above the rest. Also brought to you by our friends at M3 Insurance. Go to M3INS.com for all of your insurance needs to take care of your business and your employees. Brought to you by One Community Bank. Onecommunity.bank is where you go to get your updates on what's going on. Upgrade to feel good banking. One community bank proud to serve clients, support colleagues, and invest in our communities. And brought to you, as I mentioned, by M3 Insurance and by Neuroscience Group. You know what? In sports, you trust the right team for your health. It's no different. Neuroscience group brings together specialists in neurology, spine, and pain management working together to get you back at full strength. So our sponsors are important to us in what we do, and appreciate if you support our sponsors as you support the show. So we had the Giannis situation uh play itself out yesterday. So the we got the introductory, uh, introductory press conference for the Milwaukee Bucks with Taylor Jenkins, but really the story was going to be all about um what you're gonna do on the Giannis front. So they took care of that conversation yesterday. Bucks uh co-owner Jimmy Haslum says he would like to have Giannis's future sorted out before next month's NBA draft. That gives you 47 days. That's where you are on the clock. 47 days before the NBA draft. Haslam talking Wednesday alongside general manager John Horst at the news or uh at the introductory presser with Taylor Jenkins as their new head coach. Dedicumpo spent all 13 years in Milwaukee. Possible he could leave right in the next six weeks. Uh the quote from Haslam, I just think before the draft is a natural time because if Giannis does play somewhere else, we've got a lot of assets. That's John Horst's job to do. And if he's here, then you build the team differently. Uh Giannis has said repeatedly that he likes playing in Milwaukee, wants to play for a franchise, committed to competing for championships. The Bucks went 32 and 50 this season, snapping a string of nine straight playoff appearances. By the way, Giannis was in Appleton at Tom's drive-in yesterday getting ice cream. That's awesome. How would you like to be the drive-thru uh at Tom's? And I I recognize that voice. And then he pulls up to the drive-thru window getting ice cream cones, and it's Giannis. And but you know, sometimes they wouldn't might not know necessarily, but I'm pretty sure Giannis is not um inconspicuous. So how cool is that? Tom's drive. I grew up going to Tom's in JD. Those were the places my buddy Dan Mack worked at Tom's. So we'd go hang out and get a big old basket of fries and hang out with the Smack at uh at Tom's Drive In on Wisconsin Avenue at the time. Uh that spot across from the old Kelly's Bar uh that uh I grew up my dad would would go there uh in his younger days. Um so Tom's Drive In and JD's two staples in the valley for for burgers that you don't get in other parts of the state. Uh both of those places uh awesome to go to. I I'm just checking on I'm checking on uh Mad Dog from Mad Dog and Merrill Midwest Grillin, uh supposed to jump on and join me here momentarily and waiting to see from them. So let me just send them a quick note um to see if they are ready. So we'll find out in a moment. So what's going on with that? And the reason I'm I'm gonna talk to Mad Dog is uh with Midwest Grillin, they're gonna be at an event in Wanuke called Experience Wanuke that they're gonna tape their Midwest Grillin TV show that you can find on Roku and other places uh coming up this weekend. They're gonna tape from 11 to 12:30, and I'm gonna be on uh with them. I don't think I'm grilling, but I don't know what I'm doing. So um I I'm just gonna roll with whatever they've got uh planned and set up, and uh and I I'm I'm seeing them get this thing all set to go here. Um I'll let them study their camera and then uh and then we're gonna go.

SPEAKER_05 45:54

And I think I think we're ready to go, Mike. What about you? You're ready to go. Look at you. Heck yeah, look at you. You're looking great.

SPEAKER_03 46:01

Hey, I love that jacket.

SPEAKER_05 46:03

I love Mondays.

SPEAKER_03 46:04

Yeah. Well, hey, we're gonna love Saturday when you come down to Wana Key and and do our experience Wanakkee event. And I just said I have I I have no idea what I'm in for because I'm gonna join you guys for a little bit of that. And um so what's what am I in for? Give me a little warning here.

SPEAKER_05 46:23

Well, yeah, I'll tell you what, you're you're you're in the segment we make a nice drink.

SPEAKER_03 46:27

Oh, well, good. I'm I'm made for that. So I don't know if you can see behind me. I got a lot of I got a lot of drinking apparatus behind me, uh a fair bourbon collection, but we're gonna make something with a uh uh a cherry vodka uh coming up. We are yeah.

SPEAKER_05 46:42

We are. We're gonna make a uh a Midwest cherry blossom. Oh a Midwest cherry blossom. Yeah, it's gonna be great. It's a nice summer drink. Uh maybe you can serve that at your your red and white, maybe during the summertime a little bit. It's gonna be a fun drink. So it should be a good time. We're really excited about it.

SPEAKER_03 46:58

Yeah, I don't I don't know that you've been here before uh to to the mean streets of Wanaki. Have you ever uh driven through, visited?

SPEAKER_05 47:06

You know, there's only one Wanaki, and I've never been there.

SPEAKER_03 47:12

I see you guys you guys make the whole tour, the whole circuit. I've seen you at North Dakota, I've seen you in in the UP, uh throughout the state of Wisconsin. Um up but did you do something at Madeline Island? I mean, you've been you've been everywhere, haven't you?

SPEAKER_05 47:29

You know, we we Mike, we call it the manure tour. The manure tour. And what better stop than Wanaki? We're gonna have a good time there. Yeah, we're it's called Midwest drilling. We get all over the place and it's gonna be a fun time, that's for sure. We got three great segments within the show. You know, we tape the television show, showstart taping at 11 o'clock. We start taping at 11. So if uh guests want to get there about 10:30 or so, you know, maybe bring a lawn chair along. We know we're gonna tape it right at the chamber building. So I'm assuming maybe bring a little lawn chair. Once we get started, it takes about an hour to do the taping. It's gonna be a good time. We're gonna do uh, thanks to our good friends at Piggly Wiggly, we're gonna do steak bites on the griddle and uh some beautiful sauerkraut and pork chops.

SPEAKER_03 48:13

So where do you come down? Where do you come down on the flat iron grills that have become kind of in vogue outside, or traditional charcoal or smokers, or all of them, or do you utilize all of the different uh uh options that you have?

SPEAKER_05 48:29

You know, the television show is 16 years running. Mad Dog and Mirror have been together 45 years. We've seen the evolution of the grill industry. Uh the charcoal grills are still around, the gas grills, a lot of people love to cook on them. Uh the pellet grills taking over the industry. So we cook on the pit boss pellet grills and the flat top griddles. I mean, they are phenomenal. They serve their purpose. Uh, we're gonna do that little stir-fried steak bites on those. Yeah. Uh this coming weekend, we uh this coming the following week after you good folks, uh, we're gonna be doing some blackened cohos. We just went out coho fishing yesterday on the on Lake Michigan, got a bunch of cohos. So we're gonna do some blackened cohos back in uh another another section of the state on on Tuesday of next week. So once again, we're on the manure tour. But uh there's no right, there's no wrong about outdoor grilling. It's just getting out there with your family and friends uh in the good city of Wanakkee and just relaxing, having a good time. And that's what it's all about.

SPEAKER_03 49:26

Talking with Mad Dog, Mad Dog and Merrill, Midwest Grilling again. Uh, we're gonna be in Wanakkee this Saturday. Come out and see us. I'm gonna be part of the mix uh there and truly in the mix. What brought you guys to doing this? Obviously, you you've spent uh a life looking over the top of a grill, uh, but what brought you to the to doing a recorded television uh deal in Mad Dog and Merrill?

SPEAKER_05 49:48

Well, you know, it's it's amazing. You know, we uh the chance to get to all the different communities, the chance to go from one part of the state or one part of the Midwest to the other. And uh people like to follow us around type of situation. So it's it's fun to showcase, it's fun to showcase uh uh little gems, hidden gems, uh like Wanaki and the great golf courses that you have and the restaurants that you have, uh the micro brews and the and the and the beautiful red and white taps and stuff like that, the the wines that are there. So it's just fun to get out there and enjoy it. We meet a lot of people. You everybody gets to meet Fast Freddy. Everybody wants to know about Fast Freddy on the keyboards. He plays the keyboard. Yeah, if we don't make him a libation, and thanks to you and your your cherry vodka that you're yeah you helped us uh create, uh Freddy's gonna play some great tunes. He'll play a ragtime song or two, I'll guarantee you.

SPEAKER_03 50:39

Yeah, I I have such a blast watching uh your videos. You guys, it never you you don't miss out on having some fun in what you're doing and involving the people that are there and and all of it. It is you guys have a great rapport with one another.

SPEAKER_05 50:56

You know, it really is. And uh we have a combined entertainment of 140 years uh between Mad Dog Merrill and Fast Freddie. Freddy's been playing the piano for 50 plus years. I mentioned we've been doing it for 45 years, and uh when you're an entertainer, you're an entertainer. You know, we just incorporate the fact of food and everybody loves to be entertained and everybody loves to eat, so life is good.

SPEAKER_03 51:20

Mad Dog, if if if uh this don't take this morbidly, but if you had one meal left to eat and you were making it for yourself, what what what would you go, what would be your go-to on the grill if you knew, hey, this is the last time I'm doing it?

SPEAKER_05 51:37

I would I would go out and spend the half the morning picking some fresh asparagus, bringing that home, putting it into a little bit of Italian type dressing for about an hour or so, and then I'd take some cold water, deep cold water shrimp, uh beautiful Argentinian shrimp from the cold waters, and I would grill the two together and I'd sit back, dip it in butter, and and and put a big old smile on my face.

SPEAKER_04 52:00

Hey, we just got back. Red and white, then I then I'd then I'd fool everybody and still get up the next morning. Yeah, you would.

SPEAKER_03 52:08

No doubt. I'm betting on you, by the way, in that. Um Red and White just took a group of uh about 20, and we went on a little river cruise through Germany. And right now, at all of their farmers' markets, it's white asparagus. Have you ever had white asparagus?

SPEAKER_05 52:25

Yeah, absolutely, just gorgeous, nice and tender and beautiful. It's just wonderful. Yeah, it absolutely is. And uh, I got to tour uh uh Germany in 1985. Uh the Black Forest and the and Baden Baden and that whole routine and the Oktoberfest of '85. It was a hoot. It was a hoot. We had a good good meals, good times, good beverages. Good for you.

SPEAKER_03 52:46

Yeah, it's pretty, it was pretty it was pretty good. And boy, I mean, we had white asparagus with pretty much every meal. And when we would go to the castles and and all of these in Rudesheim and in Freiburg and all of these great cities throughout Germany, just on the off the Rhine River, all of the farmers markets were just featuring this beautiful big white asparagus. And I don't know, do we do we grow that here at all?

SPEAKER_05 53:15

We do, but it's a delicacy. And I don't I don't think I don't think we in the Midwest uh appreciate it enough to have it here, is my opinion. We get br we get Brussels sprouts and zucchini. Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_03 53:28

So it all right, so you gave us your view of what you would do on that meal. Is is Merrill wired differently? Would he uh would he go to something different on the grill?

SPEAKER_05 53:38

Meryl, Merrill would Merrill would have some uh cottage fried potatoes and a big old ribeye steak. Yeah, he'll and you know what? And then the Mormon did, but the Mormon the it wouldn't get to him. He they he would he would he would leave the earth first before it would get to him.

SPEAKER_06 53:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 53:58

Anyway, there's a lot of great, there's a lot of great things to do in the Midwest, and that's kind of how we got started because Midwest grilling is just a is just a melting pot uh of the world of great different uh culinary treats, you know, and it really is. And I'll say it again when we get to Wanakee, uh, we're gonna be doing some comfort foods because it's comforting to have a community like yours, surrounded by good folks. Uh so there's nothing like sauerkraut and and pork chops and and and uh we got some nice strip steaks. I got those marinating right now, and those are in little cubes, and we're gonna be doing those uh steak bites, and they're gonna be just absolutely delicious. Everybody there gets a little sample of everything. Uh, we get anywhere from uh 50 people to 300 people for tapings. So we want to see about 300 people out there this Saturday and uh enjoy the time period. It's it's a good time watching the taping.

SPEAKER_03 54:48

Yeah, have you been uh surprised at the overnight success that you guys have become?

SPEAKER_05 54:53

Uh I don't know, it's four to five years over five years overnight. But you know, to to be uh to be uh to be out anybody's age and like you like yourself, Mike, it's good to be wanted, it's good to be appreciated. Uh it's good to have a purpose in life. And when we have a purpose in life. When you entertain people and the phone keeps ringing, you entertain people, people keep laughing, you entertain people, and we get thousands and thousands of people each week watching the show. Uh, you know, there's no end in sight.

SPEAKER_03 55:23

Yeah, and uh please give a thank you to Rod who helped set this up today because you and I trying to pull this off technically, it wouldn't have happened.

SPEAKER_06 55:31

You'd have been on the phone or you'd have sent me a letter.

SPEAKER_05 55:35

I have the mental and physical ability to do it. I choose not to. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 55:41

Yeah, well done. Uh I can't wait to see you guys all on Saturday, Midwest Grillin. Uh, Mad Dog and Meryl are going to come down to experience Wanakee. We're taping from 11 to 12:30, the Midwest Grillin TV show. So arrive sometime around 10:15, 10:30. Uh, bring a lawn chair and uh and bring a great sense of humor and an appetite and maybe a little thirst, and and we'll get you all taken care of. And I'm looking forward to it, Mad Dog.

SPEAKER_05 56:08

It's gonna be a lovely time, I'll guarantee you that. Peace, love, and barbecue, folks. Until we see you on Saturday.

SPEAKER_03 56:14

There we go. That's Mad Dog. I appreciate it. Mad Dog and Merrill, Midwest Grillin. And again, we're gonna be uh by the old train depot in downtown Wanuke for Experience Wanuke on Saturday. The weather looks to be great. Going to be about 70 degrees. Weather should be fantastic. So that's gonna be good. And we'll be at the grill. They will. I my role in it is gonna be part of this. They've put together a uh a drink that we will then feature at Red and White as we roll forward. And we're just down the road on Main Street in Wannekeep, and we'll be open after that event concludes because there's a lot of stuff going on the rest of the day with the chamber on Saturday in Wanakee. And the highlight, though, is going to be Mad Dog and Maryland Midwest Grilling, and I'll be part of their show on Saturday looking forward to that. So I hope if you don't have plans on Saturday, come on down and then come over to Red and White and I'll share a bourbon or three. Or these drinks, the uh the uh what they call it, uh cherry vodka Midwest Blossom, something along those lines. I I don't get to learn about the drink until we arrive on Saturday. So please come out and join us and then uh come visit with us at Red and White later in the day. We'll be over there and take care of all good things and have a blast. Well, shoot, where did that hour go? That that'll pretty much kind of take care of it. Uh, I do want to thank Mad Dog for jumping in and Vinny Rutino, as always, for being part of it. And a thank you to our sponsors. We are presented by one community bank. Go to onecommunity.bank for your community banking. Let's go to M3 Insurance, M3INS.com for your insurance and employee benefit needs. We're also presented by the neuroscience group, spine, pain care, brain, all of it, neuroscience group.com, Pottawatomi Sportsbook and Casino, and Habish, Habish and Ro tier. A big thank you to all of our sponsors. And again, to Vinny Rutino joining us as he does on Thursdays, and to Mad Dog for jumping in from Mad Dog and Merrill, Midwest Guerin. And again, I'll be with them. They will be in Wana Key on Saturday at the old train depot downtown Wanuke, the Chamber of Commerce. Be there about 10:30. They're going to start taping at 11. And uh we'll look forward to that. Also, we finish on a good note here. Uh Sweet Pitch, Dave says, uh, great show. It's it's in a term of endearment when we uh use that nickname on Dave. So, and then Vilker, you know, gosh, he hasn't been part of the show for two days. He wants all in on everything. Uh, says that he ate lunch every day uh at his time at Jefferson Elementary in Appleton at Tom's. The order a pizza burger, fries, and a banana shake. 10 years old, going off campus to Tom's driving every day. Pack a lunch, Vilker. All right. Speaking of pack of lunch, you can do it right now, and then we will talk to you again tomorrow. I'm efforting Jim Osarski of the journal Sentinel to talk more about the Giannis situation. If not, we'll go another direction, but look forward to it. We'll do that coming up Friday. Appreciate you being here as always. Thank you for being a viewer, a listener, a watcher, and a sharer of the I Love Mondays podcast. We'll do it again tomorrow.

SPEAKER_00 59:43

I love Mondays with Mike Helen.