Join the crew as Marquee Sports Network’s very own Cole Wright joins the program!
Hello Cubs fans and welcome to a brand new edition of Cubs on tap I am Ron Loose as always joined by one of my many co-hosts Mr Tyler Edmonds and we have a very special guest tonight this episode is long been in the works we’re super
Excited about it but we are here with Marquee Sports Network’s very own Mr Cole Wright Cole happy Thursday how are you doing sir I’m excellent thank you guys for having me I appreciate it it’s been a long time like you said but uh let’s get this thing rolling man ready
To roll absolutely we’re we’re so pumped to have you on and uh again I mean you and I have been going back and forth trying to trying to get something locked down and uh it’s finally here and I know we’re we’re super excited as well so uh our our comment section already excited
As well our boy Jeremiah here uh sharing the excitement with you joining us so again thank you for joining us man we we want to Dive Right In because I I feel like there’s a lot of people that are familiar with your work and and have have known you from being on television
But maybe don’t know a whole lot about your upbringing you’re you’re kind of your roots as a Cubs fan and that’s some of the things that we want to dive into here with you and uh you started your your current what we’ll call it your sports life uh you played baseball
Growing up really good high school player in the in the Chicago land area you played collegiately first you were at Middle Tennessee State and then you ended up at uh niia briercliffe which Shout Out niia Sports I was an Nai athlete myself and um and Tyler I think
You were too actually were you not yep yep yep look at that na boys all around um where where did Your Love of the Game of Baseball stem from like what was that first core memory for you that really got you into the sport uh I feel like
Playing baseball in the neighborhood as as kids I mean I grew up in Joliet originally we moved you know to naville and Aurora area when I was 12 but you know growing up in jolet we played baseball I mean and some either it was whiffle ball some form of hard ball or
Rag ball I don’t know if they even it’s tough to find the old school rag ball that they actually said rag ball on it and had like the little fake raay seams and everything but we’d play with that we’ play with pretty much whatever and
You know then when I moved to naville we used to play in in a tennis court with a a broomstick and a tennis ball and we used to play B we used to play burnout if anyone could get it you know out of the tennis court you were doing it and
Then once we got a little bit older and a little more advanced with our swings it wasn’t who could get it out of the tennis court it was who could get it over the top of of the next apartment building so I mean I I we just we just
Played ball and that’s what we did and I I think it was always this the competitive Spirit everyone was trying to you always trying to hit hit it farther the next cat or throw harder than the next dude or you know just just win the day in the neighborhood and
That’s I mean that’s pretty much what it was and when when it got cold we played football and then when it started when it turned into spring we play baseball mixed in with basketball I mean everyone remembers back in the day dribbling a basketball around in somebody’s driveway
You know busting puddles of ice you know what I’m saying and then and then half the ball was wet and it was still cold out so that’s kind of just what it was back then absolutely did you uh did you guys ever get creative with the uh the
Tennis balls and the tennis courts and use an actual baseball bat every once in a while no we never did but okay I remember one time we used to we used to autograph the you know your the sticks we used to put grips on them and
Everything yeah and you I used to have every once a while my my temper would get the better of me I remember one time striking out turning around and whipping the the bat against the fence and it went straight through the fence across the walk to the second floor and smashed
The window and we all took off running to ask I was fing to ask you how many windows you broke yeah we all took off running and I mean there was I mean I think at that point I was maybe eighth grade yeah seventh the summer between
Seventh and eighth grade I we but there were cats that were sophomores and juniors in high school they took off running too we all scattered and after I got to the house I remembered I’m like oh man like that was my bat and I had my my name is on that
Like and not looking back I’m like it was just scribbles exactly what it was they wouldn’t have been able to actually know who whose name it was but either way I went back confess I had to pay for the window like an idiot but I learn I
Learned my lesson with that one either way yeah you can’t you can’t beat those days those were like it’s like the old saying goes man you can’t beat those Childhood Days of just playing ball with your boys man that just nothing beats that no that’s as good as it gets man I
Mean you remember you know right field out or you know whatever it was Ghost Runner and I was saying they ask people ask like you know why why kids some kids have certain you know arm strength you know this day and age it’s like well you
Know when they play catch you can tell the kids that play catch that’s what we did we played catch you used to walk around the neighborhood with your glove just waiting for some oh man is my boy home yet I see his parents car let me go
Knock knock knock like hey you want to play catch all right cool and then another dude joins up and then you’re playing Hot Box you know trying to get a rundown going and that’s once again that’s just what it was yeah 100% that’s so fun you’re obviously you’re an
Illinois guy what was it like you starting out your broadcasting career in the likes of Texas and Louisiana I mean it was different you know my first job was you know covering all the teams that were on on the the movie Friday Night Lights you know I got
There it was you know Midland High Midland Lee o o Odessa High uh Odessa peran um I mean it was you know s San Angelo Central that was the team that I covered you know Unfortunately they they were on the lower rungs of of those squads and not to take anything away
From them I mean they they had a lot of talented players but some of the the better teams were a little bit further away and we we would we would travel to those squads and you know we would cover a lot of high school teams but six-man
Football I never saw that I mean you know coming from you know Chicago land I there even the small schools play you know regular football not not six-man yeah exactly you know and so it was crazy to see it like that and you there there was there
Was a little bit of culture shock when I first got there I mean I mean I say culture shock it was just a different place you know having gone to school in different places you know I was I was cool with wherever you know my feet were
At and you know I feel like it was it was all part of the development and you know I I would do it all over again like you know some people would think like oh I couldn’t wait to get out of there you know I wanted to get out of there once I
Got there only so I could further my career but if I could do it all over again like I feel like there were so many Lessons Learned and it sounds so cliche but you know you can make those mistakes at a lower level you don’t have
To worry about as as many eyes being on you and and and you could really figure things out because you get so much more time as opposed to when you’re in school 100% I was gonna say it’s it feels like one of those things and I’m sure it’s something you can relate to
Right with like a guy like Joe Madden who always used to say it right he’s like I’ve tried every weird thing you can try at the minor league level where nobody sees it I know what’s going to work and not work in the in the majors
When it when once he got there as a manager the same thing goes for broadcasting it’s hey you’ve tried all the the different ideas oh this didn’t really go that well hey that was a really good idea we’re going to recycle that one for later and try to bring it
Back you know and and again you get your work in when you’re when you’re able to make those mistakes at those lower levels um but you weren’t at those lower levels forever obviously and and this is where I I first became a fan of yours was once you got to the NFL Network
And you know I you were synonymous for me like with NFL Network it was like welcome to NFL Network I’m on Cole Wright and I was like oh all right NFL Total Access is on like that was that’s like a growing up memory for me and
Seeing you on NFL Network what was what were some of your you know what was that like for you because obviously you played the sport of baseball you were a first baseman you know what was that like transitioning you mentioned you guys played a lot of football growing up
But what was that like going from the sport you led and you played with baseball to more of just a football Centric Focus as a broadcaster I feel like for me making that switch is at least the the one thing for me was sometimes I have to ask genuine
Questions you know when when I be sitting next to mjd or you know Mike Robinson I I would ask those cats questions because I I literally had a question because I didn’t really I mean I played football as as an eighth grader and freshman in high school and we played in the
Backyard you played tackle football and you know cat cats get broken collar bones and whatnot but I feel like you don’t really go over the rules like that unless you’re a football junkie and I didn’t really dig my teeth into football like that until you know the second half
Of you know of my life you know once I got to college because I was playing college baseball always all consumed by college baseball and I wasn’t a college football guy I mean I mean if you grow up in the Chicago land area unless you have serious ties to University of
Illinois or University of Iowa football you know chances are on Saturdays if playing baseball you know you have other things that that are you know a little bit higher on the agenda so you know once I got to Texas is that’s when I really started digging in you know after
I got that first job but I’d say when I was in college I’d always watch NFL obviously we had Sunday Ticket and and it it was always an NFL thing but I always worked on on Saturdays during the offseason in college I you you still had
To make money you had to get your workouts in and Saturdays that’s what we were geared towards you know I would I would would work a double you know at at the restaurant I worked at and and then I’d go home and get a workout in and
Then Sundays we’d sit around and watch football all day so make making the transition for me was I I never wanted to overstep my bounds because I obviously not being a football guy I was going to ask questions and put my analyst in in the best position to
Succeed but I I wanted to ask questions that I feel like someone at home would have that exact same question as the the difference in between football and baseball for me is not saying I’m I’m a baseball genius by any strikes to the imagination but I feel like I can ask
The questions that I want the answers to because I 80% of the time I I’ll I’ll know a good bit of that answer but I don’t have the credentials to go out there and and say that answer because then I’ll be like well who’s this guy he
He didn’t he’s never seen a strike or never thrown a strike in the league which is 100% true and I that’s why I would never I I no matter it’s if it’s NFL or or baseball or or whatever sport it may be you know obviously that’s the
Emphasis for me is football and baseball I would never go out there and and act like I know more than the guy I’m sitting next to I mean even if they make a mistake I’m gonna find a way to to turn it around because that’s all it is
Is a slip of the tongue because they they forgotten more than I’ve ever known about it like if if you make it to the show that means you are pretty good you know awful lot about the game especially if you’ve chosen to go and pursue a
Career in media afterwards so I I always just try to get the best out of everybody whether it’s football baseball Tiddly Winks golf whatever it is man you know just just bring the best out of it you know be informative and have fun awesome awesome so while with NFL
Network you’re also with sportset LA covering the Dodgers what what was that like like what were what were some of your favorite memories doing that and what are what were some of your thoughts just about the Dodgers during that time I mean they were a squad then and
They’re a squad now you know I I I have a you know a lot of love and admiration for that Squad like but the one thing as far as my baseball fandom goes like I’ve always told you know everybody that I know I love the Cubs and always have
Always will have pictures in my Cubs hat my pops and I and my mom at at the Sears the Sears Tower yeah I’m I’m in a Cubs hat in in the photo booth my mom’s got Sally Jesse Raphael red glasses on my Pop’s got a got a big F man Sho mustache
And you know I’m wearing a Cubs hat and you know that’s what I’ve always been that’s what I always will be and you know sometimes you know it’s they say you’re not supposed to to to to root in the Press Box but sometimes that’s hard
It’s it’s hard not to when You’ grown up cheering for that team and and you realize how how blessed and lucky you are to be in the position that you know that that I am I never take that for granted so that’s that that’s one thing
That that I feel like I never try to get be be be lost on is that I love the Cubs and I really like the Dodgers for what they were able to do for me keeping me in the game of baseball which allowed me
To get the job with the team that I love because if if it weren’t for Jerry Harrison Jr I grew up with Jerry and Justin and Scott and and naville you know playing playing baseball they played at naville North obviously I played at wanzi Valley and Jerry’s the
One that got me the job and they at first they said oh well he’s a he’s he’s a football guy he works at NFL Network and Jerry’s like no I grew up with this dude he’s a baseball guy that works at the NFL Network so they they they gave
Me the shot and which that essentially allowed me to get the job working for the Cubs and you know I’m forever grateful for that and I you know I also appreciate the fact that that’s when my family my my me my wife and my daughter when they really fell in love with
Baseball because you know we were able to go to so many games and this is even before I I worked for them we were able to go to Dodgers games it was it was closer than going to Angels games and you could go on StubHub right before
Before first pitch and get tickets for 28 bucks it’s the it’s the craziest thing sometimes how how how how it works or or whatever or Vivid Seats or whatever the ticket outlet may be you could sometimes just go on there and pop and get tickets and that’s what we would
Do so there were Summers sometimes where we’d go and we’ never had season tickets but we go 35 40 games just just sometimes randomly I just look like oh okay they’re they’re playing whoever let’s go and one of the funniest things is at at at a certain point in time my
Daughter realized like we you know we always go to Dodgers and cubs games and one day she looked at me she’s said dad like like you’re not cheering for the Dodgers like you’re I’m like of of course not I looked at her like I almost
Spoke to her like a like a grown man when she was like seven years old I said of course not I’m like you think I’d ever cheer again against my team I’m like absolutely not you know it’s uh you know it’s it’s still funny to me but you
Know she she realized okay like my my dad really likes this team but this is his Squad he’s gonna be roing for them and you know I was at you know all the games in the NLCS you know back in 2016 like me and and two of my college
Teammates one one of my college teammates who was living in Colorado at the time and one of my former college teammates who owns a a a brewery in losgatos with Kevin uas like we we went to all these games man and you know we
We were dialed in we I I wore this the same shirt the the entire the entire time the same hat the entire time I washed them obviously so some people took their superstitions to that next level I’m sure and did not wash you know deer you you didn’t wash it well I I
Would only wear the T-shirt like I was just at home and it was I I would just watch the games at my house so the T-shirt would go on for the game if they won it came off gently we’d spray it a little bit if you had to so it doesn’t
Smell bad just lay it out ready for the next game if if they lose it’s getting bunched up and it’s thrown in the laundry did going to the games like going going to the games and like then like knowing the parking scheme of where
I was parking at walking at at at at the parking lot at Chavez Ravine like I don’t know if you really want to just take it off and gently spray it because then it would probably spray like for breeze on top of a smelly shirt that’s
Exactly I’ll be honest I did the same exact thing with a pair of Cub socks I had if they lost I washed them if not I’m not touching them I did not touch them I did that and I had I know yeah
But I just I had to do it I had to do it that and I had a I had a hat I had this hat that I just could not it it was with me even if I went to work I had to leave
It in the truck I just had to I could I could see the hat but socks yeah I know they get those can get real crispy they can get real crispy real quick you know you know you don’t re rewear socks so I I applaud you
For that one I applaud you whatever it takes whatever it takes well so far Cole throughout this interaction uh our our comment section’s going absolutely ballistic in fact uh one of uh somebody that you see on a regular basis here and our our good friend of the program Mr
Justin steel is hanging out in the comments section as well with us there is episode um but a really a good question uh came from two guys at the exact same time uh loyal loyal loyal friend of ours Mr Scott from Iowa uh he said any Vin good Vin Scully stories uh
Everybody wants to know any any good Vin stories from your time in LA I I don’t have any V I never got to unfortunately I never got to meet Vince Scully I feel like you know I never wanted to be that that guy who was always trying to go up
There and say hey let’s go see Vince Scully you know know like and I know everybody said that when you would go in into into the Press Box that he was the most welcoming and gracious person ever but I just never wanted to be I I didn’t
Want to be that that guy like I figured if he’s down you know by the field or if he was by the studio for whatever reason then then maybe I would you know have an interaction but you know my my interactions were limited with the guys
Who were down there and and more so with Tommy lto you know and which was when I worked in Baton Rouge obviously back then Paul maner was the head coach you know National Championship winning head coach he used to coach at Notre Dame as well as Air Force Academy um he was
Really close with Tommy Lort and his F his dad was close with Mike pza and Mike piaa’s dad you know they’re from they’re from South Florida so when Tommy Lort came to town in Baton Rouge you know coach moner he set it up because he he recruited some guys I played with at
Notre Dame in the summertime you know Mark lainus I played with at Neighborville Central in summer league he he went to Notre Dame so coach coach maner realized that okay this guy he played ball at a certain level so he he always I feel like went above and beyond
For me which I was you know always grateful for and so when Tommy lorta came to Baton Rouge you know every other station they they had a live shot with them on Friday night but on Saturday Coach moner set it up to where I was
Able to sit down in the lotton room or not not I I apologize loton room was is the trophy room in in Tiger stadium the trophy room I I was in it was in the old Alex Box Stadium before they they built the new Tiger Stadium there in Baton
Rouge but we sat in there and I interviewed Tommy Lort for an hour and 36 minutes and that was back in like 2008 so we talked about everything under the Sun so for me you know 10 you know 13 years down the road you know to be
Sitting NE right next to him essentially during games and one day I’m sitting right next to time Los sorta you know probably I don’t know 12 feet away and he’s yelling at Manny Machado Machado Manny Machado is acting like he doesn’t hear him you know you know that
He heard him and he’s not not answering him back so then he kind of just sits there and then he say hey come here so I get up and I go over like what’s go Tommy what what how you doing what’s going on and you know he asked me a
Thing or two about Manny Machado and then when he gets done with the conversation he’s hey you you want one of these chicken fingers in front in front of a packed house at DOD stadium in the front row right next to the home on Deck Circle
And I’m like oh thank you Tommy I appreciate it thanks I you know but but no thanks and I went to sit down and about two steps into my walk back to my seat I thought man you should have really took one of those chicken fingers
And like dipped it right in the barbecue sauce in front of everybody and I mean imagine people about who’s who how is he getting Tommy’s chicken fingers like that like I mean but still I mean still I feel like just the interaction was was was pretty neat I mean and even to
Remind him about the interview I feel like at that point it was it it was he he he didn’t remember the the interview that we did but he still remembered the interaction from day to day at a certain point you know when when he would see
You at the Ballpark so know being able to interact with a guy like that you know no matter what team he was a skipper for no matter what team he would better associated with at that point in time that that’s unbelievable just to be able to come in contact with Legends
Like that is is pretty cool pretty and uh one of our commenters here says they sat two rows behind Tommy at Wrigley in the 90s and they said nicest guy shook everyone’s hand uh Darren Darren says that’s the coolest never met Vin SK Skully story ever yeah I
Mean what gu I could I could have been like oh yeah like every time I was around him he was great could have been complete you know complet farce so no I never met him I wish I did I feel like it’s it’s something that
I wish I would have done and I mean obviously you can never get that back so sure either way absolutely absolutely hey and uh we’ll we’ll we’ll get back on script to here but I I got to know because you’ve already started to hint
At it so we we we got to get into it here what was it like receiving the call about Marquee Sports Network when the time came I mean unbelievable like it’s I still I still feel like a kid in a in a candy store
Fellas like the fact that I I get to you know I talked to my dad he today he messaged me he’s like hey hey man like and his messages to me sound like his voice and he you know it’s like it’s like hey man like uh what when you
Calling games this spring and and I was like uh so I told him to get the days about you know the games I’m going to be calling and and he’s like because he’s like I was just looking because starts tomorrow no Cubs 360 today and because we had no Cubs 360
Today a tra travel day getting ready off the season to get underway but uh you know getting the call from them is it was special because you know like I said my my dad tells me he’s like every Cubs game starts and ends with you and you
Know not to not to make anything about me but I know I have an obligation I there’s a a whole generation of cubs fans and this is our fifth season now Mary Sports Network I mean there’s there’s kids now who are who are 15 years old who when they
Started watching Cubs games when they were 10 they started watching our pregame and postgame and that’s what that’s what they’re used to and you know you know hopefully I I get Cubs games you know Off The Runway the right way and I I land the plane as it needs to be
You know every single night because I I I take pride in being there and and making sure that you know things things are taken care of the way that they need to be because you know like I said I’m I’m a Cubs fan I grew up a Cubs fan
That’s what I’ll always be you know the the day the day after the Cubs won the World Series I went and got a bunch of shirts right in right outside of Venice California because I was obviously living on the west coast because I knew that I’d gotten stuff screen printed at
Places in Venice before and it was you know sometimes it’d be like nine bucks to screen print something on on a shirt that you would bring in I brought these shirts in dropped them off I came back and everything I want asked for was printed on them and they
They told me the price tag and it was literally like 220 bucks for like six shirts and I was thinking in my head like okay it’s gonna be like you know 10 bucks whatever yeah I’ll be fine and and they just G I was so upset but not upset
I was like you know what I’m like this really sucks 1,00% yeah but the Cubs just won the World Series last night you know what who cares like that was the most the saltiest yet just I just had to just took I just took it all all in stride
Man like it it was it was pretty funny I I still I still remember the night that they won the World Series my mom and I were up until like 3:30 in the morning online shopping for all the shirts and the hats and all that crazy stuff
Because both my both my parents my dad actually here in the uh in the comment section tonight too and I know my mom’s watching but she’s she’s too terrified to comment and she’ll admit that um Die Hard Cubs F so and you said you said Justin Steel in
The comments and he looked real slick at that live batting practice yesterday that the slide piece let me let you know it was looking good J dipping the C man he had one of the sickest Cubs hats I’ve ever seen and we still couldn’t get
To the bottom of what exact Cubs hat it was in his locker at spring training it’s fantastic oh that sounds like a a a mystery case that we need to get to the bottom to it’s sweet it’s it’s I mean the red seems a little more electric and
There’s it’s outlined with like a not a it’s a it’s a it’s a it’s a bold blue but it’s a different blue than the actual Cubs hat interesting sounds like we’re we’re gonna have to get him back on just we’re gonna have to interrogate we’re gonna
Have to figure out cage man let let us know yeah if you’re still watching Justin please drop that in the comments we we’re dying to know now of uh of what that is man and what is and if Justin’s watching have him ask Dansby to ask his
His Ms because I was on my flight home last night with mallerie Swanson I saw her get out I didn’t didn’t say anything I saw her just at luggage there was a dude that sat the row behind me one like three seats over and he coughed and sneezed over 400
Times everybody on the plane was like what is wrong with this dude yeah it was outrageous man it was out wow we’re going to play we got to play a big old game of uh of telephone with Justin eventually Justin Justin’s just gonna be the the telephone guy for Cubs on tap and
Exactly exactly but what kind of a piggyback uh off of the the Marquee question here for you Cole what what has been the most rewarding part about being back in in your your home City like I said I feel like just being able to be the steward of Cubs baseball
Man you know just being like it’s like I said not not not to look at it selfishly or anything but it’s it’s it’s it’s a big responsibility you know it’s it’s Chicago Cubs baseball and not to take anything away from the other 29 teams in the league but Cubs baseball as we all
Know is pretty special and we all love it for a reason I mean Win Lose or Draw we’re in it to win it so you know that’s that that to me is is pretty big and you know doing our icons of the ivy show I mean that was as good as a gets
You know being able to sit with with Ryan Samberg Fergie Jenkins Billy Williams Andre Dawson Lee Smith unbelievable I mean I have I have a picture like and it was I I told you know some people at work I’m like hey we need to get a picture of that and then
Run to CVS and get it print it out so they can autograph it and I I I have that picture autographed in in my office at home and I was able to give my dad one as well and I mean just just to be able to sit down with those guys and
Talk baseball for three and a half hours I could have done it for 10 and a half hours if they would have let me but it was pretty fun so that’s that’s a point of Pride for sure that’s incredible man for sure well like you said it’s obvious
You’re a Cubs fan you’ve been a Cubs fan your whole life who was your favorite player for the Cubs growing up when he when he hit it over a fence he hit it over a TR leag fence number eight Andre Dawson man come on I mean that’s my
That’s my guy I mean anytime he he’s around I get to talk baseball with him if if you can squeeze just a few words out of him I mean especially off of a camera it’s it’s fantastic because he’s he’s a man of very few words but I mean
It’s it’s it’s always great just to be around him and and hear anything he has to say and especially when like the the the few rare times when you when he he is around and he comes up and says hello to to me first it’s like
Oh Andre Dawson just came over and said what’s up to me yeah that’s all I kind of have always that’s I always feel inside because that’s I mean if if you’re not I feel like man you’re kind of doing the wrong thing because that’s that’s that’s how I always feel about
The game that’s that’s how I always feel about when I see these guys when I talk baseball with Billy Williams I’m like this is one of the greatest living baseball players there is and when when you when you can talk about a pitch sequence or a guy’s last at bat that’s unbelievable
Man it’s never lost on me and I don’t I don’t think that that’s anything I don’t ever take lightly yeah I I think honestly I think people forget like I was I was born in 90 but I’ll go back and look at at other you know other
Seasons I was sit in the principal’s office in 1990 man like I’ll go down R season and like look at that MVP race and just all the different like Seasons so many players had it’s like good God like just him and Smith and Gwen and and
Eric Davis and all them I’m like dude that just it was like a golden a golden year of just so much awesome performance that year man no absolutely I mean it’s like I said like Andre DUS that’s my guy the first number I ever got to pick on
My own we’re like what number do you want like usually just get whatever number and I was always a big kid so I always get like 19 you know what I’m saying yeah when you’re when you know when you’re seven and and eight and whatever but you know I got to pick
Number eight was the first number I got to pick and you know it it eventually turned into number 24 which which is that’s that’s that’s the number that’s my favorite number of all time so you know it’s but either way number eight Andre Dawson that’s my
Guy was there this one’s a little off script for you but I I know you played first base was there a a certain first baseman that you idolized in your time growing up that you tried to maybe model your game around it’s crazy man because obviously he played on the other side of
Town big big hurt I mean that’s that’s the age that’s the age that I am and even though I’m a Cubs fan through and through I’m also a baseball fan you know I I appreciate the game and I always have you know not not only have I watched Ken Burns baseball more times
Than I’d like to admit I also have the book The Hard the hardback book that I I got I think in in the year the movie came out I think I got it for my eighth grade graduation and I still have it so you know it’s that’s that’s one thing I
Mean maybe I’m a b a baseball nerd to some extent but you know that’s that’s that’s what it’s all about for me is is being able to go back and and appreciate that history you know that’s you know you said born in 1990 it’s like man that
Was that was that seems like that was a long time ago but it it wasn’t that long ago but you know I just try to always appreciate history just just FYI like my my daughter’s just getting in the car but we’re still good we’re still good to go yeah no
Doubt my uh my dad chimed in his were also one eight was one of his numbers when he played baseball but his was uh for Mr Randy Hunley uh he was a catcher growing up really she says hey just got done with catching lessons how catching lessons go
Good back back you got still get still shut it we’re good uh my dad with a quick followup to that who’s your favorite Cubs first baseman Mark Grace I mean I always I who who wish they weren’t left-handed but I mean Mark Grace is my guy and plus Mark
Grace I mean working with Mark Grace is is fantastic I mean it doesn’t doesn’t get a whole bunch better than Mark Ray he he’s one of the funnest nicest dudes you really ever want to meet so I and and a a lot more relaxed than than than
A lot of people would guess I mean he’s he’s a he’s a pretty chill cat yeah that’s awesome my uh my mom’s favorite player uh was really Mark yeah she loved Mark Grace I I can stare at him from over here my mom was uh was an autograph
Hawk in her uh her youth when she had season tickets and there’s there’s quite a few baseballs over there with Mark and and all those guys autographs all over him uh here down in our basement so uh nice yeah she’s she’s a big Mark fan as
Well I have I I don’t the only Cubs autograph ball that I have is an Ernie Banks autograph ball that my dad got when he went out to dinner with Ernie Banks back in the day and it’s it’s signed to to me my brother and my sister and it says
Like you know to all three of us Harmon Ernie Banks and I still have it it’s the only autograph ball from any Cub that I have the only autograph ball I have period but I mean to have an Ernie Banks autograph ball you know I I just
Sometimes I not sometimes I all the time wish that Ernie was still around when you know when Marquee opened up and we were there and I wish I would have been able to meet him and and talk baseball with him in that capacity like I do with
Billy like I do with Fergie know just seeing Fergie the other day and you know sitting there and and talking to it was it was Fergie Su and myself and just being you know just part of that that little that triangle right there was like I said it’s the the 12-year old
Version of me is like this is unbelievable so it never gets old that’s incredible that’s incredible go ahead Tyler I’ve been talking too much Oh no you’re good you’re good you’re good uh so I think what we got how much so like you you talked about doing like your pre
And postgame shows like doing all the work with that how much actual live baseball do you get to take in during the season like are there like you get chances like throughout the game and stuff are you constantly working like working on that pre and post show type
Stuff or like you get chances we we walk across as soon as as soon as I get done with postgame or pregame rather I I walk straight across and you know I watch the first few Innings from the ballpark we’ll GNA get something to eat and then
We’ll head we’ll head back over and we you know we’ll do do like you know the the hit in the sixth or seventh inning what you know whatever whenever they want us to go off and do the you know the hit for the you know for the the
Wagering and uh but we’re we’re always across whether it’s it’s cliff and I or or Joe gerardi and I you know we’re we’re always over there you know Dex I mean you you walk over there with Dex it’s like you walked over with the The
Beatles in 19 1971 yeah I mean that cat gets mobbed so but yeah that’s we we we watch a lot of ball that that’s that’s a good thing and that’s that’s one of the things about Marquee is that I don’t think there’s any other any other team
In baseball that has their their Network that close to the ballpark and we have that like literally walking distance a sand wedge like from my office to the to the gate that I walk in to Wrigley Field it’s it’s bananas awesome that is in it it really is such a unique experience
And and speaking of the Cubs let’s let’s let’s talk a little uh current day Cubs baseball you were just in Arizona so I mean you’ve gotten the the best upfront look at at most of these guys rolling into spring here um but it for how much you’re able to be
Brutally honest what’s your take on the Bellinger situation and do you think the Cubs at the end of the day need number 24 back in this lineup I think there’s there’s 30 teams in Major League Baseball and if if you look at the fact that only nine dudes
Hit over 300 last year I think every team in baseball needs a player like that I I mean who who wouldn’t want to acquire his Services right now yeah I feel like all he would do was make the team better I I feel like he was a fantastic
Fit it’s I feel like time right now is not necessarily of the essence but if I’m not I’m not speaking for Cody Bellinger I’m not speaking for anybody but if if if I were him I want to play ball what’s what do you do you play baseball that that’s your job what do
You want to do right now you want to be with the team that you can win games with and I feel like that’s that’s a scenario for him and the Chicago Cubs that is is a perfect fit I I mean if if I were Cody Bellinger I would want to be
Playing right now I want green grass under my feet and I would I would want the the the the least amount of time getting familiar with my surroundings and where would that be the easiest to do with the Chicago Cubs and the numbers that he put up last year I don’t think
They’re a fluke and I know I’m biased because I did Cover the dude for two seasons and one of those seasons was an MVP campaign but what what I’ve seen him do firsthand you know in in different uniforms tell me that he’s a pretty special player I mean he has a rare combination
Of power speed the ability you know to to hit went went down in the count and and just do a a lot of things really well and he’s he’s one of the nicest dudes that there is I know it when you’re a nice guy and and when you you
Play the game the right way it makes it that much easier for you to root for somebody but that that’s really what it is with him man and and would I love to see Cody Bellinger on the 2024 install of the Cubs absolutely would it suck to
Watch him play somewhere else 100% let’s hope we don’t have to cross that bridge I mean let let’s hope that with within the next few days that we’re talking about you know the excitement that he’s going to bring you know to the to the ball Club in 2024 I mean it’s as as
We’re recording this right now it’s the 22nd I mean it would be perfect that the 24th would be a perfect day to sign Cody Bellinger it’s it’s it’s his number be the day on the Gregorian calendar it’s my favorite it’s my favorite number it makes a whole lot of sense I mean
It’s it’s got me getting so riled up I’m I’m I’m not even able to complete half the words I’m running out of air when I’m talking I saidian calendar that’s what I meant to say I’ll be honest with you Cole I was I was holding out hope because we earlier
This season were scheduled to do a show on a Tuesday night in the evening after working hours and that was the night that the Sha report came out so we were the first Cub show that got to talk about it like as soon as it came out I’d
Be lying to you if I wasn’t hoping that at 5:00 today Bellinger was signed by the Cs and we could be talking about it right here with you if if you guys have noticed in Twitter or xland whatever you want to call it today like just before
We hopped on there is a let’s somebody named Lisa’s letgo Lisa apparently Lisa knows something that nobody else knows about Cody supposedly like fix he’s a about to sign what or has signed or whatever nobody knows who Lisa is Lisa may be just some madeup whatever but right now
Let’s go Lisa let’s hope Lisa’s right hey we need we need Joe at obvious shirts let’s some let’s go Lisa shirts if you see those walking around the North Side downtown where you know in El Gro Village let let’s go Lisa if that’s what it takes to get number 24 back
Let’s go whatever it takes but there a lot of cats out there and and you know there’s a quartet obviously of Scott boris’s clients right now that are still waiting to hit the streets I mean they’re I know those guys want to be playing I I know they’re probably
Working out and getting ready but there’s nothing like being in Camp with with the boys and making sure that everything is is right and ready to go for the upcoming season so you know whether you’re Matt Chapman or Cody Bellinger or Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery I mean I’m sure all four of
Those dudes really want to find a home right now yeah well I know spring training first game tomorrow but I know you you you’ve been you’ve been watching you’ve been looking at everything who takes the biggest step forward in your in your opinion from from
2023 based on what you’ve seen so far or or maybe is it too early to tell I I think a guy don’t know necessarily if he will this is who I hope because I I think he has a lot of promise but I I love Alexander Canario I mean the guy’s
Got tons of Pop I mean he could be that that fourth that fifth outfielder depending on how the the lineup looks once the season rolls around it just it just really all all depends on you know who’s going to start the season where but I think Alexander Canario you know
He can provide enough convincing at bats in what 32 Spring training games I don’t know how many he’s going to play 27 of which by the way are on Marquee Sports Network so be sure to check him out yep yeah but I think that he I think that he can take the biggest
Step forward I mean he’s a dude man when it comes to his pop he has he has it like yeah you you see him I feel like if you’ve never seen a guy in your life and he if he walked to the ball field you’d
Be like oh he can play you know there’s some there’s some dudes that just look like oh he can ball yeah you just know it and and I think that’s him and I think his upside we you know we saw it two years ago he had more home runs than
Anybody in the entire organization he had he had 37 pumps and then obviously got hurt went down and played in the winter league so last year injury that was a thing as well so if he can stay healthy that that’s the guy Julian Merryweather too I yeah in live BP the
Other day man he was throwing absolute pellets and he was throwing that slider but he was trying to locate that fast ball and that’s what that’s what I love man I wantan if I’m Julian Maryweather my my whole thought process and maybe it’s just the old school dude in me but
When you throw a 100 101 I’m thinking here it is is you want some of this come and get some of this I’m not trying to trick you at all I’m trying to challenge you and put it at different quadrants of that box I feel like if he can do that
This year then watch out man because he will be a Surefire problem for sure and speaking of Merryweather real quick it’s it’s still crazy to think that we got they got that guy basically wasn’t it off of waivers I believe so it’s yeah just feels like a steal because like you
That guy has just electric stuff Daniel Palencia too man he was out there throwing bullets already hitting triple digits man so I mean like I I I talked to Craig about it just yesterday you know just talking about velocity it’s it’s it’s not everything but it helps
And it’s it’s good to see and he said he’s you know he’s encouraged by the velocity you know Luke little was 95 to 98 during live BP yesterday I mean he was out there and I’m a Luke little fan I mean that that guy man he’s he’s as
Big as a house and you know he’s going to fill up that Strike Zone he’s halfway there as big as he is when when he’s when he’s throwing strikes so we’re going to see there’s a lot of guys with a lot of upside so I’m encouraged I was
Gonna say I just saw with Canario too I think I just saw him take uh Hendrick deep today actually in some live BP I think he took uh took Mr Kyle Hendricks deep you you you like to see it but you don’t like to see that but either either
Way you know Kyle Hendrick he’ll figure it out as he always does but you like to see Canario getting after you don’t like seeing uh Patrick wisdom go Bridge off of Sha but you know what it was because then it gives him a chance to maybe work out a few Kinks may maybe
Not not as deliberate with with some of the some of the pitch deliveries and location and selection and that that’s what spring training is for I mean hitters are going to win some battles pitchers are going to win maybe a lot more and that’s going to carry over into
The first few weeks of the Season hopefully sure 100% % which Prospect Cole do you think you’ll be talking about the most on Marquee Sports Network this season is is PCA still a prospect or or no it just depends on where he where he breaks camp at and his designation I
Think either him or Ben Brown Ben Brown injury derailed him but Ben Brown’s a big kid man and he’s got a a live arm a live whippy arm man he can get after it so you know I think that those two guys and and maybe k
You know if you I mean I feel like kade’s got really good stuff I mean he’s got that Wipeout stuff and I know he’s one of those blue ship players that when when teams are calling and asking about certain thing asking Jed and Carter about okay what about this guy it’s it’s
Always hands off with Kade Horton and for good reason we we’ve seen some of his stuff very explosive as well so you know if I had to put my bucks on on one dude though it’s I like Ben Brown a lot and like I said Luke rid I’m a fan of I
Don’t know if he’s necessarily a prospect we saw him at the end of last season but I I like I like big cats that that throw hard yeah I mean I mean not not all yeah but I mean I like guys that go out there and they’ll challenge you I
I I mean there is there is some some pitching element to it obviously but when you can locate velocity there’s there’s nothing better than a well-placed fastball you can ask a whole bunch of Hall of Famers if you see him at Wrigley if you’re walking around go
Up and go up and ask him definitely course definitely so all things considered I know I know we talked about is Bell getting resigned is is he not you know all that let’s say the Cubs are done making moves this offseason like as of today why should
Why should fans be convinced this team can be better in 2024 than they were last season well I I think it’s you have to look around the division and see who’s who’s gotten better and and how how do you win ball games and I think that you
Look at all the close games last year that you know the one-run games that the Cubs lost I think that not taking anything away from Rossy I love David Ross man you know if if anyone’s watching that knows how to get in touch with Rossy that that they’ve spoken with
Him tell tell Rossy love him tip of the cap I think that when you see a guy like Craig counsel and his baseball Acumen is as such sometimes those one-run games those closer ball games get eliminated it’s not anything that’s done necessarily in in the ninth inning or the seventh
Inning sometimes it’s things that are done in the first or the third inning and I I think that that David Ross is gonna get other opportunities there’s there’s no doubt about that however I I think that with with Craig counil he just brings that that extra
Uptick in in the the ability to win games from a managerial position and not to say that that they couldn’t have in in years past I just think that that’s the one thing and that’s one of the reasons why he he’s the guy who who you know makes all the decisions now and
He’s he’s compensated as he is this season and not to dig in anybody’s Pockets but clearly Craig council is a Top Flight Skipper if if not you know he would not be be setting the precedent for other managers to come when it’s time for them to go to the to the table
And negotiate their next contract so I feel like Craig council is going to be one of the things that that puts this team over the edge and makes them better than what they were a season ago and you know like like we talked about not necessarily all the parts are are are
Done yet and who who knows if they’ve all come into place because there there’s still a whole bunch of spring training games to be played and and and then we’ll see because Camp’s still open guys can still report so sure I think I think every everything’s gonna gonna fall into
Place yeah that’s that’s certainly the hope and I mean knowing that Craig is going to probably have a big impact on this team one thing that Craig council is going to have to consider potentially Cole and it’s something that we’ve talked about as a show throughout the
Course of the offseason we’ve asked a few of our guests already as well what are your thoughts on a potential six-man rotation for the Cubs this season I I mean if if I don’t I don’t see it necessarily happening but maybe maybe it will I feel
Like show is a dog like that I feel like if he had to PCH I mean think you think about guys that are are are Elite College pitchers I mean how it’s essentially them being on like a six day rotation kind of I mean if you’re a
Friday starter that’s that’s you know in the SEC that’s that’s what it is like it’s Paul SK is I mean probably gonna see Paul SK on Pittsburgh by June I mean that cat’s gonna be out there throwing you know crack Tic Tacs you know in the
Pittsburgh heat and it’s going to be a problem so I I think that you know those guys make that transition and I think that showed a will I’m not necessarily you know speaking for for Craig counil or you know for Tommy hady or for for
Anybody in in that matter but I I just think that maybe to start this season that’s where where they’ll go just the just to kind of get things off the Runway but I feel like they’ll clearly focus in as as the season unfolds and
And I think sh is going to be one of those guys who’s like you know what I’m I’m here now this is a different League they they pitch by a different set of I’m going to just adapt and get after it to the best of my ability more starts
Means you can put up better numbers I mean that’s it that’s how dogs think about it and I think that’s what sha is I mean just seeing him and just the kind of the aura right now he has around him at at camp with you know with him and
Seah it’s it’s it’s fun to watch for sure for sure they have been very fun to watch I think um I don’t know if you saw it today boog’s uh interview with with seya and his interpreter and he was like you know how do how does
It feel having sha and you know are you excited or whatever and you know his interpreter asks him the question in Japanese and before seya even says that he think he just steps back and goes nice pure excitement just on his face of having shoda in there so I want
To know has any has anyone taken shoda to Portillos or Lum Malad down there yet because I feel like I feel terrible that I asked the question the other day but somebody needs to they need to take a field trip let let them know what it’s
All about let them know what it’s all about get him get him a you know a beef and cheddar croissant sweet and hot peppers let’s roll let them know what it’s all about it’s speak well speaking of sha because we talked we talked to Justin about it too like how
Awesome was his entrance to like his introduction to the Cubs I mean we were we talked about it on here like we were ready to run through a brick wall for the guy like that’s I don’t think you could have a better intro than what
Showa had no it was great I mean just the fact that it was at Cubs convention and everything man he has a flare for the dramatic and I think that’s that’s going to carry over to the season like I like his his delivery I I like it a lot
Clearly from a left-hand side a little hesitation move he’s got a a whole bunch of different pitches in his bag of tricks man and it’s going to be fun to watch this season and the way the way he came out and just the you know hey
Chicago what do you say he it so it’s going to be a fun summer for sure 1000% and oh go ahead Tyler was gonna say just just speaking of Cubs convention last last Cub convention we ran into you I believe it was the the night of cubs
Bingo you stopped and talked to us which we appreciate that man and I just remember you talk we we were talking about hats because we know you’re you’re a big hat guy so I’ve got to ask what what is the what is your most favorite
Cubs hat that you own and which hat that what’s a what’s a Cubs hat that you would like to see put back into like maybe the Cubs uniform rotation the the red Bill the red Bill yes yes the red bill um uh my favorite Cubs hat too I have to
Say probably the hat that I wore to every playoff in World Series game or at least when I mean I only went to game four but I wore during every World Series game and for every I wore a Transformer shirt I’m not even a Transformers fan like
That I saw when when I first moved to because it’s a Decepticons yeah uh no it’s an Autobot it’s an Autobot shirt and some dude like looked down at he’s like scoffed at me like Autobots I was like man it was at Target it was like 9.99
It’s got a it fits fantastic I wore that shirt and wore it’s the just the regular Cubs blue hat but it’s like maybe the it’s the cubc that looks like it should have the Cubs the the Cubs whale in it when they were the Whalers
But it’s like the all red it’s like the round SE and I still have it it’s almost too dirty and stinky to even wear it’s like it’s almost it’s so misshapen now that I mean I feel like I could probably wear it to work out in but it’s like it it’s
Kind of shrunk up over the years now but yeah that’s that’s probably my favorite hat me because I I wore that’s the year the Cubs win the World Series I wored every game so that’s that’s my Cubs that’s fantastic a quick uh follow-up question to that one and uh our boy Jake
Bowski he’s a big hat guy himself as well he says Which hat uh do you have on right now I’ve got on this is this the that fear of God hat yeah the f I I don’t I saw it I got it on sale because I’m not really in the market of paying
What these are regular price so because I saw God fear of God apparel is expensive and I and I that’s not my style because they I’m more of a TJ Maxx Marshall’s Ross kind of cat yeah myself but uh I saw it was at Finish Line and
It was on sale I think for 30 bucks and I was like these hats never go on sale why did this happen and it’s navy blue so I just I a navy blue hat like I love my navy blue Cubs hats the you know what
I as I say that Cubs I told you I wore the World Series I the Field of Dreams hat I have three of them and I keep them in rotation because you I see that one is that the the mesh the the Snapback you have on there this one no well yeah
This I have I have that one but were wearing this you were wearing this hat when you talked she like man yeah think yours was a navier one but yeah we were yeah you had the you had the fitted hat on when we when we chatted with you
About it yeah yeah yeah I’ve got I’ve got way I’ve got way too many it’s ridiculous I got the golf one like that one it’s it’s it’s you can you can never have you can never have way too many just like Ron we we give Ron a hard time
Because he is a jersey collector he can never have too many jerseys you can never have too many hats it’s all and hoodies I’ve got too many hoodies as well so my my hat collection Rivals my jersey collection it’s probably actually longer than the that I’ve been
Collecting hats for way too long so I’m right there with you Cole I get it I get it but uh you can never go wrong speaking of hats though what are your thoughts with the new uniforms that Fanatics has released what is what is your opinion on everything I don’t know
I don’t know Jameson Ty told me they they do feel better he said yeah so I I I’m not really that picky I guess I’m not like oh my it’s I mean it’s the way the names are the names are a little smaller clearly but if no one would have
Said anything I maybe would have noticed probably like 20 games in this season yeah I don’t know but I feel like I feel like some people are always looking for something to complain about I I I try to just control the things I can control you know I mean
If you can look at it like that you know I mean it’s like are they going to change it maybe maybe next year who knows I mean it’s not that big of a deal I think the funniest backlash of the uniforms that we’ve seen so far because
I think people have gotten better about feeling just how the jerseys look but it’s more so the fact that the pants are like completely see-through and you can like I I didn’t notice that but I guess now that yeah they’re noticing that but I I feel like you know what for me it’s
Like if I especially I’m one of those guys I’m just happy to have my name on the back of a Jersey have a number like you know you could put my name and number on the back of a jersey like like Vince papali in uh in in in the Marky
Mark mov what’s uh Invincible saying like with with duct tape you know I’d be happy if I saw someone running around with that so I mean I’m sure the guys really aren’t too aren’t too carried away about it they’re just going to do their jobs I feel that I feel that Tyler
I want you to read the last one we have on the lineup but we did have one that I thought was really good also from Jake in the comments Cole for you he said who’s a former Cub that you would love to add to the Marquee desk that is a good
Question Derek Lee oh yeah that would be a good yeah de we’ve had him on before but he’s never done shows so we could that’ be that’ be that’d be dope speaking hey speaking of him they I mean he’s got to be like he’s got to be next
Year’s Cubs convention Hall of Famer right he’s got to be the Hall of Fame announcer right I don’t know they don’t tell me and tell like they’re getting ready to be called out and I I even forgot like when I when I when I had the cats come
Out I was like hey so did did you guys exchange a phone call when you found out I forgot that they just found out right there like Carrie and Rose like uh like what they they call each other on the steps like no idiot like like so I
Almost forgot that that’s when it actually happened so right I don’t find out pretty much right until until you guys find out so got they want me to be surprised too so gotcha well kind of wrap it things up here and again man we we appreciate your time with us we
Appreciate you coming on here like in the P you’ve just been you’ve been so generous with your time and stopping and talking to us over throughout the years man thank you so much anytime any spicy fun takes for this upcoming offseason like will we will we see a a hint at it
In spring training in your eyes uh I don’t know if it’s spicy but expect the best from edbert alalay like not Al was a li I guess if he’s corrected us and saying that now it’s Edward elay which is is tough for me I’ve made made it a point over the
Last four seasons to make sure I do not say it as it’s spelled a lot of people mispronounce his name I take pride my pronunciations yeah you know when I worked at ESPN they were like do you need phonetics on these hockey I’m like
No no no no I grew up in in Chicago land this this looks like my the my the yearbook yeah so 100% so for me I I take pride in my pronunciations and I it’s it’s going to be a work in progress and maybe I’ll call him adbert aleli as
We’ve said the last four years but he if he’s he’s correcting us we stand as corrected but expect big things out of adbert Alay this season man this he came into Camp looking like a tank he’s ready to roll hell yeah I love that too well Cole thanks again for joining us um
We’re just going to wrap this thing up really quick we as we always tell everybody follow us follow our friends over at the dingers podcast at Dinger Cubs Cubbies onap follow Cole on socials if you don’t already um you are always active on the socials so it you’re
You’re worth the follow if people are and and interact you’re very interactive um probably more interactive than any other Studio host uh in the game that’s because we get the best in Chicago that’s just what it is thank you man that’s how we do um but follow all of
Our contributors as well here at Cubs onap onap sport.com at onap sportset on the socials the ontap sports network go and check out what’s on tap in Chicago Sports spring trading Games first one tomorrow we’re super excited and Cole uh thank you again to you sir for your time
And uh we appreciate you man hey anytime guys awesome well thanks to you and uh let’s go Cubbies absolutely
