In short
Hour 3 of The Rich Eisen Show focuses on Aaron Judge’s injury update, Yankees pitching outlook, NFL quarterback competition quotes (J.J. McCarthy vs Kyler Murray), Knicks–Spurs NBA Finals Game 2 discussion, and Rich’s “Top 5 athletes in Los Angeles” list.
Guests/backgrounds
Comedian Michael Blaustein, a diehard Knicks fan and co-host of the Stiff Sox podcast; he attended Eastern Conference Finals Game 2 vs the Cavaliers and discusses Knicks superstitions and music rituals. (Other referenced guests: ESPN NBA analyst Richard Jefferson and NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, plus Dan Patrick for a separate Disney+ series.)
Key claims
Judge’s MRI/CT revealed a rib issue (stretch stress fracture of the first rib) with 4–6 week timeline; Yankees must rely on strong pitching and bullpen depth. For Vikings/ Cardinals QB room quotes, McCarthy’s “opposite sides” framing is seen as more likely than Murray’s “learning” framing. Knicks can win Game 2 and potentially the series; Spurs need a bounce-back after 0–2.
Notable examples
Judge’s May 3 collision with the right-field wall; his .250 hitting and wincing; Yankees vs Red Sox weekend; Knicks player stat line referenced for Victor Wembanyama (26 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks, 6 turnovers, 15 missed shots). Rich’s LA top five: Shohei Ohtani, LeBron James, Luka Dončić, Miles Garrett, Mike Trout (noted as playing in Orange County).
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOSetting the Stage for the Hour
0:00 to 0:22
Rich discusses the upcoming segments and mentions his top five athletes.
“And for a limited time, college students get the best of both worlds.”
Setting the Stage for the Hour
1:27 to 2:32
Rich discusses the upcoming segments and mentions his top five athletes.
“From the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles.”
Aaron Judge Injury Update
2:32 to 4:37
Rich reacts to the news of Aaron Judge's injury and its impact on the Yankees.
“We've been talking about this with SportsCenter for the first two hours as we were on ESPN for the last two hours.”
Implications of Judge's Injury
4:37 to 8:13
Rich analyzes the Yankees' performance and their pitching situation without Judge.
“All those John Henry jokes aren't so funny now, are they?”
Quarterback Competition in Minnesota
8:13 to 11:15
Rich discusses the quarterback situation in Minnesota involving J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray.
“844-204-RICH is the number to dial on the program.”
Fan Reactions and Calls
11:15 to 13:39
Rich takes calls from fans discussing their favorite teams and playoff predictions.
“is saying because he can't undercut nine.”
NFL Team Power Rankings Discussion
14:03 to 16:32
Analyzing the Cowboys' potential this season and Rich's previous rankings.
“We're all referring, if we're talking like that, then you're like saying that's the Washington Generals.”
Top Five Athletes in Los Angeles
16:33 to 18:14
Rich reveals his top five athletes currently playing in Los Angeles.
“I don't understand what's happening here.”
Comedian Michael Blaustein Joins the Show
20:17 to 28:00
Michael Blaustein discusses basketball, comedy, and his favorite artists.
“they're committed to being your partner and protecting both your people and your facilities.”
Michael Blaustein on Golf and Tennis
28:00 to 28:50
Michael shares his journey back to playing golf and tennis after a break.
Show all 19 chapters
Confidence in Tennis Against Pros
28:50 to 30:20
The hosts jokingly discuss Michael's confidence in playing against professional tennis players.
“I just all I do is podcast and and and and comedy.”
NBA Playoff Predictions
30:20 to 31:30
Discussion about the Knicks and their playoff prospects, including predictions.
“Yeah, you listen to Justin Bieber right before you do the Rich Eisenhower show.”
Jalen Brunson's Impact and Future
31:30 to 35:00
Exploring Jalen Brunson's performance and his potential as the face of the NBA.
“If Knicks are, I mean, do you think, where do you think this series is going to win?”
Cultural References and Humor
35:00 to 37:05
The conversation touches on cultural references, including a humorous Jewish tradition.
“And it was a – he said that he – it wasn't like the press said he had a bad game.”
Michael's Comedy Tour and Farewell
37:05 to 38:02
Michael promotes his tour and wraps up his appearance on the show.
“So every check that you write for a bar or bat mitzvah is in some form of 18.”
Listener Calls and Sports Discussion
38:58 to 41:22
Rich takes a phone call discussing sports topics, including the Seahawks and Rams.
“Rich in Temecula right here in California.”
Rich's Top Five Athletes in LA
41:22 to 42:01
Rich presents his top five current athletes playing in the Los Angeles area.
“So I decided, you know, for my final top five of the week, top five athletes playing in Los Angeles.”
Top Five Athletes in Los Angeles
42:01 to 45:47
Rich discusses his top five current athletes in Los Angeles, analyzing their impact and presence.
“the keeper of Los Angeles sports flames of the Rich Eisen Show, Sean Mitchell said when he saw my list, this guy doesn't play in Los Angeles.”
NBA Playoff Insights
46:18 to 46:49
Rich reflects on the Spurs' playoff situation and NBA history regarding teams down 0-2.
“In the history of the NBA playoffs, 7 % of teams have falled down 0-2 come back to win.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Rich Eisen:Study and play. Come together on a Windows 11 PC. And for a limited time, college students get the best of both worlds. Get the Unreal College Deal. Everything you need to study and play with select Windows 11 PCs. Eligible students get a year of Microsoft 365 Premium and a year of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with a custom color Xbox Wireless Controller. Learn more at windows.com slash student offer. While supplies last, ends June 30th. Terms at aka.ms slash college pc. Applies.com, it's not just about window treatments, it's about you, your style, your space, your way. Whether you DIY or want the pros to handle it all, you'll have the confidence of knowing it's done right.
0:41From free expert design help to our 100 % satisfaction guarantee, everything we do is made to fit your life and your windows. Shop up to 40 % off with minimum purchase and a free professional measure right now at blinds.com. Plus, pay at your own pace starting at 0 % APR with Affirm. Terms apply. This is The Rich Eisen Show.
1:02Rich Eisen:Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? We've got a podcast so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash richeisenshow and you'll never miss a moment. Now, on with the show. Check this out. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Big bodega. Towns up top, drives on Wimpenyama. From the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. The thing about Carl Anthony Towns, I just love his heart. Earlier on the show, ESPN NBA analyst and NBA champion, Richard Jefferson.
1:49Rich Eisen:NFL Network insider, Tom Pelissero. Coming up, comedian, Michael Blaustein. And now, it's Rich Eisen. All right, hour number three of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air. Disney Plus, the ESPN app, ESPN Radio, Sirius XM, Channel 80. The comedian Michael Blaustein is in our green room. I just had a nice chat with him. He's a diehard Nick fan, and his jacket is so loud, it makes Spike Lee go, really? And he's coming out here in about 20 minutes' time. I've got a top five athletes in Los Angeles list I'm about to read off and then ask for opinions and then disregard them. that's about to hit. We've got phone lines completely lit.
2:33Rich Eisen:844-204-RICH. We'll get to them in a second. We've been talking about this with SportsCenter for the first two hours as we were on ESPN for the last two hours. Again, it's a new digital podcast series, limited for just season one to six interviews, one-on-one, me with an OG from back-of-the-day SportsCenter presented by Gusto. It is Dan Patrick, guest number one tonight. It's out there right now for you to take in on Disney Plus, the ESPN app, the Rich Eisen Show YouTube channel. If you want to listen to it, you won't see a lot of the bells and whistles, which I would counsel you to see because it's chock full of memory lane videos and SportsCenter commercials and pictures from back in the day.
3:18Rich Eisen:Every Friday, a new episode will drop, except for episode two. We can't wait till next Friday. That's dropping Monday. yours truly along with Chris Berman the essential godfather of the show he will be on Monday's show so please check it out it's very personal to me Mike Hoskins the Rich Eisen Show coordinating producer just absolutely crushed it producing and editing it it is a labor of love from all of us and hopefully it is for you to watch it again 844-204-RICH number to dial in the same way Chris that one door opens another door closes or one thing great thing that happens for your team. It just is another thing that reminds you that it's not so great in your neck of the woods.
3:59Rich Eisen:For instance, the same day A.J. Brown gets acquired by your Patriots, Big Pompey comes out and says, this John Henry guy, you should give him a chance. And New England fans are like, really? Not going to lie. So as the Knicks are ascending, another door opens, and into an MRI machine slides Aaron Judge. and the Yankees are going to be without their big toe, their big future Hall of Famer for at least the next four to six weeks with something they don't even know what the hell really it is. All those John Henry jokes aren't so funny now, are they? Well, I mean, I don't know what one thing has to do with another.
4:43Rich Eisen:I don't think it's a coincidence. Well, one thing is ownership. You want to sell the team. This one is just Aaron Judge having to heal up. But maybe the rest of the season, CT scan, MRIs, x-rays evaluated by multiple doctors. Is it thoracic outlet syndrome? What the hell it is? It's a rib thing. It's a stretch stress fracture of the first rib. There we go. And it looks like he might have been playing with it since May 3rd. He crashed into the right field wall as Max Fried gave up a deep fly ball and you saw him wincing. and his hitting had definitely suffered over the last few weeks. He's hitting.250, which a guy from last year and the way that he hits for power and hits in general, a lot of wincing.
5:30Rich Eisen:And the Yankees finally sat him down and put him in all these tubes and out comes this result of four to six weeks. And all I will say is the following. The pitching better hold up. And they've got the pitching that can do it. Max Fried comes back and you go Schlittler and Cole from the right side and Freed and Radone from the left, and all you need to do is scratch out three or four runs and hope for the best from your bullpen where there's been a lot of hope being necessary as opposed to all these other teams that you see where there's just one 25-year-old after another coming out throwing 100 miles an hour.
6:04You know?
6:06Rich Eisen:The rumor that the Red Sox might tap out on our oldest Chapman and send him to San Diego to set up Miller would be insane. with every other arm the Padres have, you better have a lead by the fifth because if you don't, it's a wrap. You see what the Brewers do. You see all these arms. The Yankees don't seem to have those arms coming out one after another after another with consistency. But Judge being out for a month and a half to potentially more, that ain't great. So if you have the same Venn diagram that I have, the circle of fandom of the Yankees and the circle of fandom of the Knicks and you put them together, You better enjoy the Nick part right now.
6:49Rich Eisen:Although the American League, nobody's running away with it. The Rays have suddenly started coming back to the pack. Yep. And all you got to do is just get that lottery ticket and get judged better and maybe improve that pen with some deadline action. This kid LeGranier on the pen who's throwing a good billion dollars out. Is he coming up yet or what? Well, they moved him to the pen. He was a starter and then he moved him to the pen because that's what Coop and I have been talking about. I want to stash him in fantasy. Let's get this guy closing with all due respect to Bednar. Maybe you want to have him set up Bednar or whatever, but let's get this guy out of there throwing smoke.
7:31Rich Eisen:Let's have him hitting corners and looking like Miller if you can. Better, easier said than done. But the good news is I think Jeff Passan was saying it earlier on the network. It's not like 2023 all over again where the Yankees don't have the pitching to support it. The pitching is their strength. Putting the ball in place, I don't think it ever will be. But we'll see. Just get judged back. Keep with inhaling distance. And who knows? Maybe they can start winning some baseball games too. They're taking on the Red Sox tonight in three games, right? Kind of a big weekend. I mean, stocks get swept, and I think it's sell time for a lot of these guys.
8:17Rich Eisen:We shall see. 844-204-RICH is the number to dial on the program. One of the sound bites that I heard while I was out and about at the Big Slick, I think that's what it was, or was it while I was at the Emmy Awards sitting there all night hungry, figuratively and literally,
8:38that my guy J.J.
8:40Rich Eisen:McCarthy talking about the quarterback situation in Minnesota with him and Kyler Murray. There's two different senses of competition, right, where the quarterback room is one heartbeat, and we all understand we're in the same room together, but we're in competition with one another, and competition's healthy. That's what you hear all the time from coaches. It's good to have competition. It brings out the best in everybody unless the competition keeps you on opposite sides of the quarterback room, like you're two students in a classroom sitting apart listening to the same teacher. That's how J.J.
9:21Rich Eisen:McCarthy described the relationship with Kyler Murray. It's not like they're going to dinner together and they're all tight. Right? That sounds like, huh? Well, also, we played those two because it was in contrast into what Kyler Murray said, which was, you know, an eight-year veteran answer of they're both wearing hard. He's trying to pick up what I'm saying. I'm learning from him. We're listening to coaching. It's really great. You know, it's a good competitive room. Oh, cool. Great answer. Then we played McCarthy, and it was like, yeah, he sits on one side. I sit on the other side, and it's up to the coaches to coach us.
9:53Rich Eisen:And we're just like, what? It's like the Goodfellas thing. You know, one quarterback goes one way. one quarterback goes the other way and the coach is like what do you want from me pretty much um so kevin o 'connell was asked about this roll it i would just say that in the room and the actual day-to-day the dialogue between those guys the interactions um have been have been very professional and and even more so than that it's been uh it's just been a positive room and i think carson has a lot to do with that as the veteran in the room and obviously you know I would never discount Josh McCown's extensive career as a player in those quarterback rooms and how he manages the room and engages with everybody in there.
10:37So I didn't make a lot out of it. I know there was some reaction to it, and that's probably not the first time there's going to be a reaction to those guys kind of answering questions about the situation, and that's what part of the competition is all about. It's going to be, look, we're not trying to, there's no hiding anything. It's going to be displayed on the field, and their teammates and coaching staff and the guys in this building have to feel conviction about the direction we go, and you do that by your daily habits and just improving.
11:08Rich Eisen:I trust him, but you also heard him say it's professional, which means he did not say, oh, I'm not seeing what J.J. is saying because he can't undercut nine. Mm-hmm. You know? And Kyler, I think, was just giving the professional answer. Right. But it's true. What's more likely? So what's more likely Friday? The way that Kyler says it looks like or feels like or McCarthy? I would probably say McCarthy. Me too. You got a young kid who's just basically saying what he's thinking. Yeah, because he doesn't know any better. Well, he doesn't know better. I don't know. Maybe air those feelings. I'm telling you.
11:45Rich Eisen:He probably also senses what's going on. He reads writing on the wall. The writing on the wall is you got somebody like Murray in your house. At one point something million dollars a year, you're going to see what's going on with him first. Right. Unless it's a complete disaster, which I don't expect it to be. I mean, I'm just trying to spit facts. 844-204-RICH, number to dial, we'll take a phone call here. Let's go to Dan in New Jersey. What's up, Dan? Where in New Jersey are you calling from? Hey, Rich. I'm in Manahawk, New Jersey, right outside LBI. There we go. What's going on, man? So I'm a huge sports fan.
12:21I'm a Sixer fan for basketball. but I think what's going on in this Knicks series is incredible because if the Knicks, which I think is going to happen, and I'm, like I said, not a Knicks fan, I think they are going to sweep the San Antonio Spurs. And if they do that, this will be the greatest run in sports history, not just NBA history, but in all of sports. If they get this sweep, they haven't lost a game since round one. That is incredible and just unfathomably has never been done before.
12:49Rich Eisen:Are you putting the reverse Ziggy on them, Dan? Let's be honest. Are you trying to do that? No, no, no, as much as I don't really want this to happen. I also kind of do, just as a sports fan, to see greatness is always, that's just something we all look for, you know, something that hasn't happened before. You know, none of my teams have won in a while. I'm a Raiders fan. I'm a Sixers fan. I'm a Flyers fan. I'm a Phillies fan, which luckily they have done something in my lifetime. I'm only 31 years old. Have some more time for someone else to get some success going here. And you've got one of my favorite people on planet Earth to the point where I've named my daughter's middle name after him and Donald Arthur Mattingly as your new skipper right there.
13:27Rich Eisen:And things have turned around since that's happened. That's for damn sure. Oh, yeah. I like Don. I'll take him. We'll see. I mean, I know his son's got a big hand in that, so I don't think I'm firing him anytime soon, but we'll see what goes on there. That's Dan in New Jersey right here on the program. Greatest championship run ever. That's interesting. Dude, if they win three more in a row to sweep the Spurs after sweeping the Sixers, after sweeping the Cavs and sweeping the Sixers, and then going on this run, 15 in a row to wrap it like that? And a faux, faux, faux. And the Spurs, again, that's why I was talking about with Richard Jefferson.
14:03Rich Eisen:We're all referring, if we're talking like that, then you're like saying that's the Washington Generals. You know, that's the clowns against the Savannah Bananas. You know what I mean? Yeah. Like, they're not clowns. They're not here to amuse us. you know that would be something Larry in Kansas let's take his call what's up Larry you there Larry guys what's going on with y 'all man how y 'all doing what up Larry hey hey hey so hey first off I want to tell y 'all enjoy your show thank you second I got a question for you Rich okay I know that your team is the Rams but I know that you've been I think that You've been very highly on the Cowboys.
14:40I wanted to know, is this the year? I'm a realist, too. But is this the year that the Cowboys is going to make it to the Super Bowl? Or hell, at least the NFC Championship. When have you been high on? I mean, you like the moves that we've made, but you've never been, like, behind the Cowboys. It's always talking out the side of his neck
15:03Rich Eisen:or saying some slick stuff to you. Me? Yeah. Me? What are you talking about? Come on, man. I put them in my top five of my way too, too, too early power rankings. Come on. People watch the show. They see. How did you hear about that? Are you... Are you accusing me of being an influencer? No. Well... But what I'm saying is Larry's off in what he interprets about you. The side of my neck. Talking about the side of your neck. Yeah. Which side? Left side or right side? I assume it's the right because that's the closest to the microphone. In all honesty, they've got the pass rush and they've got the back end.
15:45Rich Eisen:You know, they hit the heck out of that. You know what I mean? Overshown's back. Let's go. You know what I mean? Let's go. And the offense is just as. Offense is fantastic. If they are as productive, sir, you got the makings. We didn't make the playoffs last year, Larry, so that's a huge jump. This guy over there. I mean, I know. I know we didn't make the playoffs. I know, I know, I know. But, I mean, still, I mean, look at the pieces that we got, like, later on. I think if we, like, for instance, like George Pickett, if we had got him, like, I'm sorry, not George Pickett, the defense. If we had got the defense that we had later during that year, earlier, I think we could have made a run for the playoffs, and I think we could have made a little push.
16:30Rich Eisen:All right, Larry. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Keep the faith, though, Larry. What faith? I'm assuming he's a Cowboys fan. I don't understand what's happening here. Do you not want me to talk your team up? Because I believe that they're actually going to be better. I don't believe it's real. You're a coach in person for the first time in years. I met him. Speaking of a Pro Bowl, one of the first Pro Bowls we'd ever covered. He was a young 'un, Brian Schottenheimer, son of Marty. Don't we meet him? Much like Sol Ruka, I also made him cry. You're also, yeah. You're making, we're making Cowboys cry.
17:06Rich Eisen:What'd you think of your dad thinking right now? He starts, he starts crying because he's got a, he's the son of Marty. He's means he's got a touch of the Vermeule in him. Okay. All right. 844-204-RICH is the number to dial on the program. My top five list of the top five athletes in Los Angeles. Just think who's playing here in LA. A lot of good players. And think about how I've got to boil it down to five. But I'm intrepid enough to do that. Notice I'm going to do that before running out the door. Of course. Running a small business means every hire matters. A bad hire costs time and money, but the right one will.
17:46Rich Eisen:That helps your business grow. The challenge is finding that person without sorting through resumes. That's where LinkedIn Hiring Pro comes in, everybody. It screens candidates so you can focus on conversations with qualified talent. With Hiring Pro, you can hire with confidence and build the team you need. Join the 2.7 million small businesses using LinkedIn to hire. Get started by posting your job for free at linkedin.com slash Eisen. Terms and conditions apply. The comedian Michael Blaustein, he is a diehard Nick fan and a funny dude coming out next.
18:25Rich Eisen:The Rich Eisen Show podcast.
18:31Rich Eisen:Rich Eisen here. Take a second and look at your city's calendar. Everywhere I go, there's always something coming up. Games, concerts, conventions, tournaments, the kind of events that bring people in from all over. And when that happens, you can feel it. More energy, more fans, and a whole lot more people looking for a place to stay. So here's something to think about. If your city has that kind of buzz. If big events are on the way, listing your space on Airbnb could be a great opportunity. If you're already planning to be out of town or you've got a trip coming up, why not make your place work for you while you're gone?
19:06Rich Eisen:You've got the space and you're not using it. It could be earning you some extra cash. I know when I travel for these big events, I'm not just looking for a place to crash. I want something comfortable and safe, a place that allows me to experience the city like a local. And that's exactly what you can do by offering to list your space. No big lifestyle change, no long-term commitment, just making smart use of the space you already have. So the next time your city draws a crowd, think about listing your space on Airbnb. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com slash host.
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20:31See for game two, Easton Conference Finals. Yes, sir. It was, it was crazy.
20:37Rich Eisen:Did you see you were there? By the way, our radio audience just returned. Michael Blaustein, the comedian here in person, one of the co-hosts of the Stiff Sox podcast, diehard Knicks fan. Everybody check out at BlauComedy.com, B-L-A-U-Comedy.com for tickets. You're dressed in your Knicks garb. Our radio audience just returned. So you were at Eastern Conference Finals Game 2 against the Cavs after everybody thought their comeback win just wrapped up that series, and it did, actually. It did. I watched Game 1 because I was out of the country, so I watched Game 1 in a cab on my iPad, and the cab driver thought that there was violence happening in the back seat.
21:19He literally kept checking in because I was like, what the? Like, I can't say words that I want to say right now. Understood. But, yeah, freaking out. And then I went to game two and I was behind one of the baskets. And this is the first time I ever had seats where I had the – Oh, the Thundersticks. That's what those are called. You did, huh? The Thundersticks. They give those out in Madison Square Garden? I didn't think they did. Yeah. And I – let me tell you something. I thought I was on the, like, I thought I was doing something. Yeah. Because, and my girlfriend was like, do it, you need to do it.
21:49And I would be, I would love, and they, they, they, to my credit, they missed a lot of free throws.
Read the full transcript
21:53Rich Eisen:You were a factor. I helped. I didn't think they did the Thundersticks thing, because they don't do the, everybody's got to wear the same shirt thing. It's New York City. No, no. It's like, you make your own noise with your, with your, with your hands and your mouth. And a gun. No. Whoa. San Antonio. I hope not. Sorry, I don't know what I can say here. Okay, that's, no, you could. All right, good. but we don't condone violence. No, of course not. All right. But to your earlier point about the color, San Antonio, they're wearing all the multicolors. It's like the first, you know, it feels like - Turquoise.
22:26Yeah.
22:26Rich Eisen:Nick fans aren't saying, let's all wear turquoise. Yeah, you know what we should wear? A periwinkle. No one said that. No one says that. Excellent Crayola crayon pull right there. Thank you. I don't know where that came from. I didn't even know. I barely know how to read. Well, I guess we move on before you go burnt sienna. Ladies and gentlemen. All right, so game two tonight. What makes you nervous? The Wemby comeback game because he is savage in the best way possible. Yes. And it's rooting against him is a little sad for me because I really do like this first team. Me too. Like, I love them.
23:01Rich Eisen:Stephon Castle too. Just. There's nobody on this team. Like, part of me is like, is there like a Dylan Gabriel type dude who I can start to hate on in a way? You know what I mean? Yeah. They don't have one. Is there like a Lou Dort type of person that we can start? Dylan Brooks, sorry. Dylan Brooks, yeah. Yeah, Dylan Brooks. I said I went football right there. But they don't have a Dylan Brooks guy on this team. There's no one hateable. Everyone is so – they care so much. Yeah. And they team unity and not like in a corny way, like in a real way. Yeah, you're not looking at Harrison Barnes and saying that SOB.
23:35Well, I almost wanted his address because he landed in –
23:39Rich Eisen:Well, Landry Schammett shoved him into Brunson's knee. You think that was on purpose? Like a Tonya Harding thing? Like he wants to be the point guard? Absolutely. No. Listen, and that's when I thought, like, this isn't going to happen. That when Landry Schammett shoved Harrison Barnes and then he wound up in Brunson, of all people. Of all people. His knee, and then he goes to the locker room, and I'm like, come on. What the heck is that? Is there any guesses of what they did to his – what happened back there? Did you ever see Karate Kid?
24:19The visual of that is so funny.
24:24Rich Eisen:That's the only thing I could think of. That's it. Or something called, you know, Toradol. I have no idea. Perhaps. Cortisone? No, but they, you know, Dion would refer to it as Dr. Needle is what he would refer to it. but I don't know what they did. I don't know what they did. But whatever it is, he's ready to go. And did you see how he won't – did you see his soundbite with Malika Andrews that he won't go into any – he confirmed in a way that he won't go into any room with the Larry O 'Brien trophy in it? Yeah, yeah. Which – but that – he's superstitious and I love that. Me too. He also – the whole like Bieber thing is my favorite.
24:57The what thing? He listens to Justin Bieber when he won the NCAA championship and so now he just listens to Justin Bieber now before he plays. Have you heard this? I have not.
25:08Rich Eisen:TJ, have you heard the Bieber thing? I haven't heard it. Yeah, he just listens to Justin Bieber, which I'm a big believer. I don't know where anyone else stands in here. You guys look like big believers. Isn't it believers? Yeah, I can't talk. It's a problem because it's kind of what I do for a living, but I can't talk. Good enough. But, yeah, I mean, that visual is super funny to me. Jalen Brunson getting hyped up, you know, just getting hyped for game two is so funny to me. Do you think if he could wave a wand, he would go back in time and listen to a different song or artist, knowing that if he wins listening to this person, he's got to spend the rest of his life listening to this person?
25:50Rich Eisen:Or is he just unabashedly a believer? I think the funny answer is, yes, let's go back and change it to like corn or something, something like more appropriate. Right. But I think I like it. I'm a believer. Let me ask you this question. What year did they win in Villanova? 16 or 17. I don't know. Let's get that. Villanova fans are screaming at their radios right now. Like, oh, we know it right now. And he won two, right? 16 and 18. Okay. So let's just say 20. When did you get started in your career? 15 years ago. So whatever that math is. Okay. So 15 years ago. Yeah. Let's just say you're about to do your first set, Michael Blaustein, and you crushed that set.
26:32Yeah.
26:32Rich Eisen:Who were you listening to 15 years ago that you would listen to before every set now? Oh, that's a great call. I probably was listening to, was this before? No, probably Drake. Drake's like early, early, early stuff. Okay. That's what I listened to walking the streets of New York, just getting hyped to bomb horrendously. Guys, first five years, your boy was terrible. Is that right? Oh my, if any comic says they were good in their first five, six years, they're lying. Right. I mean, guys, West Village, listen to Drake walking down in the basement in front of 17 drunk Irish people and just bombing, having candles thrown at me.
27:10True story. Candles thrown at me. Candles? Candles. Like there was like burning candles on the table. Oh, they were lit. Like a Molotov cocktail? Yes, but very different. There was no alcohol. I could have used it when he threw it at me. But it was bad. It was bad. But yeah, Drake was a big.
27:26Rich Eisen:Who are you doing comedy with at the time? Anybody we'd know now? Yeah, I mean, Akash Singh, Andrew Schultz. Okay. Who else did I start with? Mike Lawrence. Okay. Oh, Sam Morrell, Mark Norman. He was in San Antonio. He was in San Antonio. I saw a quick shot of the crowd, and there he was. Yes, he is. He's nuts. He's nuts, but in the best way possible. Just like Jalen Brunson. Yes. That is a guy that you, if he ran for office, he could be the mayor of New York right now. Do you know what I mean? if he was just like i'm gonna and everyone's like yeah of course and they're okay well i don't care about the potholes as long as you bring a ring yeah you know what i mean i don't care about it at all guys this is this is going to be incredible i love it this is going to be incredible michael blostein here on the rich eyes and show um are you is it true you're starting to play golf and tennis yes i'm getting back into golf i played a lot in okay college and i just stopped playing because of because i live in new york and it's hard to do it right um but getting back and it's it's it's good and then horrendous of course that's golf that is golf why why tennis um i like men no i um i i've always like wanted to play i played a lot um and i was i don't know what i can say here but uh but yeah i mean i just just a lot when i was a kid and just playing with like like um like not actually rackets i just love the game a lot yes and now uh I just all I do is podcast and and and and comedy.
28:58So I need a hobby. So I'm trying to do the widest hobbies possible. I just realized as you said that you're like golf and tennis. I'm like, what am I doing? Polo next. I'm going to pick up lacrosse, guys.
29:13Rich Eisen:Yeah, because everybody's dropping out of the French Open now. Yeah, I know what wide open field. So I do believe what I've always thought. I could get a point off of Carlos Alcaraz. Sir, no. You cannot. Thank you, Michael. A point. Thank you. A point. He's got to get on the court with me. Okay. And just like one set, okay? I could get a point off of him before he gets six consecutive games against me. Can I ask you a question? Do you think that you would have like a winner? Oh, well, I can uncork a cross court that he would not see coming. Sure. Is this real? To him it is. Great question. There's also other, like, but he could not make a mistake.
30:00Rich Eisen:He could not make a mistake. He wouldn't. Okay. I don't know. He looks vulnerable to me right now. Because he's not playing. That's true, because he's injured. He's injured. You know what? Screw it. I think I could take the whole damn tour right now. See what's going on in France right now. See what's happening. Oh, you know what? I like this confidence. Speaking of its existence, I cannot be in the same room as the trophy. I'm a Jalen Brunson. Yeah, you listen to Justin Bieber right before you do the Rich Eisenhower show. That's exactly right. Yes, and plus I also found out, are you aware if you hit your opponent with a serve on the fly, it's your point?
30:38Rich Eisen:Really? Yes. So I could dink it and dink it and dink it, and he thinks this guy's got no service game because he'd be right. Yeah. And then he'd get all the way up right there. And then I uncork like a 95-mile-an-hour line drive and hit him right in the gut. It's my point. Let me ask you this. How proficient are you at tennis? Not. So where's this confidence come from? I don't know. I don't know. It's just. I look in the mirror every day. Okay. And I see it. And it's just in you. You see the burning tennis desire. That is correct. I see the burning tennis desire. You know what? I'm going to take.
31:14BTD, I see. I'm going to take what I said back. I think you can. I like this. I like this. Wow, 180. Yeah, 180. Yeah, let's go for it. Knicks in four. Yes, yes, yes.
31:30If Knicks are, I mean, do you think, where do you think this series is going to win? Six. Six.
31:36Rich Eisen:I said at the beginning, right, TJ, you said Knicks in six, right? Yes. Well, what was your? Oh, I said Mitchell Plicks, pick up sticks, Knicks and six. Okay. Knicks and six, and you said Spurs and seven, which is entirely possible, right? I said Knicks and six. I thought they could get one. I didn't see game one. I did not see that. But I thought it possible. And, you know, them going back to Madison Square Garden, no worse than even and having the whole – Basically, if you told a Knick fan that they would be taking on the Spurs, let's just say you told a Knick fan this after the NBA Cup night, right?
32:16Rich Eisen:Championship night? Yeah. Who could forget that, right? Was there anybody on Seventh Avenue that night? I don't think there probably was. I was at the Cup game. You were? I flew in. In Vegas? Well, because in my head, I was like, this is it. This is the only thing I can hang my hat on. Is that basketball methadone? Is that what that is? You know what I mean? Like it's a substitute. Sure. To wean you off of something. That's so funny. But yes, okay, that if you told a Knick fan that night, this is the team you're taking on in the finals. You're going to make the finals. Yes. And all you have to do is win every game in Madison Square Garden and you don't have home court advantage.
33:01Rich Eisen:You'd be like, where's the piece of paper? That's fine. I'm on it. Yeah. Where's the pen? You know? Yeah. So. Yeah. I know. The Nixon six is something, the narrative that a lot of people are pushing. Everyone feels like that. And that's great. This is not. If they win in Madison Square Garden in six games, I'm telling you, we're not. The Bronx and the West Village is gone. Sounds like Miami 2017, right? We throw the Bronx away. um you know yeah i i remember i was on sports center the night that andrew gulata kept low blowing riddick bow and a uh a brawl broke out in madison square garden linda cohen and i were on the sports center set we had a rundown an hour before we went on the air like you're going on the air you're covering this thing you know that and and and every major piece of law enforcement was called to the uh to the garden this is what it would be like but you know the more i talk about it the more it's just like disrespectful to the spurs like that's that's not a speed bump man no it's you know that's not it really isn't it's not i mean that that is a that is a team to be reckoned with especially because when we had a bad game and his stat line was still crazy oh i've got the 26 and 12 or something i have it here because i'm a lead pipe building professional i write things down yes and refer to them yes brought up again yes 26 12 uh rebounds in three blocks and a career-high six turnovers and a career-high 15 missed shots.
34:34Rich Eisen:And he said, I played terribly, and all I got to do is play better and we'll be good as a team and we'll be good as a franchise and everything's going to be hunky-dory. With all of that, it's only the fourth time since blocks became an official stat since 1974, only the fourth time a player had this stat line in their first NBA Finals game joining Elvin Hayes, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Shaquille O 'Neal. And that's how bad his game was. So there's that. There's that. And it was a – he said that he – it wasn't like the press said he had a bad game. He was like, I know what I'm capable of. I had a horrible game.
35:11And he still did that comparatively to Shaq and Akeem and all that. He's a scary, scary guy. Where do you see – do you see him being the face of the league? Because that's the narrative that everyone keeps pushing to. Don't you?
35:23Rich Eisen:Yeah, I do. I do. But here's the thing. If the Knicks win, why isn't Jalen Brunson the face of the league? No doubt. No doubt. Of that, there's no doubt. I mean, the guy, Jalen Brunson didn't get a fifth-place vote in the MVP. Not even a fifth-place vote. First take is talking about Brunson, like people are still thinking he's underrated. I don't know how you can watch the games and think that. Well, it's because you're talking about Wemby and SGA, and you're talking about Jokic, and you're talking about Ant-Man, and you're talking about your guy Tatum or Jalen Brown. People aren't mentioning him.
35:53Rich Eisen:Well, hopefully they're three wins away from changing that narrative. That's for damn sure. I'm a massive Jalen Brunson fan. I would name my daughter Jalen Brunson Blaustein. I'm a massive fan. No, I would do it. I would do it. No problem. You said I should. Absolutely. But he doesn't, like to your guys talking about the face of the league, he doesn't pop off the screen when you're watching him as like a Wemby or an SGA in my estimation. Yes. So I think that's the issue because the face of the league thing is like, do you want to wear his shoes? Like the John Morant thing, like is he cool? Do you want to be – like I think that's what the NBA is looking for.
36:32And you don't want to have like a Scotty Scheffler if that makes sense. Like no one wants to be a Scotty Scheffler fan.
36:39Rich Eisen:Interesting. I'll take that. You know what I mean? I would – you know, Jalen Brunson Blaustein, I would rip off a check for$18 right now in advance of that bar mitzvah.
36:53Rich Eisen:I'd rip off that$18 check. Okay, I got to bite. That's a chai joke. Why$18? For those scoring at home, chai is the 18th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Okay. And it means to life. So every check that you write for a bar or bat mitzvah is in some form of 18. Oh, okay. A factor of it or. Did not know that. Deep cut. Deep cut. I love it. He brought the tour in here, ladies and gentlemen. It's a deep cut. Well, tonight is the Sabbath. Just ask, what, former New York Nick Amari Stoudemire. He'll be there. Along with your guy, right? Who has a Shabbat dinner around here? Julian Edelman. Okay, very good.
37:35Rich Eisen:Yeah, yeah. BlauComedy.com, everybody. Check out Michael on the Taste Me Tour Stiff Socks podcast. Good luck to you in your tennis career. Thank you so much. Good luck. You and I doubles against Al Caraz and Sinner. Now we're talking. Honestly? Now I feel good about it. Safety in numbers. Yes, yes, yes, sir. Yes, sir. At Blau Comedy on Instagram. Thanks for coming on. Thank you so much for having me. I had a blast, guys. We're going to wrap up this show with a top five. More of your phone calls next on The Rich Eisen Show. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
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38:57Rich Eisen:Okay, back here on the Rich Eisen show. Let's take a quick phone call. Rich in Temecula right here in California. What's up, Rich? Hey, how you doing, guys? What's up, sir? What up, man? Not much, man. I just wanted to make a comment, a couple comments. I've been watching you guys from day one. And Rich, I've been watching you on ESPN for many, many years. So thank you. Coming from Seattle, you know, I wanted to talk, you know, when they said the Yankees, I do see that Cal Raleigh and Donovan are out for the Mariners, but are pitching hellless in. So same with the Yankees on that token. As far as the Knicks, yeah, if they sweep them, one of the best runs ever.
39:29But my comment, Rich, is kind of directed at you, my friend. Yes, sir. You know, as a Seahawk guy here from Seattle living in Temecula, you know, you got rid of first, a young up and coming DN. Not, you know, maybe six sacks or so behind your boy Garrett that you got. But you also gave up three picks. which could have been linebackers and defensive backs. So let's not forget the fact that Seattle's the champions. Let's not write them off. Not that you are, but I think you've got to remember.
39:59Rich Eisen:You just made me less need. You said I got rid of verse and that you did this. I didn't mean the Rams. No, no, no, no. I'm not here to advocate for the Rams. I'm just trying to say, you know, listen, Miles Garrett is one of the greats of all time. Yeah. and he just showed up here and um and trust me um seattle and and mike mcdonald is going to use this yeah and say nobody believes in us and we're we're the champs we hold the trophy we knock the rams out we got the nfc championship game in our house because we beat them in our house and um and and sam donald is the super bowl winning quarterback not matthew stafford so they're gonna use it they're gonna use it rich yeah you kind of nailed it they are buddy and Now, listen, if you get Donald, I'll sway it.
40:46I mean, I'm just talking today. If 75 % Aaron Donald came back, he's played at 75 % of his capability, he's still a top five interior D-line. I mean, we've got our guy Murphy coming up. Byron's going to be a stud here next year, too. I think people are forgetting about him. We've got a lot of young guys that are earning their second contract, so Seattle's got a lot to play for. I think the NFC West has three of the top five teams in the NFL. I'll put Niners at five, Seattle one, LA too.
41:12Rich Eisen:Rich, thanks for the call. That's one of the 12s here in Temecula, California. It was funny seeing the tweets like, all this just to stop Sam Darnold. It's funny. It made me laugh. Boy, they're an embarrassment of riches of people that you can pay hard-earned American dollars to see perform here in the Los Angeles area, right? So I decided, you know, for my final top five of the week, top five athletes playing in Los Angeles. Presented by Hyundai. Hit it. High five. One, two, three, four, five. Rich's top five. All right, the first one is potentially controversial because as diehard Dodger fan, diehard UCLA Bruin, Rich Eisen Show, digital coordinating producer, the keeper of Los Angeles sports flames of the Rich Eisen Show, Sean Mitchell said when he saw my list, this guy doesn't play in Los Angeles.
42:09Rich Eisen:And he said that of Mike Trout, number five. I mean, that's a good point. That's what he said. He doesn't play in Los Angeles. He plays in Orange County, but it's Los Angeles Angels, and you don't have to go too far to see him play. He's an all-time great, modern-day Mickey Mantle. I understand we need to see it in the playoffs, but Mike Trout's in this town. Okay. All right, the greater Los Angeles area. Okay, but that's what he said. He doesn't play in Los Angeles, Rich. It's like 45 minutes. All right. So, you know, I mean, name the best Jeter Giant. He didn't play in New York. At least it's across the board.
42:49Rich Eisen:Okay. It's at least the same state. That's true. Number four, I'm putting Miles Garrett here. Oh. He hasn't played yet. He hasn't played a game yet. Doesn't matter. You're going to see him play here. What if we were attacked? Miles Garrett is a Los Angeles athlete officially. This is stupid. Guys, this is stupid. I see this photograph. It doesn't seem real. I still can't believe it. This happened. Yeah. Yeah. And Les Knead is still like, okay. Come on, Les. Let's see the pearly whites. Like, look at McVay. He can't stop. It was the greatest day of Sean McVay's life. The opposite of Mr. Grumpy.
43:24Rich Eisen:Look at those biceps. On McVay? No, that's what he's looking at. Oh, okay. Yeah, he's looking at his arms like. Number three on the list of current athletes you can see here in Los Angeles, California. Putting Luca. Luca's three. Okay. Luca is three. Couldn't see him at the end of the year, but yeah. I get it. I understand. But Luke, can you still believe he's in Laker colors? Yeah. Are we used to that yet? No. Because they do it every generation. No. I hate it. They always get away with it. Luca plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. I still can't believe it. Now I boo that man, TJ. You got to boo that man.
44:01Rich Eisen:All right. Number two is LeBron. LeBron James. LeBron James plays basketball in Los Angeles. One of the most famous athletes on planet Earth. Is there any place that he can go and be anonymous anywhere? He's like 6 '11". He's a big guy. But, I mean, he's number two on the list. And number one on the list, you can't deny it, Shoei Otani is the number one athlete playing in Los Angeles right now. His ERA is.76, and he's now hitting.300. You're welcome. He got the night off last night because he was on base six times and threw six scoreless the night before. It's stupid. It's stupid. It's pretty stupid.
44:46Rich Eisen:What he's doing. It's pretty stupid. And it's right here in Los Angeles, California. I think we need one more. All right, I'm going to do this. All right, we'll get one more. I'm going to do this. Because there's a lot of people. I don't know what you're doing. I know there is. I know there is. I don't know what you're doing. You could go Kawhi, any other Dodger going on here, right? Sure. I'm going to go Kelsey Plum. Oh, good one. KP of your Los Angeles Sparks. Does she lead the league in scoring? She is a two-time champion of the WNBA. She's a four-time All-Star, a two-time gold medalist. And if you want to see one of the best basketball players on planet Earth play, you can go to a Los Angeles Sparks game in the home of the Sparks in the downtown Hoops Dojo.
45:25Rich Eisen:I went there, you know, because there's all sorts of athletes you could put as a one more. We were talking about it before the show, right? Like, why Leonard is one, Mookie. Who else? Who are the king stops? Kopitar just retired. Yeah, he just retired. Dowdy. Yeah, right. But that's where I'm going on that. My top five is brought to you by Hyundai. Discover what's next at your local Hyundai dealer, like our next generation EV, the Ioniq 9. Hyundai, the official partner of FIFA World Cup 2026. That's starting, isn't it? Next week. That's right. I just went higher register about the World Cup. How obnoxious is that?
46:08Rich Eisen:Okay. Game two tonight. Spurs got to have it. Got to have it, right? Got to have it. Yeah. Got to have it. Back to Madison Square Garden. In the history of the NBA playoffs, 7 % of teams have falled down 0-2 come back to win. So got to have it. And how many of them lost both at home? Yeah. And in the finals, it's only happened five times. Okay. So the Spurs need it tonight. We will see if they get it. And I thank Richard Jefferson for joining us. Tom Pelissero, the comedian, Michael Blaustein. And for those listening on the radio, please check out This Was Sports Center. It's a labor of love. Me with Dan Patrick on Disney+.
46:44Rich Eisen:And we're back to wrap it up on that platform on this Friday in a sec. Thanks for listening to the Rich Eisen Show podcast. You can watch and listen to the Rich Eisen Show live weekdays from noon to 3 Eastern on ESPN Radio, Disney +, and on the ESPN app. The Rich Eisen Show. The Podcast.
47:30take it. You just have to watch the Stanley Cup Final presented by GEICO on ABC and the ESPN app.
From the publisher
Yankees fan Rich reacts to the news that Pinstripes’ slugger Aaron Judge with miss several weeks with a rib stress fracture, and weighs in on the Minnesota Vikings’ JJ McCarthy vs Kyler Murray QB competition. Comedian Michael Blaustein joins Rich in-studio to plug is ‘Taste Me’ tour and ‘Stiff Socks’ podcast, discuss their New York Knicks’ NBA title chances, and weighs in on Rich’s “I can win a point off Carlos Alcaraz” boast. Following the Rams’ blockbuster trade to land Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns, Rich ranks the top 5 athletes playing in Los Angeles, or for teams that say they’re from Los Angeles but actually play in Anaheim.
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