The last show for the semester!

Big Papa and I welcome Kyle "Funky Col" Medina to the program. This is our last show for the semester. Unfortunately the internet stream at SF State was down that night so we were not heard live over the air. But.. that is why I podcast the show, so you can listen always! It was a great year and I'm proud to be apart of THE THINK TANK! Thanks for listening..

Randy Hahn returns to THE THINK TANK!

Sharks play-by-play voice, Randy Hahn, stops by The Think Tank for some hardcore Sharks hockey talk. This is Randy's second trip into the Tank. We talk about how the season has gone thus far, what lies ahead, and some important things to watch for as the Sharks embark on a journey to claim the ultimate prize. Lord Stanley's Cup. Thanks to Randy Hahn for making the show special. We also run down ballers and fallers like the Tiger Woods situation, Keith Ballard injuring his own goalie, and discuss just how good the Saints and the Colts really are. Thanks for listening to the show! (Randy Hahn interview in the second half of hour two)
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THE THINK TANK Episode 10 Part 1: 11/19/09

This week Big Papa and I discuss Jay Cutler's 5 ints, Bill Belichik's 4th down gamble,the Sharks at the top of the NHL food chain, and the fall of Stephen Jackson. The Think Tank is your informative sports source and as always I thank you all for supporting the show.

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New Think Tank Week 10

This Week Big Papa and I welcome Minnesota Mark Calonico to THE THINK TANK. Mark is the legendary BECA playboy who recently had the SF State Gym renamed to "The Calonico Center". What an honor it is to have a person from our campus on the show who is held in such high esteem. But seriously, I thought the show went very well and as always, we had a nice evening! Check out my sweet new media players!! Thanks for supporting THE THINK TANK!

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The New Think Tank Episode 9: Gary Radnich Interview

In this episode, Big Papa and I interview the legendary Gary Radnich of KRON-TV and KNBR radio, who was nice enough call the show and do an interview. Gary has been a huge influence on me and it was an absolute treat for me to conduct the interview. Gary did his thing and we shared some laughs. I truly hope you enjoy this interview, because I know I enjoyed conducting it! We also run through the Top 5 Ballers and the Top 5 Fallers in the World of Sports. The Radnich interview is at 52 minutes of Part One. But I know you would never just skip ahead to that, because this whole show ROCKED!! Thanks for listening!

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The Think Tank Episode 8 Part 1

10/22/09
This week, Big Papa and I go back to basics and just run it down like usual. Who's Ballin? Who's fallin? All those questions and more answered here. Unfortunately, due to a communication mishap, we weren't able to get Gary Radnich on tonight, however I did speak with him and he is coming on next week for sure! Looking forward to that!! Thanks for listening to THE THINK TANK!

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New Think Tank: Week 7, 10/14/09

Big Papa and I welcome back Chinwe Nwadike for another week of in depth sports talk. We run down ballers and fallers, and review the week that was in the world of sports. We also preview the NLCS and ALCS, the upcoming weekend in the NFL, and College Footballs big time match-ups. The data from the top of the 2nd hour got corrupted, so the second half is a little short. We also do our football picks for the weekend in the NFL. So far on the year it reads: Rydaddy 7-2, and BPKO 5-4. This week BPKO takes Tampa, Seattle, and Cincinnati. I took Philly, NY Giants, and Minnesota. Let's see if BPKO can close the gap. Scroll down below these posts to hear my interview with KNBR's Patrick Connor. Thanks for listening!

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Ryan Covay Interviews KNBR's own Patrick Connor

On Tuesday, October 13th I ventured to KNBR and had an amazing day. I met Gary Radnich, Dan Dibbley, Program Director Lee Hammer, and many, many more. The guy who invited me down was none other than Patrick Connor who co-stars on the Murph and Mac show and The Gary Radnich show. "P-Con" as he is referred to by many was nice enough to sit down and do an interview with me. He is a funny guy who has taken a very unique road to get to KNBR (My version of "the mountain top"). What a great day, and a terrific interview. I hope you enjoy it!

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The New Think Tank Episode 6: 10/7/09

THE THINK TANK, Week 6: 10/7/09

This week Big Papa Knockout and I return to the air with our special guest, Chinwe Nwadike who is a huge sports fan. I wanted to incorporate a female perspective on my show as THE THINK TANK is progressive thinking and politically correct. Not really! We run down the week that was in the NFL, do an NHL preview with Mikey Ogren, have a heated debate with The Skizzler about what year All Eyez on Me was released and if Jim Mora Jr. was out of line when he bashed Olinda Mare for missing two kicks against the Bears. From my perspective, this was one of the better shows we have had in awhile. I do hope you enjoy, and thanks for listening!

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The Think Tank Episode 4: 9/23/09

This week we preview the THINK TANK field trip up to Seattle to watch the Bears and the Seahawks clash. My sister Danyelle stops by and talks Sharks hockey. We have our latest installment of Ballin and Fallin with some shocking results. Also, BPKO and I have a heated discussion about Plaxico Burress and his trip to prison. Thanks for listening!!

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Think Tank Week 3

This week BPKO and I run down week one of the NFL. We have a new list of The top 5 Ballers and the Top 5 Fallers in the world of sports this week. We go over the Sharks trade to acquire Dany Heatley and we basically just keep it real like always. Thanks for tuning into the show.

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Sharks acquire Dany Heatley, say goodbye to Cheechoo & Michalek

Earlier this week, rumors were running rampant all over the web. I must have gotten 5 text messages from various people telling me ESPN reports the Sharks were trading Patrick Marleau. The deal involved the Ottawa, L.A. and the Sharks. It would send estranged Captain, Patty Marleau to the Kings, Frolov and Stoll to the Sens, and the Sharks would end up with disgruntled Senators forward, Dany Heatley. As soon as I heard that Doug Wilson vehemently denied this report, I knew there was some truth to it. But in order for Marleau to be moved, he had to waive his no-trade clause, which Patty claims they never asked him to do. Also, once I heard Doug Wilson deny it, I knew he wouldn't follow through. Mainly because nobody, especially ESPN's John Buccigross, is going to tell Wilson what he is going to do.
With trade rumors popping up everywhere the last few weeks, it was clear the Sharks were pursuing Heatley. The Sharks front office desperately wanted to shake things up. They wanted to bring in an established sniper. Heatley is a 2 time 50 goal scorer and has over a point per game in his career. Heatley fits that bill. He has also been involved in a D.U.I manslaughter in Atlanta that took the life of his teammate and best friend, Dan Snyder. And his most recent blemish was demanding a trade out of Ottawa and being a locker room disruption. "Heater" is a great player, but he is bringing some serious baggage with him to Norm Mineta airport.
The deal ended up being beloved winger, Jonathan Cheechoo and underachieving, Milan Michalek, and a 2nd rd pick for Heatley and a 5th rounder. The last few years have seen some post season failures and Michalek has been very high on the list of the playoff chokers. A change of scenery might do both of these players some good. Cheech will always be remembered for the 56 goal, Rocket Richard Trophy year of 2006. The only thing that Cheechoo lacks is a ton of natural ability. He is all heart, but parts of his game leave alot to be desired. Michalek on the other hand is blessed with ability, but seems to be lacking in the heart department. Personally, this deal makes more sense than Marleau for Heatley since on many levels, they are the same player.
What this means now for the Sharks is a couple things. First, this is the last chance for the Doug Wilson regime here in San Jose. This is a make or break year for Wilson, Head Coach Todd McLellan, Marleau, and Joe Thornton. But this team that had more points in the regular season last year seems to have gotten grittier. Heatley is a sniper and an agitator. He has a knack for scoring timely goals, which the Sharks have lacked when it matters most. Second, Goalie Evegeni Nabokov and the defense need to hold up there end. If they do, this team will be one of the leagues best.
By making this deal, the Sharks arguably have the best top two lines in the NHL. Depending on how McLellan does it, you could have a top line of Heatley, Thornton, and Devin Setoguchi. That leaves Marleau, Joe Pavelski and Ryane Clowe for the second group. However they are arranged, this group can score some goals.
Although Wilson may not be done dealing, he has accomplished his goal of changing the look of the team while keeping his most important pieces in place. If Marleau can actually survive being traded before the season starts, I look for him to have a huge year, without the pressure of the Captaincy. Heatley will be exciting and the thought of him and Jumbo and Seto together make me downright giddy. However, the success of this deal will be judged in the post season. The Sharks won't play a meaningful game until Game 1 of the playoffs in April. But for now, Doug Wilson and company have put themselves in a position to be successful for years to come. Bottom line, this is going to be a pivotal year in this franchise's history. Stanley Cup Finals or bust!

THE NEW THINK TANK Episode 2: 9/9/09

This week on THE THINK TANK it's back to old school, hardcore sports with myself and Big Papa Knockout. We run down the Top 5 Ballers, and the Top 5 Fallers in the world of sports. Who is on the rise and who is falling from grace? All these questions, some great music and much, much more covered in Episode 2 of THE THINK TANK. Thanks for your support! If you enjoy this, please sign on as a follower of this blog.

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THE THINK TANK returns! 9/3/09

We are back for another semester of hard hitting sports talk on KSFS. Myself (Ryan Covay), and Charles "Big Papa Knockout" Palmore are teaming up once again to share our opinions (however twisted) about the current state of the world of sports. We will be on KSFS every Wednesday night from 8-10 PM. For our first show, we welcome back Nick "Tuch Money" Vertucci to the program. Nick is a huge sports fan with a passion for Chicago Bear football (What a guy!). We had a hardcore football debate with topics ranging from Mike Vick, Brett Favre, and of course, JAY CUTLER!
Thanks for listening and for supporting the program.

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Steroids in baseball? Man, that's old news!

Everyone remembers where they were when Mark McGwire broke Roger Maris's single season home run record in 1998. That summer, Big Mac and Slammin Sammy Sosa brought the fans back to baseball in droves and made the sport relevant again. Very timely for a sport that had lost a significant portion of it's fan base when a labor dispute led to the cancellation of the 1996 World Series. That's right, a CANCELED World Series! Baseball had long been known as "The National Pastime", but many feel the NFL has stripped them of that title. The NFL has brilliantly marketed their product and through that, gave their players the same type of iconic status that baseball had given to Aaron, Ruth, and Mays. There was a changing of the guard. How could baseball keep up? More importantly, how could owners continue to make money? The answer was as simple as a universal truth: "Chicks dig the long ball".

The strike in 1996 was the catalyst for MLB owners to turn a blind eye to some obvious cheating. MLB's inability to police themselves caused this problem to grow exponentially. By the late 1990's the actual number of players on "the juice" grew by the week. Once players saw the country embrace the "Chase for History" in Summer of 98, why wouldn't they feel like it was acceptable and even necessary. But I'm not sure if they (MLB owners and the Commissioner) wouldn't do just a few things differently if they had another chance. The fall-out from this era can be felt on nightly broadcasts of Sportscenter and on sports talk-radio all over the country. It became obvious to anyone with common sense that the games biggest stars had cheated.
So what did MLB lose by turning a blind eye to 'roids for the sake of filling seats? Well for starters, the record book is now a joke. The most hallowed records in the game, the single season home run mark and the all-time home run mark, now belong to an accused and federally indicted steroid user in Barry Bonds. You also had the Mitchell Report released in 2008 which led to Roger Clemens looking like a complete knucklehead on Capitol Hill. He was literally lying through his teeth. The biggest names in the game made this list. Bonds, Clemens, McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa, and the most heart-breaking of all, Benito Santiago (OK not really). It's really hard to say who looked worse. Clemens straight up lying, McGwire not wanting to talk about the past, or Sammy Sosa's sudden need for the help of an interpreter.



If you think that the owners and the MLB front office, including commissioner Bud Selig weren't aware this was happening, you are delusional. Typically people don't put on 40 or 50 lbs of muscle mass in their late thirties. Now keep in mind, this problem goes back even before Canseco and McGwire were hanging out in the late 80's, injecting each other in a dingy bathroom stall at the Oakland Coliseum. Steroids have always been around, but it didn't hit mainstream acceptability in baseball until the mid-nineties. Bottom line is we will never know how many players actually took juice. However, with no testing in place for so long and the acceptance of 'roids in the culture of baseball, the numbers may be staggering. Mr. Rat, Jose Canseco puts that number at around 75% in the "Golden Age of Steroids".

When it was reported earlier this month that Sammy Sosa tested positive for juice in 2003, it was framed on ESPN as "breaking news". Hardly. Baseball won't be able to put this behind them anytime soon and the owners and Bud Selig have themselves to blame. They sacrificed integrity to put butts in seats and make some cash. And as long as baseball icons like Manny Ramierez keep testing positive for juice, this problem isn't going away. What about the record book? What about the Hall of Fame eligibility of accused steroid users? Bud Selig would be well served to make some kind of ruling on this, however controversial. It would appear if it is left to the Sports Writers, if you are presumed dirty, you aren't going to the HOF. Just ask Big Mac. Once Barry Bonds "officially" retires, he and Clemens will be on the clock counting down to when they become eligible for the HOF. Once thought to be HOF locks, they now appear to be long-shots. Hey Commish, rap your arms around this thing. You made your bed, now lie in it. Bottom line, if the media insists on revealing steroid users one at a time, this is going to be an even longer process. Won't that be exiting! Not really.

Game seven. Anyone want a Stanley Cup?

Well the Penguins did it. Barely. After being embarrassed in Detroit in Game 5 to the tune of 5-0, the Penguins got new life with a superb defensive effort. They did just enough scoring and came away with a 2-1 victory over everyone's favorite dynasty, the Detroit Red Wings(Hold on, I might vomit). So here we go, winner take all, one night only, a chance for the Pens to etch their names on the holy grail. Can Pitt win in Detroit? I'm not so sure. But one thing is for certain: In a one game series, ANYTHING can happen.
So what will it take for the Pens to hoist the cup in Motown? The first goal of the game would be nice. But...they scored first in Games 1 & 2 and the Wings found a way to come back. Time for Sidney Crosby to step up and create his own legacy. Independent of the legacy that the NHL promotions department have created since the day he came to the league and was anointed the next Mario Lemiuex. Crosby had a much better effort in Game 6, but he and Evgeni Malkin both have 0 points in the last two games. It wouldn't seem likely that the Pens would win Game 7 without offensive contributions from these 2 superstars. Chris Osgood has had alot to do with the recent struggles of the Pens top players. He has been nothing short of brilliant and if the Wings win Game 7, he is lock for the Conn Smythe. Are you taking note Evgeni Nabokov?
If the Pens win Game 7 and capture Lord Stanley, they will have beaten Detroit 4 out of the last 5 games, a feat which I have stated I don't think is possible. Losing the first 2 games in Detroit put them in a hole I didn't think they could possibly recover from. Joe Louis Arena will be a MAD house and it is no surprise the Penguins haven't found a way to win there yet. The Wings are a different team at home and you have to think their leadership core (now fully intact) will have that club ready to go. Bottom line is Friday will be one hell of a game and as a Shark fan, this is a close to the Cup Finals as I may get for a long time!

Prediction- Detroit 4, Pittsburgh 2.

2009 STANLEY CUP FINALS

Well it's like dejavu, all over again! In a re-match from last years finals, the Detroit Red Wings look to make it two straight Stanley Cup Championships. The Pittsburgh Penguins are back for another shot at the champs and are playing terrific hockey. Evgeni Malkin spent the Eastern Conference Finals playing in another universe and pummeled the Hurricanes into more of a light coastal breeze. He has now matched the level that has been played by Sidney Crosby since the puck dropped on the playoffs. Crosby has shown up literally every game and these two guys playing at this high a level can give the Red Wings a real test.
Speaking of the Red Wings, this team is playing about as well as I have ever seen a team play. They move the puck with a crisp efficiency that looks downright artistic at times. The Wings play with complete lines with many inter-changeable parts. You have the scoring snipers in Hossa, Zetterberg, and Sammuelson. Next are the power forwards led by Johan Franzen, Holmstrom and Cleary. So who gets these guys the puck? How about Datsyuk, Fillpula, and even Jiri Hudler. This team is very deep and totally complete. Chris Osgood has silenced all his critics while getting stronger as the playoffs have gone on.
The key to this series would appear to be the health of Captain, Niklas Lidstrom. When he is healthy, the rest of the Wings D, Brian Rafalski, Brad Stuart and Niklas Kronwall can assume their regular roles in the line-up. Oh yeah, and 63 year old Chris Chelios can assume his role of press box analyst. If Lidstrom can slow down Malkin and Crosby and leave it up to the rest of the Penguins to have a big series, Detroit is the clear favorite. Home ice advantage is huge for Detroit as Joe Louis Arena seems to affect the psyche of the visitor seemingly every game. Detroit plays a high paced, well thought out attack and wears down the opponent with quick passing that leads to a barrage of scoring chances.
For Pittsburgh to win the series, they need to win at least one, if not both games this weekend. If Detroit goes up 2-0, Pitt won't win the series, even if they tie it eventually. A split is critical for the Penguins. Marian Hossa has stepped up his contribution in light of the injuries to Datysuk, Draper and Lidstrom. The former Penguin came to Detroit to win a cup and now is just 4 wins away. Marc-Andre Fleury shut the red hot Hurricanes down and must carry that over. Pitt shunned tradition and handled the Prince of Wales trophy upon winning the East. Lemiuex and company pulled that same move when the Pens won it all in '91. Crosby and Co. didn't handle the trophy last year and lost. It was time to try a new approach.
The bottom line is that Detroit is playing as well as I have ever seen a team play. I told many hockey fans I felt even though the Sharks had more points, Detroit is still clearly a better team. Detroit is at the top of the NHL food chain. This team appears to be headed for back to back titles. If Pitt can get back to the Igloo at 1-1 at the very least, they will have a shot. However, it seems like Detroit is destined to win it all again.

Player to watch: Marian Hossa

Possible sleeper hero: Ruslan Fedotenko

Likely series scoring leader: Evgeni Malkin

Prediction: Detroit in 6. (Just like last year)

-Ryan Covay

THE THINK TANK- THE FINAL CUT!

Well all good things must come to an end right? At least until September when we fire things back up at KSFS. The Think Tank has been a lot of fun. Big love for Big Papa Knockout for all his hard work and dedication this semester. I am loud and obnoxious, and BPKO is calm and smooth. The "perfect" mix. That is until last night when we talked in Part 2 about OJ Simpson, Michael Vick, and Barry Bonds, which gets BPKO FIRED UP! Mr. San Felipe came through for the last show and spent some time with us. The last show had a couple good calls and we had a heated discussion to round out the semester. Good times! Thanks to everyone for listening and supporting the show.
Thanks,
-Ryan Covay

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Crosby vs. Ovechkin

Game, set, match. Sidney Crosby reigns supreme. In what was supposed to be a Game 7 for the ages was over in the first when the Penguins scored 2 goals in 8 seconds to stun the Cap faithful. The series was awesome. Crosby and Ovechkin trading hat tricks in Game 2, or the OT thrillers in game 5 & 6. The top two players in the world trading hits, blow for blow. The Caps going into the Igloo and winning Game 6 on the road to force Game 7. Then we have Game 7. This was supposed to be Ovechkins night. Home ice advantage, having momentum from a Game 6 OT win, the crowd decked out in red and in a frenzy before the face off. Ovechkin had a break-away early in the game that was denied by Fleury. If that goes in, this game may take on an entirely different complexion. Instead, Fleury flashed the leather, and Crosby scored a few minutes later to get the Pens going. Varlamov is a rookie and perhaps too much was asked of him. He looked VERY average at times in this series, but those Penguin forwards can make alot of goalies look average. The Capitals should have realized they needed help in net when Jose Theodre changed his name to Jose "Three or more". Pittsburgh came to play, the Caps didn't.

For the sake of the NHL, this going 7 games and the stars playing phenomenal, was as good as it could get for 6 games. Back and forth, blown leads, physical play, OT winners. All the components of an exciting series. If the NHL had their choice though, I think they would have preferred if the Caps went through. Some will argue that the Pens are the better choice for the NHL, the greatness that is Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. A two headed monster of talent not seen shared by teammates since Jaromir Jagr and Mario Lemieux. But the NHL already has the Pittsburgh market cornered because of those names that I just mentioned. Washington DC on the other hand is NOT a hockey town, but is quickly becoming one. Having the most dynamic player in the game will do that for a city. A deep run to the Stanley Cup finals would have been more beneficial for the NHL had it occurred in DC. That being said, the Penguins aren't a bad option. And now with the Bruins out of the way, the Penguins become the favorite in the East. Not to take ANYTHING away from Cam Ward and the Hurricanes who have blazed a trail through their opponents for the better part of 3 months now. We could be looking at a re-match from last year, Pittsburgh and Detroit. The NHL loves dynasties, but loves an underdog even more. That re-match would be good for the game and if anyone is going to knock off the Wings, Crosby and Co. are the team for the job.

THE THINK TANK Episode 12 5/4/09

Back to basics this week. Just Big Papa and me, Ryan Covay. We do a Sharks post-season failure analysis, Kobe vs. Lebron, Ovechkin vs. Crosby, The Derby, and even some draft re-cap. It's been a treat to have Big Papa as my co-host and much love to all of our great callers tonight. This show has been a TREAT to be a part of. Thanks everyone for listening!!!

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Where do the Sharks go from here?

Regular season hockey and playoff hockey are two different animals. The level of play is elevated and the intensity is dialed up a few notches. Most veteran clubs are able to flip that switch and take their game to the next level in the push for Lord Stanley. The Red Wings struggled a bit down the stretch (emphasis on "a bit")but turned it on and swept Columbus. Anaheim is only 2 years removed from skating the Cup and their roster is chalked full of guys with a myriad of post-season experience. The San Jose Sharks made moves in the off season (Boyle, Blake, and Lukowich) to bring in players who had won a Cup. They were supposed to be the perfect compliment to the Sharks young, battle tested core. Marleau, Thornton, and Nabokov. These players are the "core" that Todd McLellan referenced when asked who needed to step up. Simply put: They didn't.
It's not that the Sharks aren't lovable guys. Who wouldn't want Joe Pavelski over for a barbecue? Thornton seems as laid back as anyone and Marleau is a normal, quiet guy. But post-season hockey isn't the place for "nice guys" to hang out. The Stanley Cup playoffs are an arduous grind of will and determination. The desire in each individual that they will not tolerate losing. The Ducks were busy blocking shots, hustling for loose pucks, and basically dismantling the Sharks on the counter-attack. The game plan was simple enough: Let the Sharks control the play, keep them on the perimeter, and then strike quickly on the counter-attack. Sure the Sharks out-shot the Ducks, but many of those shots were not of the quality variety. The one X-factor of the series was the battle in net. Rookie, Jonas Hiller played out of his mind and it was clear that he was on top of his game. He shut the Sharks out twice, won the first 2 games at HP Pavilion, and only allowed 10 goals in 6 games. Nabokov played average at best.
This has been a recurring theme for the boys in teal. Unfortunately as a career observer of this team, it was clear that Game 1 was more than just a typical loss. Hiller asserted himself as a dominant force that would not be beaten easily. He had wrestled the starting job late in the year from J.S. Gieguere who led the Ducks to 2 finals and won a Cup. The Sharks looked puzzled, and by Game 6, clearly a frustrated bunch. The Ducks out-hustled, out-classed, and out-played the Sharks and deserved to win the series.
So what now?? Blow up a team that won the President's trophy? A regular season prince charming that turns into a pumpkin at midnight when the playoffs start? Clearly something is missing. Patrick Marleau has had success in the playoffs (single handedly beat Colorado to send Sharks to West Final in 2004) and has been apart of some not so memorable moments (the goal against in Game 4 against Detroit in 2007 to tie the game when he went for an empty net). Do you strip Marleau of the Captaincy? If you do that, can you afford to keep him around? Do you give the "C" to Jumbo Joe? Let's face it, the jury is still out on Thornton's playoff legacy also. What do you get in exchange for a Marleau or a Thornton? I'm sure plenty of teams would entertain the idea. Nabby has been shaky in the last few post seasons. It is time to ask the question if this team will ever go where it thinks it's destined to with Nabby between the pipes?
Then you have the next tier of players, who any coach will tell you are a critical part of a teams success in the playoffs. Joe Pavelski played poor. He didn't win any of those individual battles (minus him punching out Ryan Whitney) that make Lil Joe such a valuable player. Milan Michalek pulls a Houdini every post season and completely vanishes. He is big, he is fast, he is immensely talented. He is also an underachiever and seems to lack a "killer instinct".It might be wise for Doug Wilson to explore his trade value. Clowe is tough, but needs players around him playing at a high level in order for him to be successful. Cheechoo may have run his course in San Jose and his "shoot the puck at any cost" philosophy has worn thin on this Sharks fan. Cheechoo may have played his last game for the Sharks. Setoguchi played average at best, he is capable of more. Marcel Goc is a waste of roster space, and Mike Grier's best days (if you are comfortable calling them that) are certainly behind him. That about sums up the state of the forwards. 6 playoff games, 7 goals by forwards. Not so hot.
The defense had been such a bright spot all regular season. The Sharks got seemingly nightly offensive contributions from their blue-liners and the Blake, Boyle and Lukowich experiment drew rave reviews for 82 regular season contests. Dan Boyle had a great series and was the best Shark in the playoffs, hands down. He is an amazing talent and a player that you can build a defensive core around. He is absolutely mentally tough enough and is a treat to watch skate. Rob Blake led the Sharks in shots in the playoffs, but at times looked slow and I suspect injured. I would guess his back didn't hold up as well as he would have liked. Vlasic is young enough that he has time, but he needs to be more assertive with his puck handling and seems like he can be rattled when the pressure is on. Too many times he gripped his stick to tight and cost himself a scoring chance. He was the worst Sharks D-man in the series. Not to say that Christian Ehrhoff didn't give Pickles a run for his money. Error-hoff made the same bone-headed plays that Sharks fans have come to expect. He has a rocket of a shot, but lacks any accuracy whatsoever. What good is a bullet shot that goes 3 feet wide? He is a brilliant skater but routinely is out of position and constantly makes very poor decisions in his own end. Douglass Murray wasn't physical enough and the Ducks were able to set up shop in front of Nabby all series. Lukowich played good at times and not so good others. Overall the Ducks D out performed the Sharks D. It was a complete dismantling of a team with expectations higher than ever.
The following is a list of Sharks players who I feel could be on the way out. This list is as objective as can be and I am merely applying logic and my hockey I.Q. to support why these players may be expendable.
Public enemy #1. Captain Patrick Marleau (Does this guy ever get mad? He is the leader, the leadership failed). #2. Goalie Evgeni Nabokov (Had his chance and it just might be time to try someone else). #3. Milan Michalek (Lacks heart and vanishes in post season). #4. Jonathan Cheechoo (2 years on the decline. May still possess some trade value). #5. Mike Grier (2 years on the decline). #6. Christian Ehrhoff (Lacks focus and intensity). #7. Rob Blake (5 Mill Per a little steep). #8. Joe Thornton (6 goals in 40 playoff games, needs to play with more edge in playoffs). #9. Marc-Edouard Vlasic (Still young, but hasn't performed well in playoffs). #10. Marcel Goc (If this guy is a true defensive forward, shouldn't he be good defensively?).

Anyone of these players may not be back next year. I could see Doug Wilson being able to justify moving anyone of these players for those reasons. Only a handful of Sharks I feel are not trade bait. Devin Setoguchi could be a 40 goal scorer next year. Joe Pavelski is tough and I feel is an ideal second line center. Dan Boyle is the foundation of the D. He can QB the Power Play for the next 5 years. Ryane Clowe and Torrey Mitchell are good, young players and have bright futures in the NHL. Aside from these players, I could see anyone else getting shipped out of town.
The Sharks have lost to an inferior team 4 out of 5 years. (I don't include Detroit in 07 even though the Sharks blew a golden opportunity in that series). This team has come up short too many times and change is needed. For whatever reason, they lack that killer instinct you would expect from a team called "The SHAKRS"! The accountability begins with the leadership and trickles down. Younger players look to Marleau and Thornton and Nabokov for how to act. If they see the veterans with fear in their eyes, it will undoubtedly affect the youngsters. They did the "fire the coach" thing last year, this year it may be time to fire the Captain.

THE THINK TANK Episode 11

Another great week of sports talk on THE THINK TANK. Big Papa Knockout and I welcome Will Davis in studio (Bay Area Sports Hour)for the 11th episode on 4/20. We also interviewed Matt Maiocco from the Press Democrat who is an amazing beat writer for the 49ers for more than a decade. Matt was nice enough to talk NFL draft and what's in store for the Niners in the future. What a tremendous honor to have Matt on the show and this is back to back weeks of huge guests! Thanks to everyone who made the show a tremendous success.

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PART 2

Sharks typically tight in Game 1

In what has become a disturbing post season trend, the boys in teal dropped the all important Game 1 on their home ice to kick off the series. The Ducks played with an arrogance and swagger you would expect from a former Cup champ and looked VERY comfortable playing in the Tank. The Sharks have made a habit of dropping the first game of the series played at home. Dallas and Calgary last season, game one loss. In the 2004 Western Conference Finals, one of the biggest home games in franchise history to that point, they laid an egg against those pesky Flames. Let's face it, this team struggles when the pressure is on. They always have.
You can take this deflating loss two ways. The natural reaction is to panic, here we go again! But this is just one game and the Sharks have shown an ability to win in Anaheim. The problem for the Sharks is now Sunday become a MUST WIN. It took the Sharks 82 games to earn the top seed and the luxuries that come with it. However, it took only 60 minutes of uninspired play to give it all back. Granted, Hiller play well in his first playoff start, but the Sharks quality scoring chances were few and far between. So now, a mere one game into the post season, their backs are to the wall.
The Sharks have scored a measly 1 goal in their last three home games. They are playing flat and lack cohesiveness in their attack. Let's face it, they haven't been playing well since the All-Star break. They did get an infusion of injured players back right at the end of the regular season so getting everyone back up to speed may take time. And what about that word "Speed". I thought that was what separated the Sharks and the Ducks was team speed. The Ducks appeared more determined and imposed their will on the Sharks. Every game, dozens of little individual battles are fought over puck possession. Usually the team that is more vigilant in this area benefit by getting quality scoring chances that win hockey games. That edge clearly went to Anaheim last night. The big boys need to step it up. I know Nabby would like to have the 2nd goal back last night, even though Getzlaf fired a missile. Marleau and Thornton were basically invisible last night (only one shot apiece) and clearly if they are going to have success this post season it will start with the leaders of this team. The only Shark player who I thought showed up was Dan Boyle. His shot in the 3rd that rang off the inside of the post was an inch away from tying the game and energizing the crowd. Truly a game of inches.
What needs to happen Sunday is the Sharks need to go to those tough areas and win some battles around the net. They need to create screens in front of Hiller and try to cash in on rebounds (which Hiller gave practically none last night). Sure they out-shot Anaheim by a 2-1 margin,but most of those shots were from outside and clearly the Ducks game plan is centered around counter-attacking the Sharks and catch them too deep. The 0-6 on the power play needs to change. Special teams decides a large majority of playoff games, and last night was no exception. It's not over yet, a seven game series can have many twists and turns. But it was a typically poor start for this franchise that desperately wanted to send a message to the hockey world. Now we will see what this team is made of. Time for Jumbo, Patty, Nabby, and the rest of the boys to look each other in the eye and not accept anything less than everything they got. Otherwise this franchise will further solidify the league-wide perception that the Sharks can be taken off their game when it matters most.
-Ryan Covay

NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE MATCHUPS AND PREDICTIONS

#1 BOSTON BRUINS VS #8 MONTREAL CANADIENS
Much like in the West, the East's 1 vs 8 is a battle of bitter rivals. Boston has returned to relevance with a bang. Behind the stellar net-minding of Tim Thomas (my choice for the Vezina trophy)and the twin towers of power on the blue-line, Zdeno Chara and Dennis Wideman, it will be hard to score on the B's. Up front they have a nice combo of set-up men Marc Savard and David Krejci. Those two will be dishing to finishers Phil Kessel, Michael Ryder, and Chuck Kobasew. Up in Montreal, the 100th anniversary season that started with so much promise ended with them barely making the playoffs and possible wholesale changes if they exit quickly. Captain, Alex Kovalev did lead the team in scoring but his season overall was a let-down. The Canadiens didn't have a 30 goal scorer and only three players with 20+. Goalie Carey Price's 2.83 gaa is below the standard of what is expected from the young keeper. Andrei Markov will log a ton of ice time and look for the Habs to try and keep the scoring down. With Boston's high powered attack, that is going to be a tall order. Player to watch: Boston's Milan Lucic.
Prediction: Bruins in a sweep.

#2 WASHINGTON CAPITALS VS. #7 NEW YORK RANGERS
The Capitals have the most dynamic player in the game in Alex Ovechkin. He is a lock for MVP in my opinion. His sheer determination on both ends of the ice will serve the Caps well. Defenseman Mike Green is a power play phenom and has an ability to jump into the rush that reminds me of Paul Coffey. Niklas Backstrom, Alex Semin, and crafty veteran, Sergei Fedorov will be key factors in the Caps playoff run. If Jose Theodore can be steady if not spectacular, this team can go a long way. For the Rangers, they had a great start to the regular season but faded. They acquired Nik Antropov from the Leafs and still have a talented group of forwards like Drury, Gomez, Zheredev, Naslund and Dubinsky. Wade Redden will need to focus his efforts on slowing Ovechkin and Henrik Lundquist will need to play at a VERY high level if NY has any chance in this series at all. I think the Caps are just too strong and they have a date in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Player to watch: Capitals Brooks Laich.
Prediction: Capitals in 5 (maybe 6).

#3 NEW JERSEY DEVILS VS. #6 CAROLINA HURRICANES
This series features the red hot Hurricanes and the roller coaster Devils. However, anytime you have Martin Brodeur in net in the post-season, you are the favorite. The Devils are led by 40 goal scorer, Zach Parise who was consistently dominant all season. The addition of the aging Brendan Shanahan will pay dividends late in close games as Shanny has a knack for timely goals. Captian, Patrick Elias has a ton of playoff experience, along with Jamie Langenbrunner and John Madden. The knock on the Devils is they lack a consistent scoring threat from the Blue-line. As for the 'Canes, they rode the red hot Cam Ward all the way to the postseason. The ageless wonder, Ray Whitney led the charge down the stretch. Brining back Eric Cole who was an instrumental part of their Cup win a few years back payed off. Eric Staal is the real deal and this post season could be his coming out party. The health of Rod Brindamour is something the 'Canes will monitor (he finished the year -23). If possible, they will try and keep his minutes down. Player to watch: 'Canes center, Eric Staal.
Prediction: Hurricanes in 7.


#4 PITTSBURGH PENGUINS VS. #5 PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
Let the battle for Pennsylvania begin! These two teams have a very similar approach. Both have high flying offenses and have defensemen wiling to take chances by jumping in the rush. The Penguins are coming off a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals and they have taken steps to improve their club. They landed Chris Kunitz from the Ducks and Bill Guerin (who seems to get traded every year) at the deadline. Evgeni Malkin is certainly an MVP candidate and on most nights, was the best player on the ice. Sydney Crosby gets a lot of negative publicity but the kid can flat out play hockey. If he can take that negative attention and turn it into a positive in his game, then this team is more than capable of a return to the East Finals. The Flyers have a ton of scoring punch up front with Simon Gagne, Jeff Carter, Joffrey Lupul, Mike Knuble, Mike Richards and Scott Hartnell all scored at least 25 goals. The big question mark is can they get enough goaltending from Martin Biron. You have to give the Pens the edge in net with Marc-Andre Fleury and it will take Biron really elevating his game for the Flyers to have success in this series. Player to watch: Penguins, Jordan Staal. He played some great hockey down the stretch and his game is on the rise.
Prediction: Penguins in 5.

Stanley Cup Playoffs- First round match-ups and predictions

#1 SAN JOSE SHARKS VS #8 ANAHEIM DUCKS

If the Sharks can get their scoring touch back and use their speed, they should be able to take out the Ducks. The pressure is on the Sharks now, more than ever on the heels of their first Presidents trophy.Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Dan Boyle, and Evgeni Nabokov will need to elevate their game. Thornton has been disappointing in the post-season in the past and has slowly begun to shake that moniker. Only a deep post-season run with Jumbo leading the way will do that. The Ducks will try and muddy up the waters and slow the series down. Watch out for Anaheim rookie forward, Bobby Ryan. He has a tremendous skill set and the top line of Ryan, Corey Perry, and Ryan Getzlaf will cause the Sharks fits. Anaheim is a veteran team who is only 2 years removed from winning the Cup. Jonas Hiller will start, but the Ducks won't hesitate to go to J.S. Giguere if Hiller falters. For the Sharks, the health of Marleau is key. The Sharks need to roll out 2 complete scoring lines and with the return of Marleau and Clowe, this is possible. This will be a tough series that could get very nasty. Player to watch: Sharks Joe Pavelski
Prediction: Sharks in 6.

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#4 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS VS. #5 CALGARY FLAMES

The Chicago Blackhawks make a triumphant return to the post-season. Led by their young snipers, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, this team appears to have every reason to believe they can make some noise in the playoffs. The signing of free agent defender, Brian Campbell rounded out a D corps that also features Cam Barker and the underrated Duncan Keith. Patrick Sharp returned from injury and the acquisition of Sami Pahlsson should help on the penalty kill. For the Flames, they made the big trade deadline move to bring in Olli Jokinen. Things started out well after the trade, but the Flames struggled mightily the last few weeks of the regular season. Their poor play down the stretch cost the Flames a division title and home ice advantage in round 1. Goalie Mikka Kiprusoff will need to play very well and Sarich, Regeher, Phaneuf and Leopold will need to bring a sound defensive effort to stop the 'Hawks high powered scoring team. Captain Jarome Iginla can't be expected to do it all. A player to watch on the Flames is Mike Cammalleri, who had a career year. The Blackhawks appear poised for a post-season run if Nikolai Khabibulin can regain the form that won him a cup in Tampa in 2004.
Prediction: Blackhawks in 7.

#2 DETROIT RED WINGS VS #7 COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
The Blue Jackets make their very first post-season appearance behind the tremendous play of Captain, Rick Nash. The other key component for Head Coach, Ken Hitchcock's team is rookie of the year candidate, goaltender Steve Mason who's 33 victories and 2.29 GAA gave the Jackets a chance to win on most nights. They are facing a daunting task however facing the defending Stanley Cup Champion, Detroit Red Wings. Things aren't all great in Hockeytown however. Goaltending has been an issue and it appears Osgood may have done just enough to be the game 1 starter. Up front Detroit is deeper at forward than any team in the league. Zetterberg, Hossa, Datsyuk, Holmstrom, Hudler, and newly re-singed Johan Franzen round out a very strong goal scoring core. If the Blue Jackets can get a split in Joe Louis and come home 1-1, the Columbus crowd will surely be in a playoff frenzy. It will be a tough road, but I think the Blue Jackets are capable of making life difficult for the Wings. A player to watch is Blue Jackets center, R.J. Umberger whose game is tailored for post-season hockey. He had a nice run last year while with the Flyers.
Prediction: Detroit in 6.

#3 VANCOUVER CANUCKS VS. #6 ST.LOUIS BLUES
The Blues are the "feel good" story of the NHL this season. They came on in the second half of the season and climbed all the way to the 6th seed. Brad Boyes (33 goals) and David Backes (31 goals) have provided the scoring. Veteran Keith Tkachuk is the calming presence on the bench. This team came out of nowhere and was red hot down the stretch. Former Nashville goalie, Chris Mason has made the most of his chance in net. A ton of credit goes to Head Coach, Andy Murray who made all the right moves and now the Blues are not only in the playoffs, but have a chance to make some noise. The Canucks won the Northwest division in the final days of the regular season as the Flames fell apart. The addition of Mats Sundin hasn't exactly gone as well as they would have liked. The Sedin twins had solid campaigns, (82 points each in 82 games each) to pace the Canucks. Center, Ryan Kesler had a career year and is a terrific two-way player. Willie Mitchell (plus 29) will be relied upon to shut down the Blues top line. But when you talk about the Canucks and their chances for success, look no further than Goaltender, Roberto Luongo. He battled through injuries and it took him a few weeks to get back into form. He did record a startling 9 shutouts in only 54 games. If Luongo is hot, it could be a tough series for the Blues. St. Louis is a nice story, but it may be close to midnight for this Cinderella. Player to watch,Brad Boyes. This guy is on the verge of becoming an elite NHL player, he just has to do it in the post-season.
Prediction: Canucks in 7.

RANDY HAHN- Sharks Play-by-Play on "The Think Tank"!

In the latest episode of THE THINK TANK, we welcome legendary play-by-play voice of the San Jose Sharks, Randy Hahn to the show. Randy talked about the Sharks chances of winning the cup and the test of endurance that is the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This interview of Randy Hahn is the highlight of my young broadcasting career. Thanks again Randy, GO SHARKS!!

PART 1-Randy Hahn


PART 2

Can this Sharks team win the Stanley Cup?

Well its playoff time in the NHL again. A two month odyssey of endurance and resolve to crown the Stanley Cup Champion. Once again the Sharks are finishing yet another solid regular season campaign. Actually, barring a complete collapse, the Sharks will win the President's Trophy as the top team in the NHL in the regular season. What this does is ensure home ice advantage throughout the playoffs. And what an advantage it has been for the Sharks at HP Pavilion this season. They have a team record 33 victories on the sloppy ice in San Jose. Also, after tonight they have an impressive 117 points with 2 games to play.
First year head coach, Todd McLellan has done a wonderful job this season. The Sharks scorched the NHL in the first half of the season tying the record for most points in the first 25 games with 43. Blue line newcomers, Dan Boyle, Rob Blake, and Brad Lukowich all have Stanley Cup victories on the resume and all three have gotten healthy of late.
All teams have injury problems at this time of year, and the Sharks are no different. They managed to get through the first half of the year relatively unscathed, but after the All Star break, their fortunes changed. Currently sidelined are Captian, Patrick Marleau, Ryane Clowe, and they have been without 3rd line center, Torrey Mitchell all season. Mike Grier and Claude Lemiuex returned tonight after lengthy layoffs. Jeremy Roenick, Jonathan Cheechoo and Marcel Goc all recently returned from injury. With Clowe and Marleau scheduled to return in time for the post season, it would appear this team is getting healthy just at the right time.
The Sharks have some major hurdles to clear if they are going to have the type of post season the fans, the organization and basically the entire hockey world have expected for several seasons now. They have bowed out in the 6th game of the second round for 3 straight seasons. Twice they have been eliminated by lower seeds (Oilers in '06 and Stars in '08). Then there was the catastrophic collapse against the Red Wings in 2007 that Ron Wilson never forgave Patrick Marleau for. The Sharks led that series 2-1 and had dominated to that point. Game 4 in San Jose saw the Sharks leading 2-0 late in the 2nd period. The Wings scored in the final minute of the 2nd period to close to 2-1. With under a minute left in regulation the Wings had Hasek pulled for an extra attacker. The Sharks had possession of the puck and Marleau appeared to pursue an empty net goal at the expense of his defensive responsibility. The Wings forced a turnover, Robert Lang beat Nabokov to tie as the Sharks were out of position on the play. Mathieu Schneider then won it in OT and the Wings ran the Sharks out from there 4-2. Ron Wilson thought Marleau's aggressive pursuit of the empty net cost them the game. The relationship between the two never recovered.
Three years of post season failures and a rift between captain and coach forced Doug Wilson choose between them. It seemed easier to replace Wilson who's prickly demeanor had not endeared himself to many in the organization. Doug Wilson hitched his wagon to Marleau, knowing that despite the post season failures, this team was ready to turn the corner. Bring in McLellan and revamp the "D" and that brings us to this season.

So can the Sharks win the Stanley Cup? The first key is the severity of Marleau's injury. Soft tissue damage can be a very serious situation. Had Marleau stayed healthy, he would have scored 40 goals this year. McLellan recognized he could get the most out of his Captain pairing him with Joe Thornton. Add young sniper, Devin Setoguchi and you had the most potent line in the NHL for the first half of the season. Now with Marleau's health in question, the lines have been shuffled and the scoring has been very hard to come by. Patty and Ryane Clowe are critical to the Sharks survival in the playoffs. Their size, toughness and willingness to go to the front of the net is the key because that is where most playoff goals come from. The Sharks are 4-1 in their last 5 while only scoring 9 goals in that span. Great goalkeeping by Nabby and a good start by Boucher on Sunday made that possible.
Which brings us to the next key: Evgeni Nabokov. In playoff years past, he has had some brilliant performances and some not so memorable. His career post season stats, 59 appearances, 2.17 goals against and a .917 save percentage are very solid. In the 4 OT game against the Stars last season he made a save on Brad Richards that even in defeat is remembered as a brilliant moment in his career. And speaking of last season, Nabby was at the top of his game going into the post season and was ROBBED out of the Vezina trophy. This year, he has the wins and his play of late has been solid. If the Sharks are to have any measure of success, it will be because Nabby played not just good, but great. The McLellan offense takes more chances than Ron Wilson's and thus leaving Nabby vulnerable at times. It seems Nabby relishes this responsibility and his game has certainly elevated in the 2nd half of the year.
So can the Sharks finally make it past the 6th game of the 2nd round? Well that will depend on how the first round goes. You have to get through that first round in 4 or 5 games max and not let the injuries pile up. Last year, going 7 against the Flames wore down the Sharks and Dallas ate them up in round 2. If they draw the Predators or the Blues, they will have an easier time than if they draw the Ducks (See home and home teams split over the weekend, with both winning on the others home ice). Bottom line, Anahiem would be a bad eight seed to run across. They have been one of the hottest teams in the league down the stretch.
Always a key component to the Sharks success is playmaker Joe Thornton. Jumbo has done a decent job of shedding the playoff choke artist moniker, but lets face hit, he still has to prove his place in the game with a dominant post season. If Joe plays like Joe can and controls the game, that takes the pressure off in so many other areas.
Yes many feel this is the Sharks best chance ever to win a Stanley Cup. But as soon as the clock strikes midnight next Sunday and the regular season ends, all those points disappear and all the Sharks have left is home ice throughout the playoffs. Yes that is a big deal and a game seven vs. the Red Wings or the Flames in San Jose is much more likely to have a happy ending than a game at the Saddledome or the Sharks personal house of horrors, Joe Louis Arena.

They have done the job to this point. The mix of youthful exuberance and veteran leadership and a battle tested goalie put the Sharks in a prime position to have a deep run. I believe the short answer is "yes" this team can win the Stanley Cup. They have the right pieces. But they still have a TON to prove in the playoffs and should they get down early, then we will see what they have learned the past 4 years. The Red Wings have a brilliant group of forwards,but depth on defense and goaltending are a major concern. The Flames have been a little hot and cold down the stretch but are dangerous as can be. The Blackhawks are back in the post season and with those young forwards, a nice defensive group and a goalie in Khabibulin that has won a cup before, they could cause some teams fits. I'm not even going to break down the East, as the Sharks don't need to be looking any further than game 1, round 1. All the goalies in the West have the potential to steal a series so there will be no sure things. The Sharks need to play with desperation and resolve and trust in their abilities. They can do it, but I feel a lot of things will have to go very right for that to happen. If that happens, then the Sharks will have a banner worth raising in the Shark Tank and Teal Mania will sweep the Bay Area!

THE THINK TANK Episode 9

In the latest installment of "THE THINK TANK", Big Papa KO and I welcome back Ashley "diry d the d-man" Dias back to the show. We discuss the Jay Cutler trade to Chicago, preview the upcoming MLB season, give our picks for the NBA playoffs, and give our list of our top 6 NBA players of all time. Also, Big Papa KO compares the 09 San Jose Sharks to the 83 Oilers. REALLY??? I know, that's what I said!!! It was a very fun show that FLEW by. Dirty D kept it as real as he can and we had some great callers. Enjoy the show and thanks for listening.
-Ryan Covay

Part 1


Part 2