The Play by Play – Welcome to Summer!

The Play by Play – Welcome to Summer!

Hosts: Jack McFarlane & Nick Schlemmer

This week on The Play by Play podcast, Jack McFarlane and Nick Schlemmer chat about the beginning of summer and everything it brings.

– The best summer vacation destinations

– Gen Z in the workforce: summer jobs and internships

– A look into the MLB, Pro Golf tournaments, and some basketball news

 

Thank you for joining the show today!  Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!

Transcript follows:

Jack McFarlane 0:18
Hi everyone and welcome to the HR Happy Hour Network. This is The Play by Play podcast hosted by myself, Jack McFarlane and Nicholas Schlemmer. Well, in the wise words of the great Kenny Chesney, summertime is finally here. So today we are bringing you a very fun summer themed episode. But before we get into that, we would like to say that today is Memorial Day that we are recording this and so Nick and I would both like to take a brief moment of silence to honor the brave men and women who have died while serving in the US military. Thank you. Now let’s jump right in the episode.

Nick Schlemmer 0:56
All right, yeah, like Jack said, we have a great summer themed show for you today a whole bunch of different topics all tuned back to that summer vibe. So I’m really looking forward to it. But first off, let’s start off with we’re calling it summer 2023. This includes a lot of concerts that are happening this summer big name concerts.

Jack McFarlane 1:17
I’ll just kind of it really seems like a big year. I mean, bigger than previous years maybe due to you know, the Coronavirus backup finally going away but I mean just some of the major names on this list are Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Jimmy Buffett. Kenny Chesney? Yeah Morgan Marlin Garth Brooks, Zac Brown Band, Blake Shelton, Luke combs, Cody Johnson and so much more.

Nick Schlemmer 1:41
We have a lot of a lot of new, newer people like younger people, but then you also have a lot of throwbacks, Metallica, Garth Brooks all the good old guys are coming back.

Jack McFarlane 1:51
I think George George Strait as well a lot of country this summer. And for the audience, these are all concerts that are pouring right now are going to be touring this summer. Just so we make that clear. So I mean, you could totally get tickets for any of these. But I mean, Nick, which ones kind of jump out to you is like you know, you would like to enjoy some you’re listening to

Nick Schlemmer 2:10
Well, I would originally start off with saying Kenny Chesney, but we recently just saw him rise right and left school at Nebraska, so that was amazing. But I would say otherwise, I have to go with I still haven’t seen Morgan Wallen. I know people get iffy about that, but I like his music. So I really want to see him the tickets are crazy prices, but I want to see him and then I want to see Luke combs again. And then I’ve heard Bruno Mars puts on one heck of a show.

Jack McFarlane 2:39
Yeah, I thought that two are really good. And yeah,

Nick Schlemmer 2:42
All our moms do is talking about Bruno Mars. So I really think Bruno Mars this year. What about you Jack?

Jack McFarlane 2:49
Well, the first thing and not necessarily sticks out to me that I want to go to this concert because I truly do not but along with kind of the Morgan Wallen crazy ticket price would be the Taylor Swift concert. I’m sure every one of you I mean I’m sure you’ve heard about it. I mean, it’s hard to avoid I heard that the tickets were going for 1000s of dollars for just normal seats not like up in front so I know that is a very popular one that has a three hour setlist Oh wow. Yeah, three hours setlist, but for me if I was personally choosing some concerts to go to, I would choose Garth Brooks. I love Garth Brooks. Probably Luke combs again. Me and Nick saw Luke combs a couple years ago and he was amazing. And Cody Johnson. I absolutely love Cody Johnson, and just country music in general. Meaning like you said, saw the Kenny Chesney we would recommend that that was a really fun one really chill, laid back. And then I also saw Blake Shelton when he came to Lincoln, just about a month ago, I guess. And wow, what a show if you guys can get tickets to Blake shell and you have to it was amazing.

Nick Schlemmer 4:01
Yeah. And then I kind of want to talk about Kenny Chesney, some more. He is touring with Kelsea Ballerini at the moment, and I don’t know if they just finished wrapping up their tour, I believe, actually for the at least the one that this ended and they’re starting up another one. I don’t know if she’s coming back with him or not. But if she’s not, I highly recommend seeing her. She is a great singer. Great voice.

Jack McFarlane 4:23
Yeah, amazing goes well, very talented.

Nick Schlemmer 4:26
I could totally see her someday being the what’s the word? I’m looking for the major headliner headliner. Yes, exactly. The headliner for the show instead of being the opener.

Jack McFarlane 4:36
Yeah, I totally agree. So I mean, some everyone out there listening, we definitely recommend going to a concert. There are a ton of great ones happening this summer. But you know, summer is not just about concerts. There’s a lot to do in the summertime. And another big thing would be going to a blockbuster movie. And man there is a pretty good list of movies coming out this summer.

Nick Schlemmer 4:58
Mm hmm. I mean, I can just list a couple of them here, but we got the Indiana Jones movie, Spider Man, that one’s been really big here lately. Guardians of the Galaxy. And then I’m looking forward to fast X. I always love the Fast and Furious movies. Yeah. Any movies that has those cast members in it? I gotta see it.

Jack McFarlane 5:20
Yeah. And the Fast X and guardians are both out right now. No, I have not seen fast X. But my wonderful girlfriend Elissa shout out has and she said it was one of the best movies she’s ever saw. Okay, and she is not even a fast and furious like fan. Just like I’m not a big Fast and Furious fan. But apparently this movie is just off the charts incredible. Like all I’ve heard is great thing. So it’s definitely one that I want to go see this summer.

Nick Schlemmer 5:45
Yeah. Yeah, I would say and there’s another one on here that we have the deal Barbie movie. I seen the commercials for it. The previews. I just I can’t wrap my head around it.

Jack McFarlane 5:57
I am going to agree with you there. But we were watching the news the other day, sitting there with our great our amazing grandma. She’s not a great grandma. She’s pretty great. But she’s just like grandma. And when that Barbie commercial came on, she lit up. She’s like, Oh my gosh, the Barbie movie. So I know that there are fans out there looking forward to it. And it is considered a blockbuster movie, probably because of the actresses and actors that are definite, but not necessarily one that we’re gonna see.

Nick Schlemmer 6:26
Yeah, it won’t be something that I mean, that goes. I’m sure a lot of you have kids that may want to go see this movie.

Jack McFarlane 6:32
Let us know if it’s really good or not. I also the one that I want to see that isn’t out yet would be the Indiana Jones one. I think it I believe it’s the final one.

Nick Schlemmer 6:45
I feel like there’s been like 20 Different Indiana movies.

Jack McFarlane 6:49
I agree. There’s a lot.

Nick Schlemmer 6:50
I haven’t seen one and oh gosh, probably 10 years. Yeah. It’s been a long time. But I need to go back and watch them because they’re kind of like the classics.

Jack McFarlane 7:02
They’re just so good. And from what I understand it this one is kind of about like, you know, Indiana Jones is like retiring, but then, you know, he gets a one final mission. So I think I’ve seen the previous board. It looks really good. I think it’d be a fun one.

Nick Schlemmer 7:16
Awesome. The last part of summer is vacation.

Jack McFarlane 7:20
Everybody goes on vacation. It’s in the name summer vacation

Nick Schlemmer 7:24
We’re on vacation, right? As some of us may be but but here’s what the US News is calling the best summer vacation spots for the summer of 2023. I’ll go with like the first three here. Paris, France, London, England. as glorious as already.

Jack McFarlane 7:43
I believe that’s how you pronounce it. Portugal? I have not heard of that one. No. So that’s from what I could tell. Now please don’t don’t come at us if we’re wrong, because I, from what I can tell, it looks like kind of a beachy area in Portugal with I wouldn’t say mountains, but pretty impressive. Like the scenery was really good from what I could gather. And then just going off of that, you know, Bali, Rio de Janeiro, Vancouver on the list, which really surprised me, Puerto Rico, Rome and San Diego. So my first impressions from the list are going abroad.

Nick Schlemmer 8:21
I was just about to say that they’re everything place in the US

Jack McFarlane 8:24
in the US. And it’s San Diego, which does catch me off guard a little bit.

Nick Schlemmer 8:32
people are finally straying away from the Florida, Florida, Florida, Florida.

Jack McFarlane 8:35
Yeah. Going to get old San Diego. But yeah, I mean, definitely. An abroad heavy summer is when the US News is predicting. I mean, what what is where somewhere that you would be interested in going off this listen, if you had to choose your summer vacation spot.

Nick Schlemmer 8:53
If I had to choose my and I still want to go here. This is a bucket list. And it has been for quite some time. I’ve wanted to go to Bali for a long time. Really? Yes. I I don’t know why it’s probably because the name sounds amazing. I mean, it looks fantastic. It’s amazing. It’s beach tropical rainforest. I mean, and it’s just way far away from the US, which is another thing.

Jack McFarlane 9:18
Yeah, it’s true, but it is far away.

Nick Schlemmer 9:22
But what about you what if you could pick one place on this list that you had a free trip to go?

Jack McFarlane 9:28
Now that is tough, because I I love going warm. I love going to the beach but off of this list. I would actually choose going to London for a couple of reasons. So I’ve always wanted you know, I’ve done a little bit of international travel but mainly to Mexico. And I’ve always wanted to go over to Europe. And the second reason being I am a huge, huge, huge Chelsea fan. And I would absolutely love to just be downtown in London with all the football fans and I would hopefully early enough in the summer to where I could see a game being played, or a match being played. Yeah, but I’m just a huge Chelsea fan. So I think London would be my pick off this list.

Nick Schlemmer 10:08
Awesome. I think London would be great as well. I would love to go there someday, too. I was supposed to anyway, but yeah, you’re supposed to. That’s another story. Yeah. Yeah, I think that’s a great choice. Bali or Rio sounds very fun as well. Yeah. would be really fun. I just I love the real movies, even though they’re kids movies, your favorite movies.

Jack McFarlane 10:31
Shout out Rio movies.

Nick Schlemmer 10:33
I love the Rio movie. So I was like, I have a pretty good

Jack McFarlane 10:35
and then the one that surprises me. And I don’t just Vancouver, Canada, I that would not pop into my mind as being like a summer vacation spot.

Nick Schlemmer 10:46
I I’m not too familiar with the Canada area. So seeing this on the list. I’m thinking it’s more of like the scenic views that Oh, yeah. Because I believe so. I haven’t looked at pictures of it. I don’t I couldn’t tell you anything about Vancouver. Yeah.

Jack McFarlane 11:02
From I mean, the limited you know, knowledge I have Vancouver’s from the NHL. And from what I’ve seen, Vancouver does look like a really great city. Yeah, it is very beautiful. But as a summer vacation spot, it just really caught me off guard.

Nick Schlemmer 11:16
Yeah, there’s, I’m thinking like I said, just a lot of like scenic route stuff. Because at Nebraska, we had a fellow basketball player who was from Quebec City, Quebec. And I looked at pictures that because I was like, Where the heck is that at? And it’s in Canada. And it was just beautiful. It almost look like compared to like an Oregon vibe. Lots of trees.

Jack McFarlane 11:37
Yeah, that makes sense. wilderness and yep, yep. Yeah, well, hey, maybe next summer vacation, Canada trip?

Nick Schlemmer 11:46
Yep. I gotta go there at least once, I guess, you know?

Jack McFarlane 11:48
Yeah, we gotta go. Well, guys, you know, feel free to let us know, you know what constant you’re going to see movies, you know, what do you think are for summer vacation?

Nick Schlemmer 11:58
what was your best vacation you’ve been on? So far? What was the best place you’ve been to?

Jack McFarlane 12:05
Now we’re coming to our second segment of the show today, Nick. And today, it is all about summer jobs and how they’re changing.

Jack McFarlane 12:19
So based on employment population ratios from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average number of 16 to 19 year olds who were employed over the summer, historically lingered around 50%. So you know, half the kids in your class would go get a job, and half would just, you know, enjoy the summer. But as recent as 2008, that number had dropped down to 30%. It has slowly been increasing since then. But it is not up to 40%. I don’t think it’s so well under that 50% threshold. And there’s multiple reasons for this. Yeah. So why don’t we just kind of go into the first major thing affecting this change?

Nick Schlemmer 12:57
Yeah, and I would say that’s the rise of the internship culture, don’t you think?

Jack McFarlane 13:02
Yeah, I mean, I could not think of a better way. A lot to find the change.

Nick Schlemmer 13:09
I mean, a lot of colleges nowadays are focusing more on the hands on experience, rather than just that in classroom time. So that’s where this internship culture came about. And as we both know, almost every, I’d say, over half of every major listed at a university offers some kind or requires some kind of internship that you need to complete, whether it’s like a certain amount of months, or maybe reach a certain level of a job, whatever it may be, but there’s some kind of summer internship or even like an extended internship, where you’re going partially during the school year as well. So what do you kind of think about that, Jack?

Jack McFarlane 13:48
Yeah, I think the big thing that you said there was the required, I think, not only is you know, students and parents attitudes changing from, you know, go get a summer job, make some money to how about you try to get some experience for what you want to do. And then the school is requiring it. I mean, you know, I know Nebraska requires internships, you know, for almost every major program, and then a little bit of a news bomb here. I’m transferring to the University of Utah, but they also require an internship to graduate. So I know from personal experience, that it is multiple universities around the country that are making sure students are getting in to a profession early on, so that way when they do graduate, they have some experience, but I can really think of no one better to ask about the internship experience than my fellow co hosts Nicholas Schlemmer. Why don’t you kind of tell us you’re on internship right now? You kind of tell us the whole experience, you know, getting the internship what you’re doing all that?

Nick Schlemmer 14:49
Yeah, so So I’m still currently at Nebraska in the PGM program, Golf Management Program, and we have to complete 16 months of internship So before we graduate, so right now I am on my first internship, which is a three month summer internship, it’s pretty much just your get your foot in the door entry level kind of job, that could be anywhere in the I could say the world anywhere in the world doesn’t have to just be in the US. Because we have a lot of great connections throughout the entire world for for our program. And like I said, this first one is just the entry level. So it’s just kind of to get your foot in the door, get you meeting some people in the in the field and the profession. So right now, I’m currently in Fort Collins, Colorado, doing an internship at the Fort Collins Country Club. And it’s been great so far, it’s it’s a lot of learning about the business learning about the golf industry, learning about how it’s a private club, private country club. So I’m learning a lot about what the whole day looks like the ins and outs, what you don’t see what you do see what makes that whole private club operation run so smoothly, which is really cool. And then like, the next internship will be six months, which is their extended internship is what they call it. And we also have work to do on the internship. Yes, work experiences, activities, you could call them that.

Jack McFarlane 16:21
I mean, the best way I would describe it as almost like a homework assignment. Yeah.

Nick Schlemmer 16:26
It’s a homework assignment. But it’s hands on. That’s really nice. And it’s just taking pictures, videos of giving kids lessons, you talking, doing interviews with different GMs, throughout whatever area you’re located in. It’s a really cool thing that that Nebraska offers and a lot of schools are doing. So I’m really excited to be doing this.

Jack McFarlane 16:46
Yeah. And how do you think that the work experience kind of compares to the classic summer job because I know that you worked a summer job at a golf course. Now, how does that differ from you know, just being there during the summer job to now being on a golf course, doing an internship?

Nick Schlemmer 17:01
Yeah, I would say that from at least at my course format in Fort Collins, the day that I walked in and met all of the head golf professionals assisting golf professionals. With me being labeled as an intern, their views totally shifted from my past experiences, just, I’m a high school kid, I need a summer job. You having that intern label, and then also having that you’re a PGM student really shifted their mindset was like, Okay, this guy knows what he’s doing high expectations. From the first day they put me right into the mix, I was doing literally a little bit of everything on the first day, a lot of respect was given, it was nice to see to where it’s like, maybe your first entry job is just kind of like, Oh, here’s training to do. We’re kind of like, slowly ease you into it to where now you have that intern label. And you’re just like, bang right in the mix. So that was really easy.

Jack McFarlane 17:56
It’s almost like you’re more of a I don’t want to say a legit employee because summer jobs are legit employees. But it’s more you’re here for the long haul type of yeah, not just here for the summer gone.

Nick Schlemmer 18:07
A lot of times, yeah, summer jobs. You’re only here for three months, and it may not even be something that you necessarily want to do as a professional someday. So whenever that’s more Yeah, casual intern. Yeah, exactly. Whenever you’re on an internship, it’s directly tied to what you’re studying.

Jack McFarlane 18:25
Like this. This is what you’re getting into. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. But I gotta say, you know, it’s not just the you know, internship culture phenomenon attributing to this low percentage. Another thing is the automation. I have a quick story for that I was at the St. Louis Zoo with my grandpa and girlfriend and and we decided to get some food after and we went to steak and shake now we go and steak and shake and I was a little confused because I saw almost no workers all there was was three giant tablets up at the desk, like where you would normally find workers and that is and that’s how you ordered and then I looked back in the kitchen they had like two cooks a manager and one person that kind of called out the food and that’s all they needed to run the day. So that it was like a bland example of these computers taking over what would be a stereotypical summer job yep you know a fast food worker is a is a classic summer job. So I think that these are not necessarily easier jobs because the if working in the food industry is very tough, but the more summer job type jobs are very susceptible to all this new all these new robots and automation taking over I mean, what are kind of your thoughts on that?

Nick Schlemmer 19:48
No, I was gonna say like, I can connect to what your your story here like really well, because we would always go just take a shake after going to the zoo. And it’s funny that there was Seiken che used To be, you know, the roller skates and everything else, like, it was crazy. Oh, yeah, there was a lot of people. Yeah. And a lot of workers. And yeah, like you said, now more and more of these fast food places are operating on maybe five people being clocked in at one time, which directly correlates, like you said to that percentage maybe being a lot lower, it’s, it’s on the rise, but it’s still a lot lower than, than what it was. And, and I guess a lot of times, kids our age, maybe fresh out of high school or sophomore junior year looking for that summer job, they’re gonna have to go to these jobs to where it may be more working in like, retail, or even like, maybe hands on labor?

Jack McFarlane 20:44
Yeah, that’s a really good point, a number of my friends right now, their summer jobs are the, you know, hands on, you know, construction, or almost trade type jobs on whatever. Yeah, and that’s exactly it, because you just can’t find especially jobs and you know, fast food or some other restaurants anymore, just because it is taken over by computers. And another point to that, too, is like, it’s cheaper to just from a business standpoint, to just get the computer and, you know, have that charge up front and maintain it than to hire an employee, you know, only have three months pay him for three months, and then you know, have some employee turnover. So it’s really beneficial for businesses to actually go the automotive, not automotive, but the automation route. Yeah, then to just have, you know, your classic summer job, and then turn them over in three months.

Nick Schlemmer 21:41
Yeah. And I’m kind of interested to see how it all plays out with with our generation. Because with, like you said, the high turnover rate, I have a feeling that a lot of the older generations think like, they don’t like that, ya know, and just, you know, stay at the job meet have that human con interaction. Now, they just walk up and they’re staring at a big TV screen almost, and says order here, and you’re like, What the heck. So it’s like, I’m curious to see of what that plays out to a bit that if that turnover rate for for these basic entry level jobs continues to just skyrocket? Or if it’s going to kind of slow down a little bit?

Jack McFarlane 22:21
Yeah, no, that’s a very good point. And I feel like that almost ties into the next thing, attributing to the percentage would be an attitude change, not only in Gen Z itself, but also in the parents of Gen Z, because one thing that we’re seeing that was brought to you from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, again, is that summer school enrollment has tripled, and Gen Z age group in the past 20 years. So I think you’re seeing a lot less, you know, Hey, kid, get out there and go make some money for three months while you’re in summer. Instead, it’s like, you know what? I’ll help you cover expenses, as long as you take some summer classes. Yeah. And are working towards your education.

Nick Schlemmer 23:05
Hmm. Well, I mean, that that’s crazy that, that this is being brought up, because I mean, even like your sister, she’s taken almost like a full summer schedule.

Jack McFarlane 23:14
And she’s taking nine credit hours this summer. Yeah.

Nick Schlemmer 23:17
And 12 is contains is considered the minimum full time students. So she’s one class short of that. Yeah, full summer. So it’s crazy to see that it’s tripled in the past 20 years, because I’ve only taken maybe like two summer courses. They were really pushed. But now it’s like, take, take summer courses, take summer courses, knock it out, knock it out. And like as Yeah, if you have somebody that’s willing to like help help the student get through that summer time while they’re taking these full time courses? That’s great. That’s awesome.

Jack McFarlane 23:50
Yeah, and I think what you said about how it’s being pushed is a huge reason. Because I mean, even just one year ago, getting ready to go into college, they did have summer class options, but they weren’t really promoted. So to say, maybe it’s because I’m an incoming freshman, but it was kind of more low key. You kind of had to dig for it. And then now going into summer, to be a sophomore. I mean, it was like, everyone is suggesting summer classes. I’m getting emails constantly about summer classes, summer classes, summer classes. So it’s like, it’s not just it’s like I said earlier, it’s not just attitude change in the students. It’s an attitude change in everybody.

Nick Schlemmer 24:32
Yeah. Yeah. And in, like you said, with being like having a students just being pushed and pushed and pushed into the summer classes, that obviously shortens the span, that we are in college, you’re still going to be like, you’re still going to have the same probably the same payment coming out of it. Student loans and whatnot, but the whole experience seems to just get kind of shortened down a little bit because you’re covering all those credits during the summer and pushing out as Gen Z right into the workforce a lot faster. So that could be why why colleges are doing that?

Jack McFarlane 25:07
Yeah. And with them pushing out, you know, once you’re out of college, you’re not getting a summer job, you’re getting your professional job, or at least an entry level to a profession that you’re interested in. So I feel like that, in a way is also contributing to, you know, just being done with school faster is contributing to the drop of summer jobs.

Nick Schlemmer 25:27
Yeah. If you want to, you wanted to jump into some of our employment habits that we had. Yeah, I’d say let’s go for it. We had noticed that the fast food industry in general, that was hired out of high school students, entirely high school students over the summer now employs twice as many 20 to 5054 year olds as teenagers. That’s a crazy statistic today.

Jack McFarlane 25:53
And you know, once I, once I also read that I haven’t gone to I don’t go to a lot of fast food. But now the past couple days that I have, I’ve noticed that there’s very little high school aged students 16 And 18 is kind of what we’re classifying as high school. But in I think it’s due to the turnover rate, because they know that if they hire a 16 year old, they’re gonna have three months max. Yeah. So why not hire you know, someone a little bit older, who’s out of high school that can stay there for a lot longer? Yeah, exactly.

Nick Schlemmer 26:25
And then he recently I’ve seen a couple of things just on just on kind of like as the browser it pulls up a whole bunch of news stories. And it was a it was either 90 or 91 year old man who works at Home Depot. And he’s been there for over 30 years. Wow. Like, and you said, I just got bored. And I came back to work. And I was like, wow, I was like, so maybe that’s why we’re seeing like you said all these older generation people, just having something to do throughout the day is just very fun for them or just gets them going.

Jack McFarlane 27:01
Yeah, because by then it’s not necessarily a means of fine financial matter. It’s just exactly like he said, like, they don’t want to sit at home all day, especially the older workers. They just want to go do something and help people out so they will maybe fill some of those summer jobs type jobs like working in retail working at Home Depot. Yeah.

Nick Schlemmer 27:19
And he was humorous is back at the paint counter. So it was just you know, real simple job shaking up Peyton. Yeah. But yeah, like he’s he said he loved it just because it gives him something to do and look forward to every day. And then I just had a thought that popped in that reminds me of our grandpa. He is always doing something. He is not searching, hardly ever sitting down. Unless he’s sleeping. That’s about it.

Jack McFarlane 27:42
Sleeping and eating. And that’s fine. It’s all here. And I know

Nick Schlemmer 27:45
I know our family has talked to him about like working at the zoo driving on the train. Yes. Anything like he would love that.

Jack McFarlane 27:55
Yeah, I think you know, grandpa, if you’re listening, you should definitely go drive the train at the zoo. That would be a really fun job. But you’d be stealing a summer job away, stealing a summer job away. So that, you know, you got to weigh your options. But yeah, I think that’s a really good point of the older people wanting to work again.

Nick Schlemmer 28:15
Yeah. And then right there. And whenever you talked about stealing that summer job, summer jobs are really hard to get because kids only want to work for three months, like we talked about earlier. If you walk up to an employer and say, I’m only going to be here for 70 days, we’ll shoot 20 of those days, it could be training. Yeah, it’s like, well, that’s not gonna really help out the business too much. So exactly. The summer jobs are turning into things that are a hot commodity, but also very hard to get.

Jack McFarlane 28:46
Yeah, I mean that I could not describe it better. A hot commodity that is very hard to get. Alright guys to wrap up our show. Today, we’re bringing you a special summer sports talk. And we’re gonna be going over two pretty major summer sports. And that is baseball and professional golf.

Nick Schlemmer 29:11
Baseball and golf. I love it. Let’s let’s get into it.

Jack McFarlane 29:15
Yeah, I’d say we just start off with some baseball. We’ll just do some general MLB. And then we have to do it. We’ll have to move into the Cardinals baseball from St. Louis. But let’s start off with the MLB. I mean, just something that jumps to mind is the Tampa Bay Rays. For me at least being the best team in baseball now today. They did not have a great day as they got one hit by the Cubs. And last one and nothing. But that aside, they have played some electric baseball. Yes. And the other team to me. I don’t know if you’ve been keeping an eye on the Rangers at all. Right. And I mean, I did not expect them to do very good. I thought they’d be probably around a 500 team. Now it is early in the season. You know it’s 40 50 Games in, yeah, Rangers man. They are 3419 just behind Tampa Bay record wise, only a couple of games back of them. I mean, they’re they’re winning a division that has the Astros, Mariners and angels. Wow, I would have predicted all three of those teams sort

Nick Schlemmer 30:18
of better. Yeah. So it kind of it sounds like we’re having all these teams like temporary arrays. If you went back five years, they’d been so 105.

Jack McFarlane 30:28
So that like that 20, that 2020 COVID seasons when they kind of came on the scene,

Nick Schlemmer 30:33
and then all of a sudden they got some new players, and then they just kicked it up and around. And now they’re playing insane baseball.

Jack McFarlane 30:39
Yeah, just crazy baseball. And I mean, I guess the same goes for the Rangers. They haven’t been that great. And yeah, I mean, they’ve been all right. But I think the addition of Jacob deGrom that makes your team good.

Nick Schlemmer 30:51
I mean, he Yeah, he’s just such a good player to where pitching is so important in baseball to where yeah, you have probably going to be in the Hall of Fame someday. Maybe? Yeah, I would.

Jack McFarlane 31:00
I would say the only content contingency on that would be his health. He is a fairly fragile player. But I mean, he’s just so good. He’s insane. As a starter throwing almost 100 miles an hour. Yeah. Or more sometimes. Yeah. is just incredible. Yeah, I would say that when healthy. He’s by far the best pitcher in the league. Yeah. And maybe probably the best pitcher this generation. Yeah. But and I think, yeah, as much as people love shohet. I mean, shohet is a great pitcher. He is Yeah, and he’s leading. I guess at least the American League. I’m not sure if he’s leaving the whole MLB but he has 90 strikeouts. On the other thing like show. It’s just incredible to watch show. Hey, because he’s not just a pitcher. he crushes baseballs at the home run list every year. Yeah, it’s I mean, it’s same this year. He’s up there and pitching stats and hitting stats, and it’s top five and like every stat you can think of both sides of the plate. Then again, the angels are barely over 500 Yeah. What a shame. I am so sad for Charlie and Mike Trout. I feel bad for him every year. I want them to be on a good team, but in a show he’s gonna be a free agent.

Nick Schlemmer 32:09
True. That is true. I wonder who’s that? I don’t know if we have the money for that one.

Jack McFarlane 32:16
Yeah, I don’t know. But that will be basic. But I mean, moving over to the nationally kind of what you’d expect in the East in the in the West. So we’ll start there. I mean Braves leading the east, you know, kind of nobody was surprised about that. No. Ronald Acuna Jr. is on pace for a 4060 season. You know what I mean? He’s MVP level right now, which is insane. After what did he tore his ACL or tore something bad in his knee and he has just exploded. And then I mean, they are on fire. The other I guess last night, put up 12 rounds on the Phillies and division rival and Matt Olson has been balling out so the Braves are doing really good. And then down in the West. I mean, surprise, surprise, the Dodgers are the Dodgers winning there. But have you seen Arizona? Have you seen Arizona? I mean, they are right there with the Dodgers? Yeah, you’re gonna come back there. Yeah, they’re right there with the Dodgers. Now. Is that going to be sustainable? I’m not quite sure. We’ll see. Yeah, we’ll see. We’ll see. Now to maybe the saddest part is the NL central were the brewers. That’s not too big of a surprise. I feel like most people if they didn’t pick the Cardinals probably pick the Brewers to win that division. Yeah. What people did not pick to happen is for the Cardinals to be sitting in last place. And for the pirates to be in second place. The pirates. Yes. So this is our bad bad segue into Cardinals baseball, and we’ve got some stuff to say.

Nick Schlemmer 33:43
And, and I mean, like for how bad that sounds. We’ve won a lot of games here recently. But yeah, starting off the season, it was just loss after loss after loss.

Jack McFarlane 33:55
Cardinals baseball started so slow. And then we went on this huge road trip. And we started to pick it up. Yeah. And then right as we won, like two or three games, came back home and dropped three to the angels, you know, but then after that, it was I mean, destroy the burgers destroy the Dodgers? Yeah, we were being really good teams. Yeah. And then this is what I think the Cardinals problem is and then they play so good against good teams. Yeah. And so bad against bad teams. I mean, they split with the reds. Yes. Who should not are not playoff contention. I’m sorry if your reds fan but you guys just aren’t you’re not there yet. And then today, Memorial Day, at home against the Kansas City Royals who have 16 wins now 17 And I’m there in person in Kansas City had a perfect game through eight innings. They won seven and nothing out, hit the Cardinals 16 to two hopefully It was bad. It was really bad. So I don’t know what it is about the Cardinals. But I mean, it Contreras was over 27 until he had a single today. Why in our nado was over 20 Maybe over 20. Exactly. And so he had a single Nate. Like, wow, the Cardinals have been so up and down. And it’s honestly frustrating.

Jack McFarlane 35:22
are not always on that homerun streak for what?

Nick Schlemmer 35:22
Yeah, five or six games there on that little hot streak. He had at least one homerun. Yeah, yeah, but I mean, the Cardinals? Yes. Just brutal.

Nick Schlemmer 35:37
I maybe something good. We can talk about the oh, I don’t know. I don’t know if you have to see it today or not. But so the Cardinals with our closing pitching staff with healthy his whole house introduction. Hells Bells? Yes. Would darkening the light. It’s all red like flames. I haven’t ever seen that at another MLB stadium for just one picture.

Jack McFarlane 36:01
Now, the only thing I could kind of think of would be the Mets closer, I’m drawing a blank on his name with the trumpets. And I’m talking about Edwin Diaz, Edwin Diaz. Now he is injured this year. So it’s not happening but last year that was a huge craze. But stabby did not get to see that today as here. Let me tell you Nick react live reaction to the three pitchers we threw today. Okay. Adam Wainwright

Jack McFarlane 36:32
We were not competitive at all.

Nick Schlemmer 36:35
Adam Wainwright was probably your most competitive guy. And he’s probably thrown only about 80 miles an hour.

Jack McFarlane 36:40
I think the hardest. The third day was like 81 or 82. So it was just not a great day for Cardinals baseball.

Nick Schlemmer 36:47
Have a great day for Cardinals.

Jack McFarlane 36:50
Let’s jump over to something a lot happier. And that’s got to be golf. There’s a lot of excitement going on in golf right now. It’s summertime. It’s the best time for golf.

Nick Schlemmer 36:59
I couldn’t agree with you more there. And just kind of starting off. You’ve had to have heard about him. Michael Block. The PGA head pro at Oak Hill. I believe it well. Yeah. Making the cut at the 2023 PGA Championship. Yeah, age 46 and making a hole in one on one of the last holes of his round. I don’t make it any better as like just a fairy tale.

Jack McFarlane 37:29
And for non golf advocate listeners, you know, the PGA Championship is it’s a major tournament. You know, it’s one of the big four, you got the Masters PGA Championship, US Open in the open. And it’s a tradition where the head pro gets to play. Whatever course it’s at this year was okay. He gets to play in the championship and no one expected him. No, to do any any good. I mean, he is the head professional. But I mean, these are Tour players. Yeah, just far, far better.

Nick Schlemmer 37:58
And he he’s just, you know, work in your 40 hours a week head golf teaching professional given lessons, like anything that you would see at a private club. That’s just him, but he came out and shot. believe he shot par a couple of times, and then maybe under par.

Jack McFarlane 38:14
Once? Yeah, I’m not exactly sure of his scores. But I mean, but he was consistent to where he made that cut line. Yeah, I mean, he was paired with Rory McIlroy. Yeah, on Sunday. Have a final day. That’s yeah, on a Sunday major. I mean, that’s incredible. And then the winner of that major was actually a live tour player and Brooks kept GM who had won the PGA championship twice before and what 18 or 19 I believe so yours Yeah, it’s for me it’s it’s bittersweet to see him winning again because you know, I’m I’m glad you know, he was a rough couple of years after watching full swing on Netflix. You can see he’s really struggling and really trying to get into it but man seen a live player when the PGA Championship.

Nick Schlemmer 38:59
Yeah, it’s just like, oh, Ouch, that hurts.

Jack McFarlane 39:06
But like some some other major major Oh, not majors, but some other big tournaments that have just gone on the past couple of weeks that were Charles Schwab challenge with Emilian gorilla from Argentina winning it in a playoff the two hole playoff and then Mexican open was just a couple of weeks ago we’re probably my favorite golfer Tony fee. Now, Tony fina ended up winning love Tony fee now lives in Lehi, Utah right around where I’m going to be living. Maybe Maybe I’ll run into him. But I mean, the tournament season is just getting started. Why don’t you kind of tell us what are the tournaments we have to look forward to the rest of the summer?

Nick Schlemmer 39:46
Yeah, so so like Jake said, coming up in June, the natural the US Open. We also have the match. That one’s always a fun one that is so fun. Really, like, huge into golf. It’s more about the play. Here’s that playing.

Jack McFarlane 40:01
Yeah. competing against each other. Yeah. So kind of how that works. It’s not really a PGA event. You know, it’s Capital One puts it on, and they, you know, pair, one golfer with either an athlete or, you know, a celebrity of some type the other year it was, you know, Charles Barkley was golfing in it. And, you know, Tom Brady and Josh Allen were the two athletes last year. Yeah, I was it to Shambo and KEPCO. Maybe I’m, I’m trying to blank on who was actually in it last year, but it’s just everyone’s miked up. You know, it’s really chill. It’s really fun. It’s just, it’s a really good one to watch. And you know, it’s a one day long, you know, yeah, it’s not like the four day tournament. It’s a really fun one to watch.

Nick Schlemmer 40:41
Highly recommend that one. We also have the John Deere classic. What else? Am I forgetting here?

Jack McFarlane 40:52
Oh, our fire the final major of the year? Yeah. At the open. Do you know where it’s at this year?

Speaker 1 40:57
Is it at St. Andrews this year? It should be I believe, is it is that? I can’t

Jack McFarlane 41:02
I can’t exactly remember. I know it was last year. That is not near the end of July 2002.

Nick Schlemmer 41:09
That’s kind of rounding up rounding up the tournament season.

Jack McFarlane 41:12
That rounds up the season. And then that kind of leads into I guess you would call it the playoffs of golf. You know, you have the big I would say the big three tournaments in the year and this decide, you know, FedEx, the FedEx Cup and the Tour Championship. So basically, you know, that’s the St. Jude Championship, the BMW championship, and then the classic, you know, Tour championship to finish it up. So a lot of exciting things looking towards summer golf.

Nick Schlemmer 41:39
Yeah. And then I’d be curious, Jack, who would you love to see just pick any of these events? Who would you love to see come out on top? In shape or anything?

Jack McFarlane 41:49
Yeah, I think for I would say, you know, for the US Open, I would love to see Tony fee. Now grab a major. Yeah, that would just make me smile. But then for the open, I would actually like to see Matthew Fitzpatrick when it I mean, he won the US Open last year, I believe. And he’s just he’s a fun golfer to watch. He’s just seems like a really nice dude. And he’s pretty young. I would like to see him like, when another major. He kind of started his career. And then I would say for Tour Championship fedexcup points. I would pick Scotty. I mean, shuffler now he hasn’t won that many tournaments this year. But I mean, he’s been top five and almost everything. Yeah, he’s so I would love to see him win. You know, the final, you know, the Tour Championship or the also the FedEx. But yeah, those would be my picks. I’m curious to hear who would you pick?

Nick Schlemmer 42:38
Yeah, so I’m right up there too. With love to see Scotty win again, just to see him get some more get some more trophies for his arsenal. But I would I’ve all of a sudden I’ve become a big Colin more Cowboy fan.

Jack McFarlane 42:51
love caught Mark Allah. Yes. I would like

Nick Schlemmer 42:54
to see him win. Maybe like the Tour Championship or something like that. I know. That seems like such a great person just watching the interviews and then watching him play. He’s just a phenomenal golf player.

Jack McFarlane 43:05
Yeah, I mean, he was he was well, he was world number one it. He was at one point at one point. Yeah, it’s like him and I noticed like him and worry. And also JT are kinda like slumping right now. I guess you’d say, you know, they’ve posted some

Nick Schlemmer 43:17
Roy’s Roizen there very bad slump right now.

Jack McFarlane 43:21
Yeah. But you know, I’m with you there. I would love to see Colin. just explode out of that and grab a dub? Yes,

Nick Schlemmer 43:27
definitely. And then do we know who’s playing in the match yet? Who the who the pairings are?

Jack McFarlane 43:33
I do not. I’m sure it’s out there. I didn’t know either. Yeah. That I’m not sure yet. But that that is just That’s a fun one to watch.

Nick Schlemmer 43:40
Yeah, I’m looking forward to that. Anytime that you mic up the players. It can be any sport. Baseball. Whenever you have a player miked up and they’re just chit chatting back and forth. It’s always fun to watch

Jack McFarlane 43:51
fun to listen 100% Is that and that’s the whole point of it. It’s fun. It’s not that serious maybe the players take a little serious but yeah, the players are trying to play liable

Nick Schlemmer 44:01
it’s yeah they’re chirping back at

Jack McFarlane 44:04
each other trash talk is here yeah

Nick Schlemmer 44:08
we were gonna talk about this but the NBA yeah the big games coming up with the sell

Jack McFarlane 44:13
tonight tonight going on right now let’s get a live I’ll do it I’ll give us a Live Score update so do you want to kind of explain the situation that the heat and Celtics find themselves in?

Nick Schlemmer 44:23
Yeah the gives gives them information on the heat versus Celtics if we don’t know Jack’s looking up the score right now but his game seven and a little bit of background on that the heat went up three oh and everybody I believe had the Celtics just not sweat but killing yeah should be easy wins in the heat go up three Oh in the Celtics have fought back to now it’s game seven right now.

Jack McFarlane 44:48
Yeah, going on as we speak. And I mean, I know some teams have come back from three one but I don’t think at least in the Eastern Conference Finals, no one has ever come back from 303 It is a historic game today. Yeah. So right now started the second quarter the heat are winning 22 to 15. Wow, they’re gonna do it which I know we’re both pulling for the heat. We would love to see Jimmy Butler not only make it to the finals, but when it man I got to say whatever team makes it finals heat or Celtics, it’s gonna be a tough matchup with those with the nuggets match up with Denver. Yeah, yeah, I mean, Yogesh is it’s beyond historic. What he’s done in the playoffs. I mean, MVP, probably again. Yeah, definitely. You can argue too well, but I would say, Yeah, I would say the Joker for sure. Maybe, maybe not. You could get down to an NBA finals game. That they’re gonna be.

Nick Schlemmer 45:46
I am in Colorado. I didn’t think about that. Yeah, there we go. My tip money. That would be I guess, I’m still gonna root for the heat. But yeah, be to call it my local team for this summer’s Colorado. So we’ll see. I’ll take anybody but yeah, but yeah, I’m excited. I want Jimmy Ballard really to pull out something big hear. Yeah. Because coming from like, if you don’t know, his background, at one point, he was homeless, it was just him and his mom, the true like, what you love to see kind of backstory of like, came from almost nothing to nothing, and made it all the way up to where now he could be potentially playing in the finals.

Jack McFarlane 46:30
Yeah, and I mean, not only that, like, once he made it to the NBA, it still was tough. Like, he played like two minutes, a game only played like 40 games the first season. And then in 2020, he was in the finals against the Lakers. And I mean, he gave it he gave it his all, like, There’s that famous picture of him. You know, leaning on the Scores Table, just completely drenched in sweat out of breath. Just give it his all and they came up short. And I would just love to see him captured this year.

Nick Schlemmer 46:55
Definitely. Couldn’t agree with you more there. Yeah, and then wrapping up the show here we have my favorite part of the show the quote of the show, and in honor of today being on the time of recording, it is Memorial Day today. So I have a quote that kind of ties along with that. And this is a quote from John F. Kennedy. As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter the words, but live by them. I couldn’t agree with that more. Thank you for everybody who has served. It’s been a great show today.

Jack McFarlane 47:30
Yeah, I think that is a fantastic way to end the show here. We would just like to say thank you once again, for all our supporters and listeners, we would love to hear some feedback. We would love to hear your thoughts on your summer plans, which concerts and movies and all that. You know, maybe you got your summer job stolen, I don’t know. Reach out to us feel free. We would love to hear from you. Anyways, thank you guys very much for listening.

Nick Schlemmer 47:51
Thank you guys and bye for now.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai