00:00You know, one of the most polarizing stories that continues to hit the media trail has to be this WNBA
00:07story now.
00:08And, you know, the story with Dan Patrick this past week, I thought Dan really did a great job at
00:14explaining his position of her not coming on and doing an interview.
00:18Now, listen, all of us who do these shows, look, we know people are busy and we know people are
00:25going to cancel on us.
00:26We deal with it all the time. And there's no problem when you give somebody a heads up and you
00:31say, listen, can't make it, got to do this.
00:34Or, listen, at this time right now, there is something going on where we would not like to comment on
00:40this.
00:41We'll give you a statement, but we're really not going to answer questions until we can gather more information.
00:46Look, I've been in this thing a long time. Over 30 years I've been involved in broadcasting, so everyone knows
00:52it here.
00:52Then here's the storyline. Dan Patrick on WNBA Commissioner Kathy Engelbert canceling her appearance on the show.
01:03If you want to be treated as a serious lead, which he's right, this is what happens.
01:09These are tough questions.
01:12And Dan gave her the opportunity by saying, this is a fair outlet for you, a fair platform.
01:20I will treat you with respect. Look, there's a lot of people out there, obviously, that are looking for clicks
01:26and views.
01:28And I do believe that Dan Patrick is a show, and he's a guy who wants to give you fair
01:33and balanced.
01:34I believe that. Me, on the other hand, I'm a guy with an opinion.
01:37And I'm going to give you my opinion on her and that league.
01:40And Dan's going to try to get at least both sides to see whether or not she can answer where
01:46the WNBA is concerning, and most notably with Kaitlyn Clark.
01:51Me, in my position, I think she's a train wreck.
01:56I mean, if you truly want to be covered as a mainstream sport, tough questions are to be asked of
02:04you.
02:04You know, there was a couple months ago when one of the sportswriters asked a coach and a player about
02:14her relationship with another player in the league.
02:17And immediately, the PR department said, we're not here to answer anything on personal relationships.
02:24Next question.
02:26Unfortunately, dude, that's the kind of questions that are going to be asked of you because you're going to get
02:33uncomfortable questions when you are being covered as a mainstream sport.
02:37Not every press conference is a great press conference in the NFL, Major League Baseball, or the NHL, or NBA.
02:45You have to answer these questions.
02:47I don't know why the NBA wants to be, or WNBA wants to be such a small-minded league.
02:53Dude, you're now playing in arenas.
02:57You're now in a position where you're making money for the first time in 28 years.
03:03They are leaderless.
03:05Kathy Engelbert should be fired.
03:08Instead, she's hitting sand shots 50 yards away from Dan Patrick, not answering questions about her league,
03:15who could really shed some great light and give her great publicity for her league.
03:20And for the players that she thinks she's protecting.
03:24I don't know why she feels so compelled to sit there and protect the rest of the players and not
03:32one player who's galvanized their league.
03:35It's okay to have a face of the league.
03:38Every sport goes through that.
03:40Michael Jordan was the face of the NBA.
03:43For years, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were the face.
03:47How about the fact when Larry Bird had the face?
03:50Hey, Larry, Isaiah Thomas said if you were just another black dude, you would just be another player in the
03:57NBA.
03:58You think that's uncomfortable?
04:00That was at a press conference.
04:03That was during the Eastern Conference Finals that that was brought up, that statement.
04:09And Larry had to answer that.
04:11Larry said, I'm just a basketball player.
04:13I want to play basketball.
04:15Dude, tough questions like that are asked all the time when you're in a mainstream sport.
04:21About what we're trying to see here a little bit with Team USA and their output, what they did in
04:27the World Cup.
04:28And you're seeing collateral damage and constant questions being asked about leadership, both on the team and both as the
04:36coach.
04:36That's part of being covered as a sport, dude.
04:39So when you look at Kathy Engelbert, she's doing a disservice to the WNBA and most notably to the other
04:48players in the league.
04:50Look, make no mistake, you're now a league that people are talking about.
04:57Take advantage of that.
05:01Publicity is good for your sport that has been hidden in the closet, so to speak.
05:08You now have an opportunity to put your team and your league and your players front and center.
05:16I have no idea why the WNBA is so afraid to answer the simplest questions.
05:22It makes no sense.
05:26You want this, but you can't deliver that.
05:32They're leaderless.
05:33She's the worst commissioner in all of North American sports.
05:38Dude, it's time to make a move.
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