We are live, or so it says. And this is not Jeff Erickson live. Jeff is returning from Ireland

on a wonderful trip. He had with his family. I've been asked to pinch hit on the Thursday industry

podcast and decided who else in the industry should I ask to talk a few minutes to to our good friend

Brian Walton from the Cardinal Nation,

helps me out with creative sports.

Brian and I don't get to talk a lot,

and when we do,

it's usually because there's somebody in one of our leagues

that we have an issue to deal with.

So it's nice to talk to Brian on a more informal basis for a change.

How you doing, my friend?

That's good to be here, Todd. And, you know,

it's, there's a level of comfortability when you're, you know, dealing with someone that you've known for a couple of decades now and have been through the ups and downs and ins and outs. And that's the way I feel with you, Todd. So it's a, it's a pleasure to be on here. I would have, I would have come even if I was busy.

I would have changed my schedule because I owe you a lot for what you over here. It's mutual, my friend. Actually, I didn't even realize this until just now. You say you're busy. You're not headed this way for the weekend, are you? No, actually, I just got back from the Midwest. I actually spent the night before last in O'Hare Airport, which was not a great way to spend

a night.

I spent it in a wheelchair that I found to sleep in.

But that's a different story for a different day.

Yeah, okay.

Yeah, no, the reason I ask folks, I think folks probably realize Brian's a big St. Louis Cardinals fan

and the Cardinals

are heading to Fenway Park this weekend. And I had a decision whether I was going to go up there

and work, you know, or, but what I decided was, it was an easy decision. My oldest son, who lives in

...