| | Welcome to ESPN.com's moderated chat room. On Thursday, ESPN Radio AllNight host Todd Wright dropped by to take your questions in chat. Wright joined ESPN in November 1996 as a co-host of GameNight on ESPN Radio which airs seven nights a week. He currently hosts ESPN Radio All Night, 2-6 a.m. ET Monday-Friday. Prior to joining ESPN Radio, Wright served as an anchor for Tampa Bay Lightning radio broadcasts in Tampa, and as host for WFNS-AM in Tampa and WGTO-AM in Orlando. Don't forget to check out espnradio.com to find the best of ESPN Radio each day with audio highlights, features and news. For a list of upcoming ESPN.com chat guests, visit the Community section.
 Todd Wright at 3:59pm ET
Today's beverage of choice is Starfruit Gatorade and I await the No. 10 video on the countdown, as I await your countdown of questions which can begin now.
VIKING JEFF from [207.190.27.51], at 4:00pm ET
Todd with two D's. I used to listen to you in Tampa(I live in Lakeland) and call your show about once a week and talk Vikings and Reds. I still tell my buddies that you were the most informative host they have ever had and I understand why ESPN grabbed you. Since I only catch about 20 minutes of you at 5:15 in the AM on my way to the gym I don't get to hear a lot of your insight and scoop material.Question: Do you see the Reds making a deal soon for a pitcher and who in their over crowded outfield is going? Second, what pitcher do you see them targeting? We definitely need a solid number one or two starter, not another prospect at AA or AAA level. Thanks. P.S. Holding out until football season....
Todd Wright at 4:03pm ET
At this point, we need to wait at least one more month, maybe six weeks to see if Cincinnati is a legitimate postseason contender. Right now, the Reds pitching staff has shown no real reason or need to sacrifice current young talent to bring in another established starter. I'm as surprised as you are, but pitching has turned out to be an early-season strength for the Reds. While the outfield is overcrowded, I'm not sure what the market would be if Bowden chose to deal someone like Ochoa, Rivera or Tucker. No team is going to run too far ahead of anybody in the NL Central, which further creates no urgency for the Reds to do a deal right now.
scott with 2 T's from [64.12.105.47], at 4:03pm ET
Hey T-Dubs,
The friends of the all-night network (ryan dempster, shawn podine, marc jackson, matt bullard, the Chad, etc.) all seem to get along with you very well. Have you ever had an awkward or uncomfortable interview with an athlete? By the way, Burnitz hit 3 homers today so you might want to bust out your terminology for that.
Todd Wright at 4:09pm ET
As recently submitted via email to my show ... the new Jessica Simpson "Irrisitable" video is at No. 10 and she looks as good as the Mariners chances of making the postseason again ... what was I talking about? ... A three home run game is now known on AllNight as a Jack Tripper. Hopefully, you're all smart enough to figure out why. As for an uncomfortable interview, I've been fortunate to have only two or three. When I interviewed Kenny Lofton in the time he was with the Braves, Kenny didn't want to do the interview and it was obvious we were wasting each other's time. Few knew at that time how unhappy Kenny was in Atlanta. I have since had him in-studio at the ESPN Club at Walt Disney World, and found him to be very personable and now know he never wanted to be a Brave. The most famous interview that took a bad turn was my interview with Bobby Hull during the 2000 NHL all-star weekend. Bobby went on a profanity-laced tirade when I tried to have some fun with him about something very mild he once said during his playing days. I'm not the first and certainly not the last that the elder Hull has popped off on, as it's obvious the old man can't laugh at himself or at his past.
wilson in seattle from potlnd1.or.home.com at 4:09pm ET
hey todd, the ichiro doll won't be coming for another two months, but i've still got a question about him. do you think nomo's going to throw at him again? a lot of the m's and sox fans are predicting a brawl tonight...there's been a lot of heat between these teams.
Todd Wright at 4:13pm ET
Nomo did drill Ichiro right in the letter H, didn't he? I'm not sure we do or can know everything that might exist between these two guys. However, it's easy to look at Seattle and Boston and see them as two of the four postseason teams in the American League. Nomo's success early for the Red Sox has decreased the gap between Pedro and the rest of that staff. As we see with the Diamondbacks, it's not just about having a No. 1 and No. 2 starter. You need at least three quality starters to win. So Boston still has questions about the depth of their staff. There are fewer questions with the Mariners, thanks to the Randy Johnson trade that brought them Halama and Garcia. I don't expect there to be a brawl tonight, if for no other reason that I'm not at the game. As many people know, about half of the fights in professional sporting events in the last two years have occurred with me in attendance. Come out with me on a Friday night, and you'll see why that is.
Brian in College Station from cox-internet.com at 4:14pm ET
Todd...great interview with Craig Conroy..I've always been a big Conroy fan, hated to see him leave the Blues..so..Blues chances vs. Colorado...good or bad?
Todd Wright at 4:18pm ET
As you know I am also a fan of Craig's. He is a very good any line center who wins a lot of draws and anticipates the play well. The Blues seem to be a tougher team this year than the previous two, although the Stillmann-for-Conroy deal had no effect on that. Remember, the Wings won two Cups once they acquired some grit with Shanahan. The Blues have that now with Tkachuk, Drake, Mellanby, while at the same time they are deeper on their own blue line with Pronger and McInnis. I do think Colorado isn't done just because they lost Forsberg today. The Avs too often didn't play to the level of their talent, and losing Forsberg will give them a new sense of purpose.
QCB from carolina.rr.com at 4:18pm ET
Todd,
Are you thinking about doing some acting? Perhaps movies, or television? I noticed that a lot of broadcasters are now doing that sort of thing and making a good secondary career.
Todd Wright at 4:21pm ET
If there happens to be a role available, as a cabana boy for an upcoming film starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Eliza Dushku and Allie Landry, who star as three ladies who take their boyfriends' money and run off on a tropical vacation in search of hedonistic fun, I think I'm perfect for that role. Otherwise, I'll just continue to work with the likes of The Chad and Matt Bullard on the show.
Paul Bourque from [204.50.249.131] at 4:22pm ET
In your opinion does Vince Carter renew his contract with the Raptors or go elsewhere? And also, how many times in one year would you say you watch "Caddyshack"?
Todd Wright at 4:27pm ET
All seems relatively quiet north of the border about Vince leaving. The Raptors are Carter's team and he is smart enough to know that he cannot find another team to call his own that is as good as the team he is on. Also, I think Vince likes playing for Lenny, and wants to show that Tracy doesn't know everything about him leaving Toronto as Tracy said Vince would do. Carter still needs to take more interest in playing on-the-ball defense, much as Allen Iverson has taken that approach under Larry Brown. There are three things I currently do once a day: watch the 92nd Britney Spears Pepsi commercial I have videotaped, enjoy Chick-Fil-A sandwich, and at least 15 minutes of Caddyshack. "Here's an uncashed check for $70,000 ... keep it."
Joe in LaPorte, IN from [12.39.2.196] at 4:28pm ET
Todd, I am a very casual fan of hockey - but I have been caught up in the Stanley Cup playoffs & lloking forward to tonights game. I guess I get into the whole Mario thing. As a novice fan, what can I look for to help me understand the game a bit more?
Thanks Joe
Todd Wright at 4:30pm ET
Much like enjoying the game of basketball, where you watch someone who doesn't have the ball, I would suggest the same in hockey in picking out a good player and watching him when he doesn't have the puck. No one in this league, at this level and at this time of year carries the puck on their stick for more than maybe two seconds. When watching Buffalo and Pittsburgh tonight, watch Robert Lang and how he creates opportunities for his linemates by forechecking in the Buffalo zone. That's what set up Straka's game-winner in Game 6.
Todd Wright at 4:32pm ET
Here's one for you guys to think about -- better young talent right now -- Mandy Moore or Albert Pujols of the Cardinals?
ALBERT FROM WEST COVINA,CA from [141.242.90.171] at 4:32pm ET
TODD- WHAT DID YOU THINK OF "61*"? AND IF THE LAKERS DONT REPEAT, DO THEY TRADE KOBE? WHAT DO THINK THE CLIPPS WILL DO IN THE OFF-SEASON?
Todd Wright at 4:37pm ET
I have not seen 61* yet, probably because there is so much to follow in the playoffs. I hear from people whose opinion I respect that the movie is worth watching. The problem for people like you and I watching any sports movie is we can pick out so many flaws. However, Billy Crystal being such a Yankee-and-baseball fan may have prevented this from happening. We've know for months the real NBA finals will be the Spurs playing LA. I'm not sure yet what Derek Anderson's injury does to the way the Spurs match up with the Lakers. I still think Kobe is one of the three best players in the game. And he seems focused right now on distributing the ball and playing aggressive defense to win this second title. The Lakers would be smart to keep him for the length of his contract. As far as the Clippers, they were a fun team to watch this year, but I'm not sure the growth can continue at the same rate over the next two years to get them to where the Mavericks are now.
Tyson from SoCal from cvx14-bradley.dialup.earthlink.net at 4:38pm ET
Mandy Moore! Who is Albert Pujols?
Todd Wright at 4:40pm ET
Albert is the young third basemen for the Cardinals currently protecting Jim Edmonds' bat in McGwire's absence for St. Louis. Pujols bats like Alou and his rapid rise through the Cardinals system has turned a lot of heads. He and Ben Sheets are two good early candidates for NL Rookie of the Year.
C KNIGHT from [63.148.183.83] at 4:43pm ET
HEY TODD..1.5 YEARS AGO YOU SAID THE CAL VRS THE BAND WAS COLLEGE FOOTBALLS BEST PLAY. 1NAMEJ AND LOUISE SAID IT WAS DOUG FLUTIES HAIL MARY. MY QUESTION IS SOUNDING BY HOW SNIPPY LOUISE GOT THAT NIGHT I WANNA KNOW HOW MAD AT YOU WAS SHE????BE HONEST
Todd Wright at 4:48pm ET
She gets mad at me all the time. Especially when I claim anything is better than something from Boston. It's OK though. Most people only get angry about things they really care about. And that skews judgment. Cal beating the band was a one-time event. There's at least one Hail Mary every year. I would give Louise the benefit of the doubt if Phelan had caught the ball and drilled a University of Miami band-of-the-hour oboe player. The two other notes about Cal beating the band that stand out to me are how John Elway's fourth-quarter comeback wasn't good enough for Stanford, and that Cal only had ten men on the field on the game-winning play.
Todd Wright at 4:50pm ET
That's all the time we have for today here on TRL. I am becoming as sold on the Raptors winning this series over Philadelphia as I am this tall blonde from "Dream." We'll talk to you again soon.
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