Episode 39: Gayle Benson
On the 39th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by New Orleans Saints and Pelicans Owner Gayle Benson (08:18 – 35:04). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll), where the guys talk about Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal from the French Open, and the current relationship between athletes and the media (02:07). We then move to our interview with Gayle, where she discusses a wide range of topics: her transition into being a franchise owner, and how her management style mirrors her late husband, Tom Benson (11:07); what the great Drew Brees has meant to both the Saints and the city of New Orleans (14:31); why she feels that Sean Payton remains the best man for the job in New Orleans (15:50); fond memories from Super Bowl XLIV, and emotional reminiscing of her late husband Tom (17:30); her memories of the amazing victory parade for the Saints in New Orleans after their Super Bowl victory (21:21); her thoughts on the current state of the Saints as a franchise (23:20); why she can’t pick just one Saints player as her all-time favorite (26:20); how her habit of sending handwritten notes to former players has helped make the Saints alumni network among the strongest in the league (28:12); why she feels Zion Williamson can have a Drew Brees-like impact on the city of New Orleans (30:03); and this week’s edition of “The Name Game,” featuring Mickey Loomis, Cam Jordan, Thomas Morstead, John Carney, Wil Lutz, and Morten Andersen (30:51).Then, TommyFreezePops is joined by Kevin Rogers for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (35:52 – 41:46). With the Lakers in trouble, who should bettors turn to for a safe Western Conference champion play (37:07)? Who will win the Nets-Bucks series, and will that winner go on to win the Eastern Conference (38:29)? Which player props over the next few days should people keep an eye out for (39:32)? Finally, we close things out with Morten’s “Game Winner” – a weekly segment where Morten monologues his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about Gayle Benson, and how her hands-on approach as an owner sets her apart across the sports landscape (41:46).