This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera on Fox Sports fourteen fift day powered by Nova Insurance Services ensure your most prized pazz as.
Yets Hey, good afternoon, everybody. Welcome to I on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera in with me. The day is Dave Silver and my boy Henry. How are you gonna doing? Doing good? Good to be here on a Friday going into the weekend, last day of the week, should it? It's been a good week, Dave, we were part of that on Tuesday, came in, Yeah, talked to uh I think the garment people right Tuesdayesday, the marathon. Yeah, we've had a lot
of good guess this week. Yesterday's show was pretty pretty good Kendrea and John Fina. Today, I think we're gonna have another good show. We love to talk about too. I'm sure Henry will have a lot of breaking news and last night's last night's draft games coming up? Are you obey otherwise right? NBA?
Definitely, there's a lot of a lot of stuff going on this time of year, for sure, but the drafts still going on with the next couple of rounds today got through the first one with of course the big news from the U of a side with TAC going to Carolina.
Yeah. That was I was sitting at some place and had him turn the TV onto it. As they turned it on, it was he was going. He was going at eight because it was varying reports, right, you could go high or you could go in the twenties. Yeah, and obviously he won eight. Yeah.
I mean I think that was about as good as we could expect it based on the numbers and people we've been heard about and some of the other projections had him, like you said, in the twenties. And you know, the reaction has been kind of mixed. People are you know, there's some people said, yeah, he was the best receiver available and Carolina made a good choice, and others are like, well maybe maybe not, but.
Well some people were questioning his attitude or his commitment or whatever they were questioning. McShee was talking about who he had talked to a source sort of give him some bad words. Then later in the night last night I saw Jed talking about him and saying he was fantastic. You know, who do you believe in?
Yes, I think a lot of that is part of playing the game of you know, trying to uh, you know, make him look bad before the draft for other teams, and you know, spreading the word and hey, well we'll say that, well some things publicly.
I don't know.
I mean, I think that's kind of been the word today about Shador Sanders, is that some of the stuff has been said publicly about him, and that's just other people are knocking him and you know, make them look bad.
So let's go there, Henry, I want you to get involved with this. So why do you think that Shador did not get picked in the first round? Hey, and if this is the worst thing that happened to Shador, he'll be fine.
You want me to talk start, Yeah, you know, I'm not a talent evaluators, so I don't know, but I some of the things I heard today was it. I guess he and cam Ward had been training together and sometimes the scouts. Scouts would be out there and they'd be like so obvious that cam Ward was better than him, stronger arm, bigger, able to run better. I mean, there are those kinds of things I heard. Again, I don't know, we weren't there, but that's those are some of the
messages that we're getting. There's obviously the Dion factor, I think is going to play and it's good, and what say you know that he's he's a big personality and other player's fathers sometimes can get in the way and.
Who knows, yes, so that you're thinking that may have got him out of or had him fall out of the first round. No matter who deals with him, second, third, fourth round, is going to deal with that. If that's true, right, uh, then why would you even want him? I mean, you'll put up with a bunch of crap for a good player. But I'm not sure if that plays a part. But I like the the thought on it, because yeah, they come as a package. Right.
Well, we saw the ball fan was Lamal LaMelo, their dad whatever his name was.
Yeah, that's a different the dude that's just crazy because he didn't play. I mean that's true. You know he's so dad trying to pump up his sons. Henry, what do you think?
I think a lot of it was kind of what Dave said about the big personality, But I also think it's just a lot of teams don't need a quarterback as badly as people see.
That's another one I think today I was coming Ribs one in the first round. Yeah, we were talking now or some of the guys an analysis was talking about the thirty third pick and the fortieth pick that maybe the next wave here because after that nobody needs a quarterback. That's where maybe Cleveland comes into play. That was a talk last night.
Was there going to get him that Cleveland makes all these all these deals early on? But that didn't that didn't work out that way. So yeah, last year, what six in the first round? This year too, and they were saying all along, this wasn't a great quarterback class obviously compared to the last year.
Yeah, I didn't watch him enough to know that he was good or bad. I just you know, he's just the son of DM Well.
I mean, he comes into a program that was horrible and they basically got him to be pretty respectable. They had no defense and basically had no offensive line. It seemed like, so every game was basically you know, fifty to forty.
Yeah. So one of the things, and I'm sure I don't know we talked about this with oh Rhino yesterday. I don't know if you got these calls for basketball when when the draft was happening, But I got a number of calls when I covered it day to day. You know, how's how these guys doing in public? In the public? Did you hear anything off the off the court? How were they with you dealing with you? BD wise? Did you have to answer some of those.
I really don't remember that ever happening. That you would get calls from other newspaper people.
No, no, No, from NBA teams, actual teams now, yeah, I never did. Yeah, the reps or the you know, scouts, how is he in this situation? And I said, well, you know, mostly it was about you know, the two thousand and one guys, you know, Gilbert and Richard and Luke and people like that. Never had issues with them. They spoke freely, of course, and Loot allowed it, which was great. But no, never any issues.
I don't ever recall anyone from the pros ever reaching out to us. I think it seemed like they were mostly relying on what they would see in the media, and they could probably base it on just you know, seeing stories and seeing who was interviewed. Are they are they out there publicly? You know, will they be will they be comfortable doing that? You know with the professionals.
Well, one of the things I think too that involved Shador was more of his uh his not body language, but his attitude were my poop doesn't stink kind of thing?
I think?
Did he come off that way?
I heard those stories too that his interviews were not good, and you know that's I guess you hear that from the combine or whenever those interviews are done with teams. But apparently didn't grade out too well there either, So that could be another issue. And somewhat much of it's gonna be a it's gonna be a big pr move. Whoever takes them, it's gonna be big news, you know. He basically as soon as cam Ward was drafted, that was like we barely heard about.
Him all night long last night. It was like, well, is the dog gonna get picked? Yeah? Well do they still take the wonder? I'm not sure. I'm not sure because we have I haven't heard much of it, but I'm just remembering that's what they used to do, right, And then you'd hear some oh this guy failed that thing, you know, take a left it out crickie, where you go stupid questions? Right? Uh? So, I probably they don't do that anymore. I'm not sure.
I don't know, but again, there were some there were some stories about him not doing well with the interview and not handling himself, you know, like he didn't really care too much about it.
He was talking to general managers of these teams. Yeah, well he's already made millions yeah on his I L L right, yeah, you know, and then flashing the watches and you know, treating people whatever.
Well, I mean, they kept cutting to them during the broadcast. I don't know, I was switching back and forth between the NFL and ESPN broadcasts, and uh, you know, he cut into him at the house, showing him standing there like watching TV.
And just where were they at Texas? Oh okay, so they were somewhere else. There was somewhere else and they were like a Dion's house, yeah, okay or whatever.
Yeah, they weren't in Colorado, they weren't in Green Bay. But there was just about everybody else that was in Green Bay got picked, except I guess the Alabama quarterback showed up and no one really Jaden Milroe. Yeah, yeah, no one really and projected to go in the first round. But he was there anyway, Okay, was he in the room the green room, were out on the stands.
I think he was in the room, you know, Okay, some people just go and sit in the stands, and yeah, happened to be there. Yeah, they introduced him.
They did like a runway shot at the beginning of the night where they all you know, all the ones that were invited, I guess, were there, and he was there.
He was on that on that stage. Yeah. I remember doing that with Mike Bibby when he was picked number two and two ninety eight. Uh, the O'Neill kid, the youngster germano news German, and he went and fell and fell and really and he was sitting there just waiting and waiting to be picked back in those days. And he turned out to be a pretty good player. Whatever
happened to Michael olo Kandi. Oh yeah, Well I wrote that column that night before knowing that in Vancouver, knowing that they were going to pick uh, they weren't gonna pick Bibby, which made no sense. And I said, well, the Clippers being the Clippers, because they went and in the GM at the time, I can't remember his name. He said, you can't teach hyde. Yeah, but you can't teach winning either, you know, and that's what Bibby did. Yeah, that was bad. I remember.
Just that.
I remember that night. Just as soon as I said, you know, the.
First pick in the draft is Michael, everybody just starts cheering.
Again, where do you play?
Uh?
You should know this. Damon coach there Georgia Tech specific Oh u a p that's right. Yeah, Yeah, that was a strange one because he was he was a big, big dude, right. It just didn't have the didn't last more than three or four years. Basically, That's why these things are crap. That's why recruiting is a crap shoot. That's why these these drafts are crap shooting. Yeah, you just never know, especially especially this sport football.
It just seems like, you know, all it takes is one bad injury and your your whole everything you've worked for could be could be messed up, just just with that one one thing. Basketball, they seem to come back, I mean, other than like the Achilles that seems to take all the time, but usually basketball players are a little more resilient.
Yeah, so we'll see what happens. What time does that start, Henry, do we know six five o'clock again? Five four, So we'll be doing this show. Okay, so he'll keep us updated as we move forward. Okay, So Drew Dixon here at three seventeen, former U of A football player slash now slash other school Limestone What did you say? Limestone College? Limestone College? Do we see where that was at South Carolina?
Oh?
Okay, okay, So he'll be on the show. He's now with the Sugar Skulls, you know, obviously the indoor league team here at Tucson. So we'll talk to him, and then at four seventeen, I think it's going to be I don't think. I know it's going to be coach Shields from the men's tennis team. All he does is win, So we're gonna have him on going to the next round the regionals I think, or whatever, to the playoffs. Na. Yeah,
they're done very well. We'll talk about his time there this year and he just continues to win.
Yeah.
I mean men's tennis never really been much of a factor though in our news for a long time, and they've kind of emerged with some great players.
Yeah, not just now recently, right over the years. I said this when with Jay and I are doing the story doing the show last year that I thought, no, no disrespect to all the other ones, that Clancy Shields was the best coach on campus. Yeah, look what he's done. This doesn't happen by accident. He's done unbelievably. Well.
Well, I mean it's good to see moving into a different term, different to conference and they're going to dominate.
I think. Yeah, well they were pretty high up there in the PAC twelve to USC. I think the USC was the team to beat and beat him a couple of times. So, you know, like you said that, they weren't in the news very much. Now they're in the news a lot. No, I mean he was.
He was doing pretty well. Mountain Region Coach of the Year, Mountain West Coach of the Year, Southwest Region Coach of the Year, and then it was PAC twelve Coach of the Year three times, you know, twenty four to twenty nineteen's. Yeah, there's been some success out of that program and nobody saw coming.
No, no, no, I don't know. Okay, let's take a break, Henry, and we got about five five in the break, about five minutes. Yeah, okay, we'll take a break and come back with I think Drew Dixon.
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Breaking down all the xys and ohs. This is Eye on the Ball with Steve Rivera on Box Sports fourteen fifty.
Hey, welcome back to in the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifteen. I'm Steve Rivera and we'll be today is Dave Silver Now on the phone. We have Drew Dixon former you a wide receiver now with the Sugar Schools and Drew, how you doing.
I'm doing great.
How are you doing?
We're doing fine. Hey, thanks for joining us. A nice little move you've made recently, right joining the Sugar Schools. How do you feel about it?
Yes, sir, so good.
It's a great opportunity and you know, I'm glad to be on the team.
Feel good to be back in your hometown area as well to play some football.
Absolutely absolutely being able to play from of the Tucson fans again, you know, I'm excited about it.
Did you leave? What was your situation before you signed with the Sugar Schools.
So, before sign of the Sugar Schools, I had actually gotten married in twenty three to my wife in New Zealand.
And then I was in South Carolina finishing up.
My last season with UH the Mike Ferry.
And Jericho Katchery.
And then from there I got an opportunity with the Green Bay Packers, and then I also got an opportunity with the Detroit Lions. Didn't make a roster, so I was kind of in free agency for a while, and then it was in September well a coach back had reached out and I got an opportunity to sign a contract with the Sugar Schools. And then I was actually in Tucson during that time, and then now I'm now I'm just.
Here, No here okay?
Cool?
Yeah yeah, no, kind of full circle, right, you're doing all these things here. You must be about twenty five ish, twenty six? Uh twenty six yeah, twenty six okay, So still young? Do you hope to this might be a dumb question. Do you hope to kind of show again that you're still capable and maybe you get another shot at it bigger? Yeah?
Absolutely, Like you know, that's the gold plane is you know, I am twenty six now, so I have two kids and a wife.
So it's like, you know, at.
This point in my career, you know, I'm still young and fresh in the body, you know, still able to play the game, and you know, playing it better than I was before. So yeah, I just keep playing, staying in shape and staying ready for an opportunity to go to.
A higher league.
Had you ever played indoor football before this?
No, this is my first season indoor So what's what's happened?
Like it's just you know, switching to almost a different sport in a way.
Yeah, I mean it's real different. You know, it's similar to the CFL. I guess with the high motions and stuff. But you know, the field is fifty yards long and twenty eight yards wide, so and then it's indoor. It's just a totally different game with angles and.
And just spacing on the field.
He only got sixteen people on the field at the time time, so you know, it's just a fast paced, different game for sure.
So you've only been around for like a couple of games.
Right, yes, so this will be our third game. But this week, I actually I came down with the cold. I was battling a cold last game, so I'm actually gonna be sitting out of this game, so I don't get the team just so I don't get the team sick.
Yeah, it makes sense. I think your skills is what when's your next game this.
Weekend on Sunday, yep in San Diego.
Yeah, okay, that's why. That's what I had read. Okay, no cool, No, good for you. Good for you to get to sit out and then get recovered here in a second. Uh so, so, how has it been it just being with the team and new group of guys. Things like that.
Man, just from hearing about the past of the Sugar Skulls, they haven't been. They weren't doing well previously the past two seasons. But with the group of guys that we got, I mean it's you know, a coach says it's different, but you can just feel that it's different. You know, everybody is focused on details and we.
Want to win games.
You know, the end of the day, it's called a business trip for the kids that are out of town coming here to Tson to play. But you know, we got five four or five months to to buckle down and and practice and and win games and and helps of.
Playing in the championship.
Are most of the guys, you know, former college players that you know are hoping maybe for you know, another shot at the big time or what's the goal of most.
Of the teammates.
Yeah, so we got a rookies on the team, so a lot of them.
Are first out of college as well, so you know, coming to play and indoor football, you know, it's.
Just that it's a it's a step to go to.
A higher league for sure.
So you know, coming here and winning games and dominating this uh this league, you know, definitely is the goal to help us get back into those higher leagues or get a first opportunity into those higher leagues for some.
Did you know any of the guys before you got back on the roster, Did you play against any of them?
I actually have not a lot of them are from the East Coat, so it was my first time meeting a lot of the kids. But yeah, I didn't know anybody previously.
You've had You've had a pretty nice career, kind of like a movement career. You came here Ata Sabino, right, Yes, sir, How would you describe your career because it's been under a few coaches too.
Man, Yeah, it's been a journey, you know, it's been It's definitely been a journey of oh, you know, just perseverance. You know, I've been I played with rich Rod my first season, which was my red shirt season, so I wasn't on the field that year. But you know, after he got fired, you know, it was a big change for the Arizona fans and the players as well. But when someone came, you know, we had high hopes and you know, the it was looking like a new era
and everything was looking good. But then you know, the Tusk community knows that we went nine and twenty within those three seasons, so it was a real tough time, you know, just making sure to stay believing in yourself, believing in the product.
That you have.
But you know, it was just a real, real season of determination, you know, even though you're losing, but just still believing in the craft that God has blessed me with, you know, and then even just being able to go to a smaller school in South Carolina from Arizona, taking that leap of faith, and then still being able to get the opportunity of going to the NFL and then not getting on a roster. It was like, you know, it's a lot, especially having a wife and kids. It's like, man,
you know, the game is, it's not guaranteed. So you know, when you gets those positions, it's really just lies down to your foundation of you know, what do you do you believe in yourself or do you believe.
In the talents that God has given you? And just really trusting the process.
You know, it's been a real process for me to just stay patient and wait for my opportunities to arise. And you know, I have you know, gotten opportunities, and you know, I'm blessed to be able to say that I'm still chasing the dream.
Are you still back and forth between quarterback and receiver and which one do you prefer nowadays?
So, you know, coming with the Sugar Skulls, you know, our first two games, we had a real problem with the quarterback position. So when coach Beck had signed me, you know, it's been viable option to play receiver or quarterback. So right now, you know, I have been practicing at both positions, and it feels great to play quarterback again and play my original position. But you know, right now,
I'm like, it's coach wherever coach needs me. You know, I'm happy to play receiver or quarterback, just as I've had experience now as a receiver. You know, I feel I feel blessed to play quarterback or receiver. How you know, it's always fun playing quarterback.
I was gonna say, how was it when they moved you after playing quarterback all the time?
Man? Yeah, it was a it was a it was a business move, you know. You know, I just had to trust my coaches and trust my mentors that it was a good transition for me to give me opportunity to get to the NFL. And I did get an opportunity at receiver, so you know, it was a lot of learning at first, just getting comfortable actually being coached and practicing.
At that position.
But you know, it's always good to see, you know, just production in your craft as you just continue to work.
Did you so and so after your time in with Limestone in South Carolina, did you is Tucson home? Was Tucson home all the time?
Uh?
Well, I was in New Zealand actually for about a month and a half after my season at Limestone in South Carolina because I had my wife and I had my first son at the time, So living out in New Zealand, and once my agent kind of you know, gave me a path to get ready for the draft. I actually had came back to Tucson during time. That was last January, and so just from last January to now,
I had stayed home. You know, I came home and once I went with Green Bay, you know, we're kind of just like where whatever opportunity I have will move there.
But yeah, two sons been home for the past year. Yeah.
What about were you training in New Zealand as well as starting a family? Are you playing any sports?
Uh well, I was just just training for football, just getting ready for the draft and just staying healthy and you know.
Just continue to perfede my craft.
But you know, I was staying active and training to get ready for the league.
Like no rugby or anything like that.
I you know, I didn't, but actually did get an opportunity with the u n r L, which is the National Rugby League. Well I didn't pursue that, but you know, it's kind of just it's always there if I want to, you know, play rugby, but I didn't end up playing.
So let me ask you, what did you get your degree in one and two? I'm sure you start party already thinking about the future of giving you have the family, what do you want to do when this.
Is all done?
So I got my degree in business administration with a minor and leadership.
You know, I've always wanted to have been interested in business and just.
Being like a business owner and just being in sales and stuff. So you know, actually now playing with the.
Sugar skulls, I am in financial services now.
So I'm an executive planner now, and that's kind of like a field that I want to have as a foundation as I start opening up different businesses and whatnot. But you know, being in this field right now is being an executive planner and helping people put their money in the right places and setting up business owners to you know, scale.
Or just be successful.
You know, that's something that I'm really, I'm really liking right now.
Nice.
Did you graduate from Arizona? Did you get a degree here or for the other from Limestone?
Yeah, I gotta.
I got a degree from Arizona and from Limestone, both in business administration.
Yeah. Cool. We were talking I guess maybe yesterday, the day before, I don't know it was day or not, but talking about some of the all time best players to come out of Tucson. Obviously you're you're on that list at some point somewhere in that list. Who are some of the better players you faced in your time and maybe some of the people that you saw growing up.
I mean, you know, playing with Jamari Joiner and Stanley berry.
Hill, like those are.
Two other Tucson products that are real good.
And Jamar is my real close friend and so but obviously and then you got you know, b John Robertson around the same age, about two years younger than me. You know, those those three.
People are some people that I just, you know, really admire playing with.
And being able to see them grow in Tucson and become great products. You know, that's been really good. And obviously my freshman year, Cam Denton was one of those names too, you know, just a two soon great and yeah, just a couple of names.
Did you grow up playing like youth football? Here a Pop Warner?
Yeah, so I actually started out playing basketball and baseball. So for the longest time growing up, I was always you know, wanted to be a Major League baseball player. And then you know, obviously all my friends start playing Pop Warner going to grade school, and then my mom finally let me play when I was about eleven or twelve. So once I started playing at eleven or twelve, you know, football really just stole my heart and I just really fell in love with football.
What other schools were looking at you as you were coming out of Sabino.
Man, I had a lot of Pac twelve schools at Washington, USC, Oregon State. I had some smaller schools in California, San Jose, had New both in New Mexico's New Mexico State, a lot.
Of you know, and so mostly just then.
And packed twelve schools were really.
So was it was this maybe too hyperbole. But when you signed with you of a was it a completion of a dream or you just felt maybe that was your best opportunity.
Man?
Uh, it was really you know, there was a there was a few different things way and I you know, my my freshman year, my grandma that you know, my mother, and my brother and I we moved in with my grandparents after my parents had got divorced, and you know, just growing up in Tucson and going to the Arizona games and watching the games with my family. You know, my grandma was a real big fan of She always was, you know, wanting to see me play for the Arizona Wildcats.
And my mom had a whole bunch of health issues in high school. She had got cancer my senior year. But you know, I really was just wanting to stay home just with everything that was going on. And you know, you know, I had a lot of different OPPORTUNO used to play quarterback at some schools and in Arizona. Wanted me to switch the receiver, but I just felt that I was supposed to stay home and that that was the right decision for me.
Yeah. I was gonna ask you, you're about what three years too late? With his nil stuff.
Yeah, you know, yeah, no, absolutely, I mean it's a great opportunity.
For kids, you know, just to start building their portfolios and and and their wealth. But yeah, you know, it would have been a great opportunity to uh to get something like that, but I know that they had just passed something in court, you know, being able to give a little bit of compensation to the players that missed in. So I do have an opportunity from there to get some get some compensation for that, which would be great.
But also also playing for the Sugar Skulls, you know, I am also open now to be able to get name, image and likeness deals. So you know there's a different couple of sponsorships that I'm looking for and Hucson and so that's a good.
Opportunity for me.
Now, yeah, it makes sense. I was gonna say too. You might have potential clients from you guys.
Teammates, Absolutely, absolutely, because you know, especially.
Being in financial services now exactly being able to have that knowledge of money, you know, absolutely.
And they would trust they would trust another UA guy or you know somebody who's like.
Them, right absolutely, Yeah, Okay, so you guys, you're going the road this week, but you're back next Saturday for a home game. Can you I've never been to a game. I hate to say this, I have not been to a Sugar Skulls. Can you let me know why why I should come out and watch?
Man. It's something different that you haven't seen.
And you know, it is starting to get hot in Tucson and people are looking for things to do, and it's it's a great opportunity to go watch football indoors.
And see something that you haven't seen.
And you know, we're.
Playing Arizona Rattlers.
They we lost to them our first game up in Phoenix, but they did win the champce being shipped last year. And you know we're we're a championship caliber team too. And and it's right here in our hometown, Tucson, and we can showcase that this upcoming week. So you know, I just think that with all the Two Song fans that do come out and support, is a great atmosphere for kids and families and anybody. So you know, I've really recommend it to you come out and watch a game.
How many people do you have going to see you?
I got I got, let's see, I got I got my two sons.
I have an eighteen month old son and a ten week old boy, and then I have my wife and then my mom and then my grandpa and my brother.
So about six seven years.
That's so nice, little contingent. So let me tell you when you played baseball? What position did you play?
Man? You know, I've it's like every sport.
I played baseball, basketball, and football. I've been an athlete, but baseball, I would pitch. I would play center field and play shortstop.
Oh nice, Yeah, so you had some you obviously, that's where the tough position. Center you arrange cover a lot of ground and the shortstop is like you know, you got to cover a lot of ground. Absolutely, yeah, yeah, okay, Well, thank you, Drew, thank you for your time. Good luck you get well, and then we'll see you maybe next weekend on the field.
Yes, sir, I appreciate it, Steve, thanks.
For having me be well.
Man, Take care, all right, take care.
Drew Dixon from the Sugar Skulls formerly of u A and then the South Carolina Limestones righting Stone University. Yeah yeah, yeah, so we'll we'll come back and talk more about this. If you're an Arizona men's basketball fan, you know it's been successful for nearly forty years. Now take a look
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Hey, welcome back to wy in the ball. Here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera, you're Dave Silver. We've got Henry atte the controls. We take a caller to five to two zero four one six seventy four forty. Let us know what's up to day. Good to talk to Drew Dixon, twenty six years old, life ahead of him, wife, two kid, kids. Yeah, it's interesting story.
I mean, kind of lost track of what he had done and turns out he's in New Zealand and you know, gets married and has a couple of kids and comes back and now he's involved in the Sugar Skulls. So yeah, you're gonna get out to a game. I know, I feel bad. I you know, I see the signs, I see the advertiser. They just haven't had a chance. I've been to a couple.
The closer you are to the field, the better it is, or a better feel you get, because it's crazy. It's like car crashes, dire we play. Yeah, if you're higher up at the music stuff, it is what it is. But you're closer you can say, oh crap, what they do and the quality of play is pretty good. I mean, you can tell these guys that actually played yea, yeah, we got a call. Hell yeh, hearing on the ball. Who's this?
It's Rick?
How you doing, Buddy, David?
I heard you speaking earlier about the interviews. Secure Sanders had a different and I couldn't help. But going back to the Johnny Manziel draft, and I don't know if you remember that at all, but of course he was taken I think number one by the Browns, which irritated me because I'm an old Browns fan.
But he had that.
Same Manziel had that same I won't say just continess, but that same elevated sense of worse right right, and and it just and you know, you just if you're an employer, which you know has been referenced many times during this draft, these are employees you don't want somebody that thinks they're more important than the rest.
Of the operation, right, no question, no question.
And I think this is a great message for young men and women who choose to elevate themselves in athletics or any part of their lives, because none of us are more important than the bigger pictures.
So you're right.
I hope that message gets conveyed much more because you know, I've heard other people that are a little closer to him speak to the He's a decent guy, he's just you know, they spoke well of him. But it's the public persona that that leaves people with that last impression.
Of a couple of times because have youer? Have youer sent me a note?
Uh?
New Heisel. New Heisl said this morning on a serious XEM show that he heard from an NFL coach that Shadoor Sanders accepted a FaceTime uh meeting from someone during the interview with another with another NFL guy and stayed on the on the phone the phone on the FaceTime, so you know, he was having one conversation and got FaceTime and then decided just that was more important.
Yeah, and and again that's that's not going to bode well for him professionally, you know, and he's already made a ton of money, I mean, got good for him. But it's sad because it the youth are very influenced by some of these personalities, and I would hope that they would look to some of the other athletes that were that were drafted before him and follow that model versus this. I call it the Johnny men the Ell syndrome. Yeah, where he's bigger than the than the opportunity in front of him.
So here's here's something real quick to both of you and Dave. Don't you think that now that they're getting paid, not just a little a lot, that that inflates their egos one and their self self importance. Oh?
Absolutely. And you know, I was had lunch with guys I went to high school with, and we were laughing about Ken Giavanda. I don't know if any of you remember who he was, but he coached at South Point in the early seventies and then he went up to I wanna's h one of the colleges up in the Phoenix area, Junior College is up there, and coached for many years. And we are all laughing. Can you imagine,
imagine having one of these guys play for Ken. I mean, Ken would have run him right out of the damn stadium if they had, and probably with broken legs to boot he just you know, coaches back in those days just didn't even you couldn't sieves of insulting your teammates or your school or anybody else with an attitude like that. And it's unfortunately, it's more prevalent than we think it is. And that's that's the scarier part of this generation of nil and everything else.
Well in general too. I mean it's it's a job interview.
You know, you're you're trying to impress an employer and to go in there and you know, double FaceTime somebody or just you know, blow off an interview or treat it like it's not important.
This is not a great sign.
I mean, we've all been in positions to hire people and you know, you want to come off much better than that. And so sure, if that's what he's doing, I can understand why some gms are like, eh, we can find other.
Players, and all these people talk, they talk to each other.
Okay, Yeah, I'm just hoping to Browns, don't don't pick them up in this third or second or third round because as a Browns fan, and they made some serious mistakes at quarterback, Johnny Manziel being the pre eminent mistake. But Bernie Gozard, when you go back way back when he was one of the things they loved a bottom. He was a humble guy, and he was all about the bigger picture and not about himself and that's what made him such a fan favorite in Cleveland for all
those years. And so I'll leave it there, gentlemen, have a great weekend. Cool.
You might have to pick a different team if you want to have a better life in the NFL, say just.
Saying, yeah, Mike, Browns haven't won since they beat the Baltimore Colts in nineteen sixty three, and they're one.
Of two teams.
They're one of two teams and the Detroit Lions is my other team, and neither one of them have been to the Super Bowls.
Right, man, you might just stop watching the NFL.
It's like watching the Cubs for all these years. But at least the Cubs finally won one.
Yeah, yeah, okay, thank you, Rick.
Be Well.
Guys, So, Henry, you're a young man, you're going to get out here in the real world. They're pretty soon. Do the athletes today, I know you follow a lot of these things. Athletes up today, these standers and those guys, do they influence on how you look at things?
Not really.
I just think it's how the new generation is.
And tell me what do you think how they are?
I think they're a little I wouldn't say COCKI you're just more I don't know. They kind of don't structure. The structure is kind of different than what it used to be, so they kind of do things not a certain way that it used to be.
It's not a smooth not everybody though, No, no, of course. And this I said this in the show. And I don't know if with you, Dave or whatever. It asked me all the time people ask me, what's the difference between a good player, like a nice player, well thought of player and one of those pain of the ask
players their parents how they brought them up. And I say that without a question, if you have those good people telling you what's right and what's wrong, and do this do that they're good people like Luke Luke Walton. That comes to mind, Chanting Fry. Some of these guys and the other ones were paying the next but they were good paying the next those guys. And I've said this to I said this to Bill, I said this
to Susie Walton. I said, you guys did, and they had a bunch of boys, right, what you guys did fantastic raising your boys, because they didn't they were the Waltons. You'd think they'd have this ego right, this thing. They were just normal dudes. They were just normal dudes. Walton drove that ugly beat up convertible rode into bikes every now and again. You know what I'm saying. These guys were just kind of normal dudes.
Yeah.
I think family definitely has a lot to do with it. And you know, we were not here in position to really criticize, you know, how these guys are brought up. But sometimes that's the reason, you know, things weren't true stable at home.
And isn't that the way that is in the world anyway? Yeah, I think so, just you know, he's got a good parents, he's probably good kid.
Yeah.
I mean, if you were watching last night during the draft, I mean almost every if you're watching the ESPN broadcast, they're basically in the green room and almost everybody had some type of family there, whether it was mom, dad, grandma, brothers, sister.
Yeah, you know most of them did. So that was that was good to see. And this is life.
Yeah.
I mean these guys are between what twenty and twenty three years old, and you know, it's the biggest thing that's ever going to happen to them most likely, and their parents are kept saying how grateful they were and how proud they were, and I mean that was that was one of the big words I heard last night, was proud. They were proud of their son for doing
what they did to get to this level. Would you see the t mac family interview, Yeah, that was the same, his mom crying, Yeah, and just how humble they were and come from a little beginnings or whatever and now he's this yeah, and yeah, it's gonna be interesting to see.
It's going to be he's going to a totally different part of the world and part of the country in Carolina, and how you know they're going to react to him. And you know, he's playing with a quarterback who won the Heisman Trophy a couple of years ago, So that's gonna be an interesting combo. But it's gonna be a big culture move for him, coming from California to Arizona, now to Carolina, Charlotte.
He's going to be making a lot of money. I think he'll be perfectly Yes, yes, good another call, thank you? Hello, you're on the air, Andine on the ball? Who's this?
I stay with? Jim?
Jim? What's the word?
Well, this whole college, pro high school athletics city is starting to look like an eight foot tall jingle puzzle.
Mm hmm tell me.
And the winds about ready to blow?
Yeah, not in a good way.
Obviously, that wouldn't be good for a jingle puzzle.
So tell me what do you think? How will the pieces fall on the ground?
But I think that.
I think there's a real big problem brewing that nobody's got their finger on you, And I'm not sure I do, but I think it's I think it's going.
To come from the fans, and I.
Think it's gonna have a bearing on you know, just.
Think about where would kids.
Get arrogance an attitude? Where would they get that.
In these in these times?
TV, social media? Money?
Nah, I get there's probably two or three other places.
What what did you have a couple of ideas well.
The constant blast.
On the news is politics. Oh, I see, that's all about lack of all three.
Yeah, I see what you're saying.
No matter which side of you approach it from there, you know, people pointing fingers at everybody, and they're all better than these people.
Yeah, I get you. I get you. That's a good point.
That's twenty four.
Hours a day if you want to listen to it.
Yeah, makes sense.
All right, I'll talk to you soon.
We have a couple more could be that could be an interest. See, you know theory, look at me, look at me, look at me. Yeah, I'm not sure, but I don't know. I don't see that so much in sports personally, I don't know.
I don't know. Well, maybe because you know, when we see touchdowns and we see these things, you know, dancing in the ends or whatever. I'm not sure that I was gonna do with politics. No, no, no, But but I understand this point of look at me, look at me, look at me being loud.
You know.
Yeah, we live in a weird time. I mean, I'm sure back in the sixties it was even weirder seventies. Every every generation has they're weird, right, yeah, and everybody says not, God can't get any worse than it does.
Well, I mean, you know, we just have to come back, you know, fifty years or so into the sixties to see how athletes were portrayed and what they were doing, and some were sticking out more than others and talking much more than others. Nowadays, they don't even do that. Nowadays, it's you know, more personal. But this this was like a whole you know, generation of athletes who are trying to lead the way.
Yeah, right, okay, we had about a minute. Yep, Henry, can't we talk more about that? Not just kidding? Yeah, that's what I tried to avoid.
I just I mean, I grew up. You know, in those years it was a big like like ten, watching the Mexico City Olympics and watching these guys protesting.
Sure, what's going on that? That was a different way to get attention than that athletes do now. Yeah, well there was sixty eight, right, Yeah, seventy two was the shooting or the Munich Munich, Munich. We just remember Rascal in Moscow. Yeah, so every time, every generation has its own every few years, yeah, his own issues.
Yeah, I mean most of the guys last night other than you know, here I am this, you know older, I'm older than them. Just looking at their clothes that was cool to watch. Yeah, they were dressed. Yeah, I mean I'm sitting there, which is like, oh my, look at that. App look at that. I mean that was more of the expression. That was fine. Iways see that all the time.
So what did you think about the introduction with plenty Matthews? That was funny. That was funny, but a lot of people, a lot of people.
Sure they're mad, but you know, he's got a big mouth and he's always been that way.
I think he has a podcast, he's on the air, so it's like, give a hot mic to some crazy guys, you know, you can against them. What is he going to say? Oh god? Yeah, okay, yeah, So it was funny, but it was not taken completely in a good way. Well if you're a bearrass man, I'm sure.
Well.
And also I got a message from President Trump blah blah blah. Oh I know, I was worried.
What is he?
I said? I was scared of right, right, Okay, let's take a break and come back. Breaking news. We saved a lot for you,