Friday, January 24, Hour 1

This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera on Fox Sports fourteenth fifth Day, powered by Nova Insurance Services Ensure your most prized possessions.

Hey, good afternoon, everybody.

Welcome to Eye on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera in today is my guy?

What you and then Bedley?

Let's go see.

Bentley, my Friday guy. We've got Henry in the house. And look who we have here. They found you somewhere on you based campus. Matt, my social media guy. Good to see everybody. You go to the game on Saturday, Matt Broke.

It's four o'clock.

Man, it's.

It's not too early, not too late.

Let's come.

You used to be a college student, you know, Broke is except for some most of the guys on campus now you know.

You know, No, I made four dollars and twenty five cents an hour at the at the pizza joint, man, I was rich.

I was getting free pizza and making four dollars.

So, but you're not part of that deal like Henry because the customer zoo. Well, that's right, because you wanted to buy it. You wanted to buy one of the last games that we were together, right, whichever game that was. Yeah, I get it. No, it's tough out there. It's tough out there.

It's on TV. Man, I think I'm watching on TV. You'll see Steve at the both you guys. Are you guys are what two months? A little more than two months away from being done?

Right?

Are you guys looking forward to this to being done?

You're never gonna have it.

You're never going to have it better than you haven't now ever, because the world word sucks, real world sucks.

Listen, if I could go back right now, knowing what I know and now every old guy says it, man, I would, I would crush twelve hours of school a week.

Twelve.

Yeah, I'm taking twelve hours this semester.

It's really hard hard two of them remotely.

I got four hours and I got four classes in one lab.

No, to just enjoy your time, because it's.

Listen, you're gonna be doing some sort of internet radio show in about thirty years, you know, when you're fifty three.

Remember when we were in college and it.

Was so great?

Yeah, right, right, right, right right, well both seniors, right, ye, you got jobs lined up?

What's going on? Let's get to it, man, Let's get right to the real world.

I told them, I told them when I met him, get your stuff out it.

Just yeah, just be essential, apply do something.

Yeah, just get it out there. Get it out because everybody else is too. You know, they're good, they're graduating. Well, good to have you guys in the in the house. Big discussions about whatever. A big game tomorrow only because it's a big game and they need to win, continue to win, they should do. Okay, I don't know, did you do? You know what the spread is tomorrow with Colorado has to be like twelve.

Fifty twelve or eleven, probably.

Like more than that movie.

Maybe, Yeah, as called, I don't know. If they want a big game in the Big.

Twelve, I think so? Did they are? They have? They won one? Maybe?

I think so.

Yeah, Tomorrow is one of those tests a former Pac twelve of the team play in Arizona finally and then Monday night. Okay, yeah, so that should be it should be easy.

We should I mean, and you know, looking ahead of that game on Monday.

Yeah, that's the that's the trap game.

So you never know, you never know. Yeah, covered, you know, not only cover, but when.

So guys, Henry and Matt, what have you liked it to this point with the basketball team? And then what haven't you liked? Because I know my boy Matt is Yeah he's the critic.

What if I liked? I've liked the improvement of Vasar that's probably the biggest. Yeah, he's taking a real step this year. I think coming into there, not many people thought he'd be a big factor.

But however you were talking about I love it, but I think he's great. Oh and I thought this two years ago when he was. You were here when he was because he could stretch the court, he can handle the ball and do some stuff. And now his opportunities now because of a crevious out. So that'll help anybody else.

Know. But what don't you like?

What I don't like?

I mean, it's the same as ever your can'ts score in the half court?

Right up and down, up and down. Yeah, that guy's been That kid's been here for three years. That's like old school man, that's like we started back in the day. You know, like kids aren't around that long.

Well you have to because he got hurt last year. That he didn't have to, but he did. Because he got hurt last year. It's kind of like a blessing in disguise. What do you got mat what do you got met?

Honestly, honestly, not too much different. I need to see more from Cala, honestly, you and everybody else. Yeah, yeah, that's that's really it.

Did you play hoop or you played football? Not playing football basketball? Let's not getting.

Were you cheated out of that?

But the reasons okay, But the reason I was gonna ask is, if you're good at shooting the ball, wouldn't you think that you'd be good at shooting the ball all the time. Maybe not all the time. But more than.

It's it's you know, I didn't play basketball, but I I played golf.

I played those those repetitions that runs, and it's like you get a little off and you know, you can be on the in a slump for sure, days and weeks.

It's not about your ability, it's about your head.

It's a mental thing at that point, you know, it's it's you get into a rhythm and you know you can go on a tear for you know, for three weeks, and then you can lose it.

Where did it go? The same time doing the same things that I did yesterday?

How about you guys liking Carter Bright. Yeah, it's shooting. Yeah, and he's got confidence now, you know, before it was like a you know, like a Doe didn't know what to do.

We're gonna go on a tear. Tommy Lloyd's got him set up.

If they win Monday, they could do. They win Monday, it's gonna be great.

What's up? I don't know.

I'll know Monday Monday.

Is there a line on the I was taking prob not?

I don't think so. No, I would assume that I was. Is gonna be favored by three ish three, three ish two and a half.

Yeah, so we'll see. We'll see it too early.

So a lots go it on the NBA, the NBA and the NFL, the NFL. Who's who do you guys got this weekend? Commanders?

Really commanders. Matthew's got the commanders. I'll take you second Eagles, Eagles.

I'll take the Eagles, Bills, Chiefs.

Yeah, I think I'm taking the Bills.

I think I would take the Bills too.

All right, Well, my mom's got Kansas City. My mom's got Kansas City.

She loves whatever.

Because my mom she might even call him break it down for us. She loves Patrick mahonmes.

Timmy doesn't know what he's talking about. Why don't you have me.

And I like the commanders, Me and Matt Matthew and I are are on board with.

What you want them. I mean, they've gotten lucky to this point. Although they played well those playoffs.

They relied on Saque the old time and when it was time to throw, he couldn't deliver it. But I just gonna see that happening, you know, hopefully, and yeah yeah. And also so you're picking more because of that, not because they played and they've played well. I don't have It's just Saquon's carrying them. It's not like I was ruined against them. So when I see yeah, oh yeah

That's just.

One player. Yeah, that's like one player, Belly. What about Washington because they were not very good during the year.

I mean, Washington outplayed the Detroit Lions like, oh, they kicked them all around. They kicked them. So I don't I can see that happened again the NFL.

It's it's a it's a season broken up into three or four different parts, and so this is the fourth part, and they're playing very well in the last quarter of the season.

They are we'll see. I'm surprised.

Okay, are you betting this? Are you betting just dumb bills?

My team lost last week Baltimore.

Ye, I wasn't here last I wasn't here all this week. But I heard you beat Jay by a lot.

A lot of half a point. Yeah. I wasn't going to have.

You're not returning your calls right now.

About here, right now? Yeah? But are he's helping me?

What do you bet? What's the what's the big winning prize for you for winning.

Into next year's competition?

There's no food or drinks or nothing.

We do that in other things.

Okay, so entry into the into the next school next year.

Yeah. Yeah, I haven't played. I haven't paid for a while.

Yeah, so Jay's been paying something. You just all right?

Yeah? What else? Guys? Any think I'm telling you? Minutes? Yeah?

So what's the mood on campus with the basketball team the Zona Zoo. What's the mood in the in the crowd when you're there, is anybody excited about it?

Doesn't feel that it feels lower than previous years.

Okay, So like, what are what's the what are you of a what are kids on the u of a campus rooting for?

Sports? Wise?

For the for the women's triathlon team, they're national champions, Come on, let's go. It might be that at this point, I mean, are you ready for.

That's why they came to school here the national.

Are you ready for?

Track? Let's go?

Track season starts, indoor seasons ending. They're gonna have a good team.

No, it's not a big deal. Man, Now it's okay. I haven't seen you since since the end of the football You're the critic. You're the critic in the room next to me. Football? What do you what do you think how they're doing? I mean their number one players going.

So that being said, I don't know what well, I don't even know what the future is gonna look like.

Honestly, man, Matthews a senior and this is this is his last four months at the school.

This is what's happened to He doesn't care.

He's different, different, good luck.

Though, good luck and I feel bad Matthew's been here four years, one good season? Is that about it again?

They cut me, so, oh that's right, you know you know the story. Yeah, they were looking for walk ons and uh the running back in the room went right, and.

You did well? You always yeah, And they said, sorry, it's not you.

You have eligibility about there's track season, but let's go.

Sorry, son, come on, you can probably play another few years.

Given the n I N I L and COVID year, you can play till you're thirty two.

I heard about the Uh that's like, oh.

That's Steve's accountant.

There's a baseball player like a picture.

Yeah, so there's a thirty two year old baseball player playing in college right now.

So did he have.

Well, you don't know the school.

I have hope he didn't have enough PTO to play, so he couldn't make.

These little sinker ballers they throw a knuckleball.

He didn't have enough et O and he's got two kids and a mortgage.

He can't he can't afford to play college.

Okay, let me see what we've got going today.

What's on top?

Matt he would know, because I've already forgotten. We put it on the Internet. Today, we have a reporter from oh yeah, yeah, the reporter from Colorado, but Brian Howell. He covers Colorado there and tomorrow he'll talk on general terms about that. He covers football. I want to see if he's still alive. I've being covered. We talked to him a lot during the seasons, because you know, it ain't easy.

I think your reporter by trade, I think you want to you want good stories wherever you are. It's crazy, and it doesn't matter if if it's everything, you know, it's you want good stories. You want to be able to tell, you know, share good stories, right, good content every day would be. And then if it's national, if there's national stories, Deon Sanders his two kids, what I mean, that must be a fun must to benefit ride.

Yeah, we'll ask him, Yeah, we'll ask him about that.

And then at the four seventeen hour, we're gonna have Damon Damien Alameda from Channel thirteen just to get to his thoughts on what's going on locally nationally, how the TV station is surviving's over under?

How many years has Damien been here over under? Is it seventeen one?

I want to say seventeen Probably more than that there is.

All right, so we'll have to ask him. But I've known Damien for many, many years.

Yeah, he's probably more than that. Probably wait, more than that.

He interviewed Mike when I was coaching track in a cross country at Saint Augustin and he interviewed some of those kids.

You have that information, Yeah, go ahead and give him the mic.

Luba Thompson from like Cincinnati Rads is playing for South Alabama Jaguars.

And it's like a D one school baseball.

Yeah.

So he was with the Reds. Yeah, how is that possible? He was with the Reds pro and now he's gonna play college ball. Yep, oh football, yeah, college footbotball. Okay, that's what No, that happened kind of here too. There was a guy who was drafted in baseball here under rich Rod and he brought him in, uh stud dude, and he didn't make it. You know, he didn't play, but he was he was like one of the best

It, thirty two year old trying for football. I mean, Steve, we still have some college eligibility.

But after you played baseball, I did track and cross country, so I think we could maybe take a run at the football.

So you couldn't run fast to the first base.

I watched you walk upstairs. You still have some spring, and you're like, let's go.

Not today, not today, I'm hurting. Hey, let's go.

I'll come back and take a break, take a break, come back, talk to mister Howell Bran.

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This is I on the Ball with Steve Ramiro on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. Subscribe now to the podcast on the iHeartRadio just search I on the Ball.

Hey, welcome back to Eye on the Ball Here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera and today with me is Tim Bentley.

Hello.

Now on the phone, we.

Have Brian Howell from the Daily Camera in Colorado.

How you doing, Brian?

Good?

How are you guys? We're doing fine.

Hey.

When I communicated with you yesterday, I was glad to get a response from you because I thought maybe that the last couple of football seasons had done you in.

No.

It was very busy, but it was fun covering a winner. We haven't done that a while. That's true, that's true.

Anything do I feel like?

Yeah?

Yeah, well, I mean it's in some ways, you know, see you in Arizona football are somewhat similar, right, and that there's been a lot of down years recently, and then you guys had that nice year in twenty three.

And Colorado has has it's here in twenty four. So it's nice to have that year.

But I think both programs are hoping for more sustaining success, that's for sure.

No question. You had talked about it with me, just how it's it's good. You may not be boring.

It's good to have something to write about.

Every right, we were talking about you know, covering. As a reporter, you probably relish having Deionne in town. Big stories, good or bad stories, but it gives you something to cover, gives you some some meat to cover. How's it been the last couple of years for you?

Well, yes, to know.

I mean, there's always something to do. But there's a lot to keep track of as well, because there's just you know, there's stories that come out of the woodwork. You're like, oh man, do you have to follow this one too? You know, and so there's a lot of nonsense stories that come out that you have to, you know, at least follow up on and find out there.

Any truth to that.

And a lot of times you find out no, but you know, it's still a headline here or there. So there's some positive but definitely some some drawbacks.

You must have a big white board in your office just with the red strings, like everything is a false flag.

Oh no, we got to move that.

What's that? Well, you're going to see maybe he's got that too.

But you know, with Dianna and the national news, I mean, what's it, what's what's it like?

You know, what's what's your day?

Like?

I mean, are you getting national calls?

Give you an example, Are you on the Dallas Cowboy beat?

Kind of No, not at all, And I'm glad.

But I'm sure Dallas, I'm sure those reporters were calling you and asking for some some radioheads or some quotes.

Right. Yeah, there was a few of that, a little bit of that.

And you know, every time there's something with you know, you get you know, people that want to talk to you and you know, get your take on it. And it looks like I never thought he was going anywhere.

It looks like that's going to be the case. You know.

I don't think the Cowboys have yet announced their coach, but it looks like they're closed. So I'll be very grateful when they announced somebody that's not Deon Sanders.

Because I don't want to deal with the coaching search again.

No, those are the worst. So have you given? You know, I used to be a reporter a long time ago, for a long time twenty five years, and days off were very few. I got them on the back end. Did you have days off because you went from basketball? You went from football to some basketball and then you're still covering a lot of stuff.

Yeah, not a lot.

I mean, there's not a whole lot of days off from about August first through you know, March fifteenth or so.

You know you kind of take your vacation time in June and July.

Right, right, yeah, no question. So overall, how would you have rated your experience just this year? Because they were good? I went to a bowl game and the drama was not all that big, I don't think because there were winning.

That's what's just the new normals you like to me, right.

I mean, frankly, I tell people with us all the time.

I mean I think that if any report were able to come spend say a month, you know, or even a week at University of Colorado in my shoes, that realized, oh, this is actually more normal than we thought, you know, not as much of a circus as it's portrayed, because

So it was a lot of fun because I mean.

There was some generational talents that we had over the last couple of years.

It was a lot of fun covering those guys.

Did you get sent to the doghouse a time or two or no or most of the generally?

Not really, you know, I mean there's times he's always gonna not always. I mean, at some point you're going to get called out a little bit, dogouts, I would say no. But I think for the most part, I'm not sure anybody knows where they stand with him. I think I have a good relationship with coach. I'm not sure, okay, but but yeah, I don't think I was ever the doctors.

I was still able to ask questions all year.

Yeah yeah, right, some people were where are you from that? Never mind, we'll pass on that one. Yeah, yeah, no, that's that's good. So now Colorado comes in. The men's basketball team shows up tomorrow. They're not doing well.

Yeah, well, I think the key is will they show up? You know that they're.

Yeah, it's not a good team. It's there's some good pieces some good young pieces, and you know, early in some of those Big twelve games, they really they had opportunities to win those games. And even against Iowa State and Boulder, they had a lead late in the second half, but they cocked it up and they just there's always

And it just looks I mean it was. It was unbelievable how dramatic that was.

And and just the mistakes this team makes, and yeah, they're not good this they're currently it's like the worst conference opening, you know, oh and seven they've had and I don't know how many years, and they're trying to avoid that, but you know, you're gonna try to do it in a place that.

You never win.

So I think it's highly likely that they'll go to O and eight in the conference. And I think a lot of buff fans are looking at the schedules saying, where is a win gonna come from?

Because well we were talking about it. Yeah, Iowa State comes to town on Monday. So this may be an off game or the trap game, and it sounds like you they have they have they can go in spurts and maybe they catch you a unaware or you know, off guard.

A little bit.

Yeah, you know maybe.

I mean it's a weird team because look, I mean, this is a team that out in Maui beat Yukon, you know, and you know, then they like I said, they were leading Iowa State at home a few weeks ago. So but I mean the Malli that Malley invitation really was kind of the epitome of this team. I mean, it was three days in a row and the first day they get blown out by Michigan State, and then they beat Yukon and then they get blown out by Iowa State.

So that's kind of this team, is that.

They're generally not gonna be very good, but there there's.

Enough talent they could rise up and beat somebody.

Is is Boyle in any trouble given you everyone thinks that he's a pretty good coach, of course, and he's been in the league for a long time. But now that the football team is doing well and is there a standard whatever? But do you think because he is a pretty good coach.

Yeah, I don't think so. I think there's enough that he's done over his tenure. I mean, he's the winningest coach in program history, and I think there's a lot of understanding that. Look, they lost three NBA guys from last year's team and had a really good run last year.

Be a good foundational piece as long as they can keep them together.

Yeah, I would agree.

I think with this, with this settlement money coming in, it's going to stabilize some things for those schools and those coaches, and and and Pad not necessarily pad the pockets, but you know, put the put some cash in the coffers. What's the rest of the season, look like, I mean, what's your you know, their own eight in the Big Twelve. I mean, are they just gonna kind of try to get through the season and and put their tail between the legs and be done and and get on to the next year.

What's what's your take?

Yeah, I think that's probably what it'll end up being.

I mean, I think at the start of the year you're looking at it and saying, you know, maybe they get some break. They're an n I T team, But you're looking at it now like there's no way, you know, it's it's hard to see them being even that close.

I mean there's some winnable games.

I mean, a SU comes to town this next week and they're not a great team, and they did see you didn't play well down there, but they can beat a s U. You know, there's some teams that are coming up that they could beat. But their schedule also has them and they got Houston and Kansas and Iowa State and obviously Arizona got Kansas twice coming up, so you know, it's a brutal schedule and I expect them, frankly to be playing on Day one of the of

That's kind of what I see for that team is who's who's having a good season in a in a bad team. Who's who's who should the UFA fans watch tomorrow when they're McHale.

Well, it depends on the day.

That's one of the biggest problems is that, you know, Tad doesn't really know who's gonna show up from day to day, and I think that's one of the hardest things for them. And they've got some some capable guys.

I'm looking up the status as i'm talking just so I can.

Remember stands out that much.

Yeah, I mean there's really no star.

I mean, Julian Hammond is their point guard and he's probably the most consistent guy. But you know, he's had some off nights here and there, but he's probably the guy. He's he has to play well. If he plays well, then maybec he's got a shot there. Andre Yakamowsky Arizona fans might know him.

He's been on.

The Washington State teams that gave into Tucson the last couple of years and one, so he's like the one guy on the team that knows how to win in Tucson. So I've got to watch out for him. And you know there's other guys bang it. Doc is one guy that I mean, he's one of the highest ceiling guys I think in the conference. But he's still a raw

It's very braw right now.

So you you've been covering the team just Colorado for the last fifteen years were they had the Pac twelve already evolved into that. They were never in the Big twelve when you started.

Sorry I lost you there first.

Yeah, so you've been covering the team for fifteen years. I think they joined the Pac twelve right when you started covering the team.

Yeah, peer term se was in last year in the previous Big twelve.

So you know I covered the twenty ten season, the football season in the Big twelve, and that that year, you know they were playing in the Big twelve and you know they were coming along at that point Tad was just getting started. So yeah, this is here, so basically my time covering them as a mirror Tad's time at CEUs. So yeah, one year Big twelve and then thirteen in Pact twelve.

So you you're well aware of the craziness of the Big Twelve, especially in basketball, because it's it's a pretty drm good league. There was one to still trying to find its footing. What do you know, what do you hear about Arizona this year in basketball because it's it's okay, but it's not Arizona. Arizona Okay.

Yeah.

I haven't followed them as closed because you know, obviously a lot of the early season I'm focused on on football, and I focused primarily on the women's basketball team for US in our coverage. We have another guy who covers the men's basketball team more than I do. But I know Arizona had some struggles early on in the season, but it sounds like they're kind of right in the ship a little bit and you know, started to play some good basketball. And this is not the best time

Well, I don't think Colorado's going to want to go home after Tomorrow's came at three.

Give it.

It's gonna be like seventy degrees and nice. Because everyone who goes to its place in West Virginia Cincinnati has gone to some places that have been very, very cold, and they they mentioned it because it's they're not used to that stuff. Now now you guys are or Colorado's coming down for a nice little, nice little vacation if you will.

Yeah, they're probably gonna enjoy that. I mean they've they've.

Been on the road a little bit and it's been really really cold here, you know it cold and snow. It was a couple of nights ago it was fourteen below overnight, So yeah, I didn't see basketball. Is probably gonna enjoy a little.

Uh what is what is? What does blow mean?

Because do you not leave your house.

If you look at your tomoroor there's a b road there you can actually drop below that.

No, we don't have those.

They better give you hazard pay.

Do you have a snow shovel at your house? Of course?

What is that scraper?

Scraper?

I know we're got to have it.

You have that multiplease.

You need a backup in case, you know, one breaks on the ice or.

Something like that.

Exactly where big babies here?

Who are you from again? I can't remember. We've had a lot of fun with you in the past. Jay, and I where are you from?

Originally? I'm from here. I grew up in Littleton.

Okay, Yeah, you're a kid.

You better knows what a snowshovel is.

You're saying fourteen below that's nothing.

Wearing shorts.

And my wife, my wife's from Minnesota, so I mean they go on family walks.

She's teasing you that you can't handle fourteen below because that they went on family walks.

And you're gonna say, you're gonna get off the phone with us, all those two dumb asses over here in Tucson. You don't even know what the hell cold is.

It's like sixty eighth grees. I'm wearing I'm wearing a puffer jacket and pants.

Yeah, well, Brian, I appreciate your time.

We don't know what shorts are this time, you know, of course, but you they will.

They'll be bringing them down here on Saturday. Thanks a bunch as always, Brian.

Good good that you're doing well up in the Colorado bet Thanks guys.

All right, Brian hell from newspaper up there covering to Colorado. Let's take a break and only we're kind of go in a little head of schedule, but du we'll have more time for people to call. You're an Arizona men's basketball fan. You know it's been successful for nearly forty years. Now take a look back at the Ludolsen era. In

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Steve Rivera, He's got his eye on the ball on Tucson Sports station, Fox Sports sporteen fifty.

Hey, welcome back to I on the Ball Hero Fox Sports fourteen fifty From Steve Rivera, I can get through my cough here or not cough with pick them with Tim Bentley. Yo, we've got our guy, Matt and we have our guy.

You you got it.

I'm looking at you. I think I haven't seen you in a while. Henry. There you go.

We saw last week he's got Henry.

Yeah, have some once a weeknd.

I used to see him all the time.

Yeah, yeah, he's got five classes at the u A. We were talking about these guys seniors. I got senior eyed as bad I can. I can just see it written all over.

You guys are just very few clauses. No, wea fifteen?

How did you do that? When I was a senior?

I was a senior for like three years in a row, dude, and I had two classes.

Every Oh yeah, you guys were in eight years?

Yeah I was.

You know, I was on the six and a half year plan. There was skiing there at NAU. Matthew's ready to get I was going to l A. Wants to get it hit the big time. Henry's going back east.

If you weren't gonna do this, what are you going to do?

If you guys don't do this, what are you gonna do?

What would you like to do? Yeah?

Outside of journalism. What would you start your own stuff or do something? You know, work in the business, Probably a business. Matthew's going to be in the movies, Andry's going to start a business. You guys started moving. I'll give you and I'll give you a name when you're done, because I have you know some people out there, especially for that. You know, at least you can you know, they spend a day or two with them and kind

I know, I know.

Henry, I don't know anybody in New York. But you may not even get to New York. Yeah, hopefully do you want to go back? Is it I do? Henry's ready ready to get out of here. He's ready to go. He's been in two big cities that get a lot of opportunities, obviously.

I know.

Is there a phone number? Can people call us?

Yeah?

Five, two O four one six seventy four forty. I think it's working because the last few days hadn't been. It was kind of jiggity. All right, we'll call us.

Who's got career advice for Matthew?

And Henry Henry Henry, What was your was?

What was see? What was your very first job that you count as a real job.

Well, I like, I tell these guys get out early. But I was an intern at my hometown paper when I was nineteen twenty nineteen. Then I went an internship to here Tucson with a daily Star that I went to Phoenix, the paper there in the summer's right right right, And I worked all my time for the Albuquerque Journal. They paid for my school and did that. And then

I know, my very first job in Tucson, other than a paper out was I worked. I was a carryout. I bagged groceries at Lucky Grocery store.

Made four bucks an hour.

I know, I made three dollars and ten cents an hour. I was. I was nineteen eighty nineteen eighty two, Oh she was eighty three. I was sixteen. My first job over there on Swan and Sunrise, which is now an ACE. And so get this.

When I went I went in there, they said, hey, gang, we are changing the grocery store business.

I was on a tour.

Well was it, what was it called?

It's called Lucky Grocery Store, which became Abco, which became all of things. He said, we are, we are changing the world. We are going to stay open until nine o'clock. We're selling groceries until nine o'clock every night, and we're not closing at eight. And and we're going to save the p in it. We're gonna we're getting plastic back, We're getting we're using plastic bags.

We're saving the whales, is what this guy said.

Yeah.

Instead, isn't it funny how they make these decisions? And they realized after years, what the hell were we thinking?

I know, yeah, So it was we learned how to bag groceries in plastic bags, and we still had paper and I and I still can bag groceries.

Pretty good with as a pro.

You guys go grocery shopping. I don't do off. I was that sprouts. I guess today they charge you for the bag.

I know.

Welcome to twenty twenty five? Why are they charging nickel a dime?

Something like that?

So when I go to Seattle, my wife is from Seattle, and they charging they charging.

What are you gonna say that? Really?

Oh in La what's the cost of that?

Like?

Ten cents?

Really? Dude? And you want to go back there?

Come on, man, McDonald's doesn't charge you for a bag here in Tucson. Stay here. I'm telling you. Work on the radio show here.

You're gonna make a lot of money saving money, not buying bags at McDonald's.

You gotta just grab it, you there or take you with you? Well, New York probably not, you're in Manhattan or yeah, yeah, not that bad?

No, no, well no, no that you know on Fifth Avenue where he's living up there.

Yeah?

Nice, nice.

What are you doing this weekend? You're gonna watch the game? You're gonna go.

Youre going tomorrow to cover the game at one o'clock, finished about three wait what a half hour to talk to the guys, and finished by four thirds.

You must be in heaven. You're gonna because you don't have to stay up.

Till yeah, yeah, no, no question. Yeah, but it's still a long day. It's like kills your afternoon. It may sound like I'm bitching, but I'm not, because I'm not. It's just going to the game watching.

It's like the what was our guy from Colorado? Brian?

You know, every day you're on there's something happening every day, and if you're not covering a game, then you're covering you're talking to the coaches of the players.

Something happening.

My whole thing, and these guys will learn it's it's it's not so much about the game. It's trying to be clever with what you're writing.

And that's my most difficult thing.

You know, when I'm watching and thinking, Okay, there's a good angle, but this is a good angle, and it kind of changes, you know, every ten minutes or whatever, and then at the end you're thinking, okay, you write this stuff down and and well this doesn't apply anymore. This doesn't apply anymore. And then so nowadays I just

Wake up in the morning.

Sure, when most people are reading, checking in the scores and all that.

Like the old school stuff.

Yeah, so that's what I kind of do and try to be clever, but most of the time I don't pull. I'm tired too, man, I'm sixty.

You haven't in basketball?

Woll Matthew, you're a senior man, if you listen, don't miss out.

Are you gonna be Monday night? Henry's got to take you? Yeah?

No? Oh yeah?

But then what else? We've got to a few good games I have to go to. Yeah, you've been to them in the past. No basketball in the four years?

What the hell's wrong with you? Want to go tomorrow?

I might not go and I have a ticket.

Wait, yeah, I'll go. There you go, Matthew. Glad you showed up today.

Really you haven't.

You know, there's a there's a reason why you guys come to school here. One of them is basketball. That's crazy. Yeah yeah, So what do you watch it?

Somewhere?

Watch you just watch it on streaming or or somewhere.

Yeah.

Yeah, I mean this is a good deed for the semester. Missed out on the Colorado game. But yeah, although you mean the football game. No, you were glad because you went to have a town right. Yeah, No, you didn't miss much. I didn't even go because I said, yeah, everybody you didn't go to Yeah, well yeah, and I'm glad I didn't because it was the onside kick and that that didn't work and the rest of it was bad.

It was Yeah.

Do you guys think, because I don't know how much I want to see you the next we have February March April, do you think that he's going to turn it around football?

No, we'll get back to you in a second.

What what would turning it around? Seven and four, seven and five, eight and four, seven and five. Yeah, they could get to eight and four, not next year, but under Brennan.

Because two years how because we saw what happened with jet fish there one and eleven.

So you're taking that that's tested and using that as a good example.

But are are are we willing to our fans, as the as the administration, willing to wait two years?

No?

I mean with immediate results that people get from year to year, are they willing to wait two years.

To go seven and yeah?

I think if they're not over five hundred better this year than they're let's still move on. Yeah, okay, go ahead, go ahead, give them, give them the mic. So okay, So you don't think so at all? You have no hope? Ye, not that Sacramento State.

Would you have gotten there to play?

I've gone anywhere to play?

But you know what I mean.

Yeah, I'm not trying to talk bad, but I don't.

I don't see them. Yeah, you're not talking about you're talking realistic.

Yeah, the voice of reason over there, Matthew is is giving us, is dropping it down for us.

No, he knows, I mean, he's playing it. He knows the guy and I don't know. Yeah, do you? I think I'll ask you this question before because you played, you know, to the to the level whatever you played, and then you come here and like you said before the show started, during the show beginning, you don't have any money blah blah blah every every college student right now. But but you see those dudes, yeah, who are reigning in it? Yeah?

I don't.

I can't even utter the worst that like work a lot harder, I guess. I don't know. But yeah, were you talking when your buddies was making fifty or something somewhere.

Where?

Do you so the athletes on campus.

You know, so obviously the football players and basketball players make a little cash. No, I don't know, No, I know, But what's the what's the mood on I asked you about, like the mood for the sports teams. But when you see these athletes that are making some money, some real money, is there resentment or is there some sort of you know, what's the feeling of the of your fellow students when they see that.

I don't know. Yeah, I don't think there's an honestly, is making a lot more money off.

So you guys think they should be making the money.

Definitely. Yeah, It's like, yeah, it could have been me.

Maybe there's a little resembment because I spend like fifty bucks on a team X.

Sure over priced.

But well, there's still word that he can finish the top ten in the draft. I think six to the Raiders. You saw it up, Well you can have some breaking news here.

Yeah, I'm excited to hear I saw that.

Anybody who get us through the last five minutes of this show of this hour five two o four, one, six, seventy four or seventy four forty you can call us, let us know how we're doing. Not so good today, we're well, what else?

Game?

I hope, I hope you go to the game and more. I'll see you there.

Yeah, go down, you know, I bet you there's a seat next to Steve when you go down. Will we probably just go down the good sit in the front row.

There's no cheering in the press box.

Wait, Matthew doesn't cheer away. Have you heard him?

He has?

He's like, ye complaining and I.

Told you, I told you.

Damn Townsend. Waka did you say what you liked about the likes? Because you know.

What you agreed?

You agreed, he didn't like anything.

Oh yeah, yeah, you.

Sound so bad. I'm not like I'm a fan, I'm a guys.

I know we're beating Matthew.

We're not. We're not putting words in your mouth.

Now he's over there sitting in the corner. All right, you got three months off of your senior year. It's gonna be okay.

Yeah, am matt we can't hire you because we saw that you were very negative about they're.

Going to be listening to this podcast. Matthew, poor guy.

Now you might come back. Who knows? Would you cut? Would you say?

No?

Definitely? But if it doesn't even have like oh yeah, yeah, yeah, right right, yeah, so yeah, we had talked about that before. They might be trying to revamp it. Now they got some people coming in. We'll see. You never know how much time we got about two minutes, ye, two minutes. Okay, so no calls, no calls. Now we'll get some breaking news from Henry on the other side. Uh thedn't talk to who Damien.

I'm excited to talk to Damien. You know, we were talking.

He's been around for a long long time and he interviewed some of my kids and tracking and cross country back in the day. He's just got a good sense of the community and a good sense of of, you know, what, what makes sports great and good in our community.

And so I'm excited to talk to him.

What was the story with you guys, because he that's that's what it's about. It's about the story.

So we were we were doing something for a coach of ours who had passed away, Al Buell, and there was a race that we were a part of called the Red Beard Rally, and he interviewed several of our seniors and graduating kids that had run for coach Buell. And one of them was Nico Montoniez who was an Olympic trials athlete, two time Olympic Trials athlete, and Marcus Montano and his brother Nathan. Just good kids and Damien did it, did a great job with them. You know,

Here in the red Beard so he had a beard, a red beard.

He did.

He had red beard, and he was a great guy and he loved running and wanted to to share that level running with everybody including me.

Was he a young dude?

He was not a young guy. He was probably well back. Ye yes, now that I'm fifty eight, he was sixty five. He was a very young guy. But that was about twelve years ago. Yeah, okay, yeah, So we'll talk to Damian about that and other things.

Yeah, just to get what's going on in the world of sports, hopefully, you know, because it's changed too. I'm sure you saw the shellel Force probably gonna lose TV with themen. It's a changing landscape.

You know, the media landscape is you know, when I was involved in the media from you know, ninety nine to two thousand and eight. You know, it was a different animal. The recession hurt a little bit. The new media, social media, YouTube, all of it has really changed that landscape.

And so I feel bad for those those folks.

You know, they want to do good work, they want to tell good stories, they want to they want to report the news, and there's just not as much resources as there have been.

Oh no, not at all. Okay, well we got time. Yeah, we're good to go. Okay, let's let's go and get your breaking news. On the other side, this