This is High on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jay Gonzalez. Sound Fox Sports fourteen fifty. Subscribe now to the podcast on the iHeart Radio a app just Surgery.
I on the Ball.
Hey, welcome back to my I on the Ball here Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera, He's Jacobs Owes. Now we have one with breaking news. I don't think it works.
Does it be working? It might not be working. We had two more. We're in the last days of this.
And the ball Breaking news with mister yours truly mister gret two shoes, happy fighting everyone out there. Starting off breaking news, something you guys wanted to start with. Former Arizona Wildcat football player Davontae Neil played guilty last week to the murder of a twenty five year old man.
That happened like in twenty seventeen.
I think it was how long ago. Yeah, he's fought back. I know that he was.
He was a coach with with Regel. Remember he went to to with Regel to Idaho State I think it was or but I just was State Idaho and then this all came out. I liked I covered him here and he was one of my favorite players, Anthony Jamie would give me grief about it because he was so he went to Notre Dame, decided transfer, came here and was hyper just kind of a hyper HD, you know guy, And and now this happened. It's that crazy him and Chance Comanchi.
Right, Chance com forever Chance Comanchi. Yeah, same thing. He's up for murder, crazy stuff. But uh, you know he he's from Phoenix, right, from Phoenix, from Phoenix, went to Notre Dame, didn't make it there, came back here playing an Yeah.
Very talented player, yeah, just not focused, you know he was. He twists positions. I think he was the running back in any.
He was, he was a wide receiver, wide receiver and then switched.
To defensive back.
Yeah, they're trying to find a spot for him. Talented talent.
Yeah, that's too bad.
Yeah to the NFL Jaalen Ramsey and the Miami Dolphins everycent agreement on a three year contract extension worth twenty four point one million dollars per begging him the uh highest paid corner in the NFL.
Wow again, you know what are you gonna say? Guy's making a fortune. He's a good football player. Uh, that there there was a thing that was it and he's denied it since then. But the other guy who's like top defensive back, they were saying that he was trying. He was demanding a contract worth one dollar more than Jalen Ramsey. And then he came out and denied that that he ever said that. But who is it? I
can't remember. But anyways, you know the defensive backs, wide receivers, quarterbacks are making all the money, man, they're making all the money.
Even kickers too.
And kickers. Yeah, justin Tucker on my fantasy team last night and miss his first field goal of the year, a right out of the box. He misses the feld. What the hell are you doing?
You had them to have him to Oh yeah, it's funny because they were saying he's not the guy that used to be.
Well and they're saying he never misses right and then boom, he missed right right out of the box.
So it's starting to show that from fifty plus he can miss anything inside of fifty automatic.
Yeah, so.
The miss was close, but miss is still.
A miss, right.
Did you see you watch your game up? See the number one from Kansas City. Fantastic, fantastic, two touches or how many touches two touches for sure touchdowns, I mean he had that.
His first touch went for thirty yeah, run did run, yeah, jet sweep or whatever, and then blown coverage by the Ravens and wide open.
He looks like team out there has wide to open as he.
Was really did. The other extension in the NFL of Steelers and tight end Pat Firemouth, I've agreed to a four year, forty eight point four million dollar extension. So good day for any everyone getting extension in the NFL.
Yeah, no, Caddy man, all kinds of money flying around over there, for sure.
The tight end for the Titans, Josh, while it is gonna be one of the first players to wear the Guardian caps in a regular season NFL game.
The Guardian Caps.
So they wear those on top.
He's gonna wear that in a game.
He's gonna be one of the first.
I'm as surprised that they're allowed to do that.
You might go that way eventually, just because.
Just too many injuries, questions and even the aftermath. All right, just like we talked about, the NFL season started off last night with the Chiefs and the Ravens. Chiefs prevailing by a toe.
That was a really good game. You know. Look, I mean, people know the Ravens are not you know what they were playing in Kansas City. They were within a toe of game getting that game into overtime. You can't say one thing or another about whether the Ravens are any good or not any good. I mean, they made a lot of self inflicted you know, mistakes. But that was a really good game between two really good teams. You know. Uh, Jackson was really good. Pat Mahomes and Patrick Mahlmes was good.
It was it was really really it was a really well played, really good game, and it was a lot of fun. I said, I mean I turned it on and I sat there and I watched the whole thing. And I rarely do that for an NFL game, and I'll get up and I'll do stuff.
Yeah, I ended up turning it off justuse I thought it was over. I'm looking, Yes, they were. I'm blinking here. I forgot what I was going to say.
Sometimes, Lauren, we're allergic. They you guys will get memory losses to close proximity with us. You two forget stuff that's witnessed.
Yeah, that was a bad moment for me. But and I we have the Packers and the Eagles playing in Brazil by fifteen kickoffs?
Again, what the hell are they doing in Brazil? I'm sorry I ran on that yesterday, so I don't need to do it again, which just makes no sense. Why we did, why they're paying.
Someone said text me, you needed to have a Snickers because you were a little angry yesterday.
Angry. I guess I was hungry.
You're not yourself when you're hungry.
I just made it just didn't make any sense to me. Why they're it still doesn't make any sense.
And they're gonna go back. It looks like they're gonna go back, he said. Goodell said, yesterday, he hinted to it.
At least.
I remember what I was going to say, that the game was probably going to end in regulation because the Ravens were ready to go for.
They were going to go for two.
That's right, Yeah, and that I thought they were going to get.
And that's added to when I was losing my mind because I knew that they you know, they, Yeah, the game was going to end there and the Ravens were going to cover that. I was, yes, Now, I reminded me of that.
And like we said this week, one of the NFL got some good matchups. This weekend is going to the Browns, Rams and Lions we'll talk about later, and the Jets and the forty nine ers.
That's a good one Monday night looking forward to that.
Is it one of your games?
No, No, I'm not playing that game. It's a tough game. I don't Yeah, yeah, that's gonna be a fun game. I'm sure i'll throw something on it. But you know, because my wife is still out of town, so she doesn't know, there's no idea. But I have nothing to say. Again, Steve, I'm killing it. I heard another part ofay last night. I'm already up on the season, like you know, a week and a week in one game, and I'm up
like eighty bucks or something like that. I'm just a couple of a bunch of five and ten dollars bets. I'm having fun. I'm killing it.
You're in a profession, Juan Lauren. And if someone tells you something, check it out. Make sure that he's not taking.
I'm just glad he's having fun. He's not eighty right now. Yeah, I'll take it.
There you go. I'm neither angry nor angry.
Well, hope hopefully Aaron Rodgers makes it out of the first game of the season this year last year is an another Monday Night foll.
Apparently there's there's not a lot of love loss between him and the rest of the people. Those chemistry issues.
Oh in in New York.
Yeah, interesting, imagine him being part of your team. You're gonna like him.
No, he's weird. There you go, he's gotten weird and and it's like your quarterback can't be a weird dude. Well, there you have it, because then huddles get weird and.
Stuff and they don't play as hard for you.
There you go, there you go. There is that.
To the college football world. Last week, the North Carolina starting quarterback By Johnson went out with the injury out for the season with the broken bay, but he did it out today that he's returning for the twenty twenty five season. He's anticipating to be ready to go for next.
Year probably, and he's probably he'll probably get paid more in North Carolina right than he in the NFL. So yeah, good for him, makes sense. Yeah, you look, and that's right, and that's one of the good things about then. I yell Is said, Okay, you have a situation like that, you know it's not over.
For right, it's not Back in the day when they had the insurance policies on their feet, right legs, right right.
Us.
He announced that they're going to be retiring Caleb Williams number.
We saw that, we had that yesterday. Reggie Bush.
Reggie Yes. So you asked him the question.
You asked me, Okay, what of those two guys? And well, I don't know, but he's Reggie Bush. I mean I knew, Okay, who's okay, who's the better player?
I think Reggie Bush, yeah, said I think it's a lot closer to I think people would think because Caleb Williams.
Was he was good.
He was really good talent.
You saw it against But you're paying money to go see Reggie Bush. Oh yeah, I'm not sure you're going to go pay money to place just.
See Caleb Williams. No, you're not.
You're watching Ready Bush for a price, right.
I mean you're gonna you're gonna, I mean you're gonna You're gonna either sit down and watch the game or you're gonna flip the you know, be flipping channels to go back and see what he's doing. You're gonna want to watch his team when he's got when they've got the ball.
Yeah, I mean, unless you're notre Dame fans stand for fan fan, you're gonna want to watch Reggie Bush not so much killer.
Right.
There you go, Week two of college football kicking off this week with some good games, very good game. Texas going to Michigan. You got Arkansas going to Oklahoma State.
I didn't see that. What's the spread on that one, Texas Michigan?
It is seven Texas? Yes, Michigan. Yes, well I didn't touch that one. I'm okay with that, big baby.
I'm okay with that you did.
I'm not saying, yeah, he.
Got a good rivalry game. Iowa State going to Iowa's.
A pretty first one of the three wins, first one to ten wins exactly. It doesn't have to do it.
You got tennis See in North Carolina.
State to the day. Probably.
Yeah, I'm gonna go ahead and say I got Tennessee big over the real Yeah.
Why is that? He's right, she's gonna I'm not touching it. I'm not gonna touch.
I think Tennessee is that talented this year yeah, I got a good quarterback. No, I don't necessarily trust and she State right now? So I got I got Tennessee. Any Boys State going to Oregon, they got boys You State supposed to be the group of five, right.
Boise State was one of my teams last week, and they didn't cover and they were unimpressive, and I hate those guys for now. But Oregon was not impressive against Idaho either, So that that's one of those games where you don't know what you got and I just didn't even get near it. M what's spread? Well, you don't want to worry about it. It's like ten and a half, sixteen and a half, no twenty, I don't remember.
Yeah, bye in Arizona.
Four Oregon by twenty. That's just a game that you just go because Oregon could blow him out or Boys State could beat him.
I think it's gonna be closer than that.
Yeah, well then funny, Well, then take up Boise steak.
There you go. Uh to Arizona Athletic News. The Arizona volleyball team as starting off their season five and no another win against Prairie View A and MS today in the Alabama State Tournament.
I mean that's not bad because they were they were not very good last year. They were struggled with teams right right, and there were a lot of people who were saying they didn't know if Cherida Stubbs was the one the answer, you know to Dave Rubio, and you know, they're off two good starts, so good for them.
They Alabama tomorrow nine o'clock, all right, so good luck to them. And yeah, that's all I got.
All right, man, Okay, good stuff now, you know, getting back to getting back to that that game last night, it was just O. Look like I know, I said yesterday, I really wish a game like that would be on Sunday. But you know, it's like you went home, turn on the game, sat there and watched the game. It was a good game. It was close enough all along that you didn't know who was going to win. I had some stuff on it, and so, you know, my interest was peaked, and it was just fun to see, you know,
an NFL game that was meaningful. You know, it's early enough in the season that neither team gets killed by it, so it was it was good. I had fun watching that game. I really did.
Okay, let's take a break let's go. So we got a minute.
Yeah, all right, we're going to come back, and we've got Eric Newman. He's the sports editor at the Arizon Daily Sun up in Flagstaff. We'll get to him or get him to tell us what we can expect to see with the lumberjacks Maniana stick around.
The Windows Depot is more than a Windows store. The Windows Depot is a one softwarehouse with everything you need for your complete Homer model shot. The aisles of pre built cabinets in a variety of colors, granite and courts, countertops, sinks, skylights.
And hardware.
To complete your project, need a custom order, we can help. Our designers offer free design services and can special order everything you need for your kitchen, our bathroom remodel today. Shop the Window Deepot dot com or find a location near you. The Window Depot more than a Windows store.
Steve Rivera here to talk about Dorato Rock Materials. I needed a lot of gravel for my driveway, so I called Eric at Dorato Rock. He found out the amount and color I needed and boom, it was taken care of and at a great price. How do I know radio commercials work? I heard one of his on the radio. Dorato Rock Materials provides a wide range of landscaping materials, including decorative rock, boulders, gravel, soil, and sand for residential
and commercial use in the Tucson area. They are locally owned and have been around for more than fifteen years. Give them a call at five to two zero four zero zero four two three three.
Where do you buy exercising quick man Arizona.
Health Arizona Health Arizona Health. Of course, to feel better and look better, it makes sense to buy your fitness equipment from the people who know it better than anyone else. At Arizona Health, our goal is to help you choose the equipment you need to reach your goals. Your health and fitness deserve the best you deserve. Arizona Health the leading.
Edge and exercise equipment.
On twenty second just west of Wilmot.
Did you know sports cards at Memorabilia are setting records sales last month of nineteen fifty two tops Mickey Mantle So for twelve point six million, Lebron James Rookie So for five point six Also, collecting cards is a family fun hobby that can be very profitable if you want to start a collection or expand your collection. Check out Showtime Cards. They are one of the leading card shops in the country and have served our local community for
twenty five years. They are located on E Speedway. That's show Time Cards.
At Nova home Loans, we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy the independence that comes with home ownership. Paul Volpi is ready to help you find an option that best fits your needs. Whether you're a first time or veteran home buyer, or want to get cash out with the refinance. Nova has a variety of home loan programs
to meet your unique situation. Visit voltpeteam dot com that's Volpe team dot com or call five two oh six one eight, five six two six today n MLS three oh eight seven, arizon A BKO nine two nine four two Equal Housing Opportunity, how to commitment to Lyndrix syn Credit rates and available loan programs subject to change with U Notice.
It's awards season for summer sports leagues and time to look at trophies for baseball, softball, volleyball, and swimming seasons for youth and adult leagues. Summer has arrived and it's time to replenish your promotional products for your companies. Giveaways keep your employees looking great in fresh new apparel, polos and caps with your sharp looking logo. Creative Awards is
here to serve your professional and promotional products needs. Visit their Creative Awards Idea center at two twenty eight West Drackman Street or visit them online at Creative Awards az dot com.
Got bugs, termites, fees or rodents, OZWNA Pest Control will hunt them down. Arizona Pest Control is your complete desert pest management. Specialist tests can't run or hide from Arizona Pest Control. They use only the latest and most technologically advanced methods of pest elimination available, which minimizes the effects on the environment. Let Arizona Pest Control get rid of your bad bugs, termites, bees, or rodents serving Tucson and
Southern Arizona since nineteen forty seven. Go to azypest dot com to schedule your free evaluation today.
Selling your home want to get more money for it? Will Danny Roth can help you? He told me about as you Flip the Home you Own program. The program allows for a homeowner to fix up their home to sell without using any of their own money, they will be able to sell the home for a much higher price. Danny Roth with Armny Homes International is the real estate
consultant in Tucson that offers this program. He has consistently been the top agent in Tucson for the last thirty years and has sold over ten thousand, five hundred homes. For more information on this program or just buying or selling a home of Danny Roth at five two zero four nine zero four thousand.
Steve Rapera and Jacob Salas they have their Eye on the ball on tuc Sun's sports stage. Chef Fox Sports fourteen fifty.
Hey, welcome back to find the ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera. He's Jagginsaus. Now on the phone, we have Eric Newman from the Arizona Daily Sun and flag Staff. Eric, how are you?
I'm good. We're back into football season.
Can't complain nice and nice? What's the weather up They're.
Like, it's beautiful in flag Staff right now, man Sonny seventy five. We've been getting rain here and there, but you know, right now is the time to be up here. It'll get cold in the winter, but right.
Now, betful good. It'll only be about one hundred and five on Saturday down here, so it should be fun. So tell us a little bit about what what happened last week. I know the team was that any of you played was very very much out. Man. You put a bunch of points on the board, But what were we able to lean from what you think you saw for what you did see last week?
Yeah, so they've put Lincoln and the Naia Independent School that they don't have their own stadium or anything like that. NAU won sixty six to six, and it you know, it could have been even more. They got basically their third and fourth units in and that was kind of the thing that coach Brian right, their new coach, was happy about. Is it's hard to gain much in terms of, you know, knowing exactly what the team is things like that.
But they got a lot of playing time and so you could actually use the game plan things like that and get some guys familiarity with a new system in an actual game.
So, Eric, you've covered the team for a while now. You saw the team come down here and beat Arizona. You saw them lose last year. What type of team is this one compared to the past ones.
So it's interesting you say that because it's a whole new team, a whole new staff. There's not basically a single coach that was on their staff the last couple of years, and it's a new roster, and so I think they've got a chance to compete in the FCS and the Big Sky, But it's really hard to tell because they haven't played anybody at their own caliber, or especially at anybody at Arizona's caliber yet, So it's, you know, really kind of an unknown. I don't know we can
expect to compete with Arizona. I think it's two levels of competition right now, but you never know.
But what what do we know about about the new coach and the type of you know, his schemes, right, does he throw the ball around a lot? Is he trying to run the ball? What do they do defensively? Those kinds of things? You know, what, what what's it going to look like for us tomorrow night?
Yeah?
So Brian Wright, he was a great Division two coach and a really great conference there. He has a quarterback in type Penny and that came over from Pittsburgh State where he came from, who was a kind of sometimes a starter there and he's really mobile, and so they use a lot of shotgun run the ball out of that mobile quarterbacks, a lot of you know, potential option
plays things like that. The defense is kind of not where I'm exactly sure, because you know, they were able to play a pretty much a base defense asive so Lincoln team was outmanned, and I'm you know, nobody like McMillan was on the Oaklanders team or THEFTA or anything like that, so I expect the offense to try to do a bunch of different stuff. Defense is more of.
A question, Well there you have it, right, we'll see you from week to week. Holme. Well, there's always gotten prepared for that type of quarterback.
Well yeah, and you know, and I mean look, I think what what you often see is that, you know, coaches come in, they maybe feel out man so they they try and do things like run you know, a wide open offense, throw the ball all over the place and make you cover them so that that sort of gives them the best chance because they're not going to run you over and stuff like that. So that's kind
of where I'm trying to get at. It's still okay, you know, Are they going to come throw the ball fifty or sixty times and that kind of thing.
Yeah, if it's throwing a running I assume the Terbeck will have the ball a lot. It won't be a ton of just turn around the hand the ball off type of thing. Yes, I mean, you're absolutely right. The size of the linemen and the power up there is a whole different thing, and so it'd be really silly to expect and they use offensive line to come in and just bowl over anybody or play that power game. I think you're absolutely right, but they'll try to spread them out.
But you mentioned when you're at the very top that you thought they could or will be competitive in the league.
Yeah, I mean, the Big Sky is one of the best, it's not the best conferences in the FCS. They had a national runner up last year. They've had two national runner ups in a row. Some really talented teams up there. But you know there's a chance they still, despite a disappointing season, got fourth in the standings from their own conference last year, and so you know it'll be yet to see what it's like against their own league, but there's a chance that they could be competitive.
So I should have known this, But so what happened to last year's coach? Did he get fired?
Yeah?
He was.
He at the end of his contract and they you know, it's essentially a firing now, not exactly in that terms. They just didn't renew his contract, and then with him went most of his staff. First Ball is now an assistant Debt Maasoo.
Okay, okay, So you've been there a while now, and I've said this at my alma mater, the New Mexicos of the world, where it's it's if you don't do well right away, it's almost like it's a place to get fired, or you go to get fired, or just hopefully you do well enough to get the heck out.
Yeah, I mean, so part of the thing is that NAU doesn't have the athletic budget like a lot of these bigger schools do it. So most of the time they'll let their contracts run out and let something really, really terrible happens. They just don't have the money to, you know, Jimbo Fish or someone in pay millions of dollars to not coach, and so you know, they'll let
them play it out unless it's really terrible. But yeah, I think the overwhelming opinion was that Chris Ball probably wasn't going to come back unless something great happened and then made a playoff.
Runners many two song kids on the team this year.
There so the big one is Daniel Orblado, who transferred over two years ago. He's been hurt, so I don't think he'll be able to play tomorrow. But then there's there's one or two others that are practice squad kids. Ryan Fontaine is a running back. I don't think he'll be in the starting lineup or anything, but those are kind of the two main ones.
M Okay, we are surprised. I don't know if you follow this type of stuff, but we do. With the spread yesterday, Jay is telling me it was a forty five.
Point forty four and a half yesterday and I was thirty five and a half. Did something happen over there? Because I don't know if anything happened over here.
I mean not anything that I've heard, So, I mean that's a pretty drastic spread. I wonder if people just weren't sure exactly, you know, the betters weren't sure exactly what to expect or any There hasn't been any giant news like some you know, a six foot eight guy walking through the door or something like that that I know of it.
Yeah, so you're not gonna be here with the team to cover the game, but I think you're how optimistic are you that they'll stay in the game.
It's gonna be tough. I mean, Arizona is better than they've been in a long time, and NAU might be good, but it's just a different level of football. You know. Maybe it's the type of game where they can be, you know, competitive, So halftime and Arizona pulls away or something like that, but I don't think it's fair to expect NAU to win this game at all.
So just Eric, you were here three years ago when any you did pull it off, and I'm sure you Jay's giving me the US snake out here, Oh the stink guys. So what was your thoughts when it happened that they pulled it off?
So that game was crazy because they had a linebacker and Harrison B. Miller, who ended up being a grat assistant coach for a couple of years. He left with crick ball after this offseason, hit four and a hat tackles for loss and he was you know, a good linebacker. He was solid, but he was never somebody that was going to, you know, absolutely break open a game like that.
And so it took you know, it took that, It took a pick six, It took a guy in r. J. Martinez who's now at Baylor as a quarterback to come in and you know, kind of stun some people. It took a ton of elements to win by two points, and you know, maybe Arizona's worst moment in a long time, with you know, a lot of their stuff that's been happening before that. It was just a ton of different elements all at once. And I don't think it's you know, it's tough to expect exactly that, but you never know.
So who's going to catch our eye? Then on Saturday night.
I'm excited for people to see what the running game looks like. NAU is expecting this season to kind of do a running back by committee. They had a guy named Seth Cromwell who came over from Missouri Western, a D two school and was the freshman of the year in their conference at like sixteen eighteen touchdowns something like that, and as part of a running back group, Darvon Hubbard from you know, a kind of local kid from Surprise who bounced around a couple of schools before ending up
at NAU. Those are kind of the two main ones. They've got a kid named Juwan Evans who's a goal line back power both so you know, I don't know exactly how much they're going to turn around and run the ball, but they've got a different a guy.
On this show, we talk a lot about the nil and obviously the impact and all that. How often do you write about it and has it impacted a school like NAU.
It's hit and miss because you know, they don't have the the alumni donations more like a lot of big schools. But you'll see every once in a while somebody like, you know, a local restaurant or Carson cout is a center on the men's basketball team, and he is he's got a little partnership with the local Toyota uh and he's got a truck from them, and it's done some
commercials and stuff like that. So it's you know, it's not these multi million dollar deals like you see other places, but there's certainly.
Some of it very cool, good for those guys, you know, Yeah, you know, there's a sizzler up there. Is there anybody that can you know, do a sizzler commercial? There isn't there a sizzler.
There is a sizzler right near campus.
Yeah?
Wow? Is there like a Big Boys? Big Boys?
Last time it wasn't flag stuff. I went there, I said, we're going to sizzler and we did. Wow.
Not to make fun, it's just I love a great thing for the offensive line or something.
Yeah about look creative?
Yeah, where's the beef?
Look creative with that stuff? Man, that's Wendy's. That's Wendy's.
Come on, there's gonna be a Wendy's up there too. That's that's the beef on the front line.
We'll see what happens.
So you have you know, I know this is still early, we have some time, but what type of prediction you have.
I think Are's gonna wins pretty comfortably. I think it's something that you know, maybe it's ten points, fourteen points at halftime, more like twenty to twenty five at the end of the game.
Okay, well again the lines thirty five and a half, you'll runder sixty one and a half, you think. Okay, question of the day, because this is gonna this This is gonna cost some money. Okay, question of the day, man, But I'll talk about it. Can can any of you put two touchdowns on the board.
I think that's gonna be tough. I think, I mean last year they scored three points, and it's it's gonna be interesting there. The I mean I forgot to talk about with the defense earlier, a kid named Alex McLaughlin who was probably their best player defensively, maybe overall the last time they played Arizona. A sophomore safety out there, and you know, it might take him making some kind
of crazy defensive play to give them awesome position. But you never No, it's it's again such an unknown with this offense because they have the capability and the players to do well, but it's it's a whole different level of football. So if I had to guess, I'd say no, but I guess you never know.
All right, Well then okay, then I'm taking the under. Okay, that's only.
Yeah, because you're figuring maybe fifty to fourteen or whatever.
Right right, So okay, yeah, all right, and yeah, I bet Arizona gets into the forties and you know, all right, Okay, good, all right, I got the under.
So yeah, I think that's fair.
So how how are you? Did you grow up there? How long have you been up there writing?
So?
I started here in twenty twenty one, I've I was in Phoenix for a few years covering high school sports and then moved up here in twenty twenty one for this job.
Oh okay, I was gonna ask you just covering any of you specifically? Is it a grind? Are you you're a one man band?
Yes? I am so. I'll get some interns every once in a while. The yessay ease have been helpful to me. But you know, I'm covering all the football games even you know tomorrow won't be there, but I'll be covering it remotely. I'll get on the phone with Brian Wright after the game, all the all the home basketball games men and women's, and then high school stuff too. I'm going to Flag High Flagstaff High School football tonight. They play actually at the nau Dome. Is the home game?
Oh cool?
Do you have a I will be there.
Do you have a day off?
Nope? No, just like that, nope.
I have two interns in the room now. They're not getting there. They're not smiling.
They're getting out of the business right now as we speak. As we speak, so that's there.
You must be twenty seven ish.
I'm thirty one, but everyone thinks I'm younger, though I feel much older.
This business agency, especially not getting any days off.
Man, if you saw my picture, I'm only thirty.
Thirty times too.
Yes, well, thanks a bunch for your time.
Yeah, Eric, we do for you. Sit you're you know doing this? Say, I know we should have called you like a week ago because we knew we wanted to do this, and you got to call this morning. So we appreciate you jumping in with us today.
Absolutely, guys, I appreciate it.
Thank you. I appreciate it. Appreciate it. Right, talk to you. Thanks.
We have some time left them to scale. Uh you you were disappointed you wanted them to score for team.
Now now I'm bove man like, I don't know what to do.
Oh, he doesn't pay attention to other people.
He's not influential.
No, I'm taking his information. Okay. He provided some information that I don't have, right, I didn't you know, he said, no, no, no, no, I don't think Therena score. Okay, that's what he needs to know. Now from that, Okay, I'm deciding what are they? You know, I'm gonna use that as part of my information, my knowledge base to decide if I'm taking the over to the under or not at all.
Where were you before that conversation?
I was going over and now I probably won't even do anything on it.
Okay, you're under the defense.
Rest well again he gave He told me something that I didn't know.
You're playing semantics.
Now he told me something I didn't know. And he and what he said is, I don't know that these guys can put two touchdowns on the board against.
Yeah, I don't know. Talking to he listened to him. They're not gonna score. They scored ten maybe, yeah, but you know we thought that last week went to New Mexico.
Yeah. And I just don't want to have to need Arizona to put up more than fifty points or so, you know, I mean people though they I mean, they put up sixty one last week, but they kept scoring because they had to. You know, if it's forty nine to seven, all right, and they're at fifty six points in the middle of the fourth quarter, you know, is Brent Branton going to put in you know some you know they're gonna put in the second and third stringers,
and then is anybody gonna score after that? You know that when when you're talking about such a huge number that you know that's you got, you got to think about backdoor covers and all that kind of stuff, and I just so soon stay away from those. So I think I'll lay off of that. But then again, if I have three or four beers before the game and I'm walking to the game and I've got my phone in my hand, you never know what can happen.
Talk to me, Talk to me, Goose.
I've got, I've got, I got, you know, the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. Talk to me, Goose exactly exactly.
Hey, Jim across the street, do you think about this game? Eric said no? But what do you say?
Convince me?
Hey?
We gotta go. Can happen?
We gotta do our picks?
We do all right, I'm looking fab two years bab five Friday picks coming right up. But Steve's got the lead on me. But I'm gonna catch him this week. Stick around.
If 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 my new book, Lessons from Loot. It was a labor of love through the eyes of twenty five former players, coaches and friends to give insight to the coach and the man who led them, competed against them, and inspired them. Twenty five chapters for his twenty five years as Arizona's beloved coach listens from newt is an insight to how he built the program
into a national powerhouse. What one email me at Steve dot RIVERA ninety five at gmail dot com.
Hi, this is formal while get leman huntly with Arizona Health, Imagine how home GM can change your health, your comfort, and your time. Arizona Health is everything you need to transform your personal space and your life. We off a complete line of cardio machines, multi gms and freeway equipment. I'll certify fitness experts and technicians will set you up with the right equipment and training to get you started to keep you going. Visit our share room today at
twenty second in Wilmot. Arizona Health the lead edge and exercise equipment.
What's your goal? A new career or career advancement. How about transferring to a four year college. Pema Community College can help you make Someday today and reach your goals affordably on your schedule. With over one hundred programs to choose from in financial aid available, It's time to earn the degree or certificate you need to prepare for the career you want. PIMA offers free career exploration classes so you can choose the field that's right for you. Learn
how at Pima dot edu slash Someday. Ready to save but not sure where to begin? Take the Pyramid Federal Credit Union ten thousand dollars Saving Challenge and we'll guide you along the way. Save five hundred dollars over six months as a member and you can win big.
Watch your savings grow to help you reach goals like buying a car, owning a home and more.
Visit Pyramid FCU dot com slash ten k challenge to get started today.
That really insured and cua.
Hey Tucson, Steve Rivera here and I've got a tip for you. Want to be in good hands while cruising the desert or kicking back at home, then you need to call my friends at the Edmond Marcus All State Agency. These guys are the MVPs of home and auto coverage. Whether it's a fender bender or a leaky roofed, They've got you covered. Don't fumble your chance. Say call them today. Let's go big on your insurance. With the Edmund Marcus
on State Agency, You're always in good hands. Visit them at twenty seven nineteen Note Campbell or call him at five two zero three two three nine three three three.
Steve Rivera and jaygn Salez they have their eye on the ball on Tucson Sports Stage. Jeff Fox Sports fourteen fifty streaming live. I mean iHeart radio.
Wams Hey, welcome back to ying the ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve, He's Jay. Now we're waiting with baited breath. Fantastic bit.
You're waiting to find out how bad I'm gonna do.
No, I'm just hoping to touch any of mine. I hope you're not. Am I am? I going first? I got the oh, Yeah, you gotta go first. Got honor, your honor, your honor. Five to two, top of one. Okay, my first game is going to be Utah over Baylor. Oh okay minus fifty team, I think that's in Utah, could be Utah, so Utah, so be a Utah minus fifteen over Baylor first conference game, right, I'm assuming that's a conference game.
No, No, it's not.
It's like Arizona's.
It's like Arizona, right, with a pre scheduled with a pre scheduled game. Okay, I'm pretty sure that that that. Yeah, because there, Yeah, they were the other school that had that. You know, a game schedule is the Big twelve opponent, but not a Big twelve game.
So okay, so that's Utah over Baylor minus fifteen.
Yeah, Utah. You know, look they look pretty good, so we'll see. I like it. It's a good pick. I thought, I'm I'm talking about I'm not gonna say I thought about it because I just didn't. I looked, I saw it, and then I said, nah, do that all right? I'm gonna I'm gonna get on. I'm on a bandwagon. I'm on a couple of bandwagons, and my first the first bag bandwagon that I'm on is Texas. Okay, they're giving seven and a half at Michigan. I think they're really good.
I've been reading stuff on this game all week long. I mean, quinn Ewers, he's a Heisman candidate. Well, there's Texas's first and second string quarterbacks are better than any quarterback in Michigan right now. So you know, I don't think they're not They're going to go up there. They're not going to get rattled at over one hundred and ten thousand people in Michigan Stadium. I think just Texas
is really good. And you know, Michigan's got a lot of you guys, and you know, if this game is two or three weeks down the road, maybe I don't touch this game. But you know, Michigan's still trying to figure themselves out, and so I'm on Texas. They won fifty two to nothing last week against Colorado State. It's not the fifty two that I was impressed by. It
was nothing that I was impressed by. It's hard to shut out a team these days, and the fact that they did, even though it was Colorado State tells me a lot. So because they're not just a great offense with fifty points, they shut a team out, They shut a Division I team out. So I'm all over Texas on that and a half. Is it spread.
Okay, I got all that down. Now my next pick Kansas State over Tulane minus nine. Another Big twelve. I'm gonna be paying attention to a on the Big twelve games. Minus nine minus nine all right over Baylor. Why just because I think that the they're a better team and I'm coming supposed to be top three in this league and Tulane's not a top three team in this league for that for that reason specifically, and nine is not a bad number.
Yeah. Well, the Athletic put out there predicted college football playoff bracket and they have Utah and Kansas State.
Yeah, it's either in the playoff. Yeah, right, because it's either Kansas State, Utah or Arizona's being thrown in there.
Kind of sneaky, But a lot of the a lot of the preseason brackets that we saw only had one Big twelve teams Utah and these and this one had Kansas State and Utah. Have Utah is the pack as the Big twelve champ, but then they had Kansas State also in the playoff. Yeah, we'll see how good they're gonna be. Yeah this weekend too, all right. The other bandwagon I'm writing is Georgia Tech. You know, they they lit up Florida State. They had another good game last week.
They covered for me last week as well. I'm just gonna stay with these these two teams because you know, they're early on, They're they're looking good, They're and I just feel good about them. They're they're they're going to Syracuse. It's a it's an ACC game. They've already got an ACC game under their belt. They're only giving three. I don't know how good Syracuse is. They haven't been good in a while. That's why Dino Babers is now the
offensive coordinated in Arizona. So I'm taking Georgia Tech giving three at Syracuse. Oh, by the way, Texas is my luck.
Okay, I like that. I like bull picks. I was gonna go with Georgia Tech, and I just said no, I better not so because you know I was no.
No.
But I probably had an inklean you might, but no, I didn't. Okay, So those are my two college I'm gonna go pro now with the Chicago Bears minus three and a half. I can't remember the last time I pitched Chicago Bears to do anything. Get off the bus or something.
You're on the will, and only because I who they playing.
They're playing I'm trying to go to the list right now. Bears, Bears, Bears, Bears, Tennessee Titan is probably because of that minus only three and a half, they're going to be better than they've been in the past, and that's what appears to be, like allegedly, we won't know until we know. So three and a half minus three and a half. I like the number. It's a little little that half point might kill me. But yeah, that Chicago and I can't remember the last time I did that with the Bears.
Yeah, okay, all right, I'm going to third college game and I'm going with.
The Yeah, Nebraska, you're giving seven seven and a half. That's you said six and a half, right, who said seven? Okay, so I thought it was just seven and a half. If it was six and a half, I would have done that, But seven and a half.
I want them to blast. This is a This is an emotional pick for me. Okay, not because I really really think Nebraska is gonna kick her, but it's just I'm wishing, Yeah, don't don't. I hope this is the beginning of Dion just taking it in the You know what for the rest of the season for being a big, giant, steaming pile of stuff.
Okay, yeah, that's Jay saying that. Send letters to Jay, the Mares, send letters to.
He's just being a jerk. And I just feel like what goes around should come around. He should get to get his ass kicked. Okay. And and and it's at Nebraska. Yeah, okay, that thing one as a revenge game too. Nebraska looked really damn good last week. The quarterback, that kid, Dylan Rayola, who was the number one quarterback in the country last year. He looked really good. So, you know, I like Nebraska and I and I feel like it's a twenty point win for Nebraska this weekend.
Okay, seven and a half, all right. My next pro game will be Buffalo over Arizona the Cardinals. Uh, we have Jodia on this week. Buffalo is still Buffalo. Arizona's on the road. The number is six and a half. That's a great number for me because I think they'll win by seven or more. I'm not sold on Arizona.
I'm just not. I had that on. I had that down, I mean actually wrote it down until I found what I thought was a better game, Okay, that I'm gonna go with. I think I think that's a really really that's my luck, that's your luck. I think that's a really good pick. And so I hope you lose the hell out of it. You know what, it would be just like the Cardinals if I were to take the bills, that the Cardinals would go down there such stupid. I may put some money on it Sunday, Yeah, just to
throw it into a parlay. The curse is going like a little money line parlay or something like that.
That's up. That's how he stays in this game thing on me. And you know, you know, produced the candle, the Jesus candle, I don't know what the heck that is called, you know, and then a little holy water I.
Cut the head off live chickens.
Yeah, so talks to your your coula undetta whatever you know.
In fact, I think you need to hit the dump button on that.
Really we only have two Hispanic listeners.
That's oh, that's funny because there is some bad way. Yeah, yes, there was one in there, wonderfully, some low witch doctor.
Yeah Hispanic, which.
Yes, all right, Okay, the game that I thought was better than Bill's over the Cardinals. I'm taking the Bengals. I looked at giving eight and a half to the Patriots, who, by all accounts are like, that's the worst team. Fact it's in Cincinnati. Oh okay, that's a good pick. In fact, I might even look at that for I just I mean seriously, I had the Bills down, and then I'm I went a little further down the list and I saw I saw that the Bengals at home against the Patriots.
I'm like, oh, I got to take that. So but you know, both of those, the Bills and the Bengals, I could see them being in a little little parlay on Sunday to keep you interest. Yeah.
No, you totally agree with that, which is sad that I agree with that. Yeah, okay, So then the big game is the Detroit the Rams.
Right, the Lions at home giving three to the Ring.
I'm I think one of the teams and everyone else thinks is to Detroit's gonna be very good this year at home. They beat the Rams last year by one or two last year and the Puffs. This is a big game Detroit renister and a half.
Yeah, I'm on that as well. Very heavy favorite in our in our pool. I mean we we picked that game because it's like they're just except for that Kansas City game, they just weren't a lot of interesting games this week. In this first you.
Did a lot of people that Lessons game. Uh, Kansas City would look like this, the obvious word.
Sixty people took it, and thirty eight of them had the Chiefs. I think that was the other's choice. Yeah is three. Yeah, I'm taking I'm taking the Lions as well, So I just uh, I hate I'm gonna jinx us and say this is sort of a almost a free one because the Lions are damn good and they're at home. I'm screwed. They did that on purpose, all right, So so there they are. Uh. I've got Texas minus seven and a half at Michigan. Uh, Georgia Tech again, I'm
on that. I'm on that train. Minus three at Syracuse.
Go ahead and go ahead, and we'll take a coffee off here.
I've got Nebraska giving seven and a half at Colorado against Colorado at home, took the Bengals minus eight and a half at home against the Patriots, and Lions minus three at home against the Rams. Texas is my lock Steve's got Utah giving fifteen to Baylor. That's in Utah, right, Steve. Yeah, the Bears giving three and a half to the Titans in Chicago. Kansas State giving nine to Tulane. Is that in? Is that in Kensas State? That's Kansas State home team?
And then the Bill again, I like the Bill's Cardinals. I like Bill. I don't that ten you know, ten o'clock in the morning. Car uh uh, you know Arizona time. That's just a hard thing. It's it's hard for these West coast teams go east. And then you got the Lions also in there.
Do you follow the Cardinals?
You pay attention? Really? Yeah?
Because I don't see I don't see anything.
Well neither neither you r I are big Kyler Murray guys, right, you know one Tyler Murray. He's good. Yeah, he's good enough to get you, just to get you to get you beatn two. He never plays all the games. And so we'll see if this is the year after which they have to they have to move on. But uh yeah, I think it's I think it's a really good pick. And you locked it so and I locked Texas because that's the first game of the day on Saturday, and I know I'll sit down and I'll watch that entire game.
You'll eat more wings than you need to or.
Have some charties and eggs on Saturday on Saturday morning, because again my wife's out of town. So yeah, I'll cook up the treaty. So and I'll let's scarf down and watch the game.
But we have time. We have like four minutes. If you guys want to give us a last second call, five to four, one, six, seventy four, forty give us a call. Let us know what's your prediction on the football game with Arizona.
I think it's what do you think score thirties Arizona forty nine ten?
I had this last week same to score.
About forty nine ten, Yeah, forty ten, probably.
In the seventhood seven touchdowns. You know, the guy we didn't talk about was Tyler Luke Hyler? What up? Who would have thought this a few years ago? Because he didn't have that, He didn't have a huge leg. But now he's got any But he was very consistent. Now he's got everything.
I mean that the fifty four yard of that he kick went into the seats. Yeah, I mean, he didn't barely make that.
And you know the special teams are one of those things or not one of them. A key position where if you have that, you don't have to worry.
About it a lot of stuff. Well, you know when you see that, you're if you get down to the forty yard line that you have a chance to score. It was the old Max and Dajas thing. You know, Arizona would get to the thirty five forty yard line, you thought, okay, they've got some points, right, and then you know, and then you kind of okay, and a let's say we can get a touchdown. It's the same thing with him and just his kickoffs are just crazy stupid.
But no, he's he's gotten really good. I mean that tells you how if you stayed four years and you know, you know.
You grow up, man, you grow up.
I don't think he might be alone the leaders all time of kickers in the night nation, not just around because it consistency. Yeah, oh here's a missing well it's Steve.
Yeah he did.
It's like one of those money that I think he hasn't anything that passed fifty yards.
You killed it and.
Then you guys got Tucker and get screwed.
You killed it. I can't believe you did that. Sorry, mister Lupe. Yeah, no, very impressed by him, and didn't talk about this. Last week they showed there was a video of him making a seventy five yarder. Oh, in practice, just practice, I mean, you know, not no rush or anything, but the fact that he kicked it seventy five yards through the goal post. It's good to have him on
the in your part. I mean, they're not gonna let him try seventy five yards in a game, but you know he said that, you know they they'll let him try. Who do he? Where did I get this from? Oh? My brother ran into him in the elevator at at Lowell Stevens and some how's it going and stuff? And he said it was going really well, and that that he made you may see him try a sixty plus
yard field goal this year, which would be incredible. Boll but he's that good and again and that's a weapon that you know that makes your team one hundred times better. I keep seeing the video and it crops up on my social media feeds all the time. Of that the kick six Auburn where the guy was a fifty six yarder didn't even come close, right, he came nowhere close to it, and they ran him back for a touchdown
to win the game. You know, to have a guy that is going to kick a fifty six yarder and you know that's not going to happen to you, it gives you a lot of confidence to even try those. I think it's pretty cool.
Well, okay, thanks, so right, thanks.
Lauren, thank you. I hope you had fun. Well, I know he made you laugh. She's going These guys are nuts. They're just stupid. It's like bad dad jokes, exactly, bad dad jokes. Okay, one nice job on the board. Again. Sorry, the breaking news thing didn't work.
All right, next week we should be set when you guys come back and.
See what happens Monday here Tuesday at the new studio.
So talk about Monday's Sun Saturday's game on Monday and have a couple of other good guests and would be great.
All right, see you on Monday.