Monday, March 17, Hour 2

This is Eye on the Ball with Steve Rivera on Fox Sports fourteen fifty.

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Hey, welcome back to Are on the Ball. You're on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera and with me to daya Swan and Ray has some breaking news.

All right, so music's not going, but here we go.

Yeah.

One of the one of the things that really stood out to me today just you know, kind of going over the landscape of sports was the West Virginia governor. He you know, did a press conference. Felt like they got snubbed. I feel like that's a fair that's a fair emotion to have today. But he like, in front of his little podium, he had a national was it National Corrupt Corrupt Athletic Association?

Nothing like political people getting involved in sports.

We gotta love it. It's called Tuesday, called Monday. Yeah, no, I saw that, and he was pretty upset.

Obviously, there's guess what, this time of year, you're gonna have a lot of people upset. I said, they're gonna move the They moved the back before you guys were born. It was thirty two, right, and then with the sixty four now it's sixty eight. Now they're thinking about going to seventy six, and they might include them all when they go to one hundred and two. Guess what one hundred and three hundred and four hundred and five, we're gonna be pissed that they were not in.

Yeah.

Oh, someone's always gonna be upset. That's just the nature of sports, right right?

What about us? What about us?

But let me tell you there's some gripe because we talked about this on there or North Carolina or a fair af fair. I mean, if there's a team that probably doesn't deserve to be in there, and maybe a West Virginia that's why he's upset.

Yeah, yeah, but I mean I don't know.

I thought that was pretty funny, a little funny, little little like whoa man?

Yeah, no, it was big news all over.

Yeah, all right, So bringing it back local.

The baseball team on an eight game win streak right now.

Right, you're you're boss is covering that, right? I keep up, I keep up. Yeah, they're lucky. What are they twenty seven? What are they then?

One and four? Something? That twenty one four?

They're not ranked In fact, someone someone of my puncho on my on my Facebook posts that talked about that, where they're twenty and four whatever, twenty one four and they're not They're not ranked a.

Little bit surprising in my opinion, because in my eyes, they are a pretty impressive team.

They hit the ball well, they they they.

Shut out opponents for the most part, and I mean shut out when it's they're eleven to three. Score, oh they're fifteen to four. Fifteen and four are still fifteen and four. Yeah, you're winning seventy five percent.

You know what, other teams are probably playing well. So how do you how do you eliminate those guys? Because these guys are doing well. I mean it's a turn of not turn of events, but circumstances of events where Okay, they're doing really well. We acknowledge that, but the people ahead of you are doing well too. How do we JUSTI probably knocking you guys off.

It's company, it's the team that's left out again here we are Arizona's left out, and maybe some people are upset, but there's only twenty five teams that can be ranked.

Because I always complained about the fans here locally and Bill who hasn't called since he ranked me in August.

So you're not from here, right? How long have you lived? You've been here a while? You're a sports fan, right?

Yeah?

I lived in Arizona for five years, lived in Tucsons specifically, coming up on three.

What do you do you and you listen to shows like this? Not mine but fan base?

Tell me? What do you think?

You know?

Funny enough?

I really liked how Big felt like about his call earlier, Like, you know, because everybody says that we were fairweather fans, and I think that's I wouldn't say fairweather.

I'd say a little bit more realistic. Is I think realistic?

Okay?

Because I mean I don't think you should ever be, you know, be proud of a loss. I mean, oh right, sure, sure, sure, but you know there's nothing to hang your head about, you know, at least the Houston after a tough game. Don't don't be happy that it was a closed game, but you know, let a spark a fire or something, Okay, And I think that's how fans should be.

What do you think about those fans? I've lived it.

I still live it when I'm not on air writing. Uh So I get both sides. I'm starting to lean more towards the Steve riveras of the world, which means a little bit more.

They're jaded, jaded on the fans more more. Yeah, yeah, could you? Could you now?

Because you're paying attention now where where they're more whiney is not the right word, but it's kind of whiney.

They look at the great plays, they turn away at the bad plays, and they still yell what happened?

Yeah?

Right, See, you're not there yet. That's why I asked, because I figured you would have that opinion, and you might have that opinion.

Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I always think it's fun being like a delusional fan too, like.

Did you do fit?

There's always yeah, I mean it keeps a fresh How much your.

Eggs in that world? Sorry? How much your eggs in that world?

Oh you don't look at the price, but yeah, keeping it going.

Softball won three to zero yesterday, went swept Utah over the weekend, and they're on a five game win streak and moving to the m b A. The Sun's lost yesterday and they're right now on outside looking in on the plane.

It doesn't look good at all. No, they're not playing like they care all that. I'm not a huge fan.

I'm not a hater of steven A, but he used a great uh analogy where it looks like they were sent by their parents to go do chores and now they're a little bit lethargic and they don't want to do the chores. When they get they're getting paid at the end of the day to do this and this is their their career.

I think they'll go one further with with that. They're told to be doing chores, so they don't want to do the chores, the lethargic hoping that they'll never have to do the chores because they did such a bad job that they'll never be asked to do it again. Exactly, you've done that before, a baby, you're good shoes.

You want choice to perfection. Yeah, I don't want to just the front yards never looked cleaner.

Come on, I don't want to just my mom keeping it moving.

But still in the n b A, Steve Kerr passed al Edels as the winnings head.

Coach of Golden State and of Golden State. Wow, yeah, okay cool?

And also, man, I mean I guess the maps are kind of bouncing back they've had.

Man, they've had a had a string of bad look since trading Luca.

Bounce back with a win or too well.

I mean, you know they got something to look forward to. Ads going to the G League now to rehab.

A little bit. They're done too though, Yeah.

I mean, you don't have enough guys to you know, you're in jeopardy of having a forfeit games.

That's never a great sign, right, but I saw that.

Yeah, when was the last time happened where a team I don't remember? Or in the NBA? Yeah, no, I never.

Usually find someone, right, Yeah, bringing people up from the G League, you just get your ask kicked.

They want they want to pay me, I'll I'll make a couple of shots. We'll get a border too.

I could run around on some hard word, you know what I mean.

It's a Cardio went exactly U Yeah, keeping it moving going to the NFL though. The Bengals were able to pay Higgins and Jamar, But that's forty of their salary cap for the season, too.

Right, They needed those guys, right. They need to get defense too, right, because they didn't have a very good defense and they.

Were pretty good. Got a call yeah, let's take it. Got a call. Hell, you're on the air and I on the ball. Who's this? This is Charles, Charles, what do you got?

I just't Paul, you know what I'm hearing about the moral victories and this and that. I had a post and I said that I was proud of our team. I was proud that they fought Houston. Houston could be like the best team in the country right now, that's how good they are. And we took them two games to the brink, you know, And and if we played ten games, thirty three percent of the time we might win, you know, the others you know, sixties whatever.

Uh, percent of the time that they're gonna win.

Yes, you know, so let me ask you go ahead. Oh, I'm sorry.

Oh, I just wanted to say.

That that's true.

If we beat them again in the final four, maybe we.

Get that one. You know, we gotta have some hope on them.

You know.

Well, you're talking. So you posted this on Facebook or where?

Yeah?

So let me on Facebook.

How was it received?

I don't know, a lot of people. I got a lot of people loved it, you know, a lot of people liked it. A lot of people loved it. And the reason I was prouded because they showed great.

You know, they.

Finally didn't go and get pushed around. Yeah, they made some mistakes, they didn't cover on some trees. You know, they broke down some plays, and they did let them come back in at the end of the game like they have been. But you know, one of these days they're gonna be resilient. They're gonna you know, from Houston and get them.

Well here's the here's the one thing that I totally agree with you. But here's the one thing that why I wrote that story too. That hadn't been the case for some of the year, right, So, uh, that gave you hope, I mean that type of thing gave you hope for the future.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And and for Tommy because like a lot, I'm real critical and Tommy about not having because he doesn't seem like the type of person that you know, a yawler, a streamer, like you said, and and some of the time outs it seemed like he was, you know, come on, fight, fight, fight, and it was like, yeah, that's good, good to see you, Tommy.

Like he is.

You know, sometimes you can get that fight of your team.

Yeah, but I think we got some guys the.

Three guards, I know, and all you know, the people coming behind them are following them. There, you know they're getting some fight in them.

Yeah. Well, Charles, thanks for the call, Thanks for listening.

All right, thank you.

I appreciate it. Yeah, it's kind of correct. I agree.

But there's a point where you think, okay, we'll see what happens.

We haven't.

We haven't talked about this, but that that clip that they showed in the Houston game in the huddle, Tommy and the players.

Hold up there, Hello, you're on the air nine the ball? Who's this? Hello? We haven't talked about this, but turn off your love.

In you there?

Just going hang up?

You'll come Yeah, okay, okay, go ahead, Hello, you're on the air nine.

The ball.

Who's this?

Okay, they'll come back, they'll come. I'm so glad you were talking like yeah, y'allo said.

You know, some of the fans had issues with that where Tommy's Tommy's too nice. Yeah, Tommy, he's Tommy's a players coach. But I think that this is a that moment is where he won some of those fans back. Yeah, and maybe where in a season that's been lackluster.

I'm writing about that today tonight. Actually, it's it's pretty funny. Yeah, Hello, you're on the air.

Nine on the ball. Who's this?

Yeah, between my phone and my computer, I'm not sure what's gonna wind up in the river?

First, you turn off your radio. Had you been trying to get in? Oh?

My phone is anyway? Yeah, I just tried again.

Okay, what's up, Steve.

I hate to tell you I told you so, but I think I said way back December, mainly January, Florida was the best team in the country.

I don't remember that, but I totally agree with you now.

Because I told you a lot, you know, recovering from back surgery and stuff, I watched a lot of basketball, read a lot of stuff. He's just inundated myself with sports and basketball. But I'll tell you what they whipping that they put on Tennessee the other day. Yeah, just reinforced. They are just too deep.

Yeah, No, they're really good and they got a point guard.

He could probably play in the NBA right.

Now, he's going and he's going to be in the NBA. He is fantastic. Clayton I think I can't remember his last name, goold.

Yeah, Clayton is his last name, and uh yeah, I mean he is a heads the player. You watch him come up, he sort of reminds me of an older, a younger Jason Kidd. He had that look about him when he comes down to the court. He's got confidence, just boozing out of his pores and and just real quick, I think Arizona's going to do pretty well in this tournament.

What does that mean? What does that mean?

I think they go to it lead eight, and I think that they can. I think they can beat Duke if they play him in a rematch with the.

Sweet Okay, could I have some of that cool aid? Sir?

Yeah?

Would you like an orange or water?

Pick it? You pick it for?

We surprised me. Thanks Rick for calling. Thanks I maybe you never know. Maybe E lead a replayed Duke, doesn't.

I do believe that if they go that far and replay Duke, they'll beat them.

Yeah, okay, I wish that we have getting close. Okay, you got another thing to your point with the Tommy. I'm gonna have a story about that later today because I asked him the question what happened there and how did it happened? There's some background to that story. I talked to one of his best friends about did that surprise him? Because people have they could have say something he's not a competitor. Well, he's a competitor. So there's a couple of backstories to hold it another call. We

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Breaking down all the ass a ohs. This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera on Box Sports fourteen fifty eight.

Hey, welcome back to I on the Ball.

Here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty receive Rivera and with Meet to Day Juan and Ray. Now on the phone, we have Brad Alice from WSR Arizona Podcasts.

Brad, how are you done?

Well?

Let's start with some historical perspective, because you have that in you. What does what does the tournament mean to you in your history?

You know, it kind of meant I came of age, kind of as Arizona basketball did. Those early teams that were bounced in the first round under Ludols. In the first ones pre Final four were sixth grade and through middle school. You know, the final four team in eighty eight was actually my freshman year of high school. I remember watching the Cornell game in the library on one of those rollout TVs. I was at the u of

Eyes and stayed that way. And is it still there?

Yeah?

You know, you know, I've heard a lot of people wonder if the Arizona still an elite program.

There's certainly a national program.

You know, they haven't been a Final four in quite a while, but they're nationally relevant. You know, they're certainly you know, maybe not a blue blood, maybe even not a new blood, but they're a you know, they're a top twenty basketball program.

In a perfect perfectly said because I totally agree with what you just said. Okay, so now fast forward to now are they ready for this?

You know, I don't know.

Obviously, I think this is a flawed team. This is a talented team. I don't think they got the most favorable bracket, nor did they frankly, really really deserve it. I mean, you know, people upset that they were the last and the second to last of number fours. That's about right. This is an eleven lost basketball team. Yeah, now nine of those are two really good basketball teams. Maybe, you know, obviously I had think oldenly West Virginia may

That's really just ticky.

Getting Oregon, what a couple hours from Eugene not the easiest task. Akron's a good basketball team, but you know, Arizona's certainly capable of at least winning to their seed, and then who knows how healthy Duke's going to be?

Right right, a quandasy doesnerts form. Just in my opinion, I think this Arizona team to go far in this tournament needs to have maybe a surprise X factor in your eyes, who do you think that player could be and what they can they contribute?

You know, that's a good question. I think it's it's maybe a Carter Bryant or a kJ Lewis, Carter Bryant being able to score kJ Lewis filling up that stat box. What I really think Arizona needs is I think Arizona needs to consistently be good down the stretch of games. I think, unfortunately Arizona's been a team I've called unclutched at times. You look at just the last game against Houston, when was the last time you saw someone travel because

Playing their roles, and you need Arizona making plays late because unless you just have a special run, you're going to play two, three, four, maybe five really close basketball games on your way to a Final four national championship game.

Right.

So I've asked this to a lot of people, and I like your trust, your opinion. So what And you mentioned the word flaw. I've written out a few times in my stories. What are your top three flaws? If you have that many?

Obviously it's honestly most of it's around the perimeter, outside shooting, outside shooting, defense, and really just going cold for long stretches. I think those are the big thing, which is ironic because there is almost a very good offensive team when

Made three or four.

From behind the arc, and that nine point lead is sunning the entire game.

That's happened repeatedly throughout this season.

Right, So, and you've covered enough games, see this is where I go. If you are who you are and you mentioned three quick ones just the top of your head, that's who they are.

Yeah, but we've also seen Arizona teams have a three game span where they play perfect or near perfect or lucky basketball. Yeah, that's why I'm not sure this Arizona keep going. Fin Can I go to Elite eight? Yeah? You know, I think that Derek Williams team that that that beat Duke and narrowly lost to Yukon played beyond some of their They played three really good games and I got a little lucky with the you know, the

But more often than not.

The reason Arizona loses is either their their flaws catch up to them or someone had the horrendous shooting night current eighty eight, Gardner in O one, you know, Clinton Damon in ninety four. Yeah, and then that's just you know, Gilbert getting hurt, Salim not being able to, you know, find the open shot. Against Illinois, that's typically what Dooms is gonna and that's probably what's gonna do him this year.

In the tournament.

Right right, there's no question, and I've said this for a while though they won't go deep without Caleb.

Caleb needs to show up every game.

Yeah, he needs to have a special run for Arizona to have a special run in but he's there. He's their best player, at least at this time. You know, I think five years from now, we're gonna look back going that Carter Bryant, that's that's the best player on that team. Oh yeah, because he's gonna be the pro. But right now, Caleb Love is is the guy and they need him to be the guy. And if he can be the guy for two weeks, they're in the final four. And if he can be the guy for

So obviously you started living in the late eighties. Are you skintish at this time of year being a fan?

Been a fan?

Not like I used to be.

You go up. I think you grew out of it.

Yeah, you know what, you have two fourteen year old kids and a mortgage and a wife with some health problems, and suddenly Arizona losing and and I'll be real honesting one who knows my history in the media knows I kind of got burned by the school when my time on radio ended. So I don't have that blind devotion I had in Frank grinding out like you. I always wanted to, like Steve, don't you have the greatest job in the world. And then you're like, someday you'll know

So let me ask you, and I have a couple of fans in the room, what was the last time you hurt when they lost?

Yeah, it was probably at the end of the Miller era, to be honest, because Houston was just better, you know Princeton and and this shows how disconnected I am. I watched it at Disneyland, took the kids to spring break, watched the game on my phone to Disneyland, and may have audibly yelled when they when they had that turnover late. I think against Princeton, I think it might have incur and said a word I shouldn't say at Disneyland, so

I still watch games.

In the games.

So yeah, that one, that one's gonna hurt because it was so disappointing. And that was a pretty good battball team.

Okay, So so no kind of case all that. So and you're connected, and you know, you get the pulse of the Arizona fans from back in the day to now give me the temperature of UA fans today.

It's I think we're in a weird place because we're now in this There's so much information and so many.

Ways to communicate, but yet no one really wants to.

Do the research. If that makes sense, Yes, perfect, because when you know, when we got started, you had to kind of work to be a fan. You had to go get the Star, you had to go get the Citizens usually both. You had to go get Cat Tracks magazine, you had to you know, thumb through your six month old Street and Smith's or whatever. Now do you ever look at those Facebook groups? People are dumb, you know, They're like, well, why isn't Conrad Martinez playing? He has

Yeah?

I do, but Tommy.

Knows more than me.

But lout would have got run out of town. These people want to fire Tommy Lloyd. Now can you imagine what would have happened when lude Olsen's missed the final four for five years with three first round SIPs or whatever it was. They would have tried to run that guy out of town. And that just shows how short

Base didn't always work right right right? So what do you think anything short of a what is disappointment?

Uh? Sweet sixteen? And that's usually my barometer for Arizona basketball. To be honest, the really good teams should be alite e. I'm not one of these people think you have to get to the final boar because I know how difficult it is. I know what one charge in Denver can be, or one no chargeing the what one push off against Wisconsin can be, what one arm injury to Gilbert Arenas can be? You know, anything like that. But you should you should play to your seed and they should get

Successful season with the regular season.

Now they have to get to the second weekend.

Yeah. What they can't do is lose Friday.

Yeah they can.

And Akron is a good ballpup. You know, that's a team with the wine ship slows. They haven't already beaten anybody, but they're a challenging team. They got their guards. You know, they can get hot behind the arc Sarazonat have to be dialed in. Are you're going to see Princeton again? I don't think they will, but I think you know, and I think Oregon slade and I think you have the other opponent could be flawed but non easy road. But Arizona's still a pretty good basketball team.

Yeah yeah.

Uh.

Key to winning it winning this weekend, key to winning it the weekend.

Playing their style and playing smart basketball, being the better rebounding team in both games, limiting wide open three point shots, limiting bad turnovers, and then just you know, making the shots you need to make. I think Arizona plays a B plus game in both games. They win, and they win maybe not easily the second game. But if they don't, they don't have to play great basketball. But if they

Yeah, Okay, Brad has always thank you very much.

Okay, I love being on all right.

Thanks man, appreciate it is Brad Allis on ws R Arizona Podcast. This take a break a little early, but just take a little break and come back, maybe take some more calls. 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 Ludelsen 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

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Streaming live on the iHeartRadio WIP. This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera on Fox Sports fourteen fifty.

Hey, welcome back everybody to iron the ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera in with me today's one and Ray running the board. Got about fifteen minutes if you'd like to call five two zero for one six seventy four forty. Sorry, key Money, I didn't ask your question. I just faced it.

So maybe maybe you.

Can call him ask it and maybe he'll listen. Anybody else want to call in, please do five two zero four, one sixty. I thought he said pretty interesting things, insightful things right about the fans.

They have flaws.

Yeah, he pretty much touched on, uh, the differences between me and Ray now of the delusion and the reality or whichever way you want to look at it, And uh, it's it's it's interesting truly to what the concept of being a fan.

How realistic are you? How delusional are you? Right?

Because realistic, realistic fans know that there's a there's a strong chance Arizona gets knocked out in the first round, given the history and given this team. Yeah, maybe a little bit of lousional fans. Yeah, don't expect to lose. They go to they expect to go to the final four.

Well, I'll ask you a question. Maybe we're going to call a couple of calls on us. They played thirty games, twenty nine whatever, How many times did did they disappoint you? Like?

They clearly really played like crap but good amount. Really, I'm not gonna really I can't.

Well, okay, you know what, go ahead tell me, well just just bahamas, Bahamas.

Of course I'll get you those. Uh. Duke, I thought they played two Okay, those two are three?

Really.

Duke's pretty good though, Yeah, Duke. Credit to Duke. I.

I thought Arizona could have played a little bit better, a little bit more smarter shots.

Yeah. Uh, but it was early and you didn't know how good Duke was. It was one of the first tests. Yeah, so you're you're disappointed, but you're not at the same time. So that's three.

Uh.

The the u.

C l A okay, the way they ended that, and that's what scares you because it could be leading well and then.

Screwing it up. Yeah, it's that's four. Uh.

I thought the game at Texas Tech I don't even remember that one. I thought they were in it for the most part, and then uh kind of kind of similar to this last Houston game where they were in it. They played a great thirty five minutes and then Texas Tech ends on I think of twelve nothing run. They're pretty good too, though, Yeah, credit to Texas Tech. I just it's a thing of when is there going to step up against the Texas Techs against the Houstons.

When it's a game where you.

Where that I'm going to use it and you may not like it, but momentum is going back.

And forth.

Where you're you're seeing maybe Houston pulls away now, maybe Arizona pulls away now, and yeah it's still a two point game, but then they end up those last five minutes.

Yeah.

See, that's why I don't like the word momentum going back. Either you have it or you don't have it. That's why it doesn't perfect example. Yeah, either you have it and you can run through it, or you don't have it. Maybe just they have it, you have it whatever, you know what I'm saying.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I've stopped using the word momentum. I use it very rarely now. When I when I can't find another word for it and it does feel like I have to use the momentum, I'll use.

It right right, Oh that's an obvious word. But like over the weekend, I use the word run. I said, I want to say that they had they had a good run. You know, I can't even say it anymore. So we'll see anybody calling, no calls, Okay, no manic Monday. No no panic Monday. No panic Monday. Find a game later in the week. If they got through this, they go back to well, they go to New Jersey and they go Thursday Saturday.

So short week next week.

If they get past them, I'm not one to look forward to because I've seen it too many times right where you think you're going to be there and it doesn't happen exactly. To his credit, Tommy doesn't do that at all. He doesn't go there at all. Is not it's not even obnoxious about it. He just doesn't go there much. Whenever that questions asked him.

If he thinks about a potential organ matchup, he shuts it down pretty quickly, pretty bluntly.

It's your hypothetical thing. I don't deal with hypothetical. No hypotheticals. Twos on right, and he's been pretty good. He jumped on Bruce a couple of times over the weekend. But they have this little love hate relationship or he does, Bruce does it, he does, and and they're friends and they're gonna obviously you have to be it's pretty cute.

Yeah, that's a good.

Word, because it's not it's not what people think it's just like two dudes playing off each other.

People on the outside looking in, I think that think that Tomy Lloyd hates Bruce. Yeah, no, it's not the case. It's genuine. Yeah, I'm gonna push a little bit. I want you to push me back.

Yeah. Yeah, And the only way Bruce can because he's a good dude.

He just asked questions. And that's the way it should be. Yeah, that's the way it should People should be able to ask questions. Maybe you get a little push back, but you know, well did you that's our that's our job.

Did you see the interview with the Bruce Pearl after they lost and someone asked me, are you freaking out about I can't remember what the word was freaking out about? Not maybe losing the number one? See did you see that? And he really, I'm glad you asked that question, but a dumb quest about a softball question, and he got here snippy.

I didn't see this. I'm not surprised.

This is the time when coaches who make five ten million dollars a year get snippy. You make five ten million dollars, there's no need for you to get snippy. You guys, you guys are paid to win, uh, and guess what the reporters are asked to do. To ask the question questions, to ask the questions, whether you like it or not.

This is still gonna happen. And the and the and the good ones paid get paid.

Good amount to ask those hard questions, whether whether the coach likes it or not.

It's like Bruce, but you know, I kind of got into the time or two with Sean, but for with Bruce, it's it's, you know, he's laugh smiles and then kind of moves on to things and you'll ask another one that's annoying, and and brew and Tommy goes out of him against I'm not going to answer that, you know, in however he answer that.

But that's just part of the game. It's part of it.

You know, you get paid a lot of money to answer questions. You don't have to answer him if you choose not to, but if you don't, ye, Bruce said he paid as you know exactly. I think Brian did that today too in a good way because Coach Brennan asked him about there's kids, there's coaches here, you know, how are you handling the new coaches byh blah blah. Well they're here if you want to talk to him, says well, I need you to tell me.

You know your perspective.

I want your that's what I'm asking for, right right, Yeah, your thoughts on them.

I don't need their thoughts on it.

And none of it was mean, and yeah that's the way it should be, right period.

Anything else, anything else, guys don't know recalls.

We got about eight minutes. Oh let's talk about football though, So that's where we're there. So Brennan talked to us about fifteen twenty minutes of spring but practice starts here tomorrow. There's a big game, not even a game, just a presentation on April nineteenth.

I think it is.

I believe that we can. It's not going to be a spring game. I think they're going in the direction of a lot of schools. Although he did it last year, they didn't have really much of a scrimmage.

Like everyone else is.

They're afraid of losing their players to people who watch these guys play. The thing about it is you already know who the players are exactly.

Everyone in this day and age has some sort of film or highlights of someone, So it's it's impossible to hide it perfectly.

Sure. Sure.

And if you know X guy is doing well here or there, or you already lost out on him, but you still want him, there's that portal, and there's always the portal. And they were talking about people today, you know, going to people players, going to schools, not even attending the schools, but getting the NIL deals and then leaving.

Exactly I'm assuming that they have to pay that money back. I don't know. I'm not sure. It's a dicey area.

Is a very gray and dark area of the world right now.

And uh, well you just showed me something. Uh and did you read more about it? Yes? I tried to.

I really could understand it because it sounds was nothing changed headline.

Still, yeah, I'm gonna pull it up right now. Uh give me one second.

So the NCAA is going to let athletes negotiate an I deals before enrollment.

To me that they're already doing that, I mean, because if hey, what are you gonna pay me to go there? Isn't that the same thing? Yeah, they want to know before they say yes.

Yeah. Yeah, well as any as anyone would, right.

Sure, that's I'm sure that's been happening already. Maybe it's wasn't illegal or legal. But if you want me to go there, how much you're gonna pay me two hundred thousand, Well then I want to go. You mean to tell me they get to the school and then they negotiate the price. Yeah, I don't think so. I don't think so. It doesn't make any sense, not at all. But uh, they're gonna let them know if they weren't before, these.

Aren't crazy times. These are crazy times.

Well, I mean this is weird too, to like see that they're I mean, schools are hiring other people like as in a GM role.

Oh yeah, yeah, that's kind of been slowly happening. But when you hear it.

I know that Brennan talked about a GM twice today or three times, and I'm thinking this wasn't the case back in the day.

It was just like an assistant to the assistant, right. But yeah, now and now you have.

To to go because well Belichick, right, he's got this system. Everybody has a system, but now his just is more pronounced because it came from the NFL. That's how it's run. I don't want to deal with this stuff. The coach says, let the GM handle all that.

I think that's the right way to go too.

I mean, you want your football coach worrying about football stuff, right, like just having like financials and stuff like I just completely out of their head.

But at the same time, knowing that the coach knows everything that goes on.

Yeah, because he has to. He has to. Right, College football is becoming.

NFL number two with the GMS the players to play contracts, and I'm.

I'm saying that hypothetically.

It's not official words or anything, right, it's just very similar now and that's the way players coaches wanted to be.

I think something else that's gonna be interesting too going into it, is like, you know, if there are like contracts that get signed and stuff like, are you gonna like is there a year cap?

You know, can you like hold someone? Are you gonna be able to trade them?

Well, here's the big thing.

What if they become and then this has been talked about, they become employees. Oh so you're making X amount of money, right, you send this contract, but you're you're not living up to the employee part of it.

You get fired. Yeah, that's a tough one.

I mean, do you hold game checks if they don't play, you know, like.

I think the players don't want I would assume if power player, I wouldn't want that.

No, not at all.

But but in order to save something, I mean from the NC DOUBA or the employer V or otherwise, you need something like that because if Ray you suck, I'm not gonna pay you man, you know, uh huh truly why would I Why would I want to? Of course, you're making two hundred thousand dollars a year anything, Ray, you're playing like a thirty thousand dollars a year.

Yeah, what the hell am I doing?

Well?

You see my money on you?

Right?

Yeah?

It makes it tough for sure. And I don't know.

I feel like right now it's just like it's it sounds weird to say, but like I feel like nil is a sweet spot.

I think the transfer portal is like, what's really.

Oh it's all yeah, it's all messed up. Okay, Ray?

So you you you're a player, you make half a million dollars. Your coach happens to make four fifty. How tough is that? Why listen to the coach?

Yeah? I make more money than you. Here's the problem.

Though, if you don't continue to listen to the coach and you become.

Benched, you ain't gonna make.

Yeah exactly, yeah, I can still bench you, and they're not gonna be People who are paying you now aren't gonna want to pay you later because you're not playing, because you're not living up to your expectations.

And I think uh kind of thrown into like the NFL a little bit. You saw that when when Sean McVay got hired. You know, he's just like this young guy and like Andrew Whitworth has like two or three years on him, and everyone's like, why am I going to listen to you?

But you know they said that I can't remember but I said that.

Yeah, yeah, like in twenty sixteen, because it's like I don't know if they like really said that, But it was like one of those questions that came up kind of like just how you put it, It's like, why would I if I have more experience exactly right?

And what happened? I mean, would with Worth get traded?

No, I think.

Retired like with the Rams. But it was just one of those things that you know.

Well, it's hard to say, is one of you have those young guys. And also when you don't have experience that you played that you have you know, if you can listen to people like like like if you played in the league and you're a coach, you have that respect for the players because they you've been there, been there, done that. But like Jetfish, when he was here, he didn't play football, and there was how's the guys played tennis coaching football? Know what?

Exactly?

Know that he had to go and earn that trust and the respect. And some coaches are successful that way because they're good at being managers and the analyticals. It's the the game plans and the attentions and details.

But you still have to have the respect for the players. It's like, you guys are kids. You guys are parents. If you guys don't respect your parents, But are you okay? Sure being by eleven?

Sure dad?

Sure mom gets in by twelve one o'clock in the morning, right right, right, cars half busted.

I'm sure you have I'm sure you have friends like that.

I try to stay away from those friends, but I do I'll be honest, of course. And the reason is I try to care and point them in the right direction at the end of the day.

It's their decision, right right.

Yeah, you know you try to give him an arm's length because you know you don't want to you don't be involved.

Yeah, you don't want to get mixed in with the wrong crowd too.

Right.

He's a funny guy, great guy, but he's he's he's a warrant for him.

He's my guy. Yeah, yeah, I know whether arms like to you? Right, Okay, Thanks guys, thank you for getting me through today. Tomorrow will be yere, Wednesday will be here, and then Thursday Friday won't be for the games and I'll be on the road.

Thanks.

Ray, Thanks, we're coming in. Thanks, We're coming in. It should be fun here. It should be fun on Wednesday. Maybe look at the previewing some of the games. Yeah, that'd be great.

Okay, next Monday is going to be really fun.

Thanks guys,