This is I on the Ball with Steve Ravera on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. Subscribe now to the podcast on the iHeartRadio while just search Eye on the Ball.
Hey, welcome back to I on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen. Cookie. I'm Steve Rivera. You're Andy Lopez. Thanks for joining me. You didn't know that was Kim Lena.
No doctor Liman. If you're still listening, forgive me, man, I missed talking to you. I love it when he come in my office and no matter what was going on in my life, he'd cheer me up and we'd laugh, and he'd tell me these great stories about Buffalo, New York and yeah his time here at THEUVE, and yeah he's a great man.
Great you're you.
Guys are all a psychogy in your world. You have to be a psychologist if you're If you're a coach and you're not one, you're not a good one.
Hey, I caught a break. I married a girl that was a three point eight student from UCLA who majored Ready Steve in psychologist. Nice boy. I can't tell how many times I'd come home say Linda, Okay, explain to me why this guy does this? When I do that of what's going on or da, and she would give me some insight, right, No, she really need to help.
Yeah, so we're talking about that, we're talking about psychology of the sport. I love psychology of the sport because you could tell a cerebral guy and he's already thinking about how can I beat this guy? Angles or situations, time and circumstance.
Yeadha yea da.
And that's kind of how I was because I wasn't gonna beat you with the home run. I was gonna get on base steel third, you know, second, So you give me the one, two three, now?
Oh yeah, when we recruited, I developed this at cal State Demingons Hills for this reason. At kel State Demingons Hills, we were it was my first college coach. We were a Division two program. Everybody had eighteen scholarships. We had one point three. I had no money for assistant coaches, not one penny. So I was really kind of having to do it all night. It was a horrible, horrible, horrible, horrible, in fact, deeper in the alphabet with a Z. It
was a horrible job, but it was the greatest. What's your first job?
Oh?
It was the greatest six years I spent in my life. It was the greatest six years I spent professionally because it really showed me how to coach, how to teach, how to be demanding yet be fair and it is yes, and how to recruit ready for this, the athlete that's gonna work for Andy Lopez. Yes, okay, because there's a certain athlete that is not going to work for me, and I'm not going to work for him. And there's a certain athlete that he's going to work for me, And man, I'm gonna work for you.
So you had to have already learned this before you got there.
No, I thought I did, And then I got to the realization we're getting We got killed our first two years. I mean, we got annihilated because I was recruiting guys that I was just trying to give you the players, good players. But some of these good players again, the Minga's Hills. It's hard to explain. I mean, we had to I think I share this one time on the show with you, Steve. But I had to carry my equipment in the back of my car after every practice
because the Bloods and the Crips. The two games down. There were in Carson Compton, California. They would steal our equipment. Okay, and you had to be tough mentally to survive at Dominga's Hills, you had to be tough. We had no locker room. You dressed in the dugout where you dressed out of your trunk. We had no locker room. It was just it was a tough environment. We came to the University of Arizona when one year we drove down,
God blessed coach Kendel. He played us every year. We didn't have any buses, didn't any vans, drove your own cars. Right we came down. Didn't have hats. Everybody's wearing different hats because our hats didn't come in. What division were you? Division two? Division two?
Yeah?
It was unbelievable, believe So my first two years I got brains beat up and because I and I hit me. I said, what's going on? Because I'm recruiting good players, but they were mentally weak. So they were good, but the environment just wore them out, just wore them down. Nobody comes the games. There's no assistant coaches, the head coaches dragging the field before practice, after every before everyone. You know, it was like, this is a tough environment.
It's a really tough environment, and there's no scholarships. So then it hit me, you know what, Okay, I gotta get some ones. My wife Linda could tell you who a one is if you took her to a baseball game today. She go, Wow, that guy is six foot three and he runs really fast, and every boy he hits goes into the sky for a long time. So ones are that's a superstar, superstar. Okay, yeah, you gotta get a couple. You got to get a couple. Even
at Domingus Hills. You got to get a guy that's one that maybe the other schools are passing by because it's Los Angeles. There's so many people up there, they just kind of pass them by. And I had a left handed pitcher named Jim Payne. You pitched nine years in the big leagues. I got Jimmy. Yeah, nobody wont He wasn't very big at the time. Then he grew up a little bit, right, Okay. Another guy, Craig gray Back played fourteen years the big leagues, little guy, little
short stop. Nobody wanted. He's a little guy. Oh played four he was Ozzie Gian's backup for fourteen years.
With the White Sox. I don't know how you pull these names out of oh Man.
I stay in touch with these guys, they run, they send notes to me and all the rest. Okay, So the ones, you gotta get some ones, and you gotta make sure you stay away from twos. The category is one, two, three, very simple ones. You gotta get very talented, very talented, very talented. Twos. They think they're ones. They're not as talented, but they think they are Marsha and Marshall Marsha. They become headaches.
Yes, I Kenvi believe would have been perfect for this because it's the second board, right.
You got to go get ones and you got to live off your threes. The threes know their threes, but they're willing to work like crazy to become a one. So your programs are built on ones and threes and still away from twos.
So okay, but you're not always going to do that. The twos. Are they cancerous? Yes, because they think they're ones. They want to be treated like a one. They want to know why they're not pitching on Friday Night. Well, you're not good enough to pitch on Friday night. But I am good enough to pitch on Friday. No, you look at your numbers, So what do you do with the twos? Because you know you're going to have some two and they eventually leave to become one. So mohere
else to try to become one somewhere else. But they're two's well, so you're hoping to get ones in threes. But it's almost I'm thinking you, it's almost impossible not to get a tour.
Oh yeah, no, no, right, every year you get too, Yeah, every y're good and that's when your story. You got time for a real twenty twelve. I don't know we're gonna win a Nastra Tambishire, but I know we're pretty good. We've been in regionals the past two years and we've been really close and this and that. Okay, so I've got at. I recruit a freshman player from southern California
and he comes into the twenty twelve program. Great makeup on that team, ricker Ryker, Ricord, Johnny Fields, ref sneyder Mahea seth maheis, Breen, just great maker, sure, fantastic Occurt Higher, Connor Wade. Great makeup plus plus plus plus makeup a bunch of threes that become ones. Okay, okay, okay. So I bring this kid in and he's a two. He thinks he's a one, but he's getting beat out in the fall and his position by a guy that's not
even on scholarship. All you know is what you see, right, So you at the end of the practice, you go, hey, that guy we're there, he's playing better than that guy. So this guy we here, a three, is playing over this guy who we think is a good player, and we recruit him. He's on money and he thinks he's a one, but he's a two, and he's getting beat out by a guy this night, even on scholarship. So towards the end of the fall, we have meetings every
day with my staff nine o'clock. Everywhere we meet, we meet, we meet, and we go through the roster. We go through the roster, and halfway through the fall I recruit him. I say to my staff, you know what, this guy's not a good fit here because he's driving guy's nut sure, because he's walking around like short one. He's walking around like he's the guy, but he's not. And the players know, Hey, dude, relax, You're not the guy. You're getting beat out by this guy.
Just be humble and try to get better. Come early, stay late, work on your game. So I tell my staff, you know, I'm probably gonna have to set him. I'm we're gonna have to tell him there's a better place from somewhere else and won't help him, which we did all the time. I don't want to do it. I don't want to do it because I just he was my recruit. Oh my god, I don't want to do it. I'm going to get a phone call from his mom and dad and his high school coach. I don't want
to do it. Maybe he's going to change. Maybe he's going to change. Maybe he's gonna humble himself and become a three usually be one. Did you talk to him and yet, Well, we talked a couple of times. But again, Steve, remember, he thinks he's the one, no matter what talk.
He thinks he's a one, no matter what talk.
Yeah, he thinks he's a one. Okay, true story. I used to jog every day. I go for a run every day. This day was kind of cold at the fall. Here at the end of the fall. Uh, you know, it's getting close to November. So I'm in the clubhouse on the treadmill and this young guy comes in. His name is Jim, that's not his name. He comes in and I'm on the trip money. He says, Hey, Lopes, can I talk to you? It's the end of the fall. Hey Lips, can I talk to you? And I said, yeah,
what's up? He says, well, I need to talk to you, So can you let me finish my run? I'll be done in twenty minutes. Yeah, okay. So I finished my run. I'm thinking, Casha, what the hexts?
You know?
I want to you know, I'm working through my long story. So I sit down with him. I said what's up? And he goes, hey, I'm transferring. I said, you're transferring? What's going on? He said, well I got cut? So what you got cut? Who cut?
You?
Are here for this? Mahia. Mahia came to my dorm room earlier this morning and said, you know what, you're not fitting in here. You're selfish and you're not fitting in here. You need to go to another program. Wow, Alex Mahia cut him.
So the one that's not that's not How can I say this so what happened. I mean, that's not possible. I mean it happened.
He went, he went to another program, So you did he did your dirty works.
That's love.
But that just shows you. He his makeup was off the charge. So he Hea was a three not recruited by a lot of people.
Without telling you that he's what he's going to do, he just kind of took charge.
And him said, see, I had a rule. I didn't make captains. I said, you're all captains. All of you act like captains and be captains. Act like captains, and then if we have a great year at the end of the later on in life, you can put down in your resume. I was the captain of the twenty twelve Pack twelve championship team. I was a captain of the Western Regional team. I was a captain of the Super Region team. I was the captain of the twenty
twelve National Championship baseball team. And you know what, when that business person calls me and says, was Joe Smith a captain? I said, yes, it was, yeah, he was. It was so alex Mehea said, hey, you're selfish, you don't fit in. You know, you pop off the guys and they're trying to help you, and no, Da, you're just not a good fit here.
You you should go somewhere else. What happened to that guy?
He went to another program and didn't pan out. No wow, yeah, wow, what a good story. Yeah he was a three yeah and turned into one. Well, you probably had a lot of threes on that team. I was my whole philosophy. Get someone's go get the Kurt Hires, Go get the Robert Refssires. Those guys are superstars, right, but man, go get Joey Rickords, go get Johnny Fils, Go get Alex Mahea's go get Seth maheis Breen, Go get those guys.
We'll get those guys. No, it's funny.
I'm trying to the ninety seventeen that was darn good at won a title in basketball, right, A lot of threes, a lot of threes. I know you had a couple of twos, uh, but you had guys who just were workhorses, knew the roles.
And that's part of the little story.
Right.
You should write book about the one two threes. But it's know your role right and and perform your role and don't interrupt anybody else's role.
Here's the two for you. The two. The two gets a little bit of a twitch and a hamstring.
Yeah.
One's man injury is another man's pain. Yeah. One guy says I'm injured. That's a two.
Yeah.
The three says, yeah, I got a little bit of pain, but i'll play tonight. I'll play. Yeah, Okay. The one Mahea breaks a bone in his right hand two days before we opened the twenty twelve season. Anybody looked back. We opened against We opened up against Sodd Brown, a former Wildcat who's by in fact, my son's boss, New Mexico. But here plays that night. Hits left handed and he's not a left handed No, because it hurt his right hand. So he hit left handed? No, the question you need
to ask me, Stevens. So he was a twitch hitter. No, No, he wasn't. But he was a three. Yeah, he was just a beast. I'm going to get in the lineup. I'll hit left handed. Have you ever hit left handed? No? But I'm a three.
So how many of the kids that you've had. We've talked about this already, kind of you've had a lot of threes.
We tried to pride ourselves on finding threes. We would call opposing coaches and say, hey, what do you think about We'd ask about their guys, and we say, hey, what do you think about that kid on the other team in your league? And when you played them, what do you got on him? And if he said, ah, he's a show mode or he's this okay, all right, good, thanks a lot. I appreciate it. And then but if he said, oh man, he's tough. I wish he were
in my program. Okay, let's call another coach. Let's call his counselor now, and then we would call his high school coach, and then we would bring him on campus and I tell you, Steve, and then we would watch, and we always begged him, please bring your mother and father. Please bring your mother and father. Please. Moms always ask the questions that need to be asked, but the dad won't ask it. And the kid's got no no way he's gonna ask you. What are those questions? Are there
gonna be sheets in the dorms? Does he get hot meals? Do they do his laundry? Does you know? Dad don't want to ask that, and the kid don't want ask that. Sure, watch the body language on the kid. When the mom asked that question, the two's gonna roll his eyes and squirm. Oh my god. The three is very polite, listens, and then at the end of the meeting usually gives his mom a little hug or something and they laugh about mom, why did you ask that question? But he but he's respectful.
So let me ask you, Linda, right, yes, I'm sure did you? Does she have a part in this one twos threes or you just came up with this because no, well you just came from Dominicus.
Yeah. I met Linda my second year.
Okay, so can you apply that to the real world?
Me, my, my, Yeah, I've applied it to everything in my life. Yeah, so you.
Can know, you go to whatever a meeting or you know, you're developing team.
And now you sit around at a meeting, you sitting it's the first okay a few When I retired, I was asked to be a part of a Christian organization here in town. And uh, and I went to the meeting the big building, the fifty one to fifty one building on Broadways, big toll Yeah, top of the building. So I show up. You know, I got nothing to do with that I sit there and because I mean, you know, that's really the fallacy of you know, Christians, they're perfect.
Now I've got so many flaws it's scary, you know. I mean, come on, I'm far from perfect. But anyway, but I'm sitting there and I'm going, whoa, there's a one. I mean, you can just tell me. Yeah, you know, he knew scriptures. He was very humble. He was there, that's a superstar over there. That's a superstar. And there's a guy over there that wants to be a superstar, but he's very humble.
The three or the two. There's three, the three and the two.
And the guy sitting right next to me, Steve Rivera was a bond of five to got all the answers, but really don't have them run Oh yeah, thinks he got all the answers everything.
It's like, as they saying, Cowboy, were a lot of hat no cattle.
Okay, yeah, so yeah, there everywhere, I think, there everywhere. Let's go with that's great stuff. We gotta go.
We're gonna talk to Matt Reynoldson here from Phoenix, I believe. So we'll come back here in about three four minutes.
Now, your chance to win one thousand dollars. Just enter this nation wide keyword on our website. Credit that's credit. Enter it right now, Fox Sports fourteen fifty dot com.
Are you ready ready to discover your soul, your wild side, your passion, your joy and excitement. From the latest slots and table games, to award winning dining, to world class entertainment to a luxurious resort.
Discover all this and more.
Discover with Soul Casino Dell Soul, the Soul of Tucson.
Are you ready Enterprise of Fasca Yaki try.
The Window Depot has everything you need to create the kitchen or bathroom of your dreams. Browsey aisles of instock cabinets available in a variety of sizes and configurations, and instantly elevate your space.
Today.
Visit a showroom and let our experts guide you. Whether you're choosing for ready to go designs or creating a custom masterpiece. We can help you select the perfect with type, color and style, and top it off with unique hardware to complete your look. Find a location near you at the Window Deepot dot com. The Window Depot more than a windows store.
Steve Rivera here to talk about Dorato Rock and 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 and 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. Tip we'll call at five two zero for zero zero for two three three.
Where do you buy exercise equipment?
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 seconds just west of Wilmot.
School and the false sports season are in full stride. Time to give that special student athlete a Creative award for his or her efforts they are deserving. It's also time to rejuvenate your fall apparel with a crisp looking embroidered school corporate logo on caps, shorts or long sleeve follows. And why not get some fresh looking promotional products representing your school or corporation, or just giveaways for the upcoming twenty twenty five.
Season For over one thousand fun items of choose room.
Come visit Creative Awards at Creative awardsaz dot com or see our Idea Center at two twenty eight Westtrackman Street.
At Nova home Loans, we believe everyone and 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 to two oh six eight five six two six Today in MLS three oh eight seven Arizona b K nine two nine four two Equal Housing Opportunity, got to commitment to Lyndrix, syn credit rates and available loan programs of subject to change.
Don't notice?
Did you know?
Collecting sports cards is one of the fastest growing hobbies around. Whether you're looking at chart or expand your collection, Showtime Cards is your ultimate destination.
As one of the leading card.
Shops in the country, we've been serving our community for over twenty five years with the best in.
Sports cards and trading card games.
From rare fines to the latest releases, Showtime Cards has it all.
Check them out at Showtimecards dot Com or visit them.
On e Speedway and discover why collectors everywhere truy Showtime Cards for their passion.
On a road trip just around town, driving a car you can afford is more important than ever. At Pyramid Federal Credit Union, our one rate auto.
Loan is for everyone.
One rate offers a single competitive rate, no matter in your credit score.
You can borrow better with premid.
For details or to apply online, visit Pyramid FCU dot com slash Pyramid Federal Credit Union is an equal opportunity lender federally insured by NCUA.
Got bugs, termites, fees, or rodents. Arizona Pest Control will hunt them down. Arizona Pest Control is your complete desert pest asment specialist that's can't run or high 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, termitespees, or rodents. Serving Tucson and Southern
Arizona since nineteen forty seven. Go to azpest dot com to schedule your free evaluation today.
Want to build your business better, There's no better place than the Arizona Business Networking Conference December tenth to the twelfth at Casino del So. Meet thirty five premier speakers, including new a All American Ricky Huntley, Hall of Fame coach, Mike Candrea, CEOs and more. Expand your professional network, explore new opportunities and learn from industry leaders. Get your tickets
at Tucson Business Networking dot Com Slash Conference. Once again, that's at Tucson Business Networking dot Com Slash Conference.
Steve Rivera, He's got his eye on the ball on Tucson Sports station, Fox Sports fourteen fifth day.
Hey, welcome back to my I on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty.
I'm Steve Rivera.
In with me today is coach Andy Nopus Now on the phone. We have Matt Reynoldson from Believes, the new podcast.
Are you doing Believe?
Yes?
Yes, indeed, I'm good.
How long have you?
How long have you been on the Believe podcast?
Yeah?
So they reached out to be July about starting an Arizona podcast shortly after, shortly after.
The layoff at KBOA.
So I was super excited to jump on with that just to continue to continue covering Arizona and had a fun you're doing it on TV now having a fun few months doing it on the podcast platform as well.
So you're down here every now and again, and you're asking the football especially especially the football program, some some pretty good questions. What are your observations to this point? Or or yeah, maybe maybe two of your top three observations.
You know, let's say, to the football program's a sixty four dollars question right now, right because it is just a tough spot to be it. You know, you consider the fact that and this has been kind of their answer a lot of the time that they do have
some legitimate excuses for how things have gone poorly. One excuse that they haven't made, but I've made for them time and again is the fact that they were hired in late January, and you don't get your pick of the litter of assistance and support staff, strength conditioning staff, you know, winter conditioning program, everything like that when you're hired that late in the process. However, they have continued to regress throughout the year.
It feels like they have sort of lost the.
Leadership ability of a team that they kind of counted on to have great player leadership and everything like that, And it feels like there's a lot of the noise from the outside that's seeping into the program and making this just kind of a real downhill slide. The UCF game was kind of the cherry on top of that.
Yeah, yeah, it's very difficult. And once you lose it, I have Andy, it opens with me. I'm not sure we'll talk about this. And once you lose it, how difficult is it to get back?
Oh man, Honestly, I don't think you can until you just kind of regroup. Yeah, you just get through it. You get through it and unless it's just a magical thing. But yeah, once it starts going in that way, it's almost you know, we need to we need to just kind of regroup, you know, we need to get through it, and then let's get this thing going again. Let's start it up right. And I've done that. I had to take over four programs. The four college programs that I
end up I got when I was hired. They were when I came here. They've been to two regionals in thirteen years. Think of that. It was on a baseball when I was hired, had been to two regionals in the previous thirteen years. That's phenomenal when you think of that. And uh, man, it you know, you come in it's it's a different, different animal. And although he you know, poor coach brand I mean, he came into a winning environment with a lot of expectations and that's hard in itself.
Like keV, I mean, you know, I mean, Kevin, you know that. I mean, when people expect something out of you, it's it's a little harder to do it. You can, you don't sneak up on anybody. We'll talk more about that. And yeah, if if you know what you feel is true. That's that's a tough one.
So so Matt, so what what do you think are the correct bulls?
You know, you have Noah and you have Team Act, and you have a couple of other players, but you have they are who they are, and you have the what you have.
How do you fix it with what you have?
You know?
I don't think that, I mean, And again he made a great point in that you can't really fix it until you fix it right. It starts with getting the little things right.
And I think one of the positive things as.
We are really really catographing for silver linings here as we have been for a while right this losing street because now we HEA's five straight games, which is just unfathomable at the start.
Of the season.
But one of the real silver linings was how they came out of that bye week, how well coached they looked out of that bye week, that first by week, heading into a Utah game that was now a pretty poor Utah team, but at that point, you know, they looked and played like a top if not a top ten outfit, at least the top fifteen outfit.
And that was a legitimate win for Arizona.
So if they were able to show the same amount of fire off the thirteen day break because they did a fourteen day as they did a fifteen day break in that time, and come out and win a game at home against the Houston team that's starting to play some pretty good football.
I think that'd be a big that'd be a big win for Arizona. This is no longer just to throw away game for the U of A.
This is no longer just a sleepy Friday night game against the worst team.
In the Big twelve. No, this is a you gotta you gotta get something. It shows something here that shows legitimate progress.
Because right now it's in a bit of a spiral and it all has to turn back around.
That starts with a win.
So I believe, and I'm sure you're active on Twitter. Are the people who are following you because you're a positive guy. I know when you'll I've had you on the show, your you skewed positive? Are they are they positive? Are they negative?
Well, you know, it's it's just kind of the negative vibe around the program right now. It's not anything to do with it's not anything to do with the decision of Arizona fans. I think U of a fans are awesome and resilient and everything like that, and it's I mean, frankly, Steve, We've talked about it.
It's why we keep coming back every March believing that there's gonna be a tournament run.
And I will still believe that everything, But you know, it's just a tough it's a tough pill to swallow when you lost five straight games, and you know what that Texas Tech loss and the way they lost it, and making those small mistakes at the end of the game when they did all that work to come back and take the lead in that game, and then to have your two best players make critical mistakes in Federal on McMillan and Tyler Loop and then for things to
just snowball from there after a fairly good second half performance against Tech against a pretty good Tech team. I just think that speaks to what people are seeing as fragility with this team and this program right now, and for them to not be able to bottle the good
things that they did against Texas Tech. They go up to BYU get Flatten to come home, just don't even put up a fight against Colorado and have a weird decision to kick an on side at the start of the game, which says, I don't think that we can go out there and win this game straight up against this team.
That's what that showed me from the coaching staff.
And then, you know, just pitiful performances again against West Virginia stay for that fourth quarter, and then just an overall blowout at UPS. I mean that there's not much to be inspired about this team right now.
So I don't mind people.
I don't blame people for being, you know, a little bit testimistic, because there's not that much to be optimistic about.
Right Yeah, no question, and you're being realistic. Holy moly, I think it's gonna snow and Tucson to.
You know.
And I used to say this, man, whenever I coached man. I told her guys, I said, fellow, this is a real simple world. It really is. I mean it's a challenging world. It's very simple. If you play well, they're going to write a lot of good things about it, and if you don't play well, they're going to write some bad things about you. So it's real simple. Play well.
Just go out and consistently play well. The thing that I you know, and I've watched them the last couple weeks, just out of intrigue to be very canid with you. But there it's in their resume. You know. You mentioned the Utah game, and I watched them last year because you know, my kids all graduated from the U of A, and obviously I spent my time there. And I don't know coach Brandnan, but you know, I'm pulling for the guy,
pulled for anybody that's at UVA. You know, it's in the resume for them to perform well because they proved that last year. Now when does that show up? I had I always believe that there was a point in my season where the game was going to be really hard to play in baseball. There's gonna be a weeknd or two where we just can't get a hit, we don't throw strikes, we just don't look like a good team. And you got to get you know, you get through that that little stretch where the game is really hard.
It's really hard, and it looks like the players look like it's really hard. And I kept thinking, yeah, I thought, you know, this was gonna and would clear up. So I don't know, I'm like, I'm the optimist, you know, they're going to get through this hard part and finish strong. Yeah.
So, so, how often do you produce your copy or your content?
Yeah so I try and go.
A couple times a week. I work at ABC fifteen as well here in Phoenix. So with the new stuff. As most people know, these fast couple of weeks, news gets a little.
Crazy around the election, so it's it's been appressive not do it that much. But button went out this week before this weekend and actually coming down for the old Dominion game for Mets basketball this weekend as well.
Yeah, let's go real quick. We've got a couple more minutes. Your thoughts on what you've seen so far with Tommy. I think you had one season, right, at least one season I did.
Yeah, so I had the full season last year to cover the U of M men's basketball. My first week was media day, so got the full ramp up to got the preseason stuff, everything like that. Liked a lot what they did against Kenisia Sun Monday, and I think that it's a testament to what Tommy Lloyd is as a coach and how he.
Runs this program. The fact that they come out looking so.
So prepared for a season over I mean at twenty to four, start in the first five minutes, having your best player be super aggressive in Caleb Love when he was a little bit passive and just kind of deferred a little bit.
In the exhibition games.
I thought they set the right tone. I thought it was the right decision to start tobay Iwaka. I thought Krebs came in and played some good minutes.
And if this backcourt plays like it does the plays like it did on Monday, if.
This backcourt shows what it has shown us through three games, two exhibitions, in a regular season game all season, which I think it could, this could be one of the best backcourts in the country and really give them a chance to win the Big twelve because I don't see a Big twelve back court that has this level of just dynamic ability, especially in Jade and Bradley's plan like he's playing.
That's the match, I know, because you're positive that's the mat I know. No, no, no, I feel the same way with the backcourt. It's it reminds me a lot of and of the team I cover back in ninety seven with Bibby Bibby Miles and Michael Dickerson, where you had a three headed monster, right, If one guy goes down, the other two can show up. If one two, you know, it's the Monty card three card Monty team one two three. Here we go and you have three with with the capable backup with the Martinez.
Yeah, and I want to give you.
I want to give you this to talk about maybe in your next segment as well, because this is something I've kicked around a little bit too. You know, I do like the energy that Conrad Martinez brings to the floor. I think he plays good defense, but I don't think he's necessarily a rotational type player when it comes to those Big Twelve games.
Deep in February in March. So yeah, my question to you is, does.
Caleb Love need to develop into a backup point guard to be able to spell Jaden Bradley when.
He can't be on the floor for all forty nin Good question.
I thought that he tried to do that, or at least maybe initially with kJ Lewis coming off, you know, having the ball in his hands a little.
So good question.
I don't know, because I don't disagree with you with with Martinez's potential in the Big Twelve because it's going to be rough and tumble, but good question. I think that he'll move kJ Lewis to the one and keep Caleb as a two.
Love it. I'll reference that on my podcast as well, because that's that's that.
That will be an interesting question, I think all year long because Bradley is just playing as well as you can play that.
Position, right, right, right, And he's a tough dude.
He fits them. He fits your three, he fits your three. He's he's a go getter. He doesn't like to lose. He's going to do everything you can to win. He's that dude.
Hey, I'm serious, but both both you gentlemen. Just your is the Big twelve basketball conference the best in the It's not even it's not close.
Seventh.
I've heard that and read that.
Yeah for anybody else at this point.
Yeah.
The thing about it is is it's outside of Kansas, and maybe I was, it could be.
Anybody's I mean right, you got Houston, Houston, Baylor, Baylor State. Yeah yeah, I was, stay bun, a bunch of a bunch of soft soft yeah yeah.
So so when so you're coming down this weekend for Saturday's game. Uh, you'll have a column before that.
Yeah, yeah, I'll have I'll have all the podcast up today, just kind of taking kind of a little inventory on what I've seen from Arizona basketball so far, and.
You know, resetting the bye week a little bit.
Obviously, big news in college football Tuesday night was the college football playoff rankings coming out, So have a little reaction to that and just kind of kind of kick it around for half far.
Okay, so we'll see you Saturday. Where can they find that podcast?
Yeah, they can find it on YouTube, Spotify, Apple podcasts, or tune in wherever you get your podcast. That's B L E A V in Arizona. I'm try and try and put them up like two or three times a.
Week most weeks.
Been a little inconsistent, like I said, with with the other work and stuff like that, but just kind of looking to get back into the swing of things. That cross overseason ramped up once again.
Yes, great, great to talk to you, Matt, Thanks a bunch. Thank you, Steven ye bid Uck if you will, Okay, we're going to take a break here and then talk to you for the final segment.
Coach. Great, you're an.
Arizona men's basketball fan. You know it's been successful.
For newly 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 led them, competed against them, and inspired them. Twenty five chapters for his twenty five years as Arizona's beloved coach, Lessons from Lout 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 former Wildcat Mamanhuntly 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.
In your life.
We off a complete line of caudio machines, multi gms and freeway equipment. I'll certify fitness experts and technicians will set you out with the right equipment and training to get you started to keep you going. Visit our shareroom 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 some day today and reach your goals affordably on your schedule. With over one hundred programs to choose from and financial aid available, it's time to earn the degreer 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, Hey Tucson, Steve rivera heir, 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 Markets All State Agency. These guys are the MVPs of home and auto coverage. Whether it's a fender vender or a leaky roof, they've got you covered. Don't fumble your chance to say call them today and score big on your insurance. With the Edmond Markets All
State Agency, You're always in good hands. Visit them at twenty seven to nineteen North Campbell or call them at five two zero three two three nine three three three selling your home. Want to get more money for it, Well, 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, say, build a home for a much higher price.
Danny Roth with Armny Holmes 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 his program or just buying our selling a home, oh Danny Roth at five two zero four nine zero four thousand, Tucson.
Listen up.
El Tourty two Son is rolling in on November twenty third, and you won't want to miss it. Dnahair Conditioning is proud to be a sponsor of this fantastic event, supporting our cyclists and celebrating the vibrant spirit of our community. Huge thanks to our title sponsor Banner University Medicine and are presenting sponsors Rio Nuevo and TMC Health for making this possible.
So are you ready to ride? Grab your bikes and your buddies.
Join DNHAC for an Unforgettable day at the El Tooty Tuson. For more info, check out el Toour Day Tucson dot org.
El tour Dy Tucson is on November twenty third. You can help support the kids at Banner Diamond's Children's Medical Center in Tucson by joining the Banner Health Team, ride, run, or walk any of the routes to make a difference. Visit al to Tucson dot org for more.
This is I on the Ball on Fox.
Sports fourteen fifding.
I want to take part in the show. Call up Steve now went five to two oh four one six seventy four for ding.
Hey, welcome back to I in the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifteen.
I'm Steve Rivera.
He's Andy Lopez. Oh the wisdom I'm getting. I'm gonna another book. I'm gonna call it be Good or be Gone Baby, be Good or Beat my next title of an X. But hey, so so you you had this career. Good to talk to Matt Rendlson. By the way, you have your philosophy, the one, twos and threes. I'm sure you had a lot of proteges behind you coaching, and how big is that branch of tree for you coaching?
Gosh, I don't you know. I got well, Raffie Vealezuela, who's a kid from uh Negoles and he came and played for us in two thousand and eight, nineteen, I think it was. He just won the A ball. He's in the Tampa Ray organization as manager and he just won the eight ball Championship. Mark Wazikowski, longtime player, long time assistant head coach of Oregon, doing really well. Sean Cole just got the job at Sanduel State last year. He was my assistant in twenty twelve. Steve Rodriguez was
the head coach at Baylor, played for me Pepperdine. Was Wazakowski's a teammate at Pepperdine. And there's a few other guys out there in pro ball.
So did your philosophy of chasing players you're one, twos and threes, did they adapt to that or adopt?
Yeah? Well, I don't know if they took it with him. Quite honestly, they may. They may. I never really asked him. But when they worked for me, like if they called me and said, hey, Lopes, we got a guy. I'm in LA I'm watching this guy. I would just say is it a one, two or three? And they, you know, they'd have to tell me I think he's a one. Okay, Well, if he's not a one, make sure he's a three. Can they be a chameleon? Can they turn into committee?
Oh?
You know that right? Ever, Hey, I've often said the greatest thing of my thirty eight years was that I got a chance to be a really good body language reader. Boy, you read body language because you're searching for because every recruiting weekend, what everybody's on their best behaviors. Everybody's on their best behavior, they're everybody's the happiest family in the world. And he's the greatest student in the world. And they said, man, you've got to be able to read through things you do.
So yes, I don't want to lose this conversation either in terms of I love it. I love that conversation. It'll be good or be gone. Baby. But you talked about Brennan with with or the situation with with Matt Well, not Brendan specifically, but you you had some situations where you weren't any good you and you how do you get out of not being any good.
You try to small for me personally, I would try to take, for example, I never coached a fifty six game schedule, and I and I forbid our players to do that. I know they did. We played fifty six games in the baseball cause, right, Okay, I used to say, no, we don't play fifty six games. We played ten game increments. So for the next ten games, we're gonna play hard
for these ten games. We're gonna get after for these ten games, and then at the end of those ten games, we're gonna evaluate what we just did in those ten games. Hopefully we're ten and oh, we might be one and nine, we might be five and five, but we're gonna take a fifty six game schedule and increment it into ten game increments. You know, they have twelve weekends. I mean, you know, hey, I'm pulling for them. I really am.
Sure.
That's a tough, tough gig coming here and a lot of expectations, and you're on a bad spin, you know, shortening up the goals, you know, let's let's play a quarter. Let's be really good this quarter, you know, And I'm not telling coach Brandon how what he's doing. But yeah, if it's me, I'm shortening up all the goals. I'm trying to get our guys away from the big goals
and the big noise and all that's going on. And let's just, hey, Felas, let's just really be good for this first three innis for me, it was a nine inning game. Let's be really good for these three innings then, and we'll evaluate, and then we'll evaluate, and then we evaluate.
So were you analytical before analytics?
Was there?
Or did you not go there?
I didn't realize it, but I guess I was in many ways because there was a lot of things we did. We would, you know, we'd use the stopwatch for a lot of different things. Times of the play, catchers exchanges. If you came to one of our practices, you heard coaches and players yelling out times. We always took ground balls with a stopwatch on the on the infielder. Average time is four to three to from home to first for college baseball players for that matter, big leagues too.
And so when we hit ground balls in fillers, they never just threw it across. They threw it and then someone to yell out four to four and that let them know who. I got to quicken up a little bit. Yeah, you know, three eight oh, I got to slow down a little You know. Our whole thing was, don't you know, let's not let let's not be let's not do something so fast and hurry hurry, hurry hurry. Let's see how slow we can do it and do it right. Do it, Yeah,
let's do it right. But let's see how slow we can do it and do it right right, Because, as you well know, in anything in life, right you get directions somewhere. If you don't have a GPS and you're you're driving like a mad man, it's a great opportunity to get a ticket because you're lost, your frustering, you speed up into what instead of what? Slow down, pull over, ask for directions, and you get your destination.
So I had this, uh, this philosophy, and my friends give me grief about it. Every game is a season. Yeah, every game is a season. And I guess that's a do you bide by that philosopher?
You don't asking anything to play for me? I'd show up randomly and I'd say, today's the biggest day of the year, the biggest day of the year practice or game. I said, you know, if it's practice, today's the biggest practice of the year, fellas, And the older guys knew what I was about to say. I said, you don't want to know why, And I'd looked at the young guys. You know what, because it's the only day we got. Yeah, we don't get We're not guaranteed it tomorrow, you know.
I tell my guys all the time, Hey, I might be driving home night, fellas, you know, nothing's bigger than the program. I might drive home to night and get hit by a bus, t boned by a bus, and guess what, They're going to put a little number seven on your jersey. That might well, they might even put on your helmet, and they'll do the flag at half mask on Friday night and they'll give them minute a silence and then guess what. You move on. You gotta
win three games, you gotta win through games. So yeah, I say, you know, the biggest game of the year, fella's biggt game of the year. And the older guys would know. I said, why because it's the only game we got.
So so when you had your health scare, you were at you were at the field right, you're at the field.
No, no blue or not. I denied the symptoms for seven weeks. You was icing it, I was icing it. So I was good enough. By doctor doctor Jeffrey Selling, he since retired, just had lunch with a couple of weeks ago, great man. I went to see him because I was complaining about this stuff for seven weeks but never said anything anybody. I finally told my wife said go see doctor Selling. So the very next mon I
saw docor Selling. He sent me to TMC. They ran some tests and said, hey, you're gonna need heart surgery, well bypass surgery, and we don't know how bad.
But when they got well, there was that moment of of what did your t bone? Example?
Oh did and your did your philosophy change because you don't know about tomorrow? Did the kids philosophy change?
Coaching?
Yeah?
Yeah it it altered me to the point where I needed to retire.
Do you realized it?
Yeah? Yeah. You finished off the year, right, I finished off the year. Yeah. I came back and then I went one more year and then I went. I got to get out. I had two hernias that they popped during the surgery, and I didn't get those fixed, and there was me. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't throw batning.
You were sixty two years old, I think, yeah, it was because I was at the press conference and I said to you, if you remember, because you're sixty two years old, you still got a lot of life in your in your game. He said, well, thanks, Steve, but I've had an offer, and to your whatever credit or otherwise, I'm tired of this flip flopping.
Yeah, I was tired of the recruiting, the de commitments and stuff like that. I just I just didn't understand that in any way, shape or form, and still don't. I'll be very marketed about that. I still don't. I just again, I credit my mom and dad. Your word is your word, and that's it. And you know, I remember, I remember I committed to UCLA, but I really wanted to go to s C. And I committed to UCLA, and I thought, oh, I made a bad decision. I
went to my dad. You know, Mexican man from you know, fourteen years old, jumps in the back of a pickup truck with his brothers, drives from what is Mexico to Los Angeles, California, and you know, goes to the Second World War and gets a citizenship. And I said, Dad, I made a mistake. I you know I made He said, no, did you tell UCLA you're going? Yeah, well that's where you're going. I said, no, Dad, I made a mistake. He goes, no, no, no, no, you make it the
right decision. Yeah, you go there and make it the right way.
So your dad sounds like like did you get a lot of the the the lopus isms from my father?
Not from my father, more from my mom. But my father, like I said earlier, he was very quiet. So when he spoke, when he spoke, oh man, I remember when I was fourteen years I remember being in the garage with him, and his garage was immaculate, immaculate, you could eat off the floor.
Uh.
He just he was in the army for four years, you know, four or five years and all the rest. He was in New Guinea for two and a half years, and he was in a lot of combat. And they turned me. I was fourteen years He turned to me and span, She said, you know, son, work is going to be hard. I'm fourteen years old. I don't have a job. He said he work is going to be hard. And life is going to be hard and it's not going to be fair. And he said it to me two or three times and I finally nodded my head.
I said, okay, Dad, Yeah, I got it. Okay, yeah, I got it. And I didn't get it until I was about thirty years old. Right, and I'm at kel State Dominga's Hills with no assistant coaches, and you're raking your own one point three scholarships. And I'm going, you know, my dad was right, work is hard and it ain't fair.
What's that saying? As I get older, my dad gets smarter.
Oh yeah, well the one I love is youth is wasted on the young, right, right.
So I'm sure he spoke to you in Spanish and that was a Spanish phrase that yeah, and there was always clever.
My mom did that same thing to me. And you think, God, I didn't write that stuff down if.
I was in trouble with Spanish or if it was something profound or he felt that he needed to give to his son. It was a Spanish like I said, I can't if I had a dollar for every time I heard either my mother and father say you know me, he'll see no us I said, oh, yeah, you're not going to do it, right, don't do it. Don't even do it, man, don't even do it.
Man.
I heard that a million.
Yeah, so how many and your kids? I'm sure you've heard it. Oh yeah, and your team probably did it. Somewhere in America is kind of like in America, someone's making that play.
Yeah, Somewhere in America there's a team not complaining about being on a four game losing.
Streak, right or perking out in one hundred and ten degrees.
Well, somewhere in America there's a team that say, you know enough, enough's enough, let's get this thing going right.
Are you we got we got about five minutes performances kids today.
I know you're not coaching anymore, but as you're going to get it out, are they still coachable?
Do they want to be coached?
You don't believe or not? I am coaching my son in law, Dallas Howe. Jack Howell's kid Jack played here in the Arizona program, and my youngest son David. They run a two travel teams fourteen years old and twelve years old, and on Tuesdays and Friday's Night at Mill Park, I go over there and practice with them. I go there and work with these kids.
What do you do?
Whatever they need, whatever they need, you know, I'll work with the pictures, I'll work with the infillas. But both those my son in law, my you know, my son played with me and and Dallas, my son in laws. He played at Pima and played at push Ridge and played at Pema. They're both They're both very suitable, very they know what they're doing. But you know, they they asked me to come out, Hey, come on, and so I go out there and I hang out with these
little guys. And so to answer your question, Steve, I think they I still believe they want to be good, you know, how to get there, get ready. I still believe they want to be good. But now for a lot of different reasons.
Oh, money, yeah, fame, Yeah.
I had eleven year kid. I had. I had an eleven year old kid. About a month ago. He was taking batting practice. He's eleven years old. He came up to my belt buckle and I'm what five foot eight, He's eleven years old and he's swinging and swinging and swinging in the air, swinging in the home run Derby Homeland, dirty pop up pop up, pop up. So after batting practice, I call him over the side said hey, and I won't say his name. I say he Bobby. Hey, Bobby, listen,
you're this big and you're really fast. He's really fast, he's a short something. You're really fast. Why don't you hit the ball on the ground. Get ready for the steve? This really happened. Why don't you hit the ball on the ground right and run like crazy and forced that team to play defense. You'll be on base every time. You'll still sag and stuff third d D da da da. He looked me right in the eye and said, coach Andy.
They call me coach Andy. Coach Andy. They don't pay you big money in the big leagues to hit singles. Welcome to the real world.
And that's some players don't drive Cadillacs. Baby, that's funny, but that's how people think. No, And so what do you think he got that from mom and dad TV?
Hitting coach? Try to hitting coach.
I don't know, but I said, what did you say?
Well, you know, I said, now what I used to tell my players all the time. Hey, everybody wants to win. My wife Linda in the seventh inning, she reads a book from ennings one through six. She'll sit there reading a book. In the seventh inning, she puts the book in her purse and now she wants to win. Right, everybody wants to win, but not everybody knows how to win.
And this little guy, Bobby, I said, Bobby, I know you want to win, but you're five foot this and you hit the ball in the air, it's an out. Hit the ball on the ground and help this team win.
Along those lines, that's a twos. Don't know who they are, maybe think they are, but you.
Have to you have to be self aware, right right, kids today, No.
Zero, I shouldn't say zero because there's a kid. There's a kid out there, and I'll say his name. Excuse me, Pierce. This guy's a little short stopped. This guy is unbelive. This guy is a one in ability and one in makeup. His mom and dad have done a marvelous job with them. He's unbelievable. He comes up after every practice and he says to me, after every practice, Teve, coach Andy, what do I need to work on? And it's sincere. I mean it's sincere.
It's going to end on that. Wow, thanks for joining me. I always it's like it's like going to the people church for me. Oh, thank you, thank you. I enjoyed this, you know how.
Great? Great?
Sure today. Thanks everybody for listening. We'll start talk to you tomorrow