This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jagon Zalaz on Fox Sports fourteen fifty powered by Nova Insurance Services and Sure Your Most Prized Possessions kat z R, TWU SA and iHeartRadio Station.
Good afternoon, everybody, Welcome to I on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera. He's Jagan Zauce. No kids today, so we could screw up this big time. Maybe maybe not. Jay's behind the wheel, so let's see when we get there.
I'm already messing it up, Steve.
That's okay. Oh you don't have you You couldn't hear it?
I can, I can't hear you.
Goodness, Okay, Hey, welcome everybody to Thursday. Right is this Thursday?
Yes, Thursday.
It's gone by quick, but I won't chinse it. Yeah, any calls we could take him a five two o four one six, seventy four forty. Jay will be We'll both be with their eyes on the on the phones here and welcome to Thursday. Right to he's away from another game. We were not at the that the press commerce today have other issues to deal with, or real life to deal with, exactly real life, real life to deal with, like to pay the bills. So we're here at this show, good show today though we have we
have hod Rabino from an issue. See what's going on up there? They get all giddy because they.
Went on Yes see if they're all giddy over having beaten apparently Wyoming.
Apparently they are because the coach Dillingham was pretty upset about his team's practice yesterday because they were all, you know, we're here full of themselves, we've arrived, and he got on them because that's what they thought. We'll talk to Hode about that and more. Obviously they pay a step up in competition.
Right, they've got Mississippi State, which you know, it's funny the parallels here, right, because it's it's it's it's Dillingham second year, had a bad year last year.
They're trying to make some progress.
You know Arizona in the in jetfish the second year, Right, they went up to San Diego State won a game on the road that you kind of didn't think that they were gonna win, and then they did, like all of a sudden, the world going, whoa what do we got? And then they ended up they had to play Mississippi State at their place. Yeah, well, now he's got Missisippi State. I think they're coming into a su It's just this parallel. Okay, let's see what you do against Mississippi State and are
you guys really on your way to something? Are you know, well, what's happening over there? So we'll see, we'll see how they're they're taking this.
So far, right, so we'll see you about that. And then at four seventeen, the NFL season starts today. So we were trying to find an NFL guy, and Marquise Flowers, who's been on the show before, said yeah, i'll talk. I'll talk with you guys, no problem. So you know, former U of A guy, former Cincinnati Bengal. I don't know if he's played anymore after that with Bengals, but still a relatively young dude. Right, it got to be
about thirty ish, maybe party more than that. I'll probably thirty fourish because he was under the ritual guy.
Yeah, because he played his last year was rich was twenty.
Fourteen thirteen Okay, so yeah.
Thirteen because he's had that pick in the and the New Mexico Bowl.
He's about thirty three.
Issues, probably yeah, yeah, that's ten years ago.
Yeah, probably, you.
Know, thirty.
Three.
Yeah, so he's really good. He's only he's pretty active and so fun and he's fun. Yeah, he's fun. So that's a good show owner. We can screw that up. So he's excited about that to come back on the show. But us people were saying, you were on something yesterday, you were a little you're a little giddy salt salt.
Well, well, the Saturday game.
You know, I hadn't had a chance to okay, talk about it, talk about it.
I mean I'm talking. Well, here's the thing.
I did talk about it with a lot of people, right, friends and fans and stuff like that. People that I ran into hadn't been on the show to get all the stuff that had built up over over four days since the game.
Was was your your verbiage or your explanation a lot like theirs?
Yeah, you know, here's well no, because Steve, like I mentioned, you know, some you know, some people were trying to tell me that in New Mexico State isn't a bad team and I'm like, stop telling me that. Yeah, okay, So and I don't know, maybe I got fired. I was, I was, I was I seemed or was fired up just because it was my first day on the show. Since the ball game, I'm not worked up about the game or what happened. I mean, what happened happened. They won,
They won handily. I didn't like how many points they gave up. They put sixty points on the board. I mean the team act showed that he not only might be the best receiver in college football, he might be the best player in college football.
Yeah, you know, now again he did that.
Against New Mexico, and if he does it again against an a U, people are going to say, well, he did it against a let's see why.
How you look at Kansas State? So there's more to find out.
But Arizona's play teams like New Mexico before and players haven't done that, you know they you know, he was what a couple of yards short of the big twelve receiving yards.
In the game.
Well, those records were also set when those teams played teams like New Mexico.
Right, So it's what he did was special, right Okay, yeah, yeah, no question. Well we'll set those guys straight this weekend. Well, we won't set them straight because they're playing in.
We're not going to know a whole lot more about Arizona after this weekend than we did after last week.
You may not even know fourth week and fourth weekend unless lose, No, not, they lose, Okay, don't tell me that before.
Unless Nau comes out and puts thirty points on the board, then you go, wait a minute, you got a defense that yeah, yeah, first can't that can't. Can't keep bad teams from school.
First time is the mistake, second times the habit, and here we go, here we go. Yeah, yeah, no, even even if after the third game, the Kansas State game, Okay, it depends on how we go, and then the fourth game, then you have a good samples ize of right, okay, what team do we see?
But you know, but if if any of you comes comes down and moves the ball up and down the field on Arizona on Saturday, you think, okay, you know, this is a ritrot team.
It's gonna have to score fifty points to win games.
And then you're thinking, what the hell is a Quena thinking or doing or what's he doing? Yeah, because this is not a Keena. This is not a keen of type team.
Yeah, I think one of the things that I'm that the way I'm taking it is kind of okay.
A Quina.
They went into season, they worked all summer on a way that they're gonna play defense, and that way wasn't a good way to play defense against New Mexico. Right, they walked on the field and said, we're gonna do what we do, okay, and they were doing what they were doing, and unfortunately for Arizona, what New Mexico did was a really good way to offset what Arizona does because they didn't contain quarterback ran all over the place.
They had this one receiver who was just making you know, they weren't getting a lot of yards after catch, but they were, but fifteen seemed like it was wide open all night. And he also made a couple of great catches in traffic.
So you know, we'll see. We don't know. I think I think we.
Know that the offense is going to be pretty damn good because Fafeda not only did.
Not only was he affected, but he just looked in charge.
Yeah, well he's and he's done that since the first time he stepped on the field. Yeah, the guy's played hard for him.
When I think we still don't know a lot of things about the running game.
Right.
They didn't run the ball well in the first half, but they did in the second hand.
Right, And they didn't do it often enough in the first half, right because because was.
Getting you know, you know, I was talking to somebody about it and they were saying that whole thing of well, you know, he just threw the ball to one guy. Well, yeah, that because that one guy was open all night long.
And I think I think that's overstated, over analyzed by people who don't know because one he went to him a lot last year. Because they know each other, right, they trust each other, or at least know what trusts him. Oh do we go off, We're good? Uh? NOA trusts him? And why wouldn't you write if you have the number one target in the country, I guess where you go, right, And it's their job to stop, all right.
And I'm gonna say, if every game, if every game t MAC is open all night and throwing the ball all night, what are you trying to do?
Win the game?
Win the game?
And if the game, you know, and if the other receivers don't like it, because well they better like it if they're winning.
Games, right, right, Well, there's there's always a charge get to it.
I think there was only one one time that I thought the feet of forced it, but and it was it was a fade pattern, uh in the end zone where but that was that play was decided, you're going to throw the ball into the corner and see if you and let him try go get it. So you know, he didn't really you know, he took the snap and he threw the ball up and the you know, into the corner of the end zone and I'm like, okay, that was predetermined that he was going to throw the ball.
Yeah, yeah, no, I don't disagree with you. What was he for the for the game? I don't even know his stats off the top of my head, but he had obviously a good night.
Yeah.
Yeah, he was very effective, you know, I mean he was just look, if you're if there's if you're complaining in some shape or form about the offense, then you need to go get under a rock or something, because you know, because the offense was as you would hope it would be, and and they did it put sixty one points on the board.
I mean, if you if you go into it, you're going into the game.
If you say Okay, if they put sixty some points on the board, I'm happy. And then they do and they say, well, I'm not really happy. Well, then you got a problem.
You know.
The problem is you, not not them. He was Uh, let me see, he was twenty four forty two. Twenty four forty two. Yeah, twenty four four.
Yeah, that's eighteen.
That's that was them. I'm sorry, my bad. Nineteen of thirty one.
Which is very good. It's about sixty five percent. Yeah, sixty five percent.
He was seventy percent thrower last year.
Yeah, but the throwers weren't were The throwers were not rinking dink ones. They were they were down the field.
I mean, yeah, you only threw, You only threw thirty one. You only completed nineteen passes for four hunder and twenty two yards.
Well, nineteen thirty's nineteen.
Thirty two, nineteen thirty one was the completed nineteen passes, and he threw for four hundred twenty so you average twenty two twenty two yards per completion.
That's pretty efficient.
Yeah. Yeah, And guess what happened at the end of the day. They won.
They won the game, and they won handle.
And they didn't cover because are you.
I'll take that. I like that. I did that. That's on me.
We're all gonna have to rally around each other and say, Jay stop, put that wallet down, keep your credit card because you're screwing.
With us and that.
Yeah, you almost are happy.
Bot I had no step because I wanted to win that.
So just you know, it's just I was getting ready ahead to the game, and I thought, you know, and I got caught up.
Okay, I got caught up in.
The tailgate atmosphere, and I said, they're gonna you know, they're gonna kill them, and and you know, I was very unhappy about that.
So when they were down, when they were down twenty four twenty seven seventeen, twenty one seventeen, something like that, whatever what they were down twenty twenty four seventeen, What are you thinking? Who are you thinking?
All I was thinking was they're not going to cover. I wasn't thinking they were to lose. Yeah, I mean, now did I did? I you know, you know, you have some relief when they scored that long touchdown right before.
The half and all that.
Sure, but I think they were down twenty twenty four to twenty or whatever. I can tell you what it was, because I had the thing right up here.
Yeah, yeah, they were down. They were down twenty four to twenty.
Then they scored that touchdown to make it twenty four to seventeen or twenty seven twenty four.
Oh no, they kicked a field goal at the end to make it twenty seven twenty. Yeah, they're down twenty four seventeen.
Hit the touchdown the four minutes left, they went and got a field goal to take the lead a half deck. I wasn't like, oh God, what they're gonna lose, because I just didn't think Mexico could beat them, and so I was. I was mad at halftime. I had angry nachos because I knew they weren't going to cover. Because I was going the math, I'm like, okay, they've got a lot. Twenty four points, they got a score, well fifty five points to cover, and I don't know that they're gonna get it.
The only chance they had was when they had fumble. The fumble or the the interception or incomplete past fumble, somebody picked it up and ran it in right and you're thinking, oh now.
They put one on the board in that time. You know when that got called back and they don't have.
There wasn't enough to get time, and circumstances was not good. So that's fine. I mean, they played well enough to win, and they did it in a nice fashion. Now again another chance on Saturday, and then we'll see what happens on the Kansas City and then Utah.
You know, one of the good things that came out of it, because look, you and I know that media attention or media opinion on stuff like this has an impact on rankings. And sure no I heard nobody saying New Mexico put up a fight. All I heard about the game was looking what team act did?
Yeah right, we got.
All these players of the week National Players of the Week on the the podcast. I listened to it with Wetzel of Pat forty and Ross Dollander. One of them gave him a play of the week, you know, because they said the team, you know, got three hundred plus yards in their in their first game in the Big Twelve,
a receiver nearly broke the Big Twelve single game receiving record. Yeah, so that's what people were talking about it, and nobody was saying, oh, look at the number of points in New Mexico put up on.
A right, So that's a good thing there. And also it was it was one o'clock. It was two o'clock thirty in the East coast. Yeah, one one thirty Central time or whatever it was.
Yeah, so helps that help.
Yeah, you know that it was fun. It was lipstick on a pig.
They got to win, you know, some they moved up in the rankings a little bit because other teams lost, and you just you know, you go beat NAU and do it handily. Don't don't let guys like me be worried about what you're gonna look like.
Against Kansas State. Just take care of business. Do it. Well. You know, I'm going to allow them. I am going to allow them two touchdowns to okay, okay, because.
Apparently I you know, like they did against against the couple, They're gonna throw the ball all over the field because that's the only way you can Well.
You know, you're not going to run the ball down Arizona's.
Throat, and we'll see how Arizona.
You know, they may get a couple of drives to score a couple of touchdowns, but if they get any more than that, I think you start to question what they're doing.
Defensively.
Yeah, okay, we got to go. We're going to have hode on the other side. Grabino yep from Hazy Arizona Digest right Devil's so yeah.
Be sure to stick around for hold Rabino.
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Streaming live, I Mean iHeartRadio WAPP. This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jay Gonzalez on Box Sports fourteen fifty.
Hey, welcome back to the ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera. He's chickens away now on the phone. We have hoed Rabino from Devil's Digest. Hold how you doing.
I'm doing great, guys, thank for having me great.
Don't tell me you were out strutting your stuff on Tuesday or Wednesday, acting like you were your fancy pants like the football team.
Yeah, I mean, I think it was. It was definitely a humbling lesson how not to handle success. You did come out flat for most of Tuesday's practice. Head coach Kenny Dillingham admitted that also the scheduling of the team left the day or two before might have contributed that a little too, So that's something they're going to fix forward.
But I think the more urgency to remedy was to really have the team not be cocky, just confident, because yes, they played a great game, Yes they played a Wyoming team that won nine games last year, but it definitely needs to put into the put in perspective because Mississippi State this week is gonna be a whole different story.
Aside from the score.
Was there anything that you saw that surprised you Saturday night, you know, on the field or just the way things ran.
I guess it was really surprised by seeing the defense being so dominant, not not only scoring two defensive touchdowns, but also being in Wyoming, I believe it was like under one hundred and thirty yards of total offense. That's something we've seen all throughout full camp. I mean, there were many more sessions where the defense was dominating the offense and not vice versa. So the defense being the tip of the spear of such a great performance not
shock me at all. I also think I wasn't surprised by the running game collecting to forty one yards. We all knew coming into the season this is the obvious strength of the offense, and sure enough, that's how it manifested the Saturday night. I can't say that I was
surprised by the passing game. I think the ASU coaches didn't want to put too much on Sam Levitt's play, being a retrot freshman starting a sportsover game in MP and really with that ground attack, there's no reason to overtax your quarterback, so him him attempting this twenty two passing wasn't really a big surprise. Maybe special teams not so much surprise, but somewhat disappointing that field goal attempts
from eight and forty three yards were not converted. You hope that's an indiration and not assigned things, assigned things to come. Because it's a big level of anything like it was last year, There's going to be a lot of one score games. So special teams, specifically field goal kicking for a new you is an aspect that really needs to be more consistent.
And successful in So before the season started, what did you realistically think about this team? UH progressed progression in the second year, and a lot of people in the Big Twelve don't think highly of them.
And has and well and as you're you know, in one game, how does your opinion changed?
Yeah, my bindon really hasn't changed. I think as you is able to win six games this year, do somethings have to break their way? Sure, I'll be the first one to admit that, but but I felt that this this is a team that they can be Bowl eligible. I think the schedule in September is somewhat easier than than October November. So if you can continue to win UH this this month, then I think that again those six wins is not going to be that unachievable defeat.
Like I guess most of the Big Twelve media was was thinking, and look, I mean, I'm not here to you know, criticize my nunoplots in the conference that I barely know anything about. But on the flip side, a lot of those VENIA members barely know anything about as U. And I think with the success that Arizona and Utah had last year, it is probably easy for them to pick them higher up in the standings. You know, maybe they're buying into somewhat of the height of Dean Sanders
and Boulders. You know, didn't pick them to finish in the upperhssion, I'll still picked them pretty high. So I think with Arizona State, there was this school that they don't know much about. They so back to back three win seasons and that's why they picked them last. But I think Arizona they and not that some you know, like mister week one overreaction can definitely defy that last place finish expectations set by the Big twelve media.
Can you sense that Dillingham has kind of maybe found some footing, not just as a coach, but as a as a as a guy, as a person that's you know, two years into it, more confident or whatever word you want to use.
Yeah, I think that you do see the team buy in more to the culture that that Dealing am is trying to establish. I think you see a very evident talent elevation across the board, and that speaks to the effective recruiting efforts by dealing Ham and by his staff that whatever the selling they're having, now new players, but good players are really buying. So yes, I think you've
seen the progression from year one to year two. You know, even though nobody expected the ridiculous raps of injuries that as you had last year, especially a quarterback and an offensive line, I think on the same broken people were not expecting ASU to come on the gates and Dealings first year and start, you know, keep kicking bucks and then taking names. But I think the progression in year two, at least before we saw the preseason in week one,
I think things definitely progressing in the right direction. Kenny Dealing, he will be the first time to tell you that, Look, I mean we can talk about a better culture established, more players buying into the culture, having a better talent well that we did in twenty twenty three, but ultimately it does have to show in the win column. So you know, we'll say everything does progress as a season common well season progresses, but I think that overall the
steps are being taking in the right direction. And what we saw last night against Wyoming I think is maybe small sample size, but still evidence that things are going well for getting him in year two.
What's been the vibe among fans? You know, with you have message boards and all that kind of stuff, what do they say? Where are they in terms of not just Kenny Dillingham, but you know the program? Look, you and I know fans don't have patience, They never have patients, but they're going to have to have patience, and I think Arizona fans even had some patience. What's the vibe over there among among ASU fans?
See ironically, you know, you talk about Arizona fans having passions, let's say with Jeb Fish and they're talking about whether jump took place from the year two to year three. So I think that ASC fans are are definitely pointing to that and saying, well, why can't it be here?
And to me?
But I think you definitely have some patients. I think they know that Kate dilling and, being an alumnus, is here for the long run. He's not looking as his job at the stepping stone, even to the last coach they used as the stepping zone was Don Cooper back in the back in the mid eighties. But nonetheless, I think the fans that you know, they have patients, and I think they were probably win against Wyoming. I mean, I don't think it's Wyoming looked the Wyoming team looked
anywhere close to squad that won game last year. But when you're blowing out in Week one the team from the mout West that did have success last year, Uh, that's something that doesn't happen that often in TMP. I mean anything. Any score that came close to that in this ventury was twenty thirteen against Sacramento State, which which is an FDS opponent, not even a Group five opponent.
So I think fans.
Would definitely pleasantly pleased, and maybe them some of them surprised that A sure, right, all the Gates played a near perfect game on the defense, a very very balanced on offense, a lot of things where we're definitely clicking on all cylinders. I'm not saying the film session on Monday was a boring affair or anything like that. There is definitely things defict and I did mention also special teams earlier. But I think overall, I think fans are
thinking like, okay, this is week one. Uh, there is hope that we can see some tangible progression and changes in set right direction in week two.
So let me ask you, and I apologize for this question, but because I should know this and I don't know this, So your site hod is it is because the way you speak to us, which is fantastic, You speak from the heart and honesty. Are you are you a pro ASU? Are you just a pro a ISU site or are you straightforward issue site?
But look at this is the something that the Kidder Sarrazona State fans and I'm not going to try to be in it or explain it any other way, you know. At the same time, I try to be as as objective as possible, and you know when I do my postgame articles on Sundays, I do point out the good, bad, and the ugly. So it's not so much you know, being prom as you and I ac with being I would say more in depth reporting of as you. When you do in depth reporting, not everything is going to.
Be the supreme.
I mean, there are going to be some some mares of concern are going to be sometimes areas that's that fell that fell flat on their face. So that's that's not conducted my for for the last twenty five years.
You know, the did.
Reporting in that style because I think fans ultimately do want honesty, they do want in depth reporting. I like to think that over this quarter of a center I've been providing it.
Yeah.
No, The reason I ask is, you know you have those sites where well that's not really how it went, but you know, you screak, you you speak exactly how you feel. So that's great.
Yeah, and if you're any if you're anything other than that, hode, we wouldn't have you.
On the show. So you know that's true.
That's true.
So okay, So you got Mississippi State coming up. I was comparing this to you know, Arizona played Mississippi State last year. I confused it with the previous year. But it's that's a hard game and now they're coming to your place, which is good for you guys. But what's kind of the X What's what's the best you can hope for in that? Obviously you think you you know, you want them to win. What are you looking for what's going to make you happy at a minimum?
Yeah, I think first of all, nobody is having any illusions that the game is going to be anywhere near one sided, like I was thinking inst Wyoming Mississippi State is almost like a su looking the man in the mirror, because here's a team coming off their own struggling season. They were picked not last, but near last in the SEC, so they're not really entering the season with a lot
of confidence. And the week one no win. I think it's something that needs to be put in perspective that just like A has used those they actually did eat an FC team in the Eastern Kentucky. I mean, sure they're dominated and was pleasing for the fans uh to see a Blue Doog offense that was near dor Matt last year playing at at a much much higher level.
Their coach, Judget Jeff Levy, is somebody who doesn't play offense on skates if you will, uh you know, no uh no snap, but can be fast enough down to down definitely trying to catch the defense off off kilter. And you know that that's what I think basic defense can't expect a total opposite of Wyoming. So I think that this is a defense that's going to be a
bend but not break. And you know, as much as a to say there's going to be some bend over here just because you know, maybe not, you know, I mean, time will tell if the sport was really going to be reflective of that. But you know, as far as the offensive yards, I mean, Mississippi State is somebody that you know, with with their talent, can lull out of it and probably record three hundred and fifty yards on offense.
So the question is, you know, how effective can the defense be keeping them out of the end zone, maybe even preventing you know, field goals on top of that. Uh that you know, that's something that I look I look forward to see. One thing that I think is definitely going to determine the game is going to be. It's going to play play the secondary, especially the ASU cornerbacks because it's not a really experienced group and not a group that you know has you know, stellar athletes
over there. So how they match up against very uh, very capable and shifty uh Mississippi State wide receivers. That's a matchup that I I dif look forward to seeing and I think there's no doubt in my mind that might determine the outcome of the game. I think on offense as u uh, still has to be you know, you know, very deliberate and MEAs sometimes semi boring, so be it. When you have a strong ground game, don't
don't try to veer away from that. Mississippi State does redown alignment, which I know sometimes attempting to run the ball maybe more than you want to. But they really just have to stick a stick out a game plan because I believe that bounce on offense kills that held true against Wyoming, and I think if Arizona State can have somewhat of a balanced offense on Saturday, there are going to be in good shape. I don't see the
Mississippi State defense being extremely minscing. I mean, sure they're better than Wyoming, but I still think it's a group that is you can can find success on and ball come can be very important. I mean, again going back to my point of the offense being deliberate and being patient, they need to keep in mind that sure you want to put points on the board, but any extra minute of possession that you have, I mean an unoffense is one less minute. That is very explosive and quick. Mississippi
State offense is going to take the field. So I think that, you know, the AC offense has to make life somewhat easier on the defense and really give them up and breaks because it's going to be a breakneck pace from the build of offense on Saturday night.
Well, hold, thanks so much for joining us. We'll talk to you again sometime soon.
Okay, thanks having right, appreciate it.
Devil's Die. Just thanks a bunch. Let's take a quick break and then come back. Maybe take some calls. Kind of want they picked the finished last? Yes, yeah, okay.
You know, certainly a team that wins forty eight to seven against another you know, non, yeah, non, it's not you know, it's.
A Division one team even though it's a group of five, that's pretty good. So yeah, so much as I hate to say that it hurts, my neck is burning.
Well, Nico's gonna call back. What are you doing your net carrots?
Why exactly? All right, let's go and take a break.
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This is I on the ball with Steve Rivera and Jay Gonzalez on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. Subscribe now to the podcast on the iHeartRadio app Just Surgery. I on the Ball.
Hey, welcome back to I on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera, here, Jacobs Alas Thursday. Welcome here, everybody. The Fuck's Sports fourteen fifty. If you want to call, please do we have our eye.
On the now's the time? Yeah, we got our eye on the line, right. I can see it from rec where I'm ers. It's right there.
Interesting stuff.
What you know, I try to be very polite, you know when we get the ASU guys on, and I think I.
Was, And look, I'll never feel sorry for them because you know I don't. But you know, they're going through what Arizona went through. Yeah, maybe not as bad because yeah, things were bad with with HERM Edwards and you know, he got them in all kinds of trouble and all that kind of stuff. But they didn't lose seventy to seven to Arizona. You know, O Arizona beat the hell
out of them last year. So I but you know, I am one of those guys like, yeah, I take I take pleasure and when they're bad, but you also have a little pride in the damn State and you don't want them to be the worst team in the country.
So I don't know, good for them that they know they had a good game. We'll see how they do against State.
Right well, you know, no need to get high and mighty, but no, I get I hear you. They're exactly where Arizona was back back a couple three years ago. And we'll see how it handles itself all the rest of the way now, Arizona. For Arizona's side, they just need to kind of maintain what they've what they've gotten the last year. Don't screw it up, that's the thing.
Don't mess it up.
Don't mess it up kind of you know, don't don't you know what kind of Hoart messed it up for me on Saturday with those penalties. Those those yes, those unsports arela like penalties. It's like, you know, I'm better than you. I'm gonna show you and I'm gonna punch you. You know, you don't just kick their ass. That's that's kind of how.
You do it.
That's selfish stuff. Yeah, that's selfish stuff that.
You and it's like picking on your your younger see brother, and you know you're gonna you're tougher than them.
You don't need to do.
That, you know.
And I mean that the the the uh, the slap that got to Carrio Davis, you know, kicked out of the game, that was right in front of me. I'm looking through I'm looking at the end of the plate through my binocular and he stands up and he slaps the guy and I'm like, yeah, what the hell are you doing? You know, everybody saw that, and the ref was standing right there. You know, it's stupid.
What did you do? And why did you do that?
You know, and that that level of discipline or lack of discipline, You hope it's not you know.
That these guys aren't.
Don't get so fired up and excited that they don't have that that discipline that they need in situations like that. I mean, that's the thing that bothered me about about that, that thing, because it was stupid.
It was just dumb.
Yeah, no, no, of course, and that's kind of what maybe it's the first game stuff, right, you know, And I'm sure he got on him. However he got on him and the rest.
Of the well, I watched him.
He went to the sideline and I was expected to doing to kena pick it up in his face, and Ni Keina just.
Walked right by.
Maybe that was what he wanted to. I'm ignoring the hell out of you.
You're in the doctor, or give him one of your dad look, you know, I went.
Back to you know, I think about that in the in that ninety eight Arizona game against Washington, late in the game and I can't remember who the defensive back was or one of the safeties gets kicked out of the game in ninety eight the Leap by the Lake game up there, okay and laying the game and I can't remember.
The defensive back's name.
But he gets up from a tackle and he kicks the guy, all right, and he gets thrown out of the game. And he comes, he comes walking off the field and he goes and this is all on you know,
on the telecast. And I've seen that game so many times, you know on replay that I remember this that he goes and sits down on the you know, goes to the bench and he sits down, He puts his helmet down, and Dick goes over there and he's screaming at him, and sure, you're, you're, you're, you know, you're you're reading his lips and there's about three or four or five f bombs in there from Dick from Dick, and he's telling him to get off the damn bench and get up on the sideline and root for.
Your and root for your team.
You will say one of those words, yeah, you.
Know, you know, And I kind of expecting Ken you do the same thing instead of gave him the which is maybe a different way.
No, of course you you and your dad, and I have my dad, and my dad never kind of yelled at me, never hit me, but he gave me a look and that was just as bad. You know, he disappointed me, son or you know what I'm saying this, Yeah, you know, but yeah, but it's funny you say that about Dick because if he's doing that, because he never he never did that stuff. But so you know he
was pissed if if he was on the guy like that. Exactly, he did that, uh practice every now and again when the guys would fight or you know, shelter.
You know it's not the team. Yeah no, but so I I followed him. I followed him to the bench with my monoculars to see what he was gonna do, what he was gonna do. Plus I was listening to Brian Jeffries and he was you know, he was commenting, and he kind of gave on him going to the side.
Yeah, yeah, because he slugged it, and who slugs anybody with a helmet on?
Dumb guys.
Right, Well, that'll be fixed or well we hope it's going to be fixed.
Yeah, because that was that was not good. Yeah, and so you do hope that that's not a not an.
Issue, right right? Richard continues to send me emails. New Mexico had a game under its belt, it was playing better it had you know, the quarterback was very good. Arizona was in its first rehearsal, first game rehearsal or whatever. So there's that. Anybody want to call, Please do let us know if you were disappointed at anything, maybe obviously impressed with anything, because how could you not have been impressed with tax but you know, maybe concerned at all over the next COD games.
And I just don't know what the right word is for. I don't know if I want to say I'm concerned, I'm bothered by it.
Bothered by Oh yeah, yeah, I'm not concerned that they have a horrible defense.
Uh, I'm just bothered by the fact that they let him do that.
Here, we got a good call.
Let's take this. Hi, you're on the air. Nine on the ball.
He's Richard.
You guys, how you.
Doing, Richard?
You're gonna call good?
Hey.
I wanted to say that, actually, uh, New Mexico did Arizona a great favor because Dad Pierre, who had a very good game and he is a very good dual thread quarterback that helps get Arizona ready for Kansas State. And that's how I tall that. My goodness, Uh, in New Mexico State, you know, played lives out, you know. Uh. And and that guy was good. He's a very good bill thread quarterback. And it just took Arizona while adjust.
You know, that's the first live fire they've seen all year, and they don't scream as much anymore.
Yeah.
So I believe that.
This is a great, great game for Arizona to get ready for Kansas State and their dual threat quarterback. So that's a really good deal for Arizona. And you know, and the offense was great. No line, everyzone has a great offici line and great receivers and a great quarterback. No, that's very hopeful, I thought.
No, Richard, you you bring up a point I think with the tackling stuff. Well, we talked about this in ninety eight, right, they go to Penn State. Uh, they're full of themselves, blah blah blah. First game, they had not tackled at all that before the season, Before the season began, they didn't want to get anybody hurt. And we know how that turned out. So you know, I think your point is valid that they were ready to tackle because they had not been tackling.
That's and dam here, Steve, I bet he gets offered a big contract at the end of the year.
Totally totally agree, totally. I mean that's what this is nowadays. It's kind of a dress rehearsal for the next step or next level, you know.
But he played with a lot of heart too, and he played a great game. But the great No Fafida pulled it off him and McMillan, so they go. It was just very hopeful. I think they can beat Kansas State, and I think this was a great ain't for them to play to get ready.
Well and Ja Yeah, well that's it, and you're right because because the thing about that is that you know, when you you always you don't want you don't want to get comfortable. Well, you saw we just talked to Hod Rabino about how Kenny Dillingham had to get his guys, you know, to to refocus because they got all full of themselves after beating the crap out of out of Wyoming.
So yes, on the one hand, you don't like what you saw, but on the other the n yeah, the coaches can say, you guys think you're all that, you're not.
New Mexico.
Just put thirty nine points on the board. Get to work, so you know, yeah, so there's that.
That's right, that's right now. You know, we do tend to underrate these teams. Remember last year in New Mexico, State stomped Auburn thirty one to ten. So you know this year from New Mexico, steve the state of New Mexico. You guys are playing some follow them.
Man, Richard, I am no longer.
State.
I take my mail here in Tucson. I am no young in New Mexican. How I do like the chili that.
They have his heart in the Rio Grande.
We talked about that last week. I'm sure like twenty five ain't easy. It ain't easy.
We are, Yeah, he tried. He's so down played.
Ye.
And here's the other thing you guys down played.
That's shocking.
That was a rivalry game and nobody mentioned it.
Which one Arizona.
That hasn't been That hasn't been a rivalrychard.
How old are five?
How old are you?
I'm old. I've been around this town for a long time. But that's a rivalry game. Can't even mentioned it? Steve of course didn't then.
No, just not a right. That was nineteen seventy two when Norm Ellenberger was a coach. Whatever, all right, Richard, thank you, But he was wearing turcoise on the sideline.
I mean they remember they if you remember the Kid Carson rife, right, they would give it for this game back when I covered the Okay, they had to find go find the Kid Carson rifle in like a dungeon somewhere, McHale.
No one cared about.
Nobody knew where it was because I had to do a story on it. And the story was it wasn't Kid Carson's rifle. It was it was just a rifle that that the that the U of A R O. T. C. Had And then and so they decided to you know, when they were looking for like a trophy to give for the for the for the for the rivalry, somebody said, hey, let's do this rifle, and so they did. So it's not even Kid Carson's rifle.
Goes back. We have time.
Yeah, sorry about that. We got we got excited about the Kid Carson rifle. So it's not who wasn't even Kid Carson's rifle. Hi, you're on the air and one on the ball.
Hey what Vick? What's up? What's in your background? You in New York?
It's uh no, my air conditioner. Probably I'm in the car.
Okay, what's up?
No?
I just called to ask and you guys mentioned it a little bit ago. Why is everybody complaining that got so many catches and and yards and everything else? I mean, go through time. I mean Joe Montana hit Jerry Rice, uh Trady hit Moss and wrongs. The stars are always gonna show, aren't.
They totally agree with you? Go with what the what? What brought you there? Right? I think?
Yeah? But if even guys I heard Wheeler on uh on spears this morning, and he's, Oh, they're not gonna be able to go to him all the time. Their other teams are gonna double him. And that's you know, I guess when you find them out.
Well, that's when you call Wildern to say they have other players. Josh, they have other players. They do well, we'll take care of business with John got on it. What did he pick? How many points did he get this week?
He didn't get in?
Oh, he didn't get in. He's tired of child. Okay, I totally agree with you. And you know what, if he has twelve catches next week, more power to him, exactly.
And he's the he's the star. And I heard you say, I mean no, I's been with him since days. Great, of course he's gonna look look to him first.
Sure, sure he's number one. And whoever whoever gets gets out open will be the next guy. Look at how Cowen did last year. He was he was good because he was good, right right, so if he if if if a team was closed, well then you had the next guy. And he was the guy. He's lucky to have as many receptions as he did.
Well, I'm gonna go back to your boy, Shawn Miller, Steve, how many times did somebody hit two or three threes in a row and then he never touched the ball.
Because I never saw the ball again. Yeah, you're right, you're right.
Okay, Well we'll see Saturday. I think it's gonna be a cool game. Uh, but we'll uh, we'll see. I'm getting ready for that Kanadas State thing already.
All right, Okay, all right, so he's right, just go with go with what you got. And I understand the concern that, well, they can't go to him all the time. You no question, they're gonna double him, right, they're gonna double him. Well, if I can't catch the past thought to you.
Yeah, look, and those guys are ready to catch pasture, not like sure, it's not like to have me practicing and stuff. Right, they're gonna catch your passes. It's just you're gonna throw the ball to the open guy. And if and if and if t Mac is open, and with all the other things he can do once he gets the ball, you're gonna throw the damn ball.
There's nothing wrong with that.
This is this is over analyzing.
Gaituation came up as part of a question I think in the in the plus game press confidence. Oh yeah, somebody and somebody asked about that. It was like, if you're not gonna cover, we're gonna throw him the damn ball. Sure, nothing wrong with that. Well, yes, we would like to spread the ball.
What's the right answer. That's the right answer. We're gonna go to him until they covernment if he's covered. We got a couple of guys.
No, absolutely and no, no problem with with what they did.
And we'll see if I take advantage again this week and then when the competition steeps up or steps up, okay, maybe four or five, yeah, catch us who knows?
Yeah, exactly exactly.
So I think it's you know, all, that's fine, you're you're but stee you know what, let's let's just let's just say it this way. That's a product of not enough the information getting out. So the four pieces of information that get out, you know, after a press.
Conference, that's what people zero in on, right.
You know, they didn't get it to ask enough questions where this becomes a non sure subject.
Sure, yeah, you have a certain window of questions to ask, right, right, I agree.
I agree, and so you know, so it got it got kicked around. This week. I haven't even heard his press conference from today.
Yeah, neither way. Thursday. Yeah, so I'm completely uninformed today. That's okay, it's called Thursday on Eye on the Ball.
We're just a couple of busy guys.
We're busy because now we got to go take You know, you don't even have breaking news, dude. We can just b s.
We'll find something.
Okay, we got we'll get about five minutes and the lines were open to anybody will be open.
Lines will be open. But yeah, well we'll get some break. We'll get whatever I sent you a thing today.
Yeah, yeah, we'll talk about about.
Okay, so we're gonna take our break top of the hour. We're gonna come back and we might have some breaking news for you.